Sometimes, Roy thought, he was much too caring for his own good. Granted, if he needed to be cold and firm, he could do it with flying colors, scaring anyone in the nearest vicinity. He could make his subordinates follow orders and communicate with his superiors in a professional manner.

But then there were the Elric brothers. He didn't really know where they stood along all the others. In a way, yes, Fullmetal was his subordinate. In another… he just couldn't bring himself to force the boy to stand at attention whenever he delivered a report.

Bringing him to his current predicament. It was an average winter day, and he just couldn't find the heart to pass by the way Edward Elric shivered in his coat on an old park bench.

"Fullmetal." He looked up and a vulnerable expression instantly turned guarded, falling into a frown. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? And why do you care?" Typical Fullmetal. Always dodging questions with his own. After just turning thirteen, you'd think he'd understand those types of methods didn't work against military officials.

"It's just a bit alarming to see you freezing on the street like some homeless person, don't you think? Why aren't you back in your dorm with Alphonse?"

He grumbled and looked away, pulling his coat tighter around himself. "He's sort of mad at me right now... I was gonna catch the bus to the library until he cools off."

Alphonse? Mad? Those words didn't seem to mix, and Roy knew this was something larger than just a typical scuffle. If Riza were here, he knew she'd be able to solve the problem in an instant.

But alas, she wasn't. And he certainly didn't have the level of understanding and compassion that she did, regardless of his so-called "sympathy."

"Don't you know how far away the library is? It's nearly dark outside as it is."

"Since when did you care?" Ed grumbled, shrinking into the bench further, if that were possible.

"Come on. I'm taking you home."

"Wait! I already told you I wasn't going back, so-"

Roy interrupted Ed's rant before he could finish. "Not to your dorm. I'm taking you to my house, it's closer."

Ed was fuming even more, and Roy had a strong urge to just walk away. "No way am I going to your place, bastard!"

"So you'd rather just freeze to death out here? I see the way you're shivering, and with automail you could get some serious frostbite. Now, as your commanding officer, I order you to come with me."

Ed rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, but followed regardless. Roy could see right through that tough outer shell, and knew he'd be thanked in the long run. Riza would definitely be happy with him too, he thought with a smile.

Riza had to admit, she hadn't had the time to speak with Alphonse as often as she had wished. He seemed like a sweet boy, but he simply wasn't around Headquarters enough for her to have a full-on conversation with him. She was one of the few who knew his secret, and understood what it felt like to carry such a heavy burden. He was suffering, yet he still managed to emit a kind demeanor that could brighten anyone's mood.

After only a few minutes of speaking with him, she could understand why Edward was so desperate to get his body back. It was almost sad to watch the way he tried to act like everything was normal, despite his unfeeling armor.

"So you're mad because he doesn't want to celebrate Winter Solstice with you?" Riza knelt down and placed a hand on his knee, hoping it wasn't obvious on her face how cold it was.

"Well, I could tell brother was upset about something. I just really thought we could have fun and take a break from all the research!" Though Riza couldn't see any facial expressions, his tone of voice was enough to lead her on to his true feelings. "And... I just wanted to do something like old times… Winter Solstice was always my favorite time of year, Lieutenant."

Riza considered the situation. This was tricky indeed, and something told her both brothers were upset for a different reason.

"How about this, why don't we stop by the Colonel's house together? I was planning on heading there myself, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind some extra company. Sometimes just being around other people on a holiday can make you feel better, don't you agree?"

It was true that Riza wanted to do something special for Alphonse; he desperately needed it. Despite her suspicions of the elder brother and his hesitations, she saw no faults in allowing Alphonse to act like a normal child for once.

Al nodded and clasped his hands together. "Oh really, Lieutenant?! Thank you! I just hope I won't be intruding…"

"Nonsense," Riza reassured. "It's too dull with the two of us sometimes, so an extra guest will certainly brighten the atmosphere."

"Just the two of you? So you go there often?"

Riza clasped her mouth shut. She had definitely said too much. "It's nothing. Sometimes the Colonel just needs a bit of help with his paperwork, that's all…"

Thankfully Alphonse didn't pry, and agreed to follow her to Roy's house. She internally applauded herself for her quick thinking, and hoped he wouldn't be too upset to find an Elric in his home. Al needed this, and she was willing to sacrifice some of her "alone time" with Roy in order to make it happen.

"Don't go touching things you aren't supposed to. I don't want to wake up to a transmuted sofa, Fullmetal."

"Yeah yeah, I've got it." The relief on the boy's face was apparent once he was in the heat, and Roy could tell he was grateful. With the way Ed was rubbing his shoulder, he must've been having problems that he refused to admit.

"Mind telling me just what all of this is about? Or are you going to continue to be stubborn like usual?" Ed looked away again and focused his attention on a lamp, still refusing to make eye contact.

"Like I said, it's not like you'd care. It's something dumb, anyways."

This was proving to be much more difficult than Roy had anticipated, and he almost felt a bit hurt at the fact that his youngest subordinate still refused to trust him. Despite his reasons for enlisting Edward, it would be a lie to say he didn't care. The wellbeing of anyone on his team always mattered to him, and the Elric brothers had certainly managed to grow a special fondness in his heart.

""Whether you think I'd care or not, this is obviously-" before he could continue, the sound of his doorbell rang through the house, making him forget whatever he had been about to say. Roy had a solid guess of who would show up at his door this time of night, and if it was who he thought it was, he was in for a lot of explaining.

Upon opening the door, however, he did not expect a towering suit of armor to be accompanying the woman he had predicted.

"I'm sorry to show up so unexpectedly, Colonel, but Alphonse here seemed like he needed some company, and I knew you wouldn't be opposed to the idea."

Things had catapulted from bad to worse, and Roy was at a loss for how to explain the situation.

"Well, actually-"

"Brother?!"

Yes, this would definitely be a headache to work out.

Alphonse had spotted his brother above Roy's head, and the room had grown so unbearably silent that Riza had ushered herself in with no opposition.

"Where you aware of this?" He whispered in Riza's ear, trying to avoid becoming the next subject of attention.

"I'm aware of their argument, sir, but I didn't know you'd be keeping Edward in your house as well."

Roy groaned. This was either going to end smoothly or horribly, and his bets were on the latter.

"Al? What are you doing here?!" Ed sprung up from his place on the couch, looking standoffish yet ready to leave at any moment. Roy had never seen the two act this way before, as they were typically stuck together like glue.

"I don't know what's going on between you two, but I suggest we just have a nice Solstice, considering we're all already here," Roy announced, leaving Ed to flop back onto the couch and Al to perk up.

"Colonel, can I help prepare the food? I mean, since I won't be able to taste it it'd be fun to make." At Al's comment, Ed abruptly left the room, leaving Riza following in his wake.

Roy chose to ignore it, and focused on the task at hand. "Of course, I'll get the recipes."

If the situation were any different, Riza wouldn't have followed him at all. The argument between the two brothers was getting wildly out of hand, and she was determined to put an end to it.

He was slumped in a chair in the guest bedroom with his chin in his hand, looking downright miserable.

"Ed." No response. "Edward."

"Just go away," he muttered into his palm.

Riza walked up in front of him and knelt, trying to use her calmest voice. "You two are inseparable, it's hurting all of us to see you this way."

He huffed and shifted his view to his lap, fiddling with his fingers. "Does he even know what he's doing? It… it's like he's rubbing salt into a wound."

"What do you mean?" Riza gently tried to coax it out of him, using tactics she'd seen mothers use to calm their children. It seemed to have worked, as Ed finally began to speak.

"He's been bugging me all day about celebrating Winter Solstice. He said 'You always do this brother, can't we just do something happy for once?'" Ed's voice cracked and he hastily put a hand to his eye.

"He's right, though. Hell, he's just a kid and look at what I've been doing to him! I try to deny him the happiest things just because of my own selfish guilt, when he's the one suffering from it! What should it matter if it hurts to see him unable to eat, or… or-"

Riza decided to stop him before he continued on his path of self-deprecation. "Ed, I think all he really needs right now is for you to be with him. He'll understand, and I think seeing you happy is enough to make him happy, too."

Ed sighed and nodded, still swiping at his eyes. "I know. It just hurts so much… I don't want him to be like this anymore. Solstice was always his favorite… and mom always used to make it special for him. At least before we could try to eat the same food, but now… now it's just like digging up bad memories. It's a reminder of everything we've lost."

This was the first time Edward had spoken so honestly to Riza, and she made a mental note to speak with the brothers more often. Just how long had they been holding all this in? She and Roy hadn't known them very long, as Ed had only been in the military for a few months, but Riza now felt a strong yearning to see this to the end. She knew Roy would too, despite the fact that he was less willing to admit it out loud.

"Then how about this? Instead of trying to recreate how things used to be, we make new memories. I know nothing will compare to how things used to be, I understand that as much as you do. But, I think we can still be happy in a different way, don't you think?"

Ed let out a breath and nodded once again, though more confidently than the last time. A small smile formed on his face, and he took her hand to stand. Riza could tell he was still battling internal conflict, but it was better than nothing. As long as things were mended between the brothers, she would consider that an accomplishment.

"Thanks, Lieutenant. I think he'll like that."

"So Alphonse, do you cook often?" Roy tried to make small talk, having only spoken with the boy a few times prior. He was much more familiar with Fullmetal's personality and methods, and was therefore able to read him much easier. With Al, it was always difficult to know what he was truly feeling. Riza had a much stronger intuition with body language, and Roy could often read faces well. Without a face to look at, Roy had been focusing much harder on tone of voice.

"I try to as much as I can! Whenever brother has individual missions I like to practice, and sometimes I think looking at the food can be as good as tasting it, don't you think?"

Roy wasn't about to comment on the slightly morbid nature of that statement, and simply nodded. Despite what most thought, he found himself to be a rather decent chef. Cooking was like alchemy, and though he specialized in fire, he wasn't unacquainted with long recipes and mixing ingredients.

"Uh, Colonel?" Al was staring at him now, and he wondered just how long he had spaced out.

"Yes?"

"I think the rolls are ready to be taken out of the oven now…" Ah, right. His first time cooking with Alphonse, and instead of making a good first impression, he had ended up burning the only food he was working on.

In Roy's frantic search for oven mitts, Al must've gotten impatient, and simply took out the tray himself.

"Careful! Don't burn-" Roy stopped himself in his tracks. Right. Armor.

"Hmm, I don't think these will end up very well. Sorry Colonel… I should've noticed earlier."

"No no, don't worry. It was my fault. At least the stew is still good, right?"

Al checked up on the stew and nodded, attention driven to what could be salvaged. "Yep! Stew is brother's favorite, and I really think he'll like this recipe!"

Yet another fact Roy had learned about Fullmetal that wasn't from the source. He made a mental note to alert him whenever Headquarters' cafeteria was serving stew, it was one of the only meals worth eating there.

With all of the food prepared, Roy felt a sense of accomplishment he hadn't in a long time. Typically, he ate out or chose something pre-made. It wasn't often that he was able to prepare an entire meal for more people than just himself.

"Thanks for all the help, Al. You've taught me quite a few things that'll come in handy."

"No problem! I had fun spending time with you, Colonel." Al seemed like he wanted to say more, so Roy let him collect his thoughts before replying. "I'm glad I was able to do this again. I haven't really cooked with anyone since mom… and brother and I are always so busy we never have time to."

Roy tried to lighten the mood. "With the way he eats, I'm sure it would be a challenge to cook that much."

Al gave a soft chuckle, wiping his gauntlets on a nearby towel. "I'm sorry if he's a bit of a handful, but things are tough for him right now. I know this is a bit out of nowhere, but can you try to watch over him? I'm afraid he'll do something rash for my sake and hurt himself… he doesn't really worry about his well-being very much… it scares me."

Roy's throat closed up as he tried to think of a reply. Despite their arguments, the Elrics really did care about one another. They were more dedicated than anyone he had ever seen; even Riza's promises to protect him didn't reach the same extent. They were all the other had, and though Ed could be a huge pain in his ass, he understood that he was playing up his strengths to overshadow his weaknesses.

"Of course. Both of you are under my watch, and I'll do everything I can to make sure something doesn't happen to you two. That's how the military works, Al. We protect those under us with loyalty, and they do the same."

"Thanks again, I know you'll do a lot one day, even if it isn't becoming a chef," Al laughed, causing Roy to follow.

"Mmmm is that stew?" Ed had re-entered the room with his typical gait, lightly punching Al's chestplate as he neared the kitchen.

"Yeah! Colonel Mustang and I made it." Al seemed to notice Ed's sudden mood shift, and Roy could tell Riza's talk with him had been successful. "About earlier-"

"It's fine Al, I'm sorry for being such a jerk."

"But… are you sure you're fine with it?"

Ed shrugged. "As long as you're happy, I am too."

Roy looked over at Riza and she nodded once, a content smile on her face.

After serving the dinner - burned rolls excluded - Roy could already note a shift in mood. Ed was watching Al with a fond expression on his face, and began to describe the stew flavor by flavor.

"Do you remember how mom's stew tasted? This is sort of like that, except it's a lot saltier, and the vegetables are less fresh. It still manages to pack a punch, though. There's a few more spices than mom would use, so it covers up the flavors that aren't as good."

"Oh! I think I can imagine it now! I'll make sure to add it to my list of foods to eat when I get my body back! Colonel, do you think we can make this again?" Al's voice reached a level of excitement that made Riza chuckle, and Roy was quick to acknowledge it.

"Any time, Alphonse. Maybe when your brother is tall enough to reach the counters, he can help too."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Ed shouted back, needing Al to hold him in his seat.

"And one other thing. If you ever suggest that I don't care about you again, I'll have you court-martialed," Roy smirked.

Dinner continued as expected, and it wasn't until Ed sent himself to bed that Roy and Riza were able to relax.

"Thank God he didn't ask about where you were going to sleep, considering he's in the only guest bedroom."

Riza rolled her eyes. "I doubt he'd have wanted to bring it up, regardless." They settled onto the edge of the bed together with a bottle of wine to calm their senses.

"That was very sweet of you, Roy. Doing everything you did tonight." Riza placed a light kiss on his cheek, causing him to wrap his arm around her even tighter than before.

"I could say the same about you. Since when did you get so good at talking to kids, Riza? You'll be a great mother someday, if you keep up like that."

"And you'll make a great father."

"Hey, let's not get too ahead of ourselves," he smiled, blowing out the nearby candles.

Perhaps his heart was too soft, but Roy was certain about one thing. Despite it all, he was happy with where he was headed.