Tuesday, June 11, 2013

AlMay Week June 11th: Teacher

A/N: I am definitely not going to meet the dead line for AlMay week, considering this morning and tonight are all I have left in town (and Tuesday morning, but I do have to be at work early). It's June 3rd as I'm writing this, fyi. Alright, anyway, I'm going to shut up and write because this invaded my brain last night. Here we go.


May brushed chalk from her small hands onto her less-ornamental Xingese garb. Al watched the seventeen-year-old Princess walk, the way her hips swayed and hair bounced as she descended the mountain in front of him. When he caught himself, colour rushed to his cheeks, and he had to pinch his wrist to keep from staring again. However, without a doubt he would find himself again staring at the round cheek dotted with freckles, and the way her lithe arms swung when she walked. May was Al's alkahestry teacher, but of late, it was becoming harder and harder for the golden-eyed boy to keep attention on the chalk and knives, and more on the dusty hands and obsidian eyes. She was patient, thankfully, though it took all of her will to be so. But this was Alphonse, her childhood crush after all. Al wondered if May took him in because of that, and it left him up at night. When he arrived at the door, what had she remembered? A friend or a lover?
Of course, while in the armor, he'd never acknowledged May's feelings. She was ten at the time. He'd humored the girl, let her stay by his side, and of course with Al's good nature, he protected her.
Now, here they were, living on their own for training in the mountains of Xing, high above the Chang's village.
The cottage came into view, and May skipped to the door, swinging it open. She quickly stripped of her coat, thanks to the fire's ongoing warmth. She stood in her thin training tank top, which was silver silk, clinging tight to her slightly-sweating frame. Her Xingese pants, which were unacceptable in the presence of a man after the age of thirteen, were also a little too tight. May will still growing, thanks to a belated puberty, but Al too had that problem. They'd have to return to the village soon to get new clothes.
"Want any water, Alphonse-sama?" she asked, skipping over to the kitchen.
Alphonse-sama? Since when did she start calling him Alphonse-sama again? Nowadays it was just 'Al'. Al may have been a man, but he was smart enough to know one thing: May wanted something from him.
"Um, yeah, May. Thanks."
May handed Al a glass, and he stared down into it. May greedily drank her water, smiling as she gasped for air as it came away. Her lips were red from moisture after the dry air. May sat on a barstool at the kitchen counter, her legs spread in an unlady like way, making Al turn his head.
What was wrong with him? He'd grown up with Winry, whom once had hit puberty, had taken the liberty of crop-tops and short shorts. It had never affected him. Maybe somehow May, with her proper Xingese culture that materialized women, made him respect her more, because she demanded it.
"Al?"
He looked up, cheeks still slightly flushed. "Hm?"
"I'm, uh, going to see Ling soon."
White pain shot up Al's spine, and he shivered, shaking it off. Everytime May said that, he left him sick for days. The first time, he'd been physically ill. Just last year, was the first time she'd been called. Al had just returned from his vacation to Resembool, he'd only been training so far for two years. One of May's maids had told him that the Chang Heiress had been called to the Emperor. He didn't have to ask what that meant, he remembered.
One woman from each clan must provide a concubine to the Emperor.
Ling Yao, Emperor of Xing.
This would be her second time.
"Oh," Al whispered, his voice hoarse and shaking.
"You okay?" she whispered. "Al, every time I mention Ling like that, you get all--"
"I'm fine, okay?" he snapped, rising and going to stand by the fire place. He was drained from today, and he didn't want to collapse like this in front of May. Sometimes Al just did that--collapsed. Al was, of course, a very fit young man. Muscular and not thin in the least, but still, he did often get ill. It almost left Al wondering--was some part of his body--soul or strength--left behind in the truth? Doctors told him he'd never really recover from it, there would always be some weakness left, but it made him feel helpless.
May made him feel helpless, when she told him things like that.
May never left her seat, but she was still shaking. She hated telling Al these things, she always had. He was supposed to be strong, right? Why would he even care, if he's not getting touched?
Because he's your friend, a voice told her.
"Al..." her voice was shaking, and she prayed he didn't hear. "Al, I have to ask you something, okay? It's a few things."
He half turned toward her, but still didn't meet her eye.
"Question number one: Am I good teacher?"
Al spun around now, looking at her, concerned. He walked towards her a little more.
"Of course, May," he promised, sitting next to her and taking her cold hand. "Why would you ask that?"
"Then I need to ask something else," she said softly. "Al, I need you to teach me."
Al froze, then laughed softly. "Don't tease me, May. What could I possibly teach you--"
"Not alkahestry." Her stomach felt sick and like it was flying at the same time. The action was perfect, the reason was sick. "Al...I need you...I need you to show me...how boys like to be kissed."
Al didn't move. "What?" Al coloured. "May...we...we have kissed before. Once or twice....And I, er, quite enjoyed...them...or those...I--"
"Oh, Alphonse-sama!" May sobbed, falling over on him. "I'm scared! Every time I go see him I have no idea what I'm doing or what I'm supposed to say or do--I'm just a girl Al! I need you to show me, please. I need to please Ling. I need to please him. I need a child, but first I have to make him like me."
Al's stomach was in his throat, and his heart not far behind. "May--"
"I need to kiss you, Al," she whispered, tears streaming down the freckled cheeks. "I need you too. Please help me...please...."
Al's heart wrenched at the sight of her, sobbing and heaving on his lap. "Come here..." he whispered, pulling her onto his lap, her legs on either side of his hip. He felt so awkward and...dirty. He didn't like touching May like this, not for this reason. Not when she had to ask.
"May..." he whispered, brushing her cheek with his thumb. "You are one hundred percent okay with this?"
May nodded, pushing her bangs back, smiling at the fact Al was complying.
"Oh...okay..." Al whispered. He placed his hands gingerly on her waist, as if he might break her, his breathing already heavy. She swallowed slightly, giggling.
"Al," she whispered, her breath warm against his lips. "Don't look at me like I'm going to kill you, genius."
He managed a shaky laugh, the best he could do to break his nerves. "I guess you're going to end up teaching me anyway."
Before he could say anything, May grabbed for the collar of Al's tee, and yanked him upward so that he could meet her lips halfway. He was shocked for a moment, before melting into the kiss. May's hands twined in Al's hair, and he found himself not caring about nerves anymore, and simply getting May as close to him as possible. He moved his hands to the small of her back, meshing her body closer to his. The next few minutes were spend exchanging gentle kisses, May even leaning down to press kisses to Al's neck and the side of his ear. He smiled blissfully, holding her delicate head softly as she played with his hair.
This is what heaven is, Al realized, right here, next to her.
May paused after she kissed back up to his mouth, but stopped before they could meet again. Al studied her thoughtfully as she stared back at him.
"Was that good?" May whispered.
Al laughed shakily, pressing his forehead against hers. "Well, I can't say anything for others but...yeah. That was very, very good..." he whispered, then leaned up for another slow kiss before she hopped off his lap.
"Al-sama?" she whispered, rubbing her eyes. "It's dark, can you take me to bed?"
Al laughed. It was so like May to be a woman one second and a young girl the next.
"Of course, May," he chuckled, knowing May was only playing a game. They walked to her bedroom, void of any color of trinket, and Al turned around as she slipped her nightgown on.
"Al?" she asked, snuggling under a worn blanket. "Will you lay down with me? It may storm tonight."
He nodded, knowing she was still playing a game. "Al?" she said. "I forgot to tell you my third wish."
"Okay," he said softly, letting his nose and lips press into her silky hair.
"When I'm gone, you have to smile. It's a shame that some people don't get to see it," she yawned, "because it's my favorite thing to see when I wake up."
She rolled over, wrapping her arms around him. He suddenly realized that she was asleep, making him trapped under her. He almost thought this might still be part of her game. Could it? He shook his head, of course not. Al drifted off to sleep, and when May woke up, she woke up to Al's smile.
"Hey, Al?" she whispered softly, her hands playing and pulling on the blonde tuffs of hair. He pressed his nose and mouth against her neck before mumbling, "Whatever it is, the answer is yes."

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