- - - - - - -

Fairytales

Copyright Eina

- - - - - - -

In a fairytale, there are lots of elements. Of course, there's the climax, the conflict, the setting and the characters.

But a fairytale can't be a fairytale if it doesn't start with—

Once upon a time

Then, there's the setting—

In a country called Amestris

Okay, more specific—

In the Amestris Army Central Headquarters

And the charming prince—

There was a young Colonel, who goes by the name of Roy Mustang heaved a rather deep sigh. He had been doing this for the past few hours, sighing endlessly and doing his paperwork. It was as if his paperwork never diminished in paper count.

It just kept on coming…

And his princess—

"Sir, you're never going to finish your paperwork if you keep on sighing like that." First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye commented on her commanding officer's consistent sighing, and the occasional head scratching as well.

(Well, Lieutenant Hawkeye is a girl, so she counts as a princess, doesn't she?)

The romantic scene comes next, of course—

"Well Lieutenant, what do you want me to do? Hum and sing while doing this thing you call paperwork?" The Colonel said grudgingly as he tried his best to sign some more papers. "What's that? More paperwork?"

She nodded, "Yes sir, it's the last for today." And then she places the pile on top of his desk neatly. "And to be honest, Colonel, humming while doing your paperwork isn't bad."

Roy stares at her, watching her as she placed the horrid pile on top of his desk. "Really now?" He smirks, and then works on the pile she just gave him. "What song do you think would be nice?"

She looks at him, quite shocked by his question. Stammers, "I- I don't know, sir."

He knew he had caught her off guard. "Are you going to take another over time today?" He asked, changing the subject.

"That would depend on whether you finish your paperwork early, sir." She said, then saluted and then exited his room. Leaving a rather guilty Colonel behind, alone to do his work, once more.

And what fairytale would be without its unique fairy?

"Hey Roy!" Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes said as he entered his friend's room, of course, without knocking. "I cannot believe you forgot!" He said, accidentally knocking down the piles of papers he had managed to stack neatly on his table.

And here comes the prince's problem—

"Forget what?" He asked, trying to calm his self down, so that he wouldn't burn his friend to ashes.

"Her birthday!" He said, now seemingly punching Roy's table. "HOW ON EARTH COULD YOU FORGET!"

Roy twitched. He had no idea on what his friend was talking about, but from his reaction it seemed really important. "Whose birthday did I forget? Let me guess, Elysia's?"

"NO!" Hughes was already screaming.

"Gracia's, then?"

"Oh, that's not for three more months." Hughes said, now with hearts floating around his face. "But no! How lame can you be? She's been with you for like seven or so years and you keep on forgetting her birthday?'

"Huh?" Roy blinked.

"It's First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye's birthday." Hughes said, slightly whispering.

"What?" Roy, blinked once more. "Are you serious?"

Hughes nodded. "If I were you, I'd go finish that paperwork—" He was about to lecture him about doing his paperwork so that Hawkeye won't be forced to do another overtime just so she could stay behind to make sure he does his paperwork, but stopped when he saw Roy doing his paperwork feverishly.

"Why on earth didn't you tell me this yesterday?" He glared at Hughes.

"I thought you knew. Besides, she is your subordinate." He said, laughing.

And of course, the fairy god parent (okay, friend, if you oh so insist), needs to help the princess to find her true love, but in this case, the fairy helps the prince.

"Could you do me a favor?" Roy asks.

"Anything." Hughes says happily, he saw this coming all along.

"Could you make sure Hawkeye doesn't leave this place?" Roy tells him.

Hughes frowns, "She left five minutes ago. She was panicking actually."

Roy blinked, "Hmm… I see."

"But I know her address." Hughes grins.

"You're a pal." Roy laughs as he waits for Hughes to finish scribbling her address on a piece of paper.

And now, it's the princess' turn to do something –

Riza sighed, she was feeling guilty for not telling Roy that she had left, but was it her fault that she forgot to pour some dog food onto Hayate's bowl for this evening. Okay, don't answer that. It was her fault. But what's worse was, the fact that she forgot to buy dog food.

"I must be getting old already." She sighed.

And of course, the princess must be a damsel in distress for this little fairytale to work.

She then crosses the road, unconsciously forgetting the saying called: look sideways before crossing the road, and discovers to see a car heading her way.

"Oh my god…" She gasps, and then closes her eyes, hoping that the car that was headed towards her direction would miraculously pass right through her.

And what would be the use of our charming prince if he doesn't save his damsel in distress?

"Look where you're going the next time you cross the street, will you?" A rather annoyed man grunted after stepping on the emergency break. "You're quite—"

"Yeah, yeah, she gets the point." Another man, annoyed as well, retorted back. "She'll be more careful the next time, won't you, Lieutenant?"

Riza blinked, "Yes, sir." She said faintly.

"Tsk, military." They both heard the annoyed driver guy say grudgingly as he continued driving to wherever it is he was headed to…

"Now tell me Hawkeye, what on earth were you thinking crossing the street without looking sideways?" Roy laughed. He found it quite hilarious that he was the one lecturing her, because normally she would be the one lecturing him. "You worried me."

"I'm sorry, sir." She bowed her head slightly.

"Oh, there is one more thing." Roy says, scratching his head. "You left your post earlier than you're supposed to do so."

"It's—" Riza tried to explain, but found it quite useless now, "What would be my punishment sir?"

"You're going to dinner with me." Roy grinned boyishly at her, quite amused when he saw her blush different shades of red. "And you're not allowed to refuse."

"But, sir—"

"What is it?" Roy asked, slightly annoyed.

"I forgot to feed Hayate." She said, slightly embarrassed.

"Oh, that's rare." Roy laughed as he put his right arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "There is one more thing."

"What is it?" She gulped.

"Happy birthday."

And what cheap fairytale would this be if it didn't end with a kiss and a happy ending?

End.