Chapter Nine: I'll Be (Edwin McCain)
A/N: This takes place after the first couple pages of Chapter 58. If you've read it, you'll know what I mean. This also assumes that Chapter 7 of this collection did not take place.
After the medical examiner had come to take Mr. Hawkeye away, Roy and Riza sat across from each other in the living room, silent and unmoving.
Riza had her head in her hands, and Roy was fairly sure that she was still crying. He wanted to do something for her, but what? If she did not want him to be there, he understood. It just would not be right to leave her alone, though. As far as he knew, she did not have family nearby, if she had other family at all.
His stomach suddenly growled; he realized they should eat.
Roy got up and walked over to the younger girl. "Riza?" He put his hand on her shoulder, and she did not pull away. Good. "Riza, we should eat something. What would you like?"
Riza stood up and headed to the kitchen.
Roy grabbed her arm. "I'll cook, Riza. You've had a rough day." Understatement of the year.
Dutifully, Riza sank into a chair in the kitchen. "Make whatever you want," she said quietly.
Good. She was being sensible, at least.
He prepared the food in silence for a while. Then, he realized there was something to say.
"I'm staying here until arrangements are made for you."
Riza shook her head. "I'll be fine."
"I'm staying, Riza." He had not meant for his tone to be so sharp, but now she was not being sensible. He sighed. "It wouldn't be right for me to leave you."
"I'm not without support here," Riza argued softly. "If it was necessary for you to stay, I'd ask you."
"You mean, if you felt it was necessary, Riza. You're going through a hell of a lot right now, and you're giving yourself shaft because of it. Please, I really need to do this. I owe it to you." Roy had stopped and was staring at her imploringly.
Riza sighed. "You can do what you want, Mr. Mustang- I'm not going to stop you."
Roy grumbled, "Apparently not," and went back to cooking.
Little did Riza know that he was making some comfort food that his mother had taught him how to cook. The noodles were just barely spicy, he vegetables in the broth simmering to perfection. As a child, Roy had preferred meat in the dish, too, so he added some beef.
When he deemed it ready, he poured the broth, noodles, veggies, and beef into bowls, and sampled some from his bowl. Not his mother's cooking, that was certain, but it would do.
Riza took a sip of the broth, and Roy could see her expression lighten slightly. After a few more bites, she asked, "Would you leave me the recipe for this, please?"
Roy nodded. "I'll teach you how to make it, if you'd like."
"Thank you," Riza said quietly, and Roy realized that she was crying again.
Roy got up and went over to Riza, pulling her into a hug. "I mean it, Riza. Even if your father hadn't said anything, I would've been here for you, anyway. There are people that I know that, if this had happened to them, I wouldn't bother. You're different. You deserve to have someone watching out for you, and I see that. I'll be here as long as you need, Riza. I can ask for money from my family or something if that's what it takes. Family shares, after all."
Ah. That made it clear. Family… He saw her as a sister or something, and nothing more. Riza was not sure if she really wanted more at this point, but it was interesting to think about, and far more pleasant than anything else in her life right now.
"Thank you, Roy."
He looked down, surprised at the use of his name. Then, he grinned. "There's that smile- like a sunny day."
What happened next was pure coincidence, Roy would swear, but no matter what it really was, the sun breaking through the clouds seemed to signify hope.
A/N: This isn't my favorite, but then, I haven't had much experience with people close to me dying, so I couldn't put the right emotions into it, I don't think.
Let me know what you think, though. Please, drop me a review!
