Due Date Ch.11 EdWin

Ed moved up the stairs, quietly as to not alert Winry of his presence. Things had quieted down a bit after his strange encounter with her earlier, so he assumed she had gone to rest in their room.

With the wooden floor creaking ever so slightly, he came upon the room and saw a sleeping Winry curled up in the middle of the bed.

As he walked closer, he gently brushed her hair out of her face and noticed that she was extremely cold. His head swiveled around for the source and saw that she’d left the window open.

“Honestly,” he gave into a small chuckle, “when will she ever not do that?” She hates going to the doctor, and yet she does things that could easily get her sick.

Quietly, he shut the window and walked back over to the bed. Not wanting to wake Winry, he decided to leave her in the middle of the bed and just move the blanket to cover her. As he moved things about, he heard a small thud on the floor.

He looked down, and to his surprise, their wedding album was lying on the floor, as girly looking as ever. If it had been up to him, it’d have been decorated completely different. Maybe some flames on the side?

Snapping out of his thoughts, he picked up the album and looked back to Winry. Her face was somehow making him feel extremely lax so, he decided to stay there.

Ed moved onto the bed and placed himself so that he was sitting next Winry, his back reclined against the bed’s headboard.

Once he was settled, he flipped open the book. The album opened on the picture he wished wasn’t there. He had tried to get Winry to throw it away countless times, but to no avail.

It was photo of him at his most unmanly state. His face was completely red, his eyes were huge, and he remembered his nerves being shocked with anxiety. It was a blow to his manhood, this picture. But, Winry had insisted that it was “cute” and she refused to dispose of it. And only God knows what would happen to him if he attempted to throw it away himself. Al would probably find his half-conscious body somewhere in the woods.

Without giving another glance to the photo, he turned the page and saw a picture of himself when he had regained his sanity.

Ed looked at the picture for a few moments, and shuddered. That day had been a nightmare, but still one of the best days of his life. Thinking back on it, it seemed ridiculous how nervous he’d been.

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Okay. This is fine. I can do it. There’s no logical reason for me to be nervous. She loves me and I love her. It’s not like she’s going to run away when she sees me. Oh shit. What if she runs away?! No. No. She won’t do that. It’s fine. Damn it! Why do I have walk down first?! The last thing I want is to be stared at. Shit. I should’ve run away with her when I had the chance. I didn’t even want a wedding like this anyway! It’s not about what I want though. As long as she’s happy with this then I guess it’s okay.  What if she doesn’t like it though? Agh! Shut up! No worries, its still morning. I still have time to calm down…

Alphonse, who was standing in the doorway, stared at his brother from across the room. Ed was still lying in bed, his blanket covering his whole body with the exception of his face. And oh, his face. It was priceless. It took everything Al had to not burst out into laughter. He knew that his brother would be nervous, but not to this extent.

“Brother, you have to get up now. You’ve overslept. ” Al voiced his presence into the room, but Ed still didn’t move.

“Broooother.” Again, no response.

Geez. Al pretended to all of a sudden see someone coming down the hall, “Oh! Good morning Winry!”

“WHAT?” Ed flew up from his bed and ran to the other side of the room, trying to hide, Al guessed.

“Good. I thought that would get you up.” Al laughed as he went to give his brother a pat on his back, “Today’s the big day brother! You ready?!”

Ed turned his head and flashed Alphonse a look of pure horror.

“H-how?! How do I get ready?! What do I do?! What if I mess up?! “

“Calm down brother. There’s no way you can possibly mess up. You’ve been told everything you need to do, and you only say what the priest tells you to repeat. It’s all set up and ready for the two of you.”

Ed was only partly eased by this. At least I won’t come up blank on what to say…

Alphonse began speaking again as he left the room, “I spoke to granny just a minute ago, and she told me we need to leave the house in about an hour, so hurry and get a move on.”

Just as Al had disappeared around the corner, he popped his back into Ed’s sight and said one more thing, “Oh, and granny said that Winry looked stunning in her dress.”

Ed reddened at the statement.

His hand reached up and covered the small smile that was forming on his face, of course she’d look beautiful…

Wait… What if I go red in front of everyone when I see her?!

With this new thought in mind, Ed ran after his brother, calling out to him in comedic worry, “Alphoooooonse!!”

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Winry twirled about in her room with a huge grin plastered on her face. Her hair had been done in a slightly messy, yet elegant up-do, with two fish-tail braids lining each side of her head. She had also had her makeup done, but since she wasn’t a big fan putting all of that on her face, there was only a slight hint of it.

And finally, she had put on the dress that granny had been keeping a secret from her all this time.

“This dress is beautiful! Where’d you find it granny?”

“Actually, it was your mothers dress.” Pinako, who was standing behind Winry with her arms behind her back, replied to the now still Winry.

“Oh.”

Pinako moved towards her, and started to adjust the dress. Smoothing out some spots, and tugging down on others, “She’d always told me that if they ever had a daughter, she would’ve wanted her to wear this dress, and thank God that it fits.”

She stopped adjusting for a moment, and stepped back, taking in the full view of Winry, “You look so much like her.” Pinako laughed at the astounding resemblance, “It’s bringing back the memories of her wedding day.”

Winry’s smile was brought back to her face. The thought of someone thinking that she resembled her mother was enough to put her in a good mood for a long while.

“Thanks granny.” Winry laughed, and wiped away a small tear that had escaped.

“Well,” Pinako clapped her hands together once, “are you ready to leave?”

Turning to the full mirror once more, Winry took a deep breath, gave her parents another thank you, and turned back to granny, “Yeah, I’m ready.”

The pair shuffled out of her room and down to the party of bride’s maids who were waiting down below. She could hardly hear their squeals of happiness as she appeared at the foot of the stairs. Her thoughts were now in another place, focused on what Ed would be doing at this moment.

She smiled to herself; I hope he’s having fun.

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The hour Ed had to get ready had flown by in what seemed like an instant, and he was now in the room reserved for him at the only church in Resembool. He was wearing a black tux, and his hair was done up as usual, a braid not feeling too appropriate for the occasion by Al’s standards.

The door opened and Al, who was also clothed in a tux, appeared in the room with Pinako not far behind him.

“Granny?” Ed question as he saw her walk into the room.

“Hello Edward.” She gave him a glance from top to bottom, “I’m surprised you actually followed what I said and wore a tux.”

“O-if course I would!” A slightly embarrassed Ed replied to granny.

“Well, not that it matters. You still look like a rebellious child to me.”

“Come on granny! I’m not a kid anymore…” Ed scratched the back of his head as he trailed off.  A part of him knew that granny would always see him as a pipsqueak who didn’t want to drink his milk.

“That’s right, and you’re about to be wed my granddaughter.”

“Y-yea-“

“Edward, listen to what I’m going to say alright.” Pinako cut him off before he finished.

At her own pace, Pinako went to sit down on one of the chairs provided in the room. And Ed, noticing the sudden change in atmosphere, went to sit across from her.

Once she sat, she cleared her throat and began to speak again. “As I just said, you’re about to make my only granddaughter your wife.” Ed couldn’t help but redden when she said this, “I trust you know what you’re doing, I won’t question that since you took the initiative to ask her in the first place, but what comes after this is what matters most.”

Al shifted a bit in the corner, feeling slightly awkward, but wanting to hear what granny had to say nonetheless. After all, it would apply to him someday too.

“One thing that I’m sure you’ve thought about, at least I hope you have, is having a family sometime down the line. If you two can restrain yourselves that is.”

“Granny!!” Ed busted out in embarrassment, his face yet again going completely red. What the hell is this?! Did she come in here to make me even more nervous?! That was honestly the one thing he didn’t need to hear. He was nervous enough already and now he had “that” on his mind.

“Umm,” Al sounded from the back of the room, “I think that’s my cue to leave…” Al, who was also red in the face, quickly retreated to the door. I can hear this when it’s my turn later…

Damn it Alphonse! Don’t leave me alone in here!!

“Hahaha!” Granny began laughing at the scene the two boys had just played out, “You two are still just like you were when you were younger. Except now,” She gave a glance back at Edward, “You’re both wearing tux’s and one of you is about to get married.”

Ed’s hand reached up to the back of his head again, signaling to granny that he was clueless about what to say.

“Well, that’s just about it,” she got up from her chair while speaking, “Your mother and father would be proud, so don’t worry Edward.”

Suddenly remembering something, Pinako walked back over to Edward and placed a small piece of folded paper into his hands.

“It’s from Winry. Read that and hurry out of the room. It’s almost time for you to walk down.”

The door clicked shut, and Ed unfolded the paper, reading it to himself.

~

Well, I just suddenly had the thought to write you a little something. If you’re freaking out as much as I was earlier, then I thought I should help you out a bit.

I love you. So don’t panic or anything like that. It’ll all turn out great!

See you in a few, Winry.

~

A warm feeling washed throughout Ed from his head down to his toes, and a lighthearted grin spread on his face. Yeah, it’ll be great.

There was a knock on the door, and Al appeared, “Alright brother! It’s now or never!”

Shuddering at the word “never” and feeling welcomed by the word “now”, Ed walked out of the room, giving his brother a big grin, and placed Winry’s note in his chest pocket.

Thanks, Winry.