Envy's Scale

Disclaimer: don't own Fullemtal Alchemist. But I do own my Rping and story line rights. SO HA!

Alphonse sat at the kitchen table waiting for his brother to come. He was running late again as always and ever wondered if he took it in consideration that his brother would wait for him. It had already been a year since he had come to the other side of the gate with his brother and destroyed the dragon Envy who was a sacrifice to open the gate in this world. It did not occur to Alphonse much though that his brother would be leaving often. On missions even Edward would say he was going out for a walk at unreasonable hours, and yet returning at even more unreasonable hours. It also seemed that he was always tired.

Alphonse had always shrugged his brother's strangeness as nothing, but it still bothered him at certain times like now. He had waited 3 hours already from the time his brother had said he would be home by, and it began to worry him that he wasn't coming.

"Did he get hurt or stopped for something?" Alphonse thought.

Just as his thought finished he heard footsteps coming up the stairs and relaxed. He watched as the door opened to there apartment and smiled at his brother who walked in.

"Brother! Where have you been?" Alphonse asked more cheerfully than upset.

"Oh! Hello… Alphonse." It seemed as if Edward had not expected him to stay waiting for him and turned away from Al as quickly as he saw him. "Sorry I was late. The boss kept me late."

Alphonse nodded not buying his excuse and only sighed. He shook his head feeling the pain of being lied to when he heard sudden coughing. Standing up from the kitchen table he walked over to the room his brother sat in and looked at him concerned.

"Are you alright Edward?" he asked watching him worriedly.

Once again Edward seemed to jump as if he did not expect Alphonse to be there and looked at him nervously.

"Y-yeah I'm fine. Just a cold. Don't worry about it." He said trying to cover up his coughing quickly and making sure to stay in the shadows of the room.

Alphonse once again didn't buy his excuse and stood at the door entrance showing no signs of leaving. Edward knew that Alphonse suspected him and sighed.

"Hey Al why don't you go make some coffee alright? I would like some if you don't mind." Edward knew what he said was a lie but it was the only way to keep Al away for the time being.

Alphonse suspecting something even more only nodded and turned to the kitchen to make some coffee.

" 'course.." he mumbled as he went on his way.

Edward, relieved for the moment quickly ran to the bathroom where he looked in the mirror. He sighed in relief at finding nothing inhuman around his eyes and felt better that he was well hidden from human eyes so far. The cough that he had acquired on the other hand would be a problem, he thought. How was he going to convince Alphonse to let him out? He would figure out a way, for now he would just enjoy the time spent with his brother.

Alphonse finished with making the coffee and poured it into several cups when Edward appeared behind him. He nearly jumped as he didn't expect him to be there, nor did he even watch him come into the room. It was as if he appeared there from no where. Knocking over one of the cups in surprise he watched as coffee spilled all over the floor and the cup shattering.

"…damn.." he sighed as he put the coffee maker back on the stove and went for a towel to clean up the mess.

"You shouldn't scare me like that brother.. I swear sometimes you as slick as a snake…" Alphonse's voice trailed off as the smile that was implanted on Edward's face faltered a moment than resumed its smile. Al thought that strange. After all he knew his brother would never falter a smile unless he was hiding something. He finished cleaning up the mess and got another cup from the cupboard to poor some more coffee. He than turned around towards the kitchen table where Edward had seated himself and placed the two cups on the table. Edward grabbed for one quite pleased at the hot liquid and drank deeply.

"Careful brother… it's…hot……" Alphonse blinked as he watched his brother down the steaming liquid into his mouth and swallowing it as if he had not felt the heat.

"uh…" Edward finally said noticing that what he had done was strange "oh sorry... uhmm..." He stood up from the table and backed up.

" I think I'll take a nap now. I'll see you latter. Okay Al?" and with that Edward left the room.

"uhhh…" came Alphonse's own confused response. He shrugged and waited for his coffee to cool until he found it drinkable and sipped it, thinking about Edward's strange behavior.

Edward walked into his room exhausted. He sighed knowing that what he did was a risk in giving away a secret he continued to keep hidden. There was no way he could break the news to his brother, it would just be too much. Wandering over to a chest Edward took out a small locked box and opened it, making sure that Alphonse wasn't in site.

As he opened it he looked at the contents inside both smiling and feeling the occurrence of dread in him. The object inside was none other than a dragon scale, but not just from any dragon from the dragon known as Envy; the one that they destroyed at the gate. It seemed a little strange for Edward to take the dragon scale, but his curiosity to study things never seized. The accomplishment he made with this scale though, he both was thrilled over and yet dreaded. Because of his experimentation, he had to leave his brother at odd hours so he could do what was necessary when tainted by the scale. He knew it seemed odd for his brother and it became harder and harder to hide it everyday. As he thought about it more he realized how much he began to hate such taint, but because of his mistake he had to do the things necessary or he knew he would not last much longer in the world.

Feeling and itch come to his throat he coughed loudly. The coughing jerked his body and made him drop the box that contained the scale to the ground as he grasped his throat.

"No…" his mind said as it raced. He couldn't breathe; the coughing would not allow him to. Trying to grasp air he gasped finding himself falling towards the floor. "no.." his thoughts once again said. He could not pass out here, he could not otherwise his brother would find the scale and figure what he had done. He could not be seen in that form, or anything to do with the dragon.

Trying to grasp reality he reached for the scale putting it back into the box as he coughed and shut the small case in which it was in before, throwing it into the chest. Finding that the scale was safe from being found out he let his coughing take a hold of him and before he knew it feel into the darkness. The only thing he heard before he blacked out was Al screaming at him, asking if he was alright, and the feeling of a smile curling onto his own face. Than all went black.

((omg. I confused myself on this fic. Well if your confused I don't blame you. This idea was from a role play I did several years ago when I used to Rp Edward Elric. It got a little weird though since last year and I quite because to many fan girls were latching themselves upon me. Anyway's I'll continue this only for a few more chapters because I don't expect it to be long, but if you have any suggestions I'll gladly except them. Also don't forget to review!! And thank you for reading!! ))