"Was that fun, Kino?" Havoc asked Kino as he carried him.
"Yes, daddy," Kino nodded.
"So what's another wish you have? We still have a little time left." Havoc glanced at the sun and it was half-gone.
"Well," Kino thought, "I want to fly, I want to go up there." Kino pointed to the sky sprayed with gold, pink, and light blue.
"Hm," Havoc thought for a minute then turned to Mustang.
"How about a hot-air balloon?" Mustang forced a smile under his tired eyes.
"Are you okay?" River touched his shoulder.
"I'll be fine," Mustang nodded.
"You miss Ron," River bit her lip, "I miss them too."
He nodded again. "I hope they'll be alright."
"They will be just fine." River smiled.
"What's a hot air balloon?" Kino asked.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
After they got the cloth laid out and tied, Mustang slipped on his glove. "Here we go," Mustang snapped in the opening, letting a small spark heat the oxygen inside and the balloon inhaled with life.
Kino clapped his hands with excitement. "That's so awesome, Mustang! Do it again!"
River and Havoc laughed softly as the basket they stood in began to rise.
"You sure you don't want to join us?" River asked.
"Nah, I'll stay down here and make sure you stay tied here." Mustang's smile reflected in his eyes this time.
Kino peeked over the edge and gasped. "Wow, do you see how high we are?"
"Yep," Havoc said as put his arm around River's back. She smiled and turned into his chest as they watched Kino look about the world 50feet in the air.
The sun was now just peeking over the horizon; taking its beautiful colors with it relentlessly. Havoc looked at River as the wind blew her hair back and her eyes gazing at the sun. Her beautiful skin glowed in the sun's fading light, his heart fluttered, and he held her closer as though the sunset would take her with it.
She looked up at Havoc to see his blue irises of the afternoon sky staring down into her. His eyes were soft and deep with love as the primer to the canvass that held the cool hue of his orbs. The last light from the sun gleamed across his soft skin between her fingers as they caressed his face.
"I love you," she whispered under the pressure of the chemistry between them.
"I love you too," he whispered back as the green emotion of her eyes and the longing in his heart drew him closer.
She closed her eyes and welcomed the touch of his lips to hers.
Everything was perfect, the sunset, the weightlessness, the feeling in the atmosphere. The day was a picture developed and the moment was full of colors that melted hearts together. Life was how it should be.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Was that fun?" Mustang asked Kino as the three of them stepped out of the basket, "Was it what you wanted?"
"Yep," Kino nodded and hugged Mustang as he rubbed Kino's back with a sweet smile. Kino looked up at him with innocent blue. "All my wishes came true today."
"Good," Mustang ruffled his hair, "what'd you see?"
"The ground, the sun," Kino paused, "Mama and Daddy kissing, the roof of the…..what do you call the building you live in?"
Mustang glared teasingly over his shoulder at Havoc as he held River's hand. Havoc looked smug and Mustang turned back to Kino. "Oh, we call it a base. It's really where we work."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Kino lay between River and Havoc who slept heavily from the all the excitement that happened that day. However, River and Kino stayed wide-awake.
"It finally came," Kino smiled with purity that would make a wedding dress look dull, "my birthday finally came."
"Yes," River choked, "but you had your wishes, right?"
"I wanted to see beautiful things," Kino nodded, "and I saw them all today."
"Was it what you wanted?" River wiped away her tears that she could nothing to stop.
"Yes," Kino's voice weakened and his breath began to fade. "Thank you…"
"I wish there was something I could do to save you, my dear Kino," River held his little unconscious body close to her as she sobbed, "my powers aren't going to save you from this disease that has been killing you slowly since your birth." River felt Kino's last small breath escape his lips and roll down her chest. "I was there, sweetheart," River whispered but it lacked the softness because the strangling tears, "I knew your mother who died to give you this life that was worth every moment of her pain." River sobbed quietly as Kino's body warmth slowly faded.
"I love you, Mama."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
River entered into Mustang's office that morning with Kino wrapped in a bed quilt. Her face was blank and she was still in the barrowed men's pajamas.
Mustang's smile wiped clean immediately as he saw closer that her eyes were red from tears draining the moisture from them.
"What's wrong?" Mustang stood up and Riza behind him stood in ready.
Havoc appeared in the doorway, cleaned and dressed neatly. "There you are. River?"
Tears fell again as she set Kino's wrapped body on Mustang's desk. "Yesterday was his last day. I didn't tell you because I wanted you to smile for Kino with out any sadness. He died last night in my arms. I couldn't do anything to save him." River's knees shook under her weight and finally collapsed under her.
"No," Havoc's pupils dilated as his mind realized Kino was in the blanket. He staggered bewildered to River. "Please, no."
Mustang and Riza were frozen but Mustang forced himself back from the form on his desk.
"No, not Kino," Havoc knelt slowly next to River.
"I tried," River sobbed, "I really tried. I wanted him to live!"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
River cried into Havoc's chest as a couple of men lowered the small casket down into the ground of the near by cemetery. Edward and Alphonse stood among the others in the military. Silent and heads bowed in heavy reverence. Winry was there as well since she missed her train yesterday.
The atmosphere was heavy and colorless despite the many different flowers that attempted to put smiles on the wet faces that surrounded them. The sun didn't bring any comfort to the black day or the people in black but shined on someone else's day. Everything was dreary: the dark clouds in everyone's heart, the out of place flowers, the wind that moaned. The perfect yesterday rose with a sorrowful morning. Kino was gone and so was the joy the day could've had.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Jean," River said softly over Kino's head between them in the bed, "tell Kino how you felt about today."
"Well," Havoc thought for a moment, "I don't know, I really had a good day today; a sort of day that I haven't had in a long time."
"Was it your best day ever?" Kino's smile beamed at him even in the darkness.
"Yeah," Havoc smiled brightly back, "It's my most favorite day so far."
"Daddy," Kino kissed his chin, "I want you to know my wishes."
"Okay," Havoc adjusted his position.
"I saw beautiful things today." Kino scooted closer, "I saw kids and grown-ups play and I saw you and Mama kiss and I saw a pretty sunset to a very pretty day."
"That was all you wanted?" Havoc asked, "That was really all that you wanted?"
"Yep," Kino chuckled, "and my birthday was better than I thought!"
Havoc kissed the smiling the boy, "You're much more grown up than your age, son." He hugged him tightly, "I'm so proud of you and…." Havoc felt the fatigue pulling at his eyelids and consciousness. He yawned, "..I love you very much."
Kino chuckled, "Sleep Daddy, you're gonna need your rest tomorrow."
Havoc slumped against the brick wall from the overbearing pressure inside his chest. He couldn't believe his son was gone. So suddenly in the middle of the night, didn't even get to say goodbye, he died right there in River's arms. She had told him that a mysterious and rare disease in Kino's blood lead him slowly to his death. Why Kino? He was the best child anyone could ever ask for; he was perfect. So why him?
Havoc dug his fingers in his hair and tightened his hands into fists. Kino shouldn't have died!
Through the blur of tears, Havoc reached into his chest pocket for his cigarettes; seeking the numbness they brought to dull the pain of falling apart.
After it lit, he took a big inhale. He gagged and coughed so hard he rolled to his hands and knees for support. He tried again, his throat burned and there was a faint taste in his mouth, like yawning in a cloud of rotten stink. He tried again but his body refused and kicked it out, gently this time. Havoc was suddenly disgusted with himself, he never smoked when Kino was around but he pushed that aside. He inhaled the cigarette's smoke again. This time, Havoc could feel the effects slowly calming his body. After a few more slow inhales, Havoc felt no pain.
/\/\/\/\/\
River stood in front of him, her shadow on his numb form like a black hospital blanket.
"Don't do this, Jean," River knelt in front of him. He sat still with out looking at her; like a scarecrow lacking straw. His blue eyes mixed with an ash gray as he gazed at nothing to his right.
River scooted closer to his left side, removed the dead butt from his fingers, and touched his chest. "These cigarettes, Jean," her voice lowered as she spoke his name with delicate notes of an angel that made his ears listen more intently.
"These things will kill you," her voice choked, "the smoke blackens your lungs so you die suffocating. I don't want to lose you too."
Havoc turned his sad face to her, "Why didn't you do anything? Why didn't you tell me before he died?"
River's face was blank but her building tears gave away her emotions, "I couldn't; it is as simple as that. I've known since the first time I held him. I knew the exact date and time. You don't think I wanted to do something? Knowing that everyday and every moment that passed would bring him closer his end, you think that I didn't try everything in my power to save him? Every second I wanted to give him the very best but knowing I couldn't through our conditions. My heart was broken the instant I touched him, I cried every night as I listened to his limited breaths but you got to see him as he was: whole, perfect, and unconditionally happy with unconditional love. I didn't say anything because I wanted you to see that."
Tears fell down Havoc's face as he accepted this. It didn't ease his heart but some chaos in his heart settled.
"Have you ever heard, 'there's a reason for every season'?" River's soft voice returned and Havoc embraced the gentle sound.
"Kino didn't have to be here, he was too good for this world." River's lips lifted in the corners but the attempt to widen failed, "Kino taught me to move on and not dwell on things. I know this time of mourning will pass and by then I want to smile for Kino." River kissed Havoc's stained face, "How about you?"
Havoc closed his eyes for a second and Kino was there, peeking over River's shoulders with his heavenly smile that showed some of the brilliance that filled and colored his blue eyes. The sky was captured inside his sweet irises because that was where he always looked no matter were he was in life.
River let Havoc's head fall on her shoulder as the tears followed each other down his cheeks. He couldn't help it and he didn't want to feel nothing again. Feeling pain was better than feeling nothing at all.
River knelt there for the late morning to early afternoon crying with him. She gave as much comfort as she could offer and wishing that Kino could be the one to make him smile; he was a professional when it came to overturning sad faces.
"Tell me River," Havoc sat up with great fatigue pulling at the skin under his eyes as River stood up gracefully and stretched her legs, "did Kino die happy? Was he smiling? What was the last thing he said?"
River nodded; trying to smile through her sobs and unwilling muscles, "He said, 'thank you'."
Havoc buried his face in his hands and River embraced him again as he rubbed his back. "It's okay, Jean."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Edward," River set her hands on her hips but Edward kept his back to her; facing the moon.
Night had fallen and she sought Edward out to find him on the roof of Eastern Command; sitting atop the roof of the doorway to the staircase leading to the top floor of the base. He sat on the rounded point and let his feet lay on the steep slope.
"Edward, Winry's worried about you; she doesn't know where you are." River sighed.
"You didn't want anyone to give him toys because you didn't want things to remind you of him, right?" Edward almost mumbled as picked at a crevice in his automail arm.
"Yes," River wrapped her arms around her torso.
"Why? Don't you want to remember him? Wasn't he the best thing that ever happened to you?"
"I don't need material things to remember him; yes he is the best thing that ever happened to me and I could never forget the angel that he was-that he is."
"What did you try in attempts to save him?" Edward continued to stare at the half moon.
"Everything," River began her climb up the doorway to the little roof in pajamas, "I knew what was wrong and I knew how to fix it but the circle wouldn't let me do anything. I searched medicine that I knew the contents of and there was nothing that would help him. I didn't bother for a doctor because I knew they wouldn't know. Besides, it's a rare disease; I read that in a book once. The information was recent and they still didn't have a cure." River sat next to Edward but he didn't move his focus. He looked angry.
"What else?" His lips barely moved but the tendon in his jaw flexed.
"I fought with this alchemy and was punished. I didn't dare argue again." She grasped the circle under the button up shirt. "My punishment made me see declining time clocks above everyone's heads. I watched many people die while I stood still-I couldn't move. I don't know how long I was like that but I cried the whole time." River grasped her pant legs in her fist as the emblem about her neck suddenly felt evil.
"Get rid of it." Edward growled and whipped his head around, his gold gaze hard and angry.
River stared blankly back. "I can't and I won't." Her voice rose and her eyes hardened, "I may not have been able to save Kino but I've been able to save many others. This alchemy doesn't tolerate selfish actions. Kino didn't die for nothing!"
"How would you know? Was wanting to spare Kino's life selfish?" Edward yelled in her face.
"Was trying to bring someone back to life selfish?" River snapped back.
Edward's expression broke and he backed away.
"That's right," River glared, "I know what you've done with alchemy. Ever since you touched it that night at Winry's I've known. You're d**n lucky that you even have Al!"
Edward slumped and turned back to the moon without a word of retort.
"But I understand your feelings during that time and I understand why you did it." River's voice lost all wrath as she spoke. "Considering all the crap you've been through, are you grateful?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, I'm grateful for Kino's death."
Edward jumped, "You're glad that he's dead?"
"What kind of question is that?! I'm not glad that he's gone; I'm humbly grateful! There's a BIG difference, you idiot!" River folded her arms.
Edward sat back, "I don't get you."
River rolled her eyes but her expression quickly softened, "I miss Kino terribly and I'm very hurt by his passing. However, I've learned so much from him. I'm grateful for what Kino taught me and I'm grateful that his death is teaching me how to use those things he's given me. That's what I mean by 'I'm grateful for Kino's death'. I know it sounds bad but that sort of statement requires unbiased thinking in order to hear the real meaning."
"You're twisted."
River chuckled darkly, "No, just perceptive. What you put under a magnifying glass gets bigger."
"Now you're talking in riddles."
River sighed, "Ed, I know you're not that dense so quit acting so shallow."
Edward slid his glare to her from the corner of his eye.
"Alright," River shook her head and scratched the back of her neck absent mindedly, "I'll explain then. We'll use you as an example."
Edward slid his gold irises back to the half moon.
"Ed, knowing what I know about you I can say you're selfish for wanting something for you bad enough that you would shove away the only family you have left and ignore the warnings just to get what you want. You're also a coward that you would burn down your own house so you couldn't face your past and that you wouldn't have a reason to go back. You're arrogant, ungrateful to the one who gives you independence and the ability to move; which you probably don't deserve. You're impulsive, and pathetically desperate enough to chase after something that does not exist."
River watched Edward's face carefully; there was no anger but the gold of his eyes began to shimmer and dance in the moon's rays. River let her tears fall for him. He had taken her unwanted criticism with painful gratitude.
"But I can also say, Edward," River moved closer to him and set one leg behind him as the other was straight to her side. She took out his hair tie and began to play with his hair. "You are a driven young man with big dreams. Sometimes it gets you in trouble but you'll do everything you can to fix your mistakes and keep your developing morals. You also are a brave soul to take the justice of your missteps. You love your brother with a deeper love because of your understanding of how important family is to life. Through him, you also know the power of forgiveness. You're a good person because people wants to get to know you. Everyone likes heroes and legends of greatness. You also have a deeper understanding in life that many will never obtain. Your journey is a road less traveled by and it has made all the difference."
Edward thought deeply about these things and meaning to her statement about magnifying glasses. She put the glass over the bad things and he felt like he didn't deserve anything but when she moved the glass. He never thought such good things about himself. He'd never heard such beautiful words of encouragement. He wanted to let his joyful tears flow with a better perspective of himself. The negative things she'd said opened up his eyes to some things he'd been blind towards and the positive things gave him will to fix them. It made sense now and a smile tickled the corner of his lips.
"I give up!" River yelled and flung his hair sideways that the ends hit him in the eye.
"Ow! River!"
"I've tried Elizabeth's hair, Ron's hair…Why can't I braid?!" River ranted and grabbed his hair back; pulling down in her frustration.
"River!! Ow! Pulling! It hurts!"
"I mean, Jake can braid hair so why is it that I, a woman, is braiding retarded?!"
"Let go, da***t!!"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Yata! I has anuder chappie I done did! Sorry tis such a sorrowful chapter of the story. I didn't want to write it but I hased toooo! Don't hurt me! I love-ed Kino too! Hehe, I sound like an idiot and then I sound british…hehehe!