Rings, Secrets and Fireworks

by Starcrossedlover12

Winry has a secret, Ed has a secret and both could change their relationship drastically. Unbeknownst to the other, both call in Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye respectively to help them make the biggest decisions of their lives. Meanwile, Roy and Riza are forced to confront their own feelings about each other. And the night seems it will end with a promise and a ring. One-shot.

Riza Hawkeye had no idea what Winry had to see her about so urgently.

It had been the usual Monday morning- reports, paperwork, half hourly checks to see that Roy was actually doing anything.

Then the phone had rang and she had innocently picked it up.

"HELLO? RIZA?"

Riza had held the phone an inch away from her ear. "W-Winry? Is that you?" She had never heard the girl so upset. "What is it? What's happened?" Panic gripped her. "Has something happened to the Elrics?"

"NO!" The girl wailed and the phone almost vibrated with the force of her voice. "No! Not anything like that…it's just…too terrible…you need to come over. Now."

"Come over…Winry, I'm in Central right now. You live in Risembool. Do you realize how difficult-?"

"JUST GET OVER HERE RIGHT NOW I NEED ANOTHER FEMALE OVER HERE WHO WON'T JUDGE ME!"

And the line went dead.

Riza sighed. I swear, if this is just another advice session on what she should wear on her dates with Edward, I'm going to-

"Hawkeye!" Roy yelled urgently from the office. "Come here! Quickly."

Riza leapt to her feet.

She'd call Winry back and say that she couldn't go.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye!"

See? I'm needed here.

Riza burst into the office. "Sir!"

"Hawkeye!" It was Roy and Havoc standing seriously by the desk. They looked grim when she entered.

"We need your professional opinion." Havoc said.

"Yes, I'll do my best."

I'm really needed here I-

"As a woman," Roy said. "Which Central secretary do you think has the biggest breasts?"

Riza dropped her salute. "What?"

"You see, I say it's the secretary in the Fuhrer's lobby." Roy continued.

"And I say it's that hot girl that works at the library!" Havoc protested.

"You fool!" Roy slammed his hand on the desk. "She's obviously only a C! The one in the lobby is at least an E!"

"Nu-uh!"

"Yu-uh!"

"Okay, well, let's ask the Lieutenant!"

"Yes, exactly."

They both turned to Riza earnestly.

"Which one Hawkeye?"

But Riza had already turned and was making her way back down the corridor.

"Hey, where are you going?" Roy demanded.

"Risembool," Riza muttered. "On the fastest train they have."

xxx

The second Winry spotted Riza making her way up the path towards the automail shop; she flew out of the doors, down the porch steps and into the woman's arms.

"Oh thank God you're here!" She wept.

"Winry," Riza patted the girl's shoulder awkwardly. "Why exactly did you call me all the way out here?"

"It's terrible, just awful!"

"Yes," Riza's expression became serious. "That's what you said on the phone. Are you in any sort of danger?"

"Yes, I'm in danger!" Winry cried.

"What, what is it?"

"I'm-!"

"Yes?"

"I'm-!"

"What?"

"I'm-!"

"Oh for God's sake, Winry, what is-?"

"I'm pregnant!"

There was a long silence as Riza stared at Winry and Winry stared back.

Riza had no idea what she was expected to say.

"Who-?" She attempted.

"Ed!"

Ah.

"Well," Riza attempted to comfort her. "You have been dating for a year; I guess this was bound to happen-"

"He doesn't know!"

"Well, then tell him."

"No, he can't know! That's the worst part," Winry looked at Riza with watery eyes. "He told me when we started dating that he didn't want kids. He probably thinks that he'll be like his father and end up leaving. I know he's not that kind of person, but he-"

"Listen, Winry," Riza said sternly. "If Ed didn't want kids then he should have thought of that before acting so erratically. He needs to be told and take his responsibility properly."

"Er, that's another thing." By now the hysterics had passed and Winry wore her most sheepish expression as she pushed her index fingers together.

"What is it?"

"Well, I kind of… got him drunk and said I made sure we used protection… when we didn't."

Riza stared at her.

Should've stayed in Central.

"You see," Winry gabbled, desperate to explain. "I wasn't really thinking! He was drinking so much with Al, but I had automail to work on so I stayed sober. But then, he came to bed…he hasn't been in Risembool for a while and…well, yeah."

Riza was glad she spared the details, not wanting to be a part of Edward Elric's sex life.

"And well, you know, we were so into it…Ed's really good. No, I mean, seriously. He can do this thing- I have no idea where he learnt it- but he can put his-!"

"OKAY!" Riza put her hand up. "I get it. Next point."

Fine, forget 'sparing the details' then.

She'd never be able to look that boy in the eye again for the rest of her life.

"Anyway, so yeah, we were so…carried away that I just kinda accidentally on purpose forgot about the protection. After all, I've always disagreed with him about the kids. That stubborn idiot. At the time I just thought: what the hell! But…but I didn't actually think…"

Riza looked at her disapprovingly.

"Oh don't look at me like that! Come on, who gets pregnant the first time? Can his sperm use alchemy or something?"

"That's enough sperm talk for the second, Winry," Riza said before Winry could get started off on a tangent. "Right now, this unborn child is a product of foolishness. Nevertheless, I see no extenuating circumstances that cause you not to have it. You want a child, right?"

"Yes! But Ed-"

"Never mind, Ed. He'll get used to it. He's not a kid anymore."

From inside the house, Ed's voice resounded.

"OH COME ON! I DON'T WANNA DRINK MY MILK!"

Winry gave Riza look.

Riza coughed. "Yes, well. Not physically a kid anyway."

xxx

"Hawkeye," Ed looked up, surprised, as Riza entered the house. "Haven't seen you in a while, what are you doing up here?"

"Well…" Riza looked at Winry.

"I invited her!" Winry exclaimed. "For…er…girl time!"

Ed- who had no idea what that meant- just nodded. "Huh. Whatever."

Winry gave Riza the 'thumbs up' sign and Riza sighed heavily.

"Come on, Riza," Winry grabbed her arm. "Let's go shopping!"

"B-but-!"

"Bye, Ed! Stay out of trouble while I'm gone!"

"Yeah, yeah." He muttered.

"And drink you're milk!"

Ed went scarlet. "I don't have to if I don't want to!"

The door slammed behind Winry.

"Tch," Ed turned away, paused, then slowly went to the window to check that Winry was really leaving towards the small village center.

When he was sure she was gone, he went to the phone.

xxx

"Hello?" Roy Mustang, who was regretting ever letting Riza leave because now, not only was he lonely, but he had double the work to do, picked up the phone irritably. "Who is it?"

"It's Ed." Ed replied.

"Fullmetal? What do you want?"

On the other side of the line, Ed's discomfort and his blush grew.

"I…er, need your advice."

"Advice?" Roy was surprised. He smirked. "Well, well, this is unexpected. I never thought the day would come."

"Yeah, well…it's important!"

"Isn't this something that you'd usually discuss with Al?"

"I already have! But…I need a second opinion."

"Well, you have Winry for that."

"That's…just it."

There was a second of silence.

"Ah!" Roy's smile grew. "Love advice! Well, Ed, let me tell you, you've come to the right place. If anyone can give advice on romance and women, then it's me. What did you want to know? The perfect way to seduce? Perhaps Valentine's Day ideas?"

"NO!" Ed snapped. "As if!" He forced himself to calm down and checked over his shoulder to make sure Winry hadn't forgotten something and come back or magically materialized behind him. "I…" He took a deep breath. "I'm going to ask Winry to marry me."

Roy held the receiver away a couple of inches and stared at it.

He then placed it back and said carefully: "What?"

"I…I love her! So- so I thought I'd do the right thing and propose. I mean, properly. With- with a ring and everything." The phone's cord was tangled nervously around Ed's hand. "So…how do I-?"

"I'm coming over." Roy said.

"Wh-what? No, I don't want you over here. I just need-!"

"Be there in an hour."

Roy slammed the phone down and grabbed his coat.

"Where are you going?" Havoc looked up from his newspaper as Roy ran out into the corridor.

"Emergency." Roy said shortly, racing past.

This, He thought. I have gotta see.

xxx

When Winry arrived back, she opened the door on Ed and Roy Mustang.

They seemed to be in the middle of some kind of heated argument.

"If you don't do it like that she won't-!"

"I'd never do anything so embarrassing!"

"That's exactly the kind of attitude that's going to get you refused!"

"Er," Winry said. "Hi?"

They both froze up in shock.

"Sir?" Riza studied Roy suspiciously. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh!" Roy said brightly, but offered no further explanation.

"I-!" Ed began.

"We-!" Roy looked at him.

They turned back to Winry and both began laughing in a kind of terrified panic.

Winry frowned. "It can't be that you invited him up here for the firework display tonight?"

"YES!" Both men shouted.

"Yes, exactly!" Ed waved his arms manically.

"Fireworks!" Roy nodded furiously.

"Oh…well, okay then." Winry- who was surprised that Roy was such a big firework enthusiast suddenly- mildly let the topic go.

Riza was less easily fooled.

She looked at Roy narrowly and he looked back at her.

"Excuse me, sir, but I think we should talk for a moment." She said, dragging Roy out by the ear.

"Ow, Hawkeye-!"

The door slammed behind them.

Ed sighed, went to the sink and took a drink of water. Crisis averted.

Winry shook her head, looking at the door. "Jeez, when are those two gonna get married already?" She said, making Ed choke.

xxx

"Okay," Riza turned to face him. "What do you know?"

Roy adjusted his collar, looking at her suspiciously. They were standing by the shallow stream that ran past the automail yard. Sheep grazed around them. "Why, what do you know?"

"I can't tell you unless you tell me."

"Well, I definitely can't tell you."

Riza paused. "Is it about Winry?"

Roy was frowning. "Maybe. Is your secret about Ed too?"

"Maybe." Riza replied.

They studied each other.

"On the count of three." Roy decided.

"Fine."

"One."

"Two."

"Winry's pregnant!"

"Ed's going to propose!"

They stared at each other.

"No way!" Roy exclaimed.

"I can't believe it." Riza murmured.

"Well, this is great news!" Roy declared brightly. "I don't know what that beansprout was so worried about- she'll definitely say yes now. I'll go tell him-!"

"No!" Riza grabbed his collar. "If you tell him before he proposes then he won't propose."

"But Winry's pregnant! How can he-?"

"He doesn't want kids."

"But that's just-!"

"I know," Riza crossed her arms and sighed. "Personally, I think our best bet is to provide them with the perfect situation together tonight at the firework display and see how things pan out from there."

"These two are so complicated!" Roy cried.

"I know." Riza said.

"Why can't they just fully admit they love each other?"

Riza looked up at him. "Stupid, aren't they?"

Roy looked at her. "Yeah," He laughed uneasily, glancing away. "Kids, eh?"

xxx

"I don't know what to say." Ed muttered.

"I already told you what to say!" Roy snapped.

"I'm not saying that! Winry'd throw up on me if I said something so corny as: 'You are the alchemist of my heart'!"

"Listen, Fullmetal, it doesn't matter how hard-nosed they are. Every girl wants to be wooed on the night of their engagement."

"Don't call Winry hard-nosed, you-!"

"Brother," Al complained. "You're not going to wear that old shirt are you?"

Ed looked down at himself. "What's wrong with it?"

"Everything." Roy offered.

"It's stained." Al said.

"Just a little."

"Brother-!"

"Oh who cares?" Ed reached for his jacket.

"It makes you look short." Roy said.

Ed froze.

Then pulled the shirt off. "Fine." He muttered. "I'll change."

xxx

"I don't know what to say!" Winry cried.

"Just tell him the truth."

"He'll hate me!"

"Winry, Ed could never hate you." Winry pulled her bandeau top on over her head. "Do I look okay?"

"Yes."

"Do you think I should wear earrings with it?"

"I think it's fine."

"I don't know if Ed likes me in earrings, I mean he never comments-"

"Winry," Riza held up her hand for silence. "I've seen Ed not able to take his eyes off you when you're in nothing but an oversized baggy t-shirt and combats. However you dress is fine."

Winry sank onto her bed and rubbed her stomach. The usual flatness was still there, but Winry could feel the swelling under her fingertips already.

"I won't be able to wear tight clothes soon anyway so it doesn't matter," She murmured. "And who's to say Ed will still be around to not notice?"

"Trust me," Riza said slowly. "Ed couldn't leave you if he tried."

xxx

"You boys ready?" Winry yelled from the front door.

Outside, the sky was already dark and a crowd was gathering on the crest of the faraway hills. Suddenly, they were illuminated white with the first few test fireworks that were launched into the air.

"Coming!" Al yelled.

"We're missing it!"

"Be right there!" Ed's voice almost cracked with nervousness. He, Roy and Al were huddled outside the door making last-minute plans. "I can't do this!" Ed hissed, he looked pale.

"Don't give out on us now, Fullmetal!" Roy commanded.

"Brother, the ring." Al pushed it into his hand.

Ed took it and trembled. "I can't!" He stared at it. "She'll- I'll-! No!" He flung it back at Al.

"Boys!" Winry stamped her foot.

"Just looking for Al's shoes!" Roy called serenely, then hissed fiercely: "Fullmetal, as your commanding officer I order you to get out there and propose to the woman you love!"

"Remember the courage you had when you were fighting Scar!" Al offered.

"I'd choose fighting Scar right now," Ed swallowed. "I'd rather take Scar and the Homunculi on all at once. Oh God…"

"What kind of man can't even tell his beloved that he wants to be with her forever?" Roy demanded.

Al gave him a sideways look. "Are you the pot or the kettle?"

"Huh?" Roy looked up.

"I'm going on ahead then!" Winry yelled.

"Not good, you have to be with her!" Al pushed Ed sharply and all three of them crashed through the door at once.

"There you are." Winry put her hands on her hips as the first real firework lit up the sky. "Come on then."

"R-right." Ed hastily shoved the ring box in his back pocket.

Winry linked arms with Ed and the couple made their way out of the door first.

Riza watched them go with some concern. "Ed looks terrible." She murmured.

"Yeah." Roy ran a hand through his hair. "That boy has issues."

The three of them watched Ed and Winry make their way down the dirt road towards the hills.

"Have you told Al?" Riza enquired.

"Told me what?" Al looked at them both.

"Winry's pregnant." Roy said.

"WHAT?" Al stared at them both. "Are you serious? I'm going to have a little niece or a nephew? That's-! That's just…huge! Why didn't Brother tell me?"

"He doesn't know." Riza said. "That's what she's going to tell him tonight."

"Oh!" Al said, then realized. "Oh."

"Yeah." Roy said. "Meanwhile, he'll propose."

"But that's…I mean, that's great, right? They both have something to announce!"

"Yes," Riza said. "Except Ed doesn't want kids."

"Huh?" Al looked at her. "What are-?"

"Al." Roy said slowly, staring at something.

"What?"

"What's that in your hand?"

Al opened his hand and looked in horror down at his palm. "Oh my God." He said.

Riza frowned. "Is that a ring?"

"Not just 'a ring'." Roy said. "It's the ring."

"Oh." Riza said. "Well."

"Indeed."

"How can you two be so calm?" Al demanded, close to hysterics. "When Brother opens that ring box…" He trailed off and all three of them looked at the two dots in the far distance that were Ed and Winry. "Well," Al said. "I'm going into hiding."

"Good idea." Roy said.

"I'll come back in three or four years when Brother's anger is likely to have died down a little."

"I wouldn't bet on it." Riza told him.

"Come on," Roy motioned to her, walking towards the door. "Let's play the stalking game."

xxx

Both Ed and Winry were silently gathering every single scrap of courage they had as they neared the firework hills.

"You know," Winry said, forcing conversation out. "When we went here when we were kids? Do you remember my favourite firework? The-"

"Catherine Wheel." Ed said. "I remember."

"I loved it," Winry said. "Because it makes that beautiful ring shape in the sky."

Ring. Ed winced.

"Are you okay?" Winry looked at him.

"Fine." Ed tried to smile.

He couldn't fully put into words why he was so terrified. He knew it was irrational and he wasn't normally an irrational person.

He had been fully prepared for this when he had made his decision a month ago. But he had left it too long, looking for the opportune moment.

Now, he was utterly consumed with the fear that Winry would see him taking their relationship too far and end it all.

And if she left him, he knew he'd go insane.

They were almost at the top of the hill now.

"Winry-"

"Ed-"

They both glanced at each other warily.

"You go first." Ed told her.

"No, you."

They weren't completely on top of the hill with the crowd yet, they had stopped near the wooden picket fence that kept the farm animals in the right pasture.

Ed actually thought he remembered playing with Winry in this same spot when they were kids.

How things had changed.

Ed couldn't wait until the firework climax of the night, if he didn't do it now he'd be too scared to do it later.

"Winry." He stopped her, taking hold of her shoulders. In his nervousness, he totally forgot to reach for the ring. He dropped down on one knee and took her hand.

Winry's blue eyes were wide as she stared at him. "Wha-?"

"Willyoumarryme?" Ed gabbled at first, crimson in the face. He cleared his throat hastily. "I mean, w-will y-you…well, m-m-marry me?"

Winry stood there for what seemed to Ed like an eternity.

Behind her, fireworks lit up the sky.

She bit her lip. "Oh Ed." Was all she said and, without warning, she started to cry.

Ed's mouth fell open.

This was the worst possible scenario that he had envisioned.

Also, he had realized that he had forgotten the ring. He scrabbled for it, wondering if it would make any difference.

"Y-you don't have to answer right away!" He flew to his feet and touched her shoulder. "Winry, please, I-"

"I'm so sorry!" Winry cried, pushed herself into his chest.

Ed let the ring box fall to the ground so he could hold her. "Winry, what-?"

"I…I've done something terrible!" Winry couldn't wipe the tears away fast enough. "Remember that night when you got drunk and we slept together?"

Ed blushed deeper. "Y-yeah." He looked up, stricken. "Wait. Is that it? Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry, Winry, I was drunk and-"

"No, that's not it!" Winry gripped the front of his shirt. "I lied about using protection! I'm pregnant, Ed! I'm pregnant!"

Ed stared at her in utter shock. "W-wha…?" Was all he could say.

"And I didn't tell you because you said you never wanted kids! And I've been killing myself over it! And now here you are- proposing of all things! Ed, I feel like a complete jerk right now! I really want to marry you, but how can-?"

"Wait," Ed caught her words quickly. "You want to marry me?"

"Yes! Oh my God, Ed- yes!"

Ed took a deep breath. "Okay, then I have one more question."

"Yes?"

"When did I say that I didn't want children?"

Winry blinked, her tears fading. "I know you said it."

"Okay, when?"

Winry thought. Then: "Oh, yeah! It was two weeks after your father left! I distinctly recall you saying that you didn't want kids because you didn't want to be a father like Hohenheim."

Ed's hair-trigger temper began to kick in. "Winry," He said tightly. "I. Was. Four."

"You still said it!"

"I was four!"

"I thought you'd never change your mind."

"I-! You-!" Ed desperately tried to keep from exploding.

Winry sniffed dejectedly. "Now everything's ruined."

Ed's heart softened seeing her face. He gently wiped her tears away. "Winry," He said. "I love you, you want to marry me and we have a kid on the way. What's ruined exactly?"

Winry covered her mouth. "You're not mad?"

Ed pulled her in and hugged her like he'd never let go. "Of course I'm not mad, you idiot! How could my life possibly get any better right now?"

Winry smiled impishly. "Well, don't you have a ring?"

Above them, a stunning silver Catherine Wheel seemed to illuminate the whole of Risembool momentarily.

Ed grinned. "Oh I have a ring alright."

He clapped his hands and lifted them up to the sky, concentrating all his energy on the Catherine Wheel.

In a flash, the silver fire compressed itself and a small spark fell through the night towards them.

Ed caught it.

Winry's eyes shone. "Ed…"

Ed got on one knee, rather wearily. Let's try this again, shall we?

"Winry Rockbell," He said, looking up at her. "I love you. Will you marry me?"

Winry opened her mouth, then her eyes clouded over again. "Oh God! I can't!"

Ed was on his feet again. "Why? What's wrong now?"

Winry peeked up at him from behind her blonde fringe and winked. "Just kidding." She stuck her tongue out.

Ed looked at his future wife in utter fury.

Winry, meanwhile, admired the ring. "It's so pretty! Aren't you gonna put it on my finger?"

"Put it on yourself!"

"Oh, Ed, don't be like that!" She cooed.

"Shut up!"

"Anger makes you shorter."

"I said: SHUT UP!"

"Now, now, don't you love me?"

Ed glared at her. "I love you." He said and pushed her against a nearby tree. Another pink firework crackled into little stars above them. Ed kissed Winry again and again, on her lips, neck, cheeks and collarbone. "I love you, I love you." He kept saying and Winry saw no reason to stop him.

xxx

Meanwhile, Riza and Roy looked on from the far off crest of the opposite hill.

"Well," Riza said. "We can tell Al to come out of hiding. Looks like it all turned out okay."

"Yeah," Roy turned back. "We should give them some privacy."

They walked back towards the automail yard and the sound of the crowd and the fireworks faded behind them. A nightingale twittered at them.

"Hypothetically," Roy said nonchalantly. "If I were in Ed's position, would you marry me?"

"In Ed's position?"

"You know: free from…restrictions. Like the military 'no fraternization' law."

"And you asked me to marry you?"

"Yes."

"Hypothetically?"

"Hypothetically."

"Then I'd say 'yes'. Hypothetically."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"Well," Roy reached out his hand and intertwined her fingers with his. "That's hypothetically good to know."