Leave A Scar (Fullmetal Alchemist)

As You Wish

"Physically and mentally the pressure may fatigue-remember to appreciate the bittersweet."

- Patiently, 10 Years

A/N: Lemon-y things and strong language ahead

__________

I was a bit surprised when he spoke my name, so soft and quiet that I wasn't even sure I'd heard it. I turned around from closing the door, seeing him sitting on the foot of the bed. His eyes were hidden with his bangs, back hunched and hand in a fist. Trying to stop it from shaking.

"What's wrong?" I asked immediately.

Ed shook his head, making me notice the blush on his face. "It's nothing bad," he said. "I..."

He raised his head up a little bit, allowing me to see a small part of one eye. Then he turned to me, facing me completely. His face got a little redder.

"I... Need you." he began, his voice rough and breaking slightly. "I... I need the distraction."

I stood in shock for a split second, sure that he was going to forget that whole thing. But then I understood. I watched him watch me take the seat next to him.

"Okay," I began quietly. I tried to fight back how fast my heart was beating or how quickly my brain was swimming. "What were you thinking of?"

He looked away, studying his hands in his lap. He wrung his fingers, continuing to trip over his own words. "Uh, well, I... I mean, um... I... I like kissing you..."

My stomach flipped, heart fluttering. I kept myself under control, only allowing a grin to touch my lips as I leaned a little towards him.

"Then do it."

He looked to me, seeming surprised. Face still incredibly red, and getting even redder. He looked away from my eyes, stare flicking to my lips. As much as I would've loved to have instantly answered his request, I knew that him instigating the kiss would serve as a better distraction. A bit more focus would be required, and that much more of his brain would be focused on the current moment.

His hand was on my face, gently resting against the side of it. He was using his metal one, and I could feel the subtle shakes against my skin. I covered his hand with mine, fingers gently curling and diving underneath the small space between his palm and my cheek. I wrapped my fingers around his hand, and tried to match that level of softness he had given me. The way he held my hand after that breakdown on the hospital's rooftop. I could only hope my attempt was equivalent to his.

Ed seemed to understand the importance of my hand wrapping around his like that. He grew a bit more confident, those eyes hardening just a bit more. Getting closer to the Ed I normally saw.
I watched him with a carefulness I'd never exuded before. I watched how he studied me, how his lips parted, and how the rest of him leaned forward.

There was such a tenderness to that kiss. A softness, a delicacy that nearly made me break. My breath left me in the smallest of cracks, and Ed's lips left mine only to come back even softer. Like he was trying to kiss all that pain away.

I shut my eyes a bit more, focusing on feeling his mouth graze against mine as he began pulling back again. I think somehow he knew why I wasn't responding, and the guilt of making this about me kickstarted my brain into working again.