Off to a Flying Start

by Sekhem

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This is partially inspired by my piece, Fifty Sentences, specifically, the part with Hughes and Gracia. The series doesn't go into their history, so this is pretty much all conjecture.

Let me know what you think. Reviews are, as always, appreciated, and flames will be directed to the appropriate alchemist.

Since I'm still not Hiromu Arakawa, I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or the associated characters and situations. Those are still safe in the hands of Square Enix in Japan, and Funimation Productions here in the U.S.

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"Run for it!"

Gracia Stern had been on her way to history class, keeping one eye on the footpath and one on her history book as she went, when she heard the shout from behind her. She barely had time to lower the book and turn her head to look, when she found she'd been picked up and was being carried by one of the boys from the military academy that shared grounds with the university.

"Sorry, babe," he panted, "but those guys on the rugby team do not play well with others."

"If you'd just kept your mouth shut, Hughes," the shorter of the two, a boy who might have been at least partially Xingese, growled, "we wouldn't be in this mess."

"If you hadn't stolen that guy's girlfriend, there wouldn't have been anything to say," Hughes shot back.

"Which one?" the shorter one asked with a smirk.

Gracia risked a peek over Hughes' shoulder and immediately whished she hadn't. It looked like the entire starting lineup was after them. "How many of those guys' girlfriends did you steal?" she demanded.

"Do you want your answer alphabetically or categorically?" Hughes asked. His friend death-glared at him, but he was oblivious. "Better come clean, Roy," he said. "She's involved now, you know."

"Only because you had to literally sweep her off her feet," he growled. "Dammit, Maes, we're running for our lives here."

Hughes shifted his grip on her, and she instinctively tightened her hold around his neck. "The Arakawa Building," she said after a moment. "I have a class there in about ten minutes. You can hide there."

"Which building is it?" Roy asked.

"It's the one up here one the left, with the ivy on the wall," she said.

They veered to the left and barreled through the entrance and past a pair of astonished-looking professors who'd probably be demanding answers from her later. Hughes set her down gently, and he and his companion proceeded to barricade the front doors with what little furniture they could find in the hallway.

That done, Hughes turned to her and sketched an elaborate bow. "You are a queen among women, milady," he said. "I...what do I call you, anyway?"

"Gracia Stern," she said, and on impulse, curtsied.

"I'm Maes Hughes," he said, "and my sulky friend over there is Roy Mustang."

Roy nodded a perfunctory greeting as he threw his weight against the door.

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting both of you," she said, "but I have to get to class." She started in the direction of the classroom, turned, and smiled. "Good luck with the mob."

Hughes beamed back at her and waved goodbye as he went to help Roy.

I'll probably never see them again, but they were entertaining, she thought with just a tinge of regret. She ducked into the auditorium and into her usual seat just as the professor walked in and started passing out the exams.

Half an hour later, in the middle of an essay question about the Caledonian Uprising of 1604, she realized she was still smiling.

The End...for now.