Hello again! Thank you for sticking with it so far, and for waiting patiently for chapter 2! I hope you enjoy it Oh and please excuse the rather crappy chapter name…..I'm not to good at thinking of name's for stories/chapters XD
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Chapter 2- Automail
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"Hey Ed, how about I attach your limbs now?" Winry suggested.
"Okay, why not?" Ed agreed.
"Okay then, take off your shirt and jeans and I'll go get the new automail for you." Winry said, walking off.
Ed proceeded to take off his shirt and his jeans. -He obviously has boxers underneath his jeans, just in case you were wondering-
Zeke took a good looked at Edward. His right arm and left leg were both artificial. He took a close look at them.
"Definitely Winry's work." He confirmed.
Ed turned to look at Zeke.
"It seems like you know her pretty well." He stated, his tone was neither snooty, angry or sarcastic.
"Yes, well I have known her for four years now." Zeke said, matter-of-factly.
"Well, Al and I have known her since the day we were born." Ed said, sitting down on a chair.
"But you haven't seen her for four years, she's probably changed a whole lot since you last saw her." Zeke shot.
It was like he was trying to make a point.
Ed shrugged his shoulders.
"It doesn't really matter to me." He said. "She'll always be the same Winry to me."
Zeke clenched his fist.
"Okay, I've got them!" Winry announced, stepping into the room carrying an automail leg and arm.
Ed stood up and walked over to her, he was a bit off balance since his current leg was a little too short for him. Winry took the automail leg she had in her arm and put it beside Edwards's real leg.
"Yup, this seems about right." She observed.
Ed blinked as he was pushed onto a chair.
"Are you ready?" Winry asked.
Ed looked at her and nodded his head. Al stood up and headed towards the door.
"Hey Alphonse, where are you going?" Zeke questioned.
"I'm going to wait outside until brother's automail is attached." Al answered, turning his head to face Zeke. "I don't like seeing my brother in so much pain…."
Zeke nodded, he understood how Al felt.
Al put his hand on the door handle and turned it, opening the door. He walked outside and sat on the front porch. He stared up at the sky.
"I forgot how nice it is here in Risembool…." He said softly.
Al heard his brother cry out in pain. He sighed.
"Poor brother…..we got my body back…..but we didn't manage to get his limbs back…." He muttered as he hugged his knees and pulled them to his chest. "But I will get them back for you one day…."
The door swung open, hitting Al on the back.
"Ouch!" Al cried as he moved out of the way of the door.
"Oh, I'm so sorry Al!" Winry apologized as she stepped out onto the porch. "I didn't know you were there, but it's your own fault for sitting in front of the door!"
Al rubbed his back in pain and nodded.
"Anyway, I just came to let you know that Ed's automail is attached and he's just having a sleep now." Winry stated.
Al nodded and looked away.
"Is something the matter Al?" Winry asked.
"No…..nothing's wrong…." Al lied.
Winry frowned and grabbed Al's shoulders roughly and turned his head to face her.
"Now you listen to me Alphonse Elric, you've been gone for four years! Four years! And you expect to just show up here and keep everything to yourself?!" Winry yelled. "I don't expect you to tell me where you've been these past years, but I do expect you to tell me if something's bothering you, you got that?!"
"Y-yes!" Al stuttered with a terrified expression on his face.
Winry let go of Al's shoulders and sighed. She sat down next to him.
"So are you going to tell me what's wrong or not?" She asked.
"I just….feel terrible about Ed's automail…" Al said hesitantly. "Ed finally got his limbs back….but then he risked everything to get my body back, so his limbs were lost again….."
Winry looked at Al.
"I just don't think it's fair on brother." Al said softly. "I get to have my body back and yet he still has to live with his automail…."
"Al…." Was all Winry could say, she wanted to comfort Al, but she didn't know what to say. She searched her mind for the words, but nothing came to her.
"It doesn't matter though, I will return brothers body back to normal." Al said with a determined look on his face.
Winry sighed heavily.
"Can't you just stay put for once…..?" She murmured. "I finally get you two back home and then you talk about leaving me again….?"
"But you have your husband now." Al stated. "And I'm sure he wouldn't want us hanging around."
Winry sighed once more, everything was getting too complicated. She didn't want to lose Ed and Al, but she didn't want to lose Zeke either. She knew that sooner or later she would have to make a choice.
Besides, it wasn't as if she'd never see Ed and Al again if they left for a little while.
"But if you do leave again, you have to come and visit me every now and then." It sounded more like an order than a suggestion.
"Of course we will." Al said, a smile appearing on his lips.
Winry smiled back.
"Winry!" Zeke called from inside.
Winry stood up.
"I bet he's going to ask me to cook dinner." She said more to herself than Alphonse. "Do guys ever think of anything but their stomach?"
She opened the front door and walked inside, Al followed after her.
Zeke headed over to Winry and opened his mouth to say something.
"Let me guess, you're getting hungry, right?" Winry guessed. "So I'll start making dinner now."
Zeke chuckled.
"How can you always tell what I'm thinking?" He asked.
"I'm your wife, I know everything." Winry teased as she stuck out her tongue to him.
Al watched the two of them, they seemed so close. He realized how much of Winry's life he had missed.
"Winry…..I'm sorry…." Al said softly.
Winry and Zeke looked at Al in confusion.
"We missed so much…." Al continued. "I'm sorry…."
Winry shook her head.
"That doesn't matter." She said. "As long as you're here with me now."
"We didn't mean to take so long to come back….." Al admitted. "We tried to come back sooner..."
"Al, it's alright." Winry said. "Don't beat yourself up about it, at least you came."
Al nodded.
"I'm going to start dinner now." Winry said as she walked into the kitchen.
"Alphonse, I'm the one who should be apologizing." Zeke said.
Al looked at Zeke.
"Why?" He asked.
"I said some awful things before…..but I didn't even think about you and Ed and what two have been through…." Zeke began. "I know you didn't mean to abandon Winry here, and you didn't know she was all alone."
"It's okay." Al said with a smile.
Zeke smiled back and nodded.
"Hey….." Came a voice from the stairs.
Zeke and Al looked to the stairs to see Edward standing at the bottom of the stairs.
"Ed!" Al cried as he ran to his brother. "What are you doing? You should be resting, you're probably still in a lot of pain from the automail."
"Nah, I'll be alright." Ed stated.
"Edward!" Winry growled as she walked out of the kitchen. "Get back upstairs right this second or I'll get out my wrench."
"Jeez, is that how you treat someone who's just been in major surgery?!" Ed questioned.
"No arguments! I'll bring you your dinner upstairs, okay?" Winry stated.
Ed grumbled something to himself and walked back upstairs.
"He's still as stubborn as ever, eh Al?" Winry giggled as she looked to Al.
"You got that right." Al said.
"Some things never change…." Winry said to herself as she entered the kitchen.
Zeke looked at Winry, his heart felt heavy. Maybe she was actually in love with Ed and not him.
When the sun began to set, Winry called Zeke and Al to the table for dinner.
"I'm going to take Ed's dinner up to him." Winry said, taking a plate of food upstairs.
She walked over to 'Ed's room' and knocked on the door.
"I'm coming in!" She called as she opened the door.
Ed was sprawled out on the floor, snoring softly, drool hanging out of his mouth. He was sleeping soundly. Winry sighed in annoyance.
"Jeez Ed, you're going to catch a cold if you stay down there….." She mumbled as she knelt down to Ed and stared at him.
He looked so peaceful and….cute! Winry's cheeks turned slightly pink. She gasped and shook her head.
"No, I can't be thinking these things!" She said a little too loudly. She quickly covered her mouth and prayed that Ed didn't hear her.
She looked at Ed, who was still fast asleep. She let out a sigh of relief.
"Winry……I'm sorry……" Ed said softly.
Winry jumped slightly, Ed was still asleep so he must have been sleep talking.
"So Ed was feeling bad too….?" Winry said as a smile formed on her lips. "He really does care…."
Winry pulled the blanket off the bed and placed it on Ed's sleeping figure.
"Sleep tight Ed." She whispered as she picked up Ed's plate and brought it downstairs.
"Is brother sleeping?" Al asked, looking at Winry.
Winry nodded.
"Wow, I'm surprised!" Al exclaimed. "I can't believe he slept through that, he never sleeps when theirs food around!"
"He must've been pretty tired." Winry stated, bringing the plate back into the kitchen and putting it in the fridge.
She sat down at the table and started eating the meal that was placed in front of her.
"Wow! This tastes great, Winry!" Al complimented.
"Thanks." Winry said with a smile.
"I think she gets better each time she cooks!" Zeke chirped.
Winry grinned.
"You really think so?" She asked.
Zeke nodded and continued to eat his meal.
"I'm done." Al announced, picking up his plate and walking into the kitchen.
"Just leave your plate in the kitchen Al!" Winry called. "I'll wash it up later!"
Al placed his plate in the sink and walked out into the lounge room. He plopped down on the couch and sighed.
Winry seems so happy here…. He thought. Maybe it would've been better if we didn't show up at all…..
The following morning, everyone was awake, except for Ed.
Winry was in the kitchen washing the dishes, humming to herself.
Zeke and Al were sitting on the couch watching TV (A/N: TV's would probably be invented by now and if they're not….too bad, they are now XD).
"Who are you calling so small you have to take extra care not to step on!!!" Edward screamed from his room, loud enough for Winry, Al and Zeke to hear.
The whole house fell silent for a moment. Winry giggled. Al sighed.
"Well, at least he doesn't have to worry about short jokes anymore, hey Winry!" Al called to Winry.
"Yeah! He's even taller than me now!" Winry called back.
"I guess he was just a late bloomer!" Al stated.
"Who's a late bloomer…….?" Asked a sleepy Ed from the doorway.
Al turned around to face his brother.
"Oh, no-one." He lied.
Ed yawned and rubbed his eyes sleepily.
"Good morning sleepy head." Winry greeted, peeping her head out from the kitchen. "I'm surprised, you even slept through dinner!"
"I did…..?" Ed asked. "You mean it's morning already……..?"
"Yeah, only just." Al replied. "It's about 11:30."
"Oh….really…….?" Ed murmured as he plopped down on the couch.
"I'll get you something to eat." Winry said, going back to the kitchen.
Zeke stared at Edward, he looked deep in thought. Ed noticed that he was being stared at, but decided to ignore Zeke, since he was too tired to care. Al also noticed, but, however, decided not to ignore it.
"S-so, Zeke." Al spoke up, trying to catch Zeke's attention.
It worked, Zeke broke his gaze from Ed and turned his attention to Alphonse.
"U-um, so, how do you like it here in Risembool?" The first question that popped into Al's head.
Zeke nodded his head slowly.
"Well, of course I do." He said. "If I didn't, why would I be here?"
Al laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head.
"Ed, get in here!" Winry more ordered, than suggested.
Ed groaned softly and rose to his feet, walking into the kitchen, dragging his feet lazily as he walked along.
"Whaaaat?" He mumbled.
"Aw, is poor widdle Eddie tired?" Winry teased. "You were out for half the day, how can you still be tired?"
Ed shrugged his shoulders, it didn't even look like he was listening to a word Winry said. Winry laughed.
"What's so funny….?" Ed asked suspiciously.
"You haven't changed a bit, Ed." Winry stated, smiling warmly. "I'm glad."
"Why would I change?" Ed placed his hand on his hips and stared at her. "What did you want, anyway?"
"Oh, I was just letting you know that I cooked you some breakfast." Winry said. "It's on the table."
"Okay, thank you." Ed said, heading over to the table not too far from the kitchen.
Winry watched Ed sit down at the table. She also watched as he started to eat his food. A small smile formed on her lips. How'd she had missed him while he was away. She was so glad that he was finally home.
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Authors Note: Well, that's it for chapter 2! I sure hope you enjoyed it! Reviews will be greatly appreciated!
Oh, and it'll probably take me a while to update this fanfic since all my ideas for this are scattered and I'm not really sure how to put them all together XD
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