Okay, this is an AlMei, but it also has a bit of LingFan... now that I think about it, it has tiny bit of EdWin too so...

Wow... I didn't think I would be this busy during the school holidays, but it's like... I have all these things I wanna get done so I'm just... busy busy busy.

Not that that's a bad thing.

Anyway, I don't FMAB, this doesn't really have spoilers in it, but its set after the anime when Al goes to Xing to learn alkahestry and all that sort of thing.

Um... enjoy!

AlMei Romance:

"NO AL! I've told you already a hundred times! The dragon's pulse is- are you even listening anymore!?" Al slumped against the table exhaustedly, "Mei," he began, smiling weakly, "we've been at this all day… could we take a quick break maybe?" Mei put her hands on her hips, "honestly Al, we've only just started, you can't take a break until you start listening to what I'm saying!" She frowned, looking as angry as a girl with her cute face could.

Al sighed, "okay, Mei," he could tell he wasn't going to win this argument. Mei's stern expression softened and she smiled, "I… suppose we could take a short break." Al looked up at the girl from his position on his seat, he stared at Mei for a few moments then smiled, nodding, "yeah, why don't we go out and look at the gardens? I've been wanting to do that since I arrived a few days ago."

Only four days ago, Al had arrived in Xing, for his lessons in alkahestry from the Xingese princess, Mei. He had been teased an awful lot by his older brother, Edward Elric about how eager he had been to go see Mei, until he bought up one of their childhood friends, Winry. Ed had stopped mentioning it shortly after that.

In all honesty though, Al had been excited to see Mei, and that excitement wasn't entirely due to getting to learn about alkahestry. He had been looking forward to spending time with the Xingese girl as well.

They sat outside in the garden together, in the end, they had had a meal made, and they ate that outside, enjoying each other's company and the sounds of nature and… grumbling…?

Mei and Al looked at each other in surprise before realisation dawned on both their faces. Turning towards the source of the sound, Al- with Mei peering over his shoulder- called into the garden, "Ling?" They heard a pained mutter in response and glancing back at Mei- who was clearly struggling to keep herself from giggling at the emperor's plight- got to his feet and headed into the bushes, stumbling upon the prone body of the Xingese emperor- Ling- another friend that Al and Ed had made during past adventures in their own country.

Al bent down beside the teen and seeing the starved expression on the boy's face rolled his eyes, "come on, Ling, how about you join us for lunch?"

Ling ate Al's entire portion, and then Mei's, then he called for more to be brought and he ate all of that too. In the end, for the two original picnickers, it wasn't so much of a meal as a show, watching Ling's voracious appetite in play.

Once he was finished, Ling stretched out languidly, a satisfied expression on his face, "I think I'll just lie here for a bit," he muttered drowsily, "My Lord!" the three glanced up to see Lan Fan rushing over, "I've been looking all over for you!" Ling grinned, "on second thoughts, I'll be leaving," and he ran off once more, leaving an exasperated Lan Fan behind.

"Why is Ling running away?" Al asked, turning to the raven haired girl who looking extremely put-out, Lan Fan sighed, "he… he told me I should stop worrying about being his bodyguard and just be his friend." Mei and Al looked at the blushing girl in surprise, before Mei asked, "so… then why is he running away?"

Lan Fan crossed her arms, looking down at the floor, clearly uncomfortable talking about this subject, "uh… he decided that if he made my job to difficult, then I would have to quit." Al glanced at Mei sidelong, understanding now, "so he's constantly running away from you?" Lan Fan nodded, before sighing irritably, "what he doesn't understand though is that I want to protect him, it isn't just a matter of duty to me." The two looked at her in surprise and as she realised what she said she started blushing.

"Couldn't he just fire you?" Al asked curiously, Mei shook her head, answering for the other girl, "it's not exactly something you do here… Lan Fan is his only bodyguard, and as emperor, he needs protection. He can hardly fire her, but, if she were to quit… well, that would be a different story." Al mulled this over for a few moments before turning to Lan Fan, "but why don't you just quit, and stay as his friend then?" Lan Fan frowned, "I just ans-" Al shook his head, effectively cutting the girl off, "friends still do everything in their power to protect each other."

Lan Fan gazed at him for a moment, before sighing, "well… regardless of what I may decide, I can hardly tell my L- …Ling if I can't catch up to him." Mei jumped up, "well, just standing around doing nothing won't catch him! If he comes here we'll tell him to talk to you, now go! Go get your man!" Lan Fan paused, pulling back, "w-what?" she gasped, a blush forming on her cheeks, she didn't get any answer beyond Mei pushing her towards the direction Ling had run, shouting, "go! Go! Go!" so she ran off.

Al turned to a satisfied Mei, "you sure were encouraging," he told her mildly. Mei spun around, "those two have been so obviously in love or so long now! Ling's clearly doing something about it, and Lan Fan's just being too stuck in common sense and duty to help!"

Al didn't bother asking about the common sense in getting into a relationship that would defy common sense. It was Mei after all he'd just end up feeling confused by an over exuberant response.

And honestly, he did think that Ling and Lan Fan would be cute together.

Al sat at the desk, skimming through an alkahestry book, but his mind was wondering, sighing, he placed he rested his chin on his hand, staring off into space thoughtfully. 'It's like everyone's feelings are coming out now that the situation with Father has been dealt with' he thought to himself, 'there is someone I want to be with, I really want to tell her, seeing how happy everyone else is with the people they love.'

Mei looked into the room, "have you finished that book yet, Alphonse?" she asked, Al chuckled guiltily, "um… not quite." Mei walked into the room to see where he was up to, "you're only five chapters in!" she exclaimed, "What have you been doing?"

Al sighed, "sorry Mei, I've just been a bit distracted," Mei sighed, before sitting down and leaning back against the seat thoughtfully, "I suppose we could take another break, that picnic we did last time was fun."

Al nodded eagerly and they got up, leaving a slip of paper in the book to mark where he was at, Al followed Mei out of the room to go get some food to eat.

A picnic would be the perfect place to tell Mei how he felt about her.

Meh... I kinda wanted to make them kiss, but it just didn't work out that way so... I guess it's okay still.

Um... let me know what you thought... next up is an EdAl family one-shot and... yeah.

:)