What Happened?

1K 45 16
                                        

People cry, not because they are weak. It's because they've been too strong for too long.

**********

For once the white place greeted her as she fell asleep. In more honest terms Aiden had passed out after having worked too long. Maes and the military had been keeping her up more and more, it was only a matter of time until she was floored. Thankfully it had been at home and in bed rather than at work and moving. Wouldn't that have just been difficult to explain.

Aiden woke up in bed. She was gasping for air and it took several minutes for her to calm herself. Except her stomach didn't settle. Her footsteps were sloppy as she booked it to the bathroom and heaved up her dinner.

"I don't..." she said slowly, sitting back and wiping the sweat from her forehead. "Was that a dream?" She narrowed her eyes as her mind went blank. "What was I dreaming about?"

Sleep never came back and by the time noon rolled around Aiden was exhausted. Her eyes drooped every so often and when questioned she would wave off her subordinates. At some point Aiden had migrated to her office with a fresh stack paperwork. It was never finished.

Aiden woke up after the sun had gone down. She stretched, yawned, and ran a hand through her disheveled hair before realizing that it was now down to her jawline. A quick shuffle through her desk drawers and Aiden retrieved a hair band from a small pile, kept there for when Katy, or Riza that one time, lost theirs. She tied her dark locks into a small bun, letting the strands that were too short fall free. She wasn't picky about her hair.

There was still hours left and only a few papers to do. So she sighed, picked up the nearest writing utensil, and read through the documents. Time ticked by and Aiden was satisfied when she signed the last one. It didn't occur to her until she was halfway through writing her last name that she was using a pencil. She cursed and erased the signatures from the documents before doing them over again in pen.

The finally finished paperwork on her desk was abandoned for the night as Aiden shrugged on her coat, turned off the lights, and left her office, noting how her team had left as well. The hallways were well lit but barely anyone was around. A stationary guard saluted her as she passed and she returned the favor. She turned a corner and paused before eyeing the open office to her left. The lights were still on in there as well.

Her watch told her it was nearing midnight and she sighed. Curiously, there was no one in the team office. It looked like everyone had finished for the day. Aiden turned to Roy's office. It wouldn't hurt to look before turning off the lights. If he was there then she'd leave them on.

She knocked softly and entered when there was no reply. The office itself was sparsely covered if one ignored the few boxes sitting in the far corner. It looked just like her own, except she didn't have any boxes. Aiden looked at the desk sitting in the center of the room. She raised an eyebrow. What was he doing?

She cautiously crept forward until she was staring down the sleeping form of one Roy Mustang. Of course he'd fall asleep on paperwork, Aiden thought mutely before remembering that she had done the exact same thing. The exit was right behind her and she turned to leave only to be stopped by a mumbling.

Aiden looked back at Roy. He mumbled something else and moved ever so slightly. From her vantage point she could see his face twist into a scowl. She tilted her head in concern. Was he having a nightmare? Her stare was directed between Roy and the door once more before she moved back to the desk.

"Roy, wake up," she stage whispered. There was no reaction aside from the clenching of his fists. Aiden's voice became slightly louder. "You're having a nightmare, Roy. You have to wake up." Roy's arms pulled closer to his body. Aiden placed a hand on his shoulder.

Soldier Keep On Marching OnWhere stories live. Discover now