A/N: Hey there, reader! This is my first fanfiction, in honor of the lovely ship we call "Royai." Without further ado, here it is. Hope I don't disappoint.

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA, but I do own my plot.

Brick by Brick

Chapter 1: After Promised Day

It was a cool autumn evening in Central. A golden leaf slowly drifted down to rest on the grey cobblestone street. Loud automobiles trundled past dark shops that were already closed for the night. Happy couples were walking down the sidewalks together, heads inclined towards each other, conversing quietly. A blind woman walked her dog down a street that was lit by newly installed street lamps. The full moon shone luminously, making the yellow lamps adorning the sidewalks dull in comparison.

None of these fine details escaped the watchful gaze of Riza Hawkeye, who used to be one of the best snipers in the military, if not the best. Her watchfulness that others might call paranoia was simply too deeply ingrained in her being for her to let go.

Riza was sitting at an outdoor dinner table, her legs crossed, right over left. She wore an elegant gold dress and minimal jewelry, a fairly simple look; her trademark. Some would say when talking about Riza that she was "too plain" or "too boring." People who knew her more intimately would say something more along the lines of "less is more". One of those in the latter category was with her that night, sitting at the seat directly opposite to her.

He had cut his messy black hair a few weeks ago. When Riza asked him why, he responded by saying it was a "fresh start". The man also wore a dark blue tuxedo and matching dress pants. After years of serving in the military, Riza guessed that dark blue had grown on him, no matter how much he hated the organization that forced the suffering of so many people across Amestris. After all, there were some really good times to be had in the military, most of which had happened in their old office among the little group of soldiers he and Riza had begun to call 'family'.

He folded his hands in his lap and smiled at Riza, a smile which she had become familiar with after they both quit the military. The relaxed upward curl of his lips conveyed a peaceful state of mind, a very rare quality to have in active duty, especially in wartime. "Old habits die hard, huh?"

She merely nodded. "It's not just a habit. Protecting you will be something I always do, Roy."

He crossed his arms. "If I told you we were out of the military and everyone is at peace, you wouldn't care one bit." It was a statement, not a question.

Riza's only response was to keep on discreetly scanning her surroundings.

Roy decided to change his approach. "Come on, Riza," he half-whined. "Right now we're at a date I've been looking forward to for my whole life. At least relax a little and enjoy tonight."

The former First Lieutenant turned towards him. "Roy, you've only known me since our teens," she deadpanned, but her lips were almost unperceptively twitching at the corners. "It's impossible for you to have been looking forward to one date with the daughter of your teacher your whole life. Maybe half, I could believe that." Her lips were definitely twitching into a smile.

Roy growled. "Please don't bring my age into this, Riza. I feel old enough wearing this stuffy tux already." Roy picked at the bowtie on his tuxedo for emphasis.

That finally earned a grin and a laugh from Riza. "You're so touchy about your age." As Roy glowered at her from across the table, the woman relented. "Aging isn't a bad thing, you know," Riza reassured, not entirely dishonestly. "People can still look good at seventy. Besides, you've still got a long way to go."

Roy uncrossed his arms. "I'll have to, if I want to have my gorgeous partner with me for the rest of my life. Beauty attracts beauty, as they say."

Riza smiled thinly. "You always have had a silver tongue, Roy."

Roy's eyes twinkled. "And you've always been able to resist it."

In the few seconds of silence that passed, there was a vast change in the atmosphere of the restaurant. A more foreboding feeling stole upon the two ex-military members. A small difference of the rustle of the wind in the trees and the clouds passing over the moon made both adults tense up in readiness, but for what they did not know.

Roy's former bodyguard and adjutant leaned forward, still smiling. "Hey, did you hear what Havoc's been up to?" Her eyes narrowed slightly. There's something wrong here. Can you feel it?

The dark-haired man leaned in close to Riza and smiled at the mention of their old friend. "Nope. Got some news?" He gave Riza a little nod. Yeah. What do you think it might be?

Riza looked away at the empty streets and tucked her long hair behind her ears before leaning back in. "Well…I heard that he and Breda set up a bar with Rebecca. The first shop in Madame Christmas' chain." It's too quiet. No one is on the streets anymore. Something must have scared them away.

As Roy moved his hand atop Riza's, she noticed there was a carefully hidden hint of worry in his eyes. "Really? She's starting a chain now. Huh." He reached in his pocket. Let's show this thing we know it's here.

Riza smiled grimly. "Yeah. I just hope she stays based in Central." The sniper's eyes flashed. Now!

As one, the couple stood up back-to-back and readied their weapons of choice at the unknown threat. Roy had pulled on his gloves and was prepared to snap at a moment's notice, while Riza had two loaded pistols that she pointed separate directions as her hazel eyes searched relentlessly for her target.

She didn't have to look long. "Oh, hi! You've finally noticed me! Now we can play!" Roy and Riza looked up to see a large, somewhat round silhouette jump off the roof of the restaurant. Both humans turned to face the newcomer.

Large, round, bulbous nose. Soulless white eyes. Bold red lines going from his shoulders to just short of his hands. Overweight body, jammed in tight black clothes. All these features were terrifying, but the scariest part of the creature was the red Ouroboros tattoo on the thing's tongue.

Gluttony.

Roy's eyes widened impossibly far. "No…I thought you were consumed by Pride!"

The Homunculus frowned. "I was? Oh yes, I was. It really hurt! But then the hurting stopped… and I died." The fake human spread his arms. "Now I'm all better! I came back!"

Riza's arms were trembling as she pointed her pistols at the babyish Homunculus. "How did you come back? Once you guys die, you're not supposed to regenerate. Who the hell brought you back!?" Roy looked, alarmed, at Riza. She seemed to have completely lost her composure.

Gluttony ignored her question. "Where's Lust? I want my Lust!" He stared at Roy. "Have you seen my Lust?"

Riza's brow creased, still angry and confused, but she carefully watched Roy for his response.

Roy's right eyebrow started twitching, but the rest of his body was seemingly completely at ease. "Lust? Don't you remember, Gluttony?"

Gluttony thought for one second. "Nope," he replied cheerily. "I don't. Where's Lust," he repeated.

Riza sighed mentally. This was taking entirely too long! Roy needed to stop dancing around the answer and just tell Gluttony, but he evidently wasn't going to any time soon. Time was of the essence. With each second, Gluttony got more and more confused, which could soon turn into anger. "She's dead," Riza said bluntly, the words cutting through the building tension like a razor.

The restaurant became even quieter as Gluttony slowly turned towards Riza. "Lust is…dead?" Roy got a strong feeling of déjà vu.

"Riza…be careful," he whispered. "This could end very badly."

She only nodded as Gluttony stood stock-still before her. "How? Who? Oh no…Lust…my Lust…" He sat down and began sucking the tips of his fingers. "Who? Who killed my Lust?" He sharply looked up at Riza. "Tell me who killed my Lust!"

Riza stayed dead quiet.

The Homunculus got up and started advancing towards her. "TELL ME! Who killed my Lust!?"

She looked at the mass of black-clothed flesh in front of her. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that." Roy tensed, anxious.

"TELL ME!"

As Gluttony pounced on her, Riza fired her guns. Once. Twice. Three times. Roy was watching, frozen at the sudden turn of events. The fourth shot never came. Gluttony was upon her. Slamming her into the ground, he brought his snarling face and luminous red eyes into the direct view of the former First Lieutenant.

"WHO KILLED MY LUUUUUUST?!"


Wide hazel eyes burst open to stare into a fluffy, white expanse of fabric. The woman's heart was racing as she panted into her pillow. Just a dream.

The woman rolled onto her back, but instantly regretted doing so. As the mattress pressed against her tattoo, the familiar pain coming from her old burn scars instantly flared up. Sighing, Riza flipped back over to her stomach. It had been nearly seven years since she asked Roy to burn the dangerous secrets on her back, yet she still wasn't fully adjusted to not being able to lie on her back in bed. However, that one discomfort never once made Riza regret the decision or hate Roy, no matter what he thought. The choice was between the possible suffering of countless people and the discomfort of one virtually insignificant soldier. How could Riza feel if she was indirectly responsible for another Ishbal that would be caused by her flame alchemy? Already too many people had been killed.

The First Lieutenant slowly got up out of the bed, trying not to move her back too much. She walked over to a small sink in the corner of the room. After turning it on and grabbing a glass, Riza took a long draught of water.

A voice drifted across the room. "Bad dreams, Lieutenant?"

The glass vessel nearly slipped out of Riza's hands, but she recovered from her startled state in time to catch it. "It's not wise to be speaking in the middle of the night, sir. The other patients are all sleeping—you could wake them up." She didn't let her surprise show.

Roy scoffed. "This is a VIP room, Hawkeye. The walls are pretty thick, and we're isolated from the bulk of the patients." He shifted in his bed to look at her with his unseeing eyes. "Leave it to you to worry about others."

Riza silently took a sip of water, leaning against the sink. "The dream was different than normal," she said. "Not…Ishbal."

"A good different, or a bad different?"

Riza paused thoughtfully. "A little of both, I suppose," she replied after a moment.

Roy sat up. "How so? What happened in your dream?"

His bodyguard's gaze sharpened as she glared at the cup in her hands. "With all due respect, sir, I didn't know you became a therapist in the past few years."

The Colonel put his hands up in surrender. "Sorry, Hawkeye. I didn't know this dream was a bad subject." He slyly looked in Riza's direction. "Say…was this dream about a guy?"

The sniper's face was completely neutral as she turned to look at her superior. "I have hardly had any time to be trying to find a love interest, Colonel, especially due to the preparations for Promised Day I had to arrange. Not to mention the work as King Bradley's secretary—the Fuhrer is always busy. My nights were all spent doing leftover paperwork and organizing the day's agenda."

Roy's face became more serious. "Maybe that'll change now." Faint surprise registered on Riza's face as Roy continued on. "You've been my most faithful subordinate over the years. Perhaps even one of my best friends…no, scratch that. You're like family to me, Riza." Roy burrowed down into his sheets, turning away from Riza as he mumbled the last sentences. "I just want you to slow down your life. Everything's been so fast for you, between your father, Ishbal and protecting me. You should enjoy yourself now, Hawkeye. You've really earned the right to have a good life from now on."

Riza's face was unreadable as she stared at her empty cup of water. "Even if I have, sir, I couldn't." She looked up at Roy with a determined gaze, yet there was soft affection lurking in the hazel depths. "After all, you aren't Fuhrer yet, and my real job is to get you to the top."

Roy gave a small chuckle, having expected Riza to say something along the lines of what she said. "Yeah, it was worth a try. Night, First Lieutenant."

Riza gave him a small smile from where she was about to climb into her bed.

"Good night, Colonel."

A/N: If you liked it, please drop a review for the baby of the Homunculi team :P. Gluttony's kinda adorable. Happy Royai day!