--

REFLECTIONS

EPILOGUE

--

“You look good in drag, Edo,” Envy teased.

“You look beautiful, bro,” Al corrected.

“Why the HELL do I have to wear the dress?” Ed snarled, throwing down the bead-decorated veil. He wore a simple dress, strapless with a tight bodice and an extremely loose, flowing skirt cascading from it. Small golden beads decorated parts in spirals, much like his scars.

“Because you said you would,” Al sighed.

“…that’s not the point!”

‘You like it, Ed… I know you have a feminine side. The nail-polish says a lot,’ Pride said, recalling Ed’s hidden stash. Ed blushed, cursing his alter-ego.

“We all know Mustang’s going to drool over you and then you’ll loose the ability to walk for a few weeks. If not months.”

“Pervert!” Ed snapped, blushing heavily.

“Happened before.”

That was no lie. Whenever the Fuhrer had a holiday, he liked… fun.

Ed’s eighteenth birthday had passed three months ago; he was a year over the legal age for Amestris and Roy had finally proposed in early January, earning a loud “I-told-you-so” and a ruined moment.

Envy and Al were too protective.

Three months after the successful downfall of the Homunculi and their leader, Roy was finally promoted to Fuhrer. It had taken heavy negotiation, but finally, the Ishballan leader accepted the difference between their cultures and the promise of peaceful studying. Finally, Ed could read an alchemy book without disguising it as a crappy novel and he no longer needed to keep his ego under heavy surveillance.

“Edward, keep still!” Winry scowled.

“Why do I have to wear make-up?” Ed whined.

“Because you’re supposed to be even more of a girl,” Winry snapped.

“But Roy says I look better without it!”

Winry shuddered, deciding not to ask.

“Ed, it’s the wedding of the year – probably decade! People are going to remember this forever!” Winry said, abandoning the eyeliner. She picked up a hair-brush.

“People are going to know who I am anyway, they can see my scars and Ouroburos,” Ed pouted.

“So what? People are idiots,” Envy yawned. “Just play along Edo, even I’m dressed up.”

Envy was wearing a tux, earning a lot of laughter and questions – most in reference to cross-dressing.

“Greed made you.”

“That’s different,” Envy insisted.

Rolling his eyes, Ed allowed Winry to continuing preening him. She rolled his hair up into a bun, examining him closely, before shaking her head and letting it down. Snapping her fingers, an idea struck.

“Wavy,” Winry concluded.

“…hair can be wavy?”

“Yes! And it will look dead sexy!” Hearing Alphonse say this was disturbing.

Soon, Ed was being attacked by various objects in a swift and successful attempt to wave the hair spilt lazily down his back.

“If you’d have told me that before I would’ve braided it,” Ed pouted.

‘That braid is old, Ed. How can you keep your hair the same between eleven and fifteen?’ Pride teased.

‘YOU’RE the girly one!’

‘Guilty.’

Rolling his eyes, Ed glanced sideways at the mirror. His bangs were the same as ever; pointed, framing his face; the rest of his hair, however, was in gentle waves spaning down his back.

“Told you,” Winry smirked, tucking a white rose behind Ed’s right ear.

“…how long left?” Ed asked.

“Erm… maybe an hour,” Winry replied. “We expected you to be more… resistant.”

Ed decided to ignore that.

“EDWARD! I BET YOU CAN’T WAIT TO SEE MY DAUGHTER ELICIA IN THE FLOWER GIRL DRESS!” Hughes yelled, bursting through the door. “It’s beyond cute, people are going to remember it forever! You and Roy made a great choice!”

“Um… okay…”

“But you should let her sing, she’s got the voice of an angel…” Hughes added, sighing proudly.

“Eh-heh, nice to see you’re still insane.”

Hughes adjusted his glasses, suddenly raising a camera and snapping pictures.

“THE HELL? YOU COULD GIMME SOME WARNING!” Ed roared.

“Oh, but then I’d miss the real Edward Elric,” Hughes grinned.

“The yelling?” Envy guessed, though no-one really needed to ask.

“Nice to see Roy’s finally getting a wife.”

Ed’s eye twitched. Sensing up-coming rage, Hughes rushed off.

“See ya, Ed! Good luck,” he called over his shoulder.

“Every person I know is insane,” Ed growled.

‘You love it.’

--

The ceremony took place in Risembool, on the hill over looking Trisha Elric’s grave. This idea had always plagued Ed’s mind, but he hadn’t been the one to suggest it. Roy really did know him.

Miraculously, there was no media, no hiccups and no disasters. Everything went smoothly; it was perfect.

It was boring, too. Did they really need all this talk?

“…the couple has written their own vows,” the minister droned, “and will now recite them to each other.”

Everyone’s expectant gaze fell upon Ed. Blushing slightly, he started to speak.

“Um… there’s not really much I can give to the man who has everything. I don’t have power, next to no money and I can’t even guarantee that I’ll always be there,” Ed said, pausing to take in a deep breath. “But what I can promise is that you’ll always have my love.”

A chorus of “aww”s rang through the crowd, Ed’s sweet and very out-of-character words touching their hearts. A middle aged Risembool local was loudly wondering why her husband couldn’t be so sweet.

“To you, Ed, I pledge everything. My life, my heart, my soul – everything I have to offer is yours. To use your own words, for you, there is nothing I won’t give,” Roy responded.

More “aww”s played through the crowd, their music nothing to the love in the couple’s eyes.

“Do you, Edward Elric, take Roy Mustang as your lawfully wedded husband?” the minister asked, wiping a tear from his eye.

“I do,” Ed said, wondering why the man had to even ask.

“And do you, Roy Mustang, take Edward Elric as your lawfully wedded wife?”

Ed’s eye twitched slightly, but his rage disappeared the second those famous words flowed from his mouth.

“By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”

The crowd cheered as their lips met. And those cheers died down a minute later. Sighing, Envy walked over, poking Ed slightly.

“You can stop now.”

Blushing, they pulled apart.

‘Thanks for the vows, Pride,’ Ed thought quickly.

‘No problem. You suck at anything even slightly romantic,’ Pride replied cheekily.

“AFTER PARTY AT WINRY’S HOUSE!” Envy announced, receiving enthusiastic cheers. Everyone left their seats, rushing to the Rockbell residence.

Smiling, Ed gazed over at his mother’s grave. A sad glint held in his eyes, obviously tears. Roy steered Ed towards the grave slowly.

“What would she have said?” Ed wondered.

“Judging from what I’ve heard,” Roy replied, “she would be crying with joy.”

Ed nodded, smiling. “Probably.” He knelt down in front of the grave, clapping his hands together. He soon held a large ring of flowers in his hands. Ed slowly placed them on the grave.

“She liked these.”

Smiling, Roy took Ed’s hand, helping him to his feet. After a not-so-quick kiss, he ran off towards the Rockbell home.

“Slow down, dammit! Do you have any idea how hard it is to run in heels?” Ed cried. In response, Roy lifted Ed into the classic bride position.

“Better?”

Ed scowled, unable to erase the hints of a smile under it.

They came into the house to heavy cheers – some people were drunk already, quiet an amazing achievement.

“Ed, man, how come you didn’t get Envy in a dress?” Greed asked, anything but sombre. “He likes dresses, y’know, he’s just in deeeenial.”

“…how do you get drunk that quickly?” Ed asked uneasily.

Greed held up a half-empty bottle of sake.

“Ah.”

“But that’s not important! Why won’t Envy cross-dress?” Greed sobbed.

“Erm… maybe he’s trying to set an example for Wrath,” Ed suggested, knowing this was a lie. Envy didn’t set examples normally. He did it by doing what you shouldn’t, and then you would see the result and possibly be scarred for life.

Greed tapped his head.

“I’m sure he’ll cross-dress for you when you get home,” Roy reassured. Greed grinned, a perverted glint in his eyes.

Shuddering, Ed slipped down from Roy’s arms, kicking the plain high-heels off. Winry and Pinako were going to suffer greatly if this was the result of several minutes.

Al came up to them, smiling. He hugged Ed tightly, proud tears in his eyes.

“Ed, you’re growing up so much!” he cried.

“So are you!” Ed choked out, wondering if his little brother had been near any alcohol.

“I know, I was going to ask Martel to marry me…” Al whispered. “You’re my inspiration, big bro!”

“Al, you’re seventeen.”

“It’s legal!”

“Barely,” Ed sighed. “Just… wait a bit longer? Then you’ll enjoy it more.”

Al nodded enthusiastically.

“And Al, when you propose, even if there are two over-protective brothers stalking you, don’t stop,” Roy added.

“Yes sir!”

Al walked off, smiling brightly, tears of pride still in his eyes.

“Looks like there’s going to be more weddings in the next few years,” Roy chuckled, signalling to Winry and her boyfriend, Russell.

Ed laughed, agreeing. “But imagine if Envy and Greed got married… who the hell is the girl o that relationship?”

Roy shook his head. “I don’t want to know.”

“Edddddo!” Envy yelled. “There’s no Happy Meals!”

“WHAT?” Wrath yelled.

“You only eat them, Envy! You’re gonna get fat and die,” Ed snapped.

“I CAN NEVER BE FAT!”

Ed groaned.

“The sad thing is, you can’t tell if he’s drunk or just manic,” Roy agreed.

Envy stumbled over to them.

“I heard from a bird that weddings are even better when you’re in them,” Envy grinned.

“…you were in it. A groom’s man, remember?”

“Nonono, getting married.”

Ed raised an eyebrow. “Envy considering settling down? No way.”

“Gotta some day, don’tcha?”

And after that, Envy started singing in Xingese. The only word Ed picked up was “mirai”. (1)

Soon after, Ed and Roy were sitting on the porch, watching the sun setting.

“Some reception,” Roy said sarcastically.

“They said after party,” Ed shrugged.

Smiling contently, he leant against Roy, eyes half-closed. This peacefulness, this joy – he could get used to it.

“Looks like it’s not gonna rain for a while,” Ed observed, grinning. Roy understood the secret meaning, shown by the soft kiss.

“Maybe never again,” Ed concluded, closing his eyes.

--

(1) – An actual song, sung by Yamaguchi Mayumi, Envy’s Japanese VA. It’s about the future, moving on… stuff that really doesn’t suit Envy XD

--

That’s it! With that crappy ending, I leave this fic and plot forever.

…even if it’s too happy for my liking. Oh well!

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and read along the way, I adore you all!

See ya!