Another Christmas fic! Wow, I'm in the mood for them today!
Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.
SNOFLAKE DANCE
The snow had covered the dark ground with its white and innocent look and diamond-like glimmer that shone to the eye like a promise of a beautiful winter, and what came with it, Christmas. Though the air was freezing, someone had had the will to come out of the warm apartment, which in this case happened to be a dark and dusty military dorm, and take a cheerful walk through the abandoned streets of Central.
It was cold and the alchemist tucked his red coat better on and made sure his golden bangs covered his sensitive ears as he was able to see his breaths in the cold air and feel warmness rising on his cheeks. His ears were incredibly sensitive because he had gotten frostbites in them the winter before. It had been his own fault: he should've just worn the damn hat his brother was trying to make him wear.
He could imagine some of the Christmas songs he had heard his mother playing at Christmas when he had been little playing themselves over and over again in the air, making him smile widely and even start spinning around with his entwined arms, letting him be the youth he still was instead of an adult he tried to be, day after day after day.
He cached snowflakes with his tongue and made snowballs which he threw to the walls of the headquarters, like telling that there was no chance he was going there that day. That day, he wanted to have free time; Time to be on his own without worrying about some serious, not to mention boring, adult business. No, he wasn't into that today.
It was Christmas after all.
"Fullmetal!" he heard a voice from behind of him and his face dropped. So much for the day without any military business. He turned around grumpily and saw his commanding officer running to him. He straightened up. Roy smirked as he reached him.
"It's pretty hilarious to see you on such a good mood, Fullmetal. I thought you were stuck to the 'grumpy' option for the rest of your life."
"Shut up or I'll show you what the word 'grumpy' really means", Ed muttered and crossed his arms. "And trust me: you don't want to see it. Catchy."
"When were you planning to turn in the report? It's a month late", Roy asked seriously, making Ed shrug.
"I don't know. Not in a while", he said. "We done?"
"I'm bored and I don't really feel like working at Christmas either so I think I'll just talk to you for a while about work so Hawkeye won't shoot me in a place where the bullet would really do some damage", Roy said with a beaten look. "So, when are you planning to turn in the report?"
"I already answered, bastard. Listen to me for once. Not in a while", he said. Roy raised his eyebrows with a grin on his face.
"You rather throw snowballs to the headquarter walls and dance where everyone can see you?" he teased, Ed turning red immediately.
"It's Christmas, bastard! Christmas! I make exceptions at Christmas!" he yelled furiously. Roy smiled.
"Now, that's great. Make an exception and come to my office to write the report. You obviously still haven't done it, have you?"
"…Bastard", Ed muttered. "Shouldn't you be having a holiday?"
"A holiday? You must be kidding. Too much going on in this country for a holiday. Some people got it, some people didn't. I was one of the unlucky ones. And so was Hawkeye by the way, I suggest that you wouldn't piss her off today", he said. "Come on, let's go."
Ed tried to struggle to get free as Roy grabbed his hand and started to drag him inside. "Stop it! I'm not coming today, I am not working today! I was one of the lucky ones, you bastard! Don't ruin my holiday just because someone ruined yours!" he bellowed but Roy acted like he didn't hear him and dragged him to the office and opened the door. Ed's eyes widened.
"Merry Christmas, Ed", he said as they stepped in, everyone sipping coffee under a big, decorated Christmas-tree with presents under it. Ed turned to Roy.
"You said you were working!" Ed hissed at him. "You said Hawkeye threatened to shoot you. Well, to me she doesn't seem to be in mood for that, as funny as it sounds."
Roy shook his head. "She told me to get you or I'd regret my existence. And she gave me really serious tips where she'd shoot me and trust me: you don't want to know."
Ed smiled as he went to join the others. Havoc petted his hair.
"Merry Christmas, Ed", they said and pulled a chair so he'd sit down which he did gratefully and took of his scarf and mittens.
"Merry Christmas to you too", he said. "I didn't expect you to be here."
Hawkeye smiled. "We have access to here everyday any time we want. And we haven't figured out a better place to meet each others at Christmas so this office has been a gathering place for several years now. You're always away at Christmas so it was natural that you didn't know."
Ed nodded. "I see. So you come here every year?"
"Yes. And we regret it every year", Breda muttered, making people laugh. Roy sat down to the chair next to Ed, much to Ed's annoyance as he clearly knew.
"Come on, Breda, at least we aren't as annoying as you are. Always complaining. You know what I should buy to you next Christmas? A gag. And even then I'd have to buy earplugs for everyone", Havoc joked. Ed smiled. Roy put a hand on his shoulder.
"You don't have to buy those for Ed. He's too low to hear his bragging anyway", he said, Ed immediately jumping up and taking him from his collar.
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT THAT HE'D BE QUALIFIED TO SPEND CHRISTMAS WITH ANTS!?" he bellowed furiously, heat rising to his face. Hawkeye loaded her gun.
"Edward, let go of Roy's collar. Now", she ordered and Ed let go, eyeing the woman suspiciously. He wasn't sure if she'd really shoot him but even if she wouldn't he somehow sensed that he was going to have traumas from whatever she'd do if she wouldn't. He sat down again, crossing his legs and stretching his neck before crossing his arms.
"Don't you chuckle there, Colonel. It was a warning to you too", she snapped and Roy hawked and hid his smile.
"Riza, can we open the presents already?" Havoc asked. " Roy, you're the chief, tell her we can open them now."
"Vato Falman, tell Jean when presents are usually opened", Riza said before anyone else could open their mouths.
"Late at night when it's dark outside and the Christmas mood is found within everyone. And people are sleepy", he answered quickly. Riza turned to Havoc.
"See, Jean? No presents yet. First we eat. I brought some food. It's not self-made, so don't bother to complain to me if it taste's bad", she said as she started putting food on the table. Jean laid a hand on Ed's shoulder, making the boy roll his eyes.
"Hang on, Ed. The food isn't running away", he said, making others chuckle. Ed turned red again.
"What?! I didn't do anything!" he yelled angrily, Fuery turning to him.
"But we all know you were about to."
"I was not!" Ed snapped. After some more teasing Roy curled his hand around Ed's shoulders.
"Alright people, enough with teasing. Let the boy eat for god's sake or he'll shrivel up. He's skinny already", he said, making Ed grateful. Nobody teased him after that.
As Ed was walking back to the dorms it was still snowing big snowflakes. He jumped to drop some snow from a tree and screeched when most of it fell on himself. He shook it off from his shoulders and continued his way, clapping his mittens together, lost in his thoughts.
It had been really fun. And weird. Sort of like spending the Christmas with a family again. Now that he really thought about it, maybe everyone in Roy's crew was sort of like a family member for him. Riza was in a way a mother figure. Roy a father figure, as much as he hated to admit it. And the others were like older brothers. It was fun to have older brothers for change, though it was extremely annoying too. Maybe he shouldn't be so hard on Alphonse.
He rubbed his tingling ears as he stepped in the dorms and climbed upstairs to get to their dorm. Al had been alone for the whole day. Hopefully he wouldn't be mad. He opened the door and peeked in.
I think in Roy's crew they're all like a big family. And I just had to put Al in the ending too, he's too adorable for being left out.
I wonder if Al still believes in Santa Claus.
Anyway, 4 days to Christmas! Get on Christmas food and have fun, everyone!