Author's Note: So this is a few days late (especially since it's about the Solstice, which was a week ago), but here it is! Thanks to QueenCari1129 and mbritish for the reviews!


December 1919

Kaliq

Most of the soldiers were going on leave for holiday week, and their excitement for their celebrations spread around. Agniya invited all of us over for a special dinner on the Solstice, which was not a traditional Ishvallan holiday. The first time I had celebrated it was the winter before the Promised Day, when Dr. Marcoh and I were gathering my people for the fight in Central. By that point, there were about ten of us, and Dr. Marcoh had the idea to have a small party to celebrate the possible positive changes we could make together. In remembrance of that, I invited Dr. Marcoh to dinner with us, although it wasn't easy to find him.

Dr. Marcoh was uncomfortable at first, but Yasef and Vedran helped him relax. They remembered him from a few months ago, but this time they weren't on a mission. I felt a little sorry for the doctor, the way they were questioning him. They asked about everything, from why we called him doctor to his scarred face to alchemy. Cemal seemed uncomfortable when they asked about alchemy, and he tried to change the subject.

"But Cemal-malim, Uncle Kaliq does alchemy," Yasef protested. "If Ishvalla doesn't like alchemy, then why is it possible?"

"Just because you can jump off a cliff, does that mean you should?" Cemal answered. "Alchemy is changing Ishvalla's work, claiming to be the god's equal."

Vedran huffed. Marcoh looked over at him, impassive about the discussion of alchemy and religion. "What is it, Vedran?"

Vedran looked up in surprise at the older man. He hadn't expected to be invited into the discussion. "Well, what if Ishvalla's work could be better? What if we could use alchemy to make it better?"

I raised my eyebrows at that. "That's a little blasphemous. Ishvalla makes everything the way it is supposed to be."

"But what about that time you made the ladder to save Cemal-malim?" Vedran asked. "Was that wrong?"

I looked to Cemal, trying to come up with an answer to satisfy the boy. Cemal grit his teeth together. At the time, he had been willing to accept help from my alchemy, considering the alternative. Now, he seemed unsure. "Perhaps it was Ishvalla's will that Cemal-malim fall into the hole," Agniya said, before I had the chance.

"Well then, I don't think I like Ishvalla," Yasef said.

Mida put her arm around him. "You don't have to like him. You just have to trust that he's doing what's best for everyone."

Dr. Marcoh cleared his throat and everyone turned to him. "I didn't mean to disrupt your lovely dinner. How about I teach the boys a game we played at the Solstice when I was young?" Yasef seemed excited about it, and Vedran reluctant at first, but as he explained the rules, Vedran seemed more okay with forgetting the discussion. Cemal and I exchanged glances, and I knew that wasn't the last time we would talk about it.

Marcoh occupied the boys while the rest of us cleared the table and made space on the floor for us all to sit. We spent the rest of the night playing games, and then Marcoh gave the boys each a gift. "Don't worry. I didn't use alchemy to make them. I decided to pick up a trade, so I can earn a little money." He produced a wooden dog for Yasef, and its legs moved when you pushed on the tail. For Vedran, he had a flute. I wasn't sure how much Vedran would appreciate that, but he seemed impressed.

"Maybe you can be a musician." Cemal laughed as Vedran tried to make a sound come out of the instrument. He eventually succeeded making a breathy low note, and Yasef cheered.

"Even Dr. Marcoh has picked up a trade." Mida spoke softly to me, so that the others couldn't hear. "Have you thought anymore about what you want to do with your life?"

I had. After the conversation with Miles, I thought more about Ishval's future and what we needed to move forward. If we needed more Ishvallan-based infrastructure, we had to start somewhere. "Yes. I'm going to talk to my master about it."

"That's good." For a few moments, we watched the others joking around. Then Mida said, "This Konav Mohejen is going to be a special one, with everything that we've been through." I thought about how I'd gotten closer to Agniya and her family, and Mida. Mustang became the fuhrer and left us, and Miles returned. And there were the Wardens, just barely behind us, and the riot. We lost Suraya and Rick. I joined the Council of Elders. It felt as though Ishvalla was preparing us to start a new chapter in the history of his people.

"It will." I agreed.


Hawkeye

"Sir," I handed Fuhrer Mustang his mug before sitting down next to Gracia.

"I AM NOT SHORT!" Mustang shouted as Edward taunted him. As it so happened, Edward had grown taller than the fuhrer in the past year. He wasn't that much taller, but it bothered the fuhrer. Mustang would never admit it, but he'd always been insecure about his height, being the second shortest male soldier in Central. The first was Breda.

Ed smirked and stood up. "Wanna bet?" He had been as tall as me the last time we'd met. The front door swung open and a breeze flowed in, chilling the rooms.

Winry moved to stand up but Mei beat her up. "Don't worry about it, Winry." Winry smiled gratefully at her and lowered herself back down. She pursed her lips as she looked at her swollen belly.

Gracia reached over me to pat her knee. "It'll all be worth it." We were all crammed into their living room, squished onto two couches and chairs pulled over from the rest of the house. Al, Sheska, Maria Ross, and Denny Brosch were exchanging stories about Xing, having all traveled there at some point. Elicia was to Winry's left, following her around everywhere. She was absolutely enthralled by the baby growing inside the older girl, or woman now, I guess. Mei had been sitting on the other side of Elicia, jumping up and down whenever Winry needed something. I knew Winry was grateful to have her around. Fuhrer Mustang, Gracia, and I sat on the other couch, with Ed in a living chair across from us. I had brought Amete with me; she was too young to be left with someone else, so she and Den were in the back to keep them out from underfoot.

Mustang was still glaring at Edward. He crossed his arms and sat back in his chair. "You'll always be the short one." I sighed. Did he really have to be so childish now? Gracia laughed.

"Happy Solstice!" Izumi Curtis stood in the doorway in front of Sig. She held a basket with a few covered dishes and Sig had a large box in his hands. Everyone came to greet them, exchanging pleasantries. Winry led Izumi into the kitchen with Gracia to set up Izumi's food while Ed and Al helped Sig put the box down in front of the tree. Whatever it was, it was almost as tall as the tree itself.

Mei came to sit next to me. "Happy Solstice, Col. Hawkeye."

"Happy Solstice, Mei. And it's just Riza." I smiled at her, marvelling at how much she had changed in five years. She was almost as tall as Winry now, her face longer and more angled than when we had fought together in Central. She had her hair in the same two braids, pinned up on her head.

"I heard about your grandfather. I'm sorry." She looked toward Al. "Holidays are hard when you've lost family."

I was touched that she would go out of her way for me. "Thank you, Mei. I didn't know him very well, but it was a shock. How is your family doing?"

She smiled. "They're doing well. Emperor Ling has made sure my grandmother has the proper medical care she needs, now that she's getting older."

"Do you live with your grandmother?" I didn't know much about her, which didn't seem right to me, after everything that she'd done.

"Yes. Or I did, before …" She blushed and looked away.

"Before?" I prompted. Winry came back in with her guests and distracted Mei, ending our conversation. Edward came to greet his teacher, who was doting on Winry. When Winry grabbed her hand to let her feel the baby kick, pain flashed across her face for an instant, and then it was replaced with warmth.

Everyone chatted for a while, learning what everyone else had been up to in the past few months. Al gave an alkahestry display just before we sat down to eat, creating an ice sculpture of Xiao-Mei for a table decoration. Winry called us all into the dining room where the food was laid out and we all scattered around with our plates on our laps. Their house was not quite large enough for us all to eat in the same room, but it was wonderfully cozy.

Gracia and Elicia had opted to sit with Winry and Ed, who were talking to the Curtises, so it was just Mustang and myself talking to Alphonse and Mei. When Alphonse sat down with his plate, she raised her eyebrows at him. He just smiled and shook his head before popping a mini-quiche in his mouth.

"I see you've grown a beard since the last time I've seen you." Mustang said, giving Alphonse a little smile.

He nodded and swallowed. "Most men grow out their beards in Xing. I didn't like it at first, but Mei convinced me to keep it." He turned to me. "When I came back a few months ago, I shaved it off, so I didn't have it when I saw you in Central. But my face felt so awkward without it."

Mei laughed and Mustang let out a small chuckle. "It suits you." He turned to me. "Maybe I should try something like that."

My eyes widened for a brief second, but I quickly regained my composure. "If you want to, sir." I remembered the time he tried, when he was still studying under my father. It hadn't gone well. But if he wanted his patchy facial hair on the front page of all the newspapers, then that was his decision.

"I think you would look so dignified with a Fu Manchu!" Mei piped up, eyes glowing. Mustang gave her a smirk, lost in fantasies about fictional facial hair, and I bowed my head.

Alphonse laughed. "You'll have to ask Ms. Gracia first." He took a drink from his cup and glanced back over to where the rest of them were sitting. "How did that happen, if you don't mind me asking?"

I thought back to the day before yesterday, when Gracia came over to visit. Mustang and I agreed that she needed to be kept in the loop as far as how things stood between us. She had wanted to end things with him, so that we could have a chance, but that wasn't what we wanted at all. I was perfectly content with things the way they are.

"Honestly, it started out as a convenience thing. She needed the extra support and it didn't hurt my image to be in a stable, serious relationship." Mustang gave his nonchalant shrug before settling back down with a more serious expression. "Sometimes I feel guilty, for using her to better my image, or that I'm lying to the public. But she always points out that both she and the public are getting the better end of the deal." He gave an empty smile, as if he didn't believe it. Gracia was right, though.

Mei stared at him in surprise for a few moments before turning to me, frowning. I glanced at her, and she tilted her head just slightly, as if asking me something. I knew what she wanted to know, but I just smiled inconspicuously at her. She turned back to Mustang. "I don't quite understand the way Amestris cares so much about the romantic involvement of their leader. In Xing, the Emperor has a wife from each of the clans, but that's just a formality. As long as he has a child with each of them, he's free to be with whoever he wants."

Mustang half-smirked at her. "That sounds nice. Here, everyone has an opinion on what I should or shouldn't do, from my clothing choices to who I sit next to at dinner to who I date. It's worth it, though, to be able to change the country for the better."

"Yeah, and you've been changing a lot. I know the State Alchemy institution was no more than a way for the homunculi to keep track of the more powerful alchemists, but to abolish it overnight is pretty bold." Al crossed his arms, an amused smile on his face. I wondered if he'd been planning to get his certification at some point. He was certainly talented enough.

"We've been held up recently, though, with the situation in Ishval and then the repercussions of what we've already changed." He glanced at me and I put my hand on my arm.

Alphonse was saying "We heard about that," as Mei leaned over, looking at my arm. Alphonse and Mustang stared at her.

"Would you mind if I took a look at your arm?" She looked up at me, her face set. I could tell she wouldn't take no for an answer.

I nodded. "It's my shoulder, so we'd have to go to a different room. Perhaps later tonight, when we're finished eating." She nodded, bringing her hand up to her chin, thinking. We spent the next few minutes talking about minor things - Alphonse teasing the fuhrer about his paperwork, Mei occasionally asking questions about the political processes of Amestris. When our plates were mostly clear, Edward stood up and called out for everyone to come into the living room.

Once we were all gathered, he cleared his throat. "Thanks for being here, everyone. It's great to see you all again. Happy Solstice!" Everyone chorused "Happy Solstice!" back at him. "We know that this year has been tough for a lot of you, but the solstice is a time to remember that light always follows the dark." He grinned at Winry who returned a sweet smile. I marvelled at how much Edward had grown. He'd always been prone to speeches, like someone else I knew, but usually hated giving them because he thought they were corny. He had grown up into a strong, kind man, even if he still had his outbursts.

Winry got up and wrapped her arm around his waist. "We have little gifts for each of you, to remember that." Edward knelt next to the tree and pulled out a bag. He reached his hand in and pulled out a small wrapped box. Each had a name on them, and the couple passed them around the room. Sheska received a small flashlight that could hook onto the edge of a book. Breda received a small black light, to help him with his work in the Investigation Dept. Havoc received a new lighter, his name engraved on the side. Gracia received a beautiful tea light holder and Elicia received a set of star-shaped hair clips. Lt. Ross received a Xingese lantern. W.O. Brosch received a set of fireworks, marked for his family's New Year's party. Fuery received a small clip-on flashlight that attaches to his headset. Sig Curtis received a packet of hand-warmers. Izumi received a package of hot chocolate, that Winry had made herself. Alphonse seemed surprised to receive a gift: a naturally luminescent rock. Mei received an intricate light-catcher Edward had made. The fuhrer received a lighter disguised as a ring. I received an illuminator for a rifle that switched between three different colors and ranges. I was grateful for the excuse to go back to the shooting range for the first time since Grumman's party.

Next to me, Mei elbowed Alphonse, who nodded, suddenly looking very serious and possibly a bit nervous. He stood up and walked to the center of the room, turning to face us all. He cleared his throat and everyone fell silent to watch him. The tiniest smile appeared on his face as he said, "There's something that I've been hiding from everyone for a few months now." He looked at Mei and his smile widened, but his anxiety was tangible, making the rest of us nervous. "Just before I came back from Xing in September, I asked Mei to marry me. She said yes."

The room erupted after a moment of surprise. Edward threw his arm around his younger brother, who was smiling so big his eyes were squeezed shut. I smiled at Mei and said "Congratulations" before moving out of the way to give everyone else a chance to speak to her. Winry embraced her, staying by her side while everyone came up to her. Mustang shook Alphonse's hand, but Alphonse pulled him into a hug. I heard the two dogs start barking in the back room at all of the commotion and headed back there. It wasn't that I wanted to get away from everyone. The dogs had been alone for a while, and it seemed like a good time to check on them.

Amete was scratching at the door and Den sat patiently, whining slightly when he saw me. I knelt down to give Amete the attention she wanted and Den padded closer to me, wuffling softly. I pet him with my other hand and they seemed to perk up. I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see the fuhrer. He knelt down beside me, rubbing Amete's belly. Her leg started twitching and she rolled around with happiness. "I thought I'd find you back here. Are you having a good time?"

I nodded. "It's nice to see everyone again." Den was larger than my dogs, and when he accidentally stepped on my foot, I winced.

"So Al and Mei are getting married. It seems like everyone's doing that." He pulled his hand back from Amete, who rolled over and prodded his hand with her nose. She didn't want him to stop.

"I'm glad for them. They're good for each other." I stood up to have greater control over how Den moved around me. My foot really hurt; he must have stepped on me with his automail.

The fuhrer stayed down, staring at Amete. "Are we good for each other?" I looked at him sharply. Was he implying what I think he was implying? Den whined up at me, and I reached down to rub his head.

"I like to think so. Is there a point to this, sir?" As he stood up, I shifted my head toward him, watching his movements out of the corner of his eyes. I could hear the others in the living room, no sign that anyone was coming this way.

"Not particularly, colonel." His fingers brushed my hand. "I just like to hear your thoughts." He lifted his hand to my shoulder, resting it lightly so he wouldn't cause any pain. "Have you thought anymore about letting Mei look at your arm?"

I turned to get a better look at him. "I said I would let her look at it."

He smiled. "You did, but you didn't say anything about letting her heal it." His hand trailed down my arm and he took my hand. Taking a step closer, he whispered, "We've known each other long enough for me to understand that you aren't sure about it."

I lowered my head, smiling slightly. I liked feeling this close to him. "I don't want to let this beat me. It's my own fault that I got hurt; I should have said something when I saw the guard. I have to work through this for that. Using alkahestry feels like taking the easy route."

He sighed and stepped even closer, until my face was centimeters from his chest. He wrapped his arms around me gently, like he was holding a doll made of paper. I leaned forward into him, pulling him closer with my good arm. "I want you back in fighting condition. If you let her heal you, you can come back to work. I need you there."

I nodded against his chest, his cheek in my hair. If that's what he wanted of me, I would do it. I hadn't thought about how it would shorten my leave, and as much as I wanted to overcome it on my own, his goals were more important to me. We heard footsteps and broke apart, the sudden movement making Den antsy. Elicia appeared in the doorway just as Mustang knelt back down to play with Amete.

"Found them!" she shouted over her shoulder. We rejoined the rest of them as the rest of the gifts were distributed. It turns out that the large gift Izumi and Sig brought was a crib, the one she had made for her own child.

After everyone started leaving, Mei led me to the bedroom where she was staying. Izumi Curtis came with us, to observe alkahestry up close. I slipped off my sweater and heard the gasps behind me.

"What's that tattoo?" Mei asked.

I knew this would come up, but I felt no shame in letting her know. The crucial parts were destroyed so there was no danger in letting her see it, and it was a part of me. "It's my father's research notes. He invented flame alchemy, but he didn't want it falling into the wrong hands, so he gave it to me."

Izumi frowned. "What about the scars?"

"They happened during the Ishvallan war." There was no need for me to give them the whole story.

"They look like burn marks," the older woman said. "And they only block out parts of it. Was it intentional?" Mei gasped.

I looked back at her, wanting her to see my eyes when I gave her an answer. "Yes." Izumi nodded and turned to my shoulder. Mei stared at my tattoo for a moment longer before doing the same.

Mei nodded after a short minute and began drawing on the floor. "I can fix it no problem. It's good that it hasn't completely healed yet; that makes it easier to transmute." She finished her circle and looked up at me with a smile. "If you wouldn't mind lying down on the circle."

I moved down to sit on the floor. I had done this before, albeit I wasn't conscious at the time. It would definitely be interesting to see how it had happened. Blue light flashed around me, and I felt my breath catch. I forced my eyes to stay open, despite that slight bit of fear, and my shoulder started to move. I grimaced as the bones shifted around underneath the skin. It felt like the injury was happening all over again. Izumi leaned over us, but it was over as soon as it started. Mei helped me sit up, and I tested my shoulder, rolling it under my other hand. There was no pain. There was no trace of a scar or anything.

"Thank you, Mei," I said quietly, still examining my arm. Izumi asked her a few questions while I went through some basic exercises. My arm was as good as new.


Author's Note: I have no idea when the next chapter's going to come out, just to warn you. It'll probably be later in January.