Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or the song 'The Good Stuff'
This hit me this week and it has been bothering me ever since. I normally don't do songfics and this isn't one exactly. I use phrases from the song in it and it was greatly inspired by the song but well… just read it okay.
The Good Stuff
Ed was mad and sad, although he was mad at himself and sad that he had fought with Winry again, and no matter how much Ed racked his brain he couldn't even remember what they had fought about.
After being married for two years one would think that the two wouldn't argue so much, but they couldn't stop. It was habit, and routines are hard to break. So now Ed was wandering around in Resembool not wanting to go home yet but not really having anywhere to go at the moment.
That is until he saw a shop that still had its lights on. He took a closer look and realized that it was actually a bar. So Ed took a step inside.
No one else was there except for the bartender that was behind the counter, and he looked as if he was starting to fall partially asleep.
The man looked up at Ed and simply asked "What'll it be?"
Ed said "The good stuff" just wanting to order something to get his mind off Winry and their fight.
The bartender didn't reach around for a whiskey, he didn't pour a beer. His blue eyes kinda went misty as he said "You can't find that here."
Ed just stared at the man not sure if he should yell at him for being weird or just listen to what he was saying. Thankfully, Ed opted for the second choice and he fell silent as the man started to explain.
"'Cos it's the first long kiss on a second date."
Ed suddenly remembered when he had kissed Winry for the first time after he had asked her if she would go on a date with him.
Flashback
Ed had just paid the check for the meal him and Winry had just eaten. Nothing fancy but it had been fun just to be in each other's company. He walked with her by his side and was slightly surprised when she looped her arm through his.
Ed was walking back to Aunt Pinako and Winry's house with Winry to drop her off before heading back to the house that Al and him had built just a little up the road in Resembool after they had gotten back Al's body. Ed still had automail arms but he didn't care now that his brother was back to normal.
They had walked up to the door and just after Winry had opened the front door but before she had walked in, she turned to Ed and kissed him gently on the mouth.
Although Ed didn't like to admit it, Winry had completely taken him by surprise. He had heard of things happening like this in stories but never had he expected for anything to happen like this to him. He almost pulled back in shock, but fortunately he hadn't, instead he had closed his eyes and kissed her back softly at first and then a bit harder as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
End flashback
The bartender continued. "Momma's all worried when you get home late."
Ed remembered the time that he had stayed out really late with Winry on accident.
Flashback
Ed and Winry had just been on another date and on the way home Winry had somehow convinced Ed to watch the sunset with her. They headed over to by the river and lay back in the slightly damp grass as they watched the sunset with brilliant colors lining the sky.
Just as Ed started to get up because the sun had set, Winry grabbed his hand as they were lying down and pointed to the sky. "Look Ed!" she pointed excitedly to the first star coming out into the sky.
Of course this had caused them to stay out even later as they watched the stars come out one by one holding hands the whole time.
They had only gotten up after they were sure that no more stars could possibly fill the sky. They headed back to Winry's house again to drop her off before Ed headed home himself.
They were surprised to find that the lights were on when they got there though. Inside they could see a very frantic Al and an unsurprisingly calm Aunt Pinako.
As they walked though the door wondering what was going on, they were pretty much tackled by Al, who was shouting about how worried and scared he had been that something had happened to the two of them because they had been out so long.
End flashback
Ed listened to the man as he continued. "And dropping the ring in the spaghetti plate, 'cos your hands are shakin' so much."
Ed recalled when he had finally asked Winry to marry him.
Flashback
Ed was waiting downstairs in the Rockbell house waiting for Winry to join him so that they could go on their date. He paced back and forth as he reached into his pocket once again to check that the ring was still there.
Ed pulled out the fairly simple ring and gazed upon it. He knew that if Winry said yes to his proposal, that she would love the ring. It was fairly simple, as it was just a sliver band with three small diamonds on it. On the inside the words 'Edward and Winry forever' were engraved. Of course she would have to say yes first.
Suddenly he felt a tap on his shoulder and he jumped throwing his arms in the air and throwing the ring. He turned to find Winry first looking curiously at him and then looking over the right at the floor where something shiny was.
Ed gulped nervously as he knew what it was and as Winry headed over to it and carefully picked it up. She looked at it closely and then looked at Ed with her eyes a little wide.
Ed walked over to Winry and cautiously took the ring from her hands that were beginning to shake slightly. He hadn't planned on asking her until after the date, but now it seemed that a change of plans was needed.
He didn't kneel or anything typical, he just took the ring and carefully slipped it on to her ring finger. Then he took one of his hands to tilt her head up as she had been watching his hand slip the cold ring onto her finger, and now their eyes met.
Ed's mouth went dry but somehow he managed to slip out a few words. "Would you be mine, Winry Rockbell?"
Winry looked into his eyes as her breath caught in her throat. She threw her arms around Ed's neck and hugged him tighter than she ever had as a few tears of joy slipped out of her eyes.
"I'll take that as a yes?" Ed asked still a little worried even as he gently put his arms around her waist hugging her back.
"Yes you idiot, that's a yes." Winry said smiling yet still holding Ed as tightly as she could.
End flashback
The bartender kept speaking. "And it's the way that she looks with rice in her hair"
Ed remembered right after their wedding.
Flashback
Ed and Winry were running out to the military car in Central just after they had gotten married in front of practically the whole military. Ed was still a military man after all, and even though he didn't do as much work as he used to with traveling and such, thanks to the new Fuhrer Roy Mustang, it still was military procedure to get married in front of the other main officers if nothing else.
Thus the wedding was in Central in front of the military. Their friends lined both sides of the sidewalk after the wedding and were throwing rice into the air as Ed and Winry ran by still in their formal wear and linked arm in arm.
Ed looked slyly at Winry as they reached the door of the car that he opened for her. She looked at him and he had never seen her as happy in her life. Her eyes shinned and she had a few pieces of rice in her hair as she looked back at him. He couldn't help but smile and kiss the only woman that was ever for him.
End flashback.
"And eating burnt suppers the whole first year, and asking for seconds to keep her from tearing up." The man said
Ed couldn't help but groan remembering Winry's cooking that one time.
Flashback
Ed was waiting on Winry to serve dinner. She wasn't the best cook in the world, but Ed knew that she was better than him, she just needed a little practice and no distractions while she was cooking. Although Ed knew that the second problem was mostly his fault, but who could blame the guy, they had just been married two months ago.
Today Winry came out with two plate of food, that Ed wasn't even sure was edible. She set the plate in front of Ed and he grimaced at the meal that he was supposed to eat.
Winry saw the face that Ed made though and she wasn't too happy. She immediately pulled out her wrench and smacked Ed hard on the head.
Needless to say, Ed only redeemed himself when he asked for seconds after choking down his first plate of… food?
End flashback
"Yeah, man, that's the good stuff." The bartender finished up his speech as he pulled out a carton of milk and poured a glass for himself.
He offered Ed a glass, but Ed just made a face before he asked politely "Do you happen to have any water?" The man smiled warmly at Ed and pulled out another glass and filled it with tap water before handing it to Ed. "Thanks." Ed said taking a sip.
They sat and talked like old friends as an hour passed. Then an old black and white picture caught Ed's eye. It was of a pretty girl with a charming smile as if nothing could ever go wrong with the world. He looked at the bartender, named Carl, with a questioning look.
"That's my Bonnie, taken about a year after we were wed." Carl said smiling, yet Ed could detect a hint of sadness in his voice as Carl continued. "I spent five years in the bottle, when the cancer took her from me. But I've been sober for three years now, because the one thing stronger than the whisky."
Ed waited as Carl took a deep breath before he started another small speech. "It was the sight of her holding my baby girl."
Ed couldn't help but hope that one day Winry and him would have a kid. They had talked about it and both had wanted it after a few years. Maybe it was time to bring that up again.
Carl continued. "The way that she adored that string of pearls, I gave her the day that our youngest son, Earl, married his high school love."
Ed remembered how Winry adored receiving stuff from him.
Flashback
Ed was returning from a mission he had gone on for the military and he had done so well that Roy had given him six weeks off from work, maybe the man wasn't as much of a bastard at Ed had originally thought.
Ed was back a day early from his mission and he even had a gift for Winry that he planned to catch her off guard with. He walked into their house as silently as possible, but Winry had somehow been given a sixth sense of when Edward was near to her.
She came bolting out from her workshop covered in oil and grease but not caring as she almost tackled Ed in a running hug. Ed didn't care either apparently as he held her in his arms getting grease and oil on himself as well.
Then Winry took a step back and cupped Ed's face in her hands and kissed him sweetly lingering as long as possible on his lips. Ed didn't wrap his arms around her as he kissed her back. Somehow though the kiss he was able to keep his head, something very hard for Ed to do when Winry was kissing him, and he had reached into his back pocket and pulled out the newest model of wrench from Central and he slipped it into Winry's back pocket of her pants.
Winry pulled back feeling something heavy in her back pocket. She quickly reached around and pulled the wrench out and squealed, before, still holding the new present in her hand, showering Ed with kisses.
Ed liked that his wife wasn't typical, while jewelry was alright with her, just buy her a tool and she would be the happiest person alive.
End flashback
"And it's the new tee-shirt saying: I'm a Grandpa'" Carl continued his little rant.
Ed couldn't help but blush at the though of being a Grandpa'. Him and Winry didn't even have a kid yet, yeah, he could wait a while for that moment.
"Being right there as our time got small, and holding her hand as the Good Lord called her up." Carl said as his eye watered up.
Ed could barely believe this guy. He had really loved his wife. He didn't know what he would do if Winry ever died, just the thought almost killed him.
"Yeah, man, that's the good stuff." Carl finished.
They talked for a while longer, but pretty soon Ed decided to head home and back to Winry. Carl wished him luck and gave him some parting advice before he left for home.
Ed walked in at home to find Winry fast asleep on the couch with the wrench that Ed recognized immediately as the one he had given her. It was obvious that she had been waiting up for him. He walked over to her smiling and softly shook her to wake her up so that they could go to bed.
Her eyes opened slowly and as she saw Ed they began to fill with water. Ed hated seeing her cry and he pulled her into his arms hoping that she might stop. Only a few tears streamed down the girl's face before she stopped and held back on to Edward as tight as possible.
Winry then whispered quietly in Ed's ear, "I'm sorry"
Ed knew that had been coming and he whispered back, "So am I."
He suddenly was reminded of Carl's parting words.
Flashback
Just as Ed was walking out of the bar, Carl called after him not looking at Ed as he said, "When you get home, she'll start to cry. When she says "I'm sorry" say "So am I", and look into those eyes, so deep in love, and drink it up. Because that's the good stuff. That's the good stuff."
End flashback
Ed pulled back slightly from Winry and looked into her eyes. Her eyes were sparkling slightly from the tears that hadn't fallen from them and he could see the pure love radiating from them. He smiled at her and she smiled back happy that they weren't arguing anymore.
Edward pulled Winry back close and buried his head into her hair and inhaling her scent. He then whispered ever so lightly "Yeah that's the good stuff," knowing that him and Winry would be just fine.
So that was really fluffy and stuff. I wrote it all in one sitting in just a couple of hours and had my sis edit it before I posted it, so hopefully there aren't too many grammatical errors or anything.
Here are the lyrics of the song "The Good Stuff" sang by Kenny Chesney that I used in the fic, yes this is a country song, but I like the song still and it's good even if you don't like country music:
Well, me an' my lady had our first big fight,
So I drove around 'til I saw the neon light.
A corner bar, an it just seemed right.
So I pulled up
Not a soul around but the old bar keep,
Down at the end an' looking half asleep.
An he walked up, an' said : "What'll it be?"
I said: "The good stuff."
He didn't reach around for the whiskey;
He didn't pour me a beer.
His blue eyes kinda went misty,
He said: "You can't find that here.
"'Cos it's the first long kiss on a second date.
Momma's all worried when you get home late.
And droppin' the ring in the spaghetti plate,
'Cos your hands are shakin' so much.
An' it's the way that she looks with the rice in her hair.
Eatin' burnt suppers, the whole first year,
An' askin' for seconds to keep her from tearin' up.
Yeah, man, that's the good stuff."
He grabbed a carton of milk an' he poured a glass.
An' I smiled an' said: "I'll have some of that."
We sat there an' talked as an hour passed,
Like old friends.
I saw a black an' white picture an' it caught my stare,
It was a pretty girl with bouffant hair.
He said: "That's my Bonnie,
"Taken 'bout a year after we were wed."
He said: "Spent five years in the bottle,
"When the cancer took her from me.
"But I've been sober three years now,
"'Cos the one thing stronger than the whiskey:
"Was the sight of her holdin' my baby girl.
"The way she adored that string of pearls,
"I gave her the day that our youngest boy, Earl,
"Married his high school love."
"An' it's a new tee-shirt saying: 'I'm a Grandpa'.
"Bein' right there as our time got small,
"An' holdin' her hand, when the Good Lord called her up,
"Yeah, man, that's the good stuff."
He said: "When you get home, she'll start to cry.
"When she says: 'I'm sorry,' say: 'So am I.'
"An' look into those eyes, so deep in love,
"An' drink it up.
"'Cos that's the good stuff.
"That's the good stuff.
You can see how I used the song to do the story, so I guess in a way I don't even own the situation that I put them in. But I did come up with all of the flashbacks on my own.
I hoped you enjoyed it. Thank you for reading, and please review. Constructive criticism is always appreciated.
FFG- Jo