Thank you for being interested in my little personal hallucination... I'm glad it can be seen as compelling, even though I'm certain it's inscrutable and the appeal is as narrow as the head of a pin. [laughing to self]

Still though, I have been infatuated with this pairing since 2018, so it's potent, for what it is. Pride is such a late reveal; I wasn't prepared for how interesting he would be-!! The other homunculus are a bit... Hmmm. SIMPLER... as is often the case when someone tries to represent the seven deadly sins lol. You have the straightforwardness of big fat guy for gluttony, an angery old man for wrath. Etc. etc. So I wasn't expecting Pride to be as multilayered as, monstrous shadow entity masquerading as a precious child...? The facade is maintained so obsessively, so it's no surprise we later learn that Pride actually was attached to his existence as Selim, felt love for his 'mother'. I think he's the most interesting view into how homunculus desire love, acceptance from humanity, while intrinsically being alienated from it. So you take all this and combine it with the severity of Riza's tragic life — her abusive father, the trauma of Ishval, her current life of gravel and snow — with the starting point that is their salacious first meeting... Sure makes you think! What would those two get up to...?

Of course initially when I was exploring the ship, I was basic, and just wanted to see rape pyorn... I saw the ingredients of: menacing black tendrils surrounding scared woman, ominous voice coming little shota in his jammies. I go: yesyesyes. Take this to it's natural conclusion. I was actually pretty shocked I couldn't find basic r34 material of them... like eh? Isn't this so easy to make... Tentacle porn, basically?? I looked at all of Pride's abilities and I was like?? He's like a crazy fuck machine, with tons of arms, hands, mouths?? He vows to watch her every move, and so she has no privacy as he lurks in her shadow... The thin shadows are dexterous yet very strong, can weave underneath clothing, under doorways, bind tightly, dig into flesh... Inescapable, all-seeing? And then the cherry on top is his 'human' vessel continues to interact innocently with the world. Deliciously morbid-!! Riza would have to continue speaking to Selim Bradley as warmly as she would have the days prior to learning his secret... and Riza has a soft spot for children, interacts better with them than usual, so I think that cuts deeper. She would have memories of truly being fond of the boy... now all muddied by the truth of his heavy, terrifying presence. Around this point in the narrative, she is effectively Pride's hostage, and is restricted in what she is capable of doing. A battle of will and intellect..!! All while the bizarre offer he made to work together hangs in the air...

I'm rambling, but you can see how, for me, it's a doujin that writes itself. [GESTURING, FLAILING] Isn't it so interesting!? Even at it's most 'basic'. I know there's a lot going on in FMA, and there's more broad appeal in other ships, but. But-!!! [sputters] Tragic girl? Crazy beast hidden in the body of a little boy? The monster secretly cares for humans?? The girl feels so much guilt inside that she feels monstrous!? Even if canon doesn't explore this, I'm shocked others don't want to smash them together and see what happens...

My earliest AU centered around a version of events where Pride arranges with Wrath so that Riza is hired as a personal attendant for Selim. It's presented as her getting a 'break' from her military duties, stripped of her rank and placed into a caretaking role. This is all a convoluted mindgame, as Riza must perform being polite, nurturing, surrounded by the staff that adores Selim, all while knowing Pride is observing her. She sees it as an attempt to 'break' her, though the truth is that Pride simply wishes to 'play' with her. The same way Pride 'plays' with all the humans in the house, through the personal little sockpuppet that is Selim. It is a vain, self-obsessive game, but it is also...? Frivolous, with no true goal other than to see what Riza says and does. And well, she is uniquely disciplined, almost stubbornly refusing to take pleasure in things, which is fascinating. What motivates her?

This is my favorite setting to explore. I think Riza's life is painfully desolate... lonesome, without romance and comfort. Her and Mustang baste in their guilt together, and frustratingly he is not as loyal and dedicated to her as she is solely to him. My fantasy is to have her forced out of her military lifestyle, forced to enjoy silky feminine clothes, a soft bed, warm water, fancy food!! Forced to walk her dog in a lovely park and watch a child play with him!! Forced to look at flowers in the garden and sit and have tea!! I suppose the only way she'll ever have these things is if she has no choice... So be it. Be trapped with an overpowered, selfish, hedonistic creature!! Be forced to play toys with him! Be forced to unravel your mind here. And get your pussy and boobs rubbed eventually, almost through the sheer invasiveness of his alien attention and your touch starved body. IF IT MUST BE SO!!!!!!!

By now I've done countless scenarios in this space, and also explored so many branching AUs with Avvy... Different ages, different points in canon, tweaking events. My delusion remixed endlessly... Strange as it is, I look at the characters in canon and I do become convinced romance is possible for them, and that it would be so lovely if it could be so. I'll just remain here, daydreaming in my little corner.. [traces hearts on a window]