Everyone can tell they're falling in love except them.

Riza understands Mustang's feelings for her far before he does. She picks up on the little things he does, how he gazes at her with his head slightly tilted and a smile on his face he often hides with his hand, how he lets their hands touch for a few seconds longer than necessary when she hands him his daily paperwork. It's a woman's intuition, she assumes, but the reality is that she would never have noticed the small changes in his actions if she hadn't begun to watch him more closely.

She's pleased to learn that he isn't putting any restrictions on her movements or trying to keep her out of danger just because he's taken a liking to her. She can fend for herself, and the knowledge that he accepts this and will let her stay independent makes her proud, both of herself and of him.

The realization of her own feelings is sudden enough that it nearly knocks the breath out of her.

A slow day leaves too much time for thoughts, and Riza's keep returning to last night's events. She had come across Mustang on the street, shamelessly flirting with a woman, and she had blown past him with a rush of silent anger. It still makes no sense to her why something like jealousy ended up buried beneath her breast, but that's what it was. But why?

As she walks toward Mustang's office, stack of papers in her arms, she suddenly freezes. Her brain finally comes up with the only reasonable conclusion: she loves Mustang.

It would explain why her heart tightens when she sees him, why the touch of his fingers leaves her skin feeling tingly, why she feels she can trust him above all others with her life.

Well. She swallows, rolls her shoulders, and continues down toward Mustang's room. She won't overstep her boundaries. She can't risk being wrong in her analysis of the colonel's feelings for her.

But surely she isn't wrong. Right…?

A loud knock on the door interrupts Roy's drifting mind, and when it swings open, Hawkeye is standing in the doorway with an armful of papers and a very odd flush to her face. "Today's paperwork," she says, striding across the room and setting the stack on Roy's desk. She stands still, awaiting instructions or dismissal.

"Is something the matter, lieutenant?" Roy asks interestedly. The way Hawkeye glances at her feet before meeting his eyes only furthers his curiosity. He leans forward and lifts an eyebrow. "The papers can't have been that heavy. Don't tell me someone confessed to you." Hawkeye's eyes widen and she opens her mouth and closes it again. Right on the mark? He can't say he expected that, and he doesn't particularly like it either.

"No, sir," Hawkeye replies at last, once again as cool and collected as usual (much to Roy's disappointment). "I simply wanted to apologize for my behavior last night. I should have greeted you."

Roy leans back in his chair with a sigh. "Is that all? Honestly…" He shakes his head. "You were in a hurry, and I was in the middle of being turned down. Don't worry about it."

"Yes, sir." Hawkeye's voice is a bit relieved, despite her calm face. "If I may, I don't think that woman was right for you in the first place."

Roy chuckles. "It's not like you to comment on my love affairs, lieutenant," he teases. "Go on. I know you have work to do, so go ahead and leave me to drown in my own work." Hawkeye nods and turns to leave quickly enough that Roy wonders exactly how long she had been wanting to escape.

An apology for being rude and not speaking to him last night… His lieutenant is a strange woman. But he admires her for such honesty despite being battle hardened, like he admires her for being so strong and clear-headed despite how much pain she carries on her scarred back.

Roy watches her go with his chin resting on his palm and a smile perched on his face. There's a fondness in his gaze, a light he isn't aware of. He clears his throat suddenly and returns his attention to the papers on his desk, all of which need to be looked over and none of which will be. He shuffles through them idly, lost in thought.

Hawkeye has been working so hard lately, not that her performance is ever anything but top notch. She really deserves a break, but Roy knows he can't afford to send her off anywhere. He needs her here with him. Maybe he'll just take her out to dinner instead, let her dress up and get out of that uniform for awhile. He can pick up some flowers, throw on a nice suit, and take her out on the town for a night.

Roy's fingers still as he realizes his train of thought. It sounds almost like a date, when he words it like that. But it isn't. He would never even want to date Hawkeye, no matter how beautiful she i—

Oh.