A/N: This'll also probably be Humor, so I might change that Action/Adventure genre later.

Disclaimer: I wish I could at least draw these guys right...


Prologue

"-Happy birthday to you!"

Edward Elric then blew out the eighteen candles lighting his round, white-iced cake. In curvy, precise letters "Happy Birthday Edward" was spelt in red with two little black winged and crowned Flamel crosses on each side of the message. Upon glancing again at the last dancing flame, he blew again, this time shyly for missing one. Cheers erupted in the room, happily celebrating the occasion.

Alphonse, Ed's younger brother, hugged Ed tightly, laughing. Ed merely grinned. Then a strong hand was rubbing the top of his blond head and he groaned slightly as he glanced up. Officer Hughes, a former member of the Nazi party, was hovering above him, grinning that wide grin Ed had missed from another time.

"Finally a man, eh, short stuffs?" Hughes joked, scratching Ed's head with his rough fingers. Ed smacked the hand away.

"I'm not short!" he yelled. Alphonse giggled in his ear.

"No more long rants, brother?" he asked.

Ed chuckled sheepishly. "I guess Hughes is right this time, huh?" Al nodded, giving his brother a tighter squeeze.

"What do you mean 'this time', Edward?"

"Ah, nothing. C'mon, let's cut this! Noah's food's great!"

Noah, standing shyly in the back, blushed. "It's not that great..."

Ed looked behind him and beckoned her over. "You don't have to be modest about it." he said, smiling reassuringly. Noah's lips formed a tiny smile, and she edged closer to the crowd, looking quickly over at Hughes nervously.

"I can't help it, I guess."

"Well, where's the knife? Ed should be the one to cut it." Hughes cut in, holding back a gypsy comment. He'd been trying, and was currently succedding. As if on cue, Gracia walked in, carefully handling a large butcher's knife.

"Here you go, Edward." she said, handing it to Ed. Ed took it in his left hand, not trusting his unchecked-in-a-year auto-mail very much. Al didn't seem to trust either, and took a few steps back.

"Okay, here it goes..." Ed muttered, dipping the tip into the cake and slowly bringing the blade down, making a slit. Another round of applause took place, though Edward had no idea why. But, he was grinning all the while, not failing to note that it was the second birthday of his to be hosted by Maes and Gracia Hughes.

"Amazing. You didn't cut yourself, pipsqueak."