Father & Son (Part 1 - Matilda)

[Year 1909]

One month had passed since the Ishval war ended, Roy was now promoted to colonel and was transferred to East City. He was sitting on his desk and was expecting someone who promised him to be by his side to his goal. The door opened and his long wait was over. It was Riza, who was looking confident and determined, whereas Roy was very restless from inside, still, he managed to look composed on the surface.

When Riza entered, she saluted him and stood in attention stance. After a brief moment, Roy said, "So you have decided to take this path after all…even after what you went through in Ishval?"

Riza looked straight toward Roy and answered very formally, "Yes sir. If the world truly operates on the principles of equivalent exchange, then we soldiers have plenty to give back. If this world is meant to prosper, then it is our duty to carry the bodies of the dead across the river of blood to their resting place."

After listening to her seemingly prepared philosophical answer, Roy stood up and said calmly, "From now on, I am assigning you to be my assistant. I feel like I can trust you to watch my back. Although you understand what this means. You will be able to shoot me in the back as well. If I ever deviate from this path, then I want you to shoot me, and I trust you to do so… Do you accept my offer?"

Riza replied within a blink of an eye and without hesitation, "Of course I do Sir. I will follow you into hell if you ask me to."

Roy remembered the time he and Riza were in bed and Riza promised him that she would be by his side no matter what, and he replied to her by joking that she should join the military. He smirked very faintly and said, "You may go now."

Riza saluted him and turned back. She walked toward the door, but before she could open the door, Roy called her by her first name, "Riza."

Riza understood that something personal was coming. She lowered her head and bit her lower lip. She didn't turn around to face Roy for a few moments, but the awkward silence was screaming to her that he was eagerly waiting for her to turn. So, she composed herself and turned around but before Roy could speak, she looked directly into Roy's eyes and said in a stoic voice, "With all due respect Sir, I will appreciate if you can address me as your subordinate from now on, and not some girl you used to know."

Roy's eyes were widened, he didn't expect such a bold response. When he looked into her eyes, he saw the still eyes of a responsible woman and not the joyful eyes of a shy girl he used to know. The tides of time had changed her, she was stronger, resilient and an independent woman now. After a moment, Roy smiled and replied, "Fine. If I not calling you by your first name gives you any satisfaction, then I won't call you by that name anymore. But before our relationship only reduces to mere of a superior and subordinate, I want to unburden myself for the mistakes I committed long ago," he lowered his head and continued with a bit of hesitation in his voice, "I, Roy Mustang…asks for forgiveness to Riza Elizabeth Hawkeye for not keeping the promise I made."

Roy was not looking at Riza, so she smirked and said, "I forgave you the day I met you at Ishval," she turned around. As soon as Roy heard that, he rose his head quickly, and saw Riza walking toward the door. Before leaving she greeted Roy, "See you tomorrow Colonel."

Roy's anxiousness settled down and he responded with a smile, "See you, Officer Hawkeye."

Six months passed since Roy formed his team, and started operating in Eastern city under the command of General Grumman. Riza was now promoted to First Lieutenant due to the vacancy created after the Ishval war and also because she was a war hero. Like most of the days, Roy's team was at the office doing some paperwork and Roy was sitting on his chair. He had rested his head on the upper end of the comfy chair and he was staring at the ceiling. Suddenly, he heard a sharp thump which startled him, and he quickly sat straight. He saw another pile of paperwork besides the pile of paperwork he was working on. And Riza was standing before the desk. "If you start completing your paperwork on time then you didn't have to see the pile getting bigger. Some of the paperwork in the new pile is here because you didn't complete the older ones," Riza informed.

"How can I possibly do all these?" Roy said worriedly while looking at the piles.

"By not sleeping all the time," Riza said bluntly.

Roy looked at Riza who was looking at him with her still eyes, but he could feel the rage boiling inside her. He gulped out of fear and pulled one of the forms from the pile and began looking at it with a pen in one hand. Meanwhile, Riza said, "I want to take leave for two days."

Roy's fear instantly changed to curiosity. He sat properly on his chair and put the pen he was holding on the top of the form he fetched a moment ago. "Why?" He asked.

"I got to attend a funeral," She replied.

Roy got curious because he knew almost everyone whom Riza knew. "Whose?" Roy enquired.

Riza closed her eyes and sighed before answering, "Ms. Becker's."

Roy was shocked. He stood up and looked at Riza with narrowed eyebrows. "How? When? Why didn't you tell me earlier?" He asked anxiously.

"Ms. Becker's daughter informed me yesterday…Sorry, I didn't give you the message earlier," Riza informed.

Roy took a deep breath and fell on his chair. He closed his eyes and started rubbing his forehead with his hand. "It's alright. I am going with you," He said.

Riza didn't want Roy to go with her because if Roy would go then Oliver wouldn't remain a secret anymore. She looked at Roy with widened eyes and spoke with a lost composure, "But your paperwork?"

Roy sat properly and looked at Riza. "It can wait," He answered

Riza understood that he was not going to listen. So, she sighed and said stoically, "Fine. Meet me at the station at 6 AM tomorrow or I will leave alone," and Roy agreed by nodding his head and saying, "hmmm."

Next morning Riza went to the station wearing a civilian dress and holding a handbag. She reached there 15 minutes before 6 AM and searched for Roy but, she couldn't find him. Even when there were only a few minutes left for the departure of the train, she still couldn't find Roy. "Thank God," she thought with a relieved face, "he didn't come."

After that, she reached the entrance to board the train, and right when she was about to step on the first stair of the entrance she heard a familiar voice. "What took you so long?" Roy said.

When Riza raised her head, she saw Roy was standing at the entrance and lending a hand to her with a smirk on his face. He was wearing his usual formal attire whenever he was out of his uniform. On watching Roy, Riza's relaxed faced was stressed again. She looked at him and entered inside without taking his help. "Don't tease me, Colonel," She said while going in.

They walked inside their compartment, closed the door and took their seats facing each other. When the train left, Riza pulled out a book from her handbag and started reading it to avoid any conversation with Roy. But, Roy was not going to waste any opportunity to spend some private time with her. He cleared his throat to get her attention and asked, "Did you find out how she died?"

Riza kept on facing the book and replied with a single word, "No."

But, Roy didn't quit. He said, "It's been quite a long time since I visited your hometown…Meanwhile, I can also meet that Oliver guy."

Riza was terrified from inside even though she had maintained her composure on the surface. However, when she heard Roy's intention, she got nervous and looked at Roy with narrowed eyebrows. "Why do you want to meet him so bad?" She asked annoyingly.

"I just want to know if he is the right person for you," Roy answered politely.

"Colonel, the relationship between me and Oliver is not like what you think," She said anxiously.

"I just want to make sure that if he is not some guy taking advantage of beautiful women," Roy smirked.

"Are you trying to flirt with me?" Riza glared and continued, "Because if you are, then let me remind you, you gave me permission to shoot you if you ever deviate from your path."

Roy started running fingers through his hair while laughing out of fear. "You know I would never do that," He laughed nervously.

When Riza was about to speak, suddenly a man opened the door and entered their compartment. "Hello," He greeted with a smile.

Both Roy and Riza looked at him, but none of them responded. Riza went back to read her book, and Roy slept. The happy stranger, who wanted to talk to them, didn't do so after watching both of their reaction.

After some hours of travel, the train arrived at the destination. Riza and Roy got out of the train. Roy yawned while stretching his hands and said, "It feels good to be back."

"Like always, there's no cart or wagon. Guess we have to walk," Riza spoke with a disappointed face.

"Isn't Ms. Becker's home nearly 2 miles away from here?" Roy asked.

"Yes," Riza replied.

Roy began walking and said, "Walking won't be a problem then."

Riza's hometown was a very less crowded place, even the road where both were walking was almost vacant. While walking, Roy noticed that Riza was a bit uncomfortable, so he enquired politely, "Is something wrong Lieutenant?"

Riza was startled because she was deep into the thought of the revelation which was about to come. She looked at Roy and answered in a panicked voice, "No Sir."

"You can tell me if something is bothering you," Roy said.

Riza looked at Roy with her usual cold face and replied, "As I told you, I am fine Sir."

Through the whole way, they didn't talk to each other, which seemed out of place for Roy because usually, she talked to him during a walk or a long journey. Finally, when they reached their destination, Riza first hesitated to knock at the door, but she had to knock once Roy said, "Shall I?"