FMA Fanfic - What's in a Name? - PG-13
Title: What's in a Name?
Series: Not Quite Happily Ever After
Author: annepackrat
Warnings: Rated T or PG-13, spoilers for movie and TV series, Two OCs in the form of Roy and Riza's children
Pairings: Roy / Riza, Past Hughes / Gracia
Disclaimer: FMA is created by Hiromu Arakawa and is distributed by Funimation, Viz and Square-Enix. Maes and Nicole Mustang are my own creations.
Summary: Even after all these years, Gracia still finds it difficult to hear the name Maes spoken so much.
Winry knocked on the Hughes' door and braced herself to be grabbed by the hyper seven-year-old known as Elysia Hughes. The door flew open, but to Winry's surprise she was attacked by not just one, but by two bundles of energy. Dual cries of "Winry!" accompanied the assault. Elysia held fast to the mechanic's right leg and a familiar blond toddler attached himself to her right.
As she crouched down and hugged the two children, Winry greeted them. "Hey, Elysia. Hey, Maes." She ruffled the young boy's hair. "Didn't expect to see you here, kiddo." A look of concern appeared on her face. "Maes, your mother, she's not in labor yet, is she?"
"No, not yet," came a pleasant sounding voice from behind the children. Winry looked up to see Gracia Hughes coming up behind her daughter. "Riza just has a doctor's appointment."
Winry relaxed and stood up. "It's great to see you again, Mrs. Hughes," she said while hugging the older woman.
Gracia sighed. "You know you can call me Gracia, Winry," she answered, "I really don't mind. We've known each other for years after all."
It was an old argument between them. In Winry's eyes Gracia Hughes had always been more of a mother figure, but in the past few years the older woman was slowly drifting into the realm of friendship instead. Winry found this change confusing, and had decided to cling to the familiar address of "Mrs. Hughes" until she was sure exactly where their relationship stood.
Suddenly very interested in dusting off her short, black skirt, Winry finally replied, "I know, Mrs. Hughes, I-" She paused to collect her thoughts, "I just feel more comfortable with Mrs. Hughes. Somehow, it seems almost disrespectful to call you anything else."
At Gracia's disappointed look, Winry gave her a weak smile. "But I guess I'll try using it once and a while."
"I'll look forward to it," Gracia said, now smiling herself.
"Winry?" Both adults glanced down to find Maes tugging on the mechanic's skirt, a pleading look in his black eyes,"Elysia and me wanna show you the pictures we drew!"
The mechanic leaned down toward the boy. "Okay, but I want to talk to Mrs. Hughes for a bit first. Why don't you and Elysia go and draw some more and I'll come look at your pictures in a few minutes, okay, Maes?"
Maes eyes lit up and he nodded his head. "Okay!" He ran off toward the dining room.
Winry stood and frowned when she saw the sudden grief lurking in Gracia's eyes. "It's still hard isn't it?" she said softly, "It's hard hearing his name spoken so much."
"Yes," Gracia replied with a sad smile, "You'd think after three years I'd be used to it."
"Despite what people say, time doesn't really heal the pain of loss," Winry said knowingly, "It just numbs it."
Gracia nodded and looked over to where the children were drawing on the dining room table. "It's so wonderful that Roy and Riza wanted to honor his memory by naming their son after him, and the boy is sweet as can be..." she trailed off, biting her lip.
"But hearing his name so often still hurts a little." Winry finished for her. She put her arm on the older woman's shoulder. "It's okay, Mrs. Hu-, er, Gracia, I mean. I know if Edward was his first name then I'd probably be having the same problem."
She paused and was surprised to find herself blinking back tears. "As it stands it's sometimes difficult for me to see a little blond boy happily calling out 'Winry'."
Both women fell silent for a moment, minds clouded with thoughts of lost loved ones. Their melancholy was broken a minute later by Elysia calling both to come see the children's works of art.
"All right, dear, we're coming!" Gracia called, a small smile reappearing on her face. She turned toward Winry. "I hate to ask this but would you mind helping me with dinner? The kids have been a handful all day and I've barely been able to get anything done."
"Oh, that's no problem at all, Mrs. Hughes!" Winry replied eagerly, her tears of before forgotten, "I'd be happy to help."
"Mommy!" called a plaintive Elysia.
Gracia sighed and gestured for Winry to follow her. "Come, let's see what masterpieces our little artists have produced."
--------------------------------------------
Author's Indulgence
I love the idea of Roy naming his son in honor of Maes Hughes, but you do have to wonder how Gracia and Elysia would react to such an action. This story was written in an attempt to answer that question.
Thanks to the cast and crew of the Fullmetal Alchemist anime and manga.
Thanks to my husband, who is mourning his current lack of sports.
Thanks to my continuity beta, Snakecharmerfoxx.
Thanks to those who review and leave feedback. I really appreciate it.
And thanks to you for reading.
---------------------------- Anne Packrat (December 5, 2007)
Crossposted to fm_alchemist, royai, fma_ot4 and my own journal. I apologize for any spamming of friends posts that result because of this.
Thank you for reading.
Series: Not Quite Happily Ever After
Author: annepackrat
Warnings: Rated T or PG-13, spoilers for movie and TV series, Two OCs in the form of Roy and Riza's children
Pairings: Roy / Riza, Past Hughes / Gracia
Disclaimer: FMA is created by Hiromu Arakawa and is distributed by Funimation, Viz and Square-Enix. Maes and Nicole Mustang are my own creations.
Summary: Even after all these years, Gracia still finds it difficult to hear the name Maes spoken so much.
Winry knocked on the Hughes' door and braced herself to be grabbed by the hyper seven-year-old known as Elysia Hughes. The door flew open, but to Winry's surprise she was attacked by not just one, but by two bundles of energy. Dual cries of "Winry!" accompanied the assault. Elysia held fast to the mechanic's right leg and a familiar blond toddler attached himself to her right.
As she crouched down and hugged the two children, Winry greeted them. "Hey, Elysia. Hey, Maes." She ruffled the young boy's hair. "Didn't expect to see you here, kiddo." A look of concern appeared on her face. "Maes, your mother, she's not in labor yet, is she?"
"No, not yet," came a pleasant sounding voice from behind the children. Winry looked up to see Gracia Hughes coming up behind her daughter. "Riza just has a doctor's appointment."
Winry relaxed and stood up. "It's great to see you again, Mrs. Hughes," she said while hugging the older woman.
Gracia sighed. "You know you can call me Gracia, Winry," she answered, "I really don't mind. We've known each other for years after all."
It was an old argument between them. In Winry's eyes Gracia Hughes had always been more of a mother figure, but in the past few years the older woman was slowly drifting into the realm of friendship instead. Winry found this change confusing, and had decided to cling to the familiar address of "Mrs. Hughes" until she was sure exactly where their relationship stood.
Suddenly very interested in dusting off her short, black skirt, Winry finally replied, "I know, Mrs. Hughes, I-" She paused to collect her thoughts, "I just feel more comfortable with Mrs. Hughes. Somehow, it seems almost disrespectful to call you anything else."
At Gracia's disappointed look, Winry gave her a weak smile. "But I guess I'll try using it once and a while."
"I'll look forward to it," Gracia said, now smiling herself.
"Winry?" Both adults glanced down to find Maes tugging on the mechanic's skirt, a pleading look in his black eyes,"Elysia and me wanna show you the pictures we drew!"
The mechanic leaned down toward the boy. "Okay, but I want to talk to Mrs. Hughes for a bit first. Why don't you and Elysia go and draw some more and I'll come look at your pictures in a few minutes, okay, Maes?"
Maes eyes lit up and he nodded his head. "Okay!" He ran off toward the dining room.
Winry stood and frowned when she saw the sudden grief lurking in Gracia's eyes. "It's still hard isn't it?" she said softly, "It's hard hearing his name spoken so much."
"Yes," Gracia replied with a sad smile, "You'd think after three years I'd be used to it."
"Despite what people say, time doesn't really heal the pain of loss," Winry said knowingly, "It just numbs it."
Gracia nodded and looked over to where the children were drawing on the dining room table. "It's so wonderful that Roy and Riza wanted to honor his memory by naming their son after him, and the boy is sweet as can be..." she trailed off, biting her lip.
"But hearing his name so often still hurts a little." Winry finished for her. She put her arm on the older woman's shoulder. "It's okay, Mrs. Hu-, er, Gracia, I mean. I know if Edward was his first name then I'd probably be having the same problem."
She paused and was surprised to find herself blinking back tears. "As it stands it's sometimes difficult for me to see a little blond boy happily calling out 'Winry'."
Both women fell silent for a moment, minds clouded with thoughts of lost loved ones. Their melancholy was broken a minute later by Elysia calling both to come see the children's works of art.
"All right, dear, we're coming!" Gracia called, a small smile reappearing on her face. She turned toward Winry. "I hate to ask this but would you mind helping me with dinner? The kids have been a handful all day and I've barely been able to get anything done."
"Oh, that's no problem at all, Mrs. Hughes!" Winry replied eagerly, her tears of before forgotten, "I'd be happy to help."
"Mommy!" called a plaintive Elysia.
Gracia sighed and gestured for Winry to follow her. "Come, let's see what masterpieces our little artists have produced."
--------------------------------------------
Author's Indulgence
I love the idea of Roy naming his son in honor of Maes Hughes, but you do have to wonder how Gracia and Elysia would react to such an action. This story was written in an attempt to answer that question.
Thanks to the cast and crew of the Fullmetal Alchemist anime and manga.
Thanks to my husband, who is mourning his current lack of sports.
Thanks to my continuity beta, Snakecharmerfoxx.
Thanks to those who review and leave feedback. I really appreciate it.
And thanks to you for reading.
---------------------------- Anne Packrat (December 5, 2007)
Crossposted to fm_alchemist, royai, fma_ot4 and my own journal. I apologize for any spamming of friends posts that result because of this.
Thank you for reading.