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Ling usually slept in the middle.
It was the safest place to be: between his most skilled, most loyal guards. Although none of them wore much clothing—he and Greed were shirtless, and Lan Fan wore her sarashi around her chest so she could throw on her uniform at a moment’s notice—Ling could not feel more protected.
He faced Greed on his side and Lan Fan’s chest was pressed against his back. Greed was abnormally warmer than most humans (for obvious reasons), but Lan Fan was also warm—her athleticism gave her good circulation. Ling was nice and cozy.
They all had survived The Promised Day, but they had lost Fu. They brought him back over the desert, buried him as soon as they had gotten back to Xing. It had taken a month (faster since Greed allowed Ling not to take any resources for himself and give it all to Mei and Lan Fan). They presented themselves in front of the Emperor.
“I have gained immortality.” Ling had said. Greed stirred uncomfortably inside of him. Ling had told him the Xingese were more of a superstitious culture; if Greed came out, who knows what would happen to Ling. They had put too much on the line for that.
Ling sensed the Emperor’s fear. The Emperor could feel Greed’s chi inside of him, but whether he knew they were two separate beings or just one was unknown to Ling at the time.
The advisors began to reason with the emperor, voice their opinions: how fake it was, how it was all a ruse, it was a trick.
“Lan Fan.” Ling had called. Lan Fan’s expression was unreadable under her mask as she sliced Ling’s head off with his own sword. Greed put Ling back together again, but before their head rolled off, Ling saw the pain in Lan Fan’s eyes. It was a lot to ask of her.
The awe in the Emperor’s eyes said enough. They had gained his favor. Ling was declared the next Emperor of Xing.
Instead of celebrating, Ling had brought Lan Fan to his chambers (despite her refusal). He held her close as soon as the sliding door closed. Her face was hot against his shoulder.
“I’m so sorry I had to do that, I know that pained you, we had to make a point…to prove it wasn’t a trick—”
“I know, my lord, I know—”
A lot happened that night. Greed had kissed Lan Fan first and brought her to their bed. Ling remembered that he himself was too nervous to do anything. He just felt the sensations of her lips against Greed’s as she held his face, one hand cold, one warm, and his hands (thankfully) did not leave her waist.
Ling eventually found himself in his body again, staring down at Lan Fan, their bodies pressed together.
Ling had gulped. He could only feel Greed laugh inside of him.
Lan Fan laughed too. Her laughs were out of breath. “Hi, Ling.” She hesitated before saying his name, but it felt right. He savored the sound.
She had leaned up to kiss him the first time. They cuddled and kissed each other until they fell asleep. Ling was sure that Lan Fan had left a few times to check the area for assassins. But she always came back.
The next morning, all three of them had looked at each other and made a decision. They would get Greed a body. It took almost two years, several trips back to Amestris, but they did it. Just in time for Ling to be crowned Emperor. His hand felt naked without the tattoo and his mind felt empty without his companion, but all he had to do was look beside him now. There he was, snoring softly, and arm under the pillow and an arm touching Ling. Ling could feel Greed’s toes touching Lan Fan’s under the covers. Even in his sleep, he wanted to know where his possessions were at all times.
Ling hummed softly as he felt Lan Fan press her lips to his back. She knew he was awake in his thoughts.
“Go to sleep.” It was an order. “You have meetings tomorrow.”
“I can’t.” Ling turned his head to catch her gaze. They kept their faces close. They whispered into each others’ breaths not to wake the sleeping homunculus next to them.
“Nightmares?”
“No.” Ling shook his head slowly. He took her metal hand and brushed his lips at against it.
“Do you feel unsafe? Do you want me to scout the area?” Lan Fan kissed his bare shoulder again. Ling could have purred; her lips were soft.
“No. Please stay.” He gave her a quick kiss. She smiled against his mouth. “Besides I can’t sense anyone.” Ling closed his eyes. It was hard to sense who was there because of the weight of Greed’s chi, but if he looked past that—nothing. He opened his eyes again.
Lan Fan laid her head back down with a sigh and pressed herself closer to Ling’s back.
The other body pressed against Ling stirred. “What’s goin’ on…”
“Go back to sleep.” Lan Fan ordered.
Ling hummed in response.
“Did you sense something, sweetheart?” Greed blinked slowly, his red eyes almost glowing in the dark as he propped his head up with his arm to face the other two in bed. Greed sleepily leaned over to kiss the Emperor’s hair.
Ling didn’t know what to expect when Greed got his body. He claimed it was different than his original body—but he also said that Ling’s body was the best body he owned, which Ling thought was an over exaggeration. Not that the body mattered; Greed was Greed no matter in what body he took over.
“I didn’t.”
“Good. They better not fuckin’ come here. It’s too late.” Greed yawned and reached over to wrap his large arm around Ling. He placed his hand on Lan Fan’s metal shoulder. He swiped his thumb over it a few times.
Ling remembered the year prior, just as he started to implement major changes to the clan system in Xing. No longer would the emperor have fifty wives and fifty children; it was unsustainable and dangerous. Ling had fought so hard to be emperor and lost too much to obtain this position. His friends and family lost so much for him to be emperor. He didn’t wish that on his worst enemy.
The assassin had made his way to the Emperor’s chambers. Ling remembered Lan Fan’s warm skin leaving his as she sat up suddenly, unsheathing her blade on her automail with the quietest clicks. She had sensed something a little too late. There was a small popping sound as a dart flew across the room, aimed for Ling’s body. Lan Fan definitely would have not saved him in time unless she sacrificed herself for him. Ling didn’t doubt she would have. The thought terrified him.
Greed had steeled his body to the dart bounced harmlessly against his carbon skin. He picked up the dart with his grey fingers and left the bed to deal with the assailant. The poor soul, Ling had lamented. Lan Fan had gotten up to prevent Greed from going too far. Ling ordered the assassin go through trial.
It was late in the night then too. Ling was never truly safe. He knew that.
Greed caught Ling’s lips with his own before pressing his chin on the top of Ling’s head. “Sleep.”
Ling could feel Lan Fan’s mouth curl into a smile against his skin. “Yes. Sleep.”
So he did.
**********
Lan Fan jumped into the open window of her Lord’s bedroom. There were two bodies in the bed already (as expected). She hissed as she rolled her metal shoulder. Something felt off.
She was always having problems with her automail. While it was imperative that she healed quickly back when she was in Amestris, the process prevented her healing journey from going smoothly.
“You found us in six months.” Ling had said with a frown. He was signing some paperwork at his table in his chambers. He sat cross-legged on the floor and the robe he had just thrown over his shoulders was loosely draped over his body. “That means you found a specialist, had the operation, trained with the automail, and found us all in six months. Edward said it takes years just to heal. Of course it hurts.” He often gave her concerned looks every time she rolled her shoulder or clutched it with her flesh hand. He almost never said it because he knew she would protest, but he thought she worked too hard. She pushed herself and her body to its limits.
Greed had chimed in as well. He laid on the bed, wearing nothing but his shield up to his waist. He was reading something (probably simple Xingese Ling had given him). “Not to mention you took the weight of me and Wrath all on that one shoulder.” He also raised an eyebrow when she rolled her shoulder again in discomfort. “Sweetheart, don’t overwork yourself.”
She wouldn’t deny that her automail was healing, as slow as the process was. Every month, the skin around the metal was less tender, her movements were less painful, and her reflexes were faster. She was getting even stronger.
That didn’t stop the two men from doting over her, of course. Whenever she joined them at night (she thought it was inappropriate of her to openly show them affection during the day, especially when Ling was emperor), they would strip her of her uniform, place her in the middle, and gently caress her sore body until she fell asleep. As her scars around her automail became less inflamed and painful, they would kiss her shoulder. Even in the dark, it wasn’t difficult to find those scars; they definitely were more pronounced than the multitude on Ling’s body. Her scars from her left shoulder reached all the way to the base of her neck, down to her ribs, and to the left side of her chest where she had her left breast removed. It was a measure she took to make sure she had the sturdiest automail port she could have. Gaining mobility and functionality from her damaged body only seemed to mark it more.
Not that Lan Fan minded much. She never found it useful to consider herself an attractive person. She found more solace in considering her body strong and functional. Scars were a measure she had to make sure she and Ling survived. Her automail was a measure to make sure she could still fight. The removal of her breast was a measure taken to make sure the automail was the best it could be. There was a reason for everything to make sure she could be as strong as possible. Although she didn’t need it, the two men beside her liked to reminder her about her strength—and their attraction towards her.
“Lan Fan?” Ling’s chi stirred in bed and the large, overwhelming chi next to him also sat up. Greed blinked blearily.
She wordlessly walked up to the bed and took off her mask. She placed it bedside. She felt Ling’s gentle hands reach up to slowly undo the ties that held her uniform against her body. He kissed her exposed neck; she hummed at the touch, and she reached back to undo her hair. She rolled her shoulder again.
“What’s wrong?” Ling immediately asked. She felt Greed’s hand on her left shoulder as he brought her closer to him. She was sandwiched between the two bodies. Her cheek touched Greed’s warm skin. She remembered when this body wasn’t warm, before Greed had entered it. She kissed the warmth.
“It’s supposed to rain tomorrow.” Greed mumbled low, tracing his lips against her scarred skin. His hands ran under her metal arm and rubbed scarred tissue that covered the left side of her torso.
“I think the nerves need to be reconnected again. It just feels a little off.” Lan Fan sighed at their gentle touches. “The humidity isn’t helping either.”
Ling held her tighter from behind. His arm wrapped around her waist and his front pressed against her solid back. Lan Fan remembered the first time he and Greed saw her get her automail fixed. The arm had been separated from the port because the port needed to be fixed after all that had happened the Promised Day. She went without an arm for about a week (much to her impatience) so the connections between the metal and flesh could heal.
Ling was in control of the body when she laid on the table and the technician positioned the arm for reattachment. Lan Fan had braced herself and clenched her teeth as the familiar click came from the port and all her nerves set on fire. She couldn’t remember if she cried out in pain or not. She rolled her shoulder, sweat beading at her temple.
When she looked up, tears were rolling down Ling’s face.
“I…I didn’t know.” Ling said after the tears subsided. Greed wasn’t saying anything outwardly either. Ling had never said what Greed was thinking at the time. “I didn’t know it hurt so much.”
She brushed the remnants of his tears as they started to bead again at the corners of his eyes. “I’m okay.”
Ling’s--Greed’s?—face only showed guilt. “I’m so sorry…”
He would continue to apologize months after.
Lan Fan felt their lips on her shoulder again. She felt nothing but skin even though she was under silk sheets. Ling and Greed surrounded her. They knew she could very well protect herself and them as well. They wanted to do the favor in return.
“I’m okay.” She said softly into Greed’s breath, but for Ling’s sake. He pressed his lips to hers. Ling buried his face in the nape of her neck. She knew he heard her.
“We know.” Greed’s voice was low. “Just let us do this, baby.”
She let them do it.
**********
Greed stumbled into the room and didn’t even bother to close the sliding door.
The sliding door slammed open and caused the two in bed to wake. Lan Fan sat up in alarm and the robe she grabbed fluttered around her body before it settled into her breeze of her swift walk. Greed noticed she wasn’t wearing her wrappings around her chest (Greed vaguely remembered Ling forcing Lan Fan to take two nights off a month), and she quickly and quietly closed the door not before she made eye contact with the guard outside the door who just returned the look. She held Greed by the shoulders. Her hands were petite, but strong. He shared his weight on her.
Ling, the stupid handsome bastard, also left the bed. He had long legs and they took large strides to get the Emperor to the door. He also threw on a thin robe loosely tied around his waist. His goddamn waist. Greed remembered the many nights he would worship that waist.
“What happened? What’s wrong?” His gentle hands grazed Greed’s forehead, through his short hair, and back to the nape of his neck. His hands were so stupidly pretty, and it felt so good, feeling Ling’s touch. He remembered the times he dreamt of feeling Ling’s body on his own, whatever form it would be in. There was something so balanced about Ling that grounded everyone around him. It made Greed feel somewhat sane. Maybe it was his voice. Maybe it was his touch. Maybe it was his warm, but intense stare. Fuck if Greed knew. Maybe it was his familiarity and opposite demeanor to himself.
Whatever it was, Greed found it difficult to keep himself together anyways and shook his head. “You never told me.” He gritted his teeth and held his head between his carbon hands. “You never fuckin’ told me—”
“—Told you what—”
“—how they DIED, how my siblings died, the stupid blonde kid JUST told me—” Greed could never keep track of which Elric was which, especially when they were both at the palace at the same time. “—how Lust died, how Envy died, how Gluttony…” Greed stared at the two of them, who looked at him in alarm. “Why didn’t you fuckin’ tell me?”
Ling’s stare was piercing. “We didn’t know.” Ling’s warm black-brown eyes met Lan Fan’s grey. Their mirror black hair fell over their shoulders as they turned their heads towards each other alarm. “We…we only really heard of a few homunculi. We don’t know how most of them died.”
Lan Fan took the opportunity to grab Greed’s arm and gently guide him into bed. Her gaze were locked on Greed’s face as she dragged him next to her. Her eyes were rounder than Ling’s, but just as intense. Greed remembered a time when he thought there was only coldness in her eyes; it didn’t take him long to find the warmth. He felt Lan Fan’s kisses as she planted them at his temple. Lan Fan was a different type of grounding feeling. She was strong, deliberate, practical, but most of all loyal. She was a constant in a world of variables. But she was also a challenge. And Greed loved a challenge.
Greed remembered the first time he met the guard while he was in Ling’s body. The day before Promised Day, she had come from the heavens like a lightning bolt, faster than sound, smarter than anything he had ever seen before in his life. He began to understand why Ling’s soul would thrive just at the thought of her. Ling’s thoughts and feelings towards Lan Fan didn’t do her justice. Lan Fan really was something he had to experience in the flesh. She was a force of nature.
It wasn’t that she was playing hard to get. Greed knew of women like that; they would act coy, stay just within reach, but jump away at the last moment. While Greed found that appealing as well (he found most things appealing to be fair), Lan Fan was a different kind of possession he had never had. She not only had to be stripped of her walls, but she would also need to invite you in. In the days after Promised Day, they found themselves opening to one another. It’s what started their love, even before they came back to Xing. Greed remembered Ling’s happiness when they did so.
“So, toots, why did you save me?” The desert night was chillier than Greed expected. But he wasn’t worried about himself.
There was a silence. She kept her distance. Mei’s snores could be heard from the tent behind them.
“You may be a monster, but you take care of the young lord.” She said simply. “It is a favor.”
Greed sometimes thinks about how far they had come. He and Lan Fan laugh at it together.
Ling joined the two in bed. Greed was surrounded by his two lovers; he faced the warmth of Ling and the sturdiness of Lan Fan was pressed against his back. He could feel Ling’s hands on the base of his skull and his lips against his own. Greed reached up into Ling’s hair, the coolness of black silk calming him. For reasons that didn’t need to be explained, they both craved each other’s touch and could never get enough.
He remembered during the first few weeks of their separation, Ling would sometimes wake up in a cold sweat and stare at Greed, who was always next to him. Ling’s grip on Greed’s arm almost triggered his shield.
“I…I had one of your memories again…of Bido…and the others.” Ling would swallow thickly. His voice cracked. “How…how is that possible?”
Fuck if Greed knew.
During the first day, Greed couldn’t use his new voice—his throat was too dry. But Ling needed his voice.
“Please talk. It’s so empty without your words. I can’t—I don’t think—” Ling would say.
Greed and Lan Fan thought he would go insane.
He didn’t. The next day, Greed would constantly talk to him, and Ling was sated.
Greed closed his eyes and breathed in the smell that wafted from Lan Fan’s hair. Gunpowder and soap. It suited her.
“We only knew of Gluttony really. We killed him multiple times. You know this.” Lan Fan said quietly. Greed remembered. “And Wrath…” Greed saw Ling’s expression turn to steel and his gaze shifted quickly to Lan Fan’s metal arm. Lan Fan sensed it and changed the subject. “Were…were they all your family?” There was guilt in that sentence. Family was important to the both of them.
Greed swallowed. “Sort of? Some of us were closer about a hundred years ago.” Talking. Talking always made it better. These two taught him that.
Ling spoke against his skin. “How…how did they all die?”
Greed took a breath. He was the last one of them breathing after all. “Gluttony got eaten. Envy committed suicide. Lust was burned alive by a vengeful man…I just—” Greed gritted his teeth. “Goddammit.”
“Lust?” Lan Fan raised an eyebrow. Her metal arm snaked under his arm and against his bare skin. Even through the metal, Greed felt how strong she was. She didn’t worry as much about her automail touching him; she knew he liked it. To balance it out, her warm thighs were entangled with his.
Ah language barrier. Greed thought for a moment. He also didn’t want to admit her strength distracted him a bit from the conversation. But she probably knew. She liked to tease him like that.
“Need for violence.” He switched to Amestrian. “Bloodlust.”
“I thought lust was also a desire for pleasure.” Ling said. He closed his eyes.
“That too.”
“So how they died mattered? Doesn’t it matter that they have died?” Lan Fan was practical as always.
Greed shook his head. “Don’t you see the irony? What if—” Greed rolled to his back. Lan Fan (thankfully) moved, and he felt brown and grey eyes on him. He stared at the elaborately decorated ceiling. “—what if…I die sated?”
Lan Fan and Ling both looked at each other from either side of the homunculus. Ling smiled softly.
“Is that so bad?” Ling leaned down to kiss Greed. His lips were warm…so warm. “You finally obtained what you wanted.”
“Isn’t this what you wanted?” Lan Fan also leaned in to kiss Greed briefly before laying back down. Her cold hand held his.
It was. Greed couldn’t deny that.
He held them closer.