Prompt 214, Circle of Life, "Don't Think About It"
Title: Don't Think About It
Author: kryss_delrhei
Series: Post-Brotherhood
Word Count: 586
Rating: G
Characters: Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye
Summary: Life is short, but it's best not to think about it.
Warnings: None
--
The funeral procession wasn’t as elaborate as one for a solider who had fallen, yet he still stood there in his formal attire, smoothing out a wrinkle that had formed on the sleeve of his coat. Roy shifted his stance, slightly glancing at the family members crowded, sharing in their grief together, while he just watched, on the outside of a wall that blocked him from feeling, of bonding with the Elric brothers.
Closing his eyes, he remembered the last time he’d shed any semblance of emotion at a funeral, a death that could had been avoided in the whole scheme of events. And still it had happened and he had mourned the death like his own body had been ripped apart, vengeance vowed on Hughes’ murderer.
The battles, the fighting, deaths avenged, all had stopped.
Peace was slowly coming back to Amestris.
Yet death continued on.
Like a quiet figure, Roy accompanied the Elric family back to their home after the funeral for their Aunt Pinako. Edward’s wife, Winry, was inconsolable as both Ed and Alphonse tried to comfort her, leaving Hawkeye to care for the small infant son of Ed’s.
Feeling more out of place, Roy slipped out onto the porch, allowing the country night’s air to wash away the tension in his nerves. Not many had attended the old woman’s funeral, which to Roy was a small relief. The discomfort at not feeling any emotion over a death that visibly caused others pain, made him feel more callous than his day-to-day routine in Central ever did.
“Sir?” Riza stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind her, allowing the family some privacy.
Releasing a held sigh, Roy didn’t turn to meet her gaze, “One day, you and I will die.”
“All life has an end,” she responded, joining him beside the railing, following his gaze out over the peaceful rolling hills of the Resembol countryside.
“Their children will have to bury them, and the circle of life will continue, without a care to the rest of the world, or our feelings,” Roy spoke, quietly, though the under tones of anger was easy for Riza to pick up on in his voice. He’s fingers uneasily picked at the faded paint of the porch railings, chipping it off with his dull finger nails. “Life isn’t meant to be squandered. We’re only guaranteed thirty or forty years, to do what with, die?”
Riza bowed her head, “Sir, if I may?” With the motion of his free hand, Riza nodded, continuing her thought, “The greatest lesson in life is to not worry about it.”
“Hawkeye?” he asked, turning toward her, the unspoken feelings that crossed his face, made her smile softly at him. She could see the pain Hughes’ death continued to cause her superior, and any amount of comfort he allowed would never be able to dull that hurt.
Instead, Riza would continue to stand by him, no matter the consequences, and she was fine with that in the long run. She stood at attention, the smile soft and graceful on her lips, before she cleared her throat, giving a salute, “Don’t we have to get back to Central?”
After a brief moment, Roy’s expression became the customary mask of leadership he hid behind. He returned her salute, “Yes, you’re right.”
He turned toward the door, intent on letting the Elric brothers know of their departure, a kind smile playing across the edge of Riza’s lips as she followed him, “What I’m here for, sir.”
Author: kryss_delrhei
Series: Post-Brotherhood
Word Count: 586
Rating: G
Characters: Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye
Summary: Life is short, but it's best not to think about it.
Warnings: None
--
The funeral procession wasn’t as elaborate as one for a solider who had fallen, yet he still stood there in his formal attire, smoothing out a wrinkle that had formed on the sleeve of his coat. Roy shifted his stance, slightly glancing at the family members crowded, sharing in their grief together, while he just watched, on the outside of a wall that blocked him from feeling, of bonding with the Elric brothers.
Closing his eyes, he remembered the last time he’d shed any semblance of emotion at a funeral, a death that could had been avoided in the whole scheme of events. And still it had happened and he had mourned the death like his own body had been ripped apart, vengeance vowed on Hughes’ murderer.
The battles, the fighting, deaths avenged, all had stopped.
Peace was slowly coming back to Amestris.
Yet death continued on.
Like a quiet figure, Roy accompanied the Elric family back to their home after the funeral for their Aunt Pinako. Edward’s wife, Winry, was inconsolable as both Ed and Alphonse tried to comfort her, leaving Hawkeye to care for the small infant son of Ed’s.
Feeling more out of place, Roy slipped out onto the porch, allowing the country night’s air to wash away the tension in his nerves. Not many had attended the old woman’s funeral, which to Roy was a small relief. The discomfort at not feeling any emotion over a death that visibly caused others pain, made him feel more callous than his day-to-day routine in Central ever did.
“Sir?” Riza stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind her, allowing the family some privacy.
Releasing a held sigh, Roy didn’t turn to meet her gaze, “One day, you and I will die.”
“All life has an end,” she responded, joining him beside the railing, following his gaze out over the peaceful rolling hills of the Resembol countryside.
“Their children will have to bury them, and the circle of life will continue, without a care to the rest of the world, or our feelings,” Roy spoke, quietly, though the under tones of anger was easy for Riza to pick up on in his voice. He’s fingers uneasily picked at the faded paint of the porch railings, chipping it off with his dull finger nails. “Life isn’t meant to be squandered. We’re only guaranteed thirty or forty years, to do what with, die?”
Riza bowed her head, “Sir, if I may?” With the motion of his free hand, Riza nodded, continuing her thought, “The greatest lesson in life is to not worry about it.”
“Hawkeye?” he asked, turning toward her, the unspoken feelings that crossed his face, made her smile softly at him. She could see the pain Hughes’ death continued to cause her superior, and any amount of comfort he allowed would never be able to dull that hurt.
Instead, Riza would continue to stand by him, no matter the consequences, and she was fine with that in the long run. She stood at attention, the smile soft and graceful on her lips, before she cleared her throat, giving a salute, “Don’t we have to get back to Central?”
After a brief moment, Roy’s expression became the customary mask of leadership he hid behind. He returned her salute, “Yes, you’re right.”
He turned toward the door, intent on letting the Elric brothers know of their departure, a kind smile playing across the edge of Riza’s lips as she followed him, “What I’m here for, sir.”