Disclaimer: I own nothing. I am merely a poor and stressed IB student who would have made Greedling sing "When You're Evil" in the credits.
14. Alternate Realities
In the shadowy aftermath of Hughes's murder, a copy of his blood-stained family portrait quickly found a home on Roy Mustang's cluttered desk. Deemed morbid by some and overly sentimental by others, it remains a dark reminder of how truly cruel the world is - and of the indiscriminent destruction wrought by evil. All of Colonel Mustang's goals, ambitions, and vows are fueled by Maes's now fixed smile, by bitter encouragement to not allow the death of a good man become meaningless.
Though recently, it has triggered the unfurling of other notions in Roy's hurting, lonely heart. In another world, they might have had a chance at that, too. At happiness.
At a family.
Somewhere, the circumstances are different. He's sure of it. Somewhere, Roy, Riza, and Maes may not have been sent to Ishval; the country's leaders are not corrupt. Perhaps the country isn't have been at war, period. Perhaps fraternization laws aren't a problem either. Alternate realities are funny like that, Roy muses, idly setting a ink-blotched document aflame, anything is possible. Wishful thinking is only for dreamers and the mourning.
Colonel Roy Mustang is both.
Somewhere, Maes is alive. Whatever evil force that preyed upon him that night passed the phone booth by. He would never have been found in that phone booth, still warm in his own blood. Hughes places his call, hangs up in a fuss over being ignored by Mustang, and proceeds home, where Elicia and Gracia were waiting for him. His wide grin lights up the very air, and swinging Gracia into a hug (kiss me, I love you, how was your day? Better, now that I'm home),plays with Elicia until dinner. There's a second baby Hughes on the way, as well, but no one knows yet.
Elicia's always wanted a playmate.
Perhaps Roy stops in, and Riza too, saying a quick hello before returning to the office, or to her quarters, or his, in a grand display attempt to maintain the worst-kept secret around. Riza would pull little Elicia into her arms in an uncharacterisitc outward display of affection. Roy sighes a little, and Maes would notices how his friend's eyes soften at the sight, how they danced a little more in the dying light. He takes his chance to push, gently, at Mustang's reserves, convincing him that it was okay to approach Riza, okayto want things selfishly every now and then. That it is indeed okay to tell her he loves her.
If things had been different, that is.
And, who knows what else? That's the funny thing about alternate realities. Perhaps Hughes and Gracia would have been hugging the Mustangs's daughter one day as well.
AC: My own personal thoughts on "families" aside, this was surprisingly easy to write - probably because it's more angsty and lest family-y...-y.
I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long. My IB final exams have just started, and I'm really overwhelmed with studying for them all right now.
Rough seas ahead. Arrival in calmer waters projected for two weeks from now. Hang in there, everyone, I'll do the best that I can until then. Sorry if this is shoddy, I was a little rushed.