A/N: Grass is blue. The sky is green. Or is it?

Celebrations
Phase 3.

Further digging had told them of a bookstore, Flourish and Blotts, in a place called Diagon Alley. Tom had said if they needed his help finding it, they should just come by the pub. It seemed like everybody was intent on taking care of the Elric brothers around here.

But before they could do any more exploring, they first had to celebrate Halloween. Already, it was getting dark, and any trick-or-treaters would be disappointed if no one answered the door to give them candy, even with the finely decorated lawn.

"Maybe they'll think it really is haunted," Al joked.

Luckily though, they made it back in time before anybody decided to venture into the dangerous yard of the Elric brothers. Maybe Ed really had overdone it.

But it didn't matter. Because they were not going to simply wait for people to come knocking; they were going to go trick-or-treating themselves. First, Al dumped the candy into a bowl (a regular, yellow bowl that didn't quite match the theme of the whole yard) and a note saying not to steal all of the candy. Hopefully it would be enough.

And now, the two were left to their last-minute costume improvising.

"What should we go as?" Al asked. They were staring at an assortment of various items and other junk that had collected over the months. Not a full costume, but hopefully there was something in there they could use.

"I don't know..." Ed's eyes roved over the pile before finally settling on a bright red fabric somewhere in the depths. He grinned and pulled it out, revealing a long red coat with a flamel emblazoned on the back.

"You still have this?" he asked. Al nodded.

"It's not yours, but..." Suddenly, he got an idea. "Hey! We could dress up like we did in Amestris. You in your red cloak, and I'll try to find some pots and pans I could –" He stopped when he saw Ed holding something else up in his other hand. A familiar, battered old helmet.

"You still have it!?" Al couldn't help the exclamation of surprise. How had Ed been able to carry it around all this time? And why?

"I got it from the wreckage after we moved back to London," Ed explained, then grinned sheepishly. "Again, it's really not yours, but..." Al laughed.

"Neither of us are really what we were, are we?" He smirked. "But today, is Halloween, and we can pretend." Al snatched the helmet from his brother's hand and dropped it on his own head.

"See?" His voice echoed from inside the helmet. "I've got the head, but no body to go with it." He could barely see with the metal covering most of his face, but he could hear rustling fabric coming closer to him. What was Ed doing?

"Here." Al felt something being draped around his shoulders. "Now you look like a real knight." Curious, he lifted the helmet slightly and took a peek. There was now a long black cape billowing behind him.

He couldn't help it. He giggled.

"Brother, I thought we were going to look like our past selves?"

"Hey! It looks cool, you gotta admit that!"

"Brother..." If anything, he felt ridiculous wearing it.

"Come on, Al. It's Halloween! No need to be so uptight." And despite himself, Al did feel a grin cracking from behind the mask. Yes, he did feel ridiculous, but it was also kind of... fun.

"Alright," he said. "You win this one."

He could almost see Ed jumping up and down in glee. The sudden thuds Al could hear did nothing to contradict these imaginings.

It really was going to be a fun Halloween.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Soon, they were out the door, costumes ready and candy buckets in hand. Ed had somehow fixed the helmet so that he could actually see (and the helmet was now suspiciously padded with something that felt like one of his pillows; he'd have to get Ed back for that) and now held a flashlight in hand so that his efforts would not have gone to waste. But on this side of the Gate with all its advanced technology, the flashlight was not just a commodity, it was a necessary precaution. Even for the two brothers, the danger of cars was too much to ignore.

But Halloween wasn't a day for worries. Halloween was meant for candy.

The first house they visited was a stranger's. Right after the first knock the door swung open and an elderly woman armed with a bowl of candy emerged.

"And what are you two supposed to be?" she had asked once the traditional trick-or-treatings had been exchanged.

"An alchemist and a knight," Ed answered proudly. She raised an eyebrow at Ed's costume but nevertheless accepted it.

"Well, have a happy Halloween!" she said as the two began walking away.

"You too!" Al called back. For a moment, neither of them spoke. And then...

"Why did she look so incredulous that I'm dressed up as an alchemist!?" Ed exclaimed.

"And me..." Al couldn't help adding. "I'm not dressed up at a knight!" Ed snorted.

"Come on, Al. What else could you be?" For a moment, Al stared at him in shock.

"You know what I am!"

"Yeah? And so do I!"

...

It took a moment of Al trying to figure that out before he gave up.

"How does that even make sense?" he said finally. He could almost sense the blush on Brother's cheeks.

"It – Of course it does! I know what I am too, and..." He gave up and sighed. "You know what, nevermind. Let's just get to the next house."

By the time they were done with Halloween, both their buckets were full to the brim. Ed though, had been mercilessly teased the whole time. After all, how did flinging on one red cloak make on an alchemist?

It was a question that, for the rest of the night, sent Ed into a rage almost like whenever he'd been called short.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

"Hey, Brother?" Al was curled up in a snug arm chair next to the fireplace, and his words were accompanies by a yawn.

"Yeah, Al?"

"You know, all we need now is a cat and it's be perfect..." There was the sound of a chair tipping over and the pleasant knowledge of having annoyed an older brother successfully.

"Al! For the last time, we're not getting a cat!"

And Al was able to fall asleep with one last smirk on his face.