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riza-hawkeye-rp:
fueryustechie:
“Central City, Amestris, The World, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy,” he replied gently. Kain rocked back on his heels to give her more space, but didn’t take back the extended piece of candy. It helped settle his nerves, peppermint, and even the scent of it grounded him; he had hoped it might do the same for this child.
The tech spared a moment to be thankful it was he who had found the child, not that any of his team members would have been any less than kind, but Kain had a feeling he could handle this delicately enough that they would both come out whole. He’d had enough experience to recognize that fear that echoed back out at him from her stutter that perhaps the others might not have.
“More specifically, Colonel Mustang’s office within Central City Headquarters. I’m Kain, if it pleases you, miss.”
Riza regarded him with wide eyes, her leg nervously twitching as it hung a few inches from the floor. He had given her space, and was speaking as if he didn’t wish she was somewhere far away. Surely the reprimands would come- but for now… for now this was…
Different.
Different enough that she cautiously, glancing at him the entire time to confirm that it was okay and allowed, reached out to take the offered candy. Riza didn’t eat it, but holding it- she’d never been given something like that before. Given something easily and without strings.
She was distracted from his calming presence by the fact that he said Central. Central- as in Central City; which must have been very far from home. The knowledge caused the panic to bubble again, this time more ferociously.
“C-Central?” She asked without meaning too, entire face turning scarlet for a moment. “I- I don’t know- h-how I g-got here.” Nerves guided her to give him as much information as possible so that she might return home. “I l-live in the H-hawkeye house i-in Ashford- I-I’m R-riza. I n-need to get home.”
He nodded gently, the motion of his chin forward indicating that she should take it. Her words gave him pause; surely not-
If he reacted in any way, she would be frightened- so Kain did not react, other than to smile softly.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Riza from the Hawkeye House in Ashford. I need you to do something for me, okay, and then we can get you home, alright?” He could see the resemblance now, the straw color of her hair, the round eyes more innocent that he’d ever seen them; this was without a doubt a young Riza. How it was possible, Kain wasn’t sure, but for the sake of that face he would do anything.
“Take a couple of deep breaths for m-me, okay? Just in and out, and I’ll find a way to make you safe, okay?”
Kain breathed with her, setting a calm example even as his brain screamed at him that this was wrong, that there was something so viscerally wrong with this version of his Lieutenant. She was so quiet, so afraid, so like him it was horrifying; Kain knew what had forged his own shy silence and irrational anger bubbled within him at the thought of something similar happening to his friend.
