Fullmetal's Sister (Roy Mustang X OC)

Ltn. Ross's Monster

The end of the work day had just ticked dead on. As the rest of the office leaves, Roy and Riza lag behind, me with them. But I stand as they continue talking, walking out the door, and heading to the outside. They appear behind me, questioning gazes.

"Im going to walk tonight. I have to go pay my respects." I say, my head down. Roy nods, and Riza sighs, wanting to offer her help to me. But she also knew of my hatred of cemeteries. I had to face this alone. "Ed and Al might come over tonight, to work on our research. If they arrive before I do... just ask them to wait."

It takes about 30 minutes to get to his grave, at a fast paced walk due to Roy asking me to not be long. Glancing around me as I get there, I hear his thoughts first. I sigh, waving at him to come with me.

The grave is small, yet perfect for the man Hughes had been. Simple yet abstract in the smallest of ways. Flowers from his wife and daughter were upon the ground in front of the grave, and I cant help from feeling my knees buckle. Landing hard on my knees, the pain courses through one while the other just remains as it had.

Roy wraps his arm around my back, gripping my arms with both his hands. I shudder at the cold that had seeped into my body, a warm tear slipping down my face. "He died for us. He must have figured something bad out." I say quietly, loud enough for Roy to hear. "He was researching the Philosopher stone." I pat the grave stone, not wanting to believe that this is real. "Goodbye, Hughes. The boys and I will miss you."

And with that, we turn to go home.

~timeskip~

"We have to stop them!" I yell out, disbelief covering all my features. Ed and I sat shoulder to shoulder on the couch, while Al helped Riza prepare dinner. His large metallic hands unsteady as he cut potatoes.

The newspaper slams against the table, and Roy stands, pacing. I watch his moves carefully, but he soon walks away, grabbing the phone and walking into his room, closing the door. I huff out my breath angrily, standing and pacing the floor as he had just done.

"Em, he's going to get it taken care of." Riza speaks, calmly starting the soup. I mumble something incoherently.

Its not that I didn't believe in Roy, its that I did too much. And if he - or all of us - fail at saving Ross's life, then its on my hands basically. On my brother's hands. I had faint memories when I first began working here as a state alchemist. Ltn. Ross had always been overly kind to me, and I had confided in her many times when my brothers did something to get hurt, angering me.

She had protected them in so many occasions, and an uncounted bullet might be her demise. Even though it was to attack an evil version of Al, armour with a soul bound to it, though he had been a mass murderer. Brought back by force after being sentenced to death, he had been assigned to guard an unused - or thought to be unused - laboratory. We had him in custody, and couldn't even use him.

Roy comes out of his room, his eyes looking more tired than ever. I look at him expectantly, but he just shrugs on a coat. He looks at me, as my brothers leave, saying they had matters to attend to. Riza invited them over later, as Roy and I stare at each other.

The door slams closed.

Silence reverberates through the room a moment longer, because he breaks it. Lookong to me with serious eyes. I catch his feelings of belief and worry as they flow to me, and I attempt to look deeper into his mind as I do everything. "You must know some of my plan. I promise, that everything that happens tonight is for a good cause. Ross will not die, and you'll understand everything soon." I nod, wishing I knew everything he was thinking, but he quickly nods to Riza before slipping out the door.

Riza huffs, slight annoyance flooding her being. But when we meet eyes, she smiles. "Hope you're hungry. I made pho."

"What were the potatoes for?" I ask, remembering Al cutting potatoes.

"Im making potato salad for tomorrow." She smiles, as she dishes the soup-like noodles into bowls, and we dine.

Only my thoughts are still wrapped around Roy.