Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.
Chapter Eighteen
There were a couple of knocks on the door and Roy went over and opened, still wearing an apron. As a special request from Ed, they'd be having stew for dinner, and Ed had been a big part of making it as they were following his mother's recipe. And so they came into the kitchen to find Ed standing on a chair, stirring the contents of the pot, wearing a white apron that reached his ankles. He looked over at them, smiling. "Daddy, I think it's done!"
Maes had of course already taken out the camera and taken a picture before either Ed or Roy knew what happened. "How cute!" Then he looked over at Roy, slightly crestfallen. "But I suppose you don't want me to take pictures, do you?"
Before Roy had even had time to think, his mouth had opened. "Actually, Maes, I would like you to give me a copy of that."
Roy froze. Then he thought about it. Yes, he would like it very much. His son was cooking while smiling up at them. It was a great moment and Roy would like to have a copy.
Maes' mouth was hanging slightly open. Then he grinned. Then he hugged him. Maes had thrown his arms around him and hugged him. "Roy! How wonderful! You have finally found the happiness of fatherhood! Welcome to this wonderful world! Of course I'll give you a copy! This needs a celebration!" Then he let go of Roy and instead pulled Ed into a hug, making the boy frown. Ed was a hugger, but not much of a multi-person one. He still had some trust issues after all. "And you're the one who brought it about! To think he has already become your Daddy!"
Roy couldn't help but watch in amusement as Ed put his right hand on Maes' scratchy chin and pushed it away from his head. Maes came over to Roy, handing him the grumpy boy, and Roy gladly accepted, as did Ed.
"Only Daddy and Al are allowed to hug me." Ed said, clinging to Roy's neck before protest-kissing his cheek. "Right, Daddy?"
Maes had of course taken another picture.
"If that's what you want, then that's how it is. As long as I'm included, I'm happy," Roy said, smiling at Ed. He wasn't going to confuse him by being less affectionate just because Maes was there. He was just going to take things as they came, no matter how embarrassing Maes Hughes was going to try to make them. "Now let's have a look at that stew."
"Yes!"
"I told you, Roy, you're a natural! Look at how good you are with him!" Maes said, still rejoicing.
"Daddy? Should we just tell him?" Ed asked in a low voice as they reached the stove.
"Might as well get it over with. Hey, Maes, we've got another piece of news actually. By the end of the week, the adoption papers will be in order."
Roy could hear the man freeze where he stood. Then. "ROY! THAT'S SO WONDERFUL! NOW I JUST NEED TO GET YOU AN ALBUM AND YOU CAN PUT ALL YOUR CUTE LITTLE PICTURES IN IT!"
"Daddy, you won't become like him, right?" Ed asked, looking scared.
Roy kissed the top of his head. "Not when we have such a good relationship already."
Ed hugged him back. "I love you, Daddy. Don't change."
"Love you too, Ed. And I won't."
Roy turned around to watch Maes looking torn between a stroke and a heart-attack. Then the man just fell to the ground, hands on his cheeks. "Ooooh! How adorable!"
Al came into the room, looking down at Maes. "Dad? What's wrong with him?"
Which caused Maes to start rolling gleefully on the floor.
"Oh, nothing, Maes is just having a seizure on the kitchen floor. Just give him a couple of minutes."
Ed was sitting on Daddy's lap, just closing his eyes and listening to him and Maes talking. They were sitting in the living room, Daddy in the chair and Maes on the couch. Al and Auntie Riza were out for a walk. Ed just curled up on Daddy's lap and felt those strong arms closing around him, holding him in this comfortable position, letting him rest his head on Daddy's right arm.
"But really, Roy, it's good to see you settle down. I'm really happy for you. Those boys are going to make your life amazing."
"Thanks, Maes. I have a feeling that you're right. They've already changed my life so much, but it's so rewarding, you know? Just hearing Al chuckle, seeing Ed smile. It may only have been a few weeks, but they're my boys. My sons."
"That's what I've been trying to tell you for so long. It may take a lot of work, but the reward of seeing them grow up, I bet you, there's nothing like it."
"Well, Elicia's not even three yet, how can you really know that?"
"Roy, imagine Ed and Al in three years, and tell me how much better you're going to know them. You've only been their guardian for about three weeks, and look at yourself. You've gained Edward Elric's trust to the point that he asks you to adopt him. They both see you as their father. Imagine how much those boys will mean to you then."
Daddy was silent before he leaned down and kissed Ed's head and then began stroking his hair. Ed loved how safe it felt here. The world had got so much scarier, so much colder, but at least Ed had his Daddy. Those four days with Lillian and Grant, the fear he had felt. Knowing that they would keep jabbing those needles into him until they managed to make him theirs. The cold. It had been so cold. So dark. So much pain. And fear. He had never been so frightened in his life. He was so afraid that each of those needles would either hurt him, or they would make him forget who he was. He had thought there was no way out.
Then he came. He shot flames at them, making it warm. He gave Ed his jacket. He got him out.
And here he was, warm and safe. Daddy was hugging him, telling Maes how much he cared for him and Al. It was so good.
Ed smiled, hugging Daddy's arm to him. "I love you so much, Daddy."
Ed felt himself being lifted onto Daddy's chest, strong arms closing around him tightly. "Then I love you even more than that, Ed."
Ed heard the click of Maes' camera.
Ed just hugged his Daddy.
He had a thought as he sat there. Now that he had a great, loving Daddy, maybe he should change his name? Then he'd show that he belonged both to Mom and Daddy. That would be nice, really nice. That would probably make Daddy really happy too. Ed had a feeling sometimes that Daddy didn't really like himself that much. He was acting like there was something that he had done that was really bad. Something so bad that he felt that he didn't deserve Ed and Al. Which was why Ed thought that Daddy was going to be really happy that Ed wanted to take his name. That he was proud to be his son. Because even though Daddy had done bad things because he was in the military, Ed knew he was a good man. Ed just needed a little time to figure out what he wanted his name to be.
All in all, it had been a nice visit once Maes had calmed down and it was possible for Roy to actually discuss parenting with the man in a more grownup way. He knew Maes was a good father and that his family loved him to bits. Roy wasn't going to become scary in that way, but Ed and Al were his kids now, which meant that he was definitely getting some changes. Roy had actually asked Maes to give him copies of five of the pictures in question. He planned on putting the one Maes took of Al hugging Roy as he held Ed on his lap in his wallet. Al had actually asked that they could take one like that, and Roy wasn't opposed to it. He wasn't one for posing much for pictures, or at least, looking like he hadn't just been arrested and was posing for a mugshot. But Ed had seen that and decided to do something about it. The little boy had therefore looked up at him sternly. "Daddy, you need to look happy!" Ed had then stood up on his lap and kissed his cheek. "Remember that me and Al love you and then it's easy to smile!" Roy had begun laughing and had hugged Ed tightly before kissing his cheek and let Ed sit back down, both of them grinning.
Maybe he should get an album and a camera? Not to annoy people, but to have something to look at later on. Something that would help him remember these happy days. Alphonse would come of age in just four years after all.
Ed snuggled up to Roy's chest, he was already asleep where he lay under the covers. Roy smiled and kissed his forehead, earning a satisfied grunt from Ed.
"Good night, Ed. Remember, Daddy loves you."
Al was standing by the phone, waiting for someone to pick it up in the other end. Dad had said that it was okay and probably a good idea to tell the Rockbells about the adoption. It was funny to think of him that way, but it felt good to have a father present again. And when he was adopting them, then Al thought that it would be nice to just start to think of him that way. And it made Al really happy actually. And he could see how happy it made Dad. It was actually pretty funny to think that that was "The Colonel".
"Rockbell Prosthetic Limb Outfitters."
"Hello, Winry, it's Al."
"Oh, hey, Al! Is everything alright?"
"Yes, things are pretty great actually." Al couldn't keep away the excitement in his voice.
"Oh? So why are you calling? You pretty much phone just to deliver bad news usually."
"Well, you see, me and Brother are getting adopted."
"You are? By who? Not Colonel Mustang?" Winry was obviously surprised.
"Yes. He'll be our legal Dad by the end of the week."
"Wow, Al! I don't really know what to say about that. How does Ed feel?"
"Ed is happier than I've seen him in a long time. It was him that asked Dad in the first place."
"So now you're calling him "Dad"?"
"Yes. Ed's been calling him "Daddy" for about two weeks now."
"He has? I would have thought it would take about a year at least for him."
"Yeah, but Dad thought it probably had something to do with the Pentons and that Ed wanted to choose his own parents. He's been great to us for these last few weeks."
"Well, Al I'm glad to hear that he's treating you well. And you two are happy?"
"Yes, I think we are. You know, Winry, even though it hurts losing Big Brother like that, it's still him. And he's so happy to have a parent again. It's so good to see him not be guilty about eating in front of me. He used to carry around so much guilt as well as the weight of the world, and he doesn't any more. He still feels like it's his fault, but he is more set on making things right rather than dwelling on the past. I think he's trying to rectify his past in a way, because he can't remember it. I haven't seen him so hopeful in years. Maybe it really is an Equivalent Exchange. He may have lost a lot, but to see him be that happy again… It's like he's got a second chance in a way. So I miss him, but I'm also happy for him … And I've got a parent again."
Winry couldn't help it, she was crying. She was trying to keep it to herself, but it was hard right now. Al's childish joy in that last sentence, so pure, so innocent, so deserved, it was just too much. "Th-that's great, Al. I'm so happy for you."
"Winry? Are you crying?"
"N-no! I've just got a cold! Listen, Al, those were great news, but my throat's getting really sore…" Winry didn't really know why, but she couldn't keep the conversation going anymore.
"Oh, okay. I hope you get better soon! Say hello to Granny for me!"
"Thank you, Al, I will. Enjoy your time with your new father. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Winry."
Winry put the receiver down and then just slid down against the wall, tears flowing freely, barely repressing a sob.
Granny came walking over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Winry? What's wrong?"
"Ed and Al are getting adopted."
"Colonel Mustang's adopting them?"
"Yes. They're more happy than they've been in years. So why does it hurt?"
Granny took her head and leaned it against her stomach, hugging her. Winry just cried.
