Good in Print
Good In Print
A/N: I was in an angsty mood when I wrote this. Sorry if it makes you sad...posted also to my tokyopop, as is pet the kitty. Enjoy the surprising angst. May be slightly RoyEd if you wanna look at it that way, but it's pretty tame. Oh, did I mention I don't own FMA? I wish I did tho...
Roy Mustang stood beside Riza Hawkeye in the line where you picked up the possesions of the dead. Usually, they wouldn't have to be there, but when the body was identified, there had been a mix up. When it was Riza's turn, an elderly nurse smiled sadly and handed her a few forms. Roy leaned on the counter beside her and watched her sign each one with a trembling hand. Roy didn't want to be there, but Riza had got stuck with the depressing task, and she shouldn't have to be alone. She was so sad...Roy on the other hand felt surprisingly placid given the situation.
Riza was handed a final form, then rewarded with a large gray plastic bag, and another sad smile from the nurse. "He really was much to young." Riza didn't respond, only nodded curtly and headed for the door. Roy followed, intending to open it for her, but she got there first. They walked silently down the street. Odd, Roy thought, that the funeral was today. It looked like it was going to rain. He hated rain. He hated funerals too, but it couldn't be avoided. The nurse was right, he was much too young to be dead, from of all things suicide, but it was pointless for Roy to wallow in greif.
When they arrived at the cemetery, a large man in a military uniform took the bag from Riza, setting it inside her car. They walked together to where the funeral was being held. A surprisingly large turnout. Most of the people there had hated him while he was alive. Roy smirked at that, and settled in behind his subordinates. Al stood of to the side, alone. Roy's frown faded, Al shouldn't be alone. He went to stand beside the boy, but wasn't acknowledged.
A few people spoke, and the service only lasted fifteen minutes. So, that explained why no one who truly liked him was there...The crowd disbanded to himself, his subordinates, and Al. Then, slowly, the lower ranked officers left one by one until it was only him, Hawkeye, and Al. Hawkeye hadn't spoken or cried all the while, she would save it for when she got home. That was just her way.
Soon, Riza left too, leaving Al and Roy alone. The newly restored boy was sobbing loudly, and calmed after a while. "Colonel..." He murmerred, staring at the headstone "I don't understand..."
"People make mistakes, Alphonse. They get sad and they make mistakes." Roy sighed, his eyes brimming with tears.
"I just wish I had known. Maybe I could have done something..."
"No!" Roy exclaimed, his posture straightening. "Don't you dare blame yourself for this. There's no way to know..."
"I might come back later." Al was already turned away from the headstone. Roy rested a hand on his shoulder, but it went ignored as Al broke into a run.
It was starting to rain now, only a light drizzle, but it still managed to make Roy mad. At the same time, he pretended he could duisguise his tears as rain too. He stood there, staring at the grave for some time, until he heard footsteps behind him. "Hello Colonel."
"Hello Fullmetal." A strange releif was washing over him. He didn't think Ed would come.
"I hate funerals." Ed scowled "It's kinda ironic that the word funeral has the word 'fun' in it." The scowl turned into a smirk. "I hate it when people die." It was true; the boy would give the whole world immortality if he could. "But I thought I might...bring a flower or something." He shook his head, setting a crushed lilly on the headstone. Roy presumed Ed had probably been trying to maintain his composure by crushing the poor thing, and Roy sympathized. "I never expected this." Ed murmerred. "You can look at someone, admire there strength, and when something like this happens..." Ed cried now angry tears hiding sad ones as his fists clenched "I just wish I knew why."
They stood in silence for a moment before Ed shook his hair free from rain. It had stopped raining at that point. "I'm not going to stay, Al will worry, but I may come back later okay?" He too was staring at the headstone.
"I understand." Roy nodded as he felt Ed walk away, then said more quietly "I'm so sorry, Ed."
Ed whipped back around, looking around wildly for a moment before shaking his head, "I'm sorry too, Roy..."
Roy stared at the form fading into the distance, aware of another at his side.
"Hello Roy." A familiar voice said sadly.
"Hello Maes." Roy turned to look at his old friend.
"I've come to take you."
Roy nodded "I figured as much."
"How have Elisyia and Gracia been?"
"Better." Roy smiled. "Wait." He broke the stride "How could Ed hear me? I mean..."
Hughes shrugged, "He cared enough to listen I guess."
"And he called me Roy. My given name. He never has before, I...I'm...I want to go back. I never wanted to see them sad like that, especially not him, when he's just gotten his life back..."
Hughes smiled, then sighed "I'm sorry, Roy. No second chances in life. Let's go." They began to walk away again, then Hughes cocked his head and looked back. "Your name always did look good in print, Roy. I'll give you that."