Word Prompt #4:
As children, a boy and girl agree to marry if neither have by their 22nd birthday.
Fun fact, I named Winry's boyfriend in the third part Matthew because I live in Florida and as of the moment I'm writing this, the hurricane Matthew is coming through, getting ready to wipe my power and take away everything I love. Also, my computer is broken, and I am writing this on my dad's mac.
1904
"Do you want to get married, Ed?" six-year old Winry Rockwell asked her best friend, Edward. The Elrics - Ed's mother and her two sons - were family friends of the Rockbells. Edward and Winry had grown up together and would definitely be friends forever.
"Huh?" Ed asked.
"My mommy says she was happy when she got married!" Winry exclaimed. "I want to get married too!"
"Boys don't think about that stuff," Ed responded. Though, he did. Him and his younger brother, Alphonse, had recently been in a fight about who would marry Winry. Winry had even been in on it.
"Will you marry me, Ed?" Winry asked.
"What?"
"Will you marry me?" she repeated. "If we don't get married when we're twenty-two, we'll get married!" It seemed like forever away.
"O-Okay," Ed responded. He was only five; he really didn't keep up with promises.
But he did with this one.
1911
Winry was thirteen-years old and was blossoming into a young lady. She began to wear clothing that was a bit more flattering to her figure and had just pierced her ears. While Winry had short hair when she was younger, her hair had grown a considerable amount and she now kept it up in a ponytail.
Because of her growing up, the boys in Resembool had begun to take notice to her new looks.
Edward had also grown and continued to be best friends with Winry. Though, he continued to stay a few inches shorter than his friend. His hair had grown out alongside Winry's, and he braided it every day.
"Hey, Winry," Oliver - a boy in Winry's class - greeted as Ed and Winry are walking along a path of dirt road that went all through the country-side.
"Hey, Oliver," Winry responded. "How have you been?"
"I was just wondering if you wanted to go steady with me," Oliver said. Going steady for their age in Resembool meant they would hold hands at school.
"Sure," Winry responded. She would make sure to wear her nicest blouse the next day at school. "I'll see you tomorrow!" Winry exclaimed excitedly before hurrying back to her house, leaving Ed and Oliver alone.
"You sure about this, Oliver?" Ed asked.
"What do you mean?" Oliver responded.
"Well, it's just that Winry can be kind of...intimidating," Ed told.
It was somewhat true; Winry was a gear-head who was obsessed with her grandmother's prosthesis business. She couldn't get enough.
"She knows how to bring a guy down good. You'll never feel as masculine as her again."
Oliver broke the news to Winry that he didn't want to go steady anymore the next day.
1915
Winry was seventeen-years old and had taken on an apprenticeship with an autodial engineer in Rush Valley, which was a train ride away. Because she was gone, Ed often took the train to see her when he got the chance. It was work, but they were determined to stay friends.
On one particular trip, Winry had a boy in her shop.
"Oh, Ed, this is Matthew, my boyfriend," Winry introduced. "Matthew, this is Ed. We've been friends forever."
"Since birth," Ed added.
"Nice to meet you, Ed," Matthew acknowledged.
"I'll be right back, you guys; I forgot a part," Winry announced before leaving the room to get to her tools.
"So..." Ed trailed off. "How long as this boyfriend girlfriend thing been going on?"
"About a month," Matthew answered. "Winry and I met through her making automail for me," he added.
"Yeah, she made mine too," Ed replied in a move of competition. "Two of my limbs to be exact."
"You guys must be really close," Matthew commented. "Do you have any tips for me?"
Ed paused. This was his chance.
"Well, she's into open relationships," Ed fibbed. "Lind of like a swinger situation, but she likes for the guys to do the swinging."
"Really?" Matthew asked. "I never would have guessed."
"Yeah, and she also is a huge feminist, so she likes to be treated like any other guy." This was true, but Ed was hoping Matthew would take it too far.
"Thanks for the tips," Matthew thanked.
A few days later, when Ed had returned to Central City, where he was staying for the time being, Winry called.
"Brother!" Alphonse called out with the phone in his head. "Winry's on the phone!"
"All right!" Ed called back. He came over and took the phone. "Hey, Winry, what's up?" Ed greeted.
"Matthew cheated on me!" Winry wailed over the phone.
"He what?!" Ed bellowed, as if he hadn't been expecting this. After all, he was the one to initiate it.
"He cheated on me and said that you told him to!" Winry continued. "I broke up with him," she wept.
"The nerve of that guy!" Ed roared. "He's got something coming from me if I ever see him again!"
Ed stayed on the phone while Winry cried and consoled her until she calmed.
"You're cold, brother," Alphonse expressed.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
1920
Winry was twenty-two. Edward was twenty-one.
"One day, you're going to have to tell Winry what you did," Alphonse ranted.
"Shut up and help me with my tux," Ed grumbled.
Alphonse moved closer and helped Ed tie his bowtie. No matter what there was to say, it was his brother's wedding day, and he was marrying the girl Al already thought of as an older sister. No matter what, Alphonse knew they loved each other.
"Have you checked on Winry yet?" Ed asked. "She won't let me see her in her dress."
"I checked," Alphonse answered. "She looks amazing, just like you'd expect. In Aunt Sarah's wedding dress, she's never looked better."
"You're wrong," Ed responded. "She's always beautiful."
1921
Winry was twenty-three. Edward was twenty-two.
"You did great, Winry," Ed cheered Winry as he held a blue bundle in his arms. Winry held a green bundle in their bed, where she had delivered a home birth.
"You were a great coach," Winry added as she looked on at her sons. "Thank you, Ed."
"I hardly helped," Ed mused. "I just spent five minutes with you. You're the one who did all the work."
"Not for that," Winry spoke. "For breaking up every single relationship I had so we could be together."
"What? I didn't do that," Ed denied before the blue bundle began to make noises of displeasure.
"Ethan can tell his daddy is a liar," Winry joked. "I'm not angry, Ed.
Thank you."