"Lieutenant"
"Yes sir?"
"Grab your jacket; it's time to go home"

The setting summer sun sent an array of pinkly-orange across Central Headquarters, highlighting the figure against the green fabric outside. The only sound filling the air was the clacking of military boots across the halls from Colonel Roy Mustang and his subordinate Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye – Central seemed more quiet than usual, according to her. The only people that did pass them through the seeming-less deserted halls of Headquarters had a look of utter concern or fear enlaced throughout their expressions. While odd to Roy, he thought nothing more of it.

The drive home was silent, as she carpooled her commanding officer home every evening. It was not only to be able to know he made it home safe, she also enjoyed his company. Neither of them seemed to want to say anything, after an exhausting day at the office the last thing they wanted to do was spark up a conversation of which neither was comfortable with. That being the kiss that they shared not so long ago. Even the roads were quiet, as the sun sent a ray of almost blinding light across her vision, engulfing the world in the time of golden hour.

"Riza-"

Once out of the car, he had to break what was already put on hold between them. "No, it's Lieutenant to you sir."
"It's not and you know it, we can't keep it buried in our emotions forever. It happened and we need to talk about it"
"Goodnight sir"

A frown spread across his features as he tussled his black hair with the hand not on the steering wheel. His eyebrows furrowed in time, feeling a long sigh escape his cracked lips. Roy whispered her good night and then drove home at a relaxed pace, careful not to get himself into too much thinking. A glass of whisky and puzzling thoughts was a recipe for a long night of oblivious thinking. Even when he arrived home he took his time, slowly entering his house and turning on the television.

It was only then that he realised, and his eyes widened beyond their normal size. His black eyes, pitted with disbelief, could only stare at the words written in the news headlines:

Fuhrer King Bradley announces Amestris to become dictatorship. Declares routine inspections every week.

While others may be confused as to what that meant, the inspections would mean groups of soldiers to visit civilian homes once a week and inspect for anything suspicious or anything that was hostile toward the Fuhrer. Anyone with such contraband will be shot. No exceptions.

A lump had started to form in his throat; it wouldn't be long before Amestris revolted in anger. Even now, protestors rounded in front of Central headquarters, although many of them were immediately shot, crimson red blood pooling from bullet wounds as they fell onto the sun highlighted ground. His calloused hands hovered over the phone, wanting to call his Lieutenant, yet he wasn't sure now was the time, after their encounter before. Roy's hands began to shake, as visions of blood-stained hands obscured his visions. Ishval was enough, why should he and other officers have to kill for such a simple reason!? Surely they wouldn't have to?

Yet the look on Bradley's face said otherwise.

"Dammit!"

-/-

Nightfall
9:37 pm
1 week from announcement

The streets were empty, a black cat padded across the pathway, bounding onto a pile of trashcans in a nearby alley. Roy's team walked, almost silently under the light of the full moon. No amount of experience could prepare him for this, as he had heard a previous patrol just last week had shot a growing rebellion in their own home for suspicion of planning against the Fuhrer. It didn't quite add up to the Colonel, why make such a strong political statement without any warning? Especially when the relationship between Xing and Amestris was reaching the point of treaty? It was as if Fuhrer Bradley was trying to destroy its own country from the inside out.

Riza cocked her gun, no matter the situation between them she knew what an order meant, even if someone higher ranked than them were to give one. Such as now. Havoc and Falman took his flanks, just as nervous as their commanding officer. Many other soldiers had the same confused and agonised look, just like last week… It was as if the military had been sent into a sense of silent panic, it was seen across their faces even though they saluted and carried out orders as normal.

Knocking on the wooden door, feeling the cool material against his hand he contemplated how long it would take for someone to answer. It was several seconds before anyone opened and even then a young girl did instead of her parents. Her hazel eyes widened at the sight of crisp blue military uniforms, shyly letting them into their home. For a moment, Roy and the girl's eyes met. She could be no older than 12, maybe younger, the look of innocence hung heavily in her eyes. Many families had fled Amestris, but the ones who had too much to live for braved it out, hoping that it would settle.

As they searched the apartment, Roy's mind began to wonder. He hadn't been able to reach Riza mentally, as she was still somewhere else. In her mind, she was hiding their kiss in a box and locking it metaphorically. She refused to talk to him most of the time, apart from professional speak. It disheartened him. Snapping back from his dreamlike trance, he noticed something about the boxes.

They were full of memories, photos and scrapbooks.

"That's dad"

Roy looked past his shoulder, to see the girl with hazel eyes staring at him again. He suddenly wondered where her parents were. "Where did he go?"
"He left a week ago and never came back"

A pang of guilt. Her father was probably one of the protestors. Even as he finished his inspections, he knew he was acting soft. They left without a word, instead of issuing a statement about the Fuhrer. Back into the beautiful shine of the moonlight, he backed into an alleyway, just for a moment. The look on her eyes, how could they be expected to kill someone such as that? He couldn't do that again. Once naïve, when he killed those Ishvalan children, the fear in their eyes...

Glancing around the corner, his trustful subordinate waited for him. The smallest of smiles graced her lips, she knew his little quirks, and knew what he was feeling. "Sir, we shou-"

Before she could finish her sentence, her eyes rolled back into her head, as she fell onto the ground. Her blonde hair came undone from her clip from the impact, showering across the pavement. He immediately could tell why this was happening. It was only a matter of time before something like this was going to happen. Rebels.
"Hawkeye!"
Running toward her, it wasn't long before he suffered the same fate. Even though he knew, that he should be fighting the rebels, his heart told him otherwise.

Then it all turned black.