[roy/riza; g] The Universe Made Manifest Theme: 29, Things in Heavenly Bodies (52_Flavours) Characters: Roy Mustang x Riza Hawkeye Series: Fullmetal Alchemist Rating: G Notes: Fullmetal Alchemist (Hagane no Renkinjutsushi) is copyrighted by Hiromu Arakawa/Square Enix. This is a work of fanfiction for personal entertainment only. Both concrit and comments welcome and desired. Spoilers for chapter 16/episode 25. Props to galuxkitty, whose Reverence 'fics gave me the idea of binary stars, supernovas, and black holes for this theme. I also blame my love for Babylon:5 and the parallels I see with FMA. And of course, much love to JMS for Delenn's dialogue. The title comes from a quote in "A Distant Star". Title: The Universe Made Manifest Author:emilie_burns Word Count: 507 Summary:He was the center of her universe, but she was his gravity then. His universe had shifted, exploded, and drew back into darkness. Original LJ Post Date: September 28, 2005 @ 52_Flavours
"Will you follow me to fire, into storm, into darkness, into death?" - Delenn, Babylon:5, "Parliament of Dreams"
He was her gravity, the center of her universe.
Colonel Roy Mustang was the focal point in Riza Hawkeye's thoughts. Every day, she constantly sought out potential risks and dangers to be aware of where they were in order to protect him. Every day, she kept alert for things to pass along to him, to help him closer to his goal.
He was only a man, and not infallible. But his fallibilities did not lessen the man he was in her eyes. It only strengthened her drive and determination to shield him all the more. The less he had to worry about, the more he could focus on his ultimate goal: reaching the top.
That cold windy day in the cemetery, she felt a change. He was the center of her universe, but she was his gravity then. His universe had shifted, exploded, and drew back into darkness.
He barely felt the wind as he stared at the cold, gray stone, feeling and resisting the pull of an emptiness far stronger than nearly anything around him. The brilliance of the life which died had blinded and seared him better than flames ever could with the shockwaves, and in fading, all that was left was a black, empty pit that threatened to draw him in.
She was his gravity, the center of his universe which tethered him to his course. He clung to that, relying on her to keep him anchored, stable, and not get pulled into the dark.
They could see it, the rest of those who lived for him, who would die for him. She who was closest became his anchor when the light was gone. Perhaps twinges of jealousy and regret tugged a heartstring or two here or there, but even then, they knew what they saw was right. Her path still remained in orbit around him, just as theirs did, but now the life of their center was drawn into orbit around another.
They were no less important, those who made up the system around him. But together, like binary stars locked in orbit around each other, the colonel and the lieutenant shone brighter, making up for the light which had faded after a flash, an explosive brilliance.
And so the dust settled, and slowly, life resumed its course. Not the same course, for nothing could ever be the same again with a blackness where once there had been light, but a steady, new route toward the same goal.
All around them, for the world at large, even within Amestris itself, nothing had really changed. The explosion of Hughes' death had little impact beyond their small system. Everything went on around them as it always had, and it was maddening. But in time, the effects would be seen, they knew. In time, the empty void left behind would pull at others, altering courses, shifting destinies.
He would reach the top now, one way or another, hell or high water. If it had been meant to deter him, it failed.
A new light was dawning.
"All life is transitory, a dream. We all come together in the same place, at the end of time. If I don't see you again here, I will see you in a little while, in a place where no shadows fall." - Delenn, Babylon:5, "Confessions and Lamentations"