Author's note: This fanfic is set in manga!verse, and Al has his body. Just because.
I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but if I did, Winry would have run in, knocked all the bad-guys out with a wrench, and snogged Ed by now.
"When you helped deliver that baby in Rush Valley, you saved the mother and child. You also gave me an arm and a leg so that I could get back on my feet.
Your hands weren't meant to take people's lives. They were meant to save them."
Edward Elric to Winry Rockbell; Volume 21, Chapter 47 of the Fullmetal Alchemist manga.
He could feel his heart pounding against his chest as he lay there on the bed, his skin dotted with goosebumps as the white sheets covering him failed to keep him warm. His heart gave a sudden lurch as the creaking of footsteps started from outside his door; with each footstep, his panic grew more.
The footsteps stopped, and the door swung open with a creak. A dark shadow fell across the doorway.
"Hello, Edward." The low voice seeped in, dripping with malice. Golden eyes widened in terror, and then squinted shut, his hand clenching the fabric of the bed underneath him.
Don't let her do this. Somebody, please, save me.
He remembered the first time he'd laid eyes on her.
"Hey, Fullmetal." The voice wandered over the top of the paper that Ed was reading; the blonde lowered it with a scowl, recognising the voice.
"What, Mustang?" His eyes glared up at Roy as the military officer stood there, arms folded as he looked down at the teenager in the armchair with a demeaning look.
"You're needed in a meeting in about half an hour. Go get ready." Roy turned, ignoring the annoyed grunt behind him.
"Meeting with who?" Ed asked as he sighed, folding the paper and chucking it onto the table in front of him carelessly.
"The King of Drachma and his daughter. I'm told she's quite a looker." Ed blinked in surprise and then scowled at Roy's grin, crossing his arms across his chest with an irritated look.
"Yeah, whatever. Let's just go."
It was exactly thirty-one minutes and twenty seconds later; Ed was slumped in an chair, ignoring the décor of the military conference room and staring at the wood of the round table in front of him. Why'd he have to be in this goddamn meeting anyway, tsk...
"Fullmetal, sit up." Roy was sitting straight-backed, a composed expression on his face as he sat with white-gloved hands resting in front of him. Ed snorted at him, shuffling further into his chair.
The door opened with a creak, and the Fuhrer sidled in, making the blonde sit up in his chair to attention.
"Ahh, you're both here! Here are our fine examples of two of our greatest State Alchemists." His voice had the usual cheery tone to it as he moved forwards, letting a large man with a beard waddle in after him.
"Oh I see! How amazing!" He chucked, his voice booming out. Ed assumed this was the leader of Drachma or whatever the heck it was.
Then, she walked in.
Ed's first thought was that her smile seemed somewhat sly; it lopsided on her face, almost a grin but not quite a smile. Her long, brown hair fell over her shoulders, spilling over the rich fabric of her black low-cut dress, which was embroided with unfamiliar patterns. The alchemist wrinkled his nose at how bad her taste was.
"Oh yes, this is Latvia, my daughter." The girl nodded her head in reply, staring at Ed with dark, almost-black eyes. He sighed, raising his hand in reply and glancing away in uninterest, not caring if he was rude or not.
Latvia's eyes narrowed, and it was then that she decided.
Ed never knew how much she would impact his life after that.
Latvia was starting to annoy him. Damn Mustang had set Ed as her 'official guide', telling him that he had to show her around the place.
But all she did was prattle and boast about how rich her family was, and about her royal heritage. His boots clomped against the wooden floorboards as they reached the end of the last corridor; and the alchemist could take no more.
"Look," Ed started, holding back an irritated sigh. "You're probably hungry or something, and I've shown you around most of the place... Go with your guards and get something to eat." He turned a black-booted heel and started to walk off, feeling relieved at finally getting rid of her.
He'd left her blinking in surprise; she curled her fists up, and her eyes narrowed together like before, watching the red fabric of the boy's coat trail behind him.
She whispered to herself. "He's mine."
He didn't like the looks she was giving him from across the table; Ed shifted uncomfortably, averting his eyes.
God knows how he had managed to get himself into this; Mustang had told him that he was needed somewhere, and the next thing he knew, Ed was sitting at a restaurant with the Princess of Drachma sitting opposite him.
"You know, I'm getting quite hot..." Latvia's smirk was starting to get on his nerves. She kept acting as if this was some kind of date between them.
"Uh, right..." His golden eyes stayed focus on anywhere but her, as he replied with an uninterested tone.
"Let's go outside." Ed frowned as she stood up, tossing her hair back as the chair squeaked against the floor.
"But-" "Now." His eyes widened slightly at the force of her voice as he was interrupted, making his back stiffen.
Latvia snapped her fingers. "Guards."
"H-Hey!" The blonde found himself jerked up off the floor, behind carried by both arms, ignoring his struggling as they made their way to the outside balcony of the restaurant.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!" He spat as he was chucked onto the floor, stumbling to his feet with his fists clenched. Latvia looked down at him with amused eyes.
"I always get what I want, Edward." The princess made a move forwards, suddenly grabbing his face with such surprising force that Ed didn't even respond in shock.
"And I want you." He felt the stone edge of the balcony behind him as she shoved him up against there, a sly grin etched on her face.
"Look... I don't want to hurt you..." The teenager gritted his teeth as he felt the girl push up against him, still holding his chin in an unfeminine grip.
"You won't hurt me. Because if you don't do what I say..." She leant forwards, whispering in his ear. I'll tell my father that this country deserves a war. And he always believes his favourite daughter." Latvia threw back her head in a cackling laughter, her words quiet but loud in Ed's mind.
And before he knew it, her lips were forced against his in a cruel kiss; his hands clutched the stone balcony behind him, his eyes squinted shut as he tried to pull away from her.
When she finally did, she walked away, calling her guards with her. The teenager watched her with a shocked expression, his mouth ached as if it was bruised.
What had he gotten himself into?
"Look, you don't have to do this!" Ed's voice barked out across the room, gaining a defensive position as he faced the brunette across the room.
It had been three weeks since he had been forced to become her boyfriend; and he was hating every moment of it. But the threat of a war stood heavy on his shoulders, and he knew he had to endure her until she got bored of him. She had to, eventually.
The blonde teenager waited as the girl opposite from him merely stood there, watching with a despising expression. Then, she simply strode across the floor, and raised her hand.
The next thing he felt was a stinging pain across his face, lights popping in front of his eyes as he stumbled backwards. Latvia lowered her hand after she'd slapped him harshly, looking down at the boy who was now haunched over, clutching his face.
"You will obey me, Edward Elric. By the time I've finished with you, you will have no fight left. You're mine now." The princess turned on her heel.
"No... I will never obey you..." The whisper came from behind her, and she stopped.
"Oh yes, you will."
He studied the reflection in front of him.
As he raised his metal arm, the boy in the mirror did the same, running his flesh fingers over the surface carefully, shivering at the touch of cool metal.
"No!" She screamed, grabbing him by the top of his head and slamming him into the wall; his automail crumpled under the force and dents appeared, forming craters in the shiny surface.
Purple bruises were starting to form over his chest and neck, replacing the old yellowing ones.
"IDIOT! You will obey me!" His knees collapsed as a heavy fist thumped into his stomach, making him fall. And nobody was there to catch him.
He touched the blossoming marks carefully, flinching under his own touch, before returning his focus to his metal arm, running his fingers over it again.
A fond expression came onto his face as memories flashed; the blonde girl standing in the doorway, wrench in hand as she yelled insults. But then there was afterwards, when he watched her as she carefully fixed the arm he had broken once again, a look of concentration as she lifted each part, bit by bit, screwing it into place.
Because even though she had thrown that metal tool at him so many times, she was always there to heal the pain of so many things whenever he was lost. She was there when he had lost his mother; she was there when his had lost his brother's body, and his own arm and leg; and she was there to help him stand up again, in so many more ways than just giving him automail.
And he had never thanked her for it.
Tears welled up in his eyes, making his vision blurred as he whispered; "Winry..."
But she wasn't there to save him. No-one was.
His heart lurched as the floor creaked behind him.
"Who's Winry?" The harsh voice he had gained to hate so much crooned at him; her hand was forced onto his shoulder, making him bite his lip in pain as the bruises flared up in alarm.
"No-one..." The teenager found that his broken voice had gained a bit of strength; thinking about the childhood friend that he was so fond of had given him had relit some of his fighting spirit that was so regularly beaten out of him. It was almost gone.
"Ahh!" He found his real arm twisted behind his back, blonde locks being thrown around his face as his head arched back in pain.
"Tell me. Now." The command was given, and he knew more pain would come if he didn't obey.
"S-she's just my mechanic... " He couldn't bear to reassure her that Winry was nothing more than that- he couldn't force himself to lie. It made the mental pain too much to bear.
Before he even knew it, a searing pain came from the nerves in his automail- and then it was gone. Latvia stood there, holding up the metal arm in her hand, leaving an empty space and a few wires in it's place.
"This should sort it out." The girl smiled cruelly, tossing the automail into the corner where it landed with a quiet thud.
The now armless boy stood in shock, frozen, eyes widened again.
Then everything went black.
He could hardly do anything with just one arm- not that he did anything anymore anyway. Latvia forced him to stay inside their flat, not allowing him anywhere; giving the military the excuse that she was looking after him whilst he recovered from his illness. And she reassured them they he had the best treatment to cure him, of course.
The teenager curled up in the armchair, deadened to the world. The room was quiet, only the occasional rustle from somewhere, but he didn't care. There was nothing anymore, only the dull pain in his chest as he sat there, one arm folded across his chest.
Al would be as worried as heck around him, but he was lied to as well, told that the disease was too contagious for anyone to even see Ed. The letters he sent to his brother were never returned- Ed was 'too ill' to write.
Did anybody even remember him anymore? It seemed so long since he had seen anyone's face except the one he detested so, so much. Everybody seemed to have forgotten he was there...
But not one girl.
Miles away, in the small rural area of Resembool, a certain blonde mechanic was getting worried. She stood by the window, watching leaves fly in the wind outside as she curled the telephone cord around her finger.
"Hello? May I speak to Edward Elric?" Her voice was anxious, worried.
"I'm afraid that Mr. Elric is unavaliable." The person on the other end of the phone answered.
Winry frowned, an outburst coming to her lips; "But he's ALWAYS unavailable! I haven't heard from him for months, and I'm worried sick! Please, just-" There was no-one on the other end anymore; they'd put the phone down on her.
She slammed the phone down, gritting her teeth together.
"Fine then, Ed. You're not avoiding me anymore!" She ran from the phone, grabbing her coat and an already packed suitcase - full of tools, just in case -, rushing out the door.
She paused outside, looking up at the sky.
"Ed, I'm coming to find you!"
Central was always packed full of people; Winry had to keep dodging as she made her way through the crowds, heading towards the military's main building. She couldn't hold down the enormous worry in her chest that something had happened to him- the military were so mysterious and hidden.
The blonde made her way up the steps, heading inside and pausing at the front desk.
"I need to see Edward Elric." She asked, clutching the fabric of her coat. The receptionist frowned.
"He's ill, didn't you know? His girlfriend's family are looking after him."
Winry's eyes widened in shock. Girl... friend...? Ed had gotten a girlfriend?
There was a moment of silence before she nodded, glancing at the ground, mumbling a 'thanks' to the woman and making her way out.
So this was why he was avoiding her...
The girl had to stop herself from crying right there and then, her sight becoming blurred as she stood in the street, fists clenched. She was always hoping... She had always thought that she might be the one who...
She stopped herself. She should be happy for Ed, she was his friend and mechanic, he was just her duty to look out for him, nothing more...
Yet she couldn't help the feelings of broken-heartedness that flooded her chest as she let out a choked sob.
She fled.
The blue water shimmered as the breeze skimmed its surface, a few leaves being disturbed as they floated around like mini-boats.
Golden eyes, full of emptiness, watched from behind glass; such a peaceful scene, so ironic for the fact that he was in such a violent situation.
Ed slumped a bit more down the wall as he sat there on the windowsill, watching the world.
He didn't know when she'd be back- and he didn't care anymore.
Down by the lake, a blonde girl was watching the water as well, tears streaming down her face.
Winry didn't know how she'd gotten there; she'd just ran. A moment's panic came across as she focused on a large building, wiping her eyes as she realised in horror that she was on someone else's property- but it looked deserted.
She relaxed, glancing away- but a flash of blonde in the upstairs window caught her eye. Winry stared at the boy behind the glass- was that... Ed...?
She blinked, and he was gone.
"Edward, come here." Ed sat there, ignoring the command, deaf to everything around him.
Heavy footsteps stormed over and she grabbed him, breathing in his face.
"I said, come here. Idiot." She hissed, letting him fall to the floor. He glared at her, one hand clutching the mass of wires and metal where his arm should have been attached.
Latvia suddenly smiled that cruel smile of hers, and she raised an arm to point with a sharp-nailed finger.
"Bedroom. Now." Her boot kicked his side and the teenager stifled a pained yell, stumbling towards the bedroom and through the doorway.
The door closed as Latvia strode in after him, chucking her coat off carelessly.
It was then that he realised what she was planning to do.
"N-no... NO!" Ed shouted, stumbling back against the wall as she moved towards him, fingers reaching out. Her eyes had a hungry look that was stronger than he'd ever seen it before.
"Shut up and get on the bed!" Latvia screeched, grabbing him and tossing him onto the covers, making him wince as his head banged against the bedpost.
"I won't! Y-You can't do this to me!" The blonde stared at her in horror as he felt her weight straddle him, cold fingers ripping open his shirt.
"I said, shut up!" A sharp pain across his face made his head ring, struggling furiously underneath her as she savaged his throat with kisses- he felt like he was being attacked by a wild animal.
"Stop struggling!" The girl knocked his hand aside as he weakly tried to punch at her, fighting with all the strength he had left.
"Please... Don't..." His voice was cracked as she tugged his pants down, shaking his head furiously.
Then, the bedroom door opened.
And an angel appeared in the doorway.
Winry frowned. Surely she was just imagining things- why would Ed be out here, of all places? But still, her curiosity got the better of her, and she carefully made her way round to the front of the house.
A rag of red caught her eye in one of the windows- a piece of crimson fabric was lying across the windowsill, abandoned in the wind. She picked it up, frowning. It was exactly the same as the colour of Ed's coat... But it could just be a coincidence...
The blonde was about to leave when something familiar caught her eye, sticking out of a trashcan standing by the front door.
It was an automail hand.
The mechanic ran to it, eyes widening as she scooped it away from the litter, stroking its surface gently; it looked like it had been ripped off, and there was dents all over it. There was no doubt about it- she had made this automail, and not just for anyone.
It was Ed's arm.
Heart pounding, she ran to the front door, knocking heavily. Nobody answered. She hesitated before wrenching it open, running inside and looking about frantically.
"... Ed? Are you here?" Her voice rang out hesitantly, echoing throughout the room. "Hello?"
The place was deserted- until she heard noises coming from up the stairs. Thumping noises.
Frowning, she slowly began to ascend the staircase, quickening her pace as the noises got louder- horror struck her as one of the voices became so familiar, and began to run.
Upon reaching the door, she listened carefully, azure eyes wide in terror as she heard a cracked whisper; "Please... Don't..."
Winry shoved the door open, gasping at the sight inside.
Latvia shot upwards as she stared at the girl who had suddenly appeared in the doorway.
"Who the hell are you? Get out!" She commanded, hissing and shoving Ed downwards as he tried to sit up.
His golden eyes widened as he stared. "Winry...." He desperately reached out, fingers stretching as far as they could go towards the image of the blonde he had wanted to see so much was there.
The broken automail Winry had been holding fell to the floor as she stood there, shocked. Her eyes studied Ed carefully- so many bruises were mottling his chest, his arm, his legs, his face...
Something inside her snapped.
"YOU... YOU..." Winry couldn't find words as she stormed across the room, furiously grabbing the brunette off of Ed and forcing up against the wall, holding her round the neck.
"Get off me! Get off me now!" Latvia choked a little, pushing Winry away but falling to the floor as the blonde punched her in the face.
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING TO ED, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET IT." The girl was almost screaming, blue eyes livid as she glared down at the brunette at her feet.
Latvia stumbled upright, wiping the blood flooding from her nose and glaring back at her.
"You're his mechanic... Well you can piss off! He's mine now, you can't have him, no-one can!" The princess laughed and threw her head back, watching as Winry stood there, frozen.
She took a deep breath.
"I am his mechanic. I gave him an arm and a leg to stand up with. But I will never, ever let anybody hurt him. He's not an piece of automail- he can't be owned, or brought, or sold. He chooses who he belongs to, and that is a right that everyone has. I will not let you take it away from him!"
Latvia stared, a scowl coming across her face and she began to speak, but Winry went on.
"I am not just his mechanic- I am his friend! I've known him for years, and I know him inside out. He is my automail patient, my childhood friend, and the stubborn boy who finally grew taller than me. ... And... And I love him. I always will."
Ed watched as she turned to him, a soft smile lighting up her face. "I love you, Edward Elric."
Latvia stood, her mouth opening and closing as she found no words to reply to the blonde girl's speech. Then she sneered, turning her nose up and stalking out the room.
"You can have him."
There was silence as both mechanic and her patient watched the girl go out of the room, and then their eyes met.
The silence broke as Ed smiled, sliding off the bed and stumbling towards Winry, wrapping one arm round her waist and burying his face in her shoulder.
"I... I love you too, Winry." And then he burst into tears.
"Ed?" He looked up as the blonde girl as she walked in, carrying a bag full of shopping. Ed's face lit up in a smile, which she returned as she sat down on his bed, placing the bag on the floor.
"How was Al?" She asked, her smile widening as he reached out to take her hand in his.
"Fine, fine... He's glad I'm recovering. He feels so bad though...." Ed's smile faded as he stared at his new automail arm, curling the fingers up into a tight fist.
The teenager's cheeks went pink as he felt soft lips touch his face, watching as Winry leant over to reassure him with a kiss.
"It's not his fault, I've told him that... It's her fault..." The blonde's face fell as she watched Ed shudder, his fingers tightening around hers.
"But she'll never hurt you again, Ed... She'll have to get through me first!" She gave him another smile, watching as he weakly returned it.
She murmured as she hugged him tightly, feeling his warm breath on her neck.
"I will always be here to save you, Ed."
Author's note: AHHHH I WAS SO HORRIBLE TO ED, AHHH I'M SO SORRY. ;_______; I PROMISE I'LL WRITE LOADS OF HAPPY FLUFF AFTER THIS. Promise!
But at least Winry was there to save him! 3 eeeee yes.
This fanfic is dedicated to all the people out there who have suffered, or are suffering in abusive relationships. May you find hope and peace one day. x (Just a note, I've luckily never been in an abusive relationship myself, and I am very grateful for it. Just incase anyone happened to be wondering!)
It is also dedicated to my friends Kiki, Leah and Muw just because I love them to bits and they help me a lot through everyday life. Thanks guys. 3
Also, a big thank you to Hiromu Arakawa, who I know will obviously never read this, but I send thanks in spirit for coming up with one of the most awesome anime/manga series that makes me so happy most of the time. THANK YOU, AND KEEP UP THE AMAZING WORK!
And if anyone's wondering what happened to Latvia... well she never got to be queen. she became an outcast after being convicted of a number of crimes, and hasn't been seen to this day... GOOD RIDDANCE.
"Maybe I've been in love with him from a long time ago..."
Winry Rockbell to herself; Volume 21, Chapter 48.