Roy Mustang had never particularly been a rule breaker.
On the contrary, he loved rules.
There was something so soothing and reliable that Roy had only ever found in authority. Following a strict set of guidance was the only life he had known, and it made him feel like everything was in control. Plus, if he was ever in doubt, there was always a procedure to follow.
However, all of that strict military conditioning fell apart when Riza Hawkeye walked into a room, and there was certainly no rule book to consult for that particular problem. Roy felt quite out of control whenever she looked at him.
It didn't help that Roy had known Riza for a vast portion of her life. It didn't help that she was his trusted Lieutenant. It didn't help that she was Roy's image of absolute perfection. But most of all, it definitely didn't help that they had been dating in secret for two months.
By all accounts, their romantic relationship was still new and fresh. Their working relationship and their friendship was years old, and even the love had been there for much longer than either of them would ever admit. But a lot of these things were very, very new to Roy.
"Afternoon, Colonel," Riza enters his office now, her face unreadable and professional.
"Lieutenant," Roy replies mildly.
"Yo, Hawkeye!" Havoc lounges in the spare swivel chair, rocking himself from side to side with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. "I've been trying to get our wonderful Colonel here to agree to get a hair-cut. What do you think?"
"Why?" She says, humouring him. "What's wrong with his current hair style?"
"Eh," Havoc shrugs. "We all had an emo-kid fringe phase but it looks like Mustang never grew out of his."
Riza's mouth quirks upwards despite herself, but it's brief. Her usual composure is quickly regained. "I'm afraid I can't help, Havoc." She then looks to Roy. "And there's nothing wrong with your hair, sir."
"Thank you, Lieutenant." Roy mutters, the tops of his ears going a bit pink. "Now what can I do for you?"
"I brought in some paperwork concerning the Elric brothers and a few documents which arrived for you this morning from Central."
"Very good," Roy says.
Riza crosses the room. As she leans over the desk to place the papers down, Roy catches a cloud of her light perfume and his stomach flips as he remembers lying in bed only a few hours ago, watching her get dressed. She'd been stood in only her underwear when she sprayed her body with the scent, telling him to put his eyes back in as he simply marvelled at her.
Roy clears his throat as Riza straightens up and with her back to Havoc, she gives Roy the slightest of winks and a small, playful smile. Roy struggles to keep his own face straight.
Riza turns back around. "See you later, men," she says before exiting.
To say that Roy is distracted is an understatement. He tries to read the papers on his desk, but nothing is sticking with him. After he realises he's reread the same line over five times without knowing what it says, he snaps at Havoc who is lighting up his third cigarette in his office. "Havoc, don't you have some work to be doing?"
"Why?" Havoc replies.
Roy narrows his eyes. "Get out."
The Second Lieutenant huffs and stands. "Alright, alright. Later, Boss."
Roy grunts in response.
The door closes and finally he's alone. Roy releases a huge breath. He woke up with Riza a few hours ago but it feels like so long. For some reason, dating Riza has been like being a teenager again. All he wants is to be with her all the damn time.
Roy shakes himself. Time to pull it together. There's work to be done.
And, with a sinking feeling, Roy realises there's a lot of it.
Managing to switch his mind of for an hour, Mustang ploughs through the paperwork. It's not his favourite part of the job, but unfortunately, it's one of the most important components. He leans back in his chair, and heaves a sigh. It's barely even 2pm.
Long day, Mustang, he thinks to himself wearily.
It doesn't help that Havoc keeps making excuses to come in for a chat and a smoke. The last time he'd opened the door, Roy quite bluntly told him that is he dared step foot in his office one more time, he was getting set on fire.
Havoc hasn't been in for an hour now.
But he's been sat at his desk for too long and Roy hates being cooped up in the office. It feels claustrophobic and stifling. So taking a leaf out of Havoc's book, he invents a fun excuse to go and have a wander and stretch his legs. Usually Roy is strictly against wasting time, but today he needs the change of scenery.
Getting up, he stretches. His muscles feel tight and it feels so good to be out of that uncomfortable chair.
Roy heads out of his office. The heels of his shoes click loudly on the hardwood floors and Roy cringes as the noise cuts through the deafening silence of the corridor. With no real direction, he heads towards the end of the corridor and down the carpeted stairs.
As he descends, he meets Riza coming up and they cross paths on the intermediate platform where the two flights join at a corner. They don't meet eyes, but both slow down, deliberately brushing the backs of their hands together, fingers cautiously stretching out before they pass completely. Electricity fizzes between their skin.
With a quick scan around, Roy catches Riza's hand completely and pulls her to the side.
"Roy," she hisses, trying to pull away from him but he's standing so he blocks her into the corner. "What are you doing?!"
"Breaking the rules," he replies lowly.
She laughs quietly. "Seriously, stop it – behave yourself," Riza pushes him away slightly with her hands on his chest, but she doesn't remove them. Her actions themselves are only half-hearted. "Roy, we could get caught," she says seriously, her eyes darting around over his shoulder.
"I know," he replies. "And I would never usually do this but –"
There's a noise from the hallway above them and they freeze, but it's only the sound of the wind whipping against the windows outside.
"Roy …" she says uncertainly. He's hard to resist as he looks down at her now with fire in his eyes.
Riza kisses him. Roy melts right into her. It feels so good.
Roy steps forward more, pushing her into the wall and wrapping his arms around her. Dropping down slightly, Roy lifts her up and she winds her legs around his waist with a sigh of pleasure into his mouth. They kiss deeply with such a longing and Roy wants more.
But it's over too soon as he sets her down and they step apart, both with bright eyes, flushed cheeks and slightly untidy hair.
Roy clears his throat and pulls the front of his jacket straight. "Very good, Lieutenant," he says soberly.
Riza struggled to supress a smile. "Will that be all, sir?" She asks.
"For now," Roy replies.
With one last clumsy entanglement of their fingers and squeeze of hands which promises more later, the two finally pass each other back on their respective paths.
Roy is still fairly flustered and runs a hand over the hair at the back of his head, smoothing it down. His scalp still tingles from where Riza had run her fingers through his hair.
There's something oddly exciting about hiding their relationship when they were at work. It's the kind of rule breaking that gives both Roy and Riza a thrill of adrenaline every time they push the boundaries.
…
Despite the earlier threat, Havoc had still been brave enough to disrupt Roy again, who was noticeably more placid by the time he'd reached his office. Havoc had brought an olive branch in the form of two cups of tea, and sits on Roy's spare swivel chair with his feet kicked up resting on the edge of Mustang's desk. Roy keeps intermittently looking at him with half-hearted disapproval between his paperwork.
A knock on the door.
Mildly distracted by Havoc who is now making a paper airplane, Roy doesn't even look to the door as he calls: "come in!"
"Afternoon, sir," Riza enters. Roy struggles not to smile.
"Lieutenant," he greets with a stiff nod.
"Have you finished those reports for Central?"
"Of course," Roy picks up a thick yellow folder and holds it up. "Here."
Riza reaches over the desk to take it from him. Their fingertips brush together beneath the paper.
She clears her throat. "I'll get these sent off immediately."
"Very good, Lieutenant. Will that be all?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good to see you, Hawkeye!" Havoc chimes in.
"Always such a pleasure, Havoc," Riza replies wryly. "Sir."
Roy picks up his mug and hides a smile.
Turning on her heel, she leave the office.
They watch her in silence.
The moment the door closes, Havoc sighs. "Crikey, Boss," Havoc says wistfully, shaking his shaking his head. "When are you gonna finally get behind that?"
Roy coughs into his tea cup.
Emerging with a red face, he wipes his mouth and glowers at Havoc who is grinning. "Have some respect."
"Have I touched a nerve there, Chief?"
Roy scowls in response. "Shut up," he growls.
"You realise we all know you guys are dating right?"
Roy simply blinks in response. "Huh?"
"Yeah," Havoc says lazily, stretching. "You two are no where near as subtle as you think you are."