The Message
For the Royai Day Festival at fullmetal-alchemist(dot)com, with word prompts: Shadow(s), Crown(s), Cafeteria, Tomorrow, and Tea. Set during chapter 74.
Roy was glad to see Riza, and even more glad that he was able to talk to her without being monitored. Surely she would not speak about what was going on with the noose tightening around her throat, as opposed to the crowns that should be on their heads.
Riza seemed to be weathering this pretty well, all things considered, but there were new shadows under her eyes, and it seemed as though she was living moment to moment, wondering if she would be around to see the light of tomorrow. But that, he supposed, came with the territory. It was of little comfort, but at least it was not a very new worry. No, it was just a long-buried one, not thought of since Ishbal.
The crowded cafeteria actually made the perfect place to code her message, and she was very good at doing so, he noticed. The tea in her cup barely sloshed when she tapped it twice while setting it down to begin her message.
He listened carefully, making sure he heard every name, and casually looking like he was writing down something he had forgotten. Nobody would bat an eyelash at the Flame Alchemist looking like he was planning for another big date, after all.
He was so shocked to read the message that he almost ruined the cover, but he managed to look like something Riza had said about their mutual friends was a surprise, nothing more.
As he set fire to the paper, the wheels were already turning. Of course, the boy was the least likely suspect to house a homunculus, but that also made it dangerous, having two able to communicate so easily. And God Himself only knew what that boy did during the day.
Whatever it was, Roy knew he had to stop it, and fast.
Yes, come hell or high water, he would.
A/N: This was pretty hastily thrown together. I don't really like the way some of it is worded, but I'm afraid that if I change it, the meaning might change, as well, and I don't want that to happen. What a dilemma.