Leave A Scar (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Royalty

I was barely two steps into the living room when Al spoke. He held out the phone, momentarily interrupting his conversation with Ling.

"He wants to talk to you!"

I felt my eyes go wide. "Me?"

Al nodded, and I leaned over, taking the phone from him. I pressed it against my ear, sitting back against the couch. The healing wound on my leg thanked me for the lack of weight.

"Hello?" I tried to ignore the bite of shock that nipped at me. What a stupid greeting...

"Ah!" A smooth, incredibly happy voice came from the other line. "You sound just like I imagined you to! Your voice is that of an angel's!"

I couldn't fight down the blush, but I was thankful it was only a little bit of heat that rose to my face.

"You're very kind," I returned. My eyes curved in a smile. "I've heard a lot about you!"

"And I've heard almost nothing about you, my queen!" Ling gushed. "Tell me, where have the brothers been hiding you away all this time? In Al's armor? Perhaps your delicate enough to fit in Ed's suitcase?"

I grinned at that, casting my stare to the elder Alchemist sitting across the room. He looked up, whatever tension occupying his face before fleeing. I replied to Ling, curving the bottom of my eyes as I saw a similar expression come to Ed.

"No, I'm not small enough to fit in his suitcase," I said.

"I see, I see! Well, we have lots to catch up on! I see you've been traveling with both brothers for a number of months now! I wonder..."

I moved the phone away, looking to Ed and mouthing "I don't know what the heck he's talking about" with a plastic grin.

Ed's smile, however, was genuine and for a moment I skipped whatever thoughts were in my brain. Ling's voice sounded on the other line, more distant than before, but I still escaped into it, immediately putting my ear back to the piece.

"Yes! That sounds fantastic!" I chirped, hoping he didn't just propose to me.

Like he would even stay.

"Yes, it is very delicious!" Ling replied, and the sound of him quickly chewing cut into his words. "Incredibly sweet, but I bet you are even sweeter, my dear."

I gave the shortest giggle I could. Laughing behind my hand like always. I saw Ed's face fall, expression relaxing into that subtle state of sadness. And I wanted to wave it away, dismiss it in a gesture like he would do for me. But I didn't; I didn't move, not knowing how he would react to me treating him like that when Alphonse was here.

My stare drifted towards the other Alchemist, almost getting completely to that giant suit of metal before my attention was ripped back to the phone. Ling gushing about something, and for a moment a face flashed into my mind. Hughes, both hands on his face, palms pressing photos against his cheeks, body swaying and hearts dancing in his eyes.

I smiled at the analogy, expression soft as my gaze traveled downwards. Watching my legs cross and trap my skirt between them in a fold of darkness.

I noticed Ed, too, how he was pretending not to pay attention to the conversation. Stare on the table below him, one palm resting his jaw and the other hand picking at some spot on the edge of the wood. Fingers clipping against shreds and adding to that roughness.

My brain floated away from me, attaching to some nimbus cloud.

"My delicate princess!" The voice on the other line jarred me out of my thoughts. "Have I scared you? I truly didn't mean to! Please accept my deepest apologies; I'll send a gift with Xing's finest sweets!"