The Briggs fortress was buzzing with anxiety. More then usual, you see, their Brigadier General was away and Briggs is a war zone. The General, their impregnable General, was giving birth.
"Ugh." if there was one thing Olivier Armstrong was learning was that labour was long, hard, and painful. "Why cant the damned thing just get out now!" She snarled a bead of sweat dripping down her brow.
"Oh come now sis." Her youngest sister said with a slight giggle.
Every Armstrong that was on the grid was absolutely ecstatic about the seemingly infertile prime heir/head of family having a child, despite the way in which he was going to be brought up. When it was decided that Olivier would most definitely not be quitting her job to raise the child there was an uproar in every family possibly linked to the Armstrong family. No one could believe that an Armstrong would do that. But as it turned out, she would merely stay with the child for a few months, then she would return to her post, most likely, acting as if nothing had changed.
The father was devastated by this arrangement, though. Not only was he upset that the child was, all in all, a bastard; but also because he wouldn't be able to see it on a daily basis. The thought made him terribly depressed, despite having his almost in laws reassure him that the baby would be brought up amazingly, like every Armstrong child; and that He, the father, would be very much involved with the child, why they had even given him a choice as to what Armstrong run school the baby would be attending.
"ERRHG!"
"Now, now Livy." Amue, the next in line for marriage and children, said stroking her sisters hair, trying to comfort her. "I'm sure he'll be born soon."
Amue had always been the closest sibling to Olivier, what with being born a mere two years apart, and had always gone along with what her sister had said or done as a child.
"It had better! It's been about seven hours!" Snarled Olivier wincing again.
"I find it absolutely amazing that you take a bullet without wincing but when your water breaks you're like a bad tempered child with a broken arm." Said Mrs. Aislynn Armstrong, walking into the birthing room with a slight smirk on her face. Her eldest daughters frustration with the child for some reason brought her much joy.
"It's not this painful!" a moan came to her response.
"Having a new respect Towards mothers are you, dear?" Aislynn asked amused.
It was true, Olivier was indeed getting a new respect for the women who decided they had nothing better to do then raise monsters- children. However, it was only for the ones who decided to go through the pain more then once, certainly if they stopped before having at least three then it must've been the pain. Having just one was, in her mind, stupid.
"You should've been more careful then." Chastised Strongine, out of all of sisters, she was the mother of the group; having always taken her eldest sisters responsibility of looking after the younger ones, herself included. There was no doubt in Olivier's mind that she would be the one with four or five children.
"I can't believe it!" Catherine said with a slight squeal.
"By god Catherine if you say one more thing about the thing inside me I will-"
"No, no, not that!" Catherine hurriedly cut off her sister. "I mean this is the last time the four of us will be the Armstrong sisters!"
"Catherine, we will always be the Armstrong sisters." Amue said softly to her sister.
"But soon Olivier will be head if the family with a baby and we'll be the Armstrong maidens!" Catherine said wiping a almost tearful eye. Strongine walked over to her younger sister, wrapping an arm around Catherine's shoulder she squeezed her tightly.
"We will always be the Armstrong sisters."
Olivier rolled her eyes. Surely this would not be another heart felt, eye watering case as it was with Alex when he mentioned they were no longer the Armstrong siblings.
"You can't possibly be hung up on that still." Olivier snapped annoyed.
Catherine let out a tearful smile and a few laughs. "You would be the to say that Livvy."
In response Olivier let out a scream of pain.
Aislynn, who had been with the nurses in the corner of the room: to give her daughters a few moments of bonding time before the baby, spun around at the scream. "Is it coming Olivier?"
"YES! It is god damn coming!"
Miles jumped to his feet at the sudden painful scream of his General. "Relax son, the nurses are the best, why I do believe that the head, Alexandra, been with the Armstrong family since Olivier's birth herself!" Phillip said with a knowing smile.
"It's just, I'm not used to- well she doesn't really show pain and-" Miles said apologetically, staring at the door intently.
"Hush boy, I know how Livvy conducts herself." Philip smiled. Livvy. They all called her Livvy. Miles thought, they expect me to too. But the General..
"Don't worry dear Brother!" Alex said, giving his almost brother in law a pat on the back, that, had it been any other day did not phase him. "Livvy is okay, Livvy is always okay!"
"O-of course, Captain Armstrong-Alex." Miles replied, remembering just a little too late to call him by his name and not rank. Phillip let out a stomach full of laughter, then smiled at his son.
"I.. I'm going to be a father..." Miles stated, still in shock with the now old news. Of course he would be, it was Olivier Armstrong's child was it not? "I'm going to be a father."
Unlike most couples, it had hit Miles before it hit Olivier, who had, until her seventh month of pregnancy, still been included in all field work. But that didn't stop it from hitting him again.
"An excellent father you will be too!" Exclaimed Philip, almost boisterously, "After all, Livvy chose you."
"I pray you are not giving me too much Credit, sir."
"Of course I'm not, why do you know how many suitors Olivier turned down? Arranged marriages she put a stop to.."
"Engagements she broke, men she crushed.. Why even Prince Claudio of Arego" Alex said continuing where his father left off.
"All in all, had my daughter not seen something in you she would most defiantly not have allowed you to father her child." Phillip said calmly, giving the door a little nod. "Now why don't you go get something to eat, why I don't think you've eaten a thing in at least a day."
It was true too, he hadn't eaten since her first contraction. Though she hadn't been obvious about it he could still see it.
"I-I don't think I can sir, you see , nerves." Miles said having to sit down again nervously.
"Nonsense, ah Clarice! Please fetch us a coffee, and I should think, a few sandwiches." Phillip instructed to a very old maid standing in the corner. "Well son, I'll give you a word of advice as a father, the first man your daughter brings home is always good, forbid her from seeing it, it will make her want to see him again."
"Sir?"
"And the first girl your son brings home, unless a child hood friend, is never the right one." Phillip said, his eye twinkling Towards his son.
"Personal experience, sir?" asked Miles smirking slightly.
"Oh ho! Curious?" Exclaimed Armstrong.
"Of course sir." Miles stated graciously.
Just before Philip could explain Clarice came back with a sliver cart on wheels, a white lace doilies complete with one of the new inventions, a coffee machine, and a silver platter.
"Here you are Master Philip." She said smiling and offering around a plate of sandwiches. Just as Miles was taking a bite of one he froze.
"ARGHH! Miles stay the HELL AWAY FROM ME!"
'ARGHH! Miles stay the HELL AWAY FROM ME!'Stay the hell away from that mean she's hurt? She's in pain? She's mad at me? Thought Miles worriedly.
"Awww! How darling! You named him after the godfather!"
"Get your obnoxious shit face out of my mansion." Miles smirked. Out of all the well wishers who came to congratulate the happy family it was one Lieutenant Colonel Mustangs and his aide that annoyed the new mother the most. It was also the one that amused Miles the most.
"You'd refuse the godfather his right to see his godson." Roy asked mockingly disappointed.
Miles gave Second Lieutenant Hawkeye a nod and a small smile of greeting which she respectfully returned.
"For the last time you're not the godfather!" Snarled Armstrong furiously.
The bassinet in the corner of the room let out a wail. Miles made his way over to it, carefully picking up the swaddled baby and rocking it back and forth.
"Now look what you did bastard!" Hissed Armstrong furiously.
"I hardly think it was me who spoke last!" Mustang smiled back.
A hand reached out to take the baby from him. Miles looked up to see the Lt. accepting the little boy and gently rocking the baby.
"Why the hell would you even think that you would be the damn godfather!"
"Once again, you named him after me!"
"NO! I named him after my great great grandfather Royce Stefan Armstrong!" Snarled the disgruntled blonde furious.
"You named him alone? Did your husband not get a say?" Roy asked a smug smirk on his face.
"He's not my husband, Mustang!" Olivier snarled, her voice getting dangerously low.
"Really? How provocative of-"
"Sir, come see the baby." Riza said, not seeming to care that she cut her boss off in what would've been his last sentence before his death, as Olivier had been searching for her rapier (her father had taken the time to hide it after the first incident almost led to him no longer having a "son in law")
As Roy made his way over to the now gurgling bundle of blanket,Miles walked to the bed ridden Olivier.
"You shouldn't let him anger you so quickly, sir." Miles said tentatively placing a hand on her shoulder, which, as expected, became tense. Olivier was silent for a moment before murmuring something that sounded like 'Damn hormones.'Before glancing at the man who was now holding her son.
The baby smiled at him. Kind of. Well in his mind the baby smiled at him, his slightly tanned skin still tinged with pink and his bright red gaze following his finger as he waved it in front of them. Wait.. Red?
"Captain Miles, are you.. Ishva-"
"What an adorable son you two have, Sirs." Once again, he was cut off by his aide. Probably for the best too, or he would've brought an elephant into the room. It was still there of course, both the parents were quite smart and it would be an insult to their intelligence for one to say it wasn't.
"Thank you." Armstrong replied stiffly, getting up out of bed with not so much as a wince and taking her son back from Mustang. "If you want to talk about how 'adorable' or whatever it is I suggest you go downstairs with the others. It's been up all night let it sleep."
"Huh-"
"The Führer's down there, an old friend of my fathers, I'm sure you can kiss up enough to get him to remember your name." This was directed at Mustang shamelessly.
"Yes of course." Roy replied easily, "I wish your family health and happiness."
"And yours in turn." Miles replied to the old Amestrian saying.
With that, the two Eastern soldiers left, neither dared speak of what they had just learnt for fear of being over heard, both willing to take the secret to the grave. Royce Amir Armstrong would grow up knowing his father, and perhaps, if it had worked out for the Briggs soldiers, a few playmates in the East too.
... Yes.. I have realised I'm obsessed with kids.. anyways Royce was made a while back with my small group of friends. Please tell me what you think and what not, thank you for reading