He could remember how they met. He could remember how they became friends. He could remember the first time he ended up at Ling’s house. He could remember the first time Ling brought him to a party and he could remember the first time they kissed.
He could remember the first time he noticed the marks on Ling’s skin and the first time he asked him about them. He could remember the first fight they got into and he could remember the first time they didn’t talk for days and avoided each other in an awkward silence. He could remember so much, but worst of all he could remember that there was so little time.
It took for what felt like forever to get him to talk to him. It took month after month and show after show of goodwill and trust to get the other to open up even a little. He wanted to ask him so many times. Time and time again - ‘Why won’t you do anything?’ ‘Why do you stay?’ ‘Why don’t we just run away?’
Those were the words he yearned to say.
That house was no place for either of them to be but he would suffer that man with his well crafted smiles and his tongue that whipped slow acting poison his direction. He would suffer the stares and the belittling looks. He would suffer the whispers that asked questions about him in the halls from the staff that worked within this large mansion what was better off being considered a prison holding a single willing inmate.
Willing? Honestly Edward didn’t know if that was the word to describe Ling’s situation but he knew he needed to tread carefully because Wu Yao was not a man to be taken lightly. The last thing he needed was to do something stupid and cause Ling undue problems. He didn’t have a full grasp on what was going on but he had his suspicions.
Ling would never confirm anything - ever - of course.
They’d promised. Promised to meet this weekend and promised that Ling would crash with them at the Rockbell-Elric home for a while. Ling just needed to get away - at least that was what Edward had convinced himself of.
He told him to lie. He told him to just say he was staying with a friend. He told him to make it so he was as untraceable as possible. He needed to keep Ling safe - it drove his every action. He’d stake his job, his scholarship, his own safety on it. He’d give it all up if it just meant those bruises would stop appearing as a painted mess on Ling’s skin.
Edward was by no means a dull boy - top of his class in fact - on track to be Valedictorian at this rate. He already had a scholarship to one of the nation’s most prestigious universities but he held three descriptions within their class - The Bookworm - The Brawler - and worst of all - The Cripple.
He hated being called that. He hated it with every fiber of his being but he was going to make something of himself despite the cruel things people said about him and the false limbs that were attached to his body. He hated how people would look down on him because of his differences from them but most of all he hated the way Ling’s father seemed to notice instantly.
But then again how does one miss the cane in his hand?
He’d never forget the day he meant that man because he knew instantly that something was off about Wu Yao and that he was judging him for the missing parts of the body and the informal way he spoke. He’d gone out of his way to use phrases to degrade him and it only made Edward wonder if he spoke to him like that then how did he speak to his son?
But Ling didn’t come to school again and when that happened it normally was accompanied both by something bad and some bullshit lie to cover it up. Some jumbled explanation that was left with so many wholes it would look tattered if held up against swiss cheese. Ling seemed to have an excuse for everything, so it shouldn’t surprise him that this was what was happening.
There’d been a twist in his stomach all day and as such, when classes ended, he blew off his tutoring job and begged his brother to drive him to the Yao estate. Alphonse didn’t understand what had been so desperate about it but he couldn’t say no when Edward was that riled up, so he’d left the blond there and told him he’d be shopping in town and to just call when he needed him.
Edward rushed into the building as quickly as he was able - but there was only so fast he could move on a false leg. He was taking a chance by even showing up here - long since having wordlessly been banned from the Yao estate by Ling’s father. He knew full well of the man’s distaste for him.
“You Promised me, Ling Yao!”
The frustration on his face is more than apparent but it’s just the mask that’s covering up how worried sick he was. His stomach wouldn’t stop twisting and seeing the bag at Ling’s side and the boarding pass in his hand only made his stomach twist harder. He was going to be sick. Just what was going on?!
“What am I doin’ here?! You LIED ta me!”
His head felt like it was swimming with emotions swirling in his chest. He was a contradiction of betrayal and love all at the same time. He wanted nothing but the best for Ling but he want him to be with him. He wanted to know where he was so he knew he was safe. He wanted him to be happy but he always saw that glint in his eye that told a story of darker things left unsaid. He wanted to be angry with him but instead he just felt like he’d been left in the dust.
Everyone left him in the dust.
“Why wouldn’t you tell me that you were leavin’?” His left hand balled into a fist as his shoulder’s tensed and his right hand came down to grip the top of his cane. “Why would you just run off like this?!”
Gold narrowed on him as he took a deep breath, his body starting to visibly shake with his anger. “Don’t tell me where I should n’ shouldn’t be, Ling! Not when you couldn’t even bother ta tell me that you were leavin’? Didn’t I have a right ta know? Don’t you care ‘bout me? Can’t you see how fuckin’ worried I am ‘bout you?!
