YAY! Another FMA one-shot! 8D This is actually a school assignment. The prompt was to write about a character receiving a symbolic gift. This is what I came up with. I hope you guys like it! R&R plz! X3
Disclaimer: I own nothin', ya clever little sneak.
More Than a Mirror
She fingered the locket lightly, gazing at it absently. Really, there was nothing spectacular about it. It was… plain and simple; boring. The little piece of oval wood was hung around a simple silver chain that would give off a hint of a sparkle when hit by sunlight but it was nothing major. She knew it was supposed to be able to open but had never been able to do so. She refrained from using any of her mechanical tools from fear of breaking the delicate locket. After many failed attempts at opening it, she eventually gave up.
She recalled the strange situation in which she had received the dull locket.
It had been a day like any other. She was walking home from the park, the orange sun giving everything around her an orange hue. She was, as usual, lost in her thoughts.
However, the moment of peaceful quiet was broken as a voice broke her out of her musings. "You're beautiful…"
Her head snapped to the direction of the voice where she found a boy around her age just staring at her. She returned the favor, quickly giving him a once-over. The strange boy had blonde hair, a dark golden as opposed to her pale blonde. His eyes were the most unique shade of gold and brown she had ever seen. She wondered if maybe he was wearing contacts but they seemed real. If her guessing was correct and he was around fifteen years old, he seemed to be a little short for his age but still an inch or two taller than her. He wore dark wash jeans with a black shirt and a blood red jacket on top.
He seemed to realize what he was doing and quickly shook his head, snapping himself out of his gazing. "Sorry. It's just that you look… breath taking."
"I'm not that pretty," she mumbled feeling the hot blush decorating her cheeks.
He didn't respond seeming to settle with a gentle smile. He extended his hand towards her. "I'm Edward Elric. But you can call me Ed." He added hurriedly as an after thought.
She shook his hand. "I'm Winry Rockbell," she said shyly.
He smiled. "A pretty name for a pretty girl."
'So cheesy,' she thought, rolling her eyes, but she couldn't help but feel flattered. No one had complimented her so much before. She liked the feeling. What shocked her the most was that she was receiving so much praise from a stranger. She couldn't stop the small smile slipping onto her lips.
"I know this is kind of sudden, but would you like to go on a walk with me?" Ed asked with a sheepish grin.
Winry paused, weighing her options. She barely knew the boy but she had nothing better to do and he had already been so nice to her… She smiled. "Sure, Edward."
His smile grew wider. "Great!"
They walked around town, talking about sweet nothings and getting to know each other better as time progressed. As the last part of the sun dipped into the horizon, it felt as if they had been life long friends.
Winry glanced up at the darkening sky with a sigh. "I should head home." She really didn't want to. Now that she had gotten to know Edward, she enjoyed his company and didn't want to leave him.
Ed seemed to see her reluctance for he smiled gently and said, "Meet me by the lake in the park tomorrow at sunset."
With that he gave her a peck on the cheek and ran off down the street, most probably heading home himself as well.
Winry placed a hand on the cheek Ed had kissed. Her face felt hot from the heavy blush scattered around the bridge of her nose and cheeks. She smiled to herself and walked home slowly.
The next day, at sunset, Winry was sitting eagerly on the grass close by the lake. The water was glistening, sending sparkles this way and that. Winry couldn't take her eyes off of the lake. She drew one leg up to her chest so that she could rest her chin on top of her knee while gazing longingly at the water. She wanted to go in; it looked refreshing.
"Hey, Winry."
She looked up at Ed, who was smiling down at her. Her lips instantly spread into a grin. "Hi, Edward."
He sat on the comfortable grass next to her.
After a small bout of peaceful silence, Ed shifted, retrieving a small object from his pocket. He held it tight in his hand, not yet allowing Winry to see what it was.
Ed looked up at the sky thoughtfully. "Yesterday, I said you were beautiful the first time I saw you. I thought you were breath taking. And you are, Win-" Winry blushed lightly at her new nickname "-I truly believe you are. But you responded by saying you thought you weren't all that pretty." He changed his gaze to the object in his hand- a locket, Winry could now see. Ed continued speaking. "There's something else that makes you gorgeous, Winry. You just might not be able to see it as easily. Some of the best and most beautiful things are left unseen."
Gingerly he held the wooden locket by its silver chain so that it dangled in Winry's line of view. She was speechless; she had absolutely no clue what to say. But it didn't look like Edward was quite done with his flattering speech so she let him continue.
"Take it," he said, nodding his head to the locket. She grabbed it delicately, running her fingers over the smooth surface. "Just remember, Winry- sometimes it takes more than just a mirror to see true beauty."
She looked at him, green-gray eyes alight. Edward looked at her and smiled. He took the locket gently, grabbed her hand placing the locket on her palm and closing her fingers around it. He held her hand a few more seconds, their eyes locked the entire time. Finally, he smiled gently and kissed her hand. Winry grinned back.
Edward got up and walked away slowly. "Goodbye, Winry," he called over his shoulder. "Don't forget."
Whether he meant not to forget him, not to forget the locket, not to forget his speech, or not to forget her beauty she would never know. She did know that, whatever it was he meant, she would never forget.
She clutched the locket tightly in her fist, watching his retreating figure.
Winry never saw Edward again after that.
Now, two whole months later, Winry sat on her bed next to the window, looking at the locket in her hand. She still didn't understand the full meaning behind the locket, but…
She held it by the chain and dangled it in front of her, just like Edward hand done two months prior. She stared at it, as if she looked hard enough the answer would appear out of thin air.
The chain slipped between her fingers and fell to the floor. With a surprised gasp, Winry leaned over the edge of the bed to see the fallen item.
It had opened. She could now finally see what was inside the locket. She held it up, a smile lighting her features. The inside of the locket was carved with flowers twisting this way and that. From what she could tell, they were roses all entwined with the stem of another rose. It was beautiful. She would never have guessed the necklace was so precious on the inside while the outside was so simple.
A small piece of paper caught her attention. She hadn't noticed it before but she guessed that it had been inside the locket and fell out when she finally got it open.
She unfolded it and a few tears of happiness gathered at her eyes. As she read the words that Edward Elric left especially for her, she vowed that she would one day see him again.
Some of the best and most beautiful things are left unseen. Sometimes it takes more than a mirror to see true beauty.
And you, Winry Rockbell, are gorgeous both on the inside and the outside.