Leave A Scar (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Shadows Against Moonlight

Those first few nights were the hardest. I spent them alone, confined to a room by myself for the first time since I had left... I couldn't even refer to that place as a home.

Ed had been hesitant to let me sleep by myself, without him or Al there. Worried I might break like I did on the rooftop, probably. I smiled at his question from across the hotel hallway, seeing how his worried stare searched my face from where he stood at his doorway. I couldn't help but notice how one gloved hand remained by the door's frame. Almost like he was ready to push off and stride into my room if need be. I tried to ignore the feeling this gave my stomach.

"I'll be okay," I said. "You don't have to worry about me all the time."

Ed became a little surprised at this statement, and then he looked away, a small blush coming to him. One hand rose behind his hair.

"I'm not... Worried all the time..."

I forced myself to make a joke. I couldn't leave us both feeling so... Concerned for me.

"There's a few minutes each day where you're not worried?" I asked, leaning against the door to my room.

He looked to me again, and a small grin hooked his mouth. He copied my action, one hand finding the pocket of his coat.

"Yeah," he replied. "I take a few minutes each day right after lunch to not be worried about you."

I giggled behind my hand, hearing him laugh lightly as well in that strong way of his. I wished I could laugh like that, too. Completely free.

"One of these days I'm going to get you to actually laugh..."

I opened my eyes, seeing his back against the doorframe, head tilted up and eyes staring at the ceiling above us absently. His words repeated in my head, and a deep blush rose to my cheeks. I almost wanted to challenge him on that, but I couldn't just bet on my own walls. I couldn't let any of them break again, especially not that one.

I searched the floor for a reply, and soon I found one. I forced myself to ask a question; the first one I thought of.

"You don't like the way I laugh?"

Interest and shock perked into Ed's face. He quickly raised a hand, trying to dismiss his comment. "Er, n-no!" Realization dawned on him, and quickly he tried to laugh it off, putting one hand to his forehead, the other still held out to me in protest. "Wait, that's not what I meant. Um, I do! I like your laugh, I mean. It's just..." His eyes avoided mine, slight blush still on his face.

"It's just what?" I asked, leaning forward a bit.

"It's just, y'know"—he gave me a sheepish grin—"It's just not a real one."

I frowned and shot him a look of fake irritation. He just grinned, relaxing back against the wall.

"Remember what I said," he told me.

I pretended to roll my eyes. I guess my current wall was sarcasm. "Yeah," I sighed, opening and closing my hand in a talking motion. "You're going to make me laugh normally. Big words, Fullmetal."

Ed grinned, pushing himself off the doorframe as his hands found the pockets of his coat. "Don't start acting like Mustang on me. One of him is annoying enough."

I grinned, curled hand rising just quick enough to completely stifle a laugh. Ed tried to hold down a grin of his own, grounding his heel against the carpet.

"Ah, so close!" he exclaimed.

"Let's keep count," I said; another thing to distract myself with. "So far it's two to zero."