My Reasons

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA

Chapter 4 - Jerk

The next day Hughes spent the entire morning going over Riza's new assignment. "Hawkeye…just to warn you, Roy may seem to be a little…um…cold at first."

"What do you mean exactly by 'cold'?" She asked.

"Well see…he can come off a little…shallow sometimes. Sort of like he doesn't care about others…" Hughes said, obviously trying to keep it from sounding as bad as it did. "But I promise his bark is worse than his bite so don't be afraid to stand up for yourself."

"I don't know about this…you say he's going to change things, but he's a shallow, cold, jerk?" Hawkeye asked dubiously.

"Did I say 'jerk'?"

"No, I added that, but from the sound of things I can't imagine he wouldn't be a jerk."

"No, no, he only comes off as a jerk. I promise…he really is a good guy…he can just be a little arrogant sometimes…"

"So he's a cold, shallow, arrogant jerk? I'm not so sure I really want this assignment." Hawkeye asked, starting to regret to decision to protect this man.

"No, no, that's just how he comes off. It's really just a mask. On the inside, I promise, he's a really good guy. He really cares about other people, especially his subordinates…its just sometimes hard to see." He said giving her a wink to assure her. "Don't worry, in two day's he'll have won you over and you'd be ready to die for him."

'Goody' Hawkeye thought sarcastically, 'I'm supposed to protect a cold, shallow, arrogant jerk that eventually I'll want to die for…somehow, I just don't believe Hughes…'

He continued to fill her in on Roy's personality and standing, "Mustang is an alchemist, the flame alchemist to be specific. So his current standing is major." She nodded and he continued. "Follow his orders, but if he gives you an order that could possibly endanger him, ignore it. Your one and only task is to protect him. You won't have to kill anyone unless they try to injure him." She nodded again. Hughes last order began to put her rolling stomach at ease. She'd been afraid that she'd have to kill another innocent person…and she wasn't sure she could handle that. "Riza," he continued, "I'm giving you a purpose, please give this job a chance…for Mustang's sake."

Hawkeye could see how much this man cared for Mustang, "You're his friend aren't you?"

Hughes nodded, "His best. I'd do anything for him, and he'd do anything for me…I've known him for many years Hawkeye…he's going to change things for this country, I can feel it." They had been walking toward Mustang's camp as they were talking and they were almost within earshot when Hughes stopped. "Oh Hawkeye…do me one last favor. Try not to mention that I transferred you to protect him…if he asks what your assignment is, you can tell its to protect him…but please don't tell him it was me. He hates it when I play mother hen to him, and I wouldn't want him trying to get you transferred somewhere else in spite of me."

Hawkeye nodded, "I promise." Hughes flashed her a handsome smile, "Go get 'em. I'll see you in a month." He said as he turned and started to walk away.

"Wait!" She called after him, "What am I supposed to say to him?"

He called back over his shoulder, "Whatever you want!"