#theothardus

This time the reason for Ed’s annoyance was a gift he was supposed to purchase. Earlier that day, Pinako, Winry and the Elric brothers had decided that this year each would get only one present. Al had suggested they write their names on a piece of paper, put them into a hat and draw someone else’s name from it, buying the gift for the person whose name they got. Ed had ended up getting Winry’s name, but something about Al’s demeanor when he saw Ed’s reaction to his gift recipient told him that the younger Elric might have planned it from the beginning. He didn’t have any proof of it, though.

Lately, Al had been hinting often that Ed should finally make his first move, claiming he totally knew what was going on between his big brother and their childhood friend, but Ed had tried to ignore the comments. If Ed was honest, it wasn’t that he didn’t know that his feelings towards his automail mechanic weren’t quite brotherly, but it was different to know it than to act on it. What if Winry didn’t answer to his feelings? What if he’d embarrass himself in front of her? What if he ruined their friendship? He wasn’t ready to take that risk especially since Winry hadn’t been sending him any signals of being interested in him… Or that’s what Ed thought, at least, because he could be quite oblivious when it came to other people’s feelings. Had he paid more attention, he might have noticed how wrong he was.

Now, the biggest question was: what should he give Winry? First, he had tried asking her if there was anything she needed from the town as he’d be going there to do some shopping, but she had simply stared at him with confusion, telling him new screws would be great. They weren’t an appropriate present in Ed’s opinion (she did deserve something better, after all), so as he made his way to the town, he still no idea what to buy. Usually, he would have asked Al to come with him, but his pride had won. That pride couldn’t accept that Al would probably pick something Winry would prefer over his present. Besides, he knew Al wouldn’t stop throwing sly remarks about his possible feelings for Winry, so for the sake of his mental health, he decided to go alone.

Ed hadn’t picked the best day to go shopping because unfortunately, everyone else was doing their last-minute Starry Night preparations as well. The shops were crowded and played holiday music loudly from their speakers, making his head ache. Not just that, nothing he saw seemed inspiring enough.

He could have gotten her a piece of clothing; she seemed to love the hoodie he had been wearing on Al and his return day, but he didn’t know her size and was nervous he would accidentally pick something she wouldn’t like. He was aware that their tastes were very different, after all. She liked cute things, he liked skulls and dragons. He fully gave up in the idea when the salesman at the clothes store heard he wanted to get something for a girl and suggested he get her underwear because what girl wouldn’t like that? Ed wasn’t an idiot, he knew Winry would throw a wrench at him faster than he could say “alchemy” if he did that. Besides, Ed found that particular department slightly intimidating, and the last thing he needed in the middle of a busy town was the idea of Winry in only those pieces… And so he ended up leaving the store rather quickly.

He also considered giving Winry something practical. She would probably appreciate a bucket of wrenches? That was better than screws, right? Winry always lost the old ones carrying them all around the house, so it would probably be useful? But then again, he didn’t enjoy the idea of Winry throwing those same wrenches at him, so he should probably get something that didn’t hurt so much if he ended up annoying her again. Which he probably would. The screwdrivers didn’t feel like a lot safer option. Books were useful, but if he was honest, he didn’t really know which mechanics books Winry already had and which she considered relevant to her interests, so he should have figured that out first. And with the Starry Night already happening in a few days, he didn’t have time for that.

Next up were the food stalls, and Ed stopped there for a good moment. Food was something they both enjoyed, but Ed could hear Al’s voice in his head saying that he should get Winry something more personal. Chocolate would be too lame, even though Ed didn’t understand why anyone would refuse a good chocolate bar. Apple pie was out of the question too, since Granny had already promised to bake one, and it would be weird if he baked one too.

Once Ed had walked past the stalls, he was ready to give up. Just when he was about to leave the market place, someone yelled after him: “Oi! I know that expression! You look like someone who hasn’t found the right gift for a loved one. I think I can help you.”

“Can you, really?” Ed asked sarcastically but decided to follow the man into his shop either way.

The man owned a jewelry store, selling products expensive enough to make Ed’s antenna twitch even though he did have a good amount of money in his pocket from his state alchemist days. At first he was certain he would not buy anything from there, but then the store owner asked: “who are you planning to get this present for?”

“A… friend…” Ed answered with hesitation, not really knowing how to describe Winry and his relationship. Truthfully, it was much more complicated than “just friends”, but this stranger didn’t need to know that. Ed decided to add: “… who’s also my automail mechanic.”

“A guy?” the man asked, assuming a mechanic must have been a man. “I’m sure we’ll have something for gu…” “No, no, not a guy!” Ed got angry. “She’s a she and she’s the goddamn best automail mechanic in this country, so don’t you go assuming…!”

“OK, calm down! I got your point,” the man tried to reassure the angry young man. “A mechanic, you say? Someone donated this a little while ago.” He pointed at something by the shop window. “Do you think she’d like it?”

Ed found himself staring at a small silver locket that had a wrench engraved on it, and in the middle of it there was one tiny stone; an aquamarine resembling the color of Winry’s eyes.

“I could see that…” Ed said, surprised he had managed to find something so fitting. “Is that expensive?”

“Funny you should ask… Normally, I would put a very high price on this because it’s 100 per cent silver, but its old owner told me that if this locket would make its new owner happy, that’s all she’d ask for. So, to listen to her wish, I’m gonna give it for a very reasonable price if you give it a good home.”

“Really? How much is it?” Ed asked, now genuinely curious.

The man told him the price, and Ed decided it was worth it. He was also told he could put something into the locket for an extra value, and suddenly an idea started to form in his head.

…

It was finally the Starry Night, and after a good dinner, the gifts were exchanged in the Rockbell-Elric household. Pinako opened hers first, and not surprisingly, it was a bottle of whiskey (how had Winry gotten that, Ed wanted to know, since people weren’t buy stronger alcohol drinks in Amestris until they were 21. And she wasn’t even 17 yet!) and a new pack of cards for her games as the old ones started to get rather worn. Al’s gift was a living being; Pinako had gotten him a kitten from the litter of neighbor’s cat, and Ed eyed it suspiciously for moment, before finally accepting that maybe it was time for Al to get one. As long as he’d take good care of it! Even the old Den had accepted the cat so there was nothing he could do to deny this from his brother. Ed himself had gotten an “ugly” sweater from Al, with skulls, and to Ed’s horror, hearts (the cute looking, not realistic), on it. He still put it on, smirking widely, before it was time for Winry to open her present.

Ed’s smirk turned into a nervous one as she started ripping the gift wrap from the package. He had decided to play a little prank on her, putting the small locket box into a big box under a lot of newspaper, but as he watched her reactions, he started to regret it. She looked quite upset when it started seeming like there was no present at all in the box, but finally she found what she was looking for.

“What’s this?” she stared at the present a bit nervously before opening it. Her breath got caught in her throat when she saw the locket Ed had bought from the jewelry shop.

“Wow, this is not what I was expecting…” she finally said, her eyes shining with the locket. “Ed, it’s really pretty!”

“I’m glad you like it, but it isn’t the only thing I got for you… Open that locket.” Ed poked his finger at the little lock the gift had.

After admiring the silver wrench on the locket for a while, she opened it and found…

“My earrings!!! I thought you had lost them because you never gave them back to me! And… and… a picture of us! Aww, look at how small we were… I think this was before your mother… And did you carve this text yourself?” She noticed the “thank you” carved into the metal that reminded her of Ed’s state alchemist watch. A wide smile rose on her face as she took the gift in.

“I did.” Ed rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I feel we haven’t properly thanked you for everything you’ve for us… So this is for that. Also, there’s one more thing… Look behind the photo.”

Winry took the photo from its place and noticed there was a tiny letter behind it. She moved closer to the fire to read it, not noticing that Ed was blushing next to her.

“Winry,

Thank you for always being there for us, even though that must have been hard sometimes. I know I can be one hell of a brick when I get to that mood. So sorry about that.

Thanks for getting me back to my feet when it was nearly impossible. I don’t know where I’d be without your automail. Not here, for sure.

Thanks for giving us a reason to come back home. For being an amazing friend, and more… I guess we should finally talk about that topic soon. That’s what Al keeps saying to me.

I hope this locket reminds you that you are our, my favorite gearhead, now and always.”

There were tears in Winry’s eyes when she stopped reading, and Ed nearly started panicking:

“Wow, please don’t cry! Tell me those are tears of joy instead of… the others?”

“Yes, stupid, they are tears of joy. Come here.”

Winry extended her arms to hug Ed who had sat down next to her and whispered into his ear.

“That was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me… thank you so much… this is an amazing present… I don’t know what to say…” she laughed awkwardly and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. Ed helped her to put the locket around her neck and the earrings in her ears.

“It looks nice,” he said, and she simply nodded. They didn’t even notice the other two snickering at their actions.

Once she finally calmed down enough to think straight, she added quietly: “Oh, and about that thing we need to talk about… Join me here once the others have gone to bed.”