1. Greed-- The first time he realises there’s a flicker of something for either of them, he’s pouring over a letter from his wife, and he’s gotten in touch with her haphazardly-- and he understands why she can’t deal with this right now because of the stunt that he’s pulled, and it’s not as if she can issue divorce papers, he’s legally dead and his marriage is over for the time-- and she’s asking for space.
He’s been pouring over it for hours at the bar, glass curled into his hands-- and the bottle of whiskey is looking nicer with every ticking moment. And at one point he wants to light the letter on fire and call her, the numbers to their home burned in the back of his mind, but he knows that line is tapped, he knows his family is watched-- so Gracia has a point that it’s better for him to be dead at this point in time.
When he crumples the letter and lets it fall to the floor, he reaches for the bottle-- just put it on my tab, boss-- he thinks, unscrewing the cap, and filling the glass. But before he can even bring the glass into his hand again, his boss swoops in, ducking onto the barstool next to him and digging an elbow into his ribcage. “Thanks-- Hughes,” He greets, before tipping the glass and empting it in one go. “You’re always thinking ahead.” Then he does the unexpected and grabs the bottle, shifting slightly almost to make sure it’s out of reach, before the paper ball is placed back in front of him.
“It’s not a reason to fall back into that hole, Hughes. We’re opening in twenty, get a table. You’re not tending tonight.” And just like that, Greed moves, pulling the bottle with him, and leaving Hughes almost dazed. It takes a moment for Hughes to pull himself from the bar, but eventually he does, only after smoothing the letter out and tucking it away.
However, that’s not the focus of his thoughts, the focus is the man sliding in behind the bar, putting the whiskey back up on the rank.
And-- the thoughts are fond.
2. Scar-- The second time he feels the ebb again, he’s working. He doesn’t run mission detail. Of course that’s expected, since he’s recent ex-military, and even though Scar has vouched for him, but Hughes has taken it upon himself to agree with the boss and be on standby and guard, mostly because it’s better to earn trust slowly-- plus he’s a dead man, he has all the time in the world. It’s about two hours into service before Greed whirls in, still half in his shield and growling-- spitting obscenities as blood drips down a laceration on his face which seems to be putting itself back together-- and Hughes stops service, saying he’ll be back, which the bar patrons buy, and only then he grabs Martel who is nursing a large gash on her arm, and she explains they were ambushed, and Greed’s hell-bent on figuring out who sold them out. However, he can play peacemaker at a later date and clear his name, because he has no idea what this was about. But Martel, points to Roa--who is literally leading Scar in, and he doesn’t seem to be injured, more dazed. It takes him a moment, but he wraps Martel up, and then moves to Roa, who says he’s fine-- and Scar protests, saying that he just had rubble hit him, that he was dazed, and he’s fine. But, carefully after looking over the many scrapes and bruises, he concludes Scar has a concussion from falling rubble, and he sends him to call it a night. Greed doesn’t question his action-- or him about the ambush, and seems overall placid about the doting fashion he showed Scar, then and only then Hughes goes back to work-- after the ebbing fear in the pit of his stomach subsides and Scar is resting in the dimmer part of the bar with a cold drink over his left eye.
Fuck.
3. Greed-- The third time, he’s almost expecting it, because they are all drunk. Well all, except him-- and most likely Greed. He doesn’t even know if Greed can get drunk, but that’s beside the point. They’re all celebrating, and he’s tucked aside with ginger-ale, trying not to let the itch consume him for something more intoxicating. So he stays out of the way, leaned back with his sabre half balanced on his foot, ever on guard in case of emergencies, and he doesn’t even notice his boss slide in next to him, something foul in hand-- and Hughes guesses it’ll peel paint, but he dares not pull a face, and Greed chats him up for a while, before placing a hand on his shoulder. “You okay-- not missing home?” And it’s odd that he’d take a personal interest in his family-- well at the moment, they aren’t his family, because legally, he’s dead, and currently he’s living off the dime he’s earned off the book, so he’s got no name, but he thinks for a moment and elbows his boss before moving in front of him.
“Nah. I am home.” It’s reflexive and it silences Greed for a moment, before Hughes is shoved away, as Greed swears he needs another drink, completely ignoring the one that he has in his hands.
It’s the first time, Hughes has called the Nest home aloud, but he’s been thinking it for a while.
The rest of the night, he evades Greed’s eyes.
4. Scar-- The fourth time, he feels it-- it’s six thirty in the morning, part of him couldn’t sleep, the other part didn’t want to sleep. He packs case of menthols against his hand as he makes his way to the roof-- knowing that everyone won’t be awake for hours, but he needs to do something that isn’t sitting in a dark room with his mind abuzz. So while he doesn’t find smoking to be his go to vice, it’s far less addictive than the other that is splayed freely in cases, for all the other alcoholics who are a shade better than him in keeping it under control. He doesn’t expect to see Scar, up for prayer, and he’s genuinely taken by surprise, and it seems the other is as well.
“Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” The Ishvalan almost remands, as he’s pulled out of sunrise prayer by a visitor, “You only got back about thirty minutes ago.” Hughes shrugs and lights up the cigarette, mostly to burn it-- more than smoke it. But he taps it out regardless, as the Ishvalan returns to looking over the horizon. No other comment comes, no remand, or gentle reminder, just acceptance without judgement as the southern heat begins to bleed into view. Hughes is able to burn two, before he puts the pack away, and turns to Scar.
“C’mon. I’ll make us breakfast.” No one cooks in the Nest, because if you do, you end up feeding the entire clan, and Scar knows this, and so does Hughes, but Scar simply stands and accepts the stupid feat that Hughes promises to undertake, making sure that he’ll cook chicken of some kind instead of pork.
And Hughes, knows he’s stupid for undertaking things like this. But he’s stupid for Scar and Greed.
Somehow, they rouse Greed, who sleeps quite a bit for a being who needs little sleep, and the homunculus demands chocolate chip pancakes.
5. Team Stray-- One day he admits it, of course it’s not aloud, but it’s in the middle of the evening when Scar is finishing up azan prayer and started the same song and dance with Greed that had been going on for months, and Hughes is reading. It’s his day off, he’s not supposed to be playing peacemaker, but he gets in between them, plopping down between them in the middle of the circular sofa that Greed normally reserves for his parties-- but he digs his elbows into both of them, and he thinks they are going to push him off and to the floor, but he’s quicker, if only for a moment, pressing a kiss to each of their temples before falling back into the cushions.
Though the night it gets clingier, once everyone has been thoroughly liquored up, but him. And, Greed tries to tempt him once, but Scar pulls him off of Hughes, reminding him that Hughes is still married by practice if not by law, and Greed concedes. After that, they move, offering him to come with, if he wants to. But Hughes passes this time, waving them off, only to look at the ring on his finger, the letter in his pocket telling him to be happy for the time-- and he closes his book, and moved off to his quarters. The few belongings are tucked into a hole in the wall, and he’s worn the ring to deter women, but that doesn’t work for Greed, Scar has been the major deterrent. But then he takes it off, much like he knows his wife has for the time being.
He chooses them for now.
