FMA Week Day 6: Family

The small white puppy squirmed in Roy's hands, making small squeaks in an attempt to escape back to her mother's side. He sighed and returned her to the dog bed in the corner of the apartment, where she snuggled close to her siblings and sleeping parents.

"I know I've said that I love dogs, but five is a bit much." He sat down at the table, fingering through the paper that had been sitting there since that morning. He absently glanced at the pictures, not truly paying attention to the paper's contents.

Riza walked over, setting down two mugs of steaming tea before kissing him on the head. "Hush, now. Hayate's family is our family." She sat down next to him, sipping at her tea to test if it was still too hot.

Roy glanced at her from the corner of his eye, admiring the way the ends of her light hair barely brushed past her shoulders. She had cut it when they had gone to rebuild Ishval, and she was finally letting it return to its former length. Ishval was mostly secure now; Amestris was secure, despite the many changes that Roy still planned to make when he finally became Fuhrer. Even Fullmetal was settled down in his own life with Winry and his children in Risembool. "Family, huh?"

"Look, if you're so worried about having five dogs, I was considering giving one of the puppies to Elicia. Also, Fuery has expressed interest in taking one since he moved out of the barracks into his own place. But I want to keep at least one." Riza set her mug down and looked sternly at Roy.

Roy looked aghast. "Give them away? But they're family, you just said so! We can't separate a family." He knew that distributing puppies was commonplace, but suddenly the idea of giving part of Hayate's litter away was horrifying to him. He had seen enough families separated in his lifetime.

Riza chuckled. "Going soft, General?"

Roy reached out across the table and took her hand in his. Her palm was still warm from holding her tea. "It's just, family." He smiled softly. "We could have one."

"You mean children?"

"Yes."

A frown darkened Riza's face. "You know that's unrealistic." She pulled her hand from Roy's and got up, making her way over to the kitchen for more sugar.

"But why is it unrealistic? Amestris is at peace; nothing is threatening us. There's never been a better time!" He craned his neck, trying to catch her eye as she walked back over to the table. She averted her face.

"You'll be Fuhrer soon. Then, there will be many things threatening us." She sat and spooned the sugar into her tea, stirring it as a distraction from Roy's pleading gaze. "And my ability to protect you would be compromised for almost an entire year while pregnant."

"Then I would find someone else to protect me during that time."

Riza looked astounded. "You honestly think that you could find someone as qualified as me to watch your back?" She shook her head. "And even if they were, I still wouldn't trust them with your life."

Roy sighed. "You're right."

"And who would raise our child?" Riza continued. "You can't quit as Fuhrer, and I'm not leaving your side in the military until Amestris has finally become what we've dreamed it can be."

Roy already knew he had been defeated. "We could have Havoc babysit." He managed a small smile at her.

"I'd rather our theoretical child not develop lung cancer by the age of five, Roy."

"He said he was trying to quit."

"Mmhmm."

"It's just that everyone is settling down. Fullmetal, whom I still think of as a child, has children of his own. Scar's in Ishval, no longer blowing people up. Even Havoc has managed to find himself a stable relationship." Roy ran his hand through his hair. "For the first time since we were kids ourselves, a peaceful, semi-normal life seems possible for all of us."

Riza finally looked at him, her eyes bittersweet. "But we did settle down. We moved in together, we got married. When you proposed, I explained to you that I probably wouldn't want children, and you seemed content with my answer, then." She rejoined her hand with his, running her thumb over his rough knuckles. "For me, you and the dogs are all the family I need." She brought his hand up to her mouth and kissed his scarred palm.

Roy nodded, resigned. He knew she was right. "I don't need children to be happy with you, Riza. But I had hoped that you might change your mind."

Riza smiled after a few moments of silence. "Ask me again in five years, and I'll reconsider." She held up a hand at Roy's suddenly joyful expression. "That's not a guarantee that my answer will be a positive one, though. Just a promise that, in five years, I'll think about it."

Roy's grin stayed on his face as he stood, swooping his wife into his arms and placing a large wet kiss on her cheek. "That's all the hope I need!"

Riza rolled her eyes, her grin matching his. "How could I possibly take care of a child now, when I'm already so busy taking care of you?"

"That is an excellent point, Captain Riza Hawkeye Mustang." He leaned down for another kiss, this time on her lips.

Riza laughed and broke away, taking her tea with her to the couch and opening up a novel. Roy walked back over to the sleeping puppies, startling them awake in his approach. He squatted down, earning the attention of six glistening eyes. Hayate and his mate stirred for a moment before they realized that it was Roy who was disturbing them. They settled back down, accustomed to his strange antics. Roy scooped the three puppies into his arms.

"From now on, you shall all be my children, and I will raise you accordingly!" Roy carried them across the room and sat down with them on the couch, next to Riza. "First thing's first, you are all to be spayed and neutered as soon as possible." He looked sternly at the white one. "No bringing home stray dogs like your father Hayate did."

A choking noise came from Roy's right. He looked over at Riza, who was trying to stifle her laughter, her book forgotten. She rested her head on his shoulder, looking down at the puppies in his lap. "We should name them."

"Maes, Trisha, and Berthold."

"No."

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