Liz: You keep on putting these up late.

Yeah... well... shut up.

Envy: Riveting argument.

Ed: As usual.

Yeah, yeah. Another fluffy chapter. Lots of hyper Liz and some adorableness at the end.

Al: Enjoy!

Chapter 10: Edward's Confession

The next months passed more routinely. We went back to our jobs after a brief celebration of it all being over. Ed and I were teamed up on some assignments and sent separately on others. Winry returned to Risenbol, though she seemed very sad to do so.

"It gets lonely there now that I don't have Pinako." She said. "And with Den getting old… well, I just don't know how long it'll be before I am alone."

"Couldn't you move?" Ed asked. "Rush valley would be glad to have you, I'm sure."

"I love Rush valley. And I've thought about it. But there are people in Risenbol who need me." She shook her head. "They have to travel so far to see any other mechanic."

"Yeah." I pat her on the shoulder. "But we'll keep visiting Winry. I'll break Ed's arm if I have to insure it."

"Let's see if you can get him to visit when he doesn't need repairs." Winry said dryly.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!" Ed snapped.

"Nothing, lunkhead." She sighed and bid us farewell.

We did visit her a few times over that next year. Sometimes separately but once together. It was eleven months after the anniversary of Dante's death that we found ourselves on the same train headed to Risenbol.

We didn't even realize it until we stepped off the train and I ran smack dab into Ed.

"Hey watch where you're going!" he snapped.

"Whoops. Couldn't see you because you were so small." I said when I realized who it was. I knew that irritated tone of voice anyway.

"HEY! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE CALLING—Oh Liz. Its you."

"She's the only one who calls you short anymore, little brother." Envy said, stepping up beside me. "Besides me of course."

"That's because I'm not short anymore."

"You're an inch shorter than me." Envy shrugged.

"Yeah, well how does that explain Liz's logic?"

"Liz and logic don't go together." Envy sighed.

"Shut up, palm tree." I punched him in the shoulder. "Liz logic makes perfect sense to me. It informs me that though the nickname is no longer true, the anger it creates is, which makes it just as entertaining." I glanced at Envy. "I mean he doesn't look much like a palmtree anymore. But it still irritates him. So I use it."

"Just like you're no longer a kid anymore and I still call you kid." Envy said cheerfully.

"Shut up!"

"Liz logic is hypocritical."

"Liz logic is telling me to murder you."

"Brother I've got the bags. You—" Al paused in mid-sentence as he crossed over to us. "Envy. Liz."

We were too busy arguing to notice him.

"Liz logic couldn't murder me if it tried."

"Liz logic isn't a person idiot. I'M the person that's going to murder you."

"You couldn't either."

"Is that a challenge?"

"What are they doing brother?" Al asked.

"Don't know. They just started going on a death threat argument again."

"I'm so used to this from you and Liz, I'm not even surprised."

"Yeah—HEY!"

If you were expecting us to age and mature after all this time… you don't know us very well.

Winry was surprised but overjoyed to see us, especially when she saw that Ed's arm and leg were completely intact.

"Give me a little credit why don't you?" Ed had groaned.

"Considering all the times you've come home with a busted up arm, I don't think you deserve it." Winry said snidely.

"Well, hello to you too!"

We were both here avoiding work, as it turned out. We'd finished our last inspections and Risenbol was on the way back to Central… Or in Ed and Al's case, completely out of the way of Central and Ed just wanted to avoid Mustang.

"Its only a few days delay. Not a big deal." Ed waved his hand dismissively.

"That's our story and we're sticking to it." I nodded. I mean, we usually took longer on our jobs than usual because we got into trouble. Mustang wouldn't know the difference. And if he did, what could he do?

Probably settle us with the worst possible job. But hey, we were used to that by now.

Winry did end up adjusting Ed's arm and leg anyway, just to make sure they were in top condition. He thanked her and complained as usual but I couldn't help but notice he seemed jumpier. His smiles seemed forced and he changed the subject a lot, often finding excuses to leave the room. I caught him turning red more than once, kind of like he used to back when he was still denying his love for Winry.

But that wasn't a problem anymore. So what was the subject of his denial now.

"He's hiding something." I told Envy, one night before going to bed. I was pacing about the room, deeply entrenched in detective mode, while Envy watched me with mild amusement. "He can't hide a secret well to save his life."

"You two have that in common"

"Shut up. Anyway, it seems to have something to do with Winry. He's acting weird around her. Like he's hiding something from her. But if its not his undying love…" I trailed off, tapping my lip. Then I gasped, whirling around to face Envy. "You don't think he's… found someone else do you?"

Envy raised an eyebrow. "Why is that your first conclusion?"

"Because he's hiding something! And it has to do with Winry! He's not in any danger right now. If he was, he would have told me. This is something that he doesn't even want to tell me." I stabbed a finger in the air. "Because he knows that I'd murder him. I'm right, aren't I? He's found someone else? This is literally the worst thing that could happen!"

"I dunno. I recall this certain person named Dante—"

"Let me be over dramatic, Envy." I said, holding a hand out to stop him. "Do you have ANY idea how long I worked to get these two together. If it falls apart… all my long hard work will be for nothing. And it shouldn't fall apart because they are perfect and meant to be with one another."

"Yes and if they were to break up, your credibility as a match maker would be ruined." Envy said dryly.

"EXACTLY!" I exclaimed.

"Keep your voice down or you'll alert the whole house of your conspiracy theory." Envy got up. "Stop making deductions until you have more information."

"You think I should search his suitcase?" I asked.

Envy sighed, resting his hands on my shoulders. "No, maybe you should… talk to him. If he's so bad at hiding secrets then you'll probably get an answer out of him."

I blinked. "Oh yeah… Right."

"Right." Envy pat me on the shoulder. "Now, be honest Liz, how much apple pie did you eat? Because you're acting crazy."

"Only two."

"Two?"

"Okay THREE!"

"Thought so."

It bothers me sometimes that Envy is the sensible one in our relationship.

It also bothers me that I can't grow any taller and that I can't eat too much sugar without going a little psycho. But some things just aren't meant to be.

The next day, as Envy suggested, I cornered Edward to talk to him about his strange behavior, silently praying that there was no other woman. I basically pounced on him while he was walking down the hallway and dragged him into my room. Even though I was shorter than him, I had enough strength to throw him into a chair.

"Liz, what the hell!" Ed exclaimed.

"We need to talk." I said seriously.

"Then tell me 'hey, let's talk'. Don't sneak attack me!"

"This is a matter of grave importance."

"We shouldn't have let you eat so much apple pie."

"Shut up!" I placed my hands on my hips. Yeah the sugar hadn't completely worn off. "This will go much more simply if you answer my questions honestly."

"O…kay?" Ed said tentatively.

"Do you love Winry?" I asked.

Ed flushed bright red. "Wh-what does that matter?"

"Answer the question."

"Of course I do!"

"Then why are you acting so weird around her?"

"Weird?" Ed shifted in his seat. "What do you mean?"

"You can't meet her eye. You stutter. You get red in the face. These are all signs that you're keeping a secret from her. I know these things about you." I tapped my head. "So why is that Ed?"

"You're imagining things!"

"I am not!"

"Yes you are, its nothing!"

"Do you love Winry?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then why are you acting so weird?"

"I—"

"Why are you keeping secrets?"

"Because I want to ask her to marry me!" Ed blurted out. The moment the words left his mouth his face flushed brighter red than I'd ever seen it and he quickly covered his mouth. My jaw dropped.

"You… you what?"

"You heard me." Ed muttered, turning away. "I want to… ask her to marry me."

Oh my god my match making skills were sacred.

I all but tackled Ed, this time in a hug. "Ed that's wonderful. That's amazing. Oh my god!"

"Okay, okay, you're going to smother me." Ed struggled but I didn't let him go until he had been thoroughly hugged. "Its not a big deal or anything."

"Of course it is! It's a huge deal. Stop trying to down play everything and feel emotions, Edward!" I pulled away, sitting down on the edge of my bed. "How are you going to do it?"

"I don't know yet." Ed said, staring at his lap. "I've thought about it but I'm not good with this kind of thing. It should be something special. But I just… I don't know."

"Take her somewhere she likes." I said. "That's a start."

"Like where?" Ed asked.

"Oh, come on, Edward, where's a place that's tailor made for a gear head like Winry?"

"Oh… right… Rush Valley." Ed nodded. "Yeah. Yeah I can propose to her there. She'd like that." He straightened. "Her birthday is in a month. If we can get away from work for a few days we could take her there."

"We could get Panina in on it, she'd help. And of course you have all of us." I nodded. "She'll never suspect."

"Yeah." Ed started to smile and it turned into a grimace. "But what if she says no?"

I sighed and shook my head. "She won't say no."

"How do you know?"

"Because I do. Because I know Winry cares about you. She loves you." I shrugged. "And if she does say no, it'll be a 'not yet'. Not a full 'no'. You don't have to worry."

"I am going to worry though." Ed said. "I know stuff like alchemy like the back of my hand. But when it comes to this… when it comes to real life… I can't handle or understand any of it." He laughed weakly. "I think I'm shaking just talking about it."

"I know. You're adorable like that." I got up and hugged him again, this time more gently. "I proud of you for giving it a shot though."

"Yeah." Ed smiled. "Thanks Liz... though really, please don't eat that much sugar in one setting again."

"WHY does everyone keep saying that?"

"So, you're in a less paranoid mood tonight." Envy said. "Did you get to the bottom of the mystery."

"Yessss?" I said, mysteriously wiggling my eyebrows.

"Really?" Envy leaned forward. "What was the answer?"

"It was pretty amazing."

"So tell me what it is."

"Like, completely unexpected but wonderful."

"Great. So spill."

I stretched, faking a yawn. "Man… I sure am tired. All that sugar is catching up to me." I flopped down on the bed. "I think I'll go to sleep."

"Kid, I will torture you for an answer." Envy said. I felt the weight of him on the mattress next to me and I knew he was leaning over me though my eyes were closed. "I'm very impatient."

"Sleeeepyyy."

"I'll wake you up then." Envy said. True to his promise, he swooped in, kissing me hard, with enough passion that I had to stay awake. I wrapped my hands around his neck, drawing him in closer. But he ended the kiss just as it started to get good.

"Tell me."

I sighed. "Okay, fine." I leaned forward and whispered the secret in his ear. His eyes widened when I pulled back and he stared at me for a long moment before he just burst out laughing. Then I did too as the hilarity of it all hit me. Edward Elric—hot headed, know-it-all, arrogant, oblivious Edward Elric—wanted to get married and start a family.

Maybe I was wrong. Things do change with time after all.

Hope you enjoyed the adorableness!

Ed: Be sure to review and also vote on the poll

Envy: Though you probably already have since Liz is winning by an overwhelming margin.

Liz: Woo hoo! Go me!

Al: Thanks for reading.

And have a good week!