I sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing my eyes and staring at the ground. She was leaning against the doorframe, watching me. No words punctuated the silence and I preferred it this way, the silence.
My bags were already waiting at the door to her apartment, all that was needed was for me to gather the strength to stand and get dressed, but I couldn't will my muscles to flex in my favor. I felt rooted to her bed, hopelessly watching her fingers drum on the side of the wall. My white gloves rested on the bedside, waiting patiently for me to gather them up and continue on.
"Roy," the gentle voice I had come to adore over the years probed softly. I raised my eyes to fall on her face, her hair was hanging loose and those big brown orbs seemed to bore right into my soul.
"Riza," I replied lowly.
"It's time to go." She murmured. I felt like such a child, refusing to move, wanting to cling on to these fond memories. I slowly shook my head.
"I don't want to." I said weakly. "I can't Riza, not now of all times." I brought a hand to muss my hair, she sighed, clasping her palms together.
"They need you General." She replied fondly. "More than I do."
"Don't say that." I whispered, still unable to move. "That's not the case at all and you know it."
"You'll be fine; you're coming back to us. I promise, and you made that promise. I have your uniform ready, I'll help you into your jacket." She soothed, her voice coaxing me off the bed into an upright position.
She stepped forward, her bare feet making no sound on the hardwood floor. A hand rested on my cheek and I looked at her, feeling more uncertainty at what lay before me. Slowly, I bent my head to brush her lips against mine. Instead of the gentle kiss I earned a slap, making me wince.
"None of that!" her voice quivered. "Don't go acting like you're not coming back. You need to help Kain and Fuery… what's Havoc going to do without you there to woo all the women?" I smiled at her, but it quickly faded as I saw the tears in her eyes.
"Riza…" I murmured but she threw herself into my arms with a shudder.
"Oh Roy," she breathed, and I held her. "You're coming back, don't say anything different." I nodded and she took a deep gulp of air, pulling away again to look at me. "Well, let's get you ready for the train ride."
She moved slower than I did, walking towards the closet to pull out my uniform and handing it to me. I put on my trousers numbly, feeling her sad eyes on me. "Remember to write me." She murmured.
I snorted. "What kind of a husband do you take me for Lieutenant?"
"The kind who is too busy being a hero to think about his poor wife."
"Poor wife? You must be confused as my wife is very able minded." I replied, she smiled, helping me into my shirt and doing up the buttons for me.
The beginning of the morning was shining through the drawn blinds and she looked up at me with fond eyes. "I love you." She whispered.
"You liar," I replied, kissing her forehead. "No one could love a scoundrel like myself. No, you're only dazzled by my incredibly good looks." She raised an eyebrow at him and he chortled. "I love you however, my wonderful little soldier."
A blush spread across her cheeks as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. "Don't be stupid." She instructed.
"Never." I said humbly, wrapping my arms around her waist. She untangled herself and reached for my uniform jacket, slipping it around my shoulders and watching me put my arms into it.
Her gentle little hands buttoned it closed and adjusted all my little stripes and bars with care. Her blonde hair shone wonderfully in the sun's rays that slipped through the blinds. She reached up and tried to fix my hair, frowning as she did so and I laughed, pulling her hands down and wrapping them around my neck.
"Come home soon." She said, her lip quivering again.
"I'll be back before you know it." I whispered, kissing her, slow and deep. She pressed herself against me as much as she could and I pulled away a bit, looking down at the space between us. "Careful." I told her, allowing my hand to drop onto her swollen stomach.
She smiled sweetly. "Don't worry about me." She assured.
I frowned at this statement. "I have no one higher up on my priority list then you and my son, Lieutenant." I stated seriously. She blushed again and kissed me gently.
"You'll be late for your train." She whispered. I sighed, knowing that she was right.
I watched her step away and pick up my gloves, handing them to me. I put each one on individually, her eyes were set firmly on my actions and then I took her face in my hands, kissing her again. "I will write you every day." I promised firmly. "Nothing will happen to me, I'll be safe."
She nodded, a lone tear falling down her cheek as she took my gloved hands from her face and leading me to the living room where my suitcases were waiting quietly by the door. I took a hesitant step forward then turned my head to look back at my wife, her hands resting on her pregnant stomach, looking at me with longing eyes.
She straightened her back and brought a hand up in a well rehearsed salute, a smile on her face. "Take care General." She murmured.
My heart wrenched, fighting all my instincts that told me to run back into that bedroom and refuse to move until she joined me. To forget about this war, to not have to leave her to fight in it.
When I came back, I would be a father…
Instead though, I saluted her back with an equally matched grin. "You too Lieutenant, please give my regards to my son." More tears flowed down her cheeks as she nodded. And with that I turned my body back, picking up my suitcases and opening the door.
The first step was the hardest; I looked back into the apartment, seeing her leaning on the doorframe again. Her long hair covered her shoulders and I couldn't go back, duty was calling and I needed to go. She didn't move from her spot, that much I knew, as I walked down the long hallway and turned out of sight.
Riza hardly breathed as she watched her husband leave without another backward glance, a sinking feeling in her heart. A little flutter, then a nudge alerted her that their child was mourning the loss of his father as well. She bit her lip and wiped her eyes, he had promised he would come back, and Roy Mustang always kept his promises.