FMA: 52 Flavours, Prompt 43
Title: The Life I Choose
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 43. We were twins too poor to have the dignity of separate names.
Pairing: Winry-centric (Ed/Winry on the side)
Rating: K
Summary: Winry doubts not Ed but his name
Notes: Third of three updates for
52_flavours. I had to write this one, because even if Winry has waited a long long time to be with Ed, she has to have some doubts of her own.
43. We were twins too poor to have the dignity of separate names.
For so much of her childhood and adolescence Winry Rockbell begrudged the Elric brothers their secrets; pouted and frowned and attempted to coax them from the brothers, who resisted her efforts until everything spilled over and she could step in to clean up.
She felt almost guilty now, as an adult, for keeping a secret of her own, one she knew both brothers, especially Ed, would like to know about.
There was an engagement ring on her finger, and in several months she would walk down the aisle on Al’s arm and become Mrs. Elric. That was how it was supposed to go, and that was how it would go - there was no question in Winry’s mind.
Still, as much as she eagerly anticipated this next stage of her life, there was a little tiny part of her that mourned for what she was leaving behind - most notably, the Rockbell name. It didn’t seem right that she and Granny were the last of the Rockbells - for a name that had inspired respect and fear for generations to fade away in old age and marriage.
And even more important to her, there was so little she had that still connected her to her parents - memories faded, pictures and letters crumbled, but her name, her name was always there, a constant strong thread that tied her to those who brought her into the world. More than once she’d blushed and nodded that she was the daughter of the Doctors Rockbell (when she wasn’t not blushing and agreeing that yes, the Pantheress of Risembool is her grandmother…) and it comforted her to know that there were people out there who knew her name, her family, and therefore recognized why she herself might be something special.
(People would still see her as special, but it wouldn’t be automail engineers whispering, “Oh, she’s a Rockbell.” It would be alchemists pointing out, “Her? She’s with Elric.”)
But no matter how Winry had these doubts - not about Ed, or their marriage, but about his name - they were never more than a dull ache, a small thought under the commotion that made up their relationship. Easily overcome if not easily left behind.
Some mornings, though. Some mornings Winry stood on the front porch, comparing the glint of the diamond on her left hand with the shine of the Rockbell Automail sign in the rising sun, and wondered which was brighter.
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 43. We were twins too poor to have the dignity of separate names.
Pairing: Winry-centric (Ed/Winry on the side)
Rating: K
Summary: Winry doubts not Ed but his name
Notes: Third of three updates for
52_flavours. I had to write this one, because even if Winry has waited a long long time to be with Ed, she has to have some doubts of her own.
43. We were twins too poor to have the dignity of separate names.
For so much of her childhood and adolescence Winry Rockbell begrudged the Elric brothers their secrets; pouted and frowned and attempted to coax them from the brothers, who resisted her efforts until everything spilled over and she could step in to clean up.
She felt almost guilty now, as an adult, for keeping a secret of her own, one she knew both brothers, especially Ed, would like to know about.
There was an engagement ring on her finger, and in several months she would walk down the aisle on Al’s arm and become Mrs. Elric. That was how it was supposed to go, and that was how it would go - there was no question in Winry’s mind.
Still, as much as she eagerly anticipated this next stage of her life, there was a little tiny part of her that mourned for what she was leaving behind - most notably, the Rockbell name. It didn’t seem right that she and Granny were the last of the Rockbells - for a name that had inspired respect and fear for generations to fade away in old age and marriage.
And even more important to her, there was so little she had that still connected her to her parents - memories faded, pictures and letters crumbled, but her name, her name was always there, a constant strong thread that tied her to those who brought her into the world. More than once she’d blushed and nodded that she was the daughter of the Doctors Rockbell (when she wasn’t not blushing and agreeing that yes, the Pantheress of Risembool is her grandmother…) and it comforted her to know that there were people out there who knew her name, her family, and therefore recognized why she herself might be something special.
(People would still see her as special, but it wouldn’t be automail engineers whispering, “Oh, she’s a Rockbell.” It would be alchemists pointing out, “Her? She’s with Elric.”)
But no matter how Winry had these doubts - not about Ed, or their marriage, but about his name - they were never more than a dull ache, a small thought under the commotion that made up their relationship. Easily overcome if not easily left behind.
Some mornings, though. Some mornings Winry stood on the front porch, comparing the glint of the diamond on her left hand with the shine of the Rockbell Automail sign in the rising sun, and wondered which was brighter.