Living on Borrowed Time

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Author's note: Wow…I just got a whole lota comments on a chapter I hated…cool. Lol I'm really surprised at how many of you liked ch 21, I felt like it came out feeling kind of like a filler chapter, but I wanted to make sure to include that she looks exactly the same. I'm really fascinated at how many of you are speculating on whether or not Eli set Hawkeye up….do you want to know? Do you really wanna know? I'll tell ya later ;) …onto the next chapter!

Chapter 22 – The Case of the Appearing Clothing and Other Freakish Events

A dripping wet Hawkeye opened the door of the bathroom to meet a surprised Mustang. She was only wearing a rather short towel and the way the water was slowly dripping off her body was making Roy a little…well let's just say "uncomfortable".

"Did I wake you?" she asked as he watched a drop of water roll down her chin and into the front of the towel. His eyes widened, not hearing a word she was saying. She snapped her fingers a few times in front of his face. "I'm up here." She reminded him, feeling a little annoyed. He sort of snapped out of it and shook his head to rid his mind of her image. He averted his eyes from her in order to help the process. "I asked if I woke you." She said again.

"Oh…uh no. I just woke up a little while ago," he started looking back at her face, "and you were gone." When he'd awoken, he'd be alone for the first time in almost a week. He almost jumped into a panic at her disappearance. A small part of him wasn't sure if any of the past week had actually happened and a big part of him felt empty without her. For the past five days she'd been his constant companion, and now she was suddenly gone. Roy couldn't help but feel a little like a lost puppy trailing after the forgotten scent of an old master.

"I hope you don't mind that I took a shower." She said, feeling as if something was troubling him, "I just wanted to relax a little."

"Oh, no of course not. You can do whatever you want." He said, trying to shake the loneliness he'd felt from her short absence.

"Could I ask you a favor?"

"Of course, anything." He replied.

"…are there any other clothes you could give me?" she asked, not really wanting to don the underwear and dress shirt again…it just felt too revealing, and if she was ever going to get their professional relationship back she was going to need thicker clothes…and maybe a thicker hide.

"Oh yeah! Of course…no problem. I think I've got something in my closet that'll work." He said turning to the closet and rifling through it for a few moments. He finally emerged once again with a black shirt and a pair of drawstring pants. Riza couldn't help but sigh a little…she was really beginning to miss underwear and brassiers.

Upon hearing her sigh, he looked at the clothing again, "What's wrong with it? It should fit, it was from when I was in secondary school."

"Sir, there are a few other things that females would prefer…" she started but couldn't quite finish the sentence without embarrassing herself.

"Like what?" Roy asked, he could be such a guy at times…

Riza couldn't help but sigh again, she didn't want to go into to details. It was embarrassing enough that she was standing in front of her superior in little more than a towel, and now he wanted her to preach to him about the value of having a bra and underwear. "I would like clothes that are a little more geared toward the female body." She suggested again…and of course, Roy being the guy he was—still didn't get it.

"Huh? I still don't see the problem…" he said.

"Sir, I'd like to wear a bra and underwear." She replied, looking down and feeling completely degraded.

"I still don't see the problem." Roy stated again. Riza's head flew up to meet his smart aleck glance. He'd known the whole time what she'd meant, he was just having fun riling her.

Hawkeye opened her mouth to shout at him, but was too offended to even yell at him. Angrily she closed her mouth, walked over to him and slapped him on the side of the head. Jerking the clothes from his hand she turned and marched back to the bathroom. As she walked away, Mustang rubbed the tender spot on his head and admired the fine work he did on her legs. It might not be a mini skirt, but a towel was just as good.

--

After Hawkeye had put on the new clothing, she made her way out of the bathroom towel drying her hair. To her surprise Mustang wasn't in the bedroom anymore…in fact he wasn't even in the house. A little worried she wondered where he could have gone. About an hour and a half-later Mustang strolled in with a paper bag.

"Where have you been?" she asked, her curiosity flowing right into the statement.

"I've been out taking care of a few problems." He replied mysteriously. Smiling he opened the bag and tossed some crumpled pieces of clothing her way. "Put these on." Hawkeye held the clothing up against herself. The first piece was a stretchy black top, much like the brown one she used to wear underneath her uniform. The other piece of clothing he'd thrown her were a pair of black pants. She held them up to herself as well. Remarkably, they looked like they might fit. She looked up at him again, "You still didn't solve the main problem," she reminded him.

He sighed annoyed, "Relax, they're in the bag." He gently tossed the bag in her direction and she caught it easily. Inside was a pair of black underwear and a black lacy bra. 'What's his obsession with black, I'm going to look like I'm going to a funeral.'

"Why is everything black?" she asked him, unable to keep her thoughts to herself.

"Well, if we're going to get Red tonight, I thought black would be the best thing to keep you hidden." He replied.

"We're going tonight!" she asked surprised, "Are you sure you're up for it?"

"I am if you are." He replied. Delicately he pulled a gun and a holster out of his jacket pocket. "You'll need this." He said as he slid it across the table to her. Expertly she picked it up, admiring the leather of the holster. Pulling the gun from its resting place, she reacquainted herself with the weapon. The smooth metal felt so relaxing in her grip and for the first time in two weeks she really felt like she was in control of her own life.