This chapter contains a time skip. It isn't a big skip.
Based on how far along Riza was in her pregnancy last chapter compared to how far along she is in this one, I would say it's about a four month skip.
My goal is for the baby to be out in the world sometime between chapter 17 and 20.
For anyone who isn't really a fan of the pace this story is going, please be aware that we're in one of the "boring as all shit" portions of the timeline.
There's a chance we'll experience that again between the Elric brothers being introduced and during the part of the story where they deal with McDougal.
Also, I don't know how frequent updates will be once we get to the point where Roy returns from Ishval, because I don't want the storyline to be too similar to 'The way it was' by Fullmetalscully, because I don't want people thinking my story is coping (unintentionally or not) Emma's work. It's such a good story and if you haven't read it yet, seriously, what's wrong with you?
"Roy! Roy! Get up!" Riza shrieked excitedly, forcefully shaking her slumbering husband, desperate to wake him up.
"Ungh. I'm awake. Wha... What is it? What's wrong?" He groaned, yawning.
"Look!" She gushed, turning her body to the side, and lifting up her sleep shirt.
It took Roy a moment to understand, but then he saw it. A bump. Her stomach had extended ever so slightly, physical proof of their child growing inside of her, due in just four months.
"You have a bump now." He said, his hand stroking her skin.
"I have a bump now. It's finally real." Riza grinned.
"Oh yeah, because the doctors appointments and the constant throwing up didn't make it real before." Roy teased, sitting up so he could lean over and kiss her belly button.
"You growing big and strong for me and your mama, aren't you Princess?" He whispered to their baby.
"Quit calling our son a princess. You're going to end up confusing him." She scolded, running her fingers through his hair.
Roy rolled his eyes. Not this again. Although he should be relieved. Out of all the things they could disagree on, he was glad the only thing was the gender of their baby. It sucked they couldn't find out before the birth. While sonograms allowed them to see the baby move, they weren't good enough quality to view the sex and have it guaranteed to be correct. That forced them to have no choice but to argue on whether or not they would get a son or a daughter first.
Though truth be told, Roy was more interested in their hair color than their reproductive organs.
"How long have you been awake, love?" He asked, changing the subject.
"Not long. Ten minutes at most."
"Sleep well?" Roy asked, finally climbing out of bed, stretching his arms above his head. He let out a groan of relief when his joints popped.
"Better then I have in awhile." She smiled as he wrapped his arms around her.
"I love you." He yawned, kissing her hair.
"I love you, too. Are you nervous to take the State Alchemist exam?"
The State Alchemist exam was at the end of the month, and the two of them were going to use the trip to Central as a chance to visit Roy's family. The arrangements had already been made, they'd be sleeping in Roy's old room during the week they were up there.
"Yeah. I mean, what if I completely screw it up?" He sighed.
"You won't. You'll do wonderfully." Riza cooed, placing her hands on either side of his face.
It was easy for her, to reassure him when he had doubts about himself, especially about his Alchemy skills. Back when he was alive, Berthold would scream at Roy for any and all false move he made. There were times where Riza would hear him down in the kitchen, and wonder if today would be the day that Roy would finally storm out of their lives. And yet, that day would never come.
Little did she know, the reason why Roy never left was because he didn't want to leave her behind in that decrepit home.
"I don't deserve you." He yawned, bending down to kiss her.
"Yes you do. And I deserve you. And nothing is ever going to change that." She smirked, smiling as she kissed him back.
God I have a wonderful wife. Roy thought blissfully.
"I wish Roy wouldn't be so nervous about his State Alchemist exam." Riza sighed, walking through the market with her Grandmother.
"I know dear, but it's understandable. Nearly all of your family's financial livelyhood depends on him passing." Matilda said, putting a head of lettuce in a basket.
Usually she would send Julia off to do the grocery shopping, but decided to use every chance she could to spend some time with her granddaughter.
"He's going to pass. No one has ever seen anything like it before. I overheard my Father telling him once that he'd been trying to unlock the secrets to Flame Alchemy for decades."
"I see. Roy must have been very excited when Berthold finally decided to teach it to him." Matilda mused.
Riza let out a scoff, rolling her eyes. Matilda raised a thin brow at her, and Riza decided to clarify.
"My Father never taught him anything beyond the basics. After he completed his research, but before he was on his deathbed, my Father made me the guardian of his research. The day we put him in the ground is the day I let Roy have access to them."
"Oh." Matilda murmured softly.
"Mhm."
"Do you ever wonder how different your life would be if you had married a man that wasn't Roy?"
"Nearly every single day for over two and a half years now. Especially since most of the other men that showed any interest in me were all fifteen to twenty years older then me. I think the youngest that showed up was a decade older. Oldest was around forty or so from what I was told. Luckily they all showed up while I was at school so only Roy had any interactions with them." Riza sighed, chosing to ignoring the look of horror on her Grandmother's face.
Matilda couldn't fathom her only granddaughter marrying at fourteen to a man nearly forty. And, to be honest, neither could Riza.
"I wouldn't even be a fraction as happy as I am now, and this little one would most likely be my third baby instead of my first. And me and Roy have talked about age gaps for our kids, we want there to be at least four to six months between me giving me birth and getting pregnant again. If I was married to another man, I'd be lucky if my kids were more then ten months apart in age." She sighed.
"That's not even getting into the fact that if I had married someone else, I wouldn't know you and Grandfather, and you guys would never have known what happened to my Mother."
Riza decided that it would be best not to mention the fact that a different husband would be just as physically and verbally abusive as her Father had been, along with being sexually abusive, too. Or how he would react if she gave him more daughters then sons. Thinking of Cleo August still sent a chill down Riza's spine.
"I am truly glad you married Roy, for all the reasons you mentioned and more." Matilda sniffled, giving her a hug.
"Oh I'm not looking forward to the train ride." Riza groaned, a hand on her stomach as she sat on the bench at the station.
"Why not?" Roy asked, their suitcases resting on the ground between their feet.
"Allow me to refresh your memory on the cluster fuck known as our last train ride. The seats were uncomfortable, I was queazy due to being pregnant, while also being worried that we were wrong about thinking I might have been pregnant. And that's not even mentioning the fact that you almost got into a fist fight with a racist asswipe, Roy." She scoffed.
"Well I think the seats will be better. Different model of a train, and your Grandfather pod for us to have our own area. Before we got the cheapest seats available on an older model." He smiled, kissing her on the lips.
"Eleven o'clock train for Central City, now boarding!"
"Ungh. I just got comfortable." Riza huffed, standing up as Roy grabbed their luggage.
"You'll be fine, sweetheart. And if you think the seats are uncomfortable on this train, then you can always sit on my lap." He teased, kissing her cheek.
Sitting on your lap is what got me into this mess. She scoffed with an eye roll.
"What if your sisters don't like me?" Riza mumbled, as they stood in Central City's train station, one hand absent mindedly rubbing circles below her belly button. She could feel... something, deep down inside. More like butterflies and less like the little leg of the unborn child growing inside of her womb kicking her, and definitely not anything she could feel on the outside of her body.
No need to get Roy excited over something he can't enjoy. Not yet.
"Don't worry, Riza. Everything is going to be fine. They'll love you. Besides, the only one you really have to worry about is Christmas, and we already know she likes you." Roy reassured her, putting one of their bags down to squeeze her hand gently.
"I know. I just know how much they mean to you. I wanna make a good impression on them."
"I get that. I love them to death, but truth be told, they're annoying as hell. And I have a hard time imagining you not finding them irritating also." He told her.
"Wasn't expecting your belly to be that big by now."
The expectant parents looked up and saw Madam Christmas walking towards them.
"Nice to see you, Madam." Roy nodded, picking up their luggage and walking towards her. Riza followed behind him, trying to hide her confusion.
Madam? Why is he calling her that and not aunt Chris or Mother?
"How's the baby doing?" Christmas asked, turning to look at Riza.
"Fine, according to the doctor."
"I heard they have technology that can tell you the gender." She commented.
"Meh." Roy shrugged. "They said it's only fifty percent accurate, so really, what's even the point of doing it?"
"True. Come on, let's get you two home. The girls have been dying to meet their newest sister."
Riza found herself very intimidated by Madam Christmas' Girls.
They were all... so very pretty. Much prettier then she was. They all had beautiful shiny hair in various lengths and colors, faces plastered with makeup- and yet still managed to look classy and not trashy.
And they all had big boobs.
Granted, Riza wasn't exactly flat chested, but these girls made her look and feel like a ten year old boy. It was a good thing Roy grew up with these young ladies and viewed them as nothing more then irritating sisters, or else Riza might end up finding herself... worried.
"Oh! Roy she's so precious!" A redhead chirped, walking up to them and pinching Riza's cheek. Ow.
"Cherry! Quit treating her like a little kid." Roy huffed, smacking her hand away.
"Sorry!" Cherry winced, holding her hands up in defense as she took a step back from her brother and sister-in-law.
"Leave those two alone! Let them get settled in. You can embarrass them at dinner before shift starts!" Christmas scolded the girls, waving her hand to shoo them off.
Riza surpressed a giggle, as Christmas led her and Roy to his old room.
Nice to know his sisters don't immediately hate me.
Dinner with her in-laws was very interesting, to say the least. The large table was filled with various types of food and delicious smells.
"We hope you like everything." One girl, Madeline, said to Riza.
"Everything looks delicious." She smiled, sitting down.
"So do you guys have any names for the baby picked out yet?" A sister named Vanessa asked, grabbing a roll.
"Yep." Roy nodded.
"Are you guys gonna tell us?" One of Roy's sisters, a black haired girl named Willa, asked.
"Nope." Riza shook her head.
"How come?" Christmas asked.
"To make y'all suffer." Roy joked, taking a bite of green beans.
"We're not gonna get a nephew named Roy Junior are we?" Cherry asked, a look of disgust on her face.
"Hell no." Roy scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"Why not?" Madeline asked.
"Most guys want their first son to be a junior." Another sister, Clara, pointed out.
"That's what I said." Riza told them.
"I've never understood the point. It's completely egotistical. If my son is getting my last name, he doesn't need to be getting my first as well." He huffed, pointing his fork to Cherry.
"What if you die while I'm pregnant and we never got a chance to discuss names?" Riza questioned. Yes, her question was morbid, but she wanted to know.
"If that's the case, go right ahead and make the kid a junior. I won't be able to stop you. But if I'm alive, I can and I will stop you." He told her, shrugging his shoulders as he ate some mashed potatoes.
"Do you care about not naming your son after Roy?" Madeline asked, turning to Riza.
"Not really." She shrugged.
I wanted our first daughters middle name to be Jane, and that's what I'm getting. So far, I have no reason to be upset.
"Question. I thought y'all were gonna use this opportunity to embarrass the hell out of me. Why aren't you?" Roy asked.
"Oh, we decided to wait until tomorrow when you're taking your State Alchemist exam so you can't try to stop us." Vanessa cackled.
Oh course that's their plan. Roy sighed.
"You need to relax. Being stressed out won't do you any good tomorrow." Riza reminded Roy, hugging him from behind as they sat on his childhood bed.
"I know. But things will be so much better if I pass. I don't ever want you to worry about finances, and this guarantees it." He told her.
"I understand that. But one positive about growing up poor, is that I know how to pinch a penny and stretch limited funds. Not saying that it's an ideal way to live, just that, to me, it's not the end of the world." Riza cooed, kissing the top of his head.
"Maybe it's because of societies views on gender roles that has me so worried?" He shrugged.
"Probably. You're supposed to bring food home, and I'm supposed to cook it." Riza said, ruffling his hair in a slightly teasing manner.
The two of them got off of the bed, and climbed under the quilt, laying on their sides to face each other.
"Sorry if the mattress isn't very comfortable." Roy mumbled.
"It's fine. I slept on worst growing up." Riza told him.
She could tell he was still nervous about tomorrow, a fact that, frankly, annoyed her.
"Roy?"
"Yes?"
"Repeat after me." She told him, placing the palm of her hand on his cheek. "It's okay if I fail tomorrow. It will not be the end of the world. I just need to try my best."
"Riza..."
"Say it." She ordered.
"It's okay if I fail tomorrow. It will not be the end of the world. I just need to try my best." He sighed, taking the hand she had rested on his cheek in his own and kissing the palm.
"I love you." He cooed.
"I love you, more." She smiled.
"Do you have your gloves?"
"Yes, love."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. They're in my pockets."
"Check."
Rolling his eyes, Roy shoves his hands into the pockets of his jacket... only to find them empty.
"Shit."
"Go find them! You have to leave in less than ten minutes!" Riza ordered, pointing up the stairs, shaking her head as she watched her husband run back up the stairs.
I swear, he wouldn't be able to find anything half the time if it wasn't for me. Only reason why he doesn't need me to find his head for him is because it's attached to his shoulders... Riza sighed, shaking her head.
"What's Roy-Boy doing?" Christmas asked, walking up to her daughter-in-law.
"Trying to find his gloves."
"THERE THEY ARE!"
"Good. Now hurry up or you'll be late!" Riza ordered, as Roy ran back down the steps.
"Good luck." Christmas smirked at him, smiling as he kissed her cheek.
"Thank you." He told his aunt after kissing her cheek. "Love you." He said to Riza, kissing her on both the lips and her stomach.
"See you tonight!" He yelled over his shoulder, shutting the door behind him.
Riza turned from the door back to look at Madam Christmas. "Sooo... you guys said something about embarrassing photos of Roy?" She smirked.
"Oh you're going to fit in great." Christmas chuckled, leading her back upstairs to the living quarters.
"Oh my god!" Riza cried, throwing her head back as she laughed at the photo of Roy that Vanessa had just pointed out in the album.
There, in a sepia toned photo, was her husband, maybe four years old, in nothing but his underwear, a blanket tied around his neck like a cape, and a pair of women's high heeled shoes.
"What did he tell you when you asked him why he was dressed like that?" Riza asked Christmas between giggles.
"Never got around to it. Too busy laughing, if I'm being honest." She snorted.
Turning to the next page of the album, Riza stopped when she saw a man and a woman, standing side by side, bright smiles on both of their faces. The woman had her hair pulled back in a tight bun, dressed in a high collared blouse and long flowing skirt. The man was clean shaven, hair slicked back, and dressed in a nice three piece suit.
"Who are they?" Riza asked, pointing to the couple.
"Hana and Will." Christmas answered her, a small frown on her face.
Hana and William Mustang. Roy's parents.
"What were they like?" Riza asked, quietly. She didn't know much about her biological in-laws, a fact caused by their deaths shortly before Roy's first birthday and several years before her own birth even took place.
"They were wonderful. Hana was kind and loving. She saw the good in everyone, regardless of their background. Will had a good head on his shoulders, was never cross with anyone. All he and Hana ever wanted to do was raise Roy to be a good and honest man." Chris explained.
"They got half of their wish. Roy is a great man. I think they'd be very proud of him." Riza smiled.
"C-Christmas?" She asked, stammering slightly, as she looked up to face her mother-in-law.
"Yes?"
"May I have this? Or any photo of them really? Me and Roy don't really have very many family photos- from either side of our family." She asked.
"Of course. I'll take you shopping for a frame before you and Roy head back to East City."
"Thank you. Thank you so much."
Roy sat on a bench in the hallway, waiting for his turn to take the exam. Understandably, he was nervous.
Relax, Mustang. You can do it. You can do it. Riza believes in you. Aunt Chris believes in you. All of your sisters believe in you. What did Riza tell you to repeat last night? It's okay if I fail tomorrow. It will not be the end of the world. I just need to try my best.
"Sergeant Mustang?"
Roy looked up and saw a man in uniform, a clip board in his hand, open the door and step out into the hallway, and by the patch on his shoulder, Roy could tell this man was a Warant Officer.
"Yes, Sir?" He asked, saluting him.
"His excellency, Führer King Bradley, is ready to see what you can do." The man told Roy, stepping back inside the room.
Okay. Roy nodded, taking the gloves out of his pockets and slipping them on.
It's go time.
When Roy returned to Madam Christmas' bar, he didn't say anything to his aunt or her girls, instead choosing to walk up the stairs back to he and Riza's temporary room.
"Did he pass?" Clara asked quietly.
"Or did he fail?" Madeline asked, just as softly.
"I don't know. Can't read his body language." Cherry frowned.
Letting out a shaky breath, Roy turned the doorknob and opened the door, seeing Riza laying on the bed, reading one of the books she brought with her.
"How did it go?" She asked, saving her place and putting the book down on the night table.
Roy gave her a small smile- one of happiness or disappointment, she couldn't tell- took his hands out of his coat pocket.
And dangled a silver pocket watch from a chain for her to see.
Riza let out a gasp, jumping out of bed and walking towards him.
"You passed?" She asked, smiling brightly.
"I passed!" He laughed, throwing his arms around her in happiness.
"I told you that you would!" She reminded him, kissing him on the lips between words.
Annnnnnnnnd Roy is officially the Flame Alchemist!