Hey! This is my first fanfic in like, wow, 6 years? It's not going to be very good, but none the less, I entered it in the first Totally Chibi Forum Fanfic Contest. Wish me luck! Please Read and Give Constructive Criticism!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thomas watched as his new home came closer and closer with each step. He didn't know what to think of this new town, it was so different from Central. Compared to Central, Resembol was a ghost town. He knew his Father had hated the city and that his mother had always wanted an apple orchard, but he still longed for their old home.

Not long after they had arrived at their new house and started unpacking did their doorbell ring. When his mother answered it, Thomas found himself meeting an old woman and her granddaughter. The granddaughter had not looked anything as he had expected the girls to look like here in this backwash village. She was beautiful, stunning even.

"Welcome to the neighborhood. I'm Pinako Rockbell and this is my granddaughter Winry."

Saving Myself

By CherryEmi

For some reason, breaking his automail came as easily to Ed as breathing. Despite his wishes, Ed and Al were off for Resembol, their sleepy hometown. The train ride seemed longer than usual to Ed. Maybe it was the heat, or maybe the reason was that he was worried about a certain girl and her wrench. Finally, the train pulled into the closest station to Resembol and the boys started their long walk back to the place they used to call home.

At last, the Elric brothers arrived at Rockbell's Automail Shop. Ed hesitated at first but when Al rang the doorbell, he hurried to meet him. The door swung open and out stepped a girl around the boys' age. A surprised look dawned on her face, "Ed? Al? What are you guys doing here? Wait, let me guess, broken automail?" Winry looked at Ed suspiciously.

Ed made sure she was not armed with her trusty wrench before he replied, "It's not that bad, I just need more of a maintenance job." Winry was about to start interrogating him on what he had done to break it, but then realized that it would be useless. She looked slightly hurt that that was the only reason they had come, but let them in all the same.

"Where's Aunt Pinako, Winry?" Al asked her. "Oh, just left for the market to get something to make for dinner tonight." Winry replied over her shoulder as she led the boys into the living room. "Wait right here, I'll get you guys something to drink."

--------

Thomas walked down the road, a bushel of apples in his hands. He was going on his almost daily trip to see Winry. Just being around her was good enough for him, so when his mom asked if someone could take the apples to the Rockbell's, Thomas eagerly took the errand. He finally reached Winry's house, he rang the doorbell and was let in a moment later. "Winry, these are from my mom. We just had some extra lying around." Winry took the basket of apples and set it in the kitchen.

While Winry was taking the apples to the kitchen, Thomas saw two odd figures sitting on Winry's couch. There was a strange man in grey-green armor and a very short person with long blonde hair. He had never seen these people before, which was rare in the small town. 'Who are those strange guys? Wait, could they be here to hurt or kidnap Winry?' Thomas could not bring himself to think such terrible thoughts, 'I have to stop them!' He looked around for a weapon, and found the apples he had just brought sitting on the counter. Thomas grabbed an apple for each hand and tried silently to make his way back to the living room.

When the two strangers came into view, he took aim and then threw an apple at the big grey guy first. The apple landed square on the back of his head, followed by a loud and almost hollow sounding "thunk"! "Ah! What was that?" The big man in armor felt the back of his head for a dent.

"Al? What happened? Are you alright?" The small man looked panicked for a second, before falling victim to the other apple. "Brother!" Winry came in to see what had started all the commotion in her living room. Thomas spotted her as she walked in and ran to her "Winry! Get back! These men are trying to kidnap you! I'll protect you!"

"What are you talking about Thomas?" Winry turned her gaze over to the Elric brothers, trying to figure out what was happening. She then realized that her friends' strange appearance had frightened Thomas. "Thomas, calm down, it's ok, they're my friends. This is Ed and Al Elric. Here why don't you guys sit here while I get some lemonade?" Winry dashed off to the kitchen to get the promised lemonade, until she remembered that she didn't have any left. Quickly she looked around the kitchen for lemons, wanting to return to the living room before another fight broke out.

While Winry was scouring the kitchen for more lemons, Ed, Al, and Thomas were sharing an awkward silence in the living room. "Isn't she so beautiful?" Thomas's question took Ed and Al by surprise.

"Yeah, beautiful if you're into abusive machine junkies," Ed said playfully. Inside though, he could not help but wonder if Winry felt the same way about Thomas, and how she felt about him. Almost on cue, Winry emerged from the kitchen, having successfully found more lemons.

"Here we go, sorry that took so long, but I had to make a new batch." Winry came in the room to find complete silence, which to her was scarier than the commotion she had found earlier.

-----

Once Pinako returned from the market and Thomas had left, she got down to work on dinner, with Al helping her. Pinako yelled back to Winry, "Winry, I think we're running low on eggs. Can you and Ed go gather some?"

"Sure grandma," Winry said over her shoulder and then turning back to Ed, "There, now that the repairs are all done, come help me get some eggs from out back." Winry dragged Ed out back with her. Once they got outside, the sky started getting darker by the second. Winry picked up her pace so she could be done before the rain came. Only minutes later that the clouds let loose, and almost instantly, Ed and Winry were soaked. "We'd better get back inside before you rust, Ed." Winry turned to go back to the warmth of the house, but then realized that Ed had not made a move to get up. "Ed?"

Ed had to ask her, he wanted to know, "Do you like Thomas?"

Winry was taken a back by his seemingly random question, "Well, yeah, I guess. I mean, he can be a little jumpy, as you saw, but he's nice too."

"That's no what I meant," Ed replied. Winry thought for a second on how to respond. She looked up to see him staring at her, intent on an answer.

"No, not really, I was… I was saving myself for someone else. He's stubborn, rude, and has anger issues, but he's also really kind and caring and," Winry could not believe she was actually saying this aloud. Suddenly she felt something tugging on her hand. When Winry looked up, she saw Ed pulling her back towards the house.

"Come on, before we catch colds," he said, still dragging her along. Winry turned slightly pink.

-----------

Once Ed and Winry got back inside, Pinako made them change out of their wet clothes and sit in front of the fire to warm up. While sitting there, next to Ed, watching the flames jump up and down, a weird thought came to her. "Hey, Ed?"

"Yeah, Winry?" His gaze turned to Winry inquiringly.

"Well, uh, I was just wondering, about earlier," Winry felt her cheeks getting hot, "what about you?" Even though she left the question vague, Ed knew what she meant. He took a minute finding the right words.

"I'm saving myself for someone too. She's got a bit of a temper that I can always set off, but she's always willing to help too."

Winry, satisfied with the answer, said, "Thanks Ed," and rested her head on his should, still watching the fiery dance. Out the window, she could see the clouds parting and the last rays of sunshine coming through. Even though neither had said it directly, they knew what the other meant.

I hope you like it! Like I said, wish me luck in the contest and to help please Read and Review! -Emi