Alchemist/Exorcist (FMA: Brotherhood x Blue Exorcist) RinxEd)

Chapter 11

              The kitchen was silent and dark except the light over the stovetop. Rin breathed in the sweet, soft smell in the steam that rose up into his face. It had to be past midnight—he didn't want to know.
                "What are you doing up?" a voice asked behind him.
               "The boss wanted some tea. Such a slave driver sometimes," Rin turned and his heart nearly stopped from the sight that greeted him. Ed stood, rubbing one eye, in just a tank top and boxers. He could see where his left leg turned to metal just above the knee and his right arm turned to metal around his shoulder. Both places had splotches of darker scar tissue right before the prostheses started. His hair was down and fell in gold waves across his shoulders and the tank top was low-cut enough to show off perfectly sculpted collarbones, arching up—
               "You know I don't appreciate the staring," Ed snapped.
               Rin blinked, realizing what it seemed like, "Oh—Oh, no, I'm not—it's not like that."
              "Then what is it like?"
              "I just..." think you're perfect. It's what he wanted to say, but instead he blurted, "...have never seen you with your hair down. You look like a girl."
              Ed snorted and rolled his eyes, "Yeah, whatever."
              "What are you doing up?" Rin asked, more timidly than he meant to.
              "Can't sleep,"
              "Here," Rin poured some tea into a mug and set it on the table, before pouring himself one.
             "Thanks," Ed sat down and took a sip, "Where's Al? I thought he was sitting out here."
             Rin sat next to him, "He was. He just left. Said he needed to check something."
             He shrugged, taking a swig of tea, before changing the subject, "So, hey, I realized I didn't thank you for saving me...I know I probably freaked you out..."
             "No—I mean, I was shocked, but...you know..."
             "So you don't care I'm a demon?"
             "Nope," Ed said, "It doesn't matter to me what you are. I know you're good."
             "Al said you'd say that,"
             "Yukio said you'd ask,"
             Rin chuckled, "Scary how well they know us."
             Ed smirked, "Yeah. Scary."
             "Are you doing okay? After everything that's happened I mean,"
             "As well as I can be. Mustang likes to tell me though that I overreact when it comes to these things," Ed's eyes drifted out of focus like he was remembering something.
             Rin shrugged, "Feelings are what makes us human. That's nothing to be ashamed of or hold back."
             "Us?" Ed echoed, smirking.
             "Hey, I'm still half-human,"
             "You are?"
             Rin met Ed's eyes, even though looking at him made it hard to breathe, "Everything I told you before was the truth. I wouldn't lie to you. I just never mentioned that I'm half-demon."
             "You said your dad was killed by a demon?"
             "That was true. Satan only impregnated my mother. The man I call my father was Shiro Fujimoto. He was the greatest exorcist ever and he did die protecting me. Satan himself killed him,"
             Ed just nodded, thoughtfully. When he didn't answer, Rin added, "You ask me anything straight up, I'll tell you the truth."
             "Have you always been like this?"
             "No, I was a normal human up until a few months ago,"
             "Are you dangerous?"
             Rin thought for a moment.
             "Extremely,"
             "I don't believe that,"
             "You don't?" Rin was whispering now.
             "Not for a second. I...I trust you,"
             Ed was whispering too. He had leaned in so Rin could hear and Rin could feel his breath on his face. His mouth had gone dry, but somehow he forced the words out, "I have a question for you."
             "Hm?"
             "Can I kiss you?"
             Ed just nodded slightly, before closing his eyes and looping his arm around Rin's neck. Rin closed the gap between their faces, hesitating a second as their lips brushed, before pressing his against Ed's. It only lasted a second before Ed pulled away. Rin went to cup the other boys face and pull him back in, but Ed grasped his hands, guiding them down to the table in front of them. He gave a short, nervous laugh, "That was...a foolish thing to do."
             Rin felt all the air leave his lungs, "Oh."
             "Well, I mean—"
             "Yeah, yeah, it was," he yanked himself free and stumbled to the kettle on the stove, pouring a mug, "I should take this to Yukio and get some sleep—you should too."
             "Yeah," was all Ed said.
             Rin disappeared down the hall, "G—Goodnight."
             Ed sat in silence for only a few seconds, when the door opened and Al slipped in. "Where the hell were you?" Ed asked, making the other boy jump.
            "Oh...um..."
            "Rin said you had to check something?"
            "Oh, yeah,"
           "What did you need to check?" Ed pressed.
           "The...uh...the hallway,"
           "The hallway, huh?" Ed smirked.
           "Yep," he could feel his brother's resolve cracking.
           "So you were standing right outside the door...?"
           "Well...not—"
           "And you could hear everything in here?"
            "No! I couldn't...hear...a...um..." he faded off at the look Ed was giving him, "Okay, fine! I just wanted to give you two some time alone!" Al sat across from him.
           Ed just laughed, shaking his head, "What makes you think I want alone time with Rin?"
           "You said he was cute!"
           "I also said I wasn't interested,"
          "Well, that's not exactly—"
         "Alphonse. Stop. It," Ed said, emphasizing each word, "We need to focus on getting our bodies back. Don't you want that?"
         "Of course I do! But you don't have to be miserable while we do it,"
          "I'm not miserable!"
          "What about that kiss?! Tell me you didn't feel anything,"
           Ed was silent, opening and closing his mouth but no sound would come out.
           "I knew it!" Al cried.
           "Sh!" Ed hushed him, but Al was rambling.
           "I can't believe it! You're in love! What was it like?! Was it great?! I don't have lips—I need to live vicariously through you—not that Rin's really—"
          "Alphonse. Stop," Ed said again, "Yes, it was great. But...it doesn't matter because I shot him down."
         "Well, tomorrow you can—-"
        "No, Al. Tomorrow we're all going to continue with this case like nothing happened. Then Rin and Yukio will go back to Japan and...and we'll never see them again," he didn't think it would have hurt so much to say out loud. He knew Al didn't miss it either, "End of story, got it?"
          "Yeah, sure. Got it," his brother sounded completely deflated, "You should try to sleep again, it's late."
          "Yeah, I'd better. See you in the morning, okay?"
          "Yeah, okay,"