Hallelujah

#2 – Homework

You say I took the name in vain

I don't even know the name

But if I did, well really, what's it to you?

A month had passed since Roy arrived, and Riza was getting used to his presence. She almost didn't notice the amount of dirty laundry – how many clothes did that boy need? – and the chaos on the boy's room, who seemed to be unable to tidy his little personal space. She also gave up on his refusal to eat tomatoes: she found it very childish, but she didn't tell anything when Roy asked her not to cook them. Actually, neither her liked them much.

That day she came home at midday, after she finished school. She assumed that Roy and Berthold, that were in the Master's study, didn't want to eat early, so she decided not to disturb them and tidy up the kitchen, while thinking about the lunch.

All of sudden, she felt a shiver long her spine, and felt someone's presence behind her. She moved close to the cook top with slow steps, holding her breath. She opened the cutlery's drawer and put out a knife. She counted to three, then she turned back.

"Rizaaa, tell me you're cooking…"

Before her, Roy was watching her, bored. His voice was mocking and taunting, and she looked up to the sky.

"Shouldn't be studying with my father, Sir?"

Roy smiled, then he turned his face, watching over the window.

"Don't call me that, Riza. How many times should I repeat myself?"

The girl shrugged her shoulders, noticing that the boy was still teasing her. When the boy was like that, make him work was impossible. It would have been a long day.

"You didn't answer my question, anyway."

The boy turned to her, pleased, and with an impressive gesture moved the chair and sat on the table.

"The Master literally threw me out of his study with a book. He told me he was going to work on something I was not still ready for and, if I would to be, I should study that book before. Bloody Alchemist."

Riza almost laughed for his funny expression, but then she thought about his words, and decided it was better to warn him about the possible change of Berthold's humor on the next days.

"When my father works on this kind of things, it's better not to disturb him. He has a moody personality, particularly if it's about Alchemy and particularly if it's about his Search."

Roy nodded; actually even him, during that month, had met that part of the Master, but Berthold only scolded him for being too skiver or too enthusiastic during his lessons.

"Anyway, I guess you're not studying that book. Go and got it, then sit there: it will take an hour to make lunch, and I'll let you study quietly."

Roy tried to protest, but Riza casted a fiery look to him, so he got up to take the book.

The lunch was almost ready and Riza was very proud. The winter was coming, so she decided for a vegetable soup – of course without tomatoes – that had a very good flavor.

"So, the hydrogen has three isop…isot…oh, damn! What were they? Ah, isotopes."

Riza looked up to sky; the same scene had been going on all the time. It seemed like Roy couldn't memorize those few lines about hydrogen.

"Okay, well, they are isotopes. Now how they are called. You can do it, Roy."

The girl furrowed. That was another particular thing she had discovered during that month: Roy always thinks out loud.

"So, they are protium, deur…deut…deutronium and tritium!"

"Deuterium."

Riza noticed too late she had spoken and covered his mouth awkwardly. Roy, lost his enthusiasm, stared t her with his mouth open. He looked at the book, then back to her, and narrowed his eyes.

"How did you know?"

Riza made him sign to take the book off the table, put the tablecloth on and started setting the table.

"You remained on that page for forty minutes. While I was walking around the kitchen, I read it almost eight times."

"And did you understand it?"

"Halfway. But it doesn't take much effort to learn three names."

Roy stayed quiet, taking the cheap shot. Then, with a nagging and angry voice started complaining.

"I really don't understand why I should study these things! I learnt to do simple transmutations in no time and I'm almost perfect in the hard ones, but Master keeps on not tell me anything about his search and about what his Alchemy is!"

He slammed the book above the table, in the vehemence of the heat, and breathed heavily. Riza stared at him with blind eyes, with the dishes still in her hands, frozen in the moment.

"My father is right about thou not being ready. Try to use thy brilliant mind I'm sure thou have, and find thyself the answer to your question. Alchemists study element decomposition, didn't they? Then try to elaborate a theory which would explain the use of hydrogen isotopes. That is what my Father wants from thee. But, if thou will show thou can't, he'll get immediately out of that house. Common Alchemy is for everyone, my Father's study…certainly not."

The girl's atonic voice surprised Roy, but mostly did the fact that she turned back to her formal language; he had never seen her so engaged in something. A doubt arose instinctively in his mind, and almost didn't noticed he was talking out loud.

"Why do you even care? Even if I'd get the wrong name, or I'd not understand, or even if I'd be too dense for his Alchemy, why should that be bothering you?"

Riza blushed slightly and bend her head, holding the dishes to his chest.

"This home feels good, right now. I don't mind if thou are here. I'd prefer thou to stay."

Roy looked at her, bewildered, while she finally put the dishes off and went getting cutlery and glasses. He waited for her to say something else, but when he realized he wouldn't have gain anything else, he sat down to have lunch.

Hello lovely readers! I'm back with the second chapter of Hallelujah!

Here my usual rambly notes:

A month has passed since Roy's arrival. He and Riza are gradually knowing each other, but what I want to underline is how Riza is reacting to her new life: now she lives with someone she can actually talk to, who makes requests and, above all, is alive. She finds that stimulating: she cleans the house for making up over his chaos, she pays attention to the food he doesn't like, etc.

(Actually, I find it very cute the fact that Roy, as a city boy, doesn't like tomatoes. He's a bit spoiled in my opinion.)

Anyway Riza really appreciates human interaction inside her house, so when the possibility of Roy going away shows, she reacts admitting her needs.

About the quotes: it refers to the last part of the character, Roy's speech.

Last but not least: I think (and YMMV) that Riza knew, leastwise in part, what her father's Alchemy was about. The fact she hated it doesn't mean she didn't know what he was studying. Otherwise I don't think Berthold immediately told Roy about Flame Alchemy: as he says in the manga, Berthold only taught him bases of common alchemy, but would eventually have told him about his study, without revealing the formula.

I also added a scene where Riza makes Roy study with her will-power: I believe that was something in their relationship that had always been like that.

I'm waiting for your comments and reviews! Let me know what you think about it!

See you soon!

Elizabeth