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lowbatterypleasecharge · 4 years

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k-pop preferences: FMA

Ed:

Monsta X - loud and gaudy, need I say more

Peripherally follows BTS - got to support them short kings

He wasn't a huge fan of Twice, but Al and Winry started playing the Feel Special Album and "Get Loud" is gospel

Stray Kids - "Miroh"... but also "Hellavator" and "DoUbLe KnOt"

Al:

SNSD are the Amazons we deserve

Of course he follows Taeyeon, you buffoons

Twice in general, but also "TT" - "TT" is his spirit animal

IU is Class™

Seventeen - well-liked by everyone, "Very Nice," how could you go wrong?

Winry:

Really anything she can bop to while working, she's not picky

Made her ringtone on Ed's cell "Pick Up the Phone," because what the hell Ed

"Save Me" saved her many times, during many work shifts

Them Loona girls are pretty cool - "Butterfly" is promising

"Tell me why-y-y I'm so lonely," she absentmindedly sings to herself as she stares, bleary-eyed at the arm plate she has to weld into place before the shipment at 6 AM tomorrow. Today. 2 hours from now.

"Sugar Free" is her workout jam, no judging

Hohenheim:

There are thousands of souls, sometimes at war, in his body. He loves and hates all music equally. Hyukoh hits a certain way, though. There's a silence within himself when he hears "Gondry" that he hasn't known for centuries.

Roy:

"Back in my day, we had quality music: Epik High."

Stuck in second gen

"Chaser" is his go-to drunk karaoke song - he and Hughes used to go to town on Fridays

(He may or may not have serenaded Hawkeye to "Mirotic" after a bottle of tequila...we don't talk about the scar on the back of his left knee)

Sometimes the young-ins do something right - I'm looking at you, "Shangri-La"

Riza:

Usually passes the AUX cord to someone else, but objective quality

Dreamcatcher is always a safe bet, style for days

Keeping her eye on BVNDIT because deep female voices are where it's at

SHINEE has her respect - classic, still going strong with "Good Evening"...as long as she never has to look at their debut hair again

(If she Tokyo Drifts to "I'm Sorry," only Black Hayate has to know)

Hughes:

Though technically unrelated to K-pop, we all know Hughes did a rendition of "Baby Shark" with his wife and daughter and proceeded to curse every military base he was stationed at

Knows most of the same songs Roy does, but also oddly informed on the K-pop landscape as a whole - from g.o.d. to, gods forbid, ITZY

Sings "Lovey Dovey" a lot - whether it's for the memes or because he unironically worships the song, no one can tell

Havoc:

Got7 ult bias - everyone wants to know why

But also, "Guys, iKON, 'Love Scenario' is where it's at."

Who's he kidding, really any gg could sing and he'd watch

Armstrong:

Every morning he eats his 5 dozen eggs to "Sixth Sense"

EXO's "Mama" dramatics are goals

Knows the dance to "Again and Again," for some reason

Lust:

"Bad Boys" by RV, but also "Peek-a-boo" MV is fire

Rip Pristin V, guys

Y'all wished they liked BP

Jennie is living her best life, though. Be hot...that's it, that's all there is to life. It's that easy.

EXID and Hyuna - free the titties, do God's work

Envy:

There's a vibration under their pillow, which doesn't really bother them. But it happens again. And again. They lift their head slightly, groggily squinting into the darkness of their room. And then...a slightly muffled "A-to-the-G-to-the-U-to-the-STD." "Oh, Lust can go to voicemail."

They wouldn't say they like "Instagram" per say, but it's like the song won't let go of them. It's on every Spotify playlist they have, somehow. It's unsettling.

Greed:

Block B sinner, through-and-through, cultural appropriation be damned - they want it all

"Monster," no explanation needed

"Bang Bang Bang" is now inextricably entwined in their vocabulary because God is dead, and we have killed them

(and "DDU-DU-DDU-DU," but hopefully his crew doesn't know that)

Ling:

"24 Hours" > "Gashina," and he will die on this hill

But also he's been determined to figure out how to Taemin since "Move"

Vape, you say? Be gay, you say?

Lan Fan is in charge of setting up "Trouble Maker" on the boombox before he yeets out the window, or maybe "Sorry Sorry"...it depends

"Young Lord, what is 'jyp's don't leave me,' and why is the dance tutorial in our search history?"

Greed!Ling:

They've made a compromise, it's 2NE1, and it's possible they're both better for it

Perhaps "I Am the Best" is the anthem they deserved, all along

Lan Fan:

Day6 - the existential yearning

"I Smile" she thinks, very much not smiling

Also, scene kid Lan Fan in her black hood, meditating on life's greatest questions and Seungyeon's "Guilty"

(In other news, Lan Fan has learned to suppress many things in life, the lyrics to "Some" are not one of them)

(P.S. "Gashina" > "24 Hours," but the Young Lord doesn't have to know that)

Mei:

Anything Al likes, obviously, though she despairs at gen 2 gg legs

Astro, obviously

I.O.I. - Korean releases only, she's not a heathen

"Just One Day" - romance in a nutshell

Has a weak spot for traditional Korean influences - "Lit" and "Idol" come to mind, though she's pretty sure she wouldn't like the latter under normal circumstances

Scar:

Doesn't normally listen to music outside of religious reasons

Did the military try to make Scar do a PR stunt to RM and Whales' "Change?" Yes, they absolutely tried.

Olivier:

Again, not a huge music person, doesn't really do it for her

A nod in passing to those who don't pander to the masses on Weekly Idol, even if she doesn't know who they are

(Ever since then, Armstrong keeps blithering on about functions? She thinks. She doesn't care to understand how they're connected to red lights or electric shocks, though.)

Dr. Marcoh:

Trot

"Man, the kids really can sing these days," he thinks, biting his bottom lip and bobbing his head to Masked Singer

#the moment pride said his favorite kpop song was arirang they should have cuffed the little f*cker where he stood #'daddy's favorite song' my @ss #fma headcanon #kpop headcanon #i guess?#txt post #long txt post

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fullmetalscullyy · 4 years

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day 12 - all i want for christmas is you - mariah carey

the magic of christmas time - royai advent calender

24 days - 24 oneshots | with angst, fluff, and everything in between | both canon and au

a collection of christmas themed oneshots to celebrate royai | chapter prompts based on my favourite christmas songs

read on ao3

i don't want a lot for christmas

there is just one thing i need

“Riza?”

“Yeah?” she asked distractedly, still eyeing the shelves for all the food she needed. After last year’s fiasco of forgetting cranberries of all things – which still turned out to be a very happy accident – she didn’t want to forget again.

Roy said something, but she wasn’t paying attention. “Ah!” she gasped quietly in triumph, her eyes lighting up when she picked up the tin of her favourite fruit.

“Riza.” Hands were placed on her shoulders spinning her around in place. Roy bent his knees slightly, making himself eye level with her, a hint of a smirk on his face. “Calm yourself.”

“I am calm,” she stated, tone indignant. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Roy chuckled. “It’s just food. Relax.”

“I’m perfectly relaxed.”

“Really?” he asked, raising an eyebrow doubtfully with a grin tugging one side of his lips up. “What did that basket ever do to you?”

Glancing down, Riza spotted her white-knuckle grip on the plastic handle, and how it was held up to her chest as she searched the shelves. She dropped it down, so her arm was relaxed, realising she’d probably been clutching at it like a crazy person.

“I’m perfectly relaxed,” she reiterated.

“Look, I know this year is something completely different for you,” he added, catching up with Riza as she turned and continued her journey to find all the food she needed in the store. “But there’s nothing to worry about –”

“I’m not worried. Why would I be worried?”

Roy shot her a look. “My mother is just coming to visit, she doesn’t expect anything large or fancy.”

“No,” Riza agreed. “But it has to be good. I’m not going to have her eating trash.” Roy laughed loudly, shaking his head fondly at her. “What?” Riza asked, her worry increasing.

“It’s… Your way with words always makes me laugh,” he grinned. Roy looped an arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple. “There’s nothing to worry about. I promise. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

Oh, yeah, nothing to worry about. Nothing at all. Riza never even met the woman before, and now she was flying hundreds of miles up north to spend Christmas with her and Roy. So, nerves were absolutely expected, and her anxiety was through the roof about tomorrow.

Roy kissed her again. “She’ll love you.”

“How can you be so sure?” she asked, then cursed herself for letting her real feelings slip out.

“Because I do,” he grinned. “Plus, what’s not to love about you? You’re gorgeous, extremely intelligent, and make me laugh like no one ever has before.” Riza’s cheeks turned slightly pink. “And, you’re a lot like her.”

Riza raised an eyebrow. “I’ve seen the photos, Roy. We look nothing alike.”

He laughed again. “No, what I meant was you both don’t take any of my shit. She’ll definitely take a shining to you because of that.”

“I hope so,” she muttered under her breath. Letting it go for now, Roy just shook his head fondly and continued walking with her, picking out the food they needed for Christmas dinner tomorrow.

Once home, Riza let Hayate in and he ran ahead of them, leaving wet pawprints on the wooden flooring of her home.

“Here, let me,” Roy offered. He took the bags off Riza’s hands and jerked his head towards the living room. “You put the fire on and get yourself warmed up.”

“I see you’ve made yourself at home,” Riza quipped, but there was just amusement behind her tone. He’d only just moved in with her two months ago. They clicked instantly after last year’s Christmas together, and then spent the rest of the holiday period together, not straying far from the warmth of their homes, or each other.

Where before they’d barely managed to see each other once a year, everything had just fallen into place. She loved him with her whole heart, and the last year had been the best of her life. She couldn’t imagine her life without Roy in it.

Roy grinned. “Only because it’s you.”

“I don’t know if that’s a compliment, or not.”

“Always a compliment, my queen!” he called over his shoulder, taking the bags into her kitchen straight ahead of her. Roy smirked and embraced the fluttering feeling in her stomach before turning right and entering her living room. The fire was on and roaring just as Roy entered, bringing her a bottle of beer.

“We should get started on –” Riza began but was interrupted.

“Beer first.”

“But –”

“Beer first,” Roy repeated, a grin on his face. “Alcohol is needed before we even think about tackling that monster feast for tomorrow.”

She saw his logic and sat back on the couch, taking her beer in her hands eagerly. Accepting it, they clinked their bottles together and took a long swig. Riza would need more than one of these to get her through tomorrow morning.

After some time, Roy stood up from his seat, patting her knee as he did so. “I’ll be back in a sec.”

“Bring back more beer,” Riza replied, eyeing the dribble in the bottom of her bottle, taking a swig to finish it off. “I think I’ll need more than just this one.”

“Aye, aye, captain,” Roy quipped, giving a quick salute as he walked away from her.

He seemed to be away for a while, and when he did return, Riza hadn’t looked up from playing with Hayate. “If I’d known you’d take that long, I’d have gotten my own beer –”

Riza froze.

Roy was down on one knee at the other end of the couch with the goofiest grin on his face.

“What is this?” she asked, blinking, because she didn’t believe what she was seeing.

“Riza,” he stated, the silly grin never leaving his face. “I love you, and this last year has been the best year of my life. I was disappointed before when we couldn’t meet up when we tried,” he chuckled. “But I realise now that if we were ever to part, or go back to the way we were before, I’d hate it. I don’t want to live my life without you in it.

“So, Riza Hawkeye, will you marry me?”

She blinked. Hayate barked happily, wagging his tail at Roy.

“Yes.” She surged forward and into his open arms, embracing him tightly as he laughed and hugged her close.

“Yes,” Riza repeated, pulling back. Roy bent his head and pressed his lips against hers. Riza’s hands rose up to his hair, tangling in his black tresses and taking hold. She kissed him fiercely back, her heart soaring with love for this man.

Once they’d come down from their high and finished with all the hugging, kissing, and happy crying, the happy couple found themselves on Riza’s couch. She was sitting on his lap, their heads resting together as they both looked at Riza’s ring as it caught the soft light of the fire in the small diamond.

“Was there any particular reason you decided to choose tonight?” Riza asked, examining the ring on her finger. It felt odd to wear jewellery after not doing it for so long, but a good weird. It was a feeling she’d be more than happy to get used to. “Were you trying to butter up your mother so now she has no choice but to like me?”

Roy laughed, tipping his head back. “I know for a fact that she already does,” he grinned. “But no, that wasn’t the reason it was specifically tonight.”

“Why then?” she asked, curious.

“You never like a mystery, do you?” he asked. Riza stuck her tongue out at him. He gave her a quick peck before sitting back in his seat, pulling Riza with him so she was resting against his shoulder. “I chose tonight, because all I want for Christmas this year, is you.”

Riza’s gaze flicked up to his face, to see if he was joking or not, but his face was deadly serious. A soft smile spread across his face. Riza pressed her lips against his.

“Me too,” she whispered, snuggling back into his embrace, the thought of cooking Christmas dinner for tomorrow completely forgotten.

#royai #royai fic #royai fanfiction #royai advent calendar #emma writes #the magic of christmas time

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redstringsofhate · 4 years

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broken brooms. [1]

orig. posted on ao3

The Mahoutokoro School of Magic is known for its formidable Quidditch players, and 6th year student Kobayashi Arisu wants her playing time.

[ oikawa tooru x f. oc ]

[akaashi keiji x f. oc ]

Kobayashi Arisu hates Transfiguration.

"You look like shit." Nishinoya Yuu wasn't helping.

"Thanks." Arisu rips out another page from the notebook, her pens flying astray.

The Toppou common room's fire crackles next to the two students. Aside from a few second year boys playing Wizard's Chess (who even has time for that?) in the corner, Arisu and Nishinoya were probably the only ones awake.

"This is due tomorrow and I have a good," Arisu silently reads her work, "five sentences."

Nishinoya slouches down the couch, messing his hair even further. Ever since meeting him - and actually talking - last year, Arisu has always questioned the boy's (seemingly random) blond streak. In the dim lighting, it's like a sun against his otherwise darker feautures.

"You shouldn't've waited until the night before."

"You haven't even started writing yours," Arisu looks back up from her essay. She takes off her glasses to rub her eyes. Nishinoya's moved down another foot. The coffee table covers his entire face, save for the blond streak and his annoyingly clear forehead. "At least have some manners for Ono-sensei."

Nishinoya moves back up to scowl at her. "I told you, I had much better things to do! Quidditch tryouts are in two days!"

"Don't remind me." Arisu groans, enough to catch the attention of a second year.

"Stop it," Nishinoya says, "You can do it this year, Ari, you've improved so much over the summer and I bet Tanaka's flat ass you'll make it as a starting Chaser."

Arisu almost grins at the comment. "I'd be lucky if they chose me as a bench warmer."

"Oikawa-san's a dick," Nishinoya agrees, "but he knows good players."

Arisu vaguely remembers the name. "Oikawa Hayate?"

Nishinoya looks at her as if she scored a hundred on her Transfiguration essay. "No, Ari, who the fuck is Oikawa Hayate? Damn, I knew you were bad at names, but not this bad."

"He's in my Potions class," Arisu says. She drops her pen on the table, massaging her hand. "Is there another one? Are they related? Twins?"

"Doubt it," Nishinoya says, "It's Oikawa Tooru. The guy's probably had sex with at least half of the seventh year girls. Crazy good at Quidditch."

"You probably wish you were him." Arisu lets out a yawn. "I never saw him last year, though, I thought Iwaizumi was the captain?"

"You must've tried out the second day, after he sprained his knee," Nishinoya says, "I heard he still has it. Must've gotten it from badgering all of the members or showing off. Iwaizumi's vice captain."

Arisu scrunches her face as she writes the next sentence. "I hope Iwaizumi's not there - he had that you're a fucking idiot face the entire time I was trying out."

"That's better than Oikawa," Nishinoya says, "Trust me."

Arisu finishes her essay just as Minaha Ono walks into the classroom. Their professor must have gotten a haircut over the weekend.

"Good morning, class," Ono-sensei greets them cheerily, "Today we will be going over the basics of the Hardening Charm."

A spell of laughter erupts from the back of class. Arisu looks behind to see Nishinoya sharing grins with Ryuunosuke Tanaka, a sixth year Beater in Shunrai. Arisu has never talked to him, but she's frequently seen Nishinoya sneaking out of Toppou's dorms during ungodly hours to meet up with with his friend. Ono-sensei pretends not to hear their snickers, and flicks her wand to write the kanji characters on the board.

Arisu always sits in the middle row of the room, not too close to be affiliated with the best students, but she sure as hell wasn't going to Nishinoya's level. She hands in her Transfiguration essay to Ono-sensei before splitting up with her classmates to practice the spell.

Terushima Yuji places himself right next to Arisu, smiling from eye to eye. Arisu catches a brief whiff of cigarette smoke off of him. It was a surprise he managed to get more - Arisu clearly remembers the boy complaining last Saturday about his last pack of Marlboro and how he ran out of pocket money.

"Arisu-chan," Terushima announces, "I have an idea."

"You're so loud, Terushima," Ito Hikari hisses. She was another student in Toppou. Pretty. Arisu didn't talk to her often. They never got to after Arisu forgot to work on their project together fourth year - turns out Ito likes to hold grudges.

Terushima shoots a grin at Ito before speaking anyways. "Listen, I heard Atsumu got something new the other night - "

"I don't want to talk to him," Arisu cuts him off. A quick fling during the spring of fifth year, recent mentions Atsumu Miya made her want to punch someone and hide beneath her covers simultaneously.

"Oh." Terushima fiddles with his parchment paper. He almost looks sheepish. "Sorry."

Ito ignores the two and continues transfiguring all of their objects into stone. By the end of class, Arisu and Terushima had a collective three rocks while Ito proudly holds out her ten for Ono-sensei.

"Marvelous work, Ito-chan," Ono-sensei remarks. "Ten points to Toppou."

Although it was her house, Arisu had to hold herself from hexing her. Ito passes by her with an almost forgetful glance, as if they didn't share the same Transfiguration class for three years in a row.

"C'mon." Terushima drags Arisu along. "I'm starving and they have udon today."

The Dining Hall bustles with students coming from morning classes. A problem that came with having a school on a fucking mountain : there were no nearby towns to visit for food.

But the udon was delicious. The only time she's fine with her glasses fogging up is while eating udon.

Terushima had finished his third bowl by the time Saito Fumi comes along. Fumi has her brown hair in a haphazard braid, her green Toppou uniform barely covers the Beatles t-shirt she always wore proudly. Arisu met her in second year, after both girls realized first year friends were shitty and unpredictable. Fumi had been a day student before boarding, but all of her friends remained commuters, and Arisu found Fumi lying in a pile of ripped paper and a broken left hand just before fall semester ended.

Terushima joining in third year was equally sudden, in his I'm a new boarder and I'm better than you aura (a rare reaction from a day student), but Arisu was split between being too unmotivated to find a better group and actually enjoying their company.

"Terushima," Fumi was looking at his empty bowls in disgust. "What the fuck. You're an actual pig."

"You've had five bowls at once," Terushima defends himself. He points his chopsticks at her with raised eyebrows. "While stoned."

Arisu chokes on her water.

"Asshole, you were the one that got me like that." When Fumi sits down, a few fifth years turn to their direction. Fumi always got the attention of people, in the attractive sense and how her general presence had a way of garnering eyes.

"It's not my fault!" Terushima almost gets up. "You were the one that threatened to hex me if I didn't let you have a try of - how did you say it? - Kuroo-senpai's weed."

"That's so nasty, Fumi." Arisu drops her chopsticks.

Fumi hides behind her bangs. "He is our senpai!"

"Yeah, and he acts like an idiot half of the time," Arisu comments, "Even Terushima doesn't do half of the shit he does with Bokuto."

"Terushima is too much of a loser to hang out with them." Fumi shifts back into her previous demeanor. She takes a slurp of the udon noodles, pouring in more hot oil. "He's in Shunrai, but he can't even sit with Bokuto-senpai."

"Maybe it's because I want to hang out with you guys!" Terushima points out. He finishes the third bowl. "I'm just a good friend."

Arisu smiles wickedly at him. Seeing Terushima flustered always brought her entertainment. "You know, Yuji, Fumi thought you had a thing for her since you never left."

"Fuck off!"

"Oh, how you wish, Yuji-kun." Fumi cackles into her bowl.

Arisu wants to be back in her dorm room. Mahoutokoro usually has bad weather, but it was freezing outside.

Nishinoya had promised to meet her for pre-tryout practice, but a last minute note with the words Kiyoko-senpai~ meant that he wasn't going to come anytime soon. Arisu pulls on her gloves and examines her broom, an old-fashioned Cleansweep Seven. With or without that girl-obsessed boy, it was better to get some practice than none.

After taking a brief look around her, Arisu kicks off into the windy air. Only a few other players were in the air with her, allowing Arisu decent room to practice her speed and coordination. Especially speed.

Her teeth stop chattering after a few rounds around the field. Arisu's black hair maintains itself, with only a couple strands sticking out. The students around her turn into gray and blue bobs.

Arisu finds the balancing part simple - it was like riding a bike during her blissfully ignorant muggle days. Although she was slower at picking it up, almost embarrassingly so, Arisu found too much entertainment in riding her bike outside her mother's bakery. The learning process for the broom was significantly longer, but Arisu's insistence on riding over breaks did help her in the past years.

Arisu tightens her grip on the broom, attempting a backwards turn in the air. She closes her eyes for a second, blocking out the gusts of wind attacking her face.

God, she wants to be a Chaser.

The back of her broom almost responds, and Arisu has two seconds to register a crack in her broom's precious wood. A web-like pattern grows around and beneath her gloves. Arisu hears a ringing.

She has no time to scream before her body plummets towards the field below, the breeze rushing up to her again, enveloping her body in its depths. Blood shoots through her arms, numbing her fingertips, and Arisu wants to vomit.

"Shit! Shit!" a voice from above yells. Without her glasses Arisu makes out the blurry face of a boy, though she doubts she could've seen better with them on. He reaches out his hand for her, getting nearer, but Arisu instinctively moves her arm away, attempting to ease the impact.

A dumb move.

Arisu didn't have the energy to strangle whoever threw a Quaffle at her broom as the medics levitate her towards the Hospital Wing.

"A broken radius and ulna, kiddo," Fuse Himari clicks her tongue. She recently joined the health department at the school, fresh out of Mahoukotoro only a few years prior. Arisu recognizes her signature blue nails tapping against the bed frame. "At least it's not your dominant one."

Arisu hasn't been back in the Hospital Wing (as a patient, at least) in ages. The last time was from a flu half the school had contracted. The white walls were peeling in every direction possible, and the light above flickers at least twenty times before Arisu attempts to move in her bed.

"I wouldn't move if I were you." Fuse eyes Arisu's arm. "Even with magic, it'll take a few days to heal completely."

"I don't have a few days," Arisu says, fishing around for her glasses which were, luckily, repaired. "Quidditch tryouts are tomorrow, Himari-san."

"That can wait," Fuse says, almost anticipating the response. "But your arm needs time to heal, or else you won't be able to play any sport again."

Arisu knows Fuse doesn't ever take a negative response. As a student, Fuse would always drag out the Toppou lowerclassmen to dinners, refusing to compensate for their anxious, eleven year-old, worries. "You know I've been wanting to do this since fourth year."

Fuse responds by gently patting her head. "I know you do, girlie, that's why you have to trust me on this."

"What do you - "

The creaking door hurts her ears. Arisu makes out curly hair poking out from behind the door, and she watches Fuse as she leaves her spot to let the person in.

"He's been out there for a while," Fuse says over her shoulder. "I'll let you two talk."

A tall boy replaces Fuse's seat, holding a bouquet of flowers. He must be the guy who broke her arm, so why the fuck was he smiling so much?

"Kobayashi-san, I'm truly sorry for what happened." The boy places the bouquet next to her. He has a nice voice, but Arisu's sudden urge to scream at him for ruining her chances of making the Quidditch team ruins any attraction. "I, uh, was practicing with my team, and the Quaffle seemed to have a mind of its own."

"That's nice," was her response. The sooner he leaves, the less likely Arisu will ruin any of their future interactions with each other. "Thanks for the flowers. They look nice."

The boy's smile widens even further. He has really pretty teeth. "That's good to hear! I was picking some out from the Herbology gardens. I thought they would brighten your room a bit while you were staying here and all."

Silence. Arisu doesn't bother with continuing the small talk. The ringing starts again.

"I hope we see each other again," he beams. "I'm Oikawa, by the way, Oikawa Tooru."

Arisu takes a minute to register the sentence before remembering her conversation with Nishinoya.

"I was going to try out for Toppou's team." The words come out before Arisu has a chance to rethink her decisions.

Oikawa pales, and Arisu almost feels sorry for him. Too bad the anger got to her sooner. "Yeah, looks like my chances are doomed now, huh?"

Oikawa's gaze dashes around, barely, but it was enough for Arisu to notice his tactic. His back immediately straightens and he lets out a slight chuckle. He must have too much experience with these situations. "I'm sure there's another chance for you later," he says. In any other moment, Arisu would have found his words comforting, but it just sounds so condescending. "It was difficult for us to tell if there were other people practicing, I had assumed everyone else was just playing for fun, which I apologize - "

"Excuse me?"

Oikawa maintains his annoying smile the entire time, his eyes crinkling up at the edges. "No, no." He chuckles for what seems like the fiftieth time. "That's nothing against your flying abilities, I assure you, it was just the way the broom went - "

"Look." Arisu feels her ears burn. "I've been working my ass off for the longest time just to get my bones broken by the Toppou team captain, and now he's here criticizing me on my flying abilities when he can't even handle a Quaffle properly."

Oikawa shifts in the wooden chair. "I really am sorry, Kobayashi-san." He sounds genuine this time. Arisu pushes up her glasses to see him watching her. His eyes were too brown against his pale skin.

"I can help pay for a new broomstick," he offers.

"Thanks," Arisu says, "but it's fine." She brushes her left arm absentmindedly.

The door opens again to reveal a Fuse with potion bottles, walking past them in a hurry.

Oikawa coughs. "Just let me know if you need anything, Kobayashi-san. I'll come by later this afternoon - I heard the Dining Hall's going to serve this delicious crepe cake."

"It's fine, really." Arisu rubs her eye. There was no point in yelling at him when he was being this nice to her; sure, it was a shallow and fake nice meant to calm her down, but nice nonetheless. "And, uh, sorry for my outburst."

"That's totally understandable!" Oikawa tries for another smile before getting up. "It's great seeing your enthusiasm for Quidditch!" Of course it is.

His brown curls cover most of his forehead now, and Arisu notices the slight stubble around his chin. "I'll see you later, Kobayashi-san."

He bows to her, and Arisu could smell the Quidditch field.

When the door clicks shut, Arisu was certain that Fuse didn't have a shift tomorrow.

#haikyuu!!#oikawa torū #haikyuu fanfiction #haikyuu fanfic #nishinoya yuu #yūji terushima #oikawa tooru

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houkuaichuii · 7 years

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Take My Heart & Soul

“FIC EXCHANGE. I’LL GIVE YOU THE JEALOUS-PINING-MUSTANG ANGST AND YOU GIVE ME THE ANASTASIA AU.” - Chie, 2k17.

So a couple of days ago, I had a lovely discussion with Sarah (@queenwinry), which led to me screaming at her for an Anastasia!AU RoyAi fic of the famous boat scene, whilst offering this very angsty piece in return. I do highly suggest to read her one-shot after this as a pick-me-up! So make sure to do that!!

Word Count: 3,450.

Warning: Roy’s a... well, he’s drunk and he’s sad. I was not drunk during the process of writing this, however; I was just sad.

There was something unspoken about the winter air within the East City walls, something to which the drunken man could barely describe. It was calming, more so as the feeling of numbness ran through his fingers and his toes. However, he knew that there was much more to it than he could comprehend. Perhaps it was the way it nearly made him forget the ache within him, the pain that had taken place somewhere in his chest and called it its home. Or perhaps it could have been the number of drinks he had that night, but he shook his head at the notion and told himself that he was perfectly fine and was far from the edge.

He hadn’t appeared so intoxicated either; just a man who was enjoying a stroll during an ungodly hour. But Roy Mustang was a man who had mastered the game of facades, and was more than skilled enough to hide the truth to his character when it suited him.

So yes, he was drunk; his focus a haze, his mind a mess, but he knew where he was going as he walked through the empty streets. He followed a path he knew quite well, to a destination that was entirely committed to his memory through more ways than one. Or at least he believed so.

He was going home, that was what he convinced himself to do as he exited a deserted bar. But where was his home? Was it the empty apartment in between Fourth Ave and the Sixth, or was it a woman, who was enjoying her date with another? At the thought of the latter, short laughter escaped him, his heart far from being in it. Then again, his heart was never with him to begin with, as it was with the woman for as long as he could remember.

He had unknowingly given it as a whole, and once upon a time, he surmised that she had done the same. It was the basic belief of equivalent exchange; the well-known law of alchemy. And he, as an alchemist, nonetheless, lived by those words. But it seemed like he was proven wrong at some point, because of all things considered, it was more than obvious that her heart was not his to keep.

So many emotions dwelt in his core, just as how so many unanswered questions ran through that head of his. He was supposed to be a genius, the epitome of brilliance, an erudite--- he was the Hero of Ishval, the man who climbed the ranks too fast for his age. And yet there he was with his gaze dropped to the pavement, sadness claiming the colour of his eyes. He looked so wrong, he felt wrong too, though he could not bring himself to blame anyone else for the pain he was drowning in.

He waited far too long, assumed that he still had time, that she would have still been there at the end of the line. The universe, however, had other plans and the joke was on him. God, what a fool he was.

A selfish fool.

Roy knew that he should have been happy for her, even if it meant that her happiness did not mean him. He had acknowledged it long ago that she deserved someone better; someone who had not betrayed her trust, someone who did not remind her of a war, someone who saved her life rather than a broken man who was constantly dragging it into harm’s way. The woman he loved was in a good place, and he should have been content with such a simple fact. But the truth was the truth, and he was anything but. He was miserable, surrounded by darkness and living under a grey cloud.

And so he walked, and he walked, and he walked, the chill of winter biting at his nose and his cheeks. How does one escape the dark when the sun had left?

Everywhere he went, the whispers were there. There were the looks, the rumours that just did not stop. It all began as a simple matter, the idea that a doctor had plans to court the brigadier-general’s adjutant. It became a joke in the office, and at first, the woman in subject had no means to hold it in any form of regard. But everyone saw that the man was quite serious in the way he’d send in flowers, until he suddenly came to seek the captain for a dinner.

Of course jealousy had struck Roy immediately, and he was more than tempted to step forward. But noting that she deserved a break and that it was most likely a one-time thing, he merely held his tongue.

The action was evidently a bad choice, for dinners happened again, and numerous times after, leading to the words of engagement to reach his ears.

And that was when he had finally felt the soles of his feet hit rock bottom.

Everyone looked at him with confusion in their glances, wondering as to what his thoughts truly were. He kept to himself about the matter, albeit letting out a casual smile here, and his usual shrug there. “The Captain is in warrant of a happy ending, we should all just congratulate her.” Was what he told them. Even his ‘sisters’ heard of the talk, a flash of pity in their eyes whenever an Elizabeth was mentioned by someone who was uninformed. Still, he posed the image that he was truly all right, although those who knew him also knew otherwise.

How long he walked for, he could not say, but at the end of the night, he was climbing up a set of stairs. He counted the floors as he passed them amidst his daze, till he stopped in front of a certain door. He stared at it, his chest empty, yet heavy; his shoulders slouched in spite of being overcome with familiarity. He fished his key out of his pockets, but when it came to unlocking the door, it would not turn. He cursed under his breath, thinking that what he held in his hand was the key for the car he had left behind.

“What. A. Fucking. Idiot,” He called himself, banging his head against the door in defeat, one word after the other, “Can’t even get yourself into your own apartment.”

He was just so tired; beyond exhaustion as everything pulled back to port. He hadn’t been this bad since Hughes, but even then, he still had her: the only constant thing in his life.

To which will become not so constant anymore, for she’s been ripped out of his grasp before he even got a chance. He thought himself pathetic, all the while hating the man who stole the person he once called his.

Roy was supposed to be the one to show her the endless love and affection that he always did have for her. He was supposed to be the one who’d wake her up with kisses, who’d whisper sweet promises into her ear in the warmth of their bed. He was supposed to be the one who’d hold her hand as they took a walk through the park, letting Hayate chase the butterflies that would have caught his attention. He was supposed to be the one who’d wake up in the middle of night, just to soothe the cries of a child. Their child.

Roy was supposed to be the one to take her as his wife, to have and to hold, for better and for worst, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death did them part.

He was supposed to be the one, as she was the only one for him.

Drunk and alone with his thoughts, Roy was about to sit himself down onto the floor when the knob turned and the door was pulled open. A slightly dishevelled blonde peered at him from the other side, surprise entirely too transparent in the eyes that had watched over him for so long. He was surprised as well, so to speak, because what in the world was his captain doing in his apartment? He mirrored her look through his own bleariness, blinking to clear his view.

“Sir, are you okay?” She asked, concern loud in her voice.

“What are you doing here?” He returned.

There was a pause as Hawkeye scrutinised him, a crease between her perfectly lined brows; question evident in her expression. She then stepped out and closed the door behind her, holding onto the robe that she wore.

“Did you go out drinking with the boys again, sir?”

He shrugged, “Possibly, I don’t really remember. But what are you doing here?”

“This is my apartment.”

Well, that certainly said a lot.

As realisation dawned on him, Roy released a breath, then a scoff. His gaze dropped to the floor, eyes closing without a single reply. So this was where home was--- it was where his legs had led him to. What a joke. The place he considered as home wasn’t even his own, and there he was, standing before her like a lost dog. He should have apologised and bid his goodnight, but his mind was awake and he couldn’t stop what he said next.

“Please tell me you didn’t say ‘yes’, Hawkeye.”

“Sir?”

“That--- that man, I believe that he asked for your hand in marriage. Tell me that you didn’t accept the proposal.”

“I...”

“Goddamn it, Hawkeye!” He looked at her then, albeit too fast that the world suddenly turned and he stumbled back before regaining his footing. He saw her move forward, hands reaching out to steady him, but he lifted up his palm and breathed. No, he wasn’t allowed to feel her touch, lest he was willing to lose the small control he had left.

What a shameful sight he made; face red from the alcohol, his hair unruly from the amount of times he ran his fingers through it during the night. Then to add to the list, he had just shouted at his captain even though she was far from being at fault. He shouldn’t have been there in the first place, but it was where his heart was and it seemed like his mind wanted it back; as if he was ever going to get it back.

Roy looked at the woman again, stared as he searched for words to say.

I’m sorry.

Don’t go to him.

Please don’t leave me.

I don’t want to lose you.

I can’t lose you.

I’ve always loved you.

I love you.

It was Hawkeye who broke the silence, however.

“Sir, would you like for me to walk you home?”

“Please don’t marry him.” Was the answer he gave. As short and concise as it was, it was no more than a whisper; a plea as others would have called it. “Don’t do it, Riza.”

If he hadn’t been so intoxicated, he would have noticed the effect that her first name had on her. He would have seen how her eyes widened slightly, her hand tightening its hold on her bathrobe. It was her turn to stare at him, keeping up a mask of coolness. But after a moment or so, she swallowed faintly and spoke.

“Roy, I don’t think we should discuss this matter right now.”

“Really? Because I think that this is the best time to talk about this.”

“No, it’s really not. You’re not in the right state to organise your thoughts and this discussion is over.”

“Riza, if you would just listen to me---”

She cut him off there, the sharp edge of a knife heard in her tone, “You’re drunk; you don’t even know what you’re saying, let alone will remember when you wake up tomorrow.”

“To hell I don’t!” Roy finally snapped, causing for the other to steel herself as he chose to continue, “And even if I don’t remember what I say tonight, I’ll be fine as long as I say it. You need to hear this, Riza. I need to say this, because if I don’t...”

“Roy, don’t do this.”

“If I don’t tell you that I love you now, when will I ever?”

A pause.

“Why are you doing this?” She asked.

Taking in a deep breath as he moved back against the wall behind him, Roy tried to clear his incoherent mind. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see the stranger that the other might become once he said his piece. After all, he almost lost her once before, and was on the verge of losing her again. The fear sickened him to no end, even through his uninhibited state. But the truth was in dire need to be expressed, and everyone knew that a drunken man’s words were a sober man’s thoughts.

“Because I’m scared, Riza,” He told her, “I’m scared of losing you.”

He heard her step towards him tentatively, the sound of her footfall loud amongst the silence that had then fallen upon them. Still, he kept himself in the dark, finding comfort in it.

“I thought I still had time, I thought that this could wait until I reached my goal--- I thought that you knew. But then the doctor came out of nowhere, and... I don’t know. I wanted to stop it, though. I wanted to say something to stop him from pursuing you, but when I saw you laughing with him, I just couldn’t take that happiness away from you.

“You deserve it. After everything you’ve been through, you deserve this happy ending, and who am I to stop you from getting it? I’ve asked myself this question so many times throughout these past several months, and each time I do, I never get an answer. I tell myself that I have no right to step into your affairs, that you’re free to choose whomever you like. But at the same time, I realise that I’m as selfish as anyone and I start to hope that you’d find something you don’t like about him.”

Another moment of quietude, filled with nothing but a sigh from him.

“But seeing as to how things have turned out, that obviously didn’t happen and now here I am: drunk, tired, wishing that I was the one who’d hold you, wishing that I was able to freely show my love for you whenever I choose to; wishing that I was that man.

“I love you, Riza Hawkeye. And the more I think about it, the more I know that I always did love you. From the first moment you opened that door back when I was just starting out my apprenticeship, and up until this very moment, I’ve loved you.

“I love your smile, how it’s so subtle and hidden; it’s been the same for as long as I’ve known you. I love the focus in your eyes, the way your eyebrows furrow together when something’s in your mind. I love your determination, your courage, and your compassion. You are an amazing woman, Hawkeye; one hell of a woman, really.”

And as he readied himself for his final words, Roy had set his gaze upon her. What he found was unexpected, however, as rather than meeting the amber eyes he loved so dearly, what he saw was a woman with her head down, her blonde hair a curtain around her features. She had a hand to her mouth, her shoulders seemingly trembling.

“I’m sorry for all of the times I’ve hurt you. You deserve someone better than me. But Riza, please don’t go to him. Please don’t leave me. I’m not... I’m not telling you this as your commanding officer, but I’m asking you this as the boy who grew up with you, who has only ever considered you.

“I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again: I can’t lose you. It is not that I don’t want to lose you, but it is more of the fact that I can’t. I know that it makes me sound selfish and egotistical, but I’m far from caring about my image at this point. This is the truth of how I feel for you, and I just need you to know that whatever happens, I will always love you.”

Unmoving from her spot, Riza did not respond, and Roy wanted nothing more than to envelope her into an embrace. For the first time in a long while, she looked so small, as delicate as he remembered her to be before the horrid of war. Oh, how he would have loved to go back to those times, when everything was simple and it was only the two of them in their world; no one else.

Just little Roy and Riza, the children who ran through open fields, the lake behind the trees being their destination. They were the children who walked under the moonlit sky, finally heading home after getting groceries from the nearby town. They were the youth who studied in candlelight together, secrets whispered between them. Just little Roy and Riza, the children who made promises to one another and were determined to keep them. Without a doubt, the promises were kept and new ones were made in their adulthood, forever binding them together.

Or maybe not.

“Riza?” Roy called, the silence suddenly becoming unbearable.

When she looked up, he was taken aback by the redness of her eyes, the tears that glinted under the hallway’s lighting. He clenched his teeth together, his hands curling into fists. He had hurt her again, and she was crying because of him. What was wrong with him?

“You are such a complete idiot,” Her voice cracked as she attempted to stifle her crying, causing for something within Roy to shatter, “Why couldn’t you just listen to me? I told you not to do this, and yet you still continued to make everything so complicated.”

Roy couldn’t hide the hurt that quickly struck his expression, her words understood immediately. He didn’t say anything, couldn’t form a response that would not have led the entire situation to an argument. Despite being as inebriated as he was then, he was earnest enough to note that he had done enough damage for the night. And so, he pushed himself off the wall, hands in his coat’s pockets and looked down on his polished shoes.

“You’re right. Maybe it would have been best if I hadn’t told you the truth, but you deserved to hear it, at least.” With that said, he squared his shoulders and raised his chin, his eyes quite sombre in comparison to the strength in his voice, “You should go back in, Captain, I’ve kept you out here long enough.”

At that second, the door opened and a man revealed himself groggily. He looked at Riza, who kept her back to him, before averting his attention to Roy. Traces of sleep was still visible across his chiselled features, and it did not go unnoticed that he was, in fact, shirtless. Roy nearly scorned at the sight of the other, vehemence growing in his being. Of course he was there, Roy wasn’t even surprised anymore.

Besides that, if he weren’t so in control, he might have set him aflame.

“Riza? What are you doing out here, it’s four in the morning.” The man asked, blinking the slumber away.

But before Hawkeye could answer, Brigadier-General Mustang spoke up, “I just needed to ask her a few things about the case. My apologies, I would have waited until later, but something urgent came up.”

“Some of us do need to sleep, Mustang,” The other countered, “Especially when Riza needs to rest after you make her work hard all day.”

“Matthew,” It was Hawkeye who raised her voice, “It’s fine. I was all ready awake and the case is vital, so it was only right for him to come to me as soon as possible. Go back in, I’ll join you soon.”

Just when the man was about to open his mouth for another retort, Mustang cleared his throat in interruption and said, “I’ve extended my stay long enough and I’ve heard what I needed to hear. Besides, the doctor’s right, you need to rest. Good night, Captain.” He gave his adjutant a short nod, although not quite meeting her eyes. He then ignored the other man, walking past him as he made his way back to the stairs. He could feel their attention on him with each measured step, his mind blank, except for the acknowledgment of the gnawing ache throughout his chest.

What a fool he was.

#RoyAi #Roy Mustang #Riza Hawkeye #RoyAi fanfiction #FMA #Chie writes.#you'd think that i'd be posting a fic with a horror theme #but tbh nothing is scarier than the thought of these two NOT being destined for each other.#would I call this a jealous-pining-Mustang fic?#Idek anymore #there's more pining than there is jealousy #I think.#I got lost somewhere whilst writing.#bUT ANYWAY!!!#also thank you to Adi for being an amazing beta like always.#I love reading her notes whenever she betas my shit :'))))))

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elizatellsthestory · 7 years

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Strangled By Fate

Fandom: Naruto

Pairing: KakaSaku

Rating: Gen

Prompt: Soulmate AU

Summary: In a world where soulmate marks only reveal themselves to you when you’re ready for them, Kakashi decides it’s better to resist rather than risk ruining another life. He has spent so long believing he can’t have one, that he almost misses her completely.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of characters. I am making no profit off of this and am only writing it for my entertainment.

A/N: Well guys, I’m officially part of the fandom because I got a comment on my last story telling me to kill myself. Rather than let this bother me, I decided to put out my next submission for KakaSaku month even quicker, and I added extra fluff to the end just for the rude anon. Enjoy guys.

Unbeta-ed.

[ao3] [fanfic]

There had been so many times that Kakashi had felt strangled by the red string that was meant to determine his soulmate. For most of his life, he’d never been able to see it, but he could always feel it’s heavy presence wrapping around his skin in warning. He felt the way it pulled and tangled against his every movement with every step, punishing him for all his failures.

For so many, it came easily, leading two soulmates to the other with little fuss. Kurenai and Asuma had found each other even before they left the academy. It had only taken Hayate and Yugao a few training sessions together to realize what they were to each other. Hell, even Gai had eventually found his soulmate in his enthusiastic student, Lee. The boy was like the son Gai had never had, but Kakashi had never had his string appear.

Despite being told “It will appear if you just open yourself to it,” or “Maybe you’re just not ready to find your One yet,” Kakashi never minded being alone. Being alone was safe. Being alone meant he’d never have to lose anyone again.

Sometimes when he laid awake in bed at night, his mind replayed all the mistakes he’d made, showed him all the people he’d lost in a crisp precision only the sharingan could afford, and he’d feel the string tighten around him. It was paralyzing. He felt like he was suffocating under the weight of it all. Even years after the fact, sometimes he could feel the phantom blood dripping from his red eye or Rin’s life-force draining away around the hand he’d pierced through her.

The truth was, he didn’t deserve a soulmate. No one deserved to be saddled with him, and those fears were only confirmed when he failed to care for each and everyone of his genin students. They’d all seen he was useless to them despite his best efforts and moved on to better teachers.

Sometimes the invisible strings felt like a sticky web. They clung to him and slowed him, holding him in place when all he wanted to do was desperately escape. Other times, they encircled him like vices and pulled him down, down, down into an abyss of his own making. Sometimes they were so tight, the dug into his skin. They felt so tangible, it seemed like a miracle no one else could see him caught up in them.

He lived that way for so many years, and then one day after the war, after Obito’s return and after his true death, they loosened. It happened slowly at first. It was the barest release of tension, but he felt it. Even that small slack felt like the biggest relief after years of it cutting into him. Slowly the red string didn’t feel like such a burden. Slowly, he began to understand just why people might be so overjoyed to have someone by their side when he had only seen the bond as a liability before. As he stood looking over Naruto’s wedding reception, he couldn’t help but feel lighter than he had in a long time.

“It’s wild to think Naruto’s life has finally settled down long enough for him to find his soulmate, huh?” Sakura’s voice drifted over from behind him as he kept his eyes trained on the couple. Even from the distance, Kakashi could make out the little red lines representing the strings imprinted on their fingers. Though only the soulmates could see their individual string, he could imagine the way it linked the two, hanging lightly in the air the way it was meant to.

“No one deserves happiness more than he does,” Kakashi’s eyes crinkled as he smiled softly beneath the mask. “He’s grown up a lot. Hinata and he will be very happy together.”

Sakura moved to stand next to him and watched the happy pair chatting animatedly with Kiba. “He’s not the same knucklehead ninja he was when he was twelve. That’s for sure,” she laughed lightly, her fingers subconsciously moving over the smooth red mark that wrapped around her own finger but led to nowhere.

Kakashi’s charcoal eyes turned to the pink-haired woman next to him, not missing the longing look in her emerald eyes. “And what about you?”

“Hmm?”

“Your life has settled too, and that mark has been there ever since the war ended.” His eyes shifted from the thin mark to her eyes. “Aren’t you curious? Or…” Did she already know who it led to? His thoughts flitted to the goodbye she’d shared with Sasuke when he’d left the village. Perhaps she’d gotten the fairy tale ending twelve year old her had longed for after all.

“You know, it’s funny. Once upon a time, I might have been searching frantically for whoever is on the other end of this mark.” She held up her hand and turned it in the sunlight, examining the little thing that was supposed to be the key to her happy ending. “But, I just figure there are more important things right now. What about you?”

��What about me?” He deflected like it was second nature. He really should have known better than trying his old tricks with Sakura.

“You know very well what I’m asking,” she gave him a reproachful look that walked the fine line between teasing and seriousness. “You’ve been alone a long time, Kakashi Sensei.”

“Kakashi. Just Kakashi. We’ve been comrades far longer than I was ever you Sensei.”

“Don’t try to change the subject.”

Kakashi would be lying if he said he wasn’t slightly amused by how easily she saw through his evasion tactics now. “The truth? My mark’s never appeared.”

Sakura’s brow furrowed in concern, and her gaze moved to where his mark would be if his hand weren’t hidden behind a glove and buried in his pocket. “Doesn’t not knowing bother you?”

“Not any more than it’s bothering you,” he shrugged before his eyes were drawn to the loud commotion Naruto and Rock Lee were making by the food table. It wasn’t long before shouts about the Spirit of Youth distracted them from any more talk of soulmates or marks.

…

Life went on.

It wasn’t hard for Kakashi to become caught up in his new duties as Hokage. The slow release of the strings’ hold on him was something he barely noticed anymore. With every string that fell away came a new feeling of freedom, and soon enough he could barely feel them at all. As much as he thought he’d hate the position of Hokakge, there was something oddly fulfilling about it. For the first time, he experienced a peace he and the ninja world alike had never known. For the first time, people looked up to him, and it didn’t instill a sense of self-loathing within him.

Oddly enough, out of the three remaining members of Team Seven, it was the person he’d offered the least guidance to that offered him the most. Sasuke chose to continue to working for Konoha from afar, and when Naruto wasn’t preparing for his future seat as Hokage, he was at home caring for a pregnant Hinata. In the years following the war, it was Sakura who became his constant friend and companion, no matter how busy she was running the hospital or her children’s clinic.

It wasn’t such a rare occurrence for him to find himself slumped over his desk, having fallen asleep after a long day of work. Some mornings he’d wake with dried ink from important papers clinging to his face, but more often than not, he’d be awoken late at night by the smell of tea and take out accompanied by a dazzling smile and warm emerald eyes.

Tonight was one such night.

He’d only meant to close his eyes for five minutes, but when they opened again, night had fallen and a soft laugher stirred him.

“Keep this up, and I’ll have to put you on bedrest, Kakashi. Believe it or not, the human body needs proper sleep or it can’t function properly.”

“Maa, Sakura,” He blinked sleepily and slowly lifted his head from his desk. “I’ve got everything under control. I know my limits.” He ignored the rustling of paper by his ear even though he knew very well that something was stuck to his temple.

Sakura merely rolled her eyes when she was met with his signature everything-is-fine eye crinkle and moved around to his side of the desk. “That’s a lie if I’ve ever heard one. Remind me, how many times have you been admitted to the hospital for extreme exhaustion over the course of your career?” She hopped up to sit on his desk and pulled the note paper off of his temple. Faint traces of dried ink remained pressed to his skin.

“That’s hardly fair. I was a victim of a dojutsu my body wasn’t equipped to handle,” he argued halfheartedly more out of habit than trying to prove his point.

“Mhmm.” The disbelief was so clear in her voice he could practically hear the deadpanned “bullshit” in her subtext. Still, he was a good patient and held still when she held his chin and tilted his head to better see the ink on his skin.

Before it had been so hard for him to foresee being alright with anyone being this familiar with him, but with Sakura it felt right. He didn’t feel any sort of discomfort around her. Instead of hating the touch and care, there was a part of him that ached for it. And yet, he knew he shouldn’t. Even if it was only because he knew the mark on her finger proved there was someone out there waiting for her, someone out there who was perfect for her, he knew he shouldn’t. It wasn’t fair to confuse her just because he’d long ago given up his hope of ever finding his One.

She was so close now, he could feel her warm breath brush against the exposed skin of his face, and any sleep that had clouded his mind was now gone. He could clearly make out the flecks of deeper and lighter greens in her eyes and the little furrow of her brow as she focused on the ink. Her tongue darted out to lick her finger so she could wipe away the black that stained his skin, but all he could focus on were the lips that had pulled his attention.

He could just make out the light sheen of a gloss or balm she’d used not too long ago. Her thumb lightly skimmed over his temple, leaving what felt like a trail of molten lava in it’s wake, and before he knew what was happening, his traitor hand moved to loosely encircle the wrist of the hand that held his chin, keeping them connected.

He’d heard stories of what love and attraction were supposed to be. Butterflies in the stomach and a heart hammering against the chest, but right now, he felt perfectly at peace. Time seemed to slow, and if he could stay in that moment forever, he’d be perfectly happy to do it.

He was so caught up, that he hardly felt when she finished cleaning him. He completely missed the way her darkened eyes skimmed his face or how her free hand came to rest against his cheek. He was so, completely wrapped up in her that he didn’t snap out of it until her voice pulled him from his trance.

“Kakashi.” It came as a whisper on a breath of air, but it snapped his attention back to the present. His eyes jerked up to meet hers which were fixed firmly on his face. A light blush graced across her skin.

He’d been caught.

A sinking feeling spread through him, and immediately, he dropped his hand from hers. “I’m sorry.”

He would have pulled away, but her touch kept him close like an inescapable gravity. Her entire being held him spellbound. He was at a loss. He was frozen as she scooted over on his desk to place herself more fully in front of him. Frozen, as her hands moved to deftly untie his hitai-ate from where it sat on his forehead and placed it on the desk beside her. Frozen, as she leaned forward to lightly brush her lips over the hair that now spilled lightly over his forehead.

It was only as her lips moved to brush against his temple that he finally found his voice. “Sakura…” Her name came out more unsure than he’d meant it to. As much as he’d love to give in, he couldn’t ignore the mark that promised her to some other man.

At his voice, she pulled back slowly, just enough to look at him, but her hands remained where they’d fallen at his shoulders. He’d never been as hyperaware of a touch as he was now. He wanted nothing more than to let her keep caressing him. He wanted nothing more than for her mark to lead to him, but-

“Kakashi.” Again, her familiar voice pulled him from his thoughts. “It’s alright.”

For a moment, his dark eyes searched her clear gaze. He scoured it for even the tiniest trace of hesitance. Even as she leaned closer, letting her lips hover just out of reach of his masked ones, he searched. He had to be absolutely sure. She had to be absolutely sure, and she was. There wasn’t a single trace of doubt in her expressive eyes.

At that moment, he let himself fall.

It was a gentle, timid kiss, more on his side than hers. He was testing the waters, worried she might change her mind, but as she relaxed into him, he gained confidence. Slowly, he began to press back. Somewhere along the way, he slipped his mask down his face, and it was just the two of them, flesh on flesh, meeting her desire with his own.

And then he felt it.

The last string falling away.

A warm glow encircling his pinky finger.

At the same time, both pulled away and were left to stare in awe at the thin red string that led from Sakura’s pinky and disappeared underneath Kakashi’s glove. For a moment, all the pair could do was stare at it, and then, as though some spell were broken, both were scrambling to rid Kakashi of the offending glove that was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

After what seemed like too long for the both of them, his hand was bare except for the little intangible string that only they could see linking the two together. A wave of euphoria washed over the two. Gleeful laughter sprang from Sakura’s lips as her head fell forward and leaned against Kakashi’s. Meanwhile, he could do nothing but sit dumbstruck with a giddy smile that betrayed his every emotion without the mask in place.

“I wanted it to be you so badly,” Sakura admitted quietly in a reverent whisper as though speaking too loudly might make the little string disappear into oblivion. Their connected hands laced, holding each other firmly, not wanting to let go.

Was this what it felt like? Was this how everyone else felt when they found their One? It wasn’t at all like he’d expected. It wasn’t the feeling of completion, of having a missing piece that has suddenly been found. It was better than that. It was having more. Having a piece that complemented rather than completed him. Finally, he understood.

“What’s wrong?” Sakura frowned when she glanced back up at him only to find watery eyes.

“Nothing,” Kakashi shook his head. A soft chuckle escaped his lips. “Nothing at all. I’m just happy.”

#kakasaku #kakasakumonth #kakasaku fic #kakasaku fanfiction #soulmate au #fanfic #yes I will completely write out of spite if I have the time #if I had been in the mood it probably would have turned into smut just for sheer spite

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kimimarothechosenvessel · 7 years

Text

What songs do you associate with your muse?

Tagging: @super-kame-love @amethystamazon @fire-hearted-father @shadows-of-shimura @clankilling @porcelainheretic @thenagaraja @thatsneakymedic @the-excisionist @setsukix @hana-tsukioka @ofink @theunfeelingartist @floravain @haku-in-pink @seijunin @snagglefangswordsman @berserkcd @kijinosairai @kaless39 @snakesage @crybabyanbu @lionxdog @leafmedic @uminosclassroom @bakisensei @introverses @taintedartist @blood-haired-god @mizubound @crimsonflute @only1one1me @noblegentlemangai @uchihacollector @logvrsn1 @sasukeuchiha-eternalmangekyou @hcshigaki @sagekisame @dangoattack @sushinoshisui @masshirohebi @wrathbinded @frogprinceus

and anyone I forgot or who wants to do it!

~~~

When I listen to my car radio, certain songs always remind me of certain characters. They’re not always characters I roleplay, but I’d better stick to the ones I have blogs for here. I’m going to combine all my characters in one post so you don’t have to hunt through all my blogs.

Kimimaro: @kimimarothechosenvessel

Boats and Birds

I first heard this song online rather than on the radio, but from the first listen it has always embodied Kimimaro for me. The vocals remind me of the childlike innocence that made it so easy for Orochimaru to manipulate him. The swaying accompaniment is gentle, yet it carries a foreboding undertone–this submissive soul will pour himself out until it leads to his doom.

“If you’ll be my star I’ll be your sky You can hide underneath me and come out at night When I turn jet black And you show off your light I live to let you shine I live to let you shine But you can skyrocket away from me And never come back if you find another galaxy Far from here with more room to fly Just leave me your stardust to remember you by.”

Unfortunately for Kimimaro, Orochimaru did “find another galaxy:” Sasuke. But Kimimaro was still content as long as he could still find a way to be of use, because then his existence would have purpose again.

Hayate: @selenophilephile

Photograph

Hayate is my most well-adjusted character, at least while he’s alive. Around four years younger than his classmates and battling a chronic illness, he still managed to become a tokubetsu jounin (swordsmanship specialist) and spy with his transparency jutsu. Unfortunately, he is most remembered for dying at Baki’s hand while on the way to warn the Hokage about the impending Konoha Crush.

In a beautiful and heartbreaking filler episode, Kabuto revives Hayate with Edo Tensei and forces him to fight his former allies. Hayate eventually encounters his lover, Yugao, and begs her to stop him by killing him again. With great difficulty, she does it, but not before he reassures her that the vows they made to each other weren’t a mistake, even if it ended up this way. (If you haven’t seen this scene, you’re really missing out.)

“Photograph” reminds me of Hayate because Yugao is shown looking at an old picture of them together, and because the music reflects his gentle, steady nature. The refrain even sounds like something Edo Hayate would have told Yugao if he’d had more time:

“You can fit me Inside the necklace you got when you were sixteen Next to your heartbeat where I should be Keep it deep within your soul

And if you hurt me Well, that’s okay baby, only words bleed Inside these pages, you just hold me And I won’t ever let you go .”

Tomomi: @mama-gekkou

So Brave

Tomomi is my only original character on Tumblr. I’ve hardly done anything with her, mostly because her headspace is so dark. She’s a civilian who grew up completely unaffiliated with shinobi culture. Then she fell in love with a shinobi and moved to Konoha when she married him. They had a son: Hayate. You can see where this is going.

Hayate was sick his whole life, and Tomomi did not want him to be a shinobi. Even if he could manage it, she hated seeing him suffer, and she hated that he was in danger so often. But Hayate idolized his shinobi father and became determined to follow in his footsteps. When her son was killed, Tomomi couldn’t help seething with resentment towards her village and her husband. In the world she came from, little boys weren’t encouraged to risk their lives in battle. If Konoha hadn’t made that look so attractive, and if his father hadn’t encouraged Hayate’s ambitions so much, he would still be alive.

I had to look for a song for Tomomi, but I ended up finding a little-known ballad an American woman wrote about her son, who unexpectedly decided to join the Army.

“I remember when you learned to walk, I remember when you learned to talk, But I can’t remember when You learned to be so brave.”

Shin: @saisbrothershin

Renegades

Shin is the boy who was raised in ROOT with Sai as brothers. Sai didn’t even have a name yet–he only received “Sai” for his mission with Team 7–but Shin held onto the name from his former life. He even managed to hang onto his personality, despite Danzo’s brainwashing the ROOT operatives to have no names, feelings, or identities. But Shin cared more about his brother than about ROOT, and I think this song perfectly captures his optimism and detemination to find a better life for his brother and himself. Also, the blog title “Two Kids, You and Me” comes from this song.

“All hail the underdogs All hail the new kids All hail the outlaws Spielbergs and Kubricks It’s our time to make a move It’s our time to make amends It’s our time to break the rules Let’s begin

And I say hey, hey hey hey, Living like we’re renegades Hey hey hey, Hey hey hey, Living like we’re renegades Renegades, renegades”

Heathens

This is the other song that always reminds me of Shin. Towards the end of his short life, his ebullient spirit was broken by ROOT’s brainwashing, the guilt of unethical secret missions, and a terminal illness. The only thing keeping him alive was the hope of losing to his brother in their forced battle to the death. When Sai remembers Shin’s death, we see someone bitter and despairing. “You must kill your emotions, or else duty will destroy you,” Shin tells Sai, as if speaking from experience. In my verse with @shadows-of-shimura , the last straw for Shin was severe physical abuse at Danzo’s hand for breaking a very minor ROOT regulation in order to save his brother’s life. This whole song could be a look inside the desolate, isolated world of ROOT:

“Welcome to the room of people Who have rooms of people that they loved one day Docked away Just because we check the guns at the door Doesn’t mean our brains will change from hand grenades

[…] All my friends are heathens, take it slow Wait for them to ask you who you know Please don’t make any sudden moves You don’t know the half of the abuse.”

Yukimaru: @yukimaruthecinnamonroll

Yukimaru, the sweet child who forgave his mother’s murderer and even let her adopt him, is so precocious that he has his own theme. That he played himself. On a leaf flute. Look at this kid.

It’s called “Guren” after Yukimaru’s repentant adoptive mother, but it’s Yukimaru who plays this music during the story. His dead mother taught it to him, and it expresses the bereft child’s longing for a home and a family, or even just “someone to think about me.” Even though Yukimaru and Guren were filler characters, their theme became a mainstay of the Naruto OST.

Lullaby for a Stormy Night

Yukimaru is a little boy who saw his mother and his whole village killed, was captured and experimented on by Orochimaru and Kabuto, was forced to control the Three-Tails despite it nearly killing him, and then learned that his newfound protector was the one who murdered his mother and everyone he loved–and he still retains the joy and innocence of childhood. If any character deserves a happy ending, it’s Yukimaru. Thank goodness he got one. This utterly nostalgic song perfectly portrays the bond between Guren and Yukimaru. It evokes childhood so much that I ugly cried when @amethystamazon sent it to me. Best of all, the scared child sings with the mother at the end:

“And I hope that you’ll know That nature is so The same rain that draws you near me Falls on rivers and land On forests and sand Makes the beautiful world that you’ll see In the morning

Everything’s fine in the morning The rain’ll be gone in the morning But you’ll still be here in the morning.”

Bonus: Apologies to Guren, Yukimaru, and Gozu, but this song also reminds me of them. (Of course that’s Gozu on the guy’s part.)

Gozu: @standbyyourwoman

Believer

This is the only song where the video is as important to the character as the music. The video shows two muscular boxers fighting. One is young and eager, while the other is grizzled and resigned. Gozu may be closer in age to the young one, but his character is much closer to the older one, who reluctantly destroys his opponent’s optimism and naivete because they have to continue their battle, no matter what. There is a particularly relevant part at the 2:50 mark that you won’t hear on the radio, where the music stops and the two men have an exchange that sums up Gozu’s character in one heartbreaking gesture and two words.

I’ve already written about why Gozu is amazing: he has a heart of gold despite both his appearance and his background suggesting anything but. His pointy teeth suggest that he’s from Kirigakure, where he would have had to fight his classmates to the death just to graduate from the Academy as a child. Then he was captured by Orochimaru and experimented on so cruelly that it drove him temporarily insane. Then he was left to rot in one of Orochimaru’s prisons until Guren showed up and made all the prisoners fight to the death (again) so the survivors could help on her mission to have Yukimaru control the Three-Tails.

But Gozu doesn’t see any of these things as the defining event of his life. What was the defining event? After going berserk from the experiments, Gozu was left in solitary confinement without food or water. When he was dying of thirst, Guren happened to pass by, and she brought him a drink. It saved his life. Gozu fell in love with Guren then and decided to dedicate his life to her service.

“You made me a, you made me a believer, believer Pain! You break me down and build me up, believer, believer Pain! Oh let the bullets fly, oh let them rain My life, my love, my drive, it came from… Pain! You made me a, you made me a believer, believer.”

Bonus: the fourth verse mentions,

“Last things last By the grace of the fire and the flame You’re the face of the future, the blood in my veins.”

Who’s the “face of the future” and might as well be “the blood in my veins” after Gozu and Guren leave at the end of their arc to start their new life? That’s right, Yukimaru, their adoptive son. I’m gonna cry again.

In Case You Didn’t Know

Speaking of that new life, it brings its own challenges for Gozu as we’ve been roleplaying it. He used to be Guren’s subordinate. Is he still, or is he something more? How does she feel about him now that they’ve lived together with Yukimaru for a while? Gozu is afraid to ask, but I’m not sure how long he can hide the way he feels about her, especially since he’s already given his life for her at least once. They’re parents with a child, but what are they to each other? For Gozu, Guren is the same to him as always.

“In case you didn’t know Baby I’m crazy ‘bout you And I would be lying if I said That I could live this life without you Even though I don’t tell you all the time You had my heart a long, long time ago, In case you didn’t know.”

~~~

Oh, yeah…

A random crow: @randomcrowsummon

It’s one of Itachi’s crows. It doesn’t get a theme song because it’s a flipping crow. If you’re an Itachi, Shisui, Sasuke, or Kisame, or you just want to interact with a crow that may or may not be a genjutsu, have at it.

~~~

Hope you enjoyed and that some of you do this, too!

#meme #rp meme #muse playlist #this took hours #ok to reblog

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writing-royza · 7 years

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Two Hundred and Forty-nine - Cold Hands, 3.0

A/N: Happy Sunday, everyone! Thinking this week about all my readers in the paths of Harvey, Irma, Katia, and whatever Jose turns out to be. I hope you're all safe, and that you and your loved ones make it through the weather okay. Love you, guys.

I do not own FMA.

Two Hundred and Forty-nine - Cold Hands, 3.0

“I had a good time tonight, and… well… I’d like to do it again. And again, and again… If you get my drift.”

Part of her still couldn’t believe it. How could he have ever found his way to considering her attractive, much less desirable? That’s what men thought of women they took on dates, wasn’t it? Having never really been part of the ‘dating scene,’ Riza was willing to admit that her experience with the field wasn’t as advanced as some others, but even so…. The progression of events that had led to her sitting across from him, sipping at her drink and genuinely enjoying herself still baffled her.

And somewhere deep inside, something was screaming an alarm.

“My aunt will be the first to tell you exactly how many times that she or one of her girls had to corral a fast-moving, streaking four-year-old,” he was saying, eyes on his glass as he carefully swirled the amber liquid inside. “I’m pretty sure she kept track of the number for the express purpose of embarrassing me someday.”

“Knowing the Madame, somehow that doesn’t surprise me.” Having been around him as he talked his way through any number of situations, she knew what he was doing. The self-deprecating humour was to put her at ease, to let her picture him as vulnerable and an altogether non-threatening target.

She clamped down on that train of thought, pushing it aside. No. Not this time. What he was now was a man out with a woman that he self-admittedly admired, and that was all. A funny story was a funny story, something to make her smile.

So smile she did.

“Speaking of the Madame,” she continued, turning her gaze to glance around the bustling barroom, “am I to take it she has some hand in this place? Or at least some pull with the owner?”

Dark eyebrows shot up in surprise, Roy going very still with his drink halfway to his mouth. “…I wasn’t going to mention it… but yes.” He recovered enough to take a hurried sip, then set the glass back on the table. “As I understand it, the owner here and the Madame have been friends for a long time; they both started in the information game around the same time.” Tilting his head to one side, he regarded her curiously. “How did you know?”

Smiling to herself, Riza lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. “I had to assume that if we’re out together out of uniform, you’re going to choose someplace where we either aren’t likely to be recognized, or else somewhere where the person in charge knows to keep their mouth shut.”

A light sparked in those dark eyes, one of mischief and amusement. “Very clever,” he said slowly, propping his chin in one hand. “I’m sure I’ve told you that I happen to consider intelligence attractive. Haven’t I?”

With that knowing smirk, it brought out her natural instinct to fire back, the same way it did around the office. But here, Riza realized, two could play his little game without fear of reprisal. So she returned the smirk, though not without a small thrill of nervousness in her chest, and lifted her glass for a casual sip. “I’d be disappointed it you didn’t.”

———————-

Rebecca spoke of men walking her home after dates. If it went well, she would give them a kiss on the cheek before disappearing inside; if it went poorly, they were lucky to get a small smile before the door closed. But wasn’t there something always said about ‘never kiss on the first date?’ Maybe that was for first dates with practical strangers; she had known Roy for years, he had seen her half-naked —

Time was running short for her to have this debate.

“Any plans for the rest of your weekend?” He walked with his hands in his pockets, as per usual. The question was an innocent one, simply conversational, as he had been all evening. Belatedly, this struck Riza as odd.

“Not so much.” Her door was only ten feet away, now. “I had thought I might try taking Hayate to the park over on Seventeenth Street — the one with the fenced area for dogs. He should be socialized a little more, I think. But with the forecast calling for rain, we’ll see whether or not we make it there.”

They stopped outside her door, Roy’s mouth opening to reply, before the sound of a door unlocking came from further down the hall. Riza quickly fit her key into the lock, opening the door and motioning Roy to follow as she entered. He did so without a word, and she closed the door behind them.

“Sorry,” she said quietly. “That was going to be one of my nosier neighbours…. And I’d hate for us to avoid detection so well only to get caught as I get home.”

Roy lifted a curious eyebrow. “Where is sixty-year-old woman going at ten o’clock at night?”

“I think she walks her cat, actually.” She met his look of ‘you can’t be serious.’ with a smile. “I know, I’m not sure why either. But she goes out the west staircase, so if you leave by the east one, you should be able to avoid her.”

“Good to know.” He hesitated briefly, before smiling — not his usual confident smirk, not a bold grin, but the genuine, smaller smile she’d first noticed as a teenager. “So…. I think tonight went pretty well.”

Something in the centre of her back tingled, sending a feeling she could only describe as cold fire down her arms, into her fingertips. “I think so, too.”

The was a second of hesitation again, before he moved, taking a step closer… and Riza twitched, very obviously, away from him.

Guilt instantly took over his expression, and Roy stepped back, his eyes dropping automatically to the floor. “Sorry, I —“

“No, it’s my fault.”

“I was just —“ He stopped mid-sentence, head snapping up to look at her, puzzled. “What do you mean, your fault? I was the one going for a kiss, but I should have realized you might not be ready for that.” His lip twisted in self-annoyance. “I’m sorry, I’m not trying to rush anything.”

“I know.” Her own guilt suffusing her chest, Riza self-consciously tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear. “But I didn’t mean to back off like that. It was involuntary. I —“ She felt her cheeks reddening, hating the feeling. “I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been thinking about it.”

He was quiet for a beat, processing this. “…About kissing me, you mean?” At her confirming nod, he frowned slightly. “So — and I hope you don’t mind my asking — but… then why did you back off like that?”

It was clear now. He had been biding his time all night, knowing there was something lurking under the surface with her. The screaming alarm she had felt was clear now. Riza took a deep breath, hoping the words would come out right and not offend him. “All of this… as much as I want it, it’s… intimidating,” she said carefully. Finally able to lift her eyes from the floor, she looked up to find him watching her. Listening. “I want to get close, but to do that, to even just reach out and touch you, even just on the arm? I keep getting cold feet, because I know what it means if we get caught: we lose everything.

“But at the same time, if I don’t, I still lose close to everything because I’d lose you, lose… this.” Riza shook her head, feeling something perilously close to helplessness settling over her shoulders. “I’ll be honest. I don’t know what to do.”

His smile was soft, his posture relaxed as he leaned against the door. “Well, first off, let me say that I’m glad you’re so security conscious, even if it does work against me every now and then. Second….” His expression became innocent. “If you’re afraid to touch me, wouldn’t that be cold hands, not cold feet?”

She watched him blankly for a moment, before giving in to a laugh. “I think you have me on a technicality.”

“Then let me point out a fact.” He sobered, but not grimly so. “You are, as I said, security conscious. That’s what makes it so easy for you and I to pull this off, to get around behind the backs of everyone else. I know you’ll never slip up in public, that you can wait until we’re behind closed doors. Like now.” He stood straight, the soft smile returning. “And I don’t think he’s going to talk.”

Riza glanced down to where Hayate sat quietly at their feet, watching the conversation with alert eyes. “…I suspect not.”

She looked back up to find his arms open, a half-playful smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “At least try and warm your hands up a little before I go,” he said quietly, by way of invitation.

Stepping into the hug was both alien and familiar, but Riza caught herself revelling in the feeling of being held to his chest, at the scent of him wreathing around her, at the comfortable weight of his arms around her shoulders and the brush of his jaw against her hair.

The feeling of cold fire ran through her against, this time bringing the sentiment ‘to hell with it’ before she leaned back and pressed a firm, warm kiss to his lips.

When they broke apart, Roy was already smiling. “Hands feeling warmer, are they?”

#fma #fmab #Roy Mustang #Riza Hawkeye #royza #royai #fma fanfiction #royai fanfiction #snap shots

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mustangtaisa · 7 years

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I Don’t Want To Be Alone

This is also posted on Fanfiction.Net and AO3.

Pairing: RoyxRiza Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Romance Word Count: 1716 Written for the prompt: ‘I’m scared and I don’t want to be alone.’ After her encounter with Pride, Riza is shaken, and Roy can tell something is wrong just from the inflection in her voice over the phone. He shows up at her door unexpectedly and offers her the comfort she desperately needs.

--------------

Riza hung up the phone with a sigh and turned to Black Hayate, a small, almost relieved smile on her face. She bent down to pick up the Shiba Inu and hug him.

“How does he always manage to have such good timing?” she muttered to her pup who just whined and wagged his tail.

After a few minutes, she set Hayate down and stood to get ready for bed, making a point to leave all the lights off save for the dim one over the entryway. If Pride used shadows as his eyes, ears, and weapons, then she would make sure there were no shadows for him to utilize. Riza Hawkeye was no fool. No light meant no shadows and if she had to live in darkness for an indefinite amount of time, then so be it.

She couldn’t remember a time when she had ever been so frightened. The darkness brought a meager amount of relief, knowing that Pride couldn’t watch her in the dark, but her hands still trembled as she shed her uniform and slipped on her pajamas, one of Roy’s old white button ups over a pair of workout shorts. Putting on his shirt brought another small amount of comfort and she wrapped her arms around herself, bringing her knees up to her chest as she curled up in the corner of the couch in her living room after turning off the light above the front door. She felt Hayate leap onto the seat next to her and nestle up against her side and she was grateful for his companionship.

Riza had no idea how she was going to sleep that night. No matter what precautions she took to ensure Pride couldn’t watch her, it didn’t do much to calm her her nerves. The encounter with the Original Homunculus had shaken her and she had a horrible feeling that everything was going to make her jumpy for a while.

As expected, a knock on the door did in fact startle her and she leapt to her feet, grabbing the gun she stored in a drawer next to the couch in case of emergencies. She held her gun firmly, but didn’t move from her spot in the living room as another knock sounded, seeming more urgent this time. It wasn’t until she heard Roy’s voice on the other side of the door that she relaxed a bit and put her gun away.

“Lieutenant?” Roy called from outside, trying to be quiet, but hoping he was loud enough for her to hear. “Are you there?”

Riza took a deep breath and steeled herself before flicking on the light and opening the door to reveal Roy standing there with two bouquets of flowers in one hand and a vase in the other. She frowned at him and huffed in exasperation.

“What are you doing here, Colonel?” she asked, annoyed that he hadn’t heeded her warning tone over the phone implying he should stay away.

“Good evening, Lieutenant, may I come in?” Roy said, a small grin on his face. Riza could tell his good mood was feigned though as his eyes darted almost immediately to the cut on her cheek, his gaze becoming dark with what she recognized as anger.

She had been so nervous after she got home that she had completely forgotten that Pride had cut her.

Riza sighed before opening the door all the way and stepping aside to let him in.

“I’m not going to help you every time you get drunk, sir,” Riza reprimanded, going along with his charade of pretending everything was normal.

“I know, I’m sorry about this, but I didn’t know what else to do with all of these,” he grinned sheepishly as he walked into her apartment.

As soon as she closed and locked the door, the grin on Roy’s face disappeared, replaced with a worried frown.

“I’ll get these in some water,” Riza said, taking the vase and ignoring the look her colonel was giving her.

He recognized the look on her face, the one that said she wasn’t willing to talk about whatever was bothering her, so he sighed and went to help her put the flowers in the vase, cutting the bottoms off the stems before placing the bouquets in the vase full of water Riza had put onto her kitchen table.

“Thank you for the vase, Colonel,” she said, placing the last of the flowers, obviously trying to avoid looking at Roy.

Roy couldn’t stand her evading the subject anymore and stepped up to her, gently touching the cut on her cheek, expression lined with worry and affection. He understood why she wouldn’t talk about it, that if she wasn’t saying anything, it was probably still dangerous even though they were alone. But she had been hurt and he needed to know that she was okay.

“You want to tell me what happened?” he asked, the frustration at her avoidance was clear as he spoke.

Riza looked up into Roy’s eyes and the warmth and concern she found there almost made her spill everything, but she turned her head and stepped away from his touch, attempting to keep her composure.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, sir,” she said quietly, backing up further from him and turning to walk toward the door. “It’s late, you should go.”

Roy followed her to the door, inspecting her intently for any clue as to what was going on, when he nearly gasped as she raised her hand to push her hair behind her ear and he saw marks on her wrist that looked as if she had been tied up. He grasped her wrist gently and felt that she was shaking. He became even more concerned about what happened to her, his rage at the homunucli barely contained. How dare they touch her? How dare they hurt her? And it was all his fault that she was in such a dangerous position so it only made him feel even worse.

“What. Happened?” he demanded, forcing her to look at him with his tone.

Riza met his gaze and took a deep breath, on the verge of breaking down and telling him everything. She tried to control her breathing and keep her resolve in check because telling him would put him in even more danger than he already was. But the warmth of his hand holding her wrist and the look in his eye forced that resolve to evaporate and a small sob escaped her lips as she quickly pulled her wrist from him and turned off the light in the entryway, throwing them into complete darkness.

“Stay with me,” she whispered. “I’m scared and I don’t want to be alone.”

Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, she felt Roy’s arms encircle her and pull her tightly against him. She gripped the front of his shirt and buried her face into the crook of his neck.

He didn’t ask any more questions, just held her close and whispered reassuring words to try to calm her. In all the years he had known her, Roy had never seen Riza afraid of much, so to have her say such a thing and stand nearly trembling in his arms worried him greatly. He wanted to do more for her, wished she hadn’t been ripped from his side. She would have to go back the next day and work for that monster and pretend like everything was fine when their world was actually falling apart around them. She would face everything with the strength and courage he knew she possessed, but he hated that she would to have to face it alone. He ended up bringing her nothing but pain again, when all he wanted to do was hold her until this madness was over.

Roy gently and slowly pressed his lips to the top of her head, then to her temple, then finally to the cut on her cheek. He wanted to tell her that everything would be fine, but it would have been a lie. Their future was still cloudy and he didn’t know what might lie in store for them, but saying that it would all work out was a foolish thing to do, so he said nothing, running his fingers through her hair and rubbing her back in slow, small circles in what he hoped was a calming gesture.

Riza took a deep breath and pulled away from Roy slightly. As much as she wanted him to, he couldn’t stay with her all night. When the morning came, Pride would be able to see her again and if he saw Roy sharing her bed, it would cause even more trouble for her colonel. It was bad enough that they knew she was his weakness. She didn’t want to think of how much worse it might be if they had confirmation of just how close they really were.

“Thank you,” she muttered. “I needed that.”

Despite her pulling back from him, Roy didn’t let her go, keeping one arm firmly wrapped around her waist while the other continued to stroke her hair.

“You know I’ll always be here for you,” he replied softly. “If you need me again, just call.”

“No, you can’t,” Riza said firmly. “Until this is over, this is the last time we can see each other like this.”

Roy frowned and sighed. He knew she would say that, and he knew she was right, but that didn’t mean he liked it at all.

“You should go,” she said after a few moments of silence passed between them.

Roy glared into the darkness over Riza’s head, not wanting to leave yet, but knowing that she was right again.

“All right,” he finally replied, not happy about the situation.

He wanted to stay with her, but if she was pushing him to leave, she must have had her reasons, so he would respect her wishes.

Pulling her close to him once more, he found her lips and kissed her firmly, hoping to convey all his love and adoration for her with the action. She seemed to understand his message as she returned his kiss, holding him as tightly as he held her, like she didn’t want to ever let go.

#royai #fma #fanfiction #royai fanfiction #fmab #this is one of my personal favorites #it was a lot of fun to write

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