i apologize if it's a little short.

Roy gasped awake suddenly, sitting up in the bed. He had fallen asleep. He began to touch his face and hands, gulping as he got up and headed to the bathroom. He turned on the light and looked in the mirror above the sink where it showed his usual face; nothing had changed. He didn't realize how scared he was of a possible change until relief washed over him and his legs wobbled. He hated this feeling…

"Colonel?" Roy looked out the door and saw Hawkeye looking at him."What are you doing?"

"Me? Why are you here?"

"This is my apartment, sir…"

Upon further notice, he realized that the peach scented shampoo and conditioner was not his.

"Why am I here?"

"You said that you couldn't go to sleep and I offered for you to come to my house. I slipped you a sleeping pill… Sorry. I knew you wouldn't be able to sleep and the only way to comfort you without the pill would have been to hold you through the night. I didn't think you wanted that." She said with a lift of her eyebrow.

"N-no… right…"

"But I knew that if I wasn't nearby, you would have freaked out even more."

Roy nodded, appreciating his subordinate knowing him so well.

"Right… thank you…"

She nodded. "Anytime, Colonel."

He noticed she wasn't in a nightie this time, but an old T-shirt and pajama pants. He sighed and turned the water on, getting a handful and splashing it on his face. He reached for the hand towel and wiped it dry, feeling a little refreshed. He turned off the light and headed toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Riza asked.

"To your couch."

"As odd as it seems, I think you would be better suited up here with me." He turned to her, lifting an eyebrow at her. "Because I know you won't sleep."

He didn't want to stay because of his adult feelings of love and adoration, as well as loyalty, but the childish side of himself that he was trying to suppress wanted someone there with him. He knew she would keep him safe. He hated feeling so silly. He walked back over to the bed and got in, turning his back to Hawkeye.

"Just tonight. I'll be fine after this."

"I know, sir."

He laid awake for a while before he turned over and looked at Hawkeye, who was sleeping. He inched a little closer to her, reaching out his leg so he could touch her. That seemed to make things ten times better and he fell asleep shortly afterward.

When Roy woke again, he was in a strange position in the bed and he sat up, smacking his lips. This was not his room. This was not his apartment. There was the smell of breakfast that never permeated his house. He got up and yawned, walking to the door. He went down the stairs and walked into the kitchen, surprised to find Riza cooking.

"Coffee is over there if you want some, Colonel." She said, pointing.

Roy looked over at the brew and found an empty cup there waiting for him. He poured a cup and watched Riza for a moment.

"Why are you cooking?"

"I called us both in sick for today. You need time off; and I mean a real time off. I never thought I'd say that for you but you needed it."

"What time is it?"

"Eleven."

"Hmm, don't spoil me, Hawkeye; I may get used to it."

"I was doing this to up your performance level. A half-awake man cannot perform his duties safely or efficiently. I was saving my ass and yours. But mostly mine."

Roy smiled as he drank his coffee.

"Well, you'll make a good wife to someone one day."

"That will never happen, sir." She said, putting eggs and bacon on the plates. "I'm too dedicated to you; I don't have time for other men."

"I apologize. I will try not to monopolize you then."

"Well, according to your younger self, when you grow up, you want to marry me, so monopolizing isn't a problem."

Roy coughed and sucked in coffee at the same time and coughed some more, hitting his chest.

"What?"

She set the plates on the table and they sat down to eat.

"While you were in the flickering stages, you had said that when you grow up, you were going to marry me."

"I don't remember that."

"You probably let that one slide."

Colonel cleared his throat for no reason, but began to eat.

The rest of the breakfast was in awkward silence.

It had been nice to have a day out of the office and not talk about anything regarding what had happened to him. He and Riza went to the market and got some food for later that day, stopping in a café to have a light snack. If Roy didn't know better, he would have sworn this was a date, but he knew his subordinate well and she would never do anything of the sort. But in the back of his mind, he kept this day stored in good memory and classified it as still a date.

"You can't avoid Edward forever, sir." Roy suddenly heard Riza say.

"What?"

"I'm just saying that you can't avoid Edward forever. Besides, he doesn't appreciate you not coming to see him or anything."

"I thought we discussed this already?"

"We did, I'm reiterating."

"Ah…"

"He'll have his automail fixed up by the end of the week so you need to stop being silly and talk to him. It doesn't have to be about what happened; just give him a mission or something like you usually do."

"I just don't want to be near him…"

"Why? It's just Edward."

Roy cleared his throat a little.

"When I was… in my younger stages, as well as when I was a baby, I literally and mentally looked up to him. A part of that is still with me and… I don't know what I'll do when I see him. I don't want to lose control of myself."

"Well, you're Colonel Mustang, the controller of flames, one of the most uncontrollable things in nature. If you can master that, then I think you will figure out how to act with Edward."

"I just want to get this behind me…"

"You won't be able to do anything if you live in constant fear. You of all people should know that. Your lack of confidence in yourself is worrisome. If you don't get cocky again I may have to find someone else to work under."

Roy smirked, looking at her as she ghosted her own smile. She was right, as she always was, and he sighed, turning to go across the street.

"I apologize, Lieutenant. I'll make sure to be more of a dick in the future."

"Thank you, Colonel."

They laughed and walked back to Riza's house. After the talk with Riza, Roy felt much better and more like himself. He even went home and slept in peace for the first time in months.

When he woke up, he felt like his old self again and got ready with confidence and the same demeanor he had before this idiotic ordeal. It was just another day in Central and he was going to go into work, sign a couple of papers, take a nap, sign some more papers, procrastinate with one of the receptionists, use the bathroom, procrastinate some more, avoid Riza, take a lunch, then rush through the rest of the papers. He smiled at his agenda and was happy to put it into action when he walked into his office.

"Morning, Colonel." Havoc said.

"Morning, Havoc."

"Hey, there's something I need to-"

"No can do, Havoc, I have an agenda to get back to."

"But Colonel-"

He waved him off as Riza watched him go to his office. Roy turned to her.

"Do I have anything worth my time on the docket, Lieutenant?"

"Nothing new but papers that need to be signed. There are also a couple of cases you may want to look into. Also, there is something of importance you should know about-"

"Thank you, Lieutenant. If I don't start now, I can't procrastinate later."

Riza sighed. "Of course, Colonel. And I'm assuming you mean that sarcastically?"

"Of course," he said, waving her away.

He opened the door and sighed, leaning against the door. He needed to get going if he was going to get back into the groove of things. He took off his black coat and hung it next to the red one on the coat rack by the door, heading to the desk. As he walked, he slowed and a tingle went up his spine as he spun around to stare at the coat.

"You know, I didn't think you not seeing me would hurt me as bad as it did, but I have to say," Edward moved the paper he was reading from his lap and looked at Roy, whose eyes widened in surprise. "You sure are a cold-hearted bastard for the Flame Alchemist."

ah so the confrontation finally happens. what will roy do? and sorry about that slight fluff up there. but there's only one more chappy left and this will be over! it's been a long time!