Colonel Roy Mustang sighed heavily as he heatedly signed the papers that were piled on his desk.

"I just don't have the time for this." he said through gritted teeth. He paused when he saw the report coming from the Fullmetal Alchemist. He smiled quietly to himself and then he ran his hand through his raven black hair.

That shrimp never fails to surprise me. Damn! He flinched. I just complimented that puny kid.

He finally put the paper to its rightful place and then he started to sign the papers again. The door in his office opened up, and there stood First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, holding more papers for him to sign. Black met amber, and then there was this silent intensity again, where everything seemed to fall apart and fall back together at the same time.

Riza walked across the office, and what Roy noticed wasn't her tacky uniform that hid her curves, but instead it was the way how the rays if the sun that went through the windows made her hair shimmer like honey, and how it made her skin glow. He blinked to make sure that he wasn't dreaming, but the illusion was gone. She was First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye again, the woman that tripped him to save him from Scar, and the woman who has a way with guns.

"What are those?" Roy asked, as she dumped the papers on his desk. He was obviously pissed.

"More reports from you subordinates." she replied.

"I've had enough of this!" he cried, as he pulled on his gloves and positioned his hand into a snapping gesture.

Riza was quick. Before Roy even had the chance to snap his fingers, she poured water on his hand.

"My uniform!" Roy spat out.

"With all due respect, Colonel, be mature and sign those reports."

Roy looked up at her. What is up with those unflinching, magnetic amber eyes? And for someone who works in the state military, why does she smell so good?

Roy sighed as he dried his hands and took his pen.

"Make two cups of coffee." he ordered.

Without saying a word, she went on her way. Signing papers would put you in a trance, doing the same pattern over and over again.

He needed a distraction. He needed Havoc, Breda or even Armstrong to be in the room, breaking the silence and talking about non-military stuff. Heck, he could also bear with Hughes doting about his daughter just to sweep him away from the hellhole that he's in now.

To make him remember that he was still a living human being despite what happened to Ishbal, despite what he did to the people there.

Because he, too, was once an innocent kid, and the next thing he knew, the papers were gone in front of him, the office vanished and all that he could see was a familiar backyard.

There was Hughes, looking at Gracia from a distance.

"I want to have her as my baby's mother someday." Hughes said.

Roy just smirked.

"What good would it do if you stick to one girl, Maes?"

"I don't know, but I like the thought of loyalty." he replied, without missing a beat. "Come on, Roy, who do you wanna have your babies with?"

"Shut up." he shot back, his blood already boiling. "Before I nail myself to one girl, I want to be in the military first."

"Why?" Hughes asked.

"I just want to change things." Roy replied, as he looked up at the sky. "For the better."

"Okay, then, sounds interesting!" Hughes said, grinning. "Count me in and you'll be Fuhrer in no time."

"What about Gracia?"

"I can have her, too. And if I'm in the military, I'll have a job. If I have the job, I'll be able to protect her in time."

"Hm. Nice plan."

"But then again…" Hughes began, in a lower, more serious tone.

Roy looked at him.

"If I'm with Gracia, I just wonder who will protect you."

"It'll work out." Roy said, smiling a little. "One thing I like about the future is that there's always this fifty percent chance that you'll like what happened. That fifty percent is enough for me to turn the tables and make it a hundred. That's how awesome I am."

Hughes smirked.

"By the way, what's the change that you're talking about?"

Roy looked at Hughes straight in the eye.

"Well, I like the girls over there to wear mini skirts."

Roy was pulled out from his daydream with the smell of coffee. The desk returned, he was holding his pen and he was once again in an enclosed space. Riza was sitting across him, already sipping her cup of coffee.

"You were dreaming." she pointed out.

"It was a nice dream." Roy replied gently. "Riza."

"Yes, sir?"

Roy put the pen down, and then he locked eyes with her.

"Why did you join the military?"

"Because I want to protect something." she replied, not breaking the eye contact.

"Tell me." he said. "That's an order."

He was taken aback when her eyes grew soft. She wasn't stiff anymore. In his eyes, she was the most beautiful sniper alive.

"The one that I want to protect is the same person that wanted the females here to wear mini skirts."

There it was again. The intense, comfortable silence. Roy smiled as he sipped his coffee. I guess I'll nail myself to a girl earlier than I thought. He thought to himself.

Black met amber, and the sun did this wonderful effect on her skin and hair, yet again.

"I hope you do a good job protecting him." Roy said.

"I already am, sir." she replied, grinning a little.

They basked in silence as they sipped their coffee.

"Hawkeye," Roy began, breaking the silence. "I want you to be the mother of my future children."

Riza looked at him, and then in a snap of a finger, she cocked her gun and aimed it at Roy.

"Sorry, sir, but I think you just got cockier."

Roy smirked, and then he stood up, leaned over the table and held the mouth of her gun. He melted a part of it with the use of his crimson flame, and then he leaned in closer still, until their faces were just inches away.

"I'm dead serious, First Lieutenant. And it's not nice, aiming your gun at your colonel like that."

"I'm sorry, sir, but your actions were just—"

He cut her off by placing his lips on hers. He noticed that her lips were soft and warm, and it tasted like strawberries. No matter what happens, even if she could handle guns and villains, she is a woman, after all.

He was surprised that she was returning the kiss. She ignited the spark that was between them.

They didn't go any further. That gentle, long kiss was enough.

They finally pulled apart, and they went on with their own business. Riza continued to sip her coffee, and Roy rushed his way into signing the reports.

The phone rang. Riza picked it up. She looked at Roy.

"It's Major Hughes."

Roy looked at the phone as if hesitating, but he took the call, anyway.

"What is it, Hughes?" He asked in an irritated voice.

"Elicia just had her first steps today!" he burbled. "I can't wait to get home and see her. I could see myself now, holding out my arms. Come to daddy, Elicia, and do that baby trot. Aren't Elicia and Gracia the greatest?"

"Yes, Hughes. I've still got loads of paper to sign. Can you hang up now?"

"But wait, have you found a girl already? I could hear it in your voice. So tell me, Roy, who is she? Is she hot? Come on, tell me, tell me! Were FRIENDS~"

Roy smiled, and then he gently stared at Riza.

"She's beautiful, Major. And she has a way of protecting me."

"Oh, I see." Maes said slyly. "I'll leave you and Riza alone then. Bye~"

Roy suddenly stood up and slammed his hand against the table.

"Maes, just how the hell did you—"

The line went dead.

"Damn." he seethed.

He stared at Riza, and then he smiled hopelessly. Riza smiled back and then he took both of the cups.

"I'll get more." she said.

"Hurry back." he replied, as he sat down and return to his never-ending task.

Both knew that all was well.