May Chang hummed to herself as she arranged and rearranged the jars of medical supplies in her small clinic. She felt organization was the best way to combat space issues. All of the plastic and glass containers were clearly labeled now, thanks to her new, electronic label maker. The machine had been a gift from her fiancé, Alphonse, and it was possibly the sweetest thing he'd ever given her. She loved him even more than she already had for such thoughtfulness.

Her employment at Central Amestris Academy was a welcome change from the stresses of triage nursing at the hospital. She'd come face to face with death one too many times, and her heart couldn't take it anymore. The decision to resign hadn't been an easy one, and when May expressed her guilt over it to Alphonse, he'd only embraced her and said, It isn't selfish to take a step back. I know you want to hop on the same lily pad as your patients, but when you find yourself unable to hop back at the end of the day, maybe it's time to find a new pond.

So May found a new pond. The hours were certainly better, and despite the irritatingly superior attitude of Headmaster Bradley, she truly enjoyed her job. The coming, and going of the students left her feeling surrounded by life instead of trauma and death.

During her first month at the academy, one particular student seemed to visit her clinic more than any of the others. Kain Furey was a small boy whose tuition was paid on scholarship, and unfortunately, his status attracted the wrong sort of attention. His glasses had been broken on more than one occasion, and once, she'd had to keep his eye iced to prevent it from swelling shut. When asked if he'd like her to call his mother, Kain insisted she had a very stressful job already and didn't need the added concerns of any social problems he might be having at school.

One afternoon, just before the last period of the day, he trudged into her office with a shirt covered in what appeared to be salad dressing. It was on that particular afternoon Riza Hawkeye happened to be present, requiring anti-inflammatory medication for a lingering shoulder injury. The girl took one look at Kain's soiled clothes and yellowing eye bruise and demanded to know who'd done it. Her eyes narrowed maliciously when he admitted it had been Basque Grand. Kain begged her to leave it alone, but Riza only barked out a harsh laugh and assured him Basque would never bother him again. Don't worry, Kain, I can handle that jerk. It won't be the first time I've had to take him down a peg.

May wasn't exactly sure what Miss Hawkeye's methods of intimidation were, but Kain hadn't been through her clinic with bully inflicted injuries since. The only time she saw him now was to supervise the administration of his asthma inhaler. Riza, however, popped in nearly every day for her own medication, but May never did ask her about Basque.

The first time Roy Mustang hobbled into her office with a sprained ankle, he had a friend with him who seemed to have a penchant for joke-making. He claimed Roy wouldn't have tripped if he'd just kept his eyes focused on where he was going instead of a certain archer in the adjacent field. When he came back the second time for an excuse note, and a proper wrap, he had a dark-haired female with him. May decided she must be his girlfriend, judging by the way she clung to his side. The girl, though, was dressed as though she'd just come from a dance rehearsal and not from an archery field.

It wasn't until Riza brought in a prescription for a much stronger dose of anti-inflammatory medication that May finally connected the dots. Miss Hawkeye had a curiously-shaped athletics bag slung over her shoulder, and her practice t-shirt had a tiny green and gold archer on the left front breast.

May couldn't help her naturally curious nature - her mother called it nosey, but May preferred curious. She told herself the personal lives of her student patients were none of her business but also noted that teenagers were the masters of oblivious denial.

News of Rebecca's breakup with Roy traveled faster than he'd expected. On the morning of his seventeenth birthday, he stuffed several garishly wrapped presents into his locker. Catherine Elle Armstrong didn't even bother to conceal her intentions. Her gift was a red box with a gold bow, from which dangled the insignia charm of what he knew to be an expensive lingerie store. He had a feeling he didn't want to open it in public.

Roy wasn't particularly depressed over the end of his relationship, though he was sad to see it go and suspected his night would end on a melancholy note. There would be no escaping the party and dinner his aunt always threw for him, and he'd done his best to make sure Rebecca knew she was still invited even if they weren't dating any longer. Whether she attended or not wasn't something he planned to dwell on. Nothing was to be done, and the breakup was for the best.

As the afternoon wore on, Roy began to understand why Riza might want an evening alone with nothing but a television remote and a tub of ice cream. Maes teased him relentlessly about the youngest Armstrong sister.

"At least it wasn't from Olivier," Maes laughed.

"If Olivier gave me a gift with a sparkly bow from Pandora's Box, I'd have been terrified." Roy poked at his lunch and tried to keep his responses minimal. Encouraging Hughes would only lead to more teasing.

"Who gave you a gift from Pandora's Box?" Riza nudged a chair aside with her foot and sat next to Roy.

"Catherine Elle. It's red and has a gold ribbon." Maes winked at Riza, who laughed loudly.

"Thanks, guys. Thanks so much. It was bad enough when she gave it to me and leaned forward. I do not think her shirt was buttoned to dress code standards."

Riza leaned into him and patted his arm. "Oh, Roy, she's had it bad for you for ages. You had to expect she'd try to entice you."

"In private, maybe! Not in the hallway where everyone could see. Good grief, Rebecca and I just broke up!" Roy's embarrassment was escalating.

"Have you opened it?" Maes was far too interested for Roy's liking.

"No! It's probably something awful like crotchless panties."

Riza continued to rub his arm helpfully. "Context is so important when it comes to crotchless lingerie."

"Not helping, Riza." He tried to glare at her, but her stifled giggle told him he only came off as pathetic.

"I'm sorry." She rested her head against his shoulder and calmed herself. "What time is your party tonight? Jean is still sick, and I doubt he can make it out of bed, much less survive a social event hosted by your aunt. Can I ride with you?"

"Probably seven-ish. Come by anytime. I'm going straight home after school. No point in dragging a crowd of groupies to your dad's classroom door."

Riza ran her fingers through his hair, and Roy tried not to purr like a cat. "Aw, it's okay. One afternoon off won't rot your brain. I'll have Dad drop me off at six. You definitely need help dressing." She patted his head once more and left him alone with Hughes at the emptying lunch table.

"You should see your face right now, Roy."

"Excuse me?" He could still feel Riza's fingernails on his scalp.

Maes chuckled. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"You're an asshole, Hughes."

"Does she really help you dress?" Maes was wiggling his eyebrows in a ridiculously salacious way.

"No! I mean, not like that. She just helps me with my bowties and stuff." Roy shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "I can't ever do it right, and Aunt Chris only laughs at me and says I need to learn on my own."

"I agree with her."

"It's impossible! Everything is backwards. And stupid."

"I'm glad to see you're mature about it." Maes's grin was still plastered all over his face, and Roy's pout deepened.

"It's my birthday, you know. I expected some sympathy, or at least less teasing."

"You're shit out of luck, my friend." Hughes stood and piled his trash on the plastic tray. "I'll see you tonight, Roy. Good luck with Catherine Elle. Maybe if you stick with Riza all night, she'll leave you alone."

"God, I hope so," he sighed and continued to push his food around until the bell sounded.

Roy felt overcome with relief when he heard his aunt let Riza in the front door. Several neckties and bowties were scattered across his bed, and he hated them all. She poked her head into his room.

"Are you decent?"

"You're already looking, so I don't think it matters," he mumbled from his hunched over position, head in hands.

"You aren't still in a bad mood because of school, are you?" Riza sat next to him on the edge of his bed. "I'm sorry everyone is so insensitive, and I wasn't really making fun of you."

"It's not your fault. I'm just feeling morose. That's what Bec called it, anyway."

Riza sighed and touched his back. "I know you feel bad now, but you guys were miserable. It's just shitty that it had to happen so close to your birthday. Is she coming tonight?"

"I don't think so. I told her she was still invited, and she was polite, but I just doubt it."

"Does that upset you?" Riza's voice was soft.

"Not really. I think it would be harder if she came."

"The clock is ticking, children!" Chris Mustang's voice called from the bottom of the stairs. Roy sighed and sat up, finally. He looked at Riza and stared. Her dress was a form-fitting black affair, and he felt like the temperature in his bedroom skyrocketed at least twenty degrees.

"Wow, Riza. That's… a dress."

"Yes, it is a dress. I'm glad you know what it's called." She winked at him and stood. Her heels and legs did nothing for his body temperature. "Come on, birthday boy, let's get you suited up." She glanced over his mess of accessories and selected a solid black bowtie that matched her dress. "Don't worry, I won't choke you."

"Right." Roy didn't even try not to look down at her as she set her face in concentration to fix his neckwear. A strand of hair slipped from her fancy-looking updo, and without thinking about it, he reached up and tucked it back into the fold.

She smiled up at him. "There. You look very handsome." Her fingers worked quickly to straighten his collar and buttons.

"Thanks." He couldn't manage more words than that. Riza slipped her arm through his and tugged him towards his bedroom door.

"Try to put on a happy face for your aunt. She just wants to make you happy," she whispered in his ear.

"I know. Do you think-" He paused, swallowing his embarrassment. "Do you think I could stay with you at the party? I'm pretty afraid of Catherine Elle, to be honest."

Riza smirked, and her hand slid from his elbow to take his. "I promise to protect you with my life. Let's get downstairs before Lady Mustang blows a gasket."

Roy exhaled with relief and squeezed her hand in thanks.

As expected, Chris Mustang put on a spectacular party. There were fifty guests, a sit-down dinner, and a long-winded toast, wherein she referred to him as her special boy at least twice. Next year, Roy vowed, next year, he was putting an end to this kind of display. At the very least, Riza kept her promise and stuck by his side throughout the evening. She graciously waited until Catherine Elle left the restaurant to excuse herself to the ladies' room, and left Roy alone in the party suite with a pile of gifts and an assortment of empty crystal glasses. He desperately wished one of them had a mouthful of actual alcohol in it. His aunt may have gone overboard, but she wasn't going to be accused of providing booze to under-aged guests. With one finger, he loosened the bowtie, and it hung wrinkled around his neck.

"Well, Roy, happy birthday," Chris said from behind him.

"Thanks, Aunt Chris." He stood and faced her. She reached out and fingered the edge of his shirt collar.

"It's hard for me to see you so grown up, you know. I still remember the bratty little boy who came to live with me when he was seven."

"I appreciate everything you've done for me. I honestly don't know what would've happened if I didn't have you."

Chris brought him into a tight embrace. "I love you, kid."

"I love you, too, Aunt Chris. Thanks for the party."

She kissed him on the cheek and pulled away to wipe the lipstick from his face. "I know you're probably sick of them, but I couldn't resist one more. Next year, if you're not off in East City stuffed into a uniform, you can pick what you'd like to do."

Roy smiled sheepishly. "You figured me out, huh?"

"The second you started choosing afternoons with Doctor Hawkeye over that Catalina girl, I knew. It's okay, Roy, I'm not going to fight you on it."

He drew his aunt into another crushing hug and whispered, "Thank you."

Chris laughed. "I don't think I'm the one you should be worried about telling."

Roy sighed and sank into a padded chair. "I'll tell Riza. Just not yet. I can't even apply until the end of the semester."

"Don't wait too long, kid. She'll want to know."

"I don't think she'll like it," he muttered.

"Probably not." Chris wrapped a scarf around her neck and dug in her handbag. "Listen, I want you and Riza to take the car home tonight. I've got some business to see to and have a driver." She handed him a set of keys.

"Alright. Thanks again for the party. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, kid." Chris patted his cheek and left him alone in the party suite once again. A porter appeared and asked if he wanted his gifts carried to his aunt's car, and he handed over the keys.

"You look exhausted." Riza's voice jolted him from the settling melancholy he'd predicted earlier that day.

"I am. You ready to go? Aunt Chris left for some business stuff, and I've got the car."

"Yep, I left your gift at your house, and I want to be with you when you open it, so let's go there first." She smiled and held out a hand. Roy took it.

"Riza, if it's panties, I'm not speaking to you for a week."

She laughed and squeezed his hand. "I promise it's not underwear of any kind, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist on seeing what Catherine Elle has for you in that red box."

"Perfect. You can open it, and I won't ever have to touch it."

"Are you truly not interested in her?" Riza sounded more than incredulous. "She's very pretty."

Roy shrugged and held the exit door open for her. "I'm not. I think I need a break from dating, to be honest."

"Wow, really?"

"Yeah, I need to figure some things out."

"You are full of surprises, Roy." Riza slid into the passenger seat and seemed to content to ride in silence.

Her gift was larger than he expected and encased in a simple box. Inside, wrapped in white tissue paper, was a leather-bound book. He recognized it at once as a third edition copy of Flamel's Alchemical Theory and Practice. His eyes went wide, and he turned to her.

"Riza. This is… how on earth did you get this?"

"My dad pointed me in the right direction. Do you like it?"

"Are you kidding?" he choked out. "This is the most amazing thing anyone has ever given me! It must have cost a fortune, though."

"Don't worry about it. I wanted you to have the book."

Roy set the book and box overflowing with tissue aside. He wrapped Riza in a hug and pressed his face into her shoulder. "Thank you."

Riza didn't try to escape his grasp. "You're welcome, Roy. Happy birthday." She leaned into him and finally cleared her throat. "Did I earn the right to see what's inside the red box?"

He squeezed her tighter and groaned. "I'd hoped you forgot."

"Not a chance. Let's see it." Riza tucked her legs underneath her on the couch when he released her and smiled widely. "Come on. If anyone gets to see, it's going to be me."

"Oh, fine." Roy picked through the stack of gifts on the buffet table behind the sofa and produced the offensive box. Riza took it from him with a grin and pulled off the gold ribbon.

"You ready for the big reveal?"

"The suspense is killing me," Roy deadpanned.

She peeked in the box and couldn't stifle her laugh. "Oh my god, Roy, you were right. This was not meant to be opened in any kind of public."

"Do I even want to know?"

Riza couldn't stop laughing long enough to say anything and tossed the box onto his lap. Roy flicked the lid off with his finger and stared at the scrap of lace inside with horror. "Didn't I tell you it would be crotchless panties? You cannot tell Hughes about this! Riza, swear to me you won't!"

She wiped a tear from her eye and finally got ahold of herself. "I would never betray your dirty secret. That is the most heinous gift in the world. I can't even imagine why she would think that's okay!"

"Because she's an Armstrong, and the world is her personal oyster. I bet Olivier put her up to it." Roy tossed the box aside.

"Nah, if that had been the work of Olivier, I'm sure it would've been handcuffs and something leather."

Roy pursed his lips. "This is, by far, the worst conversation we've ever had. I think you need to go home and sleep it off."

Riza grabbed her heels and stood. "Come on, then, driver, take me home. I think I'll keep these panties, though. Unless-" She glanced at him playfully. "Unless you want to keep them for yourself?"

"Please, keep them out of my sight forever." Roy followed her out the front door and did not think about Riza wearing the panties. He did not.