Title: Movement
Day/Theme: Aug. 17 / curse of the gypsy blood
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Character/Pairing: Mei, Al
A/N: A little awkward and an old piece.
Warning: Set post-series, way post-series
Summary: Perhaps this is why they get along so well, they both need to keep moving to see where they stand.

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Xiao Mei follows them, slowly, his paws making small marks on the earth as they move. He barely leaves a sign that he exists as they cross the grass field.

"You sure?" Mei asks again, turning to her pet (her friend). "I can carry you." The small creature shakes his head, trying to move a little faster in an effort to keep up, and she smiles at him. "I see."

They continue in silence for a while, with only the wind and the colourful leaves that float down every now and then to keep them company.

And though he should be used to this, to this sight, Al still marvels at the sounds and textures and the fact that Mei is right here, beside him.

"You know," she starts, nimbly jumping over a rock in her path. They've been climbing this mountain for hours now, on deer paths and tree branches. She's no longer as small as she used to be but still as graceful, still as agile.

She leads the way now, finding routes which he can't see.

"What?" Al asks, curious as he climbs over a log. He still feels clumsy in this body of his, the limbs too long and mobile when he thinks of his old body. As they travel beyond the known world, beyond the outposts and roads, he starts to come to terms with it.

It's his body, it moves as he wants, it can do a lot more things than it used to. It can break a lot quicker and this time, it won't be repairable with a simple handseal and a grin.

"When we were younger, I used to imagine your real body. What you would look like once the tin hat came off."

"Really?" He likes that about her, the way she gets to the point quickly, the way she doesn't lie.

She pauses, glancing at him, and laughs. It's a different sound than he used to hear but it's still her.

"Yeah. I expected this handsome man to appear and then I saw a rather thin, long-haired boy."

"...Sorry to disappoint."

"Still..." She smiles at him this time, extending her hand to take his. "You're exactly how I imagined you to be." Then she lets go and walks a little faster. "We're going to be late at this rate! I don't want to miss the birth!"

They pause as they come to a cliff edge, take in the view.

"It's amazing."

"It is," and he thinks that can describe more than just the sight.