A/N: Second prompt for Royai week! I wanted to go more for the feeling of skin, plus Roy is very good at getting under Riza's skin in both good and bad ways. Shouts to my friend Laura for the puns! Enjoy!
It was too hot. It was a summer day in East City, the fans were blowing, the windows were open, but it was still. Too. Hot. Roy was sure he had nearly passed out three times from the heat and it was only 1400 hours. The uniform he was wearing wasn't helping matters. It was thick and heavy and, despite repeated requests, upper brass still refused to have a summer option that was at least slightly breathable. He could feel his undershirt sticking to his skin as he shifted in his seat, leaning his head towards the fan on his desk. The most it did was move some of the sweat beads on his forehead around a little.
Roy picked up his head and looked out at his team. Havoc was fanning himself with a manila folder, leaning back in his chair so that the front two legs were off the ground, his feet balanced on the desk in front of him, work forgotten. Breda was holding a water bottle to his forehead, sweat glistening off the side of his face as he attempted to cool himself down with the precipitation. Falman was reading some sort of paperwork, but Roy could see his eyes blinking rapidly as he forced himself to stay awake. There was sweat staining Fuery's collar, and his glasses kept sliding down his nose. Roy turned his head to Hawkeye, who was still working steadily, but he could see where her bangs were drooping over her face, heavy with condensation. Her face was bright red, and her skin had an unnatural sheen to it. This was ridiculous. Roy stood up.
"Men! This heat is...is...DUMB!" He was greeted with blank stares from each subordinate.
"Well said, Boss. I'm so glad we've decided to follow you for your eloquent speeches," Havoc stated, still fanning himself. Breda chuckled.
"Yeah, and why is The Flame Alchemist so upset about the heat anyway? Isn't this literally your job description?" Breda offered.
"Hey, just because I can manipulate fire doesn't mean I like to swelter alive while my uniform sticks to my skin!" Roy shot back.
"Don't get so hotheaded, sir."
"Yeah, you're really fired up."
Forget flame alchemy, the look in Roy's eyes alone could have burned both Breda and Havoc alive.
"Are those PUNS? Are you making PUNS while I sit here DYING?!"
"Okay, enough!" Hawkeye's voice rang out in the thick air. Every member of the unit swung their heads to her. She lifted her head and peered through her drooping bangs, amber eyes narrowed in annoyance.
"Havoc, Breda, quit baiting your superior. Sir, please get back to work. These forms need to be finished by 1600 hours." Thoroughly chastened, Breda and Havoc turned back to their work, Havoc sitting in his chair properly this time. Roy, however responded with merely a pout.
"Hawkeye, how do you expect me to work while I'm boiling alive?"
She sighed. "Would you like me to go get a spray bottle and spritz you with water until you behave? It'll cool you off and it might keep you quiet!" Riza snapped. Roy's eyes widened. She pursed her lips and cast her amber eyes down to her desk.
"Sorry, sir. I'm not fond of the heat, either." She lifted her head and met his dark eyes, where a silent conversation passed between the two of them. Roy felt like an idiot. He forgot that the heat got to her head and under her skin. Neither was fond of reliving the memories that tended to accompany such waves. Too similar to a certain desert in their past. It was in that glance that Roy made up his mind. He would get his Lieutenant to laugh.
"Men!" The rest of his subordinates heads popped up. Roy had a devilish gleam in his eye which would only amount to his patented brand of mischief. "It seems that our biggest problem is these uniforms. They're too much. Everyone take their jackets off." Fuery raised his hand.
"Fuery, you don't have to...okay, yes, Fuery?" He put his hand down.
"Sir, that's breaching protocol." Roy grinned even wider.
"If ordering my men to remove their uniform jackets in order to prevent heat stroke is what gets me court-martialed, then so be it. I can think of better sins with the same punishment." And out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hawkeye's red face get just a touch redder. No turning back now.
"Come on! You heard me. Off with them!" Roy pulled his jacket off and was hit by instant relief. Without the barrier of the wool adhering to his flesh, the air felt like heaven. His entire undershirt was damp, but he didn't care. The relief was palpable and he knew it showed on his face. The second his jacket was off, his male subordinates began immediately following suit, pulling off their jackets and sighing loudly as the air washed over them. Havoc dropped his head to the table, Breda flopped backwards over his chair, Falman stood up and cheered, "FINALLY!" and Fuery lifted his undershirt and began rapidly fanning himself with the damp cloth.
Roy looked over at Riza, who hadn't moved. She was just staring wide-eyed at the rest of her team's antics. After a moment (about when Havoc's head hit the desk and Falman's arms pumped the air), the mirth entered Hawkeye's eyes and she began to laugh. It was a freeing sound and she clutched her stomach as her laugh echoed in the room while the men sighed and moaned and praised the cool air. Her laughs only seemed to make them overreact more, prompting Roy to jump in.
"IT'S SO FREEING."
"I HAVE NEVER FELT AIR LIKE THIS BEFORE."
"FUERY'S GOT IT RIGHT, WAVE YOUR SHIRT."
"OH THAT'S SO MUCH BETTER."
"WHAT SICK GOVERNMENT FORCES WOOL UPON THEIR MILITARY DURING THE SUMMER?!"
"IT'S LIKE REMOVING AN ENTIRE LAYER OF SKIN, I FEEL LIKE A NEWBORN."
"THAT'S NOT HOW...WHERE DO YOU THINK BABIES COME FROM!?"
Hawkeye just laughed and laughed. Finally she started pulling her own jacket off. She struggled to put back on her normal mask, but her eyes shone and gave her away.
"You're all idiots. Every one of you." Havoc looked over at her.
"But we're YOUR idiots," he grinned, then muttered "at least one of us is anyway," and shot a cheeky look to Mustang. Roy glared at him.
"Alright, alright, now that we're feeling more refreshed, back to work. Gotta get these forms in by 1600 hours." He turned away, ignoring his men's groans, but he shot Hawkeye a wink as he turned. She responded with her ghost smile, the one that's only in her eyes, and bent her head back down over her paperwork, mood clearly lifted. That smile made Roy grin for the rest of the day. If he was going to accidentally get under her skin, the least he could do was make it up to her.
Riza dropped her purse and jacket on the sofa as Roy shut the door behind them.
"God, what a long day," she said from the kitchen where she rummaged through the cabinets, looking for Hayate's food. Roy walked around her small apartment, turning on all the fans she owned and opening the windows to blow out the hot air.
"There's one more in the closet!" she called. He found it and propped it in front of her bedroom window, aiming it out into the street so that the air would circulate. For the second time that day, Roy pulled off his uniform jacket and hung it on the hook behind her bedroom door. He walked into the kitchen and saw her opening a can of dog food. Smiling, he crept up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. The moment he made contact with her, she wormed out of his grasp.
"Oh no you don't. You, sir, are going to take a shower and wash all of that sweat off your skin before you even think about touching me." Roy pouted.
"But..."
"No buts! March." She turned him around and swatted him on the rear to make him walk.
"Hey! Jeez, you're in a mood." Riza had turned away and was back to getting Hayate's food ready.
"Go get in that shower and I'll show you what kind of mood I'm in." Roy's mouth split into a wide grin. He immediately stood at attention and saluted her.
"Yes, sir, Lieutenant Hawkeye, sir!" Without looking at him, she darted a finger in the direction of her bathroom.
"GO!"
Roy loved his Lieutenant.
I kind of hate the ending. Oh well! Please favorite and review!