DISCLAIMER: I don't own fma or any of the characters.
CHAPTER 22 – Haunting Memories
Roy sat on a train in the middle of nowhere. There was nothing but sand dunes for miles around. Still, he stared out the wind intently as if he were watching an interesting show. Really he was in deep thought. He was barely twenty years old and here he was going to war. He didn't know what to think. Sighing he heard a noise from the other side of the compartment. The door had swung open revealing the one and only Maes Hughes.
"Hey Roy!" Maes had cheered happily, "Guess what! Look at my girlfriend! Isn't she just the best?" Maes' stuffed a picture of a young girl who looked around the age of eighteen, possibly nineteen.
"Yeah Maes." Roy agreed. Although he didn't exactly 'agree' he thought it was better just to go along with his friend's thoughts. She was pretty don't get him wrong just her type wasn't for Roy. He wanted someone who was beautiful but could be independent and strong when needed. He had seen Maes' girlfriend, Gracia, beg many times to Maes that he should quit the military. Roy wanted a girl that would be supportive of his decisions whether that was what they wanted or not. Determination was also on his list of traits he was looking for in a girl.
Ignoring Maes rumble on and on about his girlfriend, Roy stared out the window. The growing haze in the distance signified that they were nearly there. 'They' being all the state alchemists. All the 'Dogs of the Military' were ordered to join the rest of the army and fight off the Ishbalans.
Stepping off the train that had pulled into a makeshift station, Roy wobbled his way to the baggage compartment. When he arrived he noticed that there were a line of snipers. Roy scanned his eyes over the row. The men were all nearly as tall as the other except for the one on the end, the end furthest from Roy. He then noticed why, the supposed 'man' was actually a woman.
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Arriving in his designated tent, Roy dropped his stuff near a bunk and headed towards the appointed bathroom. He walked into a stall. Unintentionally, Roy's ears eavesdropped on their conversation. Since he wasn't close enough to hear the hushed words he only caught clips of their discussion.
"Did you see that sharpshooter?" One soldier asked the other.
"Yeah, wasn't she…."
"Hell yeah, I'm mean I expected to see some women here but not one as hot as…."
This was when a third soldier entered the chat.
"Dude you don't wanna go near her." He said.
"Why is that?" one of the men asked, "Is she a-"
"NO! At least she doesn't let on if she is…. Highly unlikely… Hawkeye isn't one to… "
"How would you know?" the other soldiers asked.
"Trust me… I've know her the whole time we've been here… she hasn't swayed one way or the other… mean… she's not exactly-"
"What? Friendly…"
"Could call it…"
"I'm gonna try…"
"If you don't want your … shot off…stay away… you." The newest entering soldier warned the other two.
Those were the last words being said as he heard the bathroom door slam shut.
What had that one soldier mean? Who was Hawkeye? Of course a woman by the sound of the two men talking, still why would, could she be so hostile towards men? Roy would just have to wait and find out.
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Grumpily Roy rolled out of bed to a call from outside his tent. Pulling back the flap he was surprised to find a soldier. Not just any soldier though, the blonde haired brown-eyed woman sniper. Remarkably, Roy didn't look her up and down like he would just any woman. This certain one had an air around her that seemed to suffocate you with the words "Touch me and you have a high chance of dying". Roy, not being an early bird though his action was not only smart but also the right one seeing as he could barely walk a straight line.
"Yes?" Roy questioned. The young woman stood attention and saluted him. He was the apparent superior officer.
"I would like to speak to the Flame Alchemist if you don't mind." Her clipped voice showed no emotion.
"I am the Flame Alchemist. Pleased to meet you…" Roy trailed.
"Private Riza Hawkeye, sir." She replied in her same monotone. Roy inclined his head.
"Follow me sir. There is someone wanting to see you."
Accompanying the young soldier, Roy began to wake up. Usually he would have to have coffee and cream but it was especially bright out seeing as there was no shade besides the tents that stood up beside him. Now somewhat awake, he couldn't resist taking his eyes off the subordinate in front of him. Roy watched as Riza Hawkeye's hips swung back and forth with every step she took. He couldn't exactly see her curves because of how baggy her uniform was. Roy could've sworn that if he hadn't seen her front side then he would've though she was actually a guy by the way her blonde sun bleached hair was cut short like a man's.
All too soon the two reached their destination.
"I leave you here." She simply stated. Roy took that as a que to enter the tent now.
Upon entering, he was greeted by many 'underclassmen' as they filed out of the tent and the one and only Maes Hughes.
"Hi Roy! Come in! I sent Private Hawkeye to get you; looks like she's not only good on the field but off too." Immediately, being who Roy was, the line threw Roy's thoughts to the gutter. The daydreaming smile must have been plastered to his face, for Maes laughed hard.
"C'mon Roy get your head out of toilet. I'm being serious!" That only made the smile on Roy's face grow wider. Maes' expression went straight. Abnormally, Maes stood up from his makeshift desk and walked over to Roy. Placing both hands on his shoulders Maes shook him.
"ROY! I need you to be serious. I know it's early but listen to me!" this was where Maes' voice lowered to a whisper, "I assigned Hawkeye to you so I know that you won't get hurt. Friend to friend please be careful out there. I've seen many of the strongest brought down by a simple mistake. So for your safety don't stray from Hawkeye's watchful eye or it might just be the last thing you'll do."
Not astonishing Roy had listened to his friend. So that's why she was outside my bunk so early, huh? Roy thought.
Roy took his leave to find Hawkeye standing outside the tent faithfully. The only difference was that she wasn't alone.
The Crimson State Alchemist now stood next her trying to get her to either do or say something. This Roy knew after having known the slimy bastard since training for becoming a state alchemist.
Roy's exterior appeared extremely calm but his insides were the exact opposite. He was enraged at the Crimson Alchemist for doing what he does best, annoy and infuriate people.
"Get away from her." Roy said as peacefully as he possibly could while standing near the bothersome villain.
"No, Mustang. I'm quite comfortable here so bug off." Kimbley, the Crimson Alchemist replied smoothly. This earned him a disgusted look from Hawkeye. Seeing this, Roy advanced on Kimbley.
"I said get away from her. She's under my command and anyone who has to put up with you I feel deeply sorry for."
"Oh well excuse me Mr. Flame. I wouldn't want to be burnt to a crisp because I said something wrong." Kimbley smirked. That's when Riza Hawkeye stepped in.
"Sirs, if you would stop bickering like a couple of children, Mustang and I have patrols to go through." Riza interrupted their conversation. She curtly nodded to the Crimson Alchemist as she walked off to weave her way through the cluster of tents. Shooting Kimbley a death glare, Roy reluctantly followed. Trying to keep his 'perverted' eyes away from Hawkeye's figure he looked around at the surrounding military officers. None paid attention to the subordinate and superior treading through their campsites on towards the eerie buildings that lay in ruin in the distance.
Traveling over sand dunes wasn't exactly what Roy had in mind at the moment. He was so hungry his stomach was literally growling at him. Hawkeye must've heard his stomach or at least read his mind for she stopped and spun around to face him.
"There's a food station where we are headed. Don't worry, you'll get your food." A ghost of a smile surfaced on her creamy, ivory skin. When she kept on marching forward, a small smile twitched at the corners of Roy's chapped lips. Continuing after Hawkeye, Roy wet his lips walking fast to keep up with the blonde private.
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The memory dissipated. In its place left houses, stone structures demolished. Completely sabotaged was the city of Ishbal. Roy could feel his eyes widen as his eyes fell upon a young woman with a military uniform wielding two handguns. She appeared to be out of ammo for both her hands, which held the weapons, dropped to her sides where they were left limply. A man with dark skin and if he were to turn around and face Roy, he probably would have had red enraged eyes.
He cornered the military woman between him and a wall that amazingly had withstood the torture that seemed to engulf the city at the present time. Without a second thought, Roy raced to aid Hawkeye as the ishbalan took aim. A split second later a bullet echoed through the coming of night air. That's when Roy lost it. That's when he snapped, literally. Without hesitating, his fingers didn't have time to hold the snapping position, as the guilty Ishbalan was swallow up by a wall of flames.
Jogging towards the wounded soldier, Roy held the eighteen-year-old girl in his arms. Her breathing was shallow as she tried to grasp for breath. Each intake of air becoming less and less. Roy didn't know what to do. His mind was frozen, blank.
"Come on Hawkeye stay here with me. There's more to be done." Those were the words that tumbled out of his mouth. He applied pressure to her bullet wound as he repeated his first sentence over and over again. This moment was the first in a long time when Roy felt like crying.
"Roy…" A voice penetrated his mind.
The next thing he knew, Roy was up right in his office with Riza Hawkeye perched next to him with a worried expression upon her beautifully soft face. He leaned over and tugged her into a tight hug. His left hand stroking her hair.
"I'll never let you go again, never...never...never." he whispered in her ear with the softest most heavenly voice that Riza had ever heard.
From behind her Riza heard an unfamiliar sound, yet it seemed so well known to her. Then she heard a sound that she nor possibly anyone else, besides maybe Maes Hughes, had every heard fall from Roy Mustang's lips. It was a sob. Behind the sob, his body began to shake against Riza's as his near death grip became even tighter if imaginable.
Hearing Roy's cries and feeling his lack of warmth, Riza clutched Roy, as he wept longer. He didn't need to explain why he was crying. Riza had a feeling that she already knew. She understood for she felt the same way. She felt the pain that he held in his heart. She knew of his dark past; of his haunting memories.
Rizahawkeye21A/N: Hey! This chapter took me a while longer than I thought it would've, sorry. Anyway I hope I didn't confuse you or anything on the dream sequence switching over to the present time. For all of those who want to see Roy and Riza back together watch out for the next chapter:D I'm glad so many of you enjoy my story. It really inspires me to keep it going along. Hopefully this chapter was to your liking. Until next chapter which I hope to be soon, bye.