AN: This has been sitting as a WIP for I don't even know how long. Finally finished writing it and just in time for Valentine's Day!

The story takes place after Ed joins the military but before the real main events of the story. I picture Ed and Winry about 13-14 here where they're at that awkward teenage phase. Though it's shown more on Edward's side than Winry's.

Hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own FMA.

Ed has the distinct feeling he will never like automail maintenance.

It's not like he hasn't tried. Those first few months of traveling he would look over the notes Winry wrote him and try to follow her instructions. And he was doing well…until he just stopped maintaining his automail.

Hey, he gets busy okay? Sometimes he just doesn't have time to fiddle with his stupid, metal appendages.

Besides, Winry does a better job anyway. With the way she's ranting and nagging at him and the shape of his arm, he bet she'd disprove of his attempts at maintaining the automail himself.

Which brings him back to the situation at hand, where he is currently lying down on the Rockbell's exam table while Winry fiddles, pokes, and prods his metal appendage.

"Honestly, you can be so unbelievable at times…" she mutters under her breath. She's been saying other stuff, but Ed tuned her out a long time ago. Once she starts fussing about the more intricate mechanics of automail, it all becomes gibberish to him.

Instead of listening to her scolding, he allows his eyes to wander around. He skims over the different tools, shrapnel, and parts that he's sure the Rockbells are using for future installments for other customers. In the corner are crutches and canes Granny would let clients use if they didn't have a temporary prosthetic leg to stand on like Ed does. Cobwebs decorate the corners of the ceiling (he should mention them to Winry when he gets the chance, she's always hated spiders infesting the workshop).

Honestly, there's so much junk down in the workshop, Ed doesn't know how Winry and Granny function down here. But he's no mechanic so maybe it's just something Ed doesn't understand…

"Are you even listening to me?" Winry snaps.

Ed turns and nods, "Yeah, yeah, I should be more careful. Your automail is precious and you worked hard on it so I should take better care of it. Yada, yada, yada, nag, nag, nag—OW! WINRY!"

She pulls back her wrench from his skull and huffs out a "Jerk," before going back to her work. Ed grumbles as she does so.

"Crazy gearhead." He rubs his poor skull and decides to keep his eyes from searching the room in case Winry wants to perform another lecture.

That just leaves him to let his eyes wander over his childhood friend instead…

Due to his position, his eyes first see her attire—particularly the tube top she decides to wear under her coveralls. Ed immediate averts his eyes, face flushed hot. He definitely should not be focusing his eyes on his childhood friend's chest. Not only is it downright weird, but if Winry caught him in the act she'd bludgeon him to death with more than just her wrench.

So he focuses on something more north of that: her hair.

He absentmindedly thinks he likes her hair. It's blonde, like his and Al's, but a brighter shade. Kind of reminds him of lemons. It's longer than his too, but that makes sense given she's been growing it out since she was seven. She's got it tied back in a ponytail and her trademark bandana, except for those two long strands in the front.

He doesn't really understand that. Why would she pull it back like that but keep those two strands? Seems like an easy way to get her hair stuck in machinery—something he's heard Granny stress to Winry when the girl first started working in the shop. And sometimes the dangling hairs tickle as she bends over him to get a better look at his automail. It's kinda annoying if he's being honest.

Next, his eyes catch on her earrings—the ones he an Al bought her roughly a year ago.

He still couldn't believe she actually poked holes in her ears to fit them all. What an idiot, who does that?

Though, he has to admit they do look nice on her…

He shakes his head; not quite sure where that thought had come from. He decides to quit staring at her ears and go for the next thing, which are her eyes.

They're a nice color of blue, he thinks to himself. The blue eye color is common—especially in Amestris—but he thinks Winry's is unique.

He remembers Uncle Urey and Auntie Sara having blue eyes—obviously where Winry inherited hers from. Though Urey's reminded Ed more of the sky before a storm, while Sara's reminded him of a fresh body of water.

Winry's eyes remind him the summer sky and he can't describe it but they have a calming effect on him. Sometimes he thinks he could stare at her eyes all day.

In fact he's staring at her eyes right now and that quite literally freaks Ed out. To the point he actually jumps and screams out a yelp.

"Oh, sorry!" Winry quickly apologizes. "Did I pinch a nerve?"

Ed tries to hold down his blush as he says, "N-No, I'm fine. You're good. Continue."

He knows Winry is giving him a look (with those clear summer sky eyes that Ed is very much aware of now) that probably indicates she thinks he's insane, but he can't care now. Thankfully she doesn't ask further questions and continues with her work.

Ed lets out a calming breath and decides to stay far, far away from Winry's eyes. They do nothing but make him think weird, stupid thoughts. So all that leaves for him to examine are her lips.

They're in a thin line at the moment as she concentrates on her work. They're a pale pink color. In the big cities and even at the military headquarters he's seen women have lips of all different shades of pink or red. Ed is aware they're wearing makeup—his mother would put on some kind of lip-gloss if she were to go out to the market—but he doesn't think Winry ever uses the stuff. She's still a young girl, though, so it's not like she has to wear it... But still, Ed can't help but think she looks fine without it.

More than fine, actually. He'd never admit it out loud, but Winry is a very pretty girl.

In fact, Edward would go as far to say that once she gets older and matures, she would be quite beautiful.

Winry suddenly pokes her tongue out and licks her dry lips. Ed subconsciously licks his own. He wonders what her lips taste like…?

…

WHAT.

THE.

HELL?!

WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?!

Absolutely mortified by his own thoughts, Edward averts his eyes from his mechanic and stares wide-eyed and flabbergasted at the ceiling. His face feels like the colonel burned it with his flame alchemy.

'Shit, SHIT! Okay, okay just calm down. Think of something else! Anything else!'

It's futile though as many thoughts suddenly swarm Edward's head.

How could this happen?! How did he not notice before how attractive she is? Maybe he's always known, but these…these feelings that are accompanying this—this reaction he's having! This isn't good, not good at all…

"Ed?"

He can't deal with hormones! Not now, not with Alphonse stuck in a suit of armor and being unable to even feel the rain on his skin! What right does Ed have to find his mechanic pretty when there's a chance if they don't find a Philosopher's Stone, Al might never get a chance at love at all!

"Hey, Ed, you in there?"

This is the worst thing to happen! No, he won't let it happen! He'll just ignore these intrusive thoughts and feelings. Yeah, bury them deep, deep, DEEP underground where they will hopefully stay there until he DIES!

Or until he gets Alphonse's body back, whichever comes first…

"Edward Elric!"

He jumps and comes back into reality. He turns his head to Winry, who is glaring at him in annoyance, but he can also see there's concern in them as well.

"Y-yeah?" he gulps, hoping his face isn't red from the onslaught of emotions running through his mind.

Winry sighs, "I've been trying to get your attention, but you were majorly spaced out. What were you thinking about?"

'You.'

"Just…alchemy stuff," he says instead, avoiding eye contact. "Thinking about where Al and I will go next after here…"

He could tell she didn't believe him by the way her eyes narrow in suspicion. After a few seconds of contemplation, she gives a defeated sight and rolls her eyes.

"Fine, keep your secrets. Anyways," she gives his automail arm a few pats, "your maintenance is done. Try to take better care of it, you hear me?"

He gives her an eye roll of his own and sits up from the exam table, "Yeah, yeah, I'll try my best this time around."

As he reaches for his shirt that hangs on a nearby chair, Winry addresses him again, "It's almost supper. Granny will be making stew tonight."

Ed hums in response as he clothes his torso. His eyes are still focused on his mechanic whose back is turned to him as she cleans up her station. The realizations he made in the last few minutes are still fresh in his mind.

He's noticed his childhood friend is attractive. And if his reaction to it is any indication, he might have actual real feelings for her.

But he can't do anything about it. Not now at least…

But maybe someday…when he can rest easily knowing his little brother isn't just a soul bound to a suit of armor, when the military isn't an issue, and Ed isn't mostly metal himself.

Someday…

"Edward?"

Once again, Winry's voice forces him back to the present, "Yes?"

Winry regards him with worry, "Are you sure you're okay?"

He can't let her know. Not yet, anyway. It's too soon…

So he does what he does best: burry his emotions deep. He puts on a fake smile and hopes she doesn't ask further questions.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a lot on my mind."

She nods sadly and he makes his getaway up the stairs.

Maybe one day he'll acknowledge his feelings.

But he won't allow today to be that day.

Got a little angsty there toward the end... Oh well.

So here's the story behind this fic: I wanted to show Ed being the first to figure out he has feelings for Winry. No good reason, really, I just like the idea of him kind of always having a crush on her but never really knowing until it's too late. Of course, he won't do anything about it because he's a self-sacrificing fool who has bigger things to worry about than girls. It was hilarious writing his freak-out though.

If you enjoyed this, leave a review. I'd appreciate it!