More, for those of you who like this, but be warned that my school is going to keep updates away for a few weeks (probably, idk, maybe I'll procrastinate).

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"You look good," Alphonse assured Edward.

"I know," Edward lied. He fidgeted with his clothes in the mirror.

"Really, you look good. The grey shirt looks nice. And remember what that lady said, shades of grey and black, dull colors, look really good with you. Make your eyes look bigger or something," Alphonse said.

Edward fidgeted with the gloves. In his nervousness part of it had caught on on of his automail spokes.

Alphonse hesitated, then asked, "Does he know about your arm and your leg?"

"No, why would he need to know that? He'd ask where I got it and then I'd have to tell him. That is not a conversation I want to have," Edward managed to free the glove and smoothed it over his hand.

"Why not?"

"Because I like him, but it's not like I can marry him, Al," Edward studiously fixed his color, "I just like him."

"And that's why you spend all day getting ready for dates with him, is that right?" Alphonse said, his voice annoyed.

Edward blinked.

"You don't have an arm and a leg, but at least you have the rest of you," Alphonse growled, "so while I can't go out and have a girlfriend until I have a body, you had better enjoy what you have now for the both of us. Or I'll beat you up."

Edward nodded, smiling slightly. "You're sounding more and more like me every day, Al." He walked over to his brother. "You're too young to date. It's a good thing you don't have a body right now, 'cause with your looks you'd have every girl in ten miles swooning over you."

"Really," Alphonse whispered in awe.

"Would I lie about that?" Edward fumbled again with his perfect grey collar. "How do I look?"

Annoyed, Alphonse repeated, "You look fine, Ed."

"We got all the tags, right?" Edward looked around himself again.

"Of course."

"Well, now that we know what colors I look good in we can just use alchemy instead of buying new clothes," Edward decided. He leaned down to make sure his long black sock covered all of his visible automail leg.

"Leave now, Edward, or I'll drag you out," Alphonse threatened. He opened the door to prove his point.

"Fine," Edward said. He stomped out. "Al, do I-"

"Go!" Alphonse shouted.

"Alright," Edward rolled his eyes. "Sheesh, I'm leaving."

Fury saw Edward as he was leaving. "Hey," Fury began to say.

"Don't say a word to me I do not want your advice I don't care what you have to say, thank you." Edward rushed by, slamming to door to the military compound shut behind him.

Fury opened the door and called after Edward, into the street, "Good luck, Elric!"

When Edward knocked on the door, this time the woman with the wide red lips let him in with a smile. "Edward El," she remembered.

Edward was too embarrassed to tell her he'd forgotten her name, so instead he said politely, "Hello."

"Dietrich is already downstairs. He was on time, for once, a first for him." As the woman shut the door she winked at Edward, "I think he really likes you, kid."

Are all adults perverts? Edward wondered. He stopped halfway down the stairs to make sure his collar was straight. He could hear British music, and the sound of people talking. It was five thirty, and he was pretty sure that it was Friday, so it stood to reason the place would be more crowded.

It was, with about half the people that were there late the night before. Edward saw Dietrich immediately, he was sitting at the first table. There was a girl and a guy beside him, both looking like they were near Dietrich's age. The girl was dressed in Americana style clothing, despite her obviously German features, but she looked very nice. The guy did as well, and he was good looking, Edward realized with a pang of jealousy.

Some food was already on the table, but it looked like no one had eaten anything. When Edward grew closer, the girl tapped Dietrich's shoulder. Dietrich looked up and saw Edward. He stood up immediately, rocking the table. The guy grasped out, stopping it from moving, and Dietrich was apologizing when Edward was close enough to hear them.

The seat to the left of Dietrich was open, and Dietrich made a gesture for Edward to sit. "Edward," he exclaimed, his handsome face lighting up immediately. He paused, looking at Edward, before he remembered his friends. "This is Sarai and Bernd, they're my friends from school. Sarai thought... well, insisted on double dating when she heard you were going to be here, so..." Dietrich's cheeks were red. "Here they are."

"Nice to meet you, Eddie," Sarai reached over the table and held out her hand. Edward took it with his flesh hand and shook it.

"Same," Bernd said, and he offered his hand as well. Edward let go of Sarai's hand and shook Bernd's with his flesh hand as well.

They all sat down together. Sarai and Bernd, as if freed of some terrible order, immediately began to take food.

Dietrich was apparently not pleased by this turn of events, but Edward found himself rather enjoying it. He never interacted socially with people his own age. It was different.

Bernd was a pig and Sarai liked to hit him and call him that. Sarai was loudspoken, asked a lot of random questions about Edward's feelings on things he had never heard of like random bands or some school subjects. They were all, including Dietrich, impressed when Edward was forced to explain he'd taken a school equivalency test years ago and didn't worry about such things as math, or essays anymore.

It was pleasant, quiet talk, mostly with Sarai because Bernd didn't seem like much of a talker and Dietrich was being curiously silent. Then they all finished their food, and Sarai dragged a bored Bernd to the dance floor.

"Sorry about that," Dietrich apologized, "Sarai sort of followed me home and then here. She got rather excited when I told her about... well..."

"They're nice," Edward dismissed. "So."

Dietrich smiled. "Want to dance too?"

The memory of the kiss burned in Edward's mind. "Yeah," he said a bit too quickly.

Dietrich leaned over, and his lips were on Edward's. He pushed his mouth harder, passionate, and the lightheaded, faint feeling seeped over Edward again. Dietrich's hand was on the table, and Edward grasped it with his flesh hand.

There was a slight screech as Dietrich moved his chair closer, and the angle was better and their faces collided. He could breath in and smell Dietrich's scent filling his lungs, surrounding him until their mouths were the only things that existed. Edward felt dizzy again, and he almost reached out to hold Dietrich's face when the thought of automail rushed into his mind and he grabbed his own chair to steady himself. It was wetter, and smelled slightly of the food they'd just been eating, and Dietrich's mouth was open and his lips moving against Edward's.

A lot of kissing, Edward's mind translated.

Dietrich's knuckles brushed against Edward's cheek, and Edward opened his eyes to see Dietrich moving his glasses with his free hand. His eyes fixed on the way Dietrich's eyeslashes brushed his cheeks, until Dietrich was sucking on his lips.

Edward hoped he'd imagined the groan he's given. He kissed back, far more clumsy against Dietrich's lips, but the teenager didn't seem to notice. His free hand slid up, the fingers sending shockwaves down to Edward's groin, something he was trying not to think about. Touching gently from Edward's shoulder to his neck, the long fingers pushed like tangles in Edward's braid. With the hands that were holding, Dietrich and Edward interlocked their fingers. The feeling of Dietrich's own sweaty, nervous palm against Edward's was enough to give him confidence to open his mouth, like Mustang had told him to do but Edward forgot that, and kiss harder.

The tip of Dietrich's tongue slipped just past Edward's lips, barely even touching the top of Edward's teeth. It brushed against Edward's own tongue. At that moment, Edward couldn't think of anything more intimate then the strong taste of sweet bun and their woven hand.

His automail arm, responding to his command, brushed its gloved, mechanical fingers against Dietrich's hair, and Edward wished he could feel the texture of the jet black locks beneath his false fingertips.

Dietrich pulled back, letting his lips free barely an inch away from Edward's. His thumb brushed the side of Edward's neck, under his ear. He was breathing, hard, and Edward was holding his breath.

"Tomorrow you can come to my mother's bakery for lunch," Dietrich gasped, "I have the address." His hand abandoned its embrace with Edward's flesh and and reached into his pocket. He took out the paper and set it on the table. "Come by whenever, I'll be there. I'll show you my room and everything. We have great food, you know."

Edward wrapped his arms around Dietrich's neck and forced him back into a painful kiss.

"You have bruises on your mouth," Alphonse giggled. "You were kissing, weren't you?"

Edward, his hand over his face, walked quickly into the bathroom and shut the door. He turned the water to practically freezing and stepped in.

He had a very, very good nights sleep.

A secretary of Mustang's woke Edward up so she could give him a slip of paper that had Edward's schedule of appearances for the rallys. When Edward scanned it and found out he hadn't anything until Monday, he set it down on the table and forgot about it.

It was twelve.

Edward's eyes widened. He threw open his dresser drawers, grabbing one of the outfits. He threw it on, brushed his teeth, and was braiding his hair as he rushed out of the military compound. Thankfully, this time he saw no one.

The braid was probably lopsided, and Edward was sure part of his hair was sticking up where it shouldn't be. He looked at the address, reading it for the first time, and growled at the realization that he had no idea where that was.

He stopped a man in a police uniform, and the man, despite being angry at being interrupted, pointed Edward toward the right street. He was perfectly on time for lunch when he walked through the door of 'Rose Street Bakery'.

Dietrich was right about it, Edward had started smelling cinnamon and frosting long before he'd seen the bakery, and that was always a good sign. It was larger then Edward had expected, he looked in the window and saw that it had seats and there were actually people inside. A waiter, an older woman in a blue apron that matched the pale blue, brown and white design of the place, smiled when she saw Edward and told him if he wanted a meal he could sit down and she would be right with him after she did a different table. There was also a line, a few people standing up at a counter. A woman Edward immediately knew to be Dietrich's mother was taking orders behind the counter. She was a large woman with long hair the same shade of Dietrich's, and bright, serious brown eyes.

Edward wasn't entirely sure where to go, and he was relieved in a few seconds when Dietrich appeared from behind the counter. "Edward," he said.

His mouth was a bit bruised as well, but the fact that he had flour on his face and a patch of blue sugar against his nose covered it well. His face erupted into a perfect, happy smile, and he wiped his baking supply covered hands on the blue apron tied around his waist. "There was a bit of an explosion," Dietrich explained, embarrassed.

Edward smiled, "Looks delicious."

He noticed Dietrich's mother sending them an odd look, and suddenly felt very uncomfortable in the open.

"Look, I have to finish sweeping, but if you order something from Mrs. Shording don't worry about the cost, and you can eat it upstairs with me when I finish." Dietrich only could smile at Edward, and then he left after exchanging a look with the waitress.

Mrs. Shording, the waitress, walked up to Edward. There was a dark look in her eye. "You're Deet's friend," she said in a strong, south German accent.

Edward stared at her. "Yeah."

"Not like Lukas, are you?" Mrs. Shording said, her jaw clenched.

Edward swallowed, surprised not only that this woman knew about Lukas, but cared for Dietrich and yet seemed to disapprove. "My name is Edward," he replied, "not Lukas. Sorry."

Mrs. Shording shrugged. "What do you want?"

Edward blinked in confusion, and ventured, "What do you have?"

She began to rattle off the menu so fast that Edward interrupted her quickly with the first thing she said that sounded good. Mrs. Shording wrote it down, then turned in military style and left.

Behind her back, Edward mock saluted.

He sat down at one of the tables, making sure the line of people was between him and Dietrich's mother because he did not want to see the expression on her face after seeing one from Mrs Shording. He figured the fact that Dietrich was dating someone who could potentially have Dietrich killed was enough to make the friends and family dislike them.

They'd probably hate him even more if they knew he was the Full Metal Alchemist.

Edward tugged on the glove and sleeve over his automail arm to make sure they were in place. His food came after awhile, delivered by the unhappy Mrs. Shording who didn't say a word to him, and Edward had finished half of it by the time Dietrich, looking much more clean, apronless, and seemed to have changed his clothes, appeared.

"Hey," Dietrich said. "We have to go through the kitchen to get upstairs, but we can get in the kitchen by the side door so we don't... disturb my mother."

"Sure," Edward agreed whole-heartedly. If he could avoid that woman forever, he would be fine with that.

Once outside, Dietrich took Edward's food for him. They walked around to the alleyway, and Dietrich opened a door on the side of the building with a key. They passed what appeared to be a large freezer and a giant pantry, and, once in a hallway, Dietrich opened another door and revealed a set of stairs. "This is where we live," he explained.

The stairs were a bit cramped, but Edward did note that at one point Dietrich had to duck, when Edward did not. The house, when he saw it, was a single room with the kitchen, laundry, and living room all connected, and there were three rooms in the back. One, Edward assumed, was a bathroom and the other bedrooms. It wasn't very large, but for a place in Central it seemed like Dietrich and his mother did very well. "That's the bathroom," Dietrich pointed to one of the rooms as he crossed the floor to the kitchen, "and the room at the wall is mine, the one in the middle is my mother's."

He set Edward's food down on the table, beside a plate of chips and a sandwich. "Water?" Dietrich offered, and when Edward nodded he poured them both a glass.

"Mrs. Shording doesn't seem to like me very much," Edward said.

Dietrich flushed. "Sorry. She and my mother don't like the thought of me dating again, after..."

"What happened?"

Dietrich wrapped both of his hands around his cup and stared into the water. "It's a bit of a story," he said.

"I'll listen," Edward promised.

Dietrich hesitated, waiting for awhile, before he seemed to force himself to explain. "Lukas was my age, we went to school together. He worked here, as a waiter when Mrs. Shording wasn't on duty. It took us both awhile, we were fourteen when we started feeling like more then friends. After that, we got very close." Dietrich blushed a bit and Edward tried to crush a pit of jealousy in his stomach.

Lukas is dead, Edward reminded himself, there's no need to be jealous of him.

"He was Ishvalan," Dietrich said, "his whole family. Bright, red eyes, the lot of them. They were outcasts though, living in the city, but they didn't care. His sister, Lukas had a sister about twenty, Marie, was getting married to another Ishvalan, their mom had passed awhile ago, just natural causes, and their father was pretty old as well. Lukas and Marie were born late, considering.

"When the relocation was ordered, we were both fifteen. Lukas' family didn't have to move until he had just turned sixteen though. But his father wouldn't," Dietrich paused. "That man was stubborn. He never believed what me and Lukas were doing, and he refused to relocate. Marie was staying behind, with her fiance. The military dogs, from what I know, and some soulless state alchemist started beating on Lukas' father, a man who could barely stand up in the morning."

Dietrich swallowed. "When Lukas tried to stop them, the alchemist killed him," Dietrich continued quickly, "Lukas' father had a heart attack. Then, when the military found Marie, they forced her into a brothel. When she learned she was going to be a prostitute, to the government that had killed her family, she hung herself."

Edward was speechless.

"It's not the best story to tell over dinner," Dietrich confessed.

"I'm sorry," Edward said quietly.

"It's that dumb alchemist who should be sorry," Dietrich scowled, the angry expression something Edward had never seen before. "Not alchemists," he said to assure Edward, "just those bloodsucking monster state alchemists."

Edward did not feel assured.

"I think, I think my mother and Mrs. Shording don't want me to be hurt again. I was such a wreak after Lukas, and I don't think I ever felt better until..." Dietrich smiled, "Until I saw your gold eyes and figured I'd give it a shot."

"I'm glad you did," Edward said even while he wondered if he should even be there.

"Let's talk about something less depressing," Dietrich changed the subject. "You wouldn't believe this one lady who came in today, trying to get a discount because the bread here is more expensive then at some other bakery in Central."

Dietrich continued his story, and Edward ate and tried to listen. His mind was whirling. There goes ever telling him I'm a state alchemist, he decided forcefully, and no talking about the automail either in case he guesses I'm Full Metal. Damn his stupid story, damn him for being with Lukas before he met me. Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!

"Can you believe that?"

Edward blinked. "Nope," he said.

Dietrich nodded and shook his head. "The lady was crazy, honestly."

They finished their food, Dietrich telling stories and Edward responding to them. When they were done, Dietrich excused himself to bring the plates downstairs for the cleaning staff, and Edward contemplated jumping out the window and making his escape.

He wanted to scream, he wanted to hit something, he wanted to fight. Edward forced himself to hold it all in, and he could feel the physical strain.

Edward tried to concentrate on being alone with Dietrich. He tried to concentrate on being alone with Dietrich and a bed, but despite the images his mind brought in front of him, after effects of Mustang's talk but he refused to acknowledge that, he couldn't keep the horrible, sinking feeling in his mind that Dietrich would never want him if he knew who Edward was

Should I tell him, Edward wondered, does he deserve that?

Dietrich's footsteps were on the stairs, and Edward fumbled with a smile when he appeared. "Hey, you," Dietrich greeted.

"There's something I need to say," Edward told him.

Dietrich paused.

"And I don't want to, exactly, but," Edward swallowed. What am I going to tell him?

"We're going too fast," Dietrich interrupted Edward's thoughts. "I know we are, I'm sorry."

"What?"

Dietrich took Edward's head in his hands, but instead of kissing him, he brushed Edward's hair out of his eyes tenderly. "I'm sorry, I know how you must be feeling. I didn't meant to rush you."

"Well, now that you mention..."

Dietrich pressed his lips against the top of Edward's forehead. "I know I'm older, and bigger, and stronger, but I would never take advantage-"

"Wait, WHAT?" Edward shouted angrily.

"I said, I'm older, and stronger-"

"I am stronger then you," Edward insisted, looking critiqually at Dietrich's incredible skinny body. "I am a thousand times stronger then you."

"You are not," Dietrich said.

"Oh yeah?" Edward forced Dietrich's hands off his face. "Let's wrestle. Right now."

"I'm not going to hurt you, you don't have to prove-"

Edward grabbed Dietrich's arm and twisted it.

"Ow!" Dietrich shouted. His entire form bent, trying to relieve the pain. "That doesn't prove anything!"

Edward let go, moved to the other side of the table, and held his flesh hand out. "Let's arm wrestle." Dietrich, wincing, placed his hand against Edwards. "You say when we start," Edward told him.

Dietrich positioned himself carefully, running through something mathematical in his head, and nodded. "Ready."

Edward tossed his hand down until a centimeter before it touched the table.

"Oh my God," Dietrich gasped. He tried, with all his strength, to bring the arm back up, he even cheated, taking his second hand and pulling, but even that did nothing.

Edward didn't break a sweat. When he let go of Dietrich's hand, he leaned back and let a smug look cross his face. "Well," Edward said, "I think we've determined who's stronger."

Dietrich nodded. "I'm still older," he insisted, rubbing the arm Edward had twisted, "and taller."

Edward frowned. "Who are you calling short," he growled, "I could beat the pulp out of you-"

"I concede," Dietrich held up his hands with a laugh, "I give. Don't hurt me anymore."

Edward nodded. He leaned back in his chair with a creak. Dietrich rubbed his arm. He looked up at Edward. Edward met his gaze.

"Want to see my room," Dietrich offered.

"Sure," Edward said quickly.

Dietrich's room looked like it had recently been cleaned, perhaps as recently as the morning. There was the smell of a vacuum, and the bed was made perfectly with dark blue sheets and tan pillows. The wallpaper was a simply beige, and a stack of school books was on the dresser beside the bed. By the door, there was a bookshelf, and Edward skimmed the titles and saw that they were the same kind of inventive, fantasy novels that Alphonse was reading as they were waiting for orders.

Maybe there was something to them. Edward decided to try reading sometime.

Dietrich had a desk, with a small mirror, on which there were several photos.

There was one of Dietrich and Sarai; and one with Dietrich and another boy, a boy with red eyes and light brown hair. Lukas was Dietrich's height back then, Edward noticed, and he wished for the millionth time that he could get a growth spurt fast. There were two of Dietrich and his mother, rather recent ones since Edward doubted Dietrich would display ones of him as a child. There was only one old looking photograph, a man in military uniform.

A state alchemist uniform.

"Your father was a state alchemist," Edward asked.

"A long time ago. Before the massacres," Dietrich said.

There's hope yet, Edward decided, and the thought brought his mood up considerably. He turned, finding Dietrich pulling a book out from one of the bookshelves. His mood darkened.

"Have you ever read this," Dietrich held up the book. It was by some author named H. G. Wells. "It's my favorite." He looked fondly at the cover. "A new invention out of the minds of those odd British."

"Can't say I have," Edward admitted.

"You should borrow it," Dietrich offered.

"I'm not a fast reader," Edward confessed.

"It's not long of a book," he said, "and you can take your time." He handed the book to Edward, he just held it awkwardly. "Do you read much?"

"Yes," Edward answered truthfully, but felt he had to clarify, "about alchemy. And alchemy related stone- stuff."

"Maybe you could teach me some alchemy," Dietrich offered, "I might have a knack for it, considering my dad was the Lion Alchemist."

"Lion Alchemist," Edward repeated. The name was vaguely familiar, he recalled reading about him in a records book. He'd held two records. Edward's face flushed. Two records that the Full Metal Alchemist had beaten. The Lion Alchemist was the previous youngest alchemist admitted, and the previous youngest to receive a Metal of Valor.

He'd pushed Dietrich's father out of history. That was not a plus.

"Yeah," Edward said. "Sure, should I start with the basics?"

Dietrich nodded, sitting on the bed, and Edward sat next to him.

Halfway between Edward's lecture on the Law of Equivalent Exchange, while he was insisting rather passionately that Dietrich never, ever, ever, EVER try bringing a human being back to life, Dietrich kissed him.

Kissing Dietrich was better then anything. Edward moaned out load, and this time he didn't try to hide it. He pressed his lips as hard as he could against Dietrich's mouth.

Dietrich's hands were in his braid again, tugging and interweaving with his hair. Dietrich had soft lips and a hard jaw, but he pressed his mouth so gently against Edward's that Edward felt the feverish pitch slacken.

Dietrich dropped his hands out of Edward's hair and took Edward's arms in his. His soft lips moved, slowly, against Edward's until they barely moved at all, they were just a series of calming presses.

Edward almost felt tired. Dietrich's hypnotizing touch kept him panting to feel the next.

"Edward," Dietrich said quietly against Edward's cheek.

Edward leaned deeper against Dietrich's body, until he was leaning his head on Dietrich's chest and the kisses were falling against his nose and cheek. Gradually, he fell asleep.

...

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