A/N: This was originally just supposed to be another holiday-themed one-shot, but it actually strayed from the original concept and turned into a small monster. At any rate, I hope you like it. (Please like it…)

Disclaimer: This isn't mine. The story isn't even mine, obviously, since it seems to have gotten away from me. Maybe I should make some "missing" posters…Have You Seen My Story??? Call 555-OOPS.

People change when they move. It's almost inevitable, the way some people shift from one gear to the next as their locations change.

Some things, however, never change. Some emotions never falter, always maintaining a steady mode of existence.

One such emotion is that of the ever-elusive unrequited love. Such an emotion is a burden to suffer, for it never truly alters its form. One feeling such an emotion is to be considered one poor, sad little bastard.

Edward Elric was certain that he was such a person, for that emotion ran through him like an immovable river current, threatening to drown him with its power. His unrequited love for a certain Flame Alchemist threatened to choke him like a thick fog until he either passed out or died from his own depression.

Yes, that feeling of love unreturned had never changed about him.

However, living in Germany for the better part of a few years had definitely changed something in the small blond alchemist.

Ed loved to drink. He wasn't an alcoholic, per say…he just liked to drink. A lot. The good thing was that he was only a social drinker by nature and couldn't stand to drink alone. Therefore, he rarely got brain-pummeling drunk.

He just came close a few times.

Okay, so he sometimes managed to get to the point where he forgot his own name and all events of the previous night.

He was just glad that he'd never woken up in any awkward situations only explainable/excusable by the effects of a large amount of alcohol in such a small body. Of course, Edward would never actually admit to being small, so he'd often find other excuses as to why he couldn't hold his liquor.

All he could say was thank God for Alfons, and Al after him. If not for both Als, he was most certain that he would have ended up in one of those previously-mentioned awkward situations.

Since making it back to the "right" side of the Gate, Ed had lightened up on his indulgence in alcohol, merely because of the lack of opportunity. That, and Mustang had been running him up and down the countryside on small errands to supposedly "help pay restitutions" for the mess created the last time he'd been home.

Damn the military. What was he supposed to do about it? It's not like he'd actually wanted Eckhart to go all schizoid and demolish half of Central!

Don't forget the damage done in Liore as well, his conscience echoed.

Double damn. Ed shook his head, crossing his mismatched appendages. Since when was he accountable for everything, anyway? Maybe that bastard Mustang just liked to use him as a work horse to try and compensate for all the slacking off he liked to do.

Edward shook his head in frustration. He was nobody's whipping boy, that was certain, and he'd be damned before he let anyone use him as such.

"That's it!" he shouted out in a seemingly-random manner, causing Al's head to snap over to him. He paced the length of their small military dorm room. "I'm not going to let that arrogant jackass tell me what to do anymore! You know what I'm going to do, Al? I'm not going in tomorrow. I'm not even going to call! We'll see what that smug bastard has to say about that!"

The younger Elric simply shook his head in pity. Sometimes, his brother was a real hothead, and he almost always let it get the best of him. That usually meant trouble for the both of them.

"Brother," he said softly, trying not to become the target of his sibling's seething rage, "tomorrow is Saturday. You don't have to go in, anyway." At the risk of invoking more irritation, he let a small smile flit across his lips.

Ed paused, looking at the calendar that hung upon the wall. Sure enough, tomorrow just had to be Saturday. He sighed in defeat. Once again, he was so angry that he missed the obvious. One would think he would have grown out of that by now.

"Since you're looking up there, what is the date tomorrow?" Al asked curiously, still looking in that general direction, as if trying to look through his brother to see for himself.

"Um…let's see here…," Edward muttered, guiding his finger over to the date. "It's March 17th."

As the words left his lips, a smile formed in their wake, leaving Edward looking awkwardly pleased. He turned and flopped in a nearby chair, mentally making plans for the following day.

Recognizing the familiar expression of impending mischief upon his brother's otherwise angelic features, Alphonse began to squirm nervously.

"Brother…what are you thinking?" he asked timidly, as if he really didn't want to know.

Ed glanced over at his worried-looking younger brother. He might as well have been wringing his hands and pacing the room, with the look he was giving Ed.

"Just thinking about a holiday I used to celebrate over in Munich…," the older alchemist mused, staring thoughtfully into a corner of the room.

Al's expression quickly transformed from one of concern to one of curiosity. He loved hearing about things that his brother had done while they were on separate sides of the Gate. Edward had led a semi-peaceful life in Germany, which had brought out an entirely different side to him that not many got to see. Those who did witness this part of Edward Elric's personality still didn't see it often.

"What kind of holiday, Brother?" he asked, encouraging his sibling to continue.

Edward sighed, remembering the festivities from years past. "It's called St. Patrick's Day, Al. At first, I thought it was some crackpot religious holiday, but Alfons quickly set me straight on that one. It is actually a religious holiday, but it doesn't call for offerings or anything like that. A bunch of guys would go down to the beer hall and drink until most of them couldn't stand. And all the green…I've never seen so much green in my life, Al! It was just one giant moving sea of green-clad people, most of whom could barely use their own two legs to stand."

Al cocked an eyebrow in confusion. "Sounds like an excuse for people to act irresponsibly to me."

Ed rolled his eyes and shook his head at his brother's predictable response. "It's more than that, Al. It's…hard to explain. Maybe you'll get it one of these days." He smiled fondly at a passing thought. "Alfons used to say the same thing, really. He always said the same thing." He stood and walked over to his bed, sprawling out amidst the mess of blankets. "Maybe I'll show you one of these days."

Al smiled at his older brother as he curled up in his own bed and drifted to sleep. "Yeah…maybe…one of these days…"