A/N: Just a quick drabble about Riza and feelings.
Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye wasn't nearly as cold and heartless as everyone said. She had feelings of joy, sadness, and sympathy. She wasn't just the Ice Queen of Eastern Headquarters and arguably the best shot in the whole of the Amestris Military. She was deeper than that, and the truth was, everyone who knew her had barely scratched the surface of who she truly was. That is, everyone except him.
He knew what she had been through. He knew that she hurt when rumors of her circulated to her ears. He knew what she was capable of feeling, that she had experienced more emotions than most of the people who bothered spreading rumors about her.
He knew of the grief she felt at the hands of her father. He knew of the deep sorrow and remorse she felt for her actions during the Ishbal War. He knew of the intense affection she felt for her comrades and her small dog, Hayate. He knew of the overwhelming joy she felt after he burned the tattoo on her back, bearing the secrets of Flame Alchemy. Most of all, he knew of the utter devotion and love she felt for him, emotions that he couldn't help but reciprocate.
During the day, the Ice Queen Riza Hawkeye remained on her throne, face expressionless and reputation in tact. But later that day, she would arrive home and drink straight from the bottle of Vodka she stashed in her bedside table to block out the memories of the two gossipy secretaries who spread the rumor that she was a common whore by night, swearing to have seen her not two nights before, getting in the car with some guy outside a low class bar.
By the time he got there, he would find himself just holding her as she cried. But by the next morning, she would have a blank face and he couldn't help but want to hold her.
He knew that his pain over his actions in Ishbal was naught but a paper cut compared to the pain she suffered. Some nights he would wake to her screams as she relived the war in her sleep, and some nights she would physically be in pain from a particular wound that never quite healed up properly. He knew she was a tormented soul.
However, on rare occasion, he was exposed to the affectionate and loving side of her, and that alone was enough of a reason to help her though her emotions. He and the guys would be goofing off in the office, able to coax out a smile or laugh.
He knew of the joy and relief she felt when he freed her of the burden her father had entrusted to her. The rare smile she gave him, one he had only witnessed a handful of times, was forever imprinted in his mind. The smile conveying the uncontrollable happiness she felt when they entire office pooled their money and bought her a beautiful diamond necklace for her twenty-fifth birthday.
He knew of her understanding and caring nature nature. She had gladly filled out the entirety of Havoc and Breda's paperwork when they caught a stomach bug the first summer they were a team. He knew she had initially agreed to take in Hayate so that Fuery could still spend time with the little dog he'd become so fond of.
He knew there was more to her than meets the eye. He knew of the good things she felt and the bad. He knew that Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye was anything but the cold, heartless woman everyone thought she was. He knew that she was deeper than that, and, for that, she knew that was why he would always have her at his side.
A/N: So, not too long, nor much substance, but I got this idea and felt I should write something on it.