This is a different version of my thirteenth chapter in The Blood Alchemist. Ed comes up with a more elaborate plan to see Taylor's alchemy tattoos.

(-Taylor-)

It had been another long boring day. Ed and Al had been working like mad men to crack the code on Doctor Marcoh's notes. But what I didn't know was how crazy working on the notes could make a person.

I came back to the dorm from playing outside on my flute. I had been watching the sun set but now the night was coming in fast and the weather had turned a bit chilly. So I took my beloved masterpiece into the warmth of the indoors.

I entered the small living room. Ed and Al must have still been working hard in the study because they definitely weren't here. I was completely alone. Or so I thought.

I opened the door to the bedroom, wondering why it was closed in the first place. What I saw made my jaw drop.

The lights were turned off but there was a glow settling on the room by the illumination of tiny candles spread throughout the room. Who lit all these candles, I thought to myself as my eyes focused on the bed.

Lying in the bed was Edward Elric. He watched me with an expression that I couldn't place. He lay propped up on his elbow, his hair loose and splayed over his shoulders and the pillow.

"Um, Edward?" I managed to say.

"Yes." came his reply. Was it me or was his voice deeper than usual?

"What are you doing?"

"I've been waiting for you." he answered in an odd tone.

Shifting nervously, I asked, "Um, Edward? Where's you're shirt?" Yes, Ed was shirtless. His chest was bare for the world to see and I couldn't help the blush in my cheeks.

He answered silkily, "On the floor, where yours belongs."

….Okay. "Who are you and what have you done with Ed?"

Ed laughed. A small smile played on his lips but he did nothing more to answer my question.

"Ed, you are wearing pants under that blanket, right?"

He laughed again, "Won't you come and find out." He patted the space next to him suggestively.

This was too weird for words. I couldn't let this go on any longer. Even if I had kinda always hoped something like this would happen, when the real thing is right in front of you, it's major creepy. "Edward. What's going on here?"

"Whatever you want to." he smiled.

I gulped. Did he really mean whatever I wanted?

Gah! What was I thinking? This madness had to end. "Edward, what's really going on here?"

The first signs of unease showed in his face. His eyes flit about nervously, "I don't know what you mean."

"Yeah you do." I accused. "Start talking. You're acting strange. What are you doing?"

Ed sighed and glanced away from me, "I'm….I'm…" Then he finally let the words rush out in a mumble, "I'm trying to seduce you."

I nodded, "I can see that. Why?"

"I wanted to see what's under your shirt." he admitted.

My blush deepened. "Wha-Why?"

"So I could see them."

Oh, boy. He was for real. I discreetly covered my chest with my arms and for the life of me couldn't think of what to say.

Ed looked back up to me. "So…will you show them to me?"

"I-I-Uh-." Oh, God. I was stuttering like an idiot. But what was I suppose to do in a situation like this? I mean, I'd had boyfriends before but nothing like this had ever happened. Guys didn't usually try to go to second base before they even went on the first date.

"I don't know." I finally said.

"It would really help with the research."

"I-Wait. What?" Research? What kind of research was Ed doing?

"It really help the research if I could see your tattoos."

"That's why!" I screeched. "All you wanted to see were my tattoos?"

"Um, yeah." he said as if that explained everything.

"You-you-." I fumed, trying to think of a proper insult. "You dummy head." …Smooth, real smooth.

Ed stared at me, face frozen. He was about to say something but I marched out of the room. Slamming the door behind me.

(-Ed-)

About a minute after Taylor stormed out of the room, the door opened again. Al's head poked in, "Brother? Why is Taylor crying and on a rampage?"

Ed smacked his forehead with his palm. "Al, I think I screwed up."

"I told you this was a bad idea." Al scolded him.

"Yeah, yeah. I know." he waved at his brother's 'I told you so' attitude.

"Are you going to go talk to her?" Al asked.

"Yeah." Ed sighed. "But can you do one thing for me first?"

"What?"

"Can you hand me my pants?"