Maes Hughes was not happy.
His wife was at her brother's wedding, and he was sitting on a train on his way to a fancy-wancy important meeting. This was why he wasn't happy— he had neither his wife nor his daughter.
Little Elicia Hughes was on her first Visit. She was growing up so fast... she walked, she talked, she ruined her dress with daddy's shaving cream... Hughes sighed. Only one weekend...
Who was he kidding? As soon as he could, he was going to find a phone to talk to Elicia for hours...
Roy Mustang was annoyed.
Why did Hughes insist on making him babysit the child? One weekend. One weekend with a small child.
Well, one weekend with a small child and Riza Hawkeye. Roy was watching Elicia, and Riza was watching Roy. Somebody had to do it. Roy just didn't know what to do with children.
Elicia was sitting on the couch, swinging her short little legs, singing a song about trees.
"Why does he torture me?" asked Roy. Since getting home from work, he'd had five cups of coffee already.
"Because you're his best friend," said Riza Hawkeye, who had only had one.
"Well, he's my best friend, and I don't make him watch my... dog."
"You don't have a dog."
"Well, I need to get one. And talk about it to Maes all the time."
"No, you need to go ask Elicia what she'd like for dinner."
"Do I have to?"
"Yes, you do."
Roy sighed.
"Uh... Elicia?"
"Yeh, Uncuh Woy?" asked Elicia with innocent eyes.
"So, uh... what would you like to eat?"
"I wike appuhs."
"She wants apples."
"Do we have apples?"
"Yes... maybe... OK, they're probably rotten by now."
"Then I'll go get them."
"And leave me alone with the small child?"
"You'll be fine."
And so Roy Mustang was left alone with a small child.
"Uncuh Woy?" asked Elicia.
"Yes?" Roy was sitting awkwardly on the couch, as far away from Elicia as he could.
"When Daddy gonna come?"
"Monday morning."
"Ah." Elicia thought. "Today Fwiay."
"Yes."
"So I staying Satuhay an Sunay."
"Yes you are."
"Daddy take me on wawks Satuhay."
"I bet he does."
"Satuhay tomowwah."
"Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday."
"An Daddy comin home Monay, so he no take me fow a wawk."
"Trust me, he wants to."
"I go wawkin wih you and Aun Wia and Hayahe?"
Roy thought about it.
"OK then."
"Yay!" Elicia smiled in a way that made Roy almost understand why Hughes couldn't stop talking about her. Almost.
"We pway now?" Daddy always played with her.
"Well, what do you want to play?"
"Pway howsie!"
Riza Hawkeye returned to the amusing sight of Roy and Elicia playing Horse.
"Don't tell anyone," said Roy.
"Of course not," said Riza, smiling.
"I mean it!"
"I know."
Maes Hughes came to pick up his daughter Monday morning, as promised.
"Daddy!" Elicia bolted from behind the couch, only to be caught by Roy Mustang.
"Found you," said Roy.
"Leh me go!" giggled Elicia, "Daddy home!"
Hughes beamed and Roy smiled. He let Elica run over to her father.
"You go fin Aun Wia now," she told Roy sternly.
"All right, all right..." He went to find Riza.
"How are you?" asked Hughes.
"Youw beawd tickwes!" giggled Elicia. Hughes moved his tickly beard away from Elicia. "Uncuh Woy an Aun Wia an Hayahe an me tooked a wawk! An Uncuh Woy an me pway Howsie! An I get oo pway wih Hayahe! An Aun Wia wet me hewp cook!"
"And I just went to boring meetings," said Hughes.
"I missed you an Mommy," said Elicia sweetly.
"I missed you and Mommy too," said Hughes. Elicia paused thoughtfully.
"Daddy?"
"What?"
"Awe Uncuh Woy and Aun Wia getting mawwied?" Hughes paused.
"Someday," said Hughes.