Okay so new chapter, I wanted to get this one out sooner since I didn't update for like four months before that… Anyways here's the latest chapter hope you like it, it's a longer one, so hopefully that makes up for lack of updates as well! Enjoy!
Chapter 32
It was a fairly early morning. The house was quiet and the early sun shone bright through their windows, providing a nice glow in the house. Roy was in his armchair, holding Greyson, who was drinking from a sippy cup. He was completely content playing with his father. When he drank from the cup he threw his head all the way back so he could make eye contact with his daddy. In response, Roy would chuckle and brush his blonde bangs out of his face then kiss his forehead. Excited that he could make his father laugh, Grey continued to do this, gurgling and huffing as he laughed silently along with his father.
They were interrupted when there was a knock on the front door, it woke the whole house. Calces began to bark and came trotting down from Roy and Ed's bedroom where she'd probably taken Roy's place when he'd gotten up.
"Cal." Roy hushed her and she went up to the door, curiously. Grey was holding the sippy cup in his lap, when Roy readjusted to hold him on his hip it cause the little boy to drop it, where it began to pour out onto the floor. Roy opened the door seeing, Al, Trisha, and little Elaine was being held by Winry.
His eyebrows knitted in confusion, "Good morning Roy…" Al said and Roy noticed his gaze shift behind him "Ed," Al said in greeting. Roy turned around and saw his husband coming out of their bedroom, his hair was down and he had on one of Winry's maternity shirts.
"What are you doing here so early Al?" Ed asked descending the stairs. Calces wagged excitedly as she went to the bottom to meet him. He patted her head as he bent down to pick up the quickly-draining sippy cup.
"Oh well… we were going to go and visit Pinako." Al answered. Neither Roy nor Ed had noticed but Winry looked terribly sad, and they could tell she had probably been crying the night before or this morning.
"We were w-" Al started
"I'd like to go with you…" Ed said, which made Winry smile slightly. "When were you going…?"
"Oh… well uh… now…" Al answered back, "Sorry for such short notice… the day always sneaks up on us."
"That's okay… just come in and sit down give us a minute or two to get the kids up and dressed…"
"Of course…" Al said. They all sat on the couch, Al got up to get some coffee.
Ed put a hand on his belly and hobbled upstairs behind Roy.
It took them a few minutes to wake the kids, their brother tried to help, placing kisses on the cheeks of his older sisters. When they got up the girls were excited to see their cousins, they got dressed hurriedly. "Girls, we need to be respectful… we are going to visit a very great woman who has passed." Ed explained helping Oliver to put on her shoes, Roy helped Lulu.
"We are going to go remember and honor her." Roy said.
The girls weren't awake enough to question their parents further, instead they left their room and went downstairs, Trisha met them halfway up the staircase and gave them each a big hug. Ed and Roy went to wake Milo.
He was fast asleep Ed shook him gently, "Milo, sweetie… it's time to wake up…" He groaned and nuzzled into his pillow further.
"Milo." Roy said sitting on the edge of his bed, he held Grey on his knee, he sucked on a binky as he stared at his big brother.
"No. Go away daddy…" Milo said grumpily.
Ed and Roy exchanged glances, Milo didn't have many bad days, but when he did they were really bad.
"Not today Milo, okay honey, Trisha is downstairs with your sisters, auntie and uncle" Ed said rubbing his back in slow circles, "We're going to go for a nice walk…"
"No." Milo whined, he whipped out an arm trying to get his mother to stop rubbing his back.
"Milo don't." Roy warned sternly.
The little boy sat up his eyes were hardly open, only little golden slits. His curls stuck up and looked like a black lion's mane, he sat back on his heels, and huffed. "I wanna sleep." He said angrily.
"I know baby, but we're going to go out for a little bit and then you can have a nap later today if you want." Roy said, trying to console him.
That struck the wrong nerve, He began to cry. Rubbing his eyes.
Ed panicked as he saw Grey's face twist and his mouth opened, his eyes closed and his binky fell from his lips. He huffed and gasped as he began to cry with his brother, wispy breaths escaped his throat.
Roy sighed, and looked at Ed.
"Milo, please stop crying, you need to set a good example as a big brother." Ed said
"No!" He shrieked.
Roy cleared his throat and Ed took that as a sign he was going to get stern with him. He took Greyson to the nursery to change him and his clothes. He could hear from the hall, "Not today Milo, okay you need to behave today is important..." There was more crying and Milo yelled back at his dad, but it died down once he closed the door to the nursery by the time he was done with Greyson he went across the hall to his room to get dressed and he could only hear whimpered hushed cries coming from Milo's room.
They all met downstairs, Milo sat in Roy's chair pouting and not talking to anyone, ignoring even Trisha who tried her best to cheer her cousin up.
The family set out, and it was a rather long walk. Milo trailed behind with Calces still not talking to anyone.
Winry was quiet, preoccupied with her thoughts. The girls all ran alongside the road picking pretty flowers and pebbles. Oliver and Louisa had little pockets on their dresses that were filled to the brim. Den trotted along with them, still managing to keep up with the three energetic little girls despite his age.
At one point or another, Claces got excited and ran up to play with Den and the girls, when she did that and left Milo trailing behind- alone he began to cry. Ed stopped and crouched down to speak with him, "Milo sweetie, you need to lighten up a bit okay… today isn't about you…" Ed said rubbing his shoulder.
He stomped his foot, "I don't want to talk to you or anyone, Mommy!"
"Milo, Enough!" Roy said, "Don't you yell at your mother!" He held Greyson out for Ed to hold. Then he picked up Milo and carried him on his hip. "Let's keep going." Roy said over Milo's hysterical sobbing.
Everyone continued to walk and Roy and Milo strayed behind. Ed glanced over his shoulder every so often and saw Roy talking to him, petting his hair, and kissing the top of his head, whatever he was doing was working, Milo quieted down again.
They all walked a bit longer, past the small hill where "Grandma Trisha is Resting." As Al had so delicately put it. It was a ways past their mother's tree but there was a very small pond with a little dock, that was a few minutes walk into the forest. There was a little stone plate nestled at the base of a tree. There was an automail hand resting beside the stone plaque… Ed recognized it as something she and Winry had made together when she had been just a little girl.
Trisha placed the flowers she had picked below the plaque. Oliver and Louisa started to do the same. And then started to place the pretty stones they had found around the tree.
"What does it say?" Oliver asked looking up at Trisha and then at Winry who now stood on the other side of her and her sister. Den came and laid down in front of the tree. Everyone was quiet and the girls were a bit confused by the sudden glumness that filled the air.
"Mommy…?" Louisa called and turned around seeing, her parents sort of keeping a respectable distance. Milo's head was resting on his dad's shoulder as he snuggled into his arms still pouting and refusing to speak to anyone but Roy. Ed held Grey close but it was taking a toll on him. His back was starting to ache and his arms were tired, it was a long walk and holding their son's added poundage along with the two babies growing inside him wasn't helping.
"Yes sweetie?" Ed asked with a tired smiled as he walked past the girls he tousled each of their dark heads, feeling silky straight locks under his palm.
Al stood rocking Elaine, and glanced back at his brother.
"I'm sorry Al…" Ed said quietly, "The girls have never been to something like this…"
"Come here Oliver… Louisa," Winry said. She squatted down to their height and began to speak softly to them.
Roy set down Milo so he'd go talk to his aunt, instead he whimpered and began to sob.
"Honey…" Roy said and Milo cried louder reaching his hands up for his father to pick him up. Roy sighed, "This can't go on all day, Milo, you are being rude and disrespectful." He said taking Greyson from Ed's arms as he began to cry and
"Dah-Daddy I want you…" He sobbed.
"Milo…." Roy sighed.
Ed pinched the bridge of his nose, he felt awful that he was acting so badly when it was such an important day for Winry.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
They had sat at the shrine for a while to pay their respects, Milo was rowdy and upset the entire time. So Roy and Ed took the girls and headed home earlier to let them visit in peace, they had also planned a picnic and with the way Milo was acting it would've been a disaster.
Ed apologized profusely, "I hope he didn't ruin the day…"
Al shook his head, "Children are cranky sometimes…" he said in understanding.
"Mama, can me an Ollie stay to visit with Gramma Pinako?" Lulu asked.
"I don't mind if they stay here with us…" Winry spoke up.
Ed nodded, "Okay girls." He leaned down and kissed them both on the cheek, "be good for your auntie and uncle, you were both very good today I'm proud of you… Milo could learn from your example…" Ed said with a smile. Oliver and Louisa both blushed at his praise. He left and called for Roy who was on the other side of the pond sitting on the bank with Milo as the looked into the water at the fish.
"You ready to go honey?" Roy asked, standing and holding Milo on his hip.
Ed nodded, "Yeah…"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
On the walk home, Milo complained and whined almost the entire time. When they reached the front door Roy had had enough, he set down Milo who immediately began to whine "Milo I've had enough. It's been all morning with this." He said angrily which only exacerbated the situation.
Ed sighed, Roy glanced at him, "You alright babe?" he asked as he unlocked their front door and opened it. Calces darted inside.
Ed and Roy followed, "Yeah, I'm fine… just a little tired and spacey." Ed turned before closing the front door, "Milo come on…" He continued to cry but still took a couple steps inside the doorway so that his mother could close the door.
Roy picked him up once again and his crying ceased, "Milo your behaviour today is absolutely unacceptable," he said sternly.
Ed watched from the couch where he sat holding Greyson. Roy carried Milo up to his room, there was silence as he closed the door behind him.
Ed got up and got Greyson a sippy cup of milk and then sat back down as he helped to hold it for his son. When Roy came out of Milo's room, he heard soft crying then it was quiet as he closed the door again.
"Is he okay?" Ed asked
"Just grumpy…" Roy said as he came down the stairs, "and now he's angry because I told him he had to stay in there until he could be our happy boy…"
Ed nodded in approval at that, and Roy sat down at the other end of the couch. "How are you doing hon?" Roy asked, rubbing Ed's knee.
"M'fine… a little disappointed with our son… I feel bad… I feel like he ruined the day for Winry and Al…"
Roy shook his head, "No it was nice regardless of Milo's terrible behavior…"
Ed sighed, and put Grey in Roy's arms he laid down and put his head in his lap.
"You alright honey?" Roy asked stroking Ed's hair with his free hand.
He nodded in response, "Tired… I'm ready for the operation next week… and I thought I told you I didn't like it when you called me honey."
Roy chuckled at that and smiled, "but you're sweet, you're my honey…"
Ed turned bright red at that, he had nothing more to say on the matter.
The door upstairs to Milo's room opened, "Daddy I-I wanna come out…" He whimpered between his cries.
"Not until you can be in a better mood." Roy answered
This upset him again and he slammed the door to his room.
Roy sighed and Ed swore he saw his eyebrow twitch in annoyance. These days with Milo were rare, but when they occurred, it brought everybody's mood down.
"I don't understand why he is like this…" Ed said with a sigh.
"I should go scold him for slamming the door…" Roy said.
"Just ignore him, he wants your attention…"
Roy chuckled, and brushed some of Ed's hair out of his face, "I think someone else does too."
Ed blushed, "Well… he has been hogging you all day…" He snuggled into Roy's lap.
"I'm sorry about that…" Roy smiled and leaned down giving Ed a kiss.
Ed took a deep breath then let it out, "I'm tired…" He stated.
"Go ahead and take a nap…"
"Not that kind of tired," Ed said. "I'm tired of him being like this… I guess annoyed is more the word i'm looking for…"
Roy chuckled at that, "Just one day, he should be his normal cheery self again tomorrow."
Ed sighed and rolled his eyes, "He shouldn't have days like this at all."
"I think it's because we woke him up before he was ready…" Roy said.
"Still he shouldn't react like that…"
"Sweetie, he might have had a rough night of sleep…" Roy said calmly, rubbing Greyson's back.
Ed sighed, "I'm not disputing that, don't make me out to be the bad guy…"
"I'm not…" Roy said surrendering, "all I mean is that sometimes there's more to it…"
"Did he say something to you?" Ed asked raising an eyebrow at his husband. It sounded like he knew something Ed didn't.
Roy shook his head, "When I got up last night I heard him talking to himself… maybe he's scared to sleep at night…"
"Why wouldn't he come to our room then?" Ed asked feeling rather worried.
Roy shrugged, "He likes to put on a brave front… to impress mommy and daddy."
"I'm gonna go talk to him…" Ed said, struggling to sit up.
"You got it?" Roy asked. Ed gave him a look and Roy just nodded, "Okay, alright…"
Ed could feel Roy's eyes on his back as he walked up the stairs. He knocked twice on Milo's door and then opened it. He stepped in and saw Milo sitting on his bed flipping through one of his story books, looking at pictures.
"Hey baby…" Ed said closing the door behind him, "How are you doing sweetie?"
"I'm tired mama…" Milo said, tearing up again he reached for his mother wanting to be held and cuddled.
Ed sat on the edge of his bed and wrapped his arms around Milo and pulled him into his lap, "I'm sorry your daddy and I woke you up this morning…"
Milo shook his head, "I wan go back to sleep now… mommy…"
"Are you having a hard time sleeping at night…?" Ed asked running a hand through his hair.
Milo nodded, "I don't want someone to come into my window and try to hurt me like Grey…" He whimpered.
Ed was shocked an appalled that this had left such a big impression on Milo. "You know daddy and I won't let that happen ever again…"
"I know…" Milo whimpered.
Ed rubbed his back gently, "do you want to take a nap in mine and daddy's bed with Calces?" he asked, Milo simply nodded, tears still dripping from his eyes, Ed smiled and kissed his forehead, "You don't need to cry anymore sweetheart… okay?" Milo nodded but continued to cry softly.
Ed chuckled which upset Milo, "Mommy don' laugh at me…"
"Milo… don't you raise your voice at me…" Ed said warningly as he got up and took Milo's hand. They walked to Ed's bedroom and he turned off all the lights letting the natural light from the window fill the room.
"Calces…" Ed called, he heard the jingle of her collar as she came up the stairs and into his bedroom. He patted the bed and she jumped up. Ed pulled down the covers so Milo could crawl into the bed. Ed tucked him in and smiled, "Close your eyes sweetie…" Milo nodded and did as he was told. Snuggling into his parent's pillows, feeling comforted and at ease, surrounded by their scent. "Try to take a nap. Daddy and I will let you sleep as long as you need." Ed said as he left their room, closing the door.
"Is he alright?" Roy asked
Ed nodded, "Yeah he's just having a hard time sleeping at night… so I told him he could nap in our room for as long as he wanted…"
Roy nodded at that, "Speaking of naps, I'll put this sleeping baby in his crib..."
Ed nodded and leaned over to peek into Roy's arms seeing his little baby sound asleep. "I guess it's just naptime around here…"
Roy chuckled and then went upstairs and into the nursery, then was back out a couple seconds later.
"Check on Milo please…" Ed asked him from the couch.
Roy popped his head into their room and saw Milo, zonked out on the bed, he was snoring softly, and Cal was lying right beside him, stretched out on her side. He closed the door and went downstairs.
"He is completely out."
Ed smiled, "good, he must've been exhausted…"
Roy went to the kitchen and fixed himself a cup of coffee, "Hopefully he wakes up in a better mood" Roy said, sitting down at the table.
Ed got up and went to the kitchen to sit with him. "Poor baby, Roy he said he was afraid someone was gonna come in through his window…"
"What? Really?" Roy asked taking a swig of coffee.
Ed nodded, "we need to reassure him that he's safe here…"
Roy nodded in agreement…"yeah he needs to feel safe enough to sleep in his own room…"
Ed noticed Roy's gaze on his stomach, "I think we should see Oliver about moving up the appointment…" Roy said.
Ed glared in his direction, "I don't wanna…"
Roy sighed, "fine…"
"It's already going to be a month early." Ed complained.
"I said fine…" Roy sighed, "Don't whine… you're where Milo gets it from…"
Ed turned red at that, his eyebrows furrowed, "Don't be a jerk."
Roy sighed, "Yes dear…"
"Don't do that." Ed said angrily.
"What?" Roy asked
"Don't try to diffuse the situation… by being passive…"
Roy sighed tiredly, "Ed… this is what I mean, you make something out of nothing… you drag out arguments that don't need to be… I'm sorry I said you're whiny, but you are… and I try to indulge you most of the time, but when you're pregnant, you whine a lot more…" He sighed, "I'm sorry… that was… not my place…"
Ed sighed and shook his head, "I didn't mean to be annoying or clingy…" He said tearing up.
"No Ed, that's not what I meant." Roy said getting to his feet, He took hold of Ed's hands, "I love when you're needy and cuddly… all I meant was that you… you complain a lot… and I'm just excited to have my husband back…"
Ed sighed and wiped his eyes, "I know I'm so unlike myself and emotional… I don't need to cuddle with you or kiss you all the time… I don't know why I get this way when I'm pregnant…" Ed sighed, "I don't need you and your flirtatious remarks."
Roy chuckled at that "Yeah, that's more my Ed…" He leaned down and gave him a kiss, wiping away his tears with his thumbs, lovingly caressing his face.
"Okay… call Oliver…" Ed said, blushing up at Roy.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A week later
Roy walked the kids to Winry and Al's house where they would be babysat while Ed underwent his operation. The kids were excited to spend the day with their auntie and uncle, hoping that when they went home there would be a new baby around the house. Mommy had pounded it into their head that it was only a possibility and they couldn't be sure if one of the babies was theirs.
Ed was lying in the added on room in Louis and Oliver's cottage, They had taken some of the money the government had given them and used it to build a certified and official little clinic room with top grade equipment and everything, and it sounded like they had been getting quite a bit of business.
"Okay so I guess we're just waiting on Roy… Alphonse called and said that he was headed this way now." Oliver smiled at Ed and paused to put on some rubber gloves, "I would like to give you the drug to put you to sleep… My other medication won't work long enough for two babies… so just bear with me…"
"I want to see Roy before I pass out…"
"It will take about fifteen or twenty minutes for the drug to take full effect."
Ed nodded, "oh… um… alright…"
"Don't be nervous Ed…" Oliver said, looking around the room.
"You seem more nervous than me Oliver… are you looking for something?" Ed asked.
"Yeah, my glasses…" He said spinning and glancing around the room.
Louis walked in and in his hand was holding Oliver's glasses. "You left them in the kitchen Ollie…"
Oliver took them from his hand, "Thank you" He said.
Ed noticed that Oliver wasn't meeting Louis gaze.
"Don't be nervous my love. One of these babies could be ours, or both, or neither… but it'll be okay because throughout all those scenarios, we'll have each other alright…?"
Oliver nodded and took a deep breath, "Okay." Louis smiled and gave him a quick kiss.
Ed wanted to clear his throat or something but he knew that when he and Roy were together they were just as bad or worse… so he kept his mouth shut.
There was a ring from the front door and then a knock on the door frame and Ed saw Roy. He smiled, "I'm glad you're here now!"
Roy went to Ed and gave him a hug and a kiss. "Are you high yet?" Roy asked jokingly.
"I'm going to sleep… but Oliver didn't give me…" He trailed off when Oliver handed him a cup with two pills and then another with water.
"Okay so good thoughts before you go out…" Oliver said with a smile.
Louis smiled, His long dark hair was tied back in a bun, "You could have a baby when you wake up…"
"Or we could not…" Roy said
Ed nodded at both of those possibilities, "Let's not talk about these babies…" He said.
"Fair enough…" Roy said with a chuckle… "Den and Cal seem to like each other a lot…"
"Which is weird because he's way older than she is… like he's an old man compared to her, and she's like a teenager…" Ed said
"Yeah but we don't have her fixed and I think when she's in heat she likes to go out for a while…"
Ed's eyebrows furrowed, "You don't make sure she stays in the house so she doesn't get pregnant." Roy shrugged and Ed sighed, "this is what I meant when I said that if we got a dog I would be doing all the work…" Ed complained.
"I'm sorry Ed, okay, lets move on… our dog is not pregnant… lets talk about something else…"
"Well Roy is going to have a couple of months off… regardless of whatever happens with his job…. That'll be nice and how are the kids coming along with the sign language?" Louis asked curiously.
"The girls are pretty good at it, Milo finds it a bit harder…" Roy said, "Ed is better at it than I am… but I like teaching the kids it helps me too…" Roy smiled at Ed and noticed he was getting comfy in the bed and his eyelids were getting a bit lower.
"How do you teach Greyson?" Oliver asked.
"Just have him sit in my lap or his little chair or bouncer so that he can hear and see as well… I mean really he's the only one that needs to be able to sign… but I guess… it seems easier to understand if we're able to do it…"
"I mean he's just a little baby… but if you keep it up with him as he gets older I'm sure he'll retain all that information…" Oliver said, pushing his glasses up on his face.
"That was the idea…" Roy said with a smile… He looked down at Ed and noticed his eyes closed as he just listened. "Are you still awake hon?"
"Yes." Ed answered clearing his throat.
Roy chuckled and lifted his hand to kiss his knuckles.
"You're such a sap… why do you always do… stuff like this… in front of people…" Ed said his word getting slower and more spaced out.
Roy chuckled "Because I love you and want to show you my love no matter who is watching."
Ed started to chuckled, "but you… you…" he chuckled, " wouldn't make love to me no matter who's watching…"
Roy laughed at that and gave Ed a kiss, "That's true… you're very right about that…"
Ed smiled, "You're all talk…" he chuckled, "really… you're… so… so… sensitive…" Ed let out a deep breath and then he was asleep.
Roy laughed at that… "He's right about that…"
Louis left the room in search of something.
Oliver nodded, in agreement. "So… we're going to start by cutting him open and then I'll take out these babies… and we have a couple of DNA tests… so we'll need some of your saliva, Ed's, and the babies and Louis will go do that as soon as they're out so we can get this all sorted out…"
"Good plan…" Roy said, "how long do these DNA tests take?"
Oliver shrugged, "As long as Louis takes to identify the matching genes or… I can't quite remember how it works… you'd have to ask him… I think he's just checking to see if it matches, cause it'll have to match one or the other... and so he's going to be able to identify who's baby is which that way… or something…" Oliver said.
Roy nodded at him.
"Are you going to stay in here?" Oliver asked. "I mean it's not like he's awake…"
"I-I think I would like to…" Roy said, "In case I've got a baby in there."
"Alright…" Oliver said with a nod as he put on a face mask. He had already been dressed in medical scrubs.
"How long will he be out for?" Roy asked,
"That's the negative side of this drug, he'll be out for a while… until the body is well rested and he can wake up on his own…"
"Well hopefully it'll make him rest and recover sometimes he won't admit that he's tired." Roy said, stroking Ed's hair.
"Well hopefully once he wakes up we'll have him you and baby back at home." Oliver said.
Roy nodded, "if…"
Oliver nodded too and chuckled, "We all know it's a possibility… but put it out of your mind, the odds are in your favor, so just prepare to go home with a baby…"
Roy nodded at that, and held Ed's hand in his own, listening to his rhythmic breathing.
"Are you ready Louis?" Oliver called from the exam room.
"Yeah In a minute."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ed was still asleep and Roy sat beside him holding in his arms, a bundled up baby, a boy with blonde hair, and unbelievably blue eyes. The other baby was also blonde, so blonde it almost looked like she had no hair. Roy knew that this baby was his, this boy. He stared down at his face and saw his own cheeks and nose, but blonde hair and blue eyes, they'd have to wait to see what they'd change to.
Louis came back into the room, "Okay, So… the boy is yours…" He said but stopped seeing that Roy already knew that… "And Oliver, you and I have a daughter…" He said excitedly, hugging Oliver.
"Really?" Oliver asked, he sounded like he was about to cry.
"Yhup, she's ours… half me, half you… us…"
"I can't believe it worked, all of our hard work paid off and we created a baby…"
Roy smiled at them, "Congratulations you guys…"
Oliver was holding the little white haired baby girl, their daughter, "thank you and we owe it all to Ed…"
Roy nodded at that, "Did you guys have names picked out for her? I'm sure Ed would like to know once he's up…"
"Well Oliver and I had decided, Norman Tichs if it was a boy and Nora Tichs if it was a girl… so I think her name is Nora…?" Louis asking looking at his daughter and boyfriend.
"Nora cooper…" Oliver corrected.
Louis chuckled, "No you're both going to have my name…"
"Why haven't you gotten married already? I mean I thought the two of you would marry as soon as you got the military to pass the law." Roy said, watching how Oliver cradled their daughter so close to his chest.
"I don't know…" Louis said looking to Oliver, "Why haven't we, love?" He asked.
Oliver turned red, "You haven't asked me."
"I've asked you three times and everytime you avoid answering me like it's the plague." Louis said. He looked at Roy, "You know how awkward it is when the man you live with won't answer your proposal?"
Roy chuckled, "Yeah, I imagine it's similar to when Ed's mad at me or something, I get the cold shoulder and the pouting. He'll have me sleep on the couch or if I'm allowed to stay in the bed, he turns his back to me or he'll cuddle up with the dog to let me know where we stand…" Roy sighed, "But normally he just needs a little lovin' and he'll be fine…"
Louis sighed, "well we don't have a dog yet I've been working on him… but Oliver is afraid if we marry we'll be old boring people…"
Oliver turned red, "that's not what I said!"
"Oh like me and Ed?" Roy asked with a chuckle, staring down at his newly born son.
"No no…" Oliver said, "You guys aren't boring… you're just busy… you're always back and forth and you guys have a pack of children…" He trailed off.
"And now you have one, so you'll have more of an excuse to come and hang out with us. You won't have as much free time to do experiments and such… she'll give you a chance to slow down…" Roy said with a smile.
Oliver nodded and glanced up at Louis, then back at Roy. "Slow down? I'm already older than you and Louis."
"Only by a couple of years, love…" Louis said, he reached for their daughter and Oliver almost turned away but let him hold her.
"So, would it be better to let Ed stay here and rest or could I take him home?" Roy asked getting up to stretch his legs, he looked down at his son trying to think of names for the little boy.
"Well…" Oliver started moving to the side of Ed's bed, "He will be fine the operation went smoothly, but it'll take him a couple of days to be up and running at his usual speed… just remember we don't want to reopen his wound If you want to go home you'd have to ask Louis, I'm gonna stay here and care for Nora… I'd hate to drag her out…"
"Louis? Would you be so inclined as to give us a ride home?"
Louis shrugged, "Oh of course it's not a problem..."
"I'll just need a bit of your help with this baby boy so I can carry Ed up to bed…"
"Sure thing.." Louis said putting on his coat and grabbing his keys.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ed woke up late that night. He could hear Roy hushing a screaming child and immediately he thought it was Greyson, until he realized his giant belly was gone and he felt so much lighter… He got up, and his legs were weak and shaky, but he managed to stand. He walked slowly and shakily out of his room and across the hall to the nursery.
"I know little guy… I know you're tired, and you probably want your mommy… but I'm gonna have to do, okay…? Just let me finish changing your diaper- there that wasn't so bad…" Roy took a deep breath. And picked up the screaming child, rocking him back and forth he calmed a little.
"That's… this is our little boy?" Ed asked.
Roy turned around, surprised Ed was awake, "Y-Yeah… born earlier this morning… You gave Oliver and Louis a daughter they've named her Nora…"
"That's so pretty…" Ed said with a smile, he was focused on their baby in Roy's arms
"Yeah…" Roy said with a smile… "Would you like… to see our baby?" Roy asked holding their son out to Ed. He started to fuss some in his father's arms.
Ed took him and cradled him close to his body, "Wow he's adorable…"
"Yeah… Pull back his hat" Roy said. "Keep in mind his eyes could change… still he's not even a full day old…" Roy pointed out.
Ed began to pull back his hat, "Yeah that's true…" He gasped at the shock of blonde hair, he was sure he'd have black hair. "Wow… he's blonde…" Ed said smiling down at their rosy cheeked little boy.
"Did you have any names picked out?" Roy asked.
"Uh no…" Ed said, "did you?" He asked.
To that Roy shook his head. "I wasn't... y'know completely sure…"
"I can't decide what names come to mind when I look at him." Ed said smiling at the tiny baby.
"Umm James… Thomas, Arthur…" Roy suggested.
"Always the proper and ordinary names with you…"
"Their names don't have to be something crazy and unique…" Roy countered.
Ed nodded, "I know, I know… I like Arthur… but I'm not sure it's quite right yet… we have time to think about it…"
Roy nodded in agreement, "Yeah, Al is going to drop off the kids tomorrow morning…"
"That was nice of him to watch them while I was out…"
Roy nodded in agreement, knowing full well if they hadn't of been so willing Roy would've been overwhelmed with two babies, and the three toddlers.
Roy took a deep breath and touched the top of the little baby's head, "I really can't believe it…"
Ed smiled and nodded, "I can't either… he's so cute… and… tiny… I always forget how little they are at first…"
Roy smiled at that, "How about Charles, or Richard… Connor?"
Ed groaned, "We don't have to pick a name right away you know…"
"I know… I know…" Roy said… "But he's my son… I want him to have a name… I've been thinking about it a lot while you were asleep."
"Well… you've had more time than me…" Ed countered. "I woke up and just met him and you're already flinging names at me…"
Roy chuckled and placed a kiss on top of Ed's head, "I'm sorry babe…"
Ed shook his head, "It's fine, just… slow down…"
Roy smiled, "You know the kids will have a million suggestions for names for our little guy…"
Ed nodded, "I know… and Milo named Calces… so I wonder if he'd suggest we name him like Nitrus or something…"
Roy chuckled at that, "Yeah and I'm sure the girls would say like Duck or Creek… Flower, or something along those lines..."
Ed laughed, "I mean… I don't want to crush them… if we don't name him what they suggest."
Roy shrugged, "They must realize that he's our baby and we'll have the final say…"
"What do you think of Ellis…?" Ed asked, he didn't give Roy a chance to react before he threw out another, "Or Teo is a cute name…"
"A boy doesn't need a "cute" name, he needs a strong name for when he's a man… Milo is already pushing it…"
"What do you mean? You don't like Milo…?!" Ed asked sounding sort of offended.
"No no… I love the name it fits our son perfectly… it's just… it's kind of a cute name… it's not strong like Edward… or Alphonse… or Roy."
Ed sighed and rolled his eyes, "I get what it is you're saying, but it doesn't matter to me..."
"I want to pick a good name he'll have for the rest of his life and he'll spend most of it as an adult…" Roy said.
Ed nodded at that "I mean… you have a point…"
"I know I do…" Roy said flirtily.
Ed shook his head, "Oh my god…"
Roy smiled and kissed his cheek, "I'm sorry, I'm done, I'll lay off… I just love you so much and our baby boy…"
"I know." Ed said with a smile, "I'm excited for the kids to meet him… they're going to be so excited…"
"They knew that you were going to have our baby…"
Ed nodded at that, "Yeah but it might've just been wishful thinking…"
Roy smiled and gave Ed a quick kiss, causing him to blush. "I'm excited… about the future…" He said.
"Really?" Ed asked.
Roy nodded, "It looks promising… I'm hoping… everything works out the way it should…"
Ed smiled at that, "I'm glad you feel that way."
"I hope that we'll just stay where we are for a few years, let the kids grow and get used to where we are…"
"I'm sure they're already used to it…" Ed said with a smile. "I mean it's not like we move around a lot…"
Roy shook his head, "No you're right… you're right…"
Ed smiled, "You must be exhausted… up all day with this baby… what's his temperament like…?" Ed asked almost afraid to hear the answer.
"He's fussy…" Roy said. "Probably because you were so stressed out during this pregnancy…" He began to rub Ed's shoulders, "But once you get him quieted down he's pretty funny… he makes faces and smiles…"
"Already?" Ed asked.
Roy nodded, "Here, watch…" He gently took the little baby from Ed's arms and stuck his tongue out, crossing his eyes at the same time.
The baby started to scream, "Oops… must've freaked him out…" Roy said, he began to rock him and shush him, rubbing his back gently.
Ed smiled as he watched Roy, "at least none of the other kids are home… so he won't wake them up, because he is loud…"
"Do you think we should have him in here with Greyson? Or should we have him sleep in our room with us…?"
Roy sighed, "I'd like for him to sleep in here… with Greyson…"
Ed pouted, "Roy I don't want him to wake up Greyson… when he starts to cry in the middle of the night… then we'll have to deal with two babies.
"Ed…" Roy sighed, "The kids are supposed to stay in the nursery… Our room is for us not them…"
"I know that… but until Greyson is a bit bigger to share Milo's room… He and this little boy would have to share then and I don't want him to mess up Greyson's sleeping schedule…"
"I don't want him to mess up ours…" Roy said, quieting their son.
Ed sighed, "Don't be a baby… Part of your job is to help take care of the kids… and that includes keeping Grey and this baby on their schedules."
"Fine…" Roy sighed, "As soon as Grey's big enough for a big kid bed... or when he wants to he'll move to Milo's room."
Ed sighed, "Roy, if you ask him if he wanted to sleep with Milo he would say yes… if he could speak…"
Roy nodded, "So let's let them share a room."
"Roy… why is it such a big deal?" Ed asked, rather annoyed now. He stared at their son in his arms as Roy rocked him to calm him down. He was only whimpering and sniveling now.
"I like being able to sleep with you at night…" Roy said.
"And you still will be… lets just try it out… and if it doesn't work out for a week or two we can rearrange."
Roy sighed, "Fine… alright… fine…" He looked at their newborn son in his arms, "You're going to be sleeping with mommy and daddy little baby…"
"Or… we could have him in Grey's crib in the nursery and we can share our bed with Greyson…"
"I feel safer with that option…. Because we eliminate the option of smothering this little guy… Grey is big enough now…" Roy said…
"Is he almost asleep?" Ed asked.
Roy nodded, "almost…"
"D-did you have any more name suggestions?" Ed asked.
Roy hummed in thought as he swayed back and forth, "Simon… or Nicholas…"
"Well… what…" Ed started then stopped,
"What?" Roy asked with a smile…
"What about Aldo…?" Ed offered.
"Aldo…" Roy repeated, " It kind of has the same sound as Milo… You don't think it's too close?" Roy asked.
Ed shook his head, "It was just an idea… I kind of like it…"
"We can think on this… I like it too… let's sleep on it… maybe the kids will actually have some good suggestions…" Roy said, he put down the tiny infant in Grey's crib, "I'm ready for bed now…." Roy said…
"Yeah… I'm still pretty tired…" Ed agreed… He leaned over the side of the crib to stare at the little boy before they went to bed.
"What about Jasper?" Ed asked.
Roy shrugged, and Ed sighed, "We'll never agree at this rate…" Ed said.
"Oh hush, you're so overdramatic…" Roy said. They left the door to the nursery open slightly and headed to bed.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ed woke up to shrill cries, the baby was screaming his head off. Ed got up and went into the nursery picking him up and rocking him. He needed to be changed- badly, Ed started that and the little baby continued to scream all the while.
"We're almost done little guy…" Ed finished wiping and then started to put a clean diaper on him, "I hate it as much as you do." Ed quickly got him into a onesie and then swaddled the little guy. "There we go…" he said picking him up and holding him closely, "Shh. You're alright now… you're okay…"
"Ed…" Roy came into the nursery looking like he just woke up. "You should be taking it easy… you need to rest…"
"I'm fine… really… I got a lot of rest, it doesn't hurt that bad babe…"
Roy sighed, "Think you could make it downstairs easily?" Roy asked
Ed glared, "Yeah probably…"
Roy lifted an eyebrow, "alright, I'll go get a bottle ready and we can wait downstairs for the kids to be dropped of by Al…"
Ed nodded and Roy walked with him to the stairs, "Want me to take the baby?" Roy asked.
"I've got him…" Ed said holding him in one arm and the banister tightly in the other. His legs were uneven and wobbly as he took the first step down. "Here… take the baby please?" Ed asked clearing his throat.
Roy took him and proceeded down the stairs and into the kitchen where he put a bottle of formula under the faucet. Ed sat down on the couch and he felt weak.
Roy came and placed the little newborn in Ed's arms. His eyes were open as his eyes flicked around trying to find something to focus on, his eyes were fixed on Roy as he made a funny face, sticking out his tongue and raising his eyebrows. The baby tried to copy, his tongue out of his mouth and he smiled up at his daddy. "I think I've gotten him to come close to laughing at least once…"
Ed smiled, "You don't seem like a fussy baby, no you seem like a happy baby…" The little baby's bright eyes fixed on his mother and he stared, eyes wide and mouth open. Ed smiled down at him, "Hello my happy boy…" The baby smiled, "What do you want to be named?" Ed asked smiling at his son. Roy disappeared and returned with a bottle. Ed began to feed him the formula, holding the little baby close to his chest. His blue eyes stared up at Ed as he drank from the bottle. The front door knob turned but the door didn't open because it was locked. Calces started to bark and the baby began to cry.
"Calces, Shh." Ed commanded and she shut up but stood excitedly at the door waiting for it to be opened. Roy unlocked it and opened it.
"Calces, Stop barking…" Milo said stepping into the house.
"Hi daddy." Oliver said holding her arms up, wanting to be held. Roy picked her up and gave her a kiss. Then she squealed, because from up in her father's arms she could see her mother sitting with a baby… Ollie squirmed, wanting to be set down.
"Stop that Oliver… let me put you down, you'll make me drop you…" He set down his daughter and she walked to her mother's side wanting to meet her new sibling.
Louisa and Milo followed behind.
"Thanks for watching them Al…" Roy said, taking Greyson from his arms.
"Not a problem… We had a good time… for the most part… Greyson cried a bit… but he's doing better now, huh bud," Alphonse said, rustling the little baby boy's head. "Winry and I were unsure… but how old is now…?"
Roy thought for a second, "He's gonna be nine months on the tenth."
"Wow, Grey, you're so big and still he was…" Al started…
"What? What was he doing?" Roy asked.
"Well he was very upset most of the time… and Nothing I did could calm him down or make him happy…"
"I'm sorry.." Roy said, "He's can be fussy… and even though he's not really loud… it can be hard to help him.
"Does he have teeth yet?" Al asked
Roy nodded, "Uh.. I thought so…"
Ed turned from the couch, "He was starting to teeth so maybe you got him when he was feeling really bad... I'm sorry Al…"
"It's fine…" Al shook his head. "Can I see the new baby?" He leaned over his brother and saw the little infant staring up at him from Ed's arms. "How cute… another little blonde haired beauty…" He said with a smile. "What's his name…?" Al asked looking between his brother and in law.
"We don't… we haven't really decided yet…" Ed said.
"I'm trying to think of what he looks like… what did Oliver and Louis name their baby…?" Alphonse asked.
"They named her Nora…" Roy said.
"That's a pretty name."
Ed nodded, "It is… I like the name Aldo… but it's not Roy's favorite…"
"That's a cute name. Aldo… Why don't you like it Roy?" Al asked.
"I never said I didn't like it… but there are just a million other names we have to consider…"
Al and Ed both shared a look knowing Roy didn't like it, "What names do you like Roy?" Al asked.
"He likes Arthur… and Connor…" Ed said.
"Those names aren't too bad either… I like em…" Al said.
"Which one?" Roy asked.
"Uh.. Arthur…" Al said.
"You two… god you are brothers aren't you…?" Roy said shaking his head, "Always taking the same side."
"Wait mommy, he doesn' have a name?" Milo asked.
"Daddy and I are still deciding what we want to name him…" Ed said with a smile.
"You gonna name him Aldo…?" Milo asked…
"Maybe, I like a couple other names too…"
"Like what?" Louisa asked
"Like Sawyer, and Sherwood…"
"Sawyer?" Roy asked.
Ed nodded, "I really like that name…"
"So do I…" Roy said.
"Really?" Ed asked, Roy nodded and gave him a kiss.
"Did we decide have we settled on a name for him then…?" Roy asked with a smile.
Ed shrugged, "I'm not sure… there are lots of other names I like that we haven't even talked about…"
"Sawyer for a boy?" Al asked.
"You don't like it?" Ed asked.
"No no, I like it… i just thought it was a girl name…" Al said
"I don't know any girls named Sawyer… just a couple of guys back in Central." Roy said.
"Well we'll think on it for a while longer if you want." Ed said.
"No, no. I like Sawyer… I think that's a good name…" Roy said with a smile. He pressed a kiss to Grey's head and smiled at their little boy.
"Okay well, I'm going to head home now… Winry and the girls are still sleeping and I want to make it back before they wake up… You guys… you have some early risers here…"
"I know." Roy said with a sigh, "I never get to sleep in."
"You never sleep in?" Ed asked, giving Roy a doubtful look.
"Anyways, congrats on your new baby, let me know the name you decide when you feel ready we'll have a big family get together with us and Oliver and Louis, their baby…" Al said, opening the door.
"Yeah, thanks again for watching them Al…" Ed said in goodbye. "He seemed in a hurry…" Ed said when the door closed.
"Yeah…" Roy nodded, "I don't know maybe the kids were a bit much for him and he wanted to get away."
"I'll have to call him later…" Ed said.
"Mommy what're you going to name him?" Louisa asked.
"He has yellow hair like you an Grey…" Oliver said.
Ed nodded and smiled, "He does… and I'm not sure yet daddy and I are still talking about it…"
"Can we help?" Milo asked, "Mommy, I like Aldo…"
"I like it too sweetie, but your daddy doesn't like it too much…" Ed said, smiling.
Roy sighed, "I like Aldo… but I like Sawyer more…" Roy said.
"I like 'em both..." Ed said.
"I like Swayer too mama…" Oliver said excitedly.
"Is that… Is that what we want to name him?" Ed asked looking at Roy.
Roy shrugged, "I mean... he does sort of look like a Sawyer… to me at least…"
"I agree… Regardless of whether or not Al thinks its a girl's name…"
"We'll think about it for a little while longer…" Roy said.
"Mommy, I liked the other name you said… Sherwood…" Milo piped up.
"Me too mommy…" Louisa agreed.
"I could get on board with that name… Sherwood…" Roy repeated.
"We have plenty of time to name him…" Ed said, he'd finished eating so Ed held him upright and began to burp him.
"Did you kids have breakfast?" Roy asked, they all nodded, "Did you all behave for your uncle and auntie…?"
"Well mostly… but Trisha was being a sourpuss so we fighted a lot…" Milo said
Ed sighed, "When you are at Auntie and Uncle's you are supposed to be on your best behavior…"
"I know… so I tried to not fight with her…"
"Milo was bein' grumpy…" Louisa said
"Was not!" Milo yelled.
"Okay, enough, no yelling in front of the baby…" Ed said, "You will upset both of your little brothers…"
"Yeah, how about we go get some snacks and juice from the kitchen…" Roy led all of them into the kitchen, leaving Ed with the baby in the living room. He stared down at the new infant completely infatuated with the nameless little boy.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
End Chapter, Okay I seriously busted this out in like two days, my fingers were flying. I wanted to show that Milo, like all kids has bad days too. I also wanted Ed to the babies so that he could be done with that for a while. Please Leave a Review and tell me what you think, especially of the names I threw out, my favorites being, Aldo, Arthur, Sawyer, and Sherwood… let me know which are your favorite out of those four, thanks for reading, subscribing, commenting, I appreciate every last one of you!