21. Repentence/Confession
A/N: Song: "Nemo" by Nightwish
Post-chapter 108. Roy's finally becoming Führer!
It had started slowly enough at first, but now it was absolutely pouring.
Riza stared out the window, seeming to be trying to will it to stop.
"I know I'm not a fan of rain, and I suppose that it annoys you when I'm useless, but I doubt even you have the power to make it stop." Roy stepped up beside her. "I don't relish the thought of having to stand out there and give a speech to begin with. Maybe I can use this as an excuse to make it short…?"
"They'll have a canopy for you, Sir," Riza reminded him.
Roy nodded. "I know. It's anyone who bothers to stand out in the rain for me that I'm worried about."
They were silent for a moment, then Roy spoke again. "It's actually kind of nice."
Riza turned to look at him. "Sir?"
Roy shrugged. "Call it cheesy, but I feel like it's cleansing everything, like I'm being given a fresh start." He looked over to Riza. "I'm not going to screw things up like I did. I know I'll always be the Hero of Ishval one way or another, but I hope they'll remember me first as the man who atoned for what he did." He resumed watching the rain.
It was another moment before Riza spoke again, so softly that he almost missed it. "However much it means, I'll remember, even if nobody else does."
It meant the world to Roy to hear her say it, but he couldn't tell her that. He could never tell her that she was much of the reason he was working so hard to atone.
That, he had a feeling, was punishment enough.