the_hawks_eye (the_hawks_eye) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2015-07-13 08:43:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, alphonse elric, riza hawkeye |
Who: Riza and Al
When: End of June
Where: Riza's place
What: A little bit of good news
Rating/Warnings: Low/None
Status: Complete
Riza was making dinner in the kitchen as she waited for Al to get home. There was an official looking letter on the kitchen table and a half full glass of wine next to it. She hardly ever drank but sometimes it was needed.
Hearing the front door open she called out, "Alphonse? Is that you?"
"Yeah, it's me Aunt Riza." He called back as he closed the door behind him, toeing off his shoes to leave at the entrance. He had been spending the last week or so going out and just exploring, wanting to get used to the area he was staying at currently. The reality was he could be dragged back to his father at anytime, but he still held out hope that just maybe someone would understand he was better off here.
Walking into the kitchen he made a beeline to the fridge, pulling out some juice and pouring himself a glass. "Do you want some help with dinner?"
“Did you have a good walk around?” she asked him, realising she’d now have to enrol him in school here.
Moving to the table she gestured for him to come and sit, “I need to talk to you about something. Then I will accept your offer of help and you can set the table for me” she added with a smile before picking up the letter. “I received this today” she told him.
"Yeah. It was nice." He said as he moved to sit at the table. "I like it here."
At the sight of the letter, Alphonse immediately tensed up. His first thought was that his aunt was being told to send the blonde back to his father. It was something that was always at the back of his mind, that this was only temporary. But then again, Riza didn't look upset. Maybe it was good news. Or neutral news at least. "What does it say?"
“I’m glad you do” Riza said placing a hand over one of his, “The courts have granted me temporary custody of you Alphonse. They’re going to investigate the situation with your father a little more before making a permanent decision. They’ll want to speak to you and Ed but that won’t be for another six months or so” she informed him, “Is that alright? We’ll need to see about enrolling you in school when it starts up again” For one thing it may help them all out if he got settled into a school too. Yet another reason why she should become his legal guardian.
"I... I get to stay?" He asked, feeling excited but not wanting to get his hopes up. Part of him did feel guilty that he caused his father so much trouble with his multiple runaway attempts but it was outweighed by the happiness he felt being close to the only people he ever really considered to be his family.
"Of course it's alright! It's what I've wanted since Dad separated us." He added, squeezing his aunts hand. "I'm just worried that it'll end up the same way it did last time. With some guy who doesn't know us saying that I need to be with Dad."
“You get to stay” she confirmed, laying her other hand over his as she said, “I promise you I am going to do anything and everything I can to keep you here with me and Edward. I have a really good lawyer who thinks that the fact that you ran away will actually really help us. I want you to try not to worry okay? Just go to school, make friends and settle in. I’m not letting you go without a fight”
Alphonse couldn’t help but smile, squeezing Riza's hand lightly. This was what he wanted more than anything. To be with his family. He knew there was a chance that he could be sent back to his father. But his aunt was right. He needed to try and make a life here. He didn’t want to be prepared for the worst just yet.
"I'm glad they're at least giving us some time together. A trial period I guess." he said looking over at her. "Maybe I could get a summer job or something? Or help at your shop? I need things to do."
Riza was hoping the more friends and roots he made here would count in their favour when the courts looked at their case. She’d use whatever she could to keep both boys here with her.
“I’m glad too” she said before nodding, “You would be more than welcome to come help at the shop. I think you might have more patience for it than your brother” she grinned at him. Arranging flowers wasn’t really something Ed would do, not without protest anyway.
"More patience and I think summer vacation should be more than just napping." He laughed as they spoke of his brother. This was why he had run away, why he needed to come here. This was home to him. "Did you still want help with dinner?"
Riza chuckled, poor Ed but it really was true and they all knew it. “If you’d like to set the table you could” she told her giving him a quick hug before moving back to check on the dinner. Happier now that she had him safe for a while and she’d fight hard to keep it that way.