AN: Here it is! This is part two of the flashback. Sorry, it took a bit longer than I thought to write this so it's going up later than planned. HOWEVER we have decided that since it is royai week we will add a new chapter every day (hopefully). So without anymore interruption here is chapter 3. I hope you enjoy it and happy royai week! ~EmpressofBread
The moon was high in the sky, casting an eerie light onto the trees and making sinister shadows on the ground as the clouds continued to offload their contents. Roy winced as lightning tore across the sky and thunder rumbled in the distance. Where was she? It wasn't safe for her to be out there, let alone all by herself.
"Damn it!" He slammed his hands down on the desk in frustration. He felt so…useless. Alchemists were meant to be thou for the people, so why was it he couldn't even protect one little girl? No, she wasn't little, not anymore. He saw it in her eyes. Anyone looking at her as they passed her in the street would assume she was just a normal teenager, it was only when Roy looked into her caramel orbs that he was struck with how burdened she was. Her eyes were like an open book, spilling out the contents of her soul. And Roy was saddened by what he saw. Suddenly, a clap of thunder burst from the clouds, shaking him to his core. He had to find her. Roy grabbed his coat and made his way down to the back door. He pulled his coat tight around himself as he was hit by the full force of the storm. Determinedly, he crossed the garden to the trees and began his search.
"Miss Hawkeye! Where are you? Please, this storm is getting worse, you have to come back!" When no reply came shouted again.
"Miss Hawkeye! You don't have to explain anything, just come inside!" He cursed loudly.
"Riza! I'm sorry! I just want to help!" When still he heard nothing, he sighed and slumped against a tree trunk. He was never going to find her in these conditions. Just when he was about to give up, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye; A light. Roy scrambled to his feet and started out in the direction of the glow to discover its source. He tumbled over tree roots and scratched his face on branches but eventually he broke through the strangling limbs and found himself face to face with a shed. Or was it a shack? It was too run down to be a shed, but it looked too big to be a shack. A sheck? Roy didn't know if such a thing existed but it was the best explanation he could come up with. He walked over to the door and tapped lightly on the worn wood, the sound instantly swallowed up by the gale. He knocked louder and called out.
"Miss Hawkeye? Are you in there?" Riza jumped in shock at the sound of Roy's voice and shrank even further in on herself, trying to swallow down the fear that would threaten to show in her voice.
"I told you I wanted to be alone."
Roy ignored her, "What are you doing here? It's freezing and there's so much rain it's going to put us all underwater!"
Riza was getting frustrated "Damn it, he's so persistent." She mumbled angrily.
He banged on the door again, "Please, Riza."
She huffed and snapped angrily at the door, "Why won't you listen? I told you to leave me alone!" Her voice cracked on the last word and she returned to her huddled position she adopted before he arrived.
Roy huffed, "Well if you aren't going to come out will you at least let me in? I'm really wet. I'm so wet I'm pretty sure the amount of water I'm currently holding could drown a fish."
Riza laughed in spite of herself and made her way to the door, slowly unbolting the latch and allowing Roy to come inside. He hurried in and rubbed his arms to try and warm himself up. Without saying a word, Riza handed him a towel, which he took gratefully. It was only then he really noticed where he was standing. The small building was mainly empty, but on some of the walls pictures were stuck with rusting pins and in the centre of the floor there was a collection of blankets.
"This is nice." Roy said, in an attempt to fill the silence. Riza's face remained blank and she mumbled in a monotonous tone.
"Thanks." She returned to her place on the floor and Roy proceeded to look around the room. A tense silence filled the air.
"You know, finding anything we have in common might give us something to talk about." No reply. Roy frowned and continued to look around the small space. He went over to the wall filled with pictures and gazed at the photographs. He pointed to one of a young woman and a young girl baking in the kitchen of the very house Roy was currently staying in. He turned to Riza, pointing at the woman in the picture.
"Is this your mother?" Riza nodded but didn't say anything. Roy smiled.
"You look a lot like her."
Riza looked at him, that same emotionless face still present, "My father says I act a lot like her as well."
Roy stopped looking at the photo to meet Riza's eyes, "And do you agree?"
She shrugged, "I wouldn't know, she died when I was very young."
Roy quickly broke his gaze and stared at the floor, "Oh, I'm sorry."
Riza nodded once, "Thank you."
Roy continued to stare at the floor as he spoke, "Both my parents died when I was quite young as well."
She looked into his face, "I'm sorry."
He met her gaze, "Yeah, thanks." Silence filled the room again as the pair stared deeply into each other's eyes, seeing their own buried grief reflected back at them. After a while Roy spoke.
"Well…I suppose we found something we have in common."
Riza laughed bitterly and looked away, "I don't really think talking about dead relatives is the best conversation starter." Her words were laced with sarcasm but there was no real emotion in her voice; just a senseless monotone. Roy laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his hair absentmindedly. His gaze swept the room once more, his eyes desperately searching for something to break the tension. That was when he noticed that the pictures were singed around the edges. He took one off the wall and held it out to Riza.
"What happened to the pictures? They look like they've been burnt." Riza frowned at the picture and seemed to be grappling with herself even though she remained stony and silent. She looked at Roy and narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Why did you follow me out here?"
Roy was startled, "What?"
Riza carried on, ignoring his surprise, "Why do you care what happens to me? You were worried about me coming out in a storm yet you did the exact same thing to find me."
Roy's mouth almost dropped open in shock. He tried to form a sentence, explain everything to her, but instead he just found himself laughing.
Riza's eyes widened and then she fixed a death stare at him, "And why in the hell are you laughing?!"
Roy stopped laughing and looked at her with a straight face, completely unfazed by the anger rolling off of her in waves.
"Well you're my friend." He gave her a look as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and this time it was Riza's turn to look shocked.
She spoke in a whisper, "I'm your friend?"
Roy smiled a big goofy grin at her, "You're surprised? Of course you're my friend! You make me food, I try and lend a hand with your science studying, that's what friends do! They help each other out."
Riza could do nothing but stare in confusion at this boy. He had come into her life one day, just another student of her fathers and she went about her life as normal. Except he wasn't normal. He spoke to her, and not just to order her around. He was interested in finding out about her, was willing to help with the chores, he considered her his equal. He considered her a friend. Her whole life had been spent in that big empty house so she never spoke to anyone her own age (Roy was the youngest student her father had ever taken on) so she never made any friends.
Riza took the picture from Roy and stared at it for a moment, "When my mother died, my father was very angry. I think he was angry at her mostly, I suppose for leaving him alone to look after me,"
Roy sat down beside her but didn't interrupt, "If I ever got sad he would shout at me and tell me she didn't deserve anyone mourning her. He was so furious that after we cleared out all her possessions and collected all the pictures he built a bonfire in the garden and set fire to it all. He made me sit there and watch every memory I would ever have of her go up in smoke. He left after a few minutes and told me I couldn't come back until it was all ash and once it was gone I could focus on my own life and not be caught up in grieving. When I was sure he wouldn't catch me I collected everything I could from the pile and brought it here." Her eyes flicked around the room at the strange assortment of possessions before looking back at Roy. He had replaced the picture and was surveying the other items in the room.
"You did well. No matter what Master Hawkeye said, everyone deserves to be remembered," He smiled softly at her. Silence descended on the room again as Roy walked over to the small desk pushed up against one wall and picked up a small book, its pages worn but not ripped; though the book had obviously been read a great number of times it was well looked after, despite the burns synonymous with the contents of the room.
"It looks like this has been read a fair few times."
Riza nodded, "It was my mother's favourite book. I've read it so many times I could probably recite it from cover to cover."
Roy chuckled, "Sounds like a good book. Maybe I'll read it someday." He placed the book back down gently and sat down next to Riza.
She smiled kindly at him, "Thank you Mr Mustang. It sounds silly but I really appreciate this."
Roy looked dead serious as he answered, "It's not silly at all, I'm just glad you're ok," Now the seriousness was gone and replaced by a mischievous grin, "You know you can call me Roy if you want, I don't mind." Riza didn't say anything, just nodded.
A hush descended once again before Roy coughed once and got up, making his way to the door, "I should get going, lots of studying to be doing." He turned to leave but she called out, stopping him in his tracks.
"Mr Mustang, I'm sorry to have to ask this of you, but it would be better my father didn't know about this place, or our meeting. He wouldn't like it."
Roy saw the fear cross her features for a moment and tried hard to suppress a shiver as memories of the afternoon played in his mind, "Of course. Goodnight Riza."
Riza didn't look at him, instead she began absentmindedly flipping through the book as she replied softly, "Goodnight…Roy." He beamed at her as he left the room, shutting the door against the storm. Even after he left, Riza found herself staring at the entrance. It was then a huge grin spread across her face and loud laughs echoed around the cabin. She couldn't remember the last time she had done so and it felt good. She collapsed back on the blankets and fell asleep thinking of Roy Mustang, a warm feeling spreading through and warding off the storm beating its icy fists against the walls surrounding her.