A/N: Dedicated to the people who never left my side even after all my life struggles. *insert heart emoticon*

Disclaimer: I would be very happy if I owned FMA.

Battlefield

He had been staying at the Hawkeye home for almost a year. Roy usually does not take note of these things – he must be really bored to update his desk calendar. Red marker for written exams, blue for demonstration, green for book analysis, and black for exercises. Master Hawkeye always gave him the week's schedule every Monday. "These are important dates, kid. I don't like students who are not ready for the day," he would always remind Roy. The boy would not forget; he always wanted to make a good impression on his teacher.

Today was marked black, since Master Hawkeye was accompanying Aunt Liz to the market. Roy's teacher may be strict, but it was obvious that he loved his wife more than anything. He loved her so much that he would join her shopping, which was very boring. Roy sometimes went shopping with Anna back at Central, and it always made him prefer to do household chores instead.

Knowing Aunt Liz, and her usually sudden impulse to visit her friends at Dorhedge, it would be evening when they return. Master Hawkeye had left a five-page exercise about the transmutation circle, and the laws of equivalent exchange. The answers were on the tip of his tongue; he just couldn't figure out how to put them into words. Roy snapped his fingers whenever he tries to recall something, and even that did not work. He was at a loss.

He looked at the window, and saw the orange sky. Sunsets were amazing here at Dorhedge, it was one of the many things he loved about this town. Roy figured that maybe he could think of the answers while leaning on the big rock at the backyard so he could wait for the sunset. Yes, Roy thought, it was probably what he needed.

There was a figure at the big rock when he arrived – it was Riza Hawkeye. She was not actually sitting at the rock – she was leaning on it. A book was on her lap, and she was scanning the last few pages with interest. The jar of cookies that Brigadier General Grumman bought them last week was now empty, and he was craving for one right now.

"You didn't even bother to give me one cookie." He said as he approached the girl. If she heard him speak and he knew that she did, she chose to ignore him. He tried again, this time poking her thigh with his right foot. "Hey."

Riza placed a bookmark on the page she was on and gently closed her book. That was one thing they were similar – they both took care of books a great deal. She looked at him, a hint of irritation evident in her eyes; he also hated it when somebody interrupts his reading. "I'm sorry," she said. "Too caught up in what I was reading to be aware of my surroundings."

He gave her the look – "I know you now too well to know that you are lying". Riza just shrugged. A moment of silence passed between the pair; Roy heard the chirping of the birds nearby, and the rustling of leaves that were threatening to fall. Riza sighed, which brought his attention back at her. "What are you doing here, Roy?" They were on a first name basis only when Master Hawkeye wasn't around.

He decided to sit down beside her. "This is my rock, you know."

"Your rock?" She scoffed. "Really?" That had been sort of their word – he did not know how that happened, he just knew. They both knew.

He pointed something that was carved on the big rock, and when she saw it, she rolled her eyes. Roy's rock, it said. She must be really fed up with him, he thought. He lived to annoy her – it ignites the fire in her hazel eyes, and he loved fire.

"Well this is our house," Riza said, leaning back on the rock. "Not yours."

He took out his pen and began to write on his paper. "Doesn't change the fact that it is my rock," It caused her to roll his eyes at him again.

They were silent for quite some time. He was busy with his exercises, she with her book. It was Little Prince of Stone this time; Roy shuddered at the thought of that book's ending. It was a horrible book; the prince is not yet ready to be the king of Stone, yet he had to lead since he was the heir. He was also a coward, choosing to stay in his palace rather than fight for his people in the battlefield.

It was sunset when Roy finished answering his exercises. His main reason why he went outside a while ago was to watch the sunset, but then there was Riza. For him, her reading a book was always more fascinating to look at than his favorite sunset.

He was guessing that Riza was already on the part where the prince was about to die. His sister Mae literally bawled while reading the ending, saying that the prince did not deserve to die since he ruled the country well. Roy did not think so, and he has a feeling that, like Mae, Riza did not agree with him.

He knew that she would not bawl like what Mae did, still it shocked him to see her teary-eyed. This was the first time he saw her on the verge of tears, but at first glance one wouldn't even notice the tear forming on her right eye. Her mouth was slightly open, the plot twist never failed to surprise every reader. Riza let her guard down whenever she reads; it would be the only time he would see her rare, genuine smiles, and the spark of interest in her eyes, also the faint blush of her cheeks. A tear was brand new for him.

She closed the book, her gaze still unmoving as she stared at her lap. She did not notice the boy staring at him, trying his very best to not giggle. It was funny, Roy thought. For someone who was usually alert to be dazed all because of an idiotic prince.

He must be staring too long because Riza snapped out from her reverie and directed her gaze at him. "Why are you staring? It's rude."

"I can't believe you are one of the girls who fell for that prince as well." He took the book from her and sniffed its pages. Ah, it will never stop being addicting.

Riza grabbed the book from Roy's hands. "What's your problem with Prince Scott?"

Roy groaned. "He's an idiot."

"He's a good leader." Riza argued.

"He stayed at the palace while his soldiers are busy risking their lives at the battlefield." Roy stated.

"He is better at planning strategies than being at the frontlines."

"He still died even though he was supposed to be safe."

"And that was his fault because…?"

"He's an idiot." Roy repeated what he had said earlier.

"I can't believe you!"

"I can't believe you too." Roy smirked, and Riza ran her fingers through her short hair in annoyance.

She pointed at the papers that were now placed in the space between them. "Don't you have to finish those papers? Father would be really angry if you-"

"Done," Roy said with a cheeky grin.

Riza moved her gaze to the sun setting between the mountains. "You are such a know-it-all," she muttered.

Roy's grin grew wider. This is going to be fun. "Is this all about that prince again? You crushing on him?" he taunted Riza.

She tried to ignore the creeping blush on her cheeks, but she failed to do so. "S-shut up," Riza stammered, averting her eyes to the ground instead of Roy's stupid grin.

"Why him, Ri? I'm right here; you can have a crush on me."

She looked at him, disgust obvious in her face. "Eww no, you're like my brother. And you're twelve."

"So what if I'm twelve? You're nine, and we're not even related."

"You are three years older than me; you're old."

Roy's laugh echoed through the backyard; the birds in the trees flew away just like the scenes in some books, the leaves that were once only threatening to fall now fell to the ground. "The prince is way older than me -he's like your father's age."

"No, he's years younger than Father. And he does not get old, you do." Riza reasoned out.

Roy raised his hands in defeat. "Okay, fine. You win our little debate this time. Next time you won't."

"What makes you so sure there would be a next time?" Riza stood up, bending low so she could get her book and cookie jar before heading inside the house.

"H-hey, wait!" Roy followed her suit, "Are you mad at me just because I commented on the prince?"

Riza stopped in her tracks. "No, it's not that." She turned her head, but she did not face him. "You are so annoying."

"Now who's straightforward?" Roy chuckled as he caught up with her.

Now she turned so she could face him. Her face was red as she exclaimed in exasperation. "Why do you always bother me? I mean, I get it that you wanted to be my friend. Well, news flash, Roy. I don't want to be." She turned around and left him standing alone outside.

The sun has set, and he felt like she had just thrown a grenade at his face. He knew that him being annoying was not the reason why she didn't want to be his friend. It was something more and that thought made him more determined than ever to earn her friendship.

Roy had finished setting the table for dinner. Master Hawkeye and Aunt Liz hadn't arrived yet, and Riza was in her room. Roy took the job of setting the table which was usually her task, as an apology for being annoying.

He went upstairs to try to talk to Riza and apologize – he was that insistent. But as he reached her open door, he saw another side of her that he had never thought she had.

Riza was sitting on her bed, leaning against the wall. She was scribbling something on a pink notebook; she wrote so frantically that he thought she might as well rip the page. That was not the thing that made him stop from knocking on the door, though.

It was the tears on her face.

It pained him. It pained him to see her like that. She was still young to cry like that. The tears never stopped flowing from her eyes, like the way waterfalls flow. She was afraid, that was clear in her eyes. Why would she be afraid? Now Roy is definitely sure, there was more reason to her tears than what had happened earlier.

She stopped writing and their eyes met; obsidian on hazel. Roy cleared his throat, and Riza wiped her tears with her blanket. "What are you doing here, Roy?" she asked.

He decided not to mention her crying, it could make things worse. "You have a diary?!"

"I prefer to call it journal, diary sounds girly," she shrugged.

Roy leaned on the doorframe. "Well, keeping a journal is kind of girly."

"What do you want?" Obviously she wanted to be alone; she looked like she wanted to throw a pillow in his face.

Roy sighed in defeat. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I already set the table for dinner downstairs."

She only gave him a subtle nod, and for him it was quite enough.

"Why are you insisting that I join you in your rock?" Riza asked as he led her outside. Today was a Monday, which meant that Master Hawkeye gave him the week's schedule. And according to the schedule today was his free day. Aunt Liz was at the library; Master Hawkeye went to another town to buy supplies. They were alone in the house.

He wanted to use his free day to make it up to her.

"You'll see," was his short reply.

Roy tapped on Riza's shoulder once they were settled. He pointed at the words carved on the rock, and her eyes widened.

"Why?" she asked. Before he brought Riza there, he carved her name beside his. Riza and Roy's rock. It was now theirs.

Roy shrugged in reply. "I'm really sorry."

She stared at his eyes before smiling gently. "You're annoying."

It lifted his hopes up, that their little debate yesterday won't be their last. For him, her smile was more than enough.

This would probably be my last update before school starts.

Please leave some reviews; let me know what you think! Have a good day. :)