The Merits of Getting Lost
Title: The Merits of Getting Lost
Fandom: FMA
Pairing LingxEd (or rather EdxLing, but whatever)Also very, very vague, possibly one sided RoyxEd
Author: inugrlrayn
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I don't own FMA or it's characters and all that jazz.
Author's note: This is all sky_dark's fault. Her Ling/Ed love is contagious and somehow a Roy/Ed picture I doodled got turned into this. *has no idea how that happened* Anyway, this is for you, dear! Enjoy the smut!
In retrospect, he should have known better. After all, he’d never been a diplomat, and there was no reason for him to have this assignment. Oh, well, except for the fact that, according to Roy, who looked rather put off about it, he’d been requested. Given that it was Ling who’d done the requesting, he had to have known it was a bad idea, but for once in his life he’d just gone and followed orders. After all, he’d heard the food in Xing was pretty good.
That first five minutes after he’d arrived, he should have known what was being pulled over on him. He should have just punched Ling, and turned tail, back to Central, back to Roy… Roy who never really noticed him anyway unless he was berating him for his rather… flashy methods.
Instead, he only stood, frozen and wide eyed as lips pressed sensuously over his own, eyes batting lazily at him in the moment after as he tried to process what had happened.
“You…” Ed growled, hand balled in a fist at his side.
“I meant no offense, I assure you!” Ling waved his arms in an animated fashion.
“No offense? You just kissed me, you jerk!” Ed flailed angrily. He could put up with being dragged out here, could maybe even get by without massacring the prince, but his lips were off limits..
“It’s customary… old friends.” Something in Ling’s grin smacked of a bold faced lie, but Ed knew nothing of the customs of Xing, and at the moment was slightly more afraid of offending and the chewing out that would entail back home, than he was of his own desecrated honor. After all, maybe if he pulled this off without too much destruction, he could go back to Central and not get chewed out for once. He could always beat Ling to a pulp later, anyway..
All through the reception that Ling had apparently arranged in his honor, he watched as bows, and sometimes chaste hugs were exchanged. Each time, he felt a little more had, until finally the humiliation was a bit too much.
“You lied to me,” Ed hissed at the man beside him.
“Did I?” Ling did his very best to look innocent.
“Customary… customary my ass.”
“If you insist, perhaps later.”
“What later?” Ed grumbled, eyes widening as he realized what Ling meant. The color rose in his cheeks, and that was enough to get him to drop it. He was not having that sort of discussion in front of all these people.
“Another glass of wine?” Ling offered cheerfully, and Ed sighed through his nose. It was going to be a long night.
Midnight rolled around, and after four hours of biting his tongue, despite the urge to do serious damage to Ling, and thinly veiled innuendoes that he tried desperately to ignore, Ed finally managed to slink away, heading in the direction he thought his room might be.
Half an hour later found Ed at the end of a hallway, turning his head to look down one turn and another, cursing the whole damn palace. Why did it have to be so big, anyway? Couldn’t the doors at least be numbered or something?
“Nice to see you again.” Ed groaned at the bright voice that called behind him. The situation was irritating enough without Ling to add to it.
“I was just heading back to my room,” Ed countered, turning to face the prince, who was grinning like a loon.
“You’re on the wrong floor,” Ling pointed out.
“Oh.” Ed scowled, turning and heading for where he thought the stairs might be.
“I’ll show you the way,” Ling offered, and frowned more, acquiescing with a terse nod of his head.
It was a long walk, and Ed allowed himself to be drawn into conversation, bit by bit. It wasn’t that he actually enjoyed the company, at least Ling wasn’t laughing at him for getting lost, and talk of the differences between Amestrian and Xingian food seemed relatively innocuous.
“Ah, here we are,” Ling said finally, stopping in front of a heavy wooden door. It looked a little different from what Ed thought it should, but he’d only seen the thing once, and assumed his mind was just playing tricks on him.
“Thanks,” he muttered, turning the handle and allowing himself to be ushered inside.
“You’re quite welcome.” Ling followed him in, and Ed was too busy trying to shuffle him back out to turn around and look at where he was.
“What are you doing?” He asked grouchily, but there was no answer as Ling squirmed his way through the door, shutting it behind him with a kick of his foot. He turned on Ed with a grin, and the alchemist found himself turning around looking for another exit.
That was about the time he realized this wasn’t actually his room.
“Hey! What kind of dirty trick was that?” he yelled.
“What?” Ling blinked innocently at him.
“This isn’t my room, you jerk.” Ed flailed about, backing away from an advancing Ling until he stumbled and hit the bed.
“You look good against Xingian silk,” Ling purred, advancing in a rather predatory fashion on Ed, who scrambled backward on the bed.
“I what?” he spluttered, waving his arms about, forgetting they were the only think keeping him upright. He flopped unceremoniously back against the covers. He barely had time to debate the merits of punching Ling and just going home, when the prince was on top of him, lips against his.
It wasn’t that Ling wasn’t attractive. It wasn’t even that Ed hadn’t thought about it a time or two before scowling and deciding that he’d kill Ling before he ever did that, but this was not what he was here for. What about whatever it was he was supposed to be doing here? Nevermind that he didn’t even know what the point was. What about Roy? Nevermind that the man hardly noticed him anyway..
There were still lips on his, though, and the longer they moved over his own, the less inclined he was to get rid of them. Deft fingers pulled his hair from it’s ponytail, carding through the thick tresses, and Ling’s mouth edged along his jaw with kisses, and brief, playful nips. This was an awful idea, Ed was sure, but what was the point of going on now that Al was restored if he couldn’t have a little bit of fun?
Stupid stupid stupid. His mind chanted gleefully at him, but his body refused to listen, warm and twisting on the bed beneath Ling. A tongue dragged along the hollow of his neck and he panted, sucking in a sharp breath as teeth bit down along the side of his neck.
Oh fuck it. His mind finally decided that his body pretty much had the right idea. Fingers pressed and slid down his spine, and he allowed himself to be pulled slightly off the mattress, pressed against Ling. Soft breaths blew warm and wet across his ear, palms sliding down his back to cup his bottom through his pants. Ed blushed brightly, but quickly forgot to be embarrassed, lost in lips and tongue devouring his mouth.
Ed fisted his hands in smooth red silk as Ling’s fingers dragged up his belly, beneath his shirt. It was too hot in here and he squirmed, as fingertips traced lines of lean muscle, a tongue swiping at the edge of his ear.
“Fffff…” his voice sputtered out into a sharp squeak as Ling ground their hips together. His eyes closed to golden slits, head tilting back against a pile of smooth, plush pillows, and the prince pressed the advantage, tugging the buttons of Ed’s button down shirt loose to reveal smooth, golden skin beneath. Ling’s mouth descended along his collarbone, over his chest, stopping to worry at a nipple, and Ed moaned in pleasure, a tiny bit glad he’d had to dress up for dinner earlier.
Fingers edged toward his slacks and some of his usual, grumpy demeanor returned, long enough to decide that he was not going to be naked if Ling wasn’t. He growled and pushed, rolling them over until he was on top, eyes flashing with heat and desire, thigh pressed hard between Ling’s legs.
Ling’s eyes widened for a split second, but he smiled widely as Ed’s fingers scrabbled at his coat, tugging the frog at his throat open. Mismatched hands pressed Ling’s shoulders into the bed, and Ed kissed him hard, shivering into it as Ling shifted, pressing the bare skin of his chest against Ed’s.
He groaned into Ling’s mouth as the prince’s hands slipped down his sides, along his hips and waistline, pausing only long enough to unzip his trousers before cupping him between his pants and boxers.
Ed whimpered as he was released long enough for pants and boxers to be tugged down. He allowed himself to be rolled over, his breath coming in small shudders as Ling slid down his body, a tongue dipping into his navel, lips whispering against the hollow of his hip.
He nearly screamed as he was swallowed whole, and some distant, more snarky part of him noted that at least Ling’s mouth was good for something. A hands pressed his hips into the mattress to keep him from thrusting as lips pressed tightly around his length, the flat of Ling’s tongue drawing warm, wet lines up and down, agonizingly slowly.
Ed gritted his teeth with effort not to scream, not to yank Ling’s hands away and be done with it. Instead he buried his hands in Ling’s hair, murmuring vague encouragement. The prince obliged, sucking harder, faster and Ed thought that if he died like this, he might be okay with that.
He hardly noticed Ling release his hips, palms sliding down the tops of his thighs, up the insides of them. He did notice though, as fingers cupped his balls for a moment before drawing further back, and he growled in warning, kicking as hard as he dared with his cock in Ling’s mouth.
“Exactly what do you think you’re doing?” Ed seethed, shifting warily away, mentally bemoaning his rather unsatisfied state.
“What do you think?” Ling asked innocently, blinking at him.
“I think you’re not topping,” Ed grumbled, waiting for Ling to just give in so they could finish this already.
“But I’m a prince,” Ling pouted.
“And?”
“And, it’s just not done,” Ling added.
Ed ached with need, and for just a moment he considered letting Ling have his way. His ego, though, was not quite so quick to give in.
“This was your idea, not mine.” he shrugged, schooling the mischievous grin away from his lips as he continued. “I mean, I’m perfectly happy to just pretend nothing happened if you’re not willing to compromise.”
Ling blinked at him, still pouting, though a little more thoughtfully. Ed decided he must have been spending far too much time thinking about Roy about then, because that really was the sort of dirty trick that Mustang would pull.
It was a bad line of thought, with him already like this, his mind straying to pale skin and charcoal eyes and… and Ling was talking so he reigned in that line of thought.
“Fine,” Ling muttered finally, and Ed was all to happy to accommodate by that point, nipping and sucking at Ling’s bottom lip until he gave, sinking against Ed, allowing himself to be pressed back against the bed.
Ed shifted, stopping only long enough to glance around for something to use as lube. His eyes landed on a bottle of oil, most likely set out for that particular purpose and his lips quirked up, amused at the change in Ling’s plans. He dragged the automail down Ling’s front, cool metal making the other man shiver and moan, bucking his hips as Ed’s fingers curled around his pants. In one smooth movement, the pants were off, leaving them both more or less naked, only open shirts clinging to their shoulders, not enough in the way to be bothered with.
He drew his tongue along Ling’s cock, grinning at the moan pulled from his companion’s lips. Ed pulled away long enough to press wet, open mouth kisses achingly close, but not quite touching, on Ling’s hips, his thighs, until his companion was squirming and murmuring curses in frustration. He pushed Ling, shifted him on the mattress so that he could reach the bottle of oil, and then moved back to where he’d been, teeth and tongue running delicately down Ling’s length, driving the prince to distraction.
For acting so put upon about it earlier, Ling was remarkably relaxed as Ed circled with an oil slicked finger, pressing carefully in. He rocked slightly, further into Ed’s mouth, back against his hand. Ed moved his hand experimentally, out and back in, smirking at the way Ling groaned in approval.
After a moment, he pulled the finger away, replacing it with two. He pulled and sucked with his lips and tongue, driving his fingers in a little harder. Ling hissed in pleasure, arching his back off the bed.
“Don’t tease,” he moaned, and Ed pulled his mouth away, moved back up Ling’s body, smiling against moist, heated skin.
He paused for a moment, long enough to coat his cock with oil from the bottle before settling once more between Ling’s thighs, automail hand splayed on the mattress for support, flesh hand guiding him in.
Ed pressed forward, engulfed in heat and pressure, and his eyes nearly crossed at the feel of it. Arms wrapped about his neck, and lips captured his own, spilling soft murmurs and moans into his mouth with each thrust.
He rocked faster, lust taking over any sense of gentleness he might have sustained, and he moved spastically, sighing as hands tugged desperately at his hair, almost painfully.
Close, so close, and he was not going to finish first and give Ling something to make fun of him for. His hand was still a little slick, with oil and sweat and he slid it between them, over Ling’s cock, tugging once, twice, three times. Ling’s hands released his neck and his hair, fisting in the covers. He bit his lip in an attempt not to scream, but Ed only thrust more mercilessly, dragging it from him anyway.
Ling’s eyes shuttered and his body twitched, pulling tight all around Ed. He moved his hips forward once more before he couldn’t contain himself any longer. Ed bowed his head, rested against Ling’s shoulder and groaned in release, body pulsing with pleasure.
He pulled out, tumbled weary and boneless to the mattress, too tired to even argue as fingers combed the sweat and sex induced tangles from his hair. Instead, Ed grinned into the pillows. Perhaps he’d get through the week without killing Ling after all.
“You’re very spirited,” Ling murmured mischievously against his ear. “You’d make a great addition to my harem.”
He could explain why he’d beaten Ling senseless, honest.
Fandom: FMA
Pairing LingxEd (or rather EdxLing, but whatever)Also very, very vague, possibly one sided RoyxEd
Author: inugrlrayn
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I don't own FMA or it's characters and all that jazz.
Author's note: This is all sky_dark's fault. Her Ling/Ed love is contagious and somehow a Roy/Ed picture I doodled got turned into this. *has no idea how that happened* Anyway, this is for you, dear! Enjoy the smut!
In retrospect, he should have known better. After all, he’d never been a diplomat, and there was no reason for him to have this assignment. Oh, well, except for the fact that, according to Roy, who looked rather put off about it, he’d been requested. Given that it was Ling who’d done the requesting, he had to have known it was a bad idea, but for once in his life he’d just gone and followed orders. After all, he’d heard the food in Xing was pretty good.
That first five minutes after he’d arrived, he should have known what was being pulled over on him. He should have just punched Ling, and turned tail, back to Central, back to Roy… Roy who never really noticed him anyway unless he was berating him for his rather… flashy methods.
Instead, he only stood, frozen and wide eyed as lips pressed sensuously over his own, eyes batting lazily at him in the moment after as he tried to process what had happened.
“You…” Ed growled, hand balled in a fist at his side.
“I meant no offense, I assure you!” Ling waved his arms in an animated fashion.
“No offense? You just kissed me, you jerk!” Ed flailed angrily. He could put up with being dragged out here, could maybe even get by without massacring the prince, but his lips were off limits..
“It’s customary… old friends.” Something in Ling’s grin smacked of a bold faced lie, but Ed knew nothing of the customs of Xing, and at the moment was slightly more afraid of offending and the chewing out that would entail back home, than he was of his own desecrated honor. After all, maybe if he pulled this off without too much destruction, he could go back to Central and not get chewed out for once. He could always beat Ling to a pulp later, anyway..
All through the reception that Ling had apparently arranged in his honor, he watched as bows, and sometimes chaste hugs were exchanged. Each time, he felt a little more had, until finally the humiliation was a bit too much.
“You lied to me,” Ed hissed at the man beside him.
“Did I?” Ling did his very best to look innocent.
“Customary… customary my ass.”
“If you insist, perhaps later.”
“What later?” Ed grumbled, eyes widening as he realized what Ling meant. The color rose in his cheeks, and that was enough to get him to drop it. He was not having that sort of discussion in front of all these people.
“Another glass of wine?” Ling offered cheerfully, and Ed sighed through his nose. It was going to be a long night.
Midnight rolled around, and after four hours of biting his tongue, despite the urge to do serious damage to Ling, and thinly veiled innuendoes that he tried desperately to ignore, Ed finally managed to slink away, heading in the direction he thought his room might be.
Half an hour later found Ed at the end of a hallway, turning his head to look down one turn and another, cursing the whole damn palace. Why did it have to be so big, anyway? Couldn’t the doors at least be numbered or something?
“Nice to see you again.” Ed groaned at the bright voice that called behind him. The situation was irritating enough without Ling to add to it.
“I was just heading back to my room,” Ed countered, turning to face the prince, who was grinning like a loon.
“You’re on the wrong floor,” Ling pointed out.
“Oh.” Ed scowled, turning and heading for where he thought the stairs might be.
“I’ll show you the way,” Ling offered, and frowned more, acquiescing with a terse nod of his head.
It was a long walk, and Ed allowed himself to be drawn into conversation, bit by bit. It wasn’t that he actually enjoyed the company, at least Ling wasn’t laughing at him for getting lost, and talk of the differences between Amestrian and Xingian food seemed relatively innocuous.
“Ah, here we are,” Ling said finally, stopping in front of a heavy wooden door. It looked a little different from what Ed thought it should, but he’d only seen the thing once, and assumed his mind was just playing tricks on him.
“Thanks,” he muttered, turning the handle and allowing himself to be ushered inside.
“You’re quite welcome.” Ling followed him in, and Ed was too busy trying to shuffle him back out to turn around and look at where he was.
“What are you doing?” He asked grouchily, but there was no answer as Ling squirmed his way through the door, shutting it behind him with a kick of his foot. He turned on Ed with a grin, and the alchemist found himself turning around looking for another exit.
That was about the time he realized this wasn’t actually his room.
“Hey! What kind of dirty trick was that?” he yelled.
“What?” Ling blinked innocently at him.
“This isn’t my room, you jerk.” Ed flailed about, backing away from an advancing Ling until he stumbled and hit the bed.
“You look good against Xingian silk,” Ling purred, advancing in a rather predatory fashion on Ed, who scrambled backward on the bed.
“I what?” he spluttered, waving his arms about, forgetting they were the only think keeping him upright. He flopped unceremoniously back against the covers. He barely had time to debate the merits of punching Ling and just going home, when the prince was on top of him, lips against his.
It wasn’t that Ling wasn’t attractive. It wasn’t even that Ed hadn’t thought about it a time or two before scowling and deciding that he’d kill Ling before he ever did that, but this was not what he was here for. What about whatever it was he was supposed to be doing here? Nevermind that he didn’t even know what the point was. What about Roy? Nevermind that the man hardly noticed him anyway..
There were still lips on his, though, and the longer they moved over his own, the less inclined he was to get rid of them. Deft fingers pulled his hair from it’s ponytail, carding through the thick tresses, and Ling’s mouth edged along his jaw with kisses, and brief, playful nips. This was an awful idea, Ed was sure, but what was the point of going on now that Al was restored if he couldn’t have a little bit of fun?
Stupid stupid stupid. His mind chanted gleefully at him, but his body refused to listen, warm and twisting on the bed beneath Ling. A tongue dragged along the hollow of his neck and he panted, sucking in a sharp breath as teeth bit down along the side of his neck.
Oh fuck it. His mind finally decided that his body pretty much had the right idea. Fingers pressed and slid down his spine, and he allowed himself to be pulled slightly off the mattress, pressed against Ling. Soft breaths blew warm and wet across his ear, palms sliding down his back to cup his bottom through his pants. Ed blushed brightly, but quickly forgot to be embarrassed, lost in lips and tongue devouring his mouth.
Ed fisted his hands in smooth red silk as Ling’s fingers dragged up his belly, beneath his shirt. It was too hot in here and he squirmed, as fingertips traced lines of lean muscle, a tongue swiping at the edge of his ear.
“Fffff…” his voice sputtered out into a sharp squeak as Ling ground their hips together. His eyes closed to golden slits, head tilting back against a pile of smooth, plush pillows, and the prince pressed the advantage, tugging the buttons of Ed’s button down shirt loose to reveal smooth, golden skin beneath. Ling’s mouth descended along his collarbone, over his chest, stopping to worry at a nipple, and Ed moaned in pleasure, a tiny bit glad he’d had to dress up for dinner earlier.
Fingers edged toward his slacks and some of his usual, grumpy demeanor returned, long enough to decide that he was not going to be naked if Ling wasn’t. He growled and pushed, rolling them over until he was on top, eyes flashing with heat and desire, thigh pressed hard between Ling’s legs.
Ling’s eyes widened for a split second, but he smiled widely as Ed’s fingers scrabbled at his coat, tugging the frog at his throat open. Mismatched hands pressed Ling’s shoulders into the bed, and Ed kissed him hard, shivering into it as Ling shifted, pressing the bare skin of his chest against Ed’s.
He groaned into Ling’s mouth as the prince’s hands slipped down his sides, along his hips and waistline, pausing only long enough to unzip his trousers before cupping him between his pants and boxers.
Ed whimpered as he was released long enough for pants and boxers to be tugged down. He allowed himself to be rolled over, his breath coming in small shudders as Ling slid down his body, a tongue dipping into his navel, lips whispering against the hollow of his hip.
He nearly screamed as he was swallowed whole, and some distant, more snarky part of him noted that at least Ling’s mouth was good for something. A hands pressed his hips into the mattress to keep him from thrusting as lips pressed tightly around his length, the flat of Ling’s tongue drawing warm, wet lines up and down, agonizingly slowly.
Ed gritted his teeth with effort not to scream, not to yank Ling’s hands away and be done with it. Instead he buried his hands in Ling’s hair, murmuring vague encouragement. The prince obliged, sucking harder, faster and Ed thought that if he died like this, he might be okay with that.
He hardly noticed Ling release his hips, palms sliding down the tops of his thighs, up the insides of them. He did notice though, as fingers cupped his balls for a moment before drawing further back, and he growled in warning, kicking as hard as he dared with his cock in Ling’s mouth.
“Exactly what do you think you’re doing?” Ed seethed, shifting warily away, mentally bemoaning his rather unsatisfied state.
“What do you think?” Ling asked innocently, blinking at him.
“I think you’re not topping,” Ed grumbled, waiting for Ling to just give in so they could finish this already.
“But I’m a prince,” Ling pouted.
“And?”
“And, it’s just not done,” Ling added.
Ed ached with need, and for just a moment he considered letting Ling have his way. His ego, though, was not quite so quick to give in.
“This was your idea, not mine.” he shrugged, schooling the mischievous grin away from his lips as he continued. “I mean, I’m perfectly happy to just pretend nothing happened if you’re not willing to compromise.”
Ling blinked at him, still pouting, though a little more thoughtfully. Ed decided he must have been spending far too much time thinking about Roy about then, because that really was the sort of dirty trick that Mustang would pull.
It was a bad line of thought, with him already like this, his mind straying to pale skin and charcoal eyes and… and Ling was talking so he reigned in that line of thought.
“Fine,” Ling muttered finally, and Ed was all to happy to accommodate by that point, nipping and sucking at Ling’s bottom lip until he gave, sinking against Ed, allowing himself to be pressed back against the bed.
Ed shifted, stopping only long enough to glance around for something to use as lube. His eyes landed on a bottle of oil, most likely set out for that particular purpose and his lips quirked up, amused at the change in Ling’s plans. He dragged the automail down Ling’s front, cool metal making the other man shiver and moan, bucking his hips as Ed’s fingers curled around his pants. In one smooth movement, the pants were off, leaving them both more or less naked, only open shirts clinging to their shoulders, not enough in the way to be bothered with.
He drew his tongue along Ling’s cock, grinning at the moan pulled from his companion’s lips. Ed pulled away long enough to press wet, open mouth kisses achingly close, but not quite touching, on Ling’s hips, his thighs, until his companion was squirming and murmuring curses in frustration. He pushed Ling, shifted him on the mattress so that he could reach the bottle of oil, and then moved back to where he’d been, teeth and tongue running delicately down Ling’s length, driving the prince to distraction.
For acting so put upon about it earlier, Ling was remarkably relaxed as Ed circled with an oil slicked finger, pressing carefully in. He rocked slightly, further into Ed’s mouth, back against his hand. Ed moved his hand experimentally, out and back in, smirking at the way Ling groaned in approval.
After a moment, he pulled the finger away, replacing it with two. He pulled and sucked with his lips and tongue, driving his fingers in a little harder. Ling hissed in pleasure, arching his back off the bed.
“Don’t tease,” he moaned, and Ed pulled his mouth away, moved back up Ling’s body, smiling against moist, heated skin.
He paused for a moment, long enough to coat his cock with oil from the bottle before settling once more between Ling’s thighs, automail hand splayed on the mattress for support, flesh hand guiding him in.
Ed pressed forward, engulfed in heat and pressure, and his eyes nearly crossed at the feel of it. Arms wrapped about his neck, and lips captured his own, spilling soft murmurs and moans into his mouth with each thrust.
He rocked faster, lust taking over any sense of gentleness he might have sustained, and he moved spastically, sighing as hands tugged desperately at his hair, almost painfully.
Close, so close, and he was not going to finish first and give Ling something to make fun of him for. His hand was still a little slick, with oil and sweat and he slid it between them, over Ling’s cock, tugging once, twice, three times. Ling’s hands released his neck and his hair, fisting in the covers. He bit his lip in an attempt not to scream, but Ed only thrust more mercilessly, dragging it from him anyway.
Ling’s eyes shuttered and his body twitched, pulling tight all around Ed. He moved his hips forward once more before he couldn’t contain himself any longer. Ed bowed his head, rested against Ling’s shoulder and groaned in release, body pulsing with pleasure.
He pulled out, tumbled weary and boneless to the mattress, too tired to even argue as fingers combed the sweat and sex induced tangles from his hair. Instead, Ed grinned into the pillows. Perhaps he’d get through the week without killing Ling after all.
“You’re very spirited,” Ling murmured mischievously against his ear. “You’d make a great addition to my harem.”
He could explain why he’d beaten Ling senseless, honest.