Title: Siblings

Disclaimer: So not mine.

Notes: Written for Comment_Fic.

Ling knows he will become the next Emperor of Xing, once they return to their country and he has a chance to speak with his father.

He knows how he will rule already - with the first edict being that the clans will immediately halt their rivalries and attempts at murdering each other.

He hopes he'll do a good job but - "Ow!" Turning, he glares at Mei, holding her other slipper. Preparing to throw her other slipper, at his head - just like the last one. "What was that for?"

Mei glared at him. "You took me away from Alphonse Elric!" she piped. Her very tiny panda (seriously, Ling didn't know they could stay that small - was it a dwarf? Did Mei use alkahestry on it?) mimed Mei's position. And Lan Fan seemed to be considering a kunai...then, catching Ling's eye, she smirked. Smirked. At him! So she didn't consider Mei a threat and...what was his little sister saying again?

Smiling, Ling leaned down to pat her on the head. "Mei, you're too young for Alphonse." He snatched his hand back before the panda attacked. "And Al's not at all healthy - didn't you see how he's but skin and bones?"

"I'm a healer! I could've used alkahestry to heal him!" Mei all but stamped her foot in her rage.

"Or you could wait a few years, let him grow up, let you grow up," let Alphonse actually put some meat on those bones, "and he'll come to Xing." Ling said, in almost an aside, "You know he will want to learn alkahestry, and you will be his shy but willing teacher."

The anger bled out of Mei. Her eyes widened as she played out scenes in her fantasies. Both she and the panda clapped their hands to their cheeks (Mei's were coloring up - Ling really didn't want to know what she might be thinking about Alphonse). "Oh," Mei breathed and it seemed stars all but danced in her eyes. "Yes."

Ling smiled. Maybe he could get this big brother thing down sooner than he thought.