Hi, hope you enjoy my favorite Royai fic to date! (that I wrote, I like others better) Anyways, this song was inspired by the song Daddy's Come Around (To Mama's Way of Thinkin') , sung by Paul Overstreet. Lyrics are in italics and centered. They only appear when time is passing. Again, hope you enjoy and Royai forever!
Riza sat in her front room with a book and a mug of tea; her dog curled up at her feet. Her son slept quietly upstairs. As she lifted her mug, her engagement and wedding rings made a small, forlorn sound against the ceramic. She set the tea down without taking a sip. Black Hayate put his head in her lap, looking up at her. The poor dog looked like he wanted to help, but there was no way he could. The problem this time wasn't something he could bite and make go away.
It was the third night in a row that she had waited in the front room for her husband. The third night that she had tried to convince him to come home after work. The third night he had told her he'd be home later. The third night that Roy had gone off in the direction of Central's bars.
He had started going after Gracia Hughes had died in a car accident and been buried next to her husband. Their daughter hadn't been taking it well when her godparents had taken her away. For Roy and Riza it was like losing Hughes all over again. Since the funeral a few months ago Roy had spent more nights in bars than he had at home with Riza and little Maes.
Most of the women in Central could have told her it would end up like this. Heck, a couple had told her. But she was too stubborn; she didn't want to believe it. Most of the people who knew them both were convinced that she could keep him in line. But Gracia's death had wrenched all of her control over him from her. Even after Hughes had first died, Riza had been able to clean out his alcohol stash in his office after a few months. She'd triedquite a few times since Gracia's funeral, but he had always replaced it.
Riza's eyes started to fill. She just wanted to help him, to bring him back. Riza felt helpless in a way she hadn't since just before Roy's last battle with the homunculus Lust. She had always been able to protect him from the external dangers that faced them, but this time he was the threat and the threatened. She couldn't just level her gun at the problem this time, just as Hayate couldn't bite it. He didn't even seem to want her company like he had come to after Hughes' death. No, it was as if he were trying to protect himself again. As if he were shrinking back to his old habit of never letting anyone close enough to hurt him with their death. He had tried it after Hughes died, but she had slowly coaxed him out of it, just in time for Havoc to get hurt and her to come within a hair's breadth of death. He had almost slipped away again then.
Riza was pulled out of her reverie by the sound of car doors closing.Though Hayate ran to the door,she remained seated as she listened to the sound of people walking to her front door. Before they reached the door a shrill laugh split the night. Riza tensed and the tears that had been falling quietly down her cheeks stopped abruptly. As she made her way to the door she heard the sound of the key scraping on the doorknob, missing the keyhole.
"Here babe, give me the key, I'll do it. I want to get inside." Purred a soft voice and Riza saw a curvy silhouette step towards the door. She took the last two steps to the door quickly, and opened the door sharply before the woman could unlock it.
"Thank you for escorting my husband home, miss. I think you've done quite enough for us." Her eyes narrowed as she pulled Roy in the door and gave the woman a glare that contrasted sharply with the thankful words that she forced herself to say. Hayate echoed her emotions by growling quietly.The woman opened her mouth, but Riza could tell that she did not intend to address her, but Roy. Normally the military woman was fairly even tempered, but tonight she thought that the least abusive thing she could manage would be closing the door in this woman's face. Hard. That done, Riza rounded on her husband, who had stumbled to the couch, with tears in her eyes.
"What is wrong with you?" She asked, her voice quavering with sorrow and anger. He looked at her as though from far away for a moment, before speaking in a slightly slurred voice.
"Who are you? Why did you send Dana away?"
"Roy Mustang! I'm your wife! Do you honestly not know that? Do you even remember that you have a son upstairs?"
"Look miss, I'm not married. You're obviously confused. But you do look familiar… Did I date you before?" Riza gaped at her husband for a moment. She couldn't believe this! He had to remember her! But maybe he was just too drunk.
"Roy, can you tell me what year it is?"
"1910." Riza's heart twisted. He actually thought that? That would explain the date he had tried to bring home. He'd never done this before, but it was frightening. What would happen next? She looked over at him again. He'd slumped down on the couch and started to doze off. She sat down in her chair again and watched him until his deep breathing had settled into deep snores. Then she moved across the room, took off his boots gently, covered him with a blanket from the back of her chair, and left Hayate to watch Roy while shewent upstairs to check on her son.
The next morning Riza woke up bright and early. She put her uniform on, looked in on her sleeping son, and made her way downstairs. Roy was still sprawled out on the couch. She shook him awake briskly and went to make breakfast. A few moments later, Roy stumbled into the kitchen, groaning.
"Roy." Riza caught his attention, keeping her eyes fixed on her breakfast even when he looked over at her.
"Yeah?"
"Do you remember what happened last night?" Roy stopped moving around for a moment. She knew he was trying to clear the fog from his mind and remember.
"Riza… I am so sorry. That's never happened before, has it?" She fought not to look up, not to show her tears.
"No, it hasn't. But you shouldn't say things you don't mean."
"What do you mean? I am sorry. I don't know what else to say. I am so sorry Riza"
"Not sorry enough to stay away from that bar tonight." Roy was silent. Even hung over as he was, he knew he couldn't lie to her. Riza pushed her chair back from the table.
"I need to fill out some paperwork for Intelligence today. I won't be in the office. I know you don't feel well, but you still need to finish all of your paperwork. I'll see you tonight." Her voice caught on the last part and she hurried from the room. In the next few minutes Roy stood in the kitchen, listening to the sounds of her waking their son, getting him ready to go to day care, and leaving with him. Half an hour later, Roy dragged himself from the house and off to work.
Daddy used to go out every night with his friends
And mama stay home taking care of the of the kids
Daddy didn't mind the way it was arranged
To his way of thinking it didn't seem strange
That night Riza sat in her chair waiting for Roy. She heard a car pull away and heard her husband climb the stairs to the door. She moved to the door and stood for a moment, waiting for Roy to stop trying to open the door. He finally gave up and knocked lightly on the door. Riza opened the door and looked at her husband.
"Riza, my key doesn't work. Why?" She smiled sadly at him. He seemed much more sober than last night, but she could still smell a bit of alcohol.
"Roy, you scared me last night. I changed the locks on the doors. If you can pull yourself back together, I'll give you a new key, otherwise…" She trailed off, eyes brimming with tears.
"Ok, I'll try. Can I come in?" Riza moved aside, and watched Roy move to the kitchen. She closed and locked the door behind him and sat down, tears starting to break free again. She only stood up again at the sound of shattering glass. Hurrying to the kitchen, she saw Roy sweeping up the broken shards of glass.
"What are you doing?"
"Cleaning up." He said simply, his words slurring just a little. He dumped the glass into a dustbin and began pouring the contents of another bottle of liquor down the sink drain. Smiling slightly, Riza joined him at the sink and gave him a light kiss on the cheek.
"I'm going to bed. Come on up when you finish here."
Then one night mama met him at the door
Cause the key in his hand didn't work anymore
Mama said more than the locks have changed
There's a new set of rules to this old game
One Thursday a few weeks later, Riza went alone to pick Maes up from day care. She was distracted all the way home. Roy had only been to the bar once since the night she had changed the locks, and she didn't want to think that he was back there now. Maes was sound asleep by the time she got home and saw him at the front door.
"Roy, you're home early!" She exclaimed quietly, careful not to wake Maes. Roy just smiled, extending an arm to take the boy. Riza surprised him by stepping forward, putting her hand in his, and kissing him gently. When she stepped back Roy looked down at his hand. A key glinted back up at him.
"Go on, let us in. I'm going to drop Maes here in a minute." Riza whispered, only half joking. Roy opened the door and ushered his family in with his biggest smile in a long time.
Daddy's come around to mama's way of thinking
No more staying out all night a-drinking
Every things better on the home front now
They're meeting in the middle working it out
Finally figured out he's got something worth keeping
Daddy's come around to mama's way of thinking
The next afternoon Riza walked to pick Maes up alone again. This time she wasn't worried. She knew Roy wouldn't mess things up, the new locks had scared him and he was being careful now. When she reached the daycare the proprietress opened the door for her with a bemused look on her face.
"Riza! I wasn't expecting to see you, Roy said he was taking Maes home today." Riza didn't let her surprise show.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I'd completely forgotten. Have a nice weekend, Laura."
"You too." As the door closed, Riza turned and made her way home. When she got there she saw Roy waiting for her outside again.
"Hi, you brought Maes home today?" She asked as they walked to the front door, wondering why he'd gotten Maes without telling her.
"No, I didn't." Riza blinked.
"What do you mean, you didn't bring Maes home today? Laura said you'd picked him up!"
"I mean, I didn't bring him home. I dropped him off at Fuery's apartment. Don't worry, I left Hayate with them to entertain Maes." He replied steadily as he opened the front door for her.
"Why would you do tha-" Riza was cut short at the sight of their front room. It was clean, the curtains were drawn, and flowers and candles decorated the tables.
"Because," he said, showing her into the similarly decorated kitchen, complete with dinner on the table "I thought we could use a night to ourselves." He pulled her chair out for her before seating himself and beginning to tuck into his dinner.
As they finished their dinner, Riza looked across the table at Roy.
"This is amazing. How much paperwork did you have to skip to set this up?" She asked, trying hard not to smile at the end of her question.
"I love you Riza." He said, laughing a bit at her typical question.
"Hmm… That much?"
"Come on, it takes time to make a nice dinner, coerce Fuery into babysitting for the night, and decorate the entire house."
"The entire house? I've only seen the downstairs." She asked, clearing her plates and turning to raise an eyebrow at him.
"Yeah, why else do you think I had to talk Fuery into taking Maes for the night?"
"You are so arrogant." Riza called over her shoulder as she walked into the front room and began blowing out the melting candles. Roy walked up to her as she blew out the last one.
"But you love me anyway." It wasn't a question.
"You know, I hate it when you're right." She shot back as he closed the gap between them with a long kiss.
"Do you want to see the rest of my decorations?" He asked Riza rolled her eyes at him, but allowed herself to be led toward the stairs.
Now it's been some time since she laid down the law
But daddy doesn't seem to mind much at all
Come straight home when the work day is through
He's even done the dishes a time or two
The next morning, Riza pulled herself out of bed, much to the chagrin of her husband, who rolled over and pulled the covers over his head.
"Come on Roy, we have to get Maes back from Fuery." She chided, throwing a casual outfit at him.
"Please Riza, just lie down for another 15 minutes. Then we can go get the little guy." Riza began to reach for her guns hanging next to the bed, but then she had a better idea.
"Roy, get up, you'll have to get used to having Maes around. We can't just leave him with Fuery and he's not going anywhere, besides, you might just get to be a father again." Roy sat up, ready to retort that that was not what he'd meant. Then her entire statement penetrated the early morning fog in his head. He pulled the clothes Riza had thrown at him on quickly before going into the bathroom where Riza was brushing her teeth.
"So, is that a "might" or a promise?" He asked, wrapping his arms around her from behind. Riza leaned forward to spit out her toothpaste before turning around to face him.
"You're asking me that now?" She asked. Roy didn't need any other answer. With Riza, that always meant a promise. With a last minty kiss, they broke apart to finish getting ready to pick up the rest of their family.
And late last night when the lights were low
Daddy told mama I love you so
Early this morning mama said to him
You just might get to be a daddy again
Tada
ThatLittleBlondeAngel
aka Riza'sLittleSister