Royai Week 2022 Fruits and Roots Day 2: Shield
Word Count: 548
Author: aquietwritingcorner/realitybreakgirl
Rating: T
Characters: Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye, Edward Elric
Warning: NA
Summary: Ed reflects a bit on Mustang and Hawkeye
Notes:
Shield
If you asked anyone, everyone would say that Lieutenant Hawkeye was the one that spent the most time shielding Colonel Mustang. She shielded him from reprimands of late paperwork, shielded him from angry women that came looking for him, shielded him from his own subordinates sometimes, and, as he had seen several times with his own eyes, shielded him from actual, physical danger.
But, Ed thought as he leaned back in a chair, a pencil under his nose as he avoided doing any real work, what most people didn't realize was that Mustang shielded Hawkeye just as much.
The two were in the office now, and Edward observed them as he sat there, bored out of his mind and not about to start writing his report, mostly because Mustang had told him to. It was much more subtle, the way that Mustang shielded Hawkeye, but it was there nonetheless, if you knew how to look.
He'd seen Mustang subtly move just a bit in front of Hawkeye when someone's gaze lingered on her for just a bit too long. He'd seen Mustang take something that she was carrying from her hands. One time when they were getting ready for a mission, Ed had seen Mustang put extra ammunition in his pockets. He'd also seen him toss it to Hawkeye when they were pinned down.
But it was also the way they did things. It was how he seemed to know when she was feeling bad and handed her some painkillers without a word. Or how he would suddenly call out to her and seem to break her out of her thoughts. Or even how he would casually mention some sale he had heard about, and Ed would see Hawkeye's interest perk at that.
Edward wasn't sure what it was but there was always something about Mustang when he was doing something for Hawkeye's benefit. He couldn't put a finger on what it was, but there was a way he looked or acted that gave it away. He didn't look or act that way for anyone else, and he didn't always do it for Hawkeye either. But when he did, it was always because Hawkeye needed something.
He shielded her with care, although what, exactly he was shielding her from wasn't always clear.
He was doing it now. Mustang had Hawkeye at his desk, the two of them pressed close together. He was sitting down, but his shoulder and arm were right next to her torso and hips, a constant pressure, and he was pointing at papers, talking to her in a smooth, low, calm voice. Hawkeye, for her part, seemed to lean into the contact, and answered his questions, pointing at the papers in return. Her hand had been shaky when they had started out, but now it seemed much steadier.
Yeah, Hawkeye was Mustang's shield, what with her position as his adjunct and bodyguard. But no one really saw just how much Mustang was also hers, Edward decided, except, maybe, for them.
What a weird relationship those two had.
"Fullmetal! Aren't you supposed to be working?"
"What? Like you're supposed to be when you flirt on the phone?"
"What was that, Elric!"
Hawkeye sighed, and Ed grinned to himself. Just another day in Mustang's office, he supposed.