Her sharp eyes of amber stared as he viciously scrubbed his hands at the washbucket.
From where she was,at least,she could see no filth on them;But still he washed.
Time and time again he filled his hands with an excessive amount of soap.
Fingers eagerly rubbing the slippery substance against his skin.
Then,in a jerked motion,he plunged his hands into the warm water;Making others back away as he roughly splashed diluted suds from the bucket.
He would never again be able to clean his hands the way he was trying to.
The woman finally stood,her stomach churning from the sight of his compulsive behavior.
She could see newly forming rivulets of red on his knuckles.
He'd washed himself raw.
With a quick step she stopped at his side,not caring if he drenched her blouse in his soiled water,and cupped her hands around his.
"I think we've seen enough of that today" she said soothingly,his blood staining her.
She could feel him tense beneath her palms,and for a moment she wondered if he was going to resist her.
Gently she pulled at his hands,leading him away from staring eyes;And he followed.
---
The sun was low in the sky,and began to cast shadows on the Earth when the two entered an empty medic tent.
The woman had long since broken hand conact,and merely jerked her head at a chair to say 'Sit'
Silently her new paitent obeyed;Resting his elbows on the table in front of him,eyes diverted away from her.
As his temperary doctor gathered supplies from across the tent,she gave him a good long stare.
He had a nice complexion;Not too dark,but definitely not as pale as she.
And,luckily for him,seemed to blend wonderfully with that raven black hair of his.
Although it seemed to jerk out in all different directions,like he hadn't combed it.
And between the hair and shape of his face,it gave him a rather boyish look.
"So" she watched the man jerk his head up,startled by her voice,"What's your name soldier?"
He paused,and even looked away from her.
Leaving her without an answer.
She couldn't say she wasn't a little irked when he didn't respond.
She was one of the higher ranking officals there after all.
But her mouth stayed shut none the less.
With an irritable sigh,she sat in a chair across from him;Setting her things on the table.
She splashed some disinfectant on his wound,becoming fully immersed in her work,only to have her concentration broken.
"Mustang" he began,"Major Roy Mustang"
She gasped in surprise,and was quick to stand and salute.
"Forgive me major,I did not know your rank when I spoke so harshly to you a moment ago" her fingertips lightly sat at her thin eyebrows,and her body was stiff.
The major simply stared at the table seeming to be unaware,or uncaring,of the subordinate's pleading apology.
"It's fine.." he murmered,and beconed for her to sit and finish her work.
Both were silent as she continued to treat his injury.
Somtimes he would grimace at how tightly she wrapped the bandage,or she would crunch her brows together while focusing on doing a good job.
"Sir?" his eyes laizly looked up at the woman.
"Hum?"
"If you don't think it improper,may I give you a bit of advice?"
"Sure"
"Forget him" she ended simply,knotting the last bandage.
She took a breath before elaborating a bit more.
"The boy" her voice very quiet now,"The one you killed today"
The young Major stared a little above her head and drifted a few hours back.
---
Roy nodded as he was givin the order to empty out houses.
His stride was fluid and proud,and he walked into the first home.
Without a thought his hand went into the air,and his fingers preped themselves.
But no 'Snap' ever came
He glanced over to the fireplace where a small wimper seemed to come from.
There sat a boy,no more than 10 years of age,with a riffle in his hands.
He clearly was terrified out of his mind,and had never held a weapon before.
Red eyes had never looked so timid.
So frail,and quivering.
Just like his life.
It was dangling in Roy's hands.
He himself started to shake.
Was he honestly about to end this Ishbalans life?
This boy?
This person?
The anxiety drew on for a minute or so before the young boy couldn't take it anymore.
He lunged,shifting the gun so Roy was looking down it's barrel.
The tables were turned.
It was kill or be killed.
'Snap'
There was no more boy.
Only Roy,all alone in a forgotton home.
Where happiness once thrived.
Where a family once lived.
Where they now all rested together,forever.
---
He suddenly pushed his chair back from the table,muttering a good bye,and quickly walked to the exit of the tent.
"Wait" the woman called out
He stopped mid-step.
"Where are you going?" she had a demanding tone
He didn't answer and stepped out of the tent,suicidal thoughts swimming through his mind.
So many ways to die,so hard to pick...
"Stop right there" a hand grabbed his elbow,"Don't you dare think about killing yourself! I've seen that look before!"
She rolled her wrist at his elbow,forcing the man to turn to her.
Their eyes connecting.
"Instead of killing yourself,try to save lives! That fire alchemy of your has to be good for somthing!"
By this time the snipper had crossed from disrespectful to a possible court martial.
Objecting and hendering a superior's actions.
Punishable by jail,or permanent leave from the military.
"It's better than leaving this world a coward" she pressed.
Roy was quiet for a moment.
Staring lifelessly into amber eyes.
"I can't do that by myself" his voice was soft,barely above a whisper.
"Well it's a good thing you don't have to" she gave a light smile and stepped back.
"Second Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye,sir" she saltued,a serious look on her face,"Me and my talents are at your disposal"
The major took a quick breath.
She'd just pledged allegiance to him.
Treason.
And she did it with a smile on her face?
If one were to hear her right now,she could be put to death.
He hesitated.
Could he truley accept her support?
"Sir?" she paused changing her words,"Roy?"
Finally,a smirk,that came to be known as his trademark,appered.
"Let's go Lieutenant,mess hall's waiting. I wouldn't want the future General of my new country to go hungery" he turned walking away,hands shoved into his pockets.
"Sir?" she asked questioningly
"Didn't you know?" he paused,looking over his shoulder,"We're going to make our own country. One where there is no meaningless death,only justice."
A slight gasp escaped the woman,and for the first time she saw his true passion.
"Riza,you and me are gonna make it to the top" he pointed up,"Climb the ranks until we're number 1"
"Right" she whispered,"Number 1"
Silently they exchanged smiles.
A new bond had been formed,and through it,so had a dream.
Yes,yes I know I got some details wrong. Like Riza's rank,she was only a warrant officer when she went to Ishbal,and how Roy first relized his dream of becoming Fuhrer,and other stuff like that. But hey! Isn't it SO much sweeter that Riza helped him discover it? Anyway keep R&R-ing!
