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catgluue · 6 years

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The Lucky Ones

Ed and Winry attend a wedding. ~1600 words.

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The Havoc-Catalina wedding took place roughly a year and a half after the Promised Day, as late summer transitioned to fall and the days became shorter and nights became cooler.

They really didn't waste much time, Ed thought to himself, tugging on his bow tie unhappily. He had wanted to go with something more casual but as it turned out, there wasn't any need to worry about what to wear at all. He'd been a little surprised to find out that Winry had picked out his clothes for him, and a little indignant, but in the end it did make his life easier so he said nothing and donned the tux and tie she'd set out for him. With Al in Xing it was just the two of them. Ed tried not to think of it as a date, but it sure felt like it when he considered all the facts.

Fact one: his tie matched the color of her dress exactly. Fact two: he was the one who had received the invitation by virtue of knowing Havoc. They were 'Edward Elric and guest'. And fact three: as they made their way from the main road down to the clearing where the reception was being held, she evidently thought nothing of casually looping her arm through his, her free hand resting lightly on his bicep as she talked to him.

“Wow, what a beautiful reception,” she said in an awed whisper. It was an outdoor party with a large tented dance floor lit by what seemed like hundreds of candles. They were by a lake, and the clearing was surrounded by large trees. The full moon reflected off the lake, giving the whole scene an almost otherworldly ambiance.

“Yeah but I'd hate to be the one who had to light all those candles,” Ed replied. There were even more on the path leading to the reception spot tent.

“That was my contribution,” came a deep baritone to his left. Ed turned to find General Roy Mustang, looking smart in his dress blues, with Captain Hawkeye standing next to him. She was in a long navy dress, with beads sewn into it giving the whole thing a delicate look, but Ed would be willing to bet money on her having at least three firearms concealed in there somewhere.

“Like I said,” Ed replied, reaching over to shake Roy's hand anyway. “So they let you come back from Ishbal for the wedding?”

“Well it's not every day one of my subordinates gets married. Though after Falman's wedding three months ago and with Breda's in the spring it's beginning to feel like it. You look beautiful Miss Rockbell,” he added, with a nod to Winry. Ed had to admit she did look beautiful in her strapless emerald evening gown, her long blonde hair coiled in a low bun. To Ed's irritation she blushed at the compliment.

“Thank you, but please, call me Winry.” It had been a long time since they were all in the same place, pretty much since the Promised Day, in fact, and the awkwardness caused by time was palpable. Winry broke it, however, by shyly sidling up to Hawkeye and hugging the older woman warmly. “It's so nice to see both of you. Have you been well back East?”

They found a table together and chatted amicably for a while. Havoc and Rebecca showed up finally, and speeches were made. Roy gots up and says a few words, as did Hawkeye, and though Ed didn't know the bride very well it was apparent that she and the Captain were old friends. When Winry got up to go touch up her makeup Mustang leaned conspiratorially towards Ed.

“Just think, in a few years we'll probably be doing this all again for you and Winry.” And now it was Ed's turn to blush.

“Oh no, it's not like that at all. I mean, I don't think it is anyway. We're just childhood friends who care about each other, no need to ruin a good thing with, you know... marriage...”

“Hm,” was all Roy said, leaning back in his chair and taking a sip of his champagne. “I guess not. Well I'm going to see if the bride would care to dance.”

“Good luck,” Riza said wryly. Ed wasn't sure he caught the joke, but a minute later Mustang was twirling Rebecca Catalina around the dance floor, probably faster than was strictly necessary but she seemed up to the challenge. Ed heard a giggle as Winry slid back into place next to him.

“I didn't know General Mustang could dance,” she remarked. “I'll have to see if he's free for the next song. If that's all right with you,” she said to Hawkeye, whose guarded expression remained unchanged.

“Please, be my guest. I'm here as his bodyguard so unless you're planning to stab him I'm not concerned.” the groom himself showed up the next minute to ask Hawkeye for a dance, and Ed soon found himself swept up by Maria Ross, who was surprisingly graceful in a pair of heels. They went on like this for a while, all mingling on the dance floor. Ed was having fun reconnecting with these people, he realized. Sure he wasn't in the military anymore but they would always be his comrades-in-arms and an important part of his life. Winry was kept busy too, he noticed; every time he looked around for her she had been claimed by another dance partner. He'd just finished dancing with little Elicia Hughes, balancing on the tops of his own shoes with her small feet, when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Free for the next dance, Ed?” It was the Captain again, looking happily flushed and relaxed, two descriptors he rarely had occasion to associate with her.

“Sure,” he said and they moved to the center of the tent. He caught Mustang looking at them once – well, Ed realized after a moment, he hadn't exactly been looking at him, and then the next moment he realized what pairing he had yet to see on the dance floor.

“Aren't you going to see if Winry wants to dance?” she asked teasingly. “She is your date, after all.”

“Yeah of course,” Ed said. “I mean, she's not my date-” Hawkeye managed to shrug while twirling and make it look composed.

“If you don't love her I guess you don't love her but that doesn't seem to be the case. I find it hard to see why two people who care about each other would waste time denying their feelings,” there was a hard edge to her voice under the playful tone and Ed felt a pang of sympathy.

“It's not that, it's-”

“It's simple, isn't it? You got Al's body back; you're home from your travels. You're free, Ed, and I can't make you understand how much of a gift that is. But I wish you would try.” He found he couldn't meet her eyes; there would be too much telling emotion there and he didn't know that it was his place to see it.

“Go ask the General to dance,” he urged quietly. “You're among friends, no one's gonna think-” she gave him a small, sad smile and released his hand.

“Just think about what I said, okay? Second Lieutenant Falman!” she called, heading off to greet her ex-coworker. Ed sighed and walked over to where Winry was being approached by the General.

“Excuse me,” he said loudly. “You're monopolizing my date and I'd like to cut in.” Winry looked up at him, surprise across her face, and Mustang held his hands up, grinning.

“By all means,” he said. “I think I'll take a breather anyway, I'm not as young as you kids.”

“He's a surprisingly good dancer,” Winry said, placing a hand lightly on Ed's shoulder as she laced the fingers of her other hand through his. “They all are, actually. I wonder if that's something they learn at the academy?”

“I wouldn't be surprised,” Ed told her. “Looks like it comes in handy.” He slid an arm around her waist, pulling her close. She smelled of roses, he realized.

“I haven't seen him dance with Miss Riza yet,” Winry said. “Do you really think she's just his bodyguard?”

“The military's really strict about that kind of thing, Winry,” Ed told her.

“Really Ed, it's just dancing.”

“For them, I don't think it is,” he said, looking across the floor to where the General and Captain were standing, glasses in hand, close but not too close. “I think it's a reminder of everything they can't have. We're awful lucky, don't you think?”

“What do you mean?” she asked, looking up at him, blue eyes meeting golden.

“We're free to be who we want, with who we want. I think that's pretty special.” She gave him a small, slow smile at this, and he bent slightly to press a kiss to her temple. She leaned in, placing her cheek to his chest and wrapping her arm more securely around his shoulders as they swayed to the music. Ed found himself wondering briefly if the bride was allowed to choose the groom's tux for a wedding or if that was some kind of bad luck.

The party began to break up not long after. Ed, hand in hand with Winry, said their goodbyes to all of their friends, and congratulations to Havoc and Rebecca.

“Did Mustang leave already?” he said, looking around. But there was no sign of him or the Captain. Maybe they had an early train back to Ishbal. Winry was standing at his side, looking out at the moon on the lake, and gently reached over to tap him urgently on the shoulder.

“Ed, look. I think I found them,” she said quietly, pointing out to an opening in the trees. Ed could see two figures standing out by the water, their hands clasped and arms around each other, dancing slowly to music that only they could hear.

#fullmetal alchemist #fma #fmab #royai #edwin #riza hawkeye #edward elric #roy mustang #winry rockbell #mamahawk if you squint #weddingfic

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