One Coat and a Pair of Earrings

AN: Okay, first off – I'm not entirely sure about the capitalization in this title. I know you should avoid capitalizing words like 'a' and 'and', but it just looks so awkward…

Secondly, I got this idea from watching episode 23 and re-reading volume 12 of the manga… when Edward gives his coat to Winry before he goes to rejoin the fight against Scar, that's the last we see of it for a long time. When he's wearing a coat next, it's a similar one, but with fur – what he wears to Briggs. So, yeah. Enjoy!

Spoilers up till chapter 72(I think)!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist… I kind of wish I did, because then I'd know what's going to happen, but there's no way I'd be able to think up such intricacies… so no, everything but my imagination belongs to Hiromu Arakawa.

"I'm sorry, Winry… Al's still fighting, so I've gotta go… I'll tell you everything when we get back, I promise."

With those words, he left, the only thing remaining being the lingering warmth of his hand in hers and the coat he'd draped over her shoulders.

Why isn't there anything else I can do, other than wait…?

She got into the automobile with the two military personnel, clutching the red coat to her body and screwing her eyes shut. She didn't care where they were taking her. She was frozen, she'd remain stuck in time until they came back and showed her they were all right, they were safe again, if only for a little while…

The coat was well worn and frayed around the edges. She ran her fingers across the material, feeling the tiny rips and tears in the fabric. Tears welled underneath her closed eyelids and spilled over.

He had to fight – he had to protect his brother and himself and the citizens of Central from a mass murderer. And she'd just slowed him down, given him another thing to worry about.

"Geez, Ed, I wish you wouldn't worry us so much…"

It wasn't easy, she realized then, to avoid worrying those you loved.

"You're safe." A tremulous smile crossed her face as they appeared in the doorway. Edward's face was full of relief, and Alphonse's sharp inhalation on seeing her told her just how much she'd worried them.

What a role reversal.

When the Fuhrer had left, she made them sit down and tell her what had happened. The story hurt, it reawakened old wounds, but it also rekindled old pride.

Maybe it's selfish… but I'd rather have them than pride for them.

When they reached the hotel they'd been staying at, after she'd promised master Garfiel that she'd come home, she entered her room and saw the neatly folded red coat on the bed.

Oh!

"Ed!" Winry called, crossing the room and scooping up the coat in her arms. When she turned around, the Fullmetal Alchemist was standing in the doorway of her room, looking concerned.

"Yeah? What is it?"

The wariness in his gaze as he looked at her made her throat ache.

"Um… it's just this… I wanted to return it." She held it out to him hesitantly, hating the way he was looking at her – as if she would shatter with a single word. "I, ah, asked one of those officers to drop it off at a Laundromat… it was really dirty and stuff… and they returned it quickly, too. I'm glad."

Edward looked amused. "You asked a military officer to drop off laundry for you?"

Winry flushed. "Well, when you put it that way…"

Edward walked into the room and took a hold of her hands. She felt heat building up in her cheeks and tried to avoid his gaze, but he looked straight at her with a half-smile and she just couldn't look away.

With a gentle motion, he pressed her hands towards her chest, with her fingers still twisted in the red coat.

"Why don't you hold onto that for me," he suggested.

"Look, Ed, I'm sorry… but there isn't any other way, you know that. I want to help you." She looked at him pleadingly, and he couldn't help feeling angry at her sudden enthusiasm to put herself into danger. For God's sake, the man had killed her parents! Did that not just scream 'danger' to her? Obviously not, he thought sourly as he stared down at the girl.

"Dammit, Winry," he groaned softly, shaking his head. "I just… you make things so damn difficult!"

Her blue eyes flashed. "Well, excuse me for complicating your life," she spoke icily, "but I think you do that just fine by yourself."

He looked at her, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "You're right," he admitted, unable to bear the thought of the rosy-cheeked, bright-haired girl being hurt. "But please, for the love of all that is good… take care of yourself. I don't know what shady company that bastard is travelling with."

Winry's raised eyebrows and slight quirk of mouth reminded him irresistibly of his mother, and he had the feeling she was suppressing the urge to tell him to mind his language.

"I'll take care," she promised, glancing from him to Alphonse. "I won't worry you."

"Silly Winry," Alphonse spoke gently, "we'll always worry for you."

Her eyes brightened and her bottom lip quivered dangerously. Edward wondered when on earth Winry had gotten so sentimental. He almost missed the homicidal wench who threw spanners at his head. At least he'd known how to handle her.

"Thanks, you guys," she smiled slightly. "I should go now… don't forget to play your part, okay?" Edward huffed out a 'yeah, yeah', but couldn't resist a small smile. It was good to see Winry being upbeat, even in a situation like this. He remembered the last time she'd been in close proximity with Scar and flinched.

She headed for the door, and Edward followed her. She would head up to the roof, with Scar, while he would head downstairs with everyone else and confront Kimblee.

He heard voices murmuring behind him, and then she called to him from above. "Ed!" She hurried down the stairs and thrust something into his hands. Blinking, Edward looked down to see a pile of silver in his palms.

Her earrings. The earrings he'd gotten for her, on Alphonse's insistence – maybe she won't kill you for wrecking your automail, then, brother – and the earrings she'd worn ever since. Why was she giving them to him?

Oh, right. Metal would give her frostbite if she wore it for too long…

He glanced up from his palms and into her warm, determined eyes.

"Just hold onto those for me," she said with a smile.

AN: I know, Winry doesn't wear just a pair of earrings, but it sounds… poetic. (Yes, it does. Really!) I dunno where I got this idea from. Anyway, Ed and Winry might be a little out of character, but I figure Ed and Al were probably insanely worried about Winry when she went all psycho on Scar, and would probably treat her gently for a while after that.

(Obviously, I fiddled with the dialogue. I like making up dialogue.)

977 words.