The Very First Thing

          As Dr. Marcoh activated the philosopher's stone, Colonel Mustang felt a colossal energy begin to pulsate through his person, sending what felt like electric shocks through his skull. He positioned his hand taught against his forehead, which formed an umbrella over his eyes. He held himself steady with his other hand, clutching the mattress of his hospital bed dearly to keep himself from convulsing. Luckily, the pain only lasted a few moments.

          "Well...?" came Dr. Marcoh's eager voice at the foot of his bed.

          Roy blinked repeatedly. With each time he opened his eyes, the darkness that had engulfed everything within his sight shifted to daylight, and, soon enough, he was peering at the lines on his palm.

          "I can see," he breathed, and a small gasp of relief was heard from the bed beside him. "Thank you, doctor. You have my word. I will not let Ishval down."

          "Uh, why are you covering your eyes?" asked Dr. Marcoh, his head tilted to one side.

          The colonel's grip tightened on his mattress. "I apologize, doctor, but would you mind leaving?"

          "Is everything okay, colonel?" Concern laced the doctor's words. The abruptness of the Colonel's request quite surprised him.

          "I assure you, it is," said Mustang adamantly, his hand still firmly in place over his eyes. "You can come back to check on me later, alright?"

          "Al-alright then..." Dr. Marcoh's gruff voice trailed off as he turned hesitantly on his heel to exit the hospital room.

          At the sound of the door closing, the Colonel turned his head to his left to face the bed opposite his. Finally, he removed his hand from obstructing his view. His eyes shifted to focus now, at last, on Riza Hawkeye. Her neck was wrapped in white bandages. Her blonde hair, albeit a little messy, flowed free down towards her waist, unconfined from its usual updo. The look in her eyes matched that of her smile: warm enough to surprise even the Flame Alchemist. Thank goodness, Mustang thought to himself, filled with gratitude for the opportunity to be gazing upon his lieutenant once more. He was unable to stop a grin from sweeping across his face.

          "It was a little rude of you to kick him out like that, colonel," Hawkeye smirked.

          "Sorry, but it had to be done," Roy delightfully retorted.

          "And why's that?"

          Mustang felt his hand ball into a fist without realizing he'd done it. He shifted on his bed so that he sat directly facing his lieutenant. He gave a light sigh.

          "You know, I realized something back there," his grin faded away.

          "...'back there,' sir?" repeated Hawkeye, a quizzical look in her eyes.

          "Back there," Roy reiterated, his brow furrowing as the image of Hawkeye bleeding out in the center of a transmutation circle flashed before him. "Under Central Command."

          "Ah..." Riza's gaze fell into her lap.

          Roy closed his eyes and drew a long, deep breath. "I would never perform human transmutation to try to save even you from that fate."

          Hawkeye's head turned promptly, and her eyes met Mustang's once more.

          "Respectfully, I already knew that, sir," her puzzlement gave way to a stoic expression.

          "However," began Mustang, and he focused intently on matching her composure, "I want to do everything within my power to prevent you from befalling such a fate, let alone any harm, lieutenant."

          Riza's heartwarming smile returned, and Roy now sat on the very edge of his mattress.

          "I'm grateful," she replied softly. "As your lieutenant, it's also my duty to protect you, colonel."

          "Perhaps I should have rephrased that," chuckled Roy, and he scratched the back of his head. He then stood and looked directly into Riza's eyes. "I couldn't bear to live without you, Riza."

          Hawkeye's jaw fell slightly agape, and her eyes widened as the sound of her first name leaving Roy's lips reached her ears. She pushed her blanket aside and feebly rose to her feet. Roy's stance was nearly as tense as a military salute, but his eyes held flames much of a calmer brand than they would on the battlefield.

          "Y-you..." she stammered, struggling to find her balance.

          "Don't push yourself," coaxed Mustang, and he held her steady by her shoulders.

          "You called me Riza," she breathed, her eyes shining.

          "Do you want to know why I asked Dr. Marcoh to leave?" asked Roy, leaning slightly closer to her.

          "Can't say I'm not curious, sir."

          "Because, when I got my vision back, I wanted you to be the very first thing I saw."

          Roy pulled her into a tender embrace, being careful not to irritate her wounds. He felt tears well in his eyes, and Riza's arms wrap tightly around him.

          "Sir..." Riza's voice trailed off, and it sounded, to Mustang, like she might have been holding back tears as well.

          "Back there," Roy began again, "I realized exactly how precious life is, and how much I should treasure every moment with those I care about. It's not the time to be holding things back anymore."

          He backed out of Riza's arms, astonished to find streams of tears down her face. However, they lead straight to a quivering smile. His hands remained on the small of her back, and she still clung to his shoulders. A rush of ease came over him as he saw Riza smiling up at him, as though she were giving him permission to say what he was about to say.

          "I love you, Riza. And, when I'm the Fuhrer, I want you to be my wife."

          Riza's grip on Roy's shoulders intensified, and she beamed up at him.

          "Is that an order, sir?" she asked with a smirk.

          Roy gave a bellowing laugh in reply. "Absolutely not. It's a request." His face became a fiery hue.

          "It would be my honor, sir," answered Riza. She then blinked and corrected herself. "Roy. I love you too."

          Roy's heart leapt as the two of them leaned into one another until their lips met. With Lieutenant Hawkeye by his side for this rest of his life, nothing would ever be impossible, for they could conquer and achieve anything together as a team. Not only did Colonel Roy Mustang envision a brighter future, but he took the initiative to create one.