"Here's your stupid report."
Roy looked up from his own report just as the stack of papers hit his desk. His eyes climbed a little higher and sought his subordinate's face, the lines of defeat and frustration he found twisting a small knot in his gut.
"Another failure, Fullmetal?" Roy smirked, picking up the paper and scanning the pages, but it was more for show than anything.
"Shut up, Colonel!" Ed snapped, golden eyes flashing dangerously.
Roy closed his eyes and shook his head, clucking his tongue in disapproval. "Temper, temper. Fullmetal, there's no need for that." He set the papers back down and leaned forward, lacing his fingers together and resting his elbows on his desk. "You can't say I'm wrong."
"I have somewhere I need to be if you don't mind, so can we wrap this up?"
"Well, I suppose I can dismiss you. Seeing as you're short on time and all."
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO TINY HE WAS UNDER THE HEIGHT LIMIT FOR THE MIDGET CONVENTION?"
Roy smirked. "I could be wrong, but I believe I was talking about you, Fullmetal."
Ed clenched his fists at his sides and stomped one foot, his cheeks puffed up. He struggled with his words for a few moments, but he eventually surrendered, opting instead to storm out with muttered hateful words and a solid door slam.
Roy chuckled softly and shook his head, returning to his paperwork.
"You really shouldn't be so hard on him, sir."
Roy glanced up and frowned, opening his mouth to reply.
"After three years of dead ends, don't you think you could lose the formalities every now and then? Why Fullmetal?" Riza dropped a stack of papers on his desk and returned to the bookshelf she was cleaning out.
Roy sighed. "Don't you think you could loose the paperwork every now and then?"
Riza glared at him from across the room, letting out a sharp sigh of disapproval.
Roy held his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. I'll get on it." He grabbed the papers from the top of the pile and started signing his name at the bottom of each. "I don't know how to explain it. Using his title is almost... it's sort of like an encouragement."
"Encouragement, sir? That's a terrible excuse."
"I'm serious." Roy finished his signature yet again, but instead of moving to the next form, he put his pen aside. "Why do I have so much paperwork?"
Riza looked at him with an arched brow, clearly fed up with his whining.
"Bear with me, alright? Why do I have so much paperwork?"
"Because I need you to sign a lot of things," she intoned dryly.
"You need me to sign my name and rank. My name carries power. It's a reminder of who I am and what I had to do to get here." Roy leaned back in his chair and put his chin in his hand, pursing his lips slightly. "The Flame Alchemist. The Hero of Ishval. For many people, these titles define who I am. The Fullmetal Alchemist has a reputation among the people of Amestris, too."
Pushing his chair away from his desk, he stood up and wandered over to the window, his arms folded behind his back. "Fullmetal has been trying for three, long years, just as you said, and he has come up with nothing. Every day he struggles to move forward and try to work with a clean slate." Roy braced his arms against the pane and let out a soft sigh. "He might not have made progress with the Philosopher's Stone, but he's an extraordinary boy. He's brave and strong, he'll never give up, he'd sacrifice anything for the ones he loves, he studies hard, and though his paperwork is always late, I know his true work ethic. When most fifteen year olds would begin to cry, he breaks out a smile. He's self-sufficient and reliable. He is for the good of the people, as an alchemist is supposed to be. He's never had a father or father figure, but he's managed to be a good role model for his brother. He can stare death in the face and crack a joke."
For a moment, silence settled over the room, and then Roy let out a sigh. He pushed off the windowsill and returned to his desk, sitting back down and grabbing another small stack of papers from the bigger pile. "He has always had those traits, and they were certainly with him the day he became The Fullmetal Alchemist. Since he received his title, those traits have continued to grow, and the more successful he is, the more weight his title carries." He smirked briefly. "Which he needs, given his lack of literal weight."
Everything grew quiet once again, but it was far from awkward. It settled over the room gently, the space between them filled with ease. Whether she agreed or not, she was willing to give the concept a lot of thought.
BAM!
"I forgot the last two sheets. They got stuck to my research notes." Ed stomped up to the desk and slapped the papers on top of Roy's pile, a vein on his forehead sticking out. "Just another reason to hate milk!"
Ed whirled around and started to leave, but Roy stopped him.
"Fullmetal."
Ed stopped and turned, caught off guard by the sincere tone. "Yeah?"
Roy hesitated, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Fullmetal... you have a mandatory physical at 6:00 am tomorrow. Let me know if you've shrunk!" He threw his head back and laughed, bringing his arms up to shield his head from the objects being hurled in his direction.
"Shut up! I'm not that small!"
Roy lowered his arms slightly, still laughing, and then he let out a sigh. "Ahh, but honestly, Fullmetal. Show up for your physicals, and I'll try to have a new mission for you." He folded his arms atop the clutter on his desk, a warm smile pulling on his lips. "I do genuinely need the results of your physical exam, and who knows? Maybe you've grown half and inch or so."
Ed did a double take, blinking rapidly, and then he started toward the door. "Um... sure... I'll see you tomorrow."
Roy nodded his head slightly, still smiling. He waited for Ed to leave, and then he picked up his pen to resume his work, casting a quick glance in Riza's direction.
Riza smiled at him, and then she got back to her books.
Why Fullmetal, indeed.
