Seishin

Ebook cover for the arc

Mustang and Hawkeye both have to deal with finding new careers, as the country has to adjust to a new government. Their differences in viewpoint and background begin to surface as they negotiate toward a new professional and personal relationship. This could also be considered a loose sort of Weimar Republic fanfic. Picks up at the end of the first anime and carries forward with some Lisa/Roy.

Once More…Dear Friends – Prologue

Roy wakes up in the hospital. Drama, I-3

Roy woke far more slowly than usual, which would have been his first clue that something was wrong, had he needed a clue.


Once More…Dear Friends – One

Roy recovers and Lisa keeps watch. Drama, I-4

Hawkeye crossed one slippered foot over her knee and rubbed her toes. “I should have kept you at my apartment longer,” she said with some asperity. “At least I could walk across my guest room without tripping over anything.”


Counterpoint – Unresigned

Lisa gives her old job the boot, much to the puzzlement of those around her. Drama, I-3

When General Hakuro popped out of an office right in their path Lisa knew he’d been waiting for them, and tensed. There were a lot of unpleasant ways this meeting could go, and she could tell by the number of teeth in Hakuro’s smile that he had at least one of them in mind.


Once More…Dear Friends – Two

What does a career soldier do when he loses his career? And what do his friends do about him? Drama, I-3

Roy’s past slid through his fingers into a box: a folded “portrait” of him, product of Elysia’s first finger paints; a box with his captain’s insignia—so that’s where it had gone; two letter openers, one of them an old knife of Hughes’.


Counterpoint – Breaking Eggs

Lisa gets some good advice from Gracia. Drama, I-3

Lisa set down the teacups with a bit more force than necessary. “I’m not heartbroken over anything.”


The Best

The husband and wife conspiracy team. Drama, I-2

Maas folded his arms around her, beaming. “I’m so lucky,” he sighed. “Not only is my wife beautiful, smart, sweet and amazing, she’s also the best secret agent I’ve ever seen.”


Counterpoint – Deadly Force

Some reflections, while Hawkeye cleans her guns. Drama, I-3

She liked her guns. Killing made her reluctant to eat for a day or two, but the guns themselves were clean and precise and definite at all times.


Housewarming

Havoc watches and worries a bit about his friends, as he moves them in. Drama, I-2

Anyone with eyes knew Hawkeye’d had a thing for their superior officer since day one. Well, anyone with eyes who wasn’t Roy Mustang, but Jean had never been sure that wasn’t deliberate ignorance.


Counterpoint – Pick Up Sticks

Lisa chooses a new direction to move in. Drama, I-3

Roy would be in motion again, soon. He probably didn’t know it, yet, but she was sure of it.


Once More…Dear Friends – Three

Roy comes to some realizations and starts to move again. Drama, I-3

Lisa had been a sweet, cheerful girl, when he’d met her. But she’d been seventeen at the time. He hadn’t been surprised that she’d become more solemn, when she showed up as his new Second Lieutenant two and a half years later. People changed as they grew up.


Counterpoint – Trading

Lisa goes back to her roots. Drama, I-3

A corner of her mouth twitched as she wondered what Roy would think if he knew that she’d learned half her officer skills from her family’s bank manager.


Once More…Dear Friends – Four

Roy stirs things up and gets a new job. Drama, I-3

Clearly, Roy was heading for another superior who could spot him coming and going. This could be good or bad.


Once More…Dear Friends – Five

Team Mustang dives into politics. Drama, I-3

Hawkeye sniffed. “It was bad enough, dealing with bureaucratic idiots as an officer,” she noted. “I’m not going to deal with them as a secretary.”


Counterpoint – Home Office

Lisa unveils her own new job. Drama, I-3

She really couldn’t help a satisfied smile at the stunned realization spreading over Roy’s face. To be perfectly honest, she didn’t try all that hard.


Once More…Dear Friends – Six

Lisa and Roy reach an understanding. Romance, I-4

“I’ve never met another woman who’s so beautiful when she isn’t trying.”


Only Tactics

Hakuro reflects grimly on Mustang’s influence. Drama, I-2

It was a messy idea, a jury-rigged, special-dispensation way to disorder records and assignments. It proposed to bend regulations into pretzels without ever quite breaking their letter.

It was Mustang all over.


Research

Ross fields some odd questions from her new boss. Drama and Romance, I-2

“Ross-kun,” he murmured, not seeming to notice. “What do women really want?”


Counterpoint – Previous Experience

Lisa gets tired of waiting and coaxes Roy into bed. Romance with Porn, I-4

“Lisa.” The whisper drew her attention from his hands to his face, and her lips parted. Roy was looking at her—at nothing but her—with a focus she’d only ever seen when he faced mortal danger. Except that, where his eyes were cold, then, they were warm now.


Another Round

Havoc teases a happy Lisa. Drama and Romance, I-2

Faint color painted her cheekbones and she gave him a mild glare. “Don’t you start too. Gracia is bad enough, giving me those doting looks every time I turn around.”


Once More…Dear Friends – Seven

Their world has changed. Drama with Romance, I-4

The first assassination attempt should probably not have come as a surprise. And, in a way, it didn’t.