"Colonel?"

On the road back to Eastern Command, in the middle of a discussion on upcoming military exercises, Roy abruptly cuts off in mid-sentence; Riza is quick to pick up on the note of distraction in his pause. She allows her eyes off the road for a split second and into the rearview mirror. Where she would usually find her commanding officer returning her gaze, she instead finds him with his head turned to his window, as far back as he would perhaps be able to see, much like a curious child.

"Something the matter, sir?"

Roy shrugs noncommittally. "Oh, nothing. Just a cute dog by a fire hydrant."

Riza raises an eyebrow to herself. The moment was a scene that as of late had become familiar, and in fact, almost hilariously routine. Many times in the past couple of weeks, as she sought out Roy in Eastern Command with an armful of paperwork or a message from a superior, she had spotted him crouching out on the street, always with the subtlest hint of a smile on his face—and always with a dog sniffing at his heels or rubbing its head against his side. Once or twice, she had found Roy sharing spare bits of ham, which must not have been on his person just by chance.

She recalls last Tuesday, when Roy had gone out on a date with an informant investigating illegal weapons dealers claiming to be from the North. He casually admitted to a confused Havoc and an uneasy Riza the following morning that there were no new developments to report. That must not have been all to it; Riza recalls the woman, accompanied by a particularly friendly Labrador.

A dormant knot comes undone in her chest, at the same time that a thought sparks in her head.

"Colonel."

"Yes?"

Permission to make a detour to my place, sir."

She glances at the rearview mirror again; this time, Roy blinks at her. "Of course. Is there an emergency?"

"No, not at all. I just need to pick something up."

When they arrive at their destination, Riza alights the car with a promise to be prompt, but no explanation. No more than five minutes have passed when she emerges to find Roy standing next to the car, and he turns at the sound of her approaching. His face visibly lights up at the sight of her—or rather, that of the adorable puppy happily panting in her arms.

"Well, hello there!"

Riza sets Black Hayate down on the sidewalk, and he turns up to look at her with a small whimper of confusion. She crouches down next to him and gently pushes him by the hind. "Go on, Hayate. That's the Colonel; don't you remember him?"

Sniffing ahead tentatively, Hayate waddles over to Roy, who leans forward, hands on his knees. Hayate's approach is cautious, perhaps out of suspicion toward this vaguely familiar man who then picks him up with both hands. Unlike their first meeting, however, Roy is gentle this time, slowly bringing Hayate closer and allowing the puppy to keep sniffing at him. After a moment, Hayate begins panting happily.

Riza looks at the two fondly. "Look at you, sir. You should have made yourself clear that you wanted Hayate in the first place."

Roy bobs Hayate up and down gently. "Nonsense, Lieutenant. Your maternal instincts have clearly been good for Hayate. He's looking much healthier than when Fuery first brought him to headquarters."

"Seeing how you've been around dogs since I got him, I think you would have made a good father to him yourself."

Roy suppresses a smile. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Hayate then begins to struggle, wiggling his body in Roy's hands as he makes a small sound between a bark and a whimper. Riza quickly but carefully takes him from Roy and holds him to her chest. She strokes his nape gently. "I guess it'll take some time for him to get used to you, though."

"Fair enough."

Riza secures Hayate in her arms and goes around the car, back to the driver's seat. Roy says, "Are we taking him back to headquarters with us?"

Riza smiles at Hayate as he licks her hands.

"I think we can work on joint custody."