Ed answered the door, a grin on his face. It was so relaxing to be helping out in the kitchen with the Hughes'. Nothing else to worry about, no threat to life and limb…his merrily content train of thought met an abrupt end as the door opened fully, revealing Roy Mustang. Ed was sure the man had come to take back his truant subordinate, to pull him from this blissfully simple atmosphere…unthinking he started to assume a defensive crouch.
"At ease, Edward." Roy lifted a bottle, complete with tasteful bow around its neck. "I am here for dinner."
"Uncle Roy!" Elysia squealed, running to the door.
As she launched herself at Roy the man snagged her with his free arm and slung her up in one practiced motion, his face bright with laughter.
It was then that Ed noticed the man was not wearing gloves. It was so utterly alien, the concept of Roy going anywhere without those deadly accessories, that Ed was caught unable to reconcile the relaxed individual on the step with the intense officer he had known.
"Where is Aunt Riza?"
Did Elysia just say….Aunt….Riza? it logically followed that if Mustang was "Uncle" Roy, and Hawkeye was "Aunt" that Mustang and Hawkeye…Ed blinked. The epiphany proved to be a bit much for the recovering young man and he desperately tried to dismiss the image of First Lieutenant Hawkeye…kissing someone.
Naw…couldn't happen…
"Elysia, stop hanging off of Roy's tie like that. You will ruin it." Gracia chastised her exuberant daughter as she came to stand beside Ed in the doorway.
"Maaaa….Uncle Roy doesn't mind!"
"Uncle Roy doesn't, but I am sure Aunt Riza will when she has to try and fix it."
The image of Hawkeye doing any sort of domestic thing like mending just didn't work for Ed. Mumbling something about potatoes that needed mashing he staggered back into the kitchen.
Roy stared after the retreating form with something akin to wonder on his face. "Gracia, you continue to work miracles. First you housebroke Maes and now you are bringing our young alchemist back to life."
The woman raised an eyebrow. "I have had practice, as you well know Roy. I can't count the number of times Maes hauled you back here for pie and comforting."
Elysia lightened the moment, and halted what was most likely going to be a rather embarrassing blush on Roy's part, by giving his tie one last good tug. "Uncle Roy, did you bring me anything?"
"Elysia!"
"You are incorrigible, aren't you?" Roy laughed. "Definitely Maes' daughter. Now, Elysia, have I ever visited without bringing you something?"
To Roy's chagrin, Elysia thought for a second and then gave a stern nod. "Yes. Well, only once, and it wasn't my birthday, so it's okay."
"ah." Caught off guard, Roy decided to hand the imp over to her mother, and then made a big show of searching through his pockets. "Huh…must have left it at home. Sorry about that imp. Looks like two times now."
She looked so utterly crestfallen that Roy couldn't keep up the charade. He pulled his hand free with a flourish and presented the girl with a beautiful ribbon. "Aunt Riza picked it out for you."
"The potatoes are getting cold. Are you coming in or not you bastard colonel?"
"Edward, such a mouth around a child!" Roy laughed.
"Your mouth is far worse when drunk, and if the stories the men used to tell are true you spent a lot of time here drunk, so I am sure she has heard worse." Ed snarled, trying to cover his embarrassment. Al would be so angry to hear his brother using language like that around little Elysia….
As Gracia attempted to convince a squirming and all too excited Elysia to stay in her chair, Roy ambled over to where Ed was staring fixedly into a bowl of potatoes. "If you are attempting to reheat them, there are better ways then trying to intimidate them." He suggesting, offering some levity in an attempt to break through the slight cloud of depression that had reappeared around the blond.
When that failed, he tried a slightly dirtier tactic. "Snap out of it, Fullmetal. You are upsetting the child." The military bite was back in his voice, and Ed responded, his spine snapping straight as a burst of resentment shone in his eyes. Anger was better than such distant mourning, at least for now, so Roy nodded once at Ed, acknowledging the other alchemists ire while implying with an aloof gaze that he damn well didn't care.
It worked as it always had in the past. Ed stiffly decided that Roy was no better than dung that one accidentally stepped in, and did his best to pretend the man was not there.
It didn't last very long.
Elysia decided that she didn't like the attitudes of the two men in the house, and took matters into her own chubby hands. Stabbing a potato-laden fork in Roy's direction she demanded, "Apologize!"
The image was comical, the preadolescent commanding the brigadier general, and Ed found it exceedingly funny. He snorted, attempting to smother a laugh, but gave up as Roy shot a (contrived) withering glare his way and burst into full out laughter.
There. That was it. That was what Roy wanted- to see that expression on the young man's face. The lines lifted, eyes lightened, and all his face contained was the humor of the moment. Sparkling gold eyes stared at Roy for a moment and then Ed did the unthinkable.
He stuck his tongue out at Roy.
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