Title: Rocky Introductions
Author: SammyQuill
Word Count: 969
Series: Manga
Characters: Roy, Riza, Hawkeye-sensei
Summary: How Roy and Riza first met
A/R: This as written for the fma_fic_contest community on LiveJournal to the prompt "turning a cliché on its head".
The Journal of Riza Hawkeye
March 16th
The weather seems to have taken a turn for the worst and that always affects father's mood negatively. While it was merely hot before, now the sun seems to be bent on scorching the dry and cracked earth in our "garden". Well, at least all the laundry will benefit from its unforgiving rays.
We're apparently expecting a visitor today. Well, we've been expecting one for a few days now to be precise. Father says it's someone who wants to be his apprentice and that said someone might be living with us for the time being. If he has made any financial deals with this student, I'm not aware of them though the house could use some cenz desperately.
I hope the student is female. The papers say women have been allowed in the military already so female alchemists can't be too far behind. It would be… interesting to have another girl for company seeing as I barely remember mother and all the girls from school barely remember me.
Though I really do hope she isn't the giggling type.
The Journal of Riza Hawkeye
March 18th
Father's supposed student arrived today, and what an arrival it was.
I can't decide if I'm more enraged or repulsed by the arrival of that thing claiming to be a human moving noisily around in the bathroom right now. But I'm getting ahead of myself so I shall start from the beginning to keep this journal in at least something resembling proper order.
I was out by the washing lines taking advantage of the hot weather that has kept up over the last few days (might as well wash the sheets and curtain too, when am I going to get the opportunity to do that again?) when I spotted a scruffy, dirty pile of rags coming up the lane to the gate. Now, of course everyone knows about those beggars and homeless that scout out old and unoccupied buildings for squatting so I pinned up a pillow case securely to the line and made my way to ward him off.
Imagine my surprise when instead of running upon spotting an existing occupant, the wild haired creature quickened his pace and opened his mouth to flash something white and shiny in my direction. It took me a few seconds to realize that underneath that dirty face were clean, well brushed teeth.
"Does this happen to be the Hawkeye residence?" It asked casually and the thought struck me that this might be the guest we've been expecting this whole week. All thoughts of father being financially rewarded flew from my mind as I took in his tattered clothes, overgrown hair and absolutely filthy nails.
"So what if it is?" I replied as coolly as I could, not at all sure I wanted something like that to enter the house.
Its smile dimmed a few watts. "Look, my name is Roy Mustang and I'm here to see Mr. Hawkeye, I just had a little accident on the way here so if you'd just go get your master, he'll confirm my story."
Yes, the filthy bastard had the audacity to believe I was the servant. Well, this sort of thought deserved repercussions so I very sweetly told him to wait there in the scorching sun while I go see if "Mr. Hawkeye" is in". I took my time checking and made myself a glass of cool lemonade before going out again only to tell him that father was having his daily nap.
I then proceeded to drink the lemonade in front of him, noting his looks of pure longing towards the glass.
The Journal of Riza Hawkeye
March 25th
I Officially Cannot Stand That Man!
I was never one to believe in fate but really, how else can one explain how much I have come to despise someone in only a few days. It's like he actively tries to antagonize me. When he did realize that I was his teacher's daughter and not a housemaid, he didn't utter a single word of apology and claimed that I dressed like one. Me? Dressed like a servant? What is wrong with wearing long dresses, I ask you? My mother used to wear them and so can I now that I fit into them. And the apron is just practical when someone has this much housework to do.
Which is why I don't regret pointing out how he dressed like a beggar.
But the nerve of this man, for all he did was assure me he dressed a lot better normally and that I would get the full experience as he will be living with us for the next eight months.
Truth be told, I can take the constant hanging around the kitchen, the garden, the well or anywhere else I happen to be and making random suggestions when he clearly doesn't know a thing about housework. I can take all the scoffing and pointing out what needs repairs and what is beyond salvation. I can even stand the constant tirade of how the "boys in blue are doing such a great job" but what I absolutely will not tolerate is his attitude.
Mr. Mustang seems to think he is God's gift to the world, particularly women. I almost laughed in his face when he insinuated how popular he had been and if I wasn't raised better, I would have pointed out that his flat nose, close set eyes and unruly black hair made him resemble a Xingese refugee more than anything else. Why, even all the sun seems to have no affect on his pale skin. Perhaps one of his parents was indeed part Xingese?
All I can conclude for certain is that the next eight months are going to be extremely unpleasant.
End note: have a second? Please drop me a review! :)