The Space Between

by Taskemus

[Elricest] There is too much space between zero and one. Pointless fluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Warnings: This is an EdwardxAlphonse fic. It is yaoi (malexmale) and incest (family memberxfamily member). I am not forcing you to read it if you donít want to.

There is too much space between zero and one. Edward was supposed to be back an hour and ten minutes ago; he is still gone, away, somewhere other than here. Alphonse doesn't know what to do with himself, here alone, and so he waits by the door and watches the lights flicker on and off outside, until his brother comes back, stomping in and slamming the door, and Alphonse doesn't answer when asked why he is smiling.

Between something and nothing. They make small talk on the couch, Alphonse avoiding his brother's eyes and Edward coughing and clearing his throat, the both of them stuttering and forgetting the answers to simple questions. Alphonse thinks regretfully that this is no better than his brother not being here at all, and gets up to make some tea.

Between stop and go. Edward is watching him avidly when he returns, intent golden eyes never straying from him, and Alphonse squirms under such a gaze. He sits in the middle of the couch, because he isn't sure whether he wants to be closer to his brother or further away, and he feels a strange warmth in his face when Edward's fingers brush his own.

Between hugs and kisses. They both laugh nervously at the spilled tea on the couch, and when Alphonse sits back down he has moved the extra inch, is closer to his brother, and he wants to flinch at the touch but doesn't, there's nothing wrong with this. And he puts his arm around Edward, tentatively, and doesn't know why he's doing it, and his brother sighs and pulls him closer, and kisses his cheek, the top of his forehead, and Al can't stop the butterflies in his stomach.

Between brothers and lovers. And Al reaches up to kiss him, too, and his mouth grazes half of Edward's lips, an awkward little kiss, and he shuts his eyes and when he opens them again his brother is staring down at him, at the flush in his cheeks, and he leans down and kisses him again.