Author Notes: Hokay, So this is a sequel to "Human" from Green for the Gold, weird I know but hey. Not as graphic, but I'm still rating it M because semen. Fair warning; this is kinda cracky but I had to get it out of my head. Unbetaed. Implied Edvy, implied one-sided Elricest, Implied AlxSpoiler :D
Only Human
Ed awoke that morning, half hoping the previous night had been a dream. The dried semen on his stomach dashed that particular idea. Part of him was genuinely glad for Envy's (most likely unintended) act of beneficence. As unsettling as it was to dwell on, it was ultimately cathartic, and made him realize that maybe he needed to attend to his own emotional needs better than he had been. After a quick shower he throw on some clothes and ventured out into the living room, hoping he could face Al.
He pushed open the door to see Al sitting on the floor, playing with a kitten. Always with the damn kittens, I need to tell Envy to find a new way to get Al out of the apartment. "Morning Brother! Sleep well?" Al chirped at him. Ed sauntered over to the couch and plopped down.
"Picked up another kitten last night?" Ed asked conversationally, almost thankful this would mean Al would be in a good mood for this conversation.
"Ya… he can stay with us for a little while can't he brother?" Al's pleading tone sending a chill down Ed's back as he remembered the previous night.
"Sure, sure thing, no problem." Ed replied almost too readily, eager to get his mind away from where it was headed.
"Are you all right? You seem distracted." Al turned to look at Ed, as if inspecting him for symptoms of something.
"I'm fine Al I'm fine, I just have something on my mind. Can we talk?" Ed tried to keep his face from falling, but he knew this was going to hurt. Al got up and sat down next to Ed.
"What's wrong?" Al asked, something in his voice made Ed think he had some idea already, but he dismissed it as his own guilty conscience. Ed let out a long sigh and took a deep breath.
"Well, it's just… I've realized that ever since we lost our bodies I've been especially hard on myself for it, and I'm starting to see the damage that's doing." Ed started to explain, somewhat uneasily, his eyes searching Al's helmet for some sign of expression. Al nodded understandingly, and Ed continued. "Namely, I've been keeping myself from showing any affection to you, it's only because I'm afraid it'll upset you because you can't feel it and I don't want to remind you of that ever but…" Ed was holding back tears now, a sob threatening to burst out. "…but let me just selfish for a little while." He burst out as he threw his arms around Al's helmet, hugging him awkwardly. Al slowly wrapped his massive iron limbs around Edward and hugged him gently.
"It's alright brother, I don't want you to suffer for me." Al said quietly, giving Ed a little squeeze. Ed hugged him for a little longer before letting go.
"Thanks Al, I've just needed to get that out of my system for a while, and I promise, I won't put myself through any more hell than I need to." Ed stated bravely, giving Al's hand one last squeeze before heading into the kitchen to make some coffee.
"So you weren't going to tell me about Envy then?" Al asked innocently, startling Ed into dropping his mug.
"Whaaat about Envy?" Ed asked, attempting to sound innocent.
"Please brother, I know you've been sleeping with him for months now. You can't think I'm that oblivious." Al replied smugly. Ed was frantically trying to recall a way to transmute himself out of existence. "I mean we share a room every night for over a year and all of a sudden every few nights you 'need some privacy' or a kitten just happens to be right outside our building? You could at least tell him to think of another distraction, I'd hate to think you actually think I'm that predictable." Al continued as Ed shuffled back into the living room, head hanging low. "And then there's the fact that neither of you are particularly quiet." Ed was turning redder than his coat, unsure if he should kill himself or Al or both.
"I really didn't want you to find out like that." Ed muttered quietly as he sat in the chair dejectedly.
"I'm not mad Ed, I can understand why you'd want to keep it a secret. But you also need to know you can trust me with these things." Al shifted down the couch closer to Ed, keeping his tone calm and understanding. Ed let out another long sigh.
"Where should I start? I didn't want you to find out I'm attracted to men, or that I'm sleeping with a homunculus? Hell I just felt so guilty for it, here you are trapped in a suit of armor while I'm getting my rocks off. I'd resent me for it." Ed sputtered out, anger directed mostly at himself.
"What did we just finish talking about? Something about you not putting yourself through hell? I said I'm not mad Ed, can't you just let me be happy for you?" Al shot back, anger creeping into his voice.
"I'm sorry Al, you're right, I just wasn't ready to discuss this with you, took me by surprise." Ed replied, calming down a bit as he eased back into the chair. "I guess since we're talking about this there's something else I should probably mention…" The little confidence that Ed's voice had for a flicker seeping away quickly. "You know how Envy's a shapeshifter right?" Ed asked, trying to work up the courage for his upcoming confession.
"Well ya, wait you don't mean… Don't tell me you make him change his shape for you in bed! Do you have any idea how insensitive that is?! You call Envy up right now and tell him he's beautiful just the way he is!" Al shouted at Ed, gesticulating furiously.
"What? No! No no no it's nothing like that! I never ask him to shapeshift for me!" Ed defended himself, holding out his hands protectively. "I really do think he's beautiful just the way he is…" He continued, a happy flush lighting his cheeks. It dimmed shortly though. "I mentioned he was a shapeshifter though because sometimes well…sometimes he shapeshifts on his own and…" Ed's voice started to lower of its own accord, his courage deserting him.
"Go on Ed, I didn't mean to get mad. You know you can tell me anything." Al tried to sound as comforting as he could, retaking his seat on the couch.
"Well, last night he…he…" Ed swallowed and looked into Al's glowing eyes as he forced himself to say it. "He turned into you, the body you're supposed to have, and he…we…I…" Ed couldn't continue, tearing his gaze away from Al's and burying his face in his hands, vainly trying to hide his shame.
Al was dumbstruck. He leaned back into the couch and stared off into the room as he tried to process what Ed just told him. Ed didn't dare look at Al, all he could see now was the face Envy borrowed looking up at him, the look of ecstacy written on it. The way he used his little brother's voice to beg for him to… He thought he would start crying any minute now.
"Is that why you hugged me earlier? Because Envy made you realize that I was the one you really wanted?" Al asked, his voice shaky, Ed could hear how wrong he hoped he was.
"No! No no that's not it. No I… He made me realize that if I just bottle up my feelings for too long then it'll get all twisted, I only love you as a brother, but I haven't been expressing it properly so…" Ed was no longer hiding his face in his hands, but he still couldn't look right at Al.
Al's heavy gauntlet squeezed Ed's shoulder. "Ed, stop doing this to yourself, I'll admit it freaked me out a little bit but it's nothing to worry about, I'm reasonably sure you won't try to jump me once we get our bodies back." Al's tone turning lighthearted as he teased his brother, bringing a smile to the older boy's face.
"I guess you're right Al, besides, Envy would probably get jealous." He replied with a chuckle. "Thanks for being so understanding about all this, I promise I'll introduce you properly next time he stops by." Al gave Ed's shoulder a final squeeze before releasing it.
"Glad to hear it brother! Truth is, I've been seeing someone too." Al confessed bashfully, rubbing the back of his helmet awkwardly.
"Get outta town, you sly dog you." Ed punched Al in the shoulder teasingly.
"It's nothing sexual naturally, but he really gets me, we understand each other on a level I didn't think anyone else would." Al continued dreamily, his infatuation evident even on his expressionless face.
"Well don't keep me in suspense, who is it?" Ed asked eagerly, leaning closer to Al.
"Well its…"
Riza was taking Black Hayate for his morning stroll before she went in to work, it was always so peaceful this early in the morning, the dew still lay on the grass and leaves, the chill in the air making her hot coffee that much more appealing. As she passed the dormitories however, a sound ordinarily entirely alien to her morning walks shattered the tranquility of the experience, and forced her to expel most of the mouthful of her delicious coffee, it startled her so. From the upper floors of one of the dormitories, she heard a familiar voice bellowing in surprise.
"Barry the Chopper!?"