Just a little side story at the moment, probably will go for this chapter and the next.
Well...i say side story but its more like insight into Alexis' past.
Christmas special! though its late and I haven't finished writing it yet lol.
Regular story will continue after the special.
I don't own FMA.
ENJOY~!
Chapter eight
~Roy and Alexis' past~
3 years and 9 months previously.
3 months since the Ishbal extermination was finished. 6 months since he'd seen his sister for the first time in 6 years. 6 years since he'd started looking for her. Joining the military, becoming a state alchemist, all of it for her.
Now he watched her as she sat, stiffly, at his dining table.
They were eating dinner together, just as they had been doing everyday for the last 2 months.
She didn't spill a drop, she didn't make a noise and her eyes stayed lowered to her food. Eyes the same knife-silver she'd had since they were reunited.
She hadn't known who he was, of course. She had been two when taken from their home. He never expected he would find her where he did.
He winced his tired eyes.
Don't think of those things, Roy. Think of what to do now. He told himself.
"So, Alexis, You excited about seeing Hughes again? Haven't seen him in two months!" He tried to start a conversation. Get her out of her shell.
Alexis lifted her eyes to his food, not looking at his eyes. He knew she did it because of the face he made whenever he saw those eyes. He'd tried his hardest not to flinch from her direct eye contact, but she'd noticed anyway and didn't look directly at him again.
"I cannot say whether I am excited or not, sir" She replied, her voice monotone.
"But he said he had something exciting to show you" Roy prodded. Gotta get a emotional response, anything.
His eyes widened slightly when he heard a small scoff come from her lips.
She covered it quickly with a sharp, and faked, cough. That was something he hadn't seen before. He'd been trying to get a reaction from her since she moved in.
"I apologise, sir, dust was in my throat" She lied, obviously.
A smirk worked its way to his lips.
"Right" He drawled "So It's not because you're inhaling the food?"
Teasing tone, his easiest to fall into. it had taken some effort getting it back after Ishbal.
"N-no, sir!" She slowed her eating to a crawl, making him chuckle.
"Oh yeah, Miss Hawkeye said she'll come visit tomorrow too, what do you think?"
A small flicker in her eyes, again surprising him. He knew the eight-year old had some respect for the older female.
"Shall I make some tea for them tomorrow, sir?" She asked, always seeking orders.
Roy sighed inwardly. "That would be nice Alexis, and you should stop calling me 'sir' when they arrive. They'll also be happy if you start calling them by their first names"
"That's improper, sir" She shot back, raising her eyes to meet his.
Damnit, don't flinch. He scolded, barely holding it back.
"You arent a soldier now, You're an eight-year old girl. It's not improper" He taught her, making his voice as gentle as he could.
Her sharp eyes looked confused but she didn't reply. She got to her feet, picking up her plate, taking his empty one as well, and washing them in the sink.
When she was finished, she turned to him, saluted and asked "Permission to rest for the night, sir?"
"Granted" He was tired, but happy . The scoff she'd let out before was a huge step.
He'd been poking at her since she moved in, trying to get something. Now his hard work was showing some results.
Smirking, he left for bed after he heard her door close.
"Where is my cute lil' Alexis?" Hughes sang, throwing the front door open without knocking.
Riza stepped in after him, a small smile and a sweatdrop on her face.
Roy looked to them, mouth full of the breakfast he had been eating.
It was silent for a few seconds as the three stared at each other.
A flash went off.
"Hughes!" Mustang yelled, almost chocking on his food.
"What? It was cute!" The other man argued, holding his camera in his hand.
"Oh, Mr Hughes, Miss Hawkeye, I'll make some tea, right away." Alexis said, walking out of the kitchen just to go back in.
Hughes caught the collar of her shirt, pulling her to sit in the lounge.
"That not needed, cutie. You just come sit here and tell us all the horrible things Roy has done to you." The glasses man teased.
"I haven't done anything to her!"
"I don't know what you mean, sir" Alexis answered.
"Maes"
"Sir"
"Maes"
"Sir!"
"My name is Maes"
"Sir...Hughes"
"Oooohhhh, you're so cute!" Hughes rubbed his cheek on the uncomfortable-looking girl, flashes going off rapidly.
Roy chuckled. Of course Hughes would be the best person to get a reaction, the guy is hard to deal with. Everyone gets caught up in his pace.
Alexis ignored the man trying to baby-talk her and looked to the older woman.
"Good day, Miss Hawkeye" She said.
"Riza!" Hughes sang "Call her Riza!" His camera at the ready.
"...Miss...Riza"
Everyone was damn-near blind for half a minute. All they could hear was rapid clicking and shutter noises.
When the adults could see again, they saw Alexis still dazed, being the one the flash was aimed at.
Roy sighed. "You're going to blind her permanently, Hughes"
Hughes pouted. "But she was just so cute~"
Riza laughed quietly, taking a seat beside Alexis, who was shaking her head.
"Oh! That reminds me!" Hughes yelled, suddenly. "I read something the other day about a faraway land. In this land they had a celebration! They called it Christmas! A fat, jolly man in red clothes would decide which children had been naughty or nice and give the nice children presents!"
"Why?"
They all turned to Alexis, who had a tiny glint of curiosity in her eyes.
Hughes gave her a smile and ruffled her hair.
"It's to teach kids to be nice, otherwise they don't get presents. Well, the holiday is also about spending time with your loved ones and giving to the needy as well."
"How does one man know who has been naughty or nice? Does he have a large intelligence agency?"
"He has elves!"
"What?"
"Elves! Magical people that make the toys and watch the children so they can tell Santa who to put on his list!"
"There would need to be a lot of Elfes" Alexis looked slightly sceptical, almost dropping her whole soldier act.
Roy and Riza shared a look.
Yes, Hughes was definitely the best at this.
"Yes, there are a lot of Elves!" Hughes answered, ruffling her hair again. "So! Why don't we celebrate Christmas together?"
Roy blinked.
"What?" He asked.
"Celebrate Christmas! Together! You, Me, Riza, Alexis and my darling Gracia!"
Hughes kissed a photo of said woman.
Where he got it from, nobody knows.
"We could invite Armstrong too!" Hughes said.
Riza smiled. "That sounds like a great idea"
"How would Sanda know we were celebrating it? You said he was in a faraway place?" Alexis told them.
"Santa has elves all over the world! They didn't give presents to people in Amestris because he knew we didn't know who he was!" Hughes explained.
"So he will know we are celebrating, and bring us presents?" Alexis had an excited glint in her eye.
"He sure will! As long as you be good and obey your elders!" Hughes had a mischievous look in his eye.
"Yes Sir!"
"First order of business! Call me Maes!" Hughes cooed.
Alexis frowned.
"M-Maes" She mumbled.
More flashes went off.
"When is this magical holiday, Hughes?" Roy asked, shielding his eyes.
"Hm? Oh! December 25th"
"That's in a week!" Riza said.
"Yup! So we've got to get everything ready before then! We'll have it here, of course!"
"I don't remember offering my house"
"Oh don't be a party-pooper Roy!"
Hughes pulled out a book, opening it to one of the pages so they could see cutouts of pictures inside.
Alexis inched closer, staring a the tree with colorful decorations on.
"...Christmas?" she rolled the foreign word on her tongue.
The adults smiled to each other.
Ok, so thats the first part of the post-Christmas special!
And if anyone argues about Alexis changing too quickly in this part, keep in mind that she's been living with Roy for two months and she's never heard of Christmas before, so of course she would be curious. No matter what, she is eight. New things are exciting to her, but if its things she already knows then she wont react.
Also I love Hughes~ He was able to save Roy after Ishbal, so why wouldn't he be able to help Alexis too? :D
Sorry its not the regular story for those who were looking forward to it.
As I said, the special will probably only be one more chapter...possibly two...
Thanks~~~