Author's note: Another Ed/Win oneshot. What else is new. It's probably already been done before (the whole Winry calls Ed reckless, Ed defends himself, and a little side helping of shipping) but this is just my own take/interpretation.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.
Ed had made the journey alone. As insisted by his superiors, he had hopped on the next train from Central to Risembool. As much as Al would have liked to have gone, he had other matters to attend to and being there for his brother's tune-up was not necessary. So Ed went solo, now making his way up the long dirt road that lead to the Rockbell residence. Peeved as always whenever someone told him to do things – especially when it came down to his automail – he couldn't help but notice that his leg felt a little stiff. And the last time he fought with someone he noticed a few loose screws in his arm. He could have easily handled these things were it not for Mustang.
"I'm perfectly capable of fixing it myself, Colonel," he had argued.
"No way, Fullmetal. I don't trust you one bit," Mustang had countered. Ed scoffed at the man but reluctantly agreed to pay his mechanic a visit.
At last he could see the house. It was past sunset by now, the lights of the house shone brightly against the dark. He sighed and quickened his pace. The sooner he got there, the sooner Winry could fix him up, and the sooner he could get back to Central. When he reached the door, he gave three firm knocks. In reality he could have just walked in – this technically was his home – but he didn't want to risk a wrench in his face. About 10 seconds went by before the door opened. He looked down into Pinako's face, grinning crookedly.
"Hey granny," he said.
"Hm," she grunted, holding her pipe to her mouth. "Come in. I expect you need some work done?" She stepped aside so he could enter the house.
"Yeah, just a tune-up." He followed Pinako into the kitchen.
"You should have called first," she said, glancing back at him. He chuckled nervously, bringing his flesh hand up behind his head. He looked off somewhere else.
"Yeah I know. Sorry." Pinako shrugged, sitting in a chair. She took a few puffs of the pipe.
"I'm sure Winry won't mind. She's in her room."
"Thanks granny," Ed said, turning around and heading up the stairs. When he reached the top step he paused. There was the door leading to Winry's room. It was open just a crack. Oh, how much he wanted to just turn around and go back to the train station. It wasn't that he hadn't missed her or didn't like her – far from it, really. The problem was that he did.
He sighed heavily and walked to the door. He opened it further and peered inside. Winry was sitting at her desk, back to the door. She was probably fiddling with some kind of gizmo and probably had a tool in her hand which she would probably throw at Ed. He winced in advance and opened the door fully. He cleared his throat loudly.
"Hey, Winry," he said sheepishly, hand going to the back of his head. His eyes flitted between the floor and the mechanic. Winry's body stiffened at the sound of his voice. She turned slowly in her chair, her eyes narrowed.
"Edward Elric what have you done to my automail now?" she asked coldly. Ed took note of the wrench in her hand.
"What makes you think I did something to it?" he defended. He threw his hands out to the side and shrugged. The fear was quite visible on his face. Winry set the wrench on the desk and stood up. She faced him with her hands on her hips. He looked at the grease smudges on her face and bandanna.
"You've just made it a habit of showing up here when you've broken something, is all," she said.
"Well, I didn't do anything this time." Ed crossed his arms and his eyes flicked away from her. He focused on a stack of books sitting on the floor. "I just need a tune-up." He looked and sounded like a child. Winry groaned.
"Fine," she said, annoyance clear in her tone. "Shirt off." She turned around to grab some things from her toolbox sitting on the desk. Ed walked over to her bed and began pulling the fabric over his head. As Winry turned around she gasped. She swore, every time she saw him there were new scars.
"Hmm?" Ed turned his head to look at her, cocking an eyebrow. "You say something?" She shook her head and pulled the chair over to the bed as he lay down. He assumed the usual position and Winry began tinkering away at his arm. The room stayed silent save for the sounds of her tools on the metal. As she moved down to his leg, she spoke.
"Where's Al?" Ed was staring absentmindedly at the ceiling.
"He couldn't make it," he answered, his voice monotone. Winry looked up from her work, eyebrows drawn together.
"Why do you feel the need to do that?" the growing anger was clear in both her voice and her face.
"Do what?" he asked, still staring at the ceiling. Winry sat up straight.
"That! You're so vague. Why can't you ever just be honest with me, Ed?" She had shouted the last part, causing Ed to look at her. He propped himself up on his elbows and looked her in the eye.
"I am being honest. He couldn't come." Winry stood up abruptly, causing the chair to fall back on the floor. She clenched her fists tightly at her sides.
"You know that's not what I mean, Edward!" she shouted, glaring at him. "You never really tell me what's going on with you two! I want to know, Ed. I have a right to know." Ed sat up fully now, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He clenched the bed sheets in his fists and stared at the floor.
"Like what about this?" She pointed to a fresh scar that ran across his shoulder and collarbone. "How'd you get that, Ed?" Edward sighed, eyes still on the floor.
"You don't need to worry, Winry," he murmured. Winry threw up her hands in exasperation.
"Well I can't help but worry when you don't tell me things!" Ed clenched his jaw and stood up. He faced her, arms at his sides and the anger clear in his eyes.
"Fine, Winry. You want to know what happened? Some bastard threw me through a window and I fell two stories onto a pile of bricks. There. Happy now? Stop worrying," he rushed.
"No! I'm not happy and I can't stop worrying!" she screamed.
"What do you want from me then?!" he screamed back.
"I want you to stop being so goddamn reckless and talk to me for once!"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"You are so reckless, Edward! It's like you don't even care about your own well-being! You don't care about anything!" she shouted. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Sometimes it's like you're not even human." The last part she said quietly. Edward's eyes widened, the anger he was feeling dissipating from his expression. It was replaced by concern and hurt.
"That's not it, Win. I care a lot. But I can't do that unless I try things that might work regardless of how dangerous they are." His voice was quieter and calmer, any traces of anger completely gone. Winry swallowed hard, her expression also morphing from rage to worry and hurt.
"You can't do everything, Ed. You're not invincible," she said. She searched for his eyes but he looked away.
"I know you just want to help but you need to keep yourself safe," Winry whispered, her eyes going to the floor. Ed looked up at her again.
"How am I supposed to save Al? Or granny, or Den, or Elysia? Or even Mustang?" He took a step towards her.
"How am I supposed to save you?" Winry's eyes shot up to his face, blushing slightly. Ed came closer. She saw him swallow with difficulty before reaching out a hand – quite hesitantly and awkwardly, she noted – and grabbing her own. His skin was warm and calloused, which comforted her.
"I'm sorry, Winry. I can't save anyone unless I take some risks." He looked away from her. "And you're just going to have to live with that." He gave her hand a squeeze and released it. She let it fall limply to her side. They stood in awkward silence for a few minutes, neither one looking at the other. At last, Ed spoke:
"So, uhh, thanks. For the tune-up, that is," he stumbled. She looked up at him and smiled slightly.
"Sure, Ed." She watched as he pulled on his shirt and backed toward the door.
"I'm just going to, you know, go." Winry bit her lip as he turned to leave.
"Ed," she called out a little too loudly. He stopped and turned his head to look at her.
"What?" he asked absentmindedly. She swallowed.
"I, uhh…" Ed turned around to face her.
"What is it?" he asked. Winry closed her mouth and walked over to him. She rested her head on his chest, hands going to his shoulders and squeezing them. She closed her eyes. Ed's body stiffened, eyes widened in surprise and hair standing on end. After a few quick moments he tentatively put his arms around her. A small smile appeared on his face.
"Just be careful," Winry said into his chest. She pulled her head away from his chest to look at his face. Ed looked down at her and nodded. She pulled away from him completely and he left without another word. She went and sat back down at her desk. Through the window she saw Ed walking back down the dirt road. She knew he'd meant well – that boy always did – but he was lying. He would always lie. She sighed and let a tear slip from her eye.
Ed had come down the stairs, said a quick goodbye to Pinako, and exited the house. As he walked down the path he stared up at the stars. He wished he could stay safe for Winry's sake. He wished he could tell her the things that were happening to him and Al without her getting worried. But he couldn't. He'd hated lying to her, but it was necessary.
He would apologize when everything was over.
Thanks for reading. Reviews are always appreciated so let me know what you think if you feel so compelled.