If anyone asked, Roy harbored no reservations about recruiting Ed. A much truer sentiment was that he had buried those reservations deep into his cold, dead heart and they were all being excavated as he stared at the sick child.
Guilt was one thing. The urge to brush the hair from Ed’s face and comfort him was another.
Yeah…he did not sign up to be a dad.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Yeah, I know yesterday was Valentine's Day, but I celebrate it days after because of the crowds, okay?
[ID: A digital illustration of Edward Elric and Ling Yao. Ed has one hand on Ling's cheek and the other on top of Ling's hand. They are looking at each other longingly. There is a large valentine's heart propped behind them. End ID]
omg Emma my love I am literally writing this with my eyes half-closed but I was thinking of sending you a prompt AND!!!!!!! This is ur free pass to write a fluffy (angsty is fine w me too tbh, you know the drill LMAO) one-shot post My Inferno 🤩🤩🤩 like maybe after they get married or smt… idk… kehdjsjdjsjdjs would simply combust tbh ILY 🥺🥺❤️❤️ ty for being a blessing to the royai community, u a real one my dude 🥰🥰💕💕
eri omg ur too kind and tytyty for giving me a push to return to this fic 💖💕💓 i've been rereading it all week and it's been the best time!! this ask has brought me so much joy, inspiration, and motivation to write for royai again which i cannot thank u enough for
i hope u enjoy this wee oneshot for this au :) i went for some soft royai (bc obvs ofc i did 😌) bc its what these two deserve. supportive, happy, and unburdened royai is a fantastic royai
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stay and burn forever - a oneshot sequel to My Inferno
summary: roy and riza finally get their honeymoon after a year of touring
rated: t | words: 2673
read on ao3 | read on ffnet
read My Inferno on ao3 | ffnet
The mountain air was crisp and fresh as it caressed the skin of Riza's face. It was invigorating and so different from the air in Central City, where she lived. The coolness of it in the morning light caused a shiver to ripple down her spine, so she tugged her cardigan tighter around herself to be further protected as she enjoyed the view.
The sun had risen a few hours ago and it was currently lazily making its way across the clear, bright, blue sky. There was not a cloud to be seen, contributing to the chill of the morning, however Riza didn’t mind. It was so different from the vistas she’d been used to for the past year. The trees, plants, and fresh air were a welcome change from sprawling cities and artificial lights seen through glass from high-rise hotels.
Hayate hurried out onto the deck after her before she could close the sliding door on him. After sniffing around the tables and chairs laid out to the right he darted to the left and down the steep set of stairs to the small grass covered area to frolic and explore. Riza chuckled as she watched him go. He was getting older, but you wouldn’t think it by looking at him. Right now he had the energy of a puppy as he hopped down the stairs and ran around the grass, jumping into the small patches of snow which had yet to melt in the shaded parts of the garden.
The deck she was stood on was raised about ten feet of the ground, as was the cabin, which was her temporary home. It wrapped around the back of the cabin, a wooden railing following its path, giving them views in almost every direction. They were atop the treeline in the valley beyond, as the ground continued to dip past the boundaries of the garden. Looking outward, the valley stretched out long before Riza. She could see right down it to the mountains which marked its end. They jutted out of the lush greenery thriving on the valley floor, making a magnificent panorama for Riza to appreciate as she sipped her morning coffee. It was a morning routine she could definitely get used to.
Birdsong filled the air as the breeze lazily made its way through the trees, rustling their branches and leaves, sounding almost like a distant waterfall. The river she’d walked to yesterday after arriving appeared to be close, however far enough from the cabin that it was simply a quiet rumble, drowned out now by the wind. A buzzing bee flew past her head and down to the plants below. Colour burst from the planters thanks to the new, fresh buds, ready to flourish now it was spring. For a few minutes she watched the bee go about its task of collecting nectar.
Her small haven for the next two weeks was picturesque. It was secluded and left Riza with such an immense feeling of peace. There was no work to do, no deadlines to meet. No one was badgering her with offers and there were no obligations to do interviews or any other kind of media events. She was happy to do these things and it came with her job, but it had been a long year touring and promoting her album, and the idea that she could simply lie in bed all day if she really, truly wanted to sounded like heaven. It was refreshing. A break from the stress and demands of performing. There was no one to demand her attention –
Hayate barked as he tried to play with the birds swarming the bird feeders hanging on the tree at the bottom of the garden. Well, perhaps there was one person to demand her attention. The poor guy, he’d caused them to scatter in fright in his attempt to make friends. His tail slowly stopped wagging and he whined as he looked up into the tree, now bare and vacated by the small birds.
“You scared them away, Hayate,” Riza called to him. He looked distressed as he looked over at her and let out another whine, making her smile at his antics. He must not have been too put out though because his nose returned to the ground and he scampered off to follow another scent.
She sighed happily to herself as the sliding door opened behind her. The noise was quiet and her guest didn’t speak a word but even still, Riza found it difficult not to smile at the announcement of company. Arms wrapped around Riza’s midsection from behind. They held her tight and gave her body a quick squeeze in greeting.
“Good morning, Mrs. Mustang,” came a sleepy voice.
Riza relaxed back into Roy’s hold and smiled to herself. “Who’s she? That’s not my name, Roy.”
He hummed as he pressed his nose into her hair. It brushed against the skin behind her ear before he moved to press his cheek against hers. “She’s my wife. The light of my life. She’s the wonderful woman who owns my heart and soul and has a phenomenal singing voice. She just finished her first tour a few days ago and smashed it out of the park. Does that sound like anyone familiar to you?”
“Maybe.” Riza grinned as she spun in Roy’s hold. He easily relented and let her move but kept her caged within his arms.
He still looked tired, like she probably did too, however the smile on his face was filled with tenderness and love. His eyes were alert as he took her in, roving over her face as he cupped her cheeks gently within his palms.
“Good,” Roy replied, “because it’s you.” His head dipped and he kissed her, stealing away her breath like he did every time. “Good morning, Riza. My wife.”
“Morning, Roy,” she nearly sighed, breathless from such a welcome greeting. Then, she giggled. “My husband.”
It still felt like a dream, being able to call him that. The past year had been a whirlwind of activity that it was difficult to process sometimes, but he was always there. He was her rock, just like always. Steadfast, never failing, and not going anywhere soon, just like she was for him.
The dark circles which had been prominent beneath Roy’s eyes for the past few months were slowly starting to recede, but they were still there. The long hours working, helping her with whatever she needed and guiding her through her first tour, plus travelling had taken its toll on them both, so this was their chance to recover. A quiet, cosy mountain retreat together was exactly what they both needed, so they were going to make the most of it.
Riza ran her hands down Roy’s chest, lowering her gaze so her eyes could follow the same path, coming to a stop so she could fiddle with the drawstrings of his hoodie.
She didn’t miss how he shuddered beneath her ministrations either.
“What if I want you to be Mr. Hawkeye?”
“Riza, I will be anyone you want me to be.” He pecked her cheek, shooting her his trademark boyish grin.
Of course, he would. He’d give her the moon and the stars if she asked him to and the knowledge of that made her stomach flutter.
“I thought you would have slept longer,” Riza commented as he came to stand and rest against the railing by her side. He’d slipped a hoodie on over the t-shirt he’d slept in to protect against the chill, and it was too cold to go barefoot. Riza had quickly pulled trainers on in case she needed to clean up after Hayate or she wanted to play with him, but Roy had borrowed her slippers. The pale-yellow footwear must be enough to keep his toes warm because he wasn’t wearing any socks.
“I couldn’t sleep without you by my side.”
“I was gone for about five minutes.”
Roy shrugged unapologetically. “I noticed. And I stand by my original statement.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”
A reassuring kiss was pressed against her temple as Roy wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry about that. Ever. As I said before, I’m more than happy to rise early at the same time as you. It gives me more time in the day to spend with you after all,” he quipped. He’d said the same thing to her before, what felt like a lifetime ago.
Riza shook her head fondly and leaned her head against his shoulder as they both watched Hayate run around below them. “I like that too. But you do need to rest.”
“We both do,” he countered.
“Yes, but –”
“Riza,” he interrupted gently, shooting her a soft smile. “Every minute spent with you is worth it. Every minute of sleep we both lost over the past year was worth it, and it continues to be the same now.” He squeezed her shoulders in a side hug. “You don’t need to worry about me. This is our two weeks to rest, and I’ll do everything in my power to ensure it’s what we both deserve. Now that we even have a minute to do such a thing as relax,” he joked, causing Riza to laugh tiredly beside him.
Roy turned her so they were both facing one another.
“I’m extremely proud of you but right now, it’s just me and you. Just Roy and Riza.” He lifted a hand to brush her fringe away from her eyes with a tender touch, stroking her cheek with his thumb before his hand dropped to his side once more. “Right here, we’re a simple husband and wife who love each other very much. No albums, no tours, and no record labels. Just me and you.”
Riza felt her breath hitched as wetness clouded her eyes. Roy’s were the same as he gazed adoringly at her.
“I’m happy to rise with you at whatever time so we can face and enjoy the day together.”
She was so lucky. So grateful for him and his relentless drive to support and assist her in pursuing and achieving her dreams. To give it his all and cheer her on. To love her and try to give her everything he thought she deserved and more, just like she always wished to do for him.
Riza couldn’t wait to return the favour when it was his turn to tour.
They both met in the middle for a passionate, loving kiss.
“I love you, Roy. Thank you.”
“Love you too, Riza,” he grinned.
The sounds of the morning settled around them as they enjoyed the simple peace and quiet.
Now her tour was finished it was a relief. It had been a massive success. It had surpassed all of her expectations and blown them all out of the water. Riza had been baffled by the reception she’d received from fans, but Roy had simply smirked knowingly. It was maddening, but in a good way. He was her biggest fan and supporter. His never-ending faith and belief in her gave Riza strength and motivated her. He’d attended every show with her and had helped settle her nerves before she stepped out onto the stage in front of thousands of people. As soon as her set finished he was right there waiting in the wings, ready to welcome her into his arms with a kiss which weakened Riza at the knees.
She was so lucky to have him. She loved him with everything she had, and even saying that never felt enough. There were not enough words in the world to properly profess how deep her love and appreciation for Roy Mustang went. She’d told him as much, revealing he felt the same.
So, she often did it in song.
Riza had lost count of the number of lyrics she’d written or ideas she’d had which were drawn from her experiences with Roy and which were dedicated to how much she loved and adored her husband. The world may never know, but Riza made sure Roy did.
“This place is wonderful, Roy.” Riza sighed in contentment as she shifted against her husband to move closer to him.
He hummed in agreement. “I’m glad you think so. I’m glad I picked well.”
“You picked very well. It was a lovely surprise.”
He beamed at her. “I did say that one day I would whisk you off to a log cabin somewhere in the mountains where no one would bother us, didn’t I?”
Riza chuckled. “You did, yes.”
She couldn’t believe how long ago that was. She would call it a distant memory, but it was also the day Roy proposed, so she’d never forget it. That day stood out in her mind with startling clarity.
“So, this is a great start to our honeymoon?”
Riza craned her neck to look up at him suspiciously. “To start our honeymoon? Just what else have you got planned, Mr. Hawkeye?”
A mischievous grin lit up his face as his eyes sparkled with glee. “Well, it was a long time coming. I’ve had a long time to think. The tour put it on hold for us, which wasn’t a problem,” he quickly reassured her. “I’ve had the best time touring with you and I forgot how fun it could be when you do it with the ones you love,” he grinned. “You’ve worked so hard for so long and I’m so, soproud of all you’ve achieved. You deserve all the rest and relaxation in the world after that alone, not to mention a way to celebrate the end to your first tour.”
Riza blinked up at him. “This sounds like we’ll be busy for a while.”
Roy winked at her. “Of course. Only the best for us. So,” he started, straightening his spine and holding out a closed fist so he could count off on his fingers. “This is our honeymoon.” He lifted one finger. “Then we’ve got to celebrate the end of your tour separately from this.” He lifted a second finger. “And I still need to hold up on my promise of us going to a cabin in the mountains for a week so I can sequester you away from the world and we can be alone and undisturbed.”
Her head tipped back as she laughed. “Are you going to kidnap me away from the world?”
“I might have to in order to spend time with my wife.” His smile turned wolfish. “You’re so brilliant and successful, so in demand, that I may need to make such a bold statement in order to gain your attention and affection.”
“You could of course just ask me.”
“Ah, I could,” he agreed emphatically, eyes twinkling with amusement. “But where is the fun in that?”
A thrill ignited itself within Riza’s stomach, causing a wide smile to spread across her face. Her excitement and joy must have been infectious because Roy returned it eagerly.
“Let’s make all the future plans together, Riza,” he breathed, dropping all his jokes. Amusement was replaced with excitement and enthusiasm at the prospect of their future together.
“I would be more than happy to do that with you, Roy.” She stepped into him, wrapping her arms around his neck so she could toy with strands of his hair. “And I would drop everything for you in a second if you asked, you know that, right? You don’t need grand gestures to gain my attention.”
She laughed at his playful pout. Riza kissed it away, causing Roy to react instantly and hold her even tighter.
“I adore how you keep me on my toes, but I will always have time for you, no matter how busy we get.”
“I love you so much, Riza,” he murmured before captivating her in a bruising kiss.
“I love you too, Roy. Let’s do it. Let’s make all the memories and go on all the adventures. I can’t wait to do it all with you.”
feel free to leave a comment and kudos on ao3 or a review on ffnet :)
