"No One Should Be Lonely on Halloween"

-EveeElric-

aka

-she-wolf vixen-

-a oneshot-

It was a unusually chilly evening for late fall and Edward Elric, State Alchemist was bored. He put his elbow on the metal table amongst scattered plates, their contents long consumed and leaned a cheek against his hand. He looked to his left and he saw a small black decorative fence with orange paper wrapped around it. To his right were countless others, families, couples, friends, all celebrating by eating a harvest dinner. Every tree dripped with fake cobwebs and the State Alchemist of Central had taken the liberty to use their alchemical skills to decorate the area. Stone chimeras, the work of the Strong-Arm Alchemist. Pumpkin fields. That was the herbal growth alchemist. Firecrackers...that Kimbley. Central was slightly worried that they might blow up dangerously on contact so those were in the process of being removed. The torches that lit up the dark night...Flame Alchemist.

Yes, it was Halloween and a bland evening it was for the teen. Alphonse was probably out somewhere trick-or-treating with Elysia. That morning, Maes Hughes had asked the Elrics if they could escort his daughter for the night and the brothers mutually agreed. Nevertheless, Ed decided to allow Alphonse to do the escorting. Simply put, with all that he had been through, Edward had experienced his fair share of blood and if a paper bag impersonating a ghost thought it could scare him by spontaneously popping out of a bush, it was horribly wrong. Horribly wrong meant a heap of shredded paper on the doorstep. So with nothing better to do, Ed did what was most rational. The nearby restaurant in Central was happy to serve him.

Edward glanced at the empty dishes on his table and waved a hand to his waiter. She hurried over and briskly began cleaning the plates and wiping down the table. Ed noted that the tablecloth was patterned with tiny pumpkins and he made small motion to the girl. She smiled warmly down at Ed who looked like a small child all on his own on a cold night. "Will you be needing anything else hon?" Ed was about to reply when he heard an all too familiar voice behind him.

"He'll take a pumpkin pie..."

Edward made a face and turned around to glare at Roy Mustang who shrugged back with a smug smile on his face. The Colonel was wearing casual attire. A simple black sweater, and dark pants. He fit perfectly in with the rest of the festive party-goers unlike Ed who stood out significantly. Immediately, Edward saw the lady's eyes widen and Ed silently rolled his eyes. Great. Another Roy Mustang fangirl. The lady laughed and winked at the Colonel. "Buying your son a Halloween treat?"

"What?!" Ed shouted indignantly but the waiter had already turned and walked off to put in the order.

Roy laughed and pulled out the opposite chair in Ed's table. He sat down without asking. "Good evening, FullMetal..."

"It would be an even better evening if you left..." Ed muttered. This was not entirely true. It would be even better if Ed actually had something to do other than try to avoid the Colonel's gaze.

"Oh?" Roy closed an eye and smirked. "But then you'd be left all alone on a holiday."

"Then what are you doing here?" Ed pointed and accusing finger.

"I'm providing you some company of course." Roy replied and Ed snorted.

Ed raised an eyebrow, "Do you honestly think I need it?"

Roy gave the boy a slight injured look. "Hey. I'm trying to be nice-"

"For the first time in your life..."

"Trying to nice." Roy repeated. "It's Halloween and everyone has a day off."

"So?" Ed sighed. "Would it help if we just end the conversation here?"

Roy shrugged. "Your call, FullMetal."

The decision Ed would have had to make proved useless as the waiter arrived with the food. "Here is your dessert. Enjoy your time with your father." Ed sighed as she left and left out the point that Roy was not his parental unit.

"How does she get the impression that we're related?" Ed complained and picked up his fork.

Roy shrugged. "Well, I imagine that she would find it odd that a young boy is out on his own on a night like this." The Colonel picked up the other fork while Ed was in the process of starting the huge piece of baked good. The pie was top quality and Roy knew that. He had been there several times before on Halloween just for this pumpkin pie. The pie was crumbly but firm enough to hold the pie intact which dissolved in the mouth deliciously. Sugar was immersed in the top of the pie, making every bit of the dough warm and sweet. The actual pie contents were sugary and tasted of sweet pumpkin spice. Roy couldn't resist as he watched Edward start on it.

"Hey!" Ed exclaimed as Roy bit down on the stolen pie and licked his lips.

Roy stared at Ed humorously. "What? Don't you want to share with your daddy?"

Ed grimaced while Roy smirked. "That has a nasty ring to it." Ed huffed.

Roy shrugged. "So is this all you have planned tonight? Morbidly sitting outside of a diner like a decoration and then making small children run down the street crying when they find out you're real?" Ed glared furiously, unable to speak through a mouthful of sugary pumpkin spice. "Well, instead of that, would you like to come to my office later on...in a few minutes...say 8:00?"

Ed swallowed. "Why?"

Roy smiled knowingly. "Don't worry about it. Come to my office and find out, are you too scared to come?" Roy had hit a spot and Ed sat upright, indignant.

"No!"

"Then you'll come?"

"...Fine." Ed consented and glanced at the nearby clock. It read: 7:38.

Roy stood. "Alright. Don't chicken out now and remember to just come in when you get there, don't knock."

Ed rolled his eyes but halted as a wool hat thrust its way into Ed's line of vision. "What's this?" Ed asked curiously.

"It's a hat. It's cold tonight FullMetal. I can't allow you to get sick, you have a report due soon." Roy replied casually.

"I don't need it." Ed scowled, crossing his arms.

"If you say so...".Roy smiled and turned, leaving Ed with a strange tugging in his chest and half a piece of pumpkin pie to finish.

Ultimately, Edward decided to check out whatever Mustang was up to. After he had finished his pie, he had a nagging feeling in his stomach until the clock nearby read five minutes to eight. It might have been the pumpkin pie or something but the strange tugging in his chest had persisted. The teen had given in when he realized that Mustang had paid his food bill for him that evening and he convinced himself that maybe the Colonel actually felt some sort of empathy tonight. Nevertheless, Ed found himself unconsciously heading towards Central Command. The cold stung at his cheeks and Ed was glad for his long bangs. He shook his head slightly to allow his hair to fall over his face. As the night had progressed, it had become significantly chilly. Ed hoped that Al and Nina were somewhere warm. As he walked, Ed began to feel the sting of cold and cursed. He really should have taken the wool hat but Ed would never have mentioned this aloud.

Ed peered up the street and let out a sigh as he realized he was in front of the Eastern Command Center. Without much on his mind, Ed entered the gate and headed up the stairs. The warm heat of the building hit him like a wave as he stepped in. After his walk in the cold, it was a huge comfort to step into a warm environment.

By now, Ed had memorized the way to Roy Mustang's office and he headed in the direction that he had many times before. It was slightly eerie walking down the corridors because it was surprisingly desolate and there was a creepy silence. Normally, Ed would enter Command and be greeted by the various militia who roamed the hallways. This time, Ed could hear his own footsteps echo and bounce off the walls in solitude.

It was at that moment in the absolute silence of the building when Ed realized he really was lonely.

He had reached Roy's office and he could see light filtering from the crack around the doorway. Ed stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do. It was a quiet moment and Ed felt a sort of longing. He stood there thinking. How many times had Roy come to him when he was by himself? How many times had Roy come through for him many times regardless of the situation. He hated Roy but even less than his own father. Maybe, just maybe, Roy had tried to replace the father Ed never had as a child. Didn't he offer Ed a hat earlier that night? It was as if the Colonel was looking out for him in a twisted sort of way. Ed allowed himself a smile and raised a hand to knock.

"FullMetal, you idiot, I told you to just come in."

Ed started as Roy gripped his wrist tightly and the teen alchemist spun around and stared up at the Colonel. The man was smiling as always and he dropped Ed's arm. "Didn't I tell you not to knock?"

"Wha-?"

Ed was about to ask where Roy had come from if he wasn't in his office when the older man placed a hand on his shoulder, opened the doorknob and pushed the teen through into the room.

"Happy Halloween Edward!"

Ed gaped as Riza, Fuery, Havoc, Hughes, and all of Roy's subordinates gave a cheer and salute, popping out from behind Roy's desk. The room was lavishly decorated with Halloween orange and black. The room was almost glaringly bright with the amount of decor that the men and Hawekeye had put up. Ed could see more food and an array of sweet things on the desk. Roy, hand still on Ed's shoulder smirked down at the boy.

"No one should be lonely on Halloween..."

Ed smirked back. "You're right. Thanks."

Then to the huge shock of the room, he turned and hugged the Colonel.

Awww, I keep squealing at this in class. Bad bad me. In any case, hope you liked this slightly boring but intersting Halloween fic. HAPPY HALLOWEEN ALL!