Report 015 - [Accidental Video]

[followstheflame]

[The feed flickers on to a sideways view of the kitchen table, the PCD laying on the counter.  The table is covered with a towel and Riza sits, cleaning her pistol.  She takes it apart slowly, careful movements honed from years of experience.

After all of the pieces are laid out on the table, Riza moves to a drawer to get a rag, yawning on the way.  She returns to the table, but stands there for a second, studying one of the smaller pieces.  With a frown, she daintily picks up the piece and throws it to the ground.

Before the feed ends, we hear her mumble something about spiders.]

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[followstheflame]

[She hasn't seen him act like this in a long time, years perhaps, and it worries her. Without thinking twice, she quickly steps in front of him and takes his hands in her own.]

Forgive me, Sir, it was a cruel joke.

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[general-mustang.livejournal.com]

[Well... That seriously doesn't help. Without even thinking he pushed her away instantly, searching her for clues - any clue would do. Which part of her has he got wrong, that bastard! In their house, how did he let this happen!? There's a little sanity left in him, probably triggered by the sobriety that fear gives him.]

Lieutenant Hawkeye does not play cruel jokes. Get out!

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[followstheflame]

[He...he pushed her? What the hell was going through his mind?]

Colonel Mustang! It's me, I swear!

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[general-mustang.livejournal.com]

[There are two very valid arguments going on in his head at that moment. On one hand, Lieutenant Hawkeye wouldn't happily be sat in their kitchen, at her usual place, cleaning her gun, but on the other - she would not play cruel jokes... Even with more supporting evidence that the woman in front of him is his First Lieutenant, he still plays to caution, keeping his distance. He can't help the anger, and hate in his voice. ]

Something Envy couldn't know. Now.

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[followstheflame]

[Right. There's only one thing to do. She does a quick survey of the house and then takes off her scorched jacket, letting it fall to the floor, and then turns her back to him, rolling up the hem of her shirt to bare the bottom of her tattoo.]

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[general-mustang.livejournal.com]

[She wouldn't? She... He stares, almost fascinated as she bears her back to him - not for the first time. Instantly there's an intake of breath, and he turns his head away. The blood on his hands, the array on her back, the promise he made to her about using his alchemy to protect is all a little too much for him, and he turns completely, hands on the counter - He's shocked to see there is no blood anymore, why had she lied to him? To placate him of course... When had she ever? Only since Adstring... Why? Why...

His breathing is steady, barely - and he stands tall again.]

Thank you, Lieutenant.

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[followstheflame]

[She lowers her shirt and picks up her jacket, putting it back on. The sudden silence in the kitchen sobers her up more than the situation that just occurred. As she sits at the table, the Colonel thanks her and she feels wrong. It was her fault he lost his sanity, even for that moment, so why thank her?]

...Yes, Sir.

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[general-mustang.livejournal.com]

[This kind of silence has never been something he enjoyed. There were the times when a silence between them was welcome, enjoyed. Right now wasn't the time. Taking a deep breath, he turned back again, watching her for a while and trying to get his head around the situation. These Hallucinations were the Animus' fault, and yet he knew so little about them - there had to be something he could do.]

I think I'm going to go for a walk...

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[followstheflame]

...Would you like some company, Sir?

[She knows he will probably decline her invitation, but she feels unsure of letting him go out alone.]

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[general-mustang.livejournal.com]

[Company... did he want her company? Right now he needed to clear his head. To leave her alone like this though...]

... If you come with me, I don't want to hear you placating me. Do you understand?

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[followstheflame]

[She flinches slightly at his words, though she feels she deserves them, nonetheless.]

Yes, Sir.

[She quickly gathers up her gun parts and drops them off in her room before rejoining him.]

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[general-mustang.livejournal.com]

[It's only because he's watching her for a reaction that he notices her flinch, and instantly he's annoyed and ashamed. How she could think that would soothe him, he didn't know.

When she returned, his eyebrow arched slightly, and he looked her up and down carefully.]

How many guns do you have here?

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[followstheflame]

Three, Sir. Two pistols and a rifle.

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[general-mustang.livejournal.com]

Ah. Good.

[Without a word he takes a deep breath, and offers something resembling a smile, before shoving his hands in his pockets and wandering off toward the door. He wasn't sure where they would walk, whether they would even talk at all - and if they did, what they would talk about - but he knew that even with her with him, silent or not, he would have time to figure out the things going on in his head.]