FMA Fic: "New Year's" 1/1
Title: New Year’s
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Characters/Pairings: Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell, Gracia Hughes, Elicia Hughes, original child characters
Author: evil_little_dog
Words: 2,478
Rating: K+
Summary: Edward and Winry have a big date on New Year’s.
Warnings: Post-canon, kids.
Disclaimer: At night, I dress in a cow suit and draw manga!...only, not at all.
X X X
Simon perched on the commode, watching closely as Edward raised the razor to his face. Three-year-olds were curious little creatures and Simon had questions for everything. ‘Why’ was his favorite word, even before ‘no’, something that both tickled and sometimes annoyed Edward, particularly when he’d tell Simon it was time to go to bed. “Why?” wasn’t the question he wanted to answer endlessly when Winry tickled the back of his neck and blew in his ear since Edward couldn’t exactly say, “Because your Mom and I are going to fuck like rabbits and maybe make you another brother or sister.” First, if Winry heard him, she’d smack him on the back of the head and possibly deny she wanted to make love, secondly, she might wash Edward’s mouth out with soap to show Simon the consequences of swearing.
Yeah. Edward remembered all too well the taste of soap from his own childhood - not that it cured anything - but he didn’t particularly want to taste it from Winry’s hands.
Glancing sideways at Simon, Edward thought his son’s question tells showed. His brows beetled and his mouth pursed up and his eyes narrowed as he considered. Finally, he burst out, “Why you shaving so late, Daddy?”
“Your Mom and I are going out tonight.” Edward neatly sliced the foam off his cheek.
“Why?”
“Because it’s a special night.”
Simon cocked his head. “Why?”
“Because it’s New Year’s.” Dragging the razor down his throat, Edward carefully maneuvered the blade around his larynx. Toilet paper dabbed around bloody spots would not be appreciated tonight. “That’s why we came to Central City, so your Mom and I could go out with some friends. You and Becca are going to spend the night with Mrs. Hughes and Elicia.” He paused to tap some shaving foam on Simon’s nose, making him giggle.
“Why?”
Because we’re going to go out drinking and dancing and afterward we’re coming back to the hotel and wear ourselves out with sex, Edward didn’t say. “It’s a grown-up thing,” he said, rinsing his razor clean and placing it back in its holder to dry. He splashed water on his face to clear it of soap and bits of hair, peering at his reflection to make sure everything was clean.
“Can I go?” Simon asked.
“Sorry, kiddo. You’re not a grown-up.” Edward fished in his ditty bag, pulling out the handkerchief-wrapped glass bottle.
Simon puffed up to make himself look tall. “I’m bigger than Becca!”
Edward managed to keep from laughing to say, “That doesn’t make you a grown-up. You have to be at least sixteen years old to be a grown-up. Maybe older.” He opened the bottle, taking a sniff. The scent in the bottle was a nice one, musk and leather and a little bit of forest and even the tiniest hint of metal - Winry’s favorite. She’d given him his first bottle of cologne, this same blend, designed for him, on his first birthday after the Promised Day. At first, Edward hadn’t realized what it meant until Alphonse had groaned and said, “She wants you to smell nice.”
“I usually smell nice! Unless I’ve been working in the chicken coop!” Edward had snarled back.
Alphonse had to spell it out for him. “Nice enough to cuddle with.”
‘Gobsmacked’ didn’t exactly describe Edward’s reaction, but close enough. Now, he wore the cologne often enough and Winry always appreciated it. And he always appreciated her appreciative reactions.
“What’s that?” Simon craned to see.
“Smell nice.” Edward splashed some on his hands to spread it over his neck. He inhaled the familiar smell and grinned at his reflection, knowing Winry would be adorning herself with perfume in the other room. “Men wear smell nice, women were foo-foo juice.”
“Huh?” His head cocked to the other side, Simon’s expression showed his curiousity.
“Here, smell.” Edward held onto the bottle but leaned it close enough for Simon to get a whiff.
He did, pursing his mouth again. “Smells like you.”
“Right.” Edward capped the bottle and wrapped it back in the handkerchief. “That’s what it’s supposed to do, make you smell more like yourself.”
“So Mom’s wearing that too?”
“A different smell. Foo foo juice.”
Simon wrinkled his nose. “Foo?”
“Go ask her while I finish up.” Edward pointed at the door and Simon hopped off the commode, sounding like a bull when he landed. He jerked the door open and ran through, yelling for Winry. Edward shook his head, tucking the bottle back in the bag with the razor and shaving soap and brush. Time to finish getting ready or he’d make them late for their date. And Winry would never forgive him.
He peered at himself in the mirror, deciding to run a brush over his hair one last time. He tightened up the mass of his hair in a high ponytail, checked out his string tie. Brushed his teeth, because maybe his breath stank. Pulled on a white button down shirt and thought cuffs were a hell of a lot easier to button up with flesh fingers. Tucked it into his pants and zipped them up, then added a black jacket over the top and straightened the lapels with a quick jerk.
Edward eyed his reflection and decided he looked all right, presentable, even, and left the bathroom to check on Winry and Simon. Becca burbled from her makeshift crib in the middle of the sofa, entertaining herself with a round rubber teething ring and her own drool. Pausing by the bed, Edward tapped Becca’s nose, enjoying the gurgle and kicking of her reaction. She waved her arms at him, a request to be picked up. “Winry? When did you feed Becca?”
“Like you weren’t paying attention,” Winry hollered from the bedroom.
He didn’t even blush though he knew once upon a time, he would have. Winry had some great breasts and he liked watching them. And enjoyed them himself, once the kids weren’t busy with them. “I just want to know if Becca’s safe to pick up.” If she spat up all over his suit, well, he didn’t have alchemy any more to clean it immediately, did he?
“No!” Her answer came quick and sharp.
Edward made a face at Becca. “Sorry, baby,” he said to her.
She whined around her teething ring, gnawing and drooling. With all that drool, yeah, probably wouldn’t be very good to pick her up. He’d walk out of the hotel with a wet shoulder. “When are Gracia and Elicia coming?”
The knock on the door answered his question and Edward hurried to answer it. Swinging the door open, he stepped aside as Elicia charged through the opening. “Where’s Winry?” she demanded.
“Uh,” Edward pointed toward the bedroom door where his wife hid out from his view until she deigned to make her appearance.
“Thanks, Ed!” Elicia breezed past him to the doorway, barely waiting for Winry to acknowledge her knock before barreling inside. “Oh, Winry, you’re beautiful!” she squealed.
Gracia stepped through the opening with more decorum and a slight shake of her head at the exuberance of her daughter. “You should get used to this,” she said, gesturing toward the bedroom door.
“Yeah.” Edward scratched the back of his neck. “Becca’s a little young yet.”
“They’re never too young,” Gracia said with a laugh. She walked to the couch, peering at Becca. Becca stared back, her blue eyes unblinking, chewing hard on her rubber ring. “Oh, you have grown so much, you pretty little girl.” Gracia sat on the couch with Becca, who turned her head to follow the movement. She dropped her ring when Gracia picked her up. “Yes, you have grown,” Gracia said, tickling under Becca’s drool-wet chin. “And so well!” Becca chortled and waved her hands in agreement. “You have your mother’s eyes. And even prettier hair.”
Edward smiled lopsided at that. Simon looked an awful lot like he did at that age except he had Winry’s button nose. Becca, Pinako was fond of saying, was the spitting image of her mother. “Are you sure this isn’t too much, Gracia? I mean, we’ll probably be out all night if Mustang’s right.”
Gracia raised her head to smile at him. “You two have a wonderful time. I know how hard it is to get out when you have little ones.”
“It’s not,” Edward started to protest but the door opened from the bedroom and a delicious smell wafted out. Turning toward it, whatever else Edward had been about to say died in his throat, coning out in a faint gurgle. Winry stood in the doorway, flanked by both a grinning Elicia and a scowling Simon. Winry wore a strapless midnight blue dress, crystals glittering in an elongated, swooped triangle from her right hip down to her knee-length hem. The crystals also followed the line of her stockings, ending at the top of her shoes with their modest heels. She’d caught her hair up in the ponytail reminiscent of the one she’d worn when they were younger, with curls cascading out of the tail and down her back. New earrings sparkled at her ears, dark blue stones with something glittering ringing around them. She wore a necklace that matched the earrings, the focal piece a snowflake made of the same glittery material resting just above her cleavage. Edward stuffed his tongue back in his mouth, aware his mouth had gone dry at the sight of his wife.
Gracia chuckled. “I think he likes it, Winry.”
The sound of her voice broke through the daze and Edward nodded sharply. “You look great!”
Simon grabbed hold of her hem, giving it a tug. “You oughtta stay home,” he said.
“Oh, no,” Elicia said, “she’s too pretty to stay in tonight!”
Simon scowled at her. Elicia glared back.
“We’re going,” Winry said firmly. “And you’re going to give Mrs. Hughes a good night, aren’t you, Simon?” She gently pried his fingers loose as she spoke. “Right?”
He pouted for a few seconds then nodded abruptly. “Yes, Momma.”
“Good boy.” She squatted in front of him, giving his shoulders a squeeze. “You’ll have a good time playing with Elicia and you can tell Mrs. Hughes how to take care of Becca. So you have a job to do, right?”
Simon craned to look around Winry at Mrs. Hughes, still holding Becca. “Yes, Momma,” he said.
“Good boy.” Winry kissed him on the cheek when he wasn’t looking, making Simon squeal and try to scrub it off while Winry stood up. She turned on the ball of her foot, making that sparkly hem dash about her thighs. Edward sucked in a breath as if he’d realized just then he hadn’t been breathing. Walking past him, that delicious scent of hers curling under Edward’s nose, Winry made her way to Gracia to give her a careful hug. “I’ve done my best but Simon’s an Elric, through and through.”
“Elicia isn’t an Elric but she’s just as wild,” Gracia said even as Elicia hmphed, folding her arms in irritation. “We’ll be fine.”
Winry leaned down to kiss Becca’s forehead. “Be a good girl,” she told Becca. “I’m sure Elicia will take good care of you.” She reached over and tousled Elicia’s bushy hair, making Elicia squeak and hunch her shoulders. “Right, Elicia?”
“Right, Winry!” she said, offering a thumb’s up.
“And you.” Winry turned to Edward. Her smile had a particular curl to it that made Edward’s breath hitch. “You look very nice. Handsome even.”
Managing to uncurl his tongue, Edward said, “And you’re beautiful.” He held out his hand to her and Winry took it. With a smile, Edward pulled her closer until the velvet nap of her dress almost pressed against his chest. He leaned in to give her a quick kiss that lingered.
“Eww,” Simon shouted, breaking the mood.
“Aww!” Elicia said at the same time.
Edward flushed. Before he leaned back from Winry, he murmured, “Later.”
Winry smiled that smile again. “Come on. Let’s get out of here,” she whispered. Slipping her hand into the crook of his elbow, she gave his arm a slight tug.
“Right,” Edward said, then hesitated. At Winry’s head tilt, Edward held up one finger. Detaching himself from her grip, he went to Simon. “You’re the man of the room now,” he said. “Make sure to listen to what Mrs. Hughes says and be nice to Elicia.”
His face taking on a considering expression, Simon finally agreed. “Yes, Daddy.”
“Good boy.” Edward planted a kiss on the crown of Simon’s head. Whipping around to Gracia, still holding Becca, he smoothed his daughter’s cornsilk hair off her forehead to kiss her there. “And you be good for Mrs. Hughes, too.”
Becca gurgled her agreement.
“And you, Elicia,” Edward said, turning to her. “You need to know something.” He laid his hand on her shoulder, guiding her a little ways toward the door. Leaning down, he whispered, loud enough for Gracia to hear, “There’ll be fireworks. You can see them from the windows.”
Elicia’s eyes brightened and she danced in place. “Thank you Ed!”
“Yes, thank you, Ed,” Gracia said, a hint of a scold in her voice.
He grinned cheekily at her, giving her a two-fingered salute. Walking backward, he reached out for Winry, finding her hand. “Let’s get going before Gracia changes her mind.” Gracia and Winry both laughed their delight, making Edward think the women might have had this thought earlier.
Coats finally in place, children and Gracia reassured, Edward walked Winry to the lift car. A pit of something formed in his stomach, anxiety, maybe; certainly not illness. Edward remembered this sensation from the day he and Winry married.
“Are you excited?” Winry asked.
“It’s been a while since we’ve gotten out without the kids.” Edward grinned.
“And a long time since we’ve had someone willing to watch the kids all night,” Winry said, running her hand up Edward’s chest to his shoulder and giving his ear a tweak.
“Mmhm!” Edward grinned, showing all his teeth.
“So,” Winry said, swaying into Edward’s chest. “We’d better make the most of the night.”
The smell of her perfume tickled his nostrils, her body warmed his chest, the sweet, naughty smile she offered ignited something inside him and Edward wrapped his arms around her tightly. “We could stay here in the hotel,” he began.
With a laugh, Winry shook him off. “Later, Ed!” She reached up to pat his cheek. “First dancing, then dinner, then drinks, then.” The lift car arrived, doors opening before she could finish.
“Then?” Edward followed Winry into the lift car, nodding at the operator.
“First floor,” Winry said in emphasis. “And then, later.”
Later, indeed, there’d be fireworks of a different sort. Edward grinned in anticipation. It was enough of a promise to keep that fire in his belly banked. And certainly made wearing smell-nice worth it.
X X X
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Characters/Pairings: Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell, Gracia Hughes, Elicia Hughes, original child characters
Author: evil_little_dog
Words: 2,478
Rating: K+
Summary: Edward and Winry have a big date on New Year’s.
Warnings: Post-canon, kids.
Disclaimer: At night, I dress in a cow suit and draw manga!...only, not at all.
X X X
Simon perched on the commode, watching closely as Edward raised the razor to his face. Three-year-olds were curious little creatures and Simon had questions for everything. ‘Why’ was his favorite word, even before ‘no’, something that both tickled and sometimes annoyed Edward, particularly when he’d tell Simon it was time to go to bed. “Why?” wasn’t the question he wanted to answer endlessly when Winry tickled the back of his neck and blew in his ear since Edward couldn’t exactly say, “Because your Mom and I are going to fuck like rabbits and maybe make you another brother or sister.” First, if Winry heard him, she’d smack him on the back of the head and possibly deny she wanted to make love, secondly, she might wash Edward’s mouth out with soap to show Simon the consequences of swearing.
Yeah. Edward remembered all too well the taste of soap from his own childhood - not that it cured anything - but he didn’t particularly want to taste it from Winry’s hands.
Glancing sideways at Simon, Edward thought his son’s question tells showed. His brows beetled and his mouth pursed up and his eyes narrowed as he considered. Finally, he burst out, “Why you shaving so late, Daddy?”
“Your Mom and I are going out tonight.” Edward neatly sliced the foam off his cheek.
“Why?”
“Because it’s a special night.”
Simon cocked his head. “Why?”
“Because it’s New Year’s.” Dragging the razor down his throat, Edward carefully maneuvered the blade around his larynx. Toilet paper dabbed around bloody spots would not be appreciated tonight. “That’s why we came to Central City, so your Mom and I could go out with some friends. You and Becca are going to spend the night with Mrs. Hughes and Elicia.” He paused to tap some shaving foam on Simon’s nose, making him giggle.
“Why?”
Because we’re going to go out drinking and dancing and afterward we’re coming back to the hotel and wear ourselves out with sex, Edward didn’t say. “It’s a grown-up thing,” he said, rinsing his razor clean and placing it back in its holder to dry. He splashed water on his face to clear it of soap and bits of hair, peering at his reflection to make sure everything was clean.
“Can I go?” Simon asked.
“Sorry, kiddo. You’re not a grown-up.” Edward fished in his ditty bag, pulling out the handkerchief-wrapped glass bottle.
Simon puffed up to make himself look tall. “I’m bigger than Becca!”
Edward managed to keep from laughing to say, “That doesn’t make you a grown-up. You have to be at least sixteen years old to be a grown-up. Maybe older.” He opened the bottle, taking a sniff. The scent in the bottle was a nice one, musk and leather and a little bit of forest and even the tiniest hint of metal - Winry’s favorite. She’d given him his first bottle of cologne, this same blend, designed for him, on his first birthday after the Promised Day. At first, Edward hadn’t realized what it meant until Alphonse had groaned and said, “She wants you to smell nice.”
“I usually smell nice! Unless I’ve been working in the chicken coop!” Edward had snarled back.
Alphonse had to spell it out for him. “Nice enough to cuddle with.”
‘Gobsmacked’ didn’t exactly describe Edward’s reaction, but close enough. Now, he wore the cologne often enough and Winry always appreciated it. And he always appreciated her appreciative reactions.
“What’s that?” Simon craned to see.
“Smell nice.” Edward splashed some on his hands to spread it over his neck. He inhaled the familiar smell and grinned at his reflection, knowing Winry would be adorning herself with perfume in the other room. “Men wear smell nice, women were foo-foo juice.”
“Huh?” His head cocked to the other side, Simon’s expression showed his curiousity.
“Here, smell.” Edward held onto the bottle but leaned it close enough for Simon to get a whiff.
He did, pursing his mouth again. “Smells like you.”
“Right.” Edward capped the bottle and wrapped it back in the handkerchief. “That’s what it’s supposed to do, make you smell more like yourself.”
“So Mom’s wearing that too?”
“A different smell. Foo foo juice.”
Simon wrinkled his nose. “Foo?”
“Go ask her while I finish up.” Edward pointed at the door and Simon hopped off the commode, sounding like a bull when he landed. He jerked the door open and ran through, yelling for Winry. Edward shook his head, tucking the bottle back in the bag with the razor and shaving soap and brush. Time to finish getting ready or he’d make them late for their date. And Winry would never forgive him.
He peered at himself in the mirror, deciding to run a brush over his hair one last time. He tightened up the mass of his hair in a high ponytail, checked out his string tie. Brushed his teeth, because maybe his breath stank. Pulled on a white button down shirt and thought cuffs were a hell of a lot easier to button up with flesh fingers. Tucked it into his pants and zipped them up, then added a black jacket over the top and straightened the lapels with a quick jerk.
Edward eyed his reflection and decided he looked all right, presentable, even, and left the bathroom to check on Winry and Simon. Becca burbled from her makeshift crib in the middle of the sofa, entertaining herself with a round rubber teething ring and her own drool. Pausing by the bed, Edward tapped Becca’s nose, enjoying the gurgle and kicking of her reaction. She waved her arms at him, a request to be picked up. “Winry? When did you feed Becca?”
“Like you weren’t paying attention,” Winry hollered from the bedroom.
He didn’t even blush though he knew once upon a time, he would have. Winry had some great breasts and he liked watching them. And enjoyed them himself, once the kids weren’t busy with them. “I just want to know if Becca’s safe to pick up.” If she spat up all over his suit, well, he didn’t have alchemy any more to clean it immediately, did he?
“No!” Her answer came quick and sharp.
Edward made a face at Becca. “Sorry, baby,” he said to her.
She whined around her teething ring, gnawing and drooling. With all that drool, yeah, probably wouldn’t be very good to pick her up. He’d walk out of the hotel with a wet shoulder. “When are Gracia and Elicia coming?”
The knock on the door answered his question and Edward hurried to answer it. Swinging the door open, he stepped aside as Elicia charged through the opening. “Where’s Winry?” she demanded.
“Uh,” Edward pointed toward the bedroom door where his wife hid out from his view until she deigned to make her appearance.
“Thanks, Ed!” Elicia breezed past him to the doorway, barely waiting for Winry to acknowledge her knock before barreling inside. “Oh, Winry, you’re beautiful!” she squealed.
Gracia stepped through the opening with more decorum and a slight shake of her head at the exuberance of her daughter. “You should get used to this,” she said, gesturing toward the bedroom door.
“Yeah.” Edward scratched the back of his neck. “Becca’s a little young yet.”
“They’re never too young,” Gracia said with a laugh. She walked to the couch, peering at Becca. Becca stared back, her blue eyes unblinking, chewing hard on her rubber ring. “Oh, you have grown so much, you pretty little girl.” Gracia sat on the couch with Becca, who turned her head to follow the movement. She dropped her ring when Gracia picked her up. “Yes, you have grown,” Gracia said, tickling under Becca’s drool-wet chin. “And so well!” Becca chortled and waved her hands in agreement. “You have your mother’s eyes. And even prettier hair.”
Edward smiled lopsided at that. Simon looked an awful lot like he did at that age except he had Winry’s button nose. Becca, Pinako was fond of saying, was the spitting image of her mother. “Are you sure this isn’t too much, Gracia? I mean, we’ll probably be out all night if Mustang’s right.”
Gracia raised her head to smile at him. “You two have a wonderful time. I know how hard it is to get out when you have little ones.”
“It’s not,” Edward started to protest but the door opened from the bedroom and a delicious smell wafted out. Turning toward it, whatever else Edward had been about to say died in his throat, coning out in a faint gurgle. Winry stood in the doorway, flanked by both a grinning Elicia and a scowling Simon. Winry wore a strapless midnight blue dress, crystals glittering in an elongated, swooped triangle from her right hip down to her knee-length hem. The crystals also followed the line of her stockings, ending at the top of her shoes with their modest heels. She’d caught her hair up in the ponytail reminiscent of the one she’d worn when they were younger, with curls cascading out of the tail and down her back. New earrings sparkled at her ears, dark blue stones with something glittering ringing around them. She wore a necklace that matched the earrings, the focal piece a snowflake made of the same glittery material resting just above her cleavage. Edward stuffed his tongue back in his mouth, aware his mouth had gone dry at the sight of his wife.
Gracia chuckled. “I think he likes it, Winry.”
The sound of her voice broke through the daze and Edward nodded sharply. “You look great!”
Simon grabbed hold of her hem, giving it a tug. “You oughtta stay home,” he said.
“Oh, no,” Elicia said, “she’s too pretty to stay in tonight!”
Simon scowled at her. Elicia glared back.
“We’re going,” Winry said firmly. “And you’re going to give Mrs. Hughes a good night, aren’t you, Simon?” She gently pried his fingers loose as she spoke. “Right?”
He pouted for a few seconds then nodded abruptly. “Yes, Momma.”
“Good boy.” She squatted in front of him, giving his shoulders a squeeze. “You’ll have a good time playing with Elicia and you can tell Mrs. Hughes how to take care of Becca. So you have a job to do, right?”
Simon craned to look around Winry at Mrs. Hughes, still holding Becca. “Yes, Momma,” he said.
“Good boy.” Winry kissed him on the cheek when he wasn’t looking, making Simon squeal and try to scrub it off while Winry stood up. She turned on the ball of her foot, making that sparkly hem dash about her thighs. Edward sucked in a breath as if he’d realized just then he hadn’t been breathing. Walking past him, that delicious scent of hers curling under Edward’s nose, Winry made her way to Gracia to give her a careful hug. “I’ve done my best but Simon’s an Elric, through and through.”
“Elicia isn’t an Elric but she’s just as wild,” Gracia said even as Elicia hmphed, folding her arms in irritation. “We’ll be fine.”
Winry leaned down to kiss Becca’s forehead. “Be a good girl,” she told Becca. “I’m sure Elicia will take good care of you.” She reached over and tousled Elicia’s bushy hair, making Elicia squeak and hunch her shoulders. “Right, Elicia?”
“Right, Winry!” she said, offering a thumb’s up.
“And you.” Winry turned to Edward. Her smile had a particular curl to it that made Edward’s breath hitch. “You look very nice. Handsome even.”
Managing to uncurl his tongue, Edward said, “And you’re beautiful.” He held out his hand to her and Winry took it. With a smile, Edward pulled her closer until the velvet nap of her dress almost pressed against his chest. He leaned in to give her a quick kiss that lingered.
“Eww,” Simon shouted, breaking the mood.
“Aww!” Elicia said at the same time.
Edward flushed. Before he leaned back from Winry, he murmured, “Later.”
Winry smiled that smile again. “Come on. Let’s get out of here,” she whispered. Slipping her hand into the crook of his elbow, she gave his arm a slight tug.
“Right,” Edward said, then hesitated. At Winry’s head tilt, Edward held up one finger. Detaching himself from her grip, he went to Simon. “You’re the man of the room now,” he said. “Make sure to listen to what Mrs. Hughes says and be nice to Elicia.”
His face taking on a considering expression, Simon finally agreed. “Yes, Daddy.”
“Good boy.” Edward planted a kiss on the crown of Simon’s head. Whipping around to Gracia, still holding Becca, he smoothed his daughter’s cornsilk hair off her forehead to kiss her there. “And you be good for Mrs. Hughes, too.”
Becca gurgled her agreement.
“And you, Elicia,” Edward said, turning to her. “You need to know something.” He laid his hand on her shoulder, guiding her a little ways toward the door. Leaning down, he whispered, loud enough for Gracia to hear, “There’ll be fireworks. You can see them from the windows.”
Elicia’s eyes brightened and she danced in place. “Thank you Ed!”
“Yes, thank you, Ed,” Gracia said, a hint of a scold in her voice.
He grinned cheekily at her, giving her a two-fingered salute. Walking backward, he reached out for Winry, finding her hand. “Let’s get going before Gracia changes her mind.” Gracia and Winry both laughed their delight, making Edward think the women might have had this thought earlier.
Coats finally in place, children and Gracia reassured, Edward walked Winry to the lift car. A pit of something formed in his stomach, anxiety, maybe; certainly not illness. Edward remembered this sensation from the day he and Winry married.
“Are you excited?” Winry asked.
“It’s been a while since we’ve gotten out without the kids.” Edward grinned.
“And a long time since we’ve had someone willing to watch the kids all night,” Winry said, running her hand up Edward’s chest to his shoulder and giving his ear a tweak.
“Mmhm!” Edward grinned, showing all his teeth.
“So,” Winry said, swaying into Edward’s chest. “We’d better make the most of the night.”
The smell of her perfume tickled his nostrils, her body warmed his chest, the sweet, naughty smile she offered ignited something inside him and Edward wrapped his arms around her tightly. “We could stay here in the hotel,” he began.
With a laugh, Winry shook him off. “Later, Ed!” She reached up to pat his cheek. “First dancing, then dinner, then drinks, then.” The lift car arrived, doors opening before she could finish.
“Then?” Edward followed Winry into the lift car, nodding at the operator.
“First floor,” Winry said in emphasis. “And then, later.”
Later, indeed, there’d be fireworks of a different sort. Edward grinned in anticipation. It was enough of a promise to keep that fire in his belly banked. And certainly made wearing smell-nice worth it.
X X X