Author's Note: This is my first Fullmetal Alchemist fanfiction. I just finished watching Brotherhood and had to write a short story (I know I'm really behind). This story takes place during the last episode of Brotherhood and can be considered an alternate conclusion. Enjoy! (I wrote this as quickly as I could. Sorry for any errors!)
Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.
Edward starts to walk away from Winry ready to board the train as she lectures him from behind.
"Knowing you, you're probably going to break it in a month and have to come home for maintenance." Winry scolds him as he hesitatingly moves towards the train responding with a simple, "Yeah, yeah. You're probably right."
Smirking at his reply Winry slyly remarks, "Well, whenever that does happen just call to make an appointment."
"Sure," Ed responds as he reaches the train. Just as he is about to board, he freezes finally registering her words. I am leaving… her again, and I still haven't told her. Imagine what Al would say, "Brother, tell her how you feel or you'll regret it just like you do for not drinking milk and-" GET OUT OF MY HEAD AL!
"An appointment…"Ed pivots around to face Winry as a silence hangs over them for a second. With a solemnly serious look on his face Winry gives him a confused smile and asks, "What's wrong?" as if she thinks he forgot something.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Ed decides to tell her. He has to tell her before he leaves… and it's the hardest thing he's ever had to do. Are we sure there aren't any more homunculus that need to be destroyed?
"Listen Winry," Ed starts but again lets a silence pass over them as he tries to form a complete sentence.
"Well what, just come out and say it." Winry says with a hopeful tone behind her scolding one. Ed gulps and blushes as he fights to push the appropriate words out.
Pointing at Winry with a red blush spread across his cheeks, he decides to talk about the one thing he understands fully. "Equivalent exchange," he yells much to Winry's confusion. "I'll give half of my life to you if you give half of ours to me!"
A silence again passes over them as Ed remains pointing at Winry with a blush as she attempts to take in his words. Instantly, Winry sighs causing Ed momentary panic before she finishes.
"Come on, do you have to treat everything like alchemy. The whole equivalent exchange thing is just nonsense-"
"WHAT'D YOU SAY?!" Ed panics as he takes her words as a refusal before she can actually finish her thought.
With a groan Winry continues, "It's nonsense. How about I just give you my whole life?"
Ed's previous anger disappears as the two stare at each other. Blue meets gold as yet another silence passes over them.
It is shattered with Winry's realization of her words as her face becomes flushed and the air becomes thick.
"Um, maybe not all of it. 90? Maybe 80 percent?" Winry stumbles over her words as she begins to look at her fingers for help trying to escape the awkwardness of the situation as Ed just looks on. "70? That's not enough… But 85? Yeah, 85 is a good number!"
Laughing in the background, Ed breaks the awkwardness of the situation causing Winry to spin around in order to properly defend herself. "You what! Shut up!" Ed curls over with laughter as Winry's embarrassment continues. This is the girl I fell in love with.
"I'm sorry really." He says through his laughter. Winry's fist clench as she drops them to her sides ready to scold, "Edward!"
Looking up at Winry, Ed continues between laughs, "You are so incredible. You knocked equivalent exchange flat on its butt in just a few words!"
"Huh, and what's that mean?" Winry nervously lets out afraid of rejection. "Are you making fun of me?!"
Finally collecting himself, Ed stands up in front of Winry hovering about two inches over her. "Not at all," he says as he pulls Winry into an affectionate hug causing her to gasp.
"Thanks for cheering me up," he mutters into her hair. "I'll miss you. Goodbye, for now."
Winry returns the hug overcoming her initial shock, "Come home soon."
The train's whistle interrupts their moment and Ed is forced to board leaving Winry behind. However before Ed can take two steps onto the train, Winry yells at him causing him to spin around.
"EDWARD ELRIC!" Winry shouts as she rushes up behind him grabbing his right arm almost causing him to fall forward from the unexpected force and flinch at the formal use of his surname.
Catching himself, Ed turns to Winry who has hooked her arm around his. "What are you-"
"I have half a mind to hit you with my wrench! Do you have any sense?!" She scolds ignoring a man who works on the train as he repeatedly asks for her ticket.
"I-"
Winry throws up her arms before he can finish. "You are completely clueless! You don't just propose to a girl and leave!"
At her words the man stops asking for her ticket and gives Ed a sympathetic glance before shutting the sliding door of the train behind him and proceeding to the next train car. Flabbergasted Ed stares down at Winry unable to form words out of shock. With a victorious smile, Winry slides open the door to the actually seats and advances down the aisle with Ed in tow. Humorous looks are sent their way as people admire the young couple as clearly their conversation was overheard.
Ed finally composes himself as Winry sits down in a leather seat and gestures for Ed to sit next to her. He obliges and wearily glances around before turning back to her.
"Winry, you can't just come on a train-"
"I just did."
"But you don't even have a ticket or-"
"Come on, you can pay for my ticket later. It's not that big of-"
Ed puts his hand up stopping Winry midsentence earning a glare. "You don't have any clothes or supplies for this trip. You need to go back home. Aunt Pinako won't know what happened and-"
"I will send her a letter as soon as we arrive. She knows that I was with you and that you won't let anything happen to me. And in the letter I can ask her to send me my tools and some clothes. It isn't a big deal, Ed." Winry reasons as Ed mutters about being tired of getting cutoff.
"Alright, fine… This doesn't make you any less crazy though. You have responsibilities." Ed halfheartedly scolds Winry.
"The automail shop will be fine… Ed, I have been working for a long time. I can consider this trip some vacation time, and well… my only responsibility isn't to the automail shop. I have a responsibility to you!" She blushes at her confession as she finally explains why she wouldn't let Ed go alone.
"Aw, you were going to miss me." Ed teases with a small laugh. Winry quickly buries her head in his shoulder. He runs his hand through her hair expecting her to look up at him only for her face to remain buried in his shoulder. "Winry, it's-" Ed stops himself as he hears tiny whimpers coming from her. Glancing down he sees her body shake a little.
After managing to get his hand under her chin, he gently tilts her head upward hoping to offer her some consolation. Her blue eyes are fogging with tears. "Winry?" Ed questions softly. We were laughing just a second ago. Is she hurt? Before Ed can search her for unexpected injuries, Winry places her lips on top of his. She pulls back before he can respond and stares into his golden eyes.
"You always leave. I've always been forced to watch your back as you walk away on a dangerous journey, and I had to wait not knowing if you were ever going to return to me! I couldn't let you walk away again. I am tired of waiting for you, Ed… I love you, and I can't bear to-"
This time it is Winry who is cutoff by Ed's lips. Just as she responds to the soft kiss, he pulls back and gently places his right hand on her cheek to brush away a few stray tears.
"Alright, you can stay. I promise that you'll never have to watch me walk away again. You can come with me." He kisses her forehead and leans back into the seat with Winry's head resting on his shoulder.
"I'm glad you finally grew. I don't know what I would have said if you were still shorter than me," Winry jokes resulting in Ed becoming red-faced as he remembers her vow to never marry anyone shorter than her.
"I'm not short," he grumbles as Winry laughs. Pouting, he crosses his arms over his chest.
Winry kisses his cheek and mutters, "And I'm very thankful for that."
End Note: When I watched episode 64, I squealed over Ed's "proposal" but I was also upset that he just boarded the train. I thought for sure Winry wouldn't let him leave after that! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this little story. Any feedback is welcomed and appreciated!