Lights! Camera! Christmas!

Author: MoonStarDutchess and Rinoaebastel

Chapter 16: Stuck a Feather in his Cap. . .

Disclaimer: We don't own Fullmetal Alchemist and gain no profit from this fanfiction other than needed writing practice and enjoyment.


Roy took a deep breath of the cool air before dismounting from his horse. He gave the animal a pat and it nuzzled him before being led away by one of the stable attendants at Grumman's home.

"That was amazing," he said as he watched Riza dismount her horse and pet it before it was led away as well. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," she said, turning to him. "I know some great riding trails around here if you're up to more riding later."

"Sounds fantastic. I'm out of practice a bit."

"If that's out of practice I'd would like to have seen you when you were learning to ride," she replied. She motioned to the left with her head. "Let's go inside. It's this way."

They set off walking down a cobblestone path flanked by four-inch high piles of snow, an indication it'd been shoveled recently. They went down a set of steps that led to the house on a lower level.

"When I come here with just grandfather, we always ride horses home instead of taking the sleds. It was nice to do again. You helped me keep a tradition even if it wasn't necessarily by choice."

Roy had so many things he wanted to know. About her family and traditions. The story behind her relationship with her grandfather. He wanted to ask about why Riza's sister acted the way she did. He was curious about her reaction to one of the men that came with the sleds.

If she wanted to share, he'd listen, but he wouldn't ask.

"It was fun." He motioned to the house. "Is anyone in there? Looks dark."

"All the windows in the house are tinted. It lets the light in and you can see out, but no one can see inside. One or two staff members always stay here during the holidays too. Grandfather sometimes hires some people to help with the holiday food, but for the most part it's just family here."

He noted that the house had already been decorated for Christmas on the outside. The Christmas lights were draped on the log banisters on the second and third floors along the porch areas, joining the thick green garland and red bows that were Christmas staples. The first floor had the green garland and bows. The door had two mini fir trees on each side of it, both decorated with smaller red bows and fake holly.

They ascended several stone steps and reached the first floor porch. She opened the door, the metal hinges screeching.

"I guess the staff gave up trying to oil them into silence," Riza said.

They entered the house and heat washed over him. The familiar smells of Fraser fir and gingerbread came to his nose. It made the place even more inviting. However, nothing in the house other than the smell indicated that Christmas was coming. He reasoned the family probably did all that together or the professionals just hadn't gotten to decorate the inside yet.

Riza shut the door.

"Miss Riza, good to see you again," a voice said, the lilt thick with an accent Roy didn't recognize.

They turned around.

A tall man stood at the door. His dark brown hair was slicked back, and a pair of thin glasses was perched on his nose. He wore grey dress slacks and a sweater with deformed reindeer and snowmen on it.

"Ah, and Mister Mustang I presume." He gave a small bow. "Forgive me for not being at the door. I was shoveling the other walkway."

"It's okay," Riza said.

"Hello," Roy said. He looked to his left and right, confusion embedded on his face. There were no viewable entrances other than the door they'd come through.

"Roy, this is Mister Roni. He's the head butler here," she said.

"Pleasure to meet you, sir. May I take your coat?"

Roy took off his coat and handed it to Roni. Riza did the same. He walked past them and down a long hallway.

Roy followed his movements. "I didn't...Where the hell did he come from?"

"Don't question it," Riza said. "I spent years as a child trying to figure out how he does what he does. Just appreciate it."

"Would you like me to show you to your room?" Mister Roni said from behind them.

Roy withheld a jump, and he heard Riza bite back a chuckle.

"Your grandfather has made some changes to the house since last year," Roni said.

"He told me he was going to do that, but never told me it was finished. Lead the way," Riza said.

"Follow me then," he said and turned. Roy and Riza followed him down the hallway he came from.

"How…" Roy whispered. "He's…"

"I told you, just accept it. It will make your stay much easier if you do," she said as they walked up a set of stairs.

"Are the maids like that too?" Roy asked.

Riza furrowed her brows. "You know, I know grandfather has maids, but I don't think I've ever seen any except the two that serve dinner. I figure they're just as efficient as Macar."

"Macar? You called him Mister Roni earlier."

"Ah, well, when referring to him or speaking with him privately, I call him by his first name."

"Wait…Come on. His name is Macar Roni?"

"Yes, and I am aware what it sounds like."

Roy chuckled. "What's his father's name?"

"Ryes A."

Roy stopped and grabbed her wrist. "Ryes…A … Roni?" Roy asked. "You're yanking my chain."

"No, I'm really not. That's his name. It's pronounced Reese, not rice."

Roy snorted. "Next thing I know you'll be telling me his mother's name is Pepper."

"Oh, so you know her?" Riza said and laughed before wrapping her hand around his and walking once more.

-/-/-

Mister Roni escorted them down a hall and up a small set of spiral wooden stairs. "So grandfather finally moved the stairs. He's been talking about that for years."

"Yes, Miss Riza, the old stairs are still in place but they lead to the left side of the house, near the kitchen."

"That's good to know. I don't want to get lost again."

"Again?" Roy asked.

"When Miss Riza was a child, she ventured around and ended up lost," Roni said. "Fortunately, I found her quickly."

"That doesn't surprise me," Roy said in a low voice, earning a light elbowing from Riza.

They stepped into a broad hallway with dark oak paneling. Various landscape paintings and doors were on the right side of the hall. Electric sconces were positioned on the sides of each painting, lighting the area with a faint glow reminiscent of candlelight. Most of the right wall was made up of half a dozen tinted windows.

"Grandfather mentioned he added the windows to the hallway. I like it."

"He thought you would," Roni said.

"This isn't the way to my usual room," Riza said.

"Your grandfather thought you two would like a room on this side since it's further away from everyone else."

They walked to a door at the end of the hall.

"Yes, I wouldn't mind avoiding them a bit."

"I assumed that might be one reason, but your grandfather also said something about noise."

Roy snorted, trying to push back a laugh as Riza groaned. They'd told him they weren't going to have a baby, but they let him believe they were engaged. That meant the hope for a great grandchild still festered in her grandfather's brain. Considering Lauren's attitude towards him, if she were to get pregnant, he'd never see her child. Martina still wasn't settled in a career, so he wouldn't ask about it until that happened to her.

That meant she was his lightning rod of reproduction until either she got pregnant. His poking was all in good fun. She knew he didn't want her to become pregnant until she was ready and only if she wanted a child.

She'd wanted to come clean to her grandfather about what was going on, reveal they were only acting, but Maes had been standing behind him with an expression akin to what a prairie dog would look like if it were about to cry. Her grandfather's joyous expression didn't help matters either. She hadn't seen him so happy since her first number one song.

Roni opened the bedroom and they stepped inside. Roy walked closer to the fireplace.

"Do you have any luggage I should retrieve?" Roni asked.

"It's coming with the others," Riza said.

He stayed quiet for a few seconds and then said, "Ah, they're here now. I'll bring it up."

Roy turned to thank the man but he was gone. "How did he know they were here when...? Gah! Never mind."

"You're learning," Riza said and stepped farther in the room. She closed the door behind her and looked around. Her grandfather really went all out when he remodeled.

The bedroom walls looked like they were made of stone and were the first thing she noticed when stepping inside. Medieval style light fixtures, one hung in front of the window and the other above the bed, lit the room.

She slipped off her boots and stepped onto a soft brown and red rug in front of the king size bed.

A bed she wasn't sure Roy wanted to share.

She touched the soft silky comforter and then turned to him. "If you want to sneak and take another of the rooms here, I'm sure grandfather wouldn't notice. Or you can have this one and I can go to another."

When he smiled at her, she begged mentally that he wouldn't go along with her suggestion.

"Didn't I keep you warm enough on the train?"

She felt her cheeks heat up. He did more to her than keep her warm. "I was very comfortable," she said.

He slipped off his boots and approached her, his feet thumping against the wood floor until he stepped onto the rug. She sat down on the bed as he came closer.

"We already shared a smaller bed on the train." He trailed his eyes along the large bed before landing on her face.

She swallowed and pushed back the thoughts of him pinning her to the mattress and making her—

"If you want me to get another room I will. I don't want to make you uncomfortable," he said.

"I'm fine with sharing," she said. The moment he stepped away from her, she wanted to pull him back.

"This place is so much different than my place." He walked around the bed and moved over to a large fluffy couch positioned under a wide window and beside a set of doors that led out to the long porch. "My apartment in Central looks like it could double as a surgery room. Even expensive apartment buildings have strict rules on everything."

"That's why I bought a house," Riza said. She moved over to the couch and kneeled on it so she could look out the window. Roy did the same.

"I've been thinking about doing that," he said. "I've just not had time to look. After this movie, I might take some time off and do that. Maybe find a place similar to this." He looked to the fireplace. "And I definitely want one of th—Wait, that wasn't lit when we came in."

She shrugged. "I didn't notice."

He turned back to her. "Mister Roni?"

"Probably."

"Are you sure he's human?"

"I wonder that sometimes, but then I just make myself stop contemplating and just appreciate his work."

"He makes me contemplate the existence of wizards." He moved closer to her. "If I whisper his name, will he show up?"

"Why don't you try it?"

He leaned towards the window. "Mister Roni?" he whispered.

They both jumped when someone knocked on the bedroom door. Riza went over and opened it. Roni was there with their bags.

"What the hell?" Roy muttered. "Coincidence. It was just a coincidence." He walked over to the door.

"I've brought up your bags. Is there anything else I can do for you?" he asked.

"No, thank you," Riza said as she wheeled her bag into the room.

Roy took his bags and put them in the room as the butler bowed slightly and shut the door for them.

"I need to hire a Roni."

Riza laughed. "I'll ask grandfather if he has anymore relatives," she said as she approached the closet. "Let's get unpacked. You take the right, and I'll take the left? That okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine." He followed her into the walk-in closet. "Hey, are you sure you're okay with us sharing a bed. I mean, I was making light of the situation earlier, but a train and a bedroom are different."

She turned and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Are you planning on seducing me?" Riza mentally cringed at her statement.

Roy choked on his own saliva. "That was not in my plans."

"Then I have nothing to worry about."

He smirked. "And you? Are you going to be able to resist this?" he asked and motioned to himself. She could tell he was joking.

"I'll manage."

They both gave uncomfortable laughs and set about putting up their clothing, all the while struggling to resist the sexual tension that filled the closet.


RW: 2022