Alphonse still had a bit of trouble walking.
There had been a grand argument over the wheel chair. It wasn't just a grand argument, it was an all-out scene. The nurses, kind but pesky nuisances, would not take no for an answer and demanded Alphonse use the wheelchair rather than walk with a cane. Alphonse seemed beyond humiliated and disappointed in his lack of strength. Winry was not sure why he was being so stubbornly obstinate. This behavior was more Edward than Al. However, things had been perpetually flip flopped since Winry's arrival. Her three months with the brothers in Central had been very surreal and odd.
Edward had become the quiet, reserved brother overnight. Alphonse – full of light and energy.
Edward would not take a side on the wheelchair argument, much to both Winry and the nurses' consternation. He remained neutral. Yes, he agreed with the nurses that he was still weak and prone to bad falls. Yes, he agreed with Al that the only way to recover was to push forward and try things on his own. Yes, this. Yes, that. Edward took no side - again, something odd, thought Winry.
In the end, the patient begrudgingly was wheeled to the taxi cab that waited for them outside. It was taking them to the train station.
Winry had just helped Alphonse into the front seat when she noticed that Ed was no longer by her side - he was still in the main entrance to the hospital, he was talking to someone.
It was Mustang.
They spoke for a few minutes. Winry and Alphonse watched them patiently. Mustang handed Edward and envelope. Winry tried to examine Edward's face to see what his expression would be, but he seemed impassive. His automail was still too small after months in the hospital and he looked as if he stood on two separate steps rather than the flat ground. She would fix that soon now that they were heading home to Resembool. She had already designed the leg, all that was left was to physically craft it.
He returned after a small bow and a wave to the brigadier general and his steadfast assistant. They disappeared into the crowd, but Winry noticed their hands clasped before they faded into the background.
"What did they want?" she asked curiously as they crawled into the cab, Edward shrugged.
After a moment in the cab, Edward finally spoke. "Mustang gave me my official discharge papers. I am now State Alchemist Emeritus."
Winry and Al's eyes made contact through the rear view mirror. Edward was so blaze about something so serious...Winry wanted to scream with happiness. She had wanted this for years - but his lack of energy zapped her own predilection for delight.
He was looking out the window- seemingly distracted - but Winry doubted that. He had made a decision in his quiet deliberations while Al recovered. But the motivations behind it and his current plan for the future? Winry could not guess.
Things were changing. Their lives were changing. While living with them in the rehabilitation hospital, Winry found that the brothers had become more open and honest about their feelings. She had always been sad that they did not share everything with her. Since the journey began and she was slowly drawn more into it – that changed. Now, she was a part of their core team. She had always been their family. But, now they were adults and truly depended on each other.
But Edward had not given her any clue what his next step would be.
What would he do now?
Winry did not bring the subject up until they had finally returned home. They put Al gingerly into bed at Granny Pinako's house. He had fallen asleep on his brother's back as they had walked the mile between the train station and the house. Granny had made a bed for him and softly brushed her wrinkled digits through his gold hair as he slept. Her joy at receiving her flesh and blood foster grandson had clearly been profound. They all watched him for a moment before saying their "goodnights." At first, Winry thought Edward would stay by his brother's side, perhaps crawl into bed next to him, but he followed her as she left the room all the way across the hall to her own bedroom.
He paused at the door. "Can I come in?"
"Of course." Winry replied, sitting on her bed and suddenly felt shaky - nerve wracked. She knew what was about to happen...it had been bubbling at the surface for weeks now. She knew the wave was about to break over the sand and completely saturate her.
She wanted to be in control, and Edward's sudden silent gaze made her more flustered.
"You left the military." she blurted out.
"I did." He nodded. "I am not really suited to it anymore."
"What will you do?"
"Marry you."
The words floated in the air for a while before they actually took root. Winry blushed.
"Excuse me, I am sorry. What did you just say?" She stood up, then thought better of it and sat back down. She felt like she might faint.
"I have been thinking a lot, since my last trip beyond the gate. I told the Truth I didn't need Alchemy anymore because I had people that I loved and loved me. I have been thinking a lot about the promised day...my father... and everything that happened."
"Alchemist create things. I've spent a long time trying to fix the things I did wrong because I thought I could solve everything with Alchemy. I realize that I was always so wrong. I create things because I am human, not an alchemist. Seeing Al back to normal and you there with him…I know that my next step will be with you and Al and not with Alchemy alone. I think of it as an equivalent exchange. I will give you half my life if you give me half of yours."
Winry blinked.
"Why don't I just give you my whole life?" Winry responded? Blushing purple.
He was startled. They stared at each other a moment, both faces blushing violently. Finally, he broke the silence with a laugh and crossed the room, looking straight at her all the while.
"You are so incredible. You just kicked the law of equivalent exchange on its butt in just one sentence." he trailed off.
He sat next to her on the bed. He saw her tears.
"Why are you crying?" he asked in exasperation.
"You really want to marry me?" she asked? "I just never thought you thought about any of that stuff before."
His gaze softened.
"I'm a retired solider. It's time I settled down." He smiled and nudged her arm with his elbow. "Do you not want to?"
Winry looked at him, tears blurring her vision, cheeks pink with shock and a little bit of annoyance.
"I never thought I'd marry such an alchemy freak. Such a stubborn…wonderful person like you. But I do want to. I think I was meant to. Who will watch after your automail after all?" she said, scanning the room in search for a wrench - she suddenly felt angry, elated, sad, and deliriously happy all at once.
"Winry - I am no good at being romantic...but you gotta know how I feel for you? He took her hand in his, squeezed it lightly and smiled.
"Winry...marry me." He kissed her knuckles, her palm, and then her fingers. His lips were surprisingly soft, warm, and they were sucking out all of Winry's composure. She had been waiting for this moment for years.
She reached out for him, taking his face in her hands. When they kissed, Winry felt her stomach twist and her heart accelerate. Neither of them had kissed anyone, so she was not quite sure how to move her mouth, her tongue, her teeth...but she loved the way he melted into her - the way his hands took her shoulders and pulled her closer. For years she had wanted this. He smelt so Edward.
When then broke away for a quick inhale of air. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed into the expanse of thin air that separated their faces. Edward seemed addicted to this sudden closeness and continued to plant a few more light kisses on her ear, her neck, and her eyes.
"First thing, we fix your hideous automail. You look like you are humpbacked, it's so wrongly sized." She whispered with a grin, watching his graceful face as it relaxed and pressed itself into her neck.
He chuckled. "Of course."
"We aren't even 17 yet, you know."
He planted another kiss on her lips, gentle and deliberate.
"I know." there was a slight pause..."but I gotta beat Ling at Something." he whispered with amusement.
"I am insanely in love with you." She blurted out, unable to contain herself. His eyes opened and held her gaze. His brought his fingers up to draw the line of her jaw to her ear and through her hair. He looked as if he was witnessing something phenomenal, as if the secrets of the world were revealing themselves in her honest eyes.
"I know."
He moved. He started trailing heated kisses on her shoulders and brought his hands to her face and cupped her cheeks. He kissed her over and over and tentatively touched her lips with his exploratory tongue. Winry's stomach twisted into defined knots of anticipation. She pulled his braid from his hair and tugged at his hair. She leaned back and let him cover her up and hold her closer than they had ever been before.
"Will Alphonse approve?"
Her eyes were closing, his mouth exploring...
"Yeah, it was his idea..." he shuddered, tensing and releasing his pent up emotions all at once.
Suddenly Winry knew that there was a bright new future on the horizon...that this was their happy ending.