To Thine Own Self Be True
Chapter 35 - Back To Normal
The following day, sun peeked into the house and found a little puppy begging at the front door to go outside. But his cried were ignored for now. The house lay asleep as the sun's rays began to spread across the wooden floors. It peeked into the single bedroom and scanned the room. The bed lay un slept in and neatly sheets remained folded at the top. A small little dent in the center showed the puppy made it his bed last night in the cold night. The sun continued to search the house until it found it's owner sleeping in the living room wrapped in the arms of her lover under a extra large blanket. The fire place was dark and cold for the fire went out hours ago. The sun's warmth tickled the cold bare skin of the two entangled on the carpet and wooden floor.
It was morning in Hawkeye's house and the only movement was that of the dog. That was, until the alarm clock went off in the bedroom, startling both lovers. The sudden sound of an ear piercing beeping caused the two to scream to the ceiling. It had been a long time since Riza last heard hr alarm clock. She was usually up before it went off.
As she sat against the cold brick of the fire place panting as the beeping continued. She quickly grabbed the blanket and wrapped her body in it. She looked around the room and found her lover leaning against the sofa panting.
"What the hell...?"
He questioned her, rubbing his head which he hit on the sofa.
"Sorry, alarm clock."
Riza smiled and rose to her feet, walking across the cold floor, kicking her gown to the side. She enter her room and shut down the rude clock and then entered the living room once more.
"I forgot all about it. Usually I wake up before it goes off."
She smiled and began picking up her clothes off the floor. She grabbed her robe and managed to put it on and close it before dropping the blanket. She tossed the blanket and a pair of boxers over to Roy who put the shorts on.
"Why is it going off anyway? Do you get up that early every day?"
"Yup, I need to walk... no no no Black Hayate wait!"
Riza skated across the floor as her puppy lifted his leg at the door. She unlocked it and threw it open pushing the dog outside just in time. She leaned against the door panting as she watched her dog sniff around the small yard. She sighed and closed the door, turning around to face Roy who was laughing.
"If he did, you would of been cleaning it up with a toothbrush."
"Yes sir."
Roy did a mock salute, one hand raised and the other holding his boxers up which for some reason kept falling down. Riza shook her head and tossed her purse at him, which was conveniently sitting by the door on a table. Roy caught the purse and looked in it. Riza relised what she did and tried to get the small black bag back from him. Roy pulled out a small change purse and popped it open. A few dollars and some change with a spare house key. He put it back in. He saw Riza attempting to get it back and he moved away from her.
"Hmmm... what is this? A little black book...?"
Roy pulled out a small address book and flipped through it.
"Who is... John? And what about this James? Oh... I think I'll take this Anna's number..."
Riza managed to grab the book and Roy laughed. He continued to go through her purse.
"Should of known."
He pulled out a gun clip and checked it. It was full. e placed it back inside the purse and pulled out a small tan container. It looked like a pair of long skinny binoculars, only no eye holes(1). He examined it and found a latch. He was about to open it when Riza tackled him to the floor. She took the case and tossed it under the sofa.
"Playful are we...?"
Roy ran his hand over her tickle spot and she slapped him. He laughed as he struggled to stand up and walk away, taking her purse with her. She placed the book back in and went to fetch the container. She grabbed it and placed it back inside and closed the purse.
"Mine, no touch. No look, no nothing!"
She carried it with her to the bedroom where she closed the door. Roy scratched his head and grinned. Soon, Riza emerged from the bedroom holding a pile of neatly pressed clothes and her purse.
"I'm taking a shower..."
"you just took one last night."
"Number one I'm a girl, I'm a clean freak..."
Roy smirked at this. He knew she was a clean freak, his office was always clean.
"Number two, I smell like sex thanks to you."
"Oh, so it's my fault you pulled by boxers down... right I see how it is..."
He got hit in the head with a set of keys Riza pulled from her purse. When he re opened his eyes, she was gone and the bathroom door was closed. He sat down on the sofa and waited. He tossed the keys in the air and caught them again. He repeated this a few times until he heard a scratching at the door. He opened it to have the dog come back inside and walk off to the kitchen. The puppy begged at his empty food bowls and stared at Roy.
"your mommy will be out soon."
But the pup continued to beg.
"Sheesh, this dog is on a schedule just like his owner."
Roy began to look around for dog food and found it in a top cabinet. He poured the dog some food and changed the water. When he turned around, he saw Riza standing dressed in her military uniform. All that was missing was her jacket. Her hair was clipped up and her earrings were in. She held in her hand a purse which she pulled lip gloss from and applied it. Once she was done, she placed the purse on the kitchen counter and walked over to Roy.
"Thank you."
She kissed his check and pulled a travel mug from the dishwasher and filled it with hot water in which she inserted a tea bag and some honey. She opened the fridge and pulled out a pre sliced thin slice of lemon and dropped it in the mug before closing the mug. She looked at her watch and walked out into the living room.
"Roy, come boy."
Roy mumbled something under his breath as he entered the living room. He stood in the doorway and stared at her. She pulled something off her coat rack and tossed it at him. It was covered in a dry cleaner bag and he had to open it to see what it was. When he opened it, he saw it was his old colonel's uniform. It was cleaned and pressed neatly. He stared at it before he looked up to see her smiling. He looked back down and saw the rank bars were missing. So was the shoulder straps which held his old rank strips and stars.
When he looked back at her, he saw she was pulling something else from her purse. Se pulled out a small brown bag and pulled out some things from it. In her hand she held his rank bars and the straps which buttoned to the shoulders of the uniform.
"I kept them all these years, praying that one day you would return."
"Where'd..."
"Remember the night you... well... they were left in Havoc's room and after everything was over, he gave them to me to hold since I was the only one not living in the dorms. Shortly after he gave them to me, the dorms were all searched. I removed the rankings because they came to my house weeks later. I lied and said the uniform hanging was mine, they never found the ranks..."
Roy stared in shock. When he was demoted to a corporal, his uniform changed. It was a different color and didn't hold the silver stripes like the higher officers did. And since he didn't work for the military, it was designed differently to tell them apart. He looked back at her and she held her arm outstretched with the ranks in her hand.
"I'm not a colonel anymore..."
"Roy... you were never given a fair trail. You were never able to explain your actions because you were ill. It's time to take back what is yours... Taisa sir."
Riza smiled and Roy stared. When he was demoted, he swore off the military. But now, his heart was screaming at him to change and got to the military. He took one last look at the rank in hi hand and smiled his famous Mustang smile. Without another word, he disappeared into the bathroom. Minutes later, he emerged clean and dress. He approached Riza, who now had her jacket on and was getting ready to leave. He stared at her rank and smiled. She was promoted higher and he was glad, she deserved it.
"Well, Taii..."
He smiled, she was no longer his lieutenant, but it was tradition for him to call her Taii, just like she still called him Taisa. He held out his hand with the ranks and she smiled and approached. Hayate wagged his tail happily as he watched his owner attach the ranks.
She started with the shoulder straps. She snapped them into place and tucked what need to be tucked. She then began to work on his chest rank bars. She placed them on slowly, making sure to make them straight. Each bar held memories, for both. From the rebellion in Ishbal, to the small wars all over Amestris. The last one was finally on and she stood back and saluted.
"Sir..."
Roy looked once at his uniform in the mirror which hung next to the door and smiled. He turned to Riza and had her end the salute. She stood at attention before her once superior officer. Something remind her of something else and she removed herself from the room. She returned after a moment more and in her hands carried a small wooden box with Roy Mustang engraved on a plaque on the top. She approached him and in front of him she lifted the cover to reveille the contents. Shinny polished gold, silver and bronze badges sat neatly in a purple velour lined box. In small cutout, his state alchemist watch sat in the cover of the box. He stared at it. It was his box with his badges and watch. He looked at her.
"While you were in a coma, I broke into your apartment and stole these to protect them from being confiscated by the military. I knew they were gonna try to demote you and I knew they would take these back, so I hid them here, in the least likely place(2)."
Roy smiled as he looked at the badges he received, and then the familiar watch which he always used to carry.
"I thought the military took back my watch."
"They took Major Armstrong's. He lent it to me and we were able to use his as yours. Late, Armstrong reported his watch missing and they gave it to him."
Roy smiled. He couldn't believe everything his old subordinates were doing for him. He nodded his head and Riza placed the box atop her sofa. She removed one badge a a time and pinned it to Roy's jacket. She started with a silver one which had a blue ribbon. As she applied the badges, Roy explained what each one was. The final one was tri-gold with a green and white tri-folded ribbon. This was his favorite one. He recieved it during the Ishbal rebellion . Once it was on, Riza lifted up the box and Roy removed his watch(3). He opened it up and saw it was still ticking away. The time was correct and he closed it, cliping it to his belt and then tucking it into his pocket.
Riza stepped back and looked at him. It was the same image she was used to seeing years ago. Her Taisa, Colonle Roy Mustang the Flame Alchemist.
A/N - (1) - girls might know what it is, but you boys don't. Its a tampon container. Holds two.
(2) - underware drawer.
(3) - only state alchemists are allowed to touch the watch, no other military officer is allowed to.
Please review. No FLAMES (Thats Roy's job only). Please look in my profile oo0AnimeChild0oo for all my other stories. And again, thanks for reading.
"Write a wise saying and your name will live forever"
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