DICLAIMER: I don't own fma or any of the characters.
CHAPTER 22 – Thoughts, Assumptions and a New Find?
Roy marched down the street in rage.
How could she possibly say that she didn't know what I knew she was going to say! Of course I knew what she was going to say!
Roy, did you ever stop to think that maybe you didn't know what she was going to say? A voice told him.
No. Was Roy's answer, but still, how could I not draw the conclusion that she DIDN'T love me? That she was 'playing' me?
That's exactly the point. You draw conclusions. You don't stop to think that maybe that's not what's true or what she was going to say.
You just don't get I-!No you just don't get it! You assume that you know. You assume that you know everything! You can't blame her for saying that 'cause it's true.
Roy didn't reply but let the being's words tumble over in his mind. Maybe he was too quick to judge. Maybe he shouldn't have gotten mad at Riza and listened to what she had to say. All the maybes' invaded his mind.
Ok. I'll agree with you there but still-'But still' nothing. You presumed that she was going to reject you and tell you that she didn't really love you. You didn't get her a chance to explain so instead to not face your fear you shut her out and made her angry. It was practically your fault…
She's the one who questioned me after I asked her why she fell in love with me, that is if she ever did-Man Roy! Can't you possibly get it through your thick skull that maybe she was just joking? Just being sarcastic? Of course not what am I thinking?
Roy thought. Maybe that was true although he never knew Riza to be one that joked around like that. Then again he didn't know her too well outside of the office…
Precisely, now if I were you I would go and tell her sorry and listen to what she had to say.
This time Roy ignored the voice. He wasn't one to listen to others too easily seeing as he was often stubborn. Instead he walked the rest of the way to work in a poor state of mental balance.
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BACK AT ROY'S HOUSE---
Riza stood there by his bed nearly dumbfounded with anger and sadness. Her fury pointed towards the man who owned the bed, the room, and the house. Her sorrow for his misunderstanding. She hadn't meant her words of questioning her love for him. She was merely joking. Roy had taken offense at her declaration. As soon as she realized this she had meant to clear up the mistake but he wouldn't listen to her. That had pushed her over the edge into rage. Riza went overboard in adding her last comment about him being the Flame Alchemist. Watching him go and hearing him initiate a fuming cry as he walked out the door forced her to break down in tears.
Why? Why does he assume that I don't love him? How could he possibly think such a thing? He doesn't know how much I hurt because of his distrust.
Then her thinking took a whole different turn.
Wait. What am I thinking? He deserved it! It's his own damn fault for thinking what he thinks. Fine! If he wants to be an ass and think he knows me through and through than that's his own damn decision. I'm not gonna take anymore of his assumptions.
What if he didn't mean it? You didn't exactly show that you were joking.
So he should know me better than that.
You're a real hypocrite you know that? You say you're tired and annoyed of him making theories about your thinking, well you just did the same. You assumed that he would know that you were 'playing'.
So what if I did?
Well seeing as he only knows the you from work, the one that's always serious and never laughs at Havoc's or Maes' jokes I don't blame Roy for thinking that you were being completely serious.
Ok I get your point. But I'm not going to-
You should apologize even if it's not your fault. It takes two to tango so it takes two to fight. Show him you truly love him.
He won't talk to me. I know Roy well enough. He's stubborn he won't give up on anything whether it's his dream of becoming the Furhur or simply to not speak of this… I know him that well…
Well Riza, my dear, that's your judgment but take my advice. You might possibly regret not ever trying to get him to talk to you. Just keep that in mind…
Riza could only sigh as she walked through the front door fully clothed in her uniform as she shut and locked her superior's house door.
---
The morning began at the office awkwardly. The feeling in the air was uncomfortable and it radiated from both the Colonel and the First Lieutenant. The other members of Roy's unit sat at their desks wriggling in the touchy tension that seemed to seep underneath the door of the officers' door.
The day went on without an outbreak. Unusually there were no bangs of a gun firing off at a certain alchemist. It was abnormally quiet in Roy's office, which made Fuery, Breada, Havoc, Brosh and Falman a bit concerned. Secretly they had called Hughes to notify him of the tilt in atmosphere.
Maes Hughes had arrived not too long after their call nearly stunned at the pressure of emotion that hovered over the office like a dark rain cloud. Peaking into Roy and Riza's office, he saw why. After two minutes of observing he noticed that they were at all times at arms length, literally. He never once saw either of them speak to each other but saw many glances exchanged between the two parties.
Maes decided that it was time to intervene. The discomfort was making him uneasy and that was saying something. He nearly broke down the door as he 'threw' himself into their office with a little help from Havoc.
Both Roy and Riza looked up at the person who so rudely barged into their office. Only seeing that it was Maes Hughes, Riza turned her attention back to her work. She scribbled away, keeping her head down.
"Hey Riza- I mean Hawkeye- do you think you could leave Roy and me here alone?" Riza heard his question. Soundlessly she stood and without another glance or word she left the room.
Maes rounded on Roy the moment the door shut.
"Roy, is there something you aren't telling me?" Roy blinked in surprise. Just how much did Maes know? Roy thought.
"No." was Roy's automatic response.
"C'mon Roy I've known you for how long? I think I would know if there was something wrong…" Maes trailed off.
Roy merely sighed and turned his head to the side. Swiveling his chair away from Maes, Roy looked out from the window behind him. It was Maes' turn to sigh. Sometimes Roy can be so difficult.
"Roy…"
"Maes just leave me alone. I don't want to talk about it." Roy interrupted. Maes shot the chair that Roy was sitting in a stern look.
"Roy this is getting ridiculous! You've been moping around most of the morning from what I've heard and not only that you've ACTUALLY been doing your work. I know when something's wrong and this is a sign." Maes approached Roy. Putting his hand on the head of his chair and spun him around to face him.
"We all know you love her. For whatever you've done you might want to apologize unless you want to live the rest of your life alone and misunderstood." Maes emphasized the last word.
Roy thought about his words. Then he realized he used 'we' and 'her'.
"Maes, just how much do you know?" Roy asked hesitantly.
Maes turned 180 degrees and smiled a sinister smile that was his.
"Oh, more than you know Roy. More than you know…" and with his last words he stepped from the room with his evil smile to leave his friend in thought.
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Maes knows. But how? We didn't kiss outside the- Roy stopped. The office. He knows because he was the one who put the tape recorder on the bookshelf. I wouldn't be surprised if he had help… those guys are in SO much trouble! Just wait… you'll have the time of your lives boys. Roy snickered with a smirk plastered to his face.
His expression then fell as the door opened. There stood Riza, his love. Choking back a lump in his throat he watched out of the corner of his eyes as she did everything without feeling. Her face was clear, blank of all feeling. It was as if she either put on a mask to hide herself or she just switched off her emotions. Either way Roy wished he could do the same thing, just to stop pain he saw every time she was in a room.
Remembering Maes' words he put his pen down and rubbed his face, the rough skin on his hands pushing on his face. Leaving his head in his hands he took deep breaths. Later, He thought, I can't deal with this right now.
With that he decided to sleep it off. Roy stood a bit unsteady from dizziness he made his way over to the coach that was conveniently placed near Riza's desk. Plopping himself down he turned his back so it faced the outside world as his eyes snapped shut.
Rizahawkeye21A/N: Thank you to all of you who reviewed last chapter. As I had told some of you I would update and here it is. I hope it's to your liking as I got up really early to finish it for you. This chapter is dedicated to all of those you reviewed. I greatly appreciate it. Now review please!