Title: Making Peace
Rating: PG
Category: General/Angst
Sub-category: Humor
Warning: Maybe ignoring character death and slightly OOC Mustang.
Pairings: None.
Feedback: Constructive criticism and general feedback.
Summary: Winry made peace with herself and Mustang.
Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist is copyright to Hiromu Arakawa, Square Enix, MBS, ANX, BONES, Dentsu.
AN: This is my first attempt at FMA and I sincerely apologize if I got anything wrong. I've never watched the anime or read the manga before, what I know comes from fansites. I know that Mustang isn't Alicia's godfather but in here, I made him to be. I think that Hughes might have asked him to, after all, he is the closest to Hughes and somewhat of an uncle to Alicia.
Hughes-san had invited us all to Alicia-chan's birthday. It was Edward's birthday as well. No one can forget the day of the party. Hughes-san had waved the invitations around like a madman, preparing to assault anyone nearby who refused to go. I had been there at the office that day, looking for the brothers and promptly got an invitation in my face. I must have squinted and said yes, because the next thing I knew, I had booked a ticket from Leisenbourgh to Central two weeks from now.
We were the first to arrive at the house, greeted by the happy father and the equally happy daughter. Gracia-san was more subdued, smiling at us, ushering us in and wished Edward a happy birthday with a motherly hug. It drove a pang in my heart at that sight, made me all wistful. No matter what Edward said, he and Alphonse are lucky to have Gracia-san as a surrogate mother to them. Alicia-chan lead us all into the sitting room, eager to show us her new dolls from her parents. I followed her patiently. Edward, however, grumbled but an elbow jab from Alphonse stopped him midway.
Alicia-chan proudly introduced us to her new 'babies', showing us their clothes, getting us to join in her impromptu tea party while waiting for the other guests to arrive. I smiled. Even little girls are allowed to dream and act like princesses once in a while. Edward balked at drinking imaginary tea from the pink teacup. He said he preferred coffee. Alphonse obliged Alicia-chan's request at pouring tea for Miss Fitzgerald. It was just too cute seeing him tilting the pink teapot and pretend. I giggled.
The doorbell saved Edward from being offered more tea, and the princess for a day jumped up, speeding to the direction. We all hastily made our way back to the sitting room, settling ourselves on the sofa.
Hawkeye-san was the first to enter, bearing a wrapped package which she handed over the birthday girl. Alicia-chan thanked her with much aplomb for a soon to be five year old. Havoc-san and the others handed her a really big box, clumsily wrapped from where I could see. It was all from them as they pooled together their money to buy her a present. Fury-san explained to Hughes-san they weren't sure what to get her. Breda-san was avoiding Hayate like the plague, twitching every now and then. I heard Edward and Alphonse laughing quietly.
The last to enter was Mustang-san. He was promoted not long ago. He and Hughes-san were now the same rank. I watched him, my fists balled in my lap. I couldn't recall how many nights had I cried in the pillow when I found out who it was that killed my parents. I was filled with fury, wanting to scream at him when I saw him on my last trip to Central. I wanted to demand answers from him; why, why did you do it? How could you do it?
I met him the first time I went to Central to fix up Edward's automail at the headquarters. I saw him, standing before the boys. He had a folder in his hand and was turning the pages rapidly while he talked to Edward. Edward was bristling like a porcupine by then. I couldn't hear what Mustang-san was saying but Edward was shouting loud enough – in a furious voice – for all and sundry to hear. I watched in amusement as the staff seemed to back away from their desks at least a foot away, as if something or someone might start throwing explosions right there. Only Hawkeye had the nerve to look disapproving and severe. Alphonse saw me, gave a wave as Edward exchanged one last biting comment with the then Colonel.
It was then I found out who he was. Roy Mustang, the famous Flame Alchemist. I met him again on another trip to the city. This time, he was at Hawkeye-san's desk, looking through some paper. This time, it was after I found out he was the one who killed my parents. I froze in the doorway, literally. A part of me wanted to run up and pound his face to pulp with my trusty wrench. The other part held me back. Maybe it was because I was staring at him or maybe he had this sixth sense because he looked up and caught my eyes.
It was funny, how we just freeze there, looking at each other. His face had always been a mask of indifference whenever I saw him. That day, it melted away. I could see it, the raw emotions across his eyes, the haunted look in his eyes as he stared at me. I tried to school my features into a resemblance of a scowl or anger, anything but I can't. I just looked at him. It was Hawkeye-san that snapped him out of his stupor. He gave a shake of his head and turned back deliberately to her but I could see I had affected him, troubled him deeply. I turned and left. I avoided coming to the office after that.
Now, he was here. In the house with us. He hadn't notice me yet for his attention was on the birthday princess before him. The smirk he wore faded away to be replaced by an almost affectionate smile; the eyes softened as he knelt to eye level with Alicia-chan.
"Five years old and you're a big girl now," he said, the smile making him looking years younger. "Happy birthday, princess."
Alicia-chan's eyes sparkled, and she looked positively delighted. Clearly, this was a ritual between them, for even Hughes-san was standing to one side, smiling.
"Do you have it?" she said, her cheeks dimpling at him.
"I think I lost it somewhere," he said in mock dismay. "Oh dear, you need to find it for me then."
She giggled then, hands reaching out and patting his clothes, small hands going in the pockets of his coat. A sudden pang rose in me as I watched. This was what I had missed when I was a child. Not this game of hide and seek but something similar. Alicia-chan's face was glowing as her hand went into his coat pocket and she gave a delighted crow, holding up the package.
It was a small box wrapped in pink tissue paper and tied with a ribbon. She clutched at it gleefully in her small hands.
"Say thank you, Alicia-chan," Hughes reminded her.
"Thank you!" The small hands wrapped around the neck in a tight hug. Mustang-san's hands came up to settle on her back.
"Never thought you'd have a soft spot for kids, Sir," said Havoc-san, preparing to light up but was stopped by Hawkeye-san.
"I am her godfather, you know," he answered haughtily, getting up.
"Ah, everyone's here. Come into the kitchen," Gracia-san called from the doorway.
Alicia-chan immediately came over and pulled Edward up, saying it was his birthday as well and he was going to sit with her while he sputtered.Alphonse chuckled and followed as the staff were lead by Hughes-san to the kitchen, all talking about what a wonderful cook Gracia was. I lagged behind and suddenly realized Mustang-san was still there. He had stayed behind to hang up his coat.
The silence between us was deafening.
"For a long time, I had this picture of who the man that murdered my parents was," I said. "I imagined him to be big, tall, maybe like Armstrong-san but cruel and cold. He had to be that cold-hearted, to have killed them. He stayed in my mind all the time until I met you." I looked at him in the eye. "Suddenly, it was all just so wrong. You're not cruel or cold-hearted. You don't– you don't even fit in the picture. I wanted so badly to hate you, you know. I wanted to take out the wrench and beat you with it. I wanted you to tell me why you did it and how could you have done it."
He didn't say anything so I continued on, plowing ahead, even as my vision was getting blurred and my voice becoming rather thick and hitched. I angrily wiped those traitorous tears way.
"You were a young soldier then, following orders," I continued. "It wasn't your fault. I know that now. You did what you were told but it was someone else who gave the order. It was that person who killed them. He just used you to do his job. I saw it, you know, in your eyes that day. The guilt, the remorse. It hurt you, didn't it, that day? I know that you never wanted to. It's not you."
"And how do you know what I am like?" he asked, tone flat.
"You protect the Elrics. You helped them out even though there was a chance you might be caught with an act of treason for helping them. You're an uncle to an adorable five year old who thinks the world of you." My smile grew soft as I stepped closer to him. His eyes were hooded, shielded from my sight but I could see the slight tremble in his hands at his side. "You could have hide the truth away, let me think it was the man in my head who killed my parents but you told the truth. You're a good friend to Hughes-san and Gracia-san. Inside, there's a person who's kind and gentle. He's not the cold-hearted bastard I imagined to be."
Then I saw the emotions in his face and eyes. The remorse in those eyes, the guilt that was always there, haunting him.
"I can't hate you," I said softly. "I– I forgive you, Mustang-san."
It was like the burden that had been on his shoulders were lifted, and he visibly crumbled. He put a hand to his face, as if to compose himself before facing me. When he did, there was a tentativeness in him that was never there before. A weak smile crossed his face.
"Hate only begets hate. I forgive you." I held out my hand.
He took it, giving it a firm shake. I allowed the smile on my face to widen, suddenly feeling much freer than I have ever felt since the day I found out my parents died.
"Oi! The food's gonna be finished if you don't get in here!" Edward shouted from the kitchen.
We dropped out hands, chuckling at the typical Edward behavior. We headed towards the kitchen as I wiped my face clean of the tears I had shed a little.
"Miss Rock– Winry," Mustang-san said suddenly.
I gave him a questioning look.
"Your mother... You look just like her, in case you've always wondered."
I gaped then threw myself into him fiercely, as the tears began to fall. I could feel him putting his arms around me awkwardly as he comforted me. I never knew my parents or their names. Pinako-baachan said nothing of them, feeling it might make me even more unhappy than before.
"Thank you," I said, voice muffled through my tears.
"Winry–!"
"Shhh, let them, Niisan."
"That's just so sweet! Don't you think so, Alicia-chan?"
"Maes, please."
I pulled back from Mustang-san and smiledweakly at him. "G-gome nasai," I mumbled at the mess I made on his shirt.
"Daijoubu." He smiled. The mask he wield before other people had been put away. This was the man who protected the Elrics fiercely, who was disgusted with what he did and felt remorse, who spoiled Alicia-chan outrageously. This was the real person behind the mask.
"Oi, are you two going to be like that every time we meet?" came Edward's complaining voice. "You're getting to be sappy and weepy, Winry."
"Urusai." I bonked him on the head with the wrench. He yelled out, more in annoyance than pain. "It's your own fault."
"Oi, chibi-san, happy birthday as well." Mustang-san smirked as Edward predictably exploded at being called small. Mustang-san tossedhim a wrapped package as well which he caught with good reflexes.
As I sat between Alphonse and Edward in the kitchen, I looked around at the table at the smiling, laughing faces.Hughes-san was saying something about Alicia-chan to Hawkeye-san and Havoc-san. Farman-san had this faraway look in his eyes at the tale. Breda-san and Fury-san were talking with Gracia-san. Alicia-chan was chattering with Edward and Alphonse, her voice cheerful. I looked to see Mustang-san across us, giving us this indulgent look that I knew Edward would deny ever seeing on the face. I smiled, joining them in a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday, to Alicia-chan's utter delight and Edward's utter embarrassment. Gracia-san and Hughes-san brought out two cakes; strawberry for Alicia-chan and chocolate for Edward.
I didn't feel alone anymore. My family was here with me.
Owari.