This one's quite short... only rated PG-13. This was written for Theme 1; Uniform.

Some people were able to accustom themselves wonderfully to change, take every tiny alteration in their life very much in their stride and continue forward without so much as a brief glance back towards what once was.

Roy Mustang was not one of these people; he couldn't help but frequently look over his shoulder and mull over the days past. He worried over Ishbal and all that had occurred there; regardless of whether the military considered him a hero, in his own eyes he would always be a murderer. When Hughes had died, he had blamed himself for his best friend's death, felt the guilt every time he had to face Gracia and Elysia from then on.

Roy Mustang could not take any sort of change, regardless of whether it was for the better or worse, particularly easily; after Hughes had got married, it had taken him a while to adjust to not having a friend to drown himself in alcohol with. After the Ishbal War, he would wake up to any sharp noise and be unable to fall back asleep for some time. Being drawn away his usual life had unnerved him, and afterwards the soldiers were somehow expected to slot back into their normal routines with very little friction. It would be a lie if he said he had never found it difficult at all.

However, the one person that had remained amazingly steadfast and comforting to him throughout the whole time he had known her always reminded him that there was an anchor of unwavering reason and normality in his life. That woman was Riza Hawkeye. The only two changes he can willingly draw to his mind when he thinks of Riza is her hair and her dog, and perhaps the only one of those two things that had had a direct impact upon him personally was that when she came to visit him, she always insisted on bringing Black Hayate. The little mutt always found a way to disrupt anything the two of them may have been doing together... naturally, this frustrated Roy but Riza had developed quite a soft spot for the pup and never had the heart to lock him out; he tended to cry.

She was still almost the same as she was when she was first transferred to serve under him during Ishbal; nearly always stoic but never unfriendly, taking his hand and guiding him towards the end of the road. When Ishbal had finally drawn to its terrifying conclusion, she chose to stay under his service and guide him towards his goal of becoming Fuhrer. At the times when he felt himself falter, she would take his hand and bring him back on track and he would once again give silent thanks to her for staying by his side, unwavering and supportive as both subordinate and friend.

He draws away from her for the briefest of moments to chuckle softly against the soft skin of her throat, and he shut his eyes slowly and simply held her close to him and listened to the rhythm of her uneven breathing.

"Sir?" she whispered, breathless against the shell of his ear. From under the bed, Black Hayate gave a soft growl.

His eyes open and she suppresses a soft gasp as his eyelashes brush against the sensitive skin on her throat.

"You still kiss the same as in Ishbal, Lieutenant."

Her slightly inquiring glance drew another smile to his lips, and he threaded his fingers through the back of her hair (long now; not the short, sensible haircut the women received during the War anymore) and drew her towards him again for another kiss. Their tongues briefly wrangle for dominance before he claims it and tastes her desire more than he hears her moan.

"I'm glad you've been here for me, Lieutenant," he murmurs when he once again breaks away.

"I've never regretted it, Sir."

Roy again smiles at her earnestness as he kisses her again.

The next day, he finds himself alone in his apartment; void both of human and canine presence. This was the way it had always been; she disappears before Sunrise and thus ensures the safely of both their careers. Always efficient, always steadfast in his hectic life.

Perhaps, one day their uniform procedure would be to wake together as a couple and arrive at work together without shame, but until that day, she would always be by his side, steadfast and wonderfully secure.

Herm... I didn't have much of an idea for this one, as you can see. Ah well; I thought it was pretty cute. Only one to go now!