Roy had been brought to honor his promises. He didn't like letting people down if he could help it, and he'd always taken pride in that. No matter what others might have thought of him, they couldn't say he didn't keep to his word. Even if he got burned in the process, he wanted to do all he could for others, especially those he cared the most about.
This was the one and only time he wished he had the spine to break one.
"I want you to burn it. Deface my back and set me free from my father's burden."
His heart bled looking at the woman who had so strongly supplicated him just hours before, her eyes once full of a contained grief and sorrow that he had no choice but to promise her that he would do it. Riza was curled uncomfortably into herself on the makeshift bed Roy had supplied her, her wrappings slowly turning a russet color. She was sleeping, as far as he could tell, yet her body would occasionally jerk involuntarily and bring her out if only for a few moments. His hand gently reached out to the side of her head, tenderly stroking her sweat-soaked hair as another tremor seized her body, hoping it might coax her into a more natural rest.
Roy had never been able to deny her easily, not even in their younger years. Not when she so firmly held his heart in her hands and had for years. Not when she wordlessy communicated that his refusal wouldn't mean she would stop finding ways to rid herself of these secrets. Her stubborness would get herself killed if she had tried to do something that reckless.
'Maybe that was her intention," Roy thought bluntly, the idea that Riza Hawkeye would want to take her own life filling him with unimaginable grief. If this were true, it would be all his fault. He had talked so much bullshit about his childish dreams, had gotten to trust and believe and maybe even love him enough to want to follow him into pure hell. Riza had always been so happy growing up, full of spirit and compassion. She could have easily become bitter or hateful given the circumstances of her childhood, but she had a strength and determination that had endeared Roy to her quickly.
He'd taken that and corrupted her. Made her fight battles that she shouldn't have had to fight and changed the course of her future forever. Even if she went back into civilian life after this was all over (something he instinctively knew wasn't going to happen), she wouldn't forget this, how could she? Roy would never forgive himself for being the syringe that injected the poison into her bloodstream, no matter how many times Riza told him it was OK.
Everytime he would change her bandages, her wounds would greet him, full of the anger and spite Riza never held for him. Their prescence alone mocked him, teased him everytime she would wake up in tears from lack of proper rest, from the pure agony they put her through.
'an honorable man, huh?'
Tomorrow became three days later because life BUT it's finally out and for ya'll to enjoy. Glad to see some of ya'll still like reading these little one-shots, and I'm happy to be back from time to time. Thanks for the reviews, and maybe consider leaving one since it really does make my day. See ya'll on the flip!