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Ling received a phone call at 12:30 in the night.
He doesn’t normally get calls so late, anyone in their right mind would never call for an audience with the emperor at such a god-awful time. Of course, that’s how he knew it was Edward who was calling him. Another way he could tell was because it came through the personal telephone he had installed in his room.
Ling hadn’t been going to sleep just yet, he was actually studying some files and letters of request. Reshaping a country and its culture is insanely difficult, not to mention tedious. He doesn’t think he’s gotten a good night's sleep in a little over a year now. He knows that it will all be over once everything and everyone has settled. It will pay off. For now, though, it’s tiring, and he will take great pride in complaining about it.
Although, he can always make time for Edward. If he didn’t, he might just explode. “Hello, Ed.” He said after picking up the call. Edward didn’t respond for a second. “Oh, you’re really tired.” is the first thing he says. Ling wants to laugh at that, somehow, he could always tell when Ling was a particular kind of tired.
“Know what, I’ll call you later—”
“No, no. Don’t do that. You wanted to tell me something right now, didn’t you?”
Just like that, Ling has proved himself once again that he too knows Edward well. Yes, Ed does tend to call at late times, but Ling suspects that he’s already memorized the time difference between their countries because he never calls past the time of huánghūn . If he’s calling now at xiūxi shíjiān , then it’s something important he wants to share.
At first, Edward had tried to protest, but with a bit more pushing, he gave in. Quicker than usual actually, it hardly took a little more than simple ribbing to get him to sigh in defeat.
“So? What is it?” Ling asks, laying his head on his desk as he blinked sleep from his eyes. His words were undoubtedly slightly slurred, but Edward doesn't comment on it. Instead, blunt as he is, he gets straight to the point.
“The sky is red.”
…Uh…? No?
Ling made an inquisitive sound, to which Edward tried to explain. “The sky is red. It’s evening time and it’s just… red.” His explanation was vague, but the moment he said evening, Ling thought he might begin to understand.
“Can you imagine it?” He asked the emperor. “Hm, it depends. How well can you describe it?” Ling prompted. Edward was silent for once, it isn’t often that he gets quiet, but Ling’s been a witness to so many of his quiet moments that it doesn’t surprise him anymore. Then Edward started to begin the torturous task of explaining a phenomenon.
The buildings were bathed in a dull red. Everything was really. The ground, the grass in a park nearby, the phone booth, just everything. The red was not extremely dark, but it was prominent, pale and dull. It was like watercolor diluted with gray paint water, tinting all other colors. In the distance, the sun glowed ruby. The sky, apart from its dominantly red appearance, was slowly turning purple.
“I dunno. It feels like one of those apocalypse stories— don’t laugh at me! What’s so funny!?” Ling couldn’t help it. The first thing that the ever great, ever revered Edward Elric thought of was an apocalypse story. It was so in character for him it was funny.
“Why do you think the end of days would be accompanied by a red sky?” Ling asked. Edward groaned and grumbled and cursed his name. “Why else!? Have you never read one of those before??” Ling shook his head, his tired brain not catching up to the fact that Edward couldn’t see him until Ed got his attention with an annoyed: “Hello?”
“No, I haven’t, Ed.” Edward huffs at this. “Well, that explains it.”
“It just…” Ed trails off before picking up again. “It just feels like if the world were to end, it would be this kind of red. A damning hue.”
Ling hums. In his head he thinks he's imagining it right. He kind of wishes he was there to see it. It sounds strangely beautiful. In a morbid, end of the world way.
More than that though. He wonders if Edward just so happened to be in Central when the evening started. If so, how far did he walk just to get to a phone booth to call Ling.
“So, you called me just for this?” He said, a hint of flattery in his voice. Edward scoffed and tried for an excuse but came up with nothing. Ling's heart fluttered.
“I've never seen a red sky before.” Edward admits after some time. In a way that was a lie, the Promised day was as colorful as can be, there was no shortage of red. Ling still shivers with a phantom feeling of the sheer energy that had electrified the air that day. It felt evil. That red had been bright, pulsing and passionate. Traumatizing even if it didn’t take long before the clear blue sky made its appearance again.
That must be why actually. He's never seen a red sky without rhyme or reason. A peaceful red sky.
Ling holds his weary head up and feels a nostalgic chill run down his spine. His own memories were full of phenomena that he was sure Ed would enjoy. “I've seen a red sky before.”
“You have?” Edward asked, and Ling swore he heard the undertone of wonder in his voice. Well isn't that just something? Edward probably knows why the sky’s color will differ at times from its normal. Something scientific like refracted light chemicals and what not. However, that doesn't mean Edward has seen it for himself. Ling’s smile twitched wider.
“I've seen plenty of colors in the sky. I always named them too.” Edward hummed curiously. “Then what do you call a red sky?” He asked.
“The Earth’s Passion.”
Edward snorted and laughed. “That's fucking dramatic!” Ling chuckled as well. “I did come up with it when I was 10. Give me a break!” He explained.
For a moment, Ling registered that he hasn't actually said much to Edward about his younger days. To be fair, neither has Ed and he doesn't mind, if he wants to share he will. But now that he's had the thought, he wants to tell Ed about all the dumb things in his childhood.
He wants to tell him about the time he got stuck in a tree and his mother had to come and save him. He wants to tell him about the time when he got a splinter trying to save a girl from the same mistake he made. That’s how he met Lan Fan. When Grandpa would feel particularly rebellious and sneak him out into the forbidden section of the garden. His childhood love for gold leaf towers and subsequently knocking them down.
Ling sighed. It's too late in the night for him to be having big thoughts.
“Well that explains a lot. Thanks Prince charming.” What ? Ling could feel himself blush and he sat up. “You think I'm charming?” He asked, a teasing tone in his words. He isn't sure if he wants Ed to hear the sincerity in his question yet.
“Eh. Could use some work.” Ling spluttered. “What does that mean!?” He asked. Ed only laughed at him. No matter how pleasing his laugh was, Ling still pouted at what was definitely a backhanded compliment.
Eventually, they fell into silence. Nothing was said and nothing was heard except for the sounds of their respective environments. On one end, you could hear the engines of the cars that passed by. The songs of small birds and the sound of a phone wire brushing against itself. Winding round and round. On the other end, there was only the sound of chirping crickets, a flickering flame of candlelight and the sound of a brush on paper as Ling went back to work.
It truly wasn't often that they lapsed into silence. Ling was always annoying Edward while said blonde would yell at him for it. Sometimes they would have surprisingly idle conversation or play games. They could be civil with each other, it's just more fun to push each other's buttons. Ling didn't know if he could love someone who he couldn’t be civil with at least sometimes.
Then again, this was Edward. From the start he didn't expect civility, and he can admit that sometimes he doesn't even want it. Ling wants his quick wit and fiery responses. Short fuse and loudness. It was part of Ed, and he loved that chaos first. The quiet was something that came after, and it may be rare but that didn’t mean he loved it any less.
That's just what being friends and lovers was like with Edward. So, when he got this quiet, he took it in and embraced it.
Ling's hand was steady despite his own exhaustion, he had long since been trained out of letting his weariness affect his performance. Still, that doesn't mean he wants to be doing this. He wished he could sleep, maybe talk to Edward until he did. Maybe they could even stay on the line as they sleep to simulate closeness, but that would never work of course. Ling could still be wishful though.
“I want to kiss you.”
Ling's brush stroke stuttered. He stared down at the ruined kanji, meaning now obscured because of the jagged line that stood out awkwardly. He put down the brush and exhaled slowly, hoping to calm his rabbiting heart.
“You do?” He asks quietly. Even though he couldn't see Ed, he knew in his heart that he was blushing. He was embarrassed by his own words, but he was good at covering that up since they weren't face to face.
“DON’T— Don't think too much into it, okay!”
“I wasn't. Just thinking about it. There's a difference.”
Edward tried to protest, but there was nothing to protest. He was so entertaining when he was embarrassed, and dare Ling say it; cute. Edward was so undeniably cute when he got defensive.
However, this was exactly the kind of thing Ling tried to avoid thinking about. Kissing Edward. He knew that if he started, he wouldn't stop, then he would crave it. He’d want it, work for it, beg everyone and no one for it. Even if it was just a little peck he’d get, he wanted it.
Ling knew he was greedy. It was probably the main reason why he could house Avarice at all. Ling tried to limit his wants and what he could potentially get attached to, but now that Edward’s said it, he can't stop thinking about that moment in the forest. That first kiss he shared with the first boy he ever fell in love with.
Ling buried his head in his hands and let out a pathetic whine. “Eeeed.” He groaned. “Now look at what you've done!”
“Wha– What did I do!?”
“Now I'm thinking about it too much!”
“Sucks to be you then!”
Ling pursed his lips and put his head down on the table. He needs to divert his thoughts before he starts thinking too much. He's already getting the phantom feeling of Ed’s lips on his and that is entirely the wrong territory to be stumbling through at this moment.
“Surely it's gotten dark on your end by now?” He asked, not even trying to cover up his change of subject. Edward huffed, but it was an agreeable one.
“For a while now. A sunset doesn't last long.” He said. Oh, Ling really couldn't resist his thoughts now, and yes, he isn't always calculating with his words, he can also be incredibly impulsive.
“And you're still talking to me? Cute.”
“I'm hanging up on you!”
Ling laughed. “I love–” there was a beep and the line went dead. He wasn't upset at all, Edward might have quite literally lost it on him if he said it so directly. They did still dance around saying it directly when Ling was in Amestris, (well Ed did, Ling strongly implied it by saying it as a question) maybe because being so forward was a bit intimidating and they were both quite private people. Regardless, it was no secret between the two of them how they felt about each other. They at least made that bit clear.
Ling sat back, wishing that he had a chair with a back so that he could slouch into it. For now though, he’ll settle for flopping onto the floor.
Some part of him that is young and giddy wants to roll around and kick his legs excitedly. It wants to giggle and squeal and gush over how cute Ed was. The older part of him that's more mature, tells him that he can if he wants to.
No one but Lan Fan who was dutifully keeping watch would know.
… … … …
Edward sat heavily down on the train seat. The last one for the night.
He grumbled to himself about idiot princes. He was justified, he definitely was! Ling just liked talking out of his ass. Thinking of it, Edward didn't even know why he said half of the things he did. What was up with him?
A red sunset really isn't anything special in hindsight. It's like a normal sunset but monochrome. It bathed Central in color, but sunsets did that anyway. He knows it has something to do with the wavelength of blue, yellow and red lights, but he hasn't delved into it like that, maybe he should.
In all, for his first time seeing a red sunset, it was nice for the first minute or two. Whenever they happened, Ed tended to miss them, either busy indoors or sleeping in the afternoon. When the awe wore off, he was left wondering. The scientific, the specifics. The amount of times such a thing could occur.
Then he wondered if Ling had ever seen one. A telephone booth was within walking distance and empty so…
Edward grumbled and leaned his head against the wall, watching absently as the trees zipped by. They presented as shadowy silhouettes in the dark, it was a little creepy at first. But he's seen it too many times to be scared now.
Ed will admit it. He probably didn't need to put on that whole song and dance of awe just to talk to Ling about that kind of thing. He didn't even know what got into him. Maybe he was just feeling? Talking to Ling and the sky was such a deep red. Maybe it just put him in a mood. When he thinks about it though, it was really embarrassing.
Still.
“The Earth’s Passion.”
Maybe talking to Ling about it wasn't his worst idea.
“ You think I'm charming?”
He could've had better ones, calling Al and Winry since they were closer, or putting his very limited artistic skills to the test to capture the scene. Just something that made more sense than calling Ling.
“You do?”
Edward can't deny though, that it had been his first thought. He wanted to ask Ling. To tell him just because he could. As sappy as the thought was, he wanted to share that ultimately insignificant moment with him. It wouldn't matter in the end, so what reason did he have not to?
“Now I'm thinking about it too!”
That smug bastard got on his nerves so well though. Edward felt the urge to hide his face, but he decided against it. No one was there to see him anyway, there was nothing to hide from anybody. Kind of like that strange thing he's heard some people ask. If you scream at a tree and no one is there, did you even make a sound? Something along those lines maybe.
“I love–”
Oh. No . He doesn't need to think about that.
“I love–”
Edward pushed his blushing face into the wall. Go away, go away, go away ! He willed. Of course, nothing ever works like that.
“I love yo–”
Edward dropped his head into his arms on the table. His mind was trying to finish the sentence now, great.
He's going to kill Ling for this.