A/N: Well, I've officially succumbed to writing some Royai fan fiction. This is my very first one shot!
I do NOT own Fullmetal Alchemist and any of the characters.
"What do you mean he can never walk again?"
His husky voice reverberates from within the hospital room she is to stand guard for.
"The punctures through the lumbar area of his spinal cord severed the nerves there that allow Mr. Havoc mobile functionality to his bottom half of his body."
"And automail isn't a viable option?" She knows this particular tone of his is dangerous to the unknowing doctor.
"Sir, I-I just explained… if Mr. Havoc got his legs cut off, then automail would be an option. But severed nerves and severed limbs are two different things."
"Don't belittle me for not knowing the difference between the two! And it's Second Lieutenant Havoc to you, where's your respect!"
First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye bites her bottom lip to halt its quiver, the sour metallic flavor of blood invading her palate. She focuses on the wall in front of her, trying her best to maintain her stoic composure. Riza knows that the Colonel blames himself for what happened to Havoc's mobility. She simply cannot allow her superior to hold himself responsible for her doing. She heard the explosion. She did not turn back to perform her duty in protecting the Colonel, which evidentially means that she did not protect Havoc. It's her fault that Havoc is paralyzed. It's her fault that her Colonel was in critical condition and is now bedridden in a hospital.
"Mr. Must – uh, C-Colonel Mustang, if you move around any more, you will rupture the stitches to your injury – hey! Sit down! You aren't leaving this room!" The male doctor's screeching voice pulls Riza out of her mulling thoughts. She swiftly turns around and swings open the door into the room, only to see the Colonel hastily ripping his IV out of his arm. His head snaps over towards the doorway, and his eyes widen upon seeing his First Lieutenant. A silent moment passes between them, only to be interrupted by the sound of Lieutenant Hawkeye's footsteps approaching the side of Colonel Mustang's bed. She gently grasps the Colonel's shaking hand gripping the IV, uncurling his tightened fingers one by one, to which he systematically obliges.
"Colonel, please," she whispers as she finally has his IV in her own palm, "you are still not healed enough to sit completely vertical. I cannot allow you to leave this room."
"If I command you to allow me to leave, you must obey my order, Lieutenant," he snaps.
Riza sighs and hands the IV to the frightened doctor. "Please put this back on his arm," is all she says, and with that, she swiftly exits the room.
The sound of the door slamming shut makes Roy wince. That isn't the first time he snapped at Hawkeye. In fact, he's been short and exceptionally rude to her the entire duration of his hospitalized stay. The doctor quickly reapplies Roy's IV, and scurries out of the room.
"Havoc, I'm going to find a way to get your legs working again. Don't you worry," Roy asserts, determination gracing his features as he glances to his right to look at his subordinate.
"Yeah…" Havoc mumbles, not bothering to look over at Roy's seemingly sincere expression.
"Havoc, what's –."
"You've been an ass to her, you know?"
"Who?" Roy dumbly asks, already knowing the answer.
"Don't play that game with me. You know who," Havoc replies, finally turning his head towards Roy to give him a look of disdain.
"I… I know…" Roy admits, rubbing his face in exhaustion. "I guess I'm a little resentful over how easily she gave up back there."
"Of course she gave up, you moron. She thought you were dead, for crying out loud," Havoc harshly whispers, assuming that Lieutenant Hawkeye would be able to hear their conversation through the thins walls if he spoke any louder.
"That does not mean she should just accept death so fluidly. I would hope that in my death, both you and Hawkeye could continue to live out your lives without me," Roy states.
"You're naïve if you think Riza Hawkeye would continue to live without Roy Mustang," Havoc claims.
"What are you trying to imply Havoc?" Roy narrows his eyes at his subordinate.
"Nothing, sir. Just stating a hard fact, that's all," Havoc says, shrugging his shoulders.
"Well, you should leave your opinion to yourself," Roy growls, and Havoc just smiles, knowing he got a rise out of the Colonel. Whenever Jean Havoc suggests something more between the Colonel and First Lieutenant, the Colonel always reacts the same way: denial, with a side of biting irritation and blushing cheeks. To confirm this, Havoc takes a peak at the Colonel, only to see a faint rosy tint to his cheeks.
"You should speak to her, sir. I'm sure she's blaming herself for what happened to both of us back there."
This gathers Roy's attention, and he snaps his head towards Havoc. "You don't really think she is blaming herself, do you?"
Havoc shrugs.
Roy brings his hand to pull at his bottom lip in concern. "It isn't like the Lieutenant to hold things over her own head…"
"It also wasn't like her to completely empty the magazine of all her guns in a span of twenty seconds. But, she did, so..."
Roy brings his palm to his forehead. "It's my fault that you're in here, I don't know why the Lieutenant would blame herself."
"Here we go with that again – it's not your fault that I am paralyzed. I actively chose to serve you, and I knew the consequences. If you blame yourself one more time, I'm going to call that condescending doctor back in here and tell him that you are threatening to escape."
Roy lets out a forced chuckle.
"I mean it, sir."
"I don't doubt you."
"Apologize to the Lieutenant, Roy. I'll even request a room for myself so the two of you can have some alone time."
"Havoc!"
It's been around forty-two hours since Riza has last slept. She also hasn't left her post in front of the Colonel and Second Lieutenant's hospital room, except to go home and take care of Black Hayate. The Colonel told her to go home a few hours ago, but she has yet to leave. She relocated to sitting on a wooden bench a few feet away from the room, twiddling her fingers and staring down at her boots. The normally pasteurized color of the hospital hallway is painted in orange, yellow, and red from the sunset peeking through the wide glass windows. She doesn't like the idea of her Colonel's vulnerability. Although he is now able to take short walks around the hospital with his IV, it's extremely limited and he falls breathless much too quickly.
As if on cue, the door to the room opens, and out shuffles the frail Colonel, his knuckles white as they firmly grip the metal body of the IV stand. Riza immediately stands up and makes her way to her Colonel, taking his free hand and placing it on her forearm.
"I thought I told you to go home, Hawkeye," Roy sighs, but nonetheless allowing her to lead him.
"Sorry, sir."
"Let's sit, Lieutenant," Roy says, motioning to the bench Riza was sitting on prior. She nods and leads him over. After she assists him in sitting down, she follows suit, keeping about a foot of distance between her and the Colonel.
"When was the last time you got some sleep?" He abruptly asks.
"I do not know, sir."
"Don't lie to me. Your eyes are bloodshot, and the bags beneath them are prominent."
"Around two days, sir."
"Stop calling me sir."
"That would be out of line, sir."
"Riza," he roughly says.
Her eyes widen at his informality. He rarely calls her by her first name. She feels her cheeks heat up at the intimacy of it. She always forgets how nice her name sounds falling from his lips.
Roy only notices how her eyes widen at his harsh tone. "Sorry, I don't mean to be rude… I don't want you losing any sleep over me – a-and Havoc." He turns to give her a weak smile.
"I will get some sleep tonight," Riza says.
"Thank you."
"Yes, sir."
Roy rolls his eyes. Riza's lips curl up into a ghost of a smile.
A few moments of silence passes between the pair. It's been a week since the incident, and the two of them have left what happened unsaid.
"Riza," Roy begins, and she allows another tint of red stain her cheeks.
"Yes, Colonel?"
Roy nearly growls at her strict professionalism. He misses the way his name sounds coming from her lips.
"You don't blame yourself for what happened to me, right? And for what happened to Havoc?"
Riza does not say anything. Her lack of response is enough of a confirmation to Roy, and his chest tightens.
Gripping his IV stand, he slides himself over towards her, the foot of distance shrinking down to a mere centimeter.
"Sir?" Riza's amber eyes widen in shock at their sudden proximity.
Roy ignores the tone in her voice, and reaches for her hands in her lap. He cradles them in his large hands, and goose bumps shoot up Riza's arm in response to his touch. He tugs her closer towards him, his dark eyes illuminated with brash conviction over his affectionate actions. Riza's eyes dart around the hallway, relieved to find it empty of any unwanted spectators.
"Roy…" she huskily whispers, and he nearly beams in his success to break her overt professionalism. His lips meet at the peak of her forehead, and her resolve completely melts away. She knows it's extremely risky, as anyone can come down the hallway and catch them in this comprising position, but the feel of his soft lips against her skin is something Riza has learned to cherish, especially when she needs it most. Her eyes close in simulated response and her lips fall open in both pleasure and shock.
He pulls away and sternly looks down at his Lieutenant. Her eyes slowly open, twinkling up at him in adoration.
"Do not blame yourself for what happened. There is no one to blame. Mistakes were made on everyone's part. We all played a role in how things turned out, but all that matters is that we are still alive."
Riza is taken aback by what Roy says to her… she was so sure he would blame himself for what happened.
"I-I blamed myself, Riza. And Havoc scolded me on it… I still do feel a little bit of the burden but I also need to keep pressing forward. I can't have regrets that will hinder my future in decision-making. I don't want you to feel any regret over what happened in the Third Laboratory."
Riza smiles up at her Colonel, and brings her hand to the side of his face. He closes his eyes in response and nuzzles into her warm palm.
"I'm proud of you, Roy," she says, brushing her thumb against his cheek. "I don't say that nearly enough, but –."
Roy's eyes quickly dart to the end of the hallway and Riza immediately drops her hand and slides away from him. Luckily, it is just a nurse passing through, and her attention is more focused on her clipboard than the two lovers seated at the bench. She turns just around the corner, and the pair is alone once again.
"Promise me you'll go home and get some sleep?" He asks her.
"Who will watch over you and Havoc?"
"I'll have Falman take your post. I need my First Lieutenant well rested so she can help me make it to the top." Roy smirks and reaches for Riza's hand once more. He gives her hand a gentle squeeze and lifts it to his chapped lips to place a delicate kiss on her knuckles.
"Okay," she hesitantly agrees, captivated by the way Roy is looking at her through his dark eyelashes.
"I'll be okay," he adds, trying his best to quell her apprehension over leaving her post. "Plus, I'm sure Black Hayate is in need of some serious attention."
This elicits a breathy laugh from her, which prompts a genuine smile to pull across Roy's face.
"I'll be back tomorrow morning, sir," she finally says, standing up from the bench. He drops her hand and looks up at her, the smile still shadowing his lips.
She quickly glances around to happily be met with a still empty hallway. She places both of her hands on his rosy cheeks and leans down to give him a pressing, lingering kiss upon his lips. Things have been so hectic that she simply cannot remember the last time she had to opportunity to kiss her Colonel. He accepts her kiss with fervor, hastily trying to deepen the exchange. Riza smiles against his quivering lips and gently pulls away, dropping her hands from his cheeks.
"Goodbye, Roy," she breathless says, and with that, makes her way down the hallway, only to turn once to give her superior a lingering glance in both worry and reverence.
The Colonel continues to stare wide-eyed towards the end of the hallway. He brings his hand to his lips and presses the pads of his fingertips there, just to reassure himself that he did, in fact, earn a rare, searing kiss from his beloved First Lieutenant. Roy releases a breath he's been seemingly holding, but it comes out as a disbelieving chuckle. He grabs onto his IV stand, and lifts himself up from the bench, wincing at the jarring pain to his side. Once finally upright, he leads himself back inside his hospital room.
Jean Havoc's head whips towards the door pushing open, and suspiciously eyes his superior scuffling into their conjoined room.
Swollen lips, red cheeks, shifty eyes, disheveled hair… Havoc's lips pull up into a knowing grin. That bastard.
Roy grunts as he finally sits himself down into his uncomfortable hospital bed. He adjusts his positioning for maximum comfort, and once he is beneath the thin crisp white bed sheets, he turns his head towards his Second Lieutenant.
"What are you cheesing at, Havoc?"
"Nothing sir, nothing at all."
"Uh huh…"
"But, seriously Mustang…"
"What?"
"If you want a room to yourself, all you have to do is ask."
A/N: Let me know what you think, whether it is good as it is, or could be expanded... any thoughts are GREATLY appreciated.
I absolutely adore the Fullmetal Alchemist fandom. I'm extremely new to the fandom, but I would love to contribute to the Royai love.