Promise

"You're doing it again"

Rebecca had picked Riza up from the train station and since then Riza had been off. She had always been quiet but this was completely different.

"Doing what?" Riza looked up from her steak at the speaking brunette.

"Staring. You've been unfocused since you got of that train"

The train that brought Riza back from Ishbal. It was the first time Rebecca had seen Riza in months. She could see the toll the fighting had taken on her friend, her eyes were dull and she looked exhausted. Rebecca had managed to avoid being sent off, she'd graduated later than Riza and instantly got a job in administration, keeping her away from the fighting. Riza was grateful for that at least.

"Sorry" Riza lifted her fork again and stabbed at her meal lifelessly.

She heard the sound of cutlery gentle places on a plate and heard Rebecca say 'can we have the bill' to a nearby waiter. She knew Rebecca was trying to distract her and appreciated it.

"Let's go back to mine and talk" Rebecca said, smiling at her friend.

A sense of dread settled in Hawkeyes stomach. Of course she'd have to talk.

Rebecca opened the apartment door and stood aside, allowing Riza to enter.

"Can I get you anything?" Rebecca asked, watching her friend carefully,"Tea?"

Riza opened her mouth to refuse, then closed it and nodded curtly. She settled herself on a chair in the living room, staring out of the window. It was starting to rain, in Ishbal it barely rained, instead it was rather dusty and hot. Rebecca noisily came in, a cup in each hand. She set one before Riza then took the seat opposite her, observing her. Riza sighed, she didn't want to have to answer questions about it. It was all too fresh in her mind.

"So have you sorted accommodation? Real accommodation, not the shitty military buildings?" Rebecca asked.

Riza blinked. That wasn't what she'd expected at all. Her hands cupped the warm mug and she drew it closer to herself.

"No, I thought I'd just-" She started.

"Okay so you're staying here then! No best friend of mine stays in that kind of place" Rebecca said enthusiastically.

Riza tried to smile, it felt like more of a grimace.

"Thank you Rebecca, I appreciate it" She sipped her tea.

Rebecca could see her friend was hurting. War would obviously be fresh in her mind but there was something more.

"You found him didn't you" Rebecca knew.

Riza had found her 'childhood friend'. She'd never told Rebecca his name, how could she now? The famed Flame Alchemist, the one responsible for so many deaths.

"Yeah, I found him" She sipped the tea again.

Rebecca didn't want to press for details but something was clearly bothering her friend and Rebecca was willing to bet it had something to do with her 'childhood friend'.

"I'm happy you was never involved. In the fighting I mean. It changes a person" Riza sighed heavily,"His eyes, my eyes, we both have the eyes of a killer and we can't change any of it. He regrets everything he did. And so do I. I get to say I was following orders but that doesn't make my hands feel any cleaner. I didn't expect it Rebecca, it wasn't something anyone could prepare for"

She stared at her tea, it wasn't easy to talk about it. She swallowed, not looking up.

"You survived though, and you're here now. You can't dwell on everything that happened Riza, you always told me that. You can't rush moving on but you can't dwell or you'll hurt for longer"

Riza looked into that friendly face and for the first time in months, she gave a genuine smile,"I missed you"

"I missed you too"

They fell into a comfortable silence, drinking their tea simply enjoying the presence of one another. Rebecca gave that sense of comfort very few people did.

"Your friend, you said he regrets all that he did. He's alive then and safe right? Thats got to count for something at least" Rebecca didn't know if she was saying the right things but she couldn't just stay quiet whilst her best friend was no doubt overthinking.

"You're right. That does count for something. I'm grateful we both survived. We both have our own burdens to bare now though"

"Thats true but you can bare them together. You've been through the same thing. You said you promised you'd be there to protect him and you kept your promise."

Riza looked up, Rebecca was right, she had kept her promise. Now she had one more promise to keep; to follow Roy Mustang, to hell and back if need be.