A note from the Hime no Argh herself—
Ooh, more reviews this time, thanks! Good to know people are reading and enjoying. I've had a lot of fun writing these little things (a lot of frustration too). I'll just continue on until there's nothing left to explore. This particular piece is another of my favorites. It's difficultto get inside the colonel's head.
Title: Some Day
Summary: After taking her parents away, there's something Mustang wants.
Disclaimer: Not teh ownage.
Some Day
He came to visit often, the man who had killed her parents. Aunt Pinako welcomed him, even though she knew his presence must make Winry uncomfortable. She had never quite forgotten, not yet forgiven. It wasn't that she didn't think he regretted it—she knew he did. But old scars never really healed, and as far as she was concerned, the man who had taken her parents away from her could suffer a little for his sins.
The house was so full these days, with Rose and the little one, Schiezka on occasion, Al whenever he needed a break from Izumi's strict tutelage. The small intrusion upon her life when Roy Mustang and Liza Hawkeye visited was tolerable, if not wanted. And she didn't mind Liza so much. She liked when the Lieutenant talked about what Mustang's company was doing these days, asked how Alphonse was doing at Izumi's, confided that she and Mustang occasionally discussed marriage. But him…there was simply nothing to say.
"Why does he come?" she asked Liza once with just a hint of bitterness, as they sat together on the porch in the dying sun, sipping tea.
The Lieutenant took a long time answering. Winry had come to discover that she liked to be precise about things.
"There are several reasons," she said at last. "Partly he feels responsible for Edward's disappearance. He wants to look Alphonse in the eye and make sure he knows that he bears this responsibility willingly. Obviously it's impractical to visit Izumi, so he visits here instead, hoping to encounter Alphonse."
Winry nodded. That made sense. Izumi was notorious for her indiscriminate hatred of the military and everyone involved.
"And, of course, there's you." Winry had expected that, but couldn't help a slight flinch; Liza pretended not to notice. "You know he regrets killing your parents. He knows you haven't forgiven him yet. He's waiting for the day you do."
"I might never." It was a difficult thing to confess, knowing how much the older woman cared for, perhaps even loved, her commanding officer.
"Yes, I know," was the calm reply. "So does he. That's not what matters, not so much. He doesn't expect your forgiveness. I don't think he even truly wants it. He looks in your eyes and sees the bitterness and loneliness there, and the accusation, and he welcomes it. The pain and the weight of his sin, because he can't and won't forget. He comes here to let you hurt him."
Winry stared at her companion. "That doesn't make any sense."
"Of course it does," Liza said mildly. "Pain is better than nothing. If you can't feel, you might as well be dead." She stared up into the sky, her eyes seeing something Winry couldn't. "Hurt him, Winry. Cut him down as many times as you want, until your sword is blunt. Then someday, if you can, forgive him. For his sake, and for yours."
The sky was blood-red and the dying sun lit the entire valley on fire. Winry sipped her tea and watched the sun sink into oblivion behind Rizembool's mountains, trying to comprehend the way adults' minds worked.
Next link: Withering Flower
Rose despairs over the man she thought she'd never see again.
