A/N: Another chapter of this story, FINALLY. Admittedly it didn't take as long as the last one but still, am I slow or what? XD Besides all of that just thought I'd throw out a warning that despite the fact that this story attempted to develop a small plot I started it cause a lurrrrv Ed being an adorable kitty and I wanted the Elricest aspect of it so if the story disappears for a while occasionally don't worry, that's how I want it. Besides this is my bit of crack, just for everyone's enjoyment 3 So as far as that's concerned ENJOY IT!

Also note that this chapter is from Ed's P.O.V.

Warning: Chapter rating has gone up for this one, not quite full blown M yet but certainly at least T near the end. You are warned.

That stupid bastard, did he really think he could try to curry Al's favour with those little smiles and the same damned look he gave every one of Havoc's (ex) girlfriends? If it wasn't for the fact he knew Al wouldn't understand, Ed would have punched him as soon as he'd seen him; and despite that it was still tempting. Alphonse was glaring at him, but Ed looked away, glancing back at the bastard before clinging to Al –damn, he smelled really good.

When Mustang said the words safe house Edward felt Alphonse tense beneath him, it had always been obvious when Al was scared and an alarm went off in the back of Ed's mind. He didn't give a shit if they wanted to put him in a safe house, he could study, work on fixing his 'problem' and beat the crap out of anyone that bothered him, but why did Al have to be involved?

"It isn't yet urgent, but it would be in your best interest to be placed somewhere that we can keep a twenty-four hour watch on." Alphonse opened his mouth to speak but Edward cut him off, pulling himself from his brother's shoulders and shaking his head soundly.

"You can move me wherever the hell you want, but this doesn't have anything to do with Al."

"But, brother-"

"Fullmetal," it was Roy's turn to interrupt him, "don't be naïve. Just because your brother is not directly involved with the project doesn't mean he has nothing to with it."

"And what the hell would you know?" Ed snapped before Al stopped him, reaching to lay a hand briefly over his.

"He would know, Ed, it wouldn't hurt you to at least listen to what he has to say." The fact that Al kept agreeing with the asshole was only making it worse. It was all Roy's fault anyway, if he hadn't put Ed through that stupid trial he wouldn't be cursed with this shit at all.

Although he couldn't really convince himself to believe that. He had heard Al tell Mustang that he didn't really blame him and damnit if he hadn't been right, of course Al was usually right when it came to him, or Mustang, or anything for that matter. Ed leaned down again, draping himself over Alphonse's back.

I never would have done this before, he thought distastefully. It was disturbing to know that he was doing things that had he not been fused with a cat. But…just like he'd told Al, it felt good. As angry as he was with the situation as hard as he was working to hate Mustang and as painful as it was to think that his job, again, was going to get Al into trouble there was something nice about it.

He loved that he wasn't embarrassed to wrap his arms around Alphonse when he was obviously so anxious. Ed had always enjoyed sneaking touches, even an occasional brotherly kiss but now it was forefront and obvious that he was touching, and Alphonse wasn't rejecting.

He was talking again, fuck; Mustang was always talking about something. Nonetheless, Ed tuned back in, he needed to listen. "…Dangerous." Wait, what did I miss? There was silence and Al glanced at him as though waiting for him to respond.

Apparently something important.

"I want to go with you." Al interjected before the silence could weigh too heavily on them and Ed's ears flicked forward at the sound. He blinked and looked at Al for help or some clue that might tell him what they'd been speaking of.

"I missed that," Ed said, sounding petulant as opposed to curious.

Roy sighed heavily and looked at Ed as though he was little more than a nuisance. Ed was sure he felt like that, he also was sure the whole cat-thing was part of some elaborate plan to get him out of the way so Mustang could have a go after his little brother.

Actually, he wasn't sure about that at all. But it was a nice thought, because if it was true, Ed would be justified in killing him.

"I was saying," the military man pushed on, "that it would be dangerous for either you or your brother to be left alone and roaming for a while. We have reason to believe that somehow someone of worthy rank knows about the experimentation on you and questions are starting to be asked. However the fact that no one has shown up and attempted to take you into custody leads us to believe no one is certain yet." He took another deep breath and looked at Alphonse. "I was also attempting to explain why exactly, Fullmetal, Alphonse has to be involved."

"Fine, what's your stupid reasoning?"

Before he could start up again, Alphonse touched Ed's hand and said, "Please stop being so disagreeable, brother. I know this situation is a little frustrating but Colonel Mustang just wants to help, and so do I." Edward wanted to howl and throw his complaints that "Colonel Mustang" was not "trying to help", but the feel of Al's hand over his was strangely soothing and he settled down reluctantly to listen.

It was almost an hour before Roy Mustang finally left. He had spewed a bunch of military forms of tactics and such as to why it was only proper to keep Ed's family just as safe as he was and Ed scoffed at most of it, he'd read those tactical books too and while he probably couldn't use them quite as well as Mustang on a high-military level he could figure them in this situation. However, Roy had Al on his side, wanting to be with Ed and they had eventually won him over with a mixture of logic and guilt tripping him with scenarios of Alphonse being taken hostage and used as ransom to get a hold of Edward.

Before he left he contacted someone at headquarters and as per safety precautions had someone –presumably Hawkeye- send a pair of safety patrol officers to peruse the neighborhood throughout the evening and informed Ed and Al that he would contact them when the safety house was in order and for the time being ordered them to stay low and be sure to pack anything they would be needing.

After an uncomfortably quiet meal of ramen noodles and near half an hour sitting in the kitchen alone, Edward made his way into the living room where Alphonse was curled up on the couch staring at nothing. "Oh, hello, brother," he greeted, obviously attempting to sound and look cheerful, it failed and Edward swished his tail in annoyance. Funny, he was starting to get used to that thing.

He didn't know what to say and just made his way to the couch and sat on the opposite end, curling the tail around his waist so as not to accidentally sit on it. As he did he had to fight a desperate urge to sit close to Alphonse. He had a desire to be close, even more to be touched and it made him nervous. He knew that Al wouldn't deny him that, actually, with as much as Al liked those ridiculous furry creatures he might even enjoy it but Ed would feel dirty. Pawning off his sexual attraction to Al as the cat-like nature that had been instilled within him, it was certainly wrong. Although that really was making everything much worse and he felt a ripple of sensation through his ears and he reached up to itch them, wishing he didn't have that stigma keeping him from asking Al to do the deed.

It was silent for another long moment. But thankfully, Alphonse finally took the initiative to speak. "I'm scared," he whispered slowly, looking up at Ed. "I'm not worried about me or anything, but I don't want anything bad to happen to you." Edward could see him swallow hard before he went on. "Thank you for letting me come with you, Ed. I would drive myself crazy worrying about you if I couldn't." He tried another smiled and it worked out a little better.

"Yeah, it's no big deal." Ed passes it off flippantly, but really he was glad Al would be there too, he made everything seem easier. He pawed at his ears again, trying to glare up at them but it wasn't working particularly well and Alphonse was laughing at him. "Shut up," he growled and Al just laughed harder.

"Here," he got up on his knees and half-crawled across the couch, "let me do it."

I should protest.

He reached up and rubbed Ed's head, starting at his ears and Ed nuzzled up into his hand a wave of pleasure wafted through his chest and he felt a little sound stir in the back of his throat. Alphonse smiled at him and petted his hair with long, flat-handed strokes like one would, well, a cat. All thoughts of it being perverse stopped and Edward just pressed harder into it. It was one perk of the whole creature fusion, the cat part of him seemed to care much less for right and wrong and he could tune out everything but Al's touch.

Until he realized that touch had made its way between his legs.

Not literally of course, but Ed noticed abruptly and surprisingly that the light brush of Al's fingers against his scalp as they thread through his hair was making him hard. It was his turn to swallow uncomfortably. How do I get out of this? Alphonse was staring off into space, but he had moved closer petting Ed absently and Ed was suddenly very aware of him. Aware of how he smelled, salty and sweet like his shampoo, aware of the fact that his shirt was open in the front and just how painfully inviting he looked.

His head told him it wasn't the time to be thinking about how much he wanted to bang his baby brother but his groin was protesting desperately and he felt his breathing start to pick up, both sorts of his animal instinct were kicking in vying to shut his head off and pounce.

Ed felt his eyes go wide and he forced that side of him down, and surely startling Al immensely he jumped off of the couch and muttered something about having to use the bathroom before making a speedy exit to said room.

"Fuck," he hissed to himself. He would have to be more careful around Alphonse from now on. He hadn't realized how easy it would be to let himself go. That just Al's innocent attention would send his mind spiraling in a nosedive towards thoughts of that gorgeously bronzed body sprawled naked over the couch, with his hair sticky and splayed in every direction. Edward leaned against the wall and slid his hand down to flip the button of his trousers open, his ears went flat against his head and his tail swayed impatiently back and forth. It had happened so fast. Ed pushed his fingers into his boxers and…

Oh, god.