Riza shivered as she stood in Dr. Knox's spare bedroom with her arms crossed over her breasts.
"Are you still sure about this?" Roy asked.
"Yes," she said. "Are you?"
He paused, then said, "No. Are you ready?"
Riza nodded. "Burn all of it."
She braced herself for the searing heat, but it didn't come. Instead she heard Roy undoing his belt.
"What are you doing?" she said, peeking over her shoulder.
Roy folded the black strip of leather in half and brought it to her.
"Bite down on this," he said.
Riza almost moved her arm to take it, but hesitated when she realized doing so would expose her front.
"Oh, here," Roy said, realizing the same. "Open your mouth."
She sank her teeth into the belt and squeezed her eyes shut.
Roy took a few deep breaths behind her.
"I'll count to three," he said.
Riza wished he'd just get it over with. It would hurt no matter how long he stalled.
Roy took another steadying breath and said, "One, two…three."
Nothing could have prepared her for the pain. Even the agony she'd felt when her father had tattooed his research notes near her spine could not compare. She screamed, clenching her teeth around Roy's belt, and collapsed to her knees. The flames vanished, but thousands of small fires seemed to eat way at the flesh of her upper back. But the pain didn't go away. If he didn't destroy the nerves, the scarring might not be severe enough.
"Again," she said. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"I can't—"
She spat out the belt. "You have to destroy it!"
Another brief pause.
"Alright," he said, voice breaking on the last syllable.
She bit down on the belt and screamed as her entire left shoulder blade and part of her right caught fire once more. She let go of the belt again.
"What about the rest?"
"I destroyed the essential parts. No one will be able to decipher the notes."
"Sir, you must finish—"
"Hawkeye, I can't."
Riza turned as much as her wound would allow. She'd never seen his hands shake like that.
"There will be no more flame alchemists," he said, taking his glove off.
"You're sure?" she said.
"I'm sure. Please don't ask me to burn you anymore."
Through her pain, Riza sighed in relief.
Roy knelt beside her and handed her her blouse. She held it over her chest. A sob escaped her lips.
"Can you stand?"
"I think so." She grabbed his shoulder and he put a hand under her other elbow, careful not let his fingers graze her breast. Slowly, she rose and he eased her onto the bed.
"Thank you, sir."
Roy cleared his throat.
"I'll go get Dr. Knox," he said. The floorboards creaked as he left.
In her solitude, Riza stopped trying to hold in her suffering. She sobbed so heavily that she had to gasp for air. Once she heard footsteps approaching, she did her best to calm herself.
"Good hell, Mustang," the doctor muttered, but wasted no time in treating Riza's burns. He worked silently, and the smell of his cigarette gradually replaced that of her charred flesh.
The bedsprings creaked as Roy sat at the end of the bed.
"This is all my fault," he said.
He was right. Riza thought about the first time she stood with her bare back to Roy Mustang, hoping that perhaps this dangerous research of her father's really could be used for good if put into the right hands. It wasn't until she saw a wave of fire engulf a group of thirty or so Ishvalans that she realized how truly nightmarish flame alchemy could be. His hands had been the wrong ones after all.
Still. She didn't want to rub his mistakes in his face.
"You're doing the right thing now," Riza said. Her throat constricted. The pain in her back demanded her attention, but she strove to keep speaking. "Now we know flame alchemy will never fall into the hands of someone like Kimblee. Someone who delights in killing."
No one spoke for several minutes. Dr. Knox laid a cool wet cloth over Riza's back and told her to try and get some sleep.
"Thank you," Roy told him.
"Heh. Just don't ask me for any more favors. I'm done dealing with the bodies you've burned."
"I know. But please, don't mention this to anyone."
Dr. Knox grumbled and left the room.
The pain hadn't subsided much, but Riza was able to at least breathe normally. Still, her tears hadn't ceased.
"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to leave you alone for a day or so," Roy said, standing up. "I need to be at Central Command in the morning and I don't expect I'll be able to get away very soon."
"Of course," Riza said. "I'd forgotten they were promoting you tomorrow."
"I could ask Hughes to stop by if you need company. I'm afraid Dr. Knox isn't much for conversation."
"That's alright. I'll be fine. Just come by when you can."
"I will. Goodbye, Warrant Officer."
"Goodbye, Major."