A/N: hey guys, I return once more! sorry it's been a little while on the drabble front, but I've still got quite a few more coming. anyway, this one is, well... first and most importantly, THIS CHAPTER IS RATED R. and for good reason, peoples. shmex, omg. and, uh... XD it's the first time I've written ANYthing like it, so please please please let me know how I did. the wonderful folks over at the elricest LJ community were extremely lovely in their responses to this, and I'm hoping to get the same over here.

and another little warning, a couple of you have said that you really like my drabble collection because all the stories are so happy. well, uh.. i'm about to kill it XD. not as angsty as SOME I've read out there, but not as happilly-ever-after as my other ones. but I was listening to Hinder's "Lips of an Angel" yesterday, and it gave me THE BIGGEST plot bunny. So I started this, and didn't stop working on it till it was finished. I rarely ever do that with stories.

oh, and some being mean to Winry in this as well.

Disclaimer: see chapter one.

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IX - Against the Cold"

by: If Wishes Were Blue Skies

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The phone ringing broke the stale silence that surrounded him. He had been sitting in the living room, sprawled out on the couch, his nose in a book like it was every night, when he heard it. Automatically, his heart picked up speed in his chest, golden eyes darting from the text to the object on the end table.

He dropped his book on the cushions, and quickly sat himself up from the couch, walking over to the phone. He waited for it to ring once more before picking it up.

His voice was a whisper, "… Al?"

"Hey, Brother."

Edward felt his heart melt, his body relaxing into the voice on the other end. He allowed himself a small smile.

Then another voice from the other room pierced the pleasantness in his mood. "Honey?" it called, followed by a blonde head poking out of the kitchen. "Who is it?"

Ed looked back at her, gold meeting sapphire and smiled at her. "Oh, just Lieutenant Hawkeye."

Winry smiled. "Oh! Well, tell her I said 'hi'." And with that, she disappeared behind the doorway again.

Ed put the receiver back up to his ear, and after a moment of silence, heard from the other end, "Sorry, Brother. Am I…?"

The older cut him off. "Of course not, you know you never interrupt anything over here." His voice was still barely above a whisper.

He could hear his little brother frowning, but knew he wouldn't say anything on the subject. It was a fight lost long ago, and neither bothered voicing their guilt anymore.

The younger spoke again. "So… can you…?"

Edward smiled. "Of course."

He placed the phone back onto the receiver, and went over to the coat rack, slipping on his red jacket. "Honey?" he called back over his shoulder, his stomach churning as he did so. Nowadays, it was getting harder and harder to say it to her.

"Yeah?" she called back.

"Hawkeye wants me to go pick up some files over at headquarters. Stuff I need to look over. I'll be back in a little bit, okay?"

He saw her appear at the doorway again. She looked a little sad, but it was gone before he had time to feel badly about it. She offered a small grin, and waved. "'Kay, be safe."

"I will."

And with that, he turned and left the house.

The blonde made his way down the street, tugging his coat tighter over himself against the cold December air. Christmas lights hanging from lampposts and other people's homes blinked and shined on him, lightning up the snow on the ground in several colors. He took a left down an alley only about seven buildings down from his own house, and right away he was able to see the dark figure standing further away from him. Suddenly it didn't seem so cold out.

He walked forward, quickening his steps. At the sound of his feet crunching under the newly fallen snow, the figure turned, his face now visible, silver eyes shining in the half-darkness.

Immediately they were in each other's arms, embracing each other as tightly as they could, with as much strength as their arms would allow. The younger let out a small whimper of happiness and buried his face in the crook of his brother's neck. Edward whispered out his name, feeling as though his heart was about to explode. Not enough… he didn't have this nearly enough…

They pulled apart for a moment, only for a second long enough to become one once more, their lips crashing together. Hands gripped and clung to whatever they could, as tightly as they could. Their mouths were open to the other's within seconds, tongues pressing together in loving strokes. Both men let out low moans, pressing their bodies together all the more, their heartbeats meshing into one loud rhythm.

The intensity only grew from there. Al's mitten-clad hands suddenly moved downward to his older brother's waist, then purposely grazed across the considerable bulge in the center. Ed whimpered into Al's mouth, a fire heating up in his belly at the touch. The only urged the younger on, boldly applying more pressure to his touch, knowing exactly what his brother liked.

"Al…" Ed breathed as they parted their mouths for only a second. "More-!" He bucked his hips into his younger brother's hands, mentally cursing the cold air for making them wear so many layers.

Alphonse quickly pulled off his mittens and tossed them to the ground somewhere, his newly freed fingers immediately coming to the top of Ed's pants. He paused for only a moment, then proceeded to undo them. He separated his mouth from Ed's to move downward, dragging the offending clothing down with him, along with his boxers. Ed let out a gasp as his heated flesh was suddenly met with the cold air, and let out another as it was encased in the warmth of his brother's needy mouth.

He brought a fist up to his mouth, biting hard down on one of his knuckles to keep himself from becoming too vocal. The warmth in his belly quickly spread into a wildfire, consuming his entire being, causing him to perspire despite the cold.

"Al—Alphonse," he choked out, white-hot pleasure biting into him from his groin. At the sound of his name, the brunette sped up in his movements, his hands coming up to clamp onto his brother's backside. He rolled his tongue roughly around Edward's length, swallowing the precome that was leaking from it now.

A shaky hand made its way into Al's long hair, gripping at it as his chest heaved up and down. He was so close…

"God, Al, I—!"

The familiar white spots invaded his vision, making the entire world white. He choked back a scream as he felt himself go completely over the edge, releasing his seed into Al's mouth. The younger continued on with small caresses of his tongue and little kisses until the tremors passed. Edward slid down the brick wall, unable to feel his legs at all and smiled lovingly at the brunette before him. Panting, he reached out and caressed his cheek with his hand.

"Amazing as always," he breathed, Al blushing as he did so. "And now… it's my turn."

Edward smiled deviously as he eyed the bulge in his little brother's jeans. He shifted their positions so that Al was sitting up against the wall, Ed on his knees between his legs. The snow bit into his knees, cold rising up in him uncomfortably, but he ignored it.

In a moment, he had the younger's pants undone, and his hard member in his own mouth. It only took a few strokes of the tongue, along with one considerably hard suck to get him to come, high-pitched whimpers filling the alleyway. Edward swallowed the warm liquid, savoring the taste, licking the rest from his lips.

The blonde leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his brother's forehead, who was still trying to catch his breath. Hazy silver eyes opened up to him, and he smiled. Ed returned the favor before leaning away to pull his pants back up, buttoning them once again. Then once he was situated, he wrapped his arms around his baby brother.

"I love you so much, Brother," Al breathed into his ear, his own arms wrapping around his back.

"You too, Al," Ed whispered. "So much… I'm just… I'm sorry it has to be like this…"

Silence surrounded them for a minute, and Ed felt his brother hold onto him just a bit tighter. "It… it doesn't matter to me. I'm just thankful we can be together at all, even if it's just for a little bit in an alleyway like this." He said the last bit with a kind of joking tone in his voice.

Ed let out a small laugh, pulling away just enough to see his brother's face. He smoothed back his hair with his hand affectionately, resting it on his cheek.

Reluctantly then, Edward stood himself up and away from the warmth of Al's body. He reached out his hand to him. "Come on," he said sadly. "Winry will be wondering what's taking me so long."

Sadness filled Al's eyes as well and he nodded. He paused for a moment long enough to fix his pants, then took his brother's hand, standing up beside him. And with that, they turned and made their way out of the alley, Ed's arm coming to wrap around Al's shoulder.

Their walk back was quiet, but no words were really needed. Al had let his head fall against Ed's shoulder, his expression sad. And when they were in front of his house, both held off from the goodbye kiss they so wanted to share. Instead, smiles were exchanged, and Ed turned to walked up his porch steps.

It was a bit of a vicious cycle, the little game they played. But they lived with it. If it was all they could get, then they would deal with it, and be content. Something was better than nothing, even when it came to his beloved little brother.

He opened up the front door, walking inside the house and taking off his coat. And without even a word to let his wife know that he was back, he collapsed onto the couch and fell asleep.

Just like every other night.