25: Superman (Five For Fighting)
A/N: Sometime after Maes's death. Not very long after, but a little, at least.
Roy looked out the window of his apartment. Riza stood across the room, arms crossed, leaning against the wall, but gazing out that same window.
"Sometimes I wish I could just leave it all behind."
Roy turned, surprised at what Riza had just admitted.
Or maybe not. "That's what you're thinking right?"
"Not quite." Roy sighed. "I'm always wishing I could leave it behind. Ishbal, I mean. But I can't, can I?"
Riza shook her head. "No matter how much we wish we could go back and do it over so that we didn't make those mistakes…" Her attention turned back to the sheeting rain outside. "But if anybody can make it right, it's you."
"I wonder…"
"Please, don't. You have a dream. You're committed to it. And it's an admirable dream."
"It's a dream that could break you."
Riza inhaled a little sharply, but maintained her composure. "Then so be it. Better me than you."
Roy smiled sadly. "I'm not invincible, Riza. I can't save myself sometimes, and if there is some sort of God out there, he knows I couldn't save a friend when it mattered most."
"That's right. You're not, you can't, and you couldn't, but you're still here. That's what matters," Riza told him. "You're just a man, it's true, but men can accomplish dreams. It may take their entire lives, and they may make mistakes. They may chase the wrong dream for years. They may stumble and fall. Roy, I never expected a perfectly smooth trip to the top. I knew it would be hard, but I believe in your dreams and goals."
"But what if it's all for nothing?"
"But what if it isn't?"
Roy looked down. "It's so hard some days," he said quietly. "But they expect me to move past what I've done. They expect me to play by the rules in the hopes that I'll just give up."
Riza walked over to Roy and pulled him against her. Without a word, Roy fought the tears until he was too exhausted to keep it up.
"I wish I was stronger."
"I wish you were, too. I wish things could just fall into place." Riza sighed. "But then there would be no meaning to achieving your goals. So it's too much sometimes. You have the right to cry, to bleed, to dream. Then you'll eventually get up and go on; that's why I believe in you."
"It's not easy."
"No, it's not," agreed Riza. "For any of us." She felt a tear slide down her cheek.
They stood there, just embracing and crying for a while.
Because of their mistakes.
Because of their sacrifices.
Because sometimes, to just be there, even if you're crying, too, is enough.
A/N: I heard this song on the radio, immediately went, "Royai!", came home, and wrote this.
Oh, and to all those who celebrate the following, I hope Easter and Passover are wonderful this year!