[RL: Some things can never be left alone] (ficlet)
[[This has stemmed from this conversation and the video was a spamware brought on by the Virus]]
He had listened to that message time and time again. It killed him to not know if that was her voice, but they sounded like her words. It'd been so long.
Of course, this had to have been from the past. It's been nearly four years, so she was older now, mostly likely in her second year of schooling. The scrapbook Edward had brought over had helped, as well as the letters. Seeing them helped too, even though Edward was more grumpy than usual and Alphonse looked as if Maes was going to chew on him or something. It amused him that he had to look down to see Ed's little brother now.
But that video...he couldn't get it out of his head.
Maes made the decision and for once, it wasn't as well thought out as he usually would. He wrote a letter, folded it into one of the masterful paper flowers he would give his wife when he was courting her, and donned his old, drab brown coat. There were definitely things that needed to be done. "Come on, RJ." He whistled softly to the half grown pup as he palmed the watch in his hand. "Time for a little stroll, all right? Leash time!"
The streets of Central were busy in the early afternoon, and he'd hoped he had timed it correctly. The hat should be enough protection to keep him from being spotted. And who would recognize Maes Hughes under shoulder length hair and a larger surface area of scruff? To be on the safe side, his glasses were tucked away in a breast pocket. The stroll through the city streets with leash in hand brought back memories that threatened to overwhelm him. And yet he managed to keep subdued and to himself.
School wasn't that far up ahead. He remembered walking the path to the school with Elysia in tow and babbling about all the things she would learn there. How to read and write and when she got really good, he would teach her how to send secret messages so that only they could read them. He should have done it sooner, but no one expected this outcome.
He stood by the fence, watching the children explode from the doors in one happy throng. His heart caught in his throat when he finally saw her...older, yes, but it was still her. She was quiet, not the boisterious little girl who had squealed when daddy would lift her high and swing her around. They both had changed. "Go on..." The lab took off like a shot, barking and bounding and finally tackling Elysia into the grass, his tail wagging that 'play with me! Play with me!' wag. She laughed then, oblivious of the fact that she should probably be afraid and get away from the excuberant dog. That, at the very least, put a smile on Maes' face.
"Your dog's loose."
The man's heart leapt up into his throat and Maes fought to stay in position and not turn around and face him. He knew that voice. He couldn't blow his cover, not to him...not to anyone here. Why the hell didn't Maes think that perhaps his friend would take such an active role to watch over his family?!
"Hey. Did you hear me or not? He's accosting my niece."
The word that came from Maes was a croaked 'sorry,' and he whistled over for the pup to return to his side. With the lab came Elysia, all smiles and giggles. "Hey, Mister! Your dog's really nice." She babbled on happily as Maes tried to shield his face and stare at her at the same time. "What's his name?"
"RJ." It was a struggle to keep his voice modulated and low toned. Most likely she would never know, but for Roy...He would. And Maes knew he did from the soft gasp behind him and the stutter that held no words. Now or never. This time he turned to look at the General, his eyes widening slightly at the patch that covered his eye. "This... is for her." He passed the paper flower to the stunned General before taking the leash from his daughter. "Thank you, Princess."
"Wha... how'd you get here?" Roy managed to cover his shock, but only marginally. "Only family and guardians are allowed on the school grounds."
"Well, you know I'm a busy man, these days. Figure I take a change of pace and wait a little while here." Maes beamed a smile then before he walked away without saying another word. He couldn't chance it. He was too close to the edge as it was.
...
"Uncle Roy...who was that?"
"MM? Someone I knew a long time ago..."
"From the Academy?"
"....Yes, Miss."
"Do you think he knows me? He called me 'Princess.' Only Daddy called me that, Mom, said."
"... I think I remember mentioning something about you in my last letter, Elysia. Come on.. let's get you home."
"Okay!"
He had listened to that message time and time again. It killed him to not know if that was her voice, but they sounded like her words. It'd been so long.
Of course, this had to have been from the past. It's been nearly four years, so she was older now, mostly likely in her second year of schooling. The scrapbook Edward had brought over had helped, as well as the letters. Seeing them helped too, even though Edward was more grumpy than usual and Alphonse looked as if Maes was going to chew on him or something. It amused him that he had to look down to see Ed's little brother now.
But that video...he couldn't get it out of his head.
Maes made the decision and for once, it wasn't as well thought out as he usually would. He wrote a letter, folded it into one of the masterful paper flowers he would give his wife when he was courting her, and donned his old, drab brown coat. There were definitely things that needed to be done. "Come on, RJ." He whistled softly to the half grown pup as he palmed the watch in his hand. "Time for a little stroll, all right? Leash time!"
The streets of Central were busy in the early afternoon, and he'd hoped he had timed it correctly. The hat should be enough protection to keep him from being spotted. And who would recognize Maes Hughes under shoulder length hair and a larger surface area of scruff? To be on the safe side, his glasses were tucked away in a breast pocket. The stroll through the city streets with leash in hand brought back memories that threatened to overwhelm him. And yet he managed to keep subdued and to himself.
School wasn't that far up ahead. He remembered walking the path to the school with Elysia in tow and babbling about all the things she would learn there. How to read and write and when she got really good, he would teach her how to send secret messages so that only they could read them. He should have done it sooner, but no one expected this outcome.
He stood by the fence, watching the children explode from the doors in one happy throng. His heart caught in his throat when he finally saw her...older, yes, but it was still her. She was quiet, not the boisterious little girl who had squealed when daddy would lift her high and swing her around. They both had changed. "Go on..." The lab took off like a shot, barking and bounding and finally tackling Elysia into the grass, his tail wagging that 'play with me! Play with me!' wag. She laughed then, oblivious of the fact that she should probably be afraid and get away from the excuberant dog. That, at the very least, put a smile on Maes' face.
"Your dog's loose."
The man's heart leapt up into his throat and Maes fought to stay in position and not turn around and face him. He knew that voice. He couldn't blow his cover, not to him...not to anyone here. Why the hell didn't Maes think that perhaps his friend would take such an active role to watch over his family?!
"Hey. Did you hear me or not? He's accosting my niece."
The word that came from Maes was a croaked 'sorry,' and he whistled over for the pup to return to his side. With the lab came Elysia, all smiles and giggles. "Hey, Mister! Your dog's really nice." She babbled on happily as Maes tried to shield his face and stare at her at the same time. "What's his name?"
"RJ." It was a struggle to keep his voice modulated and low toned. Most likely she would never know, but for Roy...He would. And Maes knew he did from the soft gasp behind him and the stutter that held no words. Now or never. This time he turned to look at the General, his eyes widening slightly at the patch that covered his eye. "This... is for her." He passed the paper flower to the stunned General before taking the leash from his daughter. "Thank you, Princess."
"Wha... how'd you get here?" Roy managed to cover his shock, but only marginally. "Only family and guardians are allowed on the school grounds."
"Well, you know I'm a busy man, these days. Figure I take a change of pace and wait a little while here." Maes beamed a smile then before he walked away without saying another word. He couldn't chance it. He was too close to the edge as it was.
...
"Uncle Roy...who was that?"
"MM? Someone I knew a long time ago..."
"From the Academy?"
"....Yes, Miss."
"Do you think he knows me? He called me 'Princess.' Only Daddy called me that, Mom, said."
"... I think I remember mentioning something about you in my last letter, Elysia. Come on.. let's get you home."
"Okay!"