I've had this, partially done, sitting around since early 2014. Well, now it's fully done. :D This prompt is of my own doing, partially inspired by the movie, Frozen (really, just the ice part), and mostly because it was damn cold at the time I started it.

…in other news, I thought it was time Ed branched out a bit and thought about some other important people in his life. :'D (And if my other fic, 233 Kelvin doesn't give it away, I'm a huuuuuuge sap for papa!Roy. So. Here.)

In other news...I'm thinking I might like to do some AUs of this fic, maybe let Alfons meet Al and the gang. It would sooooorta defeat the purpose of this fic, but...idk. What do you all think?

oOo Fire and Ice oOo

Bavaria, Germany. December 31st, 1921

Alfons cursed, jumping aside as an automobile came splashing down the cobblestone streets and hit a deep rut where a stone had been displaced. The impact sent up a spray of cold, slushy water that soaked his pants. To his left, Edward, who had been shielded from the attack by none other than Alfons himself, laughed.

"Don't you love winter?" Ed's breath came out in small puffs of white mist that spiralled amongst the falling flakes of snow.

"Yeah, it's my favourite," he replied sarcastically, bending over to wipe off his pants with one hand. "Explain to me why this isn't all ice if it's snowing out. Water freezes when it's below zero, so it should be frozen."

Instead of replying, Ed laughed at him again.

By the time they reached their destination, a large park several blocks from their apartment, Alfons felt like a walking hunk of ice. True to his words, the water had done as described and frozen, leaving him with somewhat stiff leggings. It left him cold and crabby, but Ed hardly seemed to notice.

"I hope the fireworks start soon, so we can go home," he griped, shivering.

For once, Ed glanced over, a look of actual concern flitting across his features. "We don't have to stay. If you want to go home, we can."

"We came out here to see the fireworks, so we're going to stay," Alfons said finally, stubbornly leading the way further into the park. There was a large pond located at the south-western corner, a favourite for children during the summer, and it was over the pond that the fireworks would be set off. Truthfully, Alfons had been looking forward to them all day, and so icicle or not, he wanted to see them.

Ed scoffed, a smirk on his lips. "Just don't expect me to nurse you back to health when you wind up with a cold."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Ed," he said, rolling his eyes in good humour. There was no real malice in their bantering, and they lapsed into an easy silence. Well, mostly silence, but as the minutes ticked by, Alfons found himself shivering, his teeth starting to clatter.

"Don't you w-wish," he started, letting out a puff of cold air, "you c-could...snap your fingers a-a-and...poof, fire?" Alfons asked, rubbing his hands over his arms.

Alfons had expected Ed to snort, to make some comment about how unscientific such a thought was, or even just to roll his eyes. What he had not expected was the look that crossed Edward's face in place of humour. It could not be called confusion, but that was as close a guess to the expression as he dared harbour. Truthfully, though, reading Ed's response to his silly statement was completely impossible.

A pop crack sounded above them and Alfons glanced up as blue and green lights danced across the white snow. A few people let out calls and sounds of glee, but Edward did not so much as move. His face was locked in that indescribable expression, and Alfons would almost dare say that Edward had not even noticed the fireworks exploding over their heads.

The show continued, and Alfons found his attention divided between shivering, the sky, and Edward...who still had not moved. His expression had slipped somewhat, his features darkening as he dealt with whatever was suddenly haunting him.

"Alfons?"

He jumped at the sound of his name, spoken barely loud enough to be heard over the cacophony around them. Looking quickly at Edward, he opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off when Ed raised one hand—his left one. He held it up to the sky as a series of reds and yellows lit up the sky. The light reflected oddly off his hair and white glove, almost, but not quite, mimicking the dancing of flames.

"I'm afraid he failed."

"Who, Ed?"

"Damn bastard thought too highly of himself by half," Ed muttered, ramming his flesh hand into his pocket. "Wouldn't surprise me if the idiot overestimated himself and got his sorry ass fried. Wouldn't that be ironic," Ed snorted, but no real humour filled the sound. "Dammit, he was pain in the ass, but I hope he didn't get himself killed. That's the worst," Edward sighed, "not knowing."

"/Who/, Ed?"

"The...General."

Oh, so someone from the war? Alfons knew how it felt to lose someone to the military, so many people did, but it must be someone who had was missing in action. That had to be rough, never really knowing, even though you knew.

"I get it," he said quietly. "I lost my father to the war, too. It's hard."

"My father is still alive," Ed muttered. "Anyway, let's go home before you freeze to death. Forget a cold, you'll end up hypothermic if we stay put here."

Despite the ongoing show, Alfons did not protest. They walked mostly in silence, broken only by Alfons' shivers, though even those were lessening as they moved, and the crunch of their boots on ice. Eventually, Ed kicked a clump of ice with his left foot.

"Dammit, I don't...he can't be dead. If he failed, if he messed that up, it would mean..." Ed stopped, cutting himself off sharply. "That idiot promised. He better keep that promise."

"What promise?"

"That he'd fix things. I'm still rooting for him. Bastard."

Ed's footsteps quickened, signalling an end to the conversation. Alfons paused for only a moment before hurrying after him. Fix what? Odds were, asking would only mean more questions. The one thing he had taken from this conversation was that...war affected everyone.

He hoped Ed's friend was still alive, but he knew better than to really believe it.