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Warm puffs of air blowing so close to his face would usually exasperate the conceited Roy Mustang. However, his body couldn’t help but tense up; his cheeks flustered to a bright red at the position he was in. As the woman’s lean fingers gripped the hard spine of the book, she let out shallow puffs of hot air on her superior’s relaxed face. Riza Hawkeye’s soft, silent body was arched over him and his bed in an attempt to reach the book across from her on his oak nightstand. She had risen from her seat beside the bed and, assuming he was asleep, decided to occupy her time by reading the material he left. A silk black eye patch covered his left eye, but his right appeared shut behind a gate of subconscious dreams. The professionalism between the two remained intact, but a subtle aura of intimacy was clearly shared by the couple. The glint of his coal eye slipped a glance at Riza’s swift, cautious movements, assuming she was doing her best to keep him from waking. Riza’s face had now moved slightly past Roy’s, extending her body a little farther towards the nightstand. She was dressed in a lavender cotton button up, with some black fabric peeking out inches above her professionally concealed cleavage; how he longed to unbutton that blouse, to take her in his arms and make her stay. The deep purple skirt she wore had an inconspicuous slit on the left side, in an impeccable spot for him to catch a quick glimpse of her silky flesh. Whether or not Hawkeye could sense Mustang’s woken state he wasn’t sure, though he did notice she jerked back to her place in the chair faster than usual. Most people placed in the position Riza Hawkeye was in would treat a partially blind individual like a child, establishing limits and boundaries to protect that person; Riza, on the other hand, knew her superior well enough to give him the freedom he incessantly craved and only assisted when necessary. It was a quality of Riza that Roy respected and admired. Because of his now impaired sight, Havoc informed him some military personnel had started treating Mustang differently; Roy was certain they spoke of him behind his back, trying to push him out of his position and award it to some other undeserving bastard. This trivial physical setback would not hinder him from his burning desire to restore value to the Ishbalan people and the country of Amestris. He could hide his stone tinted eye no longer and allowed it to open and stare deep into his subordinate’s glassy, toffee colored eyes. No matter what consequences befell him, no matter how detrimental a mistake the man could make, no matter how stubborn he could be, the woman sitting in the chair was always beside him. “I refuse to be pitied for this,” he would often say to her. He repeated his demand again, unsure why it came out at that moment. Her soft hand stroked the slick cover of the book on her lap as she stared in the general direction of the injured colonel. “You aren’t sir,” she remarked. “In fact, I think you’ll be even more of an inspiration for the people of Amestris for this. Everyone loves a hero who rises from the ashes,” she encouraged in a sincere tone as her hand halted in its place. The dazed eye of Colonel Mustang appeared to fade into an invisible black abyss. She pulled him back by suggesting, “I think you’re in need of more groceries. Would you like to go down to the market with me?” Roy’s attention snapped to her, admiring the way she was able to save him in both physical and mental aspects. “Of course. I’m getting tired of being stuck in this stuffy house,” he complained with a smirk.
As their light feet pelted the grey cobblestone ground beneath them, Riza and Roy appeared as if they were on an important mission. “We look so odd,” she withheld a giggle as she saw the pair through the reflection of a large store window. He relished the glimpses of candid moments he now shared with a more carefee Riza Hawkeye; she took care of him but was placed on a leave of absence that provided her some much needed free time away from headquarters. “How so?” he questioned back as they continued on. “It feels like we are on duty and about to gather vital items needed for a task at work.” Their bodies were now about ten feet from the window, but that didn’t stop Mustang from gently grabbing the soft flesh between her fingers and wrist and stepping backward to see. As he approached the mirror with the woman beside him, he let out an unconstrained laugh and agreed, “We do!” She grinned slightly at their appearance, and he addressed her, “You know, we look awfully good together. Don’t we?” A flash of hot red surfaced across her once pale cheeks at the statement. “Yes sir. Now let’s get some food,” she replied indifferently, trying to mask any personal emotion whatsoever. The lack of agreement from Riza Hawkeye pained Roy Mustang, and he childishly slunk his hands into his grey pant pockets, as he leisurely made his way to the carts and stands lining the cobblestone street ahead of him. When he halted in his tracks it caused the following subordinate to unintentionally crash into his firm back. “I apologize sir, I wasn’t paying attention,” she explained as her hands began to straighten up the back of his white cotton shirt where she collided with him. The man whipped his muscular body around to face her; the look she had was one of confusion and discomfort. His glistening dark eye pierced the emotions hidden inside her as he confessed, “That wasn’t a good enough answer back there, Hawkeye.” She was still at a loss, unsure what point he was trying to make. “Every single day you take care of me voluntarily. You never questioned it, and you have never quit on me. This recovery…it’s much slower than I expected and wanted it to be. You could have been promoted but instead you chose to take a leave of absence as well to be here with me. Why? I asked you if we looked good together, and I asked honestly. I was hoping you would sincerely say yes,” he heavily spoke, desperation lingering on every word and breath. Riza Hawkeye’s body weight delicately teetered as she tried to understand the man before her who was so close she could sense heat emitting from his strong body. Before she could respond, passionate, burning lips gently collided onto her own. The tender touch of his soft lips was indescribable for the woman receiving the seductive kiss; it felt like home. Roy’s quivering right hand placed itself gently in the space between her jaw line and collarbone, putting more of him into the intimate exchange. Her mouth naturally opened, giving way for the man’s tongue to gently coax itself in the opening between her teeth. With arms at her side, she allowed her right hand to lightly squeeze his side, just above an area that she knew was bandaged with fresh gauze she applied yesterday. As the flame of the kiss began to extinguish, he pulled away with a small amount of resistance and held her idle hand. "I love you, Riza," his smile beamed as he kissed her once more. "Thank you for everything." Turning toward the market he took her hand and began to move ahead. “I’m hungry,” he teased with a large grin plastered across his enamored face.
A still flustered Riza spoke to a farmer about his farm and orchard, while Roy’s attention was pulled away by the sound of Jean Havoc’s voice. “Hey Buddy! Long time no see,” the man cheerfully hollered with an energetic wave as he approached his colonel. They both stood a short distance away from the booth Riza was at; Havoc began his verbal monthly update to his superior. “You’re not missing much chief. Just some higher ups walking around with their hands up in the air. Clueless as always,” he scoffed as his cigarette produced a small potent cloud. “How are you doing? Riza seems to be taking good care of you,” he chirped. “She has. I owe her so much more than I can give,” his words trailed as he looked down. After a brief silence, Roy stiffened his body and asserted, “Once I’m able to return to work, I’m going to. And I will continue to reach my ultimate goal. This is just a temporary setback.” Havoc’s eyebrows perked up at a comment so typical of Roy. Colonel Mustang’s thoughts recalled something someone dear to him once told him. With his trademark cocky grin Colonel Roy Mustang lifted his head, looked in Riza Hawkeye’s direction and said, “Everyone loves a hero who rises from the ashes.”