Chapter Text
When I see her
She doesn’t even notice that every time I see her I hold my breath.
Roy was standing in the middle of the soccer court with his arms crossed. He looked again at his wrist watch and sighed as he closed his eyes. He hated doing what he was about to do, even if it’s always been like that, he could not get used to rejecting girls.
The girl entered the field looking around and she soon spotted Roy standing in the middle of the soccer field. She walked quickly closer to him and smiled.
—Thank you for coming Roy.— She said with a nervous tone in her voice, she began playing with her hair.— I’ve been seeing you from quite sometime now. And I want to wish you luck in tomorrow opening season game.
—Thank you. I appreciate your support.— Roy smiled at the girl, he was secretly hoping she will not be brave enough to tell him so he could leave without feeling bad about her. But the girl clenched her fist and looked back at Roy.
—I also want to tell you that I like you Roy Mustang.— The girl confessed almost shouting. Her face completely red. Roy smiled sadly.—I was wondering if we could go out sometime.
—I’m sorry…— Roy bowed and firmly looked directly into the girls eyes. He saw how her expression changed from brave to completely sad.—I have feelings for someone else already.— He confessed as the girl was trying to say something.
—Oh… I’m sorry.—The girl quietly said as she looked at the ground.— I hope she feels the same way.—The girl quickly said as she ran away from the field. Roy just looked at the door and also began walking towards the exit of the court.
He started telling the girls that confessed to him that he had feelings for someone else in hopes the rumor will spread and they will stop confessing to him. But it was pointless. Most of the girls never tell anyone they’ve been rejected by Roy.
But telling the girls he was in love with someone else was not a lie per se. Roy’s heart belonged to only one woman. They met back on their first year of middle school when they were 12 years old, they sat next to each other on the first year and quickly become close friends.
It was during their last year of middle school when Roy began noticing how beautiful his best friend was. Her big brown eyes, her short blond hair and her smile began hunting Roy’s dreams and day dreams. Parts of his body began reacting towards every touch, every word she said to him, every single look...
—————
5 years ago
Roy was taking all his things inside his school bag when he saw Riza entered his classroom. She smiled at him and started walking towards him with her hands gripped around her school bag, she stopped herself in the seat next to Roy and put her bag on the table.
—Do you miss me being your classmate Mustang?—Riza asked with a playful tone as she took a seat.
—I actually do. I have literally no one who throws little papers at my hair when they’re bored out of their skull in class.—Roy answered with a small smile.
—I miss doing that too.— Riza said quietly as she put her head on her hand and looked dreamily outside the window. They continued talking nonsense about their school lives when the sun began settling down. —Gracia is on your class, right?— Riza asked looking at Roy with a small smile.
—Yes, why?
—Maes told me that he has a crush on her.—Riza said quietly.
—I know.—Roy walked towards Riza and also looked outside the window.—He told me he was going to confess tomorrow.
—And you?—Riza asked looking at him with a small smile.—Is there any girl you have a crush on?
—No.—Roy said completely sure of that. He have talked to Maes about his crush on Gracia and Roy have never felt like that towards someone else. — What could be special about a girl anyway?—Roy asked as he looked at Riza.
—In Maes words, her hair…— As Riza started speaking Roy began noticing how her short blonde hair started glowing with the orange sunlight that illuminated the building.—Her eyes…— Her brown eyes sparkled and her skin looked like gold in the sun light. Roy felt how his pulse began racing.—Her smile.—Riza smiled as she remembered Hughes muttering about Gracia. Roy held his breath for a second. Has his best friend always been that beautiful?
—It has to be something more besides that.— Roy said plainly as he crossed his arms on his chest. Trying to stop thinking about his new realization regarding Riza’s beauty.
—Maybe Maes is the one you should ask about it.
—And you, Riza?—Roy asked suddenly curious about her. — Is there anyone you like?
—Oh…—Riza stopped for a second and she slowly stood up from where she was sitting.—I actually think I do…
—Who is it?—Roy asked abruptly, he felt surprised about his eagerness, but deep inside him he knew that he was dying to know.
—It doesn’t matter, I already know he doesn’t feel the same way.—Riza answered as she began walking towards the exit of the classroom. Roy followed her.
—So you already confessed?—Roy asked again as both of them began walking towards the stairs so they could leave the school.
—Yes, he said he is into someone else.—The only think that came into Roy’s mind was “What an idiot” but he would not say that aloud.
—And who is he?—Roy really wanted to know who was Riza’s type.
—Ling Yao from class 5.— Riza said with a small blush on her cheeks.
—Oh... He is quite popular. Lan Fan is also into him. But I’ve never heard about him liking someone.—Roy said as he tried to remember. Ling Yao was not exactly his friend, he barely exchanged a word with the guy, but Lan Fan played in the women’s soccer team and she hanged out with Roy during the warm ups.
—How is that you know everyone love affairs?—Riza asked surprised.
—I didn’t know about yours.—Roy said with a small laugh.—And we are best friends!
—I didn’t tell anyone about Ling Yao. And he promised to be very discreet after my confession.—Riza said quietly as they both walked outside the school.
—When did all this happen?—Roy asked when they reached the subway station where they usually parted ways since Riza lived a couple of stations down the line.
—Today.—Riza’s blush came back and she looked at her feet.— I confessed to him this morning.—Riza’s eyes started to fill with tears. She had been holding them all day until she was out of school. She turned to see Roy and hugged him.—I was waiting to the end of the day so I could tell you.—She said sobbing. Roy fell Riza’s warm tears fall on his shoulder and wetting his shirt. He wrapped his arms around her and a dozen of butterflies appeared on his stomach.
—I’m sure you will find someone else. Someone who will love you and will think that you are as beautiful as the stars in the sky.—Roy whispered and Riza just tightened the embrace. Roy’s heart was threatening to leave his body. And something inside him feared she may feel it’s beating.
What were all those feelings?
—————
Roy became quickly popular with girls during the second semester of his first year in college. Right when he was proclaimed the soccer team captain. So now when he was finally on his second year, he already turned down five girls that had confessed to him in a matter of a couple of months.
He felt bad since he knew that people suffered from rejections. Every time someone confessed to him his mind went back to that day when Riza cried on his shoulder for several minutes. That was also one of the reasons Roy had avoided confessing his feelings for Riza. He knew something inside him will die if their current relationship changed for the worst if she rejected him.
Roy found himself walking towards the place where the person that had his heart was: the archery team field. Riza was the archery team captain of the university and the reigning national champion at university level. For Roy specifically, she was also the most beautiful woman in the planet.
He quietly entered and took a sit on a bench that was behind the shooting range. The moment he saw her, he hold his breath as his heart began beating loudly on his rib cage . She let her hair grow but she always hold it in a bun, she was wearing the university sports team uniform and all her archery attire . She was talking to a black haired man in front of one of the targets as they both took the arrows out of it.
—You should just man up and tell her, lover-boy.— A voice echoed in his head as he turned to see where it came from. A black haired woman smiled brightly at him.—It hurts my eyes to see you ogling at her with that dreamy expression of yours.
—I don’t know what you are talking about Rebecca.— Roy said trying to sound as calm as he could.
—Sometimes I think she is the only one that can’t see it.— Rebecca said as she sat next to him.—You come here every single day after your practice, you take a seat and just observe her for about an hour and when she is finished you quickly go to her and tell her to go and have diner together.
—We are best friends.— Roy interrupted Rebecca as he looked back at Riza.
—That doesn’t mean you don’t wish for you two to be something more.— Rebecca said quietly. Roy’s cheeks turned a slight shade of pink as he looked down to the floor.— You really should tell her. Just a couple of hours ago she turned down a guy that came here to confess to her.
—She what?— Roy said surprised as he looked at Rebecca.
—A guy came in, he told Riza he had a crush on her and she told him that sorry but she was not looking to have a relationship right now.— Rebecca explained quietly. Roy just let out a sigh he didn’t knew was holding and looked up at the ceiling.
—Then why would I be different from him?—Roy voiced his thoughts quietly.
— Because you two are already like boyfriend and girlfriend but without the physical part of it. And just imagine how happy the two of you would be holding hands on the streets, kissing her goodnight every time you leave her at her room, making love to her in yours.— Roy’s cheek turned bright red when Rebecca said that last thing.— All of that could happen if you could just confess to her that you are in love with her.
—Ok then I will tell her today.— Roy said with a smile as he looked back at Riza again. Rebecca just let out a long laugh.
It was not the first time a similar exchange took place in that same bench. It’s been a year since she met them and that talk had happened already about fourth times. Roy will be easily encouraged by her and say he will finally confess to Riza but latter on something weird will happen to him and will just let out a nonsense in front of their friend.
—Mustang! You are here.—Riza said as she started disassembling her bow.— Let me just put this back at the vault and I’ll be back with you two.—Riza continued as she took out her chest guard and put it on her Archery bag.
—Riza!—Roy said as he stood up and walked towards the blonde woman. Rebecca just smiled since this was always how that will play out.— I want to tell you something.
—What is it?—Riza said as she looked directly at him. The moment her eyes met his he suddenly felt how his breath stopped for a second. His pulse accelerated and his face was starting to feel warm.
—Are you coming to my game tomorrow?—Roy asked and mentally cursed himself. The worst part is that he always changed his confession to random invitations to a soccer game. So probably Riza just thought he was dead serious about soccer.
—I wouldn’t miss the opening game.— Riza said with a small smile as she continued putting her archery attire on the bag.— Maes and Gracia are coming so I could also not miss meeting them.
—Oh yes, the game is against Maes and Gracia’s university.
—And Gracia told me Maes joined the team this semester.
—I know.—Roy said with a small smile.—Maes send me a message earlier this semester. He was quite excited that the first match will be against our team.
—Tomorrow will also be their five years anniversary. So Maes will probably come feeling inspired. I like when he becomes competitive against you.—Riza said with a smile. The same smile that Roy loved with all his heart. He remembered that day five years ago too. Since it was the first time he realized he had a big damn crush on Riza Hawkeye.
————
5 Years ago
—Roy boy!—Maes came with tears on his eyes. Roy thought the worst but quickly changed to thinking it was the best since Maes was smiling like an idiot.— Gracia said yes!
—Congratulations.—Roy said as he faked clapped.
—You should find a girlfriend too Roy boy!—Maes said with a bright smile as he sat on Roy’s desk.
—I’m not interested in dating someone.
—That’s probably because you already act like you and Riza are an item.—Roy’s cheeks turned bright red at the mention of Riza’s name. His mind was filled with memories of the day before when she hugged him at the subway station. The small smile she gave him when he decided to go all the way to her house to make sure she was ok. The way her perfume lingered on his shirt...
—Oh my god!— Maes shouted and everyone in the classroom stopped talking just to look at him. Maes quickly apologized and waited until their classmates went back to their own talks.—You like Riza —Maes said in a small whisper.
—I do not.—Roy said trying not to shout it.
— Then tell me. What do you think about her hair?
— What kind of stupid question is that Maes?
—Just answer it Roy boy.
—It smells nice… —Roy remembered their interaction and looked at the window next to him.— And just yesterday when the sun was settling it had a special glow. Angelical. Beautiful.
—And what about her eyes?—Maes asked with a bright smile.
—They are a hypnotizing brown. And they sparkle beautifully in every light.—A smiled appeared in Roy’s face when he remembered how they looked with the street lights when he dropped her at her house.
— And her smile?— Maes asked with a raised eyebrow.
—Her smile…—Roy closed his eyes and thought about it.— I can’t describe it. I don’t think there are words to describe it.
—Oh my god!—Gracia’s voice filled the classroom and everyone stopped talking again.—Roy has a crush! On who?
—Oh boy you two are just made for each other.—Roy said angrily as he stood up from his desk.— And what if it’s a crush? It’ll probably just go away in a few months.—He said as he walked outside the classroom. His cheeks were bright red as he stared at the windows on the hall. His mind went back to the dream he just had that night.— It’s a stupid crush.—On his dream he was kissing Riza slowly and gently and between kisses she told him she liked him.— I’ll get over it and Riza and I will be best friends like we have always been.— He said quietly to himself trying to stop thinking about that dream.
How wrong he was.
————
Riza walked to the archery vault with her things. Roy just stared at her and followed her with his gaze.
—For how long have you two known each other?—Rebecca asked. Roy almost forgot she was also there.
—For around eight years.—Roy answered.
—You have been in love with her for eight years?!—Rebecca asked surprised.
—No! I had a crush on her first about five years ago. Before that I wasn’t even interested in love.—Roy let out a sight.— I guess I’m still not interested in love if its not her.
—Riza is your first love?!—Rebecca asked again, she sounded more and more surprised as time passed.
—Can you please shut up? She could come back any second now.—Roy whispered as he kept looking in the direction of the vault.
—Can you please confess to her already? Five years for god’s sake!—Rebecca said again with surprise.—Five years… You must be a saint, lover-boy.
—I thought the crush will go away and we could stay as best friends forever.—Roy confessed quietly.—But then…
—You realized you were in love.
—Yeah…
—And you are a coward who can’t confess his feelings for her?
—Yeah…