#feb 3rd

“Did you call him or anything?”

“I tried.” I run my fingers over the grain of the rail. “But the hotel said he’d already checked out. I guess he forgot to call me with his most recent number.”

“That sounds just like him,” she says with a smile before she suddenly yawns. “Anyway, I think I’m going to head in for the night. Are you coming?”

“No.” I shake my head. “I think I’m going to stay out here for a little bit.”

“Okay. Do you want me to bring you a jacket or something?”

“Sure. That’d be fine.”

I glance back at her as she heads back into the house before I tilt my head back and look up at the stars. Somewhere out there Ed is underneath the same stars I am. Somehow that thought is comforting.

“Here.”

I look down just in time to see a flash of red fabric.

“I figured this one was a good choice.”

The material slides over my shoulders, and I reach up to grab it, pulling it close. On closer inspection, I realize what she brought me.

“Is this–”

“It seemed appropriate,” Paninya cuts me off, “since you’re staring off into the night, pining for him and all.”

“I’m not ‘pining for him.’ I just…”

Her eyebrows rise, and I shake my head. She’s not going to believe anything I say anyway. Instead, I slide my arms into the sleeves of Ed’s ridiculously edgy red coat and flip the hood up, surrounding myself in him, in a way.

“I don’t get it, but okay.” She shrugs. “I mean, he’ll remember to call eventually. Just tell him ‘happy birthday,’ then. It’s not like he’s going to forget about you. You did that whole eighty-five percent thing, and he hugged you before he left.”

I turn to face her even as she continues to talk.

“Personally, I think he should’ve kissed you given that he basically proposed.”

“He did not propose,” I scoff.

“Oh yeah? Well, that whole equivalent exchange speech of his sounded a lot like wedding vows to me.”

“You weren’t even there,” I remind her.

“I’m just saying.” She holds her hands up in surrender and turns toward the door. “Anyway, I’m going to bed.”

“Okay.”

“Come in before you catch pneumonia. Ed won’t appreciate it if you stay out here missing him on his birthday just for you to get sick.”

I wave her away, releasing a long breath when I hear the door close again.

Paninya is right. I should just tell him when he calls again. I fiddle with the sleeves of the coat and bite my lip. Before he left he did confess his attraction to me, I guess. Since then I’ve been telling everyone he’s my boyfriend when they ask, and when we talk on the phone it’s different than it used to be. He asks me about my day and…how I am. So, I feel pretty confident in our relationship. Or whatever it’s called.

Still.

I would’ve liked to tell him “happy birthday,” today.

As I turn to go in, something catches my eye, and I gasp as a shooting star cuts across the sky. Silently, I make a wish on Edward and then pull the coat close.

“Come home soon, Ed.”

And then I go inside and head upstairs to bed, where I fall asleep wrapped in Ed’s coat.

Edward

I grunt as I haul my suitcase up the road. I was supposed to be here hours ago. The train got delayed because of some cargo mix-up and then there was a problem with my identification because of my military ID which took way too long to sort out.

I was really hoping to be here before dinner. Instead, I had to eat on the train. And I have to find my way all the way to the house in the dark. What I wouldn’t give for a flashlight.

The silhouette of the Rockbell house comes into view, and I pause to sigh with relief. Of course, I could already be there if my luggage didn’t weigh a ton and a half. But I couldn’t very well travel all over the west without bringing some gifts back for Winry.

Hauling my heavy bag over my shoulder, I force my legs to work faster until I finally reach the porch.

“I thought that was you I saw coming up the road.” Granny meets me at the door as Den happily wags her tail at my feet.

“Sorry, I’m so late. I hope you didn’t worry.”

I called ahead and told Granny I was coming home today, but that I wanted to surprise Winry, so I hadn’t told her.

“I always worry about you, boy,” she answers as I shed my traveling coat. “But I’m not the one who was missing you.”

“Yeah…” I glance up the stairs and then look back at Granny.

“She’s already gone up to bed, but she might still be awake if you want to go check on her.”

“Are you sure?” I blink in surprise. I figured I’d just have to wait until morning. Granny always had pretty strict rules about Al or me going into Winry’s bedroom. Not that Winry would let us in there either.

“She told me what you said at the train station,” she grins knowingly. “And I feel confident that I raised you with enough sense not to do anything too stupid.”

“Well, I guess that’s fair,” I mutter.

“Go on, then.”

She nudges me toward the stairs, and I let my feet keep going. I stop outside Winry’s door and take a breath. My palms are all sweaty. Gah. Why does my stomach feel all twisted? And why does my chest hurt?

Cursing silently, I wipe my hands on my thighs and reach for her door. I knock, but no one answers. I debate for a second about knocking again or leaving or…

I mean, Granny said it was okay, so…

The latch clicks softly as it slides open and the door swings in. I enter quietly, shutting the door behind me.

“Winry,” I whisper.

I wait for a long moment, trying not to think about how fast my heart is racing.

“Winry!” I whisper louder.

She turns in her bed, and I feel my heart jump into my throat. But she doesn’t wake up.

Fuck. What should I do? I already made it all the way in here; I don’t want to just leave. But should I wake her up? Will she be mad? Maybe I should just sleep on the floor…

She moves again, and I suddenly get a glimpse of what she’s wearing. Wait a second, is that…

“Winry?”

I step closer to the bed and carefully slide the covers down until I can tell for sure.

She’s wearing my coat. She’s sleeping in my coat. Winry is sleeping in my coat.

Without thinking about it, I slide off my shoes and climb onto the bed beside her, sitting on the edge of the mattress. I watch her sleep for a minute.

God, she is so beautiful.

I reach out to touch her hair, and her eyes flutter open.

“Ed?” she whispers.

“Yeah.”

“Wait. Ed?” she says louder, rising up on her elbow. “How are you here? I thought you were still–”

“I wanted to surprise you,” I confess. “Unfortunately, I was held up.”

She blinks at me for a second, and I wait.

“It’s your birthday.”

“Well, it was,” I correct her softly.

“I wanted to tell you ‘happy birthday,’” she says rapidly, “but when I called the hotel–”

“I left early this morning for the train. Otherwise, I would’ve been there.”

“Oh.” She nods before looking up at me shyly. “Happy Birthday, Ed.”

I close my eyes and let her words wash over me.

“Thank you, Winry.”

“Do you…want to stay in here tonight?”

I choke on my tongue and feel my face go up in flames.

“You don’t have to,” she amends quickly. “I just thought since you’re already here, maybe–”

I cough for a second before regaining my voice.

“I’d like that,” I gasp hoarsely. “If you’re sure it’s okay.”

“Yeah. It’s fine.”

I take a second to shed my shirt before stretching out beside her on top of the covers.

“You know you can get in with me,” she murmurs.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

Given how much I want her right now, I’m thinking there should be more fabric between us than just our clothes.

“Oh.”

“You can go back to sleep now, Winry,” I tell her, pulling one of her pillows under my head.

“I wished for you.”

I freeze and look over at her.

“You what?”

“I…I saw a shooting star while I was outside earlier, and I wished…for you. And you came true.”

I fight it as hard as I can, but I can’t stop the laughter bubbling up in my chest.

“Don’t laugh!” she hisses, poking my arm. “I was serious.”

“I know,” I choke. “I know you were, but it just sounded… I’m sorry.” I take a breath and regain my composure before looking down at her again.

I suddenly feel nervous again, seeing her looking up at me, wrapped in my coat, knowing she missed me enough to wish for me.

Shit. She fucking wished for me. How am I supposed to live up to that?

“I’m really glad to be home, Winry,” I murmur, pulling her into my arms.

“Yeah,” she sighs, her breath hot against my neck. “I’m glad you’re home, too.”

Suddenly, there’s a loud banging on the wall followed by an equally loud, “GO TO SLEEP!”

I jerk and look over my shoulder before turning back to Winry.

“What the hell was that?”

“Oh, did I not tell you? Paninya is here.”

“What?” I frown.

“Oh, calm down. She’s my friend.”

“Oh yeah,” I grumble. “Your friend, the pickpocket, who likes to steal my stuff.”

“She doesn’t do that anymore, Ed.”

“You mean she doesn’t do that to you anymore. We’ll just have to keep an eye out in case any of my things disappear while she’s here.”

“Edward,” she whispers on a frown. “I thought we were having a good moment enjoying your homecoming. Don’t ruin it.”

“Sorry.” I shake my head before dropping it back onto the pillow. “Where were we?”

She slides over to me, wrapping her arms around my neck.

“Going to sleep,” she slurs drowsily as her eyelids droop closed.

“Wonderful. I’m exhausted.”

I wrap my arms around her, pulling her tight against my chest, before tilting my head down so my lips are in her hair. After a few minutes, I feel her breathing change, and I shift my lips to her ear.

“I love that you wished for me,” I whisper, “but you’re more than a wish to me, Winry. You’re what I wish on. You’re my shooting star.”