Good Enough

AN: A weird little piece, about Winry and Edward after the Promised Day. Some people have criticized the idea of Edward and Winry, or Edward and anyone really, by saying that Edward's been through too much to pursue a romantic relationship. I don't think that's true, but this is just a 'what if'.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.


It had been two years since the Promised Day, and Edward Elric was still just a friend. Winry wasn't sure whether to feel shocked, exasperated, rueful or a combination of the three. She'd always known Edward had problems dealing with strong, intimate emotions, but this was just ridiculous. She'd tried dropping several hints, but he met her advances with mind-boggling obliviousness. He didn't even come to Garfiel's anymore, because he no longer needed maintenance. He'd gotten his limbs back during the Promised Day, and he was usually busy with affairs in Central.

Winry didn't like giving up. But she was beginning to think that there was no chance of a relationship between her and the former Fullmetal Alchemist – because she just wasn't good enough for him.

She was good enough to play with. She was good enough to tease. She was good enough to tell secrets to, to give gifts to, to spend a childhood with. She was good enough to make limbs for him to stand up again. She was good enough to offer him comfort; she was good enough to make promises to and to protect in times of weakness. She was good enough to reassure, and good enough to fight with. She was good enough to hold him at night when he woke up in a cold sweat, still plagued by nightmares. She was good enough to lie to, and she was good enough to tell the truth to, but in the end, she just wasn't good enough.

She wasn't good enough to make him want to stay.

Maybe, Winry reflected as she noted down another adjustment to Tetsu's leg, that was okay. Maybe no one would ever be good enough to make him stay. Maybe Edward was too broken to fix. She wanted to try, she really did, but he didn't want anyone to heal him. And maybe that was all right.

Still, she couldn't help feeling sad for the both of them. Her life had always been full of 'what ifs', but she had a hunch that if Edward hadn't been past repairing, they could have shared something that no one else would ever be able to match up to.


AN: 365 words. The ending seems a bit off to me, but the paragraph about Winry being 'good enough' for those countless things is my favourite. I imagine her to be an 'unlucky childhood friend' in this case.

On a separate note, I'm sorry about not updating Amoroso! I've hit a slight roadblock in it, but the next chapter should be up in a few days. (:

Oh yeah, and I added Tetsu because he's awesome.