These Situations

Chapter One

"Shuriken"

-Evee Elric/She-wolf vixen-

Roy let out a small sigh and stretched contentedly under the torrent of water that spilled from the shower head over his hair, running down his body. It felt close to exhilarating to wash off all the sweat and grime. Central Headquarter's showers was the optimum of bathing pleasure what with the chilled marble floors and the dim but invigorating lights. Roy had never once passed up an opportunity to shower at Central.

Roy pulled his head out from under the path of the water and reached for his shampoo. To his dismay, he found he had none.

"Fuery, you have any of that almond stuff you lent me yesterday?" he called from his shower stall.

The black-haired soldier shook his head, sprinkling water everywhere. "Havoc gave the shampoo to me yesterday."

Havoc replied over the splashing of water on stone. "That wasn't mine Fuery, I borrowed it from Elric."

"FullMetal?"

Roy was slightly surprised. It never occurred to him to Edward would actually try to stay clean. Rather than spending most of his day in a building, Ed chose to romp around Amestris and stick his head into rather volatile situations. In the end, the boy finished his day tending to wounds and hoping to somehow find another outfit that wasn't sullied or ripped into useless cloth. Roy hadn't really thought of Edward as one who would enjoy cleaning himself as much as he did. As if to prove him wrong, the door to the showers opened and Edward strolled in, a towel around his hips and his automail leg making a soft clinking on the stone floor.

"Hey Edward, " Havoc greeted from his shower stall, "You're just in time. The Colonel wants to borrow some of your shampoo."

"Why can't he use his own?" Ed complained, tugging off his rubberband and letting his golden hair fall around his shoulders.

Roy looked over his stall's door and gave Ed a bored look. "I've run out recently."

Ed smirked as he undid the towel and stepped naked into a nearby stall directly opposite from Roy and next to Havoc.

"What? Were you so busy with womanizing that you forgot to go buy some shampoo?" he teased.

Roy sighed to himself. The teen never seemed to fail him when it came to on-the-spot verbal jabs. He felt a small tug to ask the boy how he created all of these snide comments on such short notice. Short height, short temper, short time. The boy made it effortless for his company to insult his height...or lack of it.

"Just give it to me Fullmetal."

Roy didn't want the smart-mouthed kid to ruin his shower.

Ed turned on his own shower, flinching slightly at the sudden cold until the water began to steam as it heated. "Hold on a sec, Mustang."

Edward picked up a manilla-colored bottle and held it upside down over his palm. He let a decent amount of shampoo pool in his human hand before turning and tossing the bottle in Roy's direction. Roy caught the shampoo bottle and watched as Ed rubbed vigorously at his long blonde-hair. The boy had a small smile on his face as he gently closed his eyes to keep the suds out of his eyes and warm water coursed down his arms following the curves of well-trained muscles. The almond scent floated lightly over Roy's nose and he heard Havoc and Fuery sigh in delight. Now that he thought of it, Roy had never showered when Edward was, this being his first time.

'His eyelashes are so long' Roy thought, 'He looks just like a girl from neck up.'

"Ahhh Ed, I love it when you take a shower." Havoc moaned.

Ed, slightly embarrassed, opened one of his eyes. "It's just the shampoo. You guys are overreacting."

Havoc laughed and began teasing the alchemist, trying to peek into Ed's shower over the small stone that separated the stalls. The boy blushed at the invasion of his privacy and began to berate Havoc. Roy just rolled his eyes in annoyance and proceeded to thoroughly scrub his hair clean. When Roy rinsed off the last of the suds off his jet-black hair and opened his eyes, Fuery was toweling off his short hair and nudging his glasses further up his wet nose.

"Where you going Fuery?" Roy asked the younger man.

"I've finished my shower sir." Fuery replied. "I promised Falman I'd be quick. He's waiting for me outside right now..."

"Hey Fuery, wait for me!"

Havoc scurried for his towel and shook his head like a dog. "I'm getting out Colonel," Havoc called as he followed Fuery into the dressing room, "See ya later Edward."

Only after the door to the men's dressing room shut with a small click that Roy realized he was alone with Ed. The teen continued with his shower, not noticing the silence that filled the air. Roy stared at the boy, watching his carefree movements. Roy's eyes slowly slipped down to Ed's gleaming automail, the metal reflecting the dim lights in the shower room.

"FullMetal..." Roy called. He tossed the almond shampoo back to Ed. The boy deftly caught it with his automail arm and set it down beside him.

Ed glanced at Roy before turning to face him. "What?"

Roy blinked. "I didn't say anything FullMetal..."

"You were staring at me." the blonde replied simply. "That means you want to ask me something."

"Huh?!" Roy blushed. How did the teen know?

Ed rolled his eyes. "Come on Mustang, it's all over that face of your's."

'Is he reading my mind?' Roy thought, slightly anxious. He wouldn't put it behind the boy. He was definitely gifted enough to succeed.

"So?" Ed stared at Roy expectantly, water still running down his shoulders and hair. "What is it?"

Roy leaned against his shower door, placing his arms on the stone. "FullMetal..."

Before Roy could speak his mind, the main door to the showers burst open with a bang. Roy glanced up in alarm before blushing and grabbing his towel.

"Riza?!"

Riza stood in the doorway, clearly undisturbed by the sight of Roy and Ed unclothed.

"Who let you in?!" Roy nearly screamed.

Riza stood at attention. "That would be Havoc, sir."

Roy made a mental note in his mind to have a personal meeting with the soldier when he next saw him. He glanced over at Ed and was surprised to see the blonde standing there, unperturbed, gazing at Hawkeye curiously. He had half-expected Ed to lose his evident mild state and explode at Riza. However, the boy merely stood there, a slight embarrassed look on his face.

"Sir." Riza interrupted Roy's thoughts.

"What could be so important that it required you to barge into the mens' shower room?" Roy spat.

"There's been a repot sir. The caller is still on the line..." Riza replied.

Roy waved a hand in Ed's direction. "FullMetal, you wouldn't mind leaving us alone for a bit."

Ed smirked and picked up his towel but Riza coughed and he froze.

"This concerns Edward as well Colonel, I wish that he hear me out."

Roy watched Ed's already large eyes widen in curiosity.

Roy sighed. "Very well Riza, but can we at least speak about this in my office."

Riza nodded and began to back out.

"Oh, Riza?" Roy stopped her.

She turned her head slightly, waiting for a reprimand.

"Who the hell is it?" he asked, annoyed. He might as well know who had the gall to report an incident at this hour.

Riza spoke softy. "ChiangYi Stallion, or by her maiden name...Reiya Mustang. Your sister sir."

Roy set down the phone and placed his face in his hand

Edward, who was sitting on the couch next to Riza, shifted uncomfortably in the oppressing silence.

"I don't get it Mustang, what's going on?" Ed questioned. He had never seen the Colonel this disturbed. He always had that know-it-all smirk on his face.

Roy looked up at Ed, eyes tired. "My sister was investigating a certain ninja training facility in Xing. Her daughter, FeiTei, went undercover as a trainee and was supposed to return in a month. It's been a year and Reiya hasn't heard from her daughter since she left for the school. There is evidence that the training facility is using some type of dark alchemy, somewhat close to human transmutation. Apparently, they are teaching these young girls to use human transmutation on themselves to give their bodies homunculi-like qualities. This could be a problem as it could start another war, coming close to the Ishbal incidents with homunculi-like humans on Xing's side. We want to prevent any more outbreaks like this and not only that, my sister hopes for me to find out if FeiTei is still alive."

There was another suffocating silence when Roy finished his speech and Ed's heart was hammering. Homunculi qualities using human transmutation. Another war? The heavy-ness of this pressed hard on Ed's heart and longings. If this was true, there was so much that Ed could find out about human transmutation. From what Roy told him, it sounded like the human alchemy was successful. He could possibly find something that would help get Al's body back.

"What are we planning to do about this?" asked Ed, "and how does this concern me apart from having to deal with human transmutations?"

This time, Hawkeye explained. "Ed, the facility is a training school for young teenaged girls."

"So?" Ed commented. "I don't get it."

"If we want to investigate, we'll need an inside report. A spy...and our spy must have alchemic skill so as not to arouse suspicion."

Roy stood from his desk and leaned over Ed, reaching behind him. Ed blinked as the Colonel pulled his just-braided hair apart and let the strands fall around Ed's shoulders again.

"What do you think lieutenant?" Roy asked with a slight grin on his face.

Riza smiled warmly. "Well, he certainly is...charming."

Ed's eyes widened. "Wait...are you saying...you want me to...?"

Roy nodded. "Yep. Our inside spy, Edward Elric."

"Or rather, AiTan Elric, meaning love and grace in Xing." Riza laughed.

"I'm not going to be a girl!!" Ed yelled indignantly.

Roy eyed him. "You're the only one who can do it FullMetal...and besides, don't you think you can get some good information on how to get your brother's body back."

Ed stumbled. His weak point...

"Wh-when do we leave?" Ed asked weakly.

"As soon as we get packed!" Roy announced. "We'll be living in Xing for a while."

"We?" Ed asked cautiously.

Riza nodded. "The investigation crew consists of the Colonel and myself as your parents, Havoc, Fuery, and yourself."

"Get packing, FullMetal." Roy interrupted. "We leave tomorrow!"

Ed sighed and began to re-braid his hair as Riza picked up the phone to call Havoc and Fuery. Ed heard Roy's pompous voice, cheerful again, calling to Hawkeye.

"Riza, may I borrow your make-up? FullMetal needs a make-over!"

Ed sat upright.

"WHAT?!"

My newest Parental RoyEd fic. Like it? Hate it? Please Review to help me decide if I should continue this story.