Hello!
This is the translation, 8 years later, of my very first OS, written in a bus during a school trip to Germany. I just had discovered FMA and fell in love immediately with the characters, especially Roy and Riza, and Royai. There was almost a year between the day I wrote "Reunion" (Retrouvailles in French) and the day I posted it on ffnet. Since I haven't stopped, and don't think I'll ever stop.
I hope that you'll be indulgent regarding my grammar mistakes.
Disclaimer : FMA belongs to Hiromu Arakawa.
Enjoy!
Reunion
The night was dark, the room was silent. Laying on his hospital bed, unable to sleep, Roy Mustang kept his blind eyes focused on the ceiling. All he could see was black. With or without light, he didn't see anything. He was blind since Pride and Wrath forced him to open the Gate. He saw the Truth, and his sight had been taken.
Roy sighed and put his hands under his head. He immedialety removed them with a pained cry. His hands, pierced by Bradley's blades, weren't totally healed and still could be painful when he pressed them too much.
He heard a "click" on his left, then a sleepy voice: "Colonel, what's happening?"
It was Riza Hawkeye's voice. The young woman shared the room with him. She had been wounded during the Promised day too. Envy had hurt her shoulder and a former candidate for the place of King Bradley had sliced her neck to force Roy to open the Gate. Thanks to the look she had given him when she was losing her blood on the floor, he had refused. May Chang, Darius, Jerso and Zampano has arrived at their rescue and the Xingese girl had stopped the bleeding with her alkahestry.
The lieutenant was now in the hospital, in the same room than her superior officer. She took care of him and helped him for the tasks he could not do alone because of his disability. She made sure he didn't do stupid things too. That was as complicated as it was the days before he wasn't blind.
His pained cry woke her up and she switched the light up, asking with a sleepy voice: "Colonel, what's happening?"
Riza saw Roy massaging his hands, a pained expression on his face. "Nothing, I just crushed my hands under my head." He answered.
Riza sighed. "Of course it's nothing. I know it hurts. It's useless to look brave.
— Do you think I should cry? I'm not a kid anymore, lieutenant."
Riza was slightly annoyed. The colonel used to hide his true feelings, especially when he wasn't doing well. Last time he had been in the hospital, he was released too soon. Because of his weak state, he had almost been eaten by Gluttony that day. Should she remind him that he was allowed to be human? That she had seen him cry before, during Hughes' funeral?
"Maybe you're right, lieutenant. I'm sorry to bother you so much. I'll try to make your work easier in the future.
— Thank you colonel.
Silence settled in the room. Sitting on her bed, Riza looked at Roy. He turned his head toward her, but his greyed eyes moved like he was looking for her. What was she thinking! Riza blushed. Why would he look for her? That was ridiculous… She was only his subordinate; he would never return her feelings. Although… he had said he couldn't afford to lose her when she had threatened to kill herself after killing him. And the way he had hugged her after May had stopped her bleeding… Riza reddened more.
Knowing nothing of her thoughts and embarrassment, Roy suddenly declared: "Tomorrow, after the transmutation, I want you to be the first person I'll see."
Riza stayed silent, ever more embarrassed. She soon regained composure and said, switching the lighr off: "Good night colonel."
He didn't answer. Appeased by his conversation with her, he had fallen asleep.
The following morning, Dr Marcoh came for Roy's transmutation. Riza led him to the room the doctor had reserved. There wasn't any windows, and only candles lighted the human transmutation circle drawn on the floor. Riza led Roy in the middle of the circle, pressing his shoulders slightly. When she began to leave, he caught her hand and squeezed it. Embarrassment and doubt bloomed again in her chest, and she didn't dare take her hand out of his. She waited for him to release her hand before leaving the circle.
Once again, she wondered about her feeling and about Roy's feeling. However, several people entered the room, creating a welcome distraction. All Mustang's team had gathered: Breda, Falman, Fuery, and even Havoc. He could use his legs again, with many difficulties, but was in a wheelchair, pushed by Rebecca, followed by Maria Ross, Brosh, and major Armstrong. A cheerful confusion settled in, everyone speaking along with the others.
The growing noise annoyed Dr Knox. He came with Marcoh and felt the vein on his temple pulsing with anger. He pushed everyone out of the room. "Not so many people at once! He will see you after anyway, so out! Human transmutation must not be taken lightly, we need a quiet room!"
Looking sheepish, they left. The doctor turned to Riza. "You too, lieutenant."
She was about to leave when Roy declared: "Wait doctors! I told her I wanted her to be the first I would see.
— Ah, ok. You can sit in the corner," said Marcoh.
While Riza obeyed, Marcoh put a red stone in Roy's hand. "Here is the philosopher stone."
He got out of the circle. "Ready?" he asked. Roy nodded and clapped his hands. Blue light shone in the room, and black hands rose from the circle and nibbled him. Suddenly, Roy disappeared, leaving Riza and the doctors alone. "We just have to wait now", Marcoh said.
Roy stood in a white space, in front of a big gate. He didn't see it, even though he knew where he was. A voice cut the silence. "Here you are again."
The voice sounded like many people were talking: a man, a woman, a child, a old person… Truth stood in front of the gate, like a white silhouette surrounded by shadow. It smiled and its (Roy's) eyes shone. Roy turned to it.
"I'm here to get back what's mine." He said calmly.
Truth's smile widened. "Ah? Do you have the payment?"
Roy put his hand in his pocket and took the Philosopher's Stone. It shone brightly, light reflecting on its surface. "Here you are."
He knew he only needed a fraction of the stone to regain his sight. The Isbalan people, even without their bodies, could help him, a man who had killed many of them, to rebuilt their country.
"I see you're not like this fool who destroyed his Gate to get his brother back. You have anticipated.
— Are you speaking about Edward? He didn't have a stone, and didn't want to use it anyway, but he's not a fool. So, I'm not here to speak about a midget, but regain my sight!" Roy was becoming impatient.
"Alright. I don't want to see you again after that.
— I don't plan to come back", Roy replied.
Truth's eyes disappeared, and suddenly Roy could see. Light was so bright he had to cover his eyes. He heard Truth bid him farewell before feeling like he was falling and collide brusquely with the floor.
"Colonel!" Riza run toward her superior officer. "Are you alright?" She asked, concerned.
Roy carefully opened his eyes. The light was enough for him to see without being blinded, again. He sat down with Riza's help. She repeated. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I am," Roy answered. Then, he looked up at the woman in front of him.
He was seeing Riza for the first time in weeks, he realized with a twinge. Her blond hair fell on her shoulders and her back, her beautiful amber eyes looked at him full of concern. Despite her bandage around her neck and the hospital gown she was wearing, she was lovely. His heart squeezed at the thought that she was here because of him. However, he wasn't displeased by her presence at his side, wherever he was, even in the hospital. She was to precious and didn't want to risk losing her again. He smiled at her. It wasn't the smile to die for he gave other women, but a tender smile, reassuring her. Surprising him, Riza gave him a similar smile. He rose his hand and caressed her cheek, brushing it with the tip of his fingers.
"You are beautiful."
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