Roy slammed the door to his mansion open, exhausted. He had just had to drive Ed all the way to his hotel at ten pm. And Ed's home isn't exactly close to his house, or Central Command. And let's not forget that the car broke down halfway through the drive, and they had to wait an hour for Roy and Ed to walk to the nearest station and buy a liter of fuel, put it in the car, and drive Ed, then himself. And, when he finally got home, it was midnight. So it was no surprise that he couldn't be bothered changing his clothes, and he simply flopped down on his bed, and tried to get to sleep.
Tried.
An hour later, Roy still couldn't get to sleep. He was tossing and turning throughout the hour, trying to get into a comfortable sleeping position. He even read a book on algebra to bore him to sleep, but it was still no use. Too many thoughts were circling round his head, mostly consisting of Riza, and his current predicament concerning her. So, to get them out of his head, he got out of his nice warm bed (actually willingly, for once) and went to his large kitchen. He turned the kettle on, and was about to pour himself a cup of strong coffee, when he remembered why he had come downstairs in the first place. I came down here to try and get TO sleep! Not wake myself up! Roy mentally slapped himself for getting distracted, and picked up his tea, taking it to his lounge, and sipped it. He turned the fire on the normal way (why didn't he bring his ignition gloves down with him?) and sat back in his armchair. The soft velvet padding instantly relaxed Roy, making him feel a bit drowsy right there and then. Why didn't I make this armchair my bed? Then he remembered the day he had bought this mansion, and Riza had helped him renovate it.
"Lt, could you help me lift this table over there? It just doesn't seem right being next to the window, for some reason." Roy requested, and Riza nodded her head.
"Of course sir." She agreed, and bent down to lift the table, wincing a bit underneath its weight.
"Are you alright, Lt?" He asked, picking up his side. She nodded determinedly.
"I didn't spend years in military training and go through the Ishvalan Civil War just to get beaten by an ordinary table." She informed, and he laughed.
"You're one tough cookie, Lt. Millions of other girls would've been complaining by now. 'Oh, my back aches', 'my arms can't handle this much weight', blah di blah." He smiled at her. "Maybe that's why you're my Lieutenant." She smiled back at him, and, together, they set down the polished oak table.
"I'll go get the armchair, shall I?" Roy suggested, and Riza nodded.
"That would be the best course of action, considering that the dining hall has been completed." She confirmed, and he went to the lobby and retrieved it. He set it down with a groan next to Riza.
"Who knew that armchairs could be heavier than tables?" He joked, and flopped down in it. The soft stuffing sunk with him, eliciting a relaxed sigh from him.
"Hawkeye..." He said, and Riza shook her head.
"You are getting a proper bed. This armchair will remain an armchair." She stated, with a hint of a smile playing on her features. Roy pouted.
"It feels so relaxing though! Try it, Hawkeye." Roy said, getting off and offering her the seat, but she shook her head.
"I would rather stay focussed on the task at hand, Colonel." She declined, and made to pick up one side of the armchair. Roy, still looking a little cheated out of something, helped her carry it into his soon-to-be lounge. They set it down next to the fireplace, and Roy smiled at his partner.
"Sit down, Hawkeye. I'll get you a drink, and then we can get back to work." He offered.
"Colonel, I couldn't take the only seat." She objected, standing opposite him, not making any movement whatsoever to sit in the seat.
"I'm able to sit on the floor, you know." He informed, smirking.
"I know that, Colonel. But I wouldn't permit it." She shot back.
"I guess we'll have to share a seat, if it's the only way I'm going to get you to sit down." Roy smirked, making Riza's eyes widen.
"Colonel, you aren't insinuating..." She started, but trailed off when she saw the confused expression that Roy was wearing, that then turned back to normal.
"Oh! No no no..." He assured quickly. "Anyway, even if I was, the military has anti-fraternization laws, remember?" He sighed. "When I become Führer, I'll abolish that law. Then anyone in the military can date who they want, and nobody will give a damn." Roy muttered, then went into his own little world.
"Colonel?" She said, and he snapped out of his thoughts, and looked into Riza's deep brown eyes. Wow, she's got beautiful eyes. Then he shook his head, as if experiencing a chill. Why did I just think that?
"I'm okay." He smiled, and she smiled back. "Shall we get the coffee table?"
Ah yes, that was why I didn't use the armchair as a bed. Riza. He smiled to himself, and sipped on his tea again. I wonder, did I love her even then? Well... he sighed, it's obvious she didn't. She probably doesn't even now. We're close, and I see her in a romantic way, but I doubt she would. Her goal is to protect me, and I doubt she'll want to do anything that may jeopardize my safety. Then he remembered the anti-fraternization laws. Maybe that's part of the reason why I want to become Führer, to get rid of the anti-frat laws, so that I could be with Riza, fingers crossed. But with the Assembly taking control of Amestris and the military now, will I even be able to do that? Roy groaned. Maybe I should've stayed going out with a different woman every single day. It would've been easier than these love problems.
Just at that moment, the phone rang on the coffee table, and Roy set his tea down on the cup mat, and answered it.
"Hello?" He said.
"You are Colonel Roy Mustang, correct?" The voice on the other end validated. The voice was raspy, yet held an air of complete authority and control.
"Yes." Roy answered, a little warily.
"Ah, delightful." The man on the other end said, though, Roy thought that he sounded anything but delighted.
"And who, may I ask, are you?" He asked.
"I am Robert Dower. I'm from the High Assembly, as I'm sure you must know." Dower introduced. Roy's eyes widened. Robert Dower? He's the guy who's second in command! Second in command of the COUNTRY! What does he want with me?
"I have heard of you, among the meetings. Good things are said about you, Mr. Dower." Roy said, lying through his teeth. Robert Dower. Good things are most certainly NOT said about him. There's talk about him persuading the president to start another war like the Ishvalan one! Dower laughed. His laugh, however, didn't sound sincere in the slightest. It was cold and twisted...
"I'm glad, I'm glad. But, Colonel Mustang, I haven't rung to talk about myself. I've rung to talk about you." He said, making Roy involuntarily shudder.
"Why do you want to talk about me?" Roy asked warily.
"I believe that you're close to your lieutenant?" Dower asked. Roy's eyes widened considerably as he registered the sentence. Gotta lie gotta lie gotta lie... But the best that he could come up with was...
"What're you planning to do to her?" Roy asked, a demanding tone to his voice. Dower merely chuckled sinisterly.
"As you fully well know, the military has a strict anti-fraternization law."
"Yes, I know that." Roy said, a little impatiently.
"And you seem to be fraternizing with your lieutenant. Riza Hawkeye, was it?" Roy's breath hitched for a second. I don't like where this is going...
"You have been misinformed." Roy replied calmly. As much as I'd like to 'fraternize' with her...
"Well, Colonel Mustang, let's keep it that way, shall we? And, whilst we're on this topic, I don't want you to interfere with my future plans, or you may find that you lose something precious to you..." Dower threatened menacingly. Roy's eyes widened with fright, his pupils dilating. NO! NOT RIZA!
"YOU DARE TO ANYTHING TO HER, AND I'LL BURN YOU INTO OBLIVION, YOU SICK MOTHERFU-" Roy yelled into his phone, stopping when he realized that Dower had hung up. The raven-haired colonel stared at his phone, gripping it until his knuckles turned white.
"No. No. NO! GODDAMMIT NO!" Roy shouted to nobody, holding his head in his hands despairingly. Riza. She's not safe. She's not safe as long as I have feelings for her. Then he looked up, determination in his eyes as he went back to the velvet armchair to finish his tea. Then my feelings will be put in the back seat. Riza comes first.
Suddenly the armchair wasn't able to relax Roy anymore.
A/N- Yay for plot! The story's actually going somewhere! Tell me what you think! I wrote half of this in school (we're supposed to be doing work...) because I just couldn't wait!
And also, I don't own any of these characters, apart from Robert Dower. *Sigh* I always own the bad guys...
Oh no, Riza's in danger! And Roy's gonna come in his superhero cape, pick her up bridal-style and whisk her away from danger!
...Then Riza will shoot him.
Anyway, bye bye, and don't forget to leave a review for this author! Please? For the good of Royai? ^.^