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Ling whistled lowly as he strolled out of the doors of school, a lopsided grin on his face. He was on his way to Lan Fan's for their bi-weekly sparring match. He had been tense all week, too caught up with debate club and whatnot. It would feel good to let all the tension that had built up for the past week go. And, well, it was a Friday, which was a good enough reason by itself.
He was stopped short by an all too familiar voice whisper-shouting (quite loudly, he noted absently) “FUCK PRINCIPAL BRADLEY!!” and felt his stomach do an embarrassingly familiar flip.
Oh? Ling felt his grin widen. What do we have here?
He followed the voice and was led to the staff’s parking lot. Lo and behold: it was Edward Elric, in all his 5’5” golden glory, spray painting “FUCK THE SYSTEM” on the windshield of Principal Bradley’s car with neon pink spray paint. His golden blond hair was tied into a slightly off center ponytail, a few strands escaping here and there, and similarly golden eyes were narrowed in concentration. And bless him, because he was trying his damn hardest to balance on his tiptoes because Principal Bradley’s car was a little too tall for him. ( The bastard, Ling snickered to himself. Picking a car too big for little Edward to spray paint .)
“You’re not being very subtle, you know,” Ling said, peering at Ed’s handiwork from over his shoulder. “I’m surprised no one has caught you yet.”
“FU -” Ed whirled around and dropped the can of spray paint he was holding. He only barely managed to catch it before it hit the car. “- cking hell, Ling you absolute bastard - I’m trying to deface Bradley’s car, not dent it,” he hissed back, dropping the volume of his voice in hopes of it not resonating in the deserted parking lot. It didn’t work.
“For someone with your height, you really do have a pair of lungs,” Ling shot back at him with a smirk.
Ed didn’t take the bait, but he narrowed his eyes in reply. “I’m going to let that slide for now, but don’t think I’m ever going to forget it, bastard.” He picked up another can of spray paint from the ground and waved it at Ling’s face, this one equally straining to the eyes but green in color. He looked straight into Ling’s eyes, his own bright and smoldering in the late afternoon sun. “Are you gonna help me or not?”
Ling felt his breath catch in his throat. “At a price, maybe.” His arm moved anyway and took the can, throwing it up in the air and catching it effortlessly. His next words were out of his mouth before he could process them. “How does dinner sound?” Wait shit FUCK -
“If my wallet allows it, maybe.” Ed then turned back around rather abruptly to face the car. “Now hurry the fuck up, I know Bradley stays about half an hour extra after school on Fridays and we got like, twenty minutes left.”
Holy shit. “I’m two steps ahead of you, shortstack.”
“Don’t test me, fucker.”
By the time they were done, the sun had set a good length down the sky, casting long shadows down the deserted parking lot. The sun was also at the perfect spot in the sky to hit Ed’s hair at just the right angle to make it look like molten gold. And Ling? He was reliving his gay awakening for the tenth time that day. Perhaps that was a bit of an exaggeration, but goddammit he had the right to make one.
He’s so pretty , Ling mourned. Why am I so fucking gay. Why is he so damn beautiful. Why doesn't he notice he’s so gorgeous. Why doesn’t he -
“What the hell? The sun’s setting but it’s only been like, 15 minutes. Damn.” Ed tsked and shoved the cans in a plastic bag he brought. “Well, Bradley’s probably go - OH SHIT HE’S HERE.” He turned around frantically, checking for any remains of evidence they could’ve left behind and shoving the plastic bag into his backpack. Before Ling could open his mouth to have a say in this, Ed grabbed his hand, and with that, they were off.
Does this count as holding hands? I think it does, Ling thought faintly to himself as they ran out of the school gates like their lives depended on it. Which, well, wasn’t too far off of being a possibility.
They stopped a good distance away from their school to take a breather. Once they regained their breath, they both straightened up and began walking at a more leisurely pace.
“I wonder what they’re going to do when they found out it was us,” Ling mused.
Ed shot him a triumphant smirk. “The worst they can do is give us detention. After all, what’s the worse they can do to their top student and debate captain two months before graduation?”
“Hm. Clever.” Ed rubbed his neck and looked away from Ling. Are his ears… red?
“So… where d’ya want to eat dinner?”
Oh shit I didn’t think I could make it THIS far. Fortunately, Ling was always good at thinking on the spot (even if that ability was slightly… hindered by his thoughts of Ed). “I’m not picky. But, uh - I gotta text Lan Fan to tell them I’m not eating at their’s today.” Good at thinking on the spot my ASS.
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Ling looked up from his phone, only to find Ed staring him, his eyes a little wide with an emotion that Ling couldn’t place. The moment they made eye contact however, Ed quickly looked away, his face a dark shade of red. Ling couldn’t help but smile a little bit. He’s so cute.
Ed shoved his hands into his jean pockets, and looked pointedly at the ground in front of them. “So, uh - this place looks sorta familiar and I think there’s this diner up ahead? I’m not sure but -”
“Don’t worry about it, Ed. I’m not picky. Besides,” he added, “it’s not my money that I’m spending.” Ling flashed him a grin full of teeth and got an elbow to his side. “Hey!” He rubbed his side gingerly. “That hurt, you ass.”
“Yeah yeah,” Ed grumbled, flapping his hand at him, still fixated on that one spot ahead of him.
Oh. Ling smiled to himself. They’re definitely red.
“Oh man.” Ling sighed contentedly, as he pat his stomach. “I’m so full.”
“Yeah, but my wallet isn’t.” Ed grumbled beside him.
Dinner had been a lively thing, just the two of them bickering - throwing insults that they didn’t mean and just… talking. About everything. Being with Ed was so easy - it was so easy to forget about everything else in the world when he was with Ed. The thought made Ling’s chest constrict a little bit.
Shit. I’m in deep.
Right now, they were wandering down the streets to Ed’s house in comfortable silence. Every so often he’d look down at Ed, but quickly avert his eyes every time Ed would so much as tilt his head from its position from looking at the ground in front of him. Occasionally, their hands would brush and it took every ounce of willpower Ling had gained to keep his composure when it happened.
Then suddenly, they were in front of Ed’s house, and Ed grabbed him by the front of his shirt and brought him down to his height - and they were kissing. It was painful and awkward at first, but it gradually slowed and settled into something softer and more… tender. Ed tasted like the mango pie he insisted on getting for the two of them because ‘ It’s fucking good, Ling, and if I’m going to spend my money I’m going to spend it right. ’ The whole experience was sort of surreal to him and it rendered him utterly breathless.
And when they broke apart to catch their breath, Ed was… glaring at him? Or rather, looking at Ling with the same fierce look of determination that he had when he waved the neon green spray paint can a few hours ago. Whatever it was, it took whatever breath Ling had regained straight out of his lungs.
“Next time, you’re paying.” Ed accentuated the last word with a poke to Ling’s chest, and with that he turned on his heel and marched right into his house. Ling thought he heard a faint “Brother? Was that Ling?” and a dull thud from the inside, but he was too dazed to do anything but take out his phone and let his fingers fly over familiar keys.
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