Author's note: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or its characters. This is set after the manga and is slightly AU.
Til the Season Comes Round Again
There was a fire in the hearth, and it was snowing outside. Riza let out a content sigh as she sipped the hot toddy in her hands. Roy pressed a kiss to her temple. The two of them were curled up on the couch in front of the fire in a cottage Riza's grandfather kept in East City. The man barely used the cottage and had always offered Riza full use of it. This Midwinter, Riza was more than happy to take advantage of that. A quiet holiday with just the two of them was exactly what she and Roy needed.
It had been a difficult battle, and neither of them were really fully recovered from it. But they had won. They were both alive if exhausted and heart weary. Roy's vision was recovering somewhat, but Riza doubted it would ever be what it once was. She herself was physically healed, but the terror of that whole experience was still with. She would admit that she now found it nearly impossible to sleep if she wasn't sharing a bed with Roy. Appearances didn't really matter anymore; just about everyone knew that they were each other's weak spots.
But right now, none of that really mattered. For the next two weeks, it was just the two of them together without any outside interference, and Riza was determined to enjoy it. And there was comfort to be had in each other's presence. She reached a hand out to adjust the afghan that covered the two of them. Roy caught her hand once she had finished and brought it to up so he could kiss her palm.
"I love you, sweetheart."
Riza smiled. She had known, but he had been much more vocal about it since that day. She knew that he had been terrified when her throat had been slit. At the time, she had been more worried about him. Carefully setting her mug on the end table, Riza turned so she could kiss Roy properly. His fingers found their way into her hair, and they lost themselves in the heat and passion between them. Wrapped in each other's love and warmth was the best way that Riza knew how to spend their holidays. They were alive and they had one another. That was reason enough to celebrate.