Prompted by SirKai. My first FMA fic evar.
I-I
Mustang filed away more spare paperwork into the drawers of his desk. He suddenly appreciated the decision to keep his gloves on as he alternated between sorting and shredding—papercuts were amongst the least glamorous injuries he could receive in his line of work.
Caught between a requisition for research funding and the most recent clipped-out news article Edward's name appeared in, a photograph slipped out from the pages, falling to stand and tip over on the floor of his office.
It was an impromptu little number, with him smirking in a vaguely annoyed manner, Hawkeye looking listless, and Hughes holding up the camera while making a peace sign with his other hand.
Mustang leaned back in his chair, resting a hand on his chin as he looked closer at Hawkeye. She had her arms folded, and was slightly blurry from turning away from the camera.
He'd forgotten how damn good she looked in that uniform.
Mustang lazily looked over at the telephone sitting at the corner of his desk, the smirk on his face fading. He remembered just how often his advances were rejected in favour of her cleaning her gun, or her finishing some overdue paperwork, or her performing calibrations of some sort.
He knew she was making excuses, if only because her paperwork was never late.
He enjoyed her company far too much for his own good, even if he didn't let it show past the occasional flirty comment or double-entendre. Quite frankly, as she'd been on this mission of hers for two weeks and counting, he'd missed the way he felt around her; when they were together, his burdens seemed lighter, somehow.
He knew he had some chance. She never told him he didn't. She never made any ill-favour of him known outright; if she was sick of him trying, she was the kind of woman who would have let it be known a long time ago. She didn't pull herself back when he threaded their fingers together during a particularly boring assembly—at least, not right away.
Leaning forward, Mustang tucked the photograph under the base of his phone, and picked up the receiver.
She was worth another shot, after all.