A/N: Thanks for all the positive reviews, guys! I hope you enjoy the rest of the story as much as you did the first chapter.
I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. This story is based on a roleplay with journal129, who is an excellent writer.

Izumi Curtis kept her promises. She dragged her students back home, got the full story, and gave them a thorough tongue lashing. Then she set off for Dublith's Red Light district. Her nose wrinkled as she walked the narrow streets that stunk of cigarettes and cheap booze. This wasn't an area of town she ever had reason to frequent. The fact that the Elrics' so-called "cousin" set up shop here was not a point in his favor.

The Devil's Nest didn't stick out. The building was better maintained than most of the others in this quarter, but it was just as drab. The only thing setting it apart was a small sign above the door. Izumi stepped through it into the lantern-lit interior. The first thing she noticed was the smell. Or rather, the lack of it. She hadn't noticed earlier, but the bar smelled clean—like lemons and floral soap. The interior was dim, but it seemed to be for atmospheric purposes rather than neglect. There must have been a radio somewhere because soft music was playing.

Not a bad place, overall.

Greed was nowhere in sight among the bar's patrons. Izumi approached the bar, where a tattooed woman was cleaning glasses. "Excuse me. I'm here to see the owner—Greed?"

The woman turned and squinted at her. "You're the lady from before, right? The one with the kids?"

"That's right."

"Have a seat. The Boss'll be up in a sec." The woman put her work aside and grabbed a dry glass. "Want something to drink? On the house."

"No, thank you." Izumi perched on the bar stool, facing out so she could keep an eye on the crowd. "This is a pretty nice place."

"Greed likes the finer things in life."

"He lives up to his name, then."

The tattooed woman smirked. "He does. He's the greediest man I know. And the best."

Izumi raised an eyebrow. "That's an odd combination."

"He's an odd person." The woman leaned against the counter. "He's greedy, but he also appreciates our work. He takes in strays and treats them well."

"Strays?"

"People who have nowhere else to go. If they don't belong to someone else, then they're his—and he takes care of what's his."

"I see…" Izumi tapped her fingers against the counter thoughtfully. "Do you know anything about his family?"

The woman shrugged. "He doesn't mention them much. He was thrilled to find out he had cousins, though. I haven't seen him that excited in years."

"So you believe him? That the boys are his cousins?"

The woman smirked at Izumi knowingly. "Mr. Greed doesn't lie. If he says the boys are family, then he thinks they're family."

She seemed confident about the answer. Izumi still wasn't sure, but her worries eased somewhat. "Thank you…I'm Izumi, by the way."

"Martel." The tattooed woman shook her hand firmly. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

"There she is!" a suave voice interrupted. Izumi turned to see Greed emerging from the back. He'd dressed up in a suit rather than the furry vest he'd worn earlier. Trying to impress her, most likely.

"Greed."

"The one and only." Greed took her hand and pressed his lips to it gently. "And you're Izumi Curtis."

"Mrs. Izumi Curtis," Izumi slipped her hand out of his grip. "A housewife."

"And an alchemist. A very skilled one, from what I hear." Greed gestured to a booth, his hand hovering at her arm but not touching her. "Shall we sit down and talk?"

Izumi ignored his proffered arm and marched to the booth herself. Greed followed, seating himself across from her. "So you're teaching my cousins alchemy."

"Among other things." Izumi looked him over shrewdly. "I don't see much family resemblance."

"Yeah. They must take after their dad."

"You know their father?"

"Not personally." Greed lounged back in the seat. "Hohenheim and my dad split up a long time ago. I didn't even know he had kids."

"Tell me more about your side of the family." Izumi instructed.

"I have five siblings. I haven't talked to them or my dad in years, though. We had a…disagreement over the family business."

Izumi raised an eyebrow. "What business would that be?"

"It's complicated, but it involves politics." Greed wrinkled his nose. "I hate politics. All the kids were expected to take part in it. I didn't want to, Dad insisted—so, I left. Never looked back."

"I see." Izumi folded her hands, thoughtful. "…What do you want with Edward and Alphonse?"

"I just want to get to know them." Greed put on his serious face. "I realize I didn't make the best first impression, but I swear to you that my intentions are honest. They're my family; I want to be part of their life. That's all."

The housewife was silent for a long minute. "...I'll have to talk to the boys about this. Their comfort is my first priority." She gave Greed a harsh look. "If they want to get to know you, it will happen at my house. They are not coming back to the bar."

"Fair enough, Mama Bear. I'll stop by tomorrow."

That glare could curdle milk. "You'll stop by when I say you can stop by. If you have a problem with that, then this discussion is over."

"Sheesh…" Greed sighed. He wasn't used to negotiating like this. He made people bend to his demands, not the other way around. But this wasn't a business deal—it was two kids with a protective guardian. If he wanted them, he'd have to deal with this woman carefully.

"Fine." Greed inclined his head in submission. "When may I come see them, then?"

"Noon, day after tomorrow. If they agree."

"Sounds good. Let's drink to it." Greed snapped his fingers in the air. "Martel! Get a bottle of my private store, and two glasses."

Martel came swiftly. Greed poured out two shots of his finest brandy and raised his glass. "To meeting new family."

Izumi raised her own glass. "To taking care of family." They drained the shot glasses together, Izumi's eyes not leaving his. She still didn't trust him.

But it was a start.

Beneath the bar, the chimera crew gathered in their private room. The Den, as they called it, was reserved exclusively for the animal hybrids Greed employed. It was a place they could let their inhuman sides show without fear of detection.

"Did Mr. Greed say what he wanted?" Bido asked, his lizard's tail twitching nervously.

"No," Dorchet muttered, pacing. "But I bet it's something to do with those kids."

From the couch, Loa grunted in agreement. "You're sure they're human, Dorchet?"

"Positive. They're not like Greed. He's convinced they're related, though."

"How does that work…?" Bido asked.

"Don't ask me. I don't understand how any of this works." Dorchet ran a hand through his hair. He trusted Greed with his life—they all did—but this situation made him nervous. Kids had big eyes and bigger mouths; if they saw anything strange around the Devil's Nest (and there was plenty of strangeness here), they could blab it all over Dublith. Most people would think it was childish fancy, but if the military heard about it… He didn't even want to think about what could happen.

All heads turned as Greed entered the den, Martel close behind him with a tray of shot glasses.

"How'd it go?" Dorchet asked, though the grin on Greed's face was answer enough.

"Scary Lady and I reached an agreement." Greed opened the bottle in his hand and started pouring shots. "Nice work with the investigating, Bido. The info helped."

Bido grinned happily at the praise. Loa looked as stoic as ever. "Does this mean the kids will be joining the Nest?" The ox chimera asked.

"Eventually. Hopefully. It's a start, at least. In any case, I thought the occasion merited a toast."

That perked everyone up. The crew needed no encouragement to take a glass. Greed lifted his own drink, pointed teeth bared in a smile.

"100 years ago, I left the only family I knew and started building a new one. One I chose of my own free will. Today, I discovered two new members to add to it. The only non-immortal relatives I have…hopefully they're not as crazy as my siblings." Greed hoisted the glass. "To family, both blood-born and acquired. To everyone that's mine."

"To family!" The crew echoed, downing the drinks.

May we not live to regret this, Dorchet added silently.