Chapter 14: (Season 2) After the Wedding
Edward had woken up feeling extremely groggy from the night before, his first reaction was to tighten his eyes tightly as the light from the sun shined brightly into the bedroom. He moaned slightly as he slowly opened his eyes only for them to wander down to the form besides him, a small smile immediately tugging at the corners of his mouth. Lying beside him still sleeping soundly he watched as Winry's chest rose and lowered evenly as she continued to sleep. As his wife continued to sleep. He continued to watch her sleep for a few minutes before he reached out his hand and gently moved a strand of blonde hair from her face behind her ear. She stirred gently in her sleep as her eyes slowly opened, a tired incoherent look on her face appearing on first until her eyes turned to look at Edward where the incoherent expression was replaced by a blissfully happy one.
"Morning Ed," she said tiredly as a small smile formed on her face.
"Good morning Mrs. Elric," he said playfully. He leaned over and planted a gentle kiss over Winry's lips that she returned lovingly as it lingered for several seconds before they pulled away looking lovingly at one another.
"Mrs. Winry Elric, it has a nice ring to it doesn't it?" Winry asked playfully earning her a laugh from her new husband.
"I'm glad you think so because you're stuck with that name for the rest of your life," Edward said good humoredly but in no way joking. Winry merely joked at his words as they knelt back together and kissed once again, this one slightly longer than the last. As they pulled away from each other Winry turned around in the bed placing her back against Edward's chest as he immediately wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer to him. They stayed together like that for a few minutes, not daring to talk lest someone come into the room and have them 'wake up'.
"What time is it?" Winry asked. Edward looked outside the window of Winry's room trying to see where the sun was positioned in the sky.
"Some time after noon," Ed guessed nestling his face into Winry's neck after saying so.
"We should probably get dressed and head downstairs. Wouldn't want Granny to get the wrong idea of what we're doing up here." Ed's face immediately went red as he guessed Winry's had as he left a small trail of kisses on her neck that caused her to shiver from the contact.
"If you insist Mrs. Elric," Edward teased as he got out of the bed to put on some clothes. Ten minutes later the duo walked downstairs hand in hand in sweat pants and a T-shirt (tank top for Winry) as they approached the kitchen where they found Pinako, Izumi and (surprisingly) Mustang sitting at the table and enjoying what seemed to be cups of coffee. As their presence became known to those at the table they all turned and smiled to the newly married couple, especially Mustang who seemed to be holding back what Edward knew was a shit eating grin.
"Well glad to see that you two finally decided to come down stairs," Pinako deadpanned as she exhaled a fume of smoke from her mouth.
"Good morning to you to Granny," Winry said with a blush now evident on her face.
"I have to say Fullmetal I'm surprised to see that you came out of the bedroom at all, seeing how it's the day after your wedding day," Mustang said no longer able to keep back his shit eating grin causing both Winry and Edward's faces to turn as red as tomatoes. However before Ed could snap and yell at the General for being a big mouthed bastard when Pinako brought down her heavy pipe on Mustang's head earning her a bewildered and pained look from Mustang who looked at the small woman in sheer shock at what she had done.
"Knock it off Mustang," she said in a stern yet commanding tone. "Those are my grandchildren you're picking on." Mustang shot a look at Pinako who returned the stare unwaveringly until Mustang finally looked away as he brought his mug of coffee to his mouth hiding his embarrassment from being intimidated by a three foot tall senior citizen. Unable to hide their grins Winry and Edward take a seat in between Pinako and Izumi as the latter hands them both cups of coffee.
"Where's everybody else?" Winry asked curiously looking around the small house. "I remember everyone falling asleep in the living room."
"Well they woke up in the morning like normal people tend to do," Pinako said with a straight face as she filled her pipe with some more tobacco. "Most of them already returned to the hotel to get ready to leave, Alphonse and May are already heading back to Xing, and Edward those four large men that work with you are helping Sig clean up the back yard from last night. Such good boys they are." Edward frowned and looked out the back door and, true to her words; the four chimeras were helping Sig lifting the tables and the chairs getting them ready to be picked up by their respective owners sometime in the future.
"So what's the plan for you two now?" Izumi asked curiously looking at the newly married couple. "Are you two going to be staying in Resembool for a while or are you leaving soon for your honey moon?" Edward silently cursed his teacher out as Winry's now flaring blue eyes turned to look at Ed expectantly.
"Yeah Ed what is the plan on the honey moon?" Winry asked with a tone that matched her expression. Edward brought his coffee mug to his mouth nonchalantly trying not to look scared but he was sweating slightly at the sudden attention he was getting from the women in the room. Sighing Edward put his mug down Edward looked at his wife calmly.
"We leave tomorrow," he said simply as if he'd told her about it a million times.
"Where are we going?" Winry demanded.
"Somewhere you've never been before," Edward dead panned.
"Can I get a little more detail?"
"It'll be hot."
"You just described all of Amestris this time of year aside from Briggs," Winry said angrily.
"Well if you wanted to go to Briggs that's all you had to say!" Edward said trying to change the subject.
"Why would I want to go to Briggs? It's cold, there's no sunlight, and the last time we were there we were nearly killed-"
"That's why we're not going to Briggs!" Edward retorted.
"WHY CAN'T YOU JUST TELL ME WHERE WE'RE GOING YOU STUPID ALCHEMY FREAK?" Winry demanded finally losing it.
"BECAUSE IT'S A SURPRISE YOU DUMB GEAR HEAD, WHY CAN'T YOU JUST BE SURPRISED?" Edward shouted back.
"YOU KNOW I HATE SURPRISES!"
"SINCE WHEN?"
"SINCE YOU STARTED COMING HOME WITH MISSING LIMBS
"YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO SEE US VISITING!"
"YOU ONLY CAME BY WHEN YOU NEEDED SOMETHING!"
"Look Fullmetal I don't see what the-"
"BUT OUT!" Winry and Ed both yelled to Mustang at the same time causing the General to fall over in his seat. Before Winry and Edward could go back at it though Pinako gently bopped Winry atop of her head with her pipe while Izumi not so gently grabbed Edward by the cheek and lifted him a foot off of the ground.
"You two haven't been married for a day and already you're at each other's throats," Pinako said disapprovingly.
"Yes Edward, you should be treating Winry better now that you're married. So why don't you apologize to your wife?" Edward moaned in pain as Izumi turned him in the air to face Winry, who was having trouble keeping from laughing at her dangling husband.
"I'm sawwrry Winry," Edward somehow managed to say while being held by his cheek.
"I'm sorry to Ed," Winry said barely able to hold in a laugh. As Izumi finally dropped Ed he fell to the ground before climbing back into his seat while holding his stinging cheek in his hand muttering something about Izumi being a crazy witch. Winry moved the hand over Ed's red burning cheek and gave it a quick kiss before putting her hand into his with their fingers intertwining immediately after.
"So Ed, all seriousness, where are you guys going for your honey moon?" Izumi asked again.
"Why do you care so much?" Edward asked scowling at his teacher still upset about having been dangled by his cheek. "You're not the one who's going."
"So you won't tell your former teacher where you're going? Do you not trust me not to tell Winry?"
"I'll make you a deal as soon as Winry and I our on the train tomorrow morning ask your husband," Ed told her, at his words Izumi's eye brows widened in surprise.
"Sig? How would he know where you're going?" Izumi asked suspiciously.
"Because he, Alphonse and Mason helped me prepare for the trip," Edward said matter of factly.
"Sig doesn't keep secrets from me Edward."
"It doesn't concern you, you old bat!" Edward argued with a frown looking at his former teacher. "And besides if I thought that you could keep a secret I'd have asked you to help." Izumi looked ready to leap at Edward from above the table when Sig came into the kitchen from the back door.
"Everything is put away and ready to be sent back Mrs. Pinako," he said kindly.
"Why thank you Sig I appreciate it," Pinako said gratefully. As Sig walked towards his wife around the table Izumi immediately stood up and turned to her husband.
"Sig dear, did you and Mason help Edward prepare for his honey moon?" Izumi asked ignoring the gapping angry face of her student.
"Yes I did Izumi, Alphonse helped us as well." Sig said without hesitation as Izumi looked to Ed with a smile that said 'I told you so.'
"And where is there honey moon?" she asked expecting to get the answer she wanted to hear; unfortunately what she wanted to hear wasn't what she got.
"I'm sorry but I promised Edward I wouldn't tell anyone about the honey moon," Sig said again without hesitation much to Izumi's dislike. It was clear that Izumi was going to start angrily questioning Sig about the honey moon so Pinako, deciding to do everyone a favor, turned to Mustang who seemed anxious to watch the fight.
"So Roy, where is Riza and the rest of your team?" she asked casually as she watched the attention of everyone except Izumi and Sig turn to the General.
"Oh there back at the hotel packing their bags," Mustang said simply. "Our train comes in later today so they're packing the rest of their things before we head back to East City and then Central."
"So why are you here then?" Edward asked bluntly as he looked to his superior officer.
"Well Ed as a General of the military people will pack your bags for you," Mustang said with a smug smile before reaching into the front pocket of his jacket. "And also to give you two this," he pulled out a key ring with two keys and slid them over the table towards Ed and Winry. "These are the keys to your new home in South City."
"Shouldn't we have had a say in where we want to live?" Winry asked picking up the keys.
"Yeah," Edward said in agreement as he looked over to Mustang with his eyes narrowed. "Especially if you were the one to pick out the place. Where did you find the place? In the rundown part of the city where it would be cheapest?" Before Mustang could make a retort a new voice said from outside the kitchen:
"Actually I was the one to pick out your apartment." Everyone involved in the conversation turned to see Riza Hawkeye standing at the threshold of the kitchen wearing a black turtleneck and cargo pants with her hair up in its signature fashion.
"Hello Ms. Riza," Winry said politely smiling to the older woman. Riza smiled as she walked into the kitchen and took a seat besides Mustang.
"So you picked the apartment?" Ed asked, his mood lifting at hearing Mustang hadn't gotten them a room at the poor house.
"That's right, it's only a short walk from the Command center and a twenty minute drive from the train station. There also a series of shops and stores nearby; I think I did a good job in picking it out."
"Well I trust your choice Ms. Riza," Winry said assuringly.
"Yeah better you than General Cheap Skate," Edward said pointing towards a now silently fuming Mustang. It seemed as if Mustang was about to complain but Riza told him that they had to leave so that they could catch their train. The duo said their good byes to everyone while Riza handed Edward and Winry a piece of paper with their new address on it. At that moment the four chimeras came in to say their good byes as well while Edward handed the address of their new address to Darrius along with one of the keys telling his first lieutenant to check out the house for when he and Winry arrived in South City after the honey moon. Once all of the military personnel had left the small house, followed by Sig and a still fuming Izumi who were heading back to the hotel not seeing any reason to stay in the room Pinako had lent to them now that they didn't have to cook for the wedding anymore. Once everyone had left Pinako released a puff of smoke as she turned to look at Edward and Winry.
"So you got placed in South City huh Ed?" she asked calmly showing no emotion on her face.
"Yeah, sorry for not mentioning it before Granny," Edward told her apologetically. "We meant to talk to you about before the wedding but I guess we got preoccupied with the wedding."
"No I understand Ed you two don't need to apologize for it. So I assume you two will head right to the apartment after your honey moon?" Pinako asked. Winry looked over to Edward uneasily as the look on her husband looked a little guilty as well.
"I uh, I guess so Granny," Edward said uneasily as he looked at Pinako. The older woman merely took a draft from her pipe before grounding out the hot ashes in the now empty pipe.
"Well I guess you two should pack your things then hmm?" Pinako asked as she got off of her chair and walked towards the living room. She stopped abruptly before turning her head to look back at the couple who were staring at her surprised by her words. "You should probably go through the rest of your wedding presents to while you're at it. We wouldn't want you to forget anything here." As Pinako left the Kitchen the couple could hear the front door open and closed followed for a call for Den and barking signaling that Pinako was leaving the house for some time.
"What the hell was that about?" Ed asked worriedly looking towards Winry.
"I have no idea. Do you think she's upset that we're leaving?" Winry asked.
"How could she?" Ed asked in return. "She didn't really expect us to live here with her after we were married did she?"
"I don't know Ed I'm worried about her. I've never seen her act like that before," Winry said worriedly. Edward sighed as he stood up from his chair to stand behind his wife where he placed his hands on her shoulders supportively.
"Well whatever might be wrong with her she does have a point. We still need to pack our things and go through our wedding presents. We can talk to her once she gets home." Winry nodded worriedly as she stood up and, with Edward close in toe, headed back upstairs so they could pack their things. Going into their rooms the couple began packing their clothes and other personal items. Edward had finished packing relatively quickly not having that many personal items for himself anyways; in fact aside from his valuable items: Alchemy books, notes, and things he'd need for when he began work at the Military. Winry on the other hand wasn't nearly as lucky having dozens of different outfits, a seemingly endless supply of items that held some kind of sentimental value to her along with all of her automail tools and designs. Edward couldn't help but laugh as he watched Winry try to stuff everything into her four massive suitcases to no avail; apparently having too much stuff to pack.
"It isn't funny Ed!" Winry finally shouted as one of the suitcases broke open as an explosion of clothes burst through the suitcase making a mess in her bedroom.
"Oh but it really is," Edward said still laughing as he easily avoided a shoe being thrown at him. "I don't know why you have all these clothes Winry. I can honestly say that I've only ever seen you in a handful of these outfits before anyways."
"A girl has got to have options Ed, you never know what the occasion will call upon requiring me to wear," Winry rationalized.
"Right, do half of these outfits even fit you anymore?" Edward asked rewarding him with a sudden deadly stare coming from Winry.
"Are you saying that I'm fat?" she accused immediately.
"Not at all," Edward said without panicking. "All I'm saying is I remember you wearing a number of these outfits five years ago." Edward suddenly allowed a mischievous smile cross his face as he walked over to Winry putting his hands on her hips surprising her and causing her to raise an eyebrow curiously. "And besides," he said bringing his face close to Winry's ear. "You've definitely grown since we were teenagers." Before she could say anything he began to kiss at her neck causing Winry's face to go red as she moaned slightly.
"Well I… guess that's a… fair point," Winry said incoherently before pushing Edward away slightly causing him to smile at the sight of her red face. "How is it you don't have more things to pack?" she asked curiously.
"I'm used to traveling light," he admitted as he stepped away from Winry to take a seat on her bed only to have her take a seat beside him seconds later. "When Al and I were traveling we couldn't bring to many things with us, it would have made it harder for us to get around. Granted Al didn't really need to bring anything with him but I always tried to limit my luggage to only one suitcase. Old habits die hard I guess."
"So when did you get the trunk then?" Winry asked.
"Some time after going back to Creta," he admitted. "The automail engineer there made me the lock that's impossible to open by regular means- and even with Alchemy people won't be able to break in because the materials that make up the chest and lock use several different components blended together. Even I don't completely know what it's made of, so I use it for securing important things."
"So I don't suppose you have an extra suitcase then?" Winry asked hopefully clearly not wanting to leave any of her things behind. Edward only chuckled as he leaned forward and kissed his wife on the lips.
"You're lucky you're cute Winry," he said as he stood up and headed to his room in search for Al's old suitcase. It took some doing but Edward finally managed to convince Winry not to bring clothes that no longer fit her promising that they could always go shopping once they got to South City. Unfortunately with all of Winry's things she still somehow managed to fill three suitcases full of her stuff. Once they had their bags packed they went back downstairs towards the pile of presents they hadn't opened and began to go through them. Thankfully most of them were envelopes which meant two things: 1. their friends decided to give them either cash or a check and 2. there wasn't a big chance of getting to many presents Winry would insist on packing with them. He was actually surprised at how generous his friends were, each of them giving him and Winry a fair bit of money. Especially Armstrong who apparently brought a gift from his parents as well (Ed made a mental note to thank Armstrong without getting wrapped into his father's stories). It ended up being easier than either of them thought it would be to go through the presents and since it was mostly cash anyways Edward merely threw everything in his trunk insuring its safety until they arrived at a bank. By the time they had finished however the sun had long since set and it had to be close to midnight. Ed and Winry had agreed to stay up and wait for Pinako to return hours earlier but unfortunately once it was about two thirty in the morning Edward was the only one barely awake while Winry had fallen asleep on top of him while they lied on the couch while they had waited for Pinako to return. Unfortunately as three o'clock rolled in Edward sighed as he gently picked up Winry in his arms as he carried Winry up to her room laying her on the bed. He got into the bed besides her and set the alarm clock to wake them up at eight o'clock; giving them an hour to get ready before they had to board the train. As Edward got under the covers himself Winry's arms wrapped around his waist possessively as she rested her head on his chest and her body on top of his arm.
"Did Granny come home?" Winry mumbled still mostly asleep. Edward sighed as he wrapped the arm Winry was lying on at her back rubbing it gently before kissing her gently on the forehead.
"Sorry Win, Granny didn't come home yet." Winry seemed to moan in her sleep as she squeezed Edward tighter to her.
"What if she doesn't come back before we leave?" Winry asked still half asleep. "We need to say good bye before we leave."
"We will Winry don't worry. There's no way that old hag won't be there to see us off, you just wait and see." At least that was what he had hoped.
The next day they awoke early after only a few hours of solid sleep before they had to get ready; Edward had put on an outfit similar to the one he wore when leaving Resembool when he went west to study Alchemy while Winry wore a simple white tank top and a black mini skirt. Once they were dressed they proceeded to carry their luggage to the train station; a feat easier said than done since they had to carry Winry's three suitcases and her two work suitcases with them along with Edward's single suitcase and his trunk. Much to Edward's dismay he was forced to carry the majority of Winry's bags along with his own making the walk to the train station less fun for him; but he did it knowing that Winry was worrying about her grandmother who they still hadn't seen since she walked out the day before.
"Ed what if something happened to her?" Winry asked worriedly. "I know you put a lot of work into the trip but what if she's hurt somewhere waiting for us to find her?"
"Winry you're over reacting," he assured her as he huffed under the pile of bags atop of him. "Your Granny is a legend here; no one messes with the Pantheress of Resembool and lives to tell the tale."
"I know that," Winry said still disturbed by her Grandmothers absence. "I just hope she doesn't miss seeing us off." When they finally reached the train station they were met by Izumi and Sig their own luggage at their sides as they too waited for the train to come and take them home to Dublith.
"Well look who it is," Izumi said with a smile. "Did you two come to see us off?" she asked.
"Not exactly," Edward said with a huff as he dropped the bags and trunk he had been carrying tiredly. "We'll be on the train with you guys up until Dublith; then we have to get off and head west from there."
"Oh are you now?" Izumi asked curiously as she looked up to Sig who looked straight ahead stone faced ignoring his wife's questioning stare.
"Hey have you guys seen my grandmother at all?" Winry asked hopefully to the older couple. Sig and Izumi looked at each other in confusion before looking back towards the young couple.
"We haven't seen her since last night, is everything alright?" Izumi asked.
"The old bag ran off yesterday after hearing how we were moving to South City after the Honey Moon." Edward said frustratedly. "She didn't even bother to explain why she was leaving."
"Well I'm sure she wouldn't miss seeing you two off," Sig said assuringly. The two couples waited in silence for the next ten minutes until the all too familiar whistle from the train as it approached the station. Winry looked around desperately as the train pulled into the station; at seeing Winry's downed expression Izumi looked over to Sig and nodded as she went onto the train cart showing her ticket to the conductor.
"Izumi and I will find a place for us all to sit; you two wait here, I'm sure Pinako will be here any minute." With almost no effort at all Sig grabbed the Elric's luggage and carried it onto the train where he carried it hopefully to where Izumi was sitting. The couple waited for several more minutes until the warning whistle for the train went off signaling that it would be leaving in ten minutes. Winry looked over to Edward and sighed telling him they should just board the train.
"We can wait for a few more minutes Winry, we still have time," Ed assured her.
"I know," Winry told him looking towards him with a grateful smile. "But we can always call Granny when we reach Dublith right? Come on, no point keeping the train waiting." Ed sighed and nodded in agreement; just as the couple was about to board the train however they heard a familiar barking from behind them that immediately caused Winry to whip her head hopefully around. Sure enough the sight behind her was enough to make her smile and sigh in relief as she saw Den and her grandmother approaching them, a package in the older woman's arms.
"Well thank god I caught you two before you left," Pinako said breathing heavily as she looked at the young couple.
"Where the hell were you you old hag?" Edward demanded angrily. "We waited up all night for you and you scared the hell out of Winry when you didn't come home."
"Oh pipe down shrimp," Pinako said nonchalantly as Ed began to seethe angrily at the word 'shrimp.' "I was just out getting the rush order on your wedding present." As Pinako handed Winry the package she looked at it curiously as she ripped the brown paper off of it revealing a large pink book; a photo of Ed and Winry on the front of it in their wedding outfits with the words Memories are Eternal written in phenomenal calligraphy. "Had to rush Jake back at the photo developer to have them done before you two left. You didn't think I was going to let you two leave without saying good bye right?" Winry smiled as she knelt down and embraced her grandmother in a loving hug.
"Of course not Granny, I knew you'd make it," The train's whistle went off signaling it would leave within a minute. The couple quickly said good bye as they leapt onto the train just before it was about to pull out of the station.
"Take good care of my granddaughter Ed," Pinako called over the train's whistle.
"I will Granny," Ed assured her with a wave.
"And make sure to call me when you're settled in at South City!"
"We will!" Winry called back waving happily to her grandmother. As the train began pulling out of the station the couple found Izumi and Sig sitting in a cart awaiting them with smiles at seeing that Pinako had seen them off. The newlywed couple sat across from the others as they pulled out the photo album given to them by Pinako just then before they left. Edward watched as Winry opened the album excitedly knowing that she's be reliving their wedding through the pictures to her; and he was more than excited to go through it with her.