Hey guys! So basically, this fanfiction is inspired from a doujin I saw in tumblr. wherein Roy and Riza sent little Al and Ed to their first day of school. The idea of Royai being Ed and Al's parents was so precious that I just had to write a fanfic about it!

Anyway, to make this fanfic work, I had to make a few changes. Royai's history here is the same, although I may alter some of the events to fit this timeline. In this fic, when Trisha Elric died, Ed and Al were 5 and 3 respectively. Which meant that they never attempted human transmutation and were eventually recruited in the military to become State Alchemists. Other minor characters' stories could be slightly altered as well. So really, this fic is just pure family fluff, because I'm a sucker for Royai and the Elric Brothers. I don't even know if this has a plot yet. Meh.

Read at your own risk.

CHAPTER ONE: A VISIT TO RESEMBOOL

"Resembool! We've arrived in Resembool!"

The conductor's booming voice woke Colonel Roy Mustang from his sleep rather nastily. His elbow, where his chin was resting and which was propped on the train's window ledge, slipped, and he let out an undignified yelp. He quickly tried to cover it with a cough, but the woman who sat across from him did not even seem to notice. Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye's brown eyes were trained resolutely on the letter she held in her hands. Roy straightened up and let his gaze wander to the torn, white envelope bearing the words "To Riza Hawkeye. From Trisha Elric." The paper had a lot of creases, and he figured that it was because Riza often reread it. That letter was the reason they were here, and the reason why, at the end of this trip, they would be bringing home two little boys.

She, he corrected himself. She would be bringing them home. According to Trisha's letter, she wanted Riza to take care of her children once she passed away. With the boys having an absent father and no living relatives left, she figured that her close friend would be the best choice for guardianship. The two of them hadn't seen each other in years, but they remained in constant communication, even after Trisha had built a family and Riza donned a military uniform and went to war. It looked like Trisha had everything planned out from the start — after she fell seriously ill, she had asked the family lawyer to state in her Last Will and Testament that she wanted Riza to become her kids' adoptive mother.

Mother…Roy still can't wrap his head around the idea. Perhaps it was because he never thought the day would come that she would actually become one; not because she couldn't, but because the circumstances simply wouldn't allow it: he knew that she was still plagued with guilt and remorse over her actions in Ishval, and her military duties refrained her from having any time for going on dates and starting a serious relationship, much less a family (and, if Roy had to be completely honest here, he may or may not have slacked off on his paperwork just to make sure that she stay in the office and cancel her date if she ever had one).

It was selfish, he knew, but he couldn't help it. It was hard to see her go out with other guys, and it was even harder to look at her every day and think of all the things that could have been. How many times had he thought back to the day he had left her to join the military? How many times had he gone back to the day when he saw her again, standing in front of her father's grave, the words will you marry me just at the tip of his tongue? And, more importantly, how many times had he dreamt of a world where both of them were happy, living in a home and raising children of their own? A thousand times, perhaps.

It was these thoughts that made him stare at her now, the woman who chose to join the military and follow him into hell if she had to. He liked to think that it was because, somehow, she loved him the way he loved her, but he pushed the thought away because if there was one thing he knew about Riza, it was that she deserved to be loved by someone who could give her a proper life — the kind that he couldn't give her.

"We should go," she said, breaking him out of his reverie. She stood and picked up her suitcase. "The train's about to leave, sir."

"Right," he said. He reached out to take the suitcase from her, and she relinquished it with a grateful smile. "Lead the way."

The two of them hopped down the train and into the platform, his military waist coat and her long pleated skirt fluttering in the wind, and she unfolded the letter once more to check for the address. It was her day off today, so she was wearing civilian clothes — the skirt was paired with a white blouse and purple cardigan — and Roy accompanied her on the pretense that he was on official military work. Of course his team didn't believe him, but they knew better than to pry. Stuffing the letter back into her pocket, she strode purposefully down the road, him following behind, and he watched as she studied each house they passed by.

Roy let her do the searching — he was clueless about this place, after all. He let his eyes wander around his surroundings instead. Even though he was raised in East City, he had never been on the countryside before. Resembool was a place of vast fields and green hills, of houses made of brick and surrounded by white picket fences, and of light breeze and warm sunlight. He immediately knew why the Elrics would choose a place like this: it was the kind of place that was ideal for a quiet, peaceful life.

Except it wasn't. Roy wasn't a fool; he knew that the conflict in Ishval had spread throughout the entire Eastern sector, and Resembool was no exception. He could still see traces of the previous civil war: the freshly dug graves in the cemetery they passed by suggested that Trisha Elric was not the only person that was taken by the epidemic, and there were piles of rubble swept at the corner of the town, remnants of the fighting that had happened there. Roy clenched his fists as he thought of the two boys that was waiting for Riza. They had been victims of the war, too, however indirectly. The same war that he had helped with. He wondered if Riza thought about that, and if so, was her decision to take them in heavily influenced by her guilt?

"Excuse me," said Riza to a passing couple. They turned to her, and she said, "Do you know where I can find the Rockbell residence?"

"The Rockbells?" the woman repeated, blinking. She pointed at the end of the dirt road, where a two-story house stood. "It's right over there."

"Thank you," replied Riza. They eyed his military uniform, but otherwise kept their mouths shut. "Let's go, Colonel."

"Thank you," Roy nodded to the couple and walked with Riza towards the house they had been directed to. Normally, she would let him take the lead, and would opt to walk a few paces behind him, watching his back for any threats. But this was no mission, and if anything, this was about her and not him.

A sign that said "ROCKBELL AUTOMAIL" greeted them. Riza and him exchanged looks before she climbed the steps to the front door and knocked.

"You ready?" he asked, looking at her.

She raised her eyebrows. "It's not like we're heading into battle, sir."

"I don't know," he replied. "They say watching over little kids could be really exhausting. They have, like, unlimited energy. You'd be having a hard time chasing after them — and don't even get me started on giving baths and putting them into bed."

"Is that so?" she said, and he was surprised to see her smiling. "It seems like you did some research, Colonel."

Roy's cheeks reddened, but he refused to look away. "I didn't. Hughes did. Gracia's pregnant, so he's been reading all this baby books and thought it was a good idea to pass the knowledge down to me."

Roy rubbed his temple at the memory of his best friend, Hughes, barging into his office so early in the morning, arms laden with books with titles like Baby Steps: A Ten-step Guide to Parenthood, Love and Life, or Building a Home — Everything You Need to Know About Toddlers. The covers all had drawings of babies being carried by storks and happy families running under the sun. The colors used were so bright that it made Roy's eyes ache, and Hughes's rambling about every detail he found on the books were enough to give him a migraine.

"Well, I'm glad you remember them," she said finally. He could tell that she was trying to keep a straight face, but the corners of her mouth betrayed her. "Maybe they would prove to be useful someday."

Before he could respond, the door opened to reveal a short woman with chestnut hair tied back in a high ponytail. She was old, with glasses and a smoking pipe dangling from between her lips. She raised her head to look up at both of them, and Roy would be lying if he said that he wasn't impressed: the woman showed no signs of being intimidated, despite him wearing a military uniform, a huge contrast to the usual reactions they get from the civilians.

"Are you Mrs. Rockbell?" asked Roy evenly. "I'm Colonel Roy Mustang."

"Oh," she replied. She gave him a once over. "How can I help you?"

"I'm Riza. Riza Hawkeye," Riza intervened, extending a hand.

Mrs. Rockbell took it. "I see. I assume you're here for the boys?"

Riza nodded. "Yes. Where are they, Mrs. Rockbell?"

"They're out back with my granddaughter," she said, as she stepped aside to let them in. She closed the door behind them once they entered. "And please, call me Pinako." She put her pipe down on the ashtray and asked, "Coffee?"

"That would be great," replied Roy.

She led the two of them to the kitchen, where she proceeded to take out three mugs from the cupboard. "Make yourselves at home. I'm going to call the kids back in after we finish with all the formalities. Is that all right?"

"Of course," said Riza, as she pulled a chair out by the dining table and sat. "That's fine."

Roy, however, walked over to the small board that had been put up on the wall. It was filled with photographs of Pinako and a little girl with pale blond hair, who he assumed was her granddaughter. The girl's face seemed to dominate the entire board: there was one where she was wearing a large summer hat as a couple — who he guessed was her parents — lifted her by the arms; there was one where she was holding a wrench and trying to fix an automail arm, her chubby cheeks puffed out in concentration; but, Roy noticed, in most of the girl's pictures, she was accompanied by two young boys with golden hair. One of them had a lock of hair that stood up his scalp like a cornstalk and a wide grin, while the other one had soft, green eyes and a round face. Before Roy could take a closer look, Pinako set down the mugs of steaming coffee on the table, so he went and settled himself next to Riza.

"So," said Pinako, as she looked back and forth between them. "How long have you been married?"

Roy, who had been sipping his coffee, choked on the question. He lowered his cup as he began to cough violently, and Riza immediately started patting his back in an attempt to help him catch his breath.

He waved a dismissive hand at her. "I'm fine, I'm fine." Grabbing a napkin off the table, he wiped his mouth and said, "The coffee was hot, that's all. I should have waited for it to cool before taking a drink." He laughed awkwardly. "Silly me."

Riza shook her head at his antics.

Pinako smiled at him, then said, "Well, at least the boys will have a fun father."

Roy's ears perked up at that. The words sent an unfamiliar but pleasant feeling in his chest, and before he knew it, his mind was working on overdrive. Should I correct her, or should I just leave it at that? They were in Resembool; they were practically unknown here. The opportunity was too perfect to pass up. Besides, his back was still aching from that long train ride — surely, he deserved some fun?

"Oh no, we're not —" Riza began, but Roy cut her off.

"More like a clumsy one," he said cheerfully. He placed his hand on top of Riza's, and her eyes widened. "I just hope my wife and I could catch up with those boys. You know how kids are — they're like balls of energy!"

Pinako nodded. "You're absolutely right. I think I spend most of the day just keeping track of them."

He nodded. "I saw some of the photos you have. I assume the two boys are the Elrics?"

"Yes. Those are Ed and Al."

"They look so cute!"

He sounded a lot like Hughes and he knew it. Roy could feel the Lieutenant glaring daggers at him, but he chose to ignore it at the moment. Instead, he released his hold on her hand and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to his side. He was on a roll now. He looked own at her and flashed her the most charming smile he could muster, but all she did was elbow him hard on the ribs.

"Let go of me," she hissed.

"Come on, dear, there's no need to be embarrassed," he said cheerfully. He squeezed her shoulder. "Now, where were we? Oh yes. Ed and Al, you say? They look absolutely wonderful. I can't wait to meet them."

Riza rolled her eyes at that, and then she promptly stepped on his foot. Even though he was wearing military boots, the heel of her shoe still managed to pierce enough of the leather to have an effective impact. Roy suddenly stood up and raised his throbbing foot, hopping in place, while Riza crossed her arms over her chest triumphantly.

"What was that for?" he asked loudly.

She took a sip of coffee in reply.

It was Roy's turn to glare at her.

Pinako gazed at them, then softly, she said, "I'm glad, you know."

Roy and Riza blinked at her sudden statement. Roy put his foot down and sank back into his seat as Pinako continued to look at the both of them with a small smile. "Those boys need all the love they can get. Their father left them a few years ago, so they never really knew him, and then Trisha died, leaving them alone at such a young age. I was worried that those events would affect them, but it seems like they're faring quite well. I guess if you take their age into account, it's really not that surprising. Unlike us adults, children tend to move on pretty quickly. It doesn't mean that they already forgot about their mother, mind you. There are still times when they ask me where she is. But the point is, I wanted to make sure that if those two leave us, then they would be in good hands."

Riza reached across the table and touched the woman's wrist. "We'll take good care of them. I promise."

"You don't have to worry about a thing," added Roy, and when Riza looked at him, all the previous anger in her face was gone, replaced by a look of appreciation. "We'll give them everything they need." He shook his head and quickly amended, "But we won't spoil them or anything."

Pinako set her gaze on him and smiled. "That's good to hear. Well, before I call on the boys, we should probably gather their things first, don't you think?"

"Right," said Riza.

Pinako beckoned for them to follow her up the stairs. Roy lugged the large suitcase with him as they climbed the staircase. He could hear Riza and Pinako talking as they walked through the hallway, and he strained his ear to catch what they were saying.

"So how come your last names are different?" he heard the old woman ask.

He waited for Riza to tell the truth, to finally reveal the true nature of their relationship, when she suddenly said, much to his surprise, "We aren't married yet. That's what I was going to tell you earlier. We're engaged, though."

"Oh, I see. How long have you been together?"

"Seven years."

Technically it was true, if you discarded the years they spent knowing each other during his apprenticeship under her father and the first few years of the Ishvalan Civil War.

"What's with the hold up?" Pinako said, as they reached the bedroom at the end of the hall.

"He went off to join the military and was deployed in Ishval," she said quietly, and there was something in the way she had said it that Roy couldn't quite place.

Pinako nodded in understanding. He opened the boys' room and started to take their clothes out of the drawers and handing them to Riza. "My son and his wife was sent there, too."

"They were soldiers?" Roy asked, as he opened the empty suitcase and placed the clothes Riza passed on to him.

Pinako shook her head. "Doctors."

"Where are they?" asked Riza.

"They never came back. Said they were killed in the line of duty."

Riza's hand stilled. The shirt she was handing over to Roy hovered in the space between them, and a few seconds passed before he gently pried her fingers off the fabric. Startled by his touch, she muttered a quiet "thanks" before turning back to Pinako.

"We're sorry," she said, feeling the words in varying degrees.

"It's fine," the old woman said. She left the empty drawers open and walked over to the bedside table. "I heard they saved a lot of lives, both Amestrian and Ishvalan. I'm sure Winry's very proud of them."

"Winry's your granddaughter?"

"Yes. She's the same age as Ed. I'm sure you've seen her pictures downstairs."

She gave a worn-out children's book to Riza and a small, metal figurine of a dog. Riza turned the items over in her hands, and said, "That's it? This is all they have?"

The old woman nodded. "The boys don't have much. Their house burned down a week after their mother died, and this was the only things they managed to salvage."

Riza frowned. She put the items inside the suitcase, letting them rest atop the boys' clothes, then she nodded to Pinako and said, "I think we're ready to meet them."

ooooooooooooo

"Ed! Al! There's someone here to see you!"

The three children stopped their game long enough to gaze at Roy and Riza quizzically. They were playing in the backyard, which was littered with logs and a few chickens. Roy kept his eyes at the kid who he assumed was Ed: he was sitting on the grass, cross-legged and pouting. A flower crown was resting on his head, no doubt courtesy of Winry and the source of his annoyance. He stood up and pulled his little brother along with him, with Winry trailing behind, eyes alive with curiosity.

"What is it, granny?" he asked in a child's usual high-pitched voice.

"Ed, Al, I want you to meet Miss Riza and Mister Roy. They will be your new mom and dad," she said gently.

The younger one, Al, blinked and said, "Mom?"

Riza knelt down so she could be at the same level as him. "Yes, sweetie. From now on I'll be your new mom. Is that all right?"

He tilted his head to the side. "Mom." He pointed at her. "Mom."

Riza smiled warmly and placed her hands on his shoulders. "That's right, Al."

At the mention of his name, the kid smiled, revealing a missing tooth. He waved his small hands in front of her, and she took one of them on her own. She brushed some hair off his forehead, making him giggle, and Roy can't help but smile as she carefully scooped him up into her arms. Al laughed and grabbed on to her cardigan, so Riza had to readjust her grip.

Ed looked lost as he watched Riza and Al. "But where's mom?"

"Now, Ed, we've already talked about this," said Pinako softly. "Your mom is gone, remember? She's in heaven now. From now on, they will be your new parents. They will take care of you and Al."

Ed seemed to be struggling with something. He scrunched his face in thought, then, shoulders slumping, he asked: "You mean she's never coming back?"

Ed sounded so defeated that Roy felt his heart go out to the kid. Like him, he was only able to spend a few years with his mother before she died and he had to live with his Aunt Chris. Roy was much older than him when it happened, so he was able to fully grasp the situation and force himself to adjust, but that didn't mean that their pain wasn't the same.

"No, she isn't," he answered. Ed lifted his eyes to him. Roy bent down on one knee and offered him a small smile. "But you have Riza and me now. We'll be your new family."

"Are you going to be our dad?" he asked, as if the concept was new to him.

Roy nodded. "Yup. We'll have lots of fun. Look."

He took out a piece of chalk from his pocket. He didn't normally use this kind of alchemy, but he knew the basics of the transmutation circle. He carefully drew the shapes on the wooden floor, all three children watching him. When he had finished, he clapped his hands once and touched them to the ground. A small, wooden sculpture of a bird appeared in the circle, and he handed it to Ed, who looked at it in awe.

"Wow," he said reverently. "That's amazing!"

"It's called alchemy," he replied.

Ed's eyes widened. "Are you going to teach me that?"

He heard Riza take in a sharp breath. Roy knew that it was a sensitive topic, given her past, so he simply said, "We'll see. When you grow up, maybe."

Ed pouted at this, so Roy ruffled his hair. For the first time, though, the kid laughed, and he couldn't help but feel victorious. Roy stood up. "Are you ready to go?"

"Where?" asked Ed.

"To your new home," said Riza.

He looked at her doubtfully. He turned his eyes to Roy, who nodded and offered his hand. Ed took it rather reluctantly, but nevertheless he let him guide him back inside the house. Once they were inside, Winry spoke: "You're going to leave?"

Pinako smoothed her hair. "They have to, Winry."

"But who am I supposed to play with?"

Riza bounced Al lightly in her arms. "Don't worry, Winry. We'll visit. Ed and Al will go here during the summer, or when we have free time, how about that?"

She puffed her cheeks. "I guess so."

"'s alright," said Ed loudly. He took off his flower crown and placed it on Winry's head. "We'll always come over."

"Really?" the young girl asked hopefully.

"Well, I don't really know about that…" said Roy quietly. Resembool was quite far from Eastern Headquarters. Maybe once a week? No, that wouldn't do. He and Riza had military duties. Once a month, maybe? Perhaps they could travel by car…

"I promise that you'll see each other again," said Riza finally. Winry didn't seem that all pleased, but she nodded.

Roy picked up their suitcase. Riza thanked Pinako one last time before she and Al went out the door. Ed grabbed Roy's free hand as they went outside, and together, the four of them waved the Rockbells goodbye.