"Any news yet, captain?"
"Not yet sir."
"Very well…" he said calmly, beginning to close the door. "What about now?"
"Sir, as soon as I have news of any kind I'll be sure to let you know."
"Of course, of course… can you check one more time?"
Riza sighed. The now brigadier was tense to say the least. Admittedly, he had a good reason to be. Her grandfather had done an excellent job as fuhrer, doing alot of good for this country. He was more than prepared to hand the title over to Roy once Mustang felt he was ready, but Roy made it clear he didn't want the title merely handed to him. Many people thought him a fool, seeing as how being fuhrer had been his dream for years, but Riza knew better. This was always something he wanted to earn. Grumman truly believed Roy would only continue to improve the state of the country, but Roy pleaded with him to do one more thing before he officially retired: make it a democracy.
And he did.
So began Mustang's campaign and Amestris' first election. He made his past known, his intentions clear, and he worked tirelessly day and night to continue the rebuilding work simultaneously. Multiple people decide to run against him, this only added to Roy's nerves, but the numbers were always in Mustang's favor. He ignored this, no matter how often Hawkeye told him, not wanting to get his hopes up, lest he risk losing focus even for a second.
But one can only plan so much, eventually those effort lead up to something, and this was it. The ballots had be casted and the votes were being counted. Roy's ever loyal team decide to stay with him on this night, sitting at their desks as the radio have live updates. Roy had been exiled to his office by Riza who had cleaned it of all forms of knew that this news was too important , bad r good, for him to receive alone, but the waiting made him nervous and the live updates only made it worse. She was attempting to distract him by having him fill out some non time sensitive approval forms, but his nerves clearly continued to best the best of him.
"It's mostly just summary of the election sir," assured Fuery. "Nothing we don't already know, they're basically just filling time until anything is definate."
"And they're not neglecting any details," added Havoc. "You thought your campaign was tiring the first time around, this guy doesn't even stop for air!"
Roy chuckled. "Well please let me know if anything new is announced."
"I've already promised you that sir," said Hawkeye. Just then, the phone beside her rang and she quickly lifted it, brought it to her ear, and then set it back down immediately without so uch as a greeting. The swiftness of her motion implied it was habitual, as if she had been doing it all day.
She had.
"What was that about Hawkeye?" asked Mustang.
"Nothing sir," she replied as if that were how she always answered the phone.
"Reporters," offered Breda. "They've been callin all day trying to get an interview, a statement, anything. Dumb things been ringing off the hook."
"What?" Mustang exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me captain? I think this constitutes as something important!"
"The votes have been casted," she responded calmly. "No interview or statement will sway voters at this point so why worry about it? I wanted to leave the damn thing off the hook all together but Falman pointed out the dangers of ein unreachable."
"Fine then," grumbled Mustang, lingering at the door. "I'll just get back to my paperwork I suppose."
"Very well sir," said Hawkeye as he shut the door with a whimper.
The forms occupied his desk, having not been touched. Hawkeye expected this as well. Instead, Mustang found himself staring out the window, lost in thought. He knew what he planned to do if he won, but now he forced himself to entertain the notion that becoming fuhrer was not to be a part of his future. What would he do then? How would adjust? What would his team think? They had all worked so hard. How could he repay them? How could his face them after a loss? What would she-
"Things will only get busier once you're leading this country."
"Wha- don't sneak up on me like that Hawkeye!" he hadn't even heard the door open
"Sir, I know you're nervous," she said, joining him at the window. "But trust me when I say you have no reason to be,"
"Do you really think so?"
"You know I always have," she replied. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't have complete faith in you."
"What would I do without you?"
"You say that far too often sir,"
"Well, I mean it," he said with a laugh. "You've been there with me, every step of the way, Hawkeye. And no matter what happens tonight, just know you have my gratitude."
"Think nothing of it sir," she said. Was that a blush on her face? "I'm merely doing my duty."
"We both know that's not true," he said. "You go above and beyond without a doubt. You're more than just my subordinate I hope you know. You're… my lucky charm."
"Your lucky charm?"
"Yeah," he said. "Think about it, all the good things that have happened to me, you've been there."
"I've been there for most of the worst too, sir."
"True, but I survived them didn't I? I happily give you credit for that. I was right to entrust you with my back."
"I have no plans for that to change, sir."
Roy simply mumbled a reply and turned his gaze back to the night sky
"Look at them down there," mused Hawkeye, directing his gaze to the flock of reporters surrounding the entrance to the building. "I suppose you'd best cherish these last few moments of privacy, sir. Soon enough, those hounds will be capturing your every move 24/7."
"I suppose I should be used to it by now," he replied lightly. "They certainly spared no expense trying to catch my bad side, but all they ended up getting was a warning shot from you."
"They were never in any danger," Riza stated, which of course Roy already knew. "I have no intention of letting anyone drag your name through the mud. Any criticism of your character will be coming from me, and me alone."
"What if I lose?"
"You won't."
"As much as I appreciate your faith, Hawkeye, I'd like to be prepared for all outcomes," he said. "We can't predict the future. What if all this work was for nothing?"
"Regardless of whether or not you are leading this country, I will not allow you to undermine your efforts," she stated sternly. "You've done good, made a name for yourself, that's something to be proud of. I'm certainly proud of you. And this is only the first election, not the last."
"Thanks, I guess I just needed to hear you say it," he admitted lightly. "And, even I don't win, you'll still be there, right?"
"What kind of question is that?" she demanded, more harshly than she intended to. "Is that what this is about? You think I plan on leaving you if you don't win? That's ridiculous."
"Do you really intend to be my bodyguard forever, Hawkeye?"
"I'm where I am today because I swore to myself that I would protect you," she said. "As long as you need protecting, then that's what I intend to do."
"You never wanted anything… more?"
"Like what?"
"I don't know," he admitted sheepishly. "I just… this election has got me thinking of the future. Of course, I know what I'd do once I'm in office, I plan on wasting no time, but this has been my goal practically my entire life. I started to wonder if I'd feel empty after finally achieving it."
"What are you saying?"
"What I'm saying is… will you be there then, Hawkeye?" he asked, somewhat timidly. "Without all the craziness and danger?"
"Would you even need a bodyguard then?"
"It's not really about me needing a bodyguard," he admitted. "It's about me needing you."
"Well, if you need me then of course," she said simply. "Although, I've given much thought into your security and I'll think you'll require a larger team, one with more skills than just I can provide."
"I… I don't think you understand…" he was becoming flustered now. He turned to face her, her face showed her confusion. "What I'm trying to say is, what if I don't need you as my bodyguard, what if I…"
"Captain! Brigadier!" came Fuery's voice from the next room as he burst through the door. "Hurry, they're about the make the announcement!"
They found the rest of the team silent, and huddled around the radio as the announcer commented and what an election it had been, offering more highlights from the year.
"Get to the point, dammit!" exclaimed Havoc. "Enough suspense!"
Roy and Riza slipped in unnoticed. She saw he was breathing rapidly, possibly about to hyperventilate. She smiled to herself and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'm right here," she whispered. "Take a breath, sir. It's almost over."
He offered her a smile and squeezed her hand back as thanks. "How about a kiss for good luck?" he whispered.
She furrowed her brow at him. "You don't need any luck sir."
"Well, folks it's been quite the election," said the announcer. "I'd like to say it was a close race, seeing as how diligently everyone ran, but in truth, our victor came in by a landslide. And the first ever elected Fuhrer of Amestirs is… Roy Mustang!"
The words felt like a dream to Roy, seeing as up until now that was all they were. It all happened so quickly, but it felt to him as though it was happening in slow motion. The men of his team leapt up and cheered and applauded at the news, Havoc even overturned a chair in his excitement .Roy was having trouble processing it, and was having even more trouble catchin hs breath.
Riza, not typically known for her giddiness, wrapped her arms around him caught up in the moment. He let out a small laugh of surprise and had even more to process as her lips gently met his cheek.
"I told you that you didn't need any luck," she whispered as she let go, her voice holding a subtle tone of joy, a proud twinkle in her eye. Before Roy could respond he found himself in a less gently embrace from the overly excited men of his team.
"Always believed in you Mustang!"
"Drinks are on you, right brigadier?"
"How do you feel sir?"
"'Fuhrer Mustang' has a nice ring to it, huh?"
"Breda, ease up I don't think he can breath,"
Once he was released from his mob of supporters, he turned to Hawkeye who was trying her best to suppress a large smile. The woman was famous for her poker face, but she couldn't recall a time where she had felt this much joy. She fought it and offered him a salute.
"Fuhrer Mustang, sir!" she said as though she had been waiting to say those words for years.
"At ease captain,"
"Are you ready?"
"I suppose we'll find out, won't we?"
"There he is! There's the new fuhrer!"
"Mustang? Mustang over here!"
"Any comment of the results? How are you feeling sir?
"Do you have an official statement?"
The reporters wasted no time surrounding him as he exited the building, just as he suspected. They kept a respectable distance, once they saw Hawkeye was with him, but they continued to all speak at once and very loudly.
"The fuhrer will release a formal statement when he is officially sworn into office," announced Hawkeye loudly escorting Mustang down the steps the best she could.
"Fuhrer Mustang!" managed one reporter, pushing her way to front, demanding to be heard. "What do you plan on doing as your first official act as fuhrer?"
This question caused Mustang to stop dead in his tracks. He turned to face the reporter. The crows went quiet, eager to catch his response.
"My first official act?" he repeated. "Well, I've actually put quite a bit of thought into that one. As fuhrer, my first official act is this."
He knelt on one knee and took Hawkeye's hand. She look down at him, a mixture of annoyance and confusion. What was his planning? This was no time for nonsense.
"Captain Riza Hawkeye," said Roy in the type of voice he saved for missions. To others, it merely sounded as though he was being charismatic, but Riza knew it was layered in code. He looked her straight in the eyes. "Will you marry me?"
The onlookers gasped. What a romantic gesture! How sweet! How newsworthy. Riza stood there, staring at the newly elected leader of the country with daggers in her eyes. A flash went off to the right of her, capturing the photo that would grace every newspaper in town the next day and would then be framed and hung proudly wherever Roy saw a space.
It took everything in her not to smack him upside the head as he offered her a smile. Somehow, he thrived with an audience. This was his way of letting her know that he was serious. He did not want a secret affair, or his intentions to be dismissed as mere flirtatious behavior, but rather he was unafraid to show the public that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. She understood this, she really did. But she knew better, all the same.
True, her grandfather had done away with anti frantenataiziotn laws and Roy intended to separate the position from the military, so there was no red tape stopping the union but she knew their mission was not over. At least, hers was not.
Her look softened, as he awaited her response, caught up in the excitement of the evening.
"I will follow you to hell if you ask me to," she said gently, as she lifted him to his feet.
The crowd applauded as if she had accepted. They then began piling on even more questions as the two continued their way towards the car. Roy did not stop to answer any more. He had to hand it Hawkeye though, she had a gift. Turning him down in public and convincing everyone otherwise.
The public would think he was engaged, sparing him from any romance rumors and allowing him to direct attention to the important issues.
But he knew better
The public liked a family man, he could tell his image would improve immensely overnight.
But he didn't do it for image.
He wanted to lead the country with the woman he loved by his side, but she insisted on following him instead.
But it still wasn't a no.