Welcome Home
….
It's been so long.
Edward stood at her- no, their home and smiled. Snowflakes fell like stray bits of light on the roof, light hit it in a way where they reflected rainbows. Inside, she was humming. Trisha and Nina flocked around her, begging for a taste of whatever she's made.
A year, that's how long he'd been gone, researching and working his ass off in the west. He'd called, of course, cradling the receiver as if it were his firstborn and smiling in that gentle way that was reserved just for her. But still, a year was a year. And a year was for too long for a father to make his daughters wait, to make his wife of 9 years wait.
A snowflake fell on his right arm; he did not feel its touch. Winry saw him and, eyes lighting up, half- jogged, half- glided towards the door. Upon seeing him, she smiled that smile he loved so much.
"Ed!"
He reached out to her, touching her cheek.
She froze as his hand was nothing more than warm air.
"I didn't believe in ghosts, exactly, but I guess this just proves me wrong. That or the Gate is feeling generous and put my soul back, but I suppose that then I wouldn't be visible to the naked eye- a condensation of alchemistical energy, maybe? But that wouldn't make sense, 'cos…"
He trailed off, seeing her tears.
"Hey, Winry, I'm home."
And he vanished.
The next day, she found out that the invincible FullMetal Alchemist died two days ago, in a train crash on the way back to Risembool.
No-body understood the small, sad smile on Winry Elric's face.
"Hey, Winry, I'm home."
"Welcome Home, Ed."