Chapter 43: Plans
Mei hasn't been certain if it was her place to open the letter, however, it had been addressed to both her and Alphonse. Nervously, she knocked on the young man's room door, waiting for some sign he was finally awake. When nothing happened, she pushed it cautiously open to be greeted by the attractive Elric sprawled out in the bed in his boxers and snoozing away. She let out a shocked squeak and retracted back out the room with a red face. "Ah! Um… Alphonse-kun." She squeaked, but got no response. Of course not, he was lost in his dream world. However, the letter was important and considering the time it would take to get back from Xing to Central, it was important that he woke up for the news. Inching back into the room, she sucked in a breath. "Alphonse?" She tried a bit louder, earning a tired moan in return. She moved forward, giving him a few cautious shakes. With a moan, he rolled onto his side, gazing blearily at the pink faced girl in front of him.
"Mei?" he croaked tiredly, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. "Wha's wrong?" he slurred. She flushed further, holding the letter out toward him.
"It's from Edward-san… I figured that you should really read it now. It's important." She answered, lowering her gaze when he sat up. He really was perfection in man form… at least in her eyes. Tired eyes roamed over the letter and slowly widened.
"WINRY'S PREGANT?" He scrambled from the bed, letter abandoned, and began pulling his bag from the closet and pull clothes from the hangers. "Mei, we gotta get back to Central! This is huge news!" A slight smile crossed her face and she nodded, making her way out of the room. She glanced over her shoulder as Alphonse rambled to himself, tripping over his feet, bag, and even air in his excitement.
The Elrics really were an entertaining bunch.
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Winry was happy to be home. She would admit to that, but as she watched her fiancé argue on the phone with her grandmother, she was beginning to wish she had stayed in Rush Valley just a few days longer. When she had returned to Central, Ed was waiting anxiously at the train station and had nearly carried her home in his own panicked, anxious state. She assured him she was more than capable of doing pretty much any and everything on her own. She had only just found out she was pregnant a week ago and had nowhere near a belly showing. Ed, however, was convinced that she needed to let him take care of her so that she would have a perfect and safe pregnancy. She wanted to beat him with a wrench the first hour home.
As of right now, he was on the phone with her grandmother, the fourth call he had made that day, going over the latest news and newest arrangements. That being the wedding.
Winry still wanted her dream wedding, baby belly in the way or not and Ed was more than willing to give it to her, so with that, he decided to push everything forward. They would be getting married in three weeks and not everyone was as eager for the upcoming wedding date. Pinako was ranting his ear off. Winry was certain she heard something along the lines of 'keeping his thing in his pants.'
"Listen you old bag! You're either coming or you're not! The wedding is happening either way!" Ed barked into the phone and glowered even more at whatever choice words came on the other side. "Waddaya mean you have stuff to do? You're ancient! How do you still have patients!"
"Ed!" Winry hissed from her spot on the couch, completing the wedding invitations she planned on sending the now irate alchemist to mail out. He sent her a withering glare over his shoulder but continued with his call with her grandmother.
"Listen, we're wiring you the train ticket in the next couple of days so just be here, would ya?" he asked in a more civil, at least for Edward, tone. There was a long pause and he gave a grunt before hanging up. "Why's the old bat gotta be such a pain?" he asked while Winry rolled her eyes in response.
"Granny doesn't mean any harm. She just picks at you because its so easy." She hummed and waved around one of the invitations she had sealed away. "Why don't you come help me finish these up? I want them sent out by tomorrow morning." She informed. Ed watched her carefully for a moment and pursed his lips.
"Why don't we just postpone this?" He flinched visibly when Winry's head spun around to him quickly. She narrowed her eyes slightly. He was more than willing to push things forward when she had suggested it before. Why was he having doubts now? "I-I mean, don't you think it would be best to just focus on saving for this baby and then have the wedding?" The alchemist choked out but Winry huffed and shook her head.
"No, because when they baby is born we'll be too distracted to have the exact wedding I want… And even now we're making adjustments. I see nothing wrong with doing it now and THEN all our attention can be fully on the baby." She answered and cocked a brow at her soon to be husband who seemed conflicted.
"Yeah… maybe…" he muttered, running his fingers through his hair in exasperation. Walking over to the table, he leaned over the back of Winry's chair and stared through blank eyes at the stack of completed and sealed envelopes. "This is actually happening…" His tone was hushed but the mechanic could tell that there was a hint of humor and disbelief mixed in it. She looked up at him curiously.
"Are you nervous?" she asked causing Ed to stand up straight, a slight frown on his face.
"No, I'm more than ready for this!" He all but declared only to falter slightly. "Are you?" The couple stared at each other in silence. Of course part of her was nervous and even excited to see what the future had in store, but she never fully sat back and thought about everything that was being thrown at them.
"I-" Before she could speak, Winry was cut off by shouts and pounding on the apartment door. The couple stared wide eyed as the handle of their home was jiggled and muffled, anxious voices chattered on the other side. Ed's eyes narrowed.
"Who the hell?" Storming over to the door, Ed yanked it open. Winry leaned in her chair just in time to see Alphonse come storming into the apartment, pulling his brother into a tight hug while Mei ran over to her, eyes a glow and chattering in a mixture of Xingnese and English.
Clearly they had gotten the news.
