Around Fandom - Thursday evening
The Park - Evening
Nothing had changed much, a short conversation with the troopers had confirmed it. Roy didn't hold the patrol up too long, but it was good to talk to his men for a moment. Not his anymore, he was certain they'd never really been his. He had a feeling this island was home as long as you needed it to be, and Roy didn't need it. Yet, it was still good to be back for the moment. The park looked much the same and the tree with the pink flowers was still in blossom. It always seemed to be. He found a park bench, looking out for a moment and in a little while he'd go find Aly. He had a feeling he knew where she'd be.
The dark-skinned young man still moved with an almost feline grace that belied his origins. His dark braids were tied back at the base of his neck, and his sharp features and deep set dark eyes were always moving as he scanned the park, seemingly looking for something. He glanced at the man on bench, cataloging his threat level before giving a concise nod.
Roy nodded back, taking in the man. Something about him made him pause, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Either way, he seemed to not quite belong, having that look he'd seen before with new arrivals. "Can I help you?"
Almost birdlike, he tilted his head at the remark. "Is that what you do?" he asked, wondering what sort of a place this was. "Is that what the uniform means?"
"It does," Roy agreed. "At least, it does in my world but it seems to be a universal thing. Are you new here?"
"I am visiting someone. I am not here for long," he replied, studying Roy still. "And so you are in the army?" The uniform was shiny, and even long in a human body, Nawat was still a crow at heart.
"I am," he agreed, the man's clothes reminded him of Rajmuat for some reason, but this was Fandom and there were coincidences when realities collided. "What's their name? I might know them, but that's not a guarantee, I haven't been here in a long time and people come and go here."
"She likes to call herself different names," he informed him. "I called her Aly Crow."
Roy blinked. "She still does. You're really in luck, she isn't usually here but she is today. She's off wandering the island for the moment, probably off to cause some sort of mayhem."
"I know. That is why I came," he agreed, but he couldn't help smiling at the comment. "Is there a government on this island to overthrow? That was always her favourite."
"There's people in charge," Roy agreed with a chuckle. "I think they're safe, though. She seemed to be in a pretty good mood." He paused. "I didn't know she was planning on meeting anyone here."
"I think she will find me a surprise," Nawat said, a little sheepishly. "It has been many years."
"Then I'm sure she'll be glad to see you," Roy sounded puzzled. Many years sounded longer than Aly had even been at Fandom. He got up from the bench and offered Nawat his hand before he remembered that people at the Isles didn't have this habit and he quickly dropped it. "I'm Roy Mustang. I'm sure I can help you find here. My guess is that she went in the direction of the beach."
He looked at the offered hand for just a second before nodding at the introduction. "Will you show me where the beach is, Roy Mustang?" He could change shape and fly, but for this time, as many times before, he wished to approach Aly as a man. "I am Nawat Crow."
Roy froze, his surprise clear as day before he managed to regain the careful mask he'd carried for years now. "You're right, she will find you a surprise," he agreed. "She's told me about you."
"Has she?" Nawat clearly didn't attempt to hide his surprise. ""That is - not usually her way."
Because Aly's way was to keep every secret and squeeze it until it was completely dry.
"You mean that you usually have to drag anything out of her?" he suggested with a grin that didn't reach his eyes. He turned and motioned for Nawat to follow him as he headed towards the beach. "She's tight lipped, but you're important to her." And sort of dead.
He nodded, not arguing the point. "She has always been to me as well." He paused, assessing Roy once again with a different purpose. "You know I died?"
Roy blinked and that was one way to answer that question. "Yeah, she told me," he said, glancing at Nawat. It made no sense, but then it was Fandom, but he'd rather not Aly get hurt over this.
"Good," Nawat agreed. He readjusted his bag up over his shoulder. "How far is this beach?"
"Not far," he assured the man walking beside him. "The island isn't all that big."
He should be saying more, but there wasn't much coming to him. Nawat's reason for being there was obvious, and other questions seemed best left unanswered.
Spot on the beach - Later Evening
It wasn't the blue of Roy's uniform that drew Aly's attention but the lanky movement of the taller man walking next to him. The familiar movement that she'd never expected to see again, and she stopped suddenly, her heart in her throat as she sharpened her Sight to see more clearly. Oh. Oh.
Roy had been too curious to pay much attention to the man beside Aly, he probably should because the uniform was familiar. And then he was almost glad that the man was there as he realised he really didn't want to see. He did his own faltering when he took in the familiar face. "Maes."
He'd really been gone too long from Fandom if he'd expected the island to let him be.
"Roy," Hughes replied, and somehow it was enough. There was no need for smart remarks and witty banter.
Hughes glanced briefly at Aly, but she had her own concerns and Hughes to his friend.
Aly tilted her head, taking in that same vague magical glow around Maes encircling Nawat. She glanced at Roy and threw him something like a smile. "Apparently no introductions needed here," she murmured lightly, stepping towards Nawat as her attention transferred back to him.
Nawat assessed the two men quickly, taking in their similar uniforms and making the connection easily. "Thank you for your guidance, Roy Mustang," he said quietly. He stood carefully, his shoulders almost tensed for flight as his head tilted towards Aly, dark eyes full of emotion.
Roy nodded his head. "No thanks needed, Nawat Crow," he assured him. He cast Aly a quick look, hoping she'd be okay but her attention was elsewhere and he couldn't blame her for that. The heavy hand that clapped him on the shoulder almost made him jump.
"So, why don't we go and you can tell me all about how my beautiful daughter and wife are?" Hughes asked in his usually nonchalant tone as if he was unaware of any awkwardness.
"Be sure to tell him about Christmas," Aly managed to say lightly, giving both of them a smile. She turned back to Nawat, tilting her head back towards the beach. It was almost a shock that they could still talk without ever speaking a word but then that's how they started when she was learning the crow language from him.
Roy nodded and he managed a small smile back before he turned. "There Scottish whiskey here isn't bad," he told Hughes as he led him back to town. "You should try it."
"As long as you tell me about this Christmas thing," Hughes easily followed into step beside his friend, like he'd never been away.
Apocalypse Avenue and the beach - Latest Evening
They were at the edge of town by the time Hughes finally broke the awkward silence that'd fallen once they'd left Aly and Nawat behind.
"She told me to ask you about Dove and Chenaol, but she was pulling my leg. Wasn't she?" Hughes asked.
Roy cast him a look now that there were no dead husbands around to confuse him, for a moment taken back at how the man beside him seemed exactly like he remembered. Almost exactly. He frowned at the three stars on the man's lapels.
"You come back from the dead and they gave you a new uniform?" he cleverly ignored the remark.
"Well yeah," Hughes brushed a hand over his shoulder. "I couldn't turn up as a Major now, could I? That just wouldn't be fitting for a Brigadier General. Congratulations, by the way. You're going to have to fill in the blanks for me on what happened."
"All in good time," Roy agreed. "I want that drink before I get started on that."
Hughes snorted. "Nothing much's changed there at least. How long's it been?"
Too long, even if it didn't feel that way. "Five years now," he replied, imagining how much Amestris has changed now. No Fuhrer, but the National Assembly at the top. Grumman in charge of the military. The peace on all borders and even within. There were many wounds to heal, but the start had been made. "A lot has changed."
"Yes, I have gathered as much," Hughes agreed, following Roy down the road. The ocean ran along aside it and he couldn't help the occasional glance. Pity he couldn't take Elysia here. Pity there wouldn't be enough time. "How much do you need that drink?"
Roy glanced towards him, he hadn't even noticed Hughes had stopped. "I can wait," he said when he noticed Hughes' expression. He had his friend back from the dead after all. As much as he was worrying, he wouldn't get this chance again. He thought so anyway. "How long will you be here?"
"A day or two," Hughes replied, leaving the paved road to walk on sand instead. "Doesn't seem like a long time, but I suppose it's more than others get."
He shook his head and turned towards Roy. "So tell me about this Christmas, if you're going to ignore my other question."
Roy let out a breath and his hands slid inside his pockets, pushing the tails of his jacket behind him. "It's a familiar holiday from this world. Aly's not from here, but her father is so it's a family tradition for her to celebrate it. The last time we celebrated in Amestris. Aly and her little girl, and Gracia and Elysia."
"Sounds cozy," Hughes said and there was a note of jealousy in his words. It faded as he smirked instantly. "I never thought you'd ever voluntarily celebrate a family holiday," he teased.
"Who says they didn't twist my arm?" Roy snorted. "I was facing four dangerous women, after all."
"Sounds like you didn't mind," Hughes pointed out. "How was it?"
"Good," Roy said and he moved closer to stand beside his friend. "Really good. Lianna and Elysia hit it off. Elysia really admires Aly too. I suspect it's because Aly's only happy to teach her things she really shouldn't be learning. She's got Elysia talking about how she wants to be a spy like her daddy and Aly later."
Hughes smirked, even if he didn't need the confirmation anymore. "She's my daughter after all."
"And no one's ever going to forget that," Roy assured him.
"I wish they were here, too," Hughes sighed. "I would have liked to have seen them. She must have grown so much."
"She has," Roy agreed and he remembered the letter from Gracia he'd taken with him just before he left for the Copper Isles. He was grateful for the impulse now and once he got to his hotel room, he'd have to show Hughes. "You could call them. The telephone works across worlds here."
Sadly enough, he hadn't managed to take his mobile with him. He doubted the batteries were still charged anyway.
"Tempting," Hughes admitted, glancing sideways at Roy. "Very tempting."
He fell quiet and they stood for a while, only the sound of the ocean surrounding them.
"It wouldn't be fair," Hughes said in the end.
"They'd want to talk to you, Maes," Roy frowned and he couldn't imagine he'd be passing up on such a chance. "They'd want to say goodbye, just as much as anyone would."
"I know they would," Hughes agreed with a sigh. "And trust me, there's nothing more I'd like to do, but I'd just be tearing open old wounds. They need to move on with their lives, not be dragged down by the past."
"I don't agree," Roy said stubbornly, but he knew that tone. Knew he wasn't just going to be changing Hughes' mind and in a way, he could understand. He wondered how this would be leaving Aly. If it'd tear open what'd been so hard to heal.
"You don't disagree either," Hughes observed. "Come on, Roy. Tell me about them instead. Tell me what I missed."
And Roy couldn't deny that request.
Room 504, Arms Hotel - Late Late Night
They'd moved back to the hotel eventually and Roy retrieved his bag from the room he'd been sharing with Aly. He had a feeling that it'd just be better this way and he made sure to remove all traces of his presence from the room. It would have been easier if the island had a second hotel, but a bribe convinced them to move him to a different floor and that'd have to do for trying to give her space.
Roy glanced to where Hughes laid sprawled out on the bed he'd claimed as his. The mini-fridge was as good as empty now and Roy was going to have to call room service to bring up a bottle or two eventually. His throat felt hoarse from talking (or was it from the burn of the whiskey?). They'd talked about what happened, how they'd taken down the homunculi. About the invasion of Central by the other dimension and the Elric brothers' faith, getting stuck in that different world. Eventually, he'd talked about his injury when Hughes had pointed out the hole in his story. How he'd lost his rank and had come to Fandom.
"And then you met Aly," Hughes guessed, bringing up what Roy had seemed to be avoiding for a while now. The letter from Gracia and the pictures were piled in his lap and he kept going through them, never tiring of the news or the images.
He only got a soft hum in response. "So did she kick your ass for trying to shoulder all the blame?"
Roy nearly choked on the tiny bottle he was trying to relieve of the last imaginary drop of whiskey. "Who says-"
"Oh come on, Roy. I know you. We all know you," he said. "That's exactly why I didn't get you involved."
"What? Involved in what?" Roy demanding, suddenly feeling very sober.
"Lab number five," Hughes explained. "You'd have come charging right in, gloves blazing. You'd have blown your cover and ours right along with it. It was best to keep you out of it until I had enough information gathered."
"And get yourself killed," Roy added bitterly.
"Exactly," Hughes nodded. "I did that, not you. So you can quit it already. I did what I had to, I knew the risks. You can't control everything and everyone, Roy. You know that, you know that when it's needed, we'll all do what's necessary. It's why you know you can rely on us. The Lieutenant, the Elric brothers, your staff. So stop trying to carry the blame, you're not doing any of us credit with it."
Roy made a face, glaring up at the ceiling. "Are you done yet?"
"Depends," Hughes glanced at him. "Am I going to have to hit some sense into you again?"
"I'm not that boy anymore," Roy said with a snort.
"Perhaps not," Hughes studied him for a moment. "So this Aly..."
"I've been dating her for almost two years and a half now," Roy cut Hughes short, deciding this would go much easier if he just gave him what he wanted to know. He'd never get rest otherwise.
Hughes whistled. "Over two years? That's a record. I'm impressed, she must be something else. So that guy's her dead husband." It wasn't a question, he'd figured it out enough with all the missing pieces Roy had supplied earlier talking about Christmas.
"She is something else," Roy agreed quietly, closing his eye. "Yes. Nawat. He died a few years ago, leaving Aly alone with her little girl."
He winced as he realised exactly what he'd said. "I mean, not that he-"
Hughes waved off his explanation. "I'm not made of glass, Roy. I know what you mean. You know there's only one solution, right?"
"One solution..." Roy repeated slowly, casting Hughes a look. "I don't want to know, do I?"
It didn't matter if he did or not. The answer came either way. "Marry her."
Roy groaned and rolled onto his stomach, just in reach now of the telephone. "We're going to need more booze."
[Preplayed with the awesome tricksy_spy. Thrown in one post to save your flist. NFI, but OOC is double rainbow.]