Refuge
AN: As always, random musings. Might be a little incoherent, and if it is, I apologize.
Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist does not belong to me in any way.
There was something about her that made people want to protect her – although none of those people could really say why.
Emotionally, she could take care of herself. Admittedly, she was a little fragile in places, but what woman wasn't? In any case, she was a determined and focused individual who rarely let anything bring her down for too long. She made daunting tasks appear effortlessly easy, be it the way she handled traumatic surgery patients or the decision to not wreck vengeance on the man who had killed her parents. She didn't worry too much, and she didn't cry herself to sleep at night, although sometimes, they thought she wanted to. But she was strong. She went on.
Physically, too, she didn't exactly fit the definition of a damsel in distress. Yes, she had the pretty blonde hair and the sparkling blue eyes, but there was a deceptive steeliness in those slender limbs of hers – her fingers were rough and callused, not soft and pampered like a fine lady's. When she worked on her art, the muscles in her arms were hinted at as she flexed them, and quite a few people could attest to the fact that she threw a very hard, very accurate wrench.
So Winry Rockbell was no frail damsel. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. But something about her bright smile and gentle ways made others worry for her, made them quick to defend her or to rescue her. Her customers at Rush Valley were a good example – they fiercely protected the girl from anyone who could be considered shady or dangerous. Whenever Winry went out, she had at least two pairs of eyes watching out for her. They squabbled over her, but they knew that she belonged to all of them, just like they belonged to her.
Another example was the Elric brothers. Edward and Alphonse(but especially Edward) were not averse to breaking the bone cleanly in order for it to heal – but when it came to Winry, they were as gentle as possible, and they treated her like glass.
However, it wasn't her weakness that made her so dear, so precious to everyone she met. It was precisely because of her hidden strength, her ability to hide tears behind laughter, that no one ever wanted to see her hurt. She didn't need protection because she couldn't handle the world – she needed protection because they knew that if she faltered or fell, a little bit of them would die inside, too. She was like the sunlight – she healed them, she made them laugh and smile and forget their worries for a little while. She was an anchor, a safe harbor in a storm and she was a home to come back to. Her arms were always open for everyone, and they all knew that the day they saw Winry Rockbell break would be a dark day indeed.
AN: 486 words. I truly feel that there's something about Winry makes you want to protect her from the ugliness of the world, like a parent would protect a child.