This is dedicated to Fmafan who wanted Royai in the rain.

They're kind of the in the rain, well, metaphorically.

I seem to make an art out of giving people want they want but not want they want at all.

I don't own FMAB.

Royai Romance: In The Rain

"Sir, we've just received word that the Fullmetal Alchemist has left the hospital along with his younger brother."

An amused chuckle was heard from the raven man sitting at his desk piled high with papers, "of course, those two just don't know when to take a break sometimes," Riza smiled at his words slightly in agreement before placing a new pile of papers onto his desk, "sir, these all need to be filled out by the end of the day," she paused, frowning as she picked up a sheet of paper on another stack, "and these were due in yesterday, please get them done quickly," though her words were nothing other than polite, the warning was clear in her voice and Roy groaned before nodding, "so cruel First Lieutenant," he muttered softly as she walked away.

But he couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as she left.

Roy was still working in his office when night fell; he hadn't been able to finish all of the forms a certain First Lieutenant had ordered him to do a few days ago, so now he was doing his best to at least get some of his work done on time for a while to avoid another display of the woman's displeasure.

It wasn't even that she got very vocal about it; she simply gave him this look, one that he's come to know so well over the years and it chilled him to the bones every time he received it.

He had quickly worked out not long after knowing the blonde that he couldn't handle getting the look more than once a week, any more than that and he was fairly certain he would crumple up into a ball of shame and fear and he knew the only reason it had such a big effect on him was because it was her who was giving him the look but that wasn't important in the least, no way, certainly not.

He shook his head as he signed another form, now wasn't the time to be getting distrac-

The phone rang.

With a frown Roy picked it up, placing the receiver next to his ear, "Colonel Mustang, we have a Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes on the phone for you," his frown deepened and he sighed, "put him through," he commanded reluctantly. He didn't time to be listening to another three hour story from the other man over how cute his daughter was today; he said as much the instant the phone was connected.

Hughes didn't answer.

He frowned, "Hughes? Hughes are you there?"

There was a click, then dial tone; he stared at the phone in confusion.

'What was that about?'

"Mummy why are they putting all that dirt on daddy?"

A barely concealed sob before the woman answered, "Because dear, they're burying him."

He clenched his hands at the woman's words, watching silently as they continued to shovel more and more dirt onto the coffin. The girl didn't seem satisfied with her mother's answer, grasping onto her skirt tightly and looking up at her with confused and pleading eyes.

"No mummy! Make them stop! Daddy can't do all his work if they bury him! He said he has a lot of work to do! Mummy, don't let them bury daddy! Make them stop! Mummy!"

It took all the self-control Roy had to not perform his own rendition of the girl's tantrum.

The funeral was painful.

There were many tears from others, many empty, comforting words and much sadness.

What was worse…

It had started to rain.

Roy always had been useless in the rain.

The phone box was splattered with blood, Hughes' blood. The thought made his heart clench, the loss of such a friend, his best friend, he almost couldn't stand it. He wanted to break down, slam his fists into the concrete, vent his anger and his sorrow, scream until he was hoarse. But he kept his composure, a cool, business-like mask giving off a calm appearance.

He bottled up his anger and his sorrow; knowing that the day would come when he would discover Hughes' murderers. He would search to the ends of the earth to find them.

Then and only then, would he release his inner turmoil.

And those who had dared to kill his best friend would suffer under his unrestrained wrath.

He felt her worried glances.

Others would not have been able to tell if she was concerned, thinking the blonde to be a cold, serious woman devoted only to her work.

But Roy knew.

If it was her, he always knew.

He knew the meaning of every slight shift in her expression, every twitch, every sigh; some might think it odd for him to understand her so very completely, for her to, in turn, understand him in such an intimate manner.

But they understood each other because she was Riza, and he was Roy.

And she was the only woman he ever truly wanted to understand.

But just this once, he ignored her. It wasn't fair and it left a sour taste in his mouth, but he ignored all the distressed looks she'd give him, he ignored all the concerned, gentle touches on the shoulder or the arm as she tried to comfort him. She was worried with how obsessed he was with finding Hughes' murderer, he knew it, and he knew it was causing her stress, because she didn't want to see him suffer.

But just this once, he didn't care.

"Did you kill Maes Hughes?"

It was a question he asked many suspects, though sometimes differently worded.

He would ask the question and wait, holding his breath, anticipation fuelling him, his fury ready to rise at the single confirmative word only to be supressed once more when the asked would shake their head with confusion, often asking who the man was.

This time it was different.

The homunculus – Envy, a sadistic shape-sifter who enjoyed tormenting people – had not denied his question. Rather, a cruel and amused grin had seemed to almost split his face into two as he laughed and taunted the raven, choosing to describe in great detail exactly what how he had killed the man.

At Envy's confirmation, Roy smirked, feeling his rage boil over, his vision tunnelling to focus only on the monster in front of him, his mind filled with murderous thought of anger and pain.

He would finally get his revenge…

At least, that is what he thought.

He had been consumed by his memories; he burned the creature over and over listening to its screams and cries of pain, its begging for him to stop. But he wouldn't stop. This thing had killed Hughes, it had dared to harm his best friend and then to go after his First Lieutenant. Such a thing would not, could not, be forgiven.

But the click of a gun made him pause.

He turned to see Riza with a determined expression on her face, he could see the sadness and the pain but a resolution in her gaze as she pleaded with him to not go where she couldn't follow.

And that – out of everything that had happened, all the consoling words, all the comfort all the pleading – was the one thing that made him pause. Because she was the one who said it, and because of what she was saying.

He didn't want to lose another precious person.

He placed a hand on the gun she was directing at him; he wanted to embrace her, to thank her, because after losing his friend, he had lost himself as well. But through it all she had stood by him, she had trusted him and protected him and he didn't deserve someone as incredible as her.

Ever since Roy had learnt of Hughes' death, he felt like he had been stuck in the rain, surrounded by cold, icy water, unrelenting as it hammered down on him, draining away any happiness or joy he might have felt.

He had been in the rain for so long.

Roy hated the rain; he was so useless in it.

But luckily, Riza had brought an umbrella.

There we go, last of the updates.

Threw in a bit of HughesxRoy bromance for the heck of it.

Also a lot of angst because apparently that's the only thing I'm good for (and even that's questionable haha).

Anyway, feel free to review and request! I'll do my best to get to them quicker now that it's school holidays!