I do not own the Fullmetal Alchemist

Ed had been lying in bed awake for so long Al probably thought he was asleep.

A creak from the door told him Al had opened it to leave, probably to get another book or something. He closed his eyes as he heard the door shut and Al's hollow-sounding footsteps walk down the hallway.

Ed didn't open his eyes again. Instead, he squeezed them shut as he remembered the time Nina had seen them. Guilt unfurled in his chest...

Ed and Al had lost track of time while playing with Nina and Alexander. Alexander was still happily bounding around while Ed and Nina were finally out of breath, Al kept playing with him because he couldn't get physically tired.

Sitting down on Mr Tucker's front steps, Ed rolled up his sleeves as sweat trickled down his face.

'What's that, big brother?'

Nina's young and innocent voice turned the sweat on Ed's face cold in an instant. He quickly rolled down his left sleeve. 'Uh, what's what, Nina?' he said, trying to act clueless.

Nina pointed at his left arm. 'Is big brother hurt?'

Ed's heart began to beat faster than it already was. 'Uh, I tripped the other day,' he lied. 'And it was just a little scrape.'

Nina cocked her head curiously, silently questioning him further.

Ed wanted to curse at himself. He smiled reassuringly. 'It's nothing, Nina. There's nothing to worry about. I'm fine.' He changed the subject. 'So, you want to play fetch with Alexander?'

Nina's face lit up. 'Yes! Fetch!' She grabbed Ed's left arm, not noticing his wince as she tugged him to their house. 'We need to find the frisbee!'

The creak from the window sliding open startled Ed out of the memory. He sat up as a tall long-haired figure jumped inside his room.

'Hey, there, Ed! Got any leftovers from dinner you can give me?'

Ed growled and turned on the light. 'What the heck, Ling? It's-' He glanced at the clock- 'Freaking one in the morning!'

Ling just gave him a shameless grin. 'Ever heard of a midnight snack, Ed? Why're you crying?'

Ed was confused until he realized with horror that tears had rolled down his face when he was lost in the memory of Nina. He quickly wiped them off and glared at Ling, daring him to say anything else.

'Nightmare?' Concern was on Ling's face.

Ed opened his mouth to deny it, but he decided it was a better explanation than remembering a painful memory. He nodded, still glaring.

A flash of empathy crossed Ling's face before he smiled again. 'So, got any yoghurt? I like the chocolate-flavored ones here in Amestris.'

Ed's face twisted in disgust. He threw the bedsheets off him, jumping off the bed to kick Ling out. 'WHY THE HECK WOULD WE HAVE YOGHURT HERE!?' he yelled. 'IT HAS COW JUICE IN IT! WE DON'T HAVE THAT DISGUSTING STUFF HERE! GET OUT! I'M SLEEPING!

'Doesn't look like it much to me.'

'NO ONE NEEDS SOME RAT TO WAKE THEM UP AT FREAKING MIDNIGHT!'

Ed cornered Ling to the window, ready to shove him out. Ling was still grinning, as if enjoying the mini firework show Ed was putting on. Suddenly, his face changed from amusement to something like sad horror.

In a flash, Ed found Ling grabbing his left wrist, pulling his sleeve up, revealing red lines that started from his wrist to further up his arm, criss-crossing over one another. Panic sparked in his chest and he tried to pull his arm back. 'Let go! What do you think you're doing-'

'Ed. What's this?'

Ling's voice was deadly calm and serious, a combination that sounded almost alien for the young prince to Ed. Ed's glare almost slipped from his face. Staring at the floor, he yanked his arm back and Ling let him go.

'Ed,' Ling said again. 'How long?'

Ed stood there, staring at the floor and holding his left arm. He muttered, 'Al doesn't know.'

Ling's voice sounded sad. 'I won't tell him or anyone.'

Ed's body felt like a leaf hanging onto the branch in a storm. He was so tired from hiding secrets from everyone. Al, Winry, heck-even Mustang. As much as he hated to admit it, he was partly tempted to blurt out something to the stupid Colonel every time he stormed into his office to shove some report in his face.

'I just...'

Suddenly, defensiveness rushed forwards to cover Ed's breaking point and he backed away, fire in his eyes. 'It's nothing, alright?' Ed yanked his sleeve down to cover up the scars. He shoved Ling towards the window as he was about to protest, all friendly humor gone from his face.

'Ed-'

'Goodnight, Ling,' Ed snapped, pushing him out the window.

'Wait, hear me out-'

'See you tomorrow.' With that, Ed slammed the window shut and closed the blinds.

Ling's protests from outside the closed window continued until Ed switched the light off. He sighed and slumped onto his bed. Only the sound of Al's footsteps made him pull the covers back over him and pretend he was asleep the whole time.

Thanks for reading!