A/N: Heeeey, lookie here, it's Part Two to Drabble #25: "Ghost". READ! NOW! And review. :)

28. Roy x Hughes – Happy

It was sunny outside, nearly eighty degrees, and Roy was shivering. Two weeks had passed since the colonel had seen the ghost of Maes Hughes at his bedside. Two weeks since the brigadier general had touched his cheek, spoke to him, asked a favor he was unable to finish. Two weeks Roy had suffered from constant chills, never being able to warm up no matter how many sweaters or blankets he had tossed around his shoulders. And it bothered him. The colonel hated being uncomfortable.

He was standing underneath a tree, looking out at Central City in all its dismal glory. He was frowning, thinking of Hughes. And that unfinished favor. "Roy… please… do something for me…" Maes had said. Roy had chewed over the possibilities in his mind a hundred times, no, a thousand times, yet he still couldn't figure out what exactly Hughes wanted him to do. And it bothered him. The colonel hated not having answers.

Frowning, Roy shoved his knuckles into the gnarled tree, feeling the acute pain that accompained the rough bark's sharp scratches. The gloves offered some protection, yes, shielding his perfect hands from a terrible fate of being marred by whitish-red scrapes. That didn't bother him. The colonel liked his hands in perfect condition.

Suddenly, an unbearable freeze came over the colonel; he tugged his jacket as tightly as it would go around his shoulders, but he still felt his skin prickle terrifyingly in goosebumps, felt the hair all over his neck and arms rise, felt his lips turn from soft red to blue. It was that presence, Hughes's presence. And he wasn't sure if that bothered him or not. But the colonel hated being indecisive; he decided it didn't bother him.

"Roy," a familiar voice whispered.

The form of Maes Hughes was sitting in the tree, legs crossed comfortably, back leaning against the strong trunk. He smiled. Roy tried to smile back, but his lips were too frozen to move. Maes didn't seem to notice, so he went on.

"I never did finish asking you my favor," he said calmly, his voice carried with the frigid breeze. "Roy… Do me this one thing."

Roy looked up, brown eyes round and expectant. He revered the man in front of him, clung to every word his now-superior said. Hughes's smile seemed to relax into a more placid position, and he whispered, "Cheer up, Roy. That's all I want you to do. Be happy again. You can be happy, Roy, even without me here. Promise me that. Promise me that you will be happy."

A warm heat flooded Roy, and he felt comfortable again. A smile spread across his face. And it didn't bother him. The colonel liked being happy.

Reviewer Responses!

MetalWing Alchemist: Ya know, on the note of Riza, I think she should have her own theme music. Like something Superman-esque, and she can have this awesome background and wear a cape and save Roy's butt whenever he gets in trouble. That would make an awesome spin-off show. And then, at the end of every episode, the narrator guy would be like, all deep-voiced and say, "And Roy is saved… thanks to… Riza Hawkeye!" And then a cheesy ending song would play and all the little kiddies would CLAP… and… wow. I'm getting way ahead of myself. :sweatdrop: Anyway, glad you liked the drabble! Thanks for the review!

Blackrose Kitsune: Lol, "FullMetal vs. Flame" is one of my favorite episodes… next to umm… "The Ishbal Massacre" and um… that one where Ed is fighting those two brothers in Lab 5 and Barry the Chopper is feeding Al loads of BS. Yeah. I liked that episode. But anyway, hah, Roy's miniskirt speech has to be one of the best lines… ever. Glad ya liked the drabble! Thanks for the review!

Miss DarkRose: And when Havoc's happy (Fuery's happy XD), we're all happy. Thanks for the review:)

--crazykitsune17--