"I'm no model lady. A model's just an imitation of the real thing." Mae West

"Regular dialogue and subtext" "Inner monologue"

Warnings: Sexual innuendo, language, attempted lime, and a little bit of angst.

The shopping trip came to an end as Riza pulled the military issued car to a stop at Roy's house. Roy stepped out with bags in hand. She had been quiet most of the ride back and made no noise as she stepped out of the car. Noticing the change in behavior, Hughes and Riza exchanged brief glances.

"Roy, are you going to be okay here tonight?" Hughes said as he grabbed some of Roy's bags.

Roy didn't even bother to turn around as she heard her friend voice his concerns. "Maes, I'm not a child, get back to your family." She unlocked the door and turned her head to face her friends. "Thanks for taking me shopping, good night." A smile graced her lips but didn't seem to reach her eyes as she shut the door.

"Roy's going through a tough change Hughes, don't take it personally." Riza said as she noticed a frown on Hughes face after Roy closed the door.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Hughes lingered by the front door for a second and then followed the blonde gun wielder.

Roy felt her body slide down the oak door, she slumped and put her hands over her face. For the love of Isbahl, what was happening to her? Buying perfume, trying on a dress and actually liking it, perhaps even having feelings for her best male friend. "Hughes, he's always been there for me. After Ishbal, even stopping me from making the biggest mistake of my life ." She put her hands down and went into the kitchen, reaching for a bottle of red wine. She was not going to get drunk, she just need a little drink to calm the nerves. In her defense she did have a sex change without consent. She swirled the alcohol in the glass, gazing through and finding a world of red. It's funny how with a new perspective things she had known for so long could look so different. "Like Maes," It seemed that's all she could think about. Would Maes like the dress on her? What would he say about her drinking...what looked to be about a half a bottle of wine by now? He always did chastise her for her drinking.

She needed to put the bottle away, it was empty. Roy laid sprawled out on her couch watching old reruns of a sitcom she had watched as a kid. The male character on the show seemed to be yelling at the female to do his laundry, he clearly wasn't doing anything productive. "If a man ever yelled at me like that no one would have to go to the desert to see Burning Man." Woah, did she just think that? Hell when she was a man she always figured the woman would do the house work. But, now in a pair of high-heeled shoes, would she want be treated like that? "This vagina is screwing with my head. It must be the estrogen or I'm really drunk...probably a bad mix." Would Maes treat her like that? "Why does every thought go to him! Who cares how Hughes would treat me! Who cares if he would be gentle with me! Who cares if he would love me! Who cares how his stubble would feel on my cheek. Who fucking cares!" She felt a few uncharacteristic tears trickle down her cheek. "Maybe I care..." "Fuck!" She was drunk, maybe that's why she was picking up the phone and dialing his number. Perhaps that's why she didn't hang-up when he answered.

"Hello,"

"Maes?" She was hoping he would recognize her voice.

"Roy, is that you?"

"Please come over here." Her voice sounded cracked as she heard Gracia shouting from the kitchen.

"Honey it's Roy he needs my help with something. I'll be over in a minute Roy." He hung up the phone.

Hughes arrived to find his friend's door unlocked. "Roy, are youin here?" He turned a corner to find Roy standing in her underwear. He immediately felt his face grow red as she moved forward. He looked at her, she seemed to be staggering and her eyes were half lidded. Not to mention she reeked of booze as she pressed herself up against him. "R-Roy, what are you doing?

"Maes, I need you." She mewled as she clung onto him.

"Dammit Roy you're drunk! What the hell did I tell you about drinking your problems away!" He pushed her off of him and watched her fall to the ground.

"Please Maes!"

He sighed a rubbed his temples. "Roy, I'm a married man."

"I know that I was at your wedding. This wouldn't be that hard if you would just treat me like shit like everyone else! If you could be more like the countless women I've been with, just leave me after comfort!"

"Roy," He paused and took of his glasses. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Your drunk, extremely, I can smell it on you"

Roy stood up a walked over to him. She pressed her breasts up against him and nuzzled the crook of his neck. "You said you would help me to the top...now get on top of me."

"No!"

"Maes I've noticed the looks..."

"Roy, you're beautiful and you're making it hard to contain myself. Last I checked both of us were straight." He paused and held unto her shoulders. "You've always made me question myself, including my sexuality. But, I have a child and a wife I love very much. I'm a just a man Roy, a weak one if that."

"Maes you're not weak in fact you're strong mentally and physically." She purred as she twisted his stray piece of hair around her finger. "When I was a man I always had to make my lovers feel safe, now it's my turn, make me feel safe." Now it seemed he had her pushed up against a wall in a fit of emotion. Roy felt warm lips pressed up against hers, she felt the stubble rub on her cheek.

"I'm a weak man, please don't remember this." He whispered into her ear as he began to suck on her neck. Little moans escaped from her lips as he moved to kiss her lips. "You." A kiss to the neck. "Are." A kiss to the cheek. "Evil." He leaned in to her and snapped her bra strap, making his way down to the now uncovered spot. That is he was until he felt the body in his arms go limp, she had passed out from the booze.

A/N: A little lime which we will see the result of in the next chapter The Man Behind the Woman.