• It was during the still cold days of spring that the old Fuhrer stepped down in favour of his protege. The country was in a universal mood of celebration to see a far stable future in a formidable leader. The General who would become the new Fuhrer was a man who had dedicated the majority of his life to the service of the people, rather than the military, a fact the people could easily gloss over his personal habits.
    As flirtatious as ever, Major General Mustang seemed in no hurry to commit to any woman that passed in front of his smooth gaze. His long time aide, and personal security, Colonel Hawkeye had, a long time ago, accepted he would never be a stable fixture in her own life, and refused any and all early advances he made in their youth. She remained unattached from anyone, preferring the regularity of Military life. However with her position becoming more ceremonial and out of tradition, she felt it was time to open a new chapter in her own life.
    She made a vow to herself, that as soon as he was well installed as the new Fuhrer, the Office of the Fuhrer would see to his daily needs far better, and far more efficient than she, and Central Security would serve and defend his person far more effectively than she would as a single officer. She vowed she would continue with her life, absolved of her sins from the Ishval war.
    On the day of the inauguration, she penned her letter of resignation, post dated for exactly one week away. She resolved to hand it to him tonight, after the swearing in, but before the ball, so she had time to slip out before a dress was forced upon her. She sat most carefully at her desk, that as per usual, sat next to his in the large Central HQ Office. With as much purpose and carefulness she could muster, she slowly wrote the letter, ensuring every word was plain and formal. No feeling, no hint of years of service by his side, no hint of entrenched emotion that could bubble to the surface, spilling from her heart, onto the paper. Simple, formal, efficient, just as she was. As she folded the letter perfectly in three quarters, the door swung open to the harassed Major General in a furious search for another lost State document.
    “Hawkeye have you seen....”
    “On your desk sir” she answered
    “No, not that one, the other one” he spoke quickly, flinging various papers from his desk
    “It's on your desk, in a blue folder” she smiled, watching his face scrunch in concentration as he shifted through the stacks to find a blue folder. With it safely in his hands, he breathed a sigh of relief and turned to the faithful officer.
    “Shouldn't you be getting ready Hawkeye? the ball is in a few hours and I will not allow my right hand women out in public in a restricting dress uniform” he quipped flirtatiously leaning against his now impossibly messy desk.
    “No sir, I'm afraid not, though I feel it is time to...file this..sir” she started, holding the letter a little tighter than usual. It was impossible to meet his suddenly concerned gaze, the dark eyes that had found their way into her mind. He crossed his arms across his strong chest, his usual defensive gesture against impending unpleasant news.
    “I'm not going to like this am I?” he asked, knowing whatever she had to say, he was going to be less than thrilled
    “Sir, you've reached your goal...and my use to you has come to end” She replied simply
    He blinked, he never expected to hear this, not from her, then a smile was quickly formed across his handsome face
    “Pretty good joke” he added a snorted laugh for good measure
    She focused her eyes to the ground, resolute in her decision...she needed to get out, and she knew that.
    “Sir, I've written my letter of resignation, I can assure you, it's no joke” She said quietly, wishing the deafening silence away.
    “Is there a problem? Why...Hawkeye, you've been with me since the beginning, things are just getting started...this is what we worked for...” He didn't know how to refute her, how to question her without stepping over some professional boundary.
    “Sir, I promised to stay behind you until you reached the top, and you have. I...I need to make a life for myself, I was thinking about, maybe living away from the military, go back to my village, try to make a life. There isn't a problem at all sir, there are certainly much more capable people to take one your administrative and guard duties.” She reasoned
    He breathed deeply, shoving the bottomless feeling aside
    “Are you sure?” He asked simply, trying to sound non-Partisan on the issue, cool and cold like and good Commander should be
    “Yessir”