#(( so i placed this at a restaurant after they retrieved a golden bough i hope that's ok ))

[petalsinned]

@dreamtchamber sent a letter:

Hong Lu let out a chuckle, grin on his face and head propped up by his hand once again. "Maybe I just want you to be happy! ....and perhaps a little bit naked." If he hadn't been nursing a nice buzz for the past half hour, he probably would have never said that to the other sinners' face. But here he was, and there was no backing out now. Absolutely no shame in his brain at this point in time.

And this is when Gregor nearly choked on his drink, coughing and nearly tearing through the glass with his inhuman limb. If the alcohol hadn't reddened his face before, the out-of-pocket comment from Hong Lu certainly cemented it. He wasn't sure how to respond at first; the remark had briefly left him speechless, dumbfounded, even.

The veteran glared at the other Sinner, practically burning a hole through his skull. "For Wings' sake, you can't just say things like that! There are other patrons here; what if they heard you?!" He sighed and rose from the table. "We're going back to the bus. You've clearly had too much to drink."

[buggyness101]

Yellow Ribbon

Pairing:  Edxwin

triggers:  none except fluff

Christmas gift for @f-u-l-l-m-e-t-a-l

done as part of @fmasecretsanta

Inspired by an old song on the Stranger Things  soundtrack and something I think a lovesick dorky Ed would do.

:)

The young man's stomach rumbled announcing to all patrons in a two meter radius his readiness for high tea.   He could travel a few streets south and get a proper meal in a restaurant, but Edward Elric rather enjoyed The Lucky Duck Pub's simple five o'clock working-class suppers not to mention his rented room hovered just over the kitchen.   The precarious placement of cook Bob's oven right under his bed allowed the smells of cooking savory pastry and meats infiltrate his nose letting him know when the good stuff was done and ready to be served.  He was often the first person at the bar requesting the meal of the day.  

“Hey Ed, good to see you again today.”   Margaret, Bob's wife worked the bar with another hired man during high tea, she smiled, missing a few molars here and there.  “I don't have to ask do I?”

“No ma'am.”   The former alchemist returned her smile.   He truly enjoyed talking to both Marg and Bob when they had the time in between customers as they made him feel at home here in Britannia, over a thousand miles from the big yellow house in Resembool.   Suddenly, the image of the rolling hills of his hometown took his mind right back to that yellow house, then up the front porch steps and into the waiting arms of woman who held his heart.

"You ok, love?"   Marg noticed the young man's far off stare.   "Ed?"   She snapped her fingers in front of his eyes bringing him back to rainy Londinium.   "There you are!"

"Sorry, just got a little homesick for a minute."  

"How long has it been?"

He sat straight back on his barstool before answering.  "About a year."  

Edward thought about all the places that he'd traveled in that year that finally lead him to the farthest west he could go without getting on an ocean liner to Columbiana far across the sea.  Truth be told, he'd thought about traveling there to learn of the alchemy in the New World, but this creeping hurt in the middle of his chest kept him from purchasing the tickets for the trans-Atlantis voyage to North Columbiana.   He felt the first tinge of pain when he was lost in the dry desert canyons of central Creta. Thinking it a medical issue, he actually found a doctor in a border town for a checkup which resulted in a totally healthy diagnosis-save for some wear and tear on his left leg's stump for lack of maintenance.   Soon, the young man's thoughts went again to his hometown and the girl who cared for his automail and he knew she'd murder him for neglecting the limb.   The pain returned as he sat on the doctor's examination table and without saying another word to embarrass himself in front of the physician, Edward knew exactly why he was hurting.   He missed Winry.

"One steak and kidney pudding!"  Bob yelled to his wife as he placed a plate of steaming cone-shaped suet pastry next to a pile of mashed potatoes on the kitchen counter.  Marg left the young patron to retrieve his meal and returned, placing the savory dish under the boy's nose with hopes of bringing him out of his doldrums.  

Ed took one whiff of the food and for a moment, the pain in his stomach overruled the pain in his heart.   He found a fork and began to dig in.  

"Well, if you ask me..."   Marg put her hand on her hip as another patron sidled up to the bar next to Ed.  "I think that it's a year too long, love.  All this..."  She waved her free hand to the rest of the Lucky Duck.  "...will still be here, you know."   She gave a final sigh at the young man, seemingly not paying attention to her before she left him to his meal so she could attend other customers.

Ed heard Marg's words crystal clear.   He thought of what he'd actually accomplished on his journey and other than meeting loads of new people and exciting new places, not much in the way of new alchemy did he discover.  Marg was right.   He'd been here for weeks at the Lucky Duck and nothing had changed – no new discoveries, nothing.   If anything, he'd gotten a little pudgy around the middle from all the mincemeat in the pudding.  

Still, the problem remained.   Did Winry still feel the same?   Did her heart hurt with missing him too? He scoffed in his head, surely the girl was tougher than pining after him.   She had automail customers and loads of friends to keep her busy.   Although he thought she understood and agreed to wait for him when he last saw her at the train station, he'd not been the best at corresponding or even calling since that day over a year ago.   He couldn't even remember when he last wrote her and realized he was scared to death to confront her now – petrified of rejection because she was so goddamned perfect.  Why in the world would she wait for someone as broken as Edward Elric?

Edward realized he'd finished his meal.  He waved at Bob and left money on the counter before scooting off the barstool and making his way back to the tiny little room above the kitchen.   Once in his humble cell, the former alchemist made his way to the teeny writing desk under the sole window and pulled out a sheet of paper.   There, as the aroma of baking steak and kidney puddings engulfed his space, nearly making him ill, he made the decision to end his silence once and for all.  As he finished and checked his penmanship, his stomach churned again.  He knew it was more nervousness than from the smell of the bar food.    

The young alchemist placed the letter in the post to leave the next day.   On his way back from mailing the letter to Resembool, he purchased a train ticket traveling East and hoping he timed it correctly for his letter to arrive well before he did.  

Soon, he'd know if the pain would stop or if he'd have to live with it.

The wind howled and blew something fierce across the Resembool meadows and tossed with it any leaves or dead grasses that made it this far into December.   Despite the cold and the dreary weather, the postman dutifully made his rounds I the tiny little burg.   He pulled out the bundle of letters going to the Rockbell residence and mentally reprimanded himself for being nosey, but smiled when he saw the letter addressed to the young Miss Rockbell...and it wasn't from one of her automail clients.  Everyone in Resembool knew the young woman's heart belonged to that Elric boy, the elder one who just couldn't stay still for too long.   The old women in the village quit trying to play match maker with Winry as she rebuffed any suitor who foolishly tried to woo her and everyone knew it was because of Edward.   The letter carrier waved at Pinako and ignored the big barking dog as he handed her the letters in person instead of leaving them at the mail box.

"He's a moron."   The young automail mechanic moaned as she finished reading the letter from Edward.   "Does he think I'll forget him so easily?"   She stomped around the kitchen, leaving the letter on the table.  

"Give him a break, Winry." Granny took the letter and smiled as she read it.   "It's sort of romantic for him, you know?"   The old woman smiled.  She was happy Ed was returning home.   Despite the little fit her granddaughter was throwing at the moment, Pinako knew Winry was happy too.   The old woman read the letter again:

Winry,

I know it's been too terribly long since I've written to you.   So long now, that I'm scared of what you think of me by now.  

I'm coming home.  I've done my time.  But I've just got to know what is and isn't mine.  

If you received this letter telling you I'd soon be free, then you'll know just what to do

If you still want me:

Tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree, (you know the one I can see from the train.)

It's been a very long year; do you still want me?

If I don't see a ribbon around the old oak tree, I'll stay on the train and won't complain – you can put all the blame on me.  

I know some of it rhymes and I know I suck.    But seriously, I can't face you unless I know first so, if you'll humor me with the tree thing, I think I'll have enough courage to come home.   And, if it's over, I'll know that too and I'll call you from Central to be sure (in case you didn't get this letter.)

With Love,

Edward

He didn't realize he'd be arriving in Resembool smack dab on Solstice Eve.   Poor planning on his part meant that the train was full of city folks coming home to their families to celebrate.  Crowded as it was, the mood remained jovial and thanks to a free helping of rum infused eggnog, most of the people in his car maintained an extra happy attitude.   Despite all this, the young alchemist's stomach knotted and his chest pained him.  He felt he could be sick any moment as familiar landscapes came into view and he knew he got closer and closer to his hometown.  

"Do you think she'll do it, lad?"  The old mustachioed gentlemen in the seat across from him asked.   Ed wished he'd not had any of the holiday spirits else he'd kept his lips buttoned.   As soon as he told his story to his seat mates, the tale of true love soon spread around the train car.

"Of course, she will!"  The young woman in the seat behind the old man chimed in.  "Look at him!  He's a cutie!"   Ed felt his ears burn.

"Aren't we coming up on Resembool?"  A voice called out.

"We are!   We'll find out!"  

He felt like he could bury himself inside his boots, disappear and die right there.  

"Is that the tree?"  

"No, that's not it, it's bare."

His heart fell.

"Oh my god!  Look, boy, look!"  The old man practically pulled the boy out of his seat to the window.

As the train started to slow as it approached Resembool station, Edward's golden eyes beheld an amazing sight.   The old oak tree, the very tree he, his brother and Winry had played under as children stood there in the meadow and dusted with snow.   However, wrapped around every inch of that barren tree was a vibrant yellow ribbon – every bough, branch and the whole trunk covered in yellow.

"Horray!"   The car burst into cheers for the young man and his nervousness turned into the warmth of pure joy.    

Edward knew.    He knew where he stood with her and he could finally face her in person and tell her how he felt...and hopefully she'd not hurt him.  

Fin