Discussions
When Riza had gotten up that morning, she had made plans for the day. Plans that had not included having this conversation with her husband, a conversation she knew was inevitable but that she still hoped wouldn't occur. As it was, she sat back and looked at her coffee mug of tea. Roy sat across from her with worry lines between his brows. He didn't want to be talking about it right now either.
The kitchen table between them seemed like a formidable wall instead of the family table it really was. Steam rose into the space between them from Roy's untouched cup and Riza sighed softly. Truly, was it something like this that would be the cause of their first marital fight over their only child? How idiotic if it was.
"Roy, she asked didn't she?" Riza prompted. She already knew the answer. Mae had come to her not long after speaking with her startled father, confused. To the five year old it was a simple question with a simple answer of yes or no. To the adults, however, it was a completely other matter.
Alchemy, their precious child wanted to learn alchemy. Mae had heard the stories, of course. Her extended 'family' of their military comrades had been more than happy to tell the little girl of her father and mother's heroic deeds. At least they had left out the more gruesome details. Neither Roy no Riza had stopped them, it was better she heard the stories from trusted members of their family than from strangers on the street or the other kids at school.
"Yes, she did," Roy responded before leaning forward with his hands together. He was gazing across the table at her as his tea cooled. The dark eyes focused on her face, reading her like an open book. He knew she didn't hate alchemy but that she had also hoped their child would never want anything to do with it either. Alchemy had caused pain in her life ever since she could remember. She didn't want her daughter to suffer because of it either.
"What did you say?" Riza asked softly.
"I told her that we'd have to talk about it first," Roy answered with a small smirk, "Probably why she came to completely confused."
A small laugh escaped Riza and she shook her head, "Probably. We aren't usually this far out of synch over something."
"If she came to you and wanted to learn how to shoot, would you teach her, Riza?" Roy asked. The smirk had disappeared and he watched her still, quietly. Part of her wanted to snap at him for such a question but she sat back and considered. Would she teach Mae to shoot, had she asked? Guns were dangerous, true enough, but they were more dangerous in the hands of the untrained than those who knew how to treat and respect them. Yes, she would teach Mae how to handle firearms as well as how to maintain and care for them.
Instead of speaking, Riza merely nodded. She knew what Roy was getting at. Mae would be able to figure out alchemy on her own, was she desperate enough to seek it out. It would be safer for her to learn at the hands of her father than haphazardly on her own the way the Elrics had. Realizing this made her smile slightly and she sighed again, feeling as though she was doing that a great deal lately.
"If she loses an arm or a leg because of alchemy, I'll shoot you, I hope you know that," Riza stated firmly before pushing herself up and away from the table to clear the dirty dishes from it.
"I know."