an: before anyone rolls their eyes and says "here she goes again with the angst" haha bear in mind that this fic focuses on their personal lives, kinda just on the edge of canon, so its obviously not going to be sunshine and roses after hughes passes. that being said, happy times are still here, i promise! but its gotta be real! hope you all enjoy :D

song for this chapter: mat kearney - keep on loving you

1914

you're my favourite kind of trouble

'cause there ain't no love without the struggle

and if it all turns to rubble

we put each other back like a puzzle

Mia was kept off school after Maes' funeral. There were moments during the day where the loss of her adoptive Uncle would hit her suddenly. She'd be chatting away about something, then she'd freeze, her eyes welling with tears. Mia would fix Riza with a desolate stare as her body began to shudder, her eyes begging Riza for comfort. She was due to return to school that morning, but while Riza was brushing her hair, she decided against it.

"I miss Uncle Maes," Mia whispered suddenly, meeting her mother's eyes in the mirror of Riza's vanity. Tears fell thick and fast down her cheeks so Riza bundled Mia into her arms and hugged her tightly. She rocked her little girl in place as her cries grew louder.

The sound of footsteps hurrying up the stairs didn't quite draw Riza's attention away from her daughter, however she knew Roy had heard Mia crying. Her suspicions were confirmed when he paused in the doorway, one hand gripping the door handle tightly.

Hayate was behind him, pushing his way forward and into Riza's bedroom as he whined at Mia. Riza pet his fur to reassure him as he lay down on his stomach, head on his paws, to watch Mia.

"I miss him," Mia sniffed loudly. "And, and," she stuttered, her chest heaving as she tried to talk while she was crying. "And I don't want him to be in a box underground. I thought you were going to go in a box too Mummy when you fell, and I didn't like it."

Riza froze but her grip tightened on Mia.

Suddenly, Roy had wrapped his arms around the both of them. The small family sat on the floor of the master bedroom, holding each other tightly. Hayate whined louder, putting his head on Mia's legs that were sticking out of the family's embrace.

"It was so scary," Mia wailed.

"I know, Baby," Riza soothed as she tried to keep a hold of things. "I know, it's really hard. But I'm not going anywhere, okay? I promise."

Ever since she'd fainted and Mia had found her, Riza wondered when this conversation would come. It was horrible waiting for Mia to let go like this, but now that it had finally happened, they'd be able to work through it together. As a family.

"You were amazing that night, okay?" Roy pulled away and cupped Mia's cheeks in his hands. Her tear stained face had been pressed into Riza's chest, but Roy gently guided it towards him so that he could speak to her directly. "Grandma told me everything you did. You were so brave and I'm so proud of you."

Riza kissed the top of Mia's head. Mia was staring up at Roy, wide eyed and tearful as he smiled softly at her.

"You told me once that I was your hero," Roy added, wiping away Mia's tears with his thumbs. "But you're my hero, Mia Bear. You're our superhero."

"What?" she asked quietly, not quite believing or understanding him.

"You were so brave, and you got Mummy the help she needed. You helped her get better. That makes you a superhero in my book."

Mia nodded and her face screwed up. Arms reaching out, she sought comfort from her father. Roy welcomed it and hugged her tightly against his chest. Seeing Mia so upset had brought pain to them both and now that Mia's eyes were closed and angled away from her parent's faces, they let it show just how sorrowful they were.

Now that Mia was out of Riza's arms, she petted Hayate instead and comforted the dog as he whined quietly at Mia's distress.

"You don't have to go to school today Mia, okay?" Roy promised. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and swept her unruly dark hair away from her face so Riza could see her eyes.

Mia nodded vigorously and gripped onto her father tighter, eyes squeezed tightly closed.

"Mummy and I don't want you to be upset at school and alone either. So, we'll do something fun today, all right? What do you want to do?"

Mia took a minute to think. She'd calmed down a little with the promise of not having to face school alone.

"I… I don't know," she mumbled.

"That's all right," he reassured her. "How about you get changed out of your school clothes and I'll go and make you a fun breakfast?"

"What's a fun breakfast?" Mia asked, pulling away and looking up at Roy in confusion.

A playful smile spread across his face and he winked at her. "It's a secret. You won't know until you come downstairs."

Mia perked up immediately with the promise of a surprise. "Okay," she agreed, still subdued, but her tears had stopped. She stood from her father's lap and straightened. She wiped her tears with the back of her hands and walked through to her bedroom to get changed. Hayate was off like a shot, hot on Mia's heels.

Roy and Riza's eyes met, then their smiles dropped from their faces.

"Come here," Roy whispered, opening his arms.

Riza went to him eagerly, clutching at his shirt. "Seeing her cry makes me want to cry," Riza mumbled into his already wet shirt.

Roy hummed in agreement. "Me too. We promised we'd be better for her and this is the start. I need to own up to a lot and I'm willing to do it. Will… Will you be by my side?"

Riza looked up at him, noting how his voice had wavered. Regardless of how long they'd spent talking things through, or how many times they did it, every time he sought reassurance, she'd give it to him.

"Of course, I will. You know that already," she added gently.

Roy nodded, hugging her tighter. "I know I do. But after everything that happened… It's just nice to hear, I guess," he admitted in a mumble.

Riza cupped his cheek, lifting it so they were eye to eye. "Then I'll tell you for the rest of my life."

Roy kissed her softly, his lips lingering against hers for a little while longer.

"I love you so much," he murmured. He pecked her lips once more then hugged her tightly.

"Love you too," she replied.

"I better get started on that fun breakfast I promised her."

"No chocolate," Riza warned, just knowing what he had in mind.

Roy simpered. "Damn. That was the whole plan!" he joked.

"…Maybe just a little bit then," Riza relented. To be perfectly honest, it was all she desired to eat right now. She wanted comfort from everything, and her pregnancy was making her feel more than ready to give in completely to cravings.

Roy's face lit up as he turned back to face her in the doorway, a grin on his face. It was cheeky, almost mischievous, and Riza knew there would be no stopping his grand plan to cheer up Mia. Not that Riza would want to anyway, she supposed. She'd do anything to stop her baby girl from being so upset.

Riza phoned the school and explained the situation to Mia's headteacher, and the woman understood completely. They would keep her off until she was ready but would see how the upcoming weekend played out first.

Once off the phone, Riza entered their kitchen and found Mia's legs kicking her chair happily as she bit into a square of chocolate. A large square. Riza shook her head at Roy, but still wore a smile. He just shrugged helplessly. He always had been completely wrapped around Mia's finger. She probably sweet talked him into the whole bar, rather than just a few squares.

"So," Roy announced as he sat in a chair at the table. "Have you thought about what you want to do today, Mia Bear?"

Her legs stopped kicking. "I don't know," she admitted. "But you'll be going soon though, won't you?" The sadness in her tone was clear.

"Going where?" Roy queried.

"To work," Mia replied. She was definitely sad at the thought of Roy leaving them.

Roy shook his head. "Not today, Mia."

"Why?" she asked, confused.

"I've got the day off work today." Her face perked up. Mia shifted in her chair, eager to hear the news. "And I haven't spent a lot of time with you and Mummy recently after what happened with Uncle Maes. I've missed you both," he smiled softly.

Turning her attention away from her husband, Riza watched Mia carefully for her reaction, discerning whether or not she'd burst into tears, like she did upstairs, at the mention of her late uncle.

"Oh. Okay," she nodded. Mia sat back in her chair and her shoulders slumped.

Riza took a breath, holding it for a second. She was preparing herself to console her daughter if she needed to, but Mia glanced down to her side. Hayate was sitting by the side of her chair. He let out a quiet whine then licked Mia's fingers, which had been wrapped around the base of her chair. Her grip loosened, and Mia smiled down at Hayate, scratching him behind his ears.

"Okay, Dad," Mia smiled, looking up at her father. "Oh, I'm excited! I get to spend all day with you and Mum!"

Despite the pup being sprung on them at a moment's notice, Riza was extremely thankful Hayate was in their lives. He was an excellent little dog and had very quickly become Mia's best friend. The two were inseparable, which was a joy to discover. He could pick up the feeling in any room and tried to comfort the people he loved in any way he could.

Mia had decided she wanted to go to the park, so of course, her wish was their command. After her "fun breakfast", she was restless as Riza tried to apply sun lotion to her skin to protect her from the hot day outside. It had eventually turned into a game, with Mia squealing and laughing, trying to get away from Riza. It was frustrating as a mother who just wanted to get her daughter ready to go out, but in reality, the laughter was music to Riza's ears. She didn't mind indulging her daughter in her game because it worked wonders erasing the sight of the desolate look on Mia's face from Riza's mind.

Chocolate for breakfast was definitely a bad idea and Riza hoped Roy now knew why she'd told him only to let Mia have a little bit. She was certainly full of beans this morning. The sugar from the sweet treat certainly didn't help.

Riza laughed to herself as she watched Roy run around the park with Mia. She'd been up on his shoulders, steering him like a horse by turning his head in the direction she wanted him to go. Riza snorted at that analogy, because it was fitting, given his surname. Mia had Roy chasing her in a game of tag. She'd been up to the top of the climbing frame twice, begging her father to join her. He'd used the excuse that he was too big to play on it, and would probably break it, to give himself a little reprieve. Riza knew he was struggling because as he'd waited at the bottom patiently for Mia to come down, he caught Riza's eyes and silently begged her to help him.

"That's what you get for giving her a whole bar of chocolate for breakfast," Riza smiled sweetly, pecking his sweat covered cheek.

Roy groaned in response. "Noted for the future," he muttered.

"Mia?" Riza called.

"Yeah?"

"I've laid out lunch. Come down and I'll take you to wash your hands."

"Okay!"

"Go and have a seat," she directed Roy, nodding over to the picnic bench they'd claimed. It was a beautiful sunny day, so when Roy offered to prepare a picnic for them to take to the park, Riza readily agreed. "I'll take her to clean her hands."

Just as Mia landed on the spongy surface of the playground, Roy gave her a quick kiss as a thank you.

"Come on, Mum!" Mia urged, grasping her hand tightly and gently pulling Riza away from Roy. "I'm hungry."

"Patience, Mia Bear," Riza scolded lightly. "You don't want to pull me over now, do you?"

"You're too big for me to do that," she giggled.

"Ah, but you forget, Mia. You're a superhero, remember. You're so strong that you might knock me over!"

Mia's face lit up, dazzling her with a smile as she walked backwards, Hayate and Riza following her lead. "I would never knock you over, Mum," she promised. "But I'll be careful, I promise! I wouldn't want to hurt my little brother or sister though…" Mia paused in her walking, biting her lip worriedly.

"You don't need to worry about hurting them," Riza reassured her, placing a hand on her head to ruffle her hair.

"How did the baby get in your tummy?" she asked. Mia's eyes dropped and looked at Riza's small bump.

"Uh…" Riza smiled to herself. "That's a talk we can have another day." She nodded towards the toilets they were approaching. "We're almost there, so time to wash our hands."

"Another day?"

Riza nodded. "Yes," she promised. Then a rather wicked idea occurred to her. "Or you can ask your father," Riza added casually, trying to hide her smile. "I'm sure he would love to tell you all about how that happens."

"Okay!"

"Another time, though." No, that would be too mean to Roy, Riza thought to herself with a quiet laugh. It would be entertaining to see his face though. "And we'll all talk about it together, I promise." With any luck, that wouldn't be today, and Mia would have forgotten all about it.

"Okay," Mia agreed again, pushing open the door of the public toilets. He probably shouldn't have been inside, but Hayate managed to sneak his way in the building and waited patiently for Mia to finish her task. Riza did the same, talking Mia through it to make sure she did it properly. At the age of five, she knew how to wash her hands, but was so excitable today that Riza wanted to make sure it was done correctly and wasn't a rush job.

Roy looked weary when they returned. Hayate smelled food so had bounded ahead. Mia raced after him, trying to keep up. Roy shifted on the bench, moving to scratch Hayate behind the ears as he desperately tried to sniff at the food just out of his reach.

"Sit," Roy commanded. Hayate obeyed instantly. His eyes never left the food bowl on the bench above him. "Good boy." Roy lowered the bowl and Hayate dug into his lunch. Roy placed his water bowl beside him as Mia arrived.

"Hi Daddy," she greeted brightly. She was sitting across from Roy, up on her knees as she gazed at all the food before her eagerly. From behind, Riza thought she might be drooling.

Roy had insisted on making all the food, so Riza has stayed out of his way. He was cooking something up, both literally and figuratively, so she'd steered clear of the kitchen and left him to it as she got Mia ready to go out. Her morning sickness was all right today and hadn't plagued her yet. Riza wanted to keep it that way.

It was quite a spread. There were chipolata sausages, different types of seasoned chicken, rolls, sandwiches, a fruit salad, a colourful vegetable salad and various dips for the crisps and carrot sticks Roy had just opened up.

"Hello, Bear. What do you want to eat for lunch?"

"Is this all for us?" Wonder swept across Mia's features.

Riza sat next to Mia, accepting the paper plate Roy offered her.

"Whatever you see, you can eat," Roy confirmed.

Mia eagerly, but carefully, began to pile things on her plate.

She was so full after her monstrous lunch that Mia didn't have the energy to run around like she did afterwards. Roy was probably thankful for that. However, apparently she'd ate too much because she was lying on the bench with her head on Riza's lap, complaining about feeling ill.

"You did eat a lot, Mia," Riza told her.

"I didn't mean too," she whined, clutching her stomach. "I feel a little bit sick," she whined.

"Just rest, Mia Bear," Riza soothed. "You don't need to go anywhere or do anything. Just close your eyes." She stroked Mia's cheeks then brushed her fringe off Mia's face. When Mia had been younger her fringe had been like Roy's; all over the place and falling over her eyes. However, as she'd grown older, she'd expressed the desire to have it cut like her mother's so she could see better, so Riza styled it for her.

"Okay, Mummy," she mumbled, her eyes already closed.

Roy laughed to himself. "Do you think this will teach her to slow down a little?" he joked.

Riza shrugged and smiled down at their daughter. "At least it's tired her out a little. That's something."

"Or she's crashing hard after that sugar rush."

Riza hummed in agreement. "And who's fault is that?" she asked playfully.

"I know, I know," Roy agreed, lifting his hands in surrender. "Lesson learned. Completely."

"She'll be fine if she sleeps it off. It wouldn't be a bad thing for her to get half an hour or so anyway. If she sleeps too long she may end up not sleeping tonight."

"We don't want that," Roy grimaced.

Riza smiled at Roy's fearful tone. "No. We don't."

They both lapsed into silence and Riza continued to stroke Mia's forehead as she drifted off. Soon, her breathing evened out and she was asleep.

"Out like a light," Riza chuckled. "She must take that from you," she smirked over at him.

"Are you insinuating that I like a nap?" he asked, eyes sparkling.

"I am," Riza replied. "How very astute of you, Colonel Mustang. They should put you in investigations."

Roy snorted and shook his head. He dusted his hands off, removing crumbs from his last sandwich and started to clear up the table. Riza helped as best she could from her spot without jostling Mia, but Roy swatted her hands away playfully and gently.

"I'll get it. You just sit back and relax," he admonished.

Apparently this was a recurring theme for the rest of the day. Once home, Roy shooed her and Mia out of the kitchen while he prepared dinner. Hayate was his helper and apparently they were going to have some "guy time" together. Riza narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him but didn't fight him on it. Mia was tired but Riza wouldn't let her sleep. So, the two of them went into their living room and turned on the radio. A radio show aimed at children was currently playing, so Riza sat with her and the two enjoyed it, curled underneath a blanket. Riza just shook her head and smiled fondly when she heard Roy muttering to Hayate in the kitchen.

After a curious period of silence, Hayate came padding through with a piece of paper attached to his collar. Laughing to herself, Riza gave him a good scratch as he sat at her feet, waiting patiently for her to remove the message that had Roy's dorky behaviour written all over it.

Roy Mustang requests the presence of Princess Mia Mustang in the dining room. A feast is being served in her honour.

"Mia," Riza nudged her daughter. "Dad has sent a message to you."

She read it tiredly, forehead scrunching up in confusion. She looked up at her mother, silently asking her to translate.

"Dinner is ready," Riza explained. "Come on, let's see if you can eat something after your big lunch earlier."

"I don't know," Mia replied with uncertainty.

"It would be nice to try, though," Riza reasoned. "Otherwise you'll be really hungry when you go to bed and it's not a nice feeling trying to fall asleep when you're hungry."

"Okay, Mummy," she agreed tiredly, rubbing her eyes and yawning. She'd recovered from her sugar high but had still tired herself out today. Most importantly, she'd been happy. So had Riza. It was a wonderful day they'd all had together and in all honesty Riza didn't want it to end.

Roy stood at the head of the table, clutching Mia's favourite bear in his hands. "Dinner is ready," he announced, making the bear wave to her.

"Is Mr. Brown allowed to sit beside me?" she asked, hopping up into a chair and looking at her favourite bear. Mia was not the most creative with names, given the light brown fur of her favourite toy.

"That's why he's here." Roy placed the bear in the chair next to Mia's and pushed her toy into the table.

Her dinner was a simple meal. It was all very plain, but Riza knew it would be perfect for her if she was still feeling slightly unwell after her feast earlier. There were lots of vegetables that wouldn't fill her up too much, along with a handful of fries and some roast chicken.

"Our dinner is ready too," Roy announced, catching Riza's eye. "Would my Queen like to join us?" Roy asked. Riza was still standing by the door, simply observing them interact together.

"Is that why I'm the Princess?" Mia piped up from her seat. Her feet were kicking in her chair as Hayate sat by her side patiently, eyeing every bit of food that left her plate. Mia even played along with Mr. Brown and offered him a nibble of her vegetables before she finished them off.

"You are, my darling," Roy reassured her. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head as he passed by, approaching Riza. "Mummy is my Queen."

"So… Does that make you the King?" Mia was curious, offering broccoli to her bear.

Roy looked in Riza's eyes as he came to a stop before her. "Yes," he replied to Mia. "What say you, my Queen?" he asked.

Her arms slowly lifted and snaked around his neck. Riza stepped closer, so their bodies were almost touching. Her fingers tangled in the hair at the nape of Roy's neck, causing him to inhale sharply. Angling her head, she considered him for a moment.

"Of course," Riza smiled up at him. "I'd be honoured." She angled her head to kiss him, pressing her lips gently against his as Roy's hands lifted to grip her hips. She lingered there for a moment. Her eyes closed as she savoured the moment.

The three of them sat down to a meal of roast chicken, fries. Perfectly simple after their large meal at lunch.

Mia was out like a light again shortly after dinner. Riza tucked her into bed and pressed a kiss to her forehead, bidding her goodnight. Her daughter stirred as Riza stroked her forehead and cheek but sighed happily in her sleep and cuddled into Mr. Brown.

Riza almost tripped over Hayate sitting obediently outside Mia's bedroom door. He looked up at her expectantly, another piece of paper tucked inside his collar. Crouching, she retrieved the paper with a fond shake of her head, thanking their pup.

The King requests the Queen's presence in the bedroom.

Anticipation flooded her as she made the short journey through the hall. Opening the door apprehensively, she paused when she noticed the candles. Multiple candles cast a soft glow around the room, bathing it in an amber light and creating a warmth through sight alone. Sitting on the centre of the bed, was Roy, a single red rose in his hands and a cheeky grin on his face.

"What's this for?" Riza asked, confused.

"Surprise," Roy replied, his tone soft.

Riza closed their bedroom door and Hayate yipped in protest from outside. Riza didn't even hear him. She was too distracted as she stared at her husband, still trying to find something to say.

Roy rose from his seated position on the bed and approached her slowly. "Ideally we'd have a little wine too, but for obvious reasons, we can't," he added with a chuckle. "I'll just have to save that plan for later."

"Wh… Why?" she asked again, looking up at him. There was a plan for later? She knew he'd been up to something while she was getting Mia settled, but this…

Roy handed her the rose with a flourish, interrupting her train of thought.

"A rose, for my Queen," he announced with the silliest smile on his face.

He was such a dork. Riza handled the rose carefully, twirling it in her fingers as she watched the petals spin. But Roy was also so romantic. Riza was so touched by the lovely gesture.

"I said I knew I had a lot of making up to do," Roy started. Riza shook her head, opening her mouth to argue, but Roy silenced her gently by grasping one of her hands and lifting it to his heart. "If I may?" he interrupted, sounding slightly nervous. "I… I have something I want to say."

"Okay," Riza relented. She swallowed, gooseflesh rising from her skin as anticipation flooded her once more.

"Like I said, I know I have a lot of making up to do. And yes, we discussed it all and went through it, but… I still made you unhappy. And I'm so sorry about that." His eyes were earnest as they bored into hers, matching the tone of his voice. "So, this is my next step. If you would like to join me, of course?"

"Yes," Riza breathed. "Yes, of course I would."

The nervous energy seemed to fizzle out of him slightly and his shoulders visibly relaxed. His head bobbed. "All right. I love you Riza," he stated passionately. "Can't imagine a life without you by my side, in fact. In whatever capacity that may be. You were my friend first and foremost. You taught me so much and continue to do so. I adore you with every fibre of my being, and I meant it when I said you were my Queen," he chuckled. "And, yes, you say I have no making up to do, but can you humour me?" he requested. "I want to do it because I want to make you happy. I promised I would on our wedding day. And I want to leave the wonderful Riza Mustang at a loss for words," he quipped, a wry smile on his face. "It doesn't happen very often, and I've decided it's a rather nice feeling."

"You surprised me," she replied. She was slowly coming out of her daze.

"Making you happy makes me happy, Riza. That's all I want," he murmured, gripping her hand in both of his once more. "I'm doing gestures like this because I want to, not because I feel I have to. And… there may be some ups and downs in the future, but I promise, that feeling will never change, along with my love for you, okay? Even if things get dicey, or things take a bad turn for whatever reason, never doubt that." He pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. "I love you."

"I promise, I won't," she whispered.

Riza stepped forward and crushed her lips against his. Roy responded eagerly in kind, his hands moving upwards and underneath her shirt. The fingers on her skin ignited a fire that had been lying dormant inside of her all throughout this exchange. Still thrown off by the surprise of his gesture, Riza decided to show him just how much she loved him. As they fell onto the bed, Riza whispered her own "I love you" against his skin.

"Sorry about rushing into things," Riza murmured. "The candles are really lovely." And they were, releasing the scent of vanilla into the room.

Roy turned his head, grinning at her. "Don't apologise for rushing things Riza," he chuckled. "Plus, you're a much better view than the candles."

"Still… You worked on it. And it was very much appreciated. Same with the rose… Wherever it is." Riza craned her neck to look on the floor but couldn't see where she'd dropped it. She couldn't remember.

Roy rolled over onto his side from his back. Arms enveloped her tightly and Roy pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Don't worry about that, Love. It had the desired effect."

"To get me into bed with you?" Riza quipped.

Roy laughed. "No. To surprise you. To show you just how far I'm willing to go to try to make you happy and to show you how loved you are."

"You already do that."

"Yes, but I can do more," he stressed with a secretive smile. "And that's something I'm excited about showing you."

"Today was perfect, Roy." Her head tipped downwards so she could rest her forehead against his chest. "I loved every minute."

"Good," he replied firmly, giving her a squeeze. "I had the best time with you and Mia and wish I could do it every day."

"We'll have more weekends like that," she promised.

"Every weekend?" he ventured.

Riza tipped her head up to look at him. "Every weekend," she confirmed.