Ed leaned on the window seal as the green landscape rushed by. He was returning from one and a half years of traveling to the west, now he was finally ready to come home and see everyone. From the limited number of phone calls he had received and given it sounded like everything was going smoothly. Al was in the east with May learning more about alcahestry and the medical applications of alchemy that they soon hope to implement into Amestris. Ed's own research had led him to very interesting conclusions about how Amestris's alchemy was limited because of how the government was run by Father and Wrath.
Now sitting on a train on his way back home to Resembool all of that seemed like a world away. It had now been almost three years since the end of the war and things were really starting to look up. First off the relationships with the neighboring countries improved greatly. Border wars were almost a thing of the past now, although some were still distrusting about Mustang being in line for the next King. He didn't let that bother him, he did whatever he could to prove that Amestris was on the right path.
Scar and the other Ishvalians had really made the most of their returned holy land. Mustang made it his personal duty to make sure that all of them were properly thanked for their part in taking down Father and the homunculi. Scar was grateful and made sure that the relationship between the two people remained peaceful, he was even talking about incorporating knowledge of the Ishvalian Civil War into future education to make sure the younger generation knew what happened and to make sure it was never repeated.
Even with all the progress they had made there were still old scars from the war. Distrust was a wide trait throughout the military; who still believe in Fuhrer Bradley and his command, was there anyone else that had a secret plot to overthrow the government again?
Besides the military Ed and Al had been having their own problems. Ed missed his brother deeply was itching to see him again after nearly two years apart. Whenever he was able to get in touch with him Ed always worried about his little brother. Ever since that day in their home and their failed human transmutation Ed had been plagued by nightmare of their own failed homunculi reaching out towards him. Unhuman red eyes plagued his nightmares and would wake up shaking. Ed would wake up panting escaping from a dream about Al losing his body. But over the years the nightmares had become less frequent- at least in Ed's case.
Al, who had not been able to sleep in his armored body didn't have any nightmares, but now having his human body back Al would see those same unhuman red eyes looking at him as he slept. Al would tell Ed about how even though he was grateful to sleep again, he wished the nightmares of that night and everything they had seen in those years before the war would disappear.
"Just replace those nightmares with all the good stuff we've done Al." Ed would encourage his little brother. "It's just your mind trying to sort out all the crap we've seen." Trying to make him feel better.
"You're right brother," Al would respond melancholy. "I was just hoping sleep again would be as good as I remembered." Ed felt a pang in his chest.
"I know Al, but don't worry we'll be back together soon enough and we'll fill your head with new good memories about home, how does that sound?" Ed got excited for his brother.
"Of course!" Al gave a little chuckle. "See you soon."
That conversation had been almost three months ago and now the day finally arrived, the day they both agreed that they would return home and finally put all of this knowledge to good use.
Ed also had another itch of eagerness about going home. He was finally going to (officially and properly) propose to Winry. The last time he tried he ended up comparing it to alchemy with equivalent exchange which Winry smacked right down. It reminded Ed about how much of her own person Winry was. Now through a year and a half of phone calls he knew this is what he wanted and he was hoping that is what she wanted as well.
The train started to slow and Ed could make out the landscape, the trees, the fields and the hills were a sight for sore eyes. All he had seen in the west was either industrial towns, libraries (where he spent most of his time), offices or plains; he hadn't realized how much he missed the meadow he had grown up in.
Stepping off the train with just a small briefcase he started his way towards Winry's house where he and Al were set to meet. The walk there was just long enough for Ed to think. What if Winry had thought it over and decided that Ed wasn't the right choice for her? What if Al wanted to stay in Xing? What if even with all this information they had been able to collect it wasn't able to really help anyone. Like Nina.
That one little girl was the biggest reason Ed and Al went their separate ways to learn more. Now after all this time if they weren't able to really help anybody, people like Nina, Ed would feel like a failure.
No- it's going to help people. He snapped at himself for thinking at way. Nothing is impossible. That saying had been the backbone for defeating Father and giving him inspiration to keep searching for knowledge.
Ed lifted his head and he could see Winry's house, sitting on top of the hill. As he climbed up his chest got tighter and tighter. He hoped everything would work out. He hoped Al would already be there, Al made him feel more at ease with his calm behavior.
The first person he saw as he got closer to the house was Den, the Rockbell's faithful dog. Al had always been more of the animal person but Ed was glad to see that Den was still sitting on the porch like she always has, it gave him a sense of familiarity.
"Hey Den!" Ed called out. Den lifted up her head saw Ed and started barking. Ed climbed the steps and bent down and gave her a nice rub on the head. "Is you're automail holding up as good as mine?" Ed made the stupid joke to the dog but it gave him a smile. At the same time he stood up, the door opened and he came face to face with Winry.
In the moment of silence, he noticed that she had let her hair grow out long than usual with her green bandana holding back her bangs, her arms were currently covered in grease from most likely working on more automail and either he had grown or she had gotten shorter since the last time they saw each other. He took that all in within a second because the next second was him being nearly tackled to the ground by her hug.
"You're not going to cry again are you?" Ed laughed as he put his free arm around Winry. During his year and a half traveling he hadn't had the pleasure of sticking around a place for very long so making close friends was tricky. But this, this felt familiar.
"Can you blame me?" Winry pulled back and quickly whipped her eyes. "It's been a while."
"Yeah I know," Ed couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. He gave Winry what was meant to be a meaningful proposal but it came out half-assed, then he leaves for nearly two years but yet here she is, still being Winry. "I'm just glad that you seem to-"
"BROTHER!" Ed was interrupted by a loud yell from upstairs. Alphonse was hanging half of his body out the window waving.
"Al!" Ed couldn't hold back his happiness. Those months leading up to the Promise Day had really taken its toll on both brothers. But this year and a half, even though it was necessary, it still made Ed miss his little brother. "Well common down Al for a proper reunion now." Al ducked inside quickly.
"He got back early this morning. He slept for maybe a couple of hours before waking up again. He didn't want to miss you coming home." Winry explained. Ed smiled at the thought. The next moment Al came running out and hugged Ed with more strength than anticipated. After a second Al released and Ed put his hand on his little brother's shoulder.
"I have to say you look more filled out than when we left." Ed examined his little brother, well at least age wise. Alphonse, even before being in the suit of armor, had outgrown Ed late in their youth. The years of his body being in the portal had permanently stunted his growth. He was just a fraction of an inch shorter than Ed (to Edwards pleasure) but really made up for it in his broadness.
"Well I have to say I wanted to try every kind of food they had in Xing. May's clan especially made great food." Al smiled at the memory.
"Speaking of the little princess where is she?" Edward gave a sideway smirk at his brother.
"She stayed back in Xing, Ling Yao wanted all the successors together for some banquet. She's coming for a visit in a few weeks." Edward swore he saw the slightest blush in his brother's face.
"Alright dummies why don't we go inside instead of just standing out here all day? I can make anything you guys want." Winry scooted them inside.
"Not going to lie I would kill for some of that apple pie right now," Ed suggested.
"I second that," Al chimed in. Winry smiled and as they entered the kitchen she grabbed a basket of apples and started on her pie.
Edward was eager to hear about the east and how alcahestry was incorporated into the people's lives. Alcahestry was considered only to be done by the best of the best. They had created multiple kinds of alchemy circles to be used for a number of different things. Reattaching limbs, healing fatal wounds, even evicting a deadly virus from a body. Alphonse told stories about traveling and meeting all of the clans that Xing had, some of them were better off than others. May's clan, since her and Ling Yao's return, had been given more resources and he had increased their stature within the clans. She taught him everything she knew and then he would continue on into the countries east of Xing, he could return every few months to check up and get previsions. (Edward had another guess that Al just wanted to see May but he kept that to himself).
"What about you brother? What was the west like?" Alphonse questioned.
"A lot less glamorous that yours. A lot of those countries are closer to Amestris so they weren't too eager to teach me about their alchemy. But after a few trial and errors I finally found people who were willing to let me look at their research. It's not just their alchemy that's different, their entire culture is different anything I've ever seen. Hopefully with the research we've both collected it'll be enough to help more people." Ed and Al nodded at each other.
The afternoon slowly turned into the evening and eventually into the night. Ed, Al and Winry stayed at the table eating pie and retelling stories that had happened while they were apart. They laugh about awkward situations that they stumbled into within the different countries they traveled to and the many new people they were fortunate enough to meet. During their travels both Ed and Al learned about how Amestris had taken its toll on the countries surrounding it and how it was going to take a long time to get Amestris on the same playing field as the other countries.
Ed allowed himself to feel at ease. His entire life had been one shit storm after another. First, Hohenheim left, then their mother died, then a failed human transmutation, Al losing his body, Hughes's death, the military corruption, almost dying a couple of times, homunculi, philosopher stones, Al sending his soul to the portal to get Ed his arm back. Now after nearly three years of running back and forth between either Resembool and Central or between countries Edward finally felt present.
"Alright I'm going to bed, I'll see you bright and early to talk about research tomorrow right?" Al got up from the table and asked Ed.
"It'll take a while but we've tackled things bigger than this before and succeeded." Ed snickered. Alphonse gave a sleepy but suggestive smile and made his way upstairs. Ed couldn't wait for the next months to be filled with figuring out and putting together research, it was like a big puzzle his mind thrived off of.
"You should go to bed to alchemy freak," Winry grabbed all the plates and glasses and started to clean them. Even with his alchemy gone Winry's nickname for him had stuck. "You've been traveling all day and you need to be sharp for tomorrow since you're starting research."
"Yeah I guess," Ed stared at the table awkwardly. He felt the heat rush into his face as he got up and walked over to Winry.
"Listen Winry," he said the same words he did the day he got on the train, he wondered if she remembered them too. Winry stopped the dishes as they sat in silence for a couple of seconds.
"You better not compare it to alchemy again." Winry's voice was joking with an undertone of seriousness.
"What?" Edward was confused by her statement. Winry whipped around and look up at him with that determined yet annoyed look he had become the victim of many times growing up.
"I said don't say what you did last time and want an equivalent exchange. Al said that you guys are trying to get this new principle rolling about taking ten but giving eleven back." Winry's voice got louder as she spoke. "Do you want to give only ten or eleven back?" Her eyebrows scrunched closer together and her cheeks got a bright pink.
Edward stared at her for a brief instant before smiling to himself. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a thin round shiny piece of metal.
"This is a piece of my old automail arm you used to make me." He held it out for her to see in the palm of his hand. "I had to go all the way to Rush Valley and ask if any of your old automail was there. Luckily it was and I found my arm and made this ring out of the metal." Winry's eyes got bigger as she stared at what was in his hand. "Now I'm going to make you a promise, if you give me ten, I'll give you eleven back every day for the rest of your life how does that sound?" Winry stayed motionless Ed thought she had short circuited.
"Alright fine I'll do this officially then," Ed bent down on his automail leg which he hadn't kept up with and looked up at Winry. With his voice tightening Ed quickly muttered out. "Just say yes and I'll give you eleven for the rest of your life you hear me?" Ed held his breath as Winry's mouth opened slightly.
"Ok," her answer was barely audible.
"What?" Ed jumped up and looked in disbelief.
"I SAID OK YOU IDIOT!" Winry screamed at him. They stared at each other for a good minute before, without breaking eyes contact, Ed put the automail-turned-ring on her finger.
"Well that's good." Ed laugh and scratched the back of his head. Winry looked at him and busted out laughing. Ed was startled but soon joined in with her.
"Finally!" They were startled when they saw Al come around the corner. "You'd think a guy who beat up a philosopher stone with his bare hands would have more guts." Ed shoved Al as they all laugh.