In one frozen moment, Riza Hawkeye only had time for half a thought. It went something like this: Was that…?
Riza stood with her feet frozen to the spot of carpet she stood on, watching every second. The world slowed for her when she heard the beginning of a very familiar sound – but unusually, it wasn't her fault. Then the window glass began to push itself forward, and a small, round, black piece of metal showed through, leaving a web-like crack in the window behind it.
In front of her, Roy Mustang began to slowly, so achingly slowly, bend down to reach a fallen paper that had slipped carelessly from his hands. It was, of course, his uncompleted paper work.
The black metal inched forward, aimed perfectly in a straight line. Had this been any other moment, Riza might have said it was nearly as sharp a shot as one of her own - nearly. At this time, however, all she could do was stare at it.
Roy bent just one more small inch forward, and but the metal ball still came straight, aimed just at the top of his head. Riza wanted to close her eyes.
One more inch. Please.
He bent more, so amazingly unaware of what was going on, not knowing he was saving his life. Just in time, his head fell down toward the floor. The bullet brushed straight through his hair, not touching his skin at all.
The world sped up. Riza breathed again.
"What the-!" Roy Mustang yelled as he shot upright in his seat, and he stared at the newly-made hole in the wall. "Riza? Did you see that?" he asked with big, disbelieving eyes. She stood still. From the back or the side, Riza seemed to look as she always did – strict, no-nonsense and ready to pull a trigger, but her eyes told Roy, and only Roy, her fear.
And in that moment, with that realization that she had almost broken her promise, she wanted to cry. Riza Hawkeye, the fiercest, sharpest shooter in the military, wanted to cry. She had made a promise to protect Roy, and almost failed. This had happened before, though not much, and each time it killed her to watch.
Riza wouldn't cry, though. Not for the person who had given her the courage to do more than she had ever thought was possible. Not for the person who helped her realize that things could be changed. Not for the person she had sworn her life to, not for the person who had helped her keep her humanity through the robotic-like slaughter of a war. She would keep herself in order, and support him. Her own fears could wait till a time when she could be alone.
"Sir, you're not supposed to call me Riza. We're in the military, sir," she replied shortly.
Roy closed his eyes, breathed heavily, and muttered, "I know, I know," with a small smile on his white face. "I know."