Chapter 3: Flame of Burning Love
(Note: Chap. 2 was Changes Inside and Out. Sorry for not putting the name.)
Roy swore under his breath as he put away triplicate copies on a report about a sighted Homunculus. There was no way he could finish the work before the day ends, at the pace he was going. He wanted desperately to call on one of his subordinates so that the load could be divided and everything would be done faster, but most of them had jobs of their own, whether it was watching the telephone, watching some new recruits, or just watching Central. The Flame Alchemist groaned as he shoved away a heap of finished contracts and discovered a whole new sheaf of documents just waiting to be read and evaluated. The Fuhrer was lucky to have a secretary by his side, to take care of the paperwork while he got to sit around and do nothing until some action came around.
He slammed the next signed document onto the finished work pile, gritting his teeth and trying hard not to picture the papers bursting simultaneously into flames. As much as he wanted to do just that, he was already too far along on his ambition to reach the top to screw everything he'd worked for. Maybe he should've asked Riza to work with him after all...
His fingers froze above a report with several clipped photos on it at the thought of Riza Hawkeye. Ironically, she was the last person he'd call on for this kind of work, but she was the only one who actually volunteered to help. She was just like that, always looking out for him and offering to lend a hand, especially when it wasn't on a gun. Roy knew he could always count on her, but sometimes he worried about her as well, like awhile ago, when she offered to actually help him with the tedious paperwork he often got these days instead of real assignments.
Now he regretted turning down her offer...and it wasn't just because he needed to get it done quick. Roy suddenly experienced a deep longing to see Riza again, and his heart seemed to scream out to him to find the sharpshooter lieutenant right away.
But why? Why did he now harbor such an intense desire to lay his eyes on her?
Hopefully he would find out.
Roy shoved his chair aside and jumped up from it, bolting towards the door as though drawn to something sweet and mysterious. As he slammed the door shut behind him, he tried to look casual and nonchalant, despite his unexpected outburst a few seconds ago. Why was he so panicky, so determined to do something as simple as searching for a colleague? For a moment, it felt like his body had a mind of its own.
---
"You should be lucky I was already done with practice, sir," said Riza calmly, sitting beside his table and organizing a stack of documents all related to the history of the Ishbal rebellion.
"I'm just lucky I caught you in time," was the reply. The colonel realized that she was staring at him after that remark, and quickly added, "I mean...I take back what I said...okay, so I needed...and..."
She nodded, grinning slightly. "At least I wasn't dragged here with bribes or threats. I really wanted to help you. I think it's also my responsibility to assist you whenever you're stuck somewhere."
"Well...thanks," was all Roy could say, but as he shifted in his seat, his elbow accidentally knocked over a pile of papers, sending them all fluttering to the floor with a flourish. Black Hayate perked up from where he was lying serenely beside his mistress, and his tail wagged with delight as he watched the sheets fly about before settling onto the floor. But Riza gave him a stern look that told him to stay put, as she herself rose and knelt down to clean up the mess. Her superior followed, and they hurriedly gathered up the papers, making sure they left not a single one for Black Hayate to play with.
As Roy got down and reached under his table for the last bit, he touched something soft and warm, instead of firm and flat. He squinted through the dark space and saw a pair of eyes gazing back at him, underneath blond bangs. He and Riza quickly withdrew their hands and stood up abruptly, facing each other across the table. The lieutenant was slowly turning a delicate shade of red, even as she grabbed the elusive sheet of paper and handed it over (with fingers that trembled ever so slightly) to him.
"I told you I was lucky," said the Flame Alchemist, giving her a little salute.
"It was the least I could do...really," said Riza, standing up and looking down at her feet. When she looked back at him, Roy felt something leap inside him. He adjusted the collar of his uniform and cleared his throat abruptly.
"Nice work, Hawkeye," he commended her. "That's all thirteen pages of the file."
Riza smiled, but didn't say anything more as she placed the retrieved sheets of paper on the table. The blush still had not receded from her cheeks even as they resumed work.
Meanwhile, Roy would never forget how their hands touched under his table. At least, not for a long, long time. In fact, throughout the session, he couldn't take his eyes off her and had to resort to furtive glances. What would she think if she found him staring at her for almost no reason at all, especially when he was supposed to be busy with his work?
"Sir?"
Nice move, Mustang, he scolded himself mentally. She got you. Now what stupid alibi are you going to make for staring at her face?
"Sir, are you all right?"
He bit his lip as he tried to create an excuse as fast as he could create fire. "No, no...I was just thinking...about this document. It has a few...errors...that need to be discussed with - "
"Really?" Riza took it from him and scanned it quickly. "I see nothing wrong with this report on the situation in Liore."
"N-nothing?" Roy's heart was racing. "Hmm...I must've misread...paragraph sixteen, then."
"There are only fifteen paragraphs in the report."
"I mean...that is...oh, forget it," grumbled the colonel, slapping his forehead. "I guess I'm not thinking straight."
His comrade raised her eyebrows. "I think you need a break, sir," she noted. "Perhaps you can go to the mess hall, and I can - "
"I'm not leaving you to pick up my slack," countered Roy. "You're not my personal slave, Hawkeye, and neither are you a secretary or my lapdog."
"I know," said Riza. "You've always been telling me that. But I am a volunteer, offering my services by my own volition, and I know what's best for you. What's best for you right now is a break, so you can clear your mind."
Roy opened his mouth to say something in protest, but instead blurted out, "Fine. But you're coming with me, Hawkeye. You also need to stop and smell the flowers. Besides, if you were the one to submit the jobs to Fuhrer Bradley, he'd definitely think I just saddled you with the work so I can relax."
Riza stroked her chin and thought about that. "A very good point, Colonel. So...shall we go? Maybe ten or fifteen minutes will do you good. Then you can start worrying again."
He chuckled as he took three strides towards the door, opening it for Riza. At first she gave him a strange, puzzled look, which eventually changed into a grateful, impressed one which gave Roy that all-too-familiar giddy sensation that seemed to inebriate him whenever she was around or whenever she popped into his head. In fact, he only snapped out of his brief trance when Black Hayate rushed past him and collided with his legs, reminding him that he too was leaving the office for a while.
As they headed for the mess hall, Roy had to keep himself from glancing at Riza, otherwise she'd notice and start asking questions he'd rather not answer. But somehow he felt that she was also looking at him...or maybe she was just concerned. Don't get too overconfident, he chided himself.
"Are you sure you're okay?" asked Riza again.
"Yes...I'm sure," he said, shrugging. "Why wouldn't I be?" He reached out for the door handle instinctively before the lieutenant even thought of opening it.
"Since when have you been opening doors for other people?" she said suspiciously. "Are you going to pull a trick on me?"
Balling the hand he had used to open half of the double doors into a fist and resisting the urge to ask aloud why he just did that without thinking, Roy replied casually, "We-ell, you've helped me out in my job in more ways than I can count, so why not repay you by doing little random acts of kindness? It's like the law of equivalent exchange of alchemy, you know."
"So long as you're not planning a prank behind my back," said Riza, rolling her eyes. "Not that I'd fall for it, of course."
"Of course I wouldn't," Roy said, grinning like an innocent child. "You know I wouldn't."
"I hope so," she answered, winking.
It was as if Roy's heart had been set ablaze, and he realized what exactly was going on with him instantly. Even though it had only been a few days since he started feeling it...
He was, very slowly, falling in love. But he wondered why...why, of all the girls he knew, would he fall for First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, his comrade and right hand, who always knew how to keep him in line and often bantered with him about politics? Perhaps it was her bravery...or the kind smile she showed whenever she didn't have to put on a stoic mask in the line of duty...or just her common sense...
Or maybe it was all of those...that made her the one.
"Coming, sir? The chef's serving your favorite today."
Roy snapped out of his thoughts and hurriedly jogged towards her, only too happy to respond to her call.