Okay so this took longer to get out than I was expecting but I'm glad I finally finished it. Part of the delay came from another idea for a fic that has attacked me and won't let me go. I have the first chapter up on my tumblr (link in profile) but I think I'll post it here soon. Hope you guys like this chapter!
"Do you have to leave so soon?" Winry asked sadly as she stood on the Resembool train station platform. Despite the necessity of getting a head start on the wedding planning, Pinako had let the happy couple enjoy being engaged for a week while Ed was home from his travels. But the week had come to an end and now it was time to say goodbye again.
"I told you, Win, I need to get back there so I can get as much research in as I can before the wedding. Would you rather me be gone now or after we're married?" Ed asked his fiancé. He hated leaving her just as much as she hated watching him leave, especially when he saw how sad she looked, but he knew that this was what he had to do right now and he needed to stick with it no matter how tempting staying in Resembool would be.
"I know, it's just we finally made everything official and now I have to say goodbye and plan a wedding all on my own."
"You can do it, Win. The Winry Rockbell I know wouldn't back down from a challenge," he told her with a confident smirk which she returned with a weak smile.
"Promise me you'll come home soon?" she pleaded with her eyes as she shyly met his gaze.
"I'll do my best," he said, trying to be as truthful as he could be. He didn't know how long he would be in the West, but he hoped his schedule would allow for him to come home and see her every so often. His heart ached when the sound of the train whistle told him it was time to leave.
His cheeks began to tinge red when he realized that she probably expected a goodbye kiss or some other show of affection, both of which were things he was not very good at doing. Fortunately, his future wife was willing to help him out.
She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him long and hard there on the train platform for everyone to see. Ed blushed at her forwardness but then melted into the kiss as Winry's soft lips moved against his. A few passerbys at the small station smiled and shook their heads at the couple. The news of the engagement of two of Resembool's more famous residents spread like wildfire in the small town. Everyone was happy that the former state alchemist had finally gotten the courage to propose to his longtime friend, a marriage that everyone had seen coming since they were both kids.
Winry eventually was forced to part from Ed. She broke their kiss and gave him one last reassuring smile and squeezed his hand. He smiled back and picked up his suitcase. As he got onto the train, he glanced back one final time and gave his best friend and fiancé a small wave. She waved back as the train began to move and then he was gone.
She sighed as she watched the train fade into the horizon. She walked home with a gloomy demeanor, knowing that she was going home to a mountain of work and the beginnings of what she knew was going to be a stressful wedding to plan.
"So, did the pipsqueak get off okay?" her grandmother asked her when she heard Winry enter the house.
"Yeah," Winry said with a deep sigh as she plopped down onto the chair facing her granny.
"Don't be so down, Winry. He'll be back," Pinako told her granddaughter with a knowing smile. Just watching Winry and the little Elric twerp be together made her happier than she could even describe. Winry's sadness at his absence was kind of sweet, in a way.
"I know. I just miss him," she said.
"Well I know just the way to pass the time while he's gone," Pinako suggested as she tapped her pipe on the automail leg she was working on.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Time to get back to work," Winry said as she got up to go change into her work overalls.
"Hey, Winry," Pinako called, stopping her granddaughter from going up the stairs.
"Yeah?"
"Stop acting so depressed. The excitement from the engagement may be over but now you get to look forward to the real fun part. You're going to be married to Ed soon. Isn't that worth getting excited about?"
Winry smiled at her grandmother's words. She always knew what to say to cheer her up. "Yeah, you're right, Granny. Thanks."
"Of course. Now get your butt back to work."
"You got it!"
Ed got off the train at the busy station in Central with a contented sigh of relief. His train to Creta wouldn't leave until the next day so he had some time to kill while he waited. Despite how much he tried to avoid it, he knew he would have to go to Central headquarters to check in with Brigadier General Mustang.
His absolute favorite person.
He hailed a cab to take him to the familiar central area of the bustling city. When he arrived, he was greeted by an officer from the military that led him to a newer part of the building. This must be where the bastard's upgraded office was.
He reluctantly entered the room once the officer had knocked and Mustang beckoned him in. It had been awhile since he had last seen the Flame Alchemist but he looked the same as he always had sitting behind his desk, his chin resting on his folded hands and giving Ed that god-awful smirk he was so used to seeing.
Ed had to try really hard to resist the temptation to roll his eyes when he walked through the door.
"Ah, Fullmetal. Long time no see," Mustang said once Ed entered and the door was closed behind him. Lieutenant Hawkeye maintained her familiar post beside her superior. Everything about the situation made Ed feel like he was fifteen again.
"Why do you still insist on calling me that, Mustang?"
"Because you will forever and always be the Fullmetal Alchemist in my eyes, alchemy and title or not."
"That makes literally no sense, Colonel Bastard."
"It's Brigadier General now, Fullmetal. Don't forget your place."
"Oh, I'm sorry. That makes literally no sense, Brigadier General Bastard," Ed said with a sarcastic smirk. Mustang narrowed his eyes at him. Ed was shocked that he caught the faintest hint of a smile on the Lieutenant's face.
"You know, Ed, sometimes I feel like you've matured well beyond your years and then you say something like that and I remember just how much of a child you really are."
"Hey, this child is further ahead in his life than you seem to be, Mustang."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I'm engaged now. Did you know that, Mustang? How close are you to finding a wife, hm?" Ed answered back smugly.
Mustang raised an eyebrow at that. "Really? You finally settling down with that mechanic chick you were so in love with back when you were a state alchemist?"
Ed couldn't help the blush that crept up on his face at that. "Her name is Winry and yes, we're getting married."
"Wow. Congratulations, Fullmetal. I didn't think you'd have it in you to actually ask her."
"Well, I did. And meanwhile you sit here without a wife, not knowing what's right underneath your nose."
"And just what do you mean by that, Fullmetal?" Mustang asked menacingly.
Ed watched in amusement as Hawkeye sent him a pointed glare. It was funny how oblivious the two of them were. He didn't want to push their buttons anymore, though, because he was very aware of the kind of artillery the lieutenant possessed and he was not pushing his luck with her.
"Oh, nothing," he said with a smirk.
Eventually they got to talking about the research Ed was doing in the West. Despite his initial distaste for the idea, he had agreed to work with the military during his travels. That way, the military had access to everything he learned and, in return, all of his travel expenses were paid for in full, a perk that Ed took advantage of way too often. He wasn't going to tell Mustang that Winry's engagement ring had come out of the military's pocketbook.
"And when are you heading back out?" Mustang asked.
"Tomorrow. Train leaves in the morning so I'll be able to get to Creta by late tomorrow evening."
"Good. Make sure you send frequent memos to Central so we know where you are. Can't have you running all over Creta spending the military's money."
"Oh, yeah. Wouldn't want that," Ed said with a sly smirk.
"One last thing, Fullmetal."
"What's that?"
"We need to know the date of your wedding."
Ed sputtered at the question. "Why the hell would you care about that?"
"Well, for two reasons. We need to know your research schedule as far ahead of time as possible and I imagine that getting married will slow your travels quite a bit."
"Yeah, I guess. What's the second reason?"
"I need to know what days I need to take off from work," Mustang answered with a sly smile.
"And what the hell makes you think you're invited?"
"Oh, Fullmetal. I know you've already had this conversation with your fiancé. I'm invited, along with practically half the military. We'll need to know the day so we can arrange our schedules."
Ed huffed at that. He hated that Mustang was right, but it was true. There were so many people in the military that would have to be invited that he knew they would need to know ahead of time when the wedding was. The planning for this thing was already giving him a headache. He wondered if his initial plan to run off with Winry and elope was still a valid option.
"Fine. I don't know the date yet but I'll let you know."
"Good. And I'll be sure to share the good news with the rest of the military."
"Do you really have to do that?" Ed asked, thoroughly irritated and ready to get this meeting over with.
"Of course. Everyone will be delighted to hear that our young Fullmetal Alchemist is getting married."
"I'm sure they will," Ed said through gritted teeth. The military's obsession with him had long since gotten old.
Ed finally left Mustang's office, to his relief. The bastard had made him think about a lot of the small details that went into the wedding. He felt bad that he was leaving Winry to deal with a lot of this stuff, but he really did have to go to the West. He would go even crazier if he was left to sit around and think about all this stuff in Resembool day in and day out.
Plus, he had to rack up as much money as possible from his research before he got married and he had to start worrying about another big issue in his life.
Finding a job.
So, now some of the specifics are coming around and our little lovebirds are beginning to realize how much work is ahead of them ;) I hope you guys like the chapter! Let me know what you think and be looking out for my new story!
