Disclaimer: FullMetal Alchemist is not mine, it is Hiromu Arakawa's. However, these nifty new thigh-socks are. Yes, I luffles me some socks.

(Small Edit: With a suggestion, I changed a small part of Ranfan's dialogue. Thanks for the help, Dailenna!)

(Author's Note: Just so you know, hormones run a bit rampant in this. Mostly G-rated hormones, but hormones nonetheless. Also, if anyone has any tips on Ling's and Ranfan's personalities, in any of these chapters, please, feel free to tell me! They are way too hard to get down confidently.

Lastly, this is set a little bit further in the future, as with most of the ones I write, with Ling and Ranfan's relationship having matured a little more. Or, at least, Ranfan is more comfortable around Ling.)

Tastes Sweet

Lesson One: Trap

"So, what do you think?"

Ling grinned and spun round, showing off his new imperial robes, the one that marked his new rule. They were a bright yellow, gaudy and obnoxious.

"They suit you," replied Ranfan.

She realized then that she was becoming softer around Ling.

Which meant she wasn't doing her job.

This realization settling into her conscious, she immediately clammed up, becoming stiffer and her posture more erect. Ling pushed his brows together, obviously disappointed with her sudden change.

They walked in silence for a few more minutes, surveying the countryside. A few large blue butterflies drifted past lazily, pausing on one of the plentiful white lilies every few moments.

Ling, without even turning back to look at Ranfan, crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side questioningly. "Hey, Ran… You ever think about changing into, I'ono, prettier clothes?" A teasing note was in his voice.

She shook her head, even though she knew he could not see her. He guessed what the answer was by her silence.

"You don't get it, do you?"

Again, they went by countless trees, treading slowly along the path that led towards one of the furthermost towns in Xing. Ranfan felt a slight twinge in her left shoulder. She sighed, and began to pray that it wouldn't rain, as it often did when she felt that now-familiar ache.

Night began to fall, and the two stopped to set up camp. Ling went off to explore just a little more while Ranfan began to cook dinner. She heard a small crash, but didn't think anything of it, until Ling began to call for help sheepishly.

Running towards the sound, she found him…

… by falling into the same hole he had.

Spitting out some of the dirt that had found its way into her mouth, Ranfan looked around, and then up.

She'd fallen into a ridiculously deep hole. Like an "Only Hell is Deeper Than This" hole.

"Uh, nice of you to join me," said Ling, sitting cross-legged a foot or two away, "but you could've been nicer and brought a rope or something."

Thwack!

The emperor doubled over, his stomach stinging from Ranfan's sharp kick. She glared at him, and it lasted for about two seconds. Upon the passing of, she realized what she had done and hastily apologized.

Ling was crying dramatically, holding his stomach in an exaggerated motion of pain. At least, he did until it growled.

Very, very, loudly.

Ranfan was in the middle of a very long string of apologies when it happened, and, out of habit, she reached back and grabbed a spare apple out of her bag.

"Young Master—"

"Ling," he interjected.

"Young Master, please accept this apple with my many apologies."

It would have gone off without a hitch had her stomach not growled as well. A long week of traveling had left them both without satisfied stomachs and instead with grumbly, grouchy inner organs that were now whining incessantly for the stupid apple.

Of course, Ranfan put the above paragraph into a few less… appropriate words.

"I'm not eating any of it unless you share it with me."

Ling grinned, but Ranfan knew he was serious. Sighing, she sat next to him and bit a chunk out of the apple; he proceeded to do the same.

A few minutes later, the apple was gone.

… … However, Ling's stomach still growled, grating incessantly on Ranfan's nerves.

Settling as comfortably as she could against one of the dirt walls, the black-haired guardian attempted to sleep. But a few pattering raindrops quickly thwarted that course of action. Still, ignoring the intensifying rain as best she could, Ranfan, again, tried to sleep.

Unfortunately for her (or fortunately, depending on your point of view), Ling was unwilling to let her. He had crawled over to her on his hands and knees before he slumped down next to her, pulling her as close as he could.

"I'm still a bit hungry, y'know…" grinned the young man, an awkward smile on his face. Leaning over swiftly, he pressed his lips against hers rather roughly, the lack of gentility proving that he wasn't any more adept at this than she was.

"Tastes sweet."

Still smiling, Ling settled back up against the wall, his face beginning to flame up. Ranfan bit her tingling lips, still undecided as to how she should react.

Shaking her head softly, she fell asleep.

Soft beams of sunlight were caressing her face when Ranfan woke up. The ground was traveling beneath her swiftly, but she wasn't moving.

… It took her a few moments to realize that she was slung over Ling's shoulder as he walked through the forest on his own, presumably away from the hole they had slept in.

"Young Master! Please, put me down!"

Ling shifted her a little farther towards the crook between his shoulder and neck, and replied without missing a beat.

"I would, but you just woke up and I've found that you are rather inexplicably stuck to me. I suppose we'll have to spend every waking moment together. Eating, sleeping…" There was a short pause. "Showering…"

Smack!

He let her down. Rather quickly, too.

Standing up, Ranfan brushed off the dirt she had accumulated when Ling dropped her. The young emperor was looking off the side, a red imprint of her hand on his face rapidly becoming clearer.

They walked on in silence for a little while, Ling pointedly trying to forget about the incident and Ranfan trying to decide on how to let him know she forgave him.

Finally, she grabbed his jacket, stopping him. Leaning up slightly, she brushed her lips against his cheek quietly.

"Mmm, tastes sweet."

Her petite mouth turning upwards at his now-tomato-like face, Ranfan began walking again.

(Ending Notes: So, like it? Love it? Hate it? Probably the latter, but... Eh. This was my second attempt at writing anything with these two, the first being so downright terrifying that, though I scrapped it, it's still haunting my dreams at night, flashing random math-related fangs at me. ... Yeah. Think the numbers seven and one, but much, much sharper...

Also, a major round of "Thank Yous" to Yun Min, for allowing me to use a habit of hers that she gave Ling! It's not in here, but will be present in the next one, and in other random ones onwards!

Thanks for reading!)