GRENADE JUMPER ; private

[Suiteheart]

[align=center][div style=" background-color: transparent; border: 0px solid black; width: 530px; min-height: 9px; font-family:; line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; padding: 20px"]Loss was never easy. It was truly one of the only things Suiteheart was still struggling to understand how to get over. And if not get over, it was one of those things she wasn't sure to cope with. For three years, she had seen friends and family come and go. She mourned them. All of them. She believed she was coming to terms with some of the early loved ones she had lost, but the new deaths weighed heavy on her mind and heart alike. Starrynight. Maes. Both of these friends had burned out too quickly.

Maes.

Baby blue eyes clouded for a moment as she thought about him. She wished she had gotten to know him better, but it seemed time and fate were not giving entities. And as she thought of Maes, she could not help but think of Roy. He had been so absolutely crushed when he found himself face to face with what horrible death had consumed Maes. Her heart had gone out to him as he wept over is best friend, and she found flash images of Akira's death floating to the forefront of her mind. Akira had been her best friend, and just like Maes, she was gone before her time.

Suiteheart found herself headed towards Roy's room. After Starry's death, she had checked up on Bastille time and time again. Now, she knew, she needed to do the same for Roy. Roy was a good man and a good friend, and she refused to let him be alone in his time of need. She also had something for him that she had been meaning to give him.

She knocked gently on the door of his room. "Roy? Are you in there?" the Cosmic General called, voice soft and concerned. [color=#99182C][b]"I just wanted to check up on you."

[Roy Mustang]

Without a doubt, loss is never easy. Like Suiteheart, Roy still struggles with loss and has a hard time overcoming it. He generally was quite good at hiding away his grief, as he was apart of the military. He was expected to be mature, be able to handle situations like this. If he wasn't able to handle these things, then he didn't belong in the military. Thankfully back then, he kept his grief to a minimum, he knew how to control it and learned how to cope. Back then, he focused his attention on furthering his goal and searching for Hughes's murderers, as he knew Hughes wouldn't want him to give up. But this time around, it's far different.

This isn't the first time he lost Hughes. This is the second time, and this time around, Roy was blaming himself entirely. The first time Hughes died, he was murdered, so Roy knew it wasn't his fault. He put the blame on the murderers back then, and was determined to figure out who they were so he could give his friend peace. But this time around, he knows it's entirely his fault. Maes had been driven, convinced, he could commit the taboo to bring himself back to Amestris. And then once he's in Amestris, he could transmute Roy back. Maes Hughes committed the taboo to get Roy back home, so he can continue to reach his goal as becoming the Fuhrer. If Roy wasn't here, Hughes never would have committed the taboo. He would have lived his new life without facing death so quickly. Roy tried to stop him, and while Suiteheart believed he did all he could, Roy didn't think he did enough. So this time around, much more grief was slipping; as it's not easy loosing someone twice.

Thankfully, Roy was in his room when Suiteheart knocked on his door. Roy's ears pricked up at the knock, the male looking over at the door. Ah yes, he closed his door, he really didn't want people to barge in. He thought he could use some time alone, but it hasn't been working that well. Spending time alone only made him think of what if scenarios, and was making himself feel worse on the situation. Roy happened to be in the middle of thinking of one when Suiteheart knocked, her soft and concerning voice managed to pull his mind out of that dark, saddening place. He sat himself up, letting out a sigh as he listened closely to her words. "Yeah, I'm in here," He replied with a tired tone, "you may come in."

She wanted to check up on him. That was nice of her, considering the two didn't know each other that well. He knew her well enough to consider her a friend, and clearly she cared enough about him if she was making her way to check in. He got up from his spot and padded up to the door, switching the lights on before he grabbed the door handle and pulled it open for her to enter. As he opened it, Suiteheart would be able to see Roy's tired gaze; notice his dry blue eyes from tears.

[Suiteheart]

[align=center][div style=" background-color: transparent; border: 0px solid black; width: 530px; min-height: 9px; font-family:; line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; padding: 20px"]When his voice reached Suiteheart, it was almost as if she felt every inch of his sorrow and exhaustion. Her heart went out to him, and before he opened the door, she stole a quick breath to steady herself. She had to be strong for him. She had to be like a lighthouse in a storm at sea - a guiding light, a harbor in the tempest, a sign of relief.

The white feline nodded her head in greeting as she stepped inside. Her baby blues swept over Roy, concern heavy in her eyes. His own were red from tears, and she saw those faint traces of tear stains on his cheeks. "How're you holding up?" she asked, settling down into a sitting position. "Talk to me." Her tone was tender, but it contained all the demand to know how the other was fairing like a sister. She did not want to pry, but she knew he needed to talk about what he was experiencing. The worst thing in the world was to bottle everything up.

"And I have something for you. I'd been meaning to give it to you, but I... I could never find a good time. I understand if you don't want it, but I figured it'd be a good memory." Suite offered the picture towards Roy. The photograph was of the bobcat and his best friend, Maes. Each was smiling. It was one of those rare, happy, candid moments everyone in the Ascendants exhibited when no one was paying attention. After Suite had found the Polaroid camera, she had made it her mission to capture these little moments on film. The picture she presented Roy was one of her favorites.