There wasn't anything else in this world that Roy would've wanted more than to Maes would be dead. If he would've died, then Roy wouldn't have to see him like that. So sad, so empty, so wrong. It wasn't him. It wasn't his Maes.
Hell, maybe there was something he wanted more. Mustang wished he could've died with the two ladies, so that the living nightmare he was going through would go to someone else and not him. Ever since Gracia and Elicia Hughes were found dead, both Roy's and Maes' lives were changed forever. There was no happiness, there was no love, there was nothing.Heh. He was such a liar, exactly who was he trying to lie to? Roy wouldn't wish he was dead, at least not after that had happened.
If something was keeping Maes from going completely insane or –maybe even more terrifyingly- emotionless after his wife and daughter's death, was Roy. They had been such intimate friends since so long, that their deep and full with a one of a kind love relationship was the strong steady pillar that was keeping Hughes alive. How could he ever wish not to be with him, not to be with him?
But it was tearing Mustang apart. Seeing the love of his life so changed and depressed, it was just the most painful experience he had gone through ever. It just wasn't him. Hughes tried. Little fake smiles and laugh attempts first showed after a month or so of the tragedy. Roy would always expose him, and all Maes would do is look down with his true deeply miserable look in his face and shrug.
If Maes knew how that all was destroying him, Roy did not know and it actually didn't matter. The thing is that being now a Brigade General, being a State Alchemist –the Flame alchemist- was of no good to help his friend. He was miserably useless and unable to make up to him, and that hurt like nothing else. Despite loving him so desperately, so helplessly, why was he so powerless? Why couldn't he do anything better? Nevertheless, he had to act strong before Maes so that he wouldn't fall into a deep depression and suicidal thoughts again.
But there was something he could do. He would do.
Hughes wouldn't say it. God forbid he would never ask, but Roy knew he could at least bring revenge upon Elicia's murderer. Roy would always bring it up as "justice", but he and Maes knew him so well that they knew the moment he spotted the murderer, the Flame Alchemist could and would make him go through hell.
Nobody messes with the life and happiness of his beloved. At least, nobody did so and was lucky enough to get away with it, or to die without him reaching them first. Mustang would not stop nor die without avenging Hughes, of that, he was certain.
As the chill that came with the twilight, the shiver of Hughes' body in front of him brought him back to the cemetery. Maes had wanted to visit the graves again.
"You ok?" he asked carefully, approaching his friend and putting his coat on his shoulders.
"Roy…"
The tone on Hughes' voice made his heart skip a beat. The wall or filter he had built to keep all his emotions inside and far from everyone else that wasn't him –which he also did sometimes- had been removed, and for the first time in a long time, Maes was letting it all out. He sounded sad, destroyed, but miraculously… hopeful?
"It's raining again" he spoke with a lump in his throat "You always complain about being useless when it rains, but… to me…"
He turned to face Roy directly, revealing his broken face and full of tears, yet with a small, nearly imperceptible smile. With every word coming out of his friend's mouth Roy grew weaker. His chest was hurting and all the blood of his body raced to his feet, leaving him shacking, vulnerable.
"To me, Roy, you're the flame that keeps me safe, and warm, and steady" he said shaking non-stop "I need no umbrella as long as you're with me" he said finally.
As Mustang couldn't take it anymore, he bursted in tears as such kind words managed to heal up his wounds. Those of Hughes' as well.
"You idiot, we're both shivering now. Here, let me... let us both get warm and safe from the rain".
