Leave A Scar (Fullmetal Alchemist)

The Day I Regret

Days passed and blurred together; research spiked with the fear of being hunted again. It all went in a cycle, until the day I feared, regretted most appeared. I didn't even realize it, when the date came around. I tried to meet each day with a smile, but when Edward said what he said... I nearly broke, right in front of him.

"Happy birthday."

Ed smiled at me, and I saw his hand clench subtly. Before I could see what he held, his hands disappeared behind his back, and his head bowed a little, hair going into golden eyes and red tinting his face.

"I-I remember your birthday was a few days after mine."

I just watched, waiting for something to happen. Ed handed me a small box, and at first I felt my heart stop. Then I noticed the length and thinness of it, feeling incredibly stupid as I took it from him. Like he would be proposing.
"More than a few days, Ed." I replied, glancing up at him as I positioned my hands on the box's lid. "Our birthdays are over a year and one month apart."
Ed just shrugged, his attention on the unopened gift in my hands.

So, with nothing else to do, I opened the box. And I stared, a tinge of color surely tainting my cheeks.

He... got me jewelry.

I fidgeted, trying to put it on. But my hands shook and the necklace's loop was too delicate for hands so destructive.

Ed helped, and with my hands hovered near his, he secured the necklace around me.

His smile didn't let up, even when his hands delicately hovered near my waist. Both of us heading out the door, and I nearly jumped out of my skin, not expecting Al's triumphant cheer.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Thankfully, unlike Edward's day, no confetti was thrown. I smiled through, despite my hair raising in fear.

A box was presented to me, one just as small as his older brother's.

I opened it up. A dumbfounded expression came to me, and I laughed nervously. "You... Both got me necklaces."
Ed glowered, one hand half-raised in a fist as he turned to his younger brother. "You tin head, where'd you get the money to buy her something like that?"
"Well every time you gave me money to do something fun, I kept it."
Ed sighed, swinging back and looking at the gift in my hand with a pointy frown on his face. I chirped out a response, finally.
"That's so sweet of you, Al!" I said. "You really didn't have to save your money like that."
I looked at the two necklaces, one I was currently wearing and one begging to be worn, momentarily torn on what to do. I could tell they were wondering, too, and before the tension built any further, I picked Al's out of its holder.
"Here, I'll wear both."
And just like before, Ed helped. Hooking the necklace around me and hooking the lines together. With a few exchanges of where we were headed, we exited the room. Ed turned to me, leaning until he was in front my view. His hand extended towards my upper chest, an immediate blush settling to my face. I glanced at the back of Al's head before feeling a shift in one of my necklace's chains.
I looked down, vaguely seeing the diamond of Ed's necklace covering the oval pendant of his brother's. Ed grinned at me, obviously proud about how clever he was being. I rolled my eyes with a smile.
"You're such a goof." I said quietly, leaning against his shoulder as I took his hand in mine.
His grin just widened, and gently he squeezed my hand. I couldn't hold down the smile nor the increasing blush on my face.

Doofuses. Both of them.

____________

With a small sigh, Ed began rattling off the list.

"Let's see... They've got chocolate cake, strawberry cake, cheesecake, lobster—"

My head snapped up, eyes sending him a quizzical look.