This fic needs a bit of explaining. Yes, it is a Valentine's Day fic. But it's also something that I've been meaning to write for years. This entire story is based off of a picture entitles "Shall We Dance?" by neo02yavizm on DA. I'd share the link with you, except I started this fic so long ago that the artist has since canceled her account and all of her artwork has been put in storage. Which is really a shame because she had some awesome art including one of the best AlMei kissing arts I have ever seen ever. But I happened to have printed this picture out. I got her permission to write a story off of the picture at the time and... never did it...

But I found the picture the other day and realized Valentine's Day was coming up and it was a perfect time to finally work on it.

"Your Highness?" Ling Yao lifted his head from where it rested in his hands.

In front of him spanned the entire majestic throne room which he had assumed was empty apart from himself and his most trust guard. However, to his surprise (and relief) he found not another issue to be place at his feet, but Lan Fan.

"What is it, Lan Fan?" His guard bowed her head, avoiding eye contact.

"I respectfully request two day away from your service, Your Highness."

"Lan Fan," she looked up briefly but quickly returned her eyes to the ground.

"The courtiers and Elders aren't here. You don't have to assume every formality." With a slightly disapproving smile, she complied, rising to her feet. "Why do you want to leave for a few days?"

"It's my 18th birthday, Young Lord. As you should know, tradition states that there must be a celebration at my place of birth. I will be returning to our village, then rejoin you here shortly after."

"Really? How come I was never invited to one of those?"

"Young Lord, you have been to all three of your cousins'."

"I have?"

"Yes. Your eldest cousin had hers at the age of 16 when she was married to the boy from the Yan clan, the middle at her 18th birthday, and the youngest at 15, almost exactly before we left for Amestris."

"Oh..." Lan Fan waited patiently while he frowned, waiting for his response. Finally he nodded before straightening. "No you can't leave me."

Lan Fan gaped. She had obviously not expected that response.

"But Young Lord it is tradition—"

"You can't leave me because I'm going with you!"

The Elders weren't happy.

Ling didn't particularly care.

"Please do not do anything reckless Young Lord. I will not be able to watch over you as I normally would. You have to keep yourself safe." Lan Fan wasn't wearing her mask like she usually was. She had taken it off when the driver informed them that they had entered the Yao providence.

"I can do that, Lan Fan. And I am not helpless. I can protect myself."

"Yes, but I would feel much more assured of your safety if I were able to verify it."

He smiled softly and shook his head. "I will try to stay close to you. Don't automatically assume that I am dead if you can't find me, though."

"Of course I will, Young Lord. If it keeps you alive, I will assume anything."

"Oh look, we're here." Lan Fan eyed him, obviously not done with berating him about his safety, but stepped out of the car. She also exited first. There was a much higher chance of attack for someone getting out of the car than for the one left in the car, so she always went first in case there was danger. He emerged behind her.

The sight that greeted them was very pleasant. Ling had to confess that in all the years that he had known Lan Fan, since they were seven so over ten years, he had never once visited her home. She had spent almost every day with him since she was eight, only returning home once or twice a year. He had only met her mother once, when he had to explain to her how her daughter had lost her arm. She had been invited to his Coronation, but he never actually located or talked to her there.

The area was tidy and well kept. The home was modest with a small garden area. A very handsome woman stood outside of the house.

"Mother."

"Lan Fan." Lan Fan glanced at him and he nodded. Then she ran at her mother, who quickly enveloped her daughter in a hug.

Ling turned to talk to and pay the driver while the reunited, and only once the driver was well on his way towards disappearing down the road did he turn back to the two women.

It was about that time that her mother noticed him. Her eyes widened and she quickly bent down at the waist so that she was parallel with the ground.

"Your Majesty! I… To what do we owe the honor of your presence?"

"Mother, he has come with me so that I can continue my protection of him."

"I am sorry to burden you this close to such an occasion, Lady Fa," he said bowing himself. "I know that it is rude beyond all else, but I couldn't not attend this special event in Lan Fan's life."

"Of course not, Your Majesty, it is no burden to host one as noble and pure as you. I only fear that our accommodations are nowhere near as fine one such as you deserves."

"I am not here as the Emperor, only as a friend of Lan Fan's. Anything you can give me will be more than I deserve for my rudeness." Her mother still didn't rise from her bow. Neither did Ling.

"Lady Fa, I am not going to straighten until you do," he said, grinning as he talked to the ground.

"Mother," Lan Fan said quietly. Eventually she straightened, bright red. Ling was still grinning when he straightened again.

"I really do not wish to cause any commotion. I only come to honor Lan Fan on this special occasion… and to not have to suffer the mediocre protection I would be provided in her absence."

"Very… Very well Most Noble—"

"Please. While I am here, my name is Ling. Young Lord at most."

"Very well… Young Lord." He smiled.

"Please, lead the way." Lan Fan nodded, taking the lead as she moved through the halls of the home. Ling looked at almost everything with an air of fascination.

"So this is where you grew up, Lan Fan?"

"Yes, Young Lord. Until Grandfather insisted that I live at the Yao home all the time."

"Fascinating. It is a lovely home, Lady Fa."

"Thank you Young Lord."

"And where shall I be sleeping?"

"Here," Lan Fan answered for her mother, opening a door. "It is the room closest to mine."

"And you will be sleeping in a separate room?" Lady Fa's eye's widened.

"You sleep in the same room?" In truth they had slept in the same bed before. Not in a sexual way, simply so that Lan Fan could be assured at all times that he was breathing. If anyone were to come close to him they would quickly find themselves with an automail blade at their throat. It was something they never would have done when Fu was still alive, but times had changed. But they were hardly going to tell that to Lan Fan's mother.

"For protection," Lan Fan clarified, a light pink color. "It is much easier to protect the Young Lord if we are close to each other. I do not have to travel as far to reach him if he were to ever be in trouble. Seconds can matter life or death in an assassination attempt. However, for this circumstance it might be… inappropriate."

"Very well. I think I will retire now." Lan Fan nodded and went to follow Ling as he entered his room, but he stopped her. "Stay behind, Lan Fan. Reunite with your mother."

The guard pursed her lips.

"Only the Elders know that I decided to come down here with you. It was a snap decision, no one is going to try to assassinate me. At least not today."

Lips still pursed, Lan Fan nodded and followed her mother elsewhere in the house.

Ling glanced around the room to get a feel for it. It was only once he had checked the entire perimeter thoroughly for qi that he set his plan into motion. Quickly pulling the correct clothes out of his bag, Ling changed out of informal robes into something that he hadn't worn in years.

It also happened to be a great deal more comfortable.

The boy who climbed out the window was not the Emperor of Xing. In fact, only those who were very close to him would ever be able to recognize him as anyone in the royal family. He looked more like an average citizen, perhaps a rowdy one, that might get thrown into an Amestrian prison for being an illegal immigrant.

It took him a couple of minutes to get his bearings straight enough to know what direction to take. From there the trip was fairly quick.

He knelt down when he reached his destination.

"Hello, Fu."

Ling had to use almost every ounce of his political skill when he joined the Fa's for dinner. Not because of anything they did… Because of Lan Fan. He almost didn't recognize her when he first saw her at the dinner table. No only had she let her hair down (it had gotten long, reaching almost halfway down her back), but she had also changed into a dress. It was a dark green dress with long sleeves that covered her automail with a high neck… but it was a dress. He couldn't remember a single time when he had ever seen her in a dress.

She blushed slightly when she saw him staring at her, but sat down next to him.

"It is an honor to have you here, Emperor," the man who sat on Lan Fan's other side said.

"The honor is all mine," he responded easily. "I am honored to be allowed to stay here and attend Lan Fan's Celebration. She has been my most loyal servant. The least I can do is honor her now."

"None the less, you honor us with your presence." Ling smiled and nodded. He was familiar with politics. At this point they could continue to trade "you honor me more"s for hours or more. He knew. He had spent hours with similar exchanges.

Lan Fan's mother took her place at the table and began to dish the meal onto the plates. Everyone thanked her when they were handed their plate.

When everyone had received their plate and everyone else in the room began to each, though, Lan Fan reached for his plate. Grabbing a portion of his rice and a small sample of the meat, she began stuck it in her mouth and begun to chew. Ling waited patiently for her to nod before beginning to eat.

"Do you mistrust us, Your Majesty?" the man asked. Both Ling and Lan Fan turned to look at him.

"Of course not. I trust you implicitly. But one can never be sure of what happens to food when it is left unattended for even a split moment. Especially when one is in a position as high as myself. There is nothing amiss with caution."

The man stared at him and Ling met his gaze evenly.

Then he smiled.

"I am glad that you are so protected. It appears my father taught Lan Fan well."

"Your father?"

"Fu. I am Lan Fan's Uncle. Her father died in the line of duty, so as his younger brother, I will take his place during tomorrow's ceremony."

"Are you also a guard?"

"I am, Your Majesty. I was not chosen to pledge my life to service however, so I have had the opportunity to guard many people. I was able to take the time to come and do this for my niece."

"I see."

"Guards from our family are highly desired."

"If you are half the guard that Fu was or Lan Fan is, you must be one of the most highly desired guards in Xing."

"I fancy myself a highly desired guard."

Ling began to eat his own food, making sure to show his appreciation as he did so. It had been quite the challenge when he became Emperor to not eat the way he usually did — more inhaling than eating if he were to be honest. But he ate. This was Lan Fan's family. He didn't want them to think that she was protecting a wild pig. Though if she ever communicated stories about their… adventures back home, they would have some idea of that.

"So, how will the celebration tomorrow go? I have attended them before, but confess I don't remember much of them."

"We decided not to make a big deal of the event. Lan Fan will have to prepare for most of the day, but when the evening comes the entire family that could come, all the teachers who have taught and trained Lan Fan, and most of the village will gather for the celebration of her becoming a woman. I will give her my blessing as my daughter, and then her Uncle will dance with her for the first time as a woman. Then she will spend the rest of the night dancing with the other young men. Usually that would be when she would find potential suitors, but considering the circumstances…"

"I see," Ling said, nodding. Lan Fan had become suddenly very interested in her plate. Ling glanced at her and almost smiled at the red dusting across her cheeks. The smile faded at the thought of someone else, another man, dancing with her. Even though she wouldn't exactly be searching for a suitor among her dance partners…

"I do not mean to offend, Your Majesty—"

"Ling, please. I have no desire to be the Emperor these two days. I am only a friend of Lan Fan's, here to honor her."

"That would be most inappropriate…" Ling sighed.

"Young Lord, then."

Her Uncle looked uneasy about, but continued. "I do not mean to offend Young Lord, but I feel like for your own protection you should… observe the festivities only. Just as you said earlier, there is no telling what might have happened to your food in the split seconds it might have been left alone. Even if your decision to come here was abrupt, information reaches the ears of assassins quickly. I trust everyone who will be coming, but there is no telling who may have been slipped a bribe, or unknowing brought an assassin among us."

Ling nodded. "Very wise. I promise I will only observe."

He visibly relaxed. "Thank you Your…" he stopped himself when he saw Ling's stare. "Young Lord."

Ling almost grinned in triumph the first time one of the many visitors who was now arriving at the house walked past him and didn't give him a second glance. He was currently sitting in front of the room in which Lan Fan was going through her preparations for the evening. He was no allowed to witness them, he suspected they had something to do with bathing, but Lan Fan has insisted that he stay close to her so that she could continue to protect him.

So he was sitting outside the door in a sleeveless tunic with his hair pulled back how he used to wear it before becoming Emperor reading a book. It was a text that his little sister, Mei Chang, has suggested he read and he found it… interesting. It was a novel about a girl who was abused by her family and was given the chance to go to a ball and ended up falling in love with the Prince.

It explained a lot about why Mei had been so infatuated with the Elrics.

It was intensely gratifying to not be recognized by others as the Emperor. Relaxing. He didn't have to be polite all the time and deal with politics. An assassin would be able to recognize him, yes, so he wasn't exactly safe, but Ling hadn't felt safe in terms of people wanting him dead since the day he was told he was Prince.

This was relaxing in the way that he didn't have a glaring spotlight focused on him and millions of citizens watching his every move. He could sneeze without some predicting that he was deathly ill and the Throne was going to go to Mei.

"Young Lord?" Ling looked up to see Lan Fan's mother sticking her head out the door.

"Yes?"

"We are finished. She will be presented as soon as Xin-min can gather the crowd."

"Does she want me to stay here or join the crowd?"

"Stay near Xin-min. She trusts him enough to protect you until she can keep you near." Ling smiled slightly. She was overprotective to be sure. He had a hard time minding, considering how many times it had saved his life.

"Very well."

He got up, closed the book, leaving it on the chair, and walked towards the door he knew led to the where the party would begin. It was quite impressive, actually. While Lan Fan's family would never exactly want for food, their house was modest. The small garden seemed to have been transformed though. There were enough tables to seat the guests he saw milling about. There was even a large clear area for the dancing that would take place later.

It only took a few seconds for Ling to locate Lan Fan's Uncle and go to stand next to him. After giving him the message about Lan Fan being ready, Xin-min announced that she would be presented shortly. The crowd, more than fifty but less than a hundred people, nodded and turned towards the door that Ling had just come from.

A few seconds later, Lan Fan walked out of them.

Ling's eyes widened. That surely wasn't Lan Fan, was it? But no, he knew her eyes. He knew that blush. And he only knew of one girl in all of Xing with an automail arm. She was wearing a sleeveless dress that split open at the knee, revealing her calves. They were very muscular, as he knew they were, but it was one thing to know that his female vassal had muscular legs, it was quite another to see them. Her hair was down once again and it shone with different oils to keep it silk smooth.

"Lan Fan Fa," Xin-min said loudly, so everyone could hear over the chatter that broke out once she appeared. A quite look at the crowd had Ling frowning though. While he had been marveling at Lan Fan's… he would say it, at her beauty, the crowd seemed unsettled, even upset. Why…?

Ling's eyes narrowed when the answer occurred to him.

"My daughter," her mother began. "You have dedicated your life to a worthy purpose. You protect a life, perhaps the greatest honor any human can be given responsibility over. Not only a life, but the life of our Most High Emperor, who leads us and protects us. By protecting him, you protect our country. You have never failed in your duty and you have made your family proud. You have made me proud. Today, on your 18th birthday, you are worthy to be called a woman." Lady Fa kissed her daughter on the forehead and Lan Fan bowed her head.

Then Xin-min left Ling's side and moved towards his niece. Lan Fan's eyes watched him approach, once straying from him to meet Ling's eyes. He smiled at her and she turned a light pink and averted her eyes.

"Your father has left us for the Afterlife so I am left in his stead to ask first for your company and a dance. Will you accept?"

"Yes," she answered firmly. Her Uncle nodded and took her hand, leading her to the area that had obviously been set aside for dancing. Ling stayed where he was to watch the dance. It was simple, nothing elaborate. Just a simple dance. He spun her a few times throughout the dance, and Lan Fan was more than balanced enough to handle them.

Ling couldn't identify where the music was coming from, but it was soft and soothing. He found himself smiling as he watched them dance. The smile faded when he noticed some of the men watching her.

Her Uncle spun her one more time before letting her go and bowing. The gathered crowd began to cheer and clap and Ling grinned when he saw that she even managed to not turn pink or red.

Chatter broke out and a couple of other couples moved onto the dance floor.

Ling smiled and prepared to slink away into a corner and wait for the affair to be over. He was happy for her.

Then he noticed Lan Fan was standing awkwardly in the middle of the dance floor. That wasn't right. This was her night. Her mother had said that after her father, or Uncle in this case, finished dancing with her she wasn't supposed to want for a dance the entire night.

But she stood alone.

Perhaps someone who hadn't spent every day with her since he was seven would only see her being her normal calm collected self, but he could see the twitching of her fingers. She was fighting the urge to play with her dress. Her eyes were darting around looking for someone to come save her.

No one would.

He saw the way they all looked at her. Her arm alone was enough to drive any man away, let alone the scars roped across her flesh arm and the bulge of a knife under her dress (Ling knew that there were far more weapons concealed about her person, the bulging knife was only there to warn anyone away). She had become… undesirable.

Ling felt something growl and snap in his chest and despite his promise that he would only observe, he strode forward through the crowd of people. Lan Fan's eyes snapped to him and question rose on her face.

"Young Lord—"

He didn't answer, just grabbing her hands and winking. "Shall we dance, Lan Fan?" he asked. She stuttered and blushed furiously as he spun her once.

He grinned on the outside, but on the inside he was seething. How dare they treat his guard as if she was any less than any other woman for doing her duty? She had never been anything less than perfect. She had always been able to do the things and make the choices that he wasn't able to and she always took the brunt of the pain. Her arm. Her grandfather. Her happiness. His success. His power. His foolishness.

"You look beautiful, Lan Fan," he told her. The blush flushed bright red again. And she did. He had never seen her like this. It wasn't so much the dress, he had seen her in far more revealing (when she was wearing nothing more than bandages and pants for instance). It was more the fact that for once she didn't seem to be cut off. She seemed more open.

He brushed some hair out of her face before amending his earlier statement. "You are beautiful."

"I… thank you, Young Lord, but you do not have to lie for me." Ling's smile faded for a second before returning— this time it didn't meet his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"You do not have to lie to protect my feelings or make me feel beautiful for this one night. Tomorrow I will once again be only your guard and we will be among the courts… where the beauty really lies."

"Where the beauty really lies?"

"Yes. The courtiers and Princesses—"

"Lan Fan, if you're convinced that they have true beauty, you've obviously missed something." She frowned. "Those women are beautiful. And I cannot even say that their beauty is artificial. They are the most beautiful women in Xing for a reason. They don't have scars or a freakish metal arm." She flinched. "They let down their hair and they wear makeup and clothes that show their gender."

"Exactly," she whispered, looking down at her feet.

"And you are more beautiful than them all," he told her, pushing her chin up.

"What?"

"This," he said, grabbing her metal shoulder and running his hand down the arm until he held her hand once again, "is the result of my stupidity. This is the bravest thing I've ever seen. It is in my nightmares and my dreams. Every single one of these 'undesirable' scars has been received protecting me. You have never left my side no matter what I've put you through. That is beautiful." He pulled her even closer and bent to whisper in her ear.

"And you, Lan Fan, will never be just my guard."

He noticed with a bit of a grin that she didn't seem to be breathing. Then he glanced around.

"It appears that we are being stared at."

She almost literally jumped away from him.

He couldn't help but laugh before bowing. "Thank you for the dance, Honored Lan Fan."

She seemed too shocked (and red) to move, but she did bow her head at him to show she accepted his thanks.

Ling smiled at her, before moving forward and kissing her on the forehead. "Your Emperor has been well pleased with you, Lan Fan. I wish you fortune with your coming years."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

He was well aware of the dozens of eyes that were pinned on him as he walked towards the table area. Ling was gratified to see when he looked back over to where she was that one of her cousins had asked her to dance. He eyed the other men on the dance floor. Some were already dancing with other women, some were standing on the fringes talking to each other. He met eyes with a few that were staring at him.

He pinned them with a stare that he had practiced on courtiers and Elders.

The message was clear.

"Treat her like a Queen, because I would make her one in an instant."

The men didn't stand a chance.

Lan Fan didn't want for a dance the rest of the night. Funnily enough they all seemed to avoid her after the one dance.

"If there is ever anything you need from the Ling Yao or the Emperor, I am at your service," Ling said, bowing to Lan Fan's mother for the umpteenth time that day.

"… of course, Young Lord."

Ling smiled and straightened.

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Young Lord."

"Thank you once again. Lan Fan, let's go." Lan Fan appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, dressed once again in her guard uniform, missing only her mask. She bowed to her mother, then hugged her tightly.

"Come home more often, my daughter."

"I will try, Mother."

"Come, Lan Fan."

Lan Fan bowed once more to her mother, before catching up to her Emperor.

They walked in silence to the car and spent most of the first portion of the trip in the same state.

"That was an enjoyable event," Ling eventually said to break the silence.

"It was."

Ling eyed her carefully. She still hadn't put her mask back on.

"Lan Fan, you know that if you ever want to go back there, I will give you permission to leave me."

He was surprised when she shook her head almost immediately.

"I… I appreciate the offer, Young Lord," he told him to clarify after his questioning expression. "But going home… reminded me of who I am not. And I prefer to remain who I am, not dwell on what could have been."

There was a pause and silence reigned once again.

In fact, they didn't speak another word to each other the rest of the car ride to the train station. Or exchange a single word on the train ride back to the Capitol. Neither of the said anything to the other when they arrived back.

It wasn't until that night when Ling was climbing into his bed that he finally spoke to her.

"Lan Fan. Come here."

She was kneeling at the side of his bed in seconds.

"My Lord?"

He looked at her closely, and she fought the urge to squirm slightly. He didn't usually call her over. Usually he only climbed into bed and fell asleep, leaving her to do her job. There were usually two of them that guarded him at night. Her and one other, who would keep careful watch of the Emperor while she slept in fifteen minute shifts.

Tonight however, she was doing the job herself. She had gotten more sleep than she knew what to do with the past two days, she was more than willing to stay up the full night watching over him.

"Take off your mask, Lan Fan."

"Young Lord…"

"Your Emperor commands it, Lan Fan."

She removed the mask.

He eyed her closely once again.

"You mentioned earlier that going home reminded you of a life that you might have had."

"Yes, My Lord."

"Would you ever want that life?"

"… Young Lord?" she was frowning deeply.

"If you could make a different decision, reject your grandfather's offer to become my guard. If you had remained at home and stayed to grow up as a woman, rather than a guard. If you had suitors lined up around the block to marry you. You wouldn't have ever sacrificed your arm. You would have ever been scarred or rejected or watch your grandfather be murdered. If you could have that life Lan Fan… would you?"

There was no answer for a handful of moments.

"No."

"No?"

"No, Young Lord. I would not choose to have that life."

"Why not?"

"I… I have faced many hardships in my service to you, Young Lord, but I have also been afforded the opportunity to serve my Emperor in the closest position. I have dedicated my life to worthy purpose, which is something that very few can claim. I have also been able to keep you safe." Lan Fan bowed her head so it met her bent knee. She finished her statement in a whisper. "I would sacrifice any future of happiness for your safety, Young Lord."

She heard him moving, but kept her head bowed. Then she saw his bare feet on the carpet in front of her. Then the fabric of his pants around his knees.

"Lan Fan."

His hand was on her shoulder.

"Look up."

His face was extremely close to hers. The eyes that she was so familiar with where only inches away from hers. They were serious. It wasn't a look she saw in them very often.

"I missed last night."

"Missed, Young Lord?" She felt his hand slip from his shoulder to behind her neck. She fought to keep her heartbeat under control. Especially since he would be able to feel it with his hand there.

Then she had to gasp when his lips met hers. For an insane moment Lan Fan was almost overcome with the urge to slip her hands around his shoulders and bury her fingers in his soft hair — she knew it was soft, she had cut it for him once when he had refused to allow anyone of the other servants cut it. His mother had thought he was insane to want to grow it out and Lan Fan had been the only one who had been able to talk some sense into thought it had only worked that once. Her hands were frozen at her sides though, whether it was shock or her grandfather's voice all the times he had told her that she couldn't fall in love with him she didn't know.

He didn't break contact with her as he reached his other up so that he held her face in both hands. His lips stayed against hers for another few seconds until she began to realize that her lungs were starting to protest. She gasped for air when he finally pulled away.

"There. I didn't miss that time." He stood up and nodded sharply. Lan Fan stayed frozen in place staring at the wall. One shaking hand rose to her lips.

"Young Lord…"

"We don't even have to mention this again." An order. Not a direct one, but she could take it as an order if she wanted to. It helped clear her mind a little.

"Yes My Lord."

"Return to what you were doing."

"Yes My Lord." Lan Fan got to her feet and moved to the position she had abandoned to come to his side.

"Oh, and Lan Fan?"

She turned around. "Yes, Young Lord?"

He smiled.

"Happy Birthday."

I hope you enjoyed that all. It was fun to write, it really was.

As for the traditions with the ceremony/celebration I would like to make the disclaimer that that isn't any sort of Chinese tradition. At least I'm not aware of it being one. It was entirely made up in my head to come up with an excuse to write a scene where Lan Fan was willing in a dress, blushing bright red, and dancing with a winking Ling.

Happy Cute Pairing Fanfiction Day!