AN: Okay, yet another little one shot, even if I can't think of a better title.

Because some words and phrases need context XD

If being a parent had done thing to Ed, it had made him hyper aware of everything. If something was even the tiniest bit of tune in his own house, he would damn well know about it. So he wasn't all surprised when he was jolted from his sleep by the smallest of sounds, one he would have missed before, and sat up to great his young son who would inevitably open their bedroom door, rubbing the sleep from his eye and swinging on the door handle.

Instead the footsteps continued, right past and didn't even slow causing Ed to frown. Perhaps he needed the bathroom- but going alone was still something the tot was learning to do. Glancing at his wife with the little bassinet besides her, Ed tiptoed towards the wooden door, remembering last minute to put his slippers on and dull the sound of his metal foot. No doubt the little guy was trying to be grown up, Ed thought to himself with a smile. However, when he reached for the handle, he was stopped by a little shy knocking… and it wasn't at his door.

"Alphonse?"

Ed's eyebrows shot up when he heard Mei's voice. The spare room was on the other side of the hall, next to his sons and Al's room was opposite Ed and Winry's. He put an ear against the woodwork and heard the tell-tale creek of his brothers door. "Oh, Mei? What are you doing up?"

"I- I can't sleep. I can't stop thinking about it. We need to do it, please?"

"I know Mei, me neither. But we agreed not to do it whilst we're guests here." He paused. "Besides, Winry's got us all running around tomorrow and I don't want us to be tired. If Ed's attention wasn't caught before, it was fully entrapped now.

The Xingese guest sighed and agreed, the floorboards groaning as she turned away.

Ed was about to return to bed as well but the sound of hushed laughter stopped him. "Wait, Mei. Maybe… Maybe just for tonight. As long as we don't wake anyone up."

"Oh, Alphonse, please! It's been too long!"

"Five days, but ok. Come on in."

A quick giggle and a click of a latch left Edward standing dumbstruck in his on room. "Al… you sneaky little…" But he had to laugh. Ever since he started his studies in Xing it had been a joke in the family that the younger Elric and the princess were closer than they cared to admit, much to his embarrassment. She however was oblivious to the joke or at least seemed to be, and on each of their visits have been comfortable in separate rooms. He shrugged. Secret or not, Ed was smug in knowing that he, after all this time, was right about his little brother.

Turning back to bed, he took a detour to his daughter, who was in a sleep as deep as her mothers, and gently rearranged the pink blanket again. "With the way things are going, you'll have an aunty as well as an uncle. Heck, maybe a few cousins."

Ed was just seconds away from falling asleep when realisation hit him. His brother was… doing it… in his house! "Dammit Al…"

Ed had been counting the yawns that Alphonse had stifled that day. It was his fourth since Winry had sent them to buy the groceries and now the afternoon sun rubbed its warm hands along their back. The route was old and familiar, and as usual the list was crumpled in Ed's pocket with a bag in their arms.

Al turned full circle again and caught up with his brother who, more used to the walk, just continued forward. "Wow, I still feel like I'm seven and mum would send us after school."

"Yeah, but now it's Winry writing the list. She's just bossy though." He heard Al's little snort of laughter and continued. "She's making pie again tonight.

Al smiled. "She said something about sharing the recipe with Mei so we can try it ourselves back in Xing." It took him awhile before he realised that Ed wasn't by his side anymore, but stopped a few feet back with his eyes averted downwards. "Brother, what's wrong?"

"… Yeah about that… Can I just ask…"

"Ask what? Ed?"

Ed lifted his face and there was a smear of red across his cheeks. "Can I ask you to not sneak around my house at night?!"

The younger Elric blinked. Then slowly reached up with his spare hand to scratch the back of his head. A shy smile slipped out. "Uh, sorry about that. You overheard us last night I take it?"

"Luckily I fell back to sleep quickly." He looked up to see his home waiting for them at the end of the rubble road. "Just remember I've got my kids to think about now."

"Err, yeah. I can see your point," he grimaced. "And we agreed that we wouldn't do it when we're guests but last night it kinda, well, happened."

Ed shrugged. He knew that feeling all too well.

"But you see we've worked at his so hard lately so just stopping for a week is really hard to do. But something was always missing and last night we kinda had a break through and we needed to try it out."

Ed looked sideways at his brother. To his credit, Al didn't look the least bit embarrassed. "Uh, nice to know but…"

"But we still shouldn't have let our guard down last night. And now," he added with a yawn, "I'm paying for it. Mei and I were really going hard at it-"

Swung his head around, he unable to believe the words that had so casually fallen from his gentlemanly brother's mouth. "Huh…?"

"But at least we cleared up. We always make a huge mess, but that can't be helped. We've been told off about that before. I think the kitchen table was the messiest last night but it was all gone by morning- Hey Ed, are you feeling alright?" Al had turned in shock to see Ed sitting on the country wall with the bag barely supported in his arms.

"Kitchen… kitchen table?" He was almost swaying. "You were there last night?"

"Yeah, we tend to work better when we move around a lot and the table was more comfortable. And the couch."

"The couch?"

"Ling knows this too, and he purposely gave us the keys to the Palace Library and gardens too. But as always with Ling, it's always in his interests. He sits and watches us from time to time and we've been thinking of asking if he wants to join us."

"Ling?!"

"Yeah, we do get paid by him after all. Are you sure you're ok, Ed? You look like you're gonna be sick." At hearing his brothers obvious groan, Al patted his back. "Maybe you should rest in tomorrow, I'm sure Winry won't mind. Mei and I can even watch the kids. If Mei and I decide to do it, we'll only be in the next room."

"WHAT THE HELL AL?!" Ed stood up, the bags forgotten at their feet and grabbed Al by the shoulders. "Jeez, what's wrong with you? Don't you ever even think about that!" He was scaring Al with that crazed look in his eye. "It's Xing, isn't it?" Edwards hands stopped shaking him but continued to grasp on, as is he might disappear. "I told you it would corrupt you! I told you that place was too weird but it's not too late! Don't worry, Al, I'll help you-"

"…Edward, what are you talking about?"

"You've become a pervert, Alphonse! I always thought Xing was too damn exotic for you!"

"A PERVERT?!" Al looked absolutely horrified and stepped backwards and out of Ed's reach. "Where did that come from?"

"What we've been talking about! How you stay up all night and do it everywhere and you sneak into each other's rooms and Ling pays to watch you! You said so yourself, you and Mei can't stop-!"

"Can't stop studying!" Al shouted. He was breathing heavily, in shock or anger, he wasn't sure. "We've hit a block in our theories and last night we made a breakthrough so we spent until four this morning working on our book and clearing up the workspaces we used because they were covered in papers and Ling likes to see what we've achieved because after all he funds our research!" Al sighed and looked away, beyond frustrated.

Ed meanwhile felt his eyebrows rise higher and higher. "You mean to say that you and Mei aren't actually sleeping with each other?"

This time it was Al's turn to grab Ed by the shoulder. "You can't say that. Don't ever say that to anyone."

"So, I was wrong…?" He slouched where he should, heaving a great sigh of relief that, bit by bit, transformed into big bouts of laughter. "I was wrong! It was all one big mistake! Ha!"

Alphonse pulled his hand away to run it through his dishevelled hair. "Don't laugh, Ed. I'm serious. ED!" He shouted in an attempt to get the older man's attention. "Promise me that you'll never spread rumours like that, please? You really need to stop all these jokes about Mei."

"Huh, what's got you all rattled up? I honestly thought you liked each other and it'd only be a matter of time."

Al's shoulders slumped and he rubbed his face, wishing to be anywhere but there and then. "Look, we may be used to this sort of this in Amestris, but it's really frowned upon in Xing. You haven't seen how cruel the social systems and customs can get. Heck I'm surprised I lasted this long, but it was only because I'm on close terms with The Emperor and a Princess." He waved his hands frantically in desperation. "So don't even joke, because if Mei ever heard any rumours about her sleeping around with anybody then it could ruin her. Things are precarious enough for her as it is."

The elder Elric looked concerned since Al wasn't angry. Instead he almost looked like he was begging. "What do you mean precarious? Are either of you in danger?"

"Well, she is the favoured royal sister so she'll always be a target, but that's beside the point. Xing isn't exactly known for having woman academics, and on top of that I'm her partner in studies and if we succeed then I'll be the first non-Xingese member of the grand court. People don't like things they're not used to but we're not gonna give up."

Ed looked at him for a while and watched as Al shook his head. "You guys never mention these things in your letters and calls."

"We don't want to worry you and your family."

"You are family though, Al. And… I suppose the beansprout girl is too," he added, almost at a whisper. Al heard it through and cracked a smile whislt his brother threw an arm around him. "Okay, you win. I won't say a single word about you guys. Now, how about we get this food home and eat?"

I'm not gonna say I'm proud of this, it's so cliche but I was in a silly mood! And I had to make up some Xingese culture.

What do you think? x