Things She Needs To Hear

Author: MoonStarDutchess

Double Shot

Part Two: Heard

AN: Hope you enjoy this second part.

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Heard

Riza watched as Winry walked out to the courtyard, her sniper's eyes taking in small tears on the young woman's face. She wanted to go after her, but wondered if that would indeed be the best course of action. Obviously, something triggered it and it was probably Ed since she seemed fine before he showed up.

"What's wrong with her?" Roy questioned then looked at Edward. "What did you do?"

Edward's eyes widened as he watched her go. "I don't know! She just got this way! I swear I haven't said anything to her this entire night."

"Perhaps that's the problem," she said, then turned to Roy. She stared at him a bit as if she was speaking to him without words. He finally understood and nodded. "You go talk to her. I'll talk to Edward," he said. She leaned in and kissed his lips, confusing Edward greatly. What did they need to talk to him and Winry about? More importantly, why was Winry upset.

Ed stood, "I need to go see Winry," he said.

Riza stood and reached over to place her hand on Edward's shoulder. "Let me talk to her first. Roy wants to discuss something with you as well." She put pressure on her hand and Ed willing sat down in his seat once more. She turned to Roy, who was standing up as well.

"I'll be back in a bit," she said.

Roy nodded and watched as Riza made her way outside. He then moved to sit across from Edward. He actually pitied the boy because he looked truly confused over what was going on.

"I'll explain."

"As much as I don't want to hear it from you, an explanation is definitely needed," Ed said.

"For once we agree on something," Roy said.

--

Riza lifted her dress slightly so she wouldn't trip as she went down the stone steps toward the courtyard. She saw that Winry had her shawl over her shoulders, gripping her purse tightly in her hand, and was heading toward the gate. "Winry!" she shouted to get her attention. Winry stopped but didn't turn around. Riza arrived at the bottom of the steps and walked toward her.

"You're leaving?" she questioned when she got a few feet away from Winry.

"Yes, there's no point in staying when Edward doesn't even care," she said.

"Come sit and talk with me. If you still want to leave afterward I won't stop you," Riza said.

Winry nodded and Riza guided her over to the bench to sit down. When they both were seated, Winry looked down at the ground. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Why did you get up and leave like that?" Riza said. "Was it because Ed hasn't been talking to you."

"Oh, he's been talking to me," she said. "Just not saying anything that I…" she trailed off, thinking that she sounded ridiculous.

"Anything that you what?" Riza questioned.

"Anything that I want to hear. That I need to hear. He complimented you. He said that you looked beautiful but he never said a word about how I looked."

"It's all about a compliment?" Riza questioned.

"Is that so surprising?"

"With an average girl it wouldn't be but with you it is. I think there's more to it."

Winry thought about what she thought about that night as she watched Roy and Riza enter the room and she indeed realized it was more than a compliment issue. It may have started as that small annoyance about not being notice, but through the night, it had bloomed into a huge realization that was just now coming to a climax.

"Yeah, I think there is," she said. "I think I am jealous of whatever everyone but me shares with Edward. I think I am jealous of the attention he shows other things. I am even jealous of you and the relationship that you have with the colonel. God, I am such a bad person for feeling this way. It's just that I am no use to anyone in the world and least of all to someone I care about."

"You aren't a bad person for feeling jealously. Everyone experiences that emotion. Everyone feels jealous and useless at times. I am not sure I follow on the sharing bit and the reason you would possibly be jealous of the colonel and me."

"Everyone around knows what is going on except me. You all know when he gets hurt, how he gets hurt. The only thing I get is him telling me to fix his automail so he can go out and put himself into more danger that he doesn't even tell me about."

"Winry, there are reasons why he doesn't tell you," she said.

"The colonel tells you everything doesn't he?" Winry questioned. "His fears, his flaws, you know it all about him. You know what he wants and you are helpful to him."

"You don't think you are helpful? Winry, you fix his automail. You are the very reason he can travel. I think Ed appreciates that more that you know."

"It would be nice to hear it. It would be nice not to only take care of the physical part but also his hear—mental part. The colonel lets you do that. He tells you how much he appreciates you. That he lov-cares about you."

"Not at all," Riza said, shocking Winry.

"He's never told you that he appreciates you?"

"No, he hasn't," Riza said, "And I don't need to hear it."

"What?"

"Roy and I understand each other. We've known each other since we were children. I don't need to hear him say he cares, that he appreciates me, or that he loves me because I can feel it in the small things he does. I can see it in his eyes. The old saying that eyes are the windows to the soul is truer than people think."

Winry looked down at her lap. "You said in the small things he does. Do you mean like the way he touched you in there? I mean it was obvious to everyone that he is in love with you. You make him smile so much and he makes you feel the same. Ed doesn't even… he said you were beautiful. He never told me that tonight."

"Perhaps he already thought you knew. Think about the way Edward is Winry and ask yourself if you were really expecting him to say something. Is he the type?"

Winry shook her head. "No but he called you beautiful. While that's true, it would have been nice to hear him say I at least looked nice. Even if it would have been a lie."

"You do look lovely Winry. A little uncomfortable but very very lovely," Riza said.

"Uncomfortable is right. These clothes are miserable."

"Maybe Edward realized that and decided not to say anything. Maybe he didn't think you needed to hear a compliment."

"Did the colonel compliment you when he saw you in that?"

"Sort of… kind of…" she said hesitantly.

Winry stared at her as a blush graced the lieutenant's cheeks. She didn't think Riza would give such an odd answer. It wasn't a definite response like all her other answers had been.

"What do you mean?"

"Not for your young ears," she said. "Let me just say that it can be taken as a compliment."

"Oh," Winry replied then looked back down at her lap, becoming a tad more somber. "So you think Ed thinks I didn't need to hear it?"

"Right," Riza said. "If you want to hear it then …"

"I think you look beautiful Winry," a voice said. Riza and Winry looked up to see Edward walking toward them; Riza spotted Roy standing at the bottom of the stairs. She stood and excused herself from the couple, walking over to her commanding officer and lover.

--

"I didn't think I needed to say that to you," he said. "I thought you knew that I think you're beautiful. I will always think you are the most beautiful girl in the world. You take care Al and me. I really do appreciate that."

"How did you…"

"The colonel. Don't tell him I said so but he's pretty smart," Ed said, lowly and begrudgingly.

"You're secrets safe with me," she said.

"If there is anything you want to know Winry, ask."

"I want to know what happens to you and AL when you get hurt. What kind of danger are you guys in."

Ed signed and sat down on the bench. "Winry, please don't ask that," he said. "I don't tell you that for a reason," he said, looking up at her. He was temporary taken aback by how incredible she looked in the white glow of the moonlight.

"I see…" Winry said with a sigh. Ed stood back up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You are like a sister to me Winry and I don't want you to get hurt."

Winry's heart broke at his words. Just a sister…that's all she was… However, she didn't let it get to her. She wouldn't let her pain show, for Ed's sake. She didn't want him worrying since she finally saw that he did care, albeit not the way she hoped. It would be enough…it had to be.

"I understand. Thank you Ed," she said.

"Now will you continue to be my date for this boring party?"

"Yes," she said. Ed offered her his arm and she took it. They walked to the bottom of the steps where they then noticed that Roy and Riza were no longer there.

"Where'd they go?" Winry asked when she heard laughing. They walked around the corner to see Riza leaning against Roy, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Winry longed to do that with the boy beside her and hoped someday she would be able despite him thinking of her as a sister presently. Perhaps time would change things. Little did she know that in reality, it was what Ed wanted as well. He was just protecting her, telling her things that she needed to hear.


AN: Hope you guys liked it. Please drop a review, they would make me quit smoking if I smoked. Which I don't anymore. LOL