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ladydragonhawke · 4 years

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Breath of the Dragon Chapter 6: Wide Awake

A Fullmetal Alchemist fanfic.

20 years later after saving all of Amestris, the Elric brothers may have gotten themselves into something worse than human transmutation. Only the strength of their wit and knowledge they gained through their travels can aid them in the trials to come. They'll have to do more than just save Amestris this time, and this time alchemy can do more harm than good.

“Well this is a surprise, normally you’re not dressed till you’ve eaten. Something’s wrong, what is it? The dignitaries?” Lan Fan pondered as she took the nearest seat at a lavishly decorated table. Ling huffed in frustration at the complexity of his royal footwear that was beginning to get him flustered, but that wasn’t the sole reason. “Did you sense or feel anything odd last night?” he huffed, trying to keep his composure.

Chapter 1: A Little Tremor

Chapter 2: It Opens at the Close

Chapter 3: Blood of the Sage

Chapter 4: Only the Scent

Chapter 5: Blood and Grass

Chapter 6: Wide Awake

Mei followed Alphonse who was being led by Winry to the belly of the dragon, blood flooded over their shoes staining their socks a deep shade of red. No one was paying attention to their footwear, however. Once Mei and Alphonse were in a comfortable spot to perform their alchemy Winry sulked back to an outreached Edward. As she stepped into his embrace, she faced away from him so she could watch whatever was sure to happen next, with his arms wrapped around in front of her.

Mei and Alphonse looked at each other and took a deep breath.

“Let’s start small with the entrails then work our way outwards. This is a lot to heal.” Alphonse sighed. Mei nodded in agreement and placed a hand on the scales of the dragon, holding the vial in the other hand in an open palm so Alphonse could put his hand on top of hers. He also reached out to touch a part of the dragon and both closed their eyes in concentration, a light emanated from between their enclosed hands as they glowed with it. They breathed out toward the body of the dragon in unison. But, as if realizing something Alphonse and Mei opened their eyes to look at the wounds to find they weren’t healing. They stopped the alchemical process and turned to stand toward Edward.

“It’s not working!” Alphonse called.

“What do you mean it’s not working? How could it not work?” Edward called back.

“I don’t understand it either, it should work.” Alphonse said as he walked away from the body of the dragon with Mei in tow. “We put- ED LOOK OUT!” Alphonse yelled as a tall man in dark clothing came from behind and aimed a gun directly at Edwards’ head. Another one grabbed Winry as well and held her in the same fashion. The Amestrian soldiers that first arrived finally noticed too late what was happening and attempted to surround the two holding Edward and Winry.

“Let them go! Drop your weapons now!” called a soldier.

“You Amestrians, never learn to watch your back.” Said the man holding Edward with a thick accent. As if on cue more men cloaked in black appeared from behind the few soldiers and promptly knocked them out. Out of the darkness Zampano and Jerso jumped into action and began attacking the men in black. The dark figures brought out long silver rods that, with a click, lit up with sparks. They readied themselves and surrounded Zampano and Jerso who stood back to back in the center. Already in their chimera forms they began using their skills to disarm or entrap the men, who moved swiftly and deftly dodging everything being thrown at them. Soon the circle grew tighter and Zampano began to panic at not being able to hit his targets. In a blink they started going in one by one and attacking the two chimeras. Using their shock batons to their full extent, whacking them on the softest parts of their bodies. In mere moments, the two were brought down into an unconscious heap on the ground.

“What do you want?” Edward asked angrily.

“Oh, we don’t want anything from you. For she is not for you to give.” He indicated toward the dragon.

“You want the dragon? What to slay it or something?” Edward huffed.

“What we want with her has nothing to do with you. Just stay quiet and you won’t be hurt.” He ordered in his ear. The man turned his head to face the men that took down the chimeras. “Poluchit' ustroystvo i svyazyvayet. Svyazhi ikh i postav' vozle doma. Toropit'sya!”

Edward realized they were from Drachma. While he understood most words, he struggled with the parts that were said rapidly, something he was never able to fix when he had visited there. They returned from the car with cuffs and an odd-looking tool they called ‘the device’. It looked to be a long rod that split into two different directions. Edward couldn’t tell what it was possibly made of due to it still being dark, but it almost looked to be made of stone.

As they got closer the man holding Edward started shouting again. “Snachala svyazhite dvukh monstrov. Privet! Ne ispytyvay moye terpeniye. Poshevelivaysya!”

Suddenly the dragon shot awake raising its head high above everyone. It looked around as if taking in all that was happening around it. Then the man holding Edward turned in a panic and shouted at the man holding ‘the device’. “Speshite, prinesite mne eto ustroystvo!” As soon as he finished shouting the dragon moved to get up but only succeeded in standing on its forelimbs. The frightened man with ‘the device’ shakily handed it to the commanding officer and ran away from him. The commander tossed Edward to the side; the dragon followed Edwards fall with its head before returning to look at the man holding ‘the device’. The man held it outstretched at arm’s length pointed directly at the dragon, but before he could say or do anything the dragon arched its neck forward and bit down on the man then lifted him into its mouth and shook him violently between its teeth. ‘The device’ fell from his limp arm and landed on the ground with a light thunk. The others gathered together in a spot far away from the dragon.

“Tebe nikogda ne nravilsya etot instrument?” Came a commanding voice from the direction of the parked cars behind the house. The dragon ceased its shaking and spit the limp body of the man onto the ground beneath it. Edward and Winry joined up with Alphonse and Mei, huddling as close to the house as possible to distance themselves from the dragon as well as the men from Drachma. Who appeared to have forgotten all about them. “Ty mozhesh' ponyat' menya, drakon?” He called to it.

“YA mogu, ty, mraz’.” Grumbled the dragon, spitting blood as it spoke.

“My prishli, chtoby zabrat' tebya.” He stated flatly while walking closer to her displaying no fear as he spoke or moved. “Vy budete sledovat' nashim komandam. Ili eti lyudi umrut.” He made a gesture with his hands toward Edward and company. Edward was roughly able to understand what was being said, but the man’s inflections made it more difficult to tell what words meant what.

“YA ne budu delat' takiye veshchi. I ya ne pozvolyu tebe nikogo ubivat'.” The dragon spoke louder and clearer as if trying to mask the state it was in.

At this the man laughed and pointed to the dragons belly, then to its head. “Vy dumayete, chto mozhete borot'sya s takimi travmami? Ne govorya uzhe o tom, chto vashi glaza zastekleny. Ty voobshche menya vidish'? Ty ne sovsem prosnulsya, ne tak li?”

“Mne ne nuzhny glaza, chtoby ubit' tebya.” The dragon growled. At this the man froze for a moment then scurried to get ‘the device’. The dragon lunged its gaping maw toward the man and barely missed, but the sheer force of its face hitting the dirt caused the man to stumble and lose his grip on ‘the device’. Giving up entirely he ran back towards the group of remaining Drachma men all standing watching the scene. The commander pushed one of the dumbfounded men toward the dragon while pointing at ‘the device’ on the ground. “Prinesi eto mne!”

The dragon groaned in pain from moving so much as its wounds began bleeding more heavily. Winry started to worry and started to move but was held in place by the firm grip of Edward. He was looking at something approaching in the distance then returned his glance at Winry. “Not yet, Al, Lan Fan, Mei? I have an idea.” Edward brought them into a tight huddle as he told them his idea. Alphonse at first was skeptical but once he heard it out, he nodded in agreement. Everyone agreed on it and Edward took a deep breath. Winry grabbed his shirt sleeve making him look back at her. They shared a kiss and he stood up from the group, ready to enact part one of the plan.

“I’ll get it. But you have to promise me that when I do, you’ll take it,” he pointed to the dragon, “and leave.”

“That has been the plan since the beginning.” The commander huffed. “But if you try anything, I’ll have you shot.”

“I just want you off of my property.” Edward shouted. “So, do we have a deal?”

“Fine. Bring me that device and I’ll spare you and your family and leave.” He shouted back.

Edward started moving slowly toward the dragon and the device, but as he did so he whispered to the dragon haltingly but clearly. “YA zdes', chtoby pomoch' tebe. Pozhaluysta, ne yesh' menya.” At this the dragons head snapped to look at Edward, it lowered its head to get a better look at him and he froze in place. It sniffed him strongly and looked at him again.

“Khoenkhaym?” it asked softly.

“YA yego syn.” Edward whispered back placing a hand on his chest for emphasis.

The dragon reared its head back and it was as if its vision cleared as its eyes opened wide. Suddenly it was on all fours and rushed at the Drachma men, killing three before they could react. The commander was screaming and running toward the cars behind the building but was stopped by Alphonse who used his alchemy to encapsulate him in dirt. Edward was trying desperately to get the attention of the dragon. “Don’t kill… come on! Ne ubivay bol'she. U nas yest' rezervnaya kopiya!” The dragon stopped leaving two men remaining on the ground sustaining severe wounds from the dragons attack. Mei grabbed the cuffs that were supposed to be used for them on the last two left alive. They were stunned and terrified of the dragon, shaking violently as Mei cuffed their hands behind their backs. Winry was running toward the dragon and trying to wave it down.

“Please! You need to stop moving! You’ll bleed to death! Ed tell it!” Winry looked to Edward for help in relaying that information but before he could say anything the dragon collapsed on the ground but still faced toward Winry as it looked at her with confusion. It then turned its head to look at Edward.

“Idi ko mne. YA ne budu yest' tebya.” It coughed. Edward approached it slowly, trying his best to not freak out. The dragon lowered its head so that the tip of its nostril rested on his forehead, there was a sudden bright flash of light and Edward fell backward. He felt no pain or any sensation, but the sudden light scared him.

“There now. I can finally understand what you’re saying.” The dragon sputtered; blood dripped from its mouth as it spoke. “Guess I should heal myself up.” it coughed as it closed its eyes and focused. Everyone watched as the towels that Winry had stuffed into the holes in the dragons chest were pushed out and the wounds healed themselves in moments not even leaving a scar. The sight made everyone’s jaw drop in shock. “There, that’s much better. I’m sorry, let me make this easier.” The dragon slowly began shrinking in size until its head was now eye-level with Edward. No one said a word and was in complete shock as they watched a dragon shrink down to the size of a man. It stepped toward Edward.

“But you… how did, you were…” he fumbled through his thoughts, trying to find a cohesive one but found nothing that could accurately describe how he felt.

“I’d love to discuss everything with you but not out here, not like this.” Its eyes fell on the man encapsulated in a mound of dirt with only his head poking out at the top. Edward shook his head of his stupor and nodded in agreement. They spent the next hour loading the three remaining Drachma into the basement of the Rockbell house. Then attended to the soldiers as well as Zampano and Jerso, who were knocked out in the attack. Once they were revived and had a few moments to catch their breath they resumed their duty of guarding the home. By the time everyone was awake and settled, dawn was just breaking over the horizon.

Everyone including the dragon entered the house and stood around in the main room waiting for someone to say or do something. The dragon took up the entirety of the couch and laid down like a dog but crossed their forelimbs in front of them, making sure to also fold their wings down to ensure it could swivel and look at each person in the room. It sighed deeply and looked around the room, then opened its mouth to say something but was interrupted by a slightly perturbed Winry.

“How are you healed and alive right now?” Winry asked angrily.

“I want to apologize for what I put you through Mrs. Elric. I know it wasn’t easy, but just know I wasn’t in my right mind when I crashed onto your front lawn, broken and bloody.”

“Wait how do you know my name?” Winry asked stunned.

“When I scanned Edwards’ mind I not only gained the ability to understand your language, but also learned about some of you through his eyes. I also know what has happened in your past. I would like to apologize to you all, for my previous actions in the cave as well as out of the cave. I was in a state of severe grief and was not myself.”

“Grief over what?” asked Lan Fan dejectedly. “Your ‘grief’ killed three people and injured many more in Xing. That’s not counting the people that were injured from the tremors you caused.” Her anger built up with each word that spewed out of her mouth.

“Not what, whom.” The dragons words dripped with guilt.

“Hohenheim right? You knew my father? How?” Edward inquired, trying his best to hide his frustration and failing.

“Your father came to Drachma after hearing some claims about a savage monster being used as an instrument of war. When he found me, he saw that I was being controlled to perform horrible acts on humans in the name of conquest. That tool that you hold in your hand is one of many devices they used to control me.” The dragon pointed with its nose to the item in question. Edward inspected it for a moment while thinking back to all the carvings they saw in the cave before reaching the large room that held the dragon. Most of the scenes depicted were of battles with the dragon at its center. Alphonse seemed to have been thinking of the same thing as they both shared knowing glances toward each other. Edward returned to look at the item.

“How does it work?” he asked timidly.

“I’m sorry, I never got the opportunity to learn how those things worked. But…

“Why were you trapped inside that circle?” Alphonse asked curiously, interrupting whatever it was going to say next.

The dragon paused, colleting their thoughts, “Your father deemed it the best course of action.”

“The best course of action against what, exactly?” Alphonse pushed further. It was clearly a touchy subject for the dragon.

“Those tools that they used to control me, they’re indestructible. Much like myself. He was hoping that they would be lost to time. Forgotten about and buried. But somehow, when I was in the circle, I felt…” it trailed off thinking back, “It’s hard to describe, after hundreds of years of being in alchemical induced slumber, one day it was as if a switch was flipped. I had a sense of great loss that wouldn’t dissipate. I lost all sense of self and fought against it as best I could. I’d like to say I could’ve controlled my actions,” it paused a moment to let out a sigh, “but the circle your father made was a strong one, it dulled many things. Sight, sound, touch, and made it impossible to do anything other than sleep.”

“When we studied the circle, we managed to translate a portion of it before you were released. ‘Blood of the sage shall release his friend’. Makes it sound like he was supposed to return to let you out.” Edward remarked, now somewhat calmer now that things were being explained.

“That was the plan.” The dragon sighed. “To release me before the Promised Day when I could return the favor. Seems he had other things on his mind, seeing that it’s now past and done.”

“Wait, you knew about the Promised Day? How? And why did he tell you?” Edward crossed his arms on his chest and leaned against the wall, frowning at the dragon with confusion lining his face.

“When he retrieved me from Drachma, on the way to Xing we shared our stories. I learned of what happened to him in Xerxes, similar to how I learned of your past Edward. I told him I would repay his kindness and aid him in defeating the homunculus in any way I could, that it was my duty.” The dragon flexed its wings a touch sending a slight shock down its body, it was clear when it groaned that something was wrong.

“You alright?” Edward asked with concern.

“It’s been over four hundred years since I’ve been awake, not to mention sustaining heavy damage without healing during an entire night. I’m not fully self-sustaining yet, I’ll need more time before I can do anything like go into battle.” The dragons head shot up and swiveled looking in all directions. “Which it seems we won’t be avoiding any time soon.”

“What do you…” Alphonse started, but before he could ask the dragon stood from the couch.

“There’s no time. Edward may I speak to you privately?” the dragon approached him cautiously.

“Uh, sure I guess.”

“Good, I hope this is ok. No one else can hear us.” The voice reverberated in his head making him jerk in shock.

“You can talk telepathically?”

“Of course, I can. Now, we don’t have much time, but more Drachman spies are arriving in all directions, I counted twenty in total. It seems they want something, or someone back.” It pointed with its eyes to the basement.

“How can you tell that?” Edward asked still shocked about being able to hold a conversation in his head.

“Let’s just say I have acute senses. That’s not the point. The point is I noticed something when I glanced through your past. You gave up your Door of Truth to return your brother back to this world.” Edward smiled and nodded his head, sure of himself.

“You fool! You have no idea just what you have done to yourself!” it shouted in his head. He recoiled, and his smile dropped.

“What do you mean?”

“That door is more than a representation of your alchemical self and ability, it’s you. All of you, and you gave it away.”

“I still don’t see the problem but let me tell you something.” He straightened himself and looked fiercely at the dragon before him. “I would do it again in a heartbeat.” The dragon started chuckling softly before laughing heartily, stunning everyone in the room.

“I have to say, you are your fathers son alright.” It sighed aloud. “But I can’t leave things as they are. You’re meant to have your door, regardless of the circumstances. I need you capable and ready for what’s to come. I just hate that I’ll have to see his sorry face again.” Edward frowned unsure what it meant by this as it turned away.

“Good people, very soon it seems we will have visiting company of the Drachma kind. Those soldiers outside should come in along with the ones that just arrived.” The dragon announced. “But first, I have some questions for our friends in the basement. And I believe it best after I retrieve the answers, to move everyone below for safety.” Everyone stood from their leaning or sitting positions in shock. Lan Fan went to the window to try to see what the dragon was talking about. But saw only the still heavily blood-stained yard and now two extra cars with more Amestrian soldiers around them.

“There is also a bit of alchemy I’ll need to perform on Edward.” The room spun from looking out the window to gazing at the dragon and Edward. “This will render me completely useless; I’ll still be able to hear and understand what happens around me, but I’ll be unable to move or answer any questions. Possibly.”

“Wait, what do you mean by that?” Alphonse interjected, clearly worried for his brother.

“In doing so, Edward, Alphonse. Should the need arise. Use this on me. But only if the need arises.” Its voice put emphasis on the ‘only’ as it pointed at the device still in Edwards’ hand. He raised it and looked directly at the dragon.

“What will it do to you?” he asked in a hushed tone.

“For that, I can only let you witness for yourself. Now…” it turned and began walking toward the door leading to the basement. “let’s meet our Drachman friend, I’m sure he’s dying to meet me.”

Lan Fan called for all the soldiers outside to come indoors, once inside they questioned as to the reason why. Lan Fan could only tell them of the warning from the dragon, they didn’t understand the reasoning but couldn’t protest, orders from the Elrics’ were orders from Fuhrer Roy Mustang. Leaving the soldiers to stand around upstairs with Pinako, Hughes, and Nina, everyone else filed into the basement and lined the walls, standing a far enough distance away from the three tied up men on three chairs. All still sustained their wounds from the battle above, leaving small patches of blood on the floor beneath them. Two were looking around frantically, but the commander wore a broad smile on his face as the dragon stepped closer.

“Itak, ty nakonets prishel ko mne.” He muttered.

“Ah, we’ll be using English for now. I only have one question for you, then we’ll see about getting you and yours over to the Amestrian army. I’m sure they have plenty more questions for you.”

“I will reveal nothing to you.” He spat.

“Oh, you will General Adrik Gennadi.” The dragon smiled a toothy grin.

“How do you…” he frowned.

“I know a great many things General, but the one thing I wish to know most is this.” She nosed Edward closer as he held out the device for all to see. “How do you operate this?” the dragon asked with a hint of forcefulness in its tone. “Now I can simply let you tell me, or I can pry it from your mind. And let me just say, for me to do that would be like rubbing a smoldering coal over your sad useless chunk of a brain.”

“You wouldn’t.” his eyes filled with fear with the knowledge that what it said was possible.

“Oh, wouldn’t I? You weren’t going to let these people live once you had control of me. Don’t think I couldn’t tell that. Now,” it inched closer, baring its fangs for intimidation, “How do you operate the device?”

The intimidation worked as he began sputtering. “Th-there’s a small button, underneath a hidden compartment at the base of the handle. You simply push it.”

“And what else? You’re forgetting something General. And I’m losing my patience.” Saliva glinted in the small amount of light coming from a single light bulb above it.

“Only those who’ve seen the truth may use it.” He panted quickly, terrified for his own life.

“Thank you General. I’m sure that makes sense to you boys well enough?” the dragon asked as it turned away from the sputtering man on the chair.

“It does.” Both brothers recited in unison. Everyone else save for Lan Fan and Winry wore confusion on their faces and looked to each other for some clarification.

“Proshchay, Amestris mraz'.” The General muttered suddenly. He opened is mouth wide and flicked his tongue on something white and moved to bite down. In a flash the dragon spun its head and the white object in question disappeared. Leaving the Drachman to bite down on nothing and confusion filled his face. He screamed in anger and in his mouth one of his front teeth were missing.

“You won’t get away that easy.” The dragon chuckled and looked at the other two men. They opened their mouths to feel with their tongue a missing tooth in the same manner as their General. They both hung their heads in shame. “Let’s move these fools back a bit. I’m going to need some space for this one.” It sighed. Alphonse, Zampano, and Jerso moved the defeated Drachman into a broom closet just big enough to squeeze everyone in. The General was still screaming as they shut the door behind them. Alphonse returned to find Edward and the dragon standing in the center of the room, he hurriedly joined them with an expression of worry.

“What’s happening now?”

“Now we’re going to do something about your brothers’ door.” The words resonated in Alphonse’s head making him step back in shock.

“Not so fun is it?” asked Edward in his own mind.

“He can hear that you know?” the dragon chuckled. Edwards face flashed red and he looked down. “Hand that thing off to Winry, she’ll take care of it for now.” Edward quickly handed it to her, she took it confusedly, but he shook his head and whispered, “I’ll have to explain later.” She sighed heavily and took it in hand.

“What do you mean about my brothers’ door? His Door of Truth? Is he getting it back?” Alphonse asked hurriedly.

“I thought it a good idea to at least tell you what’s going to happen, seeing as it was you for whom he gave up his door for. While I understand why he did it, neither of you understand the consequences of that action. But I have no time to explain it here, I’ll let your brother inform you when we return. Alphonse you’ll need to fortify this house with barriers while we’re away. For you it’ll be a few hours, for us though.” It sighed aloud, “It’ll be much longer, depending on how much of an ass he’ll be to me.” At this the brothers frowned and looked at each other, shrugging as to the possible meaning behind that statement. “Alright, stand back Alphonse and we’ll get started. See you in a few hours.”

“Be careful Brother.” Alphonse said aloud, placing a firm hand on Edwards shoulder.

“You too. See ya soon.” As they shared a quick embrace the dragons eyes flashed with a white light and a glowing intricate circle appeared on the ground beneath them. Alphonse squeezed tighter for a moment more then broke the hug to exit the circle.

“Now, brace yourself. This might sting a little.”

The circle slowly slit up until it was bright enough for everyone to shield their eyes. A scream could be heard from the center that sounded like it came from Edward.

“ED!” Alphonse shouted as he moved toward the circle but didn’t dare step into it. In a blink the light disappeared, along with the dragon, the circle, and Edward. Leaving nothing but a blood-stained concrete floor, and a feeling of anxiety hanging in the air.

#fullmetal #fullmetal alchimist brotherhood #fullmetal alchemist #Fullmetal Alchemist fanfic #fma #fmafanfic #Edward Elric #Alphonse elric #mei chang #lan fan #zampano #jerso #dragons #blood #alchemy

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parentalfmaweek · 6 years

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Hello, parental fans everywhere!!!

Good news!!! I wanted to give you guys as much time as I could, so I whipped together the list of prompts for this lovely week!!!

Note: any interpretation, as long as it is parental and appropriate, will be accepted!!! Just remember to put parentalfmaweek2018 in the first five tags. I won’t be checking the tag until Jan 22, but feel free to post all your art and submissions whenever you’d like! You will have until February 4th to submit/post things, after that it will not be added.

Thanks so much for all your participation, and special thanks to everyone who is helping spread the word! Now, without further ado, the prompts:

Monday, Jan 22: Escort Home “Isn’t it past your bedtime?”

Tuesday, Jan 23: Terms of endearment Carry AU

Wednesday, Jan 24: Mistake Nightmare Broken

Thursday, Jan 25: Coming out Proud Trust

Friday, Jan 26: Vacation Flower Adoption

Saturday, Jan 27: Leaving Help Closure

Sunday, Jan 28: Hugs and kisses Lost and found “You make me feel safe”

I can’t wait to see what everyone has planned for this week! Best of luck, have fun, and I will see you all starting Jan 22!

#parentalfmaweek #parentalfmaweek prompts #fmafanfic #fmafanart #fandom events

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writerfreak001 · 6 years

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Be Safe (one-shot)

Sneak Peek

“Don’t worry about me, Ed.” Winry gave him a comforting smile as they neared the stairs that led to the roof. “I’ll be fine. Dr. Marcoh and Mei will be coming with us so I’m not going to be completely alone. And I promise,” she winked, causing him to blush a little, “if Scar goes against his word at any time during our journey back to Briggs, I’ll strike him with my wrench as hard as I can.” She waited a beat and added, “Is that more reassuring?”

“No,” Ed feigned a frown but then smiled. “But it does make me feel a little bit better at least.”

“Good,” the mechanic beamed, glad she was able to cheer him up a little. They approached the bottom of the stairs, but though the others had already started their ascent, she couldn’t get herself to move further than the third step. “Ed?”

He was standing right next to her on the other side of the stairs, facing the opposite direction. He was so close to her, but he felt so far away in that moment. Goodbyes were absolutely the worst.

FanFiction.Net | Archives of Our Own

#edward x winry #fullmetal alchemist #edwin #fic - be safe #fma #fmafic #fmafanfic #one shot #edward elric #winry rockbell #anime

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paybackraid · 6 years

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Consequences of a First Date

This was initially intended for Edling Week 2018 but... heh. Yeah. Just finished it at about 11 last night, so... Also on FFN and AO3 under YAJJ.

Summary: Roy was absolutely fine with his son having a boyfriend. After all he'd been through, he deserved whatever he wanted. However, actually meeting said boyfriend-to-be may prove to be... disastrous. Parental!RoyEd. Edling.

Words: 2590

Warnings: Nothing but a Protective Dad spouting Threats of Murder. Mild language

Edward had never been more mortified in his life. He sat, staring with wide eyes at the table in front of him. His hands were tucked beneath his thighs, his face red as a tomato.

Mustang stood above him, talking loudly. “If anything happens, you call me. You hear? Call me.”

“You said,” Ed said quietly.

“Do you have a condom? Make sure you use one if—”

“What the hell? We’re not—oh my god it’s just a date!”

“Just a date?” Mustang scoffed, tossing his head to the side. “Yeah right. I know how guys are, Ed, and they will connive to get what they want. Do you understand?”

“He was my friend before this! He’s not like that. And, this might surprise you but I’m a guy too! What if I just want to get in his pants?!” Ed snapped, going redder still. While that wasn't the truth, that Mustang thought he was some “perfect innocent flower” or whatever he thought he was, was embarrassing, and more than a little demeaning.

Mustang scoffed again but didn’t speak further on that subject, thankfully. “If he tries anything—“

“You’ll castrate him, I know, I heard—“

“Anything at all—!”

“You’ll hit him so hard his whole family tree will shake, I know, I heard!” Ed shot a fierce glare up at his ex-boss, scrunching his nose. “...That’s a stupid line, you know.”

“...That may be, but it’s the truth.”

Ed’s face had never been so hot. “...Whatever.”

Roy just sighed and shook his head, eyeing the boy. He stepped up right behind him and took hold of his hair, undoing the tie.

“Hey…! What’s wrong with—I just did that!”

“You missed a couple of strands. Hold still.”

“Oh, and I suppose you can braid?”

“I can in fact; I’m a master.”

Ed bit back a comment and just sat still, feeling the tug in his hair as Roy worked it into a neat braid. He tied off the end wordlessly, then stepped back to observe his handiwork. Nodding to himself, he swept around to Ed’s front and looked the teen over.

“...What?”

“No, nothing,” Roy said with a gentle shake of his head. He took Ed’s chin and turned it one way, then the other, then stepped back and smoothed the shirt over his shoulders. “You just look very handsome today, is all. Ling is a lucky guy.”

If possible, Ed’s face went even redder, ducking his chin to his chest.

“He’ll be pleased that I took you shopping earlier, rather than letting you wear the garbage you normally wear.”

“H—hey! What’s wrong with what I normally wear?!? What, you don’t like my sense of style, don’t think I look good enough normally?!?”

“I think you look plenty good enough already, but the correct wardrobe can make someone absolutely shine, and I think we found what does it for you.”

Ed paused in his rant, mouth dropping open and face heating up so much he could fry an egg. After a moment he clicked his teeth shut and looked pointedly away, spitting out, “don’t say weird things.”

Roy chuckled and shook his head, then his eyes darted toward the front door, his interest piqued like an excitable pup, when the doorbell rang. As it rang a second time, Ed felt on a metaphysical level that both the very beginning and the very end of their relationship was about to occur, at least if Roy and his stupid, overprotective ass had anything to say about it.

Ling was here.

“You,” Roy said, snarling like a dog and pointing to the couch. “Sit. Now.”

“What?! No—don’t you dare say a word Mustang!!” Rather than do as asked, Ed instead lurched out of his chair and threw his arms around Roy’s waist, just as Roy was about to storm off to answer the door and probably banish Ling, Xingese Emperor or not, directly to Truth’s gate. He dug his heels into the floor and tried desperately to stop Roy from doing or saying anything more to further embarrass him.

Ling rang the doorbell a third time, the noise clearly souring Roy’s previously good mood and making that vein on his forehead stand out quite nicely. He started grumbling under his breath about patience and some people not having it (as if he was one to talk) and it took Ed’s absolute all to not just flop along behind him and be dragged along to witness the destruction of his newest relationship.

“IN A MINUTE!!!” He called instead, trying and failing to regain his footing. If Ling rang the doorbell a fourth time, then Ed knew for sure that if Ling himself wasn’t burnt to a crisp right on the spot, their relationship would be. The best way for this to succeed at all was for Ling to keep himself quiet, and hopefully avoid sticking his foot in his mouth.

Ed had always known that whomever he dated would have to be scrutinized by both Alphonse and Winry, but he never would have guessed that Mustang would have to appraise as well, and would apparently have the more critical eye.

Finally, Ed regained enough of his footing that he was actually able to sweep around Roy and put a stop to his rampage. Roy, apparently not wanting to run him over, halted in his storm but glared at the door.

“That’s not fair!!” Ed hissed, smacking his fist against Roy’s chest. “Stop!!”

Roy snorted like a bull but didn’t look away from the offending slab of wood.

“I conceded!” Ed snapped, stomping his foot like a child. “I agreed to let him pick me up from here, okay!! Because you wouldn’t shut up about it!! I let you help me and I appreciate it, I do, but it’s not fucking fair that you’re going to scare him off before I see him!! So BACK OFF and let me answer the DAMN DOOR!!”

Roy’s dark, scrutinizing eyes turned from the door down to Ed, then back up again. His eyes suddenly went soft in a way that Ed found more than slightly mortifying as he looked at Ed one more time, soft in the same way that Hughes was around his daughter. “...Okay,” he said, the throbbing vein slowly melting back into his head where it belonged. He stood himself up straight and dusted off his clothes, looking embarrassed at the slight show of emotion. “Fine. Answer the door. However, I am saying my piece before you leave, and if he decides to be an uncooperative little fuckwad, you’re not leaving this house.”

“You can’t tell me what to do, you’re not my boss or my legal guardian anymore.”

Roy ground his teeth with a noise that made Ed twinge at the thought of it. “Not. Leaving. This. House.”

Ed rolled his eyes and turned away, eyeing Roy as if waiting to see if he would attempt to upstage Ed again and get to the door first. Roy didn’t move even a muscle.

“Ling!” he cheered when he threw open the door, slapping on a smile that he felt deep in his soul. God, he was excited. He had been talking about it all week. Even if his stomach was in knots and even though he didn’t know what dates were supposed to be like or how boyfriends were supposed to act with their boyfriends, he still shook with excitement and couldn’t believe that this was really happening.

“Hey, Edward,” Ling said, somehow calm and casual even though he was definitely almost never that. Ed had a feeling that he’d been on his fair share of dates; that, or it came from living the life of a prince. “Are you ready t—“

Ed furrowed his brows when Ling paled and appeared to stop breathing. He peered around, and only thought to glance over his shoulder when he noticed that Ling’s eyes were going over his head.

Ahh yes, he’d forgotten that Roy was apparently a gorgon, and could turn the people he didn’t like to stone if they met eyes.

“Stop it!” he snapped, so Roy averted his gaze and released Ling from his spell. Roy cleared his throat and curled his finger, looking right at Ling. “Both of you in here, this instant.”

“Don’t,” Ed begged to no avail. Ling appeared to have forgotten that he was in fact the emperor of a huge nation and could make Roy bow to his will if he so wished. Appeared to have forgotten that he probably had at least two ninja bodyguards tracking his every move.

“You will be an absolute gentleman,” Roy said without even a hello. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and flared his nostrils, showing off the stars and stripes pinned to his uniform to make himself as intimidating as possible. “You will try nothing. Whatever you may try is only done with his full, uncoerced consent. As soon as he gives the inkling of a ‘no’, you back off, am I clear?”

Ed glanced over at Ling, noting with dread the expression on his face. It was a mix of “I have no idea why this is happening” and “if I look away even for a second I Will Die”, and Ed doubted that a second date was in the near future.

“Y-yes, sir,” Ling managed to stutter.

“He is home by eleven, and not even a second later. If he is, I wouldn’t expect to wake up tomorrow.”

“Must—“ Ed snapped, eyes darting around for ninja warriors prepared to cut out Roy’s throat. Was that not a threat made on the emperor’s life?

“And if he comes home hurt at all, if he manages to get himself a papercut or he is in anyway out of place, I will gut you. Gut you.”

“Y-yes sir,” Ling stammered again, and Ed was pretty sure he had lost all conscious thought.

Roy looked down on them, down the bridge of his nose, looking like he was attempting to set Ling on fire with his eyes. Ed felt as if he had already set him ablaze, his face was so hot. This would never end. It would never end. This was the rest of—

“Good,” Roy said, nodding hard. He turned suddenly soft eyes on Ed, scrutinizing him, then brushed his bangs back affectionately. Ed tried to strike him, but Roy was apparently too quick. “I’ll pick you up if you need me to. Don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything. I’ll be waiting up. Then I’ll take you back to the hotel.”

“Well, sir,” Ling interjected, apparently attempting to get on Roy’s good side and failing miserably. “If you’d like, we can just drop him off at his hotel, it’s no—“ Ling was cut off as Roy’s expression took on that of a dragon he was so often compared to, furious, greedy, protective of his things. “O-or we’ll drop him off here, that’s fine too.”

Roy breathed out a sudden puff of smoke, like he really was a fire breather, then instantly calmed himself. “Call me.”

“Won’t need to. But—if I do, I will.”

Roy nodded, then finally released them from the prison of absolute humiliation. “Fine then. Go on, have fun. But—“ his eyes darkened into a furious glare, “not too much fun.”

Ling laughed nervously and nodded, saluting like he feared that Roy would roast him if he didn’t show the utmost respect, which probably wasn't too far from the truth. “We won’t, sir.”

Roy watched them go, and even as Ed forcefully closed the door, he could feel Roy’s glare prickling along the back of his neck. He was afraid to turn around, afraid to already see Roy glaring at them from the upstairs bedroom.

“I am so sorry,” Ed begged, mortified. “I never thought he’d actually pull that shit. I promise, I’m not like that.”

Ling laughed, although Ed saw a hint of disbelief in his eyes and Ed knew he didn’t believe him. “It’s fine, really. He’s quite a—hmm—a character, I guess?”

“He’s normally an asshole, but not that big of an asshole,” Ed grumbled.

“I really don’t mind. Besides. If he’s that protective of you, you must be quite the catch, don’t you agree?” Ling fluttered his eyelashes and grabbed for his right hand, bringing it to his mouth to scatter kisses along the knuckles of his newly flesh fingers in a way that made Ed go beet red.

Ed took his hand back and held them both behind his back, not used to anything like that. “...Don’t say weird things.”

Again, Ling laughed and cooed, “as you wish. Well, shall we get going? I’ve got quite the night planned for us.”

——

When Ed arrived back at Mustang’s, at precisely 10:59 which was perfectly on time, Ed found himself wanting to fling himself through the door, perform a perfect pirouette, and collapse onto the couch and come down off of an emotional high he hadn’t even been close to since they returned home to Resembool.

They hadn't kissed. Not on the mouth. Ed wasn’t okay with that sort of intimacy quite yet, but Ling had kissed his cheek as close to his mouth as he dared, then wished him sweet dreams, and Ed feared he may have been falling in love. He wanted to dance on the rooftops and yell it to the whole world, that he had had the best date ever and he, Edward Elric, he was in love!

He wanted to tell Roy all about it.

Despite Roy absolutely mortifying and humiliating him, Ling had taken it in stride, somehow turned it into a compliment for Ed, and now Ed wanted to tell Roy about everything. About the dinner. The drive there. The walk to the park. The fireworks. The way that Ling looked and smelled and moved, everything about him was perfect and according to his still-emotionally-high brain, Roy had to know every single bit of it.

At least, Roy did, until Ed walked into the living room. Ed instantly sobered.

Because there was Roy, sat in his armchair right beside the phone. There was paperwork strewn on the end table, some falling loose from his hand to strew across the floor. He was fast asleep, practically drooling all over himself, waiting for Ed’s call. Just as he’d said. Well—almost as he said.

But he had waited up for Ed to come home, to make sure that he was safe and could enjoy his date in peace.

That ride back to the hotel wasn’t happening.

Ed could shake him awake and ask him to bring him home, but he didn’t. He could step outside and see if Ling was still outside, to give him a ride back, but he didn’t.

No. Roy had tried to wait up for him, in case there was any trouble at all, and Ed decided that the worry he would get if he went back to the hotel just wasn’t worth it. He could crash on Mustang’s couch until morning; Mustang clearly wasn’t using it.

He called the hotel to let Al know that he wouldn't be home until morning. When he hung up, he dragged the blanket from the back of the couch and tossed it over Mustang. Then he grabbed a spare and spread out on the couch, closing his eyes and listening in to the soft, gentle, soothing sound of someone else breathing in the same room he was sleeping in.

He could tell Roy everything in the morning.

#creative aces #parental!royed #paparoy #edling #fma #fmafanfic #roy's nervous he's never had to do this before #the Spirit of Hughes lives within him #under a readmore bc i dont like how much space it takes up on my dash without

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paybackraid · 6 years

Note

do you have any parental roy fic recs that include al?

I do!! Haha sorry it took a couple of days, here you go!! There’s definitely not enough tho

Caregiver–Alphonse gets a surprise when he learns that Roy Mustang cares for the two of them, not just Edward because he is his subordinate. Slightly papa!royed, mostly papa!royal!

Cost of a Life–murder mention, full angst

Plain as the Nose on your Face–In which Roy is annoyed by hospital waiting rooms in general, and busybody nurses specifically; bewildered by Hawkeye’s slight-but-strange motherly side and Alphonse’s odd use of his lap as a pillow; and overall just not amused. Especially when people make derogatory comments about his most prominent facial feature.

Sleepless–Mustang finds an unlikely common ground with Alphonse.

Somebody to Count On–AU Sometimes family friend Roy babysits for Trisha, and this day he notices Alphonse seems a little down. Apparently, kids can be cruel.

Till I’m A Hundred, You Idiot–99% Parental!RoyEd but! Chapter 50 is good and Papa!RoyAl

Watchful–Empty steel was tireless. The mind of an eleven year old boy was not.

Second Spring–AU: Alphonse has his body back. And he’s not going to forgive Mustang, Izumi, or especially his brother, for making it so. Deathfic

These are all Al-centric fics!! If you want some where Ed and Al are both being dadded, let me know!

---

Edited! @the-ace-place since you asked for the rec, I would just like you and anyone else who reads these to be aware that I have taken off two fics because the sequel was grosser than I initially read it as and I don’t want to risk anyone finding it through the prequel. This blog does not condone transphobia, sexism, or anything else mentioned in the fic and I apologize if it ever came across as if I did.

On that note, please let me know if anything should be taken off or added to this list! I’m always happy to find good parental!RoyAl fics!

#the-ace-place #paparoy #parental!royal #fma #fmafanfic #fma fic rec

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paybackraid · 6 years

Text

Kiss It Better

Summary: Madam Christmas may not have been your average mother, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t try. The first in a collection of one-shots about a boy and his foster mother.

Words: 3754

Warnings: Aftermath of a car crash, nothing else

Chris was never meant for motherhood. That, she knew for a fact. God, be she Ishvala, Leto, or whomever, had not crafted Chris in the same mold that she did many other women.

She could barely handle aunthood.

“Hold his head, Chris!” said her brother, Arlan, a portly man with a head of dark hair. He took her elbow and situated it just beneath the head of the infant in her arms.

The baby giggled in delight and reached his toes up as far as he could. His little fingers were stretching toward her face, and it was all she could do to not take her face away and keep tiny grubby fingers from her.

“How old is he now?” Chris asked, if only to keep up conversation. The baby was all the new parents could talk about of late. Chris hadn’t minded at first, but it quickly got overwhelming. She was just glad that they had been so busy with parenthood that they weren’t calling her up at all hours anymore to talk about him.

“Our Roy-boy is nearly two months,” Arlan went on, “and he’s got my strapping chin to prove it!”

Chris looked down to the baby in her arms and found that she would disagree. Roy’s face was as round as a playball.

He stuck his tongue out and breathed hard, blowing spittle around. Chris did take her face away then, although she was sure a few specks hit her chin anyway.

“Roy…” said the boy’s mother, Jiao, who went forward with a handkerchief and wiped off his chin. Jiao came directly from Xing, though Chris could never remember which clan. She met Arlan on a trip to Amestris and just… never went home. It was love at first sight. Chris hardly believed in love at first sight but, by some twist of fate, it worked for the couple. They had been together for nearly five years and had been living together almost all of that time.

“Isn’t he a beauty?” Arlan went on, chattering as he always did when he was excited. “Takes just after my beautiful Jiao, so I know he’ll be a lady-killer.”

Chris snorted. She didn’t find babies particularly cute. Newborns certainly weren’t; at least this boy had grown into his skin.

But she didn’t dare say so to the happy parents aloud. “Yeah, he’s a cutie.”

Jiao suddenly cooed and went for her baby, pulling him into her arms and smattering his face with kisses. “We wondered if he would want to spend a weekend with you,” she said, with a hopeful little smile.

Chris and Jiao didn’t really agree on a few things. It wasn’t that they didn’t get along; Chris found her stories of her homeland fascinating. Unlike her brother, Chris wasn’t much of a nationalist, and found hearing about other countries far more interesting than hearing about her own. Their opinions just often differed and clashed.

There was one thing, though, that Chris did like about Jiao. She was to the point. If she wanted something from you, she asked it. Chris was the same way, so she could respect it.

“I live in a bar,” she reminded the young mother. That, and she was useless when it came to children, let alone infants. “I wouldn’t be able to be with him, I’m afraid.”

Jiao’s hopeful smile fell to something less pleased, but Arlan just laughed and patted her back.

“There’s a reason Chris isn’t married yet, Jiao. Maybe give it a few years.”

Chris frowned and shot him a withering glance. She wasn’t married by choice. She had no interest in marriage. She could hardly take care of herself, let alone do the womanly part of the marriage for her husband, and she had no desire to act the traditional wife’s part.

Finally, Jiao laughed a little and smiled, bouncing her baby boy. “I get it,” she said. “Kids are tough. I hope some day he gets to spend some time with you.”

Chris smiled gently at her, a little nervous at the thought. Unless Roy was ten or more, she doubted that she would be any good with him. “Maybe someday.”

Chris nursed a brandy, seated at the bar. She kneaded her temples tiredly, leaning her elbow onto the bar and her face into her hand.

She thought she had aged ten years in three days. And she didn’t even have the kid yet.

“Chris?” asked Jess, her most experienced girl. Chris had only gotten the bar less than a year ago, and could use every bit of help she could get.

“I can’t do this,” she admitted quietly. “I can’t. I’m not a mother. I really can’t.”

“He isn’t even here yet,” Jess hummed, crossing her arms in front of her. “You can’t blow him off before he’s even here.”

“I can’t. Look at this. I live where I work. You can’t raise a child like that.”

“Who says you can’t?” Jess countered. “You were fine with it a week ago.”

“I only found out a week ago!” Chris rounded on her, eyes flaring. She didn’t like what Jess was trying to do to her nerves. She knew her fears were irrational, knew they were unnecessary, but surprise surprise, that was no help. “I’m just… I’m not a mother.”

Jess put on a little frown. She pulled out the stool beside Chris and sat in it, taking Chris’ shoulder. “Well, okay. It doesn’t work out. What happens then? What’s option B? You have until you sign those papers. Until then, if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.”

Chris turned a heavy gaze on Jess, who was watching her steadily. Jess, and most of Jess’ life, had been the byproduct of insincerity and failing commitment. Very little meant more to her than sticking to your word.

What she was really saying was, “if you agree to do this, you stick with it until the end. No cutting out in the middle because it got hard.”

...And, she wouldn’t do that. Her brother had been family, and that was that. Family didn’t let down family.

“...Yeah.”

“You have two more hours to get used to the idea,” Jess reminded gently. She squeezed Chris’ shoulder again, leaning her face a little closer, “and you won’t be alone.”

Again, Chris nodded. She knocked back another swig and blew out a low breath, then stood. “I’m stepping out for a smoke. Watch the place?”

Jess smiled a little, clearly pleased. She knew Chris too well. Chris could smoke through a pack in a day seated in one place if no one got in her way. She didn’t mind the scent of the smoke or the heaviness in the air or the way that it hung around for hours in the bar.

No, when she stepped out to smoke, it meant she wanted to be alone with her thoughts. She wanted her own, unbiased opinion. She had so many things to think about. Like planning the funeral for Arlan and Jiao.

They had been cut down in the prime of life, by a drunk, who chose to climb behind the wheel of a car they didn’t know how to drive. They had been on their way home from something as mundane as the grocery store. A run of the mill, day-to-day activity. Their son had been in the backseat, with the groceries, when it all happened.

Apparently, when he’d been pulled out of the wreckage, arm broken, covered in blood, pried from his mother’s arms, he had been covered in cracked eggs. Jiao appeared to have leapt into the backseat to make sure he was alright, knocking over one of the bags, and ended up bleeding out over him.

He had been sent to the hospital, and had been there for the past week. Chris had been informed that, since she was next of kin, she would be getting him until they could find a more suitable place, and had spent the past week getting accustomed to the idea.

Now, the kid was two hours away from being there, escorted by another police officer, and only now Chris was panicking.

Chris wasn’t a mother. She and Jiao weren’t cast in the same mold. She wasn’t a comforter, and she wasn’t a nurturer, and she feared that the kid would need exactly that.

...But, Jess had a point. Most of her girls lived at the bar with her so, if nothing else, she’d have their assistance.

And she couldn’t abandon her family. Arlan wasn’t always her favorite person, but in many ways he had been her best friend. She had met the kid once as an infant, and now… now she would be doing more than meeting him.

She didn’t need anymore time. She had the support of her girls, and the blessing of his parents. She was taking this kid in, signing those papers, and… becoming his foster mother. Until he didn’t need her anymore.

She smoked her cigarette to the butt and stood outside in the afternoon sun. She was glad she had shut down the bar for the day, in preparation for their visitor. She didn’t have the energy or the sense to prepare the bar for service tonight. She could certainly use a drink, but that could wait until after the kid was settled in his room.

Chris took one last puff of her cigarette and flicked the butt away, then decided to head inside and pick up the dining room a little. Cleaning had been finished from the night before, but it would be good for the kid to be introduced to a better-than-acceptable home and get comfortable.

Four of her girls soon joined her, cleaning up the bar and sitting area and polishing glasses. She appreciated their silent support, their unspoken promise to stay. These girls were like family to her, as much as Arlan and Jiao were. As much as the kid was.

Two hours passed by sooner than she expected, and soon there was the sound of a car pulling up to the bar. Chris took a huge breath and released it in choppy portions. Her life was two minutes from changing forever.

There was a knock at the door, and one of her younger girls, Juno, flashed a glance at Chris and then headed to the door. She flipped the lock and opened the door, changing the rest of Chris’ life with no hesitation.

Officer Barron stepped in first. Chris knew him personally, for many reasons. He was one of the officers that patrolled this area and regular stepped in to “make sure that she was alright”. She knew, though, that his inquiry was not genuine. What he really searched for was a reason to shut the entire establishment down.

Though that was true, he also stopped in three nights a week to share a bed with one of her girls. She didn’t much like him, because he was a terrible hypocrite, and she hated hypocrites. Hated the way that they lied, hated the way that they walked around with their noses up, like they were better than everyone else. Chris may not run the most honest, lawful establishment in Central City, but at least she was up front about it.

All she knew was that Barron visited here the way he did in self-centered ways. Whether he visited at night to gather evidence not as easily found in the day, or visited in the day to keep this establishment open for his thrice-weekly ritual, he was selfish about it either way.

...Still. Though his eyes roamed all around the room, eyed all the girls, and though hard eyes landed on Chris, he didn’t appear to be looking for evidence for once.

“Mustang,” Barron grunted.

“Barron,” Chris snapped back, crossing her arms over his chest.

He took a few steps in, then turned to the side. He carried a big black plastic bag over one shoulder, but was careful to keep it high.

Behind the officer, tucked in his shadow, there was a tiny figure, hugging itself. When Barron stepped to the side, he revealed the shape of a little boy.

“Come on, Roy,” Barron grunted, reaching his free hand back to push the kid forward by his head. The boy stumbled a little, then came to a stop just a step in front of Barron.

This was Chris’ little nephew, the orphan. His right arm was braced in a cast, and he was leaning heavily on his left side. His head was so low that his chin brushed his chest. He didn’t lift his head and he didn’t lift his eyes, didn’t even speak a word.

Barron dropped the bag to the floor and shoved it to the side. He put his hand on Roy’s back and pushed him again, a little harsher. Roy tripped over his little feet but managed to keep his footing. His right knee bent a little, standing on his toes. Something in the accident must have messed with his ankle, judging by the way he walked.

“Go on, Roy,” Barron said, voice a little snappish, a little impatient. His voice carried the undertone of a commander; he clearly didn’t know how to speak to a child.

Not that Chris did, of course. Maybe in this case, she was the hypocrite.

Roy flinched from his voice, then took a few more steps forward, limping lightly. He appeared to be waiting for permission for… something. More than anything, he seemed impossibly lost in a dining room no bigger than forty feet across.

Finally, after what felt like twenty minutes of silence, it was Jess who worked up the courage to come forward. She had two little sisters, only a little older than Roy, that she went to visit some weekends, so she at least knew how to talk to kids.

She moved forward and crouched in front of him, getting so low they were nearly eye level. Roy still didn’t lift his head, even seemed to turn his head away from her. “Hi,” Jess finally said, resting her hands on her knees. “You must be Roy. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Roy turned his head back in Jess’ general direction. He didn’t lift his eyes, still stared at his feet. Very, very quietly, almost as silent as a ghost, he mumbled, “you’re not my aunt.”

Jess smiled a little, tilting her head to try and get into his line of vision. “No, but she and I are good friends. My name is Jess. I think you’re gonna like it here, Roy.”

Roy made a small noise with his mouth, but made no move and no other noise.

Jess smiled and let out an affectionate little laugh. “Come in, little one. Come meet the other girls.” She stood and reached for Roy’s good hand, prying it from his shirt. She pulled him forward until he stood right before his aunt.

Behind them, Barron exchanged a word with Juno, then stepped out and closed the door behind him, leaving the big black bag, what must have been all of Roy’s things, behind.

Jess dropped Roy’s hand and stepped to the side. His hand returned to his shirt sleeve, knotting it in his fingertips.

After another moment, Roy finally lifted his head just a little, just enough to get an eyeful of the force of a woman before him. Very quietly, he opened his mouth and mumbled, “the of-ficer said you’re my aunt.”

“I am,” Chris agreed, feeling a little catch in her throat. “You can call me Aunt Chris, or Madam.”

“I don’t know you.”

Chris nodded a little and took a step closer. “I met you once, but you were too young to remember.”

“Daddy talked about you, though.”

“Good things, I hope.”

Roy shrugged, but Chris had a feeling that it wasn’t because Arlan had ever had something vastly negative to say. He started quaking a little, his cast jostling, and Chris could feel emotion rolling off him. He was scared, lonely, lost, and hurt, in a place he had never been and with people he had never met. And the two people in the world who could help him, the two people who loved him unconditionally, had died right in front of him.

Chris’ throat closed up for a second and she forced herself to turn away from the sight of a grieving child. She wasn’t terribly emotional, but this child’s parents—her brother and sister-in-law—had died only a week ago, and part of her struggled with that thought.

“I’m sorry about your parents, kid.”

A sudden hiccup left Roy’s mouth, and he lifted his good hand to press against his face. He started jerking and shaking, sobs leaving his mouth, as if everything that happened was coming down on him at once.

And Chris, who was no good with kids, who hadn’t dealt with anyone younger than eighteen since she had met Roy that first time five years ago, who was no good with her own emotions, Chris did nothing.

After a full moment of watching this child break down in front of them, finally did Mia stride forward and crouch in front of him. She introduced herself so he had a name to his comforter, then asked if she could pick him up. After a second, Roy nodded his head in a way that could almost be disguised as a quake from his grief, so Mia scooped him up and held him close, fitting her knee beneath his rump to get him higher against her. His good arm went around her neck, his bad arm fell to his side, and his head fell into her shoulder. Mia bounced him for a second, then turned to her boss for direction.

“Bring him upstairs,” Chris said, jerking her head in the general direction of the stairs. They had a room set aside for him, the one nearest to Chris’, with a little bed and dresser ready for him.

Mia dipped her head, rubbed his back, and took off for the stairs.

With the sobbing boy gone, the tension disappeared at once. Juno came over and shared a word with Chris, mentioning something about paperwork that Chris hoped Jess would remember, then she went toward the living room.

The last girl, her chef Dyna, dipped her head in Chris’ direction and stepped out. She was one of the few girls who had a place offsite, and she had a dog at home, so Chris didn’t mind when she left a little early.

“...So?” asked Jess after just a second, eyeing Chris.

“...We’ll keep him,” Chris said gently. She lifted her bejewelled hands and pressed one against smarting eyes, then took a heavy breath. “We’ll keep him. He has a… a home here. He’s one of us now.”

Jess pursed her lips, but the way her corners tilted up told Chris that she was fighting off a massive smile, which put a little warmth in her heart. Jess nodded and headed upstairs, leaving Chris to her thoughts. Chris sat back against the bar and pulled out another cigarette, giving Roy the time to calm down and become somewhat accustomed to his newest surroundings.

Several hours later, Chris retired upstairs. In the time between, she had taken the bag of Roy’s belongings downstairs. She washed and dried the clothes, and cracked open the three books he had brought with. The only other thing in that bag, besides a pair of boots, was a little stuffed rabbit with blood on its right arm. She did her best to clean it, but the poor rabbit would spend the rest of its life a little pink.

She carried the rabbit on one arm, and a fresh set of pajamas for him on the other. She wanted to check on him before going to bed, hoping that his stuffed rabbit would help him sleep through the night.

She cracked his door open without announcing her arrival. Mia had gone off to bed a while ago, saying that Roy asked that she leave him alone. He was suffering, she said, and felt he had no one. Chris could hardly blame him.

The bed was in the far corner, about three feet from a window. Despite the soft moonlight spilling in, Roy was turned away from it on his side. Judging by his shaky breath, Roy was not sleeping.

Chris quietly crept toward him and leaned over him. Indeed, his eyes didn’t appear to be closed, and he didn’t even look like he was trying to sleep. He just stared ahead at the plain wall, silent, shaking.

“Get up, Roy,” she said softly, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Get changed.”

Roy sniffed hard and turned his head a little to look at her. Now that she got a good look at his face, she saw that his injuries did not end at a gimpy ankle and a broken arm. There was a healing cut running down the side of his face, by his right eye, and another above his left brow. A bandage was taped onto his right cheek as well, but she couldn’t see what was going on beneath.

He eyed her, then very slowly sat up, wincing a little when he put strain on his arm. Chris helped him change without a word, then carefully led him back down into the bed and brought his blanket up to his shoulders.

“I w-want my Mama and Daddy,” Roy finally said with a shaking breath. When Chris passed him his rabbit, he buried his nose in it and started shaking against it.

Chris turned her head away when tears returned to his voice and his face. She patted his shoulder and, not knowing what else she was to say, she simply assured, “I know. Good night, Roy.”

And she, who was no good with kids and no good with emotions, who had just become this orphan boy’s foster mother, she walked away to rest up for a new day. Before she closed the door behind her, Roy breathed out a shaking breath, and seemed to fall quiet. She didn’t know if he fell asleep, or if he decided he was done crying, but whatever it was, Chris thought it would be good for him.

This was sure to present a lot of… interesting challenges in the future, but Arlan was her brother and Roy was her nephew. They were family, and you did not give up on family.

#creative aces #fma #fmafanfic #chris mustang #roy mustang #kiss it better collection #mamachris #foster family #grief #trauma

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paybackraid · 6 years

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One Little Flinch

Heyyyy all! I’ve had this idea on the brain for a good long while, and with parentalfma week coming up, I saw the perfect opportunity!! So, written for @parentalfmaweek 2018, Day 6: Closure!

Summary: Some careless actions on Roy’s part ten years ago come back to haunt him. Based off FMAB Episode 17

Parental!RoyEd--Grandparental!RoyaiEdwinbabies (sort of)

Words: 2043

Warnings: Past implied violence, nothing graphic

Roy genuinely enjoyed it when the Elrics came to Central for a visit. He generally, really, and actually enjoyed it. He and Riza (especially Riza) got along well with Winry, Alphonse always had great stories from his travels, their kids adored everyone on the team and loved distracting them to hear stories (they spent a lot of time on Breda’s lap, as he was the best storyteller on the team), and once Roy was no longer Ed’s commanding officer, he and Ed got along rather splendidly.

Oh, sure, there were days when Ed simply couldn’t stand Roy’s voice, and days where Roy’s migraines were acting up, and Ed’s rambunctiousness made them even worse, and sometimes they argued as if Ed was still the Fullmetal Alchemist. But also, Roy was no longer the authority figure that Ed was determined to act out against, and domestic life had calmed down all that energy he used to have, and he’d taken after Maes and just loved showing off his kids and wife. The camera always on his hand or around his neck was proof of that.

It wasn’t a headache when Ed stopped in anymore, it was actually pleasant. Roy could even admit to himself, back in the recesses of his mind, that there were days he wished Ed and Al were his own. Days that he imagined that, in a way, they were. Their kids, five-year-old Thom, four-year-old Sarah, and one-year-old Trisha were constantly switching between calling him Uncle Roy, and Grandpa, and most days he was floating somewhere between “a thirty-seven-year-old man should be no grandfather” and “everyone look at my grandbabies!!”

Ed chattered happily, telling Roy some fantastical story that had to do with poor Thom somehow getting his entire head stuck in the banister at home. Ed gestured with huge hand movements, the muscles of his right arm working and moving as if they hadn’t spent months recovering from atrophy. He moved emphatically, talking louder and louder because apparently this story was too good to be done otherwise.

There was a point where Roy had to reach up and rub his eye—one could hardly blame him, as the Elric kids had insisted on shacking up in his home last night so they could have a “slumber party with grandpa!!!!”, and he had been up for hours talking alchemy with Ed. The kids were running him ragged, he had hardly gotten any sleep last night, and he was tired.

He just, perhaps, moved a little bit too fast.

Ed, much to Roy’s own horror, flinched at the movement of his hand. He flinched hard.

Ed didn’t even seem to notice. He didn’t notice Roy’s hand moving up, he didn’t notice Roy’s abrupt freeze after Ed flinched, just kept talking talking talking about his amazing kids.

But Roy noticed. Oh, Roy had noticed.

And he knew, deep in his heart, that that one foolish action in an alleyway nearly ten years ago was going to come back to haunt him.

He wouldn’t say that it had been an accident, way back then, because really it hadn’t been. He’d been caught in a mix of swirling emotions, at the loss of his best friend, at the sharp and immediate desire for revenge, the sharp and hurting anger that Ed was going to walk into the scene and mess everything up…

But Ed had kept yelling. Things like “and why didn’t you say anything?!”. And he had gotten madder and madder and yes technically he had just killed someone but why, why did Ed have to be so fucking naive, why couldn’t he understand that Ross wasn’t dead and that he needed to get back he was going to ruin everything.

It had happened before Roy had known it. One minute, Ed’s hands were twisted in his collar, yanking their faces close so he could continue yelling, to try and understand.

The next minute, Roy’s fist was swung to the far side, his knuckles were stinging, and Ed was thrown to the ground with a throbbing mark on his cheek going swiftly red.

He had punched him.

Across the face.

A fifteen-year-old boy. The same one who Roy now, and maybe even a little bit back then, thought of like a son.

You heartless bastard.

This wasn’t the first thing he’d done wrong in his life, and it certainly wasn’t the worst thing he’d ever done. But there was still such a strong bite of disgust, that he had caused Ed to hurt, that he had let his emotion get to him and had thrown him to the ground as if he were trash. He was horrified with himself, disgusted with himself.

He scared himself.

He was almost afraid of being alone around the Elric children. Afraid that one day, one of them would tick him off just enough, and he’d throw one of the little ones, these little ones he really absolutely adored, to the ground as if they were nothing, he’d hurt them, break them, kill them.

Hurt them, just like he had hurt their father no more than ten years ago.

But, Ed didn’t even seem to notice. He didn’t even seem to remember.

Honestly, Roy wouldn’t have been surprised if Ed didn’t remember. Roy knew that Ed suffered PTSD like no one’s business, had known it since not long after Ed joined the military when he had a panic attack in the middle of the mess. He was constantly flinching at things, shying from hurt, skirting around topics that would make a grown man panic from the mere thought. Winry had once called, saying that Ed was suffering from them more and she didn’t know what to do. As far as reactions go, this was extremely mild. It was almost a relief. And yet….

Yet, Roy was still in that category of “things that Edward Elric shied away from”. Whether he was at the bottom of the list or the top didn’t matter. That he was on the list at all was inexcusable.

Ed didn’t notice Roy’s hesitation. He had jumped headlong into another story about Thom attempting to teach Trisha how to talk ages ago, not noticing his ex-superior’s shame and humiliation.

Again, just as he had before, Roy acted without realizing it. This time, it was with a far gentler hand, one that shook weakly with the desire to express apologies his mouth just couldn’t say. He reached his nervous hand forward, nestling it softly on the top of Ed’s head.

Ed finally stopped talking, surprise flickering in his golden gaze. He stopped and stared at Roy, only for a moment.

As Ed fell silent, Roy’s hand dropped a little to cup the base of his braid. His thumb ran over soft golden strands, as if soothing a hurt that Ed no longer felt.

“...Colonel?”

I don’t deserve you.

Roy didn’t correct Ed for once, didn’t speak even a word. He knew that, similarly as lieutenant was with Hawkeye, the rank of ‘colonel’ was practically synonymous with ‘friend’, or even better yet, Dad. He knew that if Ed ever called him General, then Ed was royally pissed off at something. He’d become so used to Roy’s old rank that it had become synonymous with bastard which, in turn, was in a way synonymous with dad.

Roy tugged gently, and Ed hadn’t been expecting it, so he stumbled and went along with it. He stared blankly at Roy’s shirt when Ed found his forehead pressing against Roy’s uniform.

I’m so sorry.

Even though Ed didn’t hear him say anything, all he had to do was look up at him, see the ceaseless remorse in his eyes, and know, or at least have an idea, what Roy was trying to do.

“...It’s okay,” he mumbled under his breath, trying unsuccessfully to work his way out of the half-embrace. “I’m fine, and it’s okay.” And he meant it. It really was okay, and Roy knew it was okay. Roy knew that Ed didn’t really care about one little punch in the middle of an emotional night. That didn’t make what Roy had done right. Not at all. He was supposed to protect Edward, protect all the Elrics, but all he’d done was bring him pain.

What sort of person, what sort of almost-father, did that to his almost-son?

Rather than respond, Roy drew his other arm around Ed, embracing him fully as if that could express his sorrow even more.

Ed hitched a quiet breath as he was scootched closer, then sighed and planted his face in Roy’s uniform coat. At least, he figured, it was warm here. He lifted his arms and put them around Roy, hugging back. Neither he nor Roy were much for hugging, and both were fully aware of that. But this time… this was different.

“It’s okay now, colonel,” Ed said softly. “I know you’d never hurt my kids or Winry, or me or Al unless we’re sparring—“ which didn’t happen often, but Ed claimed that Roy “needed to stay in shape” and fighting a physical combatant with and without alchemy was the best way to do it. “I trust you with them. And if even I trust you with them—“ knowing all my trust issues, knowing how hard it is for me to trust anyone but a few with my family, went without saying, but Roy heard it all the same— “then maybe you should lighten up on yourself. Seriously. It was ten years ago, and I’m pretty sure I deserved it. I normally did when you yelled at me.”

Roy sighed pitifully and lifted his chin to plant it in Ed’s hair. Not an easy feat, considering Ed had actually grown in so many years and was nearly taller (taller!) than Roy was.

“No,” he said softly, gentle affection for the young man he loved like a son dancing about in his eyes. Really, trying to make Roy feel better when all Roy had done for him was bring him grief. Really. “You may have deserved to get yelled at, but you never deserved to get punched. Not… not then. I should have kept my head better, and you got hurt because of it, and I'm sorry.”

Ed sighed and slumped forward, forehead planting to his shoulder. He had not been prepared for this type and this level of emotions today.

Trust Mustang to ruin the fun.

“Moron.”

Dad.

“You might have been…. Might have been stupid about it, but you stayed. And that’s more than a lot of people can say.”

“Staying is hardly—”

“You stayed,” Ed snapped over his interruption, just about lifting his forehead to smack it against Roy’s shoulder in punishment. “And that’s enough. So shut up, bastard. Apology accepted.”

Bonus:

“Mommy,” Thom said, peeking into the doorway to the general’s office. “What are Daddy and Grandpa doing?”

Sarah peeked around Thom into the office, eyebrows bunching up when she saw that her daddy was standing in her grandpa’s arms.

Mommy glanced away from Grandma just in time to see that they were apparently about to interrupt a moment between Daddy and Grandpa. She grabbed Sarah’s arm and hauled her back, then called Thom back to her side. Grandma hooked her heel around Sarah to pull her back a little further, holding baby Trisha to her side.

“It looks like Daddy and Grandpa are having a good talk, Thom,” said Mommy softly, messing up his tawny hair. “Why don’t we leave them alone for a little bit.”

“I wanna talk with grandpa!” Sarah cheered. She wanted to talk especially if it meant getting big grandpa hugs like that.

“You can talk after Daddy is finished,” said Mommy, steering them away. “For now, maybe we should go see if we can find Uncle Heymans, don’t you think? I bet he has some fun new stories to tell.”

Sarah looked up at Trisha and Grandma, smiling a big smile when Grandma extended her hand down to her. “Okay! Uncle Heymans has the best stories!” she reported cheerfully, taking Grandma’s hand and happily letting her steer her away.

Thom skipped a step and seized Mommy’s hand, forgetting about the scene behind them, even as Grandpa lifted his chin to nestle it on Daddy’s head. “Yeah!!”

#creative aces #parentalfmaweek2018 #parental!royed #paparoy #fmafanfic #my writing #I've been thinking about this for a very long time #how roy would realize he had done something very wrong by ed #and would be so super guilty about it #and it's like 'listen there isnt a damn thing that doesnt make me flinch anymore shut up'

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paybackraid · 6 years

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Also available on AO3! Warnings for actual cancer mention in the fic, nothing big, but in case it makes you squeamish. It’s the last chapter, then it’s back onto Hero of Ishval hopefully probably!

#creative aces #fma #fmafanfic #death mention #paparoy #mamahawk #delivering mamahawk kisses #supporting her grieving babies

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paybackraid · 6 years

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Camera Worthy

Hey all~~ Just wanted to share a quick little snippet from maeshughesofficial’s Reverse Dad AU, because what else can you expect of me. And for once, it’s only mostly parental, I even threw in some Royai!

Based loosely off of this piece of artwork that the entire world needs to see!

This whole thing gets a lot worse when you realize that for everything Riza feels, Roy only has a few months left to live :)

Words: 1368

Riza liked visiting her husband at work.

His staff was very friendly, and all acted as if she was part of the team. It helped that she was Black Hayate’s handler, and would join them very occasionally when Roy’s dog Snowball wouldn’t be enough, so on occasion she really was part of the team. They certainly treated her as such.

Not only that, it was nice to come in and sometimes find him hard at work. He had a very particular face when he concentrated, his eyebrows drawn together, and Riza always thought he was so very handsome. She could sit and watch him work for several minutes before he’d notice her…

And then, the way that his eyes lit up, like he was seeing her for the very first time all over again. He’d brush his work aside and stand, march over to her and scoop her up, spin her around, kiss her full on the mouth. “Riza!” He cried like they were young ones again, like they were just starting to date or newlyweds falling in love all over again.

She would never get over him. She didn’t know what she’d do without him. He was the love of her life and nearly everything that she wanted out of her future.

And especially, now that their boys worked on base. She’d storm in, he’d kiss her and, faces still only inches apart, she’d say “let’s fetch the boys and go out to eat”. Neither of them could cook, after all, and it was hardly fair for Gracia to cook for them every night.

And Roy, bless his heart Roy, would look so excited and he’d kiss her again and say so softly, “that’s the best idea I’ve heard all day.” And she could see it, see the love and adoration, for her and for their boys, radiating in his eyes, echoing endlessly like a song caught in a cavern. His heart was so big, he loved so strong and felt so much, and Riza knew, she knew, that nothing and no one could take his beautiful soul from this world, lest the world become a far darker and scarier place.

“Hello, Riza!” Havoc chirped when she came into the office. The place was remarkably much quieter than it normally was. She did a quick headcount, but everyone appeared to be there—Havoc of course, Breda, Falman, Fuery, and even Roy’s young and impressionable new secretary the boys had found, Sheska. Why did it seem so quiet?

“Is Roy in?” It was that, or he was pestering Maes. He had gotten his film developed, after all, and had twenty-four new photos of herself and their boys to show off. Poor, poor Maes, he never stood a chance.

Sheska nodded, a secretive little smile on her face. When Riza strode forward to barge into her husband’s office, Sheska waved frantically, tried and failed to fight off a delighted smile, and pressed a finger to her lips. “Shhhh!” she said softly, halfway to giggling.

Riza almost—almost—feared what on earth she was talking about. Why should she be quiet? Roy didn’t particularly care whether anyone was loud or not (he got distracted either way), and he couldn't possibly be doing something to betray her; it wasn’t at all like him, and she sure hoped Sheska wouldn’t be giggling if he was.

Off to the left, Breda shook his head and said, “go on in, Riza. He just might not notice. He’s got visitors.”

Visitors? She frowned a little, shook her head, but went to the door and opened it all the same.

Roy actually wasn’t at his desk, not at all. Papers indicated he’d been there, possibly recently, and whomever had entered (virtually anyone) had been important enough to make him stop working.

It took several extra seconds to figure out why.

Like many officers, Roy had his own private office attached to the main office of his team. Inside, there was a small resting place; a pair of couches and a coffee table between them, so that he could converse with whomever he pleased for however long he liked. She knew Roy often took advantage of one of the couches by having a sneakily placed nap.

And there he was, his dark head leaning back a little against the backrest. Normally he’d at least lay down, or he’d throw out his neck. He was going to be whining in the morning. She had to go move him, or at least wake him so he could move himself.

Honestly, that man.

She crept around, still sort of wary of Sheska’s warning to be quiet. She stepped around the arm of the couch, lowered her eyes to her beloved…

And oh, her heart melted.

There was a reason, a particularly good one, that Roy had fallen asleep sitting up as she’d seen. The reason, two of them actually, curled up at his side, cheeks pressed into his chest and wrapped up in his embrace.

Apparently, Edward and Alphonse had made their way to their dad’s office and had, for one reason or another, connived him to the couch so they could nap together. Alphonse was pressed close, held tight in Roy’s one arm as Al’s fingers knotted in Roy’s light blue undershirt. Edward was sprawled over Roy’s shoulder and other arm, his own arms halfway thrown up over him as if he’d collapsed there. Roy’s other arm was around his waist, holding him still so he couldn’t adjust to a worse position, or fall off the couch entirely.

All in all, the three of them looked happy, healthy, and comfortable where they were. Roy even appeared to be drooling a little—a sure sign that he was getting some good rest.

She smiled a little, casting her eyes around for one of the few things that Roy kept on him at all times…

And yes, there it was, his treasured camera seated right there on the corner of his desk. Roy was always the one taking pictures of family and friends and events and was rarely if ever the subject of a photograph. He was part of this family too—he could stand to have his picture taken on the occasion, too.

She grabbed the camera and lined up the shot, getting their faces all in. It perhaps wasn’t the most flattering picture of her beloved that she had ever seen, or of her boys for that matter… but it was perfect all the same. She’d have to get a copy of this one and try to shrink it down—it was time to replace the photo in her wallet with a more updated version of her family, after all.

She set the camera aside and just watched her beloved family a moment longer. She touched Roy’s face, laughing when he snorted weakly and held the boys all the closer—ever a papa. Then she bent over a little and pressed fleeting kisses on their faces, quietly wishing them good rest.

“Good night, my boys,” she said softly, smiling still even as she stepped away to let them sleep. She stepped back and out of the office, silently closing the door behind her to give them their privacy.

She leaned back on the door like a lovestruck teenager, fearing her heart may burst with the adoration and love she felt growing and rising every day that went by with her three amazing men. And this—after just over a year with these beautiful boys apart of their family. She didn’t know how she’d survive the rest of her life if her love kept growing at the rate it was.

All that she knew, all that mattered, was that nothing, no force on this earth, could tear this family apart now. She would see to it herself if she had to. She had been lucky enough to find the love of her life after losing touch with him for so long, and then had been lucky enough to meet the two boys, her two babies, who would complete them.

She had been so so lucky, and she was never going to let them go.

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