#72 Drawing a Boundary Line

Riza Hawkeye had prided herself in being calm, cool and collected. A woman who was hard to read if you didn't know her well and those who knew her well knew how far they were able to go before they would have to endure her wrath. She took great pride in this. However, there were always those significant moments in which her mask was shattered by something so outrageous, it actually made others back away nervously when a specific emotion was displayed clearly on her face in place of the usual stoic expression. However, the man standing in the bathroom with a rather accomplished smile on his face didn't seem to notice the complete look of outrage on his current girlfriend's face.

Roy Mustang was an interesting man. She had determined this during her younger years when he was learning alchemy under her father. She had worked hard to determine the various makings of the alchemist. He was cocky, stubborn, proud, witty, and a whole list of terms she had written down in the side lines of a sheet of paper from one of the slower days in the office, but most of all, Roy Mustang was random.

There was something about the man that enlisted completely off topic turns of events to take place. He'd randomly decide to take Hayate out for walks (no doubt to get away from working), burst from his seat to randomly clean the already spotless window behind his seat, find it interesting to ask about the activity in the range, and many other eyebrow raising activities.

Riza had found that no matter what he seemed to dish out, no matter how off the wall it may have been, she would just deal with it as necessary, but this… this was different. He had slipped into the apartment without her knowledge the night before, having returned late at night from his trip to the Ishbal rebuilding grounds and had actually slipped out of bed before her and beat her to the bathroom. She would have questioned why he actually didn't prod her awake that night with requests for intimacy as he always did, or why he had beat her to the bathroom when she usually had to use Hayate to get him out of bed, but this… this was surprise enough.

Wrinkling her nose in obvious disapproval, she nudged past the dark haired male and into the bathroom, making a grab for her toothbrush and ignoring the childishly smug look on his face. "What do you think?" Shooting a quick glance at the male she quickly averted her eyes.

"You've missed a spot of two." She answered, promptly shoving her toothbrush into her mouth in order to avoid further commenting as Roy leaned forward into the mirror and checked his freshly shaven face. He titled his chin up and then from side to side before pursing his lips.

"What're you talking about? I don't see anything." Nearly chocking, Riza promptly rinsed out her mouth before setting her once clean faced adorable boyfriend with a serious look.

"Roy, you must be kidding." She snapped, causing him to blink at her in confusion. Jabbing her finger at the mirror, she allowed a frown to cross her face. "How can you not see that thing on your upper lip?" she hissed. Turning to look in the mirror, Roy ran his fingers over the thin mustache resting on his upper lip.

"I like it."

"I don't." Turning to the irritable blonde, a playful grin crossed his face.

"What do you mean? It makes me look dignified!" A disgusted look made its way across the blonde's face.

"You look like a jackass." She stated bluntly. As the alchemist began to sulk, she immediately snatched up his razor and held it up to him expectantly. "I deal with a lot from you, Roy Mustang, but this is as far as I will go."

"Riza!"

"Get rid of it!" she ordered. Crossing his arms, Roy fixed her with a defiant frown.

"And if I don't?" He challenged. Riza's eyebrows rose high before she moved closer to him, speaking in a low and threatening voice.

"You get rid of it or I promise that'll be the only company you have for some time." She ordered before making her way out of the bathroom. That day, Roy endured much teasing from Havoc who had dubbed their commanding officer 'baby face' for the earlier half of the day. Riza might have had to witness fireworks earlier in the day than she wanted to, but she was grateful to be able to kiss her lover without a tickling against her own upper lift.

Author: Written because every Royai fan writer/artist should have some tribute towards the disgust that marked Roy Mustang's face in episode 64 of Brotherhood lol