Paper Airplanes

"What are you doing over there, big brother?" Alphonse Elric asked, poking his head out of the window. He squinted as he looked up the roof. His elder brother was lying on his back and looking very relaxed.

"I'm sleeping," Edward replied cheerfully.

"If you do sleep, you won't wake up... Next thing we know we'll scrape you off the ground." Al retorted. But it was a low roof and if EVER Ed fell, he won't break any bones anyway. "I'm going with Pinako to town. Want me to bring you something?"

Ed frowned thoughtfully. Then he yelled back, "Do bring me a new notebook!"

"What do you need that for?" asked his younger brother with a grin. A mischievous smile crept up to his lips. "You don't write much."

His brother blushed. Ed actually blushed! Al had the feeling something special was going to happen today.

"I hear Pinako calling for you," said the older brother nonchalantly. Al squeaked and waved goodbye to him. Ed watched Al's head disappear from view with a grin. Without meaning to, his eyes fell on the old peach tree on the backyard.

There was a girl sitting underneath its shade with a sketchpad on her lap. Her light blonde hair was drawn up in an untidy ponytail and he could see that she had tucked a spare pencil on her left ear. There were no shoes on her feet and he could imagine her dainty little toes. He could see her delicate and beautiful hands drawing swiftly on a fresh page.

Ed closed his eyes and tried to imagine what she could be drawing. Winry was an excellent artist. As a child she couldn't help but draw all the time. He teased her all the time but he had to admit that he admired her work. It was good that she'd used that talent for her automail profession.

He loved going home. There was nothing more rejuvenating than returning to the place that held his roots. Although there were many painful memories, there were so many good things that happened to him too. It made up for that.

Whenever he returned to Amestris after a vacation, he felt better. His mind was fresher and he felt he could do anything. Al had kidded him once that maybe it was because of Winry. Ed had insisted that it was the fresh air although everyone could see his blush. Ed sat up and reached for the notebook he kept on his pocket. He started to doodle on a fresh page. He didn't try to think of what to draw. He let his mind wander away as he draw different things on the paper.

Roy Mustang had insisted that the rebellious, stress-prone, sulky and stubborn Edward Elric learn to relax. He stated that Ed needed to just let go and let himself unwind.

The blond didn't know what came on to him when he doodled. He just took to it. When he doodled on his notebook he felt himself wander away from problems and slowly relax. Al had theorized that maybe it was because it reminded him of Winry. Because she was the only person in the world who can make him smile again after a hectic day.

After half an hour of doodling and sketching, he gave up. Without looking at his doodles, he slammed the notebook shut. His mind wasn't cooperating with him. It was wandering down to look at his childhood friend. She looked busy. Ed closed his eyes and tried not to think about her. He tried not to look at her. Winry would see... and she would find out...

He sat up and buried his head on his hands. She was going to drive him crazy instead of relaxing him. When did he start to care about her soothing effects anyway? It must be because of all Al's teasing. A light breeze blew past him and played with his hair. He smiled mischievously. Of course, that was the best way to get rid of the loose pages. Ed reached for his notebook and drew out the page.

Ed folded the page into a paper airplane. He'd learned origami when he read a book about it. Without thinking twice, he threw it. It floated for a second before gently sloping downward. He watched it fly, fascinated by how the fragile paper airplane navigated through the ocean of air. It landed without hesitation on Winry's side.

He watched her glance at it before picking it up. She stared at the paper airplane as if committing it to memory. Then she unfolded it and stared to read. His eyes softened as he watched her golden head bow in concentration and even from his distance, he could see her wiggling toes. Winry had a certain habit from childhood that always calmed her. It was his favorite subject for teasing but it was also her most endearing.

The alchemist must have been thinking too deeply because he didn't notice a paper airplane hit his forehead.

"Ow!" He yelled, surprised and angry. Winry waved at him, grinning. She gestured for him to open it up. With his curiosity piqued, he did. And he began to read aloud. "You ought to watch yourself. You might fall."

He grinned. "You can catch me with that big butt of yours," he said as he wrote it down.

Ed saw her anger rising out of her ears. He laughed loudly as she shook a fist at him. With a grin, he caught her hastily scribbled retort.

"You better not come down or I'll squash you!"

He remembered that he he missed their repartees. He missed Winry... That was why he always wanted to come home. It was always because of her. The excellent artist slash automail addict who'd inspired him to take up a pen and doodle away to relax. It was just like her to influence him subtly.

"I missed you." He wrote down with a tender smile.

Ed looked up to look for the recipient. His face fell.

She was gone.

"So what did you write down?"

Without looking at whoever he was talking to, he handed the paper airplane to the person beside him. A sigh escaped his lips. His golden eyes grew sadder.

"I missed you too. Thanks for the paper airplane." Winry leaned sideward and wrapped him in a loose hug. She rested her cheek against his, smiling happily.

Ed was blushing. He could feel her softness and warmth pressing against him. Her breathing was slow and even. The air was suddenly filled with her unique smell. He wanted to hug her back. He wanted to know if she could feel his heart beating against his chest so loudly it sounded like a drum. He wanted to know if she appreciated his effort.

She was blushing as well. "Ed, let's make more."

To his disappointment, she released him.

And they began to work in sweet and companionable silence. Ed decided that if coming home meant making paper airplanes with Winry and enjoying the comfort of companionship for the rest of his life, he won't let any opportunity to pass him by.

Al and Pinako arrived that afternoon. They were surprised to see paper airplanes flying gracefully through the air.

"So that's why Onii-san wanted a notebook," Al said softly.

He smiled towards the direction of the roof. Ed and Winry lay side by side. The setting sun's rays set off their golden hair and made them look beautiful. Even from his distance, he could see that they were holding hands.

"I'm glad you remembered, Onii-san."