Chapter Text
Southeastern Amestris, 1900
Riza Hawkeye was eleven years old when Roy Mustang came to study Alchemy with her father in early February of 1900. Berthold Hawkeye was a strict man. He cared mostly for his Alchemy, though he had no interest in teaching it to his daughter. Riza’s relationship with her father was strained at best, and growing up in the city of Tobha didn’t afford her much knowledge of the outside world, but her Father insisted she have access to her books, and be able to learn whatever she wanted. She had the access to any and all the books she desired.
Roy Mustang was fourteen, and already cocksure about his abilities. He came from Central City, and was exactly what you would expect of a city boy. He knew very little about the ways of the world. Riza disliked him almost on sight. He acted like he owned the world, and perhaps in his eyes, he did. He had grown up relatively privileged, having things presented to him on a silver platter, opportunities and chances she could only dream of.
She spoke to him only when required, choosing to spend most of her time in her room, reading her own books, the ones her father provided for her. Once or twice, Roy Mustang tried to initiate conversations with her, but she stubbornly ignored him. She had more important things to focus on. It became clear fairly quickly that she had no interest in him.
It was one particularly day when Roy Mustang sat with her at the dinner table that he finally got her to say something to her. He had been teasing her about her book, and she had quickly grown tired of his behavior. She growled softly. “What is it about you?!”
“I just think, since we’re stuck here together, we should at least be on friendly terms with each other. We’ve been stuck together for nearly two months now. Would being cordial kill you?”
“I’m not trying to… to not be cordial, Mister Mustang. But you’re my father’s student. You’re not my friend. I’m just trying to read my book.”
“I’m just saying, it wouldn’t hurt you to be a little nicer to me. I want to be your friend, Miss Hawkeye.”
Riza shot him a pointed glare. She had no interest in making friends with him. She had her own things to worry about. She turned her gaze back to his book. All she wanted to do was keep learning from her books, since her father didn’t want her going to the school in town. She carefully set her book in front of her book so that she wouldn’t have to see his stupid, smug face.
“It’s not like you seem to have many friends, that is. I figure, since I’m the person here who’s closest to you in age, you might be interested in… talking once in a while.” He chuckled. “After all, it’s not like your father has forbidden you from talking to me, has he?”
“I… It doesn’t matter! I don’t need friends. I have my books. I have my father. What more do I need?”
“Companions. It’s not healthy to go through life with no one to rely on.”
Riza rolled her eyes, ducking her head below the edge of the book. Roy Mustang didn’t know anything. He didn’t understand how it was for her. She had her father, and her books. She didn’t need anything else beyond that. She was happy with what she had, and that was all she needed. He was just a stupid boy.
***
Roy Mustang was nothing if not persistent. He was interested in all the knowledge he could get his hands on. He would read through all of his Alchemical texts, all of his scientific theorems and studies, regularly. His study was the one thing he was most excited about. When he ran out of his own books, he would go beg his mentor’s daughter for something, anything for him to look at. Riza always seemed vehemently against giving him any of her books. No matter how much Roy begged and pleaded, she refused to budge.
“They’re my books, that Father got for me. If you’re that bored, go into town and buy some yourself. I don’t want you ruining them.”
“You’ve seen the way I treat your Father’s books, haven’t you, Miss Hawkeye? Why would you think I would do anything to yours if I haven’t done anything to his?”
“Cause you’re a boy. Boys always do bad things to books. You’re just scared of my Father.” She raised her eyebrows, daring him to challenge her.
He raised his hand, closing his eyes solemnly. “I swear on my life as a citizen of Amestris that I would rather die than harm your books. May lightning strike me down if I return them in less than pristine condition.”
Riza hesitated, considering. Finally, “Y-you can only borrow one at a time, okay? And… And you can’t read them outside.”
“Of course, Miss Hawkeye. Whatever would ease your mind.”
She was slow as she went to retrieve one of her books. “Inside the house. And when you’re done I’ll let you borrow another one.” She held onto it a moment longer, before releasing it into his hands. He smiled, his lips quirking upward in that cocky grin he wore so well.
“Thank you very much, Miss Hawkeye. I appreciate the gesture.”
Riza watched him walk off with her precious book. She couldn’t help the pang in her heart as he disappeared into his room. She really had no idea what he would do with it. But at least he had promised to treat them well. She could only hope she kept his promise.
***
Two days later, at breakfast, Roy Mustang set her book down on the table next to her. Riza looked up, surprised. “Didn’t you like it?”
“Of course I did. That’s why I’m giving it back. So I can borrow another one.”
“But… There’s no way you finished it already. It took me like… a whole week to read it the first time.”
“I am older than you. Besides, this is nowhere near as complicated as Alchemy texts. It was easy to read.”
“Are you calling me stupid? Cause I’m not stupid!”
His laugh disarmed her. She glared at him, trying to keep her face stern. If this was how he was going to react, maybe he didn’t need to borrow her books after all. She carefully moved her bowl and spoon to the sink, before picking her book up and heading upstairs to her room. She could hear him running up the stairs, his feet clomping on the wood.
“W-wait I was just kidding! I-I don’t think you’re stupid…”
“I-it’s not nice to make fun of people, Mister Mustang.” There was an air of finality to her voice as she slammed her door shut. She sank down against the wood, clutching her book tightly to her chest. Who was he to tell her that her books were too easy to read? Just because they weren’t alchemy books, just because her father didn’t want her learning his secrets… It didn’t mean she was stupid. She just liked her books. They were nice, and the stories they contained were exciting and interesting. Thrilling, even. Adventurers exploring lost ruins deep in the desert, pirates in the far-off oceans beyond Aerugo… She had no trouble reading them. She just read slowly, enjoying them. Maybe that was something Roy Mustang was incapable of. He was a boy after all. Boys didn’t understand things the way girls did.
***
A week later, Roy Mustang got a letter from Central, begging him to come visit. Her father was busy, so Riza had to walk with him all the way into town so he could find someone to take him to the closest city with a train station. Tobha was a small town after all. The nearest train station was all the way in Meox. From there he would take a train to East City, and then transfer to one bound for Central. Riza couldn’t say she was sad to see him go. Maybe he wouldn’t come back. Then her father would have more time for her again. Ever since Roy Mustang had come to stay with them, it felt like her father had slowly began to cut himself off from her.
She watched as the cart he was in slowly vanished into the distance. She waited until he was out of sight, and then began the walk back to her house on the edge of town. She moved carefully on the well-trod dirt roads that lead out of the thriving city center. It was the middle of the day, and there was no one around to bother her. It felt like she had the whole world to herself.
Above her, the sky was a light blue, dotted here and there with puffy white clouds. She smiled up at the open expanse, feeling a gentle breeze run through the hair which barely grazed her shoulders. Everything seemed better now that stupid Roy Mustang was gone. Perhaps she would ask her father for a new book, or make something exciting for dinner. It was incredibly freeing to not have the constraints of having to make enough for three people, of being told she couldn’t spend her free time in her father’s office watching him work because he was “teaching” and she was a “distraction.” No. Everything would be perfectly fine now. She would be fine.
***
Roy Mustang returned to Tobha after a week and a half. Riza begrudgingly went to collect him from the town center, and was surprised to see him carrying a bag. He smiled brightly. “Miss Hawkeye!”
She watched him warily. He kept the bag close to himself, concealing the contents with the energy of someone who had a secret. Riza couldn’t help it. She was curious. “What’s in the bag?”
“You’ll see when we get back to the house. It’s a surprise. You wouldn’t want to spoil it, would you?”
“I guess not,” Riza muttered. She was still a bit sullen as they walked back to the house. Roy was in exceedingly good spirits. He began to whistle as they walked, the notes carrying over the gentle southern breeze. Even Riza couldn’t stay upset for long, and soon she was skipping down the path next to Roy.
“I missed it here, while I was gone,” he said, as the large, dilapidated house came into view. “It’s so much nicer here than it is in Central. Everything is so busy. But here? There’s nothing quite like it.”
“I wish it was a bit more exciting,” Riza replied. “Nothing ever happens in Tobha.”
“That’s not true. Your father’s Alchemical Research is quite advanced. He could probably become a State Alchemist if he tried to take the qualifying exam. Then you could move somewhere more exciting, and your life would be so much easier --”
“My father doesn’t want to be a State Alchemist. He doesn’t believe in the Military, and their ‘Alchemists be thou for the people’ motto. He says they don’t really want to share Alchemy with those who need it.”
“Well, maybe they don’t. But the research grants alone could at least fix up your house.”
“Those grants are for research . Fixing a house isn’t research.” She rolled her eyes exasperatedly. He couldn’t understand anything. He was a stupid boy, after all.
“Fixing a house means creating better lab space for research,” he replied, still chuckling at her innocence.
“That’s a stupid reason to fix a house,” she muttered, kicking at the ankle-high grass lining the road.
“I mean, you might think that. But I bet it would help your father a lot. Think about how much easier it would be if your house wasn’t constantly falling apart?”
“But it’s not falling apart! It’s still got a roof and the floors are sturdy and the windows all work!” She glared at him again. Her house might not be the nicest, and she knew it was probably nothing like where he lived in Central, but it was her home. She had grown up in the house. It was a safe place, comforting.
“It could definitely use a new coat of paint, and maybe some other repairs. But that’s not the point. Alchemy is a tool, and the Military wants to use that tool for the benefit of others.”
Riza was quiet as she pushed open the gate, entering the yard. The grass in the yard was not as nice as the grass outside. It was a little higher, but still nice, still comfortable. “I’m sure my father will be happy that you’re back. He’s been lamenting the loss of his student.”
“Well, I’m glad to be back. It was a nightmare in Central. Everything was busy. It’ll be nice to have a little more relaxation now.”
“You know he’s only going to make you work harder on your Alchemy now,” Riza muttered. “I don’t know why you think it’s gonna be relaxing now.”
“Well. It beats working for my Aunt at her bar. At least Alchemy is mostly reading instead of cleaning and pouring drinks.”
Riza shrugged, opening the door and stepping inside. It was a little dusty. Riza had been busy the last few days, unable to get to her usual cleaning tasks. She had taken to sneaking the Alchemy texts off of her father’s shelves, looking at the pictures inside them. She didn’t understand most of the words, the chemistry and math a bit too complicated for her eleven-year-old mind, but the pictures were interesting. She liked learning what the they meant, reading through the library of sigils, and trying to decipher the different arrays.
He followed her inside, sitting down at the table and putting his bag down. “Alright, are you ready for the surprise?”
Riza looked at him. “The surprise?”
He gestured to the bag. “Your surprise. I thought you’d like something from Central, but I’m still not sure too much what you like, so I went with something safe.”
She blinked, looking warily at the bag. “Why’d you even get me something?”
“I thought you’d like it. Go on. Open it. I want to see what you think.”
She moved closer to the table, and Roy pushed the bag toward her, eagerly awaiting her reaction. She undid the flap on the bag, slowly opening it. Inside were several brand new books, their covers glossy and crisp, like a display from the store.
“What are these?”
“They’re… They’re books. New ones. I… I thought you’d like them. Are they… Did I make a bad choice?”
Riza’s hands went over the covers. “Why did you buy these? They… They must have been expensive.”
“I… I thought you would like them. They’re nicer than the second-hand ones your father keeps buying you.”
“The books my father buys me are plenty nice.” She wouldn’t stop running her fingers over the glossy covers. They felt almost unreal, sitting here on the table in the empty kitchen of her desolate house.
Roy smiled. “I’m glad you like them. They’re like the book you loaned me. I asked the bookseller for help making choices. If you don’t like them… Well, they’re yours to do with what you want.”
Riza nodded, her face carefully blank. She didn’t want to cry in front of him, especially not for something as stupid as a few books, even though they were beautiful. “Thank you, Mister Mustang,” she murmured, staring at the covers. She picked one up, walking to the living room and sitting down on the couch. She opened it carefully, running her hands over the pages. They were still a little stiff, extremely brand new. She held her breath, afraid of damaging them.
“I’m glad they’re good choices. I hope you enjoy them.” He stayed at the table, watching her slowly read the first book. For a while, the only sound in the room was her shallow breathing and the turning of pages. Time seemed frozen as she paged through the books. She was entranced with them. It was perfect.
***
From that moment on, every time Roy Mustang had to go back to Central for family issues, and no matter how long his visit, he would always bring at least one or two new books back for Riza. The two of them would read together, Roy studying his Alchemical texts, and Riza reading the novels and stories Roy brought back for her from Central. Occasionally, she would ask him about what he was looking at in his books, or for help deciphering a word in the ones he brought her. He was always quick to answer, to guide her, treating her like a little sister.
As spring turned into summer, and Riza went from eleven years old to twelve years old, she and Roy started to become friends. Riza was still wary of him and his intentions, but Roy was a perfect gentleman. He would accompany Riza into town once a week to get the groceries, and would insist on carrying all of them. He defended her against the boys in town who would bully her whenever she wanted to go read near the fountain in town. He acted like a big brother, and Riza had to admit, it felt nice to have a friend, even if he was a boy.
Her father even seemed a bit more open and companionable, spending meals with them instead of holed up in his office. Things were looking up. When summer ended, and the weather began to cool ever so slightly, Roy celebrated his fifteenth birthday. It was very quiet, just a little cake and a few presents. Roy was delving deeper into the mysteries of Alchemy, learning the more “esoteric rhetoric” (she wasn’t sure what it meant, but that was what Roy said) associated with the skill. He stopped spending as much time with Riza, though he would still do his best to make time for her, assisting her in her reading comprehension.
It didn’t ever quite get cold enough in the South for snow in the winter, even though Tobha was farther North than some Southern cities, but Riza still enjoyed the cooler air, and the chance to use more of her blankets at night. In the middle of the night, she could often hear sounds coming from Roy’s room. The murmur of his voice as he talked through the complex theoretical postulates, the quiet thud of heavy Alchemical texts being dropped onto his desk, and the occasional shout of frustration as something didn’t quite work out right.
Riza flourished in her own studies, continuing to read every book she could get her hand on. When Roy was stuck doing Alchemy, Riza was reading histories and novels, studying mathematics and science. Everything but the Alchemy her father didn’t want her to learn. She was, perhaps, somewhat glad that her father refused to let her attend the school in Tobha. Her father’s tutelage was far more in depth and covered everything she wanted to know, at her pace. Her books became more and more complex, far above the children in town. She was able to hold educated, detailed discussions with Roy Mustang and her father. Things seemed almost too good to be true.
In February of 1901, an Amestrian Soldier shot and killed an Ishvallan child, sparking the beginning of a long, terrible, bloody conflict.