I do not own FMA or its characters. Spoilers for Hawkeye and Mustang's past. This is AU.


Daily Lessons

With a sigh, Roy settled down in the library to do his reading. There had been quite a bit more of that than Roy had expected. His teacher was a stern task master, but Roy had already learned more from the man than he had in his previous years of study. It had taken some getting used to, but Baron Hawkeye was a good teacher if rather abrupt and cold. He made Roy work for everything he learned, but the lessons stuck with better for it.

Life at Hawk's Eyrie was quite a change from home. It was much quieter here, and Roy found he actually liked that. It didn't necessarily mean that he was alone all the time. Riza often joined him with her own studies, the two of them sharing the same space while working on their own. Riza made for a good companion. She wasn't silly like his sisters and actually was interested in the lessons assigned to her. Well, most of them, anyway.

Riza made life here much more bearable. If it had been simply Roy and his teacher, he wasn't sure he would want to stay. Baron Hawkeye was brilliant, but Roy wasn't entirely sure that he was human. He didn't seem to care about anything other than alchemy, not even his daughter. And frankly, that scared Roy a little. His own father was distant much of the time, but Roy had always known that the man loved him. Baron Hawkeye never seemed to show any signs of affection towards Riza. Half the time he didn't even seem to realize that she was there.

Roy had so many questions about his new home. Most of them he wasn't about to ask anyone here. He had learned early on not to mention Riza's mother to either the Baron or Riza. But there were other things to be curious about. There were barely any visitors to the manor. It seemed odd that someone as intelligent as the Baron wouldn't be more sought out by his scholastic peers. And Roy couldn't understand why no family ever came to visit. There had to be some relatives somewhere. The Hawkeye family didn't have to be as enormous as his own, but it had to exist somewhere.

He filed all those questions away to ask when he went home and concentrated on his studies. Riza shifted on the couch beside him. Roy looked up from his book to find her staring out the window. For all the Riza was a good student, she would much rather prefer to be outside. If it were up to her, her days would mostly be spent horseback riding and at target practice. Riza was an incredibly good shot for someone her age, something she attributed to her grandfather. That had been the only time Roy had ever heard her mention family other than her father.

"Bored already?" he asked.

"It's just a really nice day." Riza gave him a half smile. "The weather is going to start getting bad soon. Once we hit October, we'll be lucky if we see the sun more than once or twice."

"I suppose we could always study outside." He gave her a smile. "As long as we're back in time for our lessons."

Their individual lessons were back to back in the afternoon. Riza typically just got quizzed on whatever her father had set her to study previously and then was given a new assignment. Roy wasn't that lucky. Once his lesson started, it didn't end until it was time for dinner. He really shouldn't complain though. He had come so far in his studies in just three months. At this rate, he would be able to choose a specialty in alchemy by the time he was a teenager.

The two of them settled under a large oak tree out of sight of the manor's windows. It was still warm out despite the fact that fall technically had already started. Riza had brought along her pistol. One of the things Roy had learned early on was that you didn't question Riza's ability with a gun or her determination to master the weapon. She felt as strongly about that as he did about alchemy. She hadn't ever explained why, but Roy hoped she'd tell him sometime. There was no use in trying to get answers from her if she didn't want to give them. Riza kept her secrets well.

"I only have a few more months before I have go home for Midwinter." He sighed. "I probably won't be back until the end of January."

"Oh."

It was only one syllable, but it told him a lot. Riza didn't think he would come back. Roy was smart enough to know that if he didn't want their friendship to suffer, he'd better make it clear that he would be back.

"I have to go to the court celebrations, you see, and they take forever. It's like a giant family reunion, and I spend most of it avoiding getting my cheeks pinched by well meaning relations. Mama always makes us go though." He grinned at her. "So what do you want for your Midwinter gift?"

Riza actually blinked at him. He had finally managed to startle her. However, he wasn't getting an answer.

"So? A new doll? A piece of jewelry?"

"You don't have to get me anything." Her voice was very soft.

"But I want to. Just give a hint." He wheedled.

"I don't need anything."

Roy was going to get her something anyway, but he let the subject drop. Instead, he made the most of the next few months. When he finally did have to leave, Roy had a good idea of what he was going to get Riza for Midwinter. He suffered through the usual court festivities and tried to get a few answers. His mother wouldn't tell him anything about Riza's family. She said he was too young to understand. Roy hated it when adults told him that. Still, as he managed to find what he was looking for for Riza's Midwinter present, he would call the trip a success.

His homecoming at Hawk's Eyrie wasn't anything special, but Roy found himself glad to be back. Baron Hawkeye did not join himself and Riza for supper, but that was fine in Roy's book. After dessert, he caught her before she went off to bed.

"Happy Midwinter, Riza?" He held out the package.

She looked startled but took the gift.

"Open it," he urged.

Riza carefully pulled the paper away to reveal a professional gun cleaning kit. Her eyes went wide, and she clutched at her gift. Her smile was blinding.

"Thank you, Roy." She paused a moment. "Wait here."

Riza disappeared from the room for a minute then returned with a small package. She pressed it into his hands and kissed his cheek. "Happy Midwinter, Roy."

He opened it to find a pair of leather bound journals.

"For your own alchemic research," she explained.

Roy beamed. "Thanks."

They shyly parted ways to go off to bed, and Roy felt that he had put at least something he had learned to good use.


Theme: Alchemy