Warm winter night.
While winter was arriving completely to Central City, not even a dog in the street walking due to the strong snowstorm, not even a bird singing their pacific melody, some of the soldiers in certain sections were given a weekend off, among them, Mustang team.
By casualty, it was the Christmas weekend, to be more exact, it was a December 23th, a cold Friday night, every single soldier was with their family, Havoc, Fuery, Falman, Breda and Mustang, but her… she was completely alone. Since Riza's father passed away, she just stood alone in the world, abandoned in her own way while being just a teenager, her luck never change anyway, her only company that night was her dog, Black Hayate, no matter what, she didn't feel disappointed because she never expected a celebration with anyone, perhaps, friends although she knew that wasn't going to be possible, they all wanted to be with their families and not sharing with strange people.
Not even that night she thought of having a dinner for Sunday, why? Was she wandering all the time, why would I celebrate a family party with no family around? It makes no sense. And she was completely right.
Night of the 24th finally arrived, but her decision was on laying down in her bed, in her warm but cold bed at the same time, the reason? There's no need to be a genius to realize she was just miserable that date, all the time, year after year. She just closed her eyes, there wasn't any other motive to be awake anymore.
Suddenly, phone rang…
- Hello?
- Hi Misses Hawkeye, how's my favorite subordinate doing?
- Colonel… please don't be a clown! It's really late!
- It's not, it's just 1:30 am… Were you sleeping?
- Not anymore… what's the matter sir?
- Nothing… I was drinking at the bar with some family here and suddenly you appeared in my mind, but couldn't take you out of it.
- That's really kind of you sir… but you didn't need to call…
- Did it bother you?
- … no… I'm fine… actually… I'm better now that you called…
- Is there something wrong?
- No… but… I really wish you could come a while.
- What…?
- No nothing, forget it, I was still sleeping!
- Fine… See you then.
- Right… Thanks for your consideration sir…
After that, she made her way to bed, to be able to sleep again, to reorder her thoughts in that perfect moment she just had with him, how wonderful was to just hear his voice, to have a casual conversation through the phone. She closed her eyes again, but then…
Someone was knocking at the door…
- What… are you doing here?!
- You said you wanted me here… brought you a little present.
- Sir… you don't need to…
As soon as she planned to refuse his entrance to her apartment, he extended his hand with a large bouquet of flowers, which she received with a little hesitation, like watching all over his movements along his words coming out of his mouth, like not being able to translate all those words to her language, like being totally confused.
- Riza, I'm actually talking to you... what happens?
- Nothing… I… Thank you sir…
- I know you like daisies… they just reminded me you.
- Sir… oh please come in!
He smiled at her embarrassed face and came into her apartment, he saw it was dark, the lights weren't turned on, but didn't care about it, that scene was just perfect for the moment. She turned around to get to look at him directly, so he did. Riza went to her living room and left the flowers in a vase, then returned the place he was.
- I'm sorry sir, I don't have any present for you.
- No problem, you had given me so many things that if you were going to give me something, you'll get broken.
Both laughed about his phrase, they totally understood what he was trying to say, and it was the truth, Riza gave him the most important thing for a person, her own life. What Riza was trying to protect all the time, was two lives, his and hers, but both were in his hands. Roy was holding in his shoulders their future together. They both knew their feelings for each other, but that feeling evolved in a really deep relationship, there weren't needed embraces or kisses, what they thought and felt was enough to hold each other in a deep kiss, was enough to tell the entire world that they were the king and queen of the world.
- That's truth… you owe me more presents…
- Yeah… I know… I owe you my life…
- We should interchange our lives… I give you mine, and you'll give me yours…
- That sounds pretty much fair…
- It is…
- But… we can't give what's not ours… I don't have my life because you already have it… always had and always will, so I'll have to figure out what can I give you to surprise you.
She just stood right in there, quiet for a while. What he said was actually truth, they both interchanged their lives the day they left their soul in Ishval, that day they implicitly gave each other their lives, to protect them from damages, to save what was still alive in their hearts, so they can't give up because the other is pushing the another up to keep on with their projects and ideals.
After thinking about all that they went through, she just couldn't help and one tear felt down, rolling down her left eye. Roy realized what was going on her mind, and cleaned the tear from her face.
- I know it's hard but I'm always there for you, as well as you are for me… I know it.
- I'm sorry Sir… this… date in the year makes me feel like a little girl… since everything reminds me of my family right now…
Riza sat down in her couch, couldn't just take anymore, she never cried for nonsense, she never showed any drop of weakness in front of him, but maybe she thought that was the right moment, to open to her beloved friend…
- Roy… forgive me… I'm just a crybaby… what a pity you see me like this…
- No… sometimes, it's good to say what's in your mind, especially if it makes you feel sad.
- You really want to hear me cry for nonsense?
- It makes me think you are a really cute girl deep down inside…
Said that, it just happened, she couldn't resist anymore and embrace him, so hard, like she never had embraced someone before, it was a really warm sensation, to feel his aroma, made her relax and being able to just say out loud what bothered her in that moment. He put his hands in her hair in a caring way so she could never escape from that place and that moment never ends, all that cold weather wasn't a rival for the warmed embrace they were sharing. You're a moron… she said while still in his arms, they both smiled, then separated, shared a soft stare, but never felt awkward with that situation, they were so used to be alone and together that it was just another episode of their lives.
So the night passed, they both stayed awake the whole night talking… about everything, like being the real and close friends they were, like any other relationship ever was. Like them, there will never be such a couple like that, so distant, but at the same time, the closest in the world, that only they both will ever understand.
