Summary: At the right angle, in a line of sight, one might wonder why he never stopped staring at her for so much as a second.

Theme: 051. Embracing From The Back

Dedication: 6StringSamurai13, thank you!

Disclaimer: If I owned Full Metal Alchemist, Riza would be the one in charge.

Angles

051. Embracing From The Back

"Tonight, I will fall for you."

Roy said it so quietly that she almost did not catch his words. She did not question what he meant, because she knew. This time was not like all the other times. This was not just a few words he would say and never really mean, or a gesture he made or a handmade gift to show he cared. It was not flowery because the words pricked and cut, they stung her throat like she had swallowed a bundle of bees, they made her eyes water like she had just seen something so surreal and hurtful that she knew she would never be able to understand. Not in the slightest.

When she was young and he embraced her from the back, he would spin her like a madman and she would not even squeal if he dropped her, and she fell and scraped her knees like other little children. Although she was a young lady, she wore her hair short, and it only contributed to making her look even more like a boy. She ignored the pain. When they were teenagers, the clinging stopped and she could no longer fall. She became even more quiet. He father died, and even then he could not hold her. All he could do was turn away, in hope that she would take control of the situation, because no matter how much he held her he knew it would make no difference. He had been correct. But now she was an adult, and when he embraced her from the back she would fall again. Although, this time, falling would not be the same at all. This time, she could do nothing about it. Scraped knees could be healed. But hearts were frailer, and this time when she fell she would have to take care of hers because this time it would be in love.

"I cannot repair the damage this time." Riza replied, as his arms slipped around her waist, grabbing her tightly. He buried his forehead in the curve of her neck, his charcoal black hair brushing against the wispy blonde strands coming loose from her plain, practical hairstyle in small strands around the back of her neck. She parted her lips slightly, allowing herself to breathe. When he clung so tightly, showed that he needed her that much, she never really knew what to do. What to say. What she could even manage anymore, because he confused her and worried her more than anybody ever could, and she was certain that fact would never change. In a way, it was obvious that it would end like this.

"You could not change my mind if I wanted you to." He told her, as though what he had just said made things simple. Really, every time he held her, it made things so much harder. Every time he said she was strong, it almost made her weep. He never knew that was because nothing else scared her apart from the idea, the thought or the act of losing him. His actions and words were no longer fulfilling. If they were a drink, they could never quench her thirst and if they were food she would remain starved. Because one thing was for certain. Neither his words or his actions were enough. Not anymore. Never. She turned and kissed him.

Their lips collided dangerously. It was against the rules, disallowed. Forbidden, and anything but within the boundaries of the laws they had chosen to abide by some time ago. But now, they no longer kept the same rules. They fought against what they had once followed. Instead of following the dreams of the cruel and merciless, those who would allow war just to cause pain to others, they followed their own dreams and tried to find a way in which there could be peace. No injuries. Less pain. As little as could be. So far, they had had a few casualties. But no deaths. Yet she knew it was possible. There were many things that people would do for money or power, but both put together were far outnumbered by the things people would do for love, and for this man who embraced her from the back? She knew she would do anything.

"Then I will fall over again."

I guessed it has been a while since I wrote something quite nice. How very awful of me. I hope you can forgive me, especially seeing as my halfway mark was rather angst-filled. Why do Roy and Riza make me write angst? I want to see them in the manga more again, but maybe this is because the sense of foreboding I am getting from the idea of reaching the end of it?

Preview: "Really, Riza, it is just a hair clip."

Reviews are loved. :)