CHAPTER 1

Colonel Mustang was bored. Really, mind-bendingly, skull-crushingly, bored. He liked not having to be in combat or on the field all the time, but he also hated paperwork. And, as being a State Alchemist/Colonel, he had lots of it. Testing day, to decide who might be a new State Alchemist, was here, and he had the tests and the answer sheet right there on his desk, but the vast piles of paperwork and tests to be graded were a little overwhelming. He rubbed his temples and leaned heavily on his desk. The paperwork, the stifling heat in the room, and the loss of sleep lately, it was all teaming up on him. He sighed deeply and continued writing on the papers.

The next thing he knew, he was slumped on the desk, with pencil grazing his ear, and a dribble of drool leaking from the corner of his mouth onto a test. Roy raised his head sleepily to see Hawkeye standing at his desk. In a scramble and a flurry of papers he was standing in a salute.

"Sorry, Lt. Hawkeye. I'm afraid my all-nighters have caught up to me." He apologized quickly and efficiently. Hawkeye's rigid expression softened and she smiled at him.

"Yes, sir. Furor Bradley wanted me to inform you that you are free to go. You have been staying much too late lately, and being one of our strongest Alchemists we need you not asleep on your feet." She answered, and he felt his face flush in embarrassment.

"Well, see, all this paperwork needs to be done by tomorrow, and – "Riza cut him off.

"We can send Havoc or another subordinate to do that. You need rest and a day off."

"What?! A day off?!" Part of Roy was enraged that his weakness was so easily exposed, yet another part was grateful for the pity. He collected himself and spoke again.

"Sorry, Lt. You're absolutely right." He nodded at her and left the room.

The rain poured down, dripping off his straight black hair. His only umbrella had gotten destroyed 'accidently' by Fullmetal. The military freebie umbrellas by the door worked about as well as a sock, and so flimsy they broke from a single poke. But, they were freebies after all, so really what do you expect? He reached his dorm and unlocked the door. It was still and dark and quiet inside. The secretary behind the desk wrote his name in the log and waved for him to proceed on. He wandered into the pitch-black, silent halls. The hallways used to creep him out, but after Ishbal, nothing but the image of that kid, eyes wide and terrified, would ever scare him again.

He entered his room, which was cool, crisp, neat, everything that calmed him was here in his dorm. Roy collapsed on the bed, and almost fell asleep, but the soldier in him called out. With a groan and a sigh he rose and locked the doors and windows. Then he undressed from his military uniform, instead changing to the military nightwear. Roy collapsed on the bed again, but this time he crawled into the soft and warm haven of blankets and sheets, where he fell asleep at last.