To Thine Own Self Be True
Chapter 33 - The Past Is Like Old Things, Needs To Be Dusted Off Now and Then
The following morning, Mustang awoke to bright sunlight shinning across his face. He blinked a few times until he finally recognized the room he was in. It was Hawkeye's living room. He looked at his watch - time 1100.
"Damn, I slept in late."
His eyes danced across the fireplace which was no longer burning as he yawned. The mantle above the fireplace held a few pictures. He stood up and walked over to them. His picked them up and brought them back to the sofa, placing them on the coffee table. He looked at one in a dark blue frame. It was of Maes, Gracia and Elicia sitting on a beach in bathing suits. They were smiling. The next frame was dark green and it held a photo of all the subordinates under Mustang.
"I remember this day..."
Mustang smiled. It was taken the day they all moved into the new office in Central. Mustang was sitting in a chair in the front middle with Hawkeye to his direct right, holding a very small puppy. Then on his left was Havoc and Fuery. Behind them was Breda, and Falman, and next to Falman was Armstrong flexing his muscles with lots of sparkles. Behind them all was the Amestris green and white flag. Mustang smiled and looked to the next photo. In a dark purple frame was a little blonde haired girl in a pink sun dress. An oversized military cap was on her head pulled back so she could see. She was being held in the arms of an older man with short black hair and a military uniform. The hat probably belonged to him. The man was smiling as the girl, about age five, was saluting.
"This must be Riza and her grandfather..."
Next to that was a frame slightly larger then the rest and it was black. Inside was a very old fading photograph. A tall man with short blonde hair and green eyes stood next a shorter lady with long black hair pulled into a bun and deep amber eyes. The lady was holding a small baby in a pink blanket. The baby looked to be newborn and had a small puff of blonde hair and her eyes were bright amber. Behind these people was a banner saying "It's a Girl!". The lady was wearing what appeared to be a military doctor's uniform and the man was wearing a typical military uniform.
"I wonder..."
Mustang placed the frame back on the table carefully. Then, he picked up the silver frame. There smiling back at him was... himself. It was taken the day he received his name The flame alchemist. It was from the waist up and on his face was his famous cocky smile. His right arm was outstretched to show off a shinny new State Alchemist's watch. The uniform he was wearing had the rank bars of a Major.
"Why does she have a photo of me? And why is it in a silver frame?"
"They say every cloud has a silver lining..."
Mustang jumped and placed the frames on the coffee table. He turned around and was facing a smiling Hawkeye in the house doorway. Hayate ran inside and headed to the kitchen for food. After she entered, she closed the door and walked over to Mustang. She picked up the frame and looked at it, brushing away some dust.
"...So I put it in a silver frame. Back then, I honestly thought you were nothing but a jerk. And maybe the only silver you had was on your jacket... and this frame..."
Mustang stared at her as she smiled and looked down into the picture at the smiling young Mustang.
"And to answer your other question. Hughes gave me this photo years ago."
Hawkeye looked up at Mustang. She turned around smiling.
"I'm sorry, I didn't...-"
"It's okay."
She placed her hand over his mouth and silenced him. They both smiled and she sat down on the sofa, Mustang sitting next to her. She put the silver frame down and picked up the purple one. Mustang was leaning back and she was sitting up right looking at all the dust covered photos.
"It's be ages since I looked at these. They are all so old."
She brushed dust off the glass and stared at the picture.
"I was about four or five when my grandfather was promoted to Major General. I was the only non-military person at the promotion ceremony... and the only kid."
Hawkeye smiled.
"Your Grandfather?"
"Yes... he raised me ever since I was six months old. I was his everything. When ever he had the chance, he brought me with him to work.. Always loved to show me off, saying I was his little 'Angel' from above."
Hawkeye placed the frame down with a smile and picked up the yellow one. Brushed off the dust.
"It was given to me the Christmas after Hughes died. Gracia said Elicia wanted all of her 'daddy's friends' to have a picture of him. But, Gracia said she couldn't bring herself to send you one."
After putting it down, Mustang picked up the green frame. He brushed the dust off and looked at it. Everyone was smiling back at the camera. Even Black Hayate was smiling.
"That was happier times..."
Hawkeye smiled and leaned on his shoulder, looking at the picture.
"Yeah..."
Mustang replied. Hawkeye pointed to the spot where she and he were.
"Strange how when we first met, we couldn't stand to be in the same room as each other...after a little while, we couldn't be apart."
She took the frame from him and pulled the back off. Three more pictures fell out. She placed the frame on her lap and picked up the three new pictures. One was taken at Elicia's first birthday party. Hawkeye was wearing blue jeans and a red blouse. Mustang was wearing black pants and a white shirt. They were sitting on the staircase, not noticing the picture was being taken. They were smiling and having a great time. Above them was a banner that read "Happy Birthday Elicia". They looked like a couple, not Superior and Subordinate. Hawkeye was sitting one step above Mustang, and they were talking to each other like it was nothing.
"Hughes sure did like to take pictures."
Mustang sighed and Hawkeye laughed. She put that picture back on the frame and looked at the next one. It was a snow scene (1). Mustang was covered in snow and behind him was Hawkeye molding another snowball in her hands. Mustang's glove was raised in the air and was coated in snow. The current situation was a snow ball fight on Central's HQ grounds. Mustang looked like he was yelling something and his eyes were looking to the side like he was about to turn to face Hawkeye.
"I did get you good... 'sir'."
Hawkeye smiled and Mustang glared at her.
"It was a direct attempt at treason to your superior officer."
Hawkeye laughed and placed the picture down, picking up the next one. She slowly stopped laughing at this one. It really wasn't a good picture, to say. It was taken just before Hughes funeral, down a side alley. Mustang was in his military dress uniform and his hair was slicked back. He had his head in his hands while sitting on a step of the fire escape next to the church. Hawkeye was standing next to him in her dress skirt uniform with a hand on his shoulder. It was a bright and sunny day.
"I never knew anyone took that picture."
Mustang said taking the picture from Hawkeye.
"Elicia did. And she did a good job too. Gracia had given Elicia her father's camera and she was using it that day before the funeral taking pictures of all the guests. Gracia says the pictures all came out very well for a five-year-old first time using a camera."
"Takes after her father."
Hawkeye took the picture back and placed it with the others, closing up the frame and placing it back on the table. She reached for the final frame, the black one. She picked it up and leaned back. Mustang remained siting as he watched her in silence.
"My parents."
Hawkeye said as she used her blanket to perfectly brush off all the dust. There smiling back at her was her parents.
"My grandfather gave this one to me when he moved out of here about three years ago. It was taken at a surprise baby shower at the Southern HQ. My grandfather threw the party and invited both of them out for his promotion. Instead of receiving a promotion, he threw a party."
Hawkeye ran her finger over the glass, outlining her parents.
"They died about two months later during in Ishbal rebellion. My father was in the military as a solider. My mother worked at the Military Medical Unit in Central where they lived. She never used to go into battle, but the rebellion was so strong, they needed extra medical assistance and she was called in. I was left in the care of one of the Unit's nurses."
Mustang leaned back and allowed Hawkeye to lean on him.
"My grandfather told me when I was older, that during the rebellion, my father was killed protecting his superior officer. When he was carried to the medical tent, my mother was assigned to pronounce his death and to sign it in the book. As she wrote his name in the book, she was killed when the tent was raided by Ishbal. Right below his name, her name was written and both were signed off by a young nurse who worked for both Ishbal and Military alike."
Hawkeye scooted closer to Mustang who put his arm around her. They stared at the photo. The couple was smiling.
"What hurts more then their death is who my father died protecting..."
"Oh...?"
"The real King Bradley was a loyal military man of Amestris. Not the homunculi, I'm talking about the real Bradley. The one that never became Fuhrer. He was a young Lieutenant Colonel who had a very loyal subordinate during the rebellion. A Subordinate named Major James Hawkeye."
Mustang's eye widened. Bradley has a past with Hawkeye, well the real Bradley.
"I... I never knew..."
"No one did. And for the longest time, I honestly believed Pride was the real Bradley. And I respected him for that. Because the real Bradley gave my father a special medal for saving his life. He honored my father for his bravery, honored more then any other solider from that battle..."
"That's why you hesitated when I said I was going to kill the Fuhrer?"
"Yes, because I thought Pride was Bradley. Come to find out, after you disappeared three years ago, I did some research and found out the real Bradley was killed in battle as a Lieutenant General. So when Pride turned up as Bradley, he claimed that he was never killed and it must of been someone else..."
"And with no proof of homunculi, every one believed him."
"Right."
Hawkeye stood up and placed the photos on the mantle. She looked at her watch - time 1600. They had spent a good part of the day talking about her past and looking at photos.
"I'll make lunch...or dinner...or whatever."
"Okay."
Hawkeye walked into the kitchen, leaving Mustang to think about everything she had said.
A/N - (1) Read my story 'Snow Fight' and you'll understand.
If anyone wants to draw some drawings/sketches of these pictures I've described, that would be awesome. Just e-mail me a link to where I can view them and if I like the sketch/drawing, I'll post a form of link on this chapter for all to view the pictures.
Sorry such a strange chapter. It will get good don't worry. I'm taking ideas. Remember a few chapters ago in the A/N I mentioned something about breaking a record. Well, I'm still waiting for suggestions. I wont wait for long! Times running out...
Please review. No FLAMES (Thats Roy's job only). Please look in my profile oo0AnimeChild0oo for all my other stories. And again, thanks for reading.
"Write a wise saying and your name will live forever"
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