Ed sighed and rolled over. The fighting was long over, they had won. The bordiers were protected, the Ishbalans were rebuilding their homes. He was no longer a state alchemist. Al and him were back home in Risenbol, now. Winry was just up the stairs sleeping.
A silly grin plastered itself to his face as he remembered the last time he was in her room, just before the promised day. His grin disappered as the thought of her, lying dead and crumbled somewhere, of her soul being used, fueled him on, those thoughts had made him fight harder than he ever had, when he ran at Father too continue the fight, he knew it was her. Maybe he'd work up enough courage to tell her that one day.
Some nights he wakes up gripped in the cold fear that she was lost. Most of the time he can dispel the fear, but not tonight. Tonight he knows he needs to see her, maybe hug her, maybe never let her go. Slowly he removes the blankets and sits up, grabbing a singlet from the floor he puts it on, and quietly leaves his and Als room. Trying to make as little noise as possible he walks up the stairs to her room and opens the door. He can see her shape in the blankets, and he smiles as he watches her breathe. Quietly he shuts her door, knowing that Granny would kill him for this, he sneaks across to her bed and lies down, wrapping his arm around her. He feels her sigh and turn around.
"Again? Ed, you have to tell me what's wrong?" she whispered as she pulled the blankets up for him to get under.
Ed scrambled under the blankets and re-wrapped Winry up in his arms. "Sorry, bad dream about the promised day." he said closing his eyes and enjoying the extra warmth she brought.
"This is the last time, Ed." Winry sighs as she tries not to focus on Ed's warmth.
Ed mummbled something non committal, she knows this tactic. This is his if I don't agree it doesn't have to be the last time, but if I don't kinda agree she'll kick me out.
"Ed, if it was a bad dream about the promised day, Al is in the bed next to yours. And he's fine, asleep and happy. You don't need to be here." Winry said trying to stifle her hopes, because Ed has never-ever looked at her as anything other than a mechanic and sisterly friend.
Ed opens his eyes and looks at her. It seems increadible but she doesn't know, hasn't clicked even though everyone else has. Ling clicked to it after seeing Ed's reaction to him at Garfiels after just meeting him. And Bradley knew to keep Ed in check, just by threating her. But even though to the rest of the world it was written in big bright letters somewhere on or near him that he was in love with Winry, she keeps missing it. He planned to tell her the moment he got home. He wasn't quite sure how to, but his plan had kinda involved picking her up and kissing her, and talking to her at some point. But his nerve failed him, she ran out crying and hugged both him and Al and he could do nothing, couldn't even tell her, he gave up his alchemy and now he can stay.
"It was about you. I dreamt that "Father" had used your soul. That I hadn't saved you." Ed said, explaining to Winry for the first time why, he kept sneaking up to sleep next to her, at least part of the reason.
Winry smiled in spite of herself, it was just like Ed, to turn her plan on it's head with some little reminder that he cared about her. But still this was wasn't really a good habit to have.
"But he didn't, and you did. I'm fine Ed, right here and perfectly healthy, please go back to your bed." Winry said slowly attempting to disengage herself from Ed.
Ed's hold on her got tighter as she tried to leave.
"No, I'm not going back down to a cold empty bed, when I'm comfortable and warm here. And if I have another bad dream about you, I'll know that's what it is." Ed said settling down and closing his eyes.
Winry sighed and relaxed herself, hoping to extracte herself when Ed's hold loosened. She fell asleep while waiting.
It was still dark when Winry's sleep clouded mind slowly started processing her surroundings, the soft bed and extra warm blankets, the light breaths in her face and the warm arms around...wait... last night...Ed.
"Ed wake up, Granny will be up soon, you have to go back downstairs." Winry said staring to try and move Ed.
"Hmmmm why would I go downstairs?" Ed mumbled sleeply.
"So Granny doesn't find out." Winry said trying to push Ed out.
"I'm pretty sure she already knows I love you." Ed said before going back to sleep.