Giving In

Rating: T

Author's Note: I would suggest you read Enula's 'No Use Giving In' before you read this or you will get a bit confused about what's going on but you don't have to if you don't want to. Image is owned by EdxRozeFC on Deviantart, not my own.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. I also give a nod of recognition towards Enula who inspired this story.

Chapter One

Ed waved hello to the people in the fields pulling away at weeds as he passed them on by. It had been a few days since he had returned on home, this time for good. Rose's parting advice to talk to Winry had worked out well considering the girl was a blubbering mess when he came back. Ed smiled wryly. It was difficult to ignore Rose's advice. She always knew what and how to say it that gave him the best course of action. The first night he was home, Winry made all of his favorite meals besides the disgusting thing mankind called milk and they talked about recent news from the town. Hearing about his friends and family made Ed a whole lot happier and relieved that he was now home. Winry and him had returned to doing the chores quite amicably.

Ed was glad to see his best friend doing better now since he was back but he knew it would bring about confessions he wasn't ready to be dealing with. Last night, when he decided to call it a night, Winry had confessed her love for him. Remembering how he had felt when he left Rose's place and the unspoken words that went between them, he couldn't take what Winry had wanted to give him. Ed had always loved Winry like a sister; the closest thing he had ever had to one. He knew Winry had gone to bed sad and Ed felt bad about it. He had barely been home for more than two days and Winry was already sad. He had promised himself she would cry tears of joy instead of pain and sadness.

Not wanting to impose on her, Ed had suggested he go find a different place to stay after their conversation. To his surprise and relief, Winry had insisted him on staying since this was his home as well. Ed decided to wake up before Winry got up to take a short walk in the countryside to think about his decision to decline Winry's wish. Ed sighed as he looked up at the sky. Admitting his thoughts that his relationship with Winry was rather familial and platonic was rather difficult for him. Ed didn't like expressing his feelings out loud to people and so he often kept them to himself or he would share his thoughts with Al.

Ed had thought about his feelings late into the morning when he finally fell asleep. Although he sincerely cared for Winry, he never thought or cared for her in that way. It was always Rose he had thought about. He felt closer to Rose because like him, she had suffered and fought her way back onto her feet despite the hell she went through. Ed was surprised when Rose had smiled at him and pulled him up to her while he was asking for her forgiveness. He had definitely been surprised when she told him the same thing he had told a young woman, kneeling in the dirt in front of him sobbing her heart out.

It's time to move forward.

Ed smiled. You always know what to say don't you Rose, he thought fondly. After he had left Rose's house yesterday, he felt a whole lot better and…perhaps more certain of his feelings than ever. Ed had truly missed everyone who had touched his life. Hawkeye, Havoc, Rose, Winry, Armstrong, and the others. He had missed all of them and was happy to see them doing well…but Ed also wanted to see the look on their faces when they discover that he is still alive and kicking. Their reactions had been a bit predictable but enjoyable to witness.

Ed cracked a small smile at the memory of Colonel—Brigadier General— Bastard's stunned look on his face. Absolutely priceless. Havoc had offered him a cigarette while Hawkeye smacked him over the head with a file folder he had forgotten to sign. Fuery and the others had welcomed him back with open arms. Mustang had looked him over and congratulated him on his height gain. Ed smirked at the surprise and slight disappointment on Mustang's face when Ed didn't blow up like he used to over his height. Time changes us all, Ed had wagged at Mustang who looked like he wanted to burn Ed into a crisp but was stopped when Hawkeye had dropped piles of paper on Mustang's desk.

Welcome back Ed. We missed you, the sharpshooter had said smiling warmly at him.

Ed smiled and began to hum as he walked down the street towards the house that he had been told was Rose's house. Ed decided he wanted to visit Rose again to talk to her about her words that she gave him before she closed the door and to talk to her about her future in Resembool.

It's what I would have wanted.

Rose's statement had stunned him to stillness. He had stood outside her door for several minutes looking like a fool staring into nothing. At first, her words were hard to understand but after a few minutes of reflecting upon their meaning, a warmth swept through his whole entire being.

Rose Thomas had always been waiting for him to come on back home. And she had always been the first person he thought of while he was trying to make it back on home. He had known for a long time Rose had feelings for him when she had admitted them to him while she was in a trance dancing with him in that ballroom so long ago. She had proven time and time again that Ed could trust her with his whole being after all of her help against Wrath despite holding her child, her son, to her bosom.

Edward. Edward Thomas.

That was the name of her son. Her son was named after him. That little boy had grown since the last time Ed had seen him. Little Edward was just a baby wrapped in white cloths laying in his mother's protective arms wailing to wake Ed out of his misery that he couldn't protect anyone. The child's cry spurred him into action after hearing Rose's plea to get up and fight. Ed closed his eyes, lifting his face to the sun, long golden-haired falling back over his shoulders.

No words can express how happy that made Ed, knowing that she had named her child after him. When she had told him that was what she would have wanted, Ed made the decision. He would confess in his way to Rose because there was no one he would rather give in to but her.

End Note: I had decided to turn this into a mini-chapter story or a twoshot. I haven't yet made my decision but that will depend on what I end up writing later. I hope you guys enjoy what I have written thus far.

Don't forget to review and tell me what you liked and what you didn't like.

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Have a wonderful day!

~Lady Serai