Her Secret Garden
By: Evelyn Rosewood
Disclaimer: Full Metal Alchemist and the characters therein are property of Himoru Arakawa. I own nothing, save a plotline, and a few original characters.
A/N: OK, Sarah (me) has changed her hapless little mind and decided to make this based on what she knows…. The manga is too complicated to follow since I haven't read all of it but I'll try……..teehee Cept Roy IS going to know almost nothing about Riza's childhood. Oh yeah! I'm back! Sorry I got sick……two operations and 5 bouts of tonsillitis sick…..forgive me.
Chapter III "Warm"
The chilled air grew ever cooler as the sun made its' gentle descent into the horizon. Roy distracted himself by following the lazy swirls of color filling the sky. Pink mingled with violet and champagne in a watercolor appeal before fading into the night sky above. Black Hayate was taking his precious time sniffing this and that as he searched for the perfect place to relieve himself. Roy eyed the dog boredly, his dancing curiosity nipping at the edges of his attention span.
Black Hayate was a big dog now, a quite fearsome sight compared to his younger days. Riza had once told him the dog would reach his full size sometime after his first birthday. This had been one of their casual conversations while she had cared for him so many months ago. Roy pressed his fingers to the patch covering his left eye and part of his face; it felt like so long ago he had lost his eye.
The man was startled out of his reveire by the firm scrape of Hayate's paws against his boots. The dog sat obidiently at his feet and heartily barked in affirmation of his finished duty.
o O o
Riza Hawkeye had always been a deep thinker, and this was always taken the wrong way. All her life people she knew would suspect she thought rather highly of herself since she so rarely spoke. This of course was a quickly doused notion when one took the time to know Riza. She was, however, once again being judged as she walked down the streets of her hometown in thoughtful silence.
"What a pretty girl….but would it kill her to smile…" One woman whispered behind a gloved hand, eyes never leaving the young officers face.
"Yes…perhaps…my Amelia is five times as lovely…just because she is always smiling….men like optimistic women…" Was the reply of her collueage, who hid her ever discrimative glare by angling her ridiculous hat.
"No band on her finger…..we know why…." The other mused. The two ladies suddenly looked to each other and pretended to hold an animated conversation about the other's shoes as the blonde suddenly looked toward them with harsh amber eyes.
"What odd eyes too….much too intense…"
"Oh yes, Evii, You are too right…."
o O o
Roy cursed under his breath as he dropped the key right after getting the door unlocked. Fumbling half blindly in the dimly lit hallway, Roy cringed as his finger hit a nail sticking out form the molding at the bottom of the wall. Hearing the tortured rip of fabric and feeling the inevitable sting and drip of blood, he narrowed his eyes in annoyance. Black Hayate suddenly yipped, causing the man to jump then turn around and glare at the dog, only to find him sniffing the lost key.
"Finally…" Roy breathed stepping into the apartment and flipping the lights on. He inhaled deeply the faint scent of gunpowder laced with a floral scent he could not quite decipher. Black Hayate scampered towards the kitchen in want of food. Roy followed in want of a bandage.
The small but warm kitchen struck a chord deep inside the soldier he was unable to articulate. The simple white cupboards and mint green counter tops had a soft French- country appeal, and the various plants and flowers filling pots all about the room added to the charm. Somehow, though he had never known her love for flowers, it made sense, and the floral smell melted into the smoky bite of gunpowder quite fragrantly. Roy was robbed of this thought as a wet tongue stung the small gash in his finger.
Black Hayate cocked his head to the side and nuzzled the man's offended palm. Grumbling, Roy spotted the dog's food and poured a heaping pile into the ceramic dish. Rummaging through the cupboards for some kind of bandage almost proved fruitless, for the exception of discovering his female officer had quite the sweet tooth. Deciding she would never miss it, Roy popped a lemon flavored candy into his mouth and opened the last drawer, revealing an organized tray of creams, medicines and a box of what he sought.
o O o
Riza groaned inwardly as she arrived at her family's estate. Already, various little cousins and squabbling elders filled the side lawn, teacups or pastries in hand. Although the woman tried to make a quiet and unnoticed entrance, it was soon quashed when a high pitched voice shrieked in excitement over her arrival.
"Aunt Rizi!!" The little girl exclaimed, pointing a tiny finger in her direction. An epiphany of excited giggles and squeals followed as every child on that forsaken lawn raced towards her.
Roy found himself humming as he finished wrapping his small wound. Smiling at his handiwork, the man looked towards the watering can on a window sill nearby. It really was surprising that Riza had so many flowers. One might suspect the austere officer of owning a ficus, cactus, or maybe even aloe vera, but the notion of so many colorful blooms was rather surprising. In fact, most of the plants in the apartment were blooming in some bright array or another, filling his eyes with a barrage of silky hues.
The watering went well, and Roy, though he would never admit it, found the exercise very calming really. Sure, he had probably drowned half of the floral population in Riza's world, but it felt oddly satisfying to take care of something she loved so. Roy finished the last plant, a beautiful little patch of tiny white flowers, shyly glancing up at him in thanks for the care.
As the man was about to replace the watering can, a small click caught his attention, sending charcoal orbs downward in its' direction. Seeing one of the buttons off of his handsome military jacket, the colonel scowled. Most days he despised looking less than perfect, and tomorrow a new receptionist was coming in. Stooping to retrieve the fallen component, Roy's knee caught the edge of a small box, causing it to slide to the floor.
Roy cursed seeing the many articles that had slid out of the box, and putting his prized button in his pocket began wearily picking said articles up. It was odd that Riza would leave a box sticking out like that. It was on one of the lower shelves of a small wooden plant stand, plants only being on top, and the bottom levels crammed with books and other small boxes. Roy suddenly realized that one of the plants long vines hid the lower shelves, revealing why he had not seen the box sticking out right away. Turniong his attention back to the fallen insides of that box he stared. There, on the floor were hundreds of pictures, and currently resting in his gloved hand was a picture of a serious but very young Riza.
A large, almost frightening smile suddenly graced the man's handsome face. Riza had not wanted anyone to realize these things were here. And obviously they would explain a lot of things about her. This was exactly the kind of find he had been hoping for.
"Riza, Riza, Riza……" He murmured, a smirking at the pictures and small notes in the floor.
"Just what have you been hiding in your secret garden?"
Ok sorry if it's short….I know I kept ppl waiting long enough anyway… Oh and Evii is pronounced "Eh-Vee" My mother used to hoe cotton with a woman by that name...I liked it...
Sarah