Stay

Author: MoonStarDutchess

Birthday OneShot for YourFavouitePlushie

Disclaimer: Full Metal Alchemist and all its characters are the property of Hiromu Arakawa. No profit was made from this fanfiction.

AN: This is a birthday fiction for YourFavouitePlushie who is pure awesomesauce! I would have posted this right on your birthday except my internet was having troubles! Hope you like it!

Stay

Roy didn't understand why Riza Hawkeye was being so stubborn. Sure, his apartment was rather small but he had a huge bed that was big enough for both of them. They'd slept together once before so it wasn't like they could do anything they hadn't done once before. In Ishbal they didn't even have a bed; they made love in those damned uncomfortable, and sometimes sandy, cots.

Still, she refused to stay at his place. If a higher up came and saw her there then all hell would break loose. Such conduct was ignored in a war zone but in a non combat situation it wouldn't be disregarded. That was her argument: if they were caught it would be the end of their careers. His argument was that a higher up never came to his apartment. The only other officer other than her that knew where he lived was Maes Hughes.

That gave her another reason not to stay. While she trusted Maes Hughes, he had a tendency to let things regarding love lives slip out and that was something they couldn't risk. It was best to leave their love for each other between the two of them until the time was right. He cursed inwardly when she used that, knowing it was the truth.

The phone rang, interrupting their discussion. He walked over to it and picked it up.

"Hello, this is Roy," he said into the receiver. "Maes, now wouldn't be a…" He turned when he heard the door open and watched as Riza left his place.

"Sure Maes, come on over. There's no one here," he said with disappointment, wishing she'd stayed.

----

---Two Years Later---

Roy grinned as Riza helped him carry the last of his boxes inside his new apartment in East City. A few hours prior he helped her. Much to his surprise, he actually had more boxes than Riza. However, most of his contained books while Riza's boxes contained living essentials.

By the end of the day, Riza had curtains over his windows, sheets and a comforter on his bed, all of his dishes put away, and all of his books organized on his shelf. He didn't know what he'd do without her. He would have never gotten all of this done if she wasn't there.

She cooked dinner for them and after helping him clean up the dishes and pans, grabbed her jacket and went to the door, saying her goodbyes. She placed her hand on the doorknob and started to turn it when a hand covered hers and an arm wrapped around her waist.

"Why don't you stay the night?" he questioned, and then kissed the back of her neck.

"I figured you'd want to go track down some of the beauties out here that you talked about in the office."

"I found one," he said, kissing her neck again.

"I really need to get going," she said, "I have things to do."

"We have the day off tomorrow. If you stay then I'll help you tomorrow," he replied.

"I don't have any clothing here," she offered.

"Then you can sleep in one of my shirts or nothing at all," he said, causing her to laugh.

She flipped the hand that was resting on the doorknob over and intertwined her fingers with his. She turned around to face him and moved her lips to his, kissing him softly. She pulled away.

"I have to go," she said, "see you at work sir." She let go of his hand, pulled away and left his apartment. He leaned against the wall and sighed. He wished she would have decided to stay.

---

---Two more years later---

Roy packed a few of the things he owned in two military issue duffle bags. The rest he would leave to whatever Riza wanted to do with them. Most of his furniture wasn't worth a crap so it could be discarded at a dump, and his alchemy books, well they belonged to her father so rightfully they were hers as well. The clothing he was leaving behind could be donated and the house he lived in was paid for so she could sell it or move in it if she wished.

He heard the door to his room open and then shut back roughly. He grinned slightly, knowing exactly who it was. He heard footsteps and threw some papers down on the bed that he knew was the deed to his house, now in her name. He stared down at them for a moment before going back to packing.

"Are you crazy?" she said. "Why are you doing this?" Her voice was cracking slightly because what he thought was anger. He looked up at her to see that it wasn't anger but hurt; pain that he caused yet another human being.

"I…Because I have to Lieutenant," he said.

"You have to torture yourself in some frozen hell hole?"

Roy chuckled.

"That's the biggest contradiction I've ever heard," he said. "Isn't hell supposed to be fiery…no, in fact I know it is. I was there. I was one of the fucking sideshows," he growled, shoving another piece of clothing in his bag. Riza picked up the papers and put them on the side table before sitting down on the bed.

"I was there too," she said.

"Yes, I know that of course, but…" he started but trailed off. He was at a loss for words. How was she dealing with everything? How was she being so damned strong?

"How are you living with it?" he questioned.

"I have you," she said honestly. "My life was spent pushing you to the top so much that I was able to push it back."

"So that's what I am? A distraction?" he questioned. "At least I was able to help someone."

"You helped the Amestrian people by getting rid of an evil bastard that was controlling the country," she said.

"And that makes up for what I've done to the people in Ishbal? That makes up for what I did to Edward?"

"You didn't do jack shit to Edward!" she said, raising her voice. "They made their decisions!"

"If I hadn't dragged them into the militar—"

"Enough! Stop it with the self pity!" she said. "Those boys would have thought of joining the military whether you'd came or not!'

"You don't know that," he said.

"And you don't know that they wouldn't!" She said, standing up. She placed a hand on his shoulder and turned him around to face her directly. She reached up to touch his eyepatch gently before trailing her hand to the side of his face.

"Stay," she said.

Roy moved his lips down to hers to kiss her, gently at first but then when her arms wrapped around his neck he deepened the kiss, taking in her taste, her smell. He pressed her body against his, feeling her soft curves against his muscles. She felt wonderful here and the more she was there the more he wanted to lay her down on the bed and lose himself in her. In the comfort that only she could give him. Comfort that he didn't deserve.

He pulled away from the kiss and stroked her face gently. "I can't stay," he said, pulling away from her completely. He grabbed his bags and quickly left the room, then the house.

He wished he could stay, but he didn't deserve to be happy and with her around, he would.

--

--Two Years More--

Roy couldn't believe he was back in Central again, reinstated as a general, and given his old team back. He honestly though that he'd be up North for the rest of his life, dying of either old age or hypothermia, but no, he was here in his old house, which Riza decided to live in, sitting in front of a fire.

Riza came in with two cups of coffee and a plate of cookies and sat them down on the table. She went to sit across from him in a huge chair that made her look so tiny. She'd lost quite a bit of weight since he'd been gone. Her face had grown paler and her hair seemed like it was so much longer. She even kept it clipped up at home now so he couldn't tell for sure. He studied her face as she picked up one of the mugs and a cookie. It was void of any emotion.

Since he'd come down from the balloon she hadn't spoken a word to him. For three fucking days, she hadn't let any noise pass her lips. They ate, bathed and slept in the same house and it felt like they were complete strangers.

"Okay, I realize that going up in that balloon wasn't the best idea," he started, figuring that was exactly what she was angry over. He only went up alone because he didn't want her to get hurt. "There was really no room for you there either though. It wasn't a lie," he said.

Riza stared at him for a full minute, her gaze never leaving his face. The sound of nothing but a ticking clock and her gaze on him making him feel like he was under some kind of intense pressure. Finally, she directed her gaze away from him and took a sip of coffee. She took a cookie off of the tray and took a bite.

"Riza? At least say something," he said.

"Something," she replied.

Roy's eyebrow twitched. "Look I'm sor-"

"Don't finish that sentence, Sir. There's nothing to be sorry for and I am not angry over the balloon incident. I was at the time but I'm not now," she stated, her voice cracking every few words.

"Then what's with the silence?" he questioned.

"The dust and debris particles from the air during the attack got into my throat and it hurts to talk," she said with a softer tone than her last sentence. "I went to the doctor at headquarters and he flushed my throat out and told me to limit my talking for a few days."

Roy's face dropped. "Are you kidding me?" he questioned, "that's it?"

"Pretty much," she said, taking another drink of her coffee.

"Why didn't you tell me that? Do you know how worried I was that you were angry?"

"Do you know how worried I was when you went up North, when you went up in that balloon? The entire point was to worry you a bit."

"I thought you said you weren't angry about that," he said.

"I'm not anymore. Hence why I am speaking to you even though my throat still hurts a bit," she said. She took a cookie off the platter and took a bit, thankful that it was soft and warm.

Roy laughed and grabbed his coffee and a cookie off the tray. He bit into the warm confection and grinned widely as the taste of chocolate hit his mouth. He took a drink of his coffee and then took another bite of cookie.

"Did you get Gracia to bake these?" he questioned.

"No," she said, taking another one from the tray. She smiled inwardly, this reminded her of the time when they were teenagers and she got some cookies from the town bakery for them to eat while her father was away. She always wanted to learn to bake cookies like that…and she did just recently.

"Who made them?"

"They are still warm, Sir. Who do you think made them," she questioned.

"You made these?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "I had a lot of time to learn how when you were away."

"Any other surprises I should learn about?"

"I'm giving your house back to you," she said, "I found an apartment closer to headquarters. All your furniture is in the guest room."

"Giving my house back? But…" he ventured off. The fact she stayed here for the past few days gave him the assumption that she'd be staying there permanently. He was ashamed that he'd assumed too much.

"But?"

"I thought you were going to stay here," he said.

She put her empty mug back on the tray and stood. "What gave you that idea? I only stayed here to watch your house while you were away and I was able to save a lot of money to get a nicer place for myself in a better neighborhood."

"I see," he said sitting down his mug that was still half full.

She walked by him and he grabbed her hand. He stood up from his seat and turned her around to face him. "If I ask you to stay, will you?"

"Only if you will," she said.

"I will."

"I'll stay then," she said.

"Stay for the rest of our lives?"

"Only if you will," she said.

"I will…or should I say…I do?"

AN: Hope you liked it! Please review! They would make me sing if I was actually allowed to sing. . .