Alright, so I wrote another Royai story. Surprise!
The title is an homage to the Lumineers' song "Slow it Down", which is absolutely incredible and I can't recommend it enough.
As always, I do not own anything. Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa. Bow to the cow.
Cramped in the passenger's seat, desperately fighting the urge to let his tired eyelids drop, Colonel Roy Mustang stole a glance at his subordinate on his left. The drowsy First Lieutenant struggled to keep her eyes from falling shut and it was the cutest thing Roy had seen in a long time. Deciding to break the silence – and hopefully jolt them both back to consciousness – he joked, "Don't say I never take you anywhere."
Riza tilted her head slightly, her eyes visibly red, and gave him one of her trademark glares – it sent shivers down Roy's spine for reasons he didn't dare think too hard about.
"With all due respect, Sir, but an all-night stakeout in a shoddy neighborhood with terrible snacks and with this freezing temperature–" she sifted, pulling up the lapels of her jacket– "can hardly be considered taking a woman out."
"Oh, come on Lieutenant, we've had worse ...dates," he said playfully, casting a sideways glance and at his Lieutenant.
As always, she followed his lead. "Oh, is that what we've been doing, Sir?" A tiny smirk played around the corners of her lips and it was all the incentive Roy needed to keep going. After all, this was just a harmless game to keep from falling asleep, right?
"Say, Lieutenant, I'm curious. What is it then?" He asked matter-of-factly and watched as confusion washed over his Lieutenant's face. "Your idea of a perfect date, I mean," he clarified. "Clearly, shoddy neighborhoods, uncomfortable car seats, greasy foods, and carbonated drinks don't quite do the trick. I'm curious, is all," he tried his best to sound as casual as possible, though he suspected she didn't buy it. Damn that ability of hers to see right through him.
The corners of Riza's lips twitched upwards, and then her brow furrowed while she pondered his question. "That's what you wanna talk about, Sir?" She was genuinely surprised, that much he could tell. Though there was more on her mind than she was letting on. Probably something along the lines of are-you-a-complete-idiot and that's-not-something-we-should-be-discussing-under-any-circumstances.
"It's a quarter past midnight, we've been sitting in this damn car for three hours straight now. I'm this close–" she made a small gap between her index finger and her thumb– "to falling asleep and you feel like talking about dating of all things?"
Her wide eyes were now staring at him from beneath her creased eyebrows and he couldn't suppress a laugh. Did she even realize how irresistibly adorable she looked? Probably not, he figured.
"It would help us stay awake," he reasoned, "I'm all but dozing off over here Lieutenant and we can't afford to fall asleep now that we've come this far."
She could see he was telling the truth. His eyes were red, swollen and almost half-shut – an endearing sight indeed – but she didn't allow her tired mind to spend too much time on that particular thought.
She sighed loudly, deliberately. "Fine," she relented, "What was the question, again?" Her eyebrows drew together as she looked at Roy in anticipation.
Roy's eyes flashed with something akin to mischief. "Your idea of a perfect date, Lieutenant, what is it?" And with that, he shifted so his back was against the door and he could better observe his now-squirming Lieutenant.
Her eyes were focused and he could almost see the wheels turning in her head – she was actually thinking hard about his question, much to Roy's surprise.
"Well…" she finally spoke, still unsure what she's about to say, "I suppose… as long as I'm in the right company–" she emphasized the last two words as if to suggest they had one and only one meaning, as was indeed the case– "I'd be content with just being able to spend the day just the two of us… just being us..." Her mind kind of trailed off and the Lieutenant's face went somber for the briefest moment. "Boring, I know." She shook her head.
Attempting to lighten up the mood a bit – after all, it was his misguided attempt at chitchat that caused the Lieutenant's eyes to fill with sadness – Roy puffed, "What, you don't have any special wishes? No teenage dreams you'd like to fulfill? No romance novel scenarios you secretly fantasized about?" He feigned shock and sighed loudly, "You truly are a mystery Lieutenant."
Hawkeye saw what her superior officer was playing at and decided to play along once again, "What can I say, Sir, I am – after all – but a simple country girl."
"Hey, don't make light of simplicity," Roy spat out a bit too eagerly, "It becomes you." A timid, affectionate, and so un-Roy-Mustang-like smile graced his lips and Riza flushed slightly. The smile reminded her of the boy she used to know way back when. They used to spend hours talking just like this.
Seeing Riza flush brought those very same memories back to Roy. He used to make her flush quite often back then. He missed that. Waking himself from the reverie, the Colonel pivoted, "Me, on the other hand, I am all for over-the-top dates and cliché romantic gestures."
"That I can believe, Sir," she replied coolly casting a sideways glance at her Colonel, and then adding carefully, "Wanna tell me about it then – your perfect date?" Roy's head spun entirely too fast and his wide onyx eyes met her questioning caramel ones. Internally, Riza gloated at her ability to surprise him after all these years.
Roy honestly thought she'd never ask. As far as he was concerned this was where all talk of dates would stop, at least for the time being. His mind filled up with the fantasies he's had about taking Riza out on a date ever since he'd known her. Of course, she noticed the way his composure changed, the way his breath got caught up in his throat, and the way his eyes flickered. Of course, she noticed. Of course, she knew. And, of course, she said nothing.
Adjusting himself to sit more confidently – and ignoring the door handle that was now perforating his lower back – Roy flashed a shit-eating grin with all the bravado he was able to muster, "Well, if you insist, Lieutenant. Far be it from me to refuse a beautiful woman's request, especially when they're my most precious subordinate." The flirtatious tone of his voice did not go unnoticed by Riza, who now started to regret engaging in this perilous game.
"We are talking first dates, right?" He inquired.
She craned her neck and hummed, "Yes. Imagine you've met the one and she agreed to go out with you." Riza flashed him that small smile she reserved only for him and that was enough to disarm Roy completely.
What if I already met her – Roy thought to himself and the thought almost escaped his tired mind. Instead, he smirked and leaned forward just enough to escape the sharp edge of the door handle and started describing his perfect date with the first girl he's ever loved – the only woman he's ever loved.
"Well, first of all, I'd go to pick up the lady. Of course, I'd arrive ten minutes early. I don't want to keep a pretty lady waiting." Something about the way he said the words don't want implied he wasn't talking just about keeping his date waiting.
Roy continued, "She'd come down and I'd welcome her with a bouquet of her favorite flowers–" he paused to look deep into the caramel eyes that observed him with the kind of softness he hadn't seen in a long time– "those white roses her mother used to grow in the garden."
The Lieutenant's eyes immediately flashed with recognition and fondness. Those were her mother's favorite flowers. Those were Riza's favorite flowers.
"I'd tell her she looked stunning because she would – she always does." Roy's eyes filled with pure adoration, though the inevitable traces of melancholy seeped through as he leaned forward a bit to place his chin in his right hand. He came dangerously close to Riza whose eyes widened, but she made no attempt to back away. She just looked at him, eagerly awaiting to hear about the rest of their date.
Roy fought off the urge to pull her closer until their lips met – which took way more willpower than it should have – and continued, "I'd open the door for her and we'd drive to a nice restaurant. One with great food, fine wine, and – of course – a dance floor. She loves dancing, you see. And I love dancing with her."
Riza's mouth fell slightly open. The memory of two clumsy teenagers dancing at her old house flashed before her eyes and she was now smiling with pure joy as she had done back then. Roy was captivated.
"We… err…" Roy Mustang was lost for words – and Roy Mustang was never lost for words. Watching her commanding officer stutter was precious indeed, Riza thought.
Willing his jaw to work and brain to think coherently, Roy continued, "We'd enjoy the meal, talking about everything and nothing in particular. I'd probably crack a couple of bad jokes, but she'd still laugh," he chuckled and gave his "date" a significant look.
"I'd tell her how just looking at her warm caramel eyes feels like coming home," he sighed, "and she'd probably brush it off with some snarky remark, but there would be a slight trace of pink on her cheeks and a small smile playing around her lips that would betray her carefully composed façade."
As he said that, Riza's carefully composed façade did indeed completely dissolve. She leaned in just a bit closer to him and his left hand reached over, finding hers. His fingers laced with hers almost instinctively and it felt so right.
"Then, I'd take her hand," Roy resumed, "and lead her to the dance floor. We'd dance to a few songs. The waltz, the fox trot, a slow song." As he listed the dances, both their minds leaped to the night Roy had thought Riza to dance. He'd explained the dances to her one by one, step by step, until a slow song came up. When Riza had asked what the steps were, Roy flushed as he explained that they're just supposed to hold each other close and sway. The memory of their first attempt at dancing prompted a round of laughter from the pair of soldiers holding hands in the cover of the night.
"Of course, we'd turn a few heads. I'd get itchy for my ignition glove with every improper glance pointed at my gorgeous date. She'd call me out on it and reprimand me." Roy chuckled and Riza shook her head at him. Roy wasn't known for his subtlety. The man was intense in every sense of the word.
"Then, finally, a slow song would start and I'd pull her just a bit too close." Roy's fingers tightened on Riza's hand. "My hands would rest on her waist and she'd loop her hands around my neck. Her head tucked safely on my shoulder and my chin pressed against her soft hair. I'd breathe in the smell of her floral shampoo and hum some nonsensical tune as we swayed to some sad song about love."
Against her better judgment – or what little had been left of it – Riza couldn't help but picture the scene Roy was describing. It was beautiful. The two of them together was the most beautiful image her mind had ever conjured. The two of them together looked right, felt right, even though she knew what she was doing – even now, just thinking about it – was wrong. At the moment, she was surprised to find that she didn't care.
"Once our legs got really tired, we'd find our way out of the crowd and go for a walk. We'd talk some more and laugh some more. We'd be holding hands, just like this." Roy's eyes fell to their still-joined hands. Both knew full well they needed to let go, but neither showed any intention of doing so.
Aware that his story – their date – was coming to an end, Roy's voice became lower, more melancholic. "I'd walk her home," he smiled a kind of bittersweet chuckle, "oh, I wouldn't be in any hurry to let her go – not ever – but, all good things must come to an end… or so they say."
Riza knew he wasn't just talking about their fictional date and her heart sank at the realization that she'll soon have to let go. As soon as Roy's story reaches its end, they'll snap back to reality – back to being Colonel Mustang and Lieutenant Hawkeye. Back to being anything but what their hearts most desired. Riza squeezed Roy's hand and offered a bittersweet half-smile.
"I'd thank her for a lovely evening and tell her that I hope to see her soon. I'd watch her walk up to the building entrance and wait for the light to go on in her apartment to make sure she got home alright and then I'd walk away feeling like the luckiest man on the face of the Earth." His eyes burned, but he wasn't gonna go falling apart like an idiot, so took a deep breath and flashed his Lieutenant a lopsided grin.
From across the car, Riza was looking at him with glowing eyes. "You're not actually trying to tell me that the notorious ladies' man, the most desirable bachelor of Central City, the infamous Flame Alchemist doesn't kiss on the first date?" She teased and Roy's eyes went wide with disbelief. He didn't see that coming. Little did he know, neither did she.
"Well, I wouldn't want to make any assumptions. A kiss needs to be desired by both parties, after all." Roy attempted to sound confident, but the trembling in his voice betrayed him.
"Then, I guess, you better make it all happen and find out for yourself," her voice was soft and she sounded carefully optimistic. Plus, there was something in her eyes Roy didn't dare name.
Whatever coherent thought had been forming in Roy's mind was now gone. He stared at her like a lovestruck teenager – as he'd done all those years ago – and somehow, he managed to get out two words, "Yes, Sir."
"That's my line," She taunted, "Sir."