Chapter 1
Disclaimer: I own a few cool things but Fullmetal isn't one of them.
A/N: If you haven't read Eureka read it first please.
Monday Morning
Peace doesn't seem to last long. Being humans' conflict is inevitable, it will eventually happen. The world isn't all happy and everyone gets along perfectly like good humanitarians. It's quite the opposite, whether its war with bloodshed and chaos or deceit behind others backs with gossip and plotting. With such odds bidding against such a utopian idea as peace how can peace even have a chance? It seems once life becomes calm it slips back into chaos easily. This is the flow of Riza Hawkeye's life. She's coped with grief and stress, learned how to help others cope with grief and stress. When performing the investigations on murder cases she would always be the comfort for the family, not because she was ordered to but because she knew how it felt to lose loved ones. After the many years of war Riza had become worn down. Each time she thought she had a little bit of feeling of what peace felt like, it was taken away harshly. Every time it was taken away she had a harder time of recovering. Now being on the verge of being thirty years old Riza had grown tired of the cycle of destruction and rebuilding she just wanted to stop it's rotation forever. That was impossible in her profession, she was a soldier and her commanding officer was always in the middle of battles on and off the field trying to get a promotion. She would never leave her commanding officer, not after what they had been through.
Roy Mustang woke up from perhaps one of the greatest nights of sleep he had ever received. Perhaps it had to do with him leaving work early leaving his paperwork for the day, which most likely he would do last minute later in the day. Also his Lieutenant would start back to work today and maybe even do some of the paperwork for him. He stood up from his bed and stretched his arms grinning at the prospect. He shuffled out of his room and rued the day that he asked for an apartment with a view. Unfortunately for him the house he used to live at was crushed in the bombings and was under new and nasty management. Soon after most of the city was rebuilt and Roy had decided to move out of the boarding house the military had suggested this fine building which he currently resided in. It was a bit pricier and less homely than the small building he used to live in but what was he doing with his money and maybe in time it could possibly become homely. The newly promoted Brigadier General went down the stairs in nothing but his grey robe covering his disheveled tank top and blue boxer shorts. Oddly enough for any other residents of the building seeing a military officer still in his pajamas was a morning routine.
When Roy made it down to his mailbox on the lobby floor he took out his bills and paper. The importance of this paper was all part of his master plan to get an occasional night out with a shop beauty. In the past it only took a few words with his dashing looks to get a girl head over heels. Now though thanks to his eye patch it ruined his young playful solider angle. Now he was an accomplished war ridden officer, mysterious and handsome, despite his disfigurement. He would stop by every morning at a different café and read his paper very stoically ignoring the shop girl. He set his trap every day and when the unsuspecting prey brought him his coffee he would have to engage her to speak to him. Amazingly this technique worked just as well as flirting it just took longer since the girl had to be a bit more daring and foreword.
"Good morning Mr. Mustang haven't seen you for a couple of days," Greeted Gerald the old landlord. He was currently watering his precious potted plants by the doorway. "Any news?"
"Just something with a volcano up north." Roy said taking a look at the newspaper, "They say it may erupt in this decade. Not really front page news if you ask me but there mustn't be much going on." He folded it back under his arm. "What about you? Anything new? I never seem to know what's going on here, being gone so much."
"Well the last few days I've been helping a new resident in. She's quite efficient on her own though. I help mainly because she makes me lunch if I'm there."
"A she? So what is she like?" Roy said letting his curiosity get the best of him, "I mean will she fit into our little abode here?" He said nonchalantly trying to not let his eagerness show.
"Well she's quite attractive, long blonde hair and a pretty smile. Moved up into the third floor and didn't make me lift a finger just let me keep her company."
Roy didn't wait to hear how nice she was he was sold on attractive and third floor. "Bye then, got to get to work Gerald," Roy said quickly and walked up the stair case. How impolite he was, not to have already greeted the newest addition to the building. When he got to the third floor he checked his knowledge of the current inhabitants on the floor. There was only one room that he didn't know who occupied it or at least he thought so. He went to the previously vacant apartment and knocked. He was now on auto pilot with none of his new tact that he had recently acquired. Soon after knocking on the door he realized that this woman may ask him to return to the streets since right now he looked a bit like a hobo. He tried to flatten his bed head over his patch and retied his robe hoping to improve his appearance. When the door opened he said in the smoothest voice possible leaning nonchalantly on the door frame, "Pardon me but I was just wondering if I good barrow a cup of sugar, good neighbor." He was going to follow up with "but I guess they can't seal your beauty in a bag." He stopped though regretting the fact that he had ever said the first line. It wasn't that the woman was unattractive and wouldn't fit the criteria of line it was just not wise on his part.
Riza Hawkeye had seen a few odd things in her lifetime but this had to top them. She had expected to see the old manager who had been helping her the last few days. Instead it was the last person she expected to see in the morning on her threshold. On one side of the door was the bewildered Riza Hawkeye in her usual army pants and short sleeved black turtle neck. On the other was the equally bewildered Roy Mustang who was wearing his pajamas and robe that matched his five o'clock shadow and scruffy hair. "Well Sir," said the Lieutenant carefully not quite sure what to do. "I haven't had time to buy sugar but I do have creamer. Of course only if you meant it for coffee. Otherwise I'm sorry."
"Lieutenant, what are you doing here?" said Roy stupidly.
"Well, I live here now," she said in a matter-a-fact tone, "the military suggested this apartment on a list they supplied for officers living off grounds."
"Of course I knew that," Roy said trying to cover up his idiocy, Riza rose an eyebrow skeptically. "Just checking up on you making sure you were ready for work"
"Sir, no offense but I believe that you should be concentrating on you getting ready for work. Unless you get work later than me then that would explain." She said meaning his presentation.
"No 7:30 like normal." Roy said.
"Good, then lets walk together I would like you to brief me on what's been going on before I get to work. I've been out of the Central loop for a while. I'll meet you down in front of the doors in half an hour." Roy stared blankly not comprehending. "Unless sir you have a car then I would be glad to drive." He forgot how efficient she was and how she would push, not her way, but the best way onto him. But hey he was only human.
"Yes see you in a few then," Said Roy walking away in a daze. That had not gone as he expected. He tromped back up to his room. Now he had to get ready and look ready. He started off by running a tooth brush across his night dirtied teeth. The one daily hygienic routine Roy could never skip was brushing his teeth. Those grimy years where he was in the sandy land of Ishbal it always seemed like he was dirty from his feet to the inside of his mouth. Every time his teeth are coated with slime it feels as if he was in a war zone again. He got rid of his scruffy bristly beard and donned his uniform. After spending an extra second making sure he looked handsome in the mirror he headed downstairs to the lobby.
Gerald waved at Roy saying ", Have a good day at work General Mustang!" Roy waved back and Gerald continued on saying in a hushed voice," The woman I was talking about, Ms. Hawkeye, just walked out to go to work. You may see her since she's a soldier too."
"Thanks Gerald, you have a good day." He said flatly before going outdoors. This morning had started out so brightly he thought Hawkeye would've been to work hours ago filling out his paperwork. He could've had extra time drinking coffee with a cute shop girl and taken his leisurely time getting to work. Now he had to go to work on time and bypass his whole morning routine thanks to Hawkeye. He had forgotten he even missed her the months she was gone, Roy Mustang was surrounded by a cloud of early Monday morning animosity. If she asked he would blame it on not being a morning person. Cursing under his breath he walked through the door to be blinded by the morning sun and he could feel his angry feelings melt away.
Riza Hawkeye was standing with her back to the door not knowing Roy had come from the building Hayate was laying at her feet. She had taken her hair out from her usual bun and let it cascade over her shoulders sparkling in the morning sun. For Roy his lieutenant's hair mesmerized him. He when she had it down it looked so soft, he had always wanted to touch it just to see what it felt like. Roy stood dumbfounded watching her silently as she combed through it with her delicate but strong hands. She collected it up efficiently and put all the hair back with her clip. Riza took a deep breath and glanced at her watch, Roy took that as his cue.
"Ready for work Hawkeye." He said making his presence known.
"Sir," she said turning around looking slightly surprised. "How long have you been here?"
"I just walked through the doors, right on time," He said walking down the steps to the sidewalk, "I'm turning over a new punctual leaf I've decided."
Riza rolled her eyes and followed him, "You'll make my life a lot easier if you stick with it. Karma may reward you and I can even give you one of Hayate's treats every now and then."
"That's great incentive Hawkeye," he said sarcastically. They continued to walk making small talk about the conditions of Central's weather and economy since she had left. They were walking through the park when their conversation had gone dead because they were watching a group of elderly feeding the swans at the pond. This is more like it Roy thought, Hawkeye and him were usually more comfortable in silence, unless they had something of worth to talk about. The exited the park and arrived on the street Headquarters was on. "One second Hawkeye I want to buy coffee here." Roy said walking to a stand.
She waited patiently for Roy to get his sugar and continue on when a question piped up in her head. "Sir, I'm curious to hear what the next move is"
"Pardon?" he said looking over his eyebrows rising in surprise.
"Will Amestris be dealing with the situation in Araego? You were involved last time so I was wondering…"
"Nope," he said interrupting her, "the terrorist problem is up to the Fuhrer and Parliament. I have decided to get out of this one; Roy Mustang won't be causing wars in this decade." He said walking on and sipped his coffee, afterward letting out a satisfied sigh. "I have other plans, different plans." Riza opened her mouth to ask more questions but they had arrived to the front gates. "I'll tell you later Lieutenant but right now isn't the place." He said nodding at the security officers. They entered the main lobby and the General stopped and turned toward the Lieutenant. "I have a meeting right now with the other General's but I have things set at the office for you to get started." Riza looked at him warningly, miscommunication couldn't happen again. "I'll tell you what's going on after the meeting but you have a lot of business too."
"Yes sir." She said giving a salute and walking in the opposite direction.
"Hey Hawkeye," Roy yelled after her. She stopped and turned around sharply glaring at his outburst. "The office is now on level three, section C, room 305 okay?"
"Heard you loud and clear Sir," She said turning around and heading toward the elevator. Roy watched her go and headed to the opposite elevators for his meeting with all the most important military men in Amestris and finally he was one of them. His plans were right on track and he had his assistant puppeteer back to help him pull the strings for his shot at success.
A/N: If you want to know where I was leave a review asking and with the next chapter I'll leave and explanation.