Author: Nalavashi
Rating: G
Genre: Drama, Yaoi
Pairing: Ed x Roy
Status: Complete
Summary: It's his birthday today - his sixteenth to be exact.

The snow is falling, leaving a thick blanket of white over everything below, as I stare out the office window from behind my desk. This will make the fifth year that it's snowed on this exact date. I can't remember if it snowed or not on this day in any of the years before that.

It's his birthday today - his sixteenth to be exact. In some parts of the world a person has to be eighteen or twenty to be legally considered an adult. In this country, it's sixteen. At sixteen he can be sent to the battlefield; at sixteen he can finally be used as a tool in the way that they really want.

Five years ago today I sat in this same spot, staring across the desk at Maes as I handed the neatly wrapped package to him.
 

"Today's his birthday," I say. "Maybe you could have him and his brother join your family for dinner? And give this to him..."

He accepts the package with a feral grin. "Why not give it to him yourself?"

"I have work to do."

"Liar." He pauses, looking down at the tagless gift in his hand. "You could just show up sometime this evening, you know. Act like you didn't know he'd be there..."

"Don't encourage me, Maes." I can't help but add, "Save it until he's at least sixteen."

"It's not completely your fault. You didn't know he was just a kid when you went to meet him."

"That's not a good enough excuse." I spin in the chair to face out the window. It's snowing. "When you give him the gift... don't tell him who it's from."

"Have it your way," Maes says with a wave as he walks out of the room.
 

The next day Maes runs into my office, nearly breaking the door off the wall as he throws it open. Hawkeye and Havoc are both in the room with me; she reaches for her gun, and he drops the unlit cigarette from his mouth.

"It's a girl!" Maes yells. "My beautiful daughter was born last night!" He stands in front of the desk and drops a handful of photographs onto it. Sure enough, there are pictures of his wife holding a small bundled up baby in her arms.

After about an hour of Maes' gushing, Hawkeye and Havoc give their congratulations one last time before managing to sneak out of the room. My attention then turns back to my long-time friend and I give him a questioning look. I know he'll understand what I'm asking without even saying it.

"He seemed to really love it," he answers, leaning back in the chair and throwing his arms behind his head. "In fact, I think he might have liked it even better than my gift."

"That's good," I reply in a nonchalant manner. I can't deny it though - I'm absolutely thrilled that Ed liked the gift, and I know Maes knows exactly what I'm thinking even when I try to hide it.

"He must have babbled on for ten minutes about it," Maes continues. "Said it's one of the rarest books there is about the Philosopher's Stone - only 100 copies ever printed."

This time I can't hold back the smile, and it doesn't leave even when Maes goes back to chattering on about his daughter.
 

For the next three years after that, it came to be somewhat of a tradition. Every year I would search for a rare book about the Philosopher's Stone, wrap the gift, and give it to Maes. Maes would then pry the Elric brothers away from whatever they were doing that night and he'd throw a small birthday party for Ed.

On the fourth year, Ed opened the book and told Maes that he always gave the best gifts.
 

The fifth year - Ed's sixteenth birthday - is today. Once again I'm looking across my desk at the gift that sits on the corner of it.

This year, Maes isn't here to give it to Edward for me.

There's a soft knock on the door and Hawkeye enters. She brings a stack of papers, but my mind is too far gone to listen to what she's saying about them.

"Sir?"

I look up, and I'm met by concerned eyes. "It's nothing," I tell her as my attention once again goes back to the bright red paper and shiny silver ribbon.

She nods and turns to leave the room.

"Lieutenant--"

She turns to look.

"Do you think..." My hand tentatively reaches for the gift. "Could you give this to Edward, please?"

She takes it from my hand and gives me an understanding smile and nod. When she reaches the doorway she stops, then moves to the coat rack.

Taking my coat and turning back to me she says, "Why don't we give it to him together?"

I'm stunned for a moment, but stand and move towards her. As I slip the coat on, I take one last look out the window at the snow coming down. After all of these years, it seems that Ed is finally going to learn my secret.