Title: Spoken For
Rating: PG
Pairing: Al/Hughes
Word Count: 702
Idea given by: The Totally Promiscuous FMA Pairing Machine (Al/Hughes, PG or PG-13, including: hand, carrot, sofa)

Edward was busy yelling at Roy Mustang. So far, he had been in there for fifteen minutes.

Alphonse was not interested in being anywhere near him when he came out of that room.

He sighed, making his way to the Investigations office, knowing he should have visited much earlier.

Sciezska was scribbling away on a piece of parchment. Al stood there for a while, not sure what to say. But when she didn't look up, he hummed lightly. "Sciezska?" he asked quietly.

Sciezska sat up straight, knocked completely out of her concentration. "Wh-what?" she stammered. "Oh, hi Alphonse." She adjusted her glasses, blushing lightly.

"I was just looking for Hughes," Al said uncomfortably.

"He's supposed to be eating lunch in his office," Sciezska said. "But I think he might be hiding in the corner, using the phone."

"Thanks!" Al said. "Sorry for distracting you."

"It's okay," Sciezska mumbled, already absorbed in her work again.

Al walked over to Hughes' office and knocked on the door lightly. He heard a few muffled words and then the audible 'click' of hanging up a phone. "Who is it?" he asked.

"Alphonse Elric," Al said, shifting uncomfortably.

Hughes grinned and opened up the door. "I was hoping you'd come by!" he said, opening the door and smiling up at Al. "I just got some new pictures of Elysia in and I'm telling you, she's going to break boys' hearts when she's…"

Al cut him off, placing his leather hand on Hughes' shoulder. "I kind of need to talk to you," he said quietly.

Hughes frowned and looked at Al's expressionless face. "Alright," he said, calming down, becoming dead serious. He went back to his desk and sat in his chair, rolling a pen between his fingers.

Al attempted to sit in one of the chairs in front of Hughes' desk, but failed, being too large.

"Sit on the sofa," Hughes told him. Al went and sat on the sofa, awkwardly pressing his metal legs together.

"How do you know when you love someone?" Al asked abruptly, looking up at Hughes, certain he knew the answer.

"What—What do you mean, Alphonse?" Hughes asked, slightly shocked by the question.

"I don't have a body," Al said, shrugging, feeling embarrassed. "But I think I'm in love with someone. I don't know… if that's possible and so I know how much you love Gracia… I thought you could tell me if it was love."

Hughes pondered that for a moment. "I'm sure I could listen," he said eventually. "Tell me about this person."

Hughes pulled his sack lunch out of his desk, smiling at the tuna fish sandwich, carrots, and pretzels Gracia had packed him. She always gave him the same lunch she was going to feed his three-year-old daughter.

She claimed it was so Hughes wouldn't call and ask what Elysia was eating.

Al looked at his hand for a moment, flexing the unfeeling leather. "Well," he said slowly. "I always look forward to seeing this person. Seeing them makes me feel really happy, but also… I feel nervous around them."

Hughes nodded, chewing on his sandwich.

"Sometimes," Al said, "I feel like I wish they'd notice me, even though I know that's inane. I mean, they know I'm empty."

"That's hard," Hughes said quietly.

Al shook his head. "Easier. Because… if they did notice me and didn't know I was empty, I'd be really uncomfortable."

"Yeah, it sounds like you really like this person, Alphonse," Hughes said, setting his sandwich down. "Have you talked to them about it?"

"I don't really want to," Al stammered. "I mean, I can't really do anything about it in this body. And they're rather spoken for."

Hughes smiled sadly. "You should probably talk to them anyway.

Al didn't say anything, just thinking about his leather gloves that hadn't felt in so long. He thought about how much Hughes and Gracia had done for them. How they had helped Elysia along into the world.

"I'll tell them," Al said quietly, lying through his teeth.

He didn't want to break his relationship with Hughes. After all, he was a good friend and very spoken for.

Hughes smiled. "I'm glad I could help, Al."

A/N Have some yaoi in a basket.