Title: Opportunity
Author: vanillavinegar
Rating: K+
Summary: Everyone has regrets. This is Grumman's.
Warnings: SPOILERS only if you don't know who Grumman's granddaughter is.
Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist and all associated characters, settings, etc., belong to Hiromu Arakawa-san. The only profit I make from this work of fiction is my own satisfaction and, possibly, the enjoyment of others.
Author's Notes: This fic was written for prompt 123, 'forbidden love', at fma_fic_contest. Thanks to everyone for reading, and special thanks to Ricorum Scaevola for reviewing!
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I had disliked that Hawkeye boy from the beginning. I'd known too many alchemists to entrust my daughter to one; the only lasting love in an alchemist's life was alchemy. Amelia would only get hurt when she realized it.
"It's either your family or that boy." My mistake: Amelia was too stubborn to give in – and, later, to retract a decision already made.
I learned about her death from the obituaries in the newspaper. He refused further communication with me except for a photo, years later: a young, solemn girl with my daughter's bright hair and his dark eyes. Her name is Riza, said the handwriting on the back. I haven't told her about you.
I had been a grandfather for five years. I hadn't even known.
I was stunned when I saw her name on the list of Ishval vets assigned to Eastern Command. Her CO was a State Alchemist, a war hero whom everyone agreed was going places. Mustang was crafty and ambitious, traits I approved of in an officer. I took him under my wing, and I saw the way he and my granddaughter didn't acknowledge what was so obvious to my eyes.
I'd been given a second chance, and I wasn't going to make the same mistake I had with Amelia.
"So, lieutenant colonel," I said, easily taking his bishop with my queen, "when are you going to make my granddaughter your First Lady?"
In time, his spluttering, confused denials gave way to silent, knowing smirks.
THE END