A manga based fanfic for Halloween.
Manga spoilers because this looks into Roy and Riza's past.
The wind was stronger than nornal, causeing branches from a old oak tree to tab lightly against the dirty window of Hawkeye's study. Hearing the sound, a young Roy Mustang looked up from his alchemy text book and to the window next to his desk. His eyes fixed on the branch tabbing at the window.
October was always Roy's favourite month. It seem to never rain, which was a plus for him because he never did like the rain. No it was always windy, and everything had a sort of warm glow. The soft red and orange colours reminded Roy of fire and peaceful memories.
Of how in the same month, he and his father would go out into the woods and set a camp fire. So that they could bake potatoes and eat them together like father and son. Another memory was when he and his best friend Maes would go camping with a few other boys. At night they would sit around a camp fire and tell scary stories and cave faces on pumpkins.
But thoses days had passed, and the seventeen year old teenager was now studying alchemy from his strict teacher. His father died a couple of years before he taken in by Mr. Hawkeye, and Roy never liked his step father. The man his mother married out of pure saddness. Maes had left for Central to meet a girl he had been sending letters to, and the love bird decided to stay there. As for Roy's other friends? They just wandered off into different jobs and marriages.
When Roy thought about it, he was the only one who had not moved on from his childhood. Sure he was learning alchemy and living in different house but still. He had not left the east and his old home was only on the other side of town. Roy gave a long sigh but his eyes never left the window, that was until he heard someone's loud breathing.
The teenager's head snapped around and he saw what he was fearing. Hawkeye sensei was stareing at him from where he was sitting. His achemy book was shut on the table in front of him and a small bit of chalk was in his hands. Being rubbed against his middle and index fingers. Roy heard his breath, unsure of what his sensei would say or do.
"Why are you not studying?" Hawkeye sensei asked in a toneless voice, not giving away if he was angry or not.
"Just thinking about memories sensei." Roy answered, and then he could of hit himself for what he had said that second ago.
"Ah, so you would rather think about memories then become a alchemist?"
"No, no no, sensei." Roy answered quickly, shaking his head as well. As if to prove what he was saying was the turth.
"I will not have you spaceing out in my lessons, go outside and come back when want to study again." Hawkeye sensei said and if to stop Roy from protesting, he pointed to the door that lead to the hallway.
"Yes sensei," Roy said in defeat and he stood up from where he was sitting. After takeing one last look at the window, he quickly removed himself from Hawkeye's study.
Once he shut the door behind him, Roy gave a sigh before walking away. Why did his sensei have to be so strict? Why couldn't he just take a break or something? Why was it always alchemy with that guy? Questions Roy thought would never get answered, if wasn't as if he could go up to the man and ask him. That would be like him asking if he wanted to die, both would end in the same way. Him lying flat on the floor stone dead!
Without knowing it, Roy had made his way to the kitchen and was standing in the doorway. He was alone, which he thought was strange because normally he could find Riza here.
Riza Hawkeye was the only child of his sensei, and was only two years younger than Roy. Yet there was something about the way she looked, it was her amber eyes that almost made her look older than she already was. And her short blonde hair made her look boyish. Most of the girls he had seen before had long hair, and they made such a fuss over it. As if it was the only thing that mattered in the world. But Riza never did such a thing with her hair, she was very different from the other girls he had known.
Another thing he had noticed about Riza was her relationship with her father. Hawkeye sensei never did spend time with his daughter, and Riza didn't seem to mind. They both got on with their day. Hawkeye sensei would teach Roy alchemy and then both males would go into the kitchen where Riza would have dinner made. It was always ate without talking and them they would leave Riza to clean up afterwards.
As Roy took a step into the tiled room, he noticed that that the kitchen door that lead outside was open wide. The strong wind making it bang loudly against the counter. Shaking because of the cold, Roy moved over to the door to shut it. Not thinking about why it was open. He gabbed hold of the door handle and closed the door with a lot of his force, only to hear a mouse like noise. Thinking of why he heard such a sound he opened the door to see what cause it. What he saw made his mouth open in surprise.
His sensei's daughter was laying on the ground rubbing her head. A smash pumpkin by her side.
"Crap! Are you ok?" Roy asked with a hint of worry in his voice. His hand held out to Riza.
"Yeah, I think so," she answered and took his hand. He pulled Riza to her feat, and watched as she brush off any dirt with her hands. She smiled softly to him in thanks. Roy had never seen her smile before, in a way it was a big moment for him. But her smile fell when she turned around. "Oh no." She muttered.
"What's wrong?"
"The pumpkin. I was going to cave a face in for tonight but now…" She said sadly, and moved over to it to clean it up.
From what she had just said, Roy remembered a past memory. Of when he, Maes and others would do the same thing. He looked back at Riza who was still cleaning up the mess, and he went to help her.
"I'm sorry for smashing your pumpkin." Riza looked up to Roy in surprise. His head was bowed down, looking at what he was doing. But she could see a small hint of red on his cheeks.
"It's ok. You have nothing to say sorry for, you didn't mean it…"
"But still." Roy said, stopping Riza from finishing what she was about to say. He was now looking at her in the eyes and their faces where near to each other. Both noticing, the two teenagers jumped away from each other. Now both of them were red in the face. "Look…" Roy continued. "Why don't I help find another pumpkin?"
"You don't have to do that mister Must…" Riza started but was interrupted by Roy again.
"But I want to…and you can call me Roy."
"How about this one?"
"No, it's too small. Try find another one."
Muttering something about being too picky, Roy put down the pumpkin he was holding and started searching again. He and Riza had been looking for a new pumpkin for about ten minutes. And he was starting to worry if his sensei would be mad at him. As if Roy needed him to be more angry at him.
But at the same time he was glad that he was doing this, before this he hadn't spent more than just a silent dinner with Riza. And now they were in a pumpkin field looking for a new pumpkin for her. During the ten minutes they had been looking, the teenagers had talked about many different things. Such as school work, old friends, and dislikes. He wasn't surprised when she had said that she didn't like thunder and lighting. But he was angry when she laughed at him when he said he didn't like the rain. She did say sorry in between giggles, and he just rolled his eyes. But really, he liked hearing her laugh.
"Have you found the right one yet?" Riza asked again and Roy turned around to face her. Another pumpkin in his hands.
"This one good?"
"No, that one is too small as well." Riza said after taking a closer look at it.
"Ok, now you're just being too picky." Roy said, a bit tried that this was sixth pumpkin she had said no to. "This one is fine so just take it." He heard Riza sigh and watched her lift the pumpkin from his hands.
"I guess it's ok, but still…"
"Believe me Riza, it's fine." Riza raised a eyebrow to Roy, who did the same thing to her. She nodded her head in agreement and turned around.
"You should get back to father, he doesn't like waiting on people." Riza said from over her shoulder, taking another look at the picked pumpkin.
"Yeah, you're right. I've seen him when he was angry, not a pretty sigh."
"But he has his reasons."
The rest of the walk back to the house was filled with small talk. Something that both Roy and Riza enjoyed. When they finally reached the house, they entered by the kitchen door and Riza place the pumpkin on the table. "Thanks again Roy, if you want I can show the result of the caved face."
"I would like that, I'll see you later." And after a smile and a wave, Roy left Riza on her own and he walked down the hallway to the study.
That was the first time he had spent any time with Riza alone. It also the first time they had had talked to each other. But something he would always remember would be the first time he saw her smile. And to him it was the most beautiful thing he had seen. Maybe he should spend more time with her? Make her smile again?
He finally reached the study and opened the door to see his sensei still there with his notes out in front of him.
"Are you done?" He asked without looking from his work.
"Yes sensei." Roy answered and he returned to the chair he sat in before. Hawkeye sensei looked up from his work to Roy to ask his next question.
"Have you cleared your mind of everything and are ready to study alchemy again?"
"Yes sensei."
"Very well then, turn to page eighty one."
Roy did what he was told, but he knew that he had just lyed the his sensei. He hadn't cleared his mind of everything. The thought of Riza was still floating around in his head.
Happy Halloween to everyone.
I know that this wasn't that much of a Halloween fanfic, but there is no such thing Halloween in the Fullmetal Alchemist world. (How awful!) But I love pumpkins and I have always wanted to do a fanfic with Roy and Riza in their younger years. And you do cave faces in pumpkins at Halloween. Just hope you have enjoyed it.
And before I forget, I am sorry for any grammar problems you may find. I do check my stories, but sometimes you can miss a few words.