Auther's Note: Here I come! Hughes...why do you have to die...NO! Sometimes when I think about Hughes' death, I wonder what would happen if it wasn't Hughes, but Riza instead...*sob* I would definitely kill every cows on the earth!

I know I should do Riza's part, however I can't help but doing Roy's instead teehee XD Sorry Riza...I love you...

I just started my high school and it's very difficult cuz I don't understand Spanish...so the only class I survive is English...

And I feel bad for this but I really forget to give her my credit...the quote '...use your 'charm' with my daughter...' is from the The Sorcerer's Apprentice by tootooroo. Check it out! I like her young!Royai style teehee I want to yell at the cliff and tell everyone, "I'm sorrryyyyy~~~" like a shounen manga hahah (I'm really sorry plz don't kill me cuz I haven't written Riza's part yet)

Disclaimer: Even if how much forgetful I am, FMA isn't mine ya know! I just like drinking Chamomile!


II.

One cup of tea, two spoons of honey.

"Do you want some tea, Roy?"

He looked up to see his best friend smiling at him, hand holding a pink teapot with white flower painted on it. Funny, he was going to tease his friend and ask for whiskey when he realized he shouldn't...

...tomorrow was Maes' wedding.

So instead he nodded slowly, "Thanks."

Not too long, a cup of tea was served in front of him, with box of sugar and bottle of honey besides it. Roy put his hands around the cup, let the heat run into his body and breathed in the aromatic scent from it. But no matter how good this cup of tea looked, he didn't take a sip.

Noticed of his old friend's odd silence, Maes took a sip and broke the silence, "Why don't you try that, Roy? It's a gift from Gracia's family! They are very welcome!"

Roy narrowed his eyes, "exchanging with your bride spending a day before wedding with them, they gave you the old tea bags, huh?"

"Yep, honestly, I'll willingly let Gracia stayed with her family if she wanted anyways. They don't have to bother to find a present for me, too. Having Gracia as my wife is the best present in the world! Spending a day before our wedding isn't a big deal."

"This is wrong. A bride should have a day before their wedding with her to-be husband!"

"Are you living in the old time? I understand now why you haven't got a wife yet,"

"Hughes…." The Bachelor of Amestris growled in irritation.

"Moreover!" Maes ignored his friend's anger and continued, "Gracia's family said it was only given to the blood line! This means they accept me, Roy!"

Roy muttered quietly. "Just want to taking her away from you…"

"Plus, that's why we can have my bachelor party here alone, two of us! Aren't you happy for that?"

Sighing, "you call this as a party? Having a tea? Never know a bachelor party have a tea party, too."

"Oh Roy…" Maes gave him a pity look, "You never know how suitable a tea is in bachelor party? How pitiful."

"Whatever you say," Roy snorted at his friend and decided to scan the place. This apartment was rented a month ago, preparing for the Hughes to live in after the wedding. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, big kitchen and even bigger living room. It was really pretty home.

"You did a great job in finding a place, Hughes."

"Do you think so? Actually, you have to give the credit to Gracia! My dear really has a good taste!"

Plus, large spaces for children, Roy noted as he looked around the living room. Boxes and furniture were placed orderly in the corners. In the nearest box, he saw a teddy bear stared at him with its blank eyes. Remembering the reason why the couple chose this place, he suddenly teared his eyes off the doll.

Maes and Gracia were expected a baby.

Yeah, his best friend was going to be a father.

That news made him sink back to a deep thought again.

"Don't make that face, Roy" Meas shook his head like reading his mind, "you have that thought again, huh?"

Sighing, he muttered a 'sorry' and added, "I can't...stop thinking about it..."

Ever since he had received a wedding invitation from his best friend, Roy found himself had same dream almost every nights and he would always space out when he was unaware. The problem was the frequents were increasing lately.

He already had a few talks with Maes, but they couldn't find a way to stop or decrease it. Deep in Roy's heart, he knew why. Surely, Maes tried his best to help his friend. However, no matter how hard they tried, it wouldn't work if Roy didn't truly tell his friend what he had dreamed about and the question he couldn't shake it off his mind.

Maybe it was the time…

Watching surface of the tea waving, Roy put his chin on his fists and said quietly, "I have something to confess with you…about that."

Maes raised his eyebrows curiously as he put down his cup, "what? Do you still have something which made me get older and didn't tell me?"

"No…it's just…", he swallowed his saliva and continued. "honestly, Hughes...how can you touch the woman you love with those hand? I remember the last time, you almost threw me to the ground."

Maes replied softly. "Then, you're lucky that tomorrow is my wedding,"

"I guess so…"

The conversation ended as they sat in silence, listening to the sound of cars and people outside the apartment. Maes was taking his glasses off to clean while Roy was staring down at his tea. His friend looked so calm like he had no intention to talk anymore. He could understand if his friend didn't want to give him an answer. Anyways, it was a question that he didn't expect his friend to answer him.

The last time, during the Ishval war, almost ended up in a fighting between comrades and old friends. It was still a pain thinking about how angry his friend had looked, how his friend had gritted his teeth angrily and how furiously his friend had shouted at him that day.

Even if his daily life would get screw up, he didn't want to risk their friendship with his stupid curiosity…

Roy decided to take a sip of his tea…

"Do you have someone in your mind yet, Roy?

He was a half way to his mouth when Maes said in sudden.

Stunning by the question, jaw opened, eyes widened and his hands stopped midway. Roy felt his mind blank for a minute and recovered quickly, "…what do you mean?"

"Don't fool me, pal. I know you have one. A blonde girl with a sharp eye, right?" Maes smirked slyly.

Roy shook his head slowly and put the cup down, "I don't know who you're trying to imply, but I don't have an answer for you."

His friend pouted as he yelled at him, "You know that you won't get any younger, Roy! Get married!"

Sighing, "it can't be that easy…"

"Tell me why. You are the youngest Lieutenant Colonel that Amestris ever has! Moreover, there're tons of women who want to use your family name. Just lay an eye on someone and get date seriously. Roy, tell me why it can't be that easy," his eyes were serious and full with concerns and pleads.

Seeing his friend's concern, Roy felt a twist in his stomach. He really wanted a glass of whiskey. "I don't deserve something like 'love', Hughes..."

If Maes didn't hear wrong, he could catch regret and disappointed in his friend's voice. "Roy…"

"My hands aren't like yours. They have too much stained of blood on." Looking down at his both hands, Roy sneered.

Voices of his victims hit his mind like a train…

'You have to use your power to protect us! Not killing us!'

'Why?…you are the State Alchemist…aren't you?'

'I won't forgive you…'

And…the worst of them,

'Mister Mustang…'

Her weak voice pierced through his ears,

'I beg you…'

Her rifle was placed besides her,

'Please release me…'

Her amber eyes showed no hesitation,

'Thank you…Mister Mustang.'

She didn't tell him to stop when he burned her.

"Too much…" Coming back to the present, Roy gritted his teeth and squeezed his hands tightly till his knuckles turned white.

Maes watched his friend sadly and decided to change a topic, he began. "Roy, do you remember what I told you last time?"

"Not clearly, but yes." he admitted,

"Good. I will give you an advice, Roy. Do you want to hear?" Maes leaned closer as Roy nodded in support to continue.

Clearing his throat, Maes continued, "I can tell that when you fall in love with someone, you will do anything for her. In my case, I want to live with Gracia. And that's also what Gracia desires...

"That's why…I will leave the war behind, pretend like there's nothing happened and live with Gracia happily. That's because it's a 'happiness' that we desire…

"So, Roy…" he looked straight into his friend's eyes, "When you realize your 'desire' someday…

"You will have an answer for my question. Don't forget to tell me when the day comes, kay? Now, cheer up!" Maes gave him a big, bright smile.

"You are really a miserable man…" Roy said with a grin as his friend laughed.

We all know that you are the happiest man in this world…

"Whatever you say. Let's continue our tea party!"

Smiling gently, he replied. "As you wish…it's your bachelor party after all."

"As I wish…then I wish you would get married and have little Mustangs running around your big house! Could you do that for your best friend?" he winked.

"Easier said than done, although…I think I will have a second thought about it,"

"That's my pal! Come on, try some of Gracia's apple pie! It's the best!" Maes rushed to a kitchen and came back with a tasty apple pie in his hands. He began cutting the pie while talking about how good his to-be wife was in everything, especially cooking.

Though, he had to agree with Hughes this time, Gracia was really good at cooking.

Beautiful house, beautiful family.

As he was listening to his friend's praise, Roy smiled softly, finally took a sip of his tea and…grimaced.

"What's this tea, Hughes?"

"Chamomile, I guess."

"Tell them not ever give you this one again."

"That's rude, Roy. Although, I have to say I couldn't agree more. Don't tell Gracia this but," Maes leaned closer, looked around like afraid someone would hear, then whispered, "I have an old bottle of whiskey under my counter. Do you want a shot?"

Smirking, "Now we're talking…"

Did chamomile tea always taste bad like this?

II.


Author's Note: Why Chamomile? I don't know maybe it popped up in my head cuz I just try chamomile tea for the first time! Eek! I don't know how people drink it, but I can't survive without honey. Thanks God for sending honey to this world LOL however I have to admit I like it.

Oh, and I think I should do a rewrite of the first chap...You can see that I'm not a describe type...plz leave a review and advice if you want to give me! I'm really bad at English hahahahah

Next time: our short protagonist will claim the throne!