~A Winter With You~

I'm Right Here

The three started off their day. They walked around the area, then went to park that Kaitlin wanted to go. Eren and Roy played with Kaitlin and they had a great time. For the first time in a long time, Roy had been genuinely happy. He was enjoying spending time away from his thoughts of Ed. "Is that really what's making you happy?" Ed asked Roy. Roy was sitting on a bench, resting while Eren and Amy played with Kaitlin. "Yeah? I'm not thinking about you much. It's getting my mind off of you. I'm happy. I'm enjoying the time I have." Roy told Ed's ghostly figure. Ed sighed. "Liar. You aren't happy because you're distracted. You're happy because of Eren." Roy's eyes widened. Is he right? "N-no! You're wrong!" Roy shouted getting strange looks from people. "No. I'm right. Aren't I?" Ed responded with a smirk. Roy didn't answer. He looked down at the ground. "Admit it Roy. You're ready." Roy looked up, staring into Ed's lifeless pupils. "Ready for what?" He asked. "You're ready to move on. I know you are." Roy stood up. "If I'm ready then why are you still here?!" Roy shouted. As he shouted, Eren walked up behind him. Roy saw Ed's figure had disappeared. "Why is who still here?" Eren asked confused. Roy turned around. He shook his head. "It's nothing. Just.. Talking to myself." Don't lie to me. "Oh okay. Well Kaitlin is getting pretty tired. She's been playing since we got here! She must be exhausted. Let's go home, alright?" Roy nodded. "Yeah. Let's get going." Eren went back and picked up Kaitlin who was asleep on the bench. He picked her up, and carried the sleeping girl in her arms. Roy couldn't help but smile. Roy stayed by Eren's side. "You wanna carry her?" He handed Kaitlin to Roy. "Sure." He grabbed hold of her. Roy could feel her warm breath through his sweater. He could feel her heartbeat. It was slow and steady. She looked peaceful and beautiful. Her blond hair was dusted with snow, that glowed in the few rays of sunlight. Her black eyes were closed and her eyelids and eyelashes fluttered in her sleep. "Kaitlin sure is something else. She's amazing. You raised an amazing child." Roy said to Eren. "Oh. Thanks. It's hard to take of a child by yourself. It gets kind of lonely without Raven. He was so great. I sometimes wish we were still together. I mean, Amy is a good help, but, I want someone to hold close. Someone I could love as a companion. As a lover. I want someone to hold me in their arms, kiss me, hold my hand. You know, be affectionate. I just want someone to love me."

The four of them kept walking until they made it back to Eren's place. It was still in the middle of the afternoon so Eren and Roy had to wait until they could see the night sky. Roy waited in his room reading a book that he found on the bookshelf in the bedroom. It was about flame alchemy. Does Eren study alchemy? I thought he didn't know about alchemy... Who the hell is this guy? Roy read through the pages, recognizing each word. He had already read the book before. He looked at some of the pages and saw scribbled notes on them. He looked through the notes, then went to get a different book. He saw there were only flame alchemy books. He had read every single one of them before. They all had notes in them. Has he been taking notes? And if he has, how long has he been taking notes? He looked through each of the books for hours. Confused as to how Eren knew about flame alchemy.

9:30. Eren went to Roy's room. He knocked on the door. "Roy? Can I come in?" Eren asked. "Yeah." Roy answered back. Eren opened the door and saw all the books. "Have you been reading this whole time?" Roy nodded. "Yeah. How do you know about flame alchemy?" Eren gave him a confused look. "What? Those aren't flame alchemy books. Those are just empty journals." Roy picked up one of the books. He flipped through the pages. Blank. What the hell? They were filled with notes earlier! What the hell is happening?!! "What? But..." Roy stayed quiet trying to think about this. Eren was concerned for him. "Why did you think they were flame alchemy books?" Roy didn't answer. "Roy........ Babe what's wrong?" Eren was shifting into Ed. Shit! Not another hallucination!! Stop messing with me Ed!! "Roy!!! Snap out of it!! Babe, please stop..... You're scaring me!! You're hurting me!!! Stop!!"

Back to reality. Roy grabbed the sides of his head, his eyes wide and paralyzed with fear. "W-what is happening? I-I can't.... I don't..... Help me......." Eren was now even more concerned for Roy. He steps closer to him. "Roy. I'm right here. Look at me. I'm right in front of you. Look up. Open your eyes. I'm right here." Roy glanced up at Eren. He started to calm down. "I'll be there for you. Relax. I'm right here." Eren reached for Roy's hands. He grabbed them. "Stay calm. Get your mind off of him. Look at me. I'm right here." Roy calmed down. He looked down. "I'm sorry..." He said softly as he hugged Eren. Eren hugged him back, trying to shush his muttering. "It's okay Roy. Don't apologize. I'll be waiting for you with welcome arms. Don't worry. I'm right here."