Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.

Notes: Only the epilogue after this, people, and it's not all that long. How sad. Still, I enjoyed writing these little pieces, and I'm glad to hear from my reviewers that they like reading them. Thank you for your kind support. I wasn't sure if the family relationship here came out properly or a little jumbled, so I'm going to make a note about it at the end that you can read, if you're getting confused about it. Thanks again! Please review!

Extended Family

If families have their Inner Circles, then they have to have their Outer Circles as well. Mustang's group was no different. Several of his followers were by no means in his unit, but were accepted as a part of the family in any case. This didn't mean that they were always around – not even family is around all of the time – but rather that when they were there, the group still felt comfortable to be the same as they ever were.

Most people have some cousin in their family that they can turn to in order to escape the madness gatherings usually create. Just like any other pair of friends, cousins don't always get along perfectly, but they're family, and it's better to have someone you can rely on than no one. This is how Maes Hughes became a part of the family.

He was whacky, and strange, and oddly obsessed with his own Inner Circle, but he was a good change to the normal weirdos the Colonel had to speak with. If his type of insanity had been around more often he would have just been one of the family, but because he wasn't there each day, his ravings were a respite from the different brands of craziness the others kept in store.

Having one cousin just isn't enough, and cousins are usually more closely related to grandparents than other cousins, because of the bloodlines, so it made sense that when Mustang's crew found their cousin, they also found a proud grandfather, and more family with him.

---

Maes Hughes had always loved weddings – they were a celebration of love, and love was one of the things he did best. He was an amiable man, who enjoyed the company of good people, and did his best to be one of them himself, although the definition of a 'good person' had been widely discussed, and they had all come to the agreement that they weren't exactly the best sort after all. So scratch that. He was an amiable man, who enjoyed the company of bad people with good intentions. He could strike up a conversation with anybody about anything, although that 'anything' was more often than not his daughter.

Speaking of his daughter . . . He turned around and spotted his wife, Gracia, with Elysia, still just walking into the reception. They'd been stopped on the way by people who recognised them, and now Maes was way ahead, having learnt how to ignore people he didn't want to speak to for those he did.

Turning back to the room, he made a beeline through to a familiar face. Who would have thought that a simple wedding would turn a cousin and his wife into a friend's new husband's cousin and her husband? Of course it was an obscure link, but he liked the way that it made the circle nice and round, and if he followed it for long enough he could find himself again.

"Roy," Maes called, and the other man's head spun around to face him. "How's the family?"

Roy shrugged as Maes neared him, and spoke with the appearance of all seriousness. "Oh, they'll have to do, I suppose."

The two men grinned, and Maes passed over his latest pictures of his own family, continuing on as though nothing had just occurred. He saw Roy's roll of the eyes, but the other man took the photos anyway and pocketed them. When Maes visited him next, the one picture of his family on the mantelpiece would have changed to one of the new prints.

"I guess that this is like one big family reunion to you," Maes mused. "After all, you've got all of the wife's side, and half of your own here. Might have been best to just not come, in case Aunty Olivier whacks your noggin off its block."

Roy grimaced, but Maes laughed. He'd found quite a lot of amusement in the fact that Riza's aunt hated Roy with a passion. He hadn't seen her here yet, but it was possible she'd rejected the invitation. The woman was most likely more comfortable at home than in coming out here and having to socialise with the likes of Roy Mustang. And to think that Riza had used to be one of her favourite nieces! Before she had married Roy, that was.

From somewhere over to his left, Maes heard a commotion that led him to believe that Roy's sons had just been found by their grandfather. The two men looked over.

A large man was bent over, looking at the boys playing underneath one of the tables. "My, how you've grown! And your hair-! Blonde hair has been passed down in our family from generation to generation!"

Yes, that was Riza's father, alright. The man positively sparkled behind his moustache, and Maes heard Roy give a sigh.

"I don't know how the boys aren't afraid of him," he said. "If I was their age, someone as big and loud as that would freak me out."

Maes grinned. "I'm sure you'll cope, Roy, and it looks like they can, too. Of course, the difference between you as a kid and them now is that they match their granddad volume for volume, whereas you tended to sulk."

If he had thought the familial greeting was a commotion, it was nothing compared to the clamour that was starting up near the entrance of the hall. Voices were raised in excitement, and everyone seemed to be looking in one direction.

"I'm guessing the bridal party has just arrived," Maes said not a moment too soon. Maria and Denny walked in, arm-in-arm and both a little red, thanking the people around them for the congratulations they were receiving. Maria looked wonderful, of course, and Maes sent a grin in her direction when she looked over. The two of them had been work colleagues for a while, and good friends.

"I suppose I should find Riza," Roy considered, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Alright, don't get yourself in a fuss about it," Maes grinned.

Riza, as Denny's cousin and one of Maria's good friends, had been made a bridesmaid. Roy was just upset because she would be sitting at the head table with them, while he had to sit with other guests. Maes wouldn't have been as amused by this as he was if he didn't know how much Roy loathed making small talk. Except for when it got him out of work, that was. Riza had a way of rescuing him from any unwanted conversations that he adored her for.

Roy began to walk off to find his wife, but Maes grabbed his arm and held him back for a moment. "It's okay, Roy," he said, still grinning. "If it's any consolation, at least the bride and groom are enjoying themselves."

Eyes following the hand Maes pointed, Roy shook his head and sighed when he caught sight of Denny and Maria glancing around before escaping the room together, Denny's hand carefully around his bride's waist.

Maes is friends with Maria, who is now married to Denny, who is Riza's cousin, and of course Riza is married to Roy, who is Maes' cousin. Also, Armstrong is Riza's father and Denny's uncle, and Olivier is both Riza and Denny's aunt.