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Apparition
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The day was a gloomy one in Central City. Dark clouds hung low over the city and cold rain poured down in sheets. Water gushed off of roofs and flooded the empty streets and sidewalks. It was the type of day that sent everyone indoors to enjoy a bowl of hot soup or a cup of warm coffee by the fire, or at least... almost everyone.
Roy Mustang adjusted the military issue raincoat, then put the hood over his head before setting the military cap on his head. It was stupid that he had to wear the thing with the coat, but in this type of weather, wearing so many layers, it was the only way people knew who was military and who wasn't.
Not that it mattered. Not really. He stepped out into the torrent and shut the door firmly behind him. There weren't many people who would be out on such a frigid, wet day. Water surged and flowed around the black rain boots he wore and licked at the bottom of the long raincoat.
Thrusting his hands in his pockets, Roy hurried down the flooded sidewalk. He could drive, but he'd rather not risk it in weather like this. Most likely the cab drivers were indoors too, so that wasn't an option either.
It didn't take him long to get to his destination, and as he walked up the steps that led to Central's main train station, he wondered why he'd even bothered to come. It was a stupid, whimsical thing. The person he longed for wouldn't be on the train. No, that person was no longer here; gone somewhere that he couldn't follow...
Entering the station, Roy lifted the cap and threw back the hood before setting the cap back on his head. He wouldn't need the rain guard here... As his hands moved down from the cap, he subconsciously adjusted the large, black eye patch before walking further into the station.
The large building was almost devoid of people and his boots clicked against the floor, reverberating loudly around him in the silence. He made his way to one of the benches out near where the trains came in and sat down. Running his fingers over the bench, Roy felt pressure well up within his chest. It wasn't just any bench, it was the bench... The one that he would always sit in to wait for him, even when he knew he wouldn't be back for days, Roy would still come and wait...
But that was then and this was now, and now Roy knew that he wasn't going to return. Even if he did, it wouldn't be on this train.
He sighed and let his good eye move over the empty tracks. It wouldn't be long before the next train came in, though there probably wouldn't be many passengers. A faint smile ghosted over his lips as he imagined the teen standing on the other side of the tracks with his long, red coat swirling around him. One of his gloved hands would be raised as he waved and then there would be that big smile on his face. They would banter playfully in public, yet each of them yearning for the time they'd be able to hold each other in private.
Roy kept himself company with that image and with the memories that he had as he waited for the train to come. It didn't take long; Roy knew the schedules by heart. The large machine was profanely loud in the almost reverent silence of the station, but still he leaned forward, waiting for the doors to open. His mouth went dry and he swallowed hard as he watched the people exit the train. He eagerly scanned their faces, but none of them was the one he was looking for.
Finally the train doors closed, and, as he stared at it, he felt so infinitely empty inside. He'd known, but still he'd hoped...
Blinking, Roy sat back and watched as the train pulled out of the station. He should go home, he knew it would be for the best, but he wouldn't. He'd wait for the next one, and the one after that, and the one after that...
With a sigh, Roy returned his gaze to where he'd imagined him to be, and was surprised to find that he'd changed. No longer was he wearing a vibrant, red coat, that moved with any passing gust of air, but a dull, brown one that hung heavily on his slightly taller frame. His blond hair was pulled high in a ponytail instead of a low braid, and his face held a more mature, yet considerably sadder, expression. Slowly, he lifted his arm, and instead of waving, he held it to his chest in a final salute... Just the way he had the last time Roy had seen him...
"You shouldn't worry," a voice said, and Roy looked up to see a pale-looking young man standing next to the bench.
"I'm sorry?" he said.
"I said you shouldn't worry," the stranger repeated, looking in the same direction Roy had been. Roy frowned, but said nothing and waited until the young man turned to look down at him. When he did, Roy's eye widened slightly. The young man's short hair was a very light blond and his eyes were the color of the summer sky. He was different, yet he looked exactly like...
"Alphonse...?" Roy breathed in shock.
The young man smiled softly. "Yes... and no... My name is Alfons, but I'm not the person you think I am." Roy's frown deepened in confusion, then it dawned on him that this young man was wearing clothing that looked a little foreign, almost in the same way as...
"He wouldn't want you to be sad, you know," Alfons said quietly, then looked back across the tracks.
A tingling chill ran up Roy's spine and he whispered, "Who?"
The young man smiled gently. "You know who." There was a pause, then, "He's fine. I promise you that he is."
"How can you possibly know that," Roy asked bitterly. No one here could know how he was; there was no way to know.
"I watch after him," Alfons said simply, then glanced down to where Roy was sitting.
Roy blinked, then choked out, "That's not possible..."
The gentle smile on Alfons's face turned a little sad. "I watch after him, that's all you need to know—it's more than even he knows." Alfons sighed and the smile vanished from his face. "I usually stay with him, but I had to at least see you once. I had to know what sort of man it was that I was sharing him with..."
Roy's good eye narrowed painfully as he realized what Alfons meant. "You... and..."
"Yeah..." Alfons said softly. "Though he never forgot you..." The pain was evident on the young man's face, and Roy wasn't sure whether he should be happy for himself, or sad for the person who stood next to him. "But you and I, we're the same now, you know."
"How is that?" Roy asked slowly.
The small, sad smile was back, and Alfons said, "We now only hold a place in his heart."
Roy wasn't sure what to make of that, not sure what to say to the hurt so plain in Alfons's voice, but he did know one thing and for some reason it made him feel a little better about learning that he'd been with someone else...
"Well, then that's alright," Roy said and Alfons's mouth turned down into a small questioning frown. "He has a big heart. There's room enough for us both."
Alfons seemed to consider this for a moment before smiling once again. "You're right," he said. I never really thought of it like..." A pause, then the young man whispered, "Thank you. You don't know how much comfort that brings to me. I guess I'd always thought I could only be second to you, but... you're right... he does have a big heart..."
Roy gave the young man a small smile, then sighed heavily. Roy supposed he couldn't expect him to not live his life, to not go on, but at least Roy knew that he hadn't been forgotten...
Standing up slowly, Roy looked over at Alfons. He supposed he should be grateful to know that the teen was alive and well. He stared at the kind-looking young man for a few moments before asking quietly, "How do you know? How do you watch after him? How is it possible that you can be with him there, then so easily come here?"
Alfons's blue eyes darkened with pain, and his mouth pulled down into a solemn expression. It was in that moment that Roy knew, and he suddenly felt so sad for the one whom he loved. It was as if the fates were against that young man in that he was never allowed to have what he loved for very long before it was taken from him.
"I should go," Alfons said, turning to walk toward the front entrance. Roy stood there for a moment, watching the young man walk silently away from him. No echoing footsteps followed the blond as he crossed the train station... Pressing his lips together, Roy hurried to catch up.
"I'd like to thank you," Roy said mildly. "For telling me about him."
When they neared the doors, Alfons stopped and looked at Roy. "No, it is I who should be thanking you."
"Can you... Can you tell him that I love him?" Roy breathed.
"Of course. I'll tell him just as often as I tell him that I love him," Alfons said sadly. "But whether he hears me or not... Sometimes I think he does, but I really don't know."
Roy nodded silently, then walked past the young man and opened the door to the torrent outside. Alfons stepped out, gave him one last look and walked unprotected out into the rain. Roy watched as Alfons walked through wall-like water gushing off the roof of the station and disappeared.
Edit: Thank you SC for pointing that out. I've gone ahead and fixed that. :)
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