AN-tracycoder-- you and me both :winkwink: XD

peophin-chan--:waves: of course i remeber you! i'm glad you decided to review again! aah...Hughes is great, aint he? hell, he's the main reason i bothered to write about half of this chapter at all.

unexpection-- ack...where to start? you pretty much described the EXACT reason i named this story what i did. and hughes just rocks...i mean, i can easilly see him being obsessed with roy and riza as a couple. damn envy, show's just not the same without him! and yeah, that line was supposed to sound...'wrong' XD...totally innocent coming from Elysia, but from HUGHES...heh.

shizu-chan-- i think everyone found that line dirty XD

Higuma Otoshi-- yup. gotta love a happy ending! n.n

JewelQueen-- ack, dont bow! not worthy! XD

ThatLittleBlondeAngel-- yup! glad you liked! and as for the warning, since no one actually DIED, i couldnt really put a warning on that chapter...heh, didnt think anyone'd notice.

floOfymikO-- in case anyone CANT tell, i love this girl XD. (although she needs to do some updating of her own...:HINTHINTHINT:) Hughes...as stated all the time, he's amazing! honors english, you say? bleh, tell my stupid school that! i'm apparently one of those 'does not work to potential' students, lolol.

PrincessLuckyCML-- hell, i'm fine with 12!

Kagetsukai-Fox-- :gasp: the whole internet? nice! XD thanks for reviewing!

NoirRomance-- yay! MY 100TH REVIEWER! whooo! thanks!

bonnie-- in short--yay cookies. lol.

xXsilentwhisperXx-- hm...i'll accept most of your crit. only thing i'll have to disagree with is over Elysia's letter...frankly, since she's so young i cant see her writing all proper and correct, y'know? heh...yeah, it was pretty long, but that always seems to happento me...besides, i'm big on lottsa details n.n;;. anyways, thanks for reviewing, an' i hope you like this chapter!

Lieyan-- better late then never! thanx for reviewing!

WOW! fourteen reviews! you guys all rock.

ANYWAYS, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE WAIT. jeeze, it's been...er...a month...but i just got so stuck on this stupid chapter! plus, i origionally had this huge 6-page thing, but after a while decided that it just didnt fit, even tho i personally liked it. so, there went the entire chapter! and, even after all that hard work, it STILL ended up being an extremly short chapter! (for me, anyway XD) sorry bout that. um, what else. oh yeah--a bunch of reviewers asked if i had another fanfic in the works now that this is almost finished. honestly...i don't. not at the moment, anyway. i have a bunch of really disjointed ideas, and i'm having problems connecting them. i always have to plan out my stories from start to finish before i begin to write, otherwise i'll get stuck half-way thru, and that would just be bad. i AM planning on starting another one AT SOME POINT, but not any time soon...basically, not as long as school's in. that stupid hellhole takes up all of my time, what with this being my Junior year of high school and all. -.- SATS, collage hunts, all that crap. i really just wouldnt have the time to work on something new, and i refuse to do something like this half-assed. so, for the next few months, i'm afraid it'll be only one-shots for me!

Riza and Roy

It was just your ordinary day. Brigadier General Riza Hawkeye strode down the hallway in her typical business-like manner, her arms full of files. Amazing how the workload just never seemed to die down. Turning a corner, she was momentarily blinded by the bright sunlight streaming in through a partially-opened window. The sight made her smile—looked like another beautiful afternoon.

A shrill scream suddenly cut through the air, clashing with the calm and quiet mood. Riza's brows furrowed when she realized where the yell had come from—the president's office.

Hurrying over, she shoved the files under one arm and quickly pushed open the door, sharp eyes scanning the scene for any kind of emergency.

What she saw made her stop and stare for at least a minute.

First Lieutenant Cain Fury, eyes huge behind his glasses, was cowering over by the far wall. There was a spilt pile of files at his feet, along with a few loose sheets of paper still wafting down through the air. Oh yes…and there was also a dart stuck in the wall not five inches from his head.

Riza turned to stare at the other side of the room in disbelief, where the president was lounging behind his desk nonchalantly.

"Sir…?"

"Yes?"

"What on earth…." She paused. "Lieutenant Fury, what is going on?"

"I-I was…I was just…" Fury's babbling voice was trembling so hard, it was hard to understand the poor kid. "Just g-going to give…give him some paperwork, a-and he…he threw that dart at me!"

"…." Riza took a deep breath, turning back to the president. "Sir…where did you get that dart?"

"Found it."

"…And why did you throw it at the first lieutenant!"

"…I was bored."

"…" When working with the president, these What-The-Fuck moments happened quiet regularly. That didn't mean she ever got used to them. "Sir, you can't throw darts at your subordinates!"

"...Why not?"

"Sir!"

The president hmphed. "What's the point of being the ruler of an entire country if you can't throw darts at anyone!"

"…." Riza turned back to Fury. "Lieutenant, I'll…talk to the president. You can go now."

"Yes sir…" he mumbled, and slunk away. Riza rubbed her temple. And to think, only a few minutes ago, things had been so peaceful…

"Sir. We've discussed this. Just because you're the head of the military does not mean you can just…just…"

"Throw darts at subordinates," he tried helpfully.

"Yes—Sir—honestly…!"

The president laughed. "Jeeze. Tell me you're flustered?"

Riza gave him a glare. "I'm afraid you're mistaken," she replied icily.

"Oh really?" His smirk faded at the look on her face. "Well. Never mind then."

She let out a deep sigh, making her way over to the desk. "Sir, please try to remember, you're a president, not a dictator. There is a difference, even if you choose to ignore it."

"I do not ignore it, Brigadier General," he informed her, the eye not hidden behind the eye patch filled with a devious little glow. "I just don't care. And I'll have you know that was a very offensive remark. My self-esteem is just plummeting."

Riza raised an eyebrow. "…I'm sure. Now, I have some more reports here that need your signature—"

The president made a sound like erhghlch…or something close to it. "Paperwork? Didn't I outlaw that a month ago?"

"…No, sir, you didn't."

"Well, then I will." He fumbled around in a desk drawer for a pen. "Starting today, all paperwork is hereby banned."

"…Sir…please just sign the papers so I can send them out on time." She had an urge to add, 'for a change', but refrained against it.

The president paused for a moment, a smirk sliding across his face. "Still calling me 'sir'? It's been almost a full year, Riza."

"Hawkeye."

"…Huh?"

"It's Brigadier General Hawkeye at the office, sir. You know that."

"Oh, come on. Who cares about proper protocol and all that crap?"

"Obviously not you," she muttered. The president stood up, stretched, walked around the desk—and then drew his arms around her waist. "S-Sir!"

"Yes?"

Riza tried to pull herself free, unsuccessfully. (Of course, the fact that she didn't really want to pull free might have had something to do with it…) "Not here…!"

He tightened his grip. "Relax, the door's closed."

"That doesn't matter! You're the president now, you have to act professional—" He started kissing along the side of her neck, and she shivered with pleasure despite herself. Struggling to control her wayward hormones, she began, "Sir, really, this isn't—"

"Y'know, I think I finally understand why you still insist on calling me 'sir' after we've been dating almost a year, and since exactly no one cares about protocol anymore."

Riza wasn't sure she liked where this was going. "Sir…"

"It's a turn-on for you, isn't it?"

Bang!

The president ducked, rather needlessly—there was already another bullet hole in the wall behind him. "H-Hey! I know there are rules against shooting at the president!"

"Sir, please just sign those forms!"

"…Ergh…" He stared down at the papers glumly. "…Sure you wouldn't just rather make out with me instead?"

"Roy!"

"Whaat?" Roy Mustang grinned at her. "What I say?"

"…" Riza couldn't help but smile back, grudgingly. "You certainly are incorrigible, aren't you?"

Roy shrugged one shoulder, still smirking. "It's been said."

Riza shook her head, not truly all that annoyed, and turned to walk out. Roy's gaze followed her, watching as she left the room. He wasn't sure if she'd noticed—probably she had, because she noticed everything—but he'd been doing that a lot lately, watching her leave. It was pathetic, actually…even if she was just going to the bathroom or something, even if she was coming right back…he really hated to see her leave.

Roy figured he was border-line obsessed. But oh well. It certainly wasn't news to him.

The day passed quickly enough, although to be honest Roy never really found himself staring at the clock waiting for the day to end anymore. Work wasn't all that bad these days.

"Hey! Roy! Look! Pictures!"

Of course, it'd be even better if a certain someone would loose his damn camera already…

Grabbing the nearest piece of paper, Roy began frantically scribbling, head down, to show Hughes that he was far too busy to look at more Elysia photos.

"See, Gracia made her this dress and I knew you'd want to see her in it!"

Too bad Hughes didn't care.

"Listen, Maes," the president growled, "I'm busy here, so—"

"What, you're actually doing paperwork for a change?" Hughes raised his eyebrows. "That's a shock."

"Do you have to be in here right now? Could you not find someone else to bother?"

Hughes pouted. "No one else will stay still long enough to let me," he whined.

"Gee, I wonder why…"

"I know! So rude!"

Roy sighed. Loudly. "Look, you outrank just about everyone in the fricken military now, go order someone to listen to you!"

"Ok!" came the cheerful response. Hughes glanced over his shoulder, and instantly everyone else in the room—Falman, Breida, Havoc, and Fury, who was sitting with Falman between him and Roy's desk just in case the president had found more sharp objects to throw—looked away, panicked.

"Hi guys! Wanna see my photos!"

"…NO."

"Well, tough! Because I just realized I can order you to look at them! So—"

"Brigadier General Hughes." There was a collective sigh of relief as Hawkeye entered the room and made her way over to her desk. "If you wouldn't mind, please wait until after work is over before you show off your photographs. The men are easily enough distracted as it is."

"Aww…fine." Hughes consoled himself by plunking himself in the extra spinney-chair he'd dragged in and twirling around. The minute he was…otherwise occupied…Roy shot Riza a relived thank-you with his eyes. She merely smiled.

An aura of peaceful tranquility once again fell over the office…

"Royyy! Er, I mean, Mr. Presidennnnt! I'm bored!"

…and lasted all of five seconds.

"Hughes! Go do something!"

"If you don't have to I don't have to!"

"I am doing something! See?" He shot a quick glance at Riza. "I've been filling out forms all afternoon!"

"Oh, you have not," Hughes said loudly. "You've just been rewriting that mini-skirt proposal of yours Riza tore up last week."

Roy paled. "HUGHES!" he screeched, "Shut up!!"

"…Sir?"

Too late.

Riza was standing next to him now, and as much as Roy normally liked that, right now it was definitely not a good thing.

"If you'd be so kind as to show me what it is you're currently working on, sir?" she order….er…asked. She couldn't order the president around, after all. Except for all those times when she did.

"Um…uh…I'm not…uh."

Frowning, Riza snatched up the piece of paper he'd been scribbling on and began to read it. Roy desperately wanted to inch—or run. Running worked.—away as fast as humanly possible, but knew he'd just be asking for a bullet to the back of the skull. He satisfied himself with shooting Hughes the most furious glares he could muster.

"…President Mustang…"

He coughed, nervously. "Y-Yes…?"

"…I believe we've been over this before, haven't we?"

Roy attempted to ignore the snickering coming from all his lousy subordinates. "B-Been over what, Hawkeye?"

Still frowning in that way that made his blood run just a little bit colder, Riza began to crumple the paper up. "You know as well as I do, sir, that you have other things to work on! I would suggest you not waste your time in such an inappropriate manner!"

"But Riza—I mean, Hawkeye…" He promptly ignored all the 'are-you-insane!?' looks coming from the room's other occupants. If this bill got passed, Roy'd be able to spend the rest of his life here at Headquarters watching a very hot blond walk around in a very short skirt. Frankly, he felt it was worth risking a bullet or twelve. "I'm not wasting my time at all!" He flashed his smirk at her, hoping against hope it would work.

"President Mustang."

Ooh-boy…Riza was positively growling. As per usual, the smirk was not working on her.

"Yes?" Roy tried anyway.

Behind him, Hughes groaned loudly. What was Roy thinking?! Sure, the two of them were so rabidly in love they might as well have been married, but still. When Riza Hawkeye got that look in her eyes, the smart—and most healthy—thing to do was to back off. Fast.

"Care to explain how this is not a waste of limited work hours…? Surely you know that even if written, it will never get passed."

"Well, I guess…" Roy's eyes began to shimmer slightly; Hughes figured he was about three minutes away from a gushing nosebleed. "But, in all honesty, my dear Brigadier General, just because the odds are stacked against me doesn't mean I'll just give in. No…I'm willing to fight for this one!"

….Huh… Hughes mused to himself, watching as Riza's expression turned from one of steely-eyed annoyance to cold-eyed bloodlust, looks like his Roy-al Highness finally lost his mind. Ah well…guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. He began to dig around for his camera. After all, how often did one get to photograph the demise-by-gunshot of a president?

"With all due respect," Hawkeye responded, her voice absolutely frigid, "I think you need to learn to pick your battles more carefully."

"I disagree." More groans from the peanut gallery—Roy really seemed to have a death wish today. "Just picture it, Hawkeye. Once this proposal gets passed, you'll be able to wear something other then that thing to work every day." He eyed her semi-shapeless uniform with disdain. "I can see it now…those sexy legs of yours'll be freed from those stupid pants…" Ah. Here came the nosebleed, right on schedule. "Ooh…and your butt—"

Bang!

"Aghh!"

Roy dived under his desk. Behind him, bullet hole number—Hughes counted quickly—fifty-seven had appeared on the scene.

Riza holstered her gun again, expression calm as ever. She strode back to her desk and gathered up an armful of papers.

"If you gentlemen will excuse me for a moment, I have to send these out before three o'clock." She turned and left again, as if nothing out of the ordinary had ever happened. The minute she was gone, the room exploded into laughter.

"Didja see his face?!"

"Nice one, Mustang, real smooth."

"Heh, good job, chief. And you're always telling me I'm bad with women!"

"Grr…" The president clambered back to his feet, glowering. "Havoc, you are bad with women! And there was nothing funny about that!"

"Are you kidding?" Hughes shook his head. "It was the funniest thing I've seen all week."

Roy slumped back down in his chair. "Then you have no life. Not my problem."

"Seriously, though, chief…" Havoc commented, "Why do you keep rewriting that miniskirt law? Not that I mind, but that's the fifth time she's caught you in two weeks."

"Yeah, well, one of these days I'm gonna get it written up before she catches me," Roy sighed. He swiveled in his chair to shoot daggers at Hughes. "That is, after I fry you for being such an idiot! Why would you announce it to her like that?"

"…Well…honestly…"

"Honestly what??"

Hughes shrugged. "I wanted to see the look on your face."

"Dammit, Maes!"

"What?? You said you wanted my honest reason!"

"Remind me why I ever promoted you again?"

"'Cause I'm the father of the cutest little girl known to man?"

"Argh!"

Yup…just an ordinary day.

It was late, and the sun was slowly setting over Central City's rooftops. It bled a chorus of intense, dramatic colors over the dusky sky—reds fading on oranges fading on pinks fading on yellows fading on browns. The beautiful, multicolored canvas reflected through the floor-length window, creating complex, intangible patters on the face of the man looking out.

Roy's eyes were focused on the stunning display. He was alone in the room, and had been for some time now—the last of his more-then-subordinates had left long ago, waving cheerfully, throwing one last teasing comment at him, joking around.

Like the friends they really were.

Roy couldn't help but marvel over the ironic changes in his life these days. Had there really been a time when he'd dreaded waking up each morning?

"Roy?"

He turned, and smiled slightly. Riza. Of course. She was always there, after all….always right beside him.

She made her way over, and he slid an arm around her waist. This time, however, she didn't resist the embrace. Instead, she merely leaned in against him, resting her head on his shoulder. For a while, there was only silence.

Once, long ago, Roy Mustang had joined the military pretty much on a lark and gotten himself embroiled in a terrible war. Once, long ago, he'd nearly given in. But that was the past, not the present or the future, and Roy was done trying to force ravaged memories down his throat. The guilt was still there, of course—it would probably never fade away completely—but Roy had made his peace with that.

These days, he'd been feeling a bit like Dante, truthfully…he felt as if he'd stumbled through hell and back. Climbing out hadn't been easy…he'd managed it only after he was reeling and sore.

But he had managed it.

"We should probably go home soon, Roy. It's getting late, and Hayate still needs to be walked."

Home….Roy considered the concept for a moment. How many years had gone by with him just drifting along? And now, all of a sudden, he had a home to go to, a girlfriend to wake up with in the morning—hell, he even had a dog to walk. A part of him felt almost as if he was cheating—life wasn't supposedto be perfect, right?

Once, long ago, the world had been very different. Roy'd been different too. But the world was being changed for the better, slowly but surely…and so was he.

"Yeah. Let's get going."

I guess, Roy thought idly, the trick's just to keep swimming, even if you can't find the shore. Even if there's a chance you might drown. You just keep swimming…

And as the last few rays of light faded, the president and his brigadier general turned away from the window. Together, they left.

AN- and so it--sorta---ends. wow. cant belive it's almost over. i gotta thank eveeryone who's been reading this, not to mention those who reviewed too!

stay tuned for the epilouge. (oh, and by the way, when i say epilouge, i dont mean short-half-page-where-are-they-now epilouge, i mean long-ass-detailed-semi-redundant-might-as-well-be-another-chapter epilouge. XD;)

remeber, you only have two more chances to review!