Time with the Grandparents
Time with the Grandparents
Resembool
Mustang-Elric House
6:00 am
Yuery and William's bed had been moved into Roy and Riza's room for the time being. Roy woke up at his usual time and slipped out of bed to get ready for the day before the boys woke. He had just returned to his room, and glanced over at their little bed, before he had a moment of panic when it was empty.
Seconds later he noticed both boys had joined Riza while he was gone and she had an arm around each of them, all three appeared to be drifting back to sleep. He smiled at the sight, and Riza smiled back at him. Before he could decide if he should change routine and go start breakfast before changing the boys, Yuery decided for him by sitting up and holding up his arms.
Roy lifted the boy silently and carried him back to his own bed to get him dressed for the day. William sat up as well, and Riza got up to dress the younger child and change his diaper before disappearing into the bathroom. Roy then led the boy's downstairs quietly, mindful of their guests. Ling, Lan Fan and their own boys would be staying for a bit longer.
He hadn't needed to worry however, since Ling was sitting in the kitchen already with Huan and Ping, calmly drinking a cup of coffee while his boys munched happily on apple slices. "I hope you don't mind, I helped myself to your kitchen to feed these guys a snack."
"That's no trouble at all, feel free." Roy replied smoothly. "Would they like eggs or oatmeal for breakfast?"
"Oatmeal for these two, eggs for myself and Lan if you don't mind." Ling replied.
He had grown far more polite in his time as Emperor much as Ed had leading his own team. These boys were growing up, Roy thought to himself as he turned to the stove. It didn't seem that long ago they had been practically tearing down his house with arguments, and now both young men were leaders and acting much older than they were. Though to be fair, they had for as long as he had known them, except when they were together. The way Ling interacted with his sons reminded Roy of Ed and his boys as well.
Huan and Yuery were chatting with each other as they waited for their breakfast, Ling slid some apple slices to the other two boys before offering to help where Roy needed it. Riza and Lan entered the room as Roy asked Ling to start some toast. Yuery looked around at this point and noticed that Daddy and Mommy hadn't come to breakfast yet.
"Godda go." Yuery announced loudly, hoping Daddy would hear him and come to the kitchen, like he usually did when Yuery needed the potty. Instead Nainai started cooking and Yeye came over to take him potty. "Daddy?" Yuery asked, looking around.
"Daddy and Mommy went on a trip remember?" Yeye said as they walked down the hallway. Yuery frowned. Daddy and Mommy both being gone was unusual, but it did happen sometimes. It was okay though because then he got to play with Yeye all day.
Huan came running up behind them and grabbed Yeye's other hand. "Potty." Huan said and Yeye nodded before taking them both into the bathroom. Huan waited for his turn, then Yuery waited for Huan to be done before Yeye insisted they both wash their hands and took them back to the kitchen in time to eat.
Ping and 'Liam were already eating, Nainai and Ping's Mommy were feeding them. Huan's Daddy and Yeye helped them sit back down and offered them their bowls. Yuery was big, as he made sure to point out when Yeye offered to help and could eat his food. For some reason this made all the big people laugh, but Yeye gave him his spoon so he was happy.
After they ate, Yuery and Huan went to go play. William and Ping joined them quickly, and Yeye reminded them all to play nicely together. Al, Mei and Chen came in a few minutes later. Mei and Chen immediately came over to sit with the boys and help them build their newest tower system.
Al and Ling went over to the kitchen with Roy, Riza, and Lan Fan as they decided what they were doing for the day. Chen and Mei had offered to watch the boys so that Ling could tour Kappa and Lan Fan could visit the automail clinic. Roy's biggest concern was Chen not being aware of Yuery's magic. Al was quick to assure Roy that children using accidental magic was becoming more and more common in Xing, with the Zhao clan having been redistributed among the other clans.
Chen was unaware of Yuery's magic, maybe, but she was familiar with magic in general and was not going to be afraid of the child warping a few toys. She also wasn't going to go around telling anyone about the boy. Al pointed out that she had kept his secret, was still keeping it despite it no longer being such a secret after Promised Day.
Reluctantly, Roy agrees to leave the children to the girls and Al after he offered to stay and help. Roy then led Ling to the train station before he could change his mind. Ling smirked at him for a few minutes while they waited for the rest of the train to load, before he said "You're as bad as Ed. I remember when we were at the cabin and we forced him into bedrest. He wouldn't lay still unless he could see exactly where Yuery was at all times."
"You're alright with leaving your boys here then?" Roy asked.
"I'm used to being forced to trust them to others care. It's not the same as being alright with it." Ling said with a shrug. "I'm comfortable leaving them with their Aunties. Mei and Chen adore those boys, I imagine it's much like when Ed leaves the boys with you or Al."
"Probably not." Roy said with a laugh. "More like when I leave them with Al. Ed hates leaving them with anyone."
"Oh, that's not true. I talk to Ed, often now that the phone lines are established, and he is comfortable with you and Winry and Riza watching his boys. No one else really, and mostly You and Winry though he's warming to Riza." Ling said.
"I wasn't aware you spoke often."
"Nearly daily. We've been through a lot together; it just made our friendship stronger."
"I can imagine."
"I'm sure. Ed said you had a best friend, but not to bring it up to you ever. Which I just did forget I said anything." Roy couldn't help but laugh at this. They arrived in Kappa moments later, and Roy led the way through the city as they talked about the reconstruction.
While the men toured the city, Lan Fan and Riza visited the Rockbelles and Maria Ross. Lan Fan sat with Maria for a couple of hours, talking about the automail process, and how she was recovering almost two years later. She had been taken off of almost all of the medications now, some she would always remain on. Ed had explained that as well, but he had had automail far longer and he was hard on his body in general, so a second perspective was welcome from everyone, including Ed. Ed was the one who suggested it actually, realizing he was not a typical patient.
Maria and Lan Fan had been sitting together for about an hour when Maria asked "So, is automail safe for pregnancy?"
"You are not pregnant?" Lan Fan asked, having sensed no other Qi around the other woman.
"No, I'm not, I'm wondering. For the future."
"Oh. I'm afraid I am not a doctor, that would be the best source for medical questions." Lan Fan said, uncomfortable with the turn the conversation had taken. She was uncertain if Maria was among those who thought Ping was theirs naturally or if she knew who he used to be. Either way Lan didn't talk about it ever. With anyone.
Truthfully, the young mother was still struggling with the knowledge that they would not be having another child, and she was uncertain if the automail would have made it impossible anyway. This is why she chose to sit in with Maria while Pinako went over the risks involved.
Pinako went over the list over medications that were standard. She then added that once they had reduced her medications, they could go over the options if Maria was ready to be a mother at that time. Pinako noticed Lan Fan's interest and pulled the girl aside just as Riza arrived to walk her back to the house, to ask what medications they currently had her on. Lan Fan listed three quickly, as she watched Riza grow closer. Pinako nodded with a hum before suggesting it was possible that Lan Fan could get pregnant. "Of course, I'd have to look you over, a generalized yes isn't a good idea, we'd have to make sure everything looked alright in your blood and everything."
"It isn't that simple." Lan Fan said just as Riza stepped onto the porch.
"Life never is young lady. It's never as hard as you young people make it either." Pinako said with a huff. Without another word the walked back toward the house, the train would arrive in about half an hour, but Riza said that there was a policy against waiting on the platform unless you were boarding, so they would get started on dinner instead.
Roy would then spend the evening playing chess with his son after the babies went to bed as they discussed Al's plans for the future and the little Roy was willing to reveal about the journals. Al had skimmed the early ones and like his brother found letters that had discouraged his reading at the time. Roy wasn't allowing Al access to them anymore than he did Ed.
The following couple of days went nearly the same as the first day, with Ling joining Roy in Kappa every morning and Lan Fan joining Riza either in the office or at Pinako's. Maria welcomed the help with her rehab therapy, and the aunts were enjoying their time entertaining the toddlers.
Edward had called and after a long conversation with Roy, had been forced to extend his vacation. Ling felt a bit guilty for this, since it was his arrival at Ed's wedding that caused Cludio to force Ed into a visit which in turn led to them deciding he had to visit his other allies. Roy and Ed were both assuring him that Cludio would have done this anyway, and that actually by arriving at the wedding he spared Ed from having to extend his trip to visit Ling as well, which made him feel a bit better, but he was still feeling guilty over the whole thing.
His wife had been acting strangely lately too, which worried him. He had attempted to ask her what had happened to upset her, but she was refusing to talk about it. The answer came to him from Roy three days after Edward's call, when they were on their way back from Kappa in a private car.
"I know the situation with your previous condition is delicate…no one is to know of it, and it has become something of a non-subject even in private." Roy began delicately. Ling turning to look at him without saying anything. "Pinako informed me Lan Fan has seemed down since Maria asked her about pregnancy and automail."
"Lan Fan isn't the problem. I've told her before, even if the problem was her it wouldn't matter to me." Ling said with a sigh as he slumped in his seat. "We have two wonderful sons, and I love her dearly, but from the moment she agreed to be my wife she has worried that failure to give me a brood of children made her inferior somehow. If it makes anyone inferior, it's me."
"If you truly desire another child, I know of a way." Roy said, clearing his throat. "My mother has many contacts. I know of a clinic out in Creta, very discrete, that helps with these issues. Many people go on vacation to this resort and return pregnant."
"If I were to admit we went there then…"
"That's the beauty of it. The resort is real, and the clinic is only a small portion of its clientele. The clinic's services are not mentioned anywhere in any of the paperwork. It's invitation only. So, the only way someone would know that you used it would be if they did themselves…or knew someone who offered referrals, though that is rare. No paper trail at all."
"Why do you know about it?"
"One of my sisters works for them. She has never told me the name of the clinic or anyone who has visited, only that one of the many services they offer is fertility assistance." Roy said. "It would be Lan Fan's baby, and they would match you as closely as possible so no one would guess."
"I'll consider it, and then speak to my wife." Ling said with a frown. It made sense that his wife was upset again over having a baby. It was one of the few things she worried about, along with fearing she had not been born in the right caste. If Roy's suggestion was sound, Ling already felt they should consider it.
A few days later it had all been arranged, Huan and Ping would officially be visiting with their aunts while Ling and Lan Fan took their own belated honeymoon. This trip to the clinic would not be long, as it was an evaluation to determine if they could help. Lan Fan was calmer and happier than she had been in months, which let Ling know he had made the right choice.
Al, Mei, and Chen then took Huan and Ping as planned to meet up with their parents in Creta a few days later.
At the Mustang residence the only change to routine was the only adults were now Roy and Riza, otherwise it remained the same. Roy would dress them and take them down to make them breakfast after getting ready for the day himself. After they ate and headed to the base, there was slight changes in routine. Roy kept them every day instead of every other day, and Riza would come sit with them during the weekly meeting.
It wasn't until afternoons that their routine had changed. That was the time they spent with their Daddy. Afternoons had always been Daddy time, unless they were separated which was rare. Yuery was angry about the change. He didn't mind the extra time with Yeye so much as he was worried about Daddy being gone. Daddy never left him. They had gone to the big place in the city without Daddy before, but Daddy was always at home in the afternoon and Yeye said that Daddy was fine but Yuery didn't like it.
Then in the evenings, Mommy was gone too, Yuery knew because Mommy always played with them after dinner. No matter how long she was gone during the day she played after dinner. Yuery tried to understand when Yeye and Nainai said they would be back soon.
At first it hadn't been so bad because Huan and Ping were there and so were all the Aunties and Uncles, but after a while Huan and Ping and the others all left. Then it was just Yeye and Nainai and William. Yuery was scared, what if Yeye and Nainai left too? Who would keep the dark away and change William and help get high things? Who would play with them? Daddy always always promised that Yuery would never ever be alone, and he wasn't but he was worried.
Yuery heard Yeye say that Daddy and Mommy were going to be gone longer, and he started to cry. He tried not to cry, he was big after all, but why were they gone longer? Yeye found him crying a few minutes later and gave him a big hug. He promised everything was alright and that Daddy and Mommy would be home soon.
After Yuery had fallen asleep, Roy went in search of his fiancée. She was down in the kitchen having Will 'help' her make cookies. "I'm not going into work tomorrow. Maybe not for the next week or two. If anything, urgent comes up it's less than ten minutes to get over there to the office."
"Okay. How upset is he?" Riza asked, surprising him, he thought he'd have to argue his point more.
"Somehow he got it in his head that everyone was going to disappear, and he was going to be all alone with Will." Roy said. "We should avoid telling Ed about this."
"You want to hide Yu's separation anxiety from Ed?" Riza asked.
"Can you imagine how Ed will react to this? This is normal behavior given the change in routine and his age according to the books and Madame, however Edward will blame himself for leaving the boy here."
"Which you were clearly worried about if you looked in the books and called Madame."
"It was very concerning, I admit. Yuery is normally a rather calm child." Roy replied, still frowning in concern. I will find a watered-down way of telling Ed about this once he returns. I'll say he had a nightmare about it or something. Just. Not while he's too far away to get here anyway. I don't need Ed spiraling when we can't get to him."
Riza agreed that Ed shouldn't be made to feel guilty about it, she also agreed that it was likely due to so many changes in routine that Yuery reacted so strongly to overhearing that Ed and Win were going to be gone longer than planned. She was concerned the child had misunderstood and they needed to explain to him when his parents would be returning.
It wasn't the point, however. She was balancing Roy's guilt complex with Ed's guilt complex and both of their tendency to hover when it came to the boys. Overall, she felt in the long run this was going to help them all in the long run, because the boys were going to grow up, and there were going to be times when Ed was going to have to let them go on their own. Eventually. Not now, not at almost three and one and a half. Right now, they were little and needed to be cared for.
Later that evening, after they had gotten the boys to sleep, they sat down and came up with the best way to tell Ed that Yuery was having separation anxiety. They also agreed that if this turned into a onetime event, they would not tell Ed about it at all, thanks to Ed's own separation issues. Riza assumed this would end up being a one-time thing, since Yuery had not had any of these problems when they were staying in East City. She assumed and Roy agreed it had probably been triggered by overhearing conversations.
Journal Thirteen
1895-1900
04/02/97
I have come to the conclusion
That Trisha is likely the best chance
There is going to be. Time is growing
Close. I have begun to court her, built
A house in Resembool, to remain close
To her. Soon I will invite her to move in
With me.
I will not be making her my new Perenelle.
She carries a strong Core but has no aptitude
Toward the Art. She's exactly what I set out
To find, and she is pleasant in addition.
It is more than I have any right to wish for,
Yet I have been gifted with the perfect girl.
She will make a wonderful mother. She is
Strong and kind, the most difficult task
Is convincing her father and grandmother
To allow the courtship. They know what
I am. Andrew may need to be reminded
Of the life debt. I do hate to be so crude.
_T.B.V.N.F.H.
23/07/97
Trisha has joined me in my new home.
It has been lovely having someone to
Take care of the housework. I seldom
Remember daily tasks. Perenelle
Is asking when I will be returning home.
I loathe to leave my darling Trisha however,
Perenelle needs to be tended to. She is annoyed
I will be moving on soon. I do wish she would
Avoid making such a fuss. She understood the
Agreement when we made it. I was never going
To give her a child. I offered to let her move on
Long ago. She decided she was committed to
Aiding anyway she could, and now she complains.
I never once implied she was anything more than a tool.
Not like my Trisha. I fear this situation is dangerous.
I find myself drawn to Trisha in a way I have not been
Drawn to any woman since my first Perenelle.
I believe I may love her. Which is inconvenient.
_V.H.
17/12/98
I finally explained to Trisha what I intend.
She cried a great deal, it was very uncomfortable.
After she slept she came to me, I fully expected
That she would ask me to leave, but instead she
Began negotiations.
She wants the child as much as I do, though for
Different reasons. Trisha has demanded the
condition that she be allowed to
Raise him or her as she would any other child,
Without the burden of why they were born. When
Time grows near, then I will be allowed to explain
To the child, and let the child decide if they are
Willing to help. This is a rather large gamble.
I agreed to her terms, more for the sake of my heart
Than logic. I have become a fool when Trisha is
Concerned. I wonder if perhaps she is a witch after all.
I explained my past failures, and informed her there was no
Guarantee, even with careful planning, that the first child
Would live or be what I need them to be. She cried again
Broken over the loss of a child not yet gone, I believe.
I fear she may hate me now, though I am a monster I do
Miss her love.
_V.H.
03/03/99
The child is perfect. He is healthy and strong,
His Core is active and his Gate as well, I can
Sense the power from him all the way down
Here in my study. He is perfectly healthy.
After all this time, I have succeeded.
Trisha clings to him, I barely saw him,
He carries Xersian genes though, I can
See that from here.
I apologized over and over to her,
I believe in time she will forgive me
I wish I could explain why I need this
Child, why the world needed him. I must
Remain distant, detached or I fear I will
Falter in what must be done. There isn't enough
Time to sway now.
V.H.
03/10/99
Trisha is pregnant. She told me at
Breakfast. I just stared at her for a
Moment before returning to my
Paper. I am concerned, of course,
For her. How will she react when the
Child dies? It will likely, Edward is the only
Success even after all this time.
Trisha asked me if I had ever loved her
And her son. I assured her that I love her
More than I have loved anyone in years.
I am not certain she believes me. She
Asked me to hold Edward today. It was
Obviously a test of my resolve. I refused.
I have no right to hold that child, how can
I hold him, knowing what I intend as his fate?
No it is better to keep my distance. It will
Be easier for him if he hates me.
V.H.
05/05/00
I've waited, with bated breath.
Trisha is truly the miracle I've
Waited for these years. Her
Second child still lives, far
Longer than I expected. He
Also shares his brother's
Core and Gate, though not as strong, stronger
Than I would have expected.
Still I have warned Trisha against
A third gamble. She nodded, but
Her attention was divided so I
Will have to bring it up again.
I am grateful the second boy survived, for
My Trisha's sake. It will make it easier on
Her when it is time for me to take Edward
Away. I again refused to hold the new child,
His mother named him Alphonse. Edward
Is regrettably attached to the boy already.
Perhaps I should break my word to Trisha
And take him with me when I travel. I am
Certain Perenelle would care for the boy
Should I bring him to her. Perhaps I should
Take him to England? I'm sure I could hide
Him among the wizards. Trisha would be
Heartbroken however, and I loathe to cause
Her suffering. I will wait awhile to decide.
V.H.