It was the spring of 1934, and the Elric household was beginning the nighttime routine of settling down for the evening. The youngest children were the twins who had just turned 5 were already in bed. Sophie, 8, had just been told a bedtime story by Edward. After her story, Edward went downstairs to join his wife in the kitchen.
Winry was doing dishes, and seemed to be doing them with a sense of hostility. She grumbled while washing them and setting them with as much noise as possible on the drying rack. The dishes rattled and clanged against each other.
She turned and saw Edward enter the kitchen. "I thought it was your turn to do the dishes tonight!" she accused him.
"No, I DID THEM LAST NIGHT!" Edward yelled right back at her.
Edward heard the two eldest children go up the stairs from the living room to their bedrooms. They didn't want to hear their arguing. Of course, he didn't blame them.
Edward then continued "And whoever isn't doing the dishes has to put Sophie to bed. Remember?" Edward huffed.
Then, the tears started falling. Winry covered her face. She began to sob. And Edward's defense fell. His posture slacked. "Hey, what's wrong?"
Winry continued sobbing, not holding anything back. She leaned back against the kitchen counter. Edward took the two steps forward and held her. He had noticed that she had been snappy lately. Quick to pounce on any fault of his or even sometimes the children. He knew sooner or later that she would tell him.
Winry's sobbing slowed to sniffles and wiped her tears. She noticed she had made a watermark on his shirt. The tear stains would disappear when they dried up.
Edward asked again "What's going on?"
She didn't answer and she went back to hiding her face from him.
"You're not pregnant, right?"
That got a response from her. She backed her face from his chest so she could see his face. "No, my cycle was last week. It's not like it's possible anyways. I got my tubes tied after the twins."
Winry took a breath in and let it out. "It's hard to explain. I just miss us."
Edward was a little confused. They saw each other every day. How could she miss him? Sure he was gone for a few months last year but he had been home for 6 months except a few short trips to Central.
Winry elaborated "Well we both are so busy with work and children that we don't get to spend any quality time together."
"Oh," Edward understood better now. He thinks back to the days when there were a few less children in the house. Quiet nights looking at the stars, long weekend trips to Central, and going to get coffee and pastries from the local coffee shop.
It was even harder to remember a time when there were no children in the house. When all they had was each other and a cute puppy. Life was easier but he also couldn't imagine life without their children. Each of their kids brought something different to the table. It was mystifying that they had brought so much wonder to this world.
"Ed, I know that I'm needed. I'm needed by the kids and by my clients but I want to feel wanted by you," she said as she looked up at him with those eyes that were pleading.
Ed's head hung lower. It was hard on him too. "I always want you but I get it. It's hard because we have five kids. Who would have thought that we would have 5 KIDS." He didn't say it but at the end of the day, they were usually too exhausted to do anything else. Even he struggled just to read two pages in a book before falling asleep.
Winry raised her head so their foreheads connected. "We are very lucky to have such a big family. Not everyone gets that chance. And it's what we both wanted. But I feel terrible. I don't feel like I'm a good wife or mother. The house is always a mess. The twins are always filthy."
"Well they do play rough outside a lot but they get a bath and they're fine. There's always food on the table at the end of the day. And they seem pretty happy. Not just the twins, all the kids and I are glad at the end of the day that you are here. You are the glue that holds us together."
"Ed, you hold us together too. But I still miss you," Winry wrapped her arms around his waist, and pulled him closer.
Just then a small head peeped around the corner with long golden hair. Winry noticed. "Sophie, I thought you were in bed." Winry groaned. Sophie had been the most head strong child they had produced.
Edward turned around but still held on to Winry. "Sophie, I just put you to bed."
"But daddy,I-"
"GO BACK TO BED!" Edward yelled at her. Sophie stamped her feet and went upstairs.
Edward turned back to Winry and pulled her closer.
"Well, we can work on getting closer. I think we both need it. Why don't we send the twins over to Alphonse's house. They love playing with their cousins. And let's send Sophie too while we're at it. We just may have to watch their minions one night."
"Sounds like a good exchange to me," Winry smiled. They knew the older kids, who were 15 and 12, were mature enough to give them some space so they didn't need to go to their uncle's house. "So what should we do for our quality time?"
"Well, let's think. We could go to a restaurant for dinner or maybe a hot bath together."
"Oh, I like that. Especially the bath part. I forgot how we used to do that after the littles went to bed."
"Hot bath together sounds like a plan," Edward sealed the deal with a sweet kiss.
A few nights later on their date night, Edward and Winry dropped the younger kids off at their uncle's home that he shared with Aunt May and two children. The cousins rejoiced at the sleepover. Edward thanked them, and the married couple went to dinner.
After dinner, they went home to see their eldest son on the couch reading. Ben was absorbed into books while their eldest daughter was practicing her artwork and sewing skills.
Winry went upstairs to get their bath started while Edward talked to his eldest. "Listen, your mom and I are spending time together. We are off limits unless there's an emergency. Ok? No knocking on our door."
Ben scoffed "We get it Dad. We'll leave you alone."
Edward turned to go upstairs. Ben interrupted him "Can we turn on the radio?"
Edward agreed readily. The sound of the radio would tune out any noises that they made.
Edward walked into their bedroom that led into their master bath. The lights were off except for the candles that Winry lit. The sound of the bath water rushing to fill the tub. She came out of the bathroom still in her clothes but holding a glass of wine for each of them. "Here," she gave him a glass of deep red wine.
She klinked their glasses together. "To a wonderful evening together."
They drank their wine and enjoyed their quality time together.
The next day, Edward found Winry downstairs making breakfast. Instead of grumbling or talking to herself about the day's plans, she was humming a happy tune as she flipped a pancake. She noticed his presence. "Morning honey."
Edward was floored. All it took was one night together and she was like her old self. He came up behind her and kissed her neck. She giggled as the scruff from his face rubbed against her. Then he poured himself some coffee.
Their eldest two came downstairs and noticed the change in atmosphere. It was so serene. Winry went back to flipping pancakes and humming her tune.
Lucy asked, "What happened to mom?"
Edward answered, "She just needed some attention." Edward dodged the spatula when she threw it. And then they both laughed because they knew it was true.
Author's notes: This was for the prompt "Reconciliation" on Tumblr for 503 week. It goes with my series of one shots on FFN called Life After the Promised Day. So if you want to see more of Winry and Edward's family, take a look there. As for this one shot, marriage is hard for everyone. You have to take care of it. And it is so easy to get caught up in schedules and kids and work to look over the spouse. But it's quite easy to reconcile that as long as it doesn't go on for too long. My husband and I try to have a date night once a month. And when our kids were little and we couldn't always afford a sitter, we would do at home date nights like taking a bath together after they went to bed. Or we would sometimes play board games or brew a pot of coffee.