Chapter 14:

The house was dark as Edward stepped inside. He felt her brush past him and his coat being replaced on his own shoulders before the door shut behind him and the lights above his head flickered to life. Emily stood in front of him with her arms crossed and a determined frown on her face.

"Emily are you okay? Look, I didn't mean to say that before. I'm sorry." His eyes widened as her hands slammed against the walls on either side of his head. His golden eyes met her determined silver ones as her arms shook by his cheeks.

"Why won't you give me an answer!" she asked a little too loudly as her lips quivered with held back anger.

"What?" Edward thought back quickly, wondering if she had asked him a question earlier that day.

"Don't ask what! I know it was a long time ago and that you were still recovering but I properly asked you and everything. Hawkeye even told me you have been talking about it. Why won't you just start teaching me already?" tears sprang to her eyes as she bit her lip to stop any other sounds from escaping. Ed ground his teeth and clenched his fists as she practically shouted at him with tears in her eyes, "I overlooked you bringing up my parents death and you acting badly towards my childhood friend so why can't you at least tell me no?!" Her arms fell to her sides as her head dropped forward, "If you can't stand being around me long enough to teach me a little alchemy then at least give me a proper rejection. It's the least you can do."

He moved quickly, his arms wrapping around her shoulders as his body moved forward. He intended to stop and attempt to comfort her but the force of his actions sent them crashing to the floor, her shoulder was painfully pinned in the junction of his automail elbow as they hit the floor causing her to cry out in pain.

"Emily I'm sorry!" he shouted as he looked down at her pained face.

"Why?" she whimpered as she hid her tear filled eyes with her fists. He sighed at his own stupidity before reaching out to move one hand away from her eye so that she could see him as he spoke.

"Emily, listen to me. I never intended to hurt you in any way, in fact I had full intentions to train you. Then you vanished and came back with a boyfriend and things got complicated. I tried to go along with it because it's you and that's all that mattered." Her eyes widened as he spoke, he was so close that his bangs brushed her forehead and his face was so stern, his eyes so determined as he spoke.

"Edward I,"

"Just shut up for a minute I'm not done." He shouted causing her to cringe away, "You ask me why but you're the one who should answer a few questions. Why do you insist on it being me who trains you? Why are you still dating the guy that you can't think of as closer than just a childhood friend? Why won't you even look at me as more than just a teacher?" his shoulders shook as he leaned closer to her. Her eyes traveled from his own down to his chin, lasting a bit too long on the bottom lip he had clenched in his teeth.

"Edward I didn't," she frowned as she thought about her words carefully, "Why do you care about Jericho and me anyway?" he looked away from her, choosing instead to stare at the design on her ancient rug.

"I thought we were close. Then you go ahead and fall for someone else." He mumbled softly. She furrowed her brow and clenched her fist against the rough braiding of the rug under her.

"Ed I, remember when I patched you up that time after you were brought here by Al?" She couldn't look him in the eye as she spoke, "I was terrified that I couldn't do it, I was scared we would lose you and it would be my fault. So when I managed to actually close the wound I was happy. Then when you were asleep and I was checking on you and you woke up I was so happy just to see your eyes again. I just wanted to hold on and never let," she stopped her long drawn out confession as she felt his warm flesh hand find hers. Cool steel digits wrapped carefully around her chin and her face was pulled forward and a pair of warm lips connected with hers. Her eyes pulled into two wide saucers, as his own closed. She struggled with herself as the feeling of his body heat transferred to her through this small connection alone.

"No!" she shouted as she pushed him away he fell back to land sitting and staring at her wide eyed. Bright red stains covered his cheeks as he backed away slowly.

"Emily." His mouth hung open as the back of her hand raised to cover her lips. Her eyes shone in the light as they began to water.

"Why now?" she shouted as warm tears streaked down her cheeks. He stood then and turned towards the door as he lifted his coat from where it fell on the ground and hung it over his arm.

"I really am sorry Emily. I shouldn't have done that." Though what she heard was a calm and collected voice, what she did not see mattered. A scowl of self-hatred and heart ache across the small blondes face. She felt like her world was shattering around her as he began to walk towards the door.

"Edward wait!" She jumped up and reached out to his back. He turned then and she ended up touching the part of his chest where metal met flesh. The comparison or lack thereof shocked her still. Her fingers traced the line that connected him to his prosthetic almost as if she where touching a piece of fragile art.

"What are you doing?" she was shaken out of her fascination by his voice and looked up quickly to see his face very close to her own. His lips still glistened, moist from the kiss.

"I didn't mean to," she jumped back holding her hands tightly together before her. Her eyes locked onto his scuff mark covered boots as her face warmed considerably. The sound of fabric rustling caused her to look upwards as she though he may be putting on his coat to leave.

What she saw was a flash of metal on tanned skin, separated by a line of stark white scars that made up his upper body. Toned muscles where hidden under a layer of flesh that shone in the light of the living room. His abs where sharply cut and well managed, as she looked further down she noticed his hips held a v shape that led into his dark black pants. His soft cough caused her to jump and look back at his face quickly.

"Pay attention." He pointed to his chest with his thumb, right in the center of his chest and right where the scar touched his tanned skin, "I did this to myself. I live with this, with my shame, right out in the open. Al has to live with my shame to, that brings a larger burden on me but I hold that up as well. I have to, this is my pinnace for what I did. So, don't ever say sorry for something like that. Ok?" She clutched her fist to her own chest and nodded in response.

"Good." He stated as he slid his shirt back over his body, hiding what her eyes had devoured from her sight.

"But," she began after reaching out and grabbing the hem of his shirt in her right hand. He stood still and looked down at her in confusion, "You say you wear your shame out in the open, for things you can't undo right?" he nodded as his brow furrowed slightly. She touched her lips with her left hands fingers and glared up at him, "then you owe me for the kiss. You owe me so become my teacher or I will never forgive you!"

"What? But I,"

"You heard me. Either become my teacher or never have anything to do with me again because if you aren't my teacher I'll never forgive you for kissing me like that." She puffed out her cheek angrily after she spoke. He stepped back with a shocked look on his face for a moment before a small smile formed on his lips.

"Well then, if I teach you could I kiss you some more?" he leaned close to her, close enough to see the growing blush on her cheeks.

"But I thought," she stepped back slightly to escape the sudden shift in power.

"That's my deal, if you want to learn my way of alchemy you have to do things my way." She ground her teeth for a moment as she fought back a blush, then let out a soft sigh and smiled.

"I guess if that's how it has to be, but,"

"Don't worry we can keep it between us. Your little boyfriend doesn't have to know," his eyes where sad even if his voice was cocky.

"Wait!" she called as he moved towards the door and turned the handle.

"Oh yeah, sorry I forgot, your 'dear childhood friend.'" He looked at her with a smile on his lips, "right?"

"Y-yeah." She looked down as she spoke softly.

"I gotta go or Al will worry. You know how he is." He gave her one more gentle smile before stepping outside and holding the door open, "By the way training starts when I wake up tomorrow so you better be at my house and ready by that time."

"Yes sir!" she said with an awkward salute. He chuckled under his breath and shut the door, leaving her standing in the living room alone.

"What the hell was that?" she asked herself out loud as she touched her lips once again.

Outside Edward smiled and pumped his fist in to the air before clearing his throat and heading home with a large grin on his face.

(End of Chapter 14)