Author's Notes: I blame this completely on the fact that I've been watching season 10 of Criminal Minds. My mind goes into some dark places when I binge-watch that show. I'm considering writing a second part to this actually, but it would obviously be a lot darker, so I don't know. Let me watch two more episodes. The prompt was Royai + daemons + "Are you out of your damn mind!?"

Disclaimer: I don't own shit.

The Danger in Doubting

Roy knew things were spiraling out of control and going downhill when Shula stomped in front of the door, effectively blocking the exit with her large body, and exclaimed in an unusually shrill tone, "Are you out of your damn mind!?" One) he had never heard such a high pitch from Shula, who normally did her best to remain calm out of a sense of pride; and two) her hackles were raised and her tail swishing almost violently as she glared with as much ferocity as she could muster at the wolf daemon and his human.

Honestly, he wasn't quite sure how neither Riza nor Wojciech balked when faced with Shula right now. Even he felt the urge to flinch back and the same incredulity and anger was coursing through his mind. Before he had even been able to react to Riza's statement, angered as he was by it, Shula's outburst shocked him back into silence.

No doubt the rest of the team in the outside office had heard Shula's shout and were wondering what was going on behind the door of Roy's interior office. While there were times when they disagreed with one another on things here and there, outright arguments between Roy and Riza were unusual and very rare. She might get onto him about slacking on his paperwork or putting himself in dangerous situations and he might get agitated when she refused to back down or put herself in danger to protect him such said situations. Shouting matches though was unheard of. Normally they just gave one another the cold shoulder or their daemons did the work for them.

Nothing hurt quite like Wojciech refusing to even look at him, much less speak to him or come near him. A simple action like that could jerk Roy right back to the day he first left Riza and Wojciech to join the military and Wojciech wouldn't connect eyes with him or Shula at the train station.

Now, however, Shula was rearing for a fight and she did not look like she was willing to give up.

"It's the best option we have," Riza pointed out coolly.

"Maybe even the only one," Wojciech added. He was standing up, but didn't look anywhere near as tensed up as Shula. The lion daemon really did look like she was ready to pounce on top of the wolf daemon. Although Wojciech was large and intimidating, Shula was even bigger. If it came down to it, in a fight between the two of them, Shula would most likely win because of her size and strength. Still, it didn't look as if that phazed him.

Shula harrumphed. "Putting yourself in the direct line of danger isn't smart; it's utter madness. And without backup? Are you insane or stupid?"

"I'm her backup," Wojciech snarled.

"We have no idea what sort of daemon this deranged madman has," Shula pointed out. "The only thing we do know is that it's capable of incapacitating large daemons. Warrant Officer Hill had a great dane daemon - and yet he was torn up. A great dane!"

"Doesn't matter the size," Wojciech scoffed, "it's still a tamed mutt at the end of the day."

That was where people like Roy and Riza, even Fuery, stood out. Nearly everyone in the military had a daemon that was somehow tamed. Be it canine, feline, avian, or something else, military daemons were typically made up of domesticated animals. Roy with his lion daemon and Riza with her wolf daemon stood out like sore thumbs. It was an excellent advantage, in Roy's opinion, but it did put people on edge. The fact was that Wojciech and Shula were known as wild and dangerous and sometimes, without meaning to, they did look down on other daemons. It was the nature of things.

"Why don't you say that to Hiroko's or Sumati's faces, hm?" Shula bit back callously.

This time, Wojciech did flinch back, his ears flattening and his tail falling down. Shula truly did know the how to get to the wolf unlike others. He wasn't nearly as stony as he liked to pretend.

Roy stepped forward in an attempt to smooth things over. If this fight kept going on, things would be awkward for at least a week between the daemons, which meant things would be painful between him and Riza. The only real problem was that Roy both agreed with Shula and was just as angry at Riza for suggesting such a thing and knew that she and Wojciech were right. They didn't have much else to do in order to find their suspect. That didn't mean he had to like it though.

"Back down, Shula," Roy said. His daemon gave him an incredulous look, but then turned her head away from everyone in the room. She didn't move from the door though. Just because she was silent did not mean that he couldn't feel her fury. He looked back to Riza and Wojciech, neither of whom seemed sorry. "There has to be another way. I don't like the idea of using you as bait to lure out a dangerous man. He's already attacked and severely beaten three officers."

"If it's any consolation, sir, he hasn't killed any of them," Riza pointed out.

"That isn't a consolation," Roy replied darkly. Riza didn't even bother to look abashed. "Only the second victim, Gregory, has regained consciousness and she was only able to provide us the barest of descriptions, her daemon even less."

"We need to get him out in the open and the fact is that nothing we've done has accomplished that," Riza said, refusing to back down. He hated it sometimes when she got like this. Wojciech backed her up every time and there was no stopping them once the two of them got something in their heads. It was easier punching through a concrete wall. "The fact is I'm his type. Blonde, petite, in the military, good with weapons, large daemon, domineering personality. If he's looking for a challenge, he's got one in me. It'll draw him out."

"And it puts you at severe risk." Roy folded his arms across his chest. "We know he's military, so he'll know if there's a detail close to you. I don't like it."

"You don't have to like it; you just have to sign off on it," Wojciech told him. He gazed up at Riza, a protective glow in his eyes. "I don't like it either, but it's all we've got right now."

Before Roy knew it, he was standing close to the two of them. Shula still stood far away from them, refusing to come any closer, but he felt her desire to rub against Riza, maybe even pin her down and not let her get up so that she wouldn't go on this foolhardy mission. "If anything were to happen to you…"

Riza smiled at him. "I trust you to be there if the worst happens."

"We won't be able to get too close," Roy sighed, fighting the urge to lean his forehead against hers. Just once, he wanted the relief that came with pulling her close to him. Why couldn't he have that? "One wrong move, one hint that this is a sting, and this asshole could jump the gun and do some real damage."

Even if it was only for a moment, with the door closed, Wojciech leaned forward and brushed up against him, pushing his head against Roy's hand. Despite the fact that he knew he should pull away, Roy found himself sinking his hands into Wojciech's soft fur and closing his eyes as the feeling overwhelmed him. It didn't matter how many times they did this, every time Roy touched Riza's soul felt like the most powerful thing in the world. It electrified every inch of his being and made it seem like all of his senses were sharper. With Wojciech in his hand, he could feel Riza and he knew - he could physically feel - how much she trusted him and Shula to protect them.

The moment Wojciech pulled away and returned properly to Riza's side, Riza laid a hand on Roy's arm. "We'll figure something out. But I need you two to trust us to do our job and not let personal attachments get in the way. If it was anyone else but me, you would've signed off on this mission and you know it."

Both Shula and Roy ducked their heads at that admission. It was the truth. He would've hesitated on Fuery and Fullmetal, but eventually he would've seen the reasoning. He wouldn't have liked it then either, Fullmetal least of all. He already put that kid on some dangerous missions that would've had other commanding officers balking. But he loathed the idea of putting Riza in a situation where three other women very much like her had ended up in the hospital clinging to life. Hadn't he nearly killed her once before already?

"I'm trusting you to protect her, Wojciech," Roy said, glancing down at the wolf daemon.

"That man and his daemon don't stand a chance," Wojciech said, a vicious wolf grin appearing on his face. It was the kind of grin that only a wolf could make, and it was manic-looking enough to make even Roy want to shiver. It was a grin that spoke of the dangers of anyone that crossed that wolf's path. Though he wanted to capture this awful criminal and his wild daemon as much as the next person, he almost pitied them as well. Wojciech was not going to make a pleasant target.

Roy rubbed his forehead. "Let's gather the team so we can come up with a proper plan."

"Yes, sir," Riza said, saluting briefly before leaving the room. Shula stepped out of the way without saying a word, but connected eyes with Wojciech. The grin was gone from his face, but the ghost of it was still there. Woe be to that other daemon. If there was one thing Wojciech did not like, it was daemons attacking other daemons and injuring them. He had a vicious protective streak.

As the door shut, Shula padded over to Roy. He could still feel the uneasiness coursing through her. When he reached out for her and she pushed into him, that feeling only doubled in his gut. She was worried. More than that, she was scared. She didn't feel like that often. Shula was always so confident to the point that it bordered on bravado.

Everything will work out, Roy told her. Since when have we ever doubted those two?

"I'm not doubting them," Shula said out loud. She glanced back at the door and then towards the desk where the pictures of the other victims were splayed out. It was a miracle that these women and their daemons had lived after what they had gone through. They had been alone though. Riza and Wojciech wouldn't be alone, even if it did seem like it to the criminal.

I'm doubting us. We've let them down before, haven't we?

The honest truth was, Roy was thinking the same thing.