smile when you feel like crying
Characters: Riza Hawkeye, Rebecca Catalina
Timeline: Pre-manga, pre-Ishval-War
It had been a good day for Riza Hawkeye. She had been complimented on her amazing aim and she had gotten the last slice of chocolate cake at lunch. Yes, the day had been really good until –
"Aren't you writing home?"
The question had been innocent, kind even.
And yet, it hurt more than a punch straight into the face.
The truth was: Riza would like to write letters as well. She would love to show the replies from her boyfriend to her peers. She would like share the sweets her mother sent her like the others did. She would love to spend the money from her father on lipstick like everyone else. She would proudly wear the sweaters knitted by her grandmother.
But she could not.
She had no one she could write a letter to. She had no boyfriend. She had no loving mother, waiting at home for her to come home for the weekend. She had no father either and all he had left for her was the cursed tattoo on her back. She had no grandmother who could send handmade sweaters.
And so she had gotten up and left the room because no one was supposed to see the pain.
"Oi, Hawkeye."
She turned around, facing Rebecca Catalina, the most popular girl. "What's the matter?"
"I got no one to write either," the brunette said. "My father disowned me when I joined the army, my mom's dead and the only one I could write is my grandma I have never even met."
"You always write then the others write."
"Yeah, short stories in letter format so that no one gets it," the other girl shrugged. "It's not nice to deceive them but I don't want to have to answer questions." She held out a box of chocolates. "Just do the same or something. It makes them back off. … oh, and learn how to smile when you want to cry. It helps a lot around here."