On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Five Golden Rings

Ed had been looking down, seeing the dust clumps in the corners of the stairs and wondering if there was no one around to mop up the floors in the university building when classes were not in session. He didn't see who ran into him, only knew he had collided with something warm and solid and was grateful he caught hold of the banister in time to avoid tumbling down the entire flight of stairs after having his balance knocked out from under him.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, here, let me-" he heard from above him, and looked up in surprise.

"Alphonse?" he said, startled, twisting into a sitting position on the stairs and reaching down to begin to pick up the books his friend had dropped when colliding with him.

Alphonse was crouching down, also gathering his books, and blinked his light blue eyes in equal surprise. "Edward?" He frowned, his expression suddenly hurt, and took the books stiffly from his friend's hands. "You didn't tell me you were back."

Ed just shrugged, reaching up for the banister and standing up again, and Alphonse followed. "I just got in on the four o'clock train," he said in explanation, and noticed Al's expression relax.

"Oh," Al said awkwardly. "How was Romania? Did you find what you were looking for?" he asked politely.

Ed looked away. "I found some interesting things," he said noncommittally. "Hey, you haven't seen my father around here, have you?" he asked suddenly. "What are you doing in the university building anyway, Al?" he added.

Alphonse cracked a smile, his eyes brightening. "Oh, I took some classes this semester, like you suggested, and I took a job here over the break in the chemistry lab." He thought for a minute. "But I haven't seen your father at all, Ed, not even while classes were in session. Did you tell him you were coming back today?" he asked, frowning.

Ed just waved his hand, dismissing his friend's concern. "Nah. It's not that important anyway, it's not like I've been dying to see him or anything, I just wondered where the old man got to." Then he smiled engagingly. "So what kind of job are you doing that brings you up to the chemistry floor on Christmas Eve?"

Alphonse shifted his books in his arms, and they began to walk down the stairs together. "I'm looking after the grad student's experiments while they go spend time with their families for the holidays." He saw his friend's golden eyebrows draw down.

"Hey, doesn't your family live in Hirligen? That's more than half a day by train…" Ed said, his voice trailing off.

Alphonse just shrugged, but his expression was pained. "Well, money's scarce," he said tightly. "I need this job, and I can't afford a ticket anyway. I'll get there next year." He sighed. "I've never been away from my family for Christmas before," he added softly.

Ed looked down. "It's tough," he muttered.

They were still standing at the bottom of the stairs in the university's sciences building, both standing looking down. "Why didn't you wire your father to tell him you were coming home?" Al asked curiously.

"Home?" Edward echoed, and Al saw something flash behind his eyes that made his heart pang with sympathy. Then he blinked, and the expression was gone, and the usual nonchalant air was back. "I didn't come back to be with him," he repeated. "I came back to get away from the people I was staying with in Romania. They seemed to think I was some kind of charity case, inviting me to stay for the holidays and all."

Alphonse raised his eyebrows, unsure of how to respond to Ed's statement. Even if it hadn't been Christmas Eve, even if he hadn't known Ed had just returned from a two day train ride from a foreign country to an empty apartment, there was always something about his friend that made him want to offer comfort. And there was always something about Ed, not unlike the statement he had just made, that made him feel that comfort would be rejected.

"Are you done?" Ed asked abruptly.

"Huh?"

Ed tilted his head, letting his bangs fall over one eye. "You know, with whatever you came here to do. Did you finish it?"

Al nodded, puzzled. "Oh, yeah, I was just going to leave when I ran into you. Sorry, Ed, I didn't mean to hold you up," he said quickly. "I was just surprised to see you, that's all."

Ed walked past him then, heading towards the big double doors that lead to the Munich streets. He reached out one hand to cover the doorknob, paused, and then turned back to face Al. "Do you want to get some coffee with me?" he asked, his voice sounding oddly hollow. "There's a café sort of between my place and yours that's still open," he offered.

Al wanted to accept, wanted to tell Ed that of course, of course he would have coffee with him, of course he would not have to be alone, but a small problem remained. "I don't have any-"

Ed took a step forward, gently grasping his friend's shoulder and giving him a slight pull towards the door. "I'll pay, Al, don't worry about that. I just want your company."

Al smiled then, and he could feel the warmth of it all the way down to his toes. Maybe, after coffee, he could convince Ed to come back to his tiny place with him. Maybe he could make them both grilled cheese for Christmas Eve dinner, and they would light all the candles and eat in the flickering golden glow. Maybe they would talk, exchanging stories of Christmases past, and maybe Al would tell him how he thought about him every day since he had left and how he wondered if Ed felt the same about him.

Ed held the door open for him, and Al stepped into the bitter chill. The sun had set while they were inside, and the sky was only slightly alight with the deep blue glow of almost-night. "I would love," he said, watching his words come in puffs, freezing and floating away, "to keep you company," and he looked back as Ed pulled the door shut behind him.

Ed nodded once, falling in step beside him. "Good," he said. "I'm glad I ran into you here," he added. "I was going to stop by your place next anyways, you know, just to see if you were still in town." He looked over at his friend. "You're the closest thing I've got to family," he told him, his voice sincere, and that pained look behind his eyes had returned.

Bong.

If Ed thought of him like family, perhaps he did care for him more than he let on. Perhaps he wasn't chasing a dream after all.

Bong.

Al looked up, even though he knew the bells were coming from the church behind them, not from the sky.

Bong.

"It's five o'clock," he said needlessly, hesitating for a moment before reaching for his friend's hand, clasping their gloved fingers together.

Bong.

His eyes widened when Ed did not pull away, or tense up, or even look over at him with the startled expression he was picturing.

Bong.

He merely smiled in the evening light, and squeezed his hand, pressing his fingers into his friend's palm, and continued walking beside him, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Four Calling Birds

Three French Hens

Two Turtledoves

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree