Title: Untitled
Author: Esmuerla (Emera D'Anae and Sull89)
Chapter Title: Christmas at Central
Chapter Written By: Emera
Summary: It's Christmas in Amestris and even the military is delighting in the holiday. During the annual Christmas party, four people will face love, responsibility, joy, worry, and pain all in one night. Things escalate when the Fuhrer makes an announcement that scatters his troops and sends Roy, Riza, Ed, and Winry South.
Pairings: Ed/Winry, Roy/Riza, slight Maes/Gracia, mentions of Havoc/Sheska
Genre: Romance, Angst, Action (in later chapters)
Notes: This is based off an RP Sull and I did in March. We both decided it was good enough to post, so I'm writing it in story form. She may write some chapters, but we're not entirely sure how this is all going to work yet. The title will change when we can think of something suitable. Enjoy!
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It was a rather warm day considering it was December, and the Military Headquarters at Central seemed to be taking advantage of this. There was personnel decorating, setting up tables and chairs, and putting the final touches on several Christmas trees. Roy Mustang stood in the center of it all, barking orders at those around him. Edward Elric, who was digging through a box of decorations, shot the Colonel an aggravated look.
"Colonel, are you going get up and actually do something, or sit there like usual? We could use some help." He asked, turning his attention back to the box in front of him. Roy arched an eyebrow at the younger alchemist's question, "Someone here has to make sure you do your jobs right." He responded in a cool tone, which only granted him another glare from Ed.
"That's the point. Help." Ed said, picking up the box he had been rummaging through. Riza, who was standing on a ladder not far from the two, stopped what she had been doing to turn to her superior, "Sir, he has a point. We need to get this done." She said, hoping to stop the impending argument between the two State Alchemists.
Roy looked at Riza, then back at Ed, a slight smirk overcoming his features, "Alright, alright. It's probably better if I do help, considering someone couldn't hang the streamers even if he had a ladder." By the time he finished speaking, his smirk had grown into a full-blown grin.
Ed fumed at Roy's words, his hands clutched at his sides as he turned around to face the Colonel. "Short… I AM NOT A PINT-SIZED MIDGET WHO'S TOO SMALL FOR A FLEA TO EVEN SEE!" Ed yelled, flailing his arms for emphasis, which did nothing but make Roy laugh. Riza sighed at Ed's outburst, "Edward, no one said that."
Ed didn't reply to the Lieutenant, he simply glared at Roy for all he was worth, fighting to restrain himself from punching the cocky grin off his face. Roy crossed the small space between he and Ed and rested his elbow on the latter's head, studying his fingernails nonchalantly, "Come on, FullMetal, these decorations aren't going to put themselves up." With that, Roy leaned down to pick up a box of streamers and large decorative wreaths. He moved to join Riza, still smirking.
Ed fumed momentarily, then turned toward the tables, box in hand, intent on helping Winry decorate the tables, muttering the whole way.
Riza glanced down at Roy, who was picking through the box at his feet. "You enjoy doing that, don't you, sir?" She asked, allowing amusement to trickle into her voice. Roy looked up at her, smirk present on his face, and replied, "What can I say? He's just too easy." He selected a roll of crepe paper from the box and began decorating.
Winry chuckled quietly at the look on Ed's face as he walked over and set the box down, still muttering about Roy. "Don't let him get to you, Ed." She said, ducking her head to hide her grin as he looked at her. "He's pompous, cocky… Thinks that he's so wonderful, the great Flame Alchemist." Ed continued his muttering, reaching for a bare mini Christmas tree to decorate.
Riza laughed at Roy's words, beginning on the finishing touches of the streamers she was hanging. "I understand, sir. Thank you for getting up to help." She said, finishing the streamers finally. Roy shrugged before responding, "It's not like there's much else to do. Besides, this beats doing paperwork."
"Come on, Ed," Winry said, her earlier smile still in place, "cheer up. It IS nearly Christmas." She said, picking up the small tree she had been decorating for emphasis. Ed thought for a moment, then shook his head. "You're right, Winry. No sense in letting him get to me."
Riza blinked, then looked down at Roy, who was arguing silently with a rather large wreath. "Sir, please don't take this the wrong way, but, you don't often do paperwork anyway." Roy blinked up at her, finally getting the wreath to stay on the wall. "Looks like we're all done here."
Winry grinned, "That's more like it!" She returned her attention to the mini-Christmas tree in front of her, finishing it by adding one final ornament. "Whatcha think?" She asked, showing off her work; the tree was covered with tiny wrenches, bolts, and other things reminiscent of her workshop. Ed shook his head and laughed, "It fits you, Win'." He said, continuing his laughter.
"Right, sir." Riza climbed down from the ladder and stood beside Roy, looking at all the decorations. The grounds of Central looked beautiful; large and small Christmas trees glittered merrily and red and green streamers hung from every place imaginable, wreaths placed along their lines at regular intervals. She smiled, "I think I can say we've done well." Roy nodded his agreement, and replied, "Of course we did, I was the one over-seeing everything after all." Riza laughed at Roy not-so-subtle egotistical banter and nodded, "Of course, sir."
Winry smiled at Ed, "Of course it does!" She set it triumphantly on the table and looked around at the decorations. "Looks like everything else is done." She concluded after looking around the grounds. She bounced up and down in excitement, "Ooooh, I'm so excited!" She said, grinning at Ed. He smiled and shook his head, "I know you are. I am too, and I'm glad you could make it to Central on such short notice." Winry nodded at him, then stopped, looking around again, as if she had lost something. "Where's Al?" She asked, not seeing him anywhere. Ed began looking for the younger Elric brother as well, "Come to think of it, I'm not sure." He looked around a bit more before shouting his brother's name. "Al!" The boy in question poked his head around the corner of the front gate, "I'm over here, brother!"
Roy walked to the chair he had been previously occupying and plopped down into it, turning his head to Riza to speak, "Who else are we waiting for, Hawkeye?" He asked, eager to get the festivities started. Riza sat at a table opposite Roy, "Well, Falman, Havoc, and Feury should be here sometime soon. Breda didn't want to come. Said is was because he knew Hayate would be here." She reached down to pet the dog, who wandered by at that moment. Feury said that Havoc might actually have found himself a girlfriend." Roy leaned forward in interest, chuckling as he spoke, "Really? It's about time." Riza nodded, "That's what we told him."
"Al, what are you doing?" Ed asked, rising. Al laughed nervously. "Eh heh, nothing, brother!" He disappeared behind the corner again and Ed heard him stand before reappearing. "Alphonse! You're not telling the truth!" Ed said, then turned to Roy, having heard what Riza said about Havoc. "Yeah, then he said something about the fact that it wasn't his fault you stole every girl he was interested in." Roy shrugged, "It's not my fault he isn't any competition for me." Riza shook her head and smiled slightly, "We know, sir." Ed glared pointedly at the Colonel, "You seem to do it to him on purpose."
Roy couldn't help but smirk, "Come on, FullMetal, would I do something like that?" Ed raised his eyebrows, "Do you really want me to answer that, Colonel?" Roy shrugged, "That's okay, FullMetal, I'm not sure I would be able to hear your answer anyway." Ed stared at Roy, his eyes narrowing. "What are you trying to say?" Roy shrugged, "Nothing that the vertically challenger would care to hear." He relied, the smirk in his voice and not on his face.
"Vertically challenged!" Ed opened his mouth to say more, but stopped instead, remembering what Winry said and opting to take her advice. Ed returned his attention to Al, who had walked into the courtyard and was standing at his side. Before either of the brothers could speak, Roy spoke again, amusement in his voice, "Well, he finally managed to control himself. It's a Christmas Miracle." He smirked at Ed when the latter turned to glare at him. "Don't push me, Mustang." Ed warned, turning his back on Roy to talk to his brother.
"Ehh, sorry, brother." Al spoke first, fidgeting nervously. "Sorry for what?" The younger Elric said nothing and Ed leaned forward, wanting to get whatever Al was hiding out of him. "Al?" He said in a warning tone. Al shook his head and pulled back from his brother. "Nothing, nothing." Al brought his hand to the back of his neck, and as he did, a small 'meow' echoed from his armour. Ed sighed heavily, shaking his head, "Al… again?"
Al jumped to his defense immediately, "Sorry, brother, but it's Christmas and I couldn't just leave them there!" Ed gaped slightly at Al, "Them? There's more than one this time?" Al hesitated before speaking again, "Well… there are four." Ed looked at Al for a few moments longer, then sighed. "Al, you know we can't keep them, right?" Al nodded sadly then walked off. Ed shook his head and leaned against the nearest table.
Riza turned to Roy after a few moments of silence. "What is left to do, sir?" She asked, not really knowing what else to say. Roy looked around again and shrugged slightly. "Nothing. Just wait for everyone else to arrive, I suppose." Riza nodded and sat beside Roy. "Right, sir." She said nothing else, opting instead to watch Roy.
They sat together for a few minutes, Roy relaxing with his eyes closed and Riza simply watching him, until Roy looked at Riza out of the corner of his eye. "I suppose we should look alive. This is a party after all." He said, standing and waiting for Riza to follow. She smiled at him and stood. "You have a point sir."
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A/N: Since this was written based off an RP, it was kind of hard for me to figure out where to stop it, so I thought this was best. I'm following it word for word and not adding/deleting anything, so it makes chaptering this pretty hard.
Thanks for reading!
-Esmuerla