This is just a short story that popped into my mind this morning, and I couldn't NOT write it! :3
Title │ Be Safe
Fandom │ Fullmetal Alchemist (Brotherhood)
Pairing │ Edward Elric & Winry Rockbell
Description│ An extension / deleted scene (if you will) from Episode 39 "Daydream" (FMAB) or Chapter 73 in the manga. Both accounts for this scene are relatively similar.
Rating│This story is rated T for language.
Extra Note: The character, Liam, is not a made-up character. He is actually one of Winry's bodyguards from Briggs who helps escort her back to Resembool. His name is mentioned in Episode 46 of Brotherhood when the other soldier (I'm sure he has a name, but I'm too tired to care right now, lol) introduces Liam and himself to Pinako after Winry's return.
She knew Edward wasn't on board with the plan to fool Mr. Kimblee, and frankly, she wasn't exactly excited for the idea either, but what other choice did they have? Could she really trust Scar to honor his side of the temporary truce between him and Ed? Winry exhaled deeply to calm her nerves. She knew she shouldn't worry so much because she's not traveling with him alone, but she couldn't help it – Scar had killed her parents and had tried killing Ed multiple times. But despite her unsettling thoughts, if she didn't go with Scar, she was Mr. Kimblee's hostage, and staying would only encourage the military to use her as collateral if Ed didn't honor his position as a State Alchemist. At least with Scar, Edward had a chance to outsmart Mr. Kimblee without worrying about Winry being held hostage by the military.
She felt a quick, gentle tug to her long ponytail and slowed her walking as Edward wrapped his gloved automail fingers around her arm to still her movements. She whirled around to tell him they didn't have time for a sidebar conversation, but his uneasy expression silenced her retaliation quickly, and all she could do was mutter his name.
"Edward?"
He was frowning, but should she really be surprised? After a short moment of silence, he finally spoke. "I don't like this, Winry. Not one bit."
"I know," she heaved a long sigh and started walking again with Edward beside her, matching her pace. "And to be honest," she couldn't look at him for some reason, "I don't like it either…, and I can't help but worry, but at the same time, I'm really in no position to worry…. If I stay, I'll only be a burden to you and Al. I don't want the military to use me as collateral over you. Leaving with Scar and pretending I'm his hostage is the only way out of this mess."
"I realize that," Ed muttered angrily under his breath, "but I still don't like it."
"Well, no plan is perfect." Winry smiled at him and chuckled, bumping her shoulder against his flesh one.
"Is that supposed to be reassuring?" Ed's eyebrow twitched; clearly, he wasn't amused. "At least tell me you have your wrench on hand in case you need it."
"I always have my wrench," Winry smirked proudly. "How else do you think I'd be able to keep you in line?"
Ed's face went sour. "Point taken."
"Don't worry about me, Ed." Winry gave him a comforting smile as they neared the stairs that led to the roof. "I'll be fine. Dr. Marcoh and Mei will be coming with us so I'm not going to be completely alone. And I promise," she winked, causing him to blush a little, "if Scar goes against his word at any time during our journey back to Briggs, I'll strike him with my wrench as hard as I can." She waited a beat and added, "Is that more reassuring?"
"No," Ed feigned a frown but then smiled. "But it does make me feel a little bit better at least."
"Good," the mechanic beamed, glad she was able to cheer him up a little. They approached the bottom of the stairs, but though the others had already started their ascent, she couldn't get herself to move further than the third step. "Ed?"
He was standing right next to her on the other side of the stairs, facing the opposite direction. He was so close to her, but he felt so far away in that moment. Goodbyes were absolutely the worst.
"Yeah?"
She avoided looking at him and lowered her head a little to stare at the sixth step in front of her. "Be safe."
"You too," he replied instantly and quietly, his response for her ears only.
Without another word, she started ascending the stairs when Mr. Liam, one of the Briggs soldiers, called out to her. "Oh, wait a second, Miss!" He walked up to her and pointed to her ears. "You're earrings! They're metal, right? Your ears will get frostbitten if you don't take them off."
"Really?! Oh, okay," Winry didn't hesitate to reach up to her ears and remove her earrings.
"Hurry up and go already," Edward mumbled in annoyance. "Kimblee's coming!"
She paused to look at the jewelry in her hand, wondering what she should do with them.
And then…
"Ed!"
He turned around and walked back a few steps to meet her. "Huh?"
Winry reached over the banister and grabbed his right hand before dropping her earrings into his palm. "Hold these for me! I'll be waiting for you back at the fort!"
Ed clutched his hand around them, and nodded with conviction as he slipped them into his pocket. "All right! Just make sure you get there when I arrive. Otherwise, I'm going to be super pissed off."
Winry grinned as he stood there, never expecting anything less from him. She began her ascent again. When she was halfway up the flight, she turned back around and spotted Edward still there, his eyes trained on her as she retreated to safety. She inhaled deeply and whisked back around to catch up to the others when, suddenly, her feet disobeyed her and sent her cantering back down the steps towards Ed. His eyes were wide with surprise, and he called her a big idiot for risking being caught by Kimblee, but she didn't care. If she was never going to see him again, then it had to be now.
She stumbled into him as he prepared to catch her and braced for an uncomfortable impact with the floor, but it didn't come. Instead, Winry found herself still standing on her two feet with strong arms on her waist, keeping her steady. Her hands had strung around his neck during the impact, and her head was buried between her arms and the crook of his neck. She didn't dare move, and even though he berated her again for coming back down the stairs, her insides melted when she felt his arms suddenly clutch her tightly from behind.
"You better come back to me in one piece, Edward," Winry quietly pleaded, her voice wavering against his neck. "You can't die. You can't leave me like my mom and dad."
Ed's stomach tightened with guilt. "I won't," he found his left hand slowly combing through her sunshine hair, and he frowned. He knew he shouldn't promise something he had no control over, but he didn't have the guts to tell her he could die before seeing her again. He couldn't stand being the one to make her cry again. "You have my word, Winry."
She clutched the back of his red coat, and they stood silent for a brief moment before Mr. Liam called out to Winry to hurry up and confirmed that Kimblee and his team were almost to the entrance of the building. It was only a matter of time.
Ed reluctantly released her, hoping he would one day feel her warmth again, and he petted the top of her hair, giving her a somewhat reassuring smile that everything was going to be alright.
She hesitantly stepped away from him, but only for a moment. Before she could stop herself, she swiftly closed the distance between them, pressing her lips firmly to his, taking Edward by complete surprise. It wasn't a passionate kiss by any means, short but intense; the kind of kiss that could mean goodbye if needed. He didn't like the finality he felt from her kiss so when she popped her mouth off of his and moved backwards to retreat, he impulsively grabbed her cheeks and planted a hard one on her, She gasped with surprise, and he took the opportunity to taste her, his tongue stroking hers roughly.
Winry's fingers grasped the back of his head and threaded through his thick, golden braid, holding him as close as she could in case she'd never feel this again. But it ended all too soon when Ed abruptly tore away from her.
She knew he couldn't risk Kimblee taking her hostage again, and she would never want him to feel that sort of guilt if the plan ended up failing.
"Go," he uttered lowly as he spotted Scar impatiently waiting at the top. "They're waiting for you."
Winry sucked in her bottom lip, and hesitated only for a second before she quickly whipped away and started trekking up the steps.
"Winry?" Ed suddenly called out to her, and only because it was him, she stopped in her tracks and turned towards him.
"Yeah?"
He raised his left gloved index finger and pointed it straight at her as his cheeks flushed a bright red color. "Don't you dare get yourself killed, you hear?" His nostrils flared, and to be honest, he looked a little constipated. "You better be alive when all of this shit is over 'cuz I ain't done with you yet, Automail Freak!" He crossed his arms as if to shield himself from whatever answer she could possibly give him, and his lips pressed together and fell to a frown.
"Same!" Winry exclaimed with a bright smile that could put the whole freakin' sun to shame. Ed gulped with how cute she looked, and shifted his weight a little to keep himself from doing something drastic like throwing that damn beautiful woman over his shoulder and hauling her over to somewhere they couldn't be interrupted.
He quickly nipped that desire in the bud before it surfaced completely.
He then gave her a thumb's up and grinned stupidly at her, and after one last bedazzling smile, Winry's face fell, and she turned around towards the stairs. Before long, she disappeared from Edward's line of vision, making his smile fade into a frown.
Shit just got real.
Exhaling deeply, he marched over to the windows and spotted Kimblee in the courtyard outside. With a scowl still evident on his face, he turned towards Major Miles and gave him a small nod to start putting the plan into action.
"Let's go," Ed began walking down the hallway towards the exit. "There's a man down there with my fist's name on it."
"Lead the way, Fullmetal," said Major Miles as he and the remaining Briggs crew followed. "And punch him to your heart's content."
"Don't worry," Ed clenched his fists and glowered. "I plan on it."
I hope you liked this. It actually turned out to be longer than expected, but hey, I'm not complaining. XD