Only in Risenbool

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Imagine that? (And who said sarcasm was the lowest form of wit...)

o0o

At the age of thirteen, Edward had hobbled back to Risenbool with Al for repairs. Their welcome had been as expected; and Ed was now sitting out on the balcony nursing a large bruise on his forehead.

"Curse Winry…" he hissed beneath his breath. Honestly, was a simple hug or 'nice to see you!' too much to ask? Apparently so. Winry never seemed happy to see him. She was always fine with Al, and chatted to him wildly through dinner, but all the while shot dark glares at him. He couldn't see what the problem was. He hadn't damaged his leg on purpose! She ought to be a little nicer to him, given how much she was getting paid.

The last light switched off inside. Ed hadn't even noticed how late it was. It was a glorious summer night, with a huge full moon and a beautiful starry sky. Only in Risenbool could you see sky like this, Ed thought fondly. Only in Risenbool…

There was a click at the door as a key was jammed into the lock. Ed left up hurriedly, screeching loudly "Hey, I'm still out here!" before toppling over. He was wearing one of Pinako's spares while his automail leg was being repaired, and he was still a bit unsteady on it.

The door opened and Winry stepped through.

"Huh? Oh, Ed- what are you doing on the floor?"

"I tripped." He scowled, and pulled himself up.

Winry's overalls were splattered in engine oil, grease marks littered her bare arms and face. She'd been working for hours, her bright blue eyes dimmed with weariness. Ed felt a familiar pang of guilt. No matter how Winry treated him when he arrived at her place for repairs, she always did her very best work for him, working well into the night.

"Anyway," he said, shrugging off his temper, "what are you doing here?"

"I'm locking up for the night." She explained, rubbing sleep from her eyes, "I've finished your leg, by the way. You can be off by tomorrow."

"Oh…" Ed sighed a little disappointedly.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just a little soon, you know?"

"You don't have to go."

"Yeah," breathed Ed, "I do."

Winry sighed so quietly that it could have been mistaken for a breath. She looked down at her feet sadly. Couldn't he ever just come to see her? Just to come back to a place called home? Slowly, she turned her gaze to the stars.

"Remember when we were little," she said fondly, smiling up at the sky, "and we used to lie out on the fields at night, looking up at the stars?"

"Yeah," Ed nodded happily, staring at the sky, "and pick out the pictures we could see?"

"Uh-huh. Those were the days."

"Yeah… Hey!" He exclaimed suddenly, "let's do it again!"

She frowned. "What, now?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, Mr Alchemist." She relented, sitting herself down on the rug that covered theconcrete floor, "If you insist."

"I do!" He stretched down beside her.

Winry chuckled to herself. Ed had such a cute look of childish enthusiasm spread across his face, it was hard to resist. So was the temptation to ruffle his hair and throw her arms around his neck happily, but she contained herself with no more than a secret smile.

The two of them lay down, stared up at the night sky, and stretched their imaginations as far as they could go, dots forming pictures in their minds.

"Look there!" Ed pointed out a cluster of stars against a black backdrop. "A tree!"

"And there!" Squealed Winry, "A kitty!"

"You're starting to sound like Al."

The two of them giggled. It had been a long time since they had laughed together like this, and they instantly realised how much they missed it.

"And there-" Ed pointed, "that's a… a bone?"

"No… that's a wrench," corrected Winry, "See?"

Ed chuckled. "Only you Winry, only you." He yawned.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Winry snorted with fake anger, too tired to lift her head.

"Machine geek." He murmured sleepily.

"Alchemy nerd."

"Bent- yawn- bolt…"

"Edward?" started Winry, "Hey, Ed!" She flipped over and tugged his arm, but Ed was already fast asleep, sprawled out beside her. She realised she probably ought to wake him up and get him to go to bed inside, but he looked so cute when he was sleeping, it would be a shame to move him. Tiredly, she clambered to her feet and went inside to fetch a blanket, and pulled it over him gently. Sighing happily, she lay back down and stared back at the stars for a moment, before lying her gaze fondly on him. Without really realising it, she slowly drifted off to sleep.

A few moments later, Edward's eyes flickered open. He saw Winry lying their peacefully in front of him, and instantly thought he should wake her and take her back to her own bed. It couldn't be good for her to sleep outside. On the other hand though, he realised, it was a warm night, and the air should be good for her, having spent so much time bottled up inside. Besides which, she looked dead cute when she was sleeping.

Ed shifted closer to her and pulled the blanket off his shoulders, draping it round them both. He resisted the temptation to kiss her forehead and sweep a stray lock off her face, and snuggled back down to sleep.

She was what made home, home. Without her, there was nothing to come back to. Risenbool wouldn't be the same without her. It was the one place all his worries could be forgotten, if only for a short time. Only here with her, only in Risenbool.

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A/N: So, what'ya think? R&R, please! Is it sweet? Too sweet? Sugary? Blah? Please, I need to know if I'm ever to improve!

Ed: Now, that's what I call desperate.

Writer: SHUT IT OR I'LL MAKE YOU SHORTER!

Ed: Meep!