Coming of Age
by. Poisoned Scarlet

Summary: "Why is there a cake on the front porch and why does it have my name on it?" Alphonse is amused. Winry is exasperated. And Edward, apparently, becomes a man...
Rating: T for swearing, sexual situations, alcohol usage.
Genre: Humor/Romance.
Pairing: Ed/Winry.
A/N: I was going to cut this one in half because it was just way too long but when I did, I saw that part two would only be two thousand words long so I didn't think it was worth it. I'll just leave you guys with this monstrous one-shot borne of boredom and my friends birthday party in which I was witness to her acting like a total moron under the influence of booze...
Story Notes: Post-Promised Day!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

He rolled on his side, screwing his eyes shut against the bright sunlight that filtered through the partially drawn curtains. His sheets were scrunched up around him, pillow somewhere on the floor; shoved off due to his nightly moving about.

His eyes fluttered open slowly, unwillingly, and he gazed at the clean sheets for a second before rolling on his backside again; raising his hand to rub out his scratchy eyes. He had stayed up late once again, studying an alchemy book he had come by during his trip to Central City to pick up a few things for Winry.

Damn, what time is it? He propped himself up on his elbows, squinting at the clock hung on the wall across from him. Ten fifteen? Too early... But he knew he wouldn't be able to fall back asleep if he tried to. He felt too awake now.

His eyes strayed to his bedside, to the empty space that occupied the usual spot Winry would be seated in before he woke up. It had became a small habit of theirs, something they told no one – not even themselves, if that made sense.

She would sit herself there, gazing out the window and to the warm sunlight that illuminated the plains of Resembool. He would wake slowly, as usual, lethargically sitting himself up before he looked at her and allowed a rare smile to tug his lips.

She would notice and she would say breakfast was ready and he should hurry up before it got cold. And then she would leave with one last small smile in his direction.

He didn't mind waking up to her. In fact, he felt disappointed to not wake up to her warm smile as he pulled on some sweatpants, a black tank top, and tied his unruly morning hair into a messy ponytail. He did not hear the usual sounds of forks upon plates nor did small talk from Al and Pinako reach his ears as he stood by the staircase.

He frowned, jogging down and cautiously walking into the kitchen.

It was empty.

Did they go somewhere or something? He wondered, as he raided the fridge but found nothing good. His frown deepened, his stomach rumbling grouchily, and when he turned he was shocked to see a cup of coffee sitting idly on the previously-empty dining table. He walked to it, looking around for any signs of his brother or the two people he now considered family, and picked up the steaming cup.

He sipped it, noticing it didn't have that leak of milk his brother or Winry would add to the coffee without his knowledge. It was black, bitter, and hot: just like he liked it.

This is...weird. He walked back into the living room, finding it bare of anyone. He strode to the front, stepping into the porch only to find it empty of anyone as well. Well, almost empty.

His eyes locked on the birthday cake that sat on the porches swing.

"What the hell..?" he muttered to himself, staring at the cake that, curiously, had his name on it. He looked around again, seeing no one but the school of birds overhead, and his frown converted into a scowl. "Is this some kind of joke?"

He eyed the cake. It was chocolate...it was all chocolate, actually; with hints of what he could identify as pudding and—oh, my, was that syrup? It was his favourite type of cake: a creation of teeth-rotting sugar and calories that he'd devour in minutes with a glass of juice to wash it down.

He bit his lip. This was too tempting. Someone was messing with him, for sure, or else they wouldn't leave a cake out on the porch, unattended, with his name on it, for Truth's sake...

Just...one...taste.. He thought, giving the area one discreetly look-over before leaning over and swiping his finger on the edge – where no one would notice.

He savored the delectable treat, moaning as he tasted the delicious chocolate...

"Okay, calm down," he warned himself, tearing his gaze away from the tempting masterpiece. He needed to curb his impossible eating habits or else Winry would deck him with her wrench if she caught him tasting a cake that was obviously not for him. Then why's my name on it? He asked himself, suspiciously. Then it occurred to him: Oh, duh, maybe it's some other guy named Edward...

"Brother?" a voice pipped from behind him, sounding amused.

"Al!" he swiveled around, hastily taking his finger out of his mouth. "Where the hell have you been? Anyway, what the hell is a cake doing out here in the porch and why does it have my name on it?" he asked, seriously. "Did you guys forget it or something...?"

Alphonse's mouth fell a little open. "Brother, do you know what day it is?"

"Yeah," he began, unsurely. "It's Tuesday, February 3rd..."

"Do you know what today is?"

"Yes!" he replied, confidently. Al's face brightening a bit. "It's some guy named Edward's birthday, apparently." He sipped his coffee, oblivious to Al's face-palm.

"Ed," he sighed, "do we even know another Edward aside from you?"

Edward frowned, mulling over this. They had met a lot of people during the course of their travel for the Philosopher's Stone but not once had they come by another person with his name. He remembered once thinking that he and Alphonse's name were rare since he had yet to come by someone with the same name.

However, Winry had people coming to visit her from all over the place! The house was always bustling with people who needed automail or maintenance checks so he would not be surprised if she had met another Edward or even Alphonse here and there. She was, after all, a rather famous automail engineer, partially due to him bragging to people whenever they stared at his automail arm.

Of course, as he tightened his right hand on the cup, he no longer bore that rather unsightly stigmata on him. No one would even assume he owned automail even though his left leg was all metal.

"What about Winry?" Ed shrugged, walking past him and back into the house. "She knows a lot of people...bet you she's throwing a birthday bash for him or something," he snickered, as he rounding the couch and made his way back to the kitchen. "Poor bastard!" he smirked, knowing the poor man who had to suffer through her parties was in for a surprise.

His amusement was cut short and his grin fell when he saw...a lot of people in the kitchen. In fact, at the sight of him, they all screamed: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDWARD!" and he was sure he was dreaming because this was not, could not be, his birthday...?

"Ed, surprise—!" But Winry's sentence was cut short by him scrambling to the calender, eyes gluing on the date that had yet to be crossed out; the prim words Ed's birthday written in plain marker. He swore loudly, pounding his fist against the wall as he slumped forward against the calender.

He heard numerous snickers from down the hall, as the guests had clear visual of him feeling sorry for himself. He vaguely heard Mustang snort something out to Havoc, who laughed.

"Edward, what in the world are you doing?" Winry snapped, setting her hands on her hips as Ed looked at her.

"Damn it, I'm that poor bastard," he bemoaned.

Winry cocked her head to the side but shook the weird comment off. "Come back into the kitchen!" she beamed. "I made you a special breakfast to celebrate your birthday! Al also invited all of your friends to come celebrate with us! Isn't that wonderful?"

Edward glared darkly at her. His eyes strayed to the congregation of people in the hall and then back to Winry, who's smile had turned into a frown at his disdainful expression.

"What's wrong?"

"Winry...could you come here for a sec?" He grabbed her by the wrist and walked her away from view, hissing: "What the hell were you thinking?"

Winry blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"A birthday party? For me?" Ed groaned, shaking his head. "When have I ever even liked parties? This is like the ultimate torture for me! Now I have to talk to everyone I really don't want to talk to right now..."

Winry was now full-out scowling. "Well, tough," she huffed. "Al and I planned this birthday party for you so now you're going to enjoy it!"

"Tch, you can't make me enjoy something I don't want to!" He crossed his arms, defiantly.

Winry narrowed her eyes. Edward wondered how she could appear so tall and intimidating even though he beat her by at least five inches now... "You are going to go out there and act happy," she growled, threateningly, "and you will enjoy yourself or so help me I'll reattach your leg when you're sleeping!" she ended with a bang, making Ed stiffly nod and let himself be led back into the kitchen, where his eyes scanned the crowd.

"EDWARD ELRIC!" boomed Armstrong, making him cringe. "I am honored to have been invited to the fiesta to celebrate the day of your birth! A most important date, indeed!"

"Mornin' Major Armstrong," Ed greeted weakly, sighing when the man beamed back happily; the muscles in his humongous arms flexing in what he would assume was glee.

He recognized everyone who sat on the enlarged table, no doubt extended by Al, who conversed with Sciezska cheerfully. Mustang, Hawkeye, Havoc, Breda, Fuery, Armstrong, Rebecca, Sciezska, Mei...hell, even Ling and Darius and Heinkel were there, and the trio shot him smirks as he sat down at beside the Xingese.

"How's it been hanging, Full Metal?" Darius grinned toothily, as he gobbled down some sweet pancakes.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Heinkel smiled, slower in eating his food.

"Seriously, what did Al bribe you all with so you could come all the way down here for some stupid party?" Ed chuckled, setting his cup on the table and quickly looking at Winry in thanks when she placed a steaming hot plate of scrumptious breakfast in front of him.

"Oh, well, I figured you wouldn't want anyone to come to your party since you once mentioned to me you disliked them," Ling injected, sounding amused, "and I was merely going to send you a stripper as my gift but—!"

Ed spit out whatever coffee he had in his mouth at his implications but Ling continued, breezily.

"—Mei wanted to come so I decided to simply accompany her," he finished with a smirk.

Ed glared. "You're not serious, are you?"

"Oh, quite."

"LING!"

Ling laughed. "I was kidding! Jeez, you sure have become boring this past year," he stuffed his face with food once Winry properly served him.

"So, Full Metal, been enjoying your unexciting life?" Mustang spoke, a little farther down the table.

"You have no idea," Ed smiled. "What about you? Been climbing up the ranks, you opportunist?"

"I'm a Brigadier now, what do you think?" he smugly stated. Ed rolled his eyes. "I'll be visiting you for collection in a few years."

"I'll be expecting it," Ed smirked.

"Edward," Hawkeye spoke up from beside Mustang, after putting her cup of coffee down. "How old will you be turning this year?"

Ed paused. "Well, lets see...I was born in 1889 so—now I'm eighteen," he nodded.

"Eighteen?" Havoc spat out his coffee. He gawked at Ed, who blinked back in confusion at the utterly shocked yet excited look on the man's face. He no longer got himself around in a wheelchair, Ed noted with a smile, since his nerves had been repaired with the power of the Philosopher's Stone. He still had mixed feelings about them using the stone to cure his paralysis but he was happy for his friend nonetheless.

"Do you know what this means?" Havoc asked Fuery, who swallowed some bacon.

"He's now eligible for car insurance?" he shrugged.

"NO!" Havoc glared. "It means that he's LEGAL!" He grinned like he had won the lottery and Rebecca burst out laughing.

"Whoa there, Jean," she began, flirtatiously. "Now I didn't know you swung that way!"

Havoc grinned suggestively: "You know I'd only bend for you."

Ed wrinkled his nose at their talk. "That was so lame," he muttered to Ling, who snickered but said nothing else. However, Havoc's talk had sparked an idea in the mind of Mustang, who suddenly understood the meaning behind his words and allowed a grin to crawl on his handsome features.

"Havoc has a point, Ed, you're now eighteen," he glanced at Breda, who had long since anticipated this to happen and merely nodded in approval. "That means you are now officially allowed...to get wasted!" he ended on a triumphant note.

Armstrong grunted in approval and Ed spoke before the melodramatic man could commence a no-doubt brain-melting speech on the wonders of being eighteen.

"Okay, but why would I want to do that?" Ed asked flatly, shoveling food into his mouth at the same starving pace as the Xingese prince beside him.

"Why wouldn't you?" Mustang countered smoothly. "It's dignifying for every man to get wasted at least once! It's like a coming-of-age ceremony that every young man must experience!"

"Coming-of-age?" Ed repeated, with a frown. "So what you're sayin' is that you want me to get shit-faced...so I could become a man?"

"I brought the booze!" Havoc sang cheerfully. "Tonight, you will become a man, Edward Elric!"

"Hooray," he muttered sarcastically, ignoring his brothers laugh as he continued to eat the second helping Winry had been all-too-kind in serving – trying not to watch Armstrong's rather disturbing shirt-ripping that had Rebecca swooning and Maria laughing as he fell into a powerful speech at the wonders of being gracefully drunk.

However that worked...

Directly after breakfast, Winry had sent him upstairs to change properly as wearing a worn black muscle shirt with some lazy sweatpants was not appropriate attire to be wandering about with when he had guests to attend to. He had complied, coming back down showered and pimp with black slacks and a white button down shirt; dropping his black boots for something a little more casual, his casual dress shoes.

"Looking sharp there, Full Metal," Mustang had commented, as he himself had come in a similar attire.

"Don't get the wrong idea," he had shot back blandly, once noticing they matched. "It's the latest fad in Central."

"Whatever you say, birthday boy."

The gifts had been left for later, much to Ed's chagrin, who wanted to tear open Mustang's gift as the man's knowing grin was beginning to grate on his nerves. He had a feeling the Brigadier had sent him a gag-gift of some sort that would mortally embarrass him once he did get around to the gift-opening. He had made sure to ask Winry to place all the gifts in his room for further inspection once everyone had left the Rockbell Household.

The day had gone about rather bumpy and strained after the cake they had for lunch.

A few more people arrived, such as Rose, Zampano and Jerso.

It had been strained in the beginning when Rose had walked through that door, beaming brightly at him when he smiled and voiced his greeting. She had literally thrown herself at him, arms around his neck and tightly hugging him – something, he noticed with a gulp, that soured Winry's mood when she walked in and caught them in the act.

Alphonse had gone off with Winry after she left, bugging her no doubt as he had come back with a nasty knot on his head but looking ultimately smug for some unknown reason.

Rose had yet to leave his side and it caused him more grief than he was willing to go through.

She wasn't annoying or anything...but Edward wished she wouldn't smile so brightly at him or stand so close to him because it made him feel uncomfortable. In fact, it made him feel guilty, something he didn't understand as he was technically seeing no one at the moment.

"Getting some tonight, FM?" Havoc had waggled his brows suggestively an hour after her arrival.

"N-no!" he had spluttered, face growing cherry red. "What the hell made you think so, anyway!"

Havoc shifted his eyes to the curvacious Lior woman, who smiled as she conversed briefly with Sciezska.

The embarrassment had drained away to unsureness; a sort of guilt and fear that made him lose his appetite for the third slice of cake he had snatched from the kitchen when Winry wasn't looking. It bothered him that Havoc had even suggested such a thing even though it was perfectly reasonable to say so: he hadn't pushed Rose away and he spoke to her whenever she asked a question, which was a lot.

And that was had him so distraught at the very moment: why he was feeling so awful?

"Having fun, Edward?" Fuery friendly asked, standing beside him.

"Yeah, I-I guess," he mumbled, Rose's arm touching his own. He shifted away, that guilt growing by the second.

"You guess?" Fuery frowned, peeking at his troubled expression. "What's got you so down? This is your birthday party! You shouldn't be down on your own birthday!"

"...Hey, Fuery, can I ask you a question?" Ed asked, voice dropping lower when he noticed the crease between Winry's brows when she glanced at him – or he should say them as Rose was pretty much leaning on him now – before walking back into the kitchen. "I know it sounds kind of stupid but..."

"Sure, ask away!" he said, turning his full attention to the troubled young man.

"Wh-when you're not seeing anyone but..." he paused, collecting his thoughts. "When you're not seeing anyone but you feel bad about even thinking about being with someone...what is that?"

Fuery blinked. "Well...I guess that means you like someone, doesn't it?" he smiled suddenly. "If you're feeling bad about having another woman try to make a move on you, then it clearly means you like someone else and it's causing those feelings of guilt. Do you like someone right now, Ed?"

Edward pondered his simple yet meaningful words. His eyes flashed to Rose, who noticed the look and smiled back warmly, and then they flashed to the kitchen, where he knew Winry was at. He felt bad for even letting Rose get to him like she was doing, with every rub on his arm and bright smile. There was a guilt and fear he didn't understand; a need to get away from her and hang around Winry, who, he knew, would automatically relieve the troubling emotions...

"Do you like someone right now, Ed?"

He gazed into his cup. Winry's name appeared in his mind frequently but he didn't think that liking her would induce such terrible feelings. In fact, as he immersed himself deeper into the mystery of his emotions, he sort of felt as if he were—!

"Cheating?" he whispered to himself, shocked.

"What was that?" Fuery asked, not catching what he had said.

"Ah, nothing," he shook his head, turning his gaze back into his cup of soft drink. The word refused to thaw, however, and only continued to plague his mind the longer he looked into it. The guilt and shame seemed to match up perfectly with that word: cheating. Being unfaithful.

But he wasn't dating anyone.

Hell, he was as single as he could get!

Yet he still felt as if he were going behind...Winry's...back by conversing with Rose and laughing with her and letting her lean on him a bit.

Cheating, huh? He didn't believe in cheating. He believed that if he no longer felt satisfied with the person he was with then he should be upfront about it and either try to work it out or break it off. Cheating appeared unconventional and a light-house for trouble – something he was not a fan of no matter how much he seemed to attract it.

"Hey, thanks..." Ed mumbled to Fuery, walking away from him and Rose, who blinked in worry at his sudden leave.

Edward was about to walk into the kitchen to somehow glue Winry to his side so the bad feelings would go away when Havoc caught him by the arm, pulling him back into the living room before he could even catch a glimpse of the beautiful blonde.

"And just where do you think you're going, champ?" Havoc grinned, ignoring the dark expression that crossed Ed's face.

"To get something to drink, now let me go!"

"We've got something for you to drink – over here!" Havoc chirped back instead, slamming him down on a wood chair. Ed stared at the stool the stood before him, a shot glass and a bottle of the hardest whiskey Jean could find stationed beside it.

Ed swallowed. "Wh..what is all this?"

"Now don't tell me you don't know?" Mustang smirked patronizingly, taking seat across from him. Edward then became aware of the circle they had formed around the stool and the small shot glasses each willing man held in his hand. Havoc took seat beside him, Breda next to him and Darius and Jerso and Fuery following. They all held shot glasses and they all had the sinister smiles of delinquents as Ling, who had taken seat on the other side of him, shoved the single shot glass into his weak hands.

"We're going to be playing a game tonight, Edward," Ling smirked. "Are you in?"

Of course he wasn't but he refused to be made a mockery of so he smirked back, with a confidence he only wished he currently had: "Bring it on, squinty-eyes!"

"Excellent!" Mustang crackled richly. He grabbed the bottle and flipped the top off with an expert twist of his hand. He poured the drinks, some of the whiskey falling on his hand and to the ground when the bottle passed over his own glass. "This game is really quite simple, Full Metal," he began, after he had poured the drinks. "It's called 'I Never' and basically one person makes a true statement starting with 'I never...' and, if any player has done what the person says, they drink," he explained.

Ed nodded.

"I'll go first," Mustang smirked mischievously. "I never...learned how to properly oil an automail leg," he said innocently.

Ed cursed. He looked at the shot glass uneasily and then, without really thinking about it, drank it down in one swing. The whiskey burned his throat, making him cringe as he swallowed the offending liquid, earning a series of hoots and pats in the process, however.

Havoc grinned toothily: "I never had a thong!"

To their surprise, Jerso drank his shot.

"...um, moving on," Fuery coughed. "I never got into a fight willingly."

All of them drank down the shots, all sighing in relief except for Ed, who still had to get used to the awful sting. His eyes strayed past the circle of friends and to his brother, who he could see was sitting on the couch paces away from him with Mei. Armstrong was sitting on the couch as well, conversing strongly with Rebecca and Maria. His eyes searched for Rose, who sat across from them. Hawkeye sat beside her along with Sciezska and, to his surprise, Winry.

"...had short hair!"

Ed scowled when everyone in the circle looked at him. He glared at Breda, who had voiced it, and he merely grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, chief!"

"Whatever." He allowed Mustang to pour him his third shot and he drank it down, grunting as the alcohol seared his tongue. He was really getting annoyed with the bitter yet silk taste of the whiskey.

"I never went to Aerugo," Darius said thoughtfully.

They all drank.

"I never drank a whole bottle of chocolate syrup," chuckled Jerso.

They all drank, surprisingly.

"I never got to try out that sandwich stand by HQ," Fuery smiled.

No one but Ed and Breda drank this time.

"I never had sex with the girl I like," Mustang said.

Edward scowled, very aware of Al and Winry's sudden interest in him. He glared at the Brigadier – his eyes unwillingly straying to Winry, who looked amused but still held that troubled edge to her smile. Only he, Ling and Fuery had not drank that time.

"Sucks for you, sir," Havoc laughed. "I never had a real job."

They all drank although Mustang wondered aloud if being in boot camp counted as a job...

"I never," Ed began, once again aware of Al and Winry's gazes on him. It was pressuring, to say the least, but he ignored them for the sake of the godforsaken game. "...appreciated life until I had a near-death experience," he said simply.

No one drank.

"I never had sex," Ling cheekily said, getting incredulous looks from everyone. "What? I really haven't!" he scowled, looking at Ed, who scowled darkly as his circle of friends roared in laughter at his lack-of-experience and drank their shot.

"I never fingered a girl," Havoc revealed wistfully.

Ed, Fuery and Jerso didn't drink.

Mustang grinned leeringly after he finished his own and Darius coughed into his hand. Ling shrugged his shoulders sheepishly at the betrayed look Ed sent him.

Breda said: "I've never hit a girl willingly," remembering times when hitting women was necessary as their line of duty demanded them to be equal to all on the battlefield.

No one drank.

This continued for another hour, everyone adding their own ridiculous statements, until Fuery began to sway in his seat and he crashed to the side when he stood up, saying he needed to use the restroom. Strangely enough, they all roared in laughter at the technicians feeble attempts at standing.

"Okay! Okay!" Mustang snorted out, still trying to curb his laughter. "An hour has passed so..now we're going to increase the shots to two, deal?"

A chorus of 'yes' greeted him.

"I never ate dirt willingly," Mustang continued.

"You've eaten dirt before, Roy?" Edward mocked, with an overconfident grin.

"Fuck off, Full Metal," he scoffed, downing two shots at the next statement Ling said. They were on their third bottle now and Ed vaguely wondered how many bottles Havoc had brought...

By the time another hour rolled by, Ling was laughing uncontrollably; Breda had sank into his seat and began snoring; Jerso and Darius had started their own game and sang along to a song they both knew, horribly; Havoc was still going, as well as Mustang, and Ed couldn't stop grinning and swaying to Jerso and Darius' horribly deaf-tone voices.

"My turn!" Ed chirped happily, cheeks a hue of red as the whiskey wrecked havoc in his body. "I've never...confessed my love to the girl I love!" he shouted, unable to control his vocal cords anymore with the amount of shots he'd taken.

Mustang, Darius, Jerso, and Ling, who was still giggling, didn't drink this time.

But the statement, it seemed, made something flicker across Winry's face. He caught the flicker of shock and he vaguely wondered if she had not even been aware he held feelings for a girl in the first place. But the thought was followed by the obvious: duh, she should KNOW! I mean...for fucks sake, I don't feel like I'm cheatin' on someone 'cause I'm a good guy like Al or anythin'...

"I've never fucked the girl I love," Mustang mumbled, gloomily.

No one drank but Jerso and Darius.

"Hey! I gotta' take a leak, man, my bladders' goin' crazy with all this water!" Darius laughed boisterously, standing up unsteadily and making his way to the bathroom in a zig-zag path. Jerso also stood, stating: "I'ma go.. pass out..or something," he belched, causing an uproar amongst the intoxicated men.

"You're such a pussy!" Ed laughed out, swaying to the right against his will – or even knowledge, he was pretty sure he was sitting straight...

"What the kid said," Mustang added. "Get back here and drink, you wuss!"

"C'mon, one more round for old times sake!" Havoc persuaded, raising his shot glass.

"Oh...fine, only 'cause you guys said so," he grinned, toothily, and sat right back down, continuing their game and cheering as they all swallowed down their two drinks; finishing off the third bottle and moving onto their fourth...

"Oh, man..." Ed moaned, letting his head loll back. "I am...so shit-faced..." he belched, shot glass held loosely between numb fingers. His head had long since gotten used to the absent spin as the world gently became a swirl of colors and noise. Jerso had left after his second round, falling face-first on the floor and alarming Al, who went to help him to the reclining couch so he could sleep off the whiskey.

Ling had become too unstable and Ed was shocked to see Ran Fan walk in from the kitchen, heaving her master onto her shoulder while he whined and demanded to be put down with an expression comparable to that of a toddler.

"You have had enough for tonight, young master," she sighed wryly, taking Winry's offer to let him sleep in the upstairs guest bedroom without any complaints.

Breda was still snoring and Fuery had yet to get up from his place on the floor. He was on his back now; absently counting the ceiling cracks as the alcohol left him feeling relaxed and calm.

"Now it's just you, me and the Brigadier here," Havoc grinned, maliciously. He brought out three full-size plastic cups and slurred: "Fuck the game, alright? I've got nuthin', anyway...so now we're just gonna' see who passes out first, hmm?"

Ed blinked lethargically in response.

"Go for it," Mustang slurred right back, making a grab for the cup. He thrust one to Ed, who grabbed it seconds too late and it fell on the floor. They all stared at it and out of nowhere Ed began to laugh. Soon, the two other military men began to laugh, too, until it became an uncontrollable hilarity at Ed dropping his cup.

"Pick it up, short stuff," Havoc laughed out.

"Fuck you, you degenerate smoke addict!" Ed shot back, the silly laugh in his words softening the otherwise scathing remark. "I'll get it when I feel like it..."

"Get it now or else we can't make you a man," Mustang demanded, stubbornly. "Hurry it up, I can feel myself going already..."

"Fine," Ed replied, with an exaggerated amount of emphasis. "Don' get your panties' in a twist!" He leaned down and, without any warning, barreled right into the stool; forehead smashing against the edge. Mustang burst out laughing and Havoc followed in suit before Edward snorted in laughter as well and stumbled to the side, slamming into a wall and laughing harder.

"Brother...?" Al blinked owlishly at the uncharacteristic actions of his brother.

"Alphonse!" Ed sang, joyous to hear his little brothers voice. "You're the best brother in the world!" which caused the young boy to blush at the praise. Ed laughed harder when he saw Mustang had also stood but subsequently rammed into Havoc, who had tried to grab the cup in vain and fell forward, knocking the stool to the side along with the shot glasses they had placed upon it.

Thankfully, as Havoc screamed it for the whole house to hear, the bottle had been on the floor and was safe.

"Ed, I think its time for you to stop," Winry frowned, as the trio leaned against one another and Havoc shakily served them their final drink for the night; cups full up to the middle.

"Aw, c'mon, Win!" Ed whined, shaking his cup at her as if that was enough reason for him to continue. "Jus' one more! I swear this'll be ma' las' one!"

"No, Ed," she shook her head, knowing all-too-well that allowing him to drink it would be unwise. "Give it to me."

"NOW!" Mustang commanded with a finger pointed to the sky. They all downed the whiskey the best they could, Edward finally losing it and stumbling forward and straight into Winry, who squeaked and gripped his shoulders as he groaned in her chest due to the nasty taste of the whiskey and sudden pound in his head.

He tried to straighten up but his hand fell on her chest in the process. Winry gawked at Ed, who openly groped her after he noticed just where his hand had landed. The mound of flesh was soft, like a balloon of water, he vaguely compared, and he gave it another experimental squeeze. Then he said, quite seriously: "Hey, guys?"

"Whaa'?" both Mustang and Havoc responded.

"Can I get the drink I didn' take when it was Fuery's turn?" he slurred, still openly groping her; shocking her further when she felt his whole hand tighten around her breast. She felt heat rise to her cheeks at the poorly concealed lust she saw in Ed's hazy gold eyes as well an uncontrollable amount of rage at his audaciousness.

"Why?" Roy blinked stupidly.

"'Cause...I think I just touched boobs," he smirked.

"SCORE!" Havoc cheered.

Edward tried to walk forward but he failed and only pushed Winry farther back, her face beet red and her temper flaring at his disrespectful ways. She saw Alphonse try to control both Mustang and Havoc, who were singing some military chant while marching dumbly to the front porch to finish the last bit of whiskey.

Sciezska, Rebecca and Armstrong had long since left the house but Rose was still in the same place she had first sat herself in.

In fact, despite the spark of rage Winry felt at Ed's harassment, she also felt smugness when she saw Rose's wide eyes latched on the spot Ed had previously grabbed. She waved that off, however, when Edward also began to sing out something stupid.

Her anger reached its limits.

"GET OFF OF ME THIS INSTANT, YOU MORON!" she exploded, sending him a burning glare he completely disregarded.

"You're so hot when you're mad," he stated instead, with that same stupid grin he had acquired after his fifth shot of whiskey had sunk into his consciousness.

"Wh-what?" she choked, face growing redder, if possible. She narrowed her eyes, straining out: "Ed, you're drunk. Stop saying stupid things and get off me so you could go to sleep in your room!"

"I am not drunk," he huffed, not heeding her and continuing to push her toward the wall.

"Yes you are!" she snapped back, finally getting pressed against the wall due to his heavy weight. He seemed lucid enough to understand her so she continued as he finished the last remains of his whiskey in his cup: "Get off of me Ed or so help me I'll make you regret ever agreeing to that stupid game!"

"No you won'," he rolled his eyes exaggeratedly.

"Yes," she stressed. "I will."

"But I'm not drunk yet!" he whined.

"You're drunk enough!" she retorted, pushing him away from her with an angry scowl. "Now go upstairs—in fact, just go take the patient room down the hall, I doubt you could even climb the stairs by yourself!"

"But—Mustang," Ed complained, making the Brigadier snap his head to him woozily. "She's tellin' me to go to sleep! Make her stop, you wet-match stick!" he whined.

"Winry, as a...a..a..military officer I demand you to let Full Metal stay up as long as he likes!" he pulled rank, grabbing his badge by the fifth try and thrusting it to her as if that would stop her.

"I don't care if you're the Fuhrer of Amestris!" she growled, making both Ed and Mustang gasp dramatically. "You are both going to sleep and you will both suffer the hang over by yourselves because I am not making you two a remedy for it!"

Edward gave her a long, surveying, stare. Then he said, while looking at Mustang: "Hugh's was right," he slurred. "She'd make a good wife!"

Winry's jaw fell open.

Rose gasped.

"Hugh's was always right!" Mustang replied with a surprising amount of conviction. "He was Hugh's! He's always had his head screwed on right unlike us! Bet he's laughing at us right now from wherever he's at..." he mumbled off, face visibly falling.

"Yeah..." Ed trailed, mood a little dampened by the thought of their deceased friend. "Bet'cha he'd photograph this and make us regret it."

Mustang's eyes widened in sudden awe. "Riza! Riza! Riza!" he called, like a little kid. He stumbled over to her, gripping her shoulders as she quirked a brow. "The shrimp just gave me the best idea ever! When he goes to sleep...go into his room and shove his hand down his pants and take a pic'ure of it!" Mustang grinned. "Then we'll post it up all over Cen'tal Command!"

"HEY! I'M RIGHT HERE YOU KNOW!" Ed screeched back, still leaning heavily against Winry, who's arms were starting to tire at having to hold him at an arms length.

"Right..." Roy turned back to Riza, placing a finger on his lips and shushing exaggeratedly. "Shhh! Don't let 'em hear you..."

"Sir, just follow me," Riza sighed in exasperation.

Alphonse scratched his head at his inebriated brother's snort.

"Do you want me to help you with him, Winry?" Al offered, once Ed fell into a gibberish talk nobody but perhaps Al knew about.

She sighed, slipping from Ed's grasp and letting the boy crash into the wall with a hiccup of giggles. Her eyes strayed to the living room, where Rose still sat, calmly. Havoc had crashed in the vacated couch across from her; sleeping soundly.

"Don't worry," she assured. "I'll handle him. I think Riza needs more help," she winced when she heard Roy wail something out and come out of the bedroom seconds later, screaming: "CODE YELLOW 355F! RIZA HAS A GUN!"

Alphonse sighed and went after the drunk Brigadier General, who unsteadily ran past him as Riza emerged from the room; looking thoroughly murderous at her superiors unsightly shout.

"Ha!" Ed laughed, gazing after the Brigadier who disappeared into the kitchen; sounds of pans and cups breaking. Riza barked something out. "He's gonna' have more holes in 'em than swiss cheese!"

"You're going to be swiss cheese if you don't get moving!" Winry snarled, shoving him roughly down the hall.

Ed groaned. "You're so mean, Win! You're no' gonna' let Riza shoot me up with her gun, are ya'?"

"I might consider it if you don't get your ass in the room!"

Ed snorted in laughter. "As long as you don' use your wrench I don' care!"

Winry felt her patience leave her and she threw open the patient door. She shoved him inside, about to slam the door shut and direct Rose to her own room for the night when a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her into the room and making the slamming door nearly break her fingers off in the process.

"ED!" she screamed, furiously. "What the hell do you think you're—!"

"Why do you have to be so sexy when you're mad?" he whined, slamming her against the door with a force that made the breath leave her for a moment. "It's not fair..." His breath smelt heavily of the alcohol he had consumed previously and she thinned her lips; not letting the words get to her even though her cheeks felt red.

"Edward..." she drew in a calming stream of air to calm her nerves. "You don't know what you're saying—!"

"Like hell I don't!" he brusquely snapped. Then his tone took on an almost vulnerable approach: "I'm sorry..."

"Sorry?" she spluttered, amazed at how his mood could swing so abruptly. "Sorry for what, Ed?"

"Rose," he bemoaned. "But she wouldn' leave me alone and I didn' know what to do so I let her...but I'm an idio' 'cause I sorta led her on so I'm sorry!" his face smashed against her chest and she screwed her eyes shut, cringing when she felt him continue to mumble into her cleavage. She could honestly say she was not prepared for what he said next: "...I really like you."

Or the next few things..

"You smell good," he added, momentarily forgetting his last statement. "and...you have huge boobs!" he admitted with a cheeky grin.

"EDWARD!"

She left the room with a swift dusting of her hands, not at all guilty for knocking his lights out for him as she strode back to Rose and directed her to her room for the night; ignoring the bright red of her cheeks that refused to cool down, even as she laid down in her bed and forced herself to sleep.

His awakening that night was harshly different than his awakening the day previous. He felt nauseous and completely sick, his stomach sour and rolling. There was a skull-splitting pounding at his temples that nearly drove him to simply lie down and curl into a ball for the entire day. But he forced himself up, cracking his eyes open to see that he had fallen asleep inside the patients room.

He swallowed, throat parched, and slowly made his way to the door, leaning against it heavily and shutting his eyes against another tidal wave of nausea and fatigue. His memory from the night previous was fuzzy but the recollection soon came back to him in one shot – causing his hammering head to grow worse when he remembered he had literally harassed Winry.

He swore to himself, dragging himself into the kitchen.

"How do you feel, brother?" Alphonse asked, when his brother fell into the chair beside him. He didn't meet Winry's eyes and only buried his face into his arms.

"Like a jerk," he mumbled to him, digging his fingers into his splitting skull. He could vaguely hear snoring come from the living room. "What time is it?"

"It's actually quite early," Winry responded, making the guilt that had begun to knit itself in his gut worsen. "It's nine. I expected you to be up by two or something. Nobody has even woken up yet!"

Alphonse patted his brother's head. "Safe to say you will never do this again?"

"Promise," Ed moaned back. Al chuckled and said he needed to go and check on Havoc; who they could now hear curse loudly as he awoke to a no doubt sour stomach and pounding head.

"Well, I guess there's no choice...here."

He lifted his face, looking at the glass filled with an assortment of ingredients in confusion. He rose his eyes to Winry, who smiled back. "Drink it. It'll cure the hang over."

"How do you know?" he asked, slowly lifting his head.

"Ed, granny was a master drinker when she was younger. She still is," she shook her head. "You're really lucky she had an emergency call to Dublith or else she'd be whacking you on the head with her pipe!"

"I deserve it," he sighed, about to drink it.

"Wait!" Winry shouted. "Plug your nose."

"Why?"

"Trust me, just do it."

He did and drank it, nearly heaving it back out but continuing to drink it due to Winry's quick encouragement. He slammed the finished glass down, groaning at the awful taste of the remedy that, at the moment, seemed to only make the nausea worse.

"Don't worry, you'll feel better soon," she assured comfortingly.

Edward frowned, still not meeting her gaze. "Why are you even giving me this? I was such a bastard yesterday..." he sighed, rubbing his eyes out. "...Sorry..."

"It's fine," Winry smiled warmly, having mulled it over the entire night. She came to the conclusion that he'd been intoxicated and had not known what he was doing in the heat of the moment. "No blood, no foul."

"Still," he persisted. "I..." He gave up trying to word his scrambling thoughts.

She had been right, however – his stomach was feeling better than it had a few moments ago.

"Look," Winry began, soothingly. "How about once you're feeling better we go open up your presents, hmm?"

Edward looked up hesitantly, searching her eyes and finding not a hint of scorn. He nodded, dropping his gaze back down and allowing the homemade remedy to cure him of the hangover.

Half an hour later, once he felt well enough to stand up, Winry accompanied him up the stairs. She helped him along with subtle pushes, as his balance was still hindered by the bouts of pain his head gave, and Ed rolled his eyes when he caught a glimpse of Ling in the upstairs guest room; sprawled on the bed with Ran Fan faithfully sleeping against the side of the bed, on the floor.

"God, whatever you gave me stinks," Ed wrinkled his nose, the nasty residue making him ill. He detoured to the bathroom, Winry's giggling behind him, and brushed his teeth out furiously; spitting the foam out and washing his mouth a few times to fully get rid of that gross concoction of what seemed to be eggs and milk thrown into one.

"C'mon, you idiot," Winry affectionately said, tugging him down the hall. "Let's open your gifts before everyone else wakes up!"

He entered his room, glad to find it empty, and his eyes landed on the pile of gifts Winry had been kind enough to place on his bed. He sat on the edge and Winry handed him one of the boxes: Sciezska's gift.

The gift-opening session had been silent for better part of it. He had gotten an assortment of things such as books or envelops filled with a reasonable amount of money. He had received a pretty good alchemy book from Riza, surprisingly, and he'd thrown Havoc's gift to the side when his eyes caught the "XXX" on the magazine stack...

"What are you going to do with them?" Winry asked, picking up the dirty magazine curiously. "Aren't you gonna' read it...?"

Ed gave her an incredulous look. "You want me to read porn?"

Winry dropped the magazine, making note to burn them later. "Point taken..."

When he came down to the last two gifts – Mustang's and Winry's – he didn't know which one to open first. He gazed at the rectangular box that was Roy's gift and then the smaller parcel that was Winry's. He honestly wanted to see what Roy had given him but the small gift from Winry called to him.

He opened hers first, tearing the paper off silently and realizing it was a book. But it wasn't just any book, he noticed, once he saw how thick it really was and how it lacked the usual amount of text within. He hesitantly flipped it open, speechless when the smiling picture of his mother greeted him.

She was kneeling with the trio that was them when they were toddlers in her arms; her bright and warm smile making his chest hurt and tug with yearning. He had never seen this picture before and he wondered why for a moment, his fingers grazing her cheerful face.

"I collected a lot of photos when I cleaned up the attic a couple of weeks back," she explained. "I found a lot of rare ones I haven't even seen before so I...made that for you."

"Thank you," he sincerely said, flipping the page to see another picture of his mother when she had been pregnant with, he assumed, him by how young she looked. "This really means a lot to me." He closed it.

He wanted to review the photos alone.

Winry understood and motioned for the next gift.

"Open it," she smiled, curious as to what Ed's ex-superior officer had gotten him.

Ed frowned and tore the paper off, frown deepening when all he saw was a regular looking box. He ripped the flaps off and scowled when another box came out. "What the..?" he mumbled, opening that one and taking another one out and another until all that was left was a little box the size of his palm.

He was about to go curse Mustang for his prank gift when a simple sheet of paper came out of the small box. He unfolded the sheet, a few words written upon the paper in neat handwriting:

Never let her go.
Don't wait for tomorrow
for what you could do today, Full Metal.

- Mustang

He froze.

"What does it say?" Winry pipped, peeking over to see what the small paper said. "Ed?"

He crushed the paper in his palm. He didn't answer any of her questions as he pondered the words. His ex-superior officer had not giving him anything tangible but he had given him something better; perhaps the best gift out of all of them, although Winry's was a runner up.

"Edward...?" she whispered, worriedly. His face had gone strangely blank. "Is something the matter?"

He looked up at her. The words stuck in his throat at the sight of her concerned sapphire eyes. They said that when under the influence, you were the most honest... Edward recalled telling her he liked her but he was sure she had disregarded everything he had said that night – even if nearly all of those things had been thoughts he would never say outloud.

He glanced back at the paper in his hand.

'Don't wait for tomorrow', huh? He thought, soberly. "Winry..." he began, unsurely. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you..."

"What is it?" she asked, hesitantly.

"It's...kind of out of the blue," he swallowed, not meeting her gaze at all. "And you'll probably not like it but..."

Winry held her breath, biting her lip as Edward collected his thoughts.

"..I-I wasn't lying, yesterday," he mumbled, face growing progressively red. "When...I told you that..."

"Told me what?"

Ed sighed sharply. "Remember? When I told you...you..." He stopped, looking expectantly at her.

She, surprisingly, became infuriated. "You jerk!" she shouted, standing up; red faced.

Ed's brows creased in confusion. "What?"

"You're a jerk! I should've never given you that remedy!" she shouted, about to leave when his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, forbidding her from taking another step out that door and, in a sense, out of his life.

"Wait, what were you thinking about?"

She parted her lips. Then she shook her head and mumbled: "Just let me go, Edward!"

"No!" he scowled. "What were you—what did I say?" he asked instead, firmly.

She stiffly answered: "..You-you said that—I had, um..." She swallowed her nerves and huffily said: "You said I had a big chest."

Edward's face colored scarlet and stuttered: "Y-you don't!" She snapped her head to him in surprise. "I mean, you do! No, wait, I didn't mean it like that! I wasn't talking about that anyway!" he covered up hastily, shutting his eyes. "I-I was talking about the other thing!"

"What other thing?" she roared, eyes flashing with annoyance. "Edward, just go ahead and say it! We'll never reach an understanding if you don't!"

"I-I really like you!" he blurted out, eyes glued to the floor. He heard her gasp sharply. His heart was lodged in his throat, stomach churning as he waited for her response. He had always known this part of the confessing process would be excruciating – Al had once mentioned it when the brothers spoke of their love interests one night when sleep wouldn't come to them.

He had been aware of the utter fear, the ache in his chest and stomach at her silence, but he had never knew it would be so powerful; so terrifying. Now he remembered why he had never mustered the guts to really confess to her, as she shifted closer to him and her hand grabbed his trembling one off her wrist.

"You're such an idiot, you know that?" she said, softly, and he was about to snap his head up and try not to let the rejection eat at him too bad when she leaned down and wrapped her arms around his neck. He was stunned, unsure of what to do, and only sat there like a statue as she tightened her hold and sighed contently through her nose.

"U-uh," he swallowed. "You're not...mad or anything...right?"

She chuckled, the sound sending pleasant shivers down his spine. "If I was mad, do you think I'd be hugging you right now?"

His nerves wilted and he managed a small smile. "I guess not."

"So does that mean you also meant your apology?"

"Apology?" he asked, searching his memories for such talk. Then he remembered Rose and he nodded, bringing her to sit next to him so he could properly bring her into his arms. "Yeah...I meant a lot of things yesterday."

She giggled and he frowned.

"What?"

"N-nothing..."

"No, seriously, what?" He leaned back, trying to look at her face, which she kept hidden as she laughed. "Winry!"

"Then...that means...you think I'm sexy when I'm mad!" she busted out laughing, his face heating against his will at the thought no one, much less her, was suppose to know in the first place! That was his muse, his high, and now she knew about it! He wondered if she would intentionally curb her explosive ways just so he wasn't allowed the luxury of lusting for her in the heated rage...

"I-I do not!" he yelled. "That's one thing I didn't mean!"

"Uh huh..."

"No! I'm serious! I didn't mean it!"

She drew closer, contently bringing him closer to her. His own arms tightened in response. "It doesn't matter," she sighed out. "It's about to be eleven. We should probably head back downstairs – Riza said she would leave before twelve whether or not Mr Mustang and Havoc are awake."

"Where is Mustang?"

"He passed out on Riza in the kitchen after I settled you down," Winry explained. "He and Riza used to the patient room beside yours since there's three beds inside."

"...Do you have a camera—!"

"No, Ed," she pulled him up along with her, her fingers lacing with his own as she tugged him out of the room. "You're not going to take indecent pictures of the Brigadier!"

"...I wasn't even going to say that," he scoffed, scowling as he had been caught.

"You should be thankful, Ed," Winry laughed, her warm laughter making a smile lift on his lips. "Now you're finally a man!"

"And eligible for car insurance," he muttered, rolling his eyes when she announced they should throw a birthday bash for Alphonse as well.

He didn't even want to know how that one would play out.