Ed didn't like it one bit. He watched as Winry worked on his leg in silence. He was grateful for that at least. The blessed silence. Winry was fuming, he knew. Just as he knew that he'd done it intentionally. He had intentionally provoked her.

They hadn't had a fight like this in ages, not since they were kids at least, and he'd forgotten how well Winry gave the silent treatment. When he had started the fight he had known in the back of his mind where it would lead to. He had known she would get angry, but he thought that maybe he could get a reaction out of her like...well, like him.

It seemed his thoughts were always turning to him. And it was mostly when he least wanted it. Like for example when he was kissing Winry, he compared her to him. And it wasn't fair, they were two different people, two different people. And it's not like they had anything in common.

So, he had said Roy's name once when they were kissing. He hadn't been expecting Winry to slap him however. He hadn't been expecting forgiveness, but his own curiosity, well, he had gotten out of sticker messes before.

Winry had been putting this silent treatment on for a week, but every so often she checked Ed's leg [paranoid he thought] and even though she was mad, she still did. He was grateful, but it wasn't like he needed it.

"I'm sorry," he told her. "That was cruel of me to do, but it is true."

She looked up at him and he could see the hurt in her eyes.

"You were with him and you liked him?"

"Yes," he answered truthfully.

"Do you still like him?"

Ed wanted to lie, he was prepared to say no but his mouth uttered, "Yes."

His eyes closed tightly, and he felt a jolt in his body - a jolt of pain at his answer.

He heard Winry's intake of breath and the clank of metal as she set aside her gear.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I didn't mean to - I tried not to -"

Her blue eyes were sad when she locked eyes with him, "You can't change who you want, who you like. I'm not going to force myself on you..."

"It's not that I don't like you - I do, very much, I love you in fact, but - "

"You love him more."

"No. Not true. I don't love him, at least I don't think I do. I'm not sure actually, but."

"You need to go back to Central." she told him. "And you need to make up your mind. Because I need to know. He needs to know. And most of all, you need to know. Please do that for me, for him, because it's painful to leave us hanging here."

Ed let his eyes drop to the ground.

"Don't stay with me if you think it's what'll make me or someone else happy, you need to be happy too. You've already given so much up, why give up more?"

"Winry..." he whispered.

"Go, and decide what you want."

He lifted his head and stood up. "I'll go."

Winry looked after him, as he started up the stairs to pack, and she closed her hands on her pants and willed herself not to cry.