The Niece 2: Growing Pains

By Nicole StormSong

DISCLAIMER: AH! Another RoyAi! As usual, I don't own any of the characters from FMA. But I do own Rory Mustang, Roy's illustrious niece of fourteen years and ten months (yes…it's ten months later).

Nicki's Notes: Okay, due to my overdosing on RoyAi these past few days, I'm now writing one. And yes, I'm using my OC. Maybe I could turn this into a series even though no-one is reading it. I don't know, to satisfy my cravings for a good RoyAi and an outside character introduction. But chill, this is more RoyxRiza centric than Rory-centric. Roy's POV but narrated in 3rd person. Takes place pre Hughes-death.

Summary: Every girl has it, but can Roy Mustang handle the crimson wave? Not alone, definitely.

---000---

"WHAT IN HELL!" Rory Mustang screamed. It seemed so easy to tick her off that day, but that fearful scream took the cake. Roy shook his head and resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall. It was either that or drown himself in brandy until he was numb and deaf. Or both. Silently he regretted agreeing with Hughes that yes, he would take Rory that weekend.

Honestly sometimes it felt like he and his longtime-friend were in the middle of a joint-custody agreement. Shuttling the moody teen from house to house…though most of the time she did spend the weekends either in her dorm or with Maes, Gracia, and Elsia. He sighed. The aformentioned girl was running to him, face as white as her pajamas.

"What's wrong now Rory?" Roy looked at his niece. She turned to him, face aghast.

"I'm BLEEDING!" she waved a bloodstained piece of clothing (which he took to be her underwear) in his face. He pushed it aside with one finger, his face slightly disgusted.

"Uh huh…"

"THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME!" Rory screamed again, irritated with her uncle's lack of sympathy to her "plight".

Roy rolled his eyes. "I'll call Hawkeye."

"OH SURE! So there can be an AUDIENCE when I BLEED TO DEATH." Rory said as she groaned and stamped back to the bathroom, shrieking once when she discovered the widening stain on her pajama bottoms.

--00--

"Sir, are you absolutely sure you want me to handle this?" First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye said skeptically.

"Believe me Lieutenant, she's lost it."

"That serious? Well, I expected as much. She is your niece, and you do get a bit melodramatic."

"I don't think I say I'm going to bleed to death."

"She actually thinks that?" It sounded like Riza was stifling a laugh. Roy found that rare and he couldn't help but smile, forgetting for a moment the outraged teenager hiding in the toilet.

"Well, yes. She even said I wanted an "audience" to watch her do so."

"Sir, I really think Gracia would be more up to this job."

"No, Hawkeye. I think you are perfect for it. So…could you come here?"

"Is that an order?"

"No, it's a request."

--000—

Fifteen minutes after the phone call, Riza arrived at the Mustang residence. Roy was pacing in front of the bathroom door, once in awhile knocking and pleading with his niece to come out. Riza joined him and motioned for him to step away. Then she knocked.

"Rory?"

"Go away."

"Rory, can I at least tell you you are not bleeding to death?"

"You've said it, now let me die in peace."

Riza sighed, motioned for Roy to turn around, then shot the lock, dismatling it. Calmly, she walked inside.

Rory was sitting on the toilet…in a compromising state of attire. Riza sat on the rim of the bathtub in front of the teen and motioned for her to…er…get back into proper dress. Rory complied, scowling all the while.

"First, I want you to use this." Riza handed Rory the plastic-wrapped square.

"And this is…"

"A liner, for your…monthly visitor." Riza put it lightly, Rory stared blankly.

"So this is…NORMAL?" Rory looked even more aghast.

"Quite."

"THEN I'LL HAVE TO BLEED DOWN THERE EVERY DAY FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE?"

"No, just a week every month."

"WHAAAAAT!"

Riza let the teenage girl fume for a bit then walked to the door.

"I suggest you put the pad on and come with me. We're going…shopping."

--0000—

Roy could not understand how he got roped into where he was now. Standing in the sanitary napkin section of an Amestris drugstore. He felt extremely out of place, while he watched Riza walk Rory through the essentials. Fingering his wallet, he wondered how much it would all cost. Being privy to all the secrets of the fair sex wasn't exactly all it was cracked up to be. In fact, it was downright embarassing. Watching Riza pick up random bottles and…things, and explain their use wasn't his idea of an education.

But Rory seemed to feel better, and he couldn't help noticing that he whole time they'd been there, Riza and Rory looked…almost like mother and daughter. Albeit one had raven hair and the other was a blonde…still. He was even tempted to pull a Maes and start snapping pictures. It was too, for the lack of a better word, cute.

And domestic, but he didn't seem to mind. Around Riza, anything that would seem uncomfortable to say or do with a normal girl, the ones he flirted with and dated, seemed ordinary. How many times had he woken up with a hangover only to find her in his kitchen, cooking. How many times had he been hauled home (before the aformentioned waking-up-with-a-hangover) by his lieutenant who then had to tuck him in.

Domesticity, which was something the perennial bachelor feared, seemed…almost comforting with his second-in-command. Hid friend. His…

His.

Roy shook the thoughts from his head and watched the two women push their purchases to the counter. Roy follwed them, wallet in hand. As the purchases passed through and were tallied up, the cashier spoke up kindly. "It's your daughter's first time, isn't it? She looks like her father."

At this, Riza blanched and Roy had to stifle his laughter. Rory had an expression of both shock and mischievous glee on her face, and she composed herself before she spoke up.

"Yep!" She turned to Roy, "Can we go now…Dad? Mom and I are hungry." At this Roy and Riza turned to Rory and glowered. Rory laughed. They were about to clarify the situation when the cashier made another surprising comment.

"Oh how sweet! You know, I knew right from the minute I saw you all that you were such a tightly-knot family. And the way you looked at your wife sir. It was positively romantic!"

At that both Riza and Rory turned to face a shocked Roy.

"We're not, I mean, she's…" Roy stuttered, positively apoplectic.

"We're not married, and Rory is his niece, not his daughter. I'm just a friend." Riza said coolly before collecting the purchases and turning to leave with Rory in tow. Roy followed suit.

--00000—

Later, when Rory was settled with her new…state, Roy asked Riza to stay for awhile longer.

"Sir?"

"Hawkeye…about what happened earlier."

"Yes, I know, it was a joke. And the cashier probably caught you daydreaming and thought you were looking at me."

"Well, yes, about that…I was looking at you two. I couldn't help thinking how you really did look like mother and daughter."

"Oh."

"Uh…"

"Well, I guess I almost did feel that way. I mean, it's not very often I get to play the mentor with these…circumstances."

"Yes, I suppose you don't. Well, thanks for helping anyway."

"It was no trouble at all."

Roy escorted Riza to the door, and watched her leave. He couldn't help thinking though about what the clerk had said. "You'd make a great mother Riza." He thought to himself as he watched her retreating figure. "I only wish I will be around that day to see it."

Little did he know how much he would really get to see.

---000---

Nicole's Notes: Long, but funny. Inspired by the fact I have my p-e-r-i-o-d right now. Haha. Writing during the crimson wave produces creative results.