Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.
A/N: This is an old, short and silly Royai fic. Read it out of boredom. Or charity. Heh. By the way, sorry 'bout any grammar/spelling mistakes, English is not my first language.
It used to be one step aside and two steps behind. That is the perfect distance for an aide to escort her superior. It's professional and provides a great vision field to locate any possible enemies.
Yet, it was not enough.
Reports have to be always neat. This is an easier task to be done if, when being traded, they are held by their edges; avoiding the chances of getting it crushed. Therefore, they used to be traded accordingly.
Yet, it was not enough.
When driving a superior officer to somewhere, the most appropriate was that said superior sat in the back seat, preferably in the opposite direction to the driver's. It used to be done that way, meticulously following the standards.
Yet, it was not enough.
Not close enough.
Not after the smiles, the looks, the concealed meanings behind the words.
They had to get closer.
The two steps behind turned into one. That way, it was even possible to smell his scent; that musky, burnt aroma that intoxicated her systems like a drug, making her head feel lighter and her senses sharper.
The reports, once held by their edges, were now gripped a little closer to their centers, making it possible for them to ever so slightly brush their fingertips together. The touch, however trivial, sent shockwaves traveling through their bodies; starting at their hands, making all the way through their arms to their hearts, which would start beating so fast they could swear it would explode.
The side of the back seat changed too, so he would sit behind her as she drove. In hot summer days, when the heat was enough to make them sweat, he watched closely as a sweat drop formed it self at the fine golden hair in the back of her head, then slowly dripped, making it's way down her nape, glimmering teasingly in shades of gold as the sun rays reflected it, to underneath her collar. The sight not just made his mouth water –so he had to continuously swallow to keep himself from drooling, but it also made him sweat and feel hot in a way that had nothing to do with the current weather.
But then came the blood, the pain, the silent promises.
And, yet again, it was not enough.
They had to get closer.
The number of steps was replaced with the number of inches behind. Such proximity made all the blood on her body rush with adrenaline, the hairs on the back of her neck stand and her wildest instincts beg her to move just a little closer, just enough for her to feel his skin on hers. It surely distracted her and made her job of watching out for enemies harder, but standing this close to him made her feel powerful, confident, untouchable. It felt right, like that was exactly where she belonged.
The concern with the neatness of the reports was nowhere to be seen anymore. They were gripped fist fully, so that 'brush' could increase its deepness. Every time a report was to be delivered, they would make sure to brush their whole hands in the process; softly sliding them against each others and taking in every sensation hungrily, desperately concealing the desire for more.
The back seat was long forgotten: he now rode in the passenger's one. Presuming she would be too busy focusing on the road to notice, he would discretely stare at her through the corner of his eyes; scanning every little piece of her body and trying to memorize it. It was like drawing a mental picture of her, traveling his eyes over her every curve, every line, everything; from the beautiful shades of gold and platinum of her hair to the full, reddish lips he so desperately craved for. Later, when she wasn't around him and he could no longer secretly stare at her beauty, he would use that 'mental picture' of her as a replacement; to ease his heart until the next time they met.
But, still, there were the fears, the feelings, the forever blind loyalty.
And they realized that it still wasn't enough.
But then again, it would never be.
Closing the inches between them could bring pleasing feelings, temporary happiness; the glimpse of what they would have were the circumstances different.
It could not, however, make such illusions come true.
They still had too much to do, many battles to fight. They couldn't afford thinking about their own happiness yet.
No matter how long was the physical distance between them, they would still be far from being really together.
It was like staring at a jewel in a window-shopper right in front of you and not having the money to buy it.
Like holding the candy in your hands and not being allowed to eat it before lunch.
Like having a mallet full of money at your hold and having to give it to someone else.
They were standing centimeters away from what they wanted the most…yet, they couldn't grasp it.
They were so close… yet, so out of reach.
A/N: Told you it was silly. But, please, make my day and leave a review! It wont hurt, I swear!