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[Maybe he would regret coming to roy about this. Maybe not. He hopes not. He considers relying on text rather than voice at first, but instead goes with the latter afterall. His voice is devoid of anything but seriousness.]

Colonel.

Where are you? We need to talk.

[Ed's saying that they need to talk. The world is probably ending. The island is actually falling out of the sky.

... He might have actually looked up to the sky, seeing if he could check that.]

Somewhere between my place and the park. [You know. The one he goes to all the damn time to strike>be a creeper people-watch.] Do I dare ask why?

[Listen, Roy. Now is not the time for jokes, and Ed's gloomy demeanor more or less leaks through the telepathy despite his effort to keep the communication neutral.]

I need to know more about what happened in Amestris. [there's a small pause, accompanied by the slightest bit of hesitation.] It's about Pride.

[Oh. Well, that pretty much deflates any attempt at teasing Edward.]

Yeah, all right. Whatever you want to know, Fullmetal. [Hey, he's learned his lesson about keeping secrets.]

I'd rather do this in person but I don't really feel like hunting you down in a park.

What happens to pride? Something's different about him, and he seems to know more about what happened than I do. It's got something to do with me.

[He's trying not to jump to conclusions here, but he might be just a LITTLE worried.]

[Sudden questions. Pride spoke with Ed, it sounds like, and Pride's good at messing with people.]

What do you mean 'what happens?' [A pause.] I was there, Edward, but I may not have the answers you're looking for. I wasn't exactly at my best.

I mean what happens dammit! [That doesn't clarify anything, but Ed's pretty sure it's CLEAR ENOUGH.]

Do I... [it may be telepathy but it's almost like his voice cracks.] Does he die? How?

[Roy doesn't answer for a moment, taking in Ed's telepathic 'demeanor' before he speaks.

Well, that does clarify things.]

He doesn't die. He gets a second chance.

[There's a long, almost icy pause that gives way to the impression of a winter forest's first thaw]

...A second chance. [He repeats that second part, followed by a sigh and again, quiet.] Thanks, Colonel.

[You're welcome, Fullmetal.]

What else do you need to know?

...No. Nothing right now. I'll get back to you.

[At some point. Right now he has a lot to think about and figure out.]

[For Christmas Winry gets Roy a new coat.]

Where are you?

[Not that she needs to confirm he's still around... But she needs to confirm he's still around.]

Park, headed for my place. Should I stop or keep going?

[Same, Riza. Same.]

Keeping going. I'll see you there.

[It'll give her time to come up with a reason that doesn't make it look like she's worried he left her.

Sometime later there will be a knock at the door. Riza's standing outside with a box of pastries from one of the shops along the way - they just happened to have a new assortment. Sounds like a reasonable excuse for a visit, right?]

Right.

[And then he does pick up his step -- and quit wandering a bit here and there -- to get home before she gets there. As it is, he barely beats her there and greets her with a grin.

Yum, pastries.] You're the best.

Don't you forget it.

[She can say it and smile feeling more at ease finally. She knows it's silly of her. It's not like anyone leaves here and just disappears - they go home, which is a good thing. Except for that whole forgetting everything bit.

It's part of what's on her mind as she follows him in.]

[It's on his mind as well -- all the implications of going home hit especially hard now, when they've finally figured some part of this whole mess that is their relationship out.

And, can't even lie to himself, he's gonna miss Fullmetal.] Just set them on the table. I started water for tea. Or coffee. Whatever you prefer.

[He hadn't known the pastries were on their way; just thought coffee would be nice.]

Coffee sounds good.

[She sets the box down and takes a seat at the table watching him for a few minutes before speaking again.]

At least, they're back together.

[It hadn't seemed right to see Ed without Al around. They weren't the same without each other.]

[Hope you don't mind instant coffee, Riza; it's all he has but he's never claimed to have refined coffee tastes. In the time she simply watches, he pours the mugs and turns back to the table. He sits one down in front of her but he keeps his in hand, fingers curling around the warm ceramic.]

It wasn't ever right, no. [Ed and Al were a package deal.] They get to something good, eventually.

[She'll deal, if she'd wanted good coffee she'd have made it herself or stopped somewhere. There's a nod before she takes a sip of the coffee. Riza had never pinpointed when Al was from, but she knew Ed was going back to seeing Al for the first time in years.]

They are.

[She'd even told Ed that when Al had left.]

That's the only certainty for any of us.

[Roy makes a small noise of assent as he turns back toward the counter to grab a few napkins. He places them on the table, takes one and sets a pastry on it before he takes a seat himself.]

They both deserve it.

They've earned it. And considering how long they were separated, as far as Edward was concerned even if he doesn't remember it now.

[And she's back to her original concern.]

It could happen to any of us.

[She'd already left him once.]

[He nods slowly, lips pressed together. Ah, okay, there it is. There's what they're actually talking about. He can't lie and say that it isn't at the forefront of his mind either.]

I know. I hate to think we're stupid enough to let this slip away from us in Amestris. [It might take some doing, some real soul-searching, but they managed it here, so...] We would be crazy not to live our lives where we are.

Given how long it took us and that it took someone else pushing, I'm not so sure about that.

[She picks up one of the pastries and smiles.]

Who knows, maybe you're right and two years from returning we'll have come to our senses.

[Yeah, they're both stupid. It's hard not to know that. He puts his hand on the table, palm-up for her hand; he's not wearing gloves and the scars -- given to him twice over by Wrath -- are clearly visible. They're a reminder for him that, yeah, he can be really dumb sometimes, but all of that is in the past.]

I'm slowly learning that I can't fix the past. I can only do my best to make the future as good as I can. If I'm learning that lesson here, I can learn it in Amestris.

[Have a little faith, Riza.]

[They've both got enough scars to prove they've learned their lessons the hard way. Taking his hand, she gives it a squeeze. Such a small thing to feel comforted by, but it works.]

I'm going to find a way to hold you to that.

[She's put her trust in him all these years, it's not like she's going to back out now. Not at home. Not here.

Sorry Elios for adding to the imbalance, but a faint scent of gardenias fills the room as she takes his hand between the two of hers.]

I just don't want to leave or see you leave without telling you I love you. You can be the most frustrating man at times Roy Mustang, but I love you. And I want you to remember that as long as you can.

I hope that you will. [Hold him to his promises. She's always done it before and he hopes that this is not the one that they fall apart on.

He puts his free hand atop hers and he smiles -- not a smirk, not an over the top grin, but an actual smile.] I will never forget it. I think I have always lo--

[Uh. Something seems wrong.] Why has my coffee frozen over?

[Moodkiller.]

[As much as she's glad he didn't tease her, she wouldn't have cared. It would have made things normal as if everything was right in the world. It's still a pleasant surprise that they can both be open like this now.

Of course, she didn't expect the coffee comment.]

What?

[Sure enough, his cup is frozen solid and there are ice crystals on the pastries that are still in the box.]

I don't think I've seen that one before.

[He hadn't expected the coffee comment either. He pulls one hand away and lifts the coffee cup with a frown.]

I don't usually freeze things.

Does seem rather out of place for the great Flame Alchemist, doesn't it? That and it's not like we were...

[What they were doing certainly wasn't anything she'd associate with ice.
Oh wait.]

Wasn't there something on the crystals the other day about Elios being out of balance and freezing people?

Oh. [He makes a face in sudden realization: lips thinned, brows drawn together. Of course. Can't have a conversation like this without something interrupting.] I remember that now.

[A pause, then wryly:] Would you like iced coffee?

[It's them, of course, they can't. But the important part was said and understood in return so even if they don't finish this, they're good.]

I think you'll have to melt it for iced coffee. Right now it's a frozen pop.

[Especially if he still had a spoon in it.]

[He could melt it, but instead he tilts the mug toward himself, shakes his head, and starts laughing.

This is probably not the direction she anticipated this conversation going, but... Well... Coffee popsicle?]

ic contact

10-27

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boomerangs this cause i'm garbage

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12/25

[ 6/5 - after Eleanor's announcement ]

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