Cardinal sin (2) : A laugh in Vain

4 - Flowers of metal

There was an apple pie sitting on the table in front of Winry. It was yet hot from the oven, and a thin strip of steam rising from it. The entirety of it sat on a folded rag so it would not damage the table. It smelled frightfully good, but was untouched.

She'd baked it for Ed but it was useless since he wasent home. About a week ago, shortly after she had proven for herself the impossible truth that her fiancee had come back from the dead, he had kissed her and then walked off. She didn't know where he had gone or what his intentions were, but it troubled her. Most of her thoughts were directed towards Ed. Constantly, she'd ask herself; is he alright? What if, now that he's away from me, he'll try to kill himself again?

Being apart from him, now that the whole issue of his death and revival had passed, was torture.

Winry heard the front door open. She figured that Granny must be back, so she laid her head on her crossed arms and closed her eyes, sighing heavily.

Footsteps came in from the entrance to the kitchen. They seemed sparser and heavier. Granny must be carrying something—new automail parts, probably.

"Welcome back," said Winry, not looking up.

Granny didn't answer. Rockbell heard her walk to the kitchen and open a cupboard. She heard something rather heavy being set on the counter. That was odd; the things that weighed more were kept on the higher shelves that Granny coulden't reach.

For a minute or two there could be heard the sound of metal against glass.

"What're you doing, Granny?" Winry asked.

Again, no answer was given.

A few footsteps and then that heavy something was set on the table without a word. Too depressed over Ed, Winry didn't even bother lifting her head to see what it was.

Back at the counter, a drawer was opened. There was the rattle of utensils clanging against each other, the drawer closed and then Winry heard a plate being drawn. Granny Pinako came back to the table. She put down her things and took a seat.

Winry heard the knife slicing through the apple pie.

"I made that... for Edward. Granny, you can't eat it."

However, the latter ignored her grandaughter. She set the slice of apple pie on her plate. From there, Granny Pinako took a bite.

"This is really good, Winry."

The automail mechanic's head rose from her arms at once, for it was most certainly not the voice of her grandmother she heard.

Sitting across from her was no other than the man she most wanted to see. Winry covered her mouth and her eyes watered.

"Before you say anything, let me," said Edward. "First off, thanks for the pie. It feels really like home when you make these for me.

"Second, I figured I had better bring you a gift as an apology for leaving you like that back in Central. I was being a shitty fiancee, but I plan on doing better from now on if you'll still have me. So to start this off on the right foot, I brought you these flowers. I thought you'd like them because they'd never wither. I made them myself, too!"

Ed pushed her way a vase—the heavy object he'd taken down from the cupboard. In it Fullmetal had set a bouquet or flower such as Winry had never seen before. They were breathtaking; she could recognize all sorts of flowers such as roses, lilies, lilacs and so many more, but the thing that made them completely different from a typical flower bouquet was the fact that they were all made of metal. Like this, she could keep her metal bouquet forever—an everlasting gift of Edward's love.

Pulling the vase close, Winry began to speak when she was cut off by her fiancee saying, "Just give me a minute. I've got something else important to say.

"Winry. When I asked you to marry me, it didn't come out as I expected it to. At the train station, I'd only planned on admitting to you my feelings."

"Are you cancelling our marriage?" The girl felt a pang, tears intensifying.

"Cancelling our marriage?" Ed blinked. "I'd... never want that. I came here today mainly to fix the mistake I made on the train station that day. As a kid, you'd always tell me and Al that when your 'dashing Prince Charming' would propose to you, it would be amazing and special. I'm nowhere near your perfect Prince Charming, Winry, and I'll never be. I'm just a man trying his hardest to be a good fit for the the woman he's fallen head over heels for. I'm sorry I could never give you that amazing proposal you always dreamed of—heck, I can't even give you a decent one now. But because you deserve better, I'm going to start over and do this properly. It won't be amazing, but it's the best I've got."

Fullmetal stood up. He rounded the table and pulled on Winry's knees til' she had rotated enough in her chair to be facing him.

Then he knelt in front of her. Out of his pocket, Ed drew a small black box that he held out in front of him.

"You're my favorite person in the entire world, the one I'd do absolutely anything for. I want to keep spending perfect times with you like this—for the rest of my life. I'm probably not your best option. You could do so much better than some lousy shortie like me. I get angry all the time, I'm a complete idiot and I cry too much. And yet here I am, going to marry the strongest, most amazing, beautiful and capable automailist there ever existed. I coulden't ask for any better. So that's why, today, I want to ask you..."

Smilling warmly, a blush tainting his face, Edward opened the black box in his hands, revealing the wedding ring he had transmutted himself. Just like the bouquet, the ring had three delicate, minuscule flowers on it. Tucked into the cracks were the detailed petals split were tiny diamonds, barely noticeable until they caught the light of the falling sun and glittered beautifully.

"Winry Rockbell, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"