Endless Routinue {Hawkeye + Other}

[Roy Mustang]

Colonel Roy Mustang sat behind his desk, his eyes staring blankly into a particularly blank space on the wall. He seemed preoccupied to say the least as he started to thread the pen grasped in his right hand lazily through his fingers. An enormous stack of paperwork sat motionless on his desk. It was all piling up in the 'In' stack, the 'Out' stack remaining empty apart from one solitary paper.

Paperwork in plain terms was boring. As boring as boring came, which was why the flame alchemist wasn't to fond of doing the task. The same process over and over again of signing his name rendered him less than able to think after five hours of mindless penmenship practice. A few times over this time span he would actually forget how to spell his own name. It was this sort of mindless work that was handed to him on a silver platter with a plump promotion after ultimately completing state alchemist training and than after being sent to Ishbal and coming back a hero. A hero of what? Nothing worth mentioning in Roy's mind. He barely talked much about the rebellion, the stories that he had lived still frightened him by weighing heavily on his own conscience. At night when it was dark outside he still had those same nightmares, the same bloody scenarios playing and replaying over in his tired mind.

It was already to much to have to sit here around the clock filling out transfer papers, incoming papers, paperwork reports, permission slips, promotion papers, demotion papers, filing papers, and even more d**n papers after that. But wasn't that life?

The pen was beginning to become both an annoyance and an object of amusement as Roy tilted back in his plushy office chair and lifted his chin towards the ceiling. He placed the solitary object on the tip of his nose as he tried to balance it on it's own. It seemed like the pen was to unproportional as the tip with the cap kept on tilting downwards. Roy's thin fingers worked diligently to get the d**ned thing to stay. He finally got it fixed in place when there was a loud knock on the door. The knock started him, causing him to lean back further in his chair. The pen toppled from his nose and before he knew it, his chair had flown out from underneath his feet and he was sitting on the ground. Mumbling a color string of curses, Roy sat up gazing over his desk towards the still closed door.

[Riza Hawkeye]

1st Lt. Riza Hawkeye was returning from the head office, happily with out a huge pile of paper for the Colonel. He would definitely be happy to hear there was no more paperwork for today. As she neared the Colonels office she heard a crash. Her eye's widened, what could have happened in the last twenty minutes she had been gone... who was she kidding, with the Colonel the world could end within that time.

Opening the door she was surprised to see the Colonel sitting on the floor behind his desk. "You know, sir, the chair that is laying near the wall is a little more comfortable than the floor," Riza commented dryly.

[Roy Mustang]

It was Riza. Who else would have gone knocking on his door at such a time? Roy would have glared death at her if it wasn't for the fact that she did have a loaded gun on her with real rounds. "I was meditating." Roy shot back as he was now picking himself off the floor and walking across the room to retrieve his office desk chair. "....and you just interrupted me." He added trying to sound annoyed as if he had been onto some sort of actual break-through. That would have made a good joke, but Roy wanted to refrain from telling the actual truth about the situation. Last time Hawkeye had caught him balancing a pen on his nose, his whole back office wall had needed re-plastering and they had had to purchase a new desk chair. The desk chair was the only thing that had saved Roy from having a hefty hospital bill too.

Grabbing the top of the office chair, Roy wheeled it back to his desk realizing that the 'Out' stack wasn't filled at all and the 'In' stack was overfilling as usual. He looked over at Hawkeye and realized that it was too late to do the switching of the labels of the bins. That had always worked, at least for a while, but she was getting smarter now and she could figure that all out in no time at all. Than Roy spotted the pile of paperwork in her hands and cursed silently to himself.

When is this ever going to end?[/color]

After that he was sure that he would be dead, or at least get a decent dose of sharpnel aimed straight for his head. It sounded like a reasonable ending to the day, even though it had barely just started for him. He had come in late today because he had overslept. It was a rare thing for him to do, especially since Roy had always made a point out of being on time. Today the occasion had been a few bad dreams that had caused him to sleep through his alarm. Nightmares were always a good antecdote for avoiding to wake up. It seemed no matter how hard he tried, he could never come out of them. Roy was getting the feeling that Hawkeye would realize what was not going on in the office that was supposed to be happening. Than she would snap and his subordinates would start working too outside the walls of his office. Her prescence always seemed to inspire work, and right now Roy was wishing that his desk top wasn't as empty as it was right now.

The only thing adorning the top of his desk was the desk-protector and a few loose pens scattered across it. Yeah, he was screwed.

[Riza Hawkeye]

((OC I said I had NO paperwork with me!))
Riza gave the Colonel a doubtful look, then glancing at the pile of papers on his desk she let out a sigh. Her golden eyes flashed in annoyance, "Why? Why can't you just once finish your work early so we can all go home on time?"

Riza walked to the Colonels 'In' stack. She picked up half the papers and as she retreated towards her desk with half his paperwork, paused a moment. Then she turned back to face him, "Oh and Sir... if you balance a pen on your nose again, instead of doing your paperwork, the re-plastering on the walls and replacement of the chair won't be the only things being replaced. Also... do not play me for a fool, sir, underestimating others could be a major downfall."

[Roy Mustang]

[[Sorry I mis-read it, it was late when I posted that last one o.O]]

Mustang would have cringed had it been one of those days where he truely felt guilty about stanching the paperwork flow in and out of Eastern HQ, but today there was no such reaction. When Hawkeye got mad it was time to get going, either by exiting the room, or by starting up on the paperwork pile. It seemed like the only choice he would have today was to finish the paperwork. Mustang glanced out of the corner of his eye at the huge pile and found an inward sigh go off as almost a reflex. He didn't dare make a noise while she spoke in case he got a nice large bullet shot in his direction. That was the last thing he needed was a hole in his head.

Seeing that Hawkeye was heading towards him, Roy almost had enough sense to duck behind his office chair and call surrender if need be. After seeing her grab the paperwork stack, Roy settled himself in his office chair deciding that a truce had been called for the day if he finished the rest of the work. Leaning back in the chair, Roy felt as if he were out of the clear as he grabbed the first few fresh sheets on the stack. The papers were dated last week and he knew that they only needed a signature but that was after he looked through the contents and read over it. It was another pile of briefs from State Alchemists that had been dispersed over the continent. Just as Mustang was picking up his pen he heard Hawkeye speak again.

Oh God, please don't let her shot me. Just go back to your desk and start forging my signature like usual. Go, come on don't look back.... you know you want to leave![/color]

When Hawkeye spoke to him more than once in a day she tended to draw her pistol, than things would get bloody. Mustang prayed silently that was not her intentions for today. Her eyes were alight as she stated that she would really hit him next time. Mustang was able to hold back the cringe that threatened to shake his calm expression because he still had a composure to maintain. Maybe that was why Hawkeye still hung around here, because Mustang knew how to contain himself and his emotions (most of the time). "Thank you for that Lieutenant." Roy said clearing his throat loudly, his collar had suddenly gotten tighter and the room seemed to have gotten hotter. He made a mental note not to piss off Hawkeye for the next week or so because that would take about the right amount of time for her to calm down.

Roy touched his pen to the paper and started to sign not bothering to read the paperwork in front of him. He could have been signing his own death warrant for all he knew, he just wanted to get it over with.

[Riza Hawkeye]

As Riza sat down to begin the Colonel's paperwork, she glanced at him once more, just in time to catch the nervous glance he shot her. Grinning smugly and in satisfaction she began the work. That should keep him in line for a little while at the very least.

As she signed his paperwork, she sighed in annoyance as she realized that forging the Colonel's signature had become like a second nature to her. She didn't even have to put any effort into writing it. How troublesome, Riza thought with a roll of her eyes. After that thought she worked steadily on the paperwork, refusing to let her mind wander again.

[Roy Mustang]

Roy had begun signing papers with some enthusiasm at first, but it didn't take long for this attitude to wear off. Mustang's general activity started to slow down as he reached the 12th paper that he had signed that day. Slowly he peeled the next paper off the stack and set it in front of him. Staring distinterestedly at the text written in typed letters on the paper, Mustang had no idea why he was still sitting here doing this.

Don't I have assistants to do this for me? I'm to important to be sitting here signing paperwork all day. Don't they know this up at Central?[/color]

Quickly scribbling his signature on the bottom, Mustang replaced the paper with another. He was trying to put on the illusion of work so that Hawkeye wouldn't get suspicious of his inactivity. He didn't need a bullet hole anywhere today, whether she was aiming for him exclusively or his office wall. His office had suffered enough damage the last few months to pay for the whole building at least twice over. The amount of money that they spent on repairs alone and replastering could probably have paid for several small holiday parties for the whole staff in Eastern Headquarters. These thoughts pulled Mustang away as he absent-mindedly started scribbling on the signature line of the paper in front of him. He was still doing work, but was also finding adequete time for a daydream.

With all the money that they filtered into weekly repairs he could probably buy a new house and a few more to go alongside it. But if that money wasn't used for repairs than it was definitely going to the state and the city. Even though it was being used there, was it really being ultilized to it's fullest extent. Mustang wondered if the papers in his 'IN' pile could tell him the answer to that question. He highly doubted that the military would be concerned with state expentures, but maybe there was a chance. Resting his elbow on the desk and his head in his hand Mustang begun to daze off wondering about the hidden cash benefits in wrecking his own office.

[Riza Hawkeye]

Riza sighed as she noticed the Colonel beginning to doze off. He had that far way look on his face, kind of like a sleeping child. But unlike children he was no angel. Releasing the safety on her gun with an audible click, she waited to see his usual response to the sound. She knew most likely within seconds he would be sitting up right, attempting to look innocent, and pretending he had been doing his paperwork all along. The routine was one they had maintained for years, so she knew it by heart, she wished things would change, or be at least a little different.

She wondered if perhaps she should take some time off, visit her home town, read a few books, play with Buraii, and maybe get a freakin' life and a guy. Then reality struck her, and then again maybe not... if she left even a day, somehow these guys would get a week behind in paperwork.

The plants on the windowsill did more work than her group of boys, Riza mussed before returning her attention to Mustang.

[Roy Mustang]

The click of the safety being removed from Hawkeye's gun brought Mustang crashing back to reality. The groggy look on his face deceived his real motive into staring off into space.

Damn it, she caught me again.[/color]

Work was just too hard to focus on right now because there were a million other thoughts that seemed all the more interesting floating around in his head. The click forced Mustang to regain his previous straight board-like posture and a more awake and alert state. He quickly signed the paper in front of him and shoved it into the 'OUT' stack. Pulling another five sheets in front of him he begun to scribble his signature faster than usual to catch up on the workload. He had a feeling that if he got enough done, or if it looked as if he had gotten something done may be Hawkeye would let him to fall asleep next time he felt the sensation coming on. Roy shot an innocent glance in Hawkeye's direction as if to inquire why she had removed the safety from her gun. He hadn;t been doing anything after all, but wasn't that considered the real crime in this situation because he was supposed to be doing paperwork.

Looking back down towards his paperwork Mustang shoved a few more papers into the 'OUT' paper, than the phone rang.

THANK YOU G-D![/color]

"Eastern Headquarters Mustang speaking." Mustang blurted into the receiver trying not to sound too excited after he had taken it off the hook. The voice that replied was enough to tempt Mustang to tears because it was the one person that he couldn't stand having a phone conversation with.

[Riza Hawkeye]

Riza smiled smugly to herself, as the Colonel practically lept out of his chair at the sound of the safety being removed. She innocently ignored the 'inquiring' look that Mustang shot her. He had had it coming, he knew he should have been doing his work. She watched amused as he practically grabbed the phone off the hook, and then his face fell. Riza shot her taisa an inquiring look, surprised to see him looking as if he might cry.