It's The Least I Can Do

by Prettywitchiusaka

Winry exited the hardware store with a big smile on her face.

And really, why shouldn't she? She was only in East City because her grandma, Pinako had asked her to pick up some nuts and bolts in city stores. But when she saw that store front display with its newly shined automail parts and discount wrenches and screwdrivers, she just knew she had to have them!

"And grandma says you can't find good stuff here!"

She dug into the plastic bag and pulled out the screwdriver she'd purchased. It's metal pointer glistened in the mid-afternoon sun, and the handle was made of the finniest wood money could buy.

Winry beamed with pride; already, she's imagining customers praising her flawless handiwork and attention to detail. And she tells them how easy it was with her screwdriver she bought in the city!

She giggled like a schoolgirl! She hadn't been this happy since the last time Ed'd taken her out shopping!-

Silence.

Just like that, the mere thought of her childhood friend, the one she'd known since she was old enough walk had reduced her to a solemn state.

Her smile faded, from her lips came a sigh, and her big, blue eyes stared at the brick pavement below her, possibly to mask the tears she knew were starting to well up.

She made her way down the street, thinking only of him.

It's not as if she hadn't seen Ed and Al at all in the past four years. She'd get a call from them every now and then, asking her to get on the next train and fix Ed's limbs.

They'd fight, bicker, maybe even go out for tea and cake. But the closeness they once shared, that feeling of friendship and family didn't exist anymore.

At least that's how it felt.

In four years, they never came home. Never sent a telegram, not even a letter. It frustrated her.

Why were those two always so eager to keep her out of the loop? She knew that Ed's work was important to him, but there were days where she wished he'd just give up and come home. She usually kicked herself for even entertaining such thoughts, but sometimes it was hard for her not to feel spiteful.

And forget about running into him in East City! Him and Al were probably far away in another city, and even if they weren't she had no way of contacting them.

Winry sighed. "Why do I even bother?"

She walked off the curb…and was pulled back by the elbow. She didn't know why, until she heard the screeching of tires and the sound of a horn going off.

Then it hit her; she nearly walked out into on coming traffic and someone came to her rescue! Maybe a tall, handsome man.

"Idiot, watch where you're going!"

Winry growled; the nerve of this guy! First he saves her, and then he insults her!

"Hey! Don't call me an-" She froze. Immediately, she recognized the long locks of black hair. The crisp, blue military uniform covered by a stylish long coat. And the intimate, stoic gaze that felt like it was staring into your very soul. "Oh, Colonel Mustang."

"Hello, Winry."

He let go of her elbow and shoved his hands into his pockets.

Winry, now embarrassed, rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry about that, it's been a few years so I didn't recognize you there," she replied.

"No, it's okay," he said, his gaze turned away from her this entire time. "Just…be careful next time."

He turned his back to her and walked the other away.

"O..kay…"

Winry turned to the cross walk, this time with her eye on the road and sighed. She was hoping to ask the Colonel about Ed and Al, but that plan went up smoke.

Then again, Mustang didn't seem like the talkative type. He barely spoke to her the night he first came to her house, and that time she barely escaped from Barry the Chopper he wouldn't even look at her.

Did he just not like her?

Maybe Ed was right; Colonel Mustang was a bastard. A ruthless, loathsome bastard.

"Wait."

Winry turned around and gasped as the Colonel, now with a soft, guilt ridden look to his eyes addressed her.

"Look, I'm sorry. It's been a long day and I'm usually cranky right after my shift," he explained. "Why don't I buy you a cup of coffee and we'll call it even?" he asked.

Winry didn't even need to think twice about what her answer was going to be.

"Sure," she said with a smile.

…..

Winry took a bite from her slice of cheesecake and washed it down with some hot tea.

She look at Colonel Mustang-sorry, Roy, he said it was to call him Roy, and gulped. He'd barely said a word to her since they sat down twenty minutes ago.

Oh sure, he'd told her she order whatever she wanted, he even flirted with the waitress a little. But once they got their order, he just sat there with his legs crossed and his cheek to her. Hell, he'd barely touched his coffee.

Winry placed the cup down and stared at her reflection in the green brew.

"What should I say?" she thought.

He'd gone to the trouble of bringing her here, the least he could do was engage with her in a conversation.

"So, what brings you to East City?"

"What?" She looked up to see him staring at her. "Oh, I'm just running an errand for my grandma."

"I see."

Winry chuckled and took another sip of tea…Now they were back to awkward silence.

Winry was getting tired of this, so she decided to go for the obvious question.

"How are Ed and Al?"

Roy shrugged.

"How should I know," he said. "I don't hear from them for weeks at a time."

Winry felt her heartstrings drop.

"Oh…," she said. "I see..."

She sighed internally. Typical Edward; never telling anyone about his plans while his brother, usually the voice of reason between the two, went along with his brother's whims.

It made her want to scream.

"Why? Have you not heard from them?"

She looked at Roy and noticed a hint of concern in his eyes.

"No, Ed hasn't sent me a letter in years," she replied. "Most I ever hear from them is newspaper clippings people send me through telegram, or the occasional repair request."

"When was the last time you heard from them?"

"Last year, when Ed broke his arm."

Roy shook his head in utter disbelief.

"Geez, that kid," he muttered.

Winry chuckled.

"Yup, that's Ed for you," she said. "Just does what he wants without a second thought."

She took another bite of her cheesecake.

"I'm sure you'll hear from him, someday."

Winry gasps. With wide eyes, she look up at Roy and sees his mouth has formed into a soft smile. But she can only stare at him with sad eyes.

"I doubt it," she said. "If I haven't heard from him in almost a year, what makes you think I'll hear from him now?"

He takes a sip of coffee and says "Because he's a soldier." He places the cup on the table, ready to explain his answer to this confused girl.

"He does dangerous work and sometimes…well, sometimes it's better to keep your loved ones at a distance, you never know who's watching. I'm not saying it's good or even healthy, but sometimes it's all you can do to keep someone safe."

Winry's eyes widen; the way he speaks so matter-of-factly about this subject, as if he has experience with this sort of situation, gives him an air of maturity, a sense that he is an adult to be respected.

But even that's not enough to convince her.

"That's all well and good, but what if you're right?" she asks. "Then I probably won't see them again for another two years or so."

Roy smirked.

"I doubt it. You know how stubborn Edward is, he's gonna have to break his arm and leg sometime. And when he does, you'll need to be prepared for that, don't you think?"

Winry gasps excitedly! How come she never thought of that?

"Yeah, you're right! Thanks, Roy."

Roy smiles. "Don't mention it, kid," he said. "It's the least I can do."

"What?"

"Colonel!"

Winry and Roy turn to face a military woman with clipped up blonde hair, and amber eyes that stared at the young Colonel with restrained fury.

Roy smiled at her.

"Lieutenant," he replied. "What brings you here?"

The woman frowns.

"You know why I'm here, Sir," she replied. "You were supposed to return to the office half an hour ago."

He chuckles.

"Sorry about that, I was on my way back when I ran into an old friend of ours."

The woman, whom Winry now recognized to be Roy's assistant, Lieutenant Hawkeye turned to her.

Winry chuckled and waved nervously.

"Hi Lieutenant Hawkeye."

The Lieutenant's frown softened into a smile. "Winry," she said. "It's nice to see you, again."

Winry smiled.

"It's nice to see you, too," she replied. "I almost didn't recognize you with long hair, it really suits you."

"Thank you."

A few minutes later, they finished their drinks and left the café, after Roy paid the bill, of course.

"Thanks again for the cake and tea, Roy. It was delicious."

"No problem."

"Colonel?" said Riza. "We should get going."

He nodded. "Right."

Roy turned his gaze to Winry and smiled.

"Alright, we need to be on our way, Winry," he said. "It was nice seeing you, again."

She smiled.

"Thanks, it was nice seeing you, too."

Winry made her way past the duo, and vice versa. As they past each other, Roy placed a hand on her shoulder and said "Just be careful, next time."

He removed his hand from her shoulder and carried on walking.

Winry stood there in a daze, taking in the moment and committing it to memory. She turned and watched Roy and Riza as they grew further away.

They were chatting. Not the sort of small talk an officer and superior would engage in, though. No, this was the intimate sort of conversation. The kind between two old friends who knew everything about each other, and comfortable enough chat about anything.

Even Roy's posture was different; he looked more relaxed, more personable and friendly than he'd been before.

Winry smiled.

Maybe Ed was exaggerating in his letter when he said Roy Mustang was a bastard, he didn't seem so bad to her.

Her smile grew bigger as she made her way to the train station, ready to face the future with renewed confidence.

Still, there was one question on her mind, about Roy and what he'd said to her back at the coffee shop.

"It's the least I can do."

"What did he mean by that?" she wondered.

It was only months later, as she stood above of her parents graves, having recently discovered their murder by military execution did she understand what Roy Mustang's words meant. And more importantly, why he'd said them.

The End