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Roy was getting agitated, and he hadn’t even been in the hospital that long. He hated sitting still for too long, mostly because he usually had paperwork he needed to fill out or errands to run for the military. Now he had been ordered by basically everyone imaginable to rest up and heal. At the top of that list of people was Hawkeye. He couldn’t even see her and yet he could feel her worry and anger at his (rather futile) refusal of help. He wanted to make sure that everyone was okay, that she was okay before worrying about himself.
The ride to the hospital had been quiet. He refused to let go of Hawkeye for even a second, and it seemed she was totally okay with that. Their shoulders and arms were pressed together, simply appreciating the feeling of the other’s presence. The touch said one thing: they had survived and were together. Somehow, they still had each other.
Once they had gotten to the hospital, Hawkeye had been immediately rushed into surgery. May’s Alkahestry had done a good enough job keeping her from bleeding out during the battle, but it wasn’t perfect. The wound needed to be reopened so that the veins and arteries underneath the skin could be set to heal properly. Roy knew the surgery was absolutely necessary, but he still couldn’t help but worry about his lieutenant. She had lost so much blood. Surgery would be risky in her state.
As he sat waiting for news, he tried to come to terms with his own injuries. The glaring one being his eyes, which were now completely useless. It wasn’t that he saw black, he saw nothing, and that scared him. He knew he’d be able to adjust with time, but right now, he couldn’t stop thinking about the last thing that he had seen. Hawkeye laying on the ground. Hawkeye covered in blood, her own blood. Those images were seared into his mind. And now, all he could do is sit and wait with his thoughts.
–
Hours later, Roy awoke to the sound of the hospital door opening and the murmur of voices. He vaguely recognized them as the doctors who had taken Hawkeye away to surgery. He sat up immediately.
“Hello? Is Lieutenant Hawkeye there? Is she okay?” he could hear the anxiety in his own voice.
“Oh, you’re awake Colonel. Yes, she’s fine, the surgery went very well. All that’s left for her to do now is rest. We wanted to make you awa-” he cut the doctor off as a thought came to his mind.
“I want the lieutenant in my room. Please.” he added at the end. He vaguely remembered he wasn’t really in a place to give orders. Yet, the thought of her waking up alone in a different room was too much for him to bear.
“Yes sir, of course. We’ll bring her in in just a moment. We’ll need to set the room up for another person.” Roy relaxed at that. He felt more comfortable knowing that, even though he wouldn’t be able to see her, Hawkeye would be near him. They’d been apart far too much in the last few months.
Some time later, he heard the door open again, this time accompanied by the sound of rolling wheels. He knew that had to be Hawkeye.
“She’ll be out for a few hours, but she’s okay. Now, please try and get some rest, sir.” As much as he wanted to stay awake right now, he knew the rest would do him good. Listening to his lieutenant’s steady breathing, he allowed himself to drift off to sleep.
–
“~~~~~el?”
“~~lonel.”
“Colonel, are you awake?”
Roy awoke with a start. That voice. . . that meant that Hawkeye was-
“Sir? Are you okay?” Even with her own (very serious) injuries, she was worrying about him? He felt his cheeks flush slightly at that thought.
“Yes, Hawkeye. I’m fine. How’re you? How’s your neck?”
“It’s fine, sir. I’m a little sore, but I’ll live.” He could hear the humor in her voice. How he wished he could see her right now. He would give absolutely anything to change his last memory of her to something less upsetting.
“Lieutenant, I-” he stuttered.
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t protect you back there. You got hurt and I almost . . . I would’ve done it, you know, if I hadn’t seen your signal. If it meant that I could save you, I would’ve performed human transmutation,” he felt ashamed. Saying those words out loud made him turn his head from her so that she couldn’t see the shame he knew was plastered all across his face.
“Colonel, please, look at me,” he did, albeit reluctantly. “Sir, if our roles had been reversed, if it had been you on the ground, I would’ve done the same thing. I would’ve transmuted if it meant that you would be safe.” Even though he couldn’t see her face, he could hear the sincerity in it.
“That being said, sir, we made it out. I’m glad you’re still at my side. I’m glad we’re together.” Roy’s face must’ve been tomato red at this point from all the blushing he was doing. Together. He felt a great surge of emotions for his lieutenant. His friend. She had been with him for so long, and had been such a constant in his life. How many nights had they spent working late at the office, how many missions had they gone on together, how many times had he found himself looking at her, finding comfort in her very presence? He had loved her for so long and hadn’t even realized it! With everything that had happened, he couldn’t stand another second without telling her how he felt.
“Lieutenant, I-I should’ve told you this sooner, so much sooner but-” he stuttered, his burst of confidence faltering. He took a steadying breath and continued. “I care about you, more than you know. I can’t stand the thought that I could’ve lost you and you wouldn’t have known.”
He heard Hawkeye suck in a quick breath and Roy worried he may have overstepped a bit. Before he could overthink too much, he heard the rustling of sheets and soft footsteps heading his way.
“Lieutenant, what are you-” He didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence because a soft pair of lips were pressed against his. He felt a hand lightly graze over his cheek. As the shock of the kiss passed, he hesitantly put his hand in her hair, which felt soft under his fingers. Too quickly, Hawkeye pulled away from him with an exhale. He could practically hear her smile that he was sure was plastered on her face.
“Colonel, I-”
“Roy. Please, call me Roy.”
“Roy-” he smiled. “I feel the same way. For a while now, but I never imagined that this would . . . that I would ever get to kiss you.”
“Riza, I wish I could see you right now.”
He felt her hair fall on his face and knew that she had lowered her head with the realization that he may never see her again. Not wanting to ruin the mood, he tucked her hair behind what was probably her ear and kissed her again. She pushed against his mouth with newfound passion and he relented, letting her take the lead. Roy, despite the ache in his hands, moved to pull her onto the bed with him. The two were broken out of their kiss when, suddenly, there were footsteps outside of their room.
Not wanting to get in trouble with the nurses, Riza pulled away with a giggle and hurried back to her own bed. She made it back just in time as a nurse stepped in to check on the two of them. Roy couldn’t help but smile at Riza's fake yawn, apparently wanting to appear as if she just woke up.
For the first time in a while, he didn’t feel worried about what the future would bring. As long as she was at his side, he would be okay.