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shhbean · 4 years

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fuck it! some thoughts on al’s years in xing. if you guys have thoughts or criticisms let me know! i just wanna ramble lmao.

also don’t reblog lmao bc theres a lot of errors in here and its all sporadic and frankly embarrassing

okay so first things first i think in the two year gap between the promised day and the post canon adventures the brothers keep up a correspondence with ling and mei through letters (bc theyre planning this big adventure and its wild that they would show up unannounced even tho i know thats theyre style but als like. mmm dont want lan fan to execute me on sight)

side note! i think of xing as a relatively isolationist country, but with a phone and railway system that operates within itself, not on the outside (its a big country! people need to communicate!) ling is not against isolationism per say, only because drachma and amestris are still very much Major War Torn disasters, however ling puts a big emphasis on assisting refugees and families displaced by war. he also holds relatively frequent council with their bordering countries* *more on this later. but i dont see xing moving away from isolationism until ling is MUCH older. and even then most of their opening up mostly revolves around trade and world aid.

ed sort of bangs his adventure out west in like a year and a half, because hes kinda. rarin to get back to rush valley and marry winry. al spends about three and a half years in xing bc he has to learn the language AND a brand new form of alchemic science. (with visits back to amestris for. weddings, occasional holidays and meeting his nephew and niece)

when al gets to xing the first thing he notices are 1) the food is incredible (though some of it is spicer than hed realize and amestrian food is blander than he thought) 2) the art and architecture is amazing and beautiful 3) he’s never worn silk before and he privately amends to never make that mistake again 4) ling has two modes Emperor mode and Ling mode (al has been on the receiving end of both 5) lan fan seems much happier 6) mei got taller

side note yes ed and winry have the emperor of xing and his sister, the princess and imperial alkahestrist at their wedding. no no one knows how the fuck to deal with it jfhgkjfdhjk

ling, in order to establish security for clans with less power appoints one family member from each clan to his court. hence why mei becomes imperial alkahestrist at 16. this ruffles a lot of feathers, and lings happy for it.

in general one of lings biggest projects in his time as emperor is helping the poor and disenfranchised of xing. he has the aristocracy pretty much on its knees all the time.

al spent so much time in the two years preparing for his trip studying up on xingese culture, tradition, and especially xingese aristocracy because he didnt want to offend an entire culture (he leaves that to ed) only for mei and ling to horrify the entire court by yanking al into a very tight HUG

ling continues to horrify the court by asking al for advice and counsel in front of everyone lmao

lan fan has other family members! not just fu! she has a whole mom and two younger sisters. lan fan remains ling’s personal gaurd until she turns 20, and then she appointed captain of the guard. she really loves her job and honestly being home has made her 1000% more outgoing and confident (not when shes guarding tho obviously)

lan fan’s family has their own suite in the palace, for being the yao’s families faithful servants. however once lan fan becomes captain of the guard she insists on sleeping in the barracks (this annoys ling greatly. though he doesn’t say anything)

mei is an INTENSE teacher. not so much izumi level bet she has al wake up at 6 am every day and run arrays for her until shes decided shes satisfied. al does not mind this, he likes watching the sun rise

al takes awhile to learn xingese. and once he’s finally mastered it he’s better at speaking it than writing it (his script is basically chicken scratch) this sort of impedes his alkahestry lessons too because of a lot of the tomes and books on it are in xingese. a lot of al’s lessons are spent doing translations

jerso and zampano, somehow, pick up xingese stupid fast. al is furious lmao.

winry and ed and their children (lil 1yr boy sig and actual baby baby girl nina) come out to visit at behest of ling. xing had no established automail program, just a few engineers here and there, so winry worked with him to train a few automail engineers. this becomes one of the only forms of trade that xing has with neighboring countries. an automail material trade agreement was presented by general mustang and signed off by emperor ling and furher grumman. (an eventually, would become a regular commodity of amestris under roy’s rule as furher)

once his three years of research and study are up al (now 21, keeping track of ages for my benefit, bc this timeline largely exists in my head) heads back to amestris to write his paper and swap notes with ed, and eventually publish a book together. ed somehow earned a fucking PHD in three years while al was away. al is once again, is furious and super proud. (he privately amends to earn his in 2) he convinces mei (now 19) to tag along to help continue her own research on the link between alkahestry and alchemy. ling lets them go and starts a research initiative that funds their travels all over the world.

mei and al visit scar alot on their travels, and while theyre in ishval they help out the community (doing wonderfully but still needs a hand every once in a while) wherever they can. mei’s always so excited to see scar. lots of hugs and catching up. scar always fixes al a hairy eye when he arrives with mei (note they are very much JUST friends at this point. scar does not care....probably having flashbacks from how quickly ed and winry got together fvjdghjkf)

they also have tea with the newly promoted brigadier general and his captain every visit. who...share a tent. al and mei make sure not to comment. this does not stop jerso and zampano from commenting. (roy and riza are doing well though, and very much concede their authority to scar and miles on every deciding fact. reparations suits them)

mei’s 22nd birthday is spent in ressembole where ed and winry and their babies have relocated. pinako (still holdin on strong) watches her great grand babies. ed and winry have alcohol for the first time in 5 years. chaos ensues. al and mei watch he stars and al starts to realize maybe. he might. have a crush. oh well. not going to address that. too much work to do.

on al’s 27th birthday he has a mild crisis about how old he’s getting. ed, 28 a whole professor, with a third goddamn kid on the way, laughs at his pain. mei (24 now. jesus. im writing this why am i getting whiplash) receives a letter from miles telling her scar, much to humble to admit it, has been made lead representative speaker for ishval. he hints that al should be on the lookout for a letter coming his way. and sure enough, a letter asking if al would like to be the amestrian ambassador to xing arrives at their doorstep.

and then its back to xing again to get ling to sign off on the order (of course he does) and to get his approval on al and mei’s courtship (re: not engagement. theyre very slow lmao). (that one requires a longer conversation wherein lan fan threatens al with a knife)

#why did this get so long lmfao.

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fullmetalscullyy · 5 years

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royai week day 4: pinned

rated: t | words: 4689

read on ao3

Riza Hawkeye made sure her leg arced high, aiming for Roy’s head, but he ducked it just like she’d taught him. “Good work,” she appraised, spinning and bouncing a step backwards to retreat out of his range.

“Wow, praise from Hawkeye, this is a rare treat,” he teased, a glint in his eyes. Riza smirked at his comment, arcing her leg again, high, in the same manoeuvre as before, which Roy dodged with practiced ease. However, he didn’t anticipate her slamming her leg down towards the ground – and his head – when it hit the apex of the arc. She barely missed, her foot catching on the sleeve of his shirt.

With a smirk, Roy wrapped his arm around her leg, holding it still and leaving her unbalanced. Her eyes widened slightly as she realised he’d actually managed to render her immobile in a sparring match. This wasn’t the first time, but it didn’t happen often. He’d never beaten her in a match yet, but he’d improved immensely in such a short time, a testament to his drive and dedication.

The pair remained frozen, a tableau of their fight, before Roy yanked her leg forwards towards his body, aiming for her to fall.

But, Riza wasn’t the Captain of the guard for nothing. She trained him, for crying out loud. This just proved he was too cocky for his own good.

And that was a lesson that needed to be taught.

Riza hopped in place as Roy tugged her leg, keeping up with his attack. She jerked her leg upwards, out of his hold as Roy begun to frown, unimpressed that his manoeuvre didn’t work. She swung out of his hold and placed her fatigued leg on the ground. Her other leg swung around to contact with his side. With a pained ooph, Roy staggered and Riza lunged for him, tackling him to the floor and pressing her knees against his upper arms before he could think about what happened. Roy grimaced and hissed as his head contacted the dirt of their sparring ground.

She had him pinned.

“Again,” he barked as Riza smirked at him, removing the pressure from his biceps. She ignored how her knees pulled the fabric, tightening over the hard muscle.

He was her employer and out of reach.

Still, a girl could dream.

“Yes, that’s right,” she stated innocently. “I’ve pinned you, again. That’s three times today.”

“Again,” he snarled, his pride hurt more than anything.

“As you wish, my lord,” she bowed low. It would have looked like a show of respect to an outsider, but in this context, it was mocking. Roy knew because whenever Riza was acting particularly smug, she would pull out the “my lord” card because she knew he hated it.

“Especially from her.”

Ignoring the sentiment that came with that command, Riza obeyed like a good soldier, pushing down the feelings fluttering around her stomach and in her chest whenever she remembered the fierceness of his expression. It said, “I think of as more than an employee”, but that wasn’t something she could afford to get mixed up in right now. Her mother was sick, and she needed this job in order to send enough money back home. Fraternising with her boss meant she wouldn’t have this position for very long.

It was funny, how being with Roy made her forget about her difficult home life and – for a few hours at least – she got a reprieve as she worked and joked with her best friend and the man she loved.

* * *

Roy strode down the street, the cloak hood high over his head so the townsfolk wouldn’t recognise him. He knew where Riza’s house was located, however had never been to her home. She’d never spoke about it much, and Roy had been too self-absorbed to find out or think about why.

They were due to train today, but she’d never shown up. This wasn’t uncommon. It always happened on a Wednesday, however she normally sent a message with her notice. Today there was none. The messenger returned with no word from Riza, having been sent away from her home by someone else, so Roy took it upon himself to find out what she was up to. He had a plan forming in his head and this was just the first step towards it.

As he headed towards the lower end of the castle town, he begun to frown. This couldn’t be where she lived, could it? The woman with such a fire in her eyes while equipped with a brilliant grin who always managed to draw a smile from him came from here? The slums?

But Roy supposed this is exactly where a woman like Riza would come from. That fire in her veins was the result of having to fight to survive every day.

With worry and concern in his heart, he picked up his pace and closed in on her home.

It was an old looking building. Planks of wood were falling off the sides, exposing gaps which had been patched up with straw and different coloured lumber. It was mismatched and dilapidated, nothing like the place in which he’d imagined Hawkeye would live in.

“Were you working again?” a woman snapped. Roy froze.

“Yes, Mother,” he heard Riza reply. It was rude to eavesdrop his mother always told him, but… He wanted to know more about Riza Hawkeye and apparently this was the only way he’d ever find out, because she never spoke about it. As Roy continued to listen and his stomach tightened in response to what he heard, he realised there was probably a very good reason Riza never brought it up.

“And this is all you have to show for it?” the woman spat.

“I’m sorry, Mother,” Riza replied. Roy felt anger towards this woman coil in his gut as he noticed how small and defeated Riza’s voice sounded. “I’ll do better next time –”

“I should think so! This is pitiful. Are you keeping your wages back for yourself, girl?”

“No Mother, not at all –”

“If I find out you have…” Roy peaked through the window and saw the woman sitting in a bed in the centre of the room near a roaring fire. She looked ill. Gravely ill. Her cheeks and eye sockets were sunken, bones protruding where they shouldn’t be. Her skin was grey in the firelight rather than a healthy looking pink. He swallowed as the woman narrowed her eyes. “Your Father will give you more than ten lashes this time, that’s for sure. No amount of pleading will get you out of it. It’s what you deserve for your insolence.”

Roy almost gave away his position as fury surged through him. One look at Riza’s hung head made him want to burst through the door and ask this woman just who she thought she was talking to Riza like that.

“I’ll do better Mother, I promise,” Riza whispered. “Please, don’t tell Father –”

“I can’t make that promise,” her mother replied, picking up a book with unsteady and spindly hands and resuming reading it, effectively dismissing her daughter without another word.

Fury built in his chest. Riza was too good for this kind of treatment. She was the best person he knew. She didn’t deserve this.

Roy wanted to help, but how?

* * *

“Hawkeye!” Roy cried from behind her. Riza straightened and wiped her eyes. A few tears had escaped in a moment of weakness, but there was no place for her personal life in the castle. Turning in place, she removed her gaze from the castle gardens and gave her attention to her employer. “Fancy a spar today?” he grinned, jerking his thumb over his shoulder as he pointed towards the training grounds. Riza felt her stomach flutter at the sight of his smile, his eyes crinkling at the edges as he did so, an endearing sight that Riza had always loved. He looked so good and so happy…

What Riza wouldn’t give to have even just a moment like that –

But she did, didn’t she? Every time she worked with him.

Sighing quietly to herself, and offering him her own smile, Riza nodded. “Ready for another ass kicking?” she joked.

“Hm, if the Queen heard you speaking to me like that, she might spar with you herself,” he laughed. Riza joined in, but a knot tightened painfully in her stomach.

If that happened… a small voice in the back of her head whispered. Then you’re done for. The image of a whip flashed in her mind and Riza blocked it out.

“I apologise, my lord,” she replied, forcing down that dread that had prickled over her skin. “I will remember to be more respectful from now on.” Roy raised an eyebrow, shooting her a side glance as one end of his mouth quirked up into an amused grin.

“Oh yeah? That will be a change.”

“Are you ready to get your butt kicked?” Roy burst out laughing and Riza couldn’t stop her smiled from spreading across her face.

That was why she loved it here in the castle. It was the only place she was able to laugh so openly. Not to mention the fact that she got to spend time with the man she loved.

“Is that better?” she added.

“Much better. Okay, let’s make this interesting,” Roy began, picking up his pace so he left Riza on one end of the sparring ring, and himself on the other. “If you win, you get a salary raise.” Riza’s eyes widened. “It’s the least I can do after you’ve had to put up with me all these years. If I win, I get to request one thing from you.”

“Is this going to be something weird like you’ll make me your servant for a week?” she quipped, thinking back to the childish bets they used to do as teenagers.

“No, nothing like that…” Roy replied cryptically, trailing off yet offering no further elaboration. The only thing Riza could discern was the mischievous glint in his eyes. No matter, this did make things more interesting. It was a bold bet, but Riza thought this might be the drive he needed to finally concentrate and beat her in a sparring match. Not for her gain, but for his own.

She didn’t want to take any more money from the royal family – they’d already given her enough – but… Riza felt dirty for saying it, but it could really help.

Plus, it might give her a reprieve from her mother…

“Deal.”

“Excellent,” Roy replied, face smug. “First one to be pinned loses.”

As they sparred each were on equal footing. Riza was impressed. Either he’d been holding back before, or in the week they hadn’t seen each other, he’d been getting practice in. It stung a little to think that he’d sought out another sparring partner but Riza told herself Roy didn’t owe her anything. Even though she loved him, it would never work. And, he was a grown man, not to mention the Crown Prince. He could request the services of anyone he liked, and was not limited to just her.

Riza had often wondered why Roy employed her as his personal trainer for battles and didn’t use the castle trainer, who already had forty years’ worth of fighting in wars under his belt, compared to the five Riza had.

As they both broke a sweat, the pressure they put on each other increased. Roy was focussed and there was no cocky grin on his face when he thought he’d easily won. His entire demeanour had changed dramatically and Riza was surprised.

He must really want to win.

“Have you been practicing?” Riza asked genuinely impressed.

“For a good reason,” he replied with a quick grin before it dropped, and he swept at her legs. Riza jumped and cleared it, leaping backwards.

“Care to share that reason with the rest of the class?”

“No, I think I’ll keep it quiet for now. That way it will be a surprise when I win.”

Again, there was no cockiness. Just determination and sheer force of will.

Just as she begun to tire, Roy knocked her flat on her back, pinning her under his knee which pressed down hard on her chest.

Riza blinked before a smile spread across her face.

“Congratulations,” she offered, genuinely proud of him.

He’d finally won against her.

“All thanks to your training,” he gasped, placing his hands on the ground above her head to steady himself, but he didn’t let her move from the pin. Riza wriggled against his hold and noticed him freeze, but, innocently, she couldn’t determine the reason for his reaction.

“Uh, Roy?” she questioned, glancing down at his knee. Roy’s own gaze travelled with her, but he didn’t move.

“About that request…”

“Really? Right now? Let me up,” she griped, struggling.

“Marry me.”

Riza froze.

“Wh…”

His head bent low, lips grazing her earlobe, breath tickling the skin. He removed his knee, placing it on the other side of her body so he was effectively straddling her hips. Riza would have blushed if she wasn’t so dumbstruck. However, she did shiver in response, unable to even comprehend what was happening. Every feeling she had squashed down and buried deep over the years came surging to the surface. It left her breathless.

“Marry me,” he murmured. “That’s my request.”

Riza’s heart thumped in her chest, her world skidding to a halt. Her breath caught in her throat, eyes staring but unseeing up at the blue sky above them.

“What?” she squeaked, ignoring the flush that covered her face and her neck.

“Do I have to repeat it a third time?” he chuckled but it was strained. Worried.

He was waiting for an answer.

One Riza wanted to give but her fear held her back.

“Is… Is that really how you wanted to ask me to marry you?” she laughed nervously, anxiety pooling in her stomach as she stuttered the first thing that popped into her head. No, you can’t get dragged into that. Your parents need you at home. It’s your responsibility to look after them –

“I promised myself I would the first time I managed to pin you,” he replied, his lips moving further down her neck, nose nudging the fabric of her shirt to the side so his lips could graze her collar bone, leaving her gasping and back arching for more. “Only then, would I be worthy.” Damn her body for reaction to his touch in this way. “What’s your answer?”

“I…”

Mother.

Father.

“I can’t…” she whispered against her will.

Roy stopped his movements, lifting his head slowly. His gaze was pained. “Why?” he demanded softly.

“My parents –”

“Treat your horribly.” Dread sunk like a stone in her stomach. “Berate you even though you work your ass off here to take money home for them, to care for them. You would rather choose that life over me?”

“I…” No, she wanted to reply, but her voice wouldn’t work. “How… How do you know about that?” she whispered instead.

“I…” he looked away, not meeting her gaze. “I’m ashamed to admit it, but I overheard the conversation with your mother two days ago.”

“You were… at my house?” Riza’s face paled.

Roy nodded. “The messenger had been turned away from your home – but not by you – and I wanted to make sure you were all right.”

He’d… He’d checked up on her? Roy… cared that much?

And why didn’t Riza hear anything about a messenger? Her father had kept that quiet as he sulked in the house while her mother laid into her verbally.

“Why didn’t you tell me about your situation at home?” he asked, both curious and concerned.

“What situation at home?” she asked, eyes darting from side to side. It was an automatic reaction.

“Riza,” Roy stressed, his tone telling her not to play dumb with him. He sighed. “Never mind,” he muttered. He looked so defeated as he moved from hovering over her. Riza’s heart clenched painfully. She was making him unhappy, the opposite of what she wanted to do.

“Roy, it’s nothing to do with you –” After he scoffed quietly, Riza shook her head as she sat up and sheepishly apologised. “You must understand, I’m not in the position to simply walk away from them.”

“Why not?”

“I… I care for them. We’ve been through hell already and I owe them a lot –”

“And you continue to go through hell every day with them. I heard the way she spoke to you, Riza,” he whispered softly. “I’ve… I’ve seen the scars, remember.” He had. By chance, of course, when he’d walked in on her removing her armour to get treated in the infirmary.

He’d been the one to remain by your side while you were gravely injured, that voice reminded her, coupled with a flutter in her stomach. Not your mother or father. They’d barely even noticed you were gone. You were punished because they thought you’d run off with “their money” when just a week before you were hanging onto life by a thread.

She’d gotten ten lashings for her disappearance.

“You would rather choose that life?” he whispered, his tone dejected.

Riza took a deep breath, solidifying her resolve.

“No,” Riza replied. “Of course not.” His head snapped up, expression perking up with hope. “I love you, Roy,” she managed to force out, past the terror in her chest at admitting her true feelings, ones that had been brewing in her for years. “I have for a long time. I… I am trapped with them, and I do feel it is my duty to look after my parents.” After all, it was because of Riza that her mother had fallen ill in the first place. During her birth, Riza’s mother had caught an infection that still plagued her to this day, twenty six years later. It assaulted her body and her mind, leaving her the shell of the woman she’d once been. Well, that’s what Riza had been told. In the grief of slowly losing his wife piece by piece, her father was in a constant state of depression.

They both resented Riza for what she’d done to Riza’s mother, despite the fact that the only reason she was ill was because Riza had been born.

There was nothing Riza could have done, but when she’d been told all her days, the point drilled into her at every available opportunity, that it was her fault, eventually Riza had come to believe it.

“I can’t believe you’re even considering this anyway,” she laughed nervously. “What would the people think –”

Roy grasped her hands in his. “There is nothing I want more in this life,” he told her, tone sincere, eyes clear and assured. “Than to spend it every day with you. To make you happy and to love you. I don’t care what the people think. I know how hard your life has been and I hate to see you suffer.” His hands squeezed hers. “I’ve watched it for years and I’ve been lost as to how to help you. When…” He trailed off, taking a deep breath. “When you were on your deathbed after that battle last year, I swore I wouldn’t waste another second with you.”

“It’s not that simple,” she whispered. “I wish it was.”

“I just want to make you happy, Riza,” Roy pleaded, the grip on her hands tightening slightly as Roy no doubt felt this chance slipping away from him. “You deserve it more than anyone, and is it so wrong for me to have this goal?”

Riza’s mouth opened but no sound left her. She couldn’t give him an answer. She wanted him to make her happy. Riza wanted to make happy memories with Roy but…

He dropped her hands from his. Riza’s fell into her lap, limp, as she felt her happiness and opportunity at a good and happy future slipping away from her.

“I…” Riza watched as he swallowed hard. “I understand and respect your decision. I… I won’t bother you about it any longer. After all,” he grinned, eyes crinkling at the edges. “It was just a request.”

Roy stood – the movement sharing such a finality Riza begun to panic – and offered her his hand. She gripped it tightly as she was hauled to her feet, loath to let go when Roy did.

“If you ever need any help at home… Just let me know,” he smiled, but Riza could see the strain in it. “I’ll come running.” Roy put his hands in his pockets and begun to walk away.

Away from her and away from a future she’d denied against her will.

Panicked, she called his name.

She couldn’t let this slip away. This opportunity was too good. Never in a million years did Riza imagine that he would feel the same way.

To hell with putting others in front of herself. Not if it ended with her being so unhappy like this.

Just as he turned Riza threw her arms around his neck, pulling his body tight around hers. Surprised, Roy didn’t react for a moment. Then, Riza spoke and it changed everything.

“I don’t want to watch you walk away like that,” she whispered against the skin of his neck, breathing in the scent of him. “I love you too much to let my fear, and them, come between us.” Arms encircled her tightly. His face moved and was buried in the crook of her neck. “I’m sorry…”

“Riza,” Roy chuckled. “It’s okay, like I said. I understand –”

Riza shook her head vigorously, clutching the back of his shirt tightly in her fists. “No. I’m saying yes.”

Roy froze then abruptly pulled away from her.

“Yes?”

“Yes,” Riza confirmed with a nod, a thrill flying through her stomach.

Unable to help herself, Riza whimpered as she felt happy tears spring to her eyes while Roy gently but firmly guided her head to his. Their lips met hungrily, both increasing the pressure of their hold on the other, yearning to become closer. Their kiss was desperate, born out of years of waiting and pining.

“I love you, Riza Hawkeye. And if you wish it, I will aim to make every day the happiest of your life.”

Riza chuckled, still not quite believing this was happening to her.

“I accept.”

Their second kiss was slower, loving. She wanted to explore him, but it appeared Roy felt different. He moved to pepper her face with kisses, making Riza giggle as he tickled her skin. When he finally let up his vicious assault, they were both smiling at each other.

In that moment, Riza felt the happiest she’d ever been in a long time. There was an undercurrent of uncertainty for her future where her parents were concerned. A note of dread filled her mind as she thought about having that conversation with them. But Riza didn’t let that get to her. Not right now.

“Well, did you do it?” the Queen called over to them, appearing as if from nowhere. Riza’s eyes met Roy’s and she couldn’t break the spell between them. She barely heard the Queen’s question. Roy smiled softly, finally tearing them away to answer his mother.

“I did.”

The Queen scoffed, beginning to approach. Riza’s eyes widened and she dropped to her knees like a stone, bowing before her Queen.

“About time,” the Queen grumbled. “It’s only taken you about five years.” She stopped before them, Riza only able to see the hem of her extravagant dress. “Child, rise from your knees.” Riza obeyed, her anxiety returning ten-fold. She’d only met with the Queen once before and she was intimidating as hell. Riza had stayed away, kept her head down, and stayed out of trouble as she trained the Crown Prince. The last thing she needed was an excuse for the Queen to kick her out of the castle to face the wrath of her mother and father. “Riza.” The way she spoke commanded attention and although Riza’s fear and anxiety screamed at her to look away, she couldn’t.

Then, the Queen smiled. The corner of her eyes crinkled in the same way her sons did.

“Welcome to the family.”

The Queen was hugging her. Her. Riza Hawkeye.

What?

Today was getting stranger by the minute.

Once apart, the Queen smirked. “I presume you will be coming to live with us in the castle now, yes?”

“I –”

“I will send a messenger to your mother and father, informing them of your change of residence.”

“I –” Riza tried again, unable to get a word in edgeways. This was happening too fast. She couldn’t just leave her mother and father like that, they needed her –

Do they really, though? They need a punching bag. That’s all you are to them. You’ve got the scars to prove it.

You deserve better.

Roy had told her that years ago, but Riza just smiled and agreed, trying to keep the peace. He’d never completely known about her family life because she kept it apart. In this castle was her bubble, her happy place, because Roy was here – although she’d never admit that – and she didn’t want to sully it with her home life.

“Do not fret, I will assure they receive a lump sum from the castle so they can procure the correct medicine for your mother and so your father can get help with his own issues.” Riza opened her mouth to reply, but she saw the pointed look the Queen gave her. It told Riza the woman knew everything about her family life. Just how, Riza didn’t know. She swallowed, that anxiety returning. Her breaths were becoming short.

“Don’t worry, Riza,” the Queen added softly. “You’re safe now, here with us. I swear it.” Without another word, the Queen left them.

She froze, then felt one of Roy’s hands on her shoulder, the other rubbing circles on her back. Tears sprung to Riza’s eyes.

Was she… finally… free?

“I know this is sudden,” he began.

“This is very sudden.” Riza didn’t know what to do, how to react. Her brain was still stuck on the part that Roy wanted to marry her, now she’d been welcomed into the royal family and lived in the castle?

What?

“I love you, Riza Hawkeye. I have for years,” Roy murmured. Turning to face him, he grinned happily. “That will never change.”

“I… I still don’t…”

“It’s okay, take your time.” Roy chuckled. “The Queen isn’t as sensitive to emotions in moments like this. But, you’ll be part of the family now, and she will love you with a fierceness that you will never know.”

Part of the royal family…

Roy gripped her hand tightly. “I’m… I’ve been wanting to ask you for years. I put it off due to my own nervousness and the fact that I felt like I wasn’t good enough for you.”

“That’s ridiculous – You’re the Prince. It is I who is unworthy of you.” She was baffled by his words. Did he seriously think that?

“In my mother’s words,” he begun, clearing his throat, his expression taking on a haughty expression of a “queen”. However, what came out of his mouth was a spot-on expression of the Queen’s gruff demeanour and voice. “Any woman that can kick your ass, you’re not worthy of.” Riza couldn’t help it, she burst out laughing. “You have to work to earn the right to marry her.” Riza continued to laugh, only to remember she was laughing at her Queen, and slapped both hands over mouth. However, one look at Roy and she was unable to hold back her giggle. She caught his eye as she had done numerous times before and was unable to stop her laugh from escaping.

“Am I worthy of you, Riza Hawkeye?” Although it was said with a smile, there was still a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

“You have always been worthy,” she replied.

“As have you.”

#royaiweek19 #royai #royai fic #royai fanfic #royai au #emma writes

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bleedingcoffee42 · 5 years

Text

Eureka AU- Part 6

The obligatory hospital episode where we throw medical words around like commas and hope nobody questions them.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Roy sat down on the floor of their laundry room where Riza chose to set her military foot looker when she moved in. It never was unpacked, it just remained here as a piece of furniture they set their clothes bins on. It was one of the few pieces of décor she brought to this home, one utilitarian wooden box painted in olive drab that stuck out like a sore thumb against all his simplistic pieces. He didn't realize until now that she really didn't have anything of her own, except for this.

Sure there were clothes, but who looked to the closet for possessions to define a person? He felt like he was opening a buried treasure chest, a look at the history of one 1st Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye prior to her arrival in Eureka. This predated him, and he hated that he never really opened up the discussion about her past in case she did want to share it. Instead he felt like he was invading her privacy as he opened the truck to go through it's contents.

He was limited for time and he didn't want to dwell on it long. After this was over, he would tell her in great detail about Hughes and ask her if she had anything she wanted to share. He looked at a neatly folded pile of fatigues and lifted them out to set aside. Her dress uniform hung in the closet, that she wouldn't dare wrinkle. Then there was a belt and holster. Some blankets. Boots. A gun cleaning kit and mess kit. Knives. And a small safe with a touch pad key code lock. That he grabbed and immediately entered the code: 0611.

The case opened and there was a gun. No surprise. The journal secured to the lid was what he was after so he grabbed it and locked the box back up. He opened the little book and saw meticulously kept, handwritten records of dates, times, coordinates and operations. Causalities, notable events. A record of every military action she had been a part of, starting with a confirmed kill as a cadet on the first page.

He blinked. She hadn't even graduated yet and they sent her to the field as a sniper? A sniper. She wasn't just a great marksman, she was one of the elite! Then the pages of dates and times and numbers, bodies that piled up as she carefully pulled the trigger. Recorded yardage, recorded shots, wind speed. Everything bit of data to record this except for the target's name.

She was just a kid.

He had to focus. This was all something for later. He quickly flipped through the pages, keeping his eye focused on finding keywords: vaccination or Raven. Finally he found the entry. It was a mere six months prior to her coming to Eureka. An engagement in the desert. Something about seizing artifacts. Her special ops team had been given a vaccination to protect them from an ancient virus that was suspected to be in the tomb they were vandalizing. Well of course it wasn't writing in the ink that way, but he could read between the lines. He saw the hesitation and the gap in the journal where she debated on what word to use, 'preserving from grave robbers' was written a lot harder than the rest of her sentence. So he had his answer, the date and time of her vaccination against a virus that had completely eradicated the people of an entire city-state in ancient times. An advanced civilization who didn't stand a chance against this plague.

Roy was going to call Ed with the information, but instead chose to take a picture and text it to him. There was a lot to digest in the entry and he didn't want to be the one to choose what was delivered as data and what wasn't. He snapped a photo of the page and cropped it so it contained nothing but a description of the event. The kid would never compromise Riza, he trusted him to use this information wisely, so he sent it. Watched the confirmation that it was received and read and got back a text in reply.

“I get to be there when you take this fucker down.”

If only Ed knew that the battle was going to be in court, not some showdown in the streets. It probably went a lot further than Raven, it's not as if some General was sitting in his room at night cooking up vaccinations like Meth. He had a military contractor create this, he had someone tasked to create and distribute this for him. Tracing it back to Raven would be next to impossible. It went through the system like a root that broke through the pipes and was feeding on the sewer water.

“We made this.”

Roy stared at that text. Then another one appeared.

“We made the first one.”

Roy closed his eyes. Goddammit.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Roy made it back to the infirmary just as Ed arrived with the data he collected. “So, where are we?”

Ed opened the door to reveal he had his brother Alphonse working on something with Dr. Marcoh. Mustang went in the room, eyes glued to the dry erase board as the two worked out their thoughts for all to see. “The original Xerses vaccine was made specifically for Hawkeye's team.”

“So you've checked personnel records?” Roy asked, knowing the answer already. Riza was the loose end, it was important enough Raven got his hands dirty delivering the murder weapon.

“They're all dead.” Dr. Knox said from the corner. “The rest of her team is already gone. Died in their sleep, shipped home and the plane went down.”

Roy could feel his rage brewing.

“I made the vaccine.” Marcoh said. “I remember it clearly. They sent me some cloth that was a burial shroud, from a tomb that had been excavated and the air had killed the grave robbers. The instructions were to produce a vaccination for this antique strain in case the team going in to this vicinity was exposed.”

“There is nothing wrong with that, doctor.” Roy assured him. “You did save lives.”

Alphonse Elric stepped back from the board. “The vaccine itself is not the issue, it's the administration of this recent booster that is. The booster was made to specifically cause a response, to overwork the system which has an already built up immunity and can target what was injected. It's a modified virus made to feast on it's weaker self.”

Roy looked at the notes on the board. A vaccination meant to attack the very specific signature of the previous vaccination. Something that would be in nobody else's system in the century unless the were given the first Xerses Vaccine. So now it was attacking the host body itself. “Well that is way beyond Raven's creative ability and comprehension. Who the hell made this?”

“If I were a corrupt asshole who stole priceless relics from a war torn country,” Ed said. “I would say that I had the money to spare to fund a private lab to create something for me. We forget what it's like to not work here, someone out in a lab dying for funding and freedom would jump at the chance like this.”

“Especially with the spin that it's for the people.” Alphonse added.

“For the refugees.” Marcoh chimed in.

“For fucks sake.” Knox snapped and stood up to rush into the room with his patient. He saw the vitals spike and knew the inevitable was here. Her body was rejecting the baby to try and increase it's chances for survival. She was suffering a miscarriage which under normal circumstances would be fine with just careful monitoring, but he was concerned about hemorrhaging in her current condition. It was time to leave the cure to the researchers, he was here to be a doctor for his patient.

Roy was in the room immediately, following Knox as he tapped on monitors and lifted up the sheet and cursed to himself. Roy didn't need him to tell him what was happening, he needed him to not say what was happening. “Can we stop the bleeding?”

Knox looked over at him, eyes pleading with him to not go into detail with what was going on because he wasn't an idiot. “Go help them find a cure. There is nothing you can do here.”

Roy wanted to stay, it seemed right, but Knox was correct. He was needed elsewhere. So he turned around and went back into the observation room where Marcoh met him with consoling eyes and the Elrics searched his face for answers to their silent question. They didn't need to know. “What are the odds that we can attack this virus and not do more harm?”

“It's the only option we have.” Marcoh said sadly. “Odds are stacked against us.”

“Fuck the odds.” Ed said.

“Brother.” Al said and Ed went over to the board and circled the word Xerses Virsus.

“We might not know what this mystery scientist made, but I bet we're a thousand times better than that hack!” Ed said. “We make our own virus to attack our known variable, Marcoh's Xerses Virus itself. Then we'll know the worst case scenario of what we're dealing with and take the next step which is to figure out how to destroy what we made.”

“We don't have that kind of time.” Alphonse protested.

“We don't have a choice.” Ed said. “And if we run out of time I'll open the gate again and put her somewhere were time stops.”

“What the fuck, brother?” Al's gasped and everyone looked to Al. The portal wasn't something they understood at all. He would dare open it again? And jeopardize Hawkeye?

“Years off someone's life is better than no life at all.” Ed snapped. “I'll make that sacrifice. I'll make it. She saved us and that's just equivalent exchange as I see it.”

Roy didn't say anything as Ed stormed out and screamed about getting to work. Al mumbled about 'cheating death' and 'throwing limbs at God' before following his brother out of the room. Marcoh just picked up his things and nodded before leaving. Roy stood there and chose to ignore the reference to their Necromancy experiment gone wrong and pick up the tablet Marcoh left for him with the specs on his original Xerses vaccination. Then he went into the room to be with his wife while they lost their first child.

#fic #royai #eureka au

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fullmetalscullyy · 5 years

Text

i’m falling - part 2

part 1 - till that day

part 3 - know that i’m waiting

part 4 - you’re calling me

read on ao3 and ffnet

i love these character i promise and i couldn’t resist doing a part 2 and 3

i take you home

Roy recklessly barrelled through the gap in the wall, only to be hit by a wall of heat. He recoiled on instinct, eyes peering through the dust desperately for his wife.

Where was she?!

The fire was almost upon him as he ventured further in. Roy snapped his fingers, removing all the oxygen from the air around the fire, causing it to slowly shrink in size as it begun to burn out.

“Fuery!” he barked through the earpiece. As he’d spoken to his wife in the car Roy had made a mental note to promote the kid just based on this breakthrough. “Get the fire brigade here, now!”

“Already on it, sir!” he replied. Roy could hear him furiously hitting switches before relaying the General’s words back to the fire chief, stating that if he didn’t get his team to the warehouse as soon as possible, they would have to “deal with the General’s wrath”.

Roy was impressed with Fuery’s boldness.

Just as he was about to take another step the flames fanned out once again, pushing past his oxygen barrier. They dissipated out into nothing as they interacted with Roy’s alchemy, however the heat caused him to step back.

Shit! Riza is in here!

He’d begun to panic. He needed to act, needed to move to find her –

But he couldn’t just go charging in. Not anymore. He had a son at home who Roy had promised he’d bring his Mummy home safe and sound. If Roy ran into the fire only to die himself, Maes would be left with no one. That thought constricted his throat and caused him to choke on more than just the black smoke billowing out of the hole he’d created in the wall.

“Sir!” he heard Havoc call. Whirling around, Roy ran towards the direction of the Captain’s voice. It was in the opposite direction of the flames, so he would be safe, Riza would be safe.

Right?

“Over here!”

Roy stumbled to a stop in front of his wife. She was slumped against the dirty wall, hair matted, face bruised with old abrasions on her cheekbones, coupled with a split lip. One leg was outstretched – that must be the dislocated knee – and –

She was lying in a pool of her own blood.

A large pool.

There was a smear as she’d obviously dragged herself along the floor and Roy followed it, finding another pool about five metres away.

Roy’s knees crumbled and he hit the flor painfully, landing in that deep, red, pool.

It’s just like the Promised Day.

Those nightmares still plagued him, so it looked like this was fresh fuel to add to that fire.

“Riza?” he whispered, throat catching as the soot from the fire blew over towards them.

“We need to go,” Havoc urged. He was sat beside Riza, holding the back of her neck in his hand as his other gripped her bloody one tightly.

Without hesitation, Roy lifted Riza into his arms, cradling her body against his.

He didn’t even know if she was still breathing, still alive.

“Come on, Riza,” he chanted as they ran towards the exit. “Stay with me,” he pleaded. “This of Maes. He needs his mother. Fight for him. Please.”

Once outside Roy disregarded every thought of the burning building behind him. All that mattered was the woman in his arms. Ever so gently, he laid her on the ground and brushed her hair out of her face. He lowered his cheek, tilting her chin back, agonising over whether he would feel her breath on his skin or not.

It was there. Barely.

Roy let out a strangled sound of relief. Wiping away his silent tears, he gripped her hand and looked up frantically for the paramedics he’d ordered to arrive as soon as they did.

“Roy?” a quiet rasp called to him.

His head snapped down and he looked at his wife. This wonderful woman who had kept him on the right path, who didn’t put up with his shit, and who had opened him up to love over the years…

He couldn’t lose her.

Not his touchstone, his constant.

He refused.

“Hey,” he greeted in a whisper. “Hey, I’ve got you. It’s going to be okay.”

“I’m… Hurts…”

“I know, honey, I know,” he sniffed, tears falling down his cheeks. “I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of, I promise. The paramedics are running over now. Just rest.”

“I…” Her voice hitched. “I don’t –”

“Don’t talk like that,” Roy begged, brushing her matted fringe off her face. He left a smear of blood on her forehead. “Think of Maes,” he added, suddenly very desperate. Her eyes were drifting and unfocussed. She wouldn’t be awake for much longer. “Think of our son. He asks for you every day. “When will Mummy come home?” he asks, and I don’t… I never know what to tell him. But I promised I would bring you home to him so please, hang on.” Roy bowed his head, squeezing his eyes closed, making more tears fall onto his wife’s form. “I don’t know what I’ll do if you don’t,” he admitted.

“Sir, please move back,” the paramedic commanded.

“Maes,” Riza mumbled.

“Yes, Maes,” Roy encouraged. The paramedic gestured him to continue.

“Keep her talking,” he commanded as he worked to help Riza.

“Maes came home from school today with a picture he’d drawn for you. He wouldn’t let me see it, he wanted to save the surprise just for you.”

Roy’s heart had broken in two as his son explained the situation with a toothy grin.

“This is for Mummy, so she’ll be the first to see it Daddy, sorry!”

He’d almost broken down there.

According to Maes Mustang, his mother was in the hospital and was very sick. No one could go and see her because she had a special illness that other people couldn’t catch or it would make them very sick too. That was the lie Roy had resorted to, because how do you tell your five-year-old son that his mother has been kidnapped? And that his father was doing everything in his power to find her, but, as always, Roy felt he could never do enough?

With that lie, if they did find her and she was alive, it would play out in his favour. If they found her and she wasn’t…

Well, that lie would work in his favour too.

Maes’ mood had dropped after the first week. He had climbed into his parent’s bed one night, hours after Roy had put him down. Roy had allowed it because in all honesty, he needed his son near him. He needed a reminder of Riza, and Maes was the best thing. Their son had his hair colour, but he had his father’s long spiky hair and his mother’s fringe. His big eyes came from his mother, but his pupils were black, like his. Every time Roy saw him smile it was Riza’s smile. Apparently, he had Roy’s laugh. Their son – their miracle – was a perfect blend of them both.

For the last two weeks Maes had slept in their bed, seeking the comfort from his father, and Roy wouldn’t take that away from him, especially when Roy needed it himself.

“I miss Mummy,” Maes had whispered into the dark room.

Roy did break down then. He’d clutched Maes to his chest as he cried, his body heaving. Little Maes joined in too, crying because his Daddy was crying and that was scary, but also because he missed his Mummy.

“Daddy?” he’d warbled, rolling over in Roy’s grip. A small hand was placed on Roy’s cheek. “Why… Why are you crying?” he sobbed.

“I…” How do I do this? “I just miss Mummy, kiddo. A lot.”

“I miss her too. A lot,” Maes had admitted quietly. “She’ll get better though, won’t she? You’ll help her feel better? You always do, she told me.”

For the umpteenth time since Riza’s disappearance, Roy’s heart had broken in two.

He had no answer for his son. He’d searched and searched for long hours at work. His days were almost ten, eleven hours long, because he refused to stop looking for her. It wasn’t good for his health and it wasn’t good for Maes, but Roy had vowed to himself that he wouldn’t rest until his wife was found. He made a promised to Riza that he would find her. And he made a promise to Maes that he would bring his Mummy back to him.

“I believe in you, Daddy. You can make her better.”

Roy had tugged Maes against him and cried silently as the two drifted off to sleep.

“My boy,” Riza murmured to herself, drawing Roy out of his painful memories of the last three weeks.

“Yes, Maes is waiting for you at home.”

“I miss him,” she sobbed, body shuddering as she cried. Roy closed his eyes against the pain in his chest, her words drawing him back to that night in their bed where Maes had joined him for the first time.

“He misses you too. So much.”

“Tell him… Tell him I… Love him.”

“Tell him yourself,” Roy replied softly, smoothing her hair down.

“I… I don’t –”

“You’ll be able to tell him. I promise,” Roy interrupted, unable to even bear the thought of Riza saying anything else. He forced the possibility out of his mind, not even entertaining the thought. No, this was Riza Mustang. She was strong as hell. They had been through hell together already, multiple times, and this would be no different. He was late, but he would be by her side every step of the way.

“It’s time to move her,” the paramedic stated. “On my count.” Roy backed away to allow them to lift Riza onto their stretcher. He watched on helplessly as his wife was wheeled into the back of an ambulance, desperate to do more, but unable to do anything further. She was out of his hands now.

Roy hopped in the back of the ambulance with them and received no protest.

“I’ll deal with this, boss,” Havoc stated through the earpiece. Roy had jumped, forgetting it was in there. He blinked as he caught his subordinate’s eye just before the doors closed and the siren begun to sound. They were wet, Havoc’s expression schooled and under control, but his eyes betrayed his true feelings.

To them all, Riza was part of their little family. To see her like this… It was hard. These past three weeks had worn them all down, even Falman up in Briggs as he called for regular updates and the offer to travel south to help them.

“Thank you, Havoc.”

“Tell her she better be awake soon,” he sniffed as the ambulance started to move, speeding towards the hospital in Central. “She’s been through too much to let this beat her.”

Roy swallowed the lump in his throat. “Thanks, Havoc. I’ll pass it on.” Havoc sniffed again on the other side of the line.

“Fuery?” Havoc asked.

“Yes, sir?” The younger soldier’s voice sounded thick with emotion, having heard their whole conversation through the earpiece.

“This place is massive,” Havoc stated. Roy wasn’t really paying attention to their conversation anymore. He was simply focussing on his wife’s slack face underneath the oxygen mask. “Can you drag up the blueprints for this place? I want to see where the fire could have possibly started.”

“Right away, sir. Breda, can you head down to archives and look out this file for me? I’ll stay on the line for now. Thank you, sir.”

#royai #royai fic #royai fanfic #royai kid #im falling #emma writes #fic request

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