AN: Hey guys! This is mainly to keep the creative juices flowing, but I just got this idea after re-watching FMA: Brotherhood recently. And goodness knows I love that show. So here's to the Brotherhood fans out there!
Enjoy, review, and you stay classy, San Diego.
I hear the sound of my grandmother walking up the stairs to her room. I lift my head lazily form the table, grab my wrench, and shift in my chair.
"Winry, you should turn in, too. You look exhausted."
I puff out an exasperated sigh, resting my head against the back of the chair. The back was a bit farther down than I thought as I started sliding off the chair and slam my head into the curve of the wood. Rubbing my head, I stand reluctantly.
"I will soon, I just have to finish a few things first. Goodnight!"
"See you tomorrow," she says through a yawn. She must be even more exhausted than me.
The automail business has really picked up over the past few months. Thank goodness. It has given me something to think about other than him.
Ed.
I'm happy that he found something to keep his busy mind occupied, don't get me wrong. But a part of me wishes he wasn't so far away from us. From me.
Heat rushes to my face and I smile a little. When did I get so girly? Just before he stepped onto that train I hated—only for the reason it carried him away from me—he admitted something that I never thought I would hear from him. Something I have always wanted to hear, but never thought I actually would.
His feelings for me.
Great timing as usual, Ed, I think, you tell me you love me then step on a train to leave to never see me again for at least a year.
However, if it were any other way he wouldn't be the boy I love.
No, not a boy anymore. He has seen hell. He's been beyond boundaries that normal people can't even dream of crossing, and has always returned. He has changed so many times within the past couple years one can hardly associate him with the boy he used to be:
Hyper, short tempered, and actually just short in general.
I laugh a little as I make my way to my bench in the back room to finish up for the night. I close the door behind me and turn on the light above my work station. Sitting down in my chair and donning my bandana, I set to work.
My grandma and I came up with an idea for automail legs and immediately set to work on it. Basically, you wouldn't have to get an entirely new leg built for you if you grow. We invented a peg system that is customizable to the owner's height. We got the idea when one of our newer customers came in on a pair of adjustable crutches not too long ago. We still have yet to test it out, but we believe it to be one of our best ideas yet, and can't wait to give it a test run.
My eyelids begin to droop when the sudden clanking of metal on the ground startles me awake again. I look down to see what it was. My wrench had slipped out of my hands. I must be more tired than I thought. Luckily, I only have one thing left to oil and I can call it a night.
I finish up and set the project down on the table gingerly, take off my gloves to place them next to it, then bend down to pick up the wrench and place it in my pocket. Standing to leave the room I hear the familiar pitter patter-clank of our family dog, Den, running down the stairs. Smiling, I shut the light off and close the door behind me, grabbing my sweatshirt off a hook as I do. Pulling my arms through the sweatshirt, I walk into the kitchen and grab a glass from the cabinets overhead filling it with cold, crisp water. Den makes his way over to me and nuzzles my leg. I bend down to pet his head and make my way to the stairs.
The only thing I can think of now is my bed. My heavenly cloud of cotton and memory foam awaits simply a staircase away. I can hardly contain my happiness. Not even three steps up, Den starts barking and bolts to the door. I look over my shoulder, tilting my head confusedly, and sigh.
"I guess my bed will have to wait," I mumble. Sighing, I turn around and make my way toward the door. I set my cup on the table and reach for the handle, but find it already being turned. Startled, I jump backwards to not get hit, grab my wrench from my pocket, hold it over my head, and wait for the assailant to come in.
But the assailant is not who I was expecting. Not at all.
He stands there, frozen in the doorframe, with shadows covering most of his face so I can't see his expression. But I know who it is instantly.
Only so many people have that long, blonde hair.
He stays in the doorway, as if unsure of what to do from here. I lower my wrench. Maybe that will help.
"Winry," he says quietly, almost in awe. My eyebrows furrow together as my hand holding my wrench falls to my side; my mouth opens slightly seemingly by itself.
"Ed," I whisper. My mind sprints in all sorts of directions. Confused that he is here, mainly, but also happy. Happy that he is okay, happy that he is taking off his coat, happy he is here.
I decide the distance between us is too much and bolt straight at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and nuzzling my head into his chest. I feel his arms instantly wrap around me and pull me closer.
"Winry," he whispers as he rubs circles into my back. I shiver, despite the warmth he is giving off. "I know you said to make an appointment to see you about my leg, but—" I whip my wrench out and smack him over the head. He begins to yell, but I cover his mouth.
"Ed, no yelling," I smile devilishly, "my grandma's already in bed."
"Then don't smack me over the head with your stupid wrench!"
I don't listen to him.
"Okay, I'm sorry," he says holding his head, "it's not a stupid wrench. Please, no more." He holds his hand up to defend himself just in case. I start laughing quietly. He does, too. Den makes his way over to Ed, nudging his leg, and whimpering.
"Den," he says, "You're such a needy dog," he sounds annoyed, but I know better. He scratches him behind the ear.
"So," I begin, "what brings you here? I thought you were traveling to gather information on different forms of alchemy?"
"Yeah," he sighs, scratching the back of his head, "though it's kind of hard to start something you don't know how to." I nod. I understood that more than anyone. The road to being an automail mechanic isn't an easy one, but even that doesn't compare to the world of alchemy. "I wish my dad were still around, so he could give me a little nudge in the right direction," he mumbles. I close my eyes, remembering. My grandma found him kneeling in front of their mother's grave, dead. He had become such a big part of their lives in the end that it was hard to see the news get passed to Ed and Al. Sure they didn't cry, but their spirits were crushed.
I reach out a hand and squeeze his arm. He looks at me and gives me a half smile.
"Sorry, this wasn't what I wanted to talk about tonight."
"You came here to talk? About what?" I let my arm drop, not before he catches my hand in his.
"Come with me and find out," he smiles bigger, pulling me behind him as we walk out the door and onto the walking path in front of my house. He pulls me right alongside him and places his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. I lean in, noticing how tall he has gotten. He actually has a good four inches on me now. I don't know how I feel about him looking down at me. Then I look up, take in his rare-experienced carefree expression, and decide that I am okay with the change.
Half of me still can't believe he is actually here. The other half is trying to keep my hands warm by burrowing them into my deep pockets of my sweatshirt.
"Where are you taking me?" I ask, yawning.
"You'll see," is all he says.
I wish I could say that my energy was bursting now that he is next to me, but the opposite is happening and I start falling asleep standing up. He senses this, and bends down to place his arm behind my knees and picks me up.
"Ed," I whisper. "You don't have to—" I yawn.
"Apparently I do," he says with a chuckle. The smooth sway doesn't help with keeping me awake, either. I switch in and out of consciousness as easily as flicking on and off a light switch. But after a while, the swaying stops. I feel him begin to set me down in the soft grass, slightly slanted. It must be a hill. I inhale deeply and open my eyes, rolling over to my stomach to get up.
But end up rolling on top of him. He starts to laugh.
"Winry, you're exhausted!"
"You're telling me," I mumble. He only laughs harder as he wraps his arms around me. If I wasn't so tired, I would be blushing up a storm. Thank goodness lack of consciousness also means a lack of embarrassment. For now.
I burrow into him again and smell his scent. The soap he uses when he showers, a hint of sweat, and just a bit of metal where his automail arm used to be attached that we couldn't remove after he regained his real arm. I'm not complaining.
He leans a bit to kiss the top of my head. I close my eyes. I'm a bit nervous, but I also like where this is going.
"Winry," he says softly, sitting up, and bringing me with him. I look at him and see that he is glancing off into the distance. "Look at the world. It's so huge. I would know, I saved it," I nudge his side with my elbow. He laughs. "Seriously though, I had no idea how vast it truly is until I started traveling. And I only went a couple hundred miles! It amazes me every day that people can use alchemy, and others can't. In a way, everyone is unique. Not everyone can be an alchemist, but they learn about something else and they become remarkable. Like you and granny with the automail business. The only reason I know so much about automail is because of you two. I've been to other mechanics in the past," I shoot him a glare and his eyebrows fly up. "Only because we were a hundred miles away and I needed a tune up something fierce. I can officially say it didn't even come close to your fine tuning," I lessen the severity of my gaze and laugh.
"Now you are just sucking up to not get a wrench in your face," I lean back, folding my arms
"Maybe," he shrugs. I bring my arm up, wrench in hand, and he grabs it to block. "Kidding! I'm kidding! Truly, Winry, you have a gift. And you have shared your gift with me. I can't even begin to repay you," he drifts off. I lower my arm and take in his expression. I know him inside out, and can plainly see that he is not joking.
All I did was give him an arm and a leg. It wasn't just for his gain, either. That's what he doesn't understand. He was my first customer, my first experiment should I dare to say. He allowed me to give him his limbs back. And with those limbs, he saved the human race.
He's right. He can't begin to pay me back.
Because he already has. And then some.
"Ed," I breathe, but he puts up a hand to stop me.
"I know what you're going to say," he closes his eyes, "but I just wanted you to know how important you are to me, Winry. I don't think you realize how much." He opens his eyes and turns his steady gaze to mine. "And that doesn't even begin to tap into the level of gratitude. You gave me a leg to stand on, an arm to lift things, and a spirit kindled by you alone." He places his hand on mine, leaning in.
"In all of my travels, I have met so many people. So many women," he almost hesitates, "but none of them compared to the girl from my childhood. The woman I love. The beautiful automail junkie," he chuckles a bit. I smile.
He has really grown up.
"Ed," I whisper as he closes the distance between us, grabbing the back of my neck to bring my lips to his.
I forget my exhaustion and let his warmth envelope me.
I wake to the sun's rays falling on my face through the window of my room. I stretch and feel something with the palm of my hand. Looking over my shoulder, I find Ed lying next to me, shirt tangled and open mouthed.
Then I remember.
I smile, curling up against him as he takes a deep breath.
"Winry," he whispers in his sleep. I almost laugh, but hear the sound of my doorknob turning behind me. I quickly pretend to be asleep as my grandma walks into the room. She must have seen that I am not alone in my bed, though, because she stops about half way. I freeze.
"Finally," I hear her whisper as she turns to leave, quietly shutting the door behind her. My body relaxes and I smile.
Finally, indeed.