Log: Complete

[deduced.livejournal.com]

When; April 1st/2nd
Rating; NC-17
Characters; Edward Elric deduced and Alfons Heiderich opfern
Summary; Alfons the teacher, hunter, chef, and...clothing supplier? There be semi-smut, people.
Log;
As much as he would have liked having Edward with him the entire day, he would have felt guilty keeping him from Alphonse any longer than necessary. Plus, if he was supposed to be walking around asking people about someone named Orihime, he was going to get out of breath, and he didn't need Edward worrying even more.

All in all, it felt like a rather...unsuccessful day. He definitely had trouble communicating with Wonderwyce, and Cirucci had beaned him with pillows whenever she got sick of trying to pay attention to Nill's sign language. Maybe Alfons had taken on too much, trying to teach both speech and signs?

He was exhausted by the time he finished making dinner, simple sausage and vegetables, and once the table was set, he sat down in his chair to wait for Edward.

Alfons hadn't been waiting more than two minutes before his eyes shut and he slumped to the side, head resting against the wall while he dozed off.

From the way he'd been acting most of the day, Al would've ended up better off on his own, for all the help he'd been. Sure, he'd been able to answer a few random questions, but concentration seemed to be a skill that'd evaded him for most of the day.

By the time he'd realised he'd been abandoned, in favour of self-study, Ed was fairly sure he'd been left alone for near an hour already. Well, he'd have to make that up to his brother later. Right now... Coat and shoes were on in moments, before he was heading out the door and back into the main square. His feet moved automatically, the route already well travelled in the few short months.

Pausing outside the door to Alfons' apartment, a weak smile appeared, before he was dipping into his pocket, pulling out the familiar key and unlocking the door. Letting himself in, he slipped his shoes off, before padding across the room, his coat being dumped over the back of the sofa as he went off in search of...

"...Alfons." The boy looked exhausted, and even if he'd been awake, he was sure that wouldn't have changed. Glancing to the table, he shook his head. He'd been busy making dinner, and after all that, he'd fallen asleep. Making his way over to the blond's side, he placed a hand gently on his shoulder, squeezing lightly. "...Alfons, you need to eat."

The touch startled him awake, but even if his eyes were open, his mind was slow to activate. It took him a moment to realize that something specific had actually woken him up, and with an owlish blink, he tipped his head back to look up.

"...Oh." He looked back to the food, then shook his head and reached up to rub at his eyes. "Oh. Sorry. I meant to call you, but I was just resting a moment, and I guess I...mm... Well." A yawn was stifled. "Dinner's served."

Smirking slightly in response, Ed remained where he was for a few moments longer. "Then you're going to have dinner and get to bed." A quick glance toward the kitchen and Ed finally let go. "Want me to go and get it?" The sooner they were done with the whole eating part, the sooner he could make sure Alfons got some sleep.

Alfons was quick to shake his head and stand at that offer. "No, I will." The table was already set... All he needed to do was grab the food. Definitely easy.

In passing, he nudged Edward to go sit down before disappearing into the kitchen. He had no idea how much time had passed since he fell asleep, but he hoped it hadn't been for too long. When he held his hand over the saucepan with the vegetables, he was relieved to still feel heat rising. It must have only been a few minutes, then.

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with one sleeve, he transferred the food to serving plates and stepped out to set them down on the table. "What do you want to drink?"

He may've been the guest. And he may've been possibly...dangerous...in the kitchen. But that didn't mean he couldn't do anything. Starting to follow in after Alfons, he paused, watching as he began to dish out the food. His gaze remained on the other, even as he brought the plates back through.

Unable to help himself, Ed made his way back across the room. Moving behind Alfons, his arms wrapped around his waist as he stood on tiptoes to see what he'd made. At the mention of drinks, Ed's smirk reappeared, already knowing what to suggest. "..beer?"

Alfons just about slapped his hand over his face at the suggestion. Just what was he getting at? It was bad enough having Edward practically glued to his back, but he just had to suggest something like that at a time like this.

Picking at Edward's hands to attempt to free himself--the metal one still unnerved him without anything hiding it--Alfons trudged back towards the kitchen. "I don't have any beer. We can have water."

Feeling Alfons pulling his arms free, Ed dropped his hold, a little annoyed by it all. This time it was a scowl, accompanied by an indignant 'hmph'. Vaguely watching as Alfons left, Ed dropped down into his seat, waiting almost impatiently for Alfons to get back. The sooner he was, the sooner he could get on with eating.

When he returned to see Ed on the verge of pouting, Alfons sighed and set the glasses of water down before taking his seat. It was best to just ignore the other man when he was moping, unless it was actually about anything serious.

Not having beer was not serious.

"How's your brother?" he murmured as he started to eat.

Picking up his cutlery, Ed quickly began to dig in to his meal, giving an appreciative look to Alfons. Something about being around the other, always seemed to make even the most mundane tasks interesting. Though right now, it probably had a lot to do with the fact that Alfons had cooked for him too.

"He's alright." Taking a sip of water, he continued, his eagerness escaping. "He's picking up the mechanics pretty quickly. I told you he'd be good at it."

"I didn't doubt that..." He was careful not to talk with his mouth full like Edward seemed so prone to do, so it took him a little longer to speak in between bites. "But it still took you two years to get where you did. And we're not making one from our time... I want to make one from the twenty-first century."

Alfons glanced up to him. "Have you read any books on how advanced they've gotten? You'll need to study, too."

"But that could take ages." Not that that was likely to put Alfons off. It just meant there was more of a challenge after all. And to some extent, Ed could definitely agree with that. It was one thing to see all of this advancement in technology. But to actually build it yourself...

"...not yet?" His time in the City had been spent on...other things. Researching the newest designs in rocketry hadn't been the first thing on his list. Though, it now seemed as though he may have to amend that.

He sighed and rolled his eyes a bit. "Yes, I know. That's why I thought your alchemy could help us, but you seem so adamant against using it." It was irritating, really. It wasn't like he could do alchemy himself... Edward had always told him about those glory stories, and now he never even seemed to show any of it off.

Which was bizarre, considering Edward's cocky personality.

...whoops. "That's because it's better to make it yourself. And now there's three of us doing it, we'll be done in even less time." Of course, it wouldn't be quite the same as working with their team back home, but at least it meant they wouldn't be alone in working on the rocket. "Besides, we don't know exactly what to do yet."

Annoyed, Alfons lifted up his fork to point in Edward's direction. "I at least have an idea. There are some abandoned warehouses, and once we pick one, we can start figuring out what we can buy and what we need to build from scratch."

He wasn't very hungry... But then, he rarely had much of an appetite anymore. "Considering it's hard to keep anything locked up here, though, I may have to talk to someone about casting a protective ward over the warehouse when we aren't using it..."

Another mouthful of food, and he spoke, doing his best to keep from showing the contents to Alfons. "Well how about if we just move in there?" It'd solve a few problems at once, assuming the others were happy to go ahead with it. Swallowing painfully, he continued. "If we're there, we can carry on whenever we want. And it means we don't have to worry about people breaking in." Or more precisely, getting hurt.

That idea made him quiet while he ate, and his reaction time was slowing back down again due to being so worn out. "...Mm." The fork and knife were set down so that he could take a drink of water, and Alfons sat back.

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea... But I don't know if any of the warehouses have plumbing." There was a spark of curiosity in his eyes then. "Can your alchemy fix that?"


This was just getting harder and harder. He couldn't tell Alfons that he couldn't use alchemy anymore. If he did, then there'd be questions, which would undoubtedly lead back to the deal he'd made. He still had no clue how Alfons would react to that. "I'm not sure." And another mouth filled with food. Hopefully a way to keep from having to say anything else.

Edward's manners were something he was accustomed to, but it still made him shake his head before he forced himself to finish all of the food on his plate.

That was all he could manage, though, and once he was through, Alfons excused himself to disappear into the kitchen so that he could begin to wash dishes, leaving Ed to the food. He usually wanted seconds, anyway, and the German really wondered somewhere where all that food went.

Continuing to dig away at his meal, it wasn't much longer before he was back on his feet and heading into the kitchen, plate in hand. Pausing a few paces away from Alfons, he grinned nervously, holding the plate out in front of him. Not to be cleaned, but to be refilled. Assuming there were still leftovers of course.

That was what he had been waiting for, of course, and there was a little smile on his face as he dried his hands and took the empty plate to fill it up again. "Don't eat too quickly, or you really will choke one of these times."

There was still a bit of food leftover, though, but that was why he loved the modern marvel of Tupperware so much. Once the plate was handed back, Alfons went about storing the leftovers and finishing up the cleaning.

He was back at the table in no time, digging right in to the next serving. The one good thing about being stuck in the city was the easy supply to food. Back home, his appetite had caused numerous problems over the years, often cutting into money they just didn't have. But here, there wasn't a problem. And his already half empty plate was a testament to that.

Finally through with cleaning, he coughed softly into his sleeve and looked around for something else to do. ...There really wasn't much. All that was left were Edward's dishes, so he wandered over to the kitchen doorway.

It was rather amusing to watch Edward eat, really. He ate like the world was going to end any minute.

Folding his arms across his chest, Alfons leaned against the doorway and just watched.

With no distraction, Ed was quick to make his way through his newest plate of food. However, a few bites from the end, Ed finally caught on to the feeling of someone watching him. Glancing upward, he grinned again, fork hovering midair, as he looked over toward Alfons. ...he really did look tired.

Swallowing his current mouthful, Ed placed his fork back down. "Do you want to head off to bed? I'll wash this once I'm done."

Edward? Do dishes? What if he dropped a plate?

It seemed like his automail was a lot more useful than his prosthetic, and never seemed to offer any complications, but Alfons was still a bit suspicious. "...All right."

He pushed away from the door and walked by, pausing to squeeze Ed's shoulder. "Join me when you're done?"

Looking up at Alfons, Ed nodded his head. He wasn't going to ignore an offer to stay near him. "I wont be too long." Which was emphasised by the newest mouthful of food. Turning his attention back to his plate, he continued eating, moving quicker than before in aims of being finished as soon as possible.

"Don't choke," he repeated sternly before trudging off down the hall to the bedroom. He was rather sluggish about removing his clothing. Socks, suspenders, shirt... He honestly didn't even have the energy to bother with his pants.

It was still early, wasn't it? A glance towards the window as he pulled the covers back revealed that the sun had only just set. Why was he so sleepy? He couldn't even keep his thoughts focused on anything specific. They always just drifted towards that distant tick-tick-tick and sometimes he just wondered if he was imagining it.

At the very least, it lulled him to sleep in seconds, barely even under the blanket.


A few minutes, and a slight choking fit later, Ed had finished up his meal. Sitting back lazily in the seat, he pat his stomach, taking some time before he'd move.

Wait. Alfons was waiting for him, right?

On his feet in seconds, he was off toward the kitchen, headed straight toward the sink with his dishes. Dropping them inside, he began washing them up, complaining to the wall in front of him at the fact he'd actually offered to do them. There was a reason he didn't do them often, and it wasn't all down to just not wanting to do it. The now cracked glass was a sign enough. Leaving them to dry, Ed was left with yet another complication. His automail was drenched. A lot of shaking, and even more drying, and Ed was fairly sure he'd gotten as much of it dry as he could.

Well, it was enough for him to just head to bed. The worst he'd do is possibly get the covers a little damp. Or at least he hoped. Heading through to the bedroom, Ed's expression grew calm as he realised two things. Firstly, Alfons was already asleep. And secondly, it looked as though the whole 'getting changed' part had escaped him. Well, he'd remedy that. Crossing over to the bed, Ed pulled off his outer layers, stopping alongside Alfons. Ducking down over him, he placed a gentle kiss on Alfons' lips, a sign of who it was who was now removing his trousers and tucking him properly under the covers. Mere moments later, Ed was tucking in alongside him, arms wrapping loosely around Alfons as he pulled himself close.

The warmth against his lips was briefly registered somewhere in his subconscious, but it didn't really click until he'd woken up the next morning. Vaguely confused and wondering when he had fallen asleep, Alfons looked down to see Edward curled against him, and he strained to look over his shoulder at the clock, then to the window.

It was just before dawn. Had he really slept so long, uninterrupted by any fits, or did he just not remember waking up during the night? Just thinking about it made his chest clench a bit, and he willed himself to breathe as deeply as possible, attempting to distract himself by focusing back on the warm body next to him. It was nice and comforting, especially with the morning chill in the air.

The way the dawn's sunlight managed to reflect off of Edward's hair made him think back to his conversation with Cirucci, and he reached out to run his fingers through it. Gold.

His gaze flicked downward towards the arm draped over him, and Alfons moved his hand to ghost his fingers across it. It was a fascinating piece of equipment, really, and just as advanced as anything else in the City. But it was still alien to him, and Edward didn't even try to make it look more human like he had his prosthetic. Maybe because this was more a work of art...? Silver.

The distractions weren't working, and no matter how much he tried to hold it in, it came anyway. Alfons was quick to wrench away from Edward, sitting up and covering his mouth as the coughs tore out of him. Tears began to well up when he realized this was going to last longer than normal, and he tried to stumble into his pants before dashing into the bathroom to grip at the sink. The taste that followed the fit was getting all too familiar, and made him grimace. Copper.

Stirring slightly from the feeling of Alfons' hands on him, a sleepy smile appeared on his face as he buried himself closer against the warm body beside him. Only...

The sudden loss of warmth was more than enough to snap him awake. Looking round blearily, it didn't take long before the sounds of coughing reached his ears. "...Alfons..." Pushing up onto his feet, Ed grabbed the nearest item of clothing, namely Alfons' shirt, and shrugged it on. Moving toward the bathroom, Ed paused by the entrance, frowning at the scene in front of him.

When he heard the distinct steps that Edward made when walking, Alfons looked up to spot Edward's reflection in the mirror. Even if the sunlight was sparse at this hour, it was plenty enough for him to see the other man's face. Don't look at me like that. I don't need your pity!

When he felt another fit seize him, choking on air he just couldn't seem to inhale properly, he turned just enough, grabbing the door and slamming it in Ed's face, locking it so that he could deal with this by himself. It was better that way.

Stepping back as the door was shut, Ed's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't expected that kind of a reaction. Fist slamming into the door, Ed almost growled. "Alfons! Let me in!" To at least know that the guy was going to be okay... "...please."

Didn't Edward get it? Why couldn't he just understand? How could Alfons even find the words to explain to him?

He ignored Edward's pleas. If he really wanted in, he could use his alchemy to open the door, and Alfons really couldn't do much else other than cling desperately to the porcelain sink at the moment. It felt as if his lungs were being shredded with something hot, and there just wasn't enough oxygen in the room to inhale.

When the fit finally died down to a light cough once in awhile, Alfons reached over to pull open the window, leaning out and gasping for breaths. Freezing, maybe, but that was almost refreshing to his burning chest.

Sitting back on the toilet seat, the teenager draped an arm against the window sill and tried to calm his breathing, glancing back to the door. He wanted to be alone, but...there was a part of him that almost hoped Edward would use his alchemy to open that door.

Love is full of contradictions, he had said to Cirucci. Now, that memory actually made him laugh quietly to himself. But who's the one in love here?

If he'd been able to, the door would've been open the very moment Alfons had locked it. As it was... "Alfons! Just let me in!" Staring down at his hands, he stepped back from the door. Clapping his hands together, he pressed them against the door, some part of him just...hoping.

Nothing.

He stared blankly at the door, the wooden panelling completely unchanged. Hitting the door again, he scowled. He really wanted to get inside, and Alfons just seemed to be...refusing. "Come on. Just...let me in..."

"...Would you calm down?" Ugh, why did his voice have to sound so raspy afterward? He tried to clear his throat, but it was just as raw as ever, and the action made him wince as he stood back up and shut the window.

He went back over to the sink to turn on the water. Even if it was already chilly, he needed the water to be cold for the sake of his throat, and he scooped some up to rinse out his mouth while also cleaning off his hands and the bowl of the sink. He didn't stop until any visible signs, and the taste of the blood was gone.

Finally, he turned back and opened the door, looking mildly irritated. "Can't a guy have any privacy in the bathroom? Go back to bed."

His glare transferred to Alfons the moment the door was opened. As much as he wished otherwise, he knew he wasn't overreacting. Alfons' coughing fits had been getting progressively worse. It was the reason for his newest set of questions that'd been posed to a certain deity. Somehow, there had to be a way for Alfons to get better. Modern medicine had advanced, after all...

"Bastard." Stepping forward, Ed's hand moved round to the back of Alfons' neck, his scowl still in place, even as he levered himself up to place a soft kiss on his lips. The only way he could think of to show his concern. And with that, he turned back round, heading back through toward the bedroom.

The kiss stunned him enough to leave him still as Edward went back down the hall, and when Alfons finally started moving again, Edward was already back in the bedroom.

Before he could finish climbing back into bed, Alfons moved up behind him and wrapped both arms around his waist, keeping him close as he turned and flapped back to sit on the mattress himself.

Sweeping his hair to the side, Alfons pressed a kiss to the nape of Ed's neck. That was when he realized... "That's my shirt."

The feel of arms around his waist, the kiss on his neck, and Ed's 'bad mood' was long forgotten. Instead, he found himself relaxing back against Alfons, a lazy smile appearing on his face.

His hands closed over Alfons' arms, wrapping round himself as he glanced back to him. "I was cold." Of course, the fact that he could've taken a moment to make sure he had his own shirt wouldn't have made much of a difference. But that didn't matter now. "Problem?"

Alfons shook his head at that, even if Edward couldn't see, and lifted his hands up to begin buttoning the shirt closed to help Edward be a little warmer. "Not at all." It was a disturbingly nice image, actually, and Alfons rested his chin against the other's shoulder as he finished fastening the buttons. Then he scooted back so he could rest back against the headboard, tugging Edward with him and yanking the blanket up to cover their legs.

His chest wasn't cold with Edward leaning back against it like this, but the touch of that metal on his arm reminded him of the air's temperature.

"You know, it's curious that I can find history on Earth, but not on where you're from. Am I just looking in the wrong places?" He absently rubbed against the area where the automail connected to Ed's thigh.

Watching as the buttons were quickly done up, Ed sighed to himself. Moving backward with Alfons, he was mindful of the added weight of his leg, making sure to keep from hitting Alfons with it. It was bad enough toe first few nights here when he'd forgotten the difference between the two versions.

"It's two different versions though. So you're only finding information about your world, right?" His hand moved to Alfons' free hand, fingers interlacing together. "Is that the only version of history you can find then?"

"Versions? So there are multiple versions of your world, too? Strange... I've found information on other versions of my world as well. Or more like, different variations of the future." He squeezed Edward's hand, relishing the softness.

"...Edward. Why won't you transmute anything around me? You've avoided doing it every time I've asked for quite some time now."

"I meant that there's my world and your world. They're only different because of alchemy really. Things...would probably be the same if we'd not followed alchemy." But different versions of the same world... "I guess it'd explain all the different variations in the worlds that people here come from."

If the question before had seemed difficult, it was nothing compared to the second one. How to dig himself out of it? "Because I haven't needed to." Which'd been fairly true...to a point so far.

Edward had a point, but the cities he had named didn't exist on Earth. Perhaps Alfons was just being stubborn, but he still didn't want to think of where he was as some mimicry of Edward's world.

He was not a copy.

Alfons' expression hardened a bit at Edward's lame excuse. "What about my microwave? It still needs to be put back together. I've asked you twice and somehow you've managed to worm your way out of it."

"Is it just my world you can't find things from then?" Because if that was the case, then he was truly lost. Why would other worlds histories be accessible, and not his? Or, his original. Things had changed since then.

He froze for a moment, trying to think up some kind of excuse. He just...couldn't talk about this. Especially not right now. Or more precisely, didn't want to. Not now, not ever. "I thought we were going to rebuild it ourselves? We wont know how it works if I just transmuted it."

"No, there are some other places that friends here have mentioned that I can't find any information on."

He was beginning to care less and less about that, though, and was instead focusing on how very tense Edward was. It was impossible not to notice, considering he was flush against him.

Alfons knew they couldn't put it back together by hand. He had already tried. Edward was dodging, and he didn't like it. Maybe he wasn't being direct enough.

"...Will you transmute something for me now? I want to see this alchemy you used to always boast about in your stories."

Ed, on the other hand, was thinking the complete opposite. He wanted to focus on the different worlds. Though, even talking about the weather right now would be a welcome diversion. Anything except his alchemy.

"Is there any kind of connection between the worlds you can't find information on then?" Hopefully it'd give him something else to think about. And not how bad he already knew his excuse was going to be.

"I'm tired. Besides, you've seen Al do it already." Yeah, he already knew he'd failed this time round.

With a grimace, Alfons slumped back even more. What was going on here? This was all wrong. Too tired? They had just slept God knows how many hours! And since when was Edward too tired to show something off?

He scowled at Ed's shoulder for quite some time, completely ignoring the other's question. He didn't care about that anymore.

"Edward. Can you still do alchemy?"

His head ducked down, shoulders slumping at the single question. There was really no getting out of it now. Voice low, he refused to look backward, not sure of what he'd see if he did. "...no." There was one good thing though, the reasons behind it were still hidden. Then again, given who he was talking to, he doubted things could stay that way for long.

Well.. In a way that answer was better than yes. He hadn't liked thinking that Edward was just being a brat about hiding his alchemy, especially since he knew how important it was to the shorter boy.

And it was just like him to hide that knowledge, too. "Idiot," he murmured softly, hugging him again. "How long has it been like that?"

A small note of relief passed through him at the possible lifeline that'd appeared. "Since I got here." There hadn't been anyone he'd shown since getting there...had there? He turned quiet for a moment, before relaxing back against Alfons. "...don't tell Al, alright?" It was bad enough having to tell Alfons, yet alone his brother too.

Alfons nuzzled gently against the young man's cheek. He couldn't believe that the City had taken away Edward's talent for alchemy. He hadn't actually heard of that happening before...people losing things upon their appearance.

"All right, but... If he's as smart as you say he is, then I'm sure he's already figured it out." Sympathy was heavy in his voice as he reached back to brush his fingers through Edward's hair. "...I'm sorry, Edward. I know how important that was to you."

"Maybe." Though he hoped otherwise. After everything the two of them had sacrificed for alchemy, to have to tell Alphonse that it was gone... "It doesn't matter though. I've not used it for two years, and I've been fine." And besides, the trade had been worth it. Even if a certain illness hadn't been taken care of. Yet.

"I suppose." Edward had a point, but as much as he had always longed to return to his world, he knew that it hadn't all been about his brother. The alchemy had to have been part of it, too.

"I'm sure you'll be able to use it again when you return, though. We'll find a way. Maybe if we're successful with the rocket, it will help."

And therein lay another problem. "...I don't know what I want to do anymore." Right now, they may've been stuck in the city, but at least it was they. He had both Alfons and Al right there. And as long as they were stuck there, they could be together. The moment they returned home though... "...I want you to come back with us," he muttered, turning to glance sideways at Alfons.

He tensed at that, and kept his gaze focused on Edward's hair as it slipped through his fingers like silk. "...That would be nice."

In a fantasy, perhaps. He had two rather solid reasons that it wasn't a good idea, but did they overshadow Ed's reason for wanting him there?

If he did manage to go there with them, he doubted he would be alive for much longer. And then, in that time, what would he be? Everyone Edward knew there also knew Alphonse... He would just be compared at every turn.

Would it really be worth being next to Edward just a little longer, struggling with his half life?

"Really?" If it was possible to find a way for all of them to live in one world, then Ed would do whatever he could to make it possible. Even if that meant having to make more deals along the way. Though of course, the idea of them being able to find their own way through would be a preferred choice.

However, it seemed as though he was the only one actually excited over the prospect. Either that or Alfons had grown exceptionally good at hiding things. "...what're you thinking about?"

He wasn't as good as some people at keeping secrets, but he could when necessary. At least for now, being vague would probably be the best idea. "You," he whispered, and it wasn't a complete lie after all.

It had just been too damn long, and this excessive closeness was making him hot. Even buttoning the shirt and having a blanket hide Edward's legs hadn't helped. Their conversations had helped distract him, but it was time to give in. Already he was sliding his hand up the skirt, nails skimming across Ed's stomach while he tilted his head to kiss his cheek.

He was pretty sure that wasn't quite what he'd been thinking about, but as of that moment, it didn't matter. If he hadn't gotten the message, Alfons' actions spoke volumes. It was pretty obvious what was on his mind now. "Uhuh." His breath hitched a little at the feel of Alfons' fingers, a smirk appearing in response. "And what exactly are you thinking of me for?"

"Well, considering you're sitting in my lap wearing nothing but boxers and my shirt, I'd have to be a block of ice below the waist and lacking a brain to not think of you."

He missed Ed's voice getting strained like that, and he wanted to hear more of it. Being the impatient one for once, he kept one hand flat against Edward's chest while the other disappeared beneath the covers, stretching the elastic to get inside the boxers. Finding what he sought easily enough, it was only a matter of moments before he began stroking.

"Would've been less if you didn't run off." Not that he was really going to keep blaming Alfons for having to leave the bedroom earlier.

The sudden move of Alfons' hand ducking beneath his boxers cut off all other comments. Now that was completely unexpected. Alfons was never that zealous, not with things like this. Of course, it was very much welcome. Hands gripping at the blanket, Ed tilted his head back, seeking out Alfons' mouth with his own.

Rather satisfied at having shut Edward up, at least for now, he straightened up so that he could lean to the side, making the awkward position that much easier to allow kissing.

He kept it short, though, afraid if he got too carried away he might lose oxygen and just have another fit again.

Lips brushed against Edward's once, twice, and then ghosted to find his ear, his breaths shaky and warm as he kept on moving his hand, gently squeezing while murmuring, "But I like you in my shirt."

His breath came as pants, the only way he seemed to be able to get enough air into him. Eyes squeezing shut, he leant his head back against Alfons' shoulder, his left hand reaching round to the back of Alfons' head, fingers entwining into the short strands of hair.

He wanted to say something, anything. But the whole concept of speaking seemed to be an art he'd already lost. It'd been too long since they'd spent any real time alone.

Alfons' eyes drifted closed when he felt Edward's fingers go through his hair. Even when he pulled, it wasn't hard enough to hurt...just enough to remind him that he was alive, and warm, and making Edward squirm.

It was satisfying, and he drew his knees up to flatten his feet against the mattress, making it a little easier for him to reach downward. The boxers were constraining his movements, so he let go to nudge them down just a bit before letting his hand return to the hardening length. Sliding up, Alfons' thumb brushed over the head before he stroked firmly down, finding himself rather fascinated with the way Edward's body moved.

How long before he came? Alfons was curious.

He was sure Alfons was doing all of this on purpose. Throwing him from one extreme to another. Shifting back against Alfons, Ed twisted enough to bury his head against his neck, using that to muffle himself as a groan escaped him.

Taking a deep breath, he found himself unable to keep from bucking up against the hand, his own dropping back to the bed to help lever himself upward. "A-Alf-ons." A single word and he couldn't even manage that right now.

He bit his lip at Edward's hips jerking so fervently, and he glanced towards the nightstand nearby. There was lubricant in that drawer, but he wondered if he even felt like bothering with trying to reach for it. He didn't much want to take his hands off of the writhing body trapped in front of his,

So Alfons settled for that touching, mouthing out Edward's name silently into the air as he sped up the strokes, letting his other hand push the shirt up even further. That hand flattened against his chest to relish in the unsteady heartbeat before it slid to the side, brushing over a taut nipple before pinching lightly.

"...You don't have to be quiet, Edward. Only I can hear you."

A hitch in breath and Ed found himself loathe to disagree. Helpless to stop the loud moan that escaped, his hand dropped to Alfons', resting on the others wrist in a loose hold. The last thing he wanted right then was to stop Alfons from moving.

Why was it always like this? Every time something happened between them, it was left to Alfons to 'do all the work'. Of course, he wasn't complaining. Not at that moment. "...'fons..." Biting down on his bottom lip, his own thrusts grew more erratic, his fingers tightening around Alfons' wrist, as a long groan escaped, this time accompanied by his own release.

Hearing Edward mutter out his name in broken syllables with a voice that was far too sexy for it's own good made Alfons' skin burn from desire, and he watched in a dazed fascination as Edward came, and he slowed his ministration little by little until Edward was completely spent.

There was quite the sticky mess to clean up now, but he didn't mind too much. Yes, he was feeling uncomfortable, but he enjoyed the closeness and sound of Ed's breathing far too much to really complain.

Collapsing back against Alfons, Ed could do nothing more than force himself to breath, which seemed to be a harder task that he'd thought. Tugging on the front of his shirt (well technically, Alfons'), he smirked, a tired look being cast over toward the other. So much for being cold anymore.

A few more minutes of calming himself down, Ed finally gathered enough energy to speak again. "You..." What was there to say? Instead, he simply reached round again to place a kiss on Alfons' mouth. It was about all he could really 'say' just then.

Once he finished pulling Edward's boxers back up with his clean hand, he was pleasantly surprised to receive yet another kiss. With a light hum of satisfaction at that, he let his hand settle at his hip while leaning to return it in kind, drinking in the warmth those lips offered.

His pants were good enough, so he reached down to wipe his hand off on them, shifting his legs a bit so that he could scoot back more into the headboard. As hot as he was, having Edward quite that close was next to torture, even if it was the delicious sort.

The rising sun was really start to hurt his eyes, so he blinked rapidly while offering another smile. "Want me to make breakfast?"

Pulling away from Alfons, Ed smirked to himself, before he was answering the question with a simple shake of his head. It was still early. And besides, there was something else he wanted to do first.

Drawing his feet up, Ed slid around and onto his knees, no longer sitting on Alfons. Instead, he was beside him, a hand trailing up the material of his trousers. It was only fair that he returned the favour. And besides, it was about time that he instigated something. "You really want to go and cook right now?"

Edward taking the initiative brought about a thrill, and he tried not to blatantly watch that hand before he laughed softly and leaned over to give the shorter boy a pert kiss on the mouth. "Hmm. Maybe?" he teased, reaching down to gently grip Edward's wrist.

As hard as he was, it was difficult to act so casual, but he was managing. "I'd make some coffee first, though... Then shower..." Another kiss was delivered, this time on his cheek. "Then make breakfast while somehow managing to keep you eat the food as I cook it."

"Then maybe I should just let you go." Not that he was going to actually be able to go through with the threat. Not when he knew what could follow. "Off into the cold. All on your own." A smirk, and his hand began retreating, heading back to Alfons' knee.

"I could just head back home and eat there." Shifting back to sit on his feet, his smirk grew. "Leave you to your coffee. Your shower. Your food..."

That had most definitely backfired. Something flickered in his eyes, something desolate, and he was quick to slide his hand up to link his fingers with Edward's. "Don't."

Leaning over, he swung his legs around to sit on his knees, leaning over to wrap his arm around the other's shoulders so that he could bury his face against the crook of his neck. It was so easy to hide it most of the time...but not now.

"Don't leave me," Alfons whispered.

Eyes widening, his arms were wrapping around Alfons before he even knew what he was doing. Shaking his head slightly, he pulled himself close, one hand moving to Alfons' head in an almost protective manner.

"...sorry." A soft kiss was placed on his head before he continued. "I'm not going anywhere. Not till you kick me out of here."

Resting his head against Edward's shoulder, he watched the light reflect off of his long hair, whispering something under his breath that could only be heard due to the close proximity. "Everyone wants gold for themselves...but they'll never own all of it."

Nonsense to Edward, surely, since it was taken out of context, but it made perfect sense to Alfons. He hugged Edward tighter for a second before sitting back to give him a tender kiss on his brow. "You don't owe me anything, Edward. Never think that you do."

"Gold?" And now he was confused. What did that have to do with anything? Well, he had a vague idea, spawned from an earlier conversation with a certain Arrancar. But its connection to this?

Looking back at Alfons, he couldn't help but smile. As much as he may say he didn't owe anything, he couldn't fully agree with him. Alfons had given him more than he'd ever deserved, and he knew he wouldn't ever be able to pay him back for it all.

His smile was rather sheepish as he shook his head, brushing off the confused inquiry. Explaining wouldn't make any sense, and probably just make him seem like a mad man.

So instead Alfons just reached up to tap his fingertip against Edward's lower lip. "Don't worry about it. I'm going to go take a shower."

So that cleared things up? Sighing to himself, Ed left matters as they were, assuming they weren't important. Or at least that Alfons would explain it later. Though, judging from previous examples, it'd be a long wait to find out.

A pout was his first response to Alfons, before he was reaching up to grab a hold of the outstretched hand. "So you're going to just run off?"

He paused at that, and his gentle smile returned. Edward's earlier invitation had been enticing, but he wasn't afraid of taking care of things for himself, honestly.

"I already said you don't owe me anything."

"It's not payback." The words came out a little harsher than he'd meant, but in truth, he was annoyed at the fact that Alfons could even suggest that he was doing this as repayment.

Scowling slightly, he shifted forward, a heavy kiss pushed onto Alfons' mouth. "I want to." Sliding to the side of the bed, he stood up, an hand reaching out toward Alfons' in offering.

Edward's ferocity surprised him a bit, and immediately he felt a bit guilty for implying something that was probably insulting. Apparently it was all right a moment later, though, and he glanced to the outstretched hand before nodding and reaching out to take it as he slid off the bed.

The floor was cold, but seeing Edward standing in front of him still all rumpled, his hair vaguely tangled, and just short enough to appear hopelessly cute... It brought a rather amused grin to his face, and he resisted the urge to grab the other in a huge bear hug. "And what is it you want to do, exactly?"

Tugging on his hand, Ed stepped forward, reaching up to kiss the taller blond once again. "You said you wanted a shower, didn't you?" He didn't give time for a response as he turned round, his hold on Alfons' hand remaining as he made his way toward the bathroom. If Alfons was so set on having a shower, then Ed would be sure to help him out.

"...Ah."

There was no wiping the smile off of his face after that, and he followed along quite merrily. Alfons' mind raced as he stared at the back of the blond's head, and he wondered if it was possible for his neighbours to hear his heart considering how hard it was thumping.

Back in the bathroom again, this time it looked a lot more welcome than earlier, he was quick to push the door shut with his free hand.

"Yes. Shower."