SEQUEL

This is the sequel to Built For Sin. If you are a returning reader then thank you for your continued interest in my story. If you are a new reader and haven't read the first part of this story, I'd suggest you do because otherwise this will make very little sense to you.

Thanks - to Vienna Wood for editing this chapter, your assistance is appreciated.

NB: This story's M rated content has been removed/edited. Please visit my AO3 profile for the uncut chapters. Sensitive readers tread lightly.

- I mistakenly forgot to post the date -20th February- in the Built For Sin Epilogue, my apologies. (I have rectified this)

-I have researched Edward's birthday and personally decided to choose Feb 3rd instead of Oct 11 because the manga states Edward is born in Winter and I've made the seasonal months of Amestris the same as our planet's Northern Hemisphere.

Story Warnings: Incest, Language, MalexMale

Sub Disclaimer: Subtitle Lyrics I do not own. They belong Framing Hanley

Pairing: Elricest (Edward/Alphonse)

Rating: Overall T but slight M

Verse: Post Manga, Deviation From Canon

Authors Note: This is my attempt at an Elricest story, I won't say it's realistically portrayed because that depends on the readers views.

Author Note- 10 August 2013

I've done a layout image for Ed and Al's Central apartment because it features a lot throughout the story and the sequel. If anyone is interested in seeing the apartment they live in as I intended it for the story, a direct image link can be found on my profile.

Bitter Sweet - Prologue

February 3rd

There's a lie for every truth

Edward wasn't fond of birthdays, especially his own.

He didn't hate birthdays either, he just wasn't much for celebration. He was never impolite when someone would wish him a happy birthday or if anyone decided to get him anything but he didn't really care or expect anything from anyone, even though he knew Alphonse would always do something.

He always had anyway.

Edward knew, if he were still in Rizembool he would have woken that cold fading Winter morning to birthday wishes from his brother, Winry, Pinako and freshly baked vanilla cake –it was all Winry knew how to bake. If he were still in the military he would have received birthday wishes –and teasing- from his colleagues, probably a half day off.

If life were still the way it used to be, he would have shared smiles with close friends and his brother. He would have received presents that wouldn't mean as much as the thought behind them.

But life for Edward no longer consisted of those things or people and while life had never been simple and his days had never been consistent or routine, he found he missed the strangest things and the most unlikely people.

The only person his days currently revolved around was the one person who meant everything to him…

…but some days it still hurt to wake up and remember how much things had changed, to consider what he'd lost as well as gained.

He woke every morning lying in bed…beside his younger brother…who would lay kisses born of an unnatural love and lust over his face, to his lips and sometimes to his neck and chest…hands would wander, words would be whispered. I love you's were often the first words Edward heard when he woke up…

…and he would hurt because things were not the way they should be, 'I love you' didn't mean the same thing anymore. Sometimes he wished he didn't have to open his eyes, his bed was almost a safe place…his eyelids blocked out the pain but stood in the way of moving forward.

And he had to move forward, even if it were as his younger brother's lover.

In his new reality every word, every hug, every touch, every smile…every closeness from Alphonse, was intimate and held suggestion of sexuality and sensuality. And Edward didn't loathe it, he didn't even dislike it…he actually enjoyed it in some entirely wrong way.

So while it didn't make him sick...it also didn't make him all that happy.

How many times had he woken before Alphonse and just stared at him while he slept, be it late morning or the early hours? How many times he'd wished for them to be brothers again, for them to be free again?

Not free of each other…but free of sin and secrets.

Often he fought back tears after sex with his younger brother…because it broke his heart every single time. Alphonse was beautiful, he gave himself so completely to Edward, his whole heart, his body, his trust…and Edward loved him, more than words could say. So much that it crushed him to take that love and twist it, soil it the way he did when he lost himself inside his own kin, indulgent and weak.

It was always after...

He'd thought it'd get easier but he'd been naïve to believe that.

There was nothing so wrong as what he was doing and he knew it. But Edward did it anyway because he loved Alphonse endlessly, without limit, reason or logic and he would for the rest of his life.

So he would cope. He was determined to cope.

Some nights were harder than others to get through, certain looks Alphonse gave him, certain things he'd say without thinking, certain sounds he'd make, certain places he'd kiss, certain reactions he gave…would in turn determine Edward's mood and actions.

Be it good or bad, hesitant or uninhibited…Alphonse took it readily and never complained.

Alphonse probably thought his overcompensating willingness would make it easier for Edward to deal with his ever present guilt –however subtle- but he was wrong. It only made it worse, Alphonse's sexual abandon scared him more than anything. His eagerness made Edward ashamed for him because his beautiful younger brother should not have to be so suppliant for affection…

…yet he was.

'Because I don't give him enough…' Edward knew, Alphonse had said it just a few weeks back when they'd last argued and then the younger blonde had acted as if he'd never said it when they'd had sex for the second time only hours later.

He'd said that Edward was far more than a brother to him…while to Edward Alphonse was still mostly a brother.

It was true…so true.

Alphonse was and always would be his younger brother.

Whether he was a little boy, a suit of unfeeling armor, a hollow soulless body trapped in a void or the beautiful man he was presently…he would always be Edward's little brother who he'd die for over and over…and over.

But Alphonse ignored what he did not care to deal with.

He ignored the hesitation in Edward's touches and kisses on bad days, he ignored the slight wetness on Edward's pillow on the occasional mornings after when it hurt too much to hold in, he ignored the sad smiles, the quiet sighs…the innocent kisses to his forehead or cheek whenever Edward could steal one.

Alphonse ignored and forgave.

And Edward felt he didn't deserve it.

All he knew was that Alphonse deserved someone who would give him anything, love him deeply and completely, do anything for him, crawl on hands and knees for him, die for him, do anything to be close to him, cry for him, kill for him, take his pain and his burdens as their own, sell their soul for him, believe in his purity, need him, need to hear his voice, lie for him…someone who would tear themselves apart just to be near him, to be part of him.

And many nights Edward cried…it was because he knew that even while he felt like he didn't deserve Alphonse, he was all of those things that the younger blonde deserved in a lover.

Nobody could love Alphonse the way he did or know him as Edward did, his purity and perfection, both inside and outside. He loved Alphonse…and he was in love with Alphonse…and he fucking hated himself for it.

Because Alphonse deserved better, he always always had.

From the very beginning Edward believed he hadn't been the best older brother he should have and he'd fucked everything up, he'd practically killed Alphonse because he was too blind to see his greed, his disillusion…his weaknesses.

Alphonse shouldered the blame of his own volition…Edward never shared it with him.

Because it was not Alphonse's fault, he would have done anything Edward wanted and the attempted resurrection of their mother was no exception…Edward had been determined and Alphonse hadfollowedtrustingly.

Nothing had really changed. Edward still made the wrong decisions and Alphonse still got dragged into the consequences. They were older but were still making the same mistakes.

Edward wondered often if things would be different if he'd never moved to Central, if he'd stayed in Rizembool after Alphonse's confession, if he'd never condoned the odd hug or slip of affection which subconsciously encouraged his afflicted sibling…

…but he knew it wasn't that simple. It wouldn't have mattered if he'd said no, Alphonse would have still wanted.

And something would have given…

'It could have been worse…' he told himself even though he couldn't think of how exactly.

Taking Alphonse away to be alone with him was both a good and bad thing, good because it shielded Al from his own carelessness and everyone's cruel judgment but bad because Edward gave him the space and isolation to get closer and to break down his defenses.

He knew…Alphonse had manipulated him shamelessly from the first week in their shared apartment.

Edward was not an idiot, he saw it and he knew exactly what had been happening…but those tears and those words of love from Alphonse had been like getting stabbed in the chest repeatedly.

Alphonse had coerced Edward openly because he'd known he could. And an Elric was nothing if not determined when something they wanted lay just out of reach.

'Alphonse.' Edward thought often of that name and sometimes when he was swimming in sexual arousal the name fell from his lips in his lowest tones.

Alphonse had told Edward just a few days earlier that he loved the way he said his name, something about the way he pronounced it that was different from everyone else, something about more emphasis on the 's' than other people.

Edward had been saying his name ever since he could talk, he didn't understand how the way he said it had suddenly become a reason for Alphonse to moan the way he did sometimes during sex…even if those moans did do awfully sensitive things to his own body.

"Alphonse." He said it quietly to himself, a sigh followed it as he walked up the stairs toward their apartment floor and then proceeded to take a bite out of the chocolate bar he'd bought for himself while buying a few groceries.

Today was his birthday and he'd resigned himself to having a very quiet day, he'd even been relieved –and confused- by the fact that Alphonse didn't wish him a happy birthday when they'd woken up that morning.

He found it odd, for years his younger brother had always been the first to wish him happy birthday but now that they'd come together in a way that was supposedly meant to make them closer, he'd apparently forgotten. Still, it was a good thing, Edward had already dealt with an extremely awkward phone call from Winry early that morning which was more than enough for the day as far as he was concerned.

Being woken up by the building receptionist just after 7 am had been a pain enough without the anxiety that accompanied the message of a phone call on hold for him.

He hadn't expected to hear from her, not nearly so soon. He figured the next time he'd ever see her would be if he needed an automail tune up, bad as it was, it was how he'd thought it would be. But Winry was tough – as he'd always known- and even though her voice had been laced with resentment and the good bye had been clipped, she'd still said happy birthday to him and asked him to say hi to Alphonse in a tone that wasn't entirely insincere, just a little forced…like she was trying to show him she was fine.

Edward had already felt bad enough just hearing her voice so strained.

Then Pinako had come on the phone afterward, she sounded like she always did and wished him as well…before she'd asked how they were doing and Edward was forced to give a vague outline of their new lives, full of trailing off sentences, awkward laughs and lies…

He couldn't say much.

Pinako was not the easiest person to read, especially not by tone of voice and Edward's stomach had been knotted as he tried to sound relaxed, wondering all the while just what Winry had told her…because he knew she would have told Pinako at least half the truth. Which half he didn't know, the part about him or the part about Alphonse.

When it was over he hadn't been relieved, just paranoid and nauseous. He'd actually been slightly light headed and when he'd returned to the apartment he'd done the strangest thing…he'd lied to Alphonse.

When the younger blonde had asked him who had been on the phone, he'd said it was Mustang about work.

He frowned slightly when he reached the apartment, the hour it had taken him to walk to the grocer felt like five minutes when he thought about it. He slipped his hand out of his coat pocket and tried the door handle –it was unlocked- which meant Alphonse was up and about since he'd locked it before he left, at the time the younger man had still been lying in Edward's bed.

Although technically it was their bed.

He walked inside and pushed the door shut before stepping out of his shoes and walking into the hall toward the kitchen carrying the grocery bag in one arm. As he entered the empty room he thought back to the conversation he'd had with Pinako that morning, he'd mentioned that Alphonse would be starting University soon and that he had a contract that was paying him well.

When she'd asked how he and Alphonse were getting on living alone his insides had coiled with mistrust, it might have been his paranoia but the question seemed suspicious. He and Alphonse had lived alone, travelled alone and practically raised themselves, so her asking that didn't sit quite right.

He'd answered casually enough, pointing out that it wasn't much different than before except they stayed in one place and weren't in mortal danger anymore. She hadn't laughed and neither had he.

Something wasn't right, whatever she did or didn't know, there had been tension in their conversation that had the potential to get worse.

If anyone knew what he and Alphonse were doing…everything would go very bad, very quickly.

Edward had unpacked the groceries onto the kitchen table during his paranoid contemplation, he glanced over the few items and took the final bite of his chocolate into his mouth, chewing it slowly as he crumpled the wrapper in his hand and tossed it onto the table. He swallowed the sweet mouthful thickly as he picked up the spaghetti package to put away. The toffee innards of the chocolate stuck to his teeth and the roof of his mouth, he dragged his tongue over the roof of his mouth slowly…

His thoughts drifted back to Alphonse as he packed the groceries away.

In the beginning, not the actual beginning, but the start of their natural sexual relationship a few weeks back, Edward had chosen to let himself go and just enjoy being with the younger blonde.

Alphonse had looked right through his brotherly hug; looked beyond his expressed fears…or maybe Al was just so completely taken with his feelings that he was no longer able to see the difference between the brotherly or romantic side of their new relationship.

Unlike Edward.

But it hadn't mattered, he'd kissed Alphonse because he knew it was what the younger had wanted…and he had wanted to as well, he'd come to enjoy conveying his affections through kissing, he'd never been a wordsmith. What had commenced after that kiss had almost felt right, it'd almost been okay to undress Alphonse down to his bare perfection and lay him out on the bed.

It'd almost felt right to lay down on top of him, to elicit moans from his younger brother using his mouth and hands…for a few seconds Edward had been so lost in sensation that he'd seen through their relation completely, he'd seen Alphonse with such blatant sexual demand it had bordered on obscene. When he'd realized what he was thinking and feeling he'd managed to curb his less than sweet urges and he'd even apologized.

But it didn't change the fact he'd felt such raw lust for Alphonse.

When he'd entered Alphonse that second time it'd been so bittersweet. A confusing combination of emotions had worked him up into a silent strain and it hadn't been like any hot and fast sex he'd had before…

…it had been with Alphonse –he could never love anyone more than Alphonse- so his heart had been beating faster for more than just his arousal and his hotly coursing blood, his breath had been short for more emotional reasons than just the pleasure building in his groin, he had been desperate for more than just his release.

He'd been overwhelmed with feeling and had been caught off guard…

…it changed sex for him completely.

As a man who'd had no emotional connection to anyone he'd ever slept with, the feelings came as a raw shock to his system, probably even more so because of his deep seated love for Alphonse and the implicit guilt of wanting to be with his own brother.

He'd fucked Alphonse thoroughly and held onto the pleasure for as long as he could until his body gave in, he'd been floored by his orgasm only just a minute after his younger brother's…and he'd loved every minute of it.

The smell of Alphonse's hot skin had been intoxicating, his hair had been soft and damp, the feel of his breath had raised goose bumps on Ed's flesh, the taste of his mouth had been addictive, his body had trembled, his welcoming …needing…body had trembled just for Edward. The older blonde had experienced that possessive feeling again, it was strangely familiar to him where Alphonse was concerned, except it was of a less appropriate nature than before.

Despite all of his fears and guilt, Edward had really enjoyed that night, it had given him hope that things might be really good for them if it would always feel almost right, he could live with it.

So when –only a day later- Alphonse had initiated sex again when they were in bed for the night he'd been more than willing and it had gone just as well. So had the next few times.

But nothing as wrong as incest could feel good for very long.

The most recent time they'd slept together had been just two days earlier and since that night Edward hadn't been feeling quite as 'okay' as before…because Alphonse was getting a little more bold and experimental each time they had sex…and Edward was very quickly realizing that his younger brother was extremely keen to try new things…

That wasn't a bad thing, not at all, and Edward hadn't been all that stunned by Alphonse's request to try a different position, since if things had been different –if they weren't brothers- Edward would have already tried Alphonse's flexibility out.

But they were brothers and hearing Alphonse say the words 'doggy style' had killed Edward's arousal so fast he'd broken out in a cold sweat. The very idea of doing that to Alphonse had set his skin crawling viciously and still did.

He grimaced and licked his sweet lips –sticky from the toffee- absently. He knew he could do it, like everything so far it would just take him some time to work up the nerve, but Alphonse wouldn't want to stop there…and Edward didn't even want to think about what ideas would follow that request.

He sighed and picked up the last few items, putting away the canned foods he'd purchased in the relevant cupboard. He had to pack them in on top of each other, noting that they had quite a lot of stuff and he'd bought unnecessary groceries.

He glanced at a can of peaches in syrup in the cupboard and smiled because he knew Alphonse loved it with vanilla ice cream and then he closed the cupboard and let his gloved fingers slide down the slightly rough dark wood surface of the small door.

Alphonse hadn't noticed his sudden case of flaccidity at the time because they'd still had their underwear on, Edward had not wanted to hurt him so he'd played it off with a smile, suggesting that they try that position another night when he wasn't so tired.

It had been a lie to get out of it, one which Alphonse had accepted.

But Edward had been lying rather easily lately.

They'd still had sex, after some carefully executed foreplay on Edward's part to get himself going again, but it had been missionary…and he'd been distracted –and uncomfortable- and he knew the younger blonde had noticed. But Alphonse was so good at pretending like nothing was amiss and Edward was good at avoiding as well.

Edward hadn't felt anything close to okay since that request, he didn't want to have that sort of sex with Alphonse and hearing those words out of his mouth had reminded Edward of exactly what they doing and how it hadn't reached its peak yet…sex was vast, sex was meant to be exploratory.

It put his new commitment into sharp perspective and in a lot of ways he was back at square one, scared.

"Ed?"

Edward snapped his attention from the kitchen counter to the doorway to see Alphonse approaching him, the younger blonde's green gold eyes glanced over the chocolate bar wrapper laying on the table next to the empty grocery bag before they rose to meet Edward's eyes again, he smiled and Ed turned fully to face him.

He wasn't surprised when Alphonse stepped straight into him, arms slipping smoothly around his middle as Al settled his weight against the older blonde and pressed him back against the counter, with a smile he kissed Edward once slowly on the lips, his eyes almost closing but not quite,

"I've been in the lounge for almost 15 minutes waiting for you to look for me." He mumbled against Ed's lips.

How bizarre his world had become since taking his own younger brother as a lover.

Edward absently licked his lips and earned himself another sweet kiss before he was able to speak, looking at his brother's face closely,

"I was unpacking the groceries." He said quietly, he hadn't realized he'd been in the kitchen that long. He smiled a bit, as much as he could and the younger blonde raised his eyebrows,

"For 15 minutes." Alphonse mumbled, his body had started to warm Edward right through his shirt and jeans, he was pressed so close, "You still have your coat and gloves on." Alphonse's arms slid from around Ed and his hands raised, he pressed them to Edward's chest before sliding them under the coat onto his shoulders, kissing the older blonde again.

The older blonde let his eyes slide closed as he returned the lip to lip kiss…he honestly enjoyed it, Alphonse's lips were dry but soft and fit nicely against his own, he smelled of subtle mint and the expanse of his front was firm and warm against Edward.

When Alphonse's hands moved the coat backwards off his shoulders he opened his eyes and leaned back an inch from the kiss to help shrug his coat off and clear his previously negative thoughts –he was determined to make their situation work.

"Why were you waiting, you should have just called me." He slipped one arm out of his coat and then pulled his other sleeve off with his free hand.

Alphonse had given him a few centimeters of space and once the coat was off he took it from Edward's hands while the older man pulled off his gloves,

"Come on, I'll show you why." He smiled in a way that warmed Edward's chest, it was such a bright smile.

He followed Alphonse out of the kitchen, glancing at his coat that the younger blonde had placed over the back of one of the chairs before he dropped his gloves on the table, he didn't ask why his neat freak brother was leaving the coat in the kitchen.

When he walked into the lounge Alphonse was standing next to the coffee table with that same smile, Edward dropped his gaze to the coffee table and blinked twice at the gold apparel gift box, ribboned across in silky red and finished in a fancy pull bow.

He had thought Alphonse had forgotten but he supposed it had been silly to think such a thing, all their lives since Alphonse was old enough to understand the concept of a birthday, he'd never missed it.

He smiled from the gift to the younger blonde,

"Were you hiding that in the apartment?" Ed asked and approached the table, walking around it to sit down.

Alphonse was still smiling as he sat on the couch seat next to Ed,

"Under my mattress." He said grinning.

Edward nodded as he raised his eyebrows and reached for the box. It was slightly weighty considering he knew it was some sort of clothing inside, he placed the large square box on his lap, bringing his knees closer together to balance it before he held the ends of the bow and pulled it loose.

The ribbon rustled quietly and Alphonse shifted just a bit closer, as if he didn't know what was inside and was eager to see, Edward smiled down at the box, absently thinking of how much he loved his younger brother as he lifted the top off the box.

Alphonse took it from him and placed it on the coffee table while Edward was pulling back the soft red gift tissue paper to reveal a perfectly folded black leather jacket, the lapels and shoulders were visible to Edward. He felt normal gratitude at first and smiled, Alphonse knew he loved leather and he loved a good jacket, it was a practical and thoughtful gift if ever he'd received one.

He turned to look at his beaming brother,

"Thank Al, this is great." He was absently pressing his fingers to the texture of the leather, it felt like good quality.

Alphonse's smile softened from excitement to affection,

"Take it out and look at it properly, Ed." He suggested.

Edward realized then that there was more to the jacket so he shifted the box back onto the table again before reaching in for the shoulders of the jacket and standing up as he pulled it out. When it fell out to its full size he realized it was a trench coat, his chest warmed a bit because he loved long coats more than jackets.

He smiled still and took a good look at it, turning it around as he held it up and when he was looking at the back of it Edward felt butterflies in his stomach –the elated kind- and his breath almost caught, his smile widened and out of his peripheral he saw Alphonse stand up,

"Do you like it?"

Edward loved it. It was a full black leather trench coat, good quality and all the rest…but it held a personal touch, no doubt done by his brother's alchemically refined skill.

The very same Flamel he used to have on his trademark red coat was alchemically tooled into the leather perfectly and in detail, from the shoulder backs of the coat to the lower back, not immediately noticeable but when at the right angle or close range, it was perfect.

"It's perfect Alphonse." He said quietly, his red coat held great sentimental value to him and Alphonse knew that. Al also knew why Edward no longer wore it, they'd only talked about it once in the past but he'd never forgotten how sad the younger blonde had looked when he'd boxed away the well-worn red coat.

"Now you have your Flamel again, except you won't have to worry about being recognized in the streets by friends…or people you want to avoid." Alphonse said quietly, "And I think it's more your style, since you're not a teenager anymore and red is too flashy." He added in a lighter tone, repeating something Ed remembered saying a few years ago.

The coat was a simple thing, Edward could afford a new coat with a Flamel any day but that was not the point, it was the sentiment behind it, the fact that Alphonse had revived something so close to his heart. A coat he'd worn in some of the best and worst times of their life struggles…as brothers and that's what made it perfect.

He swallowed slowly and lowered the coat back onto the box, it didn't fold itself obviously but he let it go anyway and turned to Alphonse,

"Thank you Alphonse, I couldn't have made the Flamel look any better if I'd done it myself…" he said, ignoring the echo of his mental voice telling him that he couldn't even if he wanted to try. He reached out, arms easily slipping around Al's shoulders and pulling him forward into a tight hug.

Alphonse wrapped his arms around Ed's middle and he felt the younger blonde smile into his neck,

"I actually transmuted the entire coat, I just bought the black leather and buttons." He said quietly.

Edward squeezed him tighter and then pulled back, his hands on Al's shoulders squeezing as he smiled,

"I probably won't be able to top this gift for your birthday next month, Al." he said honestly.

Alphonse smiled clearly amused but proud of himself,

"I could let you off the hook and take CookieBoots as an early present."

Edward let his eyes linger on Al's lips, soft and pink, debating whether he should kiss his brother or not, the moment was so familial but then again nothing between them was familial anymore,

"I'm not that bad, I'll think of something." Edward said softly.

Alphonse's lips twitched down and Edward frowned,

"What's wrong?" he asked and he felt Alphonse's fingers lightly grip the cotton of his shirt at his sides,

"I…I didn't have Cenz of my own so I had to use some of what you gave me for University, I just transmuted it myself. So in a way, you kinda bought the gift for yourself." He sighed and his green eyes lowered to Ed's chest, "The next gift I buy will be with my own Cenz, I promise, I'm gonna get a j…ob." His words halted and Edward smiled.

He'd leaned in and stopped just short of kissing Alphonse, he could practically feel his younger brother's heartbeat speed up as his face flushed lightly,

"It's from you and it's perfect, thank you Alphonse." He said quietly, sliding his hands from the younger blonde's shoulders to the sides of his face before he kissed Alphonse softly, sweetly, on his lips.

The little things he did often made the younger blonde react in the best ways, and his faint blush and small smile afterward were two things Edward found undeniably adorable.

Alphonse licked his lips slightly, still smiling,

"I went out after you left this morning and got you a cake too." He half whispered.

Edward just smiled and ran his thumbs over Alphonse's ears before removing his hands and watching the younger man leave the lounge, obviously going to fetch the cake.

He turned back to the coat and lifted it again, holding it over one arm so he could run his fingers along the intricate Flamel pattern. He smiled softly, trying to latch on to this moment so when things got bad and his head hurt, or his heart did, he would be able to keep moving forward.

He tried to fold the coat back up as nicely as it had been but he didn't really know that skill well enough, still once he had it back in the box it wasn't so bad. He was just putting the lid back on after sitting down when Alphonse walked back in and Edward blushed when he looked up and reached forward to move the gift box aside.

Alphonse set down a professionally iced chocolate cake, it was smooth, shiny and the icing was swirled fancily over the top, it completely covered the sponge part of the cake…and the embarrassing part was the symmetrically placed candles -23 of them- all burning bright atop the cake.

"Al…" he frowned at the kid-like birthday cake.

"Don't say anything, even adults can blow out candles." Alphonse mock scolded with a pointed finger after setting the cake down.

Edward made a face but he couldn't help smiling at Alphonse when he sat down next to him again, the younger blonde gestured to the cake set before them.

Edward sighed and shook his head lightly before he sat forward at the edge of the couch,

"They better not be trick candles." He grouched.

Alphonse laughed lightly and Ed's stomach fluttered slightly at the precious sound,

"Don't be an idiot Ed, this is not a prank." He leaned his elbows on his knees and tilted his head, still smiling.

With a half roll of his eyes and a light feeling in his stomach Edward leaned forward and inhaled deeply before blowing the candles out.

Several of them stayed lit because he hadn't wanted to get spittle on the cake by over doing it, so he blew a few shorter breaths to snuff them out until they were all off. He turned to Alphonse and tipped his head in a teasing way, Alphonse responded by nodding in approval before reaching for the knife he'd set next to the cake on the table.

As he cut the first slice Edward watched him with a warm smile, Alphonse had a smile set on his face…he looked so happy.

'What's wrong with me? Why is it so hard for me to give him this happiness?' he blinked slowly and averted his eyes to the gift box and then he looked back to the cake, feeling bad for how much effort Alphonse put into everything.

He smiled again when Alphonse huffed about having forgotten to bring cake saucers from the kitchen, he was about to go get them when Edward stopped him with a light hand on around his wrist. When he sat back down Edward picked the slice of cake up with his fingers and easily stuffed half of it into his mouth.

Alphonse pouted as much as he could around his amused smile,

"Edward…you're making a mess." He complained half-heartedly as crumbs fell onto Edward's black clothes and the tiles, icing also messed the sides of the older man's mouth.

Edward shrugged,

"Ifs my birftday." He said around the cake in his mouth then he jerked in surprise and tried not to spit his cake out and laugh when Alphonse started poking his ticklish sides with his fingers.

Edward had just managed to swallow his mouthful and let out a choked laugh when Alphonse finally stopped the poking and cut a second piece from the cake with a shake of his head and small smile. Edward finished off his own piece and licked the icing from his mouth and fingers without any hesitation while Alphonse tried his best not to make a mess as he held his piece above his upturned palm and took a careful bite out of it.

The minute he had cake in his mouth Edward started poking him.

Alphonse made muffled squeaks and nearly dropped his cake onto the floor a few times, Edward found his wriggling amusing for at least a minute before he left the younger man in peace to swallow his mouthful, of course by this point Alphonse's hand were messed with icing and the tiles at their feet were even crumbier.

He gave Edward a non-convincing glare before trying to eat the rest of his cake, eyeing Edward warily. The older blonde watched him with a small smile as he slouched back onto the couch. When Alphonse was done he licked the icing off his fingers with less enthusiasm than Edward had and then grimaced at the feeling left behind.

Edward really loved his strange brother…much like Alphonse loved his strange self.

"It's just a little stickiness." Ed informed his younger brother who was rubbing his fingers together clearly vexed by the feeling.

Alphonse looked back at him before sitting back himself,

"How's the cake?" he made a point of trying to ignore his fingers and Edward almost felt bad for him,

"It's great, hell of a sugar rush…" he bobbed his eyebrows and Alphonse grinned, "…why don't you go and wash your hands if it's annoying you." He suggested, feeling comfortable where he was slumped.

Moments like right then with Alphonse eased his every tension.

Alphonse glanced at his hands, rubbed his fingers together again before he shrugged,

"It's not so bad…besides…" he looked back to Edward and leaned over, snatching a slightly noisy kiss from the older blonde, "…I have another gift for you."

His tone had changed and while Edward's heart sunk at the loss of the moment, warmth stirred within him for the suggestive, sultry tone of voice Alphonse said those last words in.

Edward didn't say anything, he didn't need to because Alphonse required no permission or prompting.

Edward's arousal as well as his apprehension built as Alphonse shifted closer, one of his hands comfortably settling on the older blonde's thigh and rubbing as Al started to kiss him. Alphonse pressed light kisses to Ed's lips at first and then kissed deeper the moment his lips parted to allow it, the older blonde supplely kissed his younger brother back, tasting sweet sticky chocolate.

After a long slow kiss from Alphonse, the younger blonde drew back from the kiss, lips still touching and Edward opened his eyes to see heated green eyes and he felt a smile spread against his lips,

"Happy Birthday, Edward." Alphonse said in a hot whisper before he shifted again.

Alphonse kneeled between Edward's legs and the older blonde clenched his teeth and inhaled deeply, realizing what his 'gift' was going to be…he wanted to say no but what was the fucking point?

Alphonse had done it once before for him…if he said no now it would likely offend the younger and he'd fuck things up again. It was hard not to say anything though…he could never have imagined spending his birthday with Alphonse giving him oral sex.

It was disconcerting.

Alphonse's warm smooth hands pushed his shirt up half way before he started kissing Ed's slightly tense abs, he trailed partially wet kisses along the slight dip between Ed's defined abdominal muscles and when Alphonse reached Ed's shallow navel he slid his tongue over it, dipping lightly inside…Alphonse hummed quietly and pressed a wet kiss to Ed's navel afterward…while he pressed his palm to Edward's crotch and rubbed.

Edward was already getting hard and the feeling of his jeans fastenings being opened only helped it along, even though he was trying to keep an upset frown off his face as he watched the top of his younger brother's head.

'It shouldn't be like this.' He uselessly told himself, because that's exactly how it was.

As the folds of his jeans were opened Alphonse kissed lower, his tongue slipped teasingly along the line of Ed's fine blonde hair beneath his belly button and stopped at the hem of his boxers, purposely arousing…Edward exhaled quietly as his arousal grew the lower those soft wet lips kissed.

A few wet kisses later to his quickly warming skin had Edward licking his lips, finally frowning as he lifted his hips to allow Alphonse to pull his jeans and boxers lower.

His body wanted what his mind no longer rejected but still questioned, it was so hard to deal with and impossible to ignore…it was so unfair.

Edward closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the couch as Alphonse begun his intended actions.

The older blonde swallowed sorely as his heartache forced his throat closed, he exhaled quietly through his nose as his arousal kindled quickly right where Alphonse's mouth was and he again pushed his negative thoughts from his mind, enjoying the sensation of wet warmth–different from Alphonse's most intimate place- but no less blissful to his sensitive flesh.

Edward acknowledged his pleasure, he parted his lips to moan quietly, his hand shook lightly as he placed it gently into Al's soft hair…Edward focused on what the younger blonde was doing for him…willing to do for him.

It was okay…but it really wasn't.

As his finger's curled gently in his younger brother's hair …Edward knew he would never really look forward to a birthday again, not that he ever had to begin with but it would just be another guilty stain on his life from that moment on.

At the time – as he lost himself to the sensations- he thought he could go forward ignoring his personal conflicts…he thought he could cope.

Because Alphonse would start university soon and things would be a little easier because they'd have some breathing space, he'd be able to work out his problems and deal with his anxiety.

But Edward was not as unaffected as he'd been pretending to be…

He could lie to everyone else but it hardly worked when he lied to himself.

As he panted very quietly and gave into his desire to watch his brother pleasure him, Edward subconsciously told himself that everything would be okay.

He'd keep telling himself that.

Even though his chest ached and he didn't believe it,

"Al-phonse…"