What makes something Taboo? Is it what said thing is involved with, or is it how that thing makes people feel? Does society really choose what is taboo, or is taboo different in everyone's eyes? For Edward and Alphonse Elric it didn't matter what society thought. The two had already crossed the line into taboo territory before. And they would again, they just didn't know it. Six days.

20.

It seemed as though all the oceans of the world were falling on them, as Al peered lazily out his bedroom window. A huge storm had settled right over resembool and wasn't going anywhere soon. The rain was relentless since that night when the first of the storms blew in. So bad was the weather, Pinako had told the boy's not to come into work until the storm front had passed. She didn't want them walking out in that rain everyday. Ed was overjoyed with the news, 'A few days without work, no painful bumps on the head, yeah I'm gonna enjoy this.' he thought. His brother on the other hand...

'Great, a few days without Granny Pinako's cooking is going to suck.' Al thought, 'I can't really cook, but I'm at least able to make an edible meal, unlike brother.'

It was true, the last time Ed cooked diner, Al found the taste so offensive he nearly attacked his brother in defense. Ever since then Al had decided to take over the cooking duties.

Other than that, Al really didn't have a problem with staying at home for a few days, alone with Ed. Well, actually there was one thing that bothered him. Ever since that night he had slept in Ed's bed, Ed had become very quite. He would find Ed staring into space, and sometimes(To Al's delight)at him. This would earn the two a very bright blush.

Ed walked into Al's room making his presence known by giving a loud sigh and plopping face down onto Al's bed. "AL!" He demanded, voice muffled by blankets. "Entertain me!"

Al quickly cocked his head away from the window to look at Ed. "What?"

"I'm bored, do something."

"Like what?" Al said annoyingly, "I'm not a clown."

"I don't know...beat yourself up, that would be fun to watch."

Al just stared, "Yeah sure, I'll just pummel myself for your enjoyment." He replied sarcastically.

Ed raised his head, "You will!"

Al stared even more. "Your hopeless brother, go read a book or something."

Ed returned his head to the blankets. "I just finished reading a book."

"Oh really? What book?"

"That one with the old guy on the cover."

Al raised an eyebrow. "The book Winry bought for me?"

"Yup."

"You read the whole thing already?"

"Well...no."

"Why not?"

"Cause...It wasn't all interesting." Ed sounded a bit uncomfortable.

"Then what interested you?" Al smirked, he knew exactly what Ed had read.

"Oh, you know...stuff."

Al rolled his eyes, "Brother I think we've established that we're both gay, you don't have to be embarrassed, It's okay to be curious." He repeated Winry's wise words.

Ed stayed silent. There was a flash, then the crack of thunder. Al jumped and whimpered a little. Surprised, Ed raised his head slowly. Al was blushing and looking at him awkwardly.

"Okay, I know your afraid of thunderstorms at night Al, but it's noon."

Al fidgeted for a while looking at his hands. "I know, but ever since I got my body back...it scares me even more." he admitted quietly.

Ed gave him a concerned stare, "Why Al...what are you so afraid of?"

"It's...no it's stupid forget it." Al looked out the window again, avoiding Ed's eyes.

'Oh no, I'm not letting go of it that easy.' Ed thought as he rose from the bed, walking over to Al's side by the window. "Come on Al, don't be like that. You can tell me anything, you know that."

'Crap, I knew he wouldn't let go of it that easy.', Al sighed, still looking out the window as Ed watched him. "Okay, your gonna think I'm stupid, but it's the truth. Alright," he took a deep breath. "you see, when I was in the armor, my body was a giant piece of metal. When there was a storm, I would get kinda nervous cause I was afraid I might get hit by lightning. But I wasn't that scared, because I knew I wouldn't feel it and I wouldn't die." He took another moment to think, "Now that I have my body back it still scares me, I'm afraid that I'll get hit by lightning. And now, I can feel it and I will die..."

Ed waited for Al to go on, after a while he realized something was bothering him. "That's not all, is it Al."

Al's head lowered a bit, taking a deep breath, he went on. "You see, it's not dying that I'm afraid of. What scares me is that if I die, then...then I'd be taken away from you brother. To the gate."

Ed watched Als face, it was one of the saddest looks he had ever seen. "So, your afraid of the gate then?"

"No brother...I'm afraid of not being with you."

"..." Hearing him say that, touched Ed's heart in a way it had never felt before. "Alphonse..." He grabbed Al's shoulder and turned him slowly, so that they faced each other.

For a while, the two stayed like that, staring into each other's's eyes. Some thing was there, in between them. They could both see it, looking into each other.

Ed's heart began to pound furiously, his hands could feel Al's heart pounding through his shoulders. He very slowly pulled Al closer, and closer. Their noses were nearly touching, just a bit further and...'(Your sick!)'

Ed abruptly tilted his head away and hugged Al, resting his chin on Al's shoulder. "Don't worry Al, I won't let anything take you from me. We'll always be together...always."

Ed and Alphonse stood in front of the window for a long time that day, hugging each other in a tight embrace.

21.

"Hey brother, what do you want for diner?" Al said from the kitchen doorway. Ed was lightly dozing on the living room couch.

"I don't know, make anything."

"How about some soup?"

"You made soup yesterday." Ed complained.

"I'll add different spices this time."

"Why don't you make something else? I'm tired of soup."

"But brother...that's the only food I won't burn."

"Oh yeah, alright soup it is."

Al busied himself with the preparation of diner while Ed lay there on the couch, eyes closed. 'What was that earlier? When I looked into Al's eye's, I couldn't help myself. I ALMOST...but I didn't. Every things okay. But...why did he look like that when I moved closer?'

Ed thought of the way Alphonse looked when he moved close to him. Ed had never seen that look on his brothers face, but he had seen it before. It was need, it was lust, it was wanting. The only reason Ed knew that look is because someone had looked at him like that before, Winry. The day she told Ed that she loved him, she had first wrapped her arms around his neck, and gave him that look just before...kissing...him.

'Yuck!' Ed thought to himself, remembering the kiss. 'That same look was on Al's face, but does that mean...could he...? No, he couldn't...could he?' Ed opened his eye's and looked through the doorway, he could see Alphonse standing in front of the stove. For a while he stared, just stared and thought. 'Could he?'

Al turned his head and locked eye's with Ed. The two stayed like that for a while, staring at each other. Until the water Al was boiling began to overflow the pot, making loud sizzling noises. Al blushed furiously and quickly returned to the cooking. Ed looked away himself, his face was hot, he suspected he was blushing too.

'Oh my god. It can't be...' Ed realized it, he realized what had been going on this whole time. He realized why Al had been so depressed. He realized why Al had looked so excited when Ed saw him naked. He realized why Al looked upon him the way he did earlier. And most importantly, he realized what it all meant. 'He...he feels the same way...I do.'

His heart pounded, his breathing quickened. It went faster and faster, until he couldn't take it any longer. "Al I'm going for a walk." He said as he rose from the couch, grabbed his coat and headed for the door.

"What? It's pouring out there! Are you crazy!" Al still had his large wooden spoon in his hand, dripping soup all over the floor.

"I'll be back for diner." He opened the door, stepped out quickly and shut it in Al's face.

"Wait! BROTHER!" Al flung the door open, he could see Ed in the distance, he was running. "BROTHER!" Just as he was about to chase after him, a flash of lightning illuminated the night sky. Al stood there, watching his brother disappear into the darkness. "Brother."

Ed ran, and ran. He ran till his lungs burned and his veins pumped motor oil...then he ran some more.

'(You did this didn't you.)'

"NO!"

'(Yes you did, this is what you wanted from the start isn't it.)'

"NO!"

'(You made Al this way, in the transmutation, you did this to him.)'

"NO, I...I didn't!"

'(You may not remember it, but you probably did it subconsciously, that's why you don't remember.)'

"NO, that can't be!"

'(You wanted Al from the beginning, and when you transmuted his body you subconsciously added those feelings. Just so you could fulfill your sick little fantasies.)'

"NO! NO! I made him the way he always was, I DIDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING!"

'(If you didn't change anything, I guess it's a little convenient that he has the same feelings, don't you think.)'

"...no..."

'(What are the odds, two brothers, both turn out to be homosexual. Not only that, they both have incestuous thoughts about one another. WHAT-ARE-THE-ODDS!)'

"...Shut up..."

'(It's funny how all this happened after the transmutation huh?)'

"...Shut up!"

'(Yeah sure, what Winry said about Al not having hormones for four years made sense and all, but still. It all seems so...convenient.)'

"...I said SHUT UP!"

'(Think about it Ed, you know it to be true. You wanted Al to want you! So when you transmuted his body you added your own sick emotions! Then you could have your disgusting ways with him and he would be non the wiser. It was YOU!)'

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! SHUUUUUT UUUUUUP!"

Ed tripped over a rock, his head landing on a large stone on the road.

It took Al a little over an hour to find Ed's unconscious body that night.

22.

His eye's slowly fluttered open. His head throbbed and it felt tight. Raising his hand to his forehead, Ed could feel bandages wrapped around his head. He tried to sit up, but as he began to rise the room spun violently. 'Okay let's not try that again.'

On further inspection he found he was in his own room, lying on his bed. It was very dark, he didn't know what time it was. 'Last thing I remember..."SHUUUUUT UUUUUUP!"...how did I get here?'

"A...A-l" It hurt to talk, it made his headache throb. There was a strange noise, something he couldn't make out. "A-l"

He heard fast paced footsteps, his door flew open, as Al hurriedly came to his side with a mug of something steamy. "Thank goodness your awake. I thought you were really hurt. Here drink this." He offered the mug to Ed.

'He looks so stressed.' Ed took the cup, it was hot chocolate. "Th-anks Al." He rasped.

Al watched him drink it intently. When he finished Al took the mug and set it down on his nightstand. Taking a seat next to Ed on his bed, Al asked, "What happened to you out there, did someone beat you up or something."

'That's a stupid question.', "Of course no one beat m-OW,OW,OW!" Ed raised his hand to the side of his head.

"Then what happened?"

"I...I tripped...and fell." He replied honestly.

Al stared at him, brow slightly furrowed. "Why Brother."

"I don't know. I couldn't see in the rain, and the ground was slippery."

Al's brow furrowed even more, almost angry looking, "No, I meant why did you leave me like that."

Ed scowled looking away. "I had alot on my mind.", he replied blankly.

"So you left me! You left me in the thunderstorm alone!" Al's voice wavered.

"...", 'Crap, (Good one Ed, you forgot he was afraid of lightning didn't you.)'

"How could you!" Al's eye's began to water. "I was so...scared!"

"Al...wait..." Ed pleaded.

"No! What if something happened to you! I don't know...what I would've done without you!" He was crying now, watching Ed with an angry glare.

Ed rose quickly, ignoring the pain and nausea. He wrapped his arms around Al, squeezing him in a tightly. "I'm sorry Al...I'm so sorry...I'm a terrible brother...I'm sorry." He himself was on the verge of tears.

Al sank into Ed's grip, resting his head in Ed's collar. "Your not terrible brother. You can't be, I love you too much."

Ed squeezed a bit harder. '(Yes, you are a terrible brother Edward, you like holding Alphonse like this don't you, you... "SMACK!" OW, How did you hit me, I'M JUST A FIGMENT OF YOUR IMAGINATION!) NOT NOW! (Whimperokay.Whimper)'

Ed and Al sat there for a long time, just comforting each other. Al felt safe there, in Ed's arms. Not even the crack of thunder could shake him while he was in his brother's arms. Ed liked holding Al, he felt happy to comfort him. Sometime during the night, the two laid down and went to sleep.

Ed didn't let go of Alphonse that night, not until the sun came up the next day.

23.

The sun shone brightly into the room, beaming directly into Alphonse's eyes. He slowly opened his eyelids, revealing the beauty before him. Edwards face nearly glowed in the sunlight, his hair shone bright gold, nearly blinding him. Alphonse only wanted to stay there, just like that, for the rest of his life if he could. But it was not meant to be, Ed's calm expression changed as his eyes drifted open.

"Morning brother." Al whispered softly.

"Morning Al."

"It's a beautiful day out."

Ed turned his head to face his window, "Yeah I guess it is...WAIT A MINUTE!"

"What?"

"Granny Pinako told us to come into work when the weather was nicer. Crap! It's almost noon!" Ed rose in bed, hoping over Alphonse and rushing into the bathroom.

"Brother, It's already late. We might as well stay home today. We'll just say you got hurt and couldn't come in, we wouldn't be lying." Al didn't want to go to work, he wanted more time alone with Ed.

Al waited for Ed to reply, "Yeah, I guess your right. My head does still hurt a little."

Al heard the shower running and decided to go start breakfast, or rather lunch. While preparing the food Al noticed that Ed had never answered his question the night before. 'What could have bothered him so much, that it made him run out into a storm like a lunatic? He was staring at me just before he left, I wonder if he was thinking about me? Maybe he's having trouble with his feelings for me. Maybe he thinks we can never be together, like I did, and that's whats been bothering him?' Al guessed.

The water was hot, nearly scalding as it ran down Ed's back. 'Is it true then, am I really in love with him. Am I really in love with Alphonse?' His guilt wasn't there to answer him this time, it was still angry about being bitch slapped. 'I guess...I guess I do.' His head lowered in the shower. Ed wasn't going to deny it any longer, he made up his mind last night as he held Alphonse. 'But what do I do now? If he feels the same way about me, what should I do?'

Ed was conflicted, he didn't know what he wanted. Should he confess his feelings for Alphonse, and hope that he's right, and Alphonse confesses in return. Or should he ignore it, and not say anything about it, like Alphonse was doing. It was probably the hardest question Ed had ever asked himself.

'By now he must know how I feel, I can tell when I look into his eyes. But I wonder if he knows that I know. He probably thinks I have no idea about how he looks at me.' Ed chuckled, sometimes Al was naive like that.

And it was true, Al really hadn't even thought about it. He hadn't realized that if he could see Ed was hiding his emotions, so could Ed.

He kept thinking about Alphonse as he took his shower. Sometime while he was rubbing the shampoo into his hair, the image of Alphonse naked popped into his head. So unexpected was the thought, Ed opened his eyes and got shampoo in them. "OW! Shit!"

Alphonse's voice came through the doorway, muffled, "Ed, are you okay?"

"Uh...Yeah, just fine."

"Okay." Al returned to the kitchen as Edward tried to find a way to deal this the growing erection in between his legs.

'Crap think of something, quick...I've got it. AUNTIE PINAKO IN A TIGHT BIKINI.'

The elric brothers truly did think alike.

Once Ed finished getting dressed he wandered over to the kitchen, following the delicious aroma of the day's lunch, "MMM, what smell's so...soup."

Al was sitting at the table casually sipping soup from his spoon. "Jeez, you took forever. Was taking a shower really that hard." Al joked

"I was a bit hard."

"What?"

"I mean! IT was a bit hard. heh,heh" Ed quickly sat down and started eating the soup Al left him.

"Oookaaay. Anyway what do you want to do today brother? It's really nice out, I was thinking..."

Ed remembered what he was thinking about in the shower, about how Al probably thought Ed was oblivious to the whole situation. He decided to interrupt Al, he had to get this off his chest.

"Alphonse, there's something I want to say to you." Ed stared at the soup as it steamed.

"Yes brother." Al sounded like a child who knew he was in trouble for something. "What is it?"

Ed took a while to find the words. 'How am I going to say this. I don't want to just blurt out "Alphonse I love you more than a brother" and then "And I know you do too but we can't act on it cause it's wrong." That would be too much. No, I have to be discreet, He'll understand.'

"Alphonse, I love you. And I know you love me too..."

"Of course I love you brother." Al interrupted.

"Of course you do, I'm just letting you know. I KNOW you LOVE me...and I LOVE YOU too."

Al's eye's opened wide.

"I always will love you, and I'll always be...your BROTHER." It was harder for him to say it than he thought it would be. Ed raised his eye's to meet Alphonse's. He could see the look in Al's eyes, 'He understands.'

Al slowly rose from the table, then slowly walked out of the kitchen. Ed didn't move at all, he only listened, as Al walked out the front door.

Ed let out a sigh, "Now what Ed." he said to himself. He actually felt very sad, the word's hadn't really sunk in until he said them out loud.

Suddenly, he heard someone, but it wasn't Alphonse. They were outside, and they sounded frantic. "Winry." Ed got up and walked to the kitchen window where he could see the front yard. Winry was standing there, saying something to Alphonse, she was crying. Ed couldn't make out what she was saying, but she looked panicked. He went straight to the door, flinging it open and quickly joining the two. "Winry what's wrong?"

"Ed!" She shrieked, "Oh Ed, It's granny!"

The Elric brother's received terrible news that day.