#oliza

“Sir?”

“I know it was the Homunculus talking- I’ve gleaned that much- but when it called us ‘regular humans’ with such disdain... for long, Amestris has relied on alchemic power. That leaves people like you and I in a unique position.” She reached up, brushing golden strands out of her eyes. “We’re the best humanity has to offer. Next to the might of an alchemist, though, we pale in comparison.” Her chin inclined. “Even blinded, Mustang has immense power at his disposal. You and I, on the other hand...”

“We’re only human.” Riza sighed, allowing her eyes to close for a moment. She felt a bone deep sort of exhaustion seeping into her but resisted the inclination. “But what we lack in alchemy, we make up in other ways. That’s what made us better than the Homunculus, even though they would never admit it. If we failed in one aspect, we could change course. Find a new way through. Adapt and overcome. They couldn’t.” A short chuckle left her lips. “Sometimes, alchemists submit to the same folly.”

“Yes, that’s how we get promoted, isn’t it? Because for all their power, alchemists conveniently forget how to solve simple problems without the use of their abilities. They become narrow minded, too focused on the process to fathom a solution.” A pause. “But I think you’re a cut above the rest, regardless. You’ve not only your long list of skills- your accuracy, your proficiency, your covert work- but you’re dedicated, undeterred, and dutiful. Highly intelligent. Talented beyond measure.” Another pause. “You’re also rather attractive.”

Her eyes opened at that, head turning to look at the General. “Sir?”

“And for the life of me, I can’t figure it out.” Blonde brows drew together, her expression pinched into one of slight annoyance that hinted at a deeper running frustration. “What appeal there is, what draw- why someone of your caliber would be with Mustang of all people.” She made a motion with her hand. “It’s... perplexing. So, perhaps you’d care to enlighten me. Why him?”

She blinked, and in that moment, she went back to that horrid place beneath Central, with cold steel pressed against her neck preparing to draw her blood. And then she was lying on the ground, desperately trying to signal Roy, trying to mentally convey just how much physical agony she’d put him through if he so much as considered doing as that mad man had wanted.

“We have history,” she said, another blink bringing her back to the hospital room and the General paying rapt attention to everything she said. “He studied alchemy under my father. When he decided to join the military, to do some real good, affect real change... I followed. I wanted to believe it could be that simple.” A frown tugged at her lips. “I learned soon enough that I was wrong.”

“You mean Ishval.”

“Yes.” Again her eyes closed, but this time, she didn’t go back to just a few hours ago. She could almost feel the hot desert wind on her skin. “That was when I made the promise. We both did. I’d keep him honest, make him be a better man than what they were turning him into...”

Her brows furrowed, surprised the words left her lips. They’d given her some medicine, something to deal with the lingering ache of newly reconstructed skin sealing a deep wound, but it shouldn’t have loosened her tongue that much.

Then again, Riza had always found it difficult to hide the truth around pretty women, to keep herself in check. Just one nudge and she fell to pieces.

“What promise did he make to you?”

“Hm?” It was harder to open her eyes this time around, but she managed it, looking over at the General’s stiff posture.

“You said you both made promises. From what I can tell, you promised him your life. Complete devotion.” 

“He promised change.” A sigh left her lips. “And... not absolution; we can’t be absolved of our sins. But... we could make sure they never come to pass again.” She blinked. “Today was a good start. Stopping the Homunculus, saving Amestris, stopping the cycle of bloodshed, at least for now- it’s a start.”

“Changing the world’s all well and good, but what about you?” Blue eyes narrowed, a shade too warm to be entirely reminiscent of the northern ice- more like a lake on a warm summer day. “You’re the Hawk’s Eye- anything you set your sights on, it’s yours. So what does he give you in return for all your sacrifice? For all your devotion?”

“A goal,” she replied. “A purpose. Something to strive towards. He has a clear vision of the future.”

General Armstrong watched her for a moment before her expression pinched together in disdain, gaze pulled towards the window. When she spoke, her voice could hardly be heard, and Riza had to rely on reading lips. “Well, how can I compete with that?”

“Sir?”

“Does he make you happy?” This time she spoke loud enough to be heard but still with a softness around the edges, and when blue eyes fell on her they seemed... sad.

Perhaps it was the medication or the blood loss but, for some reason, the parts just weren’t fitting together. “I don’t understand the question.”

“Does he make you happy? Are you happy with...” Her brow twitched. “The Colonel?”

Blinking, she mulled over the question as best she could. It still didn’t make sense but maybe because she couldn’t quite see herself being ‘happy’ in the conventional sense. Too many mistakes preyed on her mind, too many regrets nipping at her heart, too many nightmares lurking just behind her eyelids- she didn’t see herself ever being the sort of happy she remembered from Lieutenant Colonel Hughes. But, in the times she’d visited Gracia and Elicia, she’d come to accept there’s a sort of happiness available even to those who are hurt, who suffer from wounds that may never heal. 

Finally, she responded. “I... think I am. I’m proud of what we’ve done and I’m glad to still be here. I have hope for the future.” Then, she nodded, more resolute. “Yes, I’m happy.”

Silence filled the room for a few moments.

“I’ll admit I’d hoped things were different.” The General stood up, brushing at her uniform- she might go so far as to call it fidgeting were it anyone else. “But I’m glad, at least, that you’re happy. A woman of your caliber... deserves to be with someone who will make her happy.” As one of the best snipers in the world, she couldn’t help the way her brows furrowed, absolutely convinced she’d somehow missed something. “I wish you the best, Riza, and a speedy recovery.”

“General?” She struggled for a moment to sit up, surprised when the woman quickly stepped closer and aided her, despite the sling hampering her other arm. “My apologies but... I’m confused. I thought Major Miles was a more than capable adjutant.”

“Of course he is. He’s a Briggs man; he’s as tough as they come,” she replied instantly, straightening up once convinced Riza wasn’t in any pain. “An officer couldn’t ask for a better right hand.”

“Then... what did you hope was different?”

Blue eyes watched her, tried to maintain contact, before her gaze broke away, a self depreciating chuckle leaving her lips. “There’s no way to say this that doesn’t make me sound like a heel, so I may as well be to the point. I’d rather hoped you’d be single.”

Riza blinked. Perhaps she’d lost more blood than she thought or the alkehestry came with some... unusual side effects. “What?”

“I know. Jealousy is unbecoming and trying to wedge myself between you and... Mustang... is inappropriate.” Despite the pause, his name carried notably less disdain than before. “But I simply had to know if I stood a chance.” Coughing into her hand, the General turned towards the door. “Seeing as I don’t, however, you’ll be pleased to know that I’ll be returning to the north shortly. As soon as Central’s been stabilized, I’ll relinquish my position here and go back to Briggs. You needn’t worry about me interfering.” A pause, in words and steps, as she looked back over her shoulder and favored her with a rare smile. “I meant what I said. I wish you all the happiness, Riza. You certainly deserve it.”

“Wait,” she said, cursing her injuries as much as the medicine that made her too sluggish to get out of bed like she wanted. “You think the Colonel and I are together? Romantically?”

Now, it was the General’s turn to blink. “... I believe we just established that. Very thoroughly.”

An unexpected laugh bubbled up from her chest- and what a relief, to be able to laugh after the events of the past twenty four hours. “No, no, that’s-” Recovering, she tried again, this time with a smile of her own. “Roy and I... we have history, yes. We’re very devoted to one another and the future of Amestris, yes. But we’re not lovers.”

“... you’re not?”

“No.” She offered a half shrug, still not entirely sure the newly healed skin would hold if she pushed the boundaries too hard. “He’s my best friend.”

For a very brief moment, it seemed like the world had stopped for the General. Then, she moved, quick as a striking snake, reclaiming her seat beside Riza’s bed and watching her intently, resting her chin on the knuckles of her good hand. Obviously, the posture looked a little strange without the other arm to accompany it, but she didn’t have much time to focus on that.

“Mustang is your best friend?”

“Yes.”

“Your platonic best friend?”

“Yes.”

“Are you single?”

“Yes.” A wider smile curled her lips. “Though, I don’t think that’ll be true much longer, if you get your way.”

“You’re absolutely right on that front.”

“I suppose that means you might not be relinquishing your Central position, will you, Sir?”

“Please, call me Olivier.” One brow arched. “And I think I just found a few reasons to stick around.”

“What about Briggs?”

“If this blasted ‘Promised Day’ proved anything, it’s that I’ve truly trained the finest soldiers in this country, and that won’t change just because I’m not there.” A bit of seriousness came to her voice, smile falling into a pensive expression. She’d obviously given the decision some serious thought but didn’t quite see it without downsides. “Perhaps it’s past time for me to leave the north. Central’s become weak and diseased; someone has to cut out this infection.”

Riza tilted her head. “So, you’re not staying just to chase after me?”

“I’m not going to say it won’t be a boon of sticking around but it’s not my primary motivation.” She looked away briefly. “We may have different methods of achieving it but Mustang and I have always had similar aims. To create something better, one step at a time.” And then she smiled, pride shining clear in her eyes. “The only difference is I succeeded, if on a smaller scale.”

“Is that why you resent him so much?”

“I don’t resent the man; I simply recognize competition when it appears, and some habits die hard. It’s difficult to recognize an adversary and not do battle.”

“But look at what you’ve accomplished when you worked together,” she said, glancing towards the window. “Between the Briggs soldiers and Mustang’s, we saved Amestris.“

“I’d argue that the Elrics and the Ishvalans took the lion’s share of the work, fighting the man who’d seek the powers of God and all. But you’re not wrong. We did put up quite the fight.” A sigh slipped past her lips. “But Mustang and I will eventually be at odds. He wants what I want: to be top dog. And there can only be one of those.”

“You’ll need to make peace with him if you want a date with me.” Riza eased herself back down, beginning to feel drowsy as the weight of everything bore down on her. “I won’t have my girlfriend and my best friend at each other’s throat.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Olivier replied, standing up and taking a step closer, carefully sitting down on the bed. “But I must stay true to my goals. If he stands in my way, I will not go easy on him.”

Her eyelids felt heavy. “And what goals might he stand in the way of?”

“Leading this country for one.” Riza felt the other woman lean closer, planting a ghost of a kiss against her forehead. “Making you happy, for another.”

“I do like a woman with... lofty goals.” It would be difficult to stay awake much longer.

“Lucky for you, I happen to like women who sass me.” The weight beside her receded, followed by a curt call nothing like the softer tone Olivier had adopted. The General had returned, it seemed. “Nurse! Have the Lieutenant relocated to Colonel Mustang’s room. If either of them require anything, notify me immediately. And don’t wake her; she needs her rest.”