Author's Note: Especially for Roayai day. This short fic is dedicated to my husband who came up with the idea for the story when I was stumped on where to start.

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Perfect Day

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The date had been chosen well in advance so there was plenty of time to prepare. Yet here he was completely unprepared despite the fact. If this were an elaborate scheme to overthrow the government he could have come up with several plans by now. Such things came easy for the Flame Alchemist.

But, alas this was not quite that simple. This was to be a special day he had set aside to show his appreciation to the most important person in his life. His number one supporter, the person who always watched his back.

Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye.

Working with her was one thing, their chemistry was perfect and everything just came naturally. She was there to keep him in line when he couldn't think clearly. She watched his back for there were many enemies behind it. She was there every day pushing him up from below. He couldn't imagine how he could have survived without her by his side.

Lucky for him Roy was able to separate professional and personal business as a natural reflex. For when he thought of her any other way than professionally she made his mind go numb. The way it had for the past 3 weeks. He recalled how he thought he had everything figured out.

"Ah, Lieutenant Hawkeye." Roy found it hard to hide the smirk that crept onto his face as she entered the room.

"Good morning sir." Her voice was its normal soft tone which most people might find cold but he found soothing.

"You're just the person I wanted to see." He continued on as she then saluted him.

"Well, then it is lucky for you that I just happen to come to the office like this every morning." She couldn't help but respond with such a wiseass comment. Really, it's too early in the morning for such an act.

"I know, it's almost as if I had planned it that way." Roy paused for a moment to grasp a hold of a more serious moment. "But seriously, I wanted to talk to you before the guys came in."

"All right sir, what do you need?" Hawkeye cocked her head slightly to one side, almost puzzled by the situation.

"Lieutenant, you work too hard." The statement came out as just that. A surprised look entered Riza's face as she quirked an eyebrow at his truthful but odd revelation. Seeing as how she was rather speechless he decided to continue. "That's why I want you to take a day off."

"Sir?" Her questioning tone of voice said everything she was failing to at the moment. What was this all about so suddenly?

"I found the perfect day to give you off too." Roy folded his hands and rested his chin on them as he continued to speak. Wednesday June 11th will be a very low key day here in Central. Most of the big shots will be out of town on an inspection and several departments are going to be busy with maintenance. It's a perfect chance for a holiday."

"Sir, I appreciate the offer but that really isn't necessary. I don't do anything special and I don't think it would be fair to the others." Roy almost thought she looked a little uncomfortable at the thought of a "free" day.

"Alright then, since everyone works so hard I will give everyone the day off." And that settled the matter.

That was three weeks ago, tomorrow was June 11th and Roy was still unable to come up with a plan to do something special for Hawkeye. His eyes bore a hole in his current piece of paperwork as he impatiently tapped his pen on the desk. Everyone except for Sergeant Kain Fuery had gone to lunch, Roy was running out of options.

Roy stopped his incessant pen tapping and again broke the silence, this time with a question. "Fuery, where would you take Lieutenant Hawkeye to relax?" The sudden question made the sergeant jump and his glasses shifted off of their normal axis. He quickly straightened his glasses back to their normal position.

"Sir?" The young man couldn't really think of anything else to say but respond in a questioning manner.

Roy repeated the question, wording it a little differently this time. "If you wanted to take Lieutenant Hawkeye somewhere she could relax and have a good time, where would you take her?" He waited for a moment and decided to add a little more fuel to the fire. "You know she is always working so hard and I can never get her to take time for herself. I want to do something special for her tomorrow."

"Well.." Kain stammered a little as he thought of the lovely lieutenant that he admired so. "I guess… the park?" He said almost timidly. "Or… more like on a picnic." He paused as a smile came to his face. "Somewhere Black Hayate could run around and she could quietly read her book. Some place with trees and flowers that could compliment her natural beauty." Oops, he realized that his mouth kept moving when he got to the part that was supposed to be kept to him self.

Mustang couldn't help but smirk at that one. Yup, as he thought the sergeant had a crush on lieutenant Hawkeye. Not that he could blame him, he was right there with him on that one. She was beautiful in a very natural way, nothing forced or made up like some of the girls he knew from Madame Christmas's.

"That's a great idea!" Roy's voice filled the almost empty office. He was fired up now. He scribbled the last few things he needed on the paper he was working on and slammed his pen down on his desk. "You're a good man sergeant!" And like that Colonel Mustang left the room on a mission.

Kain couldn't help but feel he understood how Havoc always felt when it came to women. He didn't even have a chance, Roy Mustang definitely got all the girls. Even the seemingly unattainable Riza Hawkeye.

It was Wednesday June 11th and it was a very unusual sight at Riza Hawkeye's residence. She slowly sat up in bed and stretched out with a yawn. This was quite routine. What was not routine was the time, it was 7:05 and way past her normal time to get out of bed.

"Well Black Hayate, it's a rare day off, how should we spend it?" She smiled at the small dog who sat below her on the floor wagging his tail with his tongue hanging out. It was as if he knew that today would be special.

After her shower Riza began to lazily pull her clothes on. The sleek skirt complimented her blouse and its accompanying jacket perfectly. This outfit was surely made just for her. She had to admit it felt good to be out of the heavy military uniform that always hid her feminine form.

Running the brush through her hair she thought she could hear a knock at the door. Black Hayate's ears perked up and a small yip escaped from him as he trotted out of her room and to the front entrance. It was barely after 7:30, who in the world could that be at her door?

To her surprise the Colonel stood at her door clad in his uniform and looking important. He always looked that way. It was no wonder that women always swooned over him. He was handsome to start and that uniform made him even more attractive. She shook her head, where was her brain off to today.

Opening the door she greeted him. "Colonel, what a surprise. What can I do for you?"

"On the contrary lieutenant it's what I can do for you." Roy kept a serious attitude so he wouldn't lose himself along the way. "I am headed to the office now to make sure everything will go smoothly for everyone's holiday today. I will be done at noon and I was hoping you would accompany me for lunch."

Hawkeye had to admit she was a little surprised. Not because he was heading into work to pick up the slack, despite how it seemed he really was a hard worker and he cared for his subordinates very much. She was surprised that he wanted her to have lunch with him. He always kept his distance from her outside of work.

It wasn't because they didn't like each other, quite the opposite. They both knew they had mutual feelings for each other but there was really no time or place for them right now. There may never be. They had a job to do, he had a goal to reach. Until that day they would only maintain a professional relationship. Personal feelings could jeopardize his important goal as well as give their enemies ammunition they didn't need to supply them with.

After clearing her mind she decided that a lunch date shouldn't be too big of a deal. They ate lunch together at work all the time. "Sure. Where do you want to meet?"

"Actually, I will pick you up when I get done. Bring Black Hayate with you too." With that he was gone from her doorway.

"Well boy, it looks like we have a date." Riza closed the door and looked at her black and white companion. He tilted his head at her, just as puzzled as she was.

As promised Roy knocked on her door again around lunch time. It was about 12:30, somehow he managed to finish up the work without his normal crew and still make it on time.

Riza opened the door with a leash in her hand. Black Hayate and her were ready to go and she stepped out and closed the door behind her.

Roy was now dressed in civilian clothes, his favorite, a pair of black dress pants with a white dress shirt. The usual black jacket he wore with this ensemble was missing today due to the warm temperature. Under his arm was what appeared to be a rolled up blanket and in his hand was most definitely a picnic basket.

As Riza surveyed the scene in front of her it became obvious why he had wanted her to bring Black Hayate. "A picnic, sir?" She raised that questioning eyebrow at him.

"Well, it's such a nice day I thought this would be good for a change of pace." He held out his arm to usher he along the hallway.

They walked in companionable silence down the streets of Central and to the large park. Once they made it to the grassy paradise Riza bent down and unclasped Black Hayate's leash. The happy puppy ran ahead of her in his own little dance. Her strict discipline insured that he didn't wander too far ahead of them.

After a bit of walking they came to the large pond that lay at the edge of the park. On normal days off this area could be quite busy, but on a day like today many people were at work and children were in school. It was a perfect day for such an outing. Not only was it quiet but there were no prying eyes to have to answer to. The Colonel and the Lieutenant could relax and just be themselves. Something they had not done and someone they had not been in many years.

Roy unrolled the large checkered blanket onto the perfect patch of grass near the water. He had managed to find a fantastic old quilt packed away in a box. Their spot in the park was a perfect balance of sun and shade and a light breeze wafted through the air. Birds were chirping and the sky had very few fluffy clouds that drifted by lazily.

Right out of a story book, that was what Riza was thinking. How did such a miracle happen? Life was never this simple any more. What Hell would she have to pay for receiving such a gift? Surely her fate had become more cruel and twisted than this.

Lunch was a simple spread of sandwiches and fresh fruit that adorned the plates in front of her. She smiled as she thought there couldn't have been a more perfect day if she had wished for it. Maybe fate was taking a day off as well.

"I am impressed. Did you make lunch yourself?" She smiled coyly at him as she eyed the sandwiches.

Black Hayate chose that moment to come over and curl up on the edge of the blanket. Roy placed a small piece of meat he had saved for the pup in front of him. He wagged his tail in acknowledgment as he took it between his paws and began to gnaw on it.

"Even I am capable of making sandwiches. I just don't like peeling vegetables." He couldn't hide the pout on his face. He was just never going to live down that picture she had seen of him from that time in the mountains with Maes and Armstrong.

"So really, what is this all for?" She had an almost disbelieving look in her eyes.

"Can't an appreciative Colonel say "thank you" to his most loyal and trustworthy subordinate?" His classic smirk just couldn't stay away.

Her eyes slightly narrowed in thought. "Only if you want something or have done something wrong." She folded her arms across her chest as she finished her statement and had that "what have you done now?" look on her face.

Roy's lips formed a mock pout. "Lieutenant, I am crushed you think that way."

"Only because I know you so well." She couldn't help but smile at how endearing that look was on his face.

Roy let out a defeated sigh. "You do know me too well." But then he became quite serious, an almost sad look in his eyes. "But really, I just wanted to give you a special day you could enjoy. It hurts me to know all the sacrifices you have made in your life for others. Especially the sacrifices you have made for me. It doesn't seem like life will ever be normal for us. Just once I wanted to see what we were missing." He didn't do very well at hiding that loving gaze that now covered his face. "I just wanted to give you the perfect day."

Riza sincerely smiled at him, her eyes as soft as he had ever seen them. She looked very happy and content. A slight blush on her cheeks showed that she too felt a little more than she should allow herself where he was concerned. "Well, you almost succeeded." She had a slightly mischievous grin on her face.

Roy was overcome by a bewildered look, it wasn't like her to make such a statement in this kind of a situation. He expected a quiet "thank you" or something along that line.

"You forgot one thing." Riza then leaned into him kissing him full on the lips. That action was sensuous and unexpected. Her actions left the usually witty Colonel a little more than speechless as she pulled away to look at him. "Now it's perfect." She then lowered her voice to that of a whisper. "Thank you."

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Author's Notes: So there you have it, my yearly contribution to Royai day. Like Roy Mustang I had plenty of time to get this done but it just didn't come to me (hence my inspiration for that part of the fic). The idea of a picnic originally came from my husband not sergeant Fuery. I was dissapointed that we didn't receive any Royai in the manga this year for Royai day. With that let down in mind I had to do something fluffy. Please pray with me for Roy and Riza's safety in the manga. The end of it all is fast aproaching.