"Easy with the sugar!" The tall blond admonished, hastily brushing the white powder into a semi-neat pile, "Vercio's going to be pissed if we attract ants all over his kitchen."
"It needs more!" The shorter boy insisted, dumping several heaping spoonfulls carelessly into the pitcher, stirring violently. It had been a mixed blessing when an alchemic experiment mishap had caused them to blow half of Mister Vercio's fence apart, but he had been kind enough to let them replace it albiet with a cheaply transmuted version, and help him make lemonade to complete the equivalent trade. Edward was upset about the whole thing, and ranted that it was all Russel's fault, but Russel rather liked his view of Edward clad in a white apron, brandishing a ladel like a deadly weapon, although he feared mentioning it might earn him a right hook or said ladel being applied in some way it was not intended.
He stretched and leaned against the counter, fist propped beneath his chin, watching Edward with one of those rare earnest smiles that made the other alchemist turn away and pretend to engross himself with stirring. He scooped a ladelful of the juice into a tiny tasting cup and made a face as he tried it.
"How is it?" Russel asked.
"Still too sour." Ed grumbled in reply.
"Let me try," Russel insisted. Before Ed even made the full motion of offering the alchemist a cup, Russel had already taken Edward's chin gently with one of his hands, all sticky with lemon juice, and sampled the flavor fresh off of the tester's lips. He drew back only an inch or so and responded,
"No, I think it's sweet enough," His expression broadened into a sappy grin, "Or maybe it's just you."
Edward bit his hand.