A/N: Like I promised! Here's my Royai contribution to Christmas 2015! Gosh, the troubles I had to go through to complete this one. But the satisfaction of completing a story and posting it on time is second to nothing!

I hope everyone had a safe year. Merry Christmas and a warm Happy New Year in advance to everyone! Let's get to the business now; enjoy…!

I absolutely do not own the legend FMAB.

CHAPTER I: REUNION

Roy came awake at the distinct sound of a fist rapping against wood. Startled at the untimely knocking, he sat up and bang! – His head hit hard against the ceiling. A chuckle resounded in the small room followed by the sound of unhurried footsteps.

"Forgot again that you're sleeping in the upper bunk, eh Roy?" Maes asked over his shoulder as he opened their room's door. "Baldwin! Morning man, need something?"

Rubbing at the sore spot on his forehead, Roy peered over the edge of the bunk, squinting to comprehend the exchange between his comrades.

"No mate, they sent word from the main office that there's a call for Roy," Baldwin answered his eyes already on the cadet in question. "You need to get there as fast as you can."

"Who's calling me at seven in the morning? On Solstice Day no less," Roy wondered climbing down the bed. "Just be honest Charles, what's the prank?"

"No prank!" Charles promised holding up his hands in a pacifying signal. "There's talking going on in our block that it's a girl on the line," he added with a wink.

"Roy just put on a shirt and go see what's happening," Maes interjected with a straight face. "You don't want to get into trouble on Solstice, do you?"

"Right," Dark eyes met green and a very brief, silent conversation ensued. Turning his attention to the messenger in the doorway, Roy simply mumbled, "Thanks for the message Charles."

"No problem, mate. Tell me what it was later, okay?" Charles added turning around; he sounded genuinely interested.

"He will, he will," Maes called and shut the door. When he turned around Roy was already fishing through his shelves in the unkempt cupboard that they shared. Yawning Maes walked over and flopped into the sole chair in the room. Just as Roy disappeared into the black pullover that he'd managed to lay his hands on, Maes asked, "Could it be your Aunt or one of her girls?"

"They know better than to call at our quarters first thing on Solstice morning. It's the only holiday in winter that we get off, and I made sure they would all know it," Roy was muttering darkly as his head popped out of the black garment. "I still think it's a prank," he said to himself and sat down on the edge of Maes's mattress to put on shoes.

"I get it!" – Roy looked up at the excitement that he heard in his friend's voice – "It's that girl you keep writing to!"

Face turning an interesting shade of red in response, Roy shook his head in a half-hearted attempt at nonchalance and turned back to the task at hand. "I don't write to any girl," he protested in a mumble, fingers busy with shoelace.

"Oh you don't, do you?" Maes narrowed his eyes meaningfully. "I bet you a hundred cenz it's her on that line. The daughter of that master you had, I know it's her."

Roy was about to open his mouth and take on the bet, but he hesitated. Not because he wanted it to be Riza Hawkeye on that call, but firstly because Riza would hate him for making bets over her if she ever found out; and secondly, there was always a chance that Maes was right because no other girl had ever intrigued Roy as much as Riza Hawkeye had; if anyone knew how many surprises she was capable of, it was him.

"It could just be a wrong number," Roy replied unthinkingly as he walked to the door.

"Yeah, a wrong number asking for Cadet Roy Mustang only? I'd still risk my money," was the last thing he heard Maes say in his usual upbeat tone.

When Roy entered the main office, more than a little out-of-breath, he was met by the angry eyes of the telephone line manager Mrs Fitzgerald. Slowing down to a normal pace to allow himself some oxygen, Roy finally stopped before the counter. Looking down at the round old woman pretending to be engrossed in the day's gazette, he folded his hands casually on the glass-top.

"Good morning ma'am," he greeted with as much politeness as he was capable of. "Happy Solstice to you," he added with a smile.

"Are you Roy Mustang, first year?" The lady looked up, a finger sliding her glasses onto the top of her white-haired head.

"Yes ma'am."

"Then my dear boy," she started with her brows raised. "Instead of using that fake charm on me, try to shut up that girl whose been asking for you for the past sixteen minutes," Mrs Fitzgerald said crossly. "She's on the second line; booth two."

"Thanks," Roy nodded. Mrs Fitzgerald's nasal voice followed after him, 'Don't expect me to say welcome …' as he moved away.

His feet seemed especially heavy as he walked toward the telephone in the second booth, his thoughts going miles a minute. He cradled the receiver in his hand for an entire minute, his heart racing as his mind trailed on the possibility proposed by Maes. The image of a short haired blonde, in a swishy skirt and an old cardigan, with a receiver to her ear – made his chest swell up with some foreign feeling. Sighing once in an effort to rid his mind of the merry illusion, and to get over the inexplicable emotion that was bubbling deep in his stomach, he drew the instrument to his own ear.

"Hello?" he asked into the mouthpiece in a quiet voice, too apprehensive to dare at loudness.

"Roy?"

The voice that had replied with nothing but his name sent a tingle of misplaced satisfaction down his spine. It was her. He wondered vaguely why Riza never bothered telling him in a letter that they'd equipped the house with a telephone; or whether she'd just gone to a paid telephone at some roadside shop.

The major part of his mind, however, was appraising just how beautiful her voice sounded. It had been more than six months since he'd said that goodbye to her and heard her say it most unwillingly to him in reply. Even distorted as it was over the telephone, Roy knew that the mix of melody and calmness was the loveliest thing he would ever hear.

"Roy Mustang? … Are you there?" She sounded anxious and he could exactly imagine the tiny line of worry on her forehead.

"… Riza," he said, lips automatically curving into a smile around the word. "It's you."

"Yes," she said; a shy smile of her own evident in the lone word. "Can I say 'surprise'?"

"If I wasn't used to the wonders you seem so full of, I would've fainted in this booth right here." He answered, relaxing as he heard her chuckle quietly to herself. "To what do I owe the unmatchable pleasure?"

"Nothing much," she took a pause. "Well just … happy Solstice?"

"I wish you the same," Roy replied instantly with a smile, although he knew she couldn't see him.

There was silence on the line for a short moment. It wasn't awkward though. For him it was a moment taken to entirely believe what was happening; in her defence, it would be referred to as the little time taken to acknowledge to herself that she'd done it.

"That sums it up, I guess," Roy was the one to break the silence. "Pass on my wishes to Mast-"

"No," she said instantly, cutting him off. Then, apparently, she recalled some lesson about politeness. "I mean, there's a little more," she spoke quickly.

"Is there?" Roy wondered with his brows scrunched up in thought.

He heard some movement on the other end of the line; she was most probably twisting the chord around her finger, followed by a distinct sound of a blaring truck horn in the background. Then timidly her voice came across, "Have you heard of Daylight Street?"

"I might have," he said; eyes narrowing slightly then immediately widening in greater surprise than before as his swift mind caught onto her meaning.

"How fast can you get here?" She asked simply. "To this seemingly new diner called Seven-to-Seven?"

"You're not in Central, are you?" Roy's tone was still guarded.

"I might have come," she answered quietly.

He shut his eyes, his face under a rare full smile. "Give me twenty minutes?"

"Twenty five," he heard his smile mirrored in her tone. "I'm waiting."

"Not for long," He was smiling even now. "See you soon," he muttered into the mouthpiece just before he hung up.

For another short while, Roy continued to stare stupidly at the magical contraption before him, his lips still twisted in a disbelieving, childlike grin. Then seemingly breaking out of whatever euphoric reverie had consumed him, he rushed out of the little cubicle. At his footsteps Mrs Fitzgerald looked up pointedly but nothing had the power to deter him in that instant.

"Thank you!" he called out brightly over his shoulder as he made his way out the doors. The moment he set foot outside the office he was sprinting; there was a pretty blonde girl waiting for him at a café on Solstice morning, and he was past caring.

It was clear from the fizzy aura of activity around everyone that Central woke up early even on the days off. Carrying blue stamped pages in their pockets, two cadets rushed through the holiday foot-traffic; those papers said they both had the permission to be out of the Academy premises for the next eighteen hours. Still disbelieving of what his friend had done merely minutes before, Maes followed in Roy's wake as the latter overtook pedestrian after pedestrian like it was daily routine for him.

"Roy, let's slow down a bit," Maes panted, finally catching up to him.

Absently Roy held up his left wrist, the one wearing a much rundown watch, and gave it a shake. "We're down to less than fifteen minutes," he said emphasizing the last two words.

"She's not going to eat you," Maes protested. "Though you don't seem like you would mind even if she did," he added under his breath.

Luckily for Maes, Roy missed his wise afterthought; he was replying to the previous line of conversation as he looked around. "I know she's not a cannibal, Hughes. But if there's one thing I've picked up at my Aunt's club -" Roy stopped at the edge of the street and looked left (accidentally glaring at Maes) to check whether they could cross the road – "it's to never keep a girl waiting. Females angry over the unpunctuality of men are worse than cannibalism. That's a piece of advice for you as well."

When they were safely to the other side, Maes grabbed a handful of the back of Roy's jacket and made him slow down to a publicly normal pace. "I won the bet," he reminded his friend.

"Sorry buddy, I never staked anything," Roy smiled a distracted smile.

"Never mind I guess; though I still can't believe it," Maes was saying as they passed an antique shop that was just seeing the first sunrays of the day; its owner merrily whistling as he put out his wares. "You literally sweet-talked the chaperone lady to let us out. What did you do? Promise to buy her a Solstice gift or something?"

"Some other time Maes," Roy waved a hand … then, abruptly froze in his tracks.

Maes was forced to a stop too. Blinking as he pushed his glasses up his now sweaty nose, he laid a hand on Roy's shoulder. "Are you okay? What's gotten into you this morning?"

"Gift," Roy simply said and turned around to resume their walk. Maes was left staring after him for a few seconds but he was quick to regain his composure.

"Why the sudden detour, man?" Maes asked, falling into step beside his dark-haired roomie.

"I need to buy a Solstice gift for Riza," Roy was saying as he stepped into the antique shop, the bells over the door jingling merrily; he held open the door as a very baffled Maes entered after.

"You don't need to do this," Maes muttered, casually sticking his hands into his pockets to avoid breaking anything delicate.

"Oh really? Says the guy who made me roam half the town in search of the perfect gift for his girl?" Roy challenged. "Don't be such a pest, Maes. I was going to send them both something with my next letter; would you be yourself and help me now?"

"So you admit you've been writing to her?" Maes narrowed his green eyes.

"Guilty as charged," Roy broke into a blushingly confident smile. "Now use what's under all that hair and help me."

Riza knew it was wrong of her to expect his arrival when not even twenty minutes had passed, but she was getting impatient. She sat at a round table on the patio of the café such that anyone passing by would – at least accidentally – notice her.

Where is Roy?

Looking all around her only to obtain disappointment, Riza leaned back in her chair. Wintry winds rustled the hair at the nape of her neck, and brushed past her calves; in response she folded her arms tightly at the chest as a weak measure against the flowing chillness.

"Good morning and a very warm Solstice to you," said a cheerful attendant who'd just appeared by Riza's table. "Would you like a look at our breakfast menu?"

Riza smiled tightly, suppressing the frown that threatened to appear, "Thanks, but I'm waiting for a friend."

"Not a problem," the girl nodded. "I'll just get you a glass of water." With a smile she turned on her heel and sauntered off into the café.

Riza stared after her still wondering how long it would take Roy to make it there. The glass of water came and Riza didn't even pay attention as she drained it into emptiness; brown eyes fleeting from anonymous black hair to black hair.

When they turned the corner, he saw her. Sitting at a small circular table, her eyes gazing unseeingly at the dreary tablecloth, Riza was the perfect picture of stretched patience. Coming to a stop with his heart thrumming in his ribcage, Roy turned to look at Maes.

His friend's gaze was fixed where Roy's eyes had been seconds before. A low whistle came from Maes, "Pretty. I didn't know you had a thing for blondes, Roy," Maes said lightly.

Roy groaned. "I don't have a thing for anything. C'mon we're late anyway."

"Nah, you're late. I'll see you after seventeen hours."

Roy stared at his friend dubiously. "You're not going back," he wrinkled his nose.

"Of course I'm not," Maes snickered. "Now that you got me out of those creepy buildings, I might as well exploit the reprieve."

"What're you on about?"

"Why do you think I was pestering you to talk our dictator into letting us out?" Roy took in the question and realization spread across his expressions, Maes winked. "That's right; I will go and see Gracia. You have fun; and I want every word."

"Right," Roy nodded. "See you; happy Solstice."

"Same to you; and thanks for making mine happy," Maes began to walk off.

"Don't mention it." And with pleased smirks, they parted.

He probably had prior plans; what was I thinking? Her brows furrowed as she pushed the unfilled glass farther away. The tiny pessimism of her inner mind did everything to make the situation even more torturous. Time was passing slowly and swiftly at the same time and Riza, for the first time, couldn't make head or tails of her own thoughts.

Her eyes were fixed on a little girl across the street – buying balloons with her father, when something settled on her shoulder and she jerked to look.

With windblown jet black hair, dark eyes triumphant and a smile worth a zillion cenz, Roy Mustang had finally made his appearance. Riza stared up at him as her lips, now with a mind of their own, smiled back.

She hadn't even thought of talking and he sent his magnetic voice bouncing around her mind. "I know I'm late, sorry."

"You made it," she shrugged gesturing toward the empty chair opposite hers.

"Of course," he smirked and held out hand. When Riza raised a brow at him that same smirk turned into a patient smile, "Let me pull you up, Miss Amestris."

"Why do call me that?" She asked, successfully ignoring his palm.

"Because it is the only title that's worth you," Roy's smile was genuine; he wiggled his fingers in mid-air to get her attention back.

Somewhat warily, she accepted the proffered hand and allowed herself to be helped to her feet. Smile changing instantaneously into a triumphant smirk, Riza was deftly pulled against Roy's chest in a rather strong hug; his other arm wrapping snugly around her waist, Roy murmured to her, "After all, we both deserve a hug."

The momentary surprise quickly evaporated as her cheeks grew warmer, and with hardly any more reluctance she moved her hands to clasp around his back, returning the embrace, "For once, you're right."

His responsive chuckle reverberated through his chest, and a moment later she felt a warm hand press against the back of her head, "I missed you, Riza."

It was clear to them both that the day ahead was going to be interesting in the company of the other. After the months spent apart and the only communication between them having been occasional letters, they had a lot to ask, a lot to share. And now that they were together, they would both make sure they got the best out of the impromptu reunion; it was going to be unforgettable.

Thanks for reading! Also, chapter 2 will be up on Christmas Day! See ya. ;)