A/N - Spoilers for episode 25... Kinda. I love Maes. Unbeta'd... (Sorry Su-chan!)
Snapshots, Sketches and Scribbles
Memento
Several months after the war, Maes had proposed to Gracia.
He'd insisted upon Roy being best man, had coaxed him into the role by saying it was a favour he owed a best friend. Roy took a secret pride in having been offered the position.
He was there when Maes fumbled with the ring and dropped it, had surreptitiously pressed a handkerchief into the groom's hand when the green eyes filled with emotion and Maes pledged himself to serve and cherish Gracia for the rest of his life - Roy had to suppress the tears that threatened to fall on his part as his best friend laid a chaste kiss on the lips of the bride and all but carried her out of the chapel. The sound had bubbled up and out his mouth and the best man laughed shamelessly as it rained from clear grey storm clouds.
There was a photo of them after the ceremony, among shots of the couple, their parents and various relatives, a simple sepia memory taken of the groom and his best man, Maes with an arm about Roy's shoulders, both men high on champagne and happiness, flushed with the joy of the other's company.
Roy's hair was tousled the wrong way and Maes' tie was undone, but it didn't matter. Roy had the picture framed and it sat on his bedside table, next to the photos of them in military attire, the imperfection of the moment, beautiful next to the strict formality of blue dress-uniform.
The image isn't there anymore. The Colonel's hidden the picture somewhere dark and lonely, along with the photos of Maes, Gracia and Elyssia, because he can't stand to look at them, not yet.
One day, though, he'll find them again, and it won't hurt as much to remember that for weeks afterwards, Maes had carried around his own copy of the snapshot and told anyone who cared to listen: "Look, look. This is Roy Mustang: He's gonna be big, you know. He was my best man."