Ed and Wren: Totally not a date

Ed looked up at the sound, and smiled slightly at the girl before shooting up to meet her. The snow burned his frozen feet, and he jogged a bit in place when he reached her. "Hey! Ah see ye brooght th' bird." He said, looking slightly uncomfortable. He reached over for a hug, but then coughed into his hand and placed them in his pockets, not wanting to overstep any bounds.

"Uh, want tae heed tae mah place fur th' cocoa?" He asked awkwardly, his face red from the cold and his embarrassment. Eyeing the bird warily, he stepped forward and grinned, silently asking her to follow him.

"Hullo, Lacey." He said with a bit of enthusiasm behind his tone. Wiggling his finger at the bird, he smiled sheepishly.

At hearing her confession, his gaze hardened and he looked at her. Murmuring "Ya don't say.", the scot raised his head. Then, seeing her large smile, he chuckled. "Cannae do anythin about that, ey, lass?" He rose to his full height and smiled back at her, his teeth glinting in the sun.

Supplying "Ah suppose we'll jist have tae go pick up some stuff on th' way home, 'en.", he offered his hand to Wren and grinned in the way he thought was the most charming. "How'd ye like a tour ay Christmas Town fraem a born an' bred resident? I'll flin' in some gingerbread at th' end, jist fur puttin' up wit' little old me th' whole time." He offered, grasping her hand and taking off at a leisurely pace with the girl and her bird.

He stopped straight and chuckled awkwardly. "Aha, Ah forgot them. Ah was nervous an' all, y'knaw.." He said, glancing back. "But it's okay. We'll jist run tae get some peppermint tea, an' then Ah can warm them up at mah hoose." He finished, grinning. "Unless ye want anither flavur ay tea. It's yer choice. Mah treat."

He took off again, making sure he wasn't dragging the other girl too much. He stopped in front of a small building with a visible hearth, and many residents milling about inside. He stepped forwards and held the door open, smiling at the bell that dinged, then stepping in after Wren.

It was a small shop, with sloped wooden ceilings and dark-stained rafters. There were small tables scattered around, and many benches and plush chairs occupied by people sipping out of mugs. There were a few couches by a hearth, and a baby grand piano in the corner, with a tall blonde man hunched over it, seeming to be in his own little musical world. He glanced over at the newcomers, and nodded at Ed, who waved back. Ed stepped up to the wooden counter, with trays of sweets scattered across it, and leaned over it.

"Oy mum, ye back thaur?" He called, and then laughed joyously as a young boy looking to be no more than six ran out and latched himself onto his legs, ducking under the hatch that separated the counter from the shop. Ed ruffled his brown hair and smiled widely. "Hullo, Alex. You helpin' mum tuhday?" He asked, picking the boy up and swinging him around before setting him on the counter. He then turned his attention to a stout, older woman with her wispy brown hair tied back into a bun. He kissed her on the cheek as the boy yelled "Yeah! I made cookies, Eddy!" Over the noise of the cozy shop.

"Finally stopped by to help, Eadmund?" The woman asked, placing her hands on her wide hips. "Your brothers are here every day. And where are your shoes? Stupid boy!" She said, anger burning in her eyes before she pulled Ed by his ear.

"Ow, mum!" He said, rubbing his sore ear after she released him. "Ye kno' dad keeps me busy wi' deliveries! We cannae all be musical geniuses!" He whined, then, noticing Wren, he cleared his throat. "Mum, thes is Wren. She's allergic tae cocoa, sae we cam haur fur tea. Min' makin' us some?" He asked with a smile, which then widened as the woman smacked him on the shoulder with a towel before turning to Wren.

"What'd you like, dear?" She asked, leaning a bit on the counter.

"Oh, of course, dear. I'll be out in a moment. Alex, see if you can find a pair of your father's boots for your idiot brother to wear." She said, disappearing into the kitchen. The small boy giggled, but instead of listening to his mother, he looked first at his blushing foster brother and then at the pink haired girl.

"Hi! My name's Alex! What's yours?" He asked, but without waiting for a response, he barreled on. "You're pretty. Are you and Eddy dating?" He paused and giggled again at the redhead's groan. "Is that a bird? I like birdies! Diablo doesn't. But I do!" He peeked under the cloth on the bird cage. "This bird is pretty too." He stated. "You're nice. Will you come over all the time?" He asked, finally stopping his onslaught of questions.

Ed stepped over to the pair, ruffling the kid's hair a bit too forcefully, his face as red as his hair. "Alrecht, kiddo. Go and fin' those boots befair mah feet fall aff. Ah don't think Wren wants tae talk bout 'at stuf' anyhaw, champ." He said, smiling apologetically at his friend.

Ed laughed a little bit. "Yeah. Th' pianist over thaur is mah brother Richter. Sorry bout Alex. He's a bit... Curioos." He rubbed the back of his neck and grabbed two mugs from his foster mother. "Thanks." He said, kissing her on the cheek. He gestured for Wren to follow him with a hand on the center of her back.

Stopping at a couch close to the fire, and setting the two mugs on the table, he sat down. "Honest, Ah dornt want tae date ye. Jist friends, yeah?" He said, smiling. "Wait, nae, nae that you're not attractife! Ah mean, eh'd jist like to be yer friend! Ah dornt... Shite." He buried his face in his left hand and reached for a mug with the other. One mug had a peppermint stick balanced on the rim, and the other, a cinnamon stick. Ed stirred the beverage with the cinnamon stick, not removing his hand from his face, and raised it to his blushing face. He just could NOT get anything right. Now she'd never wanna talk to him again. Another friend lost. It that little booger thought he'd be playing his Nintendo ever again, he had another thing coming. Maybe he could get out of this with a little dignity still in tact. That was, if he had any left after she told him off.

He sighed and nodded, deciding not to make it worse for himself by speaking. He was surprised at how prickly she was sometimes. He decided to be less touchy-feely. It was obviously giving her the wrong idea. He wished his dad were around to give him advice. He was friends with the whole village when he was around. It seemed neither he nor Richter had inherited that. He gripped the dog tags around his neck and sighed into his hot chocolate. Mum had added cinnamon. She knew he was nervous. There would probably be lamb stew tonight, too. He wondered if he should invite Wren, but she'd probably think he was flirting with her.

"-..." He opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again, resolving to let her lead the conversation, if she'd like to speak to him. He sipped his cocoa and glanced at Rich. It was a new piece, he was playing. His brother had handed him the bass part earlier, but he hadn't had the chance to read it over yet. It sounded like the pianist was working through a few parts, still. He drifted into the music for a second, but then realized Wren was still there. He looked up at her, then back down at his drink, fiddling with the tags again. Why didn't he know what to say? "..." He opened his mouth again, but then when she looked at him, he squeaked and looked at Diablo.

That... Was embarrassing. He was supposed to be suave, dangit! He thought of George Peppard and Humphrey Bogart, then finally his dad. He was a bit pathetic.