-trumpet sounds- I return with more! I'm really having fun with this story, but I don't really know how long I'm planning to make it. I guess we shall see. Yes yes, we shall see. School's starting in less than a week for me, so I'm trying to get as many chapters done as I can. Pooey, I don't wanna go to school... -pouts- Anyways, enjoy!

Disclaimer: this is the last time I'm gonna say this, FMA does not belong to me.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To everyone's surprise, not many people showed up the next day to see Santa. In fact, only about six children were queued up in the line. This turnout didn't prove to be a complete disappointment, however. It gave Roy, Riza and Al more time to carry out their "Secret Mission" as they called it. Already changed and out of their work clothes, Roy and Riza decided to take the wheel since Al had an "appointment" with some girl he had met at the pet shop. Roy was to ask questions to Ed about how really thought about Winry; Riza was to do the vice-versa. The knew that what they were doing was stupid, but they thought that by not helping Winry and Ed get together would be an even more stupid idea.

"Hey Fullmetal-" Ed had no idea why Roy called him this or how he had acquired the nickname- "are you up for some food?"

Ed shrugged as his stomach let out a hungry growl in response. "Yeah, maybe."

"Alright then. Let's go to the food court for some dinner. It'll be my treat," Roy said. Ed looked questionably at Mustang, wondering what was going on to make him act so nice. Roy was never really the friendliest person to him, in fact, this was probably the nicest gesture Roy had ever given him, but the sudden change in attitude was creeping Ed out.

"O...kay..." he hesitantly agreed to the offer. "If...you're...sure..."

"It's settled. Let's get going." Ed nodded and followed Roy to the food court. The only conversation they made was to decide where to eat, but besides that, talk had been little. After getting their food, they sat at an empty table, seating themselves as they began eating in a quiet silence.

Roy had never seen anyone eat so fast; he had barely touched his food when Ed had already devoured half of his foot long sandwich. "Whoa, slow down there Ed. Your food isn't going anywhere."

Ed ignored him, consuming the other half in a blink of an eye and washing it down with a sip of soda.

"Fullmetal, I've been thinking about us."

The sudden statement made Ed spurt out his drink, almost choking on the soda as he looked up at Mustang in disbelief. "What! Mustang, you're..." he lowered his voice to a whisper "... you're gay?"

"No," Roy responded, appalled. "When I meant 'us,' I was talking about Riza and me."

Ed let out a sigh of relief. "Ok, go on."

"Anyways, I've been thinking about her lately. A lot actually. Tons to tell you the truth."

"And...?" Ed wasn't sure where Roy was going with any of this conversation. Why is he telling me this?

"And I love her." Ed watched as Roy fiddled with something in his pocket and shoved it towards him. It was a box covered in blue velvet. Inside was a golden engagement ring encrusted with sparkling diamonds-

"No Mustang. I will not marry you," Ed closed the box and shoved it back to Roy, who stared at him as though he had gone mad. "I was kidding, ok! You know, a joke? Hahaha?"

"Ha. Ha. Ha." Mustang laughed sardonically.

Enter cricket noises here

"So...?"

"Soo?" Ed raised an eyebrow. "So what?"

"What do you think Riza will think?" Roy asked a little too eagerly.

"She'd like it," Ed guessed idly, not really having the slightest clue as to how Hawkeye would react.

"Just the ring, just the idea about us getting married, or both?"

"Both I suppose," Ed responded, letting out a belch and causing people to glance over at him. "I mean, you've known her for how long now?"

"Almost ten years," Roy replied, feeling this was a perfect opportunity to work the "Secret Mission" into the conversation. "Speaking of years and such, how long have you known Miss Rockbell?"

"Since I was little," Ed cocked an eyebrow at this sudden interest in his past. "Why?"

"Ah, so you basically grew up together."

"Yeah, we've been friends for a while now."

"Uh huh, I see," Roy nodded his head in the same way a psychiatrist does when listening to their patients. "Well, you know what they say. The best relationships start with a friendship."

Ed blinked, obviously confused. "Huh? What're you talking about?"

Roy skipped the question and fired another of his own. "Do you like her? In that more-than-friends way I mean."

"What!" Ed exclaimed, his cheeks suddenly turning a shade darker. "N-no! Of course I don't! Sh-she's just a friend!"

He's stuttering, Roy smirked to himself. An obvious sign that he is lying. "Just friends? That's a shame. You two make a nice couple."

The comment only made Ed feel more flustered, his cheeks transforming colors from a rosy pink to a tomato red. Roy would have laughed if he could. He had certainly caught the boy red-handed now.

"We're just friends!" Ed burst out frantically; pronouncing the last two words loudly and clearly and making it look like Roy was hard of hearing. "We have no romantic interest in each other whatsoever! She's... she's not even my type!"

"Then who is your type?" Roy shot back ."I never thought you to be the type who's picky with the ladies."

"I-I... um, well... dammit, I don't know! But Winry's not my type, so end of story!" Ed concluded with a crossing of his arms over his chest.

"Is she too tall for you?"

The question made a vein pop."NO! NOW DON'T CALL ME SMALL! I'LL BEAT THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF YOU!"

Unfazed by Ed's increased volume of his yelling, Roy pushed on, "Is she not pretty enough for you?"

"No, no, no!" Ed banged the table with his fist. "She's pretty! I mean, she has the nicest blue eyes, and the softest-looking skin and-"

Oopsy-daisy.

Ed's face turned a darker shade of red, if possible, as he realized what had slipped out his mouth "-and that's all I'm going to say to you because I'm leaving!" With a stomp, he pushed through the crowds to get away, knocking people over without an apology. Roy watched him go; feeling quite satisfied at what he had managed to leak out. Now that he thought about it, perhaps the "Secret Mission" would be over before Christmas.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sitting in an ice cream parlor just downstairs from where Roy and Ed had eaten were the two girls of the Santa crew, chatting away at their conversation.

"Oh my gosh, did he really say that?"

Winry stared wide-eyed at Riza, twirling her spoon in her half-gone ice-cream sundae. Riza nodded her head, and the two of them let out girlish squeal.

"Yeah, Roy did. And his exact words were, 'Riza Hawkeye, someday I'm going to make you my wife, and when I do, I'll make sure you'll never cry again,'" Riza sighed as she remembered the memory of the day she fell in love with Roy Mustang.

"That's so romantic," Winry sighed as well, getting a dreamy look in her eyes. "I wish I had someone to tell me that."

"But you do, don't you?" Riza asked, deciding to take a spin on things since the "Secret Mission" could be put into the conversation. "I mean, what about Edward?"

Winry's face turned to a deep shade of pink, eyes looking intently at her melting ice cream. "...What about him?"

"You like him, don't you?"

Winry let out a nervous chuckle. "Don't be ridiculous! He and I are just friends!" Riza couldn't help but notice the tang of sadness in her voice when she said that.

"Denial," Riza said with a small smile.

"What!" Winry exclaimed. "I'm not in denial!"

"See, now you're in denial about being in denial."

"No I'm not."

"Yes, you are," Riza challenged. "Both of you are."

"No we're not!" Winry was stabbing her spoon into her sundae, making ice cream splatter all over the table. Truth be told, she did have feelings for her childhood friend, feelings she never spoke out loud. Denial was her defense mechanism to block those strong feelings from emerging to the surface; she couldn't tell Ed that she had fallen in love with him over the past years. She was too scared to find out his reaction if she did tell him. It was her little secret that she planned to keep to herself and stay hidden.

Riza, however, knew her friend all too well and could see right through her. "You should be more straight-forward," she said out of the blue, casually finishing her ice cream shake."Because I know he won't be."

Winry blinked, staring at her friend questionably and curiously. How was it that Riza always knew what she was thinking? At times, it proved to be a good thing, but during others it was downright creepy.

"So, what are you going to get Ed for Christmas?" Riza changed the topic, but was still talking about the certain golden-eyed boy.

"Huh? Oh...um," Winry contemplated for an answer but came up with none. "I don't know. He's always hard to shop for-"

"How about instead of getting him something materialistic, you tell him how you feel?"

Winry's eyes looked as though they were going to pop out of their eye sockets; her mouth was hanging open widely. She gaped at Riza as though she had sprouted wings on her head.

"Riza!"

"Winry!" Riza said, smiling lightly. "I mean, you like him don't you?"

Winry felt small under Riza's interrogative stare, fumbling with her jacket sleeve as she stammered, "N-no..."

"Yes, you do," Riza shot back.

"No, I don't."

"Yes."

"No!"

"You're a horrible liar."

"Riza!"

"Winry!"

Winry was scarlet in the face by now, murdering her melting sundae as she painted the table with the sticky substance. She abruptly stood up, grabbing her things as she pelted towards the door.

"Thanks for the ice cream Riza. I'll see you tomorrow!" she called.

"You like him, right?" Riza asked again, only getting an exasperated groan in response. She watched as Winry dashed out the parlor and disappear into the crowd. She sighed.

I guess I'll take that answer as a yes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aw man, I had fun with this chapter, especially Ed and Roy's part. THANKS to all those who reviewed! You guys are really really really awesome! There's more coming, but in the meantime, leave a review. I ain't too proud to beg, but… pretty please?