Chapter Two: Be My Escape (Relient K)

"So, this is how it is, is it?"

"Riza, I can explain-"

"Don't bother, Roy. Just don't bother. You clearly prefer this life. I'm doing you a favor. You just don't realize it yet."

Great, another thing to add to his headache. Riza knew that when he was drunk, wasn't himself. He said things he didn't mean, did things he'd never do otherwise, and was a general pain in the ass.

And it was always Riza who came to his rescue. She was always there to drag his sorry ass back to his apartment, fish his keys out of his pocket, and make sure that he got into bed without falling out the window. She would then proceed to spend the night on his uncomfortable, lumpy couch, wake up through the night when he was ill or having night terrors or whatever the hell it was that needed attending to, and get up early to make a small breakfast, head home to change, and, on work days, go to the office and do all of her work plus some of his.

He'd been worse than ever last night. He'd woken her all through the night, screaming and thrashing and yelling about Maes, telling him to come back. As a result, Riza had overslept, and had burned breakfast in her hurry. She'd made a better one at her own expense, and what Roy had greeted her with was, "I'm not waking up."

An argument, worse than anything they'd ever argued about, had ensued. Roy had complained and whined about how life was so unfair to him. He'd lost Maes, and this whole make-it-to-the-top thing was looking like he was fighting a losing battle.

When he finally allowed Riza to get her say, he was almost sorry he had. He knew it was all true, of course, but it made him feel worse because it was true.

"Yes, well, I can see how horrible your life is, Roy. Suffering alone… with no one but a babysitter to make sure you don't drink yourself into debt and kiss your wounds and prepare breakfast, and then just get dismissed without so much as a thank you. Yes, your life is truly hell!"

Part of him wanted so say, "You know I say things I don't mean! Cut me some slack!" but what had she been doing all these years? She'd rescued him countless times from just about everything out there, risking her health and wasting her time, and for all that, Roy easily admitted that he was just about the worst at showing his gratitude. He'd mumbled a "thanks" every once and a while, but it was mostly after scolding her about how she'd done something wrong, how she should be more careful next time.

What he never actually told her was, "I, as a person, care for you and cannot afford to lose you."

And it was really biting him in the ass right now.

Roy pulled on some pants and a shirt that didn't look too ratty, and decided to head to Riza's apartment to apologize.

It turned out he didn't even need to go that far. Out there, in the rain, Riza leaned against the building, sobbing.

Roy approached her, not sure if he should say anything before he apologized. "I'm sorry."

He knew it was coming, and just let it happen: Riza slapped him. "That's all you can say? You expect that to make it better?"

"No, I don't." Roy leaned against the building next to her. It wasn't the best source of protection from the wet, but that wasn't his biggest concern right then. "Riza, I couldn't ever make it up to you for all that you do for me, and I know it. But I'd be even worse if I didn't try. I know that I treat you worse than I treat most people and I rarely do anything to try to soften that. I go out and get drunk and it's you who cares enough to come and get me and help me, even though you and I both know that I'm far from deserving. I don't even try anymore, and yet, you're still here by some miracle, caring as much as ever, and here I am just using you, as always.

"But, as much as I'd deserve it, as much as you should be free to do anything in life that you've ever wanted to do, I can't watch you walk away, Riza. I need you too much. I just have to put work into my own goals so that I can prove that to you. It's horrible that it took me almost completely pushing you away and risking losing you forever, but Riza, give me even just half a chance, please. You have my word, no matter how little that means to you right now, that I will work toward my goal with every breath I take."

Riza had stopped crying while he was talking, perhaps just to be polite, but now that he was done, she burst into tears again.

Sensing somehow that it was safe to do so, Roy pulled her into his arms, despite the fact that the rain had already dampened his shirt.

"It's about time I stepped up to the mark, Riza. I'm not stepping down again."

A/N: Wow. I really made Roy an ass in this one. Totally. And then I made him go be Prince Charming. Hmmm… To often do I do this. It worked with the song, though. Seriously, unless you can't listen to music and read at the same time, I encourage you to find the song and listen to it. I picked these songs especially for the theme, and I think that they add a little something to it.

Reviews help me make these better, so please, review!