My submission for @fmasecretsanta2020 to @lessonsfrommadamexmas! Have the Tsundere Mechanic x Hot Topic Obsessor and the Alkahestry Kids™.

Merry Christmas!

Hello @tokenplz , I'm your secret santa from @fmasecretsanta2020!

I really hope it turned out ok, i was a little intimidated I tried my best to make something good! I hope you're having a good holiday!

For auld lang syne, my dear

@fmasecretsanta2020 AO3 | FFN Rating: K+ Genre: Fluff/Romance Word Count: 2,340

A/N: Surprise, @megthemighty! I hope you enjoy this as much as you do the holidays. 😊 Stay tuned, and stay safe always!

He hums a few notes that Riza recognizes straightaway. She doesn’t interrupt him, however; she pauses, entranced by the surprisingly gentle timbre of his singing voice. Roy doesn’t seem to mind. He continues with a slow tempo, gentle like the sway of candlelight, softer and softer until he reaches the resolution of the first chorus.

There is something pleasant and comforting about mornings in winter that always awakens Riza just before the sun rises. It’s quiet, as the Hawkeye house is on any given day, anyway. But towards the end of the year, with their little village covered in a blanket of snow and their distant neighbors kept at home by the cold, the quiet is better justified, more peace than solitude.

Her routine on these mornings is simple. It begins with tea—lavender, which was her mother’s favorite and a type that Riza hasn’t had anyone to share with since her mother’s passing. While the sky is still dark, she lights a small fire in the living room, then curls up close by to read a book by the warm light. There she stays until sunrise, when it feels a little less cold, and then she retreats to the window in her room to watch the sky change color.

Today, Riza wakes up a little differently. She is on the living room couch with her book facedown on her chest, her tea cold and unfinished, and the small fire in the hearth reduced to dim embers. The light coming from the window tells her that she has slept through sunrise. But most tellingly, there is a second cup just inches from hers on the center table, a new fixture of the past couple of mornings or so, and it’s enough to clear her head and remind her of how she ended up falling asleep there.

The door opens. In comes Roy Mustang with a chilly gust of wind.

“Hey,” says Riza. Roy responds with a slight nod as he brushes powdery snow out of his hair and off his coat. “How’d it go? What did they say at the train station?”

Roy shrugs. “Just my luck. They’ve cleared out most of the snowfall in Geob Pass, but there’s been some damage to the tracks. If the weather doesn’t improve, it could take weeks for the trains to start operating normally again.”

He attempts to act casual, but Riza has known Roy for three years and by now she knows the cracks in his façade. His voice is far too even and cool, his walk more a trudge. He doesn’t make his usual easy small talk as he walks around the couch where she is and around the center table, finally settling on the spot by the hearth where she usually does her reading. His focus is entirely on the embers as he ignites a new fire out of them.

A few days ago, Roy was bound for an early morning train to Central, where he had planned to spend the year-end holidays with his family. He always took the same trip back home on the same day each year since he first came to study under Berthold Hawkeye, and this was to be the last. Riza knew about his plans even though he couldn’t speak openly about them. She knew long before the time even came for him to leave, which was why she became concerned when he returned to the Hawkeye house an hour past his departure time. The Amestris Express, he said, had indefinitely cancelled all travel between Central and the East due to a severe blizzard at the border, which buried a long stretch of track under several meters of snow.

Since then, Roy has gone into town early each day, hoping for word on when the trains might begin running again. Each day, he returned disappointed. This then became part of Riza’s early morning routine, partly because it was inevitable to come across each other in the living room, and partly because she felt sorry for him. She has since accommodated him with the friendly gesture of sharing tea with him before he left each day.

Riza continues watching Roy from the couch. He rubs his hands together over the fire he’s just made, and the sight is enough for her to feel its warmth too. It begins somewhere in the pit of her stomach, turns into a stirring feeling throughout the rest of her and a pink tinge in her cheeks. Then, she hears it as a voice in her head. Earnest, hopeful. How nice it is that Roy has remained here, it says, because she—

“I’m sorry,” Riza blurts out over the little voice. “I’m sorry,” she repeats slowly, more sincerely this time. She takes a few deep breaths until the color disappears from her face. “I know how much you were looking forward to this.”

“Thank you.” Roy leans against the table, tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling. Breathes out a short sigh. “I was supposed to spend more time with my family. Not just for the year-end holidays, but after the new year, too. I owe them that.”

Riza hums in understanding. There’s no need to talk about why, and there is no good thing that could come out of talking about it when her father is sure to wake up soon. They have better things to talk about, anyway, that could perhaps cheer Roy up.

“So, how do you spend the holidays at home?”

Roy turns to properly face her. He taps his fingers against the center table, deep in thought. “It’s a little manic,” he finally says with a laugh. “Too many people coming in and out of the bar, and they make a lot more trouble than usual during the holidays. The moment the bar opens in the evening, we hardly get any peace and quiet. But in the morning, when it’s just us, it’s special. My sisters like to exchange gifts over breakfast—trinkets, clothes, pocketbooks—it probably starts a couple of weeks before the end of the year.”

“Does the bar ever close over the holidays?”

“Only on the first day of the new year, so we could get some proper rest. Business doesn’t slow down until then, you see. We even host a party of sorts on New Year’s Eve. Anyone who wants to come just…”

He trails off. The smile on his face is both fond and wistful.

“It’s a little different around here,” Riza says after a moment’s silence. “Well—it hasn’t been the same since we lost Mother. But it’s a lot quieter, from what you said about Central—”

“Trust me, it always is.”

Riza laughs. “We really only celebrate on the last day of the year. That’s when we exchange gifts or get together with our families for a special meal. But you feel it before then—everyone’s a little friendlier and more charitable. It’s like it’s in the air. People prepare food for their neighbors, they keep hot chocolate ready in their kitchens for any time there’s a visitor or anyone who might be passing by.”

She sighs, then adds, “The only living relatives I know of are on Mother’s side, but she hadn’t talked to them in years. It’s just Father and I here during the holidays. But not for everyone else in this town—their relatives come over to spend the end of the year with them.”

“I see.” The fire in the hearth has grown, but Roy is leaning in the opposite direction from it now, closer to Riza. “In Central, it seems like everyone wants to get away whenever they can. I guess that’s where they come from, the people who choose to spend their holidays elsewhere.” He chuckles. “And then there’s me. I come back instead of leaving. Well, what can I say? Whatever everyone else is like, Central’s still home.”

“I’m sure it’s lovely.”

“Yeah, it is. We’ve got decorations all over the place, kids singing holiday carols…”

“Hey, we have those too!” Riza is smiling now, almost laughing. “I know it’s not that exciting out here, but you’ve been to town—you’ve seen the decorations. And the kids don’t go all the way to the outskirts, but they do go caroling.”

“And Central isn’t completely out of touch either,” Roy counters, grinning as if this were a competition to win. “There’s a traditional song you’ll hear around town for about a month—musicians perform it in the town square some nights, and then people sing it when the new year comes. Everyone knows it. It goes like this…”

He hums a few notes that Riza recognizes straightaway. She doesn’t interrupt him, however; she pauses, entranced by the surprisingly gentle timbre of his singing voice. Roy doesn’t seem to mind. He continues with a slow tempo, gentle like the sway of candlelight, softer and softer until he reaches the resolution of the first chorus. The last note is like a whisper, almost as if he means for her not to just hear it. Almost as if he were singing to her.

Too close. She has come far too close to him.

Riza leans back and laughs—she hopes it comes off as amusement. “And here I thought you were just an alchemist.” Clearing her throat, she continues, “We play that song around here, too. In the plaza, on New Year’s Eve—everyone goes to welcome the new year there. But we don’t sing it.”

Roy turns up the corner of his mouth curiously. “What do you do, then?”

“We dance.”

On the last day of the year, at Cameron Station, Riza waits with Roy for a train that will take him home.

The last few days feel like little more than a dream.

Nothing much changed about the way she spent the holidays with Roy around. She began each morning before daybreak, with a cup of tea and a book like always. She spent most of each day keeping to herself, as did her father, who told Roy he had “nothing more to teach at the moment” and preferred the company of his books and journals; and as did Roy, who respected Berthold’s decision and instead devoted himself to perfecting the basic alchemy that he had already learned.

Only two things were different this time. The first was that Riza had someone to talk to, at least whenever she and Roy were together. This did happen rather often; there were quiet evenings in the kitchen after dinner, walks to town whenever one had to run an errand and the other reasoned that they needed fresh air, and mornings like the first few ones of Roy’s extended stay. On his part, Roy no longer began each day with a pointless trip to town and the disappointment of not hearing good news. He seemed to make peace with the fact that he would be missing much of the holidays with his family, especially after a phone call during which his aunt assured him that there was no trouble at all, so long as he did eventually come home.

The second thing that changed was something that Riza couldn’t easily name. It seems simplistic to say that she was glad for company, or that Roy’s presence was a mere antidote to boredom. Whatever it was, she could easily trace it to that one morning, in the color that filled her face, the contentment in listening to Roy sing.

She tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach when they heard news of the Amestris Express running trains from the East to Central again, and she tries to ignore it now as she stands in the platform, counting the minutes until the train arrives and then—and then she would be alone again. No friend at the table for New Year’s Eve dinner, no companion for the celebrations in the plaza.

No Roy.

Cameron Station is packed with eager travelers whose trips had also been delayed by the poor weather. When the shrill train whistle fills the station, the crowd seems to move forward in a massive wave, a flurry of goodbyes and well-wishes and promises and plans for when they would meet again in the coming year. There are no such parting words between Riza and Roy. Neither can say when or if he will return at all, or if things will be the same if he does.

The traditional holiday song in the East, the same one he had hummed for her, is being played on a violin somewhere in the crowd. A street performer must have come specifically to send the travelers off. Curious choice of music, Riza thinks, but she cannot think of anything more apt. It is New Year’s Eve, after all. A time of farewell just as much as it is a time of new beginnings.

She turns, and she catches Roy staring at her cheek. He catches himself in the act a second too late.

“Well,” he says quickly, “thanks for seeing me off.”

Roy extends his hand to her. Riza hesitates before finally taking it. In the politest voice she can manage, she says, “You have a safe trip back, Mister Mustang.”

He blinks, then laughs a little. “Roy.”

“Roy.”

Their handshake is slow and steady. A moment passes, and then another, and even in the anticipation of missing him Riza soon realizes that their hands might have already been clasped together for too long. Then—

A twist of the hand, a swift twirl, a breathless pause.

Riza takes a moment to steady herself. Mouth agape, she stares at Roy as if to await an explanation, but it doesn’t come. He takes a slow, cordial bow before letting go of her hand, and their little dance comes to an end.

“Happy New Year, Riza.”

She doesn’t find the words in time, and Roy follows the last of the departing crowd into the train, where Riza sees no more of him. There is no final glance over his shoulder, no fleeting glimpse through the windows. The music fades into the indistinguishable, dissonant voices of the crowd.

No matter, Riza thinks with a fond smile. She has those past few days with him to keep throughout the year, if not until he gets back—if not for each new year to come.

Descendants

Happy holidays to @maikusakabe​! I am your Secret Santa for @fmasecretsanta2020​ :) I hope you enjoy.

READ ON AO3

Pairing: Roy/Ed Words: 2633 Rating: G Tags: family fic; Bisexual!Roy Mustang; Roy has a kid; Roy/Ed is pretty background but they’re super adorable together; mentions of sex but nothing over g-rated Summary: A teenager shows up on Ed and Roy’s doorstep claiming to be Roy’s son - and a member of the Yao clan. A knock echoed throughout the townhouse. “Ed? Did you invite someone over?” Roy called from the kitchen. “Not that I remember!” he answered from the study. Edward was curled up like a cat in the armchair in front of the fire, an open book resting gently against his thigh. “I’ll get the door though. Wouldn’t want you to burn the sauce!” “That was one time!” Roy shouted, the smile evident in his voice. Yes, it was only once, but when did Ed ever let anything go? A week from never, Ed’s voice answered in Roy’s head, and Roy couldn’t help the undignified chuckle-snort that escaped him. He could hear the dull mumbles of a conversation in the foyer, Ed’s rich tenor playing off of a lighter voice. The short amount of time without his sight allowed him to easily discern voices in a crowd and footsteps down the halls of Central Command; however, nothing short of supersonic hearing would allow him to hear the exact conversation happening through a door, down the hallway. Roy busied himself with mincing the garlic. He added it to the pot of shimmering tomato sauce and stirred before grabbing a clean spoon from the counter, dipping it into the sauce, and lifting it to his lips. He considered the flavors for a second and reached into the cabinet to his right, pulling out the sugar. Roy added a small amount, stirred, and tasted again. It was perfect - just enough sugar to take the acidity away from the tomatoes and allow the seasonings to sing. He turned to get the pasta out of the pantry when the snick of the foyer door closing caught his attention. The voices had halted, and he shouted, “Ed, is everything okay?” “Jeeze, Mustang, no need to yell, I’m right here,” Ed’s voice echoed in the hall, right outside the entrance to the kitchen. “Who was at the door?” Roy asked lightly, grabbing the box of pasta and turning back to the stove, his back to the doorway. “Uh, well…” Ed started, “he’s kind of still here.” Roy spun on his heel to see a boy about Ed’s shoulder in height with jet black hair in a tousled mop, nearly hiding his deep brown, almond-shaped eyes. “Oh,” Roy said, quickly grabbing a tea towel and wiping his hands. “Roy Mustang,” he offered, thrusting his hand forward for the kid to shake. The boy took it sheepishly. “Ju-long, sir. It’s… well, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he stammered.  “Is there something I can help you with?” Roy prodded. He could hear the bubbling of the boiling water behind him and realized he never put the pasta in the water. “Um, I don’t really know how to say this, so it might be best to just come out and say it. I’m your son. ”The silence echoed throughout the kitchen for a few seconds. The silence was broken by Roy chuckling and turning back to the stove, emptying the box of pasta into the pot and giving it a quick stir. He shook his head and turned back around to face his supposed son. “That’s pretty funny, Ed. Where did you find someone who was willing to pull off this prank with you? This has Havoc’s name written all over it.” “Roy,” Ed started. He walked across the kitchen, taking Roy’s hand gently in his own before continuing. “I don’t think this is a prank. Maybe you’d better listen to Ju-long.” Ed’s golden eyes, normally liquid pools of honey, were hardened, resembling amber - hard, nearly glassy. There was no way. Roy heard a ringing in his ears and felt his mouth go dry. He felt like he was simultaneously flying and drowning. His vision faded to tunnels. His lungs burned even as he breathed heavily and deeply; his hands reached up to swipe over his face and he shakily wiped the cold sweat from his brow. A son? It wasn’t possible. Physically, yes, in theory it was. There were many liaisons over the years. It wasn’t a question of possibility, it was more so a question of the logistics - when and who. Roy? Roy, hon, come on, he heard reverberating in his skull. He knew that voice. It was Edward. He blinked in quick succession and shook his head slightly. Roy was seated at the kitchen table with Ed kneeling in front of him. Ed’s eyes had returned to the pools of honey, and Roy saw that they were filled with concern. “Hey, there,” Ed said tenderly, reaching up and brushing Roy’s bangs from his face. “You okay? I mean, I don’t think that you have to be okay or anything, that was a perfectly acceptable reaction, I just wanted to know if you’re -” “I’m fine, Ed. Thank you.” Roy could tell that Ed wasn’t about to let the subject drop but was able to silence his next tirade with a look. Ed leaned into Roy, grasping him in a hug. “Is it true then?” Ed whispered. Roy ignored him and looked at the boy standing in his kitchen over Ed’s shoulder, gently but insistently slipping from the blond’s grasp and standing up. He crossed the room, taking in Ju-long as he went, noting similarities between them both. “I have so many questions for you, Mr. Mustang,” Ju-long said quietly, as if he were aware that speaking too loudly might break Roy. “As I do for you,” Roy answered, his voice raspy. “Would -” he cleared his throat and continued, slightly stronger, “you like to stay for dinner?” Ju-long smiled. “I would like nothing more, sir.” Roy went back to the stove, realizing that Ed turned off the burners at some point. Thankfully, the sauce wasn’t burnt and the pasta was at a perfect al dente. “It’s nothing fancy, but it’s quite tasty, if I do say so myself,” Roy said. Why did he feel like he had to explain himself? Ed must have sensed that Roy was flailing. “Ah, don’t let him fool you - the man can cook.” The blond flashed them both a wide, winning smile, grabbed a plate from the cabinet, and proceeded to fill it up with what Roy considered an exorbitant amount of food. The two brunettes followed suit, and Ed led the way into the dining room. There was a clutter of cutlery and china and of chairs scraping across hardwood. Light clinks of silverware seemed to be magnified under the strangeness of the situation. Roy took a bite; his food was not nearly as flavorful as he remembered it being when he was cooking it. In fact, he almost felt a bit nauseous. He placed his fork down gently. “I would like to know your story.” He paused for a moment before adding, “Please,” quietly.  Ju-long put down his fork as well. “That’s fair, sir. Where would you like me to start?” “Tell me about you. I know your name, but nothing else.” “Right,” Ju-long nodded. “Um… well, I’m fourteen, turning fifteen next year. My name means ‘powerful as a dragon’ - probably to reference you. I was raised in Xing by my mother, Jia. We live under the protection of the Yao clan because of me, so I had a pretty comfortable childhood.” “Wait a second, why were you under the protection of the Yao clan?” Ed interjected. “And why because of you?” “You...don’t know?” the young man asked, looking pointedly at Roy, who looked as confused as Ed. “Neither of you know?” Both shook their heads, glancing at each other and back to Ju-long, who took a deep breath. “My full name is Ju-long Yao. Roy Mustang is a descendant of the Yao clan through his mother’s line.” He hesitated for a moment. “Your mother was Xingese, wasn’t she?” “She was,” Roy affirmed, nodding dazedly. His mother was Xingese royalty? “A distant relative of the current emperor, Emperor Ling, but yes. She was. The Yao clan, in your mother’s time, was splintered and dangerous. She came to Amestris young, I was told.” Roy nodded again. “She was a teenager… about your age, if I remember correctly. She sought shelter from my aunt after making it to Central City. That’s how she met my father.” “That’s how I heard it too,” Ju-long agreed. “After I was born, Emperor Ling insisted that I take the Yao name instead of my mother’s or yours, Mr. Mustang. He said that it would allow him to provide us extra protection.” “How long has Ling known that I was a member of the Yao clan?” Roy asked. “He never mentioned it to me,” he said, turning to Ed, a question behind his eyes. “Nope, that never came up,” said Ed. “I’m not sure,” Ju-long said tentatively. “All I know is that he knew by the time I was born.” A heavy weight settled in the room, causing Roy’s breath to stutter. Wave after wave of uncertainty crashed through his mind. How could this be possible? Was he being taken for a ride? “Tell me about your mother,” Roy requested. Ju-long relaxed and his smile became soft and luminous all at once. “My mother… she’s wonderful. She previously worked at the palace. Now, she serves as a mentor to the young girls who work there. She helps them learn to read and write, as well as trains them in duties around the palace.” “Did she tell you how we met? About how - how you were conceived?” Roy prompted, somewhat awkwardly. Ju-long blushed slightly, but said, “Yes, sir. She did.” He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “It was during Emperor Ling’s coronation. She was working to serve food and drink to the guests. She said that you...propositioned her and she thought you were a handsome man, so she agreed. She said that you parted ways, but you told her that you would love to see her again, soon.” “I don’t remember anything from Ling’s coronation,” Roy said, his tone dazed.“ Roy, I remember that trip,” Ed interjected. “That’s the trip where you fell and busted open your head!” “My head?” “Yeah, Riza was ready to kill you. She thought you were drunk and fell on your way back to your room, but that doesn’t sound right, now that I’m hearing the first part of the story.” Ju-long interrupted, “No, my mother always told me that he wasn’t drunk, which is why she was so confused about what happened the following morning.” Ed said “Maybe you tripped - I probably tripped twenty times myself in that stuff we had to wear.” “It’s possible,” Roy said before motioning for Ju-long to continue. “She came up to you the following morning and asked if you would like to take a walk with her around the gardens. You told her that you didn’t know who she was. She told you her name, insisting that you had met the night before, and you kept denying it. My mother assumed that you just wanted a fling, a one-off kind of situation and decided to walk away. That’s why she didn’t try and contact you when she discovered that she was pregnant with me.” Things started to fall into place. Though hazy, flashes of a beautiful Xingese woman in traditional garb appeared in his mind’s eye; in some, they were in public, dancing and laughing. In others, they were alone, clothes disheveled, the room dark. The memories felt as though they were buried deep, or maybe not even his own. They were there, though. It was nearly undeniable. “A son,” Roy murmured. “I have a son.” “Ju-long, where were you planning on staying tonight? It’s getting late, and if I’m not being too presumptuous, you can stay in the spare bedroom here,” Ed offered, flashing a quick smile at Roy who returned one. “I would be honored to stay with you,” Ju-long said, adding his smile to the mix. Roy could see his own smile reflected back on a slightly different visage. “Come on, I’ll show you to your room,” Ed said, pushing back from the table. Ju-long stood and followed him, throwing one more smile at Roy as he went. “Goodnight,” Roy called as he stood himself and cleared the dishes from the table to the kitchen. The rest of the clean-up could wait until morning. Now, it was time to rest. ~  Roy and Ed lay in the darkness, cuddled up together.  “Did you have any idea?” Ed asked gently. Roy couldn’t blame him for being curious. “None at all,” he responded frankly. “I mean, I suppose I always knew it was possible that I had a child out there. You know I’ve been with as many women as men. Growing up in a brothel tends to do that to you.” “Roy, you don’t have to justify your past with me. We didn’t get together for nearly four years after this happened; I can hardly hold you accountable. We both know that it’s just that - in the past.” “But it’s not, Ed,” Roy protested. “The error of my ways is sleeping in a room across the hall. What if there are others? What if -” “We can’t live our lives around what-ifs,” Ed interjected. “Besides, even if there were others, would you love them any less? I know you, Roy,” the blond said as he lifted his head and kissed Roy’s jaw. “You would want to be involved. We’ve had the kids discussion, we both know that if we were in better positions and home more often, we would have adopted a long time ago. So what if you have another kid pop up out there? You won’t love them any less. I can tell you already unconditionally love Ju-long.” Roy felt his throat constrict and felt his eyes burn. Ed was right. “I love you,” Roy whispered, kissing the crown of Ed’s golden hair. “Love you, too,” Ed responded as sleep claimed them both. Emotional exhaustion was a powerful drug. ~

The next morning, Ju-long came downstairs holding a piece of yellow parchment with intricate, delicate writing on it. He handed it over to Roy. “This was the real reason why I volunteered to come,” he said sheepishly. “Emperor Ling is holding an anniversary celebration of his coronation. Next year will be the 15th anniversary, and he sent you both an invitation to attend.” “Sweet!” exclaimed Ed. “I’ve been looking for an excuse to travel back to Xing!” Roy smiled at his husband’s excitement. “I think a trip to Xing next year would be lovely.” Ju-long took a breath as if he wanted to say something but thought better of it. Roy noticed and prompted the boy - his son - to say it. “I was just wondering if maybe - if I could stay here until you travel to Xing? And we could go together?” He looked so nervous that Roy couldn’t help but chuckle. “Of course you can,” Roy said genially, glancing at Ed to confirm that it was okay, who nodded in assent. “I would love to show you around Central, maybe travel a bit around Amestris. I especially want to introduce you to Aunt Chris and my team.” “I would love that, sir,” Ju-long said, a grin splitting his face. “Ju-long, you don’t have to call me ‘sir’,” Roy admonished gently. “Don’t feel like you have to call me ‘dad’ or anything, but you don’t have to be so formal. Just ‘Roy’ is fine.” “Roy. I can do that.” “Alright, who wants to go out for breakfast?” Ed asked excitedly. “I know a fun little place right across from the university. It has the best coffee!” “Breakfast sounds excellent,” Roy said happily. The three stepped outside together, their first meal out as a family. Roy smiled. This is true happiness, he thought as they started down the road together.

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Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga Rating: Explicit Relationships: Gracia Hughes/Maes Hughes/Roy Mustang Additional Tags: POV Third Person Limited, Polyamory, Making Out, Dinner, Alcohol, Pre-Canon, Banter, Swearing, FMA Secret Santa 2020, the first chapter is rated teen the second will be 😳😳😳 Chapter 1 of 2

“What are you dressed up for.” 

“I’m not dressed up for anything, I’m just dressed.” 

He pushed himself off the doorpost, Roy’s smirk widening as he came closer. 

“Feeling kinda underdressed in my own home, I’m not sure I can tolerate that.” 

for @vino-and-doggos !! (slightly belated) happy holidays!

2020 writing review

Thanks for the tag, @gladiowrites​! (I know it’s not a tag, but this is fun to do lol)

I.. honestly wrote a lot this 2020. No kidding. Quarantine productivity was real, but so is residency languishing by the wayside while everyone was busy surviving and adjusting. I highly doubt 2021 will be the same, but I’ll always cherish 2020 just because of the writing and nothing else.

This is gonna be long.

FIRST CREATION + MOST RECENT CREATION OF 2020

8:15 am  - Final Fantasy XV. Lunafreya. February 2020. - First piece ever written for the year. - Intended to be a Luna-centric AU, in which the Nox Fleurets were deposed and she’s now a regular teacher. Never managed to write anything beyond that, though, because residency. (Back then, I didn’t know it was gonna be the beginning of the end, so I had hopes. Oh well.)

irresistible!, or the summer ramblings of nene yashiro and everything that followed - Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun. Nene, Hanako. March 2020. - First one published on AO3 for 2020 (yes, there’s a distinction). - If you think the title sounds familiar, you’re right.

versus

first yuletide - Final Fantasy XV. Nyx. December 2020. - Written for the FFXV Secret Santa event on Twitter. - Before y’all object and say what unwinding is, that’s an old fic uploaded late.

ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE CREATIONS FROM 2020

Do I seriously have to choose? Omg.

take heart - Bungou Stray Dogs. Dazai/Chuuya. Gods/Humans AU. - Discovered so much about myself writing this. Also (hopefully) I managed to get into Dazai’s headspace correctly. He’s an extremely difficult character to write, so finishing this brought so much gratification.

you don’t raise heroes, you raise sons - Final Fantasy VIII. Laguna, Squall. Post-canon. - Probably my most heartfelt work of the year- scratch that, ever. Also happy with how I just let myself go writing this and didn’t need to think twice.

A CREATION YOU’RE REALLY PROUD OF

oneiric moments (or, five nights with you) - Bungou Stray Dogs. Dazai/Chuuya. - Written for the SKK Fic Exchange for Summer 2020. - Five interconnected fics. 18,985 words. - Might not be a big deal for others, but this was taxing because I don’t usually write long, multichaptered stuff. I got carried away, though. It ain’t as well-polished as my more recent stuff, but I’m proud of myself for pulling this off.

A NEW STYLE YOU TRIED THIS YEAR & A FIC THAT USES IT

I... don’t think I have tried anything of the sort. My repertoire is sorely limited compared to others, I’m afraid. I’d probably have an answer for “explored new themes,” but again, I’ve a limited arsenal, too, in that regard.

A CREATION THAT TOOK YOU FOREVER

all in a day’s work - Bungou Stray Dogs. Atsushi, Akutagawa. Cells at Work AU. - It’s still being written, with a lot of side stories planned but never drafted. - I fell out of love with BSD, recovered from that, then got busy with residency.

YOUR CREATION FROM 2020 THAT RECEIVED THE MOST NOTES KUDOS

Also take heart. While I am proud of it, I guess it hit the right spot for mainstream shippers, too, somewhat? My feelings about mainstream things have changed a lot because of things, but I am still happy.

A CREATION YOU THINK DESERVED MORE NOTES KUDOS

amīcitia - Bungou Stray Dogs. Dazai, Chuuya. Final Fantasy XV AU. - Petty indignancy for my self-indulgent baby aside, I’m also proud of how I wrote Dazai in this one, similar to take heart.  the fun they had - Bungou Stray Dogs. Kajii, Port Mafia Ensemble. - ... Guys. Please notice genfics.

A NEW FANDOM YOU JOINED AND A CREATION YOU MADE FOR IT

Everything I wrote for Bungou Stray Dogs. (I kid you not.)

If you want a single answer anyway:

on the flaming mountains - act-age. Chiyoko, Kei. Princess Iron Fan Arc. - arc words: “what shall i do with this ire?” - I wouldn’t really say I “left” the fandom, more like it fizzled out after Matsuki-sensei got arrested.

A CREATION YOU MADE THAT BREAKS YOUR HEART

a cycle of; - Bungou Stray Dogs. Dazai/Chuuya. Medico-legal AU. - Written out of much anger and frustration over things. Also because this in itself was frustrating to write.

Also  you don’t raise heroes, you raise sons. Because no matter how much I hate my family at so many points in my life, I know I can’t truly hate them from the bottom of my heart. This fic is a reminder of that.

A SIMPLE CREATION THAT YOU REALLY LOVE

express delivery for love - Bungou Stray Dogs. Dazai/Chuuya. Real World Quarantine AU. - It’s funny. It’s orthodox. It’s sweet. I don’t think it can get any better than that.

A CREATION THAT WAS INSPIRED BY ANOTHER ONE

rather be - Bungou Stray Dogs. Yosano. Pre-canon. - Inspired by yesterday is another world by @wctercress​ - The whole of primum non nocere, actually, but specifically this one, and the rest followed. - This is also my first BSD fic. Ever.

A FAVORITE CREATION CREATED BY SOMEONE ELSE

... You sure? There’s a lot, and this is just on the surface. (unleashes the proverbial waterfall)

The aforementioned yesterday is another world by @wctercress​

silencer and snow white days by EKmisao - Bungou Stray Dogs. Dazai, Chuuya. Dead Apple canon-divergent. - The aftermath of Dead Apple, in which one of two goes wrong. - They’re unrelated, I know. But they’re both sisters! Just trust me on this. - The proper entry for this would be silencer, but I can’t very well mention one without the other, so have both anyway. I read both only this year, after all. Waiting for Godot by @eternal-aegis​ - Bungou Stray Dogs. Dazai, Fyodor, Chuuya. Canon-divergent. - Amazing theme, amazing philosophy, amazing writing. It makes you think. It makes you analyze and explore. This writer definitely knows her stuff, and it shows. Catharsis by @gladiowrites​ - Final Fantasy VIII. Rinoa, Gen. Caraway. Post-canon. - The denouement to the Caraway family drama we all deserve. I love how Rinoa is presented in this fic. She’s a normal person who makes mistakes and learns her lessons. So is Fury. Burned bridges don’t always have to stay down, and this fic illustrates that wonderfully.

Culmination by @gladiowrites​ - Final Fantasy VIII. Squall, Rinoa. Post-canon. - We can’t all have happy endings. This fic also illustrates that very well. While I, a Squinoa fan, personally ascribe to the happy ending Squall and Rinoa must have had after the events of FF8, this fic is so compelling and grounded and reflective and I totally buy this. 

Here Without You by @muselover1901​ - Akagami no Shirayuki-hime. Zen/Shirayuki. Real world quarantine AU. - One of the sweetest stories I’ve ever read this year. I can definitely relate to a lot of things in this fic. I’ve been rereading all of Muse’s ANS stuff whenever I feel down, and they all hit the spot.

Savor The Moment by @joeys-piano​ - Bungou Stray Dogs. Oda. Pre-canon. - Yes, yes, YES. One of the best stories I’ve ever read this year, ever. (And I mean stories, not fanfics.) Great character study about a man named Oda and a day in his life and a page (or three) out of his book of relationships. The love poured into this is simply overflowing and precious. I’ve been following Joey since this fic was being written, and I’m so proud of him.

False Equivalences by @slowquotesquill - Dai Gyakuten Saiban. Asougi, Ryuunosuke. Fullmetal Alchemist AU. - This fic also! Oh, My Heart. The cynicism of a state alchemist and the optimism of a foreign doctor. It perfectly hits the spot for everything FMA, and we all know that SQQ’s Asouryuu fics are always to die for. It’s the ultimate combo.

The whole Promptober Leo/Will/Despair series by @eternal-aegis - Kekkai Sensen. Various themes, many of which are dark/mature. - I’ve said this with Waiting for Godot, and I’ll say it again: Aegis knows her stuff. This is her exploring further in that direction, and you can feel the improvement with every fic in the series. I really love how adventurous these stories are, and how much depth you can go with every one. Her characterization is layered and exquisite, and the underlying lore is well-thought-out. - tl;dr: B3 Goddess.

Predestined by Galkimasera - Final Fantasy VIII. Rinoa, Squall. Reverse/Fateswap AU. - A very well-written reverse AU! The circumstances of Squall and Rinoa in this ‘verse fit so well and are so well thought out. I love this AU so much, you don’t even know. It also fills my nostalgic shipper’s heart with much joy at seeing quality content in this Year of our Lord 2020.

For auld lang syne, my dear by @by-nina - Fullmetal Alchemist. Roy, Riza. Canon-compliant + post-canon. - Holiday feels, snapshots through time, and all over showing Roy and Riza’s budding relationship over the years. And it does remind me of a lot of the SKK fics I’ve written (thematic-wise). This was such a treat to read and to follow. All her FMA fics are. She does Royai so much justice. Am not yet finished reading smoke without fire, but I’ll get to that, too!

SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE CONTENT CREATORS FROM THIS YEAR

Everyone in the answer above. There’s honestly a whole boatload of more, but this is getting too long already lololol

(might edit this when I feel like it, tho!)

hi all! i’ve been taking a bit of a break from tumblr (and social media in general) and writing. normally, i tend to overwork myself to cram out secret santas and holiday fics, but instead i just decided to participate in the frozine. after the year 2020 was, i really wanted to enjoy my holiday break and take some much needed breathing time. 

i’ll be back on the fic grind soon. finishing up all unfinished fics and starting new ones! i’m planning to venture back into fandoms i used to write for (fma, soul eater, danny phantom, etc.) and hopefully get some new miraculous and izuocha content out as well as continue writing frozen fics. 

see you soon!

Creative Review 2019

Thank you, @ruikosakuragi, for tagging me and prompting this creative review of my 2019 projects.  Personally, 2019 was a shitty year for me.  Creatively, I’m happy to say that it looks pretty good despite everything I’ve left unfinished.  I wrote 168,986 words, threw 3 parties, put together 1 cosplay and did a lot of beta work.  Around all this creative expression, I enjoyed getting to know some of my favorite readers and writers as well as building and maintaining a couple of relationships that saw me through some dark days.

Writing-wise, I started the year off strong by finishing Cost of Living, my 2018 FMA Secret Santa gift for @vino-and-doggos.  What began as a quick Royai one-shot quickly became a 20k fic featuring a clash between the classic “omg they were roommates” and “coffee shop AU” tropes.  My favorite creative aspect of this fic was definitely my service dog Black Hayate headcanon.  Likewise, I was ecstatic to stumble across art by @caesurables based on a scene in Part 3!

After Cost of Living, I went on to complete Caught Redhanded, a canon-compliant Havolina fic that I started during @teammustangweek 2018.  The plot for this fic grew like invasive ivy in my mind, and its voice is something truly unique amongst my works, even if the feedback was not entirely positive.  Yet, it’s my favorite fic, and I came out the other side of Caught Redhanded with a great feeling.  However, inside the Fullmetal Alchemist fandom, I admit, my motivation began to meander.  My biggest creative regret of 2019 is not finishing Carry that Weight, my Young!Royai longfic.

Surprisingly, my most satisfying creative achievement was finishing Worthy, my long-suffering Young!SteinMarie fic in the Soul Eater fandom.  I enjoyed writing Franken Stein more than I had any right to, and within this fic, I developed my favorite OC, Gertrude Merryweather.  Worthy also marked the first time I wrote action sequences, and my story got some extra love from the fandom in the form of fanart by @kate7h.  I am immeasurably grateful for the readers who encouraged me through this journey.  As I wrote the final chapter and epilogue of Worthy, I was at a difficult crossroads.  Getting those comment and kudo e-mails from AO3 strengthened my sense of self more times than I can count.

Perhaps, the most surprising creative development of 2019 is that I joined a new fandom.  I began lowkey lurking through the Todomomo tag in January of 2019, and six months later, I participated in @bnha-fluff-week 2019.  Now, I’ll be the first to admit that Grand Theft Autumn remains unfinished, but I have every intention of writing the second part in 2020, especially since the fandom gave me such a warm welcome.  So warm, in fact, that I wrote Exposure for a Todomomo Holiday Gift Exchange and got art commissioned from @asyaswallow for the occasion.  Isn’t it lovely?

And, of course, I cannot forget to mention my greatest (if roughest) creative achievement of 2019.  In late September, I issued a Fictober challenge to myself.  During October, I completed 30 prompts, writing day-to-day across 6 different fandoms.  Witch, Please! remains my most kudo-ed work of 2019 with 203 kudos as of this moment.  Though I can't say all my prompt writing resulted in masterpieces, Wandering, Heart-Stopping and Daylight stand as good examples of my work.  Chapter 22 and Chapter 23 also hold real potential for a Todomomo Quirkless AU and a Royai Succubus Found Family AU, respectively.

My creative hope for 2020 is to continue my co-writing projects and not to let myself slip down so far under that I can't pick up my pen again.  As for the co-writing, @ruikosakuragi and I posted the first chapter of Bound By, a Royai Red Thread of Fate AU, in September.  While life has gotten a little crazy for both of us, I really do hope we can continue writing together.  I’ve also got another co-writing project on my to-do list too, but my lips are sealed until we post!

And with that, I’ll tag @teaplease1717, @vino-and-doggos​ and @bearonthecouch if they’d like to participate.  I’ll spare everyone the puns and simply say that I hope 2020 is treating y’all well.

XOXO, Flourchildwrites (slowly) (and sometimes makes poor hair care decisions, see under the cut, lol)

hiii i just wanted to ask is the fma secret santa that anon talking about the fma ss 2020? if so didn’t that allow roy * d ? or was another one held?

Of course not, sorry for the confusion! this is within a small server of friends. it's technically not for Christmas, because we did that already. it's for valentines day. thanks for allowing me to clarify!

FMA Secret Santa 2020 Interest Check is Now Open!

🎉Click here to take our interest check!🎉

Hello everyone! The FMA Secret Santa 2020 is a tumblr gift exchange for the 2020 holiday season in the Fullmetal Alchemist fandom. We are dedicated to building bridges through creative expression and spreading holiday cheer. If you are interested in participating, please take our interest check by clicking on the link above and reblogging this post between now and October 25, 2020 October 15, 2020. We can’t host this event without our amazing participants, and we want to give you all a voice in the process.

Sign-Ups will open on or around Halloween, October 31, 2020 October 19, 2020! Visit and follow our blog for more information.

Image credit and special thanks to @areyousanta!

POSTING INFORMATION

The fun part is almost here — THE REVEAL!  We’re excited to see what our FMA Secret Santas have been working on.  Here are some tips for posting:

When do I post?  You can post anytime between December 21, 2020 - January 1, 2021.  Anytime at all.  We’re not picky about time zones.

Where do I post?  Post to Tumblr.  Cross-post to other websites (such as Archive of Our Own, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) at your own discretion and include a link in your Tumblr post if you want to.  Gift your creation to the person you made it for if you can.  We have a collection for works posted to AO3, and we will have a tutorial for posting your work to the collection up soon.  If your work has been posted for over 48 hours without a reblog from this blog, send us a message.

How do I let the blog and the person I made a gift for know I’ve posted?  Please use our official hashtag #fmasecretsanta2020 and @ both this blog as well as the blog of the person you made a gift for in your post.  One of the moderators will reblog your work as soon as we’re notified.

What if I can’t post when I told the mods I’d be posting?  Get in touch with a moderator, and let them know when you’ll be able to post.  As long as you are still giving your gift during the posting period, there’s no issue.  If you go past your projected posting dates without posting, we’ll probably reach out to make sure everything is ok.

What if I’m going to be late?   While we’re not sticklers about time zones, gifts will officially be late after January 1, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. pacific time.  If you have trouble finishing up your gift before that date, contact a moderator ASAP.  We also ask that you send the person you’re making a gift for an anon ask letting them know that you’ll be late and telling them when you plan on posting.

If you run into any problems, don’t hesitate to contact a moderator (@flourchildwrites, or @waddiwasiwitch). For more information, please refer to our FAQ, rules and schedule pages.

Happy Holidays!

-Mods Tas, Flour and Waddi

AO3 Collection

While this is a Tumblr event, we set up a collection on AO3. If you're crossposting there, you can add your work if you wish.

To add your own work to FMA Secret Santa 2020 Collection:

1. Select the "Edit" button from the work's page, and scroll down to the "Associations" section.

2. Enter FMA Secret Santa 2020 (fmasecretsanta2020) in the "Post to Collections / Challenges" field. You can start entering the collection's name and the autocomplete list will populate with collections you can choose from.

3. Select "Post" to apply your changes.

*The collection is moderated. Your work will need to be approved before it's added to the collection.

- Mods Flour, Tas and Waddi

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2020 is almost in the books, and the end of our FMA Secret Santa is also in sight.  The official deadline for gift-giving is January 1, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. pacific time.  If you haven’t posted your gift, please do so.  Remember to @ both this blog as well as the recipient of your gift and to use our hashtag,  #fmasecretsanta2020.  If you need more time to complete your gift, please contact a moderator (@waddiwasiwitch or @flourchildwrites).  We also ask that you send the person you’re making a gift for an anon ask letting them know that you’ll be late and telling them when you plan on posting.

What if I have not received a gift, and my Secret Santa has not been in contact with me to tell me when they plan on posting?

If you made a gift, you’re going to get a gift.  Our apologies for any delay.  We tried our best this year to check-in with participants often.  Unfortunately, we’re going to have to ask you to bear with us a little longer.

Before you contact a moderator, please check the blog.  While we asked that all Secret Santa’s @ the person they made a gift for, not all @s will show up as mentions in your notifications.  If you check the blog and still do not see your gift, please wait three days before contacting a mod.  On January 2, we will be reaching out to all Secret Santas who have not posted a gift.  We give participants 72 hours to respond to each moderator contact.  When we know that we need to assign a pinch-hitter, we’ll contact you.

On that note, we’ll be reaching out to people who previously offered to be back-up gift givers.  If you’d like to help out as a pinch-hitter or want to reaffirm your interest in helping out, please contact a moderator.  With any luck, we hope to have this exchange wrapped up by the end of January!

-Mods Tas, Waddi and Flour

Interest Check Questions Answered!

Mods Tas, Waddi, and Flour have reviewed your interest check responses, adjusted our rules and schedule, and are ready to respond to all your questions about the event.  To begin, we’ve pulled quite a few questions from your interest check responses and are publicly answering them below the cut.

Want to learn more about out the 2020 FMA Secret Santa?  Check out our FAQ, rules and schedule.

Have a questions about this event?  Don’t be shy!  We’d love to respond.  Send us a tumblr ask!

‘Tis almost the season!  Sign-ups open on Monday, October 19, 2020!

I’m new in all of this, so I’d like to know what’s the purpose of the check-in dates. What do we have to do in those?

The first check-in is just to make sure that you are still interested in participating and are ok with your assignment. We understand that real life can get in the way sometimes. We ask that people let us know as soon as possible if they think they need to pull out. The second check-in is to ask when the gift will be posted. The reason for this is that last year we had several dropouts who confirmed they were going to make a gift at check-ins but did not post a gift. The second check-in will allow us to assign to pinch-hitter sooner.

-Mod Waddi

Maybe the second check-in is too close to the posting time? If a pinch-hitter is needed.

Thanks for your thoughts, anon.  The second check-in is a little late, and we will adjust our schedule to give you five days between the second check-in and the posting period.  However, we are keeping it at a later date for a pretty good reason.

Unfortunately, we assigned most of our pinch-hitters at the end of the posting period last year.  We had several dropouts who confirmed with us at our midpoint check-ins but did not post a gift.  To avoid that this year, we’re having two check-ins, and at the second check-in, we will ask you when you plan to post.  We understand that some people need less time than others to complete a gift, but everyone should have started and have an ETA for completion five days before the posting period.  A late second check-in might help us make sure everyone receives a gift on time!

-Mod Flour

Could you perhapse have multiple days for assignments incase someone has a personal issue with someone they are supposed to make content for and can let you know?

We certainly understand where you’re coming from with this suggestion.  Unfortunately, since we give people 72 hours to respond to each moderator contact (and we will be asking our participants to confirm that they accept their assignment), separate assignment days would have to take place over (possibly) weeks—6 days at least for 2 assignments, 9 days for 3 assignments, 12 days for 4 assignments, etc.—if we waited for each wave of participants to accept before moving on to the next.  We feel that this approach would significantly cut into the creation period.  Additionally, the sign-up application will provide a space where you can list people that you do not want to receive a gift from or make a gift for.  We encourage everyone to be honest on their application, and if someone is uncomfortable with the person they are assigned, contact a moderator sooner rather than later.

-Mod Flour

what about art styles that don't really do clean lineart but do include colors/complexity/etc, or multiple sketchier drawings/comic strip type things?

Thank you for this feedback. As writers, we appreciate you pointing this out. We will do our best to take this into account.

-Mod Waddi

A minimum of 8 gifs could be a lot if it's an edited gifset. I can see it being okay for a slightly colour-changed gifset with a filter over it, but for more creative gifs it can be way too much.

Thank you for this helpful feedback!  This is exactly the kind of thing we want to hear.  Admittedly, all three moderators are writers.  We do our best to make good rules, but sometimes we don’t take all the variables into account.  We’ll lower the minimum from 8 to 4.

-Mod Flour

I tend to write a lot when I get excited; would it be a problem if I write more than 1k?

Not a problem at all! We totally understand this excitement and allow our Secret Santas to produce at or above the required minimum for their specific type of gift. When creating these gifts, please take into consideration your assigned person’s likes and dislikes.

Two things to keep in mind:

1) Please consider the number of days for creation (a maximum of 47 days). Assignments will go out on November 15, with two check-ins occurring on December 1 and December 15. All gifts must be 100% complete before posting between December 21, 2020 and January 1, 2021.

2) If you decide to produce your gift above the required minimum, please do not expect your Secret Santa to do the same. As long as they meet the minimum requirement, it is considered a complete gift.

-Mod Tas

I think they're mostly fine, although, would ships that have them meet when one is a minor and the other an adult, but they're currently both adults be allowed? I understand that this exchange is a way to build bridges in the fandom, but I'm not sure if that's going to work if one of the most popular ships is completely excluded.

Yes, as long as you portray both characters as adults when including romantic or sexual content in your gift, you are free to ship whoever you’d like to (besides incest) no matter when they met.  Our rules prohibit major/minor sexual or romantic relationships—minor meaning 17 years old and under and major meaning 18 years old or older.  As long as you’re not including sexual or romantic tones that take place when one character is a minor within your otherwise adult/adult ship gift, we’re good.  Keep it all non-sexual and non-romantic until both characters are adults.

(As an aside, some people may remember that this exchange had an additional exception for major/minor shipping for small age gap relationships last year; however, no one took advantage of that exception, and it complicated the rules quite a bit.  Therefore, we decided to draw a hard line and leave it at that.  There’s no judgment there; we’re just trying to craft rules that work for most people.)

Please also keep in mind that we also allow alternate universes and canon-divergent situations in this exchange.  A hallmark of fandom is being free to imagine!  We feel it would be almost impossible (and unfair to the differing, though equally valid points of view in the FMA fandom) to set ages for every character and then to enforce such a restrictive rule.

-Mod Flour

I think the exchange should allow M and E works, and to create/receive them you have to be 18+—but in order to not pressure minors to self-identity, have the question of whether they're over 18 be optional. (So it's basically, "If you're interested in NSFW and meet the age requirement, check this box.") And unless I misread the definition of pedophilia, it seems to exclude kid/kid relationships. Which I don't personally enjoy, but I know some people like kidfic or "through the years" fics, which are pretty harmless IMO as long as they're not physical/sexual.

We hear you anon.  My fellow moderators and I have had many conversations about the rating of this event.  We think it’s best to stick to a blanket PG-13 rating.  However, there is a footnote that you might be interested in:

This Fullmetal Alchemist Secret Santa Gift Exchange takes no stance regarding “Mature” or “Explicit” content added to the original Secret Santa offering. Please post additional content separately from the Secret Santa offering (separate reblog, post, or additional chapter). Such additions or continuations are at the discretion of the gift giver.

The second part of your comment requires a more in-depth analysis.  While there are some restrictions, kid/kid ships are not completely excluded.  We exclude sexual interest, sexual attraction, or sexual relationships between any character and another character who is 13 years old or younger.  We don’t have many shipping exclusions for characters who are 14-17 years old as long as they are shipped to other 14-17 year old characters.

Specifically, our rules prohibit pedophilia (which we define as a sexual interest, sexual attraction, or sexual relationship by any character to a character who is 13 years old or younger) and major/minor sexual or romantic relationships.  While we regret that the pedophilia definition is overbroad, in that it can define someone under 16 years old as a pedophile, subdividing the rules further would make them even more complicated.  To grasp the intent of both the pedophilia rule and the major/minor exclusion as it affects kidfics, look to our wording, particularly the part where we say sexual interest, sexual attraction, or sexual relationship.  

To wit, sexual can be defined as, “relating to the instincts, physiological processes, and activities connected with physical attraction or intimate physical contact between individuals.” For example, if an 8 year old and a 9 year old hold hands and walk down the street having thoughts about how special they are to each other, we would not consider this sexual.  If that same 8 year old and 9 year old hold hands and think about wanting to act intimately while jaunting down the street, we would consider that sexual.  Innocent physical contact alone wouldn’t break the rule; it’s a character’s intent that matters most here.

Therefore, a participant can make a through-the-years work with a prepubescent setting included so long as any kid/kid shipping is not sexual in nature.  To the extent that these rules may appear to allow romantic relationships between minors of all ages, all I have to say is that it wouldn’t be PG-13 to have a 9 year old with a romantic, albeit non-sexual, interest in a 16 year old (or vice versa).  I haven’t run across a a lot of media with older minors being romantically linked to younger minors in the fandom, so I’m hopeful that we don’t need to be too worried.

Oh my, that was long.  I hope that helps explain our rules a little better.

-Mod Flour

Just a question: out of curiosity, will this event be having a discord server or some other way for the members to talk to each other?

There will be no discord server for this event. Several reasons include:

1) Secret Santa identities should remain anonymous until posting dates. No participant should be able to figure out who their Secret Santa is,

2) we want to avoid conversations which may allude to a participant’s specific gift,

3) after a long consideration, the moderators have decided that this year’s event will be conducted via Tumblr platform only. All participants will need to have a Tumblr account in order to be contacted via the chat.

-Mod Tas

there are a lot of options for the type of gift that can be created-- can the person being gifted ask to have a specific gift (ex: art only)? thank you

Yes, the person being gifted can request for a specific gift. However, the sign up form will also ask for a backup gift type that the participant is willing to receive. The mods, to the best of our abilities, will match up a participant with a Secret Santa who will be able to produce said gift.

Assignments will go out on or after November 15, 2020. Should you have any concerns with the person assigned to you--their gift requests or otherwise, please contact one of the mods as soon as possible.

-Mod Tas

Will there be an option (if ships are allowed) to opt out of ships of adult/minor characters over the age of 13?

The sign up form will ask your likes and dislikes (i.e. favorite pairing or preferred genre), including what kind of gifts you are not and are willing to receive. If you prefer to opt out of a specific type of pairing, please note it during sign up.

Based on the rules of FMA Secret Santa 2020, “Media containing, suggesting, or portraying incest,* pedophilia**, or minor/major sexual or romantic relationships*** is prohibited.” The age of majority is defined as 18 years old.

Adult & minor relationships, which are non-sexual, non-romantic, and bear no indication that it would become such, are allowed. We are also allowing alternative universes, which may include characters depicted as younger or older than their canonical age. If a fanfic or a fanart depicts canonically minor characters as adults, they will need to explicitly state this.

-Mod Tas

If you are looking for other moderators to help facilitate, I'd be interested in filling out an application.

Oh, thank you!  This is a really kind offer. We decided earlier this year not to run formal moderator applications, and we are unsure if we need any other moderators at this time.  However, we may review this.  If you’re interested in helping out, just message @waddiwasiwitch or @flourchildwrites on tumblr, and we’ll go from there.

-Mod Flour

I haven't participated in this before so I don't know if tvis is already a thing, but I think that during sign ups you should have the chance to write a list of topics, characters, and ships that you would rather not do for the exchange, because there's a difference between respecting ships from a distance and having to draw your notp.

Yes, an option for specifying likes and dislikes will be available in the sign up form. This is the case for both what gift you will create and receive. We will be matching people whose interests align, and we will take likes and dislikes into account. The more information provided in the form, the easier our job will be.

-Mod Waddi

Manga edits/colorings okay?

Yes, that's a wonderful gift!  In fact, we're going to add manga edits/colorings to the category of gifts available by a recipient’s request or suggestion just to keep the idea at the forefront.  If a participant requests a manga edit/coloring or if they say they are flexible on their application and you indicate you'd like to make one on your application, we'll do our best to send you their way during matching!

-Mod Flour

Are sculptures ok with this?

That is a very interesting question. As this gift exchange is entirely digital and doesn't involve physical gifts, we are unsure what that would look like. Us mods were talking about it, and we were wondering if it would be possible to show us an example of what a gift like that would look like. Please get in touch with either myself @waddiwasiwitch or mod @flourchildwrites by Tumblr message. We would need to know more to answer your question. When a gift is unusual, it means we need participants who will be open to such a gift too.

-Mod Waddi

Hi! Sorry, I was just wondering if you were planning on hosting this event again this year?

Hello anon!

Thank you for getting in touch with us and being patient while Mod Tas, Mod Waddi and Mod Flour discussed your question.  We’re thrilled to say:  YES, we are interested in hosting another FMA secret santa in 2020.  We also hope that you are interested in joining in the (equivalent) holiday gift exchange. Please check back in late September or October for an interest check.  We can't host this event without our amazing participants, and we want to give you all a voice in the process.  As moderators, our goal is to create guidelines that ease the fandom’s concerns while promoting inclusivity and holiday cheer!

And if you’re looking to get involved as a moderator, please get in touch with Mod Waddi (@waddiwasiwitch) or Mod Flour (@flourchildwrites).  While we are still a team of three merry elves, Mod Tas has taken a step back from tumblr. Don’t be a stranger, friend!  If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to drop us a line. -Mod Tas, Mod Waddi and Mod Flour