Private

By Haraguroi

Roy Mustang sighed in frustration, running a hand through his tangled black hair, still signing papers. He left in the morning for the front lines, and he was trying to accomplish some odds and ends in the office before he retired from his new Brigadier General position into the lesser position of Corporal.

He knew nobody would treat him as a Corporal there, at least, not once his doings had been known, they would try to at first, but they would know he was at one time the great Flame Alchemist, but then once they found out what had happened in Central and that he was the reason Amestris was without a leader.

Finally he finished all the loose paperwork. He set down his fine silver pen decorated with a flame pattern (Some cheap tourist gimmick he couldn't bear to not have. Roy was such a sucker for flames) on the fine polished desk and clasped his hands behind his head, leaning back in his chair and inhaling the familiar scent of his office.

He would miss it, he admitted in his head as he sat there reclining in his chair. Beginning tomorrow he wouldn't have Brigadier General or Colonel as his surname. It would be Corporal. Roy much preferred Colonel, though Brigadier General Roy Mustang did have a nice ring to it. He snorted and began putting the remainder of his personal affects in a cardboard box.

The irony was astounding to Roy. Now he would have to salute up to Edward, even though Edward was nowhere to be seen, if he ever saw him again and he wasn't a Colonel or something better, he would have to salute him and call him sir, as dictated in the code of the military.

He went to sleep that night after packing some more personal items he would bring into his military issued dorm room. Before he hit slumber, one last vision swam through his semi-conscious mind. A certain blonde lieutenant that would be there to drive him to the train station the next morning.

True to his nighttime thoughts, the next morning Lieutenant Hawkeye shook him awake gently, saying, "Sir, wake up, we have to leave soon to catch the train."

Roy grunted, "Who gave you the key to my house?" he grumbled, and "Whoever did, I'll char them 'till they're charred he flipped over, pulling the blanket with him.

"You did, sir." Riza said, smiled slightly at her actions, "You ordered me to watch your house while you were on the front lines."

"Did I?" Roy asked and turned again, only succeeding in falling off the bed and landing on the floor with a loud 'thunk' as his rear hit the wood, "Then maybe I won't fry him." He commented, rubbing his head.

"Sir, are you ready to leave?" she asked, looking at the boxes. Some were books, some were music, some was pictures and memories, and others just held clothes. She noticed they were the only thing neat in the entire room, which looked like a tornado had come through it.

"Yea. Jus' gotta shower and then eat some food and then we can dash." He said groggily, standing and entering the bathroom, tripping over the small carpet at the bathroom's entrance. Roy yelped, "You didn't see anything!" and closed the door.

It made Riza wonder how he got to work on time- Well, for the most part on time- and also, if the rumors were indeed true, how did he get a girl out of the house by the time he went to work? The Flame Alchemist remained a-very appealing- enigma to her, no matter what she tried to do to understand him.

Roy came out of the bathroom a half an hour later, hair slicked back and placed underneath a standard issue military cap. He also had on a new uniform. One devoid of stars or badges he had earned from the Ishbal war. It truly seemed as if he was starting over, at a lower rank that alchemists start with, which is Major. (A/N: ...O.o; I think.)

He saluted to Riza, "Good morning Lieutenant." He said his mouth twitching like he wanted to smirk.

"You know you do not have to salute me, sir." Riza replied, flustered at the acknowledgment.

"And you do not have to call me sir, ma'm" he retorted, sitting and beginning to eat some eggs that Riza had made while he was partaking in showering pleasures, although he felt nauseous with the nerves bundling in the pit of his stomach and deciding to mosh.

The packed his things into her trunk in silence, then rode to the train silence, still silent as Riza gained control of herself and Roy fought the moshing emotions. When the train blew it's horn and the people were instructed to get on, Roy cleared his throat, "Uhm, I…Thank you, for everything you've done for me." He said finally.

"Roy.." Riza started, forgetting herself in the moment and not saying sir, "If I hand been quicker to follow through the plan then you wouldn't have lost your eye and you wouldn't have to be doing this right now! I know it's all my fault, but please don't go." She released what had been itching at her for the passed month or so.

"Riza," Roy said, "I thought we had cleared this up? It's not your fault; I'm alive, aren't I?" Riza nodded, "So you see, there's no real harm done that can't be healed. My eye will be fine, I'm not angry at you or anything."

"But you lost your eye because of me! And now you're going to the front lines without me! How will you look out for yourself? Please say I can go…"

"No, Riza. I need to start over, I need to compensate. I know you don't think it right now, but it's a good thing to do and I will be back, don't worry."

"Roy!" she exclaimed, "You're going to the front lines! You may die if I'm not there to protect you!"

"I can take care of myself, Sniper." He said with a smile, "But if I do die, I'll be with you always. Your life can go on without bossing and threatening me you know." He teased.

Riza looked down, looking back up after a moment with a single tear winding down her smooth cheek, "Are you sure," Roy heard her voice crack slightly, "you have to do this? There's no way I can persuade you otherwise?"

Roy cupped her cheek with a gentle yet rough hand, "Don't tell me the almighty Sniper is crying? For me?" he rubbed the pad of his thumb across her smooth cheek, catching the tear, "I'll write every week, alright?" he asked her softly.

Riza nodded, smiling shakily. Once she had gained control of herself she said, "Alright. Just don't go and get yourself killed."

"I'll try not to." Roy said, turning and boarding the train.

Riza watched the train leave until it was nothing on the horizon.

-+-+-+-+-+-

A couple months later, Roy sat, trying to write a letter to Riza. He was getting sent out to fight in about a week. Roy ran a hand through his hair. He was now a Second lieutenant. He tapped his pen to the paper already adorned with a series of marks and scratched out figures.

'

He sighed in annoyance and impatience and crumpled up the paper, tossing it and letting it join its numerous comrades of scrap in the wastebasket. He sighed and looked at the new blank piece of paper, staring up at him as if saying, 'GODDAMNIT. DON'T THROW ME AWAY.' He couldn't do that to the poor thing.

He began writing. After roundabout an hour, he sat and looked at the words staring up at them. Then with a sigh he got up, put the letter in an envelope, stamped it, and let it begin its journey to Riza.

Dear Riza,

I know I told you I would write every week but I haven't. But I'm not dead, see. It's been nearly a year since I left, and I haven't so much as left a message for you at work, sorry. Things have been busy around here, for one, I'm now a Second lieutenant, and I'm being sent out to the front front lines, soon. I'm going to be transferred back to Central if I survive. They aren't allowing me to use alchemy, even if I did swear it off. I'm a sniper, now for my Captain. But there is another condition that I'm mailing this. I never got to say it before because it was highly improper, but I heard the law was changed now…If I don't come back, I need this for my conscious, so don't rip up this letter now and be done with it. Riza, I'm going to be honest. Whenever I think of you I blush, I feel hot and nervous and sweaty. Around you I feel like I'm trying to pass the State Alchemy exam again. My legs rebel and my mind goes numb. I think- at least, Hughes told me- that I love you. I know, unbelievably corny, but it all leads up to that. If I die, I want you to remember, I'll love you always, and I will be waiting for you when you finally leave. I promise.

Love,

Second Lieutenant Roy Mustang