Happy Valentine's Day!
Yay, Hallmark holidays! As a special Valentine's treat, here's a one-shot drabble thingee. Because there aren't enough holiday one-shots in this category.
Hah, lies.
This can stand on its own as a 'squint and find it' EdWin, but it also functions as the beginning of the Valentine's Day in which Tradition takes place, a nice little Royai Valentine's thing. Check it out if you feel inclined.
Disclaimer: Right now all I own is chocolate. FMA is Arakawa Sensei's property.
Even though she made a trip to her mailbox in Central HQ's mailroom at the beginning of each day, Hawkeye approached the familiar room with some anticipation today. Like any other day, there were memos from other officers in different jurisdictions, the occasional reminder for upcoming military events that she had no interest in, and a handful of propaganda leaflets. But today there was something different taking up the bulk of the room in her mailbox. A box wrapped in plain brown paper and tied securely with twine.
Smiling to herself as she withdrew the box and set it down on the counter behind her, Hawkeye began to throw out most of her mail in the nearby wastebasket, one sheet at a time. The few items that passed her screening would join the box on the counter. As the mail left to check began to dwindle, a large envelope began to reveal itself amidst the other letters. Clearly addressed to Riza in neat, feminine handwriting, the parcel bulged slightly, indicating that more than a letter was contained in the unexpected mail. Baffled as to where it could be from, the First Lieutenant sat down on the counter next to her mail and carefully opened the envelope.
The first thing her eyes landed on after opening the package was a letter clearly intended for her, along with a bulging envelope sealed and addressed separately. Her curiosity sparked, Hawkeye began to read.
Dear Riza-san,
I suppose you're wondering why I'm writing you, today of all days no less, but I have a favor to ask of you. Ed and Al are always on the move and never know where and if I'll get a letter from them. This is the only place I could thing of where it would have any chance of reaching those two. I couldn't send anything too large because that would make it more trouble for you, and food was out of the question since who knows when they'll get it; it's an unorthodox, insignificant gesture on a day like today. But still I was hoping you could get this to Ed and Al when you see them. I feel bad not being able to give this to them myself, but they don't take holidays off from their journey, and I don't expect them too. When you get a chance, I'd really appreciate it.
Happy Valentine's Day,
Winry
Folding the letter back up and tucking it in with the rest of her mail, Hawkeye glanced at one of the few memos that she didn't toss with a smile.
Ed and Al sat in Mustang's office alone. It was still a little early for people to be showing up, but Ed had insisted on heading straight for HQ after getting off the train so he could get his meeting with the Colonel over and have the rest of the day to himself as soon as possible. Ed sat in one of the chairs along the side of the office, absentmindedly flexing and un-flexing his automail hand, while Al sat quietly with his hands in his lap next to him. Both turned to the door as footsteps were heard, stopping right outside the doors. Ed, already making a scowl to greet the Colonel, stood up in front of the door expectantly.
"Good morning, boys. You're here early," Hawkeye said as she pulled the door closed behind her. Ed's scowel melted away to a sheepish grin as he tucked a file under his arm.
"Good morning, Riza-san," Al stood up and lightly bowed his head in greeting.
"Mornin', Lieutenant," Ed offered as he stood down from his position right in front of the door, "I was thinking that it was too early for that lazy-ass Colonel to get here…" Al shook his head sadly as Ed set off on one of his tangents, "We just get back from a long, exhausting, train ride, following his orders no less, and come here to give him my report, which was also one of his orders, and I get here and…"
"Nii-san, please," Al finally cut him off. Riza smiled softly and gestured for the two to sit down as she set her mail down on her desk.
"Do you know what today is?" She asked as she tore off yesterday's sheet from the daily calendar sitting on the corner of her desk, tossing the old sheet in the garbage can in the corner across the room, winning a 'nice shot' from Al.
"Thrusday, no?" Ed ventured, clearly unconcerned.
"It happens to be the 14th," Riza stated matter-of-factly, "and you two have mail," she produced an envelope from her stack of papers and handed it to Ed as Al leaned in to get a better look. Greeted with two pairs of slightly confused looks after clearly recognizing the familiar handwriting on the envelope, the Lieutenant sighed. Still no idea. "Edward, you can leave your report with me and I can inform the Colonel that you reported in." She said as she relieved the State Alchemist of the report folder he was holding.
"Really? You don't mind?" Ed's face lit up, turning to Al excitedly after getting a confirming nod from Hawkeye.
"I need to go get the rest of the day's paperwork, and while I'm gone I'll file this for you, Edward. Enjoy the rest of your day." As she turned to leave she heard the envelope being opened with childish excitement. Just as she opened the door, out of her peripheral vision she saw both brothers suddenly dash to the calendar on her desk. Stepping out into the hall, she held the door as Ed's voice reached her ears.
"Uh, Lieutenant?"
"Yes, Edward," As she watched, Al was rifling through a large stack of photos, his eyes lit up in obvious joy. Ed was looking from the calendar to a single photo in his hand.
"Before we leave, can I use your phone? I owe somebody a call."
"Take as long as you need," Riza let the door close behind her, the sound of Ed dialing muffled by the door. Turning away from the office, Hawkeye started down the hall to face the rest of her day, the slightest hint of a skip to her step.
"Hey, Winry? It's Ed… No, I didn't break anything. I just wanted to call, because, well, you know... I just wanted to talk with you."
Thus we conclude the Valentine's one-shot (with slight winrycentric and rizacentric tendencies). Reviews make me happy, and a better writer.
Happy V-day!