A bright flash of light was all it took to wake him with a start.

Ed hadn't even remembered falling asleep to begin with, but as he cracked open an eye at the disturbance, the pieces began to fit together.

He was still on the couch. With Winry.

Somewhere along the night their limbs had gotten all tangled together, to the point where Winry's hair was in his face and her arm was still draped over his midsection.

The realization was enough to leave him tumbling off the side of the couch and straight onto his face. A familiar laugh rang in his ears as he pushed himself up, and it took everything within him to not launch himself at the perpetrator.

"How long were you standing there?!" he shouted at Al, who looked far too pleased than he should've been at the moment.

"Long enough to capture the evidence." He held up a thin square object in one hand, and a machine Ed recognized from the festival in the other.

It was one of those "camy ra" things, which meant that the other object was…

Damn it.

He jumped to his feet in an attempt to grab the photo, but Al had raised it out of grasp before he had the chance. With his freakishly long arm extended upwards, there was no possible way for Ed to reach it, even if he jumped.

He really missed buoyancy.

"Al!"

"I'm not letting you destroy this. Not only is it cute, but it's the first photo I've ever taken," Al stated. "I even got permission from Winry to use this."

Ed couldn't deny that his curiosity outweighed whatever embarrassment he was feeling at the moment. The concept of capturing images in time was just too cool to be mad about, despite the subject matter.

Not that he'd admit it.

As soon as he stopped his attempts to grab the photo, Al lowered it just enough to let its surface be visible. They both watched as pale grey saturated into vibrant shades of color, revealing the unflattering image Al had captured.

"I think you'd be better off taking photos of Fish. This sucks."

Al shook his head, pocketing the picture before Ed could attempt to grab it once more. "I can do both. Give it a few years, and you'll be happy this exists. It is a special day, after all."

Before Ed could ask what he meant, Winry let out an annoyed groan from behind them.

"What are you two yelling about?" She sat up and stretched her arms, all while wearily blinking at a space somewhere behind them.

Ed's glaring seemed to have done its job, because Al made no mention of their earlier conversation. With nothing more than a dismissive reply, he'd excused himself to the kitchen before either of them had a chance to make sense of things.

He was awfully cheery considering the previous night's events, but Ed didn't dare question it. No matter the reason, Al deserved every moment of happiness he got.

Winry had busied herself with getting ready soon after, not saying a word about whatever they'd "discussed" the night before. Ed was almost thankful for it, because his mind was still muddled with unfamiliar emotions that left no room for rational speech. They both knew what needed to be known, so there was no point in rushing things.

With nothing better to do, Ed found himself looking at the rain drumming against the window. The storm was no lighter than it'd been before, and the uncomfortable sensation he got from it only continued to grow. He wasn't used to watching the effects of storms on the surface, but he knew full well how powerful they could be. He'd seen his own father use them as a bargaining tool, after all.

Though the weather happened on its own accord, Hohenheim easily had the ability to increase the severity of it. There was no reason for anyone to hold that sort of power, let alone a bastard who seemed to value the stability of his kingdom over his own family.

Ed watched as the hill's greenery rippled like waves against the howling wind, barely visible beneath the black clouds shrouding the sun from view. It was as if the earth itself was angry, releasing its fury by turning raindrops into needles and thunder into deafening roars.

The implications alone of his father's involvement was enough to make him see red, and by the time Al returned to the room, he was sure he must've looked about as furious as the weather did.

"Hey, are you okay? You look like you're about to burst a blood vessel," Al said cautiously, just as he did every time he'd talked Ed down from a fight.

He turned away from the view, refocusing on the safety of Winry's home. "Fine. Just pissed at the storm."

"Well, you can spend the rest of the day being pissed, but right now I need you to follow me into the dining room. Without the frown."

Al was acting weird again, but Ed didn't dare question him when he wore a look like that. He absolutely had something planned, and whatever it was, it was likely the reason for his giddiness.

Ed only hoped it wasn't at his expense.

"Did 'ya find another cool thing we're not supposed to touch?" Ed asked, standing to follow him. "Or does this have something to do with Fish?"

"You'll see."

Upon entering the room, Ed didn't notice anything particularly eye-catching. The only thing unfamiliar to him was a cardboard white box on the table, but it seemed far too plain to be something Al wanted to share.

Before he had the chance to ask him to explain, Winry entered while holding another box, though this one was much larger and longer than the other.

Yeah, they were definitely conspiring against him.

Winry sat her box on the table, which resulted in an abnormally loud clunk. "Okay, pick one to open first."

"Huh?" Ed looked between the two of them, noticing how Winry was practically bouncing on her feet.

"You're hopeless, brother." Al moved the smaller box so it was sitting directly in front of him, giving it a small pat. "It'll make sense once you open it."

Al's delivery was more ominous than anything, but he was clearly excited nonetheless. Ed nodded slowly, and moved to lift the top of the box.

He immediately recognized the thing inside to be a cake, but the decorations were far from anything he'd seen Al sell at the bakery. This one was way more badass, with red and black frosting and details that looked like spikes and skulls.

The words "Happy 18th Birthday!" were written right across the top, and immediately everything clicked into place.

Oh.

He'd forgotten his own birthday, hadn't he?

Something tugged at the back of his mind at the realization, but Ed ignored it in favor of appreciating Al's gift.

"You made this by yourself?"

"I had some help at the bakery, but I tried to do what I could." Al grinned. "Happy birthday, brother. I can't believe you forgot it again."

He honestly couldn't believe it, either. This birthday was supposed to be the one that would completely change his life, and yet a single week was enough to make it slip from his mind. Now that he was on the surface, the looming arrival of his coronation had become nothing more than a "what could have been." The future he'd agonized over had slowly washed away after he'd escaped, having been replaced with a brighter one that was beyond anything he could've hoped for.

Through some miraculous twist of fate, what should've been the worst day of his life had become one of the best, and he couldn't be more thankful.

"Thanks, Al. It's perfect."

Al smiled even brighter, and Winry soon stepped forward with a gesture to her own box.

"Me next!" she exclaimed, looking like it was taking all her energy to not jump up and down.

Ed pulled it towards himself before she had the chance to, noting the size and weight of it as he did so. There weren't many things it could be besides what he was thinking, but that should've been impossible. It'd only been a week.

He lifted the top, and lo and behold, inside was a shiny new automail arm that looked as indescribably perfect as the rest of Winry's work.

"There's no way…" He looked back at her for a moment before returning his gaze to the arm. "How did you even– how did you do this?!"

"It's just a prototype, but it's indicative of the final product. All it needs is a little testing, but come on, you weren't gonna underestimate the Rockbell prowess, were you?" Winry said with a self-assured smile.

Ed gaped at her, unable to find the right words. He'd expected her to take weeks, even months to make something resembling an arm, and yet he already had a near-complete product right in front of his eyes. He already knew she was amazing, but this was just… incomprehensible.

Winry must've taken his silence as trepidation, because she hurriedly attempted to reassure. "It's perfectly safe, I swear! We can do the port surgery whenever you want to, of course, and then I can easily swap out the arm if it isn't what you want. I tried to find the right composition of materials that'll work for swimming, so it isn't as durable as regular steel would be, but–"

"Winry," he interrupted, causing her to pause her rambling. "This is… this is more than I ever could've expected. It's just… wow."

"It's incredible, Winry," Al added, walking to look over his shoulder. "I think we're both a little speechless, is all."

Ed nodded, running his hand over the arm that would soon be his.

"You deserve it, you know. I would've done this for you whether you'd saved my life or not, dummy." Winry's eyes met his own, as genuine and emotive as they'd been the previous night. "Happy birthday."

Ed choked out a stifled laugh, blinking harshly before his eyes had the chance to water. Besides Al, he couldn't remember anyone ever doing something for him; not out of necessity, but for his own personal happiness. It felt strange to have someone care in a way that wasn't artificial.

After his mom had died, he'd never once thought of his birthday as anything beyond a reminder of his age. For the entirety of his teen years, he'd only dreaded the day he was old enough to have the crown passed to him. Never in a million years would he have expected to be living in the moment he was now, with loved ones at his side and his own two legs to stand on.

It was almost jarring, considering the anticipation he'd built for something that'd just… fizzled away. Nothing had ever worked out for him in the way that it was now, and the irregularity of it all almost made him uneasy.

The feeling that'd been gnawing at him returned; a sensation he'd come to expect from a life built around mistrust and fear. He trusted Winry without a doubt, but there was a nagging wrongness veiled beneath all the perfection that he'd forced himself to ignore. An unsolved variable lying just out of reach.

Ed knew how significant the day was. Was leaving enough to make everyone forget him, just as easily as they'd been ready to bow to him? With an entire kingdom at his calling, how had a single human been enough to distract him from the very thing he'd fled from?

He thought back to his earlier suspicions, and the realization was almost enough to knock him off his feet.

The storm.

The storm.

How could he have been so stupid? He'd known the storm was powerful, yet he'd held onto the same blind hope he always did when faced with reality. The same hope that'd almost gotten him and Al killed.

"It's a threat," he blurted out, solving the puzzle and hating himself for it at the same time.

Winry tilted her head, her smile falling slightly. "What?"

"The storm. It's not a coincidence. He wants to force me to return, so he's holding the town hostage. Holding you hostage."

Al shook his head, but Ed knew he'd come to the same realization. "He wouldn't. That's… that's crazy!"

"Who? What are you talking about?" Winry's voice wavered, a sharp comparison to her tone just moments before.

"Hohenheim, our father," Ed spat his name like a curse. "This storm is easily within the limits of his power. It makes sense, doesn't it? Today's supposed to be the coronation, so of course the bastard would want me back. That's all he cares about, and I doubt he'd stop until he gets what he wants."

"Are you sure, brother? This is… it's a heavy accusation."

Al's doubt was entirely justified, but Ed knew when to trust his gut feelings. As soon as he'd found a cause for his dread, he was confident in the fact that something terrible was going on. He knew the feeling all too well, but this time, he actually had a chance to stop things before it was too late. Like hell was he about to risk the lives of others for his own peace of mind.

This would end now.

"I know. It sounds insane, but I think I can prove it." Ed replied. "If I'm right, then that bastard's about to get his ass kicked across the ocean."

He turned on his heel and marched directly to the front door, hearing the others follow closely behind.

Despite his lack of relationship with Hohenheim, he'd trained with the trident on multiple occasions. The thing had been part of the reason why he loved science so much to begin with. Rather than magic, science had a structure within the order of the world, relying on equal exchanges of matter and endless cycles of energy.

The trident was a damn anomaly, but it had its moments of helpfulness, regardless. It could be used to heal and protect if in the right hands, and though its power wasn't limitless, Ed knew it was strong enough to target individuals.

Or exclude them from its effects altogether.

He placed his hand on the doorknob, and Winry instantly shot forward to try and stop him. "Are you crazy?! It's still pouring outside!"

Surprisingly, Al was the one to pull her back.

"I think I get it now. For the first time, I really hope you're wrong about this, brother."

Ed swallowed his hesitation and opened the door, allowing stray drops of rain to patter into the entryway. Slowly, he took a step forward, then another, until he was completely outside beyond the sanctuary of a roof.

The rain still fell, but a glance up confirmed his suspicions without a doubt.

It was as if he was the eye of the storm.

Where he stood, the rain ceased to fall, forming a protective ring around him that let nothing besides a thin mist of droplets within its circumference.

He was right, and he hated it.

Hohenheim had given him complete protection so he could leave without a problem, while simultaneously proving that the storm was the warning Ed had thought it was. He truly intended to harm innocents, which was beyond what he'd ever expected from the bastard.

It pissed him off to no end, but he wasn't about to go down without a fight.

Ed swore under his breath before stomping back inside, avoiding the gaze of the others as he did so. They would both understand now, which meant they'd know exactly what needed to be done.

"I can't believe this," Al spoke up, shaking his head. "He's never interfered with humans before, even after the incident."

"We've never tried to leave before, either."

Winry shut the door behind them before moving to stand directly in his path. "You can't go back, it's not fair!"

Her stare was as piercing as it'd been the first time he met her, but he quickly noticed that her eyes had begun to fill with tears that threatened to spill over.

"Woah woah, hey. Don't cry," he reached for her hand without thinking, feeling his heart drop into his stomach from the way she looked at him. "We'll work this out, okay? Even if I do leave, it'll only be to talk some sense into him. There's no way I'd stay."

"What if something happens, huh? What then?"

He sucked in a breath and squeezed her hand. "I can't just stay here and let it happen. I will not let you and the others get dragged into this."

"We can't let anyone get hurt because of us, Winry," Al added. "I get what he means, and I agree. Maybe if our dad finds out that we're happy and safe, he'll stop all of this. For all he knows, we could've been kidnapped or something."

Ed honestly doubted the man cared about their actual wellbeing, but didn't dare to vocalize the fact. He almost wished he had as much faith in him as Al did.

"I just wish I could do something." Winry squeezed back, before moving her hand to wipe at her eyes.

"Are you kidding? You've done more than enough, Win," Ed stressed. "Besides, there's plenty of people here who could use your help in the storm, don't you think? They need you."

"I know. I'm not going to give up on them, but I just can't bear the thought of your father stripping you of your freedom like this. It's not right."

Ed shook his head. "I won't let him. I still have to get my arm, don't I?"

Without warning, Winry pulled him into a hug, squeezing tightly as if he'd slip from her fingers at any moment. Before he'd had a moment to catch his breath, she yanked Al in with her other arm, causing them all to stumble and sway.

"You better come back, dummies."

Ed leaned into her arms, feeling Al do the same on his other side. This wasn't something he was going to lose, and he sure as hell wasn't going to let Hohenheim be the one to take it from him.

It wasn't even a choice, really. He knew what he had to do.

The mood they'd spent the morning building had rapidly transformed into something bitter and stale. Ed had promised he'd return, but the unsaid implication that he'd be leaving soon left the air stagnant.

They all knew it, it was just a matter of when.

He couldn't wait for the day to end, that much was certain. The storm's specific date had proven that Hohenheim wanted him to return for the coronation specifically, rather than because he was his missing son, or something ridiculous like that. If he stayed on the surface any longer, it was entirely possible that the bastard would cause some sort of natural disaster as soon as the clock struck twelve.

He was at fault for it all—that much was clear—but thinking about the fact only caused his thoughts to spiral until his stomach was churning and his chest was tight.

He'd never handled his guilt well.

Though he was determined to make things right, Al's involvement was the variable that left him more troubled than anything. He'd insisted he would join him, and Ed could hardly do anything to convince him otherwise. Just like before, the entire thing had been his idea, but Al was determined to vouch for his equal involvement in the act.

Ed wanted to be mad at his stubbornness, but his independence left him a little proud too. Al would have no problem facing the human world on his own, that much was obvious, but Ed felt far less worried for him than he would've years earlier. Al knew his limits, and Ed trusted him more than anyone else.

That didn't stop the bad feeling he got about the whole situation, though.

Winry had it the worst. Who was he to push himself into her life, only to leave a day after he'd kissed her? She'd done nothing but give, and yet she was still facing the consequences of something she had nothing to do with. Some "equivalent exchange" that was.

Despite it all, they'd tried to enjoy the day as much as they could. Winry and Al were determined to give him a proper birthday celebration before he left, set on ignoring the sour mood they'd all found themselves in.

He couldn't argue with the cake. It was amazing. Al's work at the bakery had paid off, because he'd somehow managed to create a blend of flavors so sweet and delicious Ed wouldn't have thought it was possible had he not tasted it himself. He'd said as much after his first bite, and Al had promised he'd make more as soon as he had more practice.

They'd all sat around and played pretend, joking and eating as if the storm outside was nothing more than a sunshower. Winry had even shown him the automail in more detail, explaining its additional features like webbing between the fingers that could be turned on and off.

The care they'd both put into everything was incredible, and with every passing moment, Ed's desire to confront his father increased. If he could just get it over with, then he could return and things would be perfect again.

It was the only option.

Time had passed in both a sprint and a crawl, and as soon as they'd fallen into silence, Ed stood with a start.

"I'm leaving."

Al stood just as suddenly, joining him at his side. "Now?"

"There's no point in waiting if things are only gonna get worse." He paused, thinking back to his earlier conversation with Al. "You don't have to come, if you aren't ready to."

"I told you that I–"

"That's not what I mean," Ed interrupted, a semblance of a plan slowly weaving itself together in his mind. "Remember what we did the first time we left? I went first, and you followed later that night. If this is something I can do quickly, there's no point in dragging you along only to come right back. The storm only stops for me, anyways."

"You want to leave separately, you mean?" Winry joined in, rising to meet them both.

"Exactly. If I'm not back by sundown, then you can follow after me. Winry could use the help in the meantime, right? You're way better at dealing with humans than I am."

There was no way Al didn't pick up on the true reasoning behind his idea, but Ed hoped the mention of help was enough to sway his decision regardless. Al still respected Hohenheim to a degree, after all, and Ed didn't want to give him reason to discard the remaining bit of his family he had left. He doubted their upcoming "talk" was going to be anything peaceful and civil, and he didn't want Al to see that if he could help it.

"I don't know… are you sure you'll be okay?"

Ed nodded. "Positive."

"Alright," Al relented. "But I'm coming immediately if you aren't back in time, okay? There's nothing you can say to convince me not to."

"Wouldn't expect anything less. I trust you to hold down the fort, little bro. I'll be back before you even know I'm gone."

Al smiled and held out his fist for Ed to hit with his own, just like they'd always done when they were kids. "Good luck, brother."

Ed completed the gesture with a matching grin, and noticed Winry had started putting her boots on out of the corner of his eye.

"What're you doing?"

"Someone needs to walk you to the beach. You can hardly stay balanced when the weather is clear."

He scoffed, giving Al one last wave before following her out the door.

"I would've been fine."

Winry frowned, gripping onto her umbrella with both hands as if battling the winds with it. "Maybe I just didn't want you to be alone."

They trudged ahead, moving slowly as the elements fought them with every step. Ed was thankful for his momentary immunity, because he absolutely would've face planted by now if he'd been in Winry's shoes.

As soon as they neared the beach he was able to taste the salt in the air, blowing in a briny mist that felt heavy on his skin. He might've enjoyed it, had the circumstances been any different.

"It looks a lot like the first night we met, huh?" Winry said from beside him.

Ed watched as the waves formed mountains, climbing higher than the last before mercilessly crashing down onto the seaside rocks. He'd always avoided nearing the surface during storms out of common sense, but Winry had made that easy to ignore. (Not that he would ever regret it.)

"Yeah. 'Cept you're not drowning this time," he replied. "Don't do that again, by the way."

"Wasn't planning on it."

They stopped as soon as they reached the large rock that met the deeper waters, avoiding the shallowness that neither of them wanted to deal with on the shore. As he looked at the beckoning waves below, he sucked in a breath and clenched his teeth. He'd be the one to choose how things ended this time.

"I'm gonna fix this," he said. "He won't threaten you or anyone again, I'll make sure of it."

Winry nodded. "I believe you. You've got that look in your eyes you get when you're determined to do something."

"Geez, you already picked up on that much?"

"It's pretty hard to miss." She smiled, leaning forward to grab his hand. "Just be safe, okay? Don't do anything stupid."

He stepped closer, feeling the same fluttering sensation in his stomach as he did when they first met. It was almost funny, now. They'd gotten so close, yet he still managed to feel nervous around her.

"No promises."

Without so much as a reply, she dropped her umbrella and kissed him.

It was soft and slow and different from the ones that'd come before. He felt her every unsaid word leave through her lips, and as she lifted a hand to his cheek, he didn't hesitate to lean into her touch.

They were both shielded from the rain now, standing in their own little bubble with a halo of clear skies above them. Like nothing else existed at the moment.

She pulled away far too early, leaving him both reeling and yearning for more. He would've made the moment last forever if he could, but he knew there was nothing left to be said or done.

"I'll be back soon, kay?"

Winry let her hands fall, picking up her umbrella as she stepped back into the downpour. "I'll see you then, guppy."

He nodded, turning away to face the vast ocean ahead. As soon as he heard her retreating footsteps, he swallowed the lump in his throat and took a step.

With his eyes trained forward, he returned to the sea.

if it hasn't been obvious by now, there's a lot of aquamarine inspiration going on here ;-;

thank you for reading! we've finally approached the thick of the plot, so things are really going to pick up from here. feel free to share your thoughts if you'd like, i love to read them! :)