Chapter 002: Must Be Fate

Author: WolfSpatial

Co-Author: Lucifer

[Life is not earned by begging.]

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Jolting up on the couch that I used as a bed, I breathed a sigh and ran my left hand through my hair. It was slightly greasy, not surprising with how much I had let myself go lately.

Flipping my blankets to my side, I swung my legs over the edge of the couch and rested my elbows on my knees. Using my hands to support my head, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, "That was one hell of a dream."

I stumbled as I stood up, my head pounding as I walked to the bathroom and turned on the faucet. The cold water that I had cupped in my hands felt superb as it washed away last night's drool and revitalized my eyes.

The water dripped from my eyelids, blurring my reflection in the mirror. What I could see in the silvery material, however, was a much younger version of myself. I didn't have stubble or my thin mustache that I used to believe made people treat me less like a young man.

Setting my hands on the edge of my metallic sink, I leaned closer to the mirror and turned my head slightly to look at the younger version of me. The stress wrinkles that I used to have were gone, replaced by almost flawless skin.

Pulling at my face with my right hand, I assured myself that I wasn't still dreaming. The reflection also showed the uninjured back of my right hand, causing me to step back and holding it out in front of me.

I blinked in shock before clapping my hands together and picking up my razor. The metal twisted as small sparks of blue lightning coursed through it, forming into a replica of Riza.

Chuckling slightly, I walked out of the bathroom and set the replica onto the counter of my kitchen. Sitting down on my couch-slash-bed, I laced my fingers together and closed my eyes.

The Truth had held up his end of the bargain, meaning I had to do the same. First, I needed to find the Homunculi. I didn't know their base of operations at this point in time, but I knew where they would be soon. I could get ahead of them if I went there and scoped the place before they moved it.

However, there are risks with that. I think Colonel Bradley told me that the Homunculi had been around since the founding of Amestris, so perhaps they were already in that place.

Leaning back, I stroked my chin and pulled my hand away when I didn't feel stubble, forgetting for a second that I had been given a second chance. My smile forced its way onto my face and I mentally declared that I wouldn't be so cynical this time around.

Then I sighed, losing my smile as I realized that there was still a major threat to me and the people I loved. I could start taking out the Homunculi by going to Grumman and telling him I suspected Bradley was plotting something, but there was a chance that the Fuhrer wouldn't believe me.

The muscles in my arms tensed as a knock came to my door, causing me to look over at the panel of dark wood. My nerves from the previous timeline — I think that's what The Truth called it — caused me to freeze and wait.

I didn't trust whoever was on the other side of that door, even if the Homunculi didn't know I knew about them yet.

Standing up slowly, I grabbed one of my ignition cloth gloves and slipped it onto my right hand. Whoever it was knocked again, and I reached for the handle with the fingers of my right hand in snapping position.

Opening the door, my eyes narrowed at Riza — or Envy pretending to be her — as she tried to step forward. I pushed my left hand forward, stopping her and getting a confused look, "What? My shoes are clean, I promise."

"Not the problem," She tilted her head, and if I could've been sure it was her, I would've thought it was cute, "Tell me something only Riza would know. How did your father die?"

"My father…" She gave me a confused look, "Isn't dead, Roy. Are you okay?"

No, that's not right. Her father died in my arms. That meant that this Riza was an imposter. My fingers began to move, and then I hesitated. I couldn't be sure that it wasn't her.

If the timeline is different, things could've been different in the past too. The thought made me grit my teeth, "Tell me something only you'd know!"

"You're starting to make me worry," She took a step back, "But, okay. Uhm… you learned your Flame Alchemy from my father but he wouldn't teach you how to perfect it."

My gaze flicked down to the back of my glove, finding it devoid of the basilisk and text that usually wrapped around the circle. The corners of my mouth dipped into a frown, thinking that she might be right.

Unless I went with my original idea for the circle and removed the text and basilisk. But even then, the circle was missing things.

"Okay," Lowering the hand I had raised to stop her, I removed my glove and stuck it in my pocket, "I guess that checks out."

She groaned lightly and pushed past me, "Are you gonna tell me what's going on now? Why did I have to be reminded of… What's going on with you?"

Mulling over the thought to tell her everything in my mind, I clicked my tongue and decided to just say what needed to be said. I pulled her over and sat her on the couch, sitting next to her and looking into her caramel brown eyes that made me want to melt and…

Shaking my head, I held her hand so she couldn't escape, "What I'm about to tell you can't be repeated to anyone. Ever."

"Uh, okay." She shifted on the cushion, glancing down at our connected hands and then to my face.

"I… am… fromthefuture…" I found the words trying to lodge themselves in my throat, making me throw them out all at once.

"What?" She blinked, concern etching its way through her as she squeezed my hand once, "I think I misheard you. Did you say that you're from the future?"

I nodded, gulping and hoping she'd accept it, "Yes. The reason I had you verify your identity is because there is someone who can take on the appearance of other people, but he can't see their memories."

"O…Kay…" She pulled her hand away and stood up, walking over to the door, "I came over here because you didn't return my call last night. I thought that maybe my suggestion was too much."

"Riza-" Following her, I set a hand on her shoulder. Riza turned quickly, knocking my hand away.

"You could have just said you weren't interested!" Tears began to form in her eyes as she spoke, "You didn't have to come up with a lie!"

"I-" A lump formed in my throat and, try as I might, I couldn't speak. She moved closer and punched my chest, just hard enough for me to feel it.

I swallowed, unsure of what to do. I had something of an extensive history with women, but I didn't know what to do when I actually cared what they thought. If she decided to never speak to me again, I would probably end up like last time.

"I'm not lying," Figuring I should just go for broke, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into my embrace, "I really am from the future, but not from this timeline, so I don't know what your proposal was. I'm sorry, Riza. I really am."

She sniffled, her head buried in the crook of my neck. Her voice was shaky as she lifted her head to look at me, "I asked… if you wanted to make our relationship official. I never really got the feeling that you were interested in me, but I'm interested in you. So…"

"Why wouldn't I be interested in you?" Cupping my hand around the side of her head, I placed my thumb in front of her ear, "You don't know this, cause it hasn't happened yet, but I would kill someone for even trying to hurt you, Riza. Why do you think I made you my queen?"

"Huh?" She seemed confused, wiping her tears, "What do you mean? Your queen spot is open."

"No," I shook my head and smiled, "You've always been my queen."

Riza's eyes widened for a moment before she smiled and looped her arms around my neck. I wasn't great with sentimental stuff or anything, but — in that moment — I felt that I had finally said the right thing.

"We have a problem, though." I hated to break up the moment, but it needed to be done, "We can't be together if you're my subordinate."

"Wow," She looked into my eyes, trying to find something, "You really are from a different time. I'm not your subordinate, Roy. I'm a private contractor you hired to be your bodyguard."

"Oh," It was definitely better that way. The smile that worked its way onto my face caused her to freeze, and then she got on her toes.

Her lips were soft. Softer than anything I had felt before. Maybe I was actually kissing a cloud. Somehow, without me noticing, my hands had moved to her hips and pulled her just that little bit closer.

I felt like melting, like falling and bringing her with me so we could stay together on the ground in a puddle. My mind blanked and everything I had gone through, all of the troubles after her murder, every single negative thought I had; they just crumbled away like clumped sand.

It was such an insignificant action, a simple meeting of our lips. And yet, it was anything but insignificant. I fought the urge to hold her against me as she pulled away with a red face, looking down at the way my hands rested at the tops of the seams of her black pants.

"Damn," I said, finally able to speak again. My heart was racing and I was sure it wanted nothing more than to leap from my chest and join hers in matrimony.

But, it would have to wait. I couldn't marry her until we had taken care of the problem that plagued our nation. Boy did I want to though.

The thought of her in that white dress made me warm inside. Fuhrer Grumman had asked me once to marry her and make her happy, I thought I'd take him up on that offer in this timeline.

"That bad?" She looked up at me with a sly smile on her face.

Her eyes seemed even more beautiful somehow, the blonde of her hair seemed to turn to gold, her voice like a symphony of angels. I found myself well and truly in love, "You know it wasn't."

I looked down, scanning her body again and just now noticing she wasn't wearing the clothes she usually wore when off duty.

Riza was dressed in a light brown leather jacket over a white shirt. Aside from the stud in her right ear, she wore no other jewelry.

Her black pants were fairly tight with her shirt tucked into them with a brown belt. The pants were then tucked into a pair of black combat boots, something more typical of the Riza I knew.

Under her jacket, I could just barely see the outline of her pistol on the left side and two extra magazines on her right.

I had to admit that the pants were very flattering to her legs, quite unlike the military uniform I was accustomed to seeing her in. They outlined her figure almost perfectly, like a glove on the hand of a surgeon.

Licking my lips unconsciously, I brought my eyes back up to meet her gaze. She pulled her hands from around my neck and lifted my arms, moving around me and trying to peer through my gray shirt.

My eyes followed her as she squeezed my upper arm and gave me a questioning look, "Take off your shirt."

"What?" Turning my body to face her, I found her biting her bottom lip.

"I'm checking something," She assured, which wasn't very assuring, "Just do it."

"Uh, okay." Grabbing the neck of my shirt, I pulled it over my head and held it in my left hand. Suddenly feeling something push against my chest softly, I looked down to find Riza's right index finger poking my left pectoral, "What are you doing?"

"You definitely weren't this muscular two days ago…" She mused to herself, pulling her hand away only to push it against the abs I had mysteriously acquired, "And I probably couldn't grate cheese on these before…"

"I told you, I'm from the future." She seemed to accept the answer outwardly, but the glint in her eyes made me think she was planning something. And, despite me saying so, I wasn't sure how I had gotten extra muscles either. They were nice though, plentiful but not jumping off my body like Armstrong's.

"Yeah, I just didn't figure future you was so…" She paused, soaking my image in her eyes again, "Tasteful."

"Stop gawking," I felt embarrassed despite the number of times she had seen me almost naked. Thus, I decided that turnabout was fair play, "Or take yours off."

"Still a shameless flirt, I see." She chuckled and waved her hand away, "Put your shirt back on."

"Come on," I pushed my luck, stepping closer after closing the door to my apartment, "I've seen you naked before, just show me again."

She froze again, looking up at me in shock, "When!?"

"Oh, has that not happened yet?" I scratched my head, "I think I'm getting the timeline's confused, sorry. I saw it after your father died in my time, you showed me the tattoo on your back. Then you had me burn it away."

"So," She clenched her fist, "Did you understand it?"

"Yes," I put a hand on her shoulder, "I won't tell a soul, I promised you."

"Will you do it again?" She steeled herself, her gaze hardening as she met my concerned eyes.

"What? No!" Refusing, I shook my head vehemently, "I won't do that again."

"What if someone gets ahold of me and finds it?" She pleaded, probably to my humanity. Unfortunately for her, I had long lost that. I didn't particularly care for people anymore, just her, "They could hurt people!"

The only reason I had agreed to hunt the Homunculi was to get back to her. Her gaze softened and fell apart as I didn't even change my expression, "I refuse, Riza. I only came back for you, I don't care about everyone else."