A/N: Heheh! You guys just stumbled upon a great fanfic…because I wrote it. Haha. Anyway…heh. Yeah. I'm prideful. Exactly. I swear I could be the Eighth Deadly Sin or something… Hyper. How's that for a sin? Heh…anyways, don't blame me if you read this and then reach the end thinking, "Oh, my, God…why did I read this again?" It's not my fault! I'm just…pining? ;; Heh.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hagane no Shrimp…don't ask me, 'kay? I don't own anything else, either. No Fullmetal Alchemist for me. –sighs- So I just buy the wall scroll, the calendar, the magazines, the action figures, the manga, the card games, and save and draw as many pictures as I can. Though at school everyone calls me Ed. Does that count!

Warnings: The fluff…and the real crappiness may kill. Be ready. And if I get the right reviews, I just might turn this story into my FMA yaoi drabble.

:All Because of a Nightmare:

Al looked up from the desk in the small dorm room with a metallic clink of his armor as the door swung open. His brother huffed an angry breath, clad in only a pair of sweat pants, hair still wet from his shower. He dragged a towel as he kicked the door closed, flopping onto his bed with a tired groan.

Alphonse straightened up some. "…Brother, what's the matter?"

It was silent before Edward tossed his head so he could glare at his younger brother. "It's that bastard colonel! He sent us on another wild goose chase, and kept us running for days—I'm exhausted and my muscles hurt and it's not like me to complain, but I feel like crap!"

Al slumped forward a bit, smiling weakly—of course his brother could not see it, but still, he was smiling. "Is that so, brother? Why don't you just go to sleep…?"

"That's what I intend to do…and Al?"

"Hm?"

"Don't wake me up early tomorrow."

Alphonse chuckled. "Alright, brother." But before he could turn the lamp on the desk off, he perked up, hearing a small mumble from his brother's bed. Glancing in that general direction, he smiled invisibly again.

Edward was asleep.

He was panting, sitting upright, cold and yet breaking into a sweat. Heart racing, golden orbs of eyes wide, hair sticking to the sides of his face, Edward hugged himself and whimpered loudly, squeezing his eyes shut and hunching forward. He knew it was just another nightmare, but something had always seemed so real about them.

"Brother…?"

"I'm fine, Al," Ed said hoarsely. His gaze flickered across the room to where his brother was sitting upright in his own bed. The metallic echoing signaled Alphonse's nod.

Edward sighed, slowly dropping his hands. There was something on his face—tears, was it? His finger tips brushed against his cheeks lightly. Yes…he had been crying. This nightmare had made him cry. Quickly sliding out of bed, he sighed again.

"I…just need to use the bathroom, Al…I'll be right back, okay?"

Another clinking—Alphonse had nodded again. The door creaked slightly as Ed swung it open. Hugging himself again, the door clicked shut behind him and he padded off down the hallway.

No, wait. Something was wrong. He was going the wrong way. Pausing and leaning against the wall, he rubbed at his eyes until they stung. If anyone else was in the bathroom, he wouldn't want them to think he had been crying. Even if he had been.

Turning on his heel, he headed towards the bathroom, but stopped again to lean against the wall. Shivering somewhat, Edward realized he was still in just his sweat pants. Sighing, he hung his head a bit.

The door to the bathrooms opened and Edward snapped into a straight position, eyes wide. Colonel Mustang blinking sleepily, black hair tousled, and scratched the side of his head slightly.

"Fullmetal…what are you doing up?"

"…U-uh, I…bathroom…" Ed narrowed his eyes with a defiant snort. The past few days had been hectic—the colonel had kept them busy and the two had not run into each other for longer than a moment until now. It made Edward's head hurt to think about the past few days. He didn't want to remember what had happened just yesterday, but he did. He had blushed. The colonel had glanced at him and he had actually blushed. It was crazy, yeah, but he had done it.

Roy perked a brow. "Well…don't just stand there. I'm not keeping you, am I?"

Edward scowled and took a step forward, brushing past the colonel. He froze as Mustang started a statement, but cut it off with a sigh. The younger man glanced up at him.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Dammit…" Ed growled, spinning on his heel and jabbing at the colonel's arm with his index finger. "You work me and Al until we can barely stand, and you send us on yet another wild goose chase, you bleedin' bastard, so you might as well tell me what you were about to say."

Roy blinked a bit, raising both brows in amusement. "Alright…alright. I guess I hadn't noticed the way you felt, having to look so far down. Honestly…I have a lot of paperwork."

"Shut up," Edward snapped, crossing his arms and glaring up at the colonel. It was silent; the older man sighed again and propped a hand on his hip, blinking sleepily at the blonde.

"Look, all I was going to ask was if you were okay…looks like you've been crying."

Edward's angry gaze immediately disappeared, his eyes widening slightly. Dammit, and the blush was coming back, too—he could feel the heat spread across his cheeks. Roy glanced towards the bathrooms.

"Look, if you have to piss or something, you might as well…I'm going back to my room, now…" He turned and started off down the hallway, leaving Edward to stare in discomfited silence at the wall. He waited a moment until he heard the colonel's door click shut, and then scurried softly down the hallway, hesitating before rapping on it.

It opened almost instantly to reveal a slightly grumpy Mustang. Edward blinked a bit, staring at him, noticing some bristles of black hair across the older man's cheek bones and chin in the moonlight from the window behind him on the other wall.

"…You need something, Fullmetal…?" Mustang mumbled, leaning on the door.

Ed shook his head, still staring.

"You should really wash off your face. It looks sticky, you know?"

Slowly the blonde looked down, wanting to snap back at the colonel, but finding no words. He nodded some.

"…Look, if you need something, I'm sure…" Roy broke off into a sigh again, watching Edward before adding in an irritated mutter, "If you want, I can wash it for you."

Edward glanced up at him quickly. The heat was spreading rapidly across his face again. Roy glanced down the hall both ways, then reached behind the blonde's head, searching for a braid to tug but finding only loosely hanging hair, dragging the boy into his room. Ed restrained a squall, eye twitching, and only let out a string of mumbled swears and a small grunt.

Mustang nodded in satisfaction, disappearing out into the hallway with a small, "Wait on the bed," before closing the door.

Edward snorted in disbelief that he was even in the colonel's room, shoving his hands in his pockets and glancing to the side. After a moment he moved over to the bed, sitting down heavily and rubbing vigorously at his face with the back of his forearm. Oh, God…he was blushing and he knew it. Mustang would turn the light on to wash the tears and snot and redness from his face, and he'd see that he was blushing. Dammit, why wouldn't it—

The door opened again and Roy stepped in quietly, shutting the door and holding a wet cloth. Edward eyed him a moment, and inched backwards on the bed until his back rested against the wall. It sent a shiver down his spine, his bare flesh touching cold plaster.

The colonel scowled, stepping over to the bed after flipping a lamp on. "I can't reach you if you're all the way against the wall."

The blonde snorted again and stayed put, tucking his knees to his chest and glaring at Mustang. Roy sighed and ran a hand through his hair, crawling onto the bed. Edward glanced away, knowing that his face must be a deep scarlet. Roy mumbled something about only doing this once, and reached forward, swiping at the younger boy's face with the damp cloth.

Ed shivered. It was cold, and the wall was cold, and he had no shirt on and…oh, God. His face must be cherry-red by now. Mustang sighed again, crossing his legs and bringing the cloth around Edward's face to wipe the dried tears away.

After a moment, the blonde swatted at his hand and huffed an insolent breath. "Don't wash my face…I can do it on my own…don't treat me like I'm a friggin' baby."

Roy perked a brow, obviously having fun with this. "Then why the hell were you crying?"

Edward blinked a few times and blew hair from his eyes, glancing the other direction. "…A…nightmare." Only babies cried from nightmares, you idiot.

"…Doesn't that give me license to call you a baby…?"

"No."

"Oh. Well then. You can just go back to room." The colonel scowled. "If anyone finds you in my room, hell…I'd die. No, scratch that. You'd be dead shrimp, my man."

Edward focused his glare on the colonel a moment, then shivered and looked down, still glaring, this time at the rumpled bed sheets. The nightmare had been horrible, and here he was being chided for it. That wasn't right, was it?

It was an awkward kind of silence as Mustang tossed the damp cloth from palm to palm, flinging droplets at Ed's toes as if an invitation to tell him about the dream, as it obviously seemed terrifying. Edward cringed, and then dug his finger tips into his knees, hiding his face in his forearms and biting his lip so as not to start crying again. His throat clenched up and his eyes stung, but he wasn't about to cry in front of the colonel.

He wouldn't give that bastard colonel license to call him baby. Never.

There was another awkward silence as Mustang stopped tossing the cloth. The metal springs of the mattress squeaked as Ed toppled forward, breaking down into shuddering, choking sobs, burying his face in Mustang's lap. The colonel's eyes widened and he stared at the blonde as he shook with quivering heaves of tears, his hands clutching the cloth of the pants Mustang had been wearing to bed. Slowly—slower than the man had ever felt himself move—he reached out and stroked the blonde's hair softly. Edward paused to snivel and cough loudly, eyes shut tight and tears welling up and spilling across his face, cheeks red with bawling and blushing at the same time, then erupted into more crying.

Roy grimaced slightly, glancing to the door. "Ed…shut up…if someone hears you, they'll know you're in my room, and that wouldn't be good, would it?"

Edward tried to stop—honestly, he did—but he couldn't; he kept blubbering, trying to explain, but only shouting things that were soaked with tears and didn't qualify for a word. His tears were salty—wow; he never knew that—and he was sure his nose must be running horribly.

Mustang frowned, tugging on the boy's ear roughly. "I said shut up, Ed!"

Ed squalled, clamping a hand over his ear and bursting into more uncontrollable sobs. He was shaking now; he was shaking now and couldn't stop. Roy grimaced again and grasped the younger boy's shoulders, sitting up and forcing himself to scowl deeply. The blonde looked absolutely miserable—face twisted up into a horrible cringe, hugging himself, face soaked and glistening with tears, snot, and sweat, hair sticking to his face and his skin a deep red with panting and embarrassment. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, going on in incoherent garbles about how he was sorry he was crying and being loud but he just couldn't stop.

Mustang sighed heavily in exasperation and pinched at Edward's face. Edward squalled and slapped at the older man's hands, gritting his teeth and breathing raggedly as the sobs slowly dissipated.

"What the—what the hell was that for?" Ed managed to string together after a few hiccups.

"You're sitting in my room…on my bed…sobbing your friggin' lungs out!" Roy snapped. "My God—you gave yourself the fucking hiccups!"

"S-sorry," Edward retorted, pressing against the wall again and glancing away. He hiccupped again.

Mustang slid off the bed, shaking his head, and turned the light off. Crawling into the bed and under the covers, he swatted at Ed's feet. "Move."

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Going to sleep. The cloth is on the floor. Wash your face on and go back to your own damned bed before everyone comes to see who's wailing like a friggin' baby."

Edward scrambled slowly off the bed and sat beside it, back to Mustang, scrubbing at his face with the cloth. It was to no avail—his face was still a bright red and his eyes stung. It was quiet except for the frayed breathing of the blonde and the soft breaths of the colonel. Finally Edward stood up and stared at Roy; Mustang opened one eye and muttered a gruff, "What now?"

Ed glanced away, uneasy. "…My nightmare, I was…it really scared me."

Mustang paused, then sighed heavily and rolled over to the wall, lifting the blanket as an invitation. Edward scrambled in and curled up near the edge of the bed, not about to curl up next to the colonel.

The bastard…

The blanket dropped down over him and he closed his eyes. Both Roy and Ed inched as inconspicuously as they could away from each other without the other one knowing what they were doing. If he fell off the edge of the bed, wouldn't' that make him look stupid. It was warm in Mustang's bed. The pillow was soft, and the sheets were soft, and the damned blanket was soft, and—

A small gasp escaped Edward's throat as fingers found their way to the small scoop between his hip and his ribs. They slowly brushed down his side, stopping on his pelvis. Glancing quickly over his shoulder, he could feel his face heating up again.

"Ed…" Mustang's nose found Edward's neck. Ed shivered.

"…Not now. I'm sleeping."

"I don't like it when you cry." The colonel's fingers tickled as he slowly moved down between the blonde's legs. "Be mad…I like it better when you're angry." He gave him a small squeeze and Edward inhaled sharply again.

"I said not now!" Ed blushed furiously, squirming, but Mustang wrapped his arms around the young boy and purred playfully.

"I'm sorry…" the older man mumbled into Ed's neck—it made Edward shiver like mad—as he laced his fingers near the sheets, "…I didn't hear you all the way down there in the blankets. What did you say?"

"I said not now," whispered Edward in a fierce grumble, glancing up to the ceiling. Roy sighed into his neck with a defiant, "Fine."

Ed nodded, squirming away from Mustang slightly, curling up with half of the blankets and closing his eyes tightly. Slowly, again, Roy's fingers climbed his ribs and his palm rested near the end of Edward's rib cage.

It seemed there were going to be many awkward silences tonight.

Ed rolled over and blew hair from his face, glaring at the colonel. Mustang raised his brows in turn, blinking groggily.

"What…?"

Edward pulled up closer to Roy; eyes closed again, and buried his face in Mustang's chest. The colonel hesitated, but wrapped his arms around the younger boy, clasping his hands near the small of his back. Hiding his nose in Ed's hair, he paused.

"…You used shampoo that smells like vanilla…"

"…It was the only one at the store, okay!"

Mustang snickered. "Alright, alright…don't flip out."

Ed shrugged and curled up closer to the colonel with a contented sigh. Roy moved one hand gently up to Ed's neck, fingers tangled in his hair. The young boy shivered and Mustang grinned lustily.

Edward looked up at Mustang, blinking sleepily. The colonel snickered and leaned forward, nuzzling his nose up against the younger one's forehead. Ed shivered, blushing hotly, but craned his neck and met Mustang's lips with his own, pulling away quickly to bury his face again, heart thumping in his chest. Roy blinked in complete surprise, staring at the top of Edward's head again. The kid was shivering; for God's sake…get you together, Mustang!

Roy twirled a few strands of blonde hair around his finger, sighing somewhat. It was quiet until Ed mumbled lowly, "Sorry…"

Mustang shook his head, wriggling some until he could tip Edward's face up to his; before the younger boy could protest, he locked lips with his, slipping his tongue in, simply enjoying the kiss before pulling away to grin mischievously at Ed.

Ed's eyes widened, staring at Roy breathlessly, almost heaving as he breathed. Glancing away a moment, heart seeming to rush its pace again, he squirmed some with anxiety. What now…what now…what now!

Finally flicking his gaze back to the colonel, he wriggled up closer to him and sighed some, grinning weakly at him. Roy snickered some and kissed his forehead lightly. Rolling over, Edward pulled up to him as tightly as he could. Mustang's wrapped his arms around the younger boy's waist, burying his face in Ed's neck. Edward shivered as he started to bite at his skin gently, mixed with kisses and small gasps of breaths.

Ed whimpered lightly, squirming some. Mustang tightened his grip on him, nipping a bit now at his ear lobe, his thumbs sliding down the waistband of the younger boy's sweat pants. Edward shivered again, stomach clenching in some unknown feeling—or at least something he'd never felt before.

Roy noticed the small tremble of the younger one and smiled lightly, slipping a leg over Edward's, nipping lower as he played with the boy's waistband slightly. Ed reached behind his head, hands clasping on the back of Roy's neck. Mustang glanced up at him; tongue out on Edward's shoulder, to see a sheepish grin playing on the younger boy's lips.

All in all…it turned out to be a very…very long night.

Ed's eyes shot open. He blinked sleepily, yawning feverishly and stretching, then curling up as tightly as he could. Hugging his knees to his chest, he closed his eyes. He was so tired…so tired, and yet light was pouring in from the windows and he had to get up. After all, Mustang would most likely have a mission for him and he'd have to do that.

Opening his eyes slowly, his vision blurring before focusing on something white on the hardwood floor of the dorm room, Edward's eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat. His stomach knotted sickeningly.

"Taisa's room!" The words were simply breathless grunts from his throat as he sat up quickly. Looking around hastily, he blushed hotly as the door opened and a slightly groggy, scarcely clad, fresh-from-the-shower colonel scuffled in, one hand entangled in the unruly mess of hair from his shower. Ed toppled backwards to the pillow, hugging himself.

Roy perked a brow, dropping his hands and moving over to where his uniform was laid out neatly on his desk. "What's the matter, Fullmetal? You sick or something?" A small smirk twisted across his face.

"W-what did you…what did you do to me!" Edward's voice was squeaking. He pulled the blankets over his head and realized that he was wearing one of the colonel's tank tops over his own boxers. Eyes wide in confused horror, he glanced at the floor. Sure enough, his sweat pants were tossed to the wood.

Mustang laughed almost timidly. "Not really what I did to you, munchkin. You had a nightmare. It was horrible, you said."

Edward's face reddened to a deep scarlet as he inched under the blankets a bit more. The nightmare flashed before him, as a memory, as if one were dying, and then the events that happened after he had climbed in bed with the colonel. Hiding under the blanket and the pillow, he felt Mustang sit down on the bed with a heavy sigh. Honestly? The recollections from the night before weren't so bad. They were…sweet in a way. Pleasing. That was the word.

"You know…" Mustang yawned, and then went on. "I'm so tired…I could fall asleep on my paperwork."

Ed snorted, heart thudding against his chest. "Hawkeye's handy with a gun, you know."

Roy laughed, tugging on his uniform's jacket and fixing it to be straighter. Edward peeked out from behind the fortress of bedding timidly. One thought tugged on his conscience as he watched the colonel ready for the day. Was the bastard as nervous as he had been last night?

"Roy…" Edward cooed smartly, grinning deviously. Mustang paused, hands near his abs as he fixed his pants. Eyeing the younger on warily, the colonel's brows furrowed.

"What…?"

Ed shifted out of the blankets some, the sheet still draped over his shoulders. Crawling across the bed some, he settled in behind the colonel and ran his fingers through his hair, attempting to fix it so it looked neater. It was silent before Mustang sputtered almost uneasily, "Are you…preening me?"

Edward snickered some, biting his tongue and dropping his hands to his lap sheepishly. "No…I-I was just…um…never mind. I should be getting back to my room, ne? T-to get dressed and stuff…" He dropped his legs over the side of the bed and frowned as his toes barely brushed the wooden floors. Perfect.

Roy grabbed Edward's arm, breaking into another smirk. "Don't worry. I already got you a perfect alibi."

"What!" Ed squalled. His voice cracked. Joy.

Mustang laughed satisfactorily. "It's okay. I just told people you weren't feeling good. You can spend the rest of the day in the library if you wanted to. Hell, spend the day sleeping if you wanted to."

Edward blushed hotly, ripping his hand from Roy's grip. "Yeah, but what if someone sees me leaving your room, eh?"

Roy shrugged. "Uh…tell them that I was just nagging at you again."

Ed's nose twitched as he headed to the door. His fingers had just brushed the brass knob before he froze, blushing all the more, shoulders jerking some as the colonel chuckled evilly.

"Don't be so edgy, Fullmetal. You might forget your pants."

Spinning on his heel, face beet-red, Ed glanced at the colonel as he grinned cheekily. Stooping and tugging his sweat pants on, he mumbled something about a certain bastard colonel and tried not to limp as he hurried out of the room and down the hall.

Honestly…?

His butt was pretty sore.

"Brother!" Al's voice was heavy with fatigue as he looked up. Edward yawned, flopping onto the bed and curling up with his back to Alphonse. Hugging his knees to his chest, he shivered and closed his eyes tightly.

"Hey…Al," he mumbled with another yawn. The metal, echoing clink of metal suggested that his brother had slumped somewhat.

"What's the matter…? The colonel says you're sick—i-is that why you went to the bathroom all last night? I fell asleep after you left; I-I'm sorry, I should have stayed awake to help you…was the nightmare really that bad?"

"No, Al…but thanks for worrying and all."

There was a pause, and then his brother started up again with his strained, concerned tone of voice. "Brother…I-I heard you last night…you were moaning…and your voice is raspy, and I'm sorry…I should have helped you. I should have comforted you after your nightmare…"

Edward sat up, shaking his head and sighing a bit. He grinned weakly. Hopefully the hot blush across his face would suggest that he had a fever. Hopefully. "Thanks, Al, but I'm okay. Really. It's not your fault at all that I'm sick."

Alphonse nodded quickly and turned to the desk. "Brother…"

"Hm?"

"…Nothing."

Ed nodded some and pulled a large T-shirt on, trudging to the door with yet another yawn. His fingers brushing against the brass knob, he sighed somewhat as he was interrupted from leaving yet again.

"Brother, where are you going?"

"Library."

"Um…where did you get that tank top you were wearing? Last night you were only in your sweat pants…excuse me for being observant, brother."

Edward shook his head, smiling weakly over his shoulder. "Its okay, Al. The colonel…he lent it to me."

Al nodded somewhat, and sighed slightly as his brother shut the door behind him. He was worried; he couldn't deny that.

It was comfortable on the couch. Edward had scavenged around the library until he had stumbled upon a good book; it was simply a horror book, and he didn't feel like reading up on any alchemy. It made him feel guilty, not studying when the more he learned about alchemy, the closer he and Al would get to their original bodies.

Sighing some, he flipped the page. Immediately, his eyes settling on the first word, he jumped as Havoc leaned over and peered down at him.

"So, Ed…about last night…are you really as sick as the colonel says you are?"

Edward scowled, swatting at the older man with the book. "Go away," he mumbled as hoarsely as he could. If Mustang would do so much as to tell everyone he was sick, then he'd have to go along with it. "I'm reading."

Havoc straightened up, hands propped on his hips, laughing around the cigarette balanced almost professionally on his lips. "Really? C'mon, Elric…out with it. How high is your fever, eh? You look pretty flushed to me."

Edward snorted, burying his nose in the book and curling up, tucking his feet up under him. Havoc chuckled and shook his head, not giving up but not going on. Leaving the library, he left Ed with the small, wary feeling that he'd be back.

And he was. But this time, he brought friends.

Hawkeye clucked her tongue in a motherly fashion, hands clasped behind her back, gazing down at the young hagane.

"Really…it's probably because you're so reckless, sir. How many times, I wonder, that I've seen you out in the rain, just sitting? I swear to God…you'll catch pneumonia and die or something…"

Edward snorted, glancing away. Shooting a glare at Havoc, he snorted a second time. Havoc smirked broadly in return.

"That's right, Hawkeye…you tell him…"

Hawkeye frowned a bit, reaching over and giving Havoc's ear a disapproving twist; nodding in satisfaction as he squalled, she reached to the other side and tucked the blanket tighter around Edward.

For a third time, the boy snorted.

Some of the other men Havoc had dragged over chuckled to themselves. One stepped over and nudged at Ed's shoulder, grinning, and Hawkeye shook her head. Touching Edward's forehead gently with one hand, she twisted his ear as well as she caught some of his irate grumbles.

Edward squalled, slapping at her hand. "What the hell was that for!"

Hawkeye smiled cutely. "Nothing, sir. Just…checking your temperature." Some men chuckled again and Havoc sat down heavily beside Ed, smirking all the more.

"Edward…are you sure you're not just love-sick?"

Ed's eyes widened a bit in surprise. Opening his mouth, he snapped it shut again, glanced at the other men in the room, and slumped into the couch, brows furrowing in a deep scowl. "I didn't even know you knew that word, Havoc," he mumbled.

Havoc coughed in recognition of the taunt, but shrugged it off and grinned a bit again. "Really…is it your stomach, Edward? You seemed to be having trouble…I'm sure everyone in the dorm rooms could hear your groans."

Ed's face reddened almost immediately and he started to cough violently. Hawkeye stiffened, straightening up and pointing rigidly to the door.

"Now! All of you men stop bothering Fullmetal and get back to work!"

As the door shut behind the laughing and grumbling crowd of military men, Ed settled into his book again. "Finally," he said under his sigh. "Thought they'd never leave."

Edward hurried down the hall. The library wasn't a good place to stay if everyone thought you had been doing something other than spewing your guts.

Even though…that was what he had been doing, but he wasn't about to admit that!

He had spent most of the morning in the library reading, and now his hands were shoved deep into his sweatshirt pocket as he made his way to the dorm room where he and Al stayed. He had tried to avoid Roy, and so far it was working. His stomach growled.

Maybe Al had gotten him some lunch?

…Or breakfast…?

Ed sighed somewhat and reached out to the door knob of his dorm's door, but cringed, brow twitching some as he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Fullmetal, sir! I-I heard you were ill, and I thought I might be able to help…I read a book on health and remedies once. The flu, right?"

Edward sighed again and grinned lightly, turning to face Scieszka. The brunette bookworm was clasping her hands near her lap, bowing half-way in that nervous way of hers. Nodding slightly, he slumped a bit, shifting his footing. "The flu."

"Oh! T-the flu! Well, then…ah…if you have a fever—by the way, sir, it looks so…your face is very red—then a wet cloth would be best. Charcoal is always good for your stomach, and I can get you some crackers if need be…"

"Heh…no, but thanks, Scieszka. I'm okay. Really."

"You sure?"

He nodded, turning the knob on the door. "I'm sure." She nodded as well and hurried off down the hallway. Edward sighed, brow twitching some. All of this over a little love, ne?

Well, if you put it that way…

Alphonse chuckled somewhat as Edward trudged into the room. "Brother…"

"What?" Ed croaked, dropping heavily to the bed and burying his face in his pillow. If any more worrying went on about people sneaking up on him to worry over his well-being, or tease him about the night before, he really would be sick.

"…Hughes dropped off some stew, brother…just the way you like it. He said," and Al stopped to chuckle again, "that it'd help your growth, what with having milk in it."

Ed groaned into the pillow. "I don't want any…"

Alphonse paused, startled. "Why not…? You love to eat, brother…"

"I'm not hungry right now," Edward grumbled, turning to face the wall.

Alphonse's metal exterior clinked as he gasped in mock awe. "Are you telling me that my brother is not hungry…for once?"

Ed grinned to himself, but shrugged. "Yeah. Is that really so surprising, Al?"

Al chuckled again. "If you aren't going to eat it, brother, then I'll just leave it, okay? If you're really not feeling good, you might want to sleep."

Edward nodded. Alphonse was quiet, which left the older Elric to his thoughts. Only he and Roy knew what he had been doing last night, but everyone else thought he had the flu. Havoc and his fellows knew it was something else, and were determined to find out, but everyone else was offering remedies and food and such.

What a day. And it was only noon, wasn't it?

No one would notice him. That's what he told himself. Over and over. No one would notice him as he slipped down the hallways to the colonel's office. And, of course, the colonel would know what to do.

Leaning both ways to see if anyone was coming, Edward ducked into the office.

"Fullmetal…sir…"

Eyes widening, Edward let out a small choke-like cough. "Hawkeye! Uh…I forgot…um…"

Mustang laughed, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms behind his head. "Surprised, Edward?" Hawkeye perked a brow, glancing from Edward's beet-red, wide-eyed stare to the colonel's knowing smirk and casual disposition. Hugging some papers closer to her chest, she sighed.

"So that's it, eh?"

Roy almost fell out of his chair; Edward almost tripped over his own two feet. It was silent before the youngest of the three squalled, "What!"

Mustang stared at Hawkeye with a horror-filled gaze, then sighed and looked to his paperwork. The "g" in his last signature had a peculiar wave in it. Hawkeye blinked a bit, and then glanced to Edward.

"You two don't have to worry," she murmured softly. "I'm not about to tell everyone. You just might want to tell the others. Havoc and Hughes are already set on the idea that Fullmetal has a girlfriend who comes to visit every night. You really should do something other than lying. Really, sir," and she turned to Mustang, "I expected better."

Edward hugged himself, staring at the colonel. Hawkeye bowed quickly, leaving the room as hastily as she could. "I think…I'll leave you two alone now. Excuse me…please…"

As soon as the door clicked shut, Edward stumbled over Roy's desk, slamming his hands to the top and leaning forward, staring blankly at the colonel, eyes wide. "Why the hell do I feel like crying, you bastard colonel?"

"You're overwhelmed of course," Roy mumbled, clearing his throat and smirking some, resting his elbows on his desk and folding his hands to respite his chin on his knuckles.

Edward blushed, snorting somewhat. "What does that mean?"

"Overwhelmed means besieged, beset, or inundated—"

"You know what I flippin' mean!"

Roy laughed and nodded a bit. "I know. Everyone is bothering you because they think you're sick."

"No," Ed drawled sarcastically.

Mustang grinned somewhat. "You know I'll tell everyone soon…and you'll be there, ne?"

"Taisa…"

"Yes?"

"…I hate you."

It was silent; Mustang snickered deviously, a scheming gleam in his eye. "Oh, so when you hate someone, Fullmetal, you screw around with them?"

Edward opened his mouth to say something, but snapped it shut again with a loud click. Spinning on his heel, he groaned and stomped off, slamming the office door behind him as he stormed off down the hallway.

And the colonel almost grimaced happily as he heard the last irate shout from the adorable blonde, playing it over and over in his head.

"You bastard colonel—I absolutely hate you!"

…He was honestly just too cute.

"Fullmetal, sir…"

Edward glanced over his shoulder. Hawkeye stood behind him, frowning somewhat. He blinked a bit, and then looked up. Of course. It was raining, and he was sitting out on the steps of headquarters again, hands in his sweatshirt pocket, clothes soaked through, and his hair sticking to his face. Hawkeye shook her head disapprovingly. Edward grinned somewhat sheepishly at her. It wasn't his fault; the cement steps were comforting.

"Lieutenant…"

"What are you doing?"

"You know I'm not sick…so why stop me from sitting in the rain?"

Hawkeye sighed some and said softly, "I think we need to talk."

Edward immediately stiffened. "Why? About what?"

"…Things."

He perked a brow, knowing what she meant but acting stupid.

"You and Roy."

"…Oh." A blush dusted across his cheeks as he stood and clomped up the steps. "How would you know about that anyway?" he snorted.

Hawkeye smiled slyly. "I just know things, sir. I just do."

"Brother…" Al frowned on the inside, wishing his concern showed on the outside. "You seem upset."

Edward shrugged, staring blankly at his brother. "No…I'm okay."

Alphonse frowned deeper. "Are you sure?"

The blonde nodded, crossing his arms.

"You haven't seemed okay…I mean, since you talked to Hawkeye, brother."

Edward cringed. The talk had been…disturbing. The Lieutenant had instructed him on the feelings of men…the way men made love…and it had all been complete with diagrams. Ed had tried to seem stupid, but had actually blushed like an idiot and squalled, "I recognize that move!" when she showed him a certain picture. All in all it had been frightening.

Alphonse perked a brow inwardly, waving his hand a bit. "Brother…you're spacing out again."

"Oh…" Ed shivered. "Sorry."

Al shook his head a bit, lying down on his own bed. There was a small knock on the door and both boys looked up. Edward waved to his brother, signaling that he'd answer it.

A sly, lusty grin and dark, leering eyes met his widened, golden expression. The colonel leaned against the threshold of the dorm's door and leaned forward, breathing down Ed's neck as he whispered in the blonde's ear, "Did you recognize the diagrams?"

Like…OMG…my very first FMA fanfic…one-shot…thingum has been finished! It's really crappy, hai, and fluffy, hai, but it's mine so ha-hah! I just had to do this…I don't exactly know why, but I did. I've been reading many shounen-ai fanfics, so I decided to attempt one.

Doesn't hurt to try, ne?

Anywho…thanks for reading. Hai, this was just a one-shot…RnR, onegai! ,