Work Text:
It was a hot December 23, and the Mustang team was working with little enthusiasm, when the Elric brothers enter. They greet everyone and have a report in their hands.
Falman raises his head from his desk. “Good afternoon Elric. What are you doing here on this date?
"We had to give a report to the bastard Colonel," Ed said.
“Always so nice fullmetal. Thanks for complying ”says Roy as he goes back to his pile of papers.
Fuery gets up from his desk and approaches the colonel timidly. "Colonel, you remember that today I asked you to leave early so that I could take the train to home."
“Yes Sergeant, go without problems. Havoc Breda, I don't want you to lose yours either. " Mustang waves them goodbye, leaning back in his chair.
"Breda, are you going to spend another Christmas at the Havoc’s?" Riza asks without lifting her head from her paperwork.
"Yeah, it's fun hanging out with the biggest merchants in the east." Breda comments while gathering her belongings.
“The truth is, Heymans wants my cousin to give her another chance. He really wants to join the family. ”Havoc laughs as Breda glares at him. "And you Elric, what are you going to do for the holidays?"
“We will stay at the hotel. We cannot get train tickets or any other way to return to Resembool. “Al comments with sadness in his voice.
Riza raises her head and looks at them seriously “No way are you going to be left alone. I should ask, but knowing the Lieutenant Colonel he will say yes. You are going to spend it with me and my grandfather at the Hughes' house. And if he says no, they will spend it with me and my grandfather in my apartment. And it is an order. "
Ed smiles "You know Lieutenant that being a state alchemist I have a higher hierarchy than you." Riza squints and frowns, Ed raises his hands in surrender "whatever you say lieutenant."
Riza smiles and writes something on a piece of paper that she hands them "This is my address, I'll wait for you tomorrow at 1930 hours." The Elric brothers leave excited even if they don't say it out loud. Riza approaches the colonel "if you'll excuse me sir, I should speak to Hughes"
"I'm accompanying you Lieutenant, it's good for me to distract myself for a while." He gives her his charismatic smile as he gets up and starts walking.
Once they arrive at Hughes's office, they knock on the door and he opens them with great enthusiasm. “Oh Roy Boy, my dear Hawkeye, what a nice surprise. Eager for dinner tomorrow?
“Lieutenant Colonel, I wanted to talk to you about that. - Riza pauses- I just found out that the Elric brothers are going to be alone and if it's not too much trouble, I invited them to spend it with us. It would be two seats, although only Ed would be eating, so food for one person only. "
"3 seats and 2 people eating" interrupts Mustang with his cheeky grin. "I also join the dinner"
Hughes happy "what a pleasant surprise Roy boy, Elicia will be very happy to see her uncle."
"Sir, do you want to add this year that Oh coincidence, the Elric are coming !?" Riza interrogates with a suspicious look.
"That's right, Lieutenant. I want to spend the holidays with my best friend, my adored goddaughter, my favorite lieutenant and his grandfather whom I am very fond of. I don't see anything strange in that fact. " Roy gives his smirk.
"With the Elrics too?" Riza continues to look at him with her expression. I don't buy this.
“Alphonse is a charming young man. And fullmetal is tolerable, ”Roy snaps.
"Jealousy does not suit you, Sir" He says, while looking straight ahead. Roy's jaw drops and Maes starts laughing.
"Touche Roy." Maes says with a laugh “They are the 3 welcome, it is a Christmas gift to be all together. I can not wait more."
The Colonel and Lieutenant return to their office as Mustang throws "I'm not jealous of that shrimp."
Riza looks at him out of the corner of her eye. "Won't Madame be mad that I don't spend the holidays with her?"
“Not at all, there are never traditional dinners at the bar. It's a great party, I'll stop by to greet her and leave the gifts for her and the girls. " With his right arm he scratches the back of his neck "Now that I think about it, I should go buy her gifts, I always forget to do it on time" he chuckles. "Lieutenant, could you make that delicious chocolate cake you made when we were young?"
“If you finish your paperwork on time sir. There's no cake for lazy people. ”Riza's teasing tone makes him smile.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ed and Al knock on the door of Riza's apartment at the scheduled time. Ed wearing black pants and a shirt, the fanciest he has, while Al donned a Christmas hat, intoxicated by the festive weather. They are surprised by who opens the door for them. When they see an older man with mustaches and glasses greet them energetically, Ed asks “General Grumman, are we in the wrong house?
Grumman laughs: "They waited for my granddaughter to open the door for them, jojojo." He gestures for them to come in. "If my granddaughter invited them to spend the holidays with us, I imagine we can trust them to keep the secret" He winks at them.
The boys come by and check the whole room, it is small but warm. It has a modest library, full of novels and weapons manuals, a comfortable armchair, and a large stereo with several discs. While they have a light chat with the general, Riza comes out of her room in a knee-length white summer dress with a rose print. He greets the boys by adjusting her hair.
“Oh Riza you are beautiful! I have great taste in choosing dresses, right? " Grumman smiles at the boys.
"Grandfather!" Riza chides him while looking for a big bag.
"She looks really cute, Lieutenant," says Al. If he had his body, he would look really flushed.
Thank you Alphonse. And you can tell me Riza today, we don't have to be so formal. "
"Need help?" Ed asks as he continues to investigate the house with his gaze.
“They can take the chocolate cake and the salad out of the refrigerator. There is still a guest missing ”. There is a knock on the door, Riza rushes to open it. There Mustang was standing in beige pants and a red shirt that really brought out his features. In his hand he holds a bag with 3 bottles of wine and his crooked smile, totally pleased with the sight in front of his eyes. "You're so ..." he stutters as he enters.
Grumman appears with a smile “Oh welcome Mustang. Isn't my granddaughter beautiful? She is as beautiful as her grandmother and mother were. I was blessed to be surrounded by beautiful women "
"Grandpa" Riza blushes as Roy advances into the apartment.
"Colonel bastard, are you coming too?" Ed says with annoyance.
“Yes fullmetal, I am always invited. Are you all ready to go? " They finish grabbing things and head toward Hughes's house.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maes opens the door to his guests, they slowly enter and a very excited and happy Elicia appears running. "Uncle Roy!" and hugs him with all the strength a 2-year-old can have. "Dad said you are the special gift that Santa Claus brings us this year." Roy laughs and leans down to kiss him on the top of his head. The little girl moves and runs to hug Riza "Tia Riza". Ed is amazed at the familiarity between everyone, looking like a big family, not soldiers. Gracia arrives and kisses everyone while they are in the dining room. Elicia doesn't stop looking at Al in amazement. “Are you Aunt Riza's friends? You are a giant ”looking at Al.
"At least he didn't call you a dwarf." Mustang nudges Ed while laughing. They all sit down on the armchairs and Maes hands them something to drink.
Elicia goes over to hug Grumman “Grandpa Alberto! I missed you "look at her father" Aunt Riza told me that we could share her grandfather "
"Little girl of course I can be your grandfather, I don't know when they will make me a great-grandfather" he winks at Riza. "If I keep waiting for military law to allow it ..." As he and Maes laugh, Roy spits out his drink.
"Grandfather! No more alcohol for you tonight. " She challenges him flushed. "I'm going to help Gracia"
Innocently Al asks, "Don't the military let their soldiers have children?"
Maes lets out a laugh “No Al, Grumman refers to the Anti-Fraternization law, which prevents a superior and his subordinate from marrying. Among other things ”he winks and the Elrics understand and look at Roy who is still pale.
"A message for the bastard colonel" sarcastically looks at him, has something to annoy him with.
"Now I remember why I did not come to spend the holidays." Roy snorted, never more grateful when he heard that dinner was ready.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dinner went smoothly, telling funny Christmas anecdotes and listening to stories from Elicia. As the anxiety and sleep of the little girl increased more and more, they decided to bring Christmas forward to 11:30 p.m. Maes dressed up as Santa Claus and his daughter was even more excited - if that was possible. After opening her numerous gifts, she fell asleep on her mother's lap, who carried her to her bed. When 00:00 finally arrived, everyone toasted and hugged, the Christmas spirit was felt throughout the house. Then it was the turn to exchange gifts. Maes gave his wife shoes and clothes, and she gave him exactly the same. He was so happy that Roy is with them, that he gave him a pair of sunglasses "so you can nap at the office without them noticing," and he got a look from Riza who screamed don't give him ideas.
Roy gave a chess set to his Grumman, who handed him the 'Chess for dummies' book laughing. For Ed and Al he had books on medicinal alchemy. "Hopefully it helps you meet your goal." And although the eldest of the Elrics was very grateful, even if he does not admit it. When it was Riza's turn, she handed her grandfather a framed photo of her as a baby with her mother and grandfather. "I never thought of seeing this photo again" he said with tears of emotion in his eyes, very different from his normal attitude.
He then gave Ed and Al a package each. "But we did not bring gifts to anyone" they said timidly, they did not expect to receive so much affection, but to feel more strange.
"The only gift we all hope is for you to recover your bodies." Everyone nodded at Riza's sayings. "And by the time that happens, my gift will be of use to you" he urges them to open up and they take out a sweater for each one.
"Thank you all very much, my brother and I appreciate it." Al turns around and looks at Ed "Brother we should ask permission to call Winry and Pinako"
Gracia listens to them and accompanies them to the phone.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Later they all go out to the street as a neighbor was doing a fireworks show. Riza stands in the doorway, staring off into the distance and Roy approaches her, his crooked smile on his face and a package in his hand.
"Don't think I'll forget about you Hawkeye" extends his hand with the gift "I hope you still like it"
Riza opens the package and her eyes widen with surprise and love when she sees a book with all the poems of EE Cummings, her favorite poet since adolescence. “It is a great gift. It's not easy to get. "
"You just have to know how to search" he replies with a wink.
Riza leaves and comes back with a package that she had hidden. He gives it to him "Merry Christmas sir"
He opens the package and is surprised to see its contents. 3 framed photos are inside. The first is of him and Maes hugging when they graduated from the academy. The second is of him with his mother when he was 5 years old. "How did you get these?"
“With a little help from my friends”
Roy continues to open and sees the last one and it was a photo of the whole team in a break. Him and Breda playing chess, curling alongside Hayete while Fuery, Havoc and Falman. He manages to imitate her look of love.
"I opened the frame of the last one."
He listens to her and finds a photo of the two of them as teenagers lying on the grass and laughing. “It seems many lifetimes ago. When we were just Riza and Roy. ”There was nostalgia in Roy's voice. Riza's chest got mad at that thought.
"I remember this day perfectly" he pauses while Riza waits. “He had a bad day, he had done a terrible simple transmutation. You took advantage of the fact that your father had gone to the city and decided to have a picnic as long as I stop complaining. And that's when I realized that I loved you. "
Riza blushes "How?"
“Because with a kiss you made me change my mood. Because I saw how you were trying to make me feel better about myself. “They begin to get dangerously close, their bodies are attracted as if a superior force will irremediably bring them closer. “it's starting to feel like 'Roy and Riza' again right?”
As if it were a sign of destiny, they begin to hear how everyone returns to the house and separates. Roy scratches the back of his neck cursing his luck. It's time to go home. But this time Roy and Riza sleep soundly after many years. They know that this intense feeling still burns their hearts and they are reciprocated. It is not their time to be together yet, but there is still hope, their day will come. As if it were a sign of destiny, they begin to hear how everyone returns to the house and separates. Roy scratches the back of his neck cursing his luck. It's time to go home. But this time Roy and Riza sleep soundly after many years. They know that this intense feeling still burns their hearts and they are reciprocated. It is not their time to be together yet, but there is still hope, their day will come.