It is the simplest of elements that influence them all.

Metal: Praseodymium
Genre: Fluff. Because why not?
Word Count: 462
Setting: Resembool. After the first anime. But really it could be anywhere I guess.

Author's Note: If you forgot about me, that's fine. I think I had forgotten about me too.

The Pedantic
Praseodymium

She still had it, at the bottom of her drawer. She'd found it while cleaning one brisk fall day, when loneliness threatened to befriend her if she remained stagnant any longer. So she decided the day would be a failure unless she had gotten rid of at least a full bag of useless things. While she held it up to examine it, light from the slowly sinking sun caught it at pretty angles and made the dust dance in the air behind it. Just like that day…

A young Winry looked up from the doorway to see a tiny blonde head tearing down the field. Within seconds he was on her porch, panting.

"WINRY! YOU CAN'T DO IT IT'S NOT REAL!" Edward shouted.

Winry took a step back. "I'M TWO FEET AWAY WHY ARE YOU YELLING?!" She screamed back.

"You can't do it." He grasped his knees. "Oh my gosh this hurts. Anyway. It's not real." Edward got down on one knee. "I'm okay. Wow, okay. I'm okay," he said, about to keel over.

"…What?" She was so confused. Edward drew in a deep breath and puffed out his cheeks before forcing himself up with a groan. "Edo-kun, what's going on?" she inquired.

"Al told you that ring was an emerald, and it's not, 'cuz I saw the transmutation circle, and it's not an emerald it's just some pray see… pray-see-od-DIE-meum, mixed with, um, zirconium dioxide which is supposed to be PERIDOT anyway but that dork doesn't know what gemstones are but I do because I'm older and smarter and so he lied to you, because it's not an emerald, and you shouldn't marry liars Winry, so, yeah."

"…The ring he gave me…" she finally started to piece it together. Al had proposed to her earlier that morning with it.

Edward stood up defiantly, puffing out his chest. He pointed an angry finger at her and said, "And besides, he's MY brother and you didn't ask for MY blessing and I say no so you can't get married so DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!" Sweat started to pour down his forehead as he turned a violent crimson and made a move to leave less than a minute after he'd arrived.

Turning back for a second, he said hurriedly, "And Iwonanywayhejustdoesn'tknowIdidsothere."

He triumphantly dashed out the door. Winry felt the ring in her pocket. "But I said no…" she murmured, watching him run. He was across the hill before the dusk turned to twilight.

With a sigh, she smiled at the memory. Someday, when they came back, she'd wear it, just to see what they'd say. It didn't fit on any of her fingers anymore except her pinky, but this was one piece of jewelry that definitely wasn't going in the giveaway pile.

end

Reviews are always appreciated. I swear not all of this will be EdWin. I mean I don't have a problem or anything… really…