Note: To set the scene: Ed and Al are in London, where Al is studying biology and psychology and Ed is brushing up on his chemistry. The year is 1925, and talk of World War II is still common. I'm not sure if this is historically true or not, but I'm making the drinking/smoking age in England be eighteen, wherein Ed is twenty and Al is fifteen.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist, whose manga is sadly coming to a close. My dearest hope is that this idea is sort of original. Inspired by the story of 'Alice in Wonderland', but could be more appropriately titled Winry in London.
Off We Go!
Resembool, 1919
Shielded Heart
She had shouldered so much pain over the last five years alone. From the time she was fifteen, her emotions became clear and she had finally understood her place in her childhood friends' hearts. She was the heart mender, she decided, and she would've always been until the day she died. However, things began to slowly deteriorate the day he left.
The last time she saw Edward Elric, he had dropped from the sky in a mysterious looking flying machine. His hair was splayed around his head, and was still the same golden color she remembered. His eyes were dull and almost emotionless, holding no feeling whatsoever for someone who saw everything he left behind. His cheeks were sunken and his shoulders were broad, and he was about the same size, maybe still barely an inch shorter as her. The last thing she ever heard him say was "Hide somewhere!" before he ran off to fight alongside his brother, Alphonse.
Winry lay awake in her bed in her childhood home, snuggling into the sheets as if they were her lifeline. Beside her was her boyfriend, William O'Keefe, who quite similarly to Ed slept with his stomach exposed. She rolled over to look at him fully: his shirt was tugged up by his right hand, which was flesh-and-bone; his mouth was open, releasing drool, and his chin had a long scar moving across it; when his eyes were open, they were silver with long eyelashes to match; his hair was short and sandy blond, reminding her almost of Alphonse.
His skin was rough to the touch, which countered with her soft skin. She didn't like to snuggle against him unless he was wearing his signature attire, which comprised a black button-up and a pair of jeans. He liked to leave the top buttons unbuttoned to show off the black tufts of hair on his chest, something Winry adored. William was older than her by two years, making him twenty-two and she twenty, but it was as if they were both twenty.
His personality sometimes countered with her own. He was a little shy but was a lot of fun once he got better acquainted with his surroundings. He was soft spoken, and sometimes a little nervous, he was -much like another man we know - a tad argumentative and very possessive and competitive. Nonetheless, she loved him, and him her.
She'd met William only months after the departure of her friends two years ago. He worked at a cafe just south from the church which hid the underground city. Winry decided (more like Sciezka decided...) that she needed to take her mind off of the boys for a while and brought her to said cafe, and ordered her a cup of espresso with a dash of cinnamon. A few more trips later, she and William became friends, and she'd go to the cafe alone. She found a part-time job close to the small cafe and the two talked about absolutely nothing but engineering. It turned out he was a mechanic too.
They dated after that.
The vague memory of their first meeting made her smile, and she turned around to face the opposite wall. On her nightstand under her table lamp were three pictures. The first was when she, Al, and Ed were playing outside. It was close to dusk, and Pinako had surprised the three of them while they were at the fence by the creek. Ed was sitting on the very top wooden bar after many failed attempts, Al was on his right side and seemingly talking to his brother, and Winry was smiling at the camera. She seemed to be the only one paying attention.
The second picture was of Ed with his Military friends: Mustang, Hawkeye, Hughes, Falman, Fuery, Breda, Armstrong, and Sciezka. She, sadly, wasn't in this picture because she was at her boring old house doing boring old mechanical work. He was the only person scowling at the camera, but on the back of the photo was a note from Al
Figured you'd want a picture before we leave for Liore for the second time. Sorry we couldn't visit this month! Ed- 16 Al-15
Winry reached out and grabbed the third picture, pulling it closely to her chest. It was of she and Ed before he'd left the first time. His hair was black, and it was after she braided it for him. He was wearing a pair of rounded lens glasses and an old trench coat and hat. Winry had her arm around his shoulders, and he seemed to be scowling at her. A light blush covered his cheeks and nose, and his eyes were glaring at the camera. She closed her eyes and loosened her grip on the picture, a single tear rolling down her flushed cheek.
London, 1925
The coolness of the night swept through the London apartment like a summer breeze through a field of wheat. Scattered across the living room floor were books, magazines, and papers, half read through and ripped and dog-eared. The kitchen was small, with wooden counters and marble tops and a table in the corner, fit to seat four. If you traveled down the large hallway that connected the two rooms and went straight, you'd see the study, which had a radio, a desk with more scattered papers, and a man asleep on a less-than-comfortable wooden chair.
His sandy brown hair was matted to his forehead and a pen was carefully resting between his thumb and forefinger. A piece of paper, now stained with sweat and drool, remained still under his body. Apparently, he was writing a letter, because he'd only begun with "Dear Winry". He shifts in his sleep, but doesn't jolt awake.
Another man walks into the study, wiping his eyes tiredly with his left hand. His right arm hangs loosely at his side, much like his hair, which hangs loosely at his shoulders. He yawns, stretching still only his left hand and limps to the sleeping boy's body. "Alphonse? Al, get up. Go to bed."
"Nnh" a moan escapes the boy at the desk, and the man slouches and walks closer, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Come on. Don't make me have to carry you. My 'mail isn't working right tonight." He shook his shoulder gently, and the boy came to slowly but surely. "Brother? What time is it?" he gets up and looks around blearily - surely he hadn't fallen asleep writing his letter. He stared at the Coo-Coo clock above his head, which read - even with his blurry vision - 4:18a.m. He looked at his brother, who smiled tiredly, and said, "Right, sorry. Did'n mean t' fall 'sleep," the older brother helped the brother out of the study and went over to turn the light off.
His curious golden eyes roamed the surface of the desk; he was eager to find out what it was the boy was doing so late. He reached over to turn the lamp off, when his eyes stuck on one word.
"...Winry,"
He made a surprised noise in his throat and looked at the paper quizzically. Why was he writing to her? She was not even at a letter-sending distance, and he still tried to write it. He looked away, his eyes suddenly sad, and flicked the switch to turn the lamp off. He plodded out, closing the door, and headed back upstairs to his bedroom, taking the piece of paper with him.
I'm sorry. I really am, but it just wouldn't leave me alone...
This is my take on a 'Alice in Wonderland' plot for Fullmetal Alchemist. You'll see sooner or later. I will update this sporadically, and all I ask is that you review and tell me what you think. Is that too much to ask?
Love always,
AnimeCookie93
P.S. I would like to ask for your attention for a moment: my dear friend Megsaku is deeply ill in the hospital, and I would like to ask you all to send her your prayers and hope she gets better. I'm not sure of her current condition, but I'm sincerely hoping she is alright. So yeahhh. Either pray for her or send her a PM or something to make her day bright. Please and Thank You's!
