Disclaimer : You'll never say that FullMetal Alchemist is yours, because it belongs to H. Arakawa
Riza goes away
This story takes place few months after Roy Mustang has survived his fight against King Bradley. He came back in the army as Colonel.
Havoc bursted in Mustang's office without knocking, he was completely shaken :
"Colonel, do you know about Hawkeye ?"
When he heard this name, Mustang forgot to reprimand his second lieutenant for his untimely intrusion.
"Hawkeye ? No, what's going on ?
"I learnt that she had been asked by the new führer few days ago. It seems that she will be move at the eastern headquarter and promoted Colonel.
"But, she never told me, and nobody consulted me !"
Mustang was stunned by this news. His first lieutenant will be upgraded and sent far away from him.
"Colonel, what will we do ?
"What do you mean ? There's nothing to do and we should be delighted for Hawkeye. It's a good thing for her to be promoted Colonel.
"But, you... I was thinking that you..."
Roy stopped him.
"It's enough Havoc. Now go out of my office."
At that moment, Riza Hawkeye came in to report her Colonel. She looked at Havoc who was leaving the office with a confuse air.
"Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye reporting Colonel.
"Good morning Lieutenant.
"Colonel, may I ask you what the matter with Havoc ?
"Well, he has just told me that he had learned that you will be promoted Colonel and moved to the eastern HQ. I must say that I'd prefered learn it by yourself.
"This information is not correct, Sir.
"Oh, so you stay with us Hawkeye ?" He couldn't help putting a light hope in his voice.
Since his convalescence and his come back at the office, Mustang hadn't seen Hawkeye save at work. Just when he believed that they became closer, the young woman spaced her visits and avoided to be alone with him, she managed to always be with one of their coworkers.
"No Sir. This information in not correct in the way that I will not be promoted Colonel but Brigadier General. I'm actually moved to the eastern HQ.
"Wel, it only remains for me to congratulate you for this promotion and to be dilighted for you.
"Thank you, Colonel.
"When will you leave ?
"Next Monday, Sir.
"So early !
"Yes, since Bradley's death, the army is in full restructuring as you know and the new Führer thinks that I would be a great help there. But don't worry, I will finish my work before I leave so my replacement could relieve me without problem.
"I don't worry about it Hawkeye, I perfectly know that you are competent and I'm glad that your merits have been recognized in high places.
"Thanks Colonel."
With these words, Riza left and went back to her desk. Her coworkers watched her sit down.
"I see that Havoc told you about my future departure.
"So, it's true, you leave us ?" Asked Fuery with a low voice.
"It should have to come to that, no ? And it's an unexpected promotion for me."
Falman went on :
"I didn't think that you were the kind of person that run after promotions, Lieutenant.
"I am not. It was proposed to me and I said yes.
"But, you follow the Colonel for so many years, you went through so much hardships together, that we were thinking that ...
"Then you were wrong. Oh, and I'm sorry to make you loose your bets.
"You knew about our bets ?
"I would have been deaf or blind to not hear you plot on me and the Colonel : the date when he would ask me out or on the wedding."
They sighed all with deception.
"What a pity, you would go well together.
"Life has decided otherwise. Now if the subjet is closed, you could return to your work."
What they all did. What woman wants ... especially if the woman in question draws faster than her shadow, woman gets it !
This evening when Riza came back in her place, she was welcome by her dog. This one signified its wish to go for a walk.
She put it its leach and went to the park.
She sat on a bench and released Hayate to let it run and chase butterflies.
Her mind was confused. She had felt her heart wrung by the expression on Roy's face when she had confirmed to him her future departure.
Nevertheless her decision was made, she must leave. And this departure seemed more and more like a flight. Because Riza was afraid.
When he told her few months ago, while he was still bedridden, that the world was gorgeous, when it was obvious that he was speaking about her, she took fright as never before. Yes she loves this man, as she never loved anybody before, but she knows him too well. He's a womanizer, an inveterate one for trying to pick up girls, he collects affairs like other collect stamps. And if there is one thing that Riza is sure about, is that she doesn't want to have a heartbrake, because she knows it, she won't get over it. That's why she tried to keep her distance from him before it was too late and that she weakens.
Then when the Führer proposed her to set off for the eastern headquarter with the rank of Brigadier General, she accepted.
But God this decision hurts her, she was only hoping that with time, the pain would soften.
It was decided that a party would be organized to celebrate Riza's departure. Ones asked her to make a list with the name of the people she wished to invit. While she wrote it, she realized that this one was very long, more than two pages, and that it keeps getting longer.
"I didn't think that I knew so much people here, how I will miss them all !"
The days went by quickly for Riza and her closest colleagues. More the date approached, and more they felt melancholy.
Riza, as for her, spended her time talking and telling goodbye to the other person she knew at Central. Even if she knew that she will see them at her party, she wanted to spend time with each one of them.
Mustang could hardly see her while the days preceding the party. Since the departure of his subordinate, which will be no more soon since she will be promoted Brigadier General that is to say two ranks above his !, he was more and more in a rotten mood. He losed his patience for nothing, didn't concentrate on anything and became so the mere shadow of his former self that Havoc felt like to intervene.
"Colonel, you must tell her.
"Tell who and what ?
"Stop acting stupid. You perfectly know what I mean. You must tell Riza that you love her before it's too late and that she really leaves.
"Riza doesn't love me. When I wanted to make a move, she run away from me as I have held her out a white-hot iron. I haven't dared to insist.
"Yet you should have done it without a doubt. Didn't you think that perhaps she needed to feel easy first ? You are known cross the country to be a real Casanova. Riza loves you, I'd stake my life on it but she is afraid that you use her as all the other women before her.
"But she is not like the others ! Mustang exclaimed.
"So tell her and stop her from going.
"But if I do it, she won't have her promotion and this, I don't have the right to.
"Let Riza decide herself for that, Colonel. Well now, I must go, I must meet the others to help organize the party."
It was strange to see all those people gathered here just for her. It brought tears of emotion to her eyes. They have reserved and decorated the mess with some streamers wishing her good luck and some "It's just a goodbye". Of course, all her team was here : Havoc, Fuery, Breda, Falman and Mustang. There was Major Alex Louis Armstrong which lips shaked as if he restrained from bursting into tears. Gracie and Elysia Hugues have come too. Maria Ross and Denis Brosh stood here too among her other friends and colleagues.
A mike has been fitted out in the middle of the room. Mustang took it :
"So, Brigadier General Hawkeye, since it's like that that we'll must call you by two days, as your still commanding officer by then, it comes to me to make a speech for your "goodbye party".
We know each other now for many years, as somebody told me lately we have been through a fair number of hardships that I prefer not enumerate here and now, the list is too long. Always you staid by my side to protect me and make me stay in the good way, always with your delicacy, I must say that I'll never forget your pistols aimed at me to make me finish my paperworks ! - One can hear several laughs in the mess. Roy carried on his speech – but you never let me down. We are proud that you got this promotion which is quite deserved and we pray for our colleagues from the eastern HQ who will soon enjoy your methods for the less stiff. But enough of this joking, I would end by wishing you good luck from all of us and we will miss you as you'll never know."
A thunderous applause resounded in the mess.
Riza took the mike :
"Thank you Colonel. During this week, the supply department (A/N I don't know the words for "services généraux") told me that they were very happy at the thought that they won't have to fill in again the holes caused by my bullets in the wall behind your desk. I wonder if they have warned their eastern colleagues ? But this is an other story. As you know, I'm not very talkative, so I would only say to you that work with you was a pleasure and that I will greatly miss all of you and that I hope I will have the chanse to see you soon. I will stop here before I tell or do silly things like crying for exemple, so I think that the buffet is waiting for us."
They all applauded and some came to give her a hug, other helped themselves to drink and food. Now the room was full with conversations. Riza, a glass at one hand, went round all the people to say her farewells. Each one wanted to hug her and say to her friendly words.
Kept to himself, Mustang was watching her. He has never noticed how much she was appreciated by her peers. She was respected not only for her skills within the army and as a sharpshooter, but for her kindness and her generosity. The memories of the days which followed Maes's death came in his mind, she was by his side, a discreet presence but comforting, and she has always behaved in a protective way with the Elric brothers. Just as he reminded her when she comforted a young child crying before his mother's body. That's what he likes in her, in addition to her beauty, her efficacity tinged with feminity, a firmhandedness in a velvet glove (A/N : une poigne de fer dans un gant de velour), which makes her a very good soldier and will make her a great field officer.
The party ended, the guests were leaving and he didn't have talk to her yet. There remained only their hard core team : Havoc, Falman, Breda and Fuery as Armstrong. At this time, this one has hung on Riza and stifled her crying. This man was too much sensitive despite his impressive build !
Roy came near Riza when Armstrong finally released her out of breath.
"Hawkeye. – Riza turned to face him, she has tried to avoid him all the evening. He wondered yet if he had the right to make her lost her promotion, finally he decided that no, she sacrified herself for too much time for him – It remains to me only to tell you goodbye and good luck."
He held out his hand to her. Surprised Riza held it softly : "Thank you Colonel. Good luck to you too." Roy held her hand for few seconds watching at her, as if he hesitated to tell her something, but in the end he released it. Completely thrown Riza turned back to the others to embraced them.
Falman offered to see her home. So they left with Fuery who was closer to Riza because of their affection for Black Hayate.
Havoc turned to Mustang.
"If I may say, Sir, you are a real idiot."
Roy clenched his jaws and answered : "Mind your own business Havoc."
"Well, so I'm leaving, I let you alone or maybe you will probably find you a good willing woman to pass the night with !"
Roy couldn't control his emotion, he released all the anger and the frustration that he has restrained for the last days and hitted Havoc straigh in the face and sent him flying on the floor before the very astonished eyes of Breda and Armstrong.
Roy get out without turn over. No, he has no desire to find a woman for the night, the only woman he wanted at the moment was Riza Hawkeye and not only for one night, but for all nights and days, all his lifetime. The only one who he wanted to stay with and wake up at her side all the mornings.
Without realizing it, his steps took him in front of Riza's door. He hesitated a moment before taping at the door. This one opened one minute later onto a Riza in pyjamas.
"May I come in ?"
Riza drew aside to let him through.
"Tea ? I was going to make some.
"I'd love to."
Riza warmed up the kettle and served two mugs. They didn't say anything for a while.
"Why didn't you tell me about your departure sooner Riza ?"
She answered his question by another one.
"Why did I have to ?
"You have always told me about your plans, till the last months. We have always been closer.
"More than a Colonel and his subordinate, I know, we were like friends.
"No, Riza, more than friends."
They remained quiet. Roy took her hand.
"Riza, I love you, I don't want you to leave. I want to spend my life with you, I want you by my side again, not as subordinate but as my wife."
Tears were running down Riza's cheeks, she took off her hand from Mustang's.
"You don't have the right to do this to me now Colonel. Do you think that this decision costs me nothing ? So now, I want you to get out of my house and my life because it's out of question that you brake my heart as you certainly will do, do you hear me, Colonel ? I'm not like the other girls that you bring back home all the two nights. So get out !
She almost cried out the last words. Pallid, Roy got up and went out of Riza's place. He stopped just behind the door, he could hear her sob. Make her cry was the lastest thing he wanted. He wanted to clasp her in his arms and tell her that she was wrong, but how ? She didn't want him in her life anymore. Then he gave up and came back to his home where he stayed all the week end.
Next Monday, the atmosphere in the office was strained. The empty desk of Riza reminded them her absence and to Roy, their last exchange, he could still hear in echo Riza's tears. In his office, he heard the shrill whistle of the train which left the station with the only woman he has and will ever love on board.
He walked slowly back home, deep in thought. Maes wasn't here anymore and Riza has kept away from him forever.
It's in the last moment that he saw someone sitted on his steps. Riza was here waiting for him. He froze before the stairs, he couldn't believe his eyes. She slowly got up.
"I couldn't, I was in the train, but I couldn't leave out."
She slowly came up to him, Roy was watching her come to him. He wanted to engrave this moment on his memory.
She stopped right before him :
"I love you Roy, I don't want to leave you.
"I love you Riza, I don't want you to leave me. I want to spend all my lifetime with you."
When their lips reached in a first kiss, Roy knew that he found the woman of his life and that she will be the only one.
A/N : well, I hope you love it. Please Review !