‘Uuuuhhhh!’

‘What's wrong’ Ken asked Mustang as he ate his breakfast, sitting at the table.

‘I've got the mother of all hangovers’ Mustang groaned, slouching across the kitchen and dropping heavily into the seat.

He slumped forward then, resting with the side of his face pressed against the tabletop and dribbling.

Ken pushed his cereal away and leaned around to get a better look at Mustang, seeing his sunken eyes.

‘Didn’t you sleep?’

‘No…’

‘You came into my room last night.’

‘Did I?’

‘Yes’ Ken replied flatly.

‘I don’t remember…’

Ken stared at him with a flat expression, leaning on his elbows with the spoon stuck in his mouth.

….convenient……

*

Later that morning, they walked to college together. Mustang walked briskly beside Ken, striding with his hands in his pocket, slowing down; then skipping ahead, before slowing down again, then skipping ahead.

‘Will you stop that?’ Ken glowered at him. ‘It’s annoying.’

‘Oh so you noticed me’ Mustang gleamed, flashing his perfect teeth in a grin.

‘How could I not?’ Ken slowed to a stop. ‘What are you trying to do?’

‘I just want to be noticed.’ Mustang spoke, sounding sincere now. ‘That’s all I want. I want you to notice me, to know I exist.’

‘I know you exist’ Ken spoke in a level tone.

‘I want more’ he breathed.

Ken flinched; he blinked once, gritting his teeth.

Mustang’s gaze bore into him, and he took the smallest step closer.

‘Ken…’

Someone grabbed onto Mustang from behind then, placing his hands over his eyes and giggling.

‘Guess who?’ the man said, as Ken watching took an uncertain step back.

‘Aidan?’ Mustang smiled beneath the hands.

‘Nope?’

‘Steve?’

The stranger let go of Mustang, coming around him and smiling.

‘Alan!’ Mustang gleamed, seeing him properly now. ‘What a pleasant surprise.’

‘How long were you going to keep guessing?’ Alan smirked, sliding closer to Mustang and pressing his body against his.

Jeez how many guys does he have? Ken thought to himself watching them. It must be like a million or something.

‘Why don’t we go back to my place?’ Alan suggested. ‘I can think of all sorts we can get up to.’

Mustang stared over his shoulder as Alan began to kiss his neck, moving his lips further down his shoulder.

‘Alan wait’ Mustang spoke urgently. He called loudly for Ken as Alan pulled back.

Ken who had walked away at that point, turned and glanced back.

‘What?’ he asked shortly.

Mustang pushed himself away from Alan, moving over to Ken and putting his arm around his neck in a playful gesture.

‘Alan’ Mustang said to him. ‘This is Ken. I can’t see you anymore, because I'm in love with him.’

Ken instantly went red.

‘I see’ Alan said, bowing his head. ‘Well then…’

Ken’s heart tightened in his chest as Alan sauntered up to him, moving dangerously close, their foreheads inches apart as he touched Ken’s chin, tilting his head back.

‘Mustang is a good man’ Alan said to Ken in a quiet tone. ‘I hope you look after him.’

Alan drew his hand back. He turned and drifted away then without another word.

When he was gone, Ken turned to Mustang who was still clinging to him.

‘W-what was that all about?’

Mustang let go of Ken, moving to stand in front of him.

‘I meant what I said Ken. I love you. I love you.’

‘D-don’t say that’ Ken mumbled, blushing further.

Mustang grabbed his hands suddenly, holding them before him in both his own.

‘I love you’ he said again. ‘I mean it. I want to be with you. I want you to want to be with me. I will make you say you love me. I will, if it’s the last thing I ever do.’

‘What?’

Have you lost your mind?

‘I mean everything I've said’ Mustang said to him finally. ‘I promise, I wouldn’t joke or lie to you about this.’

Ken stared back at him uncertainly, feeling his heart skip a beat.

What’s up with this guy?

*

Later that day in college, Ken was sitting in class working. He frowned down at the paper before him, brow furrowed.

Damit, this is so confusing. I'm never going to understand this.

He grimaced then, forcing himself to smile.

‘Um…’ he began. ‘Are you going to stare at me for the entire class?’

‘Hm?’ Mustang who had been sitting beside him, resting with his chin on his palm and facing him straightened then. ‘What? You don’t like it?’

Ken turned to him, a vein pulsing in his temple as he grew agitated with Mustang. ‘Would you like it if someone was staring at you none stop?’

‘Actually I would’ Mustang grinned happily at him. ‘I’d be flattered that I was that interesting and the soul attention for someone.’

‘Hm.’ Ken turned away. ‘I suppose I should have known.’

Mustang’s elbows slid slowly on the table then, until he was resting forwards on the table with his head upon his folded arms, still staring at Ken, never breaking eye contact.

Ken hunched his shoulders, feeling extremely uncomfortable being stared at all the time.

‘Um’ he said a few minutes later. ‘Do you mind?’

‘What?’

Ken looked at him. ‘Can you not stare at me?’

‘Why not? I think you're pretty to look at.’

‘Shhh’ Ken hissed sharply, clapping his hand over Mustang’s mouth and glancing feverishly about him at the other students around. He couldn’t be sure if anyone had heard.

Mustang gave Ken a strange look then, and he suddenly conveyed several emotions to him, mixed with amusement, happiness, and lust.

He was enjoying having Ken touch him.

Realising this Ken drew his hand back sharply, holding it to him.

Mustang let out the breath he had been holding when Ken first touched him. He smiled again.

‘Look’ Ken said patiently. ‘Can you just…stop watching me?’

‘Fine.’ Mustang turned away, facing the other direction.

Ken sighed heavily, returning his attention back to his book.

He continued to work in peace for some time, until Ken glanced towards Mustang, who had not moved from his seat.

His heart jolted in his chest as he realised that Mustang was still watching him, in the reflection of a small mirror which sat on the wall. Ken saw the edges of his lips curl in a sly grin. Mustang licked his lips seductively then, winking at Ken as he saw him watching him.

Ken’s heart tightened further in his chest, and his palms began to sweat. He felt his cheeks begin to glow and he stared hard at the open book before him, trying his best not to become distracted, though his thoughts were far away.

I mustn’t look. I mustn’t look. I mustn’t look. I mustn’t look……