Mother's approval
A/N: I've never read a fic with Roy's foster mother, Madame Christmas… I wonder why. Anyways, here's one! Ha, I just had to make Roy sing a bit! The song he's singing is called Can't take my eyes off youby Frankie Vall. Hope you enjoy it. ;p
Roy opened the door for Ed who entered, wiping the snow off his clothes, glancing around in the bar where he had never been. Well, it wasn't like Ed had been into any bars at all, being under aged and busy with the tiny little fact that his brother's soul was attached into an armor by him. Roy glanced around as well and he was satisfied to see that there were only few customers.
Roy grabbed Ed's arm and lead him to the desk. Ed pulled his arm away from Roy who counted to ten in his mind. He knew for sure that Ed was thinking something like 'I'm not a damn girl!', it was obvious by the way he glared at Roy. Roy just had to teach him that holding hands was just another way to show one's affection for another. At moments like those, Roy truly wondered what he saw in Ed. But he had to remind himself that it was the first time for Ed to be in a relationship…
A woman with dark hair smiled at them behind the desk.
"Oh my, look at that. My favorite customer has appeared…"
Roy leant over the desk to kiss the woman's cheeks. He glanced at Ed who seemed to be furious; his glare was casted now at the woman. Roy shook his head and hid his smile.
"Chris, this is him. Ed, this is Madame Christmas, the woman who raised me."
Ed's eyes widened and for a moment who just stared at Chris who looked rather amused.
"So… he's the one?"
Roy nodded, smiling. "Yeah. He's the one."
"I've heard a lot about you, Edward."
Ed raised his eyebrows. "Oh? I haven't heard a thing about you," he said and glanced meaningfully at Roy.
Chris laughed. "That's typical of Roy… You should've heard all the things he has said about you!"
A curious look appeared on Ed's face. "What things?"
Roy groaned. "It's nothing. I haven't been talking about you as much as she let's you understand."
Chris laughed loudly. "Oh, come on, Roy! There's nothing to be embarrassed about."
Roy gritted his teeth. "I'm not embarrassed… I knew this was a bad idea…"
It really didn't help to see Ed's wide grin as he saw Roy's pain.
"What was that bastard like as a kid," he asked from Chris since the thought suddenly popped up to his head. Chris smiled and seemed to be very pleased by the question.
"Adorable little angel… My daughters loved to play with him. They dressed him up and put his hair so he always looked like a girl."
Ed couldn't believe what he was hearing. Mustang had looked like a girl as a kid? Ed tried to imagine it and burst out laughing.
"She's just fooling around," Roy groaned, obviously embarrassed now.
Chris shook her head. "Oh, I wouldn't do such thing… I have a picture of him too…"
She took her wallet and showed Ed a picture of a 5-year-old Roy who was wearing a pink dress and a tiara.
Ed's eyes widened at the picture and he was almost choking from non-stop laughter.
"Holy shit! Are there any other pictures like that? Cause I'd die to have one! Everyone has got to see these!"
Chris smiled a bit and took the picture away.
"Now let's not embarrass Roy too much. I didn't know you were that young."
Ed glanced at Roy and shrugged. "I'm old enough to be with that old fart."
Roy rolled his eyes. "Gods, Ed, you truly know how to flatter me…"
Ed grinned. "You flatter yourself too much; someone has to keep the balance…"
"I like him already," Chris said.
"Aren't I rude, not offering you any drinks…"
"I'll have the usual. And Ed will have something without alcohol, he's under age, you see."
Ed groaned. "I am old enough to drink!"
"According to the law, you're not."
Chris looked surprised.
"He's under age…? Well, he does look rather young but… are you sure about this?"
Chris faced two glares. "I'm not a kid," Ed groaned.
"I know what I'm doing, mother."
Chris looked at them, shaking her head. They reminded of each other…
She poured some whiskey and handed the glass for Roy who was looking at Ed.
"He'll have a coffee."
"Stop making decisions for me, bastard!"
Chris poured some coffee for Ed who glared at the cup for a while before taking a sip. By the little shiver he had, Chris realized he was cold. Apparently Roy had noticed that, thus making him drink something hot. Chris smiled. It was rare seeing that Roy cared about someone so much.
"I heard that you have a brother," Chris said to Ed who nodded.
"Yeah. Al… or Alphonse. He's younger than me… and really nice to everyone. Too nice."
Chris noticed that something sad appeared on his expression but somehow she knew that asking for more wasn't a good idea.
"How about your parents? Where are they?"
She was too familiar with the withdrawn look he gave her. She had sawn it on Roy's face many times.
"My dad left us when I and Al were kids. Don't know where he's now, don't care… And mom… she died from illness a while after dad left…"
Ed bit his lip, staring at the desk. Chris noticed that Roy put his hand on Ed's.
"That's terrible… how did you two survived then?"
A small smile appeared on Ed's face.
"Our friends' grandma, our dad's old drinking buddy, Pinako took care of us. She and Winry…"
Chris nodded and Ed glanced at Roy.
"I haven't really ever heard about your parents… or her."
Ed glanced at Roy and Chris saw hurt in his expression. Roy took a sip of whiskey.
"Fine then, I'll tell you. My parents died when I was a kid. She, as my aunt, took care of me and raised me. I had three sisters...or cousins actually, her kids. I didn't have the best childhood, because I didn't have any biological parents… but she made sure that I had everything I needed. And… compared to your childhood, mine was really not that bad."
Ed pouted. "Now you told all that because you felt like you had to."
Roy sighed.
"Is there really anything I can do without you whining about it? Have you noticed that you're damn hard to please?"Ed snorted.
"Have you noticed that you're a bastard?"
Chris looked at the two, being even more and more sure that this relationship was perhaps the perfect one for Roy. Her son had brought a few women in the bar, but he had never introduced his so called mother to them. And those times, Roy had always been a gentleman; Chris had been of course proud, seeing that his son knew how to be well-behaved and how to handle women with care.
But seeing Roy glaring at Ed made Chris truly happy. Obviously Roy could be himself with that kid, which was rare. There was no way she would not approve that.
"Um… Guess we're kinda same in some things… You know, both of us lost their parents and shit…"
Roy looked at Ed, taking another sip.
"Incredible. You're admitting the possibility that we could be similar to each other? I'm shocked."
"Shut up…"
"And you do have a father, remember?"
A burning appeared in Ed's eyes.
"I don't give a shit about that jerk!"
"Yes you do. If you wouldn't care at all, you wouldn't get angry every time when someone mentions him. Remember, the same thing you did with me, saying that you hated me and didn't give a damn about me… when really you loved me."
It was truly fascinating seeing two people getting so lost in a conversation… or argument, whatever it was. It seemed like arguing was a common thing for them. When had Roy just said what came to his mind? Was there someone else he could talk like that besides Ed? Chris was sure that the answer was 'no'.
"You fucking bastard! I hate you! You're wrong! I don't love you and I sure as hell don't love that jerk!"
Roy shook his head, wearing an amused smile as he leaned closer to his mother-figure, saying:
"He's still on denial."
"That's it! I've had enough!"
Ed got up and Chris saw a glimpse of fear in Roy's eyes when he ran after Ed, grabbing the boy's arm before he could get out of the door.
She didn't hear the words exchanged but somehow Roy managed to calm Ed down a bit, though he was still pouting when they came back to the desk and sat down.
Chris decided that lightening up the mood wasn't such a bad idea…
"So… I've never really heard how the two of you got together…"
The two of them glanced at each other until Roy said: "Well… Ed here had been attracted to me for quite some time and I thought 'why not'. That's how it started."
Ed slammed his fists against the table.
"That's total bullshit! Youwere the one drooling after me; I just got sick of you asking me out non-stop!"
They glared at each other and Chris decided to break the silence.
"How did it really happen?"
Roy sighed.
"You remember Maes, right? He managed to set us a trap, he told both me and Ed that he would meet us on a closet – yes, I was rather suspicious when he sent me that message… And when I arrived, Ed was there and Maes locked us up…"
Chris couldn't hide her smile. "And as you came out, you two were a couple…?"
"Well… yeah, something like that, I guess."
Of course Chris remembered Maes. He had been Roy's best friend for many years. Roy rarely introduced his friends or partners, but when he did, Chris knew that Roy trusted his life in their hands, that he would do anything for them. Chris was sure that if Maes thought Roy and Ed belonged together, it was very likely true.
Chris glanced at Ed. Roy trusted fully that boy… And by the looks Roy gave to him, Chris saw that he really cared for Ed – a lot. Chris wondered if Ed even knew that he had already taken a permanent place in Roy's heart. Probably not. She was quite sure that Ed knew how many women Roy had had. Too bad he didn't know that he had already beaten all of them. Because Chris had never sawn her son looking at someone with so much affection.
Perhaps there were many reasons to disapprove. He was so much younger than Roy; Chris knew that Ed was Roy's subordinate, they were both men… Chris was sure they would have many problems because of the age difference and because they both seemed to be very determined and stubborn. But her son looked truly happy. She just wanted his happiness; there was no way she would try to stop him from being happy. He deserved it.
And Edward seemed to be happy too.
"Stop staring at me," he muttered, embarrassed.
"Can't help it… You're just too good to be true, can't take my eyes off you…"
Chris chuckled a bit as Ed turned bright red, glancing around at other customers who were minding their own business. Roy singing to someone? That too was rather rare… but she enjoyed watching the two of them.
Chris smiled knowingly when she saw Ed hiding his smile in the cup before taking a sip.
Perhaps being with someone so much younger wasn't just all bad for Roy… Roy sometimes acted like a 75-year-old, with all his well-organized habits and routines. Well, compared to herself, Roy was still young but it never hurt to feel yourself younger than you were, now did it?
Chris was quite sure that Ed was the right one to get Roy to break his habits and routines.
As Ed got up and headed towards the toilet, Chris was amused to see the expression on Roy's face. She was sure that he didn't realize it, but he looked exactly the same as he had as a kid, bringing home a little toad, asking: "Can I keep it?"
"I know that Ed can be such a brat sometimes, trust me, I do… He's also very stubborn and he has a bad temperament. He's often a little too focused on his own goals but he really does all he can to achieve them. He damn sure knows how to annoy me, how to freak me out… He knows it better than anyone. But I wouldn't change a thing about him."
Chris smiled. Oh, to be young and in love… as her son obviously was. Perhaps he hadn't even realized it himself yet, but it was obvious for anyone who knew him well enough. Chris was sure that Maes saw that too.
"And you shouldn't do that," Chris said and smiled gently. That was her way of showing that she was perfectly fine with the two of them. As a matter of fact, she was starting to think that she would disapprove only if they'd try to end it.
Chris saw it. Roy had changed. Not radically, no, not yet. But there was this little spark in him which hadn't been there before…
And as Ed came back from the toilet, for a moment there, Roy's eyes shone brightly. Chris remembered clearly seeing his eyes after the Ishval war, looking like endless black holes. Before Ed, Chris could've sworn that she had never sawn her sons eyes shine before, not like that. And that was enough for her. That was all she was asking for.
"Let's go," Roy said to Ed.
Ed groaned, putting his red jacket on. "What the hell, why are you always deciding on everything…?"
Roy smirked. "Because I'm the one who's older, more intelligent, well-organized, better looking and… taller."
Ed's face turned red, this time from anger. It looked like he was trying hard not to yell at Roy for some reason. Then he just snorted and waved his middle finger.
"Height is his sore point, has always been," Roy noted to Chris who nodded, amused, looking at Ed who groaned even louder.
"Just zip it, you bastard! Unless you don't want to get your lazy ass kicked."
Roy laughed and kissed Chris quickly on her cheeks before he grabbed Ed's hand, starting to lead him outside.
"Take care of each other," Chris said before Roy opened the door for Ed.
"Oh, we will… I guarantee that. In fact, we will go and make sure we do it right now."
Roy turned around, with laughter in his eyes.
Before the door of the bar closed, Chris heard Ed's growl: "You're a pervert, you know?"
"What are you saying? I didn't think anything like that; perhaps you're the one who's pervert…"
"Yeah sure, should I really believe – "
The door closed and the silence remained. Chris shook her head. That had been quite a night.
She glanced outside from the window, seeing Roy and Ed walking away, hand in hand.
She didn't have to worry about her son anymore. Because she was certain that he was in good hands.