It's been exactly a month and three days since I updated.
My boo-boo.
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I'M RIGHT HERE: CHAPTER SEVEN
Little Kids Again
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"Hey, Uncle Roy?" Asked Dave.
Roy looked up from the immense mark that seemed to be growing on the boy's arm from the fox bite. Of course he listened to the boy as he spoke, asking Alex what he should do. Alex merely shrugged and mumbled "he's a big boy, he can handle it". Of course, he could, after all he was an alchemist. Roy shook his head and looked to the boy again. "What do you need Dave?"
"How old is Jazmine?" He asked enquiringly. Roy blinked a few times watching Jazmine with Alex. She looked adorable sitting on the bench kicking her feet back and forth. Of all the things in the world-other then Riza-Roy loved his daughter the most. It had been nearly a year since he'd last gotten in contact with Riza, and nearly three years prior till he saw her again. He wasn't sure how to respond to Dave.
"I believe she's nine." He mumbled trying to wrap himself in taking care of Dave's hand.
"You mean you don't know?" Dave asked cocking his head to the side.
"Well, she's not my daughter; I never really thought to ask. And she refuses to celebrate birthdays, so I guess it's just her...her absence of--" he shrugged. "I really don't know."
"Uncle Roy, you realize you made no sense at all?" Dave muttered.
Roy nodded and watched the woman across the grove. She looked deathly pale, as if she'd never been in the sun before. Her silver eyes stared back at Roy from her perch across the grove, the wind softly running its fingers through her silky black hair. Her white sundress billowed around her in the wind, almost as if she wasn't real. For a moment he could have sworn he saw wings on her, but he knew better. It wasn't until Dave ran to her screaming "mommy!" that he realized it was Portia. He smiled gracefully at his sister-in-law, continuing to kneel in the grass. He knew that Portia was like that because she had a disease, but why was she so much more angelic? Jazmine looked down at her hands as the glowed blue involuntary. Her gaze rose to Roy, blinking a few times. Roy knew right away the symbols only did that when someone was dying. He looked to Portia, blinking a few times, could Jazmine save her?
Two weeks had passed by; Alex decided to stay with Roy and his family for a while since Dave was intent on getting to know Jazmine better. Riza was released the previous night, resting intently in bed. Roy was adamant on making sure she was safe and comfortable. Jazmine leaned back and watched her dad and Alex play checkers (I can't play chess :(). Half the board was covered in red pieces, the other half in black. Of all the color's, Jazmine preferred red. Somehow, to her, it symbolized luck. Dave leaned over to them wondering absently how she lived in such a big place. He and his family were stuck in a small two bedroom apartment with only one floor and five rooms. It was only the size of one room in her house.
A faint tap was heard on the door, so Jazmine bolted to get it, with Dave hot on her heels. Elysia beamed three boxes in her hands, Maes behind her with two boxes in his hands. Jazmine blinked and leaned to the side. "Daddy, it's Miles, can he come in?"
Alex looked to Roy who seemed deep in thought. "Hey, bro, who's Miles?"
Roy looked up to Jazmine, moving the piece a few spots. "Sure, go ahead."
Alex grinned and moved his piece forward one space, stealing the tenth piece of Roy's. He growled and they set up the board again. As Alex did this, Roy stood and greeted Maes. "Hey, what's with the boxes?"
Maes beamed and set them on the ground. "The ones that Elysia-Chan has are for Jazmine, for Christmas. The ones I have are for the baby."
Roy flinched. "We don't even know if it's a boy or girl, Maes."
Maes beamed even brighter and set the boxes down. "I know! Gracia and I took that into account. I did the shopping for a boy and Gracia for a girl. It was really her idea, to be honest." He stood on his toes and looked to Alex. "Alexander?"
Alex looked up hearing his name called. "Maes?"
Maes nodded and stood back, prepared to be tackled by his longtime friend. Instead of it being Alex, however, it was Dave. Dave looked up and beamed Maes' mouth agape. "David? Is that the shrimp from three years ago?"
Dave nodded and looked to Elysia, blinking. She was about his age now, and boy was she beautiful. Dave continued to stare, nearly drooling. Maes kicked into father mode and looked to Dave. "Keep your mittens off her...I know how to use a--" But he never got to finish the threat, Alex ran into him, nearly knocking him back down the steps.
"Maes, she's thirteen, she's going to be dating soon." Maes nodded reluctantly and looked to his daughter, sniffling.
The first thing Maes did when he won a game of Checkers against Alex was gloat to Roy. Roy glared and snapped his fingers, singing Maes hair. Elysia, Jazmine, and Dave laughed hysterically. Portia, who accepted Jazmine's healing gladly, sat beside her husband who was pouting. Setting up for another game, he stood and pointed at Maes. "You, me, checkers. NOW!" He demanded. Jazmine smiled at Alex who had managed to get cookie crumbs in his ear-which wasn't hard with her sitting in his lap. Maes was envious, he wanted a beautiful girl in his lap. As if on cue, Elysia tackled him, and then climbed into his lap watching them play. When Maes got stuck, Elysia managed to always find a way to win. Alex was ticked now; Gracia shook her head and watched them, smiling a bit at Roy.
"Kids will be kids, I suppose?" she asked biting at her lip.
"Yeah, Alex never could grow up. He's nearly 31 and he's still a little kid. It's sad, really."
"No, it's cute. You're the only one of the old group that 'matured'...but I think that's because Riza nearly kicked it into you." Gracia murmured.
"Please, don't remind me." he flinched remembering her heels-two inch spikes-digging into his manhood. It was that moment he realized there was a slight possibility that he wouldn't have kids.
"Besides, Roy, why not let you go a bit more? You have a kid and one on the way. Be childish a bit-It'll help your outlook more."
"Nah, I think I'll do the strict stuff. Riza hasn't been a kid in ages-losing her parents in the raid changed her aspect completely. She doesn't want the kids to lose anyone. She says she wants them to experience childhood like Elysia has." Roy murmured back.
"Yes, but she almost lost Maes."
"But she got him back." he countered. "Besides, Gracia, what exactly have you been planning? I see the looks between you two."
She shrugged and grinned. "It's a surprise."
"Does this surprise involve my wife nearly dying again?"
She frowned, staring at her husband's best friend. "I didn't know it would have that effect." She growled stomping back to Maes.
Elysia and Jazmine giggled breaking out Elysia's makeup kit with some bright red things from her mom's collection. Everything they had planned would go down today when they were asleep. Breaking out the padded bra's they did Dave's makeup and ran off down the hall giggling. Alex, Maes, and Roy sat down in the front room drinking scotch and talking about the past. Roy couldn't help but bring up his time in the military. Alex nodded a bit as he spoke, Maes speaking his peace about Haruko and the antics of Archer. It wasn't as if they weren't aware of Jazzy and Elysia being awake, but they were more too drunk to notice. Nearly around four AM, all three of them passed out on the floor, drunk. Roy was snuggled like a rabbit, Alex sleeping like a cat, Maes with his head on Alex's chest, and bare feet on Roy's head, slept as though they were little kids again.
Roy didn't want his older brother to go. It was one of those tear jerking moments where they exchanged addresses and pictures. Maes, Elysia, and Gracia had gone home a few days earlier, but had made sure to get the address of Alex's family. Nearly a week after they left, who else would show up at the door but the one man no one wanted to see. (Haha! You thought it was Havoc! Got you!)
Three AM, sleeping in bed contentedly, Riza heard the incessant pounding on the door. Where the hell was Roy? Shaking her head she closed her eyes and nestled back into bed, only to hear the pounding again. Shaking her head she slipped into something to war heading downstairs to get the door. Laying on the couch, in a nearly drunken stupor was Roy. Shaking her head softly she went to get the door. Of course, the only thing she saw was a very teary Winry, expecting to see Roy answering the door. When she looked up, her mouth dropped. "L-l-lieutenant H-Hawkeye?"
Riza nodded and looked to the significantly younger woman. "Where is Edward?"
Ed turned the corner, mouth agape with a squirming bundle in his arms. If it weren't for the fact he should have expected this, he would have dropped it. "Where's Colonel Shit?" Ed mumbled.
"Sleeping, like I should be. What do you want, Edward?"
"Ha, Winry! The rumors were true! They DID get hitched!" Riza wished she had a gun at this moment, but ignored the insistent pounding in her head to shoot him. Winry hit him upside the head and looked to Riza sadly.
"Edward was trying something new and set the house on fire-we have nowhere to go, and Alphonse is nowhere to be found..." Riza looked down.
"I didn't do it, Winry! I told you that!" Winry hit him again, looking to Riza.
"I'll talk to Roy, ok? Just wait here a moment." They nodded and waited as she went to talk to him. In the sky, the snow began to fall. Winry and Edward exchanged glances. It hadn't snowed in years where they were, this was almost a new experience for them. The baby in Ed's arms squirmed again, crying. Winry sighed and took him into her arms, leaning over and kissing Ed on the lips softly.
"I love you Edward Elric." She murmured.
"And I love you, Winry Elric." She smiled at the name and waited patiently for Riza to return..
Oh noes! Will Ed and Winry be allowed to stay? Who is the baby Ed is carrying? And what HAD Ed done to set the house on fire? Tune in next week to find out! Ah, never mind-skip a few chapters, I'm not going anywhere.
W00T! I updated! And I added Winry and Ed to the mix! XD Go me. I didn't completely forget, I'm still working on it. I have a lot of things on my mind-I know, excuses, excuses. : P. Read and Review, please. - JAZMINE