The atmosphere became heavy with tension. It was to the point where I felt as if it became difficult to breathe. Edward's words hang in the air, dangling like a baited string for a cat.

No one responded or even challenged Ed. Not in the harsh slow minutes that passed by. I was beyond a loss for words.

I've seen Edward angry in the past, he always had a short temper ever since he was a child. But this—this was different. I've never seen him so—so hostile.

His gold eyes were fierce, blazed with raw anger. His teeth were bared with his lips pressed tightly together. Though with his fists were balled atop the table I had a feeling he wouldn't care if he smashed it to pieces.

No one moved after he spoke, not even dared to tear their eyes off him. Ed placed up a dangerous front despite being only fifteen. I couldn't understand his sudden anger though.

The more I stared at him the more it all seemed unnecessary. Tucker didn't seemed bothered by Ed's outburst. Only did he straighten his glasses before protruding a small frown.

"Equivalent exchange," he repeats but in a lower tone. "If I can't know her secrets why should I share mine?"

"You asked me, not her." Ed states, "I told you mine and that should be enough. Nothing's equivalent if one person gives up more than the other."

Tucker doesn't respond, he only sets his stare on Ed. The man obviously disagreed on the subject and wished to say more. Only, Ed made it next to impossible. He bared his teeth and shot a finger towards Tucker.

"This is between you, me, and my brother," Ed growls threateningly. "If you try to pull anything then you and your research can go to hell."

"Edward!"

I didn't realize it was me and Colonel who'd called Ed's name at once. I made to grab the end of Ed's shirt while the Colonel shot to his feet. His eyes were wide in shock but they also narrowed in appall.

"A-ah I'm sorry about that," Mustang stammers with a grimace towards Tucker. "What he meant to say was that Y/n isn't a State Alchemist so she's not involved in his research."

Ed gives a loud huff, "Colonel, that's not what I meant! What I meant was that if——"

"Edward."

His head abruptly whirls to me as if what he was about to say meant little. I swallow thickly and tug on his shirt. "Calm down," I instruct calmly.

"Calm down?" He repeats in a scoff. "You want me to calm down?"

"Yes. Because if you don't then your chance of seeing Tucker's research will dwindle. I'm sure you don't want that, right?"

His lack of immediate response led me to think he contemplated on the subject. I wondered why it took him moment. This wasn't hard thing to decide on.

He needed to see Tucker's research so why hesitate? Though I could see it in his eyes that a smart-ass answer would soon develop in a second. I send him a warning look causing him to release a tired breath.

"Right." He grumbles with a frown.

I nod at him before releasing his shirt. "Then sit down."

He obeys surprisingly and takes a seat quietly. He doesn't look at Tucker and crosses his arms over his chest like a child. Glancing at Mustang I realized during the time I calmed Edward down he was busy convincing Tucker that Ed didn't mean a single word.

"Oh, it's quite alright," assured Tucker. Propping his elbows on the table he clasps his hands before his chin. He eyes Edward in curiosity, but there was a spilt second in which the corner of his lip quirked up. Though I wasn't sure if that were true for it disappeared sooner than it came. "Even if he did I'm still quite fascinated," he murmurs. "Why would Edward get so worked up over a little question?"

I hear Ed click his tongue and I grasp his hand to keep him from spitting venom. Instantly he relaxes under my grip. Tucker turns his eyes on me and I flinch at the sudden intrigue in them.

He eyed me as if I were a new test subject—something that fascinated him more than ever.

"It only comes to show you must be really hiding something," he mumbles with a frown. "And I do wonder if it's as dark as what the Elrics been through."

His words left me breathless. Almost as if he'd punched me in the gut. I couldn't seem to gain a good vision on him for it became spotty and blurry.

My heart thudded against my chest and my grip on Ed had slightly tightened. Tucker said it as if he knew my secret, like he knew every single thing I've done. He knew nothing and yet that smidge of thought wasn't reassuring at all.

Guilt abruptly drowns my senses and I couldn't look Tucker in the eye no longer. His words hit me harder than he'd realized or maybe he did. Tucker did take a stand after Mustang requested for him to not reveal anything Ed had said.

He agreed and reluctantly offered to the show the brothers his lab. He'd sauntered out the living room with Mustang not far behind.

"Brother? Y/n?" I hadn't realized Al lingered by the hallway and we still sat on our chairs. Looking at Al he cocked his head before a gesturing a hand to the hall. "Aren't you guys coming?"

"Um, in a minute, Al." Ed quickly answers before I could. "You can go on ahead." I shoot Edward a look but his gaze was fixated on his brother.

I wonder what he needed if he wasn't following Al. Immediately I thought of the worse. Could Tucker's comment spark interest in Ed? Would he ask me the accident he believed I had was something more?

My hands become clammy and I immediately remove my hand from Ed's wrist. My body doesn't feel right, I shook my head in order to keep me from panicking. When I heard Al's soft footsteps fade away I could feel Ed's stare upon me.

I tried not to squirm but it was difficult considering how he was studying me. I knew with each second passing by he would get suspicious, and that wasn't something I couldn't afford.

Clearing my throat, I held my chin high before locking eyes with him. I made it so that I don't look weak. "Shouldn't we follow Tucker?" I question.

"Not yet," Edward replies rather firmly. I resist the urge to gulp. I had a sense he was somewhere between irritated and annoyed. "Why'd you do that?"

His question stumped me for a moment. I wasn't sure what he meant, but when I scanned his face for a clue I got nothing. I roll my shoulders awkwardly, "Do what?"

"Stop me." Ed grumbles. He stands from his seat and begins to pace around. "He was crossing a line, Y/n."

"And so what if he was?" I sigh, standing as well. "You know as well as I do what the end result could've been."

"That changes nothing!" He fumes. "It doesn't change the fact he was probing you instead of me! I mean, I'm the one asking to see his research, not you! He might as well asked what the Colonel's dark secret was."

I raise a brow, "The Colonel? What, does he have a secret?"

"Tch, to hell if I know," Ed mutters, crossing his arms. "If he does I don't care. And we're getting off topic—what I'm saying is that you shouldn't give in to people like that."

"I wasn't giving in to anyone!" I proclaim. "All I did was tell you to calm down. You were acting like a child!"

"I was defending you! It was damn obvious you weren't gonna do it!"

I bite down my lower lip, I wanted to argue but I knew he was right. I made no move to defend myself against Tucker and had no intention to. Still, he didn't give him right to speak to him such a way.

Looking back at Ed I can see how much this bothered him. His golden eyes wavered in troubled even though he'd tried to mask it with irritation. If this keeps up there's no doubt this would turn into a stupid argument.

"Are we gonna follow Al now?" I sigh. Ed hesitated for a moment as if he wanted to say more. And I wasn't sure what else he could possibly say so I raised a brow.

Ed stiffens before me before sharply turning a heel. He mutters a "fine," before sauntering into the hall. I follow close behind wondering why the hell he went stiff as a board when I looked at him.

Finally catching up to the others Tucker gives a brief tour of his lab as he explains the many failures he had during his experiments. I have no heed to his words and stayed in the hall while the brothers awed everything in sight. I still couldn't fathom how someone could this sort of research fascinating.

Tucker then finally led us to a pair of double doors that revealed a large library just in the other side. Shelf after shelf was full books and many relating to the arts of alchemy. I may not be a long avid reader or researcher myself, but this place was absolutely jaw-dropping.

"This is incredible!" Ed gapes beside me. Looking at him I've noticed a brilliant glow coating his face.

His eyes widening in excitement while that gleam held a child's eagerness. His lips tug upward revealing a boyish grin. I've always admired how excited this boy can get over a mere pile of books.

It always—fascinated me. To the point where my heart skipped twice a beat. He never noticed me, not once looked my way. It was like I became invisible when he and Al rushed into the library.

"All right!" He gushes. "I'll start with this shelf!"

"Okay, I'll work on the other!" Al shouts from across the room.

I release a small sigh with my shoulders slacking. "Well, can't break them out of their focus now."

Tucker chuckles beside me, even the Colonel smirked in amusement. It was obvious these boys drifted off into their own little world. Then it finally dawned on me that I would have to read too.

The idea itself didn't seem quite bad, but when I calculated how many books were in this library then it made the entire situation tiresome. I drop my head while releasing a tired groan.

"Guess I gotta go and do the same. . ."

I lingered by door for a moment, hoping one of the boys heard me. But they kept on reading and I groaned even louder. Just when I took a single step something firm yet gentle wraps itself around my wrist.

The feeling startled me and I flinch my wrist away, but to no avail. The culprit only tightened their grip further.

"The hell—" Twisting my upper body I was able to glance over my shoulder. It was only I and the Colonel that stood at the doorway.

Tucker was no where in sight, possibly went back to his lab. But the Colonel's hand was wrapped firmly around my wrist and he wasn't planning on letting me go just yet. I narrow my eyes at him and yank my arm once more.

"Let go." I demand firmly. Mustang simply shakes his head, his onyx eyes never leaving my face. His lips were pressed firmly together, I couldn't tell what he's thinking.

"We need to talk," he says sternly.

I scoff while rolling my eyes, "About what exactly? What, you've finally came up with an excuse about your staring?"

Mustang's brow twitches at my comment and I fully expected him to snap at me. But he didn't. He just releases his grip slightly with his gaze softening. "You're Y/n L/n." He states again. "That makes Lucinda L/n your mother."

He said this with confidence. Like he knew me since a child. The mere fact he knew my mother's name startled me.

I could only stare and gape like an idiot, unsure what to say. A chill crawls up my spine and my chest tingles when I think of my mother's name. I rack my brain frantically as I try to remember this man's face, but couldn't recall anything. And that freaked me out even more.

"I—how do you know," I breathe. "How do you know my mom?"

Every single possibility popped into mind and I couldn't control the massive thoughts taking over. Were they close? Were they not?

But he knew who I was so that meant my mother trusted him greatly. She never mentioned him to me though. I was sure Mustang could read the obvious confusion plastered on my features because he frowned before gesturing his head to the end of the hall.

"Come. This isn't the place for this conversation."

Despite how he made it sound as if I had a choice, his actions said otherwise. I was dragged behind him, stumbling over my footing in the process. I began panicking about how Ed and Al would notice my absence, but quickly stopped myself knowing ridiculous that sounded.

Of course they wouldn't notice, they would be reading without raising their heads. Besides, that wasn't important. I set my gaze on Mustang's back and focused them on the square of his shoulders.

No, what was important was finding out who he was. And what he was to my mother.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

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