Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.
"IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!" I sang, dancing around Mustang's office. I was currently handing out invitations to Hughes's Christmas party.
"Hughes is having another Christmas party, huh?" Havoc said, looking at the paper that the envelope had concealed. I nodded, handing an envelope to Hawkeye.
"Yes, I'm gonna help them set up!" I said cheerfully. I skipped over to Mustang, done with handing out invitations.
"Well, it looks like you're in the holiday spirit." Mustang observed as I bounced around.
"BUT OF COURSE!" I squealed, "I AM GOING TO SPREAD THE CHEER THROUGHOUT THIS DULL OFFICE!" I ran around the office. Everyone sweatdropped.
"Hughes is being meddlesome." Mustang muttered as he looked through the letter. I ran up to Mustang, stopping abruptly.
"What do you mean?" I asked. Mustang looked at me with raised eyebrows.
"You didn't see this?" He asked, waving the letter in my face. I shook my head.
"No..."
"He's obviously scheming something." Mustang said, handing me his invitation. I took it and looked through it, sweat dropping as I read on.
"This is from Hughes, alright." I chuckled, but looked at everyone. "But you all better come! We're going to do a present exchange!" I said, "And I don't want my shopping to be all for nothing!" Mustang rolled his eyes, smiling.
"I'm coming." He said, "I have nothing other to do anyway."
"I'll be coming." Hawkeye announced.
"Count me in." Breda said.
"I guess I'll go too." Havoc sighed.
"Sounds... Fun." Falman said, shrugging. I grinned.
"GREAT! Now, Roy, do you know where the Elric brothers are?" I asked. Mustang was about to say something when someone knocked on the door.
"That must be them." Hawkeye said as Ed and Al paraded into the room.
"ED! AL!" I yelled excitedly, dashing up to them, "I have an invitation for you two!" I held out two envelopes, which the brothers took from my hands.
"What is this...?" Ed asked cautiously. I laughed and poked him in the shoulder.
"Go on. Open it." I said, poking him again. He sighed as he ripped open the envelope, taking out the paper and briefly reading it.
"A party?" Al questioned. I nodded, my eyes sparkling.
"Yep! Mustang, Hawkeye, Breda, Falman, Havoc, Fuery, and Armstrong are coming, too! I'm going to help Maes, Gracia, and Elicia set up." I said happily. "We're all gonna do a gift exchange, so you better come! I don't want my presents to go to waste!" I said, hopping away.
I stood in front of Mustang's desk and saluted him with my right hand.
"Sir! I'd like to request permission to leave early, sir!" I said formally. Mustang nodded.
"You are dismissed." He said. I let my salute fall and smiled at him.
"I BETTER SEE YOU GUYS AT THE PARTY TOMORROW!" I yelled, waving as I ran out the door.
What can I say, the holiday spirit was getting to me.
"Hi! Come on in!" I said cheerfully. I was assigned to greeting people at the door, so here I was. Mustang and Hawkeye stepped inside as I held the door for them.
"Is everyone already here?" Hawkeye asked. I smiled sheepishly.
"Pretty much. Everyone came considerably early, but the party is just starting, so you guys are right on time." I said, closing the door behind us as I lead the way to the living room.
Gracia was in the kitchen, Maes was laughing with Breda, Havoc, Fuery, Falman, and Armstrong as a group, and Al and Ed were playing with Elicia. Tons of presents were stacked around the Christmas tree, which was a lit up and sparkly.
Mustang and Hawkeye set their presents down with everyone else's while I bounced over to Ed, Al, and Elicia. Elicia came over to me and as I sat down, she climbed up to sit on my lap.
"Eveyone! The food is done!" Gracia called from the kitchen. Everyone started to file in the kitchen, grabbing a plate and serving themselves.
I lifted Elicia into my arms, carrying her as I strode after the brothers into the kitchen.
I stood by Gracia and watched people get their food.
"Wow, your casserole is disappearing fast." Gracia remarked. I laughed.
"Your oven-roasted pheasant is disappearing faster." I said, watching the food vanish from the serving plates.
"This is your first Christmas here, right?" Gracia asked. I nodded.
"Yep. It's also the first Christmas I've spent with my friends, too." I said, "It's nice." Gracia patted my shoulder.
"Maes always insists on having a party every year." She sighed, "So much cooking and preparing, but you've been very helpful. Thank you." I rolled my eyes.
"Don't mention it." I said. As everyone cleared out to eat in the spacious living room, Gracia, Elicia and I loaded our plates with the left over food. There was plenty, so we didn't miss anything.
I sat on the couch next to Ed and Al, starting to chow down on my food.
"Lynette," Ed said through a mouthful of food. I laughed.
"Don't talk with your mouth full." I smacked the back of his head. He scowled and continued to eat. As fast as lightning, I swallowed all my food, barely chewing.
"Whoa, Lynette, that was like a shark!" Al exclaimed, "You just swallowed everything!" I snorted and gulped down my water.
"And you tell me not to rush when I eat." Ed sweat dropped. I yawned.
"Yeah, yeah. So, how's the food?" I asked. Ed swallowed thickly and grinned at me.
"It's really good, especially this stuff." He said, poking my casserole. I smiled.
"I made that one." I said cheerfully.
"It's not poison or burnt, and you made it...?" Ed said suspiciously. I rolled my eyes.
"Gracia helped me with it. We used my mother's recipe, which I helped my mom make when I had Christmas over in my world. I remembered it and I thought dinner wouldn't be complete without it." I smiled. Ed and Al looked surprised.
"Al, I promise to make you some when you get your body back." I said, poking the side of Al's armor. He laughed and nodded.
"Yup." He said, "I'm looking forward to it." With that, I stood up and looked at the brothers, gathering my dishes.
"I'll be back." I said, striding into the kitchen.
"All right, it's time to exchange presents!" Hughes announced. I grinned, and escaped into my room to get the presents I bought for everyone.
I stumbled into the living room with presents in my arms to find the Hughes family had started give out presents.
I placed my gifts in a small pile separate from everyone else's.
"Lynette." Elicia trotted up to me to hand me a small box and a card. I looked at Gracia and Hughes, who smiled at me.
"Guys... I'm touched..." I said, smiling at them. I let Elicia help me open the wrapping paper, and I slid a blade out of my sleeve to open the box. My eyes widened.
"No way..." I gasped, looking at them. They grinned even wider, and I hurriedly unwrapped a small package.
In my hand, I held small daggers. They were the ones I had wanted for a long time. Why? Because I could take the blade off, and there was a small point on the inside, so I could slide it into my ear piercing and wear the small dagger as a fashionable earring. And, best part is, I can take it off, and put it back together to get a lethal weapon.
"I LOVE YOU GUYS!" I exclaimed, running over and scooping Elicia up along the way so I could give the Hughes family a big group hug. Everyone in the room sweat dropped and thought, As if she didn't have enough knives... She even had one in her sleeve! At a Christmas party!
"That was my present." Hughes remarked, "Gracia and Elicia picked out the present on the bottom."
"Bottom...?" I asked, going back over to the box. I went through the thin paper the box was stuffed with to find there were, in fact, clothes lying on the bottom. Curious, I unwrapped it to find something that made me sweat drop.
"Now, go put it on." Gracia shooed me into my room while I clutched the wrapped clothes.
"Don't you think it's a little..." I said, trailing off. The room, excluding Graica and Elicia, paled as Graica pushed me into my room to change.
"It's fine." Gracia laughed, locking the door, "And I won't let you out until you put it on."
"And I thought adults were conservative..." I muttered as I stripped my clothes off, looking over the thing Gracia and Elicia got me.
I swear to Truth, if this picture gets out, I'll be the laughingstock of the military.
"Geez..." I mumbled, walking into the room, "I feel like a Barbie." The room went silent, and I saw everyone staring at me. I stared back at them blankly.
"This is utter humiliation." I said, making everyone crack up. I face palmed.
"How is it humiliation?" Havoc asked, "I think that's the first time I've seen you wearing a dress."
And it was probably one of the few times in my life I've ever worn a dress. It was a red, strapless dress that went about to mid-thigh, and the top and bottom rims were lined with puffy, white furry stuff. A belt with a decorative buckle was wrapped right under the bust, and I had gloves that were so long they almost covered all of my arms. A Christmas hat sagged on my head, and red leather heeled boots went up to my knees. I was beyond embarrassed.
"It looks wonderful on you!" Hawkeye complemented.
"I don't see how it's so embarrassing." Mustang shrugged. Everyone agreed with Mustang, and marveled over my dress. That made me realize something.
"And I thought this world was conservative." I muttered, "You guys have a lewd sense of fashion."
"Aw, come on! You look gorgeous." Hughes said, patting my shoulder. I gave him a straight look.
"Only the Hughes family could embarrass me this much." I said, "And you are commonly the catalyst to my humiliation. I'm surprised Gracia picked it out." Hughes looked surprised as people laughed a bit more.
And so, since everyone had passed theirs around while I was changing, I had a load of presents waiting for me.
Every one looked at me intently, urging me to open them. I looked around at them, moved to tears at their thoughtfulness.
"I love all you guys!" I said, "Thank you all." And so, I started opening presents.
Hawkeye had given me the newest model 45. Semi-automatic Smith and Wesson Handgun, stainless steel, and a few rounds of bullets to go with it.
Mustang had given me a custom lighter, and had my name carved in fancy scrawl on it, and a dragon was also carved into it. Best part is, when I tried it out, it was more like a torch than a lighter. Flame burst out of the fairly big nozzle, almost setting the ceiling on fire. It was awesome.
Fuery and Breda both pitched in to buy me the katanas I have been looking at for ages. With red dyed snakeskin hilts and double edged blades, they were magnificent in themselves, not including the fact they had dragons etched into the steel of the blade.
Falman bought me a large set of kuni, with blood red ribbons and feathers ties to them, and the right size to hide in my clothes.
Havoc got me an extra-large box of pocky, specially made and bought from Marrie's kitchen, a bakery in downtown Central which made the best pocky I've ever tasted! And it was a variety pack, with bunches of different flavors, too!
Armstrong had gotten me stainless steel armored gloves, which were lined with padding, and it was even decorated in menacing spikes. Now, I could punch through a wall without breaking my hands. SQUEE!
Al, with Maes and Gracia's permission, of course, got me a small kitten. It was very soft and fluffy, with the most adorable brown eyes and white and peach colored fur. I named her, "Peaches."
And, last but not least, Ed gave me a present that made my heart flutter. Two pairs of studs for my ears, one diamond, one ruby, and a silver necklace with a ruby flamel symbol on it. To my secret pleasure, Ed put it on for me, almost hugging me in the process.
With every present, I gave each person a hug. And, after I was done, I handed out my presents.
For Maes, I gave him a set of blades with sheathes, especially made for hiding within clothing. You have a point when you say I was being overprotective, but Maes winked at me while he gave me a hug.
For Gracia, I gave her a dress I knew she had been eyeing for a while. She was overjoyed.
For Elicia, I gave her the most adorable pink puffy dress, complete with a silver tiara with embedded rose quartz in it. She was ecstatic.
Mustang, I got him a waterproof glove case along with spare ignition gloves. Perfect for those rainy days.
Hawkeye, I got her the new black leather boots, the same kind of boots I always wore. With a clack of the heel, blades popped out of the tips and heels of the boots. And, I showed her, there was a compartment for extra bullets in the heel. She had a fondness for those.
For Falman, I gave him a new chess set, since I knew Barry had crushed a few pieces in his old one. I knew he was looking for a replacement.
For Breda, I gave him a new wristwatch, which was made of a lighter steel.
For Havoc, I got a stainless steel lighter. It wasn't a flamethrower, but it was a quality lighter with Havoc's name engraved on it, and it was painted dark green, his favorite color. And when I nudged him with my elbow and said it was a replacement for his old one, I think he got what I meant.
For Fuery, I got him lenses to clip on his glasses that would act as sunglasses, and block out all the harmful UV rays. That, and a small leather case to put them in.
For Armstrong, I got him new steel diamond-enhanced glove spikes, since I knew the spikes on his gloves were wearing down. And, since they were diamond-enhanced, they were so much more durable than his original ones. Lets just say my ribs were crushed in the hug he gave me.
For Al, I gave him a hand-sewed kitty plush. Everyone was incredibly surprised, because they must've assumed I stunk at sewing as much as I was bad at cooking. They underestimated me, since I had wanted to be a seamstress in my world. I was incredibly skilled, and so I got some credit, and Al loved it.
Now all was left was Ed's present. I walked over to him, shyly holding out a small box.
"Here." I said. An "Awww~" was heard from the adults in the background, making me blush even more. Ed smiled at me as he took it, and I handed him my blade so he could open it.
Inside the box was a scarf. It was black, and on the end of one side of the scarf, a flamel symbol was knit into the scarf. Ed seemed like he was cold, and having automail is somewhat of a nuisance during the winter time. So a scarf was perfect.
That gift was special. I had gotten Gracia to teach me how to knit just so I could knit that scarf. It had taken me two weeks, and it was a little messy, but it was the product of my hard work, and I was happy to give it to him.
"Thank you." He said softly, looking over the scarf before looking up at me. His golden eyes met mine, and his smile warmed my heart.
"You're welcome." I said, tentatively smiling back. More adults cooed in the background, and I felt even more embarrassed.
"I guess we all know what time it is!" Hughes exclaimed. All the adults smirked at Ed and I as Hughes grinned evilly at me.
"Do either of you believe in kissing under a mistletoe?" Hughes said smugly. I stared at him, then looked at the ceiling.
And there, right above Ed and I, hung that sneaky little plant. My gaze traveled down to Ed, who stood in front of me, also surprised. Our cheeks flamed.
"KISS! KISS! KISS!" Everyone chanted. Ed and I looked at each other, our cheeks getting redder by the moment. Everyone was watching us closely, and I felt like I was on one of those reality shows.
"Kiss...?" Ed said. Elicia wrinkled her nose at us.
"Just shut up and kiss her already!" She yelled at Ed over the adults, who were also slightly surprised at Elicia's exclamation. I looked back at Ed, who now wore an extremely attractive grin.
BEEP! BEEP! SEXINESS OVERLOAD! The voice in my head yelled. WHAT DO I DO?! I mentally shouted back. SHUT UP AND KISS HIM ALREADY, DUMBASS! The voice exclaimed, WHO KNOWS IF SOMEONE THIS SEXY WILL EVER WANT TO KISS YOU AGAIN!
And so, that's what I did. I leaned forward and briefly touched my lips against his before pulling away.
"That's not a kiss." He said, rolling his eyes. He looped the scarf around my shoulders and pulled me forward suddenly, his lips touching mine once again. He used a hand to gently brush some stray hairs from my face as he kissed me, his automail arm moving to wrap around my waist while the other cupped my chin. There was no escape, with the firm grip he had in me, so I just let myself enjoy the moment.
Cheers were heard from all over the room, but, even as Ed pulled away from the kiss, it didn't seem as if he would let me go anytime soon.
"WAY TO GO!"
"A NEW COUPLE IS BORN!"
"HORRAH!" Everyone cheered. Ed loosened the his grip, but kept one arm around my waist as he turned to the dispersing crowd. Ed triumphantly led me to the couch, where we sat, side by side.
"Alright, guys, bring on the cash!" Hughes exclaimed, and Havoc, Breda, Mustang, Fuery, and Falman walked over to him with sad expressions as they all handed over a small stack of cash.
"What the hell?" I said, puzzled. Hughes grinned at me.
"They bet against me that you would kiss Ed by midnight. It's eleven fifty five now. I won." Hughes said cheerfully, counting his loot. Gracia smacked the back of his head.
"GEEZ! I told you not to bet anymore!" Gracia scolded. Ed and I sweat dropped.
"But it worked!" Hughes protested weakly. Elicia laughed as Gracia pulled Hughes away into the kitchen to give him a long rant.
"This has been an interesting Christmas Eve." I said. Ed leaned down to place a kiss on my neck.
"But Christmas has only just begun." He grinned. I blushed and looked at him. I gave him a quick kiss on the lips, enjoying his flustered face.
"REVENGE!" I said smugly. Ed raised his eyebrows.
"Oh yeah? In that case, I guess I need revenge!"
And so, Christmas Eve flew by, leaving everyone lively until the crack of dawn, when we were scattered around the room, snoozing away.
This Christmas was most definitely the sweetest of all.
Merry Christmas Everyone!