Equivalent Exchange

Chapter Summary: Ling gets to really know Peter and befriends him.

Thanks to my reviewers! Love yah~

Chapter 10: Immortality

~PETER~

The Thirsty Lion Pub, 2:01am

"There's a motel across the street, lets stay there tonight."

"You don't have a place?"

"Eh? No, like you, I'm a traveler."

"You... But... I thought you said you lived here, didn't he?"

"He did" Fu grunted,

"...Lived as in past tense. I worked here until I turned 18, then I left."

"And now your back."

"Yes… It's a long story that I'll tell you another time."

Peter, Ling, Lan Fan, and Fu crossed the empty street in dead silence. They spotted the blinking red motel light quickly, although it was dim, it was the only light source nearby and it was shining brightly in the darkness. Once inside Lan Fan and Fu stood quietly in the back while their master marched up to the front desk. Ed took notice that it was a middle-aged man keeping watch at the desk, and while he do not look happy, he didn't seem surprised in the least about the 4 of them wandering into a motel lobby at 2 in the morning.

"Can I get two rooms please?"

The man sighed and got up from his chair to get a paper in the back.

"Wait who per room is this for?"

"Fu and Lan Fan in one and you and me in another of course!" Ling replied happily to Peter.

"I need my own room."

"Maybe you have money now but do you know how fast that'll go if you act like that!"

"Shut up! I don't care." Peter pouted while someone grabbed his shoulder,

"Don't talk to Young Master like that!"

"Lan Fan-" Ling stopped when he saw the man returning with two papers and a bill.

"It'll be $30 even. Fill out these papers and pay up to get the keys."

"But we're tra-"

Peter Grabbed the papers and stared at the questions. Names, signatures, address, and contact information. Ling, who was reading over his shoulder, was about to say something but Peter stopped him and grabbed a pen from the desk. He then scribbled on the papers and gave him $30 cash.

"Mmmm. Ok, here's 2 room keys Maes Hughes."

"But-"

Peter grabbed Ling's arm and the room keys while he rushed down the hall, Fu and Lan Fan followed quickly behind.

"Ah Peter, who's Maes Hughes?" Ling asked in his innocent oblivion,

"He is just someone I used to know who lives here. I just used his information to get our rooms."

"I see..." Ling said while showed okay with his fingers. They were still rushing down the hallway when Peter realized he hadn't evened checked the room numbers and suddenly stopped. '16 and 18' He looked up, '20' and turned around.

"Since you only got two rooms, I guess you're sharing a room with Master Ling?" Fu said as the made a stop in front of the doors. When Peter realized what Fu had said he slapped his forehead 'stupid'.

"I forgot... Can't you, Fu or Lan Fan-"

"You don't except an 18 to sleep in the same room as a young woman?" Ling said with his eyebrows raised,

"Master! I don't mind! I trust you..."

"But I don't, sorry young master but I think I'm the only one suited to share a room with Lan Fan, I'm too old to even attempt anything! Now come on, it's late. Good night young master."

Fu bowed to Ling, then grabbed one of the two room keys from Peter. As he opened the door and walked in, Lan Fan turned to bow and bid Ling a good night as well then silently walked into the room, shutting the door behind her.

"Oh well, it looks like we don't have a choice!"

Ling grabbed Peter's key and strolled into the room,

"Coming roomie?"

Peter, dumbfounded, followed Ling into the room.

It was a small room with two singles beds, a phone, a bathroom, and a small desk. It was like any ordinary motel room, when Peter noticed the window sriaght across from the door on the far wall he went to inspect the curtains covering it.

'Nice and thick.'

"I'll take a shower first and you can take one next, ok?"

"Alright." Peter replied to Ling who was already in the bathroom. Expect for the clothes Peter was wearing currently, he only had one other outfit, a t-shirt and sweatpants.

'This, some money, my alchemy, and this name... It's all I have now.'

Peter took off his glasses and then his gloves that hid his automail arm. When he was taking off his shirt he caught sight of something on the inside wrist of his flesh arm.

'Ouroboros'

~AL~

Main Street, Central, 6:09am

Al was walking down the street, he had been doing so since Winry fell asleep crying just 5 hours ago. Since Edward's escape everyone was on there toes and almost everyone who knew the brothers was questioned. When Winry came back from her questioning crying she didn't stop until she fell asleep. Then there was Mustang who was now being kept in a private room being watched 24/7 and questioned every other hour. Al heard that he was told he couldn't leave until they found either Ed or his now missing best friend, Maes Hughes.

'Brother, where are you?'

Just as Al was about to head back to the dorms to be there when Winry woke up, he saw a woman at the end of street looking at a motel across the street. Although she was just behind the streetlight and her body was hidden in darkness, Al could still use the word beautiful to describe her with her long waving hair.

He kept walking toward her until she turned to look at him, she stared at him for a moment before stepping forward into the light.

Al stopped suddenly. For some reason he was scared. He looked at the woman now; since she was under the light now he could see better. She was just as beautiful as he thought... When he saw her face he could see she was grinning and staring back at him. As Al was about to look away he noticed a weird dark dark red circular symbol on her chest. He was about to step forward to get a better look of the tattoo but the woman had vanished.

'What? Where...'

~LING~

Central Motel, 7:55am

"Rise and shine roomie!" Ling yelled when he opened the motel's curtains to let in bright sunlight.

"What are you doing idiot!?" Peter exclaimed when the bright light woke him up, even though the light didn't touch him, it stun his eyes.

"It's time to wake up!"

"Says who?" Peter grunted as he drew the covers over his head.

"Says me, in Xing we never sleep in. More time for breakfast that way!" Ling replied happily,

"I'll pass."

"Come on sleeplyhead! I'm going to get Fu and Lan Fan, then we can all help you wake up."

Ling looked at his roommate one more time, then walked to the door, opened it, stomped his feet a couple times, then closed it. Silently he turned around to watch Peter quickly crawl out of bed and through the sunlight. On the other side of the window he stood up, as he went to clothes the curtains his flesh arm hit some sunlight and smoke came off his arm as if the sunlight was fire to a wet piece of paper. Peter grabbed hold of both ends of the curtain and closed it shut quickly, he turned his back to wall while sighing a sigh of relief with closed eyes.

While he stood there Ling watched as to angry red burn on his paper white skin healed without leaving a trace of what just occurred. Ling grinned, 'I knew it'.

Once his arm was completely healed Peter opened his eyes and stepped for the door. Until he saw the other staring at him.

"Ling why-"

"So you're that vampire I've heard so much about. It's Edward Elric, right?

"..."

~Winry & Al~

Ed and Al's dorm room at the same time,

Winry woke up to the sound of the front door opening,

"Is that you Al?"

"I have breakfast Winry!"

Al said happily as he walked into Ed's room with some fresh fruit and bread, he found Winry in yesterday's clothes, puffy red eyes, and her hair in a tangled ponytail. He put a basket of food in her lap and sat on the bed next to her.

"Thanks Al."

"Mmm of course. But Winry are you okay alone today?"

"Of course Al, why?" she asked as she bit into an apple,

"I want to go to the library... I saw something when I was looking for Edward, and I can't remember what it means."

~Peter/Ed~

Central Motel, 7:55am

"Ling..."

"You're the main reason I came here you're the only one who can give me what I want, since last night I've had some guesses but now I know for sure."

"What- Why?"

"Let's make a deal, I'll keep your secret and give you blood, but only on one condition."

"What's that?" Ed asked Ling,

"I want immortality. Promise me, when I request it, you'll turn me, and until then I promise I'll become yours."

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