A/N: I'm back :D I didn't write all that much over my vacation though; there wasn't all too much time. I only have two. Sorry.

Theme number eleven - White Lie.

I seriously need to stop writing these late-night desert talks. Aargh. They're so fun and easy to write though T_T

If you haven't read chapter 108 of FMA then there may be slight spoilers.

Slight OoC-ness, I think...I'm not all too sure though.

She hated the desert.

When she had first crossed the sandy hell, it had been scorching hot and thirsty. The journey had been tough, even for Lan Fan, who had been taught to endure pain her entire life. Worse, she had been forced to exchange her armor for the loose gown-like robe, which had made her feel uneasy. There was no armored plate, or anything to protect herself with. Stowing her weapons away was even more of a problem, as she had to tie several strips of cloth to her arms and legs to keep knives and explosives in.

But now it was even more difficult. Lan Fan's left arm was replaced by one made of metal now, and the blazing heat was ten times more painful. The automail turned into molten steel, and her skin burned from the prosthetic limb. It was absolute torture.

However, Lan Fan couldn't complain. Her Young Master had to get back to Xing as quickly as he could, and she knew that if he knew that she was getting burned, he would hold back. Ling, of course, had no idea that the metal limb would act badly in the desert, since he knew very little about automail. And there was no way that she would do something selfish like complaining. She would have to deal with it by herself.

They had been journeying for almost a week now, and they were nearly at the Xerxes ruins. The sun and heat was no better, and despite the fact that Lan Fan had tried her best to keep it away from direct sunlight, she had burn marks surrounding her automail. It was extremely painful, and the fact that she had no medicine to even help it heal made it even more hellish.

It was night, and Lan Fan's watch. She sat outside the tent they had set up, keeping an eye out for predators or worse. What was more that she was sure that the Chang girl and her Young Master was asleep, and she could check on her injuries.

Gritting her teeth, she peeled back the light brown robe to expose her delicate skin. The marks were not pleasant; the skin around it had turned a brilliant shade of red. It wasn't very serious, but when Lan Fan gently touched it with her finger, it stung as sharp as a snake bite. Before she could help it, she let a small hiss escape from between her teeth. The Chang girl would probably be able to heal it if she asked, but it there was no way she was actually going to. That would be selfish and stupid, and would delay their journey back to Xing even more, not to mention that her Young Master would probably also find out—

"What are you doing?" Ling pulled back the flap of their tent. His eyes were still crusted with sleep, and his hair was nearly pulled loose from its messy tying. His hand gripped the handle of his knife. "I thought I heard something."

"No, there's nothing." She hastily shoved the shoulder of her robe back up, concealing her burns. "I don't sense any qi."

"That's good." He relaxed, and his grip on the dao slackened. "I guess I'll go back to sleep then—wait. Lan Fan."

"What?"

Ling dropped down next to her. "You were hiding something from me before I came, weren't you? I saw you pull up the shoulder of your clothes there. And that noise that I heard from before—it didn't sound like an animal. And you were the only one out there. It was you, wasn't it? Something's up with your shoulder." When she didn't answer, his gaze hardened. "Lan Fan, show me your shoulder. Now."

"Young Master, there's nothing to see…" she trailed off, turning her head to look away from him.

"You liar. I've always known when you're lying. You always look away from me whenever you start lying." Ling crossed his arms. "Lan Fan, I'm serious. Don't defy me."

Lan Fan had lost, and she knew it. She tugged at the robe again, exposing just barely enough to expose the beginnings of her automail burns. "There," she muttered. "Are you pleased, Young Master?"

Ling clenched his fists, sweeping his gaze over the damaged skin. "You idiot," he breathed, looking at her. "You idiot, Lan Fan!"

"Young Master…"

"How long, Lan Fan. How long has this been going on?"

"Almost since the beginning of the journey," she answered in a voice a notch quieter than usual. "Please, Young Master, it wasn't anything of worry…"

"Yes it is." He dug his fingers into the ground. "I said I was going to be emperor, Lan Fan, and that I was going to take care of everyone. That everyone would be in my consideration. Don't think that doesn't include you, you idiot!"

"Wait…" She twisted herself to face him, but was startled by the presence of his arm wrapping around her. "Young…Master…"

"Don't do that again, Lan Fan…" he whispered, burying his face into her uninjured shoulder. "I can't stand watching you get hurt again."

"I…it's not your fault…"

"Yes it is. It's because I was careless and failed to notice that you were in pain." He opened his fist, and closed it again. "I've already seen you in enough pain already, Lan Fan. And I know you only cover it up with lies, Lan Fan. Don't lie to me anymore. Never."

Lan Fan was too lost for words, but before she could even think of anything to say, Ling stood up, and entered the tent. "Chang!" he called. "Get up. We're moving."

"Wha…Prince Yao…but it's still night…" May protested sleepily. "We can travel a lot of ground tomorrow…"

"That's not my point," he answered. "Lan Fan is getting burned by her automail. She can't expose it to the sun anymore. Night is the only time when the sun doesn't come out in the desert, and when she can travel safely. We're leaving soon. Heal Lan Fan's shoulder while you're at it too." The young prince began to take apart the poles that held up the tent. "And do so quickly, Chang."

"Greedy slave-driving prince," May muttered, but she too helped take apart the camp. Within ten minutes the camels were saddled, the bags were packed, and Lan Fan's shoulder was healed with alkahestry. Ling tugged on the camel's rein, and the tall creature began to walk. The other two did the same.

Ling pulled his camel up next to Lan Fan's. "How is it?" he asked.

She let go of the leather rein and drew her hand up to her shoulder, touching the freshly healed skin. "It feels much better," she said.

"Good," he said. "That's the way it should always be."

She gave a slight nod. "I understand, Young Master. I'll take better care of myself."

"You had better. That's a promise, Lan Fan, not a statement."

Lan Fan smiled underneath her mask. "Okay. I promise."

Words: 1,208

Additional Notes: Here's a fan-made solution on how Lan Fan's going to cross the desert. Although it's more likely that when May, Ling, and Lan Fan traveled back to Xing they took a ship route.

Reviews are love :]