Riza walked into the office in the morning to see...a kitten? Yes, that was definitely a calico kitten, snuggled up in a basket with a red blanket.
"Good morning, Lieutenant," Roy greeted her.
"Sir," she responded. "Is that a kitten?"
He smiled. "Yes, it is. I found it on the way to the office this morning. It was all alone outside in a cardboard box. Isn't it cute?" Saying this, he reached into the basket and plucked the kitten out. It mewled slightly, then settled drowsily into his lap.
Riza sighed. "Sir, you can't keep that in the office. This is not an animal clinic."
He pouted. There was really no other word for it. "But you kept Black Hayate here," he complained.
She scowled in reply. "That was only for a few days. Besides which, being a dog, Black Hayate at least has some merit as a military animal, unlike that useless scrap of fur."
Roy hissed at her.
Riza closed her eyes briefly, trying to summon up patience for what was clearly going to be a trying day. "Sir, did you just hiss at me?"
He glared back at her unabashedly. "Are you judging me?"
"Frankly, yes I am, sir." She strode over to his chair, and held out her hand. "This is a military office, and it is time for you to get back to work. Now, hand me that kitten." Her tone demanded his compliance.
His eyes immediately changed to pleading. "But, Lieutenant–"
"No. Give me the kitten. Now."
Roy sighed, and reluctantly handed over his ball of fluff with a longing look.
"Thank you. Now, please get started on the papers in that pile. I will be back shortly."
He looked at her with the resigned petulance of a child whose favorite toy has been taken away for some misdemeanor. "What are you going to do with her?"
Riza wrapped the red blanket around the kitten before hoisting the basket up onto her hip. "I'm going to take her back to your place, sir, where she won't be a distraction."
His eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Yes. Now, those papers, please."
Roy dove into his work with unusual vigor. Riza gave herself permission for a short, fond look at her eccentric colonel before leaving the office.
As they walked down the hallway, the kitten looked up at her with a questioning meow.
She smiled down at it softly. "We don't have to tell him how cute he is, right, kitty? It will be our girls' secret."
She could have sworn the kitten smiled back at her as it mewled its agreement.