As he wandered around Central, Greed didn't understand what the fuss was about. The children laughing, the people running in and out of stores, the bright lights, the in-your-face sales, the list just went on and on. After a while, the homunculus found a familiar face, trapped in all the hustle and bustle. "Hey! Ed!" he called.
Edward turned at the sound of his name before smirking at the face he was met with. "What's up Ling?"
Greed smacked his head and groaned. "How many times do I have to tell you, it's GREED! Ling isn't here!" After a moment, he crossed his arms and looked around the city. "So, what's going on?"
The teen tilted his head. "What? Christmas?"
"...Christmas?" he asked before smiling with crossed arms. "Oh! Christmas! How could I have forgotten the most gut wrenching, greedy time of the year?!"
Hearing the response, Ed furrowed his brows. "What are you talking about?" he asked, earning a sideways glance from the homunculus. "Christmas is the time of year to GIVE not get." He then pulled out a list of everyone he set out to buy gifts for. "See? I go out and buy gifts for Winry, Granny, Al, Mustang, Hughes' family, all these people who I'm buying gifts for may or may not have anything to give in return."
The personified sin raised his brows. "...Nothing?" he asked. "Then how do you know THEY aren't being greedy?"
"Because they didn't ask for these gifts." Ed answered before smiling, linking his arm to the sin's. "Come on! I'll show you!" And with a look of utter confusion on his face, Greed went shopping with the State Alchemist.
They walked around for a while, searching for gifts to give the people on Ed's list. First they found themselves in an AutoMail Shop. "First on the list, Winry and Granny."
"Why should I care about them?" Greed asked, trying to piece together the logic of the holiday. "It's not like they'd have money to pay me back with interest."
Edward sighed. "I told you, it's not about getting." He then shoved the homunculus out, putting the list in his hand. "You gotta give! Now, go shopping for some of those people while I look for something good enough for Winry!"
Again, Greed's black brow raised high on his face before he sighed and looked at the list. "Well," he sighed. "If he's looking for something for Winry, that means I don't have to, and I don't wanna shop for an old hag, so the Granny is off the list, which leaves me to Alphonse." After a moments thought, and some looking around, an idea struck the sin's mind. "If I get the most expensive thing for them, then they'll want to give me something of equal value, maybe even more to show their gratitude." With a smile bright on his face, Greed searched for the most expensive things he could find for the people he'd want most on his side.
When the gifts were bought and wrapped, it was Christmas day. With a big smile of excitement on Greed's face, he gave out his gifts to the respected people. What he didn't expect was that no one knew he was going to give gifts and therefore didn't even think to shop for him. However, they expressed their gratitude as best they could with a kind thank you and a hug.
Greed didn't feel their gratitude however. He didn't want it. "But what about my gifts?!"
Edward laughed hysterically as he smacked the sin's back. "I already told you that Christmas is about GIVING, not GETTING! What? Did you think that if you got everyone the most expensive gifts in the world, they'd give you gold or something?!"
The homunculus shrank in his shoulders. Never before had he been so embarrassed. The Embodiment of Greed, one of the Seven Deadly Sins, giving gifts for nothing in return. However, he looked at how everyone was enjoying their presents and started to smile. Maybe this whole generous gift giving thing wasn't all that bad. After all, if he kept up with the holidays, then the next year, they'd know to give him at least one gift, so it wasn't a total loss.
Sorry this is so short and kinda bad guys. I've been a bit busy and honestly pulled this from thin air. I promise, next year's Christmas story would be better! Merry Christmas~
