an: time to wrap up the promised day. hope you enjoy!
song for this chapter: bon jovi - we don't run
1915
i'm not afraid of burning bridges
'cause i know they're gonna light my way
like a phoenix, from the ashes
welcome to the future it's a new day
The fight against Father was not what Riza had been expecting. Roy had briefly described the situation as they were lifted into the sky by his alchemy – that they needed to drain Father's Philosopher's Stone and the many lives contained within it in order to beat him. Numerous souls being trapped inside one man was unfathomable, however after learning about homunculi, "world ending" plots, and one being's desire to become God – however briefly that had happened – Riza didn't think it was too far out the realm of possibility at this point in the day.
Riza had been Roy's eyes, guiding his attacks and gauging distances for their target. She let him know what was coming their way and when to defend against it. It had been difficult as her vision wavered with exhaustion, but Riza pushed through. With a quick slap to her cheeks to perk herself up, Riza forced herself to keep it together and continue fighting.
After a rather large stream of fire from Roy, Father sent it back their way with no mercy.
"Incoming attack, dead ahead!"
Roy clapped his hands and dropped like a stone, slamming them into the ground. Riza kept her grip on his shoulder, so her body jerked as he moved, but managed to maintain continuous contact. After the sharp movement her head spun, and a burst of light-headedness almost overwhelmed her. Through the fog in her vision Riza saw a wall of stone pop up from the ground as a shield. It sent the incoming flames off their path, dispersing them around and away from them.
"Nicely done," Riza complimented, feeling relief relax her shoulders as the force of the flames stirred her hair and loose jacket. She hadn't even had time to explain what was coming, but Roy had saved them both, as well as Major Armstrong, from being consumed by the fire.
Roy smirked and thanked her, remaining low. Once Father's attention had been diverted away by someone else, Riza patted his shoulder twice, indicating they were about to move. Wearily, Riza steadied herself with a hand against Roy's chest and one on his shoulder.
"You okay?" He picked up her slight sway before they started to move, as well as how hard she was gipping onto him. It was much needed to keep her upright. He was a pillar of support that kept her moving forward.
"Fine," she nodded, starting to move.
Riza guided them around the wall of stone, so they'd have a clearer view of the fight. Roy's arm slid around her back, holding on as tightly as he could. More support. As they walked, he assisted with keeping her upright while she assisted with keeping him on a safe path. They worked together fluidly ducking out of the way so Major Armstrong could demolish the wall with an enthusiastic yell and alchemise it himself, turning it into an attack.
"Are you really okay?" Roy prompted her again. It was not out of disbelief towards her, but probably fear of the unknown in his current state.
"Tried, but okay," Riza reassured. "You don't trust me?" She made sure to pat his chest affectionately and keep her voice light so Roy could hear she was only joking, as a means to lighten the mood.
"On the contrary, there's no one I trust more." He faltered as Riza tugged him gently to the side, prompting him to sidestep to avoid a large stone. "That's why I asked you to be my eyes, after all."
Riza angled her head to look at him, smiling.
"However, I know what you can be like, Mrs. Mustang," he teased. The corners of his lips tugged upwards slightly in a smile.
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
Her quip was quickly forgotten and before Roy could open his mouth to reply, Riza pulled him up short.
"Debris, incoming! From the left. Fifty feet in the air."
Roy clapped and dropped low again without missing a beat. Riza followed him, crashing painfully onto the concrete as her knees almost gave out. Both palms hit the gravel, scraping her skin roughly as it bit into her skin. Darkness consumed her as a sheet of stone rose up and covered their heads. It extended far over their bodies, much larger than was necessary, however, Riza appreciated it, nonetheless. There was the sound of gravel as it rained down upon their shelter, followed by a loud thud above them. Riza looked over, noticing Roy's drawn expression and how he cringed at the loud noise. She tried not to think about how and where that could have hit them if she hadn't noticed it in time.
"Are we okay?"
"Wait here." She squeezed his shoulder as she passed by, crawling towards the edge of the shelter he'd made.
"Riza?"
It was much larger than she realised, and it took a while to reach the edge, especially in her tired state. Her muscles protested and shook as she moved along the concrete. Sharp stones bit into her palms, irritating her skin.
"Riza?" Roy prompted her a second time, impatience and concern clouding his voice.
"I'm fine," she called over her shoulder. "We're fine. The shelter's a lot larger than anticipated. I'm still crawling to the edge."
Looking out, Riza found they were safe. Her tired legs quivered as she fell to the side and sat on the ground, before shuffling back over to Roy.
"I made it too large?"
"After that thud we heard, nothing could be too big," she reassured.
"I suppose you're right," he chuckled.
"The expanse was much appreciated," Riza reassured, placing a hand on his back. "Head straight forward. You're safe and there's nothing in the way. Just stay low so you don't bang your head." The ceiling above them wasn't too low, however, she didn't need to add a potential concussion onto their already too long list of injuries.
She eased herself out after Roy. A heavy hand was placed on the roof of the shelter to help Riza lift herself to her feet.
"What's our next move?"
"Everyone's attacking with alchemy," Riza explained as she looked around the battlefield. "They're draining Father's power, but they need more."
"Then let's give them more," Roy smirked.
She nodded. "I'll give you the signal." Riza grasped his elbow and turned Roy so he was facing Father directly. "He's dead ahead and unmoving."
"Do I need to hold back?"
"No," she replied firmly, giving his elbow a squeeze. "Give the bastard all you've got."
Roy snorted, muttering it would be his pleasure as he wrapped an arm around Riza's waist. She rested her hand on his chest, moving the other to his lower back, sliding it underneath his uniform jacket, as she watched for an opening.
Another round of shells and a boulder hit Father's shield but didn't pierce through. Izumi transmuted the ground to rise up, high into the air, forming a cone around his body. Father didn't move, didn't react. He remained still.
"Now, Roy!"
The fire burned so hot and so bright that Riza took an instinctive step back. Her eyes screwed up after the blinding flash of flames. As the light eased the fire became a violent vortex inside Izumi's transmuted cage, towering high into the sky. Embers fluttered on the wind across the battlefield as everyone cringed, taking brief cover from Roy's alchemy.
It still hadn't been enough. Riza's stomach dropped.
Nothing was enough.
Except…
The attacks continued and Riza watched on as Edward approached, almost striking Father in the head with a well placed kick. However, Father had to block Edward's leg physically, rather than using his shield.
"Anything?" He was hopeful, but Roy's tone was still reserved as he asked for confirmation on his attack.
"It hasn't been enough, but –"
Edward was thrown off to the side, landing in a heap painfully after he rolled to a stop. Riza's heart jumped into her throat and her grip on Roy tightened as she feared for the teen and his safety. He'd already lost his automail arm, thanks to Father. She didn't want him to lose anything else.
Black tendrils of smoke started to escape from Father's mouth. He clutched his head, body bowing forward and writhing in pain.
"He can't keep the power of God he claims to have in check anymore!" Hohenheim's cry echoed around them as Father continued to struggle to keep a hold of his power. Red sparks jumped around his body as they all stared in disbelief and horror. An eye appeared inside Father's mouth, staring out at them all.
Father screamed as the light reached a crescendo. A pulse of energy pushed out from his body, blasting back everything in its path. People went flying into the air with a cry and Riza didn't even have time to warn Roy of what was coming when it hit. Their grip on each other loosened with the surprise of the sudden attack, as they were knocked back in the shockwave of energy.
Riza hit the ground painfully, landing on her back. The wind had been knocked out of her, causing her to gasp and desperately try to refill her lungs with air. Rolling onto her uninjured side as she coughed, Riza searched for Roy. He'd landed a few feet away from her.
"Riza?" Roy coughed as he lifted himself slowly to his knees with a groan. His expression was twisted into a grimace of pain and his back was hunched over, his body curling inwards as his arm clutched at his stomach. "Riza!"
She couldn't even reply to him. She tried, but still felt like she couldn't breathe. Roy started to crawl in her direction, following the sound of her heaving breaths. His arm never left his stomach as he moved and his shoulder dropped every so often, giving out underneath his weight.
"I'm okay," she tried, but it was nothing more than a croak in between gasps.
Roy's hand reached for her calf, which he clamped onto immediately. He ran it up to her hip, over her waist, then to her shoulder.
"Riza?" His hands fretted over her, his expression pulled into deep concern.
"I'm fine," she finally managed.
Roy's hand slid up to her neck, his touch gentle as his thumb stroked her cheek.
"The wind was knocked out of me."
"Apart from that, are you all right?"
Riza grimaced as she assessed her injuries. Nothing felt too hurt or out of place. Her back hurt from the impact but that was it. "Sore back," she revealed, "but it'll be okay."
"Do we have time to take a minute?"
Riza glanced around, noticing others rising to their feet slowly and nodded, a movement which Roy felt. "We do."
"Easy," he soothed.
Her elbow supported her weight as she shifted to a half-seated position. Roy's hand moved to rest on her back, taking some of her weight, but the arm across his stomach remained in place.
"Are you okay?" Her breath left her in a wheeze as she tried to speak louder.
He grimaced. "My old wound is playing up. I think I landed on something, but I'm not entirely sure."
"Let me see." Riza shifted and sat up properly to take a look at him. Gently, she pried Roy's fingers away. "There's no blood." She looked back in the direction of where he'd landed. There was some gravel littering the ground accompanied by some larger stones. "It looks like it might've been a stone. Something blunt, but solid."
"It certainly felt that way," Roy chuckled, but it was pained.
They helped each other to their feet before they were halted by a chilling call.
"Al, no!"
Riza's head snapped up in alarm as she heard Edward's cry.
Lying on his back, Alphonse's arms were raised into the air, where he clapped. That one clap seemed to echo around the whole area, signalling a finality that Riza didn't particularly understand but could definitely feel.
Blue light consumed Alphonse completely, expanding outwards, however, this was much gentler than Father's had been.
"Alphonse!"
Riza looked on in disbelief and with fear, after hearing Edward's anguished cry.
"Was that –?" Roy never even finished his sentence and Riza didn't think she'd be able to reply to him anyway, because Edward Elric miraculously had his arm back. The automail was gone. He surged forwards and ripped the rebar from his arm, attacking Father without mercy.
Everyone cheered him on, urging him to keep fighting. A true show of moral support for the teenager who was squaring up against the one person who had tried to kill every single one of them.
"Edward!" Riza offered her own cry, urging him onwards to beat Father. Her heart was in her throat, thinking that he finally had a chance to stop this, to put an end to Father and his scheme. Her pride for him surged inside her chest, wishing, and hoping that his alchemy attacks would be enough to stop him once and for all.
"Fullmetal!"
Riza turned to look at Roy. He was looking in the direction of the fight, but all he had to go on was the yells around him. She gently placed a hand in between his shoulder blades, rubbing his back slowly.
"Riza, what is it?" His head briefly turned to acknowledge her presence but returned to face ahead, towards the battle. "What's happening to Fullmetal?"
"He's fighting Father," she relayed. "It's a fist fight. Everyone's cheering him on."
"Is… Is he winning?"
"Looks that way," she confirmed, almost hesitantly, in fear of jinxing Edward's chances.
"Do we need to assist?"
"Not right now. But we'll stand by." Riza stepped closer to him, moving her hand to his shoulder as Roy wrapped an arm around her waist. She leaned on him for the moment, giving herself a brief moment of rest.
Riza watched as Edward Elric struck Father again and again, until finally, Father was beaten. After a powerful strike to his stomach, red streaks escaped from Father's new body made of carbon - thanks to Greed's sacrifice. What seemed like thousands of souls raced into the sky above, dissipating the higher they climbed, until they were gone. Father staggered before dark hands sprang forth from the hole in the centre of his torso. He screamed in desperation as he fought against their restraints, but there was nothing he could do. The small hands consumed his body whole, leaving nothing in their wake. He winked away into nothingness.
The world was silent as everyone basked in Father's defeat.
"Did he beat him?" Roy's voice was quiet as he voiced the question. The arm around Riza tightened its grip a fraction as he waited for an answer.
"Yes…" Wonder clouded Riza's tone as she was suddenly flooded with relief.
It was finally over.
There was movement around Edward as people began to approach him. His father was speaking to him, but Riza didn't know what about. With an anguished cry, Edward looked over towards her and Roy. Riza wasn't sure what he was searching for in that moment – they were too far away to make out any distinct conversation – but Riza trusted him. She nodded once in encouragement.
Whatever he needed to do, she'd support it.
"What's happening?"
Riza didn't want to tell Roy, to reveal what sacrifices had been made in order to defeat Father, but she couldn't keep the truth from him.
"Alphonse… Al is… gone."
"Gone?" Roy was immediately alarmed. His body tensed.
"He – He sacrificed himself and returned to the gate. I don't think he's bonded to his armour anymore." That thought terrified Riza, but she exhaled slowly, willing herself to remain calm. Alphonse was incredibly smart and would have known what he was doing. She placed her trust and faith in him, as well as his brother, knowing what they were capable of.
"What?"
"Come on," she encouraged, sensing Roy's anxiety. "Let's go over and see them."
Roy's feet were moving immediately, walking forwards with purpose and confidence. Once Riza had caught up she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder before sliding it down to his elbow. Carefully, she guided him around the debris and breaks in the concrete.
Edward was sketching something on the ground by the time they arrived. The piece of rebar scraped along the stone, sometimes catching, and squeaking horribly enough to make Riza wince.
They were both silent as Edward drew a transmutation circle.
She didn't particularly want him to go ahead with it. After hearing Edward being referred to a sacrifice and his disappearance, she just wanted him to be safe… But Riza trusted Edward and his abilities. He knew more about alchemy than she did, and knew his ultimate goal was to get his and Alphonse's bodies back. Whatever he had planned, it would work towards achieving that, Riza was sure.
After a flash of light, Edward was gone. Riza tried her hardest not to panic. This was the second time Edward had gone to the gate and with Riza's own personal experience of someone going to the gate, it was not one she wanted to witness again or wish on anyone else.
The payoff, despite Riza's fears, was certainly worth it.
Another flash had her shielding her eyes, but when they opened, Edward, and his brother Alphonse – not in a suit of armour, but in a real, human body – were sitting before them.
"What happened?"
"It's… It's Alphonse. He's…" Riza blinked at the grinning face of the young man before her.
"He's what?"
"He's back in his body." The smile that spread across Riza's face almost split it in two. Slightly dazed still that she was finally looking upon Alphonse Elric in the flesh, Riza slid her hands underneath Roy's black overcoat. His arms lowered from her body automatically so she could remove the piece of clothing from his shoulders. "I need your jacket."
Roy didn't protest and proceeded to shrug himself out of it.
She stepped forward and held it out to Edward. He paused as he gazed upon his brother's face and turned, showing Riza everything she needed to know about how elated he was to see Alphonse in the flesh again. His eyes were filled with tears, but they never fell. His grin wobbled on his face as emotion overwhelmed him, but when he set eyes on Riza he inhaled sharply, sucking in a breath as he tried to compose himself.
"Here," she offered warmly. Riza gave Edward a proud smile, handing over Roy's jacket.
Edward took it gratefully and wrapped it around Alphonse's small form. It dwarfed him, but it was him. It was Alphonse.
They'd done it.
Those two kids had really done it.
Riza laughed quietly to herself as she slipped her arm around Roy's back. She placed her head on his shoulder as she held him, blinking away tears.
Roy pressed a kissed to the top of her head "Is everyone safe?" His question was quiet, spoken in a breath so only she could hear him.
Riza nodded against him. "They're okay."
Alphonse laughed and Riza felt Roy's head jerk up as he listened carefully, recognising the sound and noticing how it wasn't distorted by hollow metal.
"They're both back."
In the aftermath of the battle, those who were well enough to keep working assisted with assessing and moving the injured. Both Roy and Riza were ushered into a hastily thrown up medical tent so they could finally be seen to about their injuries.
Roy sat on a chair by her bedside. Both of his elbows rested upon his knees and his head was down, facing the floor, as they waited for a medic.
She'd been given priority status. Being a civilian was a pain because Roy could pull that excuse and get Riza help faster than anyone else. No one wanted to argue with the man who'd successfully staged a coup either, so the urgent request was undisputed. Riza huffed quietly to herself. There was no doubt in Riza's mind that her injuries were serious - she was well aware of the fact she'd almost died today - however there must have been others who needed immediate medical attention before her. She'd seen the result of the fight with her own eyes, seen the bodies. Riza would feel guilty taking up a space in place of someone who needed it more.
There was no use in arguing with Roy though. Once sitting on the cot assigned to her, Riza had removed her jacket as instructed by the trainee medic and pulled aside her shirt as best she could, exposing her injured neck to the world. Roy had fumbled to find her shoulders once she was settled and gently pushed, urging her to lie down. Automatically her mouth had opened to fight it, to insist she was okay and could manage, but his brow had been furrowed with such deep concentration as he felt out the dimensions of the bed with his foot – probably worrying he'd push her off the edge – that Riza just situated herself on it comfortably and lay down.
Lying there, her head spun often. The blood loss was hitting her in waves and hard enough sometimes that it made her whole world blur. However, she fought the urge to let her eyes droop closed like they so desperately wanted to. Roy had asked her to be his eyes and losing consciousness would mean that would disappear for him. She didn't want him to be left alone.
A sigh left her husband making Riza's head turn on the bed. It didn't move far. There was the distinctive feeling of her flesh moving that made Riza pause and bite her teeth in discomfort. It felt like the skin of her neck was moving against itself in a way that was not natural. As though the wound was open and gaping, open to the elements and the dusty air of Central. Forcing the thought from her mind, Riza let out a slow, quiet breath to calm herself. The urge to reach up and touch her skin, just to make sure it was still stitched together, made Riza's fingers twitch. Casting the disconcerting feeling aside, Riza tried to think about anything else.
Remembering his sigh, Riza tried to watch Roy out the corner of her eye as best she could. She was worried about him. He would be just as battered and bruised as she was. Not to mention he'd been stabbed through both of his hands. Physically, there were no issues with his eyes. Truth had taken his vision away. That was it. Riza's heart sank as she realised that he'd never be able to set his eyes on their children again. He wouldn't physically get to see Mia or Maes grow up, grow taller, or witness them succeeding in anything with his own two eyes. The thought was sudden and unbidden, bringing along with it a wave of tears that made her nose run as one escaped her lids and fell into her hair. She tried to remain quiet. Roy would only worry if she didn't, and she had no way of articulating any of her emotions after the day they'd had.
However, she failed. At the sound of a sniff, Roy's head jerked up. He searched in her direction with concerned eyes as he tried to determine what was the cause of her upset.
"Riza?"
"I'm fine," she reassured, breathing out slowly as she got a hold of herself. Being so exhausted was wearing her thin. It was breaking her down.
His hand reached over for her, searching for contact. Riza grasped it, feeling him holding on for dear life.
"Please tell me what's wrong," he begged her quietly. His voice caught in his throat as he spoke.
It broke her heart. He'd always been very attentive and noticed a lot about her, even the minute changes in her mood or expression. They'd been together for so long that Riza found herself feeling the same way as him, easily picking out his moments of stress or worry. Now that was all gone for him.
"I'm all right, I promise. I've just been doing some thinking."
"About the kids?"
Riza froze, and Roy noticed. Shifting in his seat, he moved closer and swiped his thumb over the top of her hand. The bandages across his palms were coarse against her skin, but his fingers were the touch she remembered.
"I was thinking about them too," Roy admitted.
"If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine –"
"I would always want to talk about it with you, Riza," he interrupted softly. "No matter how hard it may be. I…" He coughed, then swallowed thickly. "I keep thinking about Mia's smile," he frowned, "Maes' too, as well as yours. I keep trying to picture them in my head, but it doesn't seem right. It feels like a figment of my imagination, like a false picture. And I… I want to see them again. Just to check."
Sorrow engulfed her. Tears collected in the corner of her eyes. "I'm sorry, Roy."
It surprised Riza to see him shrug. "It is what it is, I suppose," he stated grimly. His expression was pulled tight though, indicating he was lying. The muscles of his brow trembled before relaxing with a heavy sigh.
"Roy…"
"I should've gotten so much worse in this life," he scoffed. "This," he gestured to his eyes, "is a punishment, I suppose."
"It still wasn't right for them to force you to open the gate so Father could try and kill everyone," Riza reminded him. "Plus, you're still needed in this country."
His blind eyes lifted to meet hers, but they weren't on her face. They were looking just above her head on the bed.
"You successfully staged a coup and took down a corrupt power, one that was trying to kill all of this country's citizens. You had a dream, remember? We're not there yet. This was only the beginning."
"I don't know if I can get there blind," Roy replied gently, trying to soften the blow for her - or for himself. "I had a vision," he chuckled darkly, "and now it has been taken away. Quite literally. How kind of Truth," he scoffed, casting his eyes down to the floor.
Riza struggled to sit up in the bed. Her neck ached, the muscles shaking with fatigue, and her head grew woozy as blood rushed there.
"What are you doing?" He'd sensed and heard her movements. Roy's brows pulled together in disapproval.
"Come here," she commanded.
"Riza –"
"Come here," she repeated calmly, tugging him towards her gently by his hand.
Huffing, Roy stood and took a tentative step. Patiently, Riza guided him over to the cot, making sure he was sitting comfortably by her side. Her weight leaned heavily against his side as he snaked an arm around her back.
"We're both alive," Riza stated, eyes fluttering closed to relish in the warmth he provided. "We're both physically able to walk and talk."
"Except you shouldn't be," he muttered, referencing her insistence that she was all right.
She nudged him gently with her weight, a slow smile spreading across her face. "No, I shouldn't be. Not anymore, anyway. But I couldn't let the team down," she smirked.
"You were extremely helpful in that final fight against Father. I feared I would've hit our own soldiers if it had just been myself."
"Happy to be of assistance, Colonel."
"I ought to promote you to a Lieutenant," he added thoughtfully, angling his head so his cheek came to rest upon it. "Make you my aide full time. And Hayate too. That pup was invaluable today. He has a nose for homunculi, who knew?"
"I bet that would've been useful to discover beforehand," Riza snickered.
"Oh, absolutely! I would've taken him to the office and let him loose to see if he could sniff them out for me," Roy joked. "It would've saved me so much time and effort."
"You're just lazy."
"… Maybe."
Riza snorted, enjoying hearing his amusement as well. They laughed quietly together on that bed, both alive. Knowing that everything he'd work towards over the past year was over… It was surreal. Despite the tumultuous storm of emotions and fatigue brewing inside of her, one emotion that stuck out the most in that moment was relief. They were alive. They'd won. The plan to stop Father had succeeded and they were both still here to see through the aftermath.
"It's all over…"
"I know," Roy agreed. "It's hard to believe, isn't it?"
"I'm proud of all you've accomplished, Roy."
"Most of it is thanks to you."
A proud smile fought its way onto her face.
"I just listened."
"And that help was invaluable. Your input has always been a massive help to me, and I want to hear it every time I come up with a plan. It kept me on the right path and kept me moving forward." His head cocked to the side in thought. "I really should enlist you. You'd be a big help at the office. I could probably promote you straight to a Lieutenant too after all your help today," he tempted.
Riza hummed tiredly to herself.
"Get some rest, Riza." Roy's body turned slightly and a hand ran up her arm slowly to find her face. Once he did so, a kiss was pressed against her forehead.
"I will," she reassured, feeling a wave of exhaustion roll over her entire being, now that her eyes were finally closed, and the adrenaline had worn off.
"I'll be here when you wake up."
The wound on her neck was throbbing in time with her pulse and it would be so easy just to stop fighting and let go, give into her fatigue, and let sleep claim her.
"Sleep." Roy's command was soothing, lulling her further into unconsciousness while reassuring that he would be right there beside her, every step of the way.
Reality returned to Riza slowly. She didn't remember dreaming of much. There were fleeting memories of Mia and Maes' faces as she slept peacefully, but not enough for her to grab onto and remember why they were there. It was a comfort, seeing them again. Now, in the land of waking, that comfort was replaced by longing. She wanted to see them. Riza wanted to hear Mia's tales from her holiday with her grandmother and see Maes' little hands reach for her with a grin, begging to be held close.
Her entire body ached. That was the first thing she noticed. Every muscle felt like it had been through the wringer and then some more. They protested as she tried to shift on the hard mattress below her back, a light grunt erupting from her throat.
"Riza?"
It took a moment to realise someone was calling to her. Her head turned to the side automatically and Riza instantly regretted it. A sharp pain suddenly flared there, making her hiss loudly. She gasped, squeezing her eyes tightly closed as a hand clumsily lifted to protect the area of injury.
"What's wrong?"
Roy was fretting. Slowly, Riza turned her whole torso to look over at him, grimacing at her aches and pains, and opened her eyes. His hands were ringing together in his lap. His eyes were wide and staring in her direction, flicking back and forth.
"I'm all right," she soothed, but it didn't lessen the nervous energy so apparent within him. "I turned my head too quickly."
"The doctor said you have to keep it as still as possible," he admonished firmly.
Riza almost nodded, then realised that probably wouldn't be the best idea. "All right."
"But are you okay?" He was stressed, still worrying over her.
"Roy?" She called to him, waiting for a response to try and slow down his mind that was probably picturing the worst, given his expression. It worked because his head perked up immediately and his hands still in his lap. "I'm all right."
It took a moment, but slowly his shoulders relaxed. His posture slumped slightly.
"Promise?"
"I promise," she replied sincerely.
It couldn't have been easy for him to be unable to verify it for himself. He trusted her implicitly, Riza knew this, but still, suddenly becoming blind would be difficult to adjust to. He'd always been so good at picking up how she was feeling from micro expressions alone, so the sudden lack of it would be frustrating. Not to mention the fact she'd probably been out of it for a while. It certainly felt like it, despite still feeling exhausted upon waking.
Before anything else could be said, there was a knock at the door and Breda entered. Riza watched as he and Fuery piled into the room with grins on their faces. They stared at her, ecstatic to see she was awake.
"Hello," she greeted warmly, extremely pleased to see them all.
Before anyone could reply, Rebecca Catalina stole all of Riza's attention, just like always. She butted past them both hurriedly, stopping as she zeroed in on Riza.
"Riza!" The volume of her cry made her wince. "I'm so glad you're okay!" Riza's vision was filled with the black hair of Rebecca's ponytail while she was enveloped in her best friend's arms.
Riza patted her friend on the back gently. "Hey, Becca."
"How are you doing?" She wasted no time pulling away to examine Riza's face with a critical eye.
"I don't know," was Riza's honest reply, "other than I feel okay. I just woke up."
"Any pain? Any discomfort? Do you need to… go?"
While her questions were short and sharp, Riza still appreciated her friend's concern.
"Fine, Becca," she soothed, patting her forearm. "It's just sore when I move my head."
"You keep it still then. Do you hear me?" A finger was shoved into Riza's face. "Don't go messing up the good work the hot doctors did on you."
"Hot doctors?" Riza raised an eyebrow at her.
Rebecca's face lit up in glee. "You were so lucky," she snickered.
Roy cleared his throat from his bed, unamused.
"I'm kidding, Mustang," Rebecca stressed, but still loudly whispered, "no, I'm not," before slipping off the bed, walking over to Roy's. "And how are you doing Colonel?"
"Ready for the day," he nodded, very matter of fact in the way he spoke.
"Good. We have a lot to cover," Rebecca announced, taking a seat by his bedside. Her legs were lifted, propped up on the edge of his bed. Feeling the dip, Roy turned his head downwards towards them, but said nothing.
"She's right, boss," Breda interjected. He pulled a book out from underneath his arm and flipped it open. "Good to see you awake, Riza," he grinned before continuing.
"It's so good to see you, Ma'am," Fuery gushed, eyes twinkling with joy behind his glasses.
"You too," she replied. During the Promised Day, she'd lost sight of them and was glad to discover they were safe and visibly unharmed.
"Before we get into it, could we get a minute?" Roy's question had no room for argument as he gestured between himself and her.
"Uh, yeah, of course," Rebecca hastily reassured. Her feet hit the linoleum floor with a thud before standing.
"Of course, boss. We'll be back…" Breda shot Fuery an uncertain look. "We'll give you guys some time. We'll be back in an hour."
"Thank you."
The three of them filed out, leaving Roy and Riza alone. She felt exhausted, feeling it creep up into her head and take residence behind her eyes, forming a dull pain, after only a few minutes of conversation. Just what she needed on top of the slowly receding pain in her neck. A headache.
"Do you need anything?" Roy's tone was asking her for the truth. Pleading with her for it. He couldn't see it for himself so needed her to be honest with him and give more than an 'I'm fine.'
During the Promised Day there had been so many bigger things at stake than her. Riza had kept focussed and kept moving forward, to do the right thing and put an end to those that had wronged her, her friends and family, and the entire nation with their lies and schemes. She had to be there to assist Roy and help the Elric brothers fight Father. Looking at the bigger picture, it was absolute top priority that they succeed on that day. So, her own health and wellbeing were pushed aside for the greater good. She was filled with dismay to realise that her insistence of being 'okay' had resulted in Roy pleading with her for the truth. He shouldn't have to, but now that they were safe and unknown danger no longer lurked around every corner, Riza knew what she had to do.
"I don't feel like I need anything at the moment," Riza answered. "My neck hurts a little bit," she added quietly, "and it really hurt after I moved my head too quickly."
Roy's fingers dug into the sheet over his legs.
"So I'm staying as still as possible. It was an automatic reaction to turn my head. I need to remember not to do that."
"Like I said, the doctor said you have to keep it still." His voice was authoritative, betraying his worry and concern for her. "They said the morphine will probably wear off soon, so if it does, we have to let a nurse know. Has it started to wear off yet?"
Riza paused to assess how she was feeling. "I'm okay for now. The pain from before is already fading after I moved too quickly."
Roy's lips pursed. "If you need more, we will get you some –"
"I'll let them know if I do need more, I promise."
Roy nodded, but Riza could still see the tension in his body. He would never fully relax, Riza was sure.
One idea to assist and make things easier on him popped into Riza's mind.
Throwing the sheet off her body, Riza slowly swung her legs out of the bed. Every muscle protested and she groaned quietly.
"What are you doing?"
"Just… Give me a second."
"Are you getting out of bed?" He asked as if it were the most ridiculous course of action she could have taken. "Riza –"
"I'm fine. I can walk okay." Her feet were sore as they contacted the floor and the muscles in her legs were aching, but that was just from overexertion.
"Get back into bed," he growled at her. "You shouldn't be up –"
"This will help us both," she interrupted him. There was a brief feeling of light-headedness as she stood, but it passed quickly.
"How?"
Riza didn't answer. She shuffled over, movements stiff after being still for so long, but she managed it.
"Move over," she commanded, nudging his shoulder gently with the back of her hand.
Roy was unimpressed, but did as she asked. Riza slipped into the bed next to him with slow and careful movements. As much as she would have loved to curl up against his side, she couldn't with her neck, so opted to remain on her back. However, Roy took up the mantle for her. He rolled onto his side and immediately latched onto her. His arms pulled her into a tight embrace, one that told Riza she'd have great difficulty removing herself from his hold. Not that she minded at all.
"You will be the death of me, woman," he muttered. Immediately his head was by hers, his breath warming the skin of her face. His forehead came to rest upon her temple.
"You love me for it though," Riza countered with a smile.
"I do." Roy lifted his fingers carefully towards her face, contacting her skin gently. He caressed her cheek with his thumb before cupping her chin and moving forwards to kiss her cheek.
He placed his head on the pillow and adjusted the arm that lay across her stomach. With his bandaged palms he couldn't grip onto her completely, but his fingers did as best they could. His hold was still weak – a detail Riza noted and shelved for later. If he pressed too hard with his fingers, from the direction his palms had been sliced into, too much pressure may aggravate and reopen his wounds.
"Now I feel much better," Riza sighed happily.
Roy hummed in agreement. "I must admit, I do prefer having you by my side."
Riza ran her hand up his bare arm, noticing him shiver. "I can't imagine it's been easy."
"It's hard being unable to see you for myself."
"How long was I asleep?"
"It's been about two days. It's hard to grasp time and keep track, but that's what the doctor said when they came in this morning. So probably just over that."
"I'm sorry I was away for so long." He'd asked her to be his eyes, and she'd left him.
"It's hardly your fault," he scoffed lightly. "You sustained life-threatening injuries and needed to be cared for too, as well as rest."
"I know." She swallowed. There was a twinge in her throat as she did so, and Riza silently hoped the injury wouldn't affect that action too much.
"You getting the help you needed was my top priority. I'm just glad to finally be able to feel and hear that you're up and awake."
"I love you." Her hand stopped on his bicep and gave it a quick squeeze.
"I love you too, Riza." A kiss was pressed against her shoulder just below her bandages.
"How are you feeling?"
Roy shrugged. "Sore and tired. They performed surgery on my hands. There was enough to work with to repair some of the damage but they won't be perfect. However, the correct care and physical therapy will help. And my vision… I'm completely blind. I won't recover from it."
Riza nodded in acceptance. She always thought that would be the case. Hearing it confirmed wasn't easy, but she'd support him through it. They would adapt and adjust.
"We both went through a lot on the Promised Day."
Roy nodded. "We did. And you…" He swallowed. "Helping me with Envy…"
"I would do it again in a heartbeat, you know that."
"I almost lost it all." His voice was hoarse.
"You stepped back from it though. Being subjected to torment like you were over the murder of someone you loved… How could anyone not be upset over that?"
"I yelled at you too. That was undeserving when you were only trying to help." Roy snorted, his face twisting in disgust. "It seems I have a track record of that," he added bitterly.
He moved to pull away from her, but Riza didn't let him. She held on tight. "You were upset."
"That's not an excuse."
"No, it's not. But you were upset and teetering on the edge. They were trying to goad you over the edge, but you didn't let them."
His head bowed so his forehead came to rest upon her shoulder.
"You won that battle. Remember that."
Roy was silent as they lay there. As they did so, Riza's mind wandered towards her own wrongdoings on the Promised Day.
"Besides," she swallowed, "I'm not completely innocent in all of this either. I killed someone."
Roy's hand moved from her stomach. He rubbed her upper arm gently in comfort. The bandages scratched her skin slightly, but not uncomfortably. "I can't tell you that guilt and regret will ever go away, because it doesn't."
Riza clutched at his shirt tighter, scrunching it as she realised his meaning.
"But you're not alone in this," Roy reassured her. A kiss was pressed against her shoulder. "I'm right here."
"I know you are."
"You saved my life, and I'll be forever grateful to you for that, however, I'm aware it comes at a price. I'm sorry you have to pay it."
"I vowed to myself that I would do anything to protect my family." Riza swallowed. "And I meant it."
"It still doesn't make it easy, does it?"
Riza shook her head. "No."
"Talk to me whenever you need. Although it was incredibly difficult, sometimes impossible, I wish I had opened up more after Ishval. If I had, I could've maybe spared us some heartache."
"We were both still young," she reminded him. "Your world had been cruelly turned on its head and you'd been turned into a weapon, so, on an emotional level, I don't blame you for wanting to briefly shut it out."
"I could've been better, though."
Riza sighed. "We learned from it though."
"Sometimes I didn't," Roy grimaced. "What I would give to take back how I handled Hughes' death."
Riza patted his shoulder in comfort. "I think we were both at fault. Grief isn't easy and it can be unfair. Especially when forced upon us so suddenly and," Riza swallowed, "so violently."
Roy repositioned his arm across her stomach, giving her body a tight squeeze. "We made it through in the end."
"We did," she confirmed.
Silence descended over them as Riza struggled to try and find the right words she needed to voice her thoughts.
"How… How do you deal with it, day-to-day? The memories of what you've done?"
"Before the Promised Day it was by working towards the coup. By taking down Bradley and the corrupt powers, I was working towards stopping something like Ishval from happening again. Now that's over with… I want to rebuild Ishval. That's the next project on the agenda. That's why the team has been coming here every day, so I can learn about their customs and practices. I took part in taking that away from them, so I'll work to give it back. Then…" He exhaled a long breath. "After that, I will continue to try and make up for all that I did until my last breath."
"After Ishval?"
Roy nodded. "If I become Fuhrer I can enforce laws that ensure nothing like Bradley and Father will ever happen again. By devolving power and turning the system into a democracy, it removes it. And then, those who were involved with Ishval will be punished for their war crimes."
On instinct, Riza's body stiffened. They'd been over this. They'd discussed this outcome plenty of times and she'd somewhat made her peace with it, however, it didn't mean it was easy. However, she'd respect his wishes, as well as the Ishvalan's.
"Sorry," he added quietly, noticing how she tensed underneath his hands.
"No. No, it's okay. We have to talk about it."
"If my execution is called for by the elders, then I won't fight it. I have no right to deny them of how they judge me."
Riza swallowed. "Obviously, I don't want to lose you. I love you. However, I want you to know I would never fight it either."
Her shoulder was squeezed tightly.
"It… It hurts to think about and talk about. It always has, throughout the years, but…" Riza sighed, the weight of the conversation settling heavily on her heart and her mind. "I agree. We can't take that away from them. Not after what you did." Riza almost cringed at the bluntness of her words, but she shouldn't shy away from what happened. Roy wouldn't, so she shouldn't either.
"You're right," he agreed.
"I helped put that out into the world, so I always felt partly responsible. I suppose that will be my punishment for it."
"It may not even come to that. If they don't choose that avenue for me, then I keep on working as best I can. Whatever happens though, we will deal with it."
"Yes," Riza agreed, "and I will be with you every step of the way."
His fingers lowered to entwine with hers. The digits were stiff and couldn't move too far, which made Riza think back to her concern about how much pressure he could apply with his hands. Riza curled her fingers around his carefully.
"We can work to redeem ourselves together."
"Until the very end," Riza vowed.
Roy's head cocked to the side when she let go of his hand. Riza shifted on the bed, rolling into her side. It wasn't painful like she imagined it would be. Her neck showed no signs of discomfort as she lay down on the soft pillow.
"You okay?"
"Perfect," she smiled. She brushed his fringe off his face.
Roy lowered from his elbow to lie next to her. His hand found her lower back and he shuffled in closer to her body. Gently, she cupped his cheek, but noticed how he flinched slightly at the sudden contact.
"Sorry," she murmured, alleviating the pressure she'd placed on his face.
"No, I didn't realise what you were doing."
"I'll need to be slower and more careful in the future," she scolded herself lightly.
Roy lifted his bandaged hand to place it on her wrist. He pressed her hand back against his cheek, back to where it had been when he'd flinched. "You don't need to do anything. You're perfect. It's… jarring. Being in such inky blackness and feeling something so suddenly, not knowing where it came from. Especially after everything we went through that day."
Riza studied his face as she tried to rack her brain for a way to announce herself before touching him. Her thumb stroked his face lightly and he sighed into her touch, his body relaxing underneath it.
"What is it like?" She hated to ask, but she wanted to know, so she could find or work out some way to help Roy ease into his new condition.
"It's terrifying. I hate it."
Hearing that was like a punch to the stomach.
"And I want to see you again. I so desperately wish I could." His breath hitched and as Riza blinked, tears appeared in her eyes. "I miss you," he admitted hoarsely. "I miss your beautiful face and your gorgeous eyes," he grinned as a tear tracked down his cheek. "And your winning smile." His hand lifted to cup her face, and he made contact with no issues whatsoever. He didn't bump into her or end up off target.
Riza smiled. "You did that without thinking," she praised. Her fingers trailed from his temple to chin, stroking the skin lovingly as she smiled. "You knew where I was."
His mouth opened then promptly closed again.
"We'll work through it," Riza whispered, closing her eyes as their foreheads moved to rest together. "I promise. You won't go through this alone."
"I know." Roy inhaled sharply before letting it out slowly. The hand on her cheek moved to rest on the back of her neck. "I know I won't."
She kissed his cheek, pulling him into a tight embrace. The two of them remained there, holding each other, finally able to do so and rest properly after all they'd experienced on the Promised Day. For Riza, she finally felt at peace laying there in Roy's arm.
Two hours passed before Rebecca knocked on the door, apologising, but asking if they were ready to get to work.