Takes place around a year after the epilogue (the series of photos taken: Roy promoted to General, Ed and Winry get married and have two kids), and is also 4-5 years after the promised day.
I go according to the Japanese fandom, where Riza is five years younger than Roy, so that makes him 34-35, and Riza 29-30. But to be honest, the age probably isn't too significant in this fic.
I hope you enjoy the first chapter!
Chapter 1
"Please stay outside, Colonel Hawkeye."
Riza blinked at the guards who stood outside the Führer's room, right beside the door. "What is it? The Colonel can stay with me." Roy raised a brow at the guard and said.
"The Führer has specifically told us to only let the General in." A guard replied.
"Understood." Riza raised her right hand to salute, "I shall wait outside then, General Mustang."
He nodded, "Alright. I hope it doesn't take too long." Then he knocked and opened the door when he heard a gleeful come in.
"Führer, sir." Roy closed the door and saluted.
"Good afternoon, General Mustang." The older man greeted him merrily as he waved off the salute. "Have a seat, boy. Chess?"
"Yes, sir." Roy nodded, sitting down to set the chessboard. He peered up at the Führer and cautiously spoke. "Is there something you want to tell me, sir, that you can't tell Colonel Hawkeye?"
Grumman moved a rook idly, then said nonchalantly. "Do you remember what I offered you five years ago? Right before you were transferred back to Central as a Colonel."
"Offer?" Roy blinked at him, and his eyes widened a fraction. "Ah. For me to marry your granddaughter when I become the Führer?" He curled his hand to a fist, and he clenched his teeth to stop himself from grinning from excitement. It can't be, can it?
"I'm glad that you remember, boy." Grumman chuckled, seeing the younger man's expression. He then heaved a loud sigh as he stretched his neck. "I didn't want to give this position away so soon, but boy is it harsh for an old man like me to be dealing with these duties, they'll break my old bones one day. Well, it's time for me to step down.
"Don't forget about the offer, boy." He winked at Roy with a foxy grin, enticing a gape from him.
Roy dropped the chess piece in his hand, his mind going blank as he stared at the grinning Führer with slowly widening eyes, and his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. When he finally regained the ability to speak when his voice returned to him as he stuttered, his eyes never ceasing to stare intensely at the old man in bewilderment. "W-wait, s-so does that mean that… I-I-"
Grumman laughed lightly. "Boy, what's wrong? I never knew there would be anything in this world that would make you able to stutter like that. What is it that's so unbelievable? The fact that you're the next Führer of Amestris, or that you can finally wed my granddaughter?" His warm smile curled up to a sly smirk. "Don't think that you can hide it from me, boy."
Roy returned the grin after swallowing the lump in his throat. "Both, I must say." He stood up and looked straight in Grumman's eyes intently, his voice filled with seriousness and sincerity. "Führer, sir, I—"
Before he could finish his sentence and express his gratitude, Grumman waved it off casually and said. "You earned it, boy." His wrinkled eyes twinkled and softened, "You deserve this."
"Sir…"
"Go, Führer-to-be. My darling granddaughter's out there, isn't she?" The grin returned, but his eyes remained soft, "Make her happy."
"Yes, sir." Roy saluted, earnestness firmly embedded in his eyes. He then chuckled, "I feel like you're more on trying to make me her husband rather than the Führer."
Grumman laughed a humorous one.
Riza swallowed the urge to tap her feet as she waited outside the door. It had been nearly five years since the promised day, and it would be likely that her grandfather summoned her superior officer to give his position to him, Riza deduced. But knowing her grandfather was also an ambitious and vying man… she sighed.
She glanced behind her when she heard a faint laugh from the room, enticing her to knit her brows. The sound of the door opening immediately grabbed her attention as she turned to face her superior officer. "Sir." She saluted.
Roy blinked at his blonde adjutant blankly, though his heart raced the instant he laid eyes on her. Jitters and nervousness stormed his mind from being wholly clueless on how to relay the news.
"C-Colonel." He mentally huffed at himself, and clenched his fists tightly to calm his mind, while Riza raised a brow at him questioningly and in concern. He took a step, and walked gingerly down the hall, eliciting a confused 'huh?' from her as she hurriedly walked just half a step behind him.
"Yes, sir?" She couldn't get any more puzzled, and she flinched slightly when he abruptly turned around, making her bump into his chest. What did grandpa say to him!? She rubbed her nose lightly and peeked up at him. "…General? Are you all right, sir? What's wrong?"
He muttered an apology and took a deep breath, exhaled, then uttered as he looked at her in the eyes intently. "He appointed me to be the next Führer."
Riza stared back at him, and Roy bit back a laugh, thinking of how she resembled him in some ways. Being the sharp and smart soldier she was, the words were quickly processed and digested. A bright smile immediately appeared on her pink lips, her honey hazel eyes twinkled in delight. "General! You- you did it! You did it, sir!"
He chuckled at her unusual exhilarated form, his onyx eyes softening in adoration, and he took her hand and softly spoke. "No. We did it. I wouldn't have reached made it without you, and I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart, Colonel." Riza.
He placed his arms around her lightly, and when she didn't resist, he pulled her to a hug. She felt joy overflow, and she hugged him back as she wrapped her arms around him, while resting her head on his shoulder.
They pulled away immediately when they heard footsteps approaching their direction, and they laughed lightly, their cheeks tinted light pink from their first skinship since the promised day, where he held her tightly against him when she was on the brink of death.
"Colonel." Riza. He cleared his throat and said. "Will you… will you stay with me, as my… as my… as my adjutant?" You idiot! He hissed at himself inwardly.
Riza smiled warmly at her slightly flustered superior officer, then grinned. "Did you even need to ask? And why is that making you all flustered and nervous, future Führer? You sounded as if you were going to propose or something." She joked.
"Uh…" He let out a strangled noise of embarrassment and waved it off as he mentally sighed. I was trying to propose, my dear Colonel. As they walked back to his office room, he regained his confidence and spoke. "Would you like to have dinner with me afterwards, Colonel?"
He half prepared for a deadpan of 'no, sir', but his heart leapt in joy when she replied, "I don't see why not. That would be wonderful, sir."
He grinned, one as wide as a Cheshire cat's. "Brilliant. Where would you like to eat?"
"I don't mind anything." She replied, and peered up at him with knitted brows, "Only after you finish your work, sir."
"… Of course."
A ring!
Roy suddenly thought as he walked to the restaurant he and Riza were supposed to meet up at. He couldn't help but exhale a deep breath out, the relief slowly calming his mind as he felt utterly glad that he didn't propose to Riza without a ring.
Seeing Riza already there, he fixed his tie briefly once more before quickening his pace and greeted. "Sorry, I made you wait. Looking lovely, by the way." He eyed her outfit, which consisted of a casual, plum knee-length dress, a long white coat, and a pair of heels.
"I just got here." She shook her head at the short apology and smiled. "Thank you, General." You don't look bad too, she wanted to say, but stopped, knowing it was his usual attire to dates with his other companions.
Stop, she scolded herself mentally when she felt the unpleasant feeling of jealousy (as much as she didn't want to admit) hit her heart. Just enjoy the night.
He returned the smile. "Let's go, you must be starved."
She nodded, and they entered the restaurant and settled down.
"Did the Führer tell you when he is officially stepping down?" Asked Riza when they finished ordering.
"No, not the exact date, but he did say soon. I'm guessing that means in a few weeks then." Roy replied and sipped on his glass of water.
She hummed and joked with a teasing smile. "Aren't you a bit too young for this? What would the others say about this, seeing a thirty-five-year-old man being the next Führer?"
"Thirty-four, mind you." He bit back and raised an eyebrow challengingly in a jokingly manner, "Are you trying to imply that there's someone else that's more suitable for this role, Colonel? Go on, humour me."
"Well, let me see… Perhaps General Olivier Mira Armstrong?" She grinned, seeing a frown on his brows and a scowl splayed across his fairly handsome features. "Though it doesn't look like it, I believe she's in her forties now. And yes, yes… thirty-four. Though turning thirty-five next month."
She laughed lightly when the childish scowl remained on his face, but adverted her attention to the waiter who placed two wine glasses and a bottle of wine, then poured it in the two glasses. She nodded thanks and handed a glass to Roy, the courteous smile returning to her lips. "Thirty-four, thirty-five, you'll look the same, I believe. But anyways," She lifted her glass, "Cheers to the new Führer."
The scowl was immediately replaced with a surprised look before it turned to a smile. "Cheers." To the new First Lady, hopefully. He thought as he took a sip of the wine, and continued his mental ranting as he stared straight at Riza. Now, how should I propose? What ring should I buy? What kind of ring would she like? Should I get gold or platinum?
"Sir…? Is there something on my face?" She asked when he kept staring at her as if he was trying to bore holes into her.
He flinched ever so slightly when she touched his hand (due to him not responding to her), and quickly said. "No, nothing's wrong." He glanced at her pearl earrings, "You wear them every day, don't you?"
"Hmm?"
"Those earrings."
"Oh, yes, I do." She replied, and placed her fingertip on the pearl, softly caressing it.
"Do you not get sick of it, wearing it every day? It's been more than ten years since I gave you those." He asked.
A tiny frown stretched across her brows, her hazel eyes saddening slightly, and she shook her head. "No, I don't. I really like them; they mean a lot to me."
His onyx eyes softened, and he murmured apologetically, then asked. "I see. By the way, are those silver or gold?"
"Silver." She answered, knitted her brows in curiosity. "Why do you ask?"
Platinum it is then. "Huh? Oh, it's nothing." He replied, hiding his thoughts with his usual charming grin.
"If you say so." She gave a light shrug as she took a sip of wine, then a smile reappeared on her lips when the waiter approached them with their food.
He chuckled at her expression, and they dug in.
"Thank you for the wonderful meal, sir." Riza said with a grateful smile as they strolled along the streets, and she asked. "Are you sure you don't mind walking me home? I can manage."
Roy beamed. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I don't mind. I want to walk you home, or are you already sick of my presence?" He asked jokingly.
She let out a light chuckle and teased back. "Perhaps. Maybe this is why I always say no to your dinner offers."
"Colonel! Now that's just mean of you." He cried with a mock-exasperated tone and pouted. "And what do you do at home anyway? Do you not want to relax after work?"
"I left Hayate all by himself for god knows how many hours a day, of course I would want to go straight home after work. And mind you, sir, that is the best kind of relaxation I can get after dealing with so much stress at work― a nice hot shower, a cup of tea, a novel, and a dog."
"Well… that certainly does sound comfortable and cosy." Roy mumbled.
She merely sighed, and continued walking, but stopped when she realised they already arrived at their apartment building. Seeing her glance up at him, he shrugged and said. "I'm already here, so I might as well walk you up the stairs to your flat."
She nodded thanks and they walked up the stairs in comfortable silence. She turned to face him when they arrived at her flat and smiled once again at her. "Thank you again for tonight."
"Your welcome, though I would appreciate it if you would stop rejecting me." He replied with a grin.
She chuckled, "I'll try." She then looked back at him, and her honey hazel eyes immediately locked with his onyx ones as if they were a pair of magnet attracting each other. The grin on their faces was immediately replaced by a slightly stunned expression, making them think just how long they didn't look at each other properly.
His eyes flickered between her twinkling eyes and her slightly parted coral lips, that looked so damn attractive, and he could imagine how soft they were.
A blush she resisted for so long finally surfaced on her cheeks, painting them a light shade of rose red when he stepped closer to her, with his eyes narrowing and softening slowly and adoration could be sensed in them. Her eyes turned half-lidded when he reached a hand out and cupped her cheek, and she could feel how calloused they were from years in being in the military, yet it was warm and comforting at the same time.
His eyes still locked with hers, he inched his face closer, slow with uncertainty though his heart pounded rapidly, while he caressed her plump, bottom lip with the rough pad of his thumb. Their lips were getting closer and closer—until they detected footstep sounds near the staircase with their sharp ears, and they practically jumped away from each other, all flustered.
"W-Well, I suppose I should get going. G-goodnight, Colonel." He stuttered, scratching the back of his head, and his eyes wandered to the ground.
She stared up at him as he stammered, and she reached her hands out to cup his cheeks, effectively shutting his mouth and making him look down at her, wide-eyed. "C-Colonel…"
She tiptoed and pressed her lips against the corner of his lips, and smiled when she pulled away, the blush still on her cheeks, then whispered. "Goodnight, General."
She let go of his cheeks, and took the house key out of her purse and unlocked the door. He continued staring at her in a daze as he mumbled. "Y-yeah… Goodnight."
She chuckled lightly at his reaction, and smiled once again before entering her flat, and closed the door.
A/N: I know it's kind of unrealistic for Roy to be the Führer at the age of 35, but let's just let it slide...
The characters may be a bit OOC, but I still hope you liked the chapter! Reviews and constructive criticism are much appreciated :)