This is the fall chapter! Please review my last chapter "It's Raining"! I know it was a bit rushed, but I fixed that to nao its not so quick. Yeah, one minute she's falling and almost half dead within the same paragraph. Sorry! This one will be better! Hopefully!
Oh, and by the way, this is Fall...yeah..forgot summer. Oh well!
Den
Mighty trees that stood tall among a small town were changing their leaves to bright, cheery colors. Reds, oranges, yellows, and even a small amounts of purple littered the lands. Fall had finally arrived in Resembool, and with it came the legendary Elric brothers. They were home to rest...and to fix Edward's arm and check up on his leg as well.
"Damn homunculi, and that stupid Ishvalan, Scar." Edward fussed to himself, grimacing at his barely working automail limb. Oh, how Winry would enjoy seeing this. She was going to get the chance to, for Edward couldn't avoid her in the state he was in. Furthermore, Alphonse had seen much better days too. His metal suit of armor was all dented and scratched up, but the young mechanic they'd known for years, as well as her grandmother, could buff that out in no time. Still though, he'd probably get a wrench thrown his way.
"Well, hello there boys," Granny Pinako greeted as she opened the front door, pipe in hand, as if she were expecting the brothers. Her jaw dropped rather in amusement than shock at the tousled young men standing on her porch. Edward smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head with his good arm.
"Back for another visit, I suppose?" she asked rhetorically. Alphonse nodded and his older brother shrugged and looked to his scuffed leather shoes.
"I'll go get Winry." Pinako sighed, shaking her head. "I'm sure she'll be glad to see you despite your condition."
She left the door hanging wide open for them to come inside. As Edward entered the familiar farm house, he took in a big breath of air. Still smelled like Granny's cooking, still looked like a garbage heap of metal limbs, and Edward still felt the same with every visit: nervous.
"Think she'll be mad?" he had asked with a grin as he sat down on the bench beside the wall. Alphonse looked back at his brother, over-viewing his overall damage. If he had eyebrows, he'd raise one.
"Yep."
Sure enough...
"You idiots!" growled an angry, very much recognizable voice that both boys feared. A slender figure stomped into view, a box of tools occupying her hands.
"How many times do I have to tell you two to stop being reckless! And I told you before about calling!"
Edward glared at her, "You expect us to die out there because we don' wanna screw up your automail!"
"Knowing you, you probably just rushed in without even thinking!" Winry hissed, sighing a moment later and placing her hands on her hips. A scowl tainted her soft features.
"Well, come on, lets just get you fixed up." her voice was more relaxed as she took a deep breath again. She knew she couldn't stay mad, especially since she was finally getting to see her best friends again. Even though seeing them so battered up wasn't her picture perfect image of a happy reunion. Still, she'd rather take it than leave it.
Luckily, Winry didn't have to take apart Edward's whole arm to fix it. That saved Ed the trouble of having to have his nerves reconnected. That was never a pleasurable experience, nor would it ever be.
Winry sat on a small stool beside Edward's makeshift bed, twisting a screwdriver on one of the loose screws that threatened to ruin the arm completely. What she was doing was easy, but whenever she worked on Edward she felt like extra pressure was weighted on her shoulders.
Her minded drifted to her alchemist friend, who lay silently on his stomach with the back of his head facing her. He was particularly quiet today, fumbling with his fingers unconsciously by his bare, toned chest. She smiled lightly, finishing part of his arm.
"Carefully turn it over," she instructed, helping him steady his arm as he shifted it.
"Why're you so quiet today? Usually you've done told me all about your crazy adventures."Winry giggled as she tightened the screw fully.
Edward grinned softly, pressing the back of his hand under his neck to balance his head.
"We haven't gotten much farther, but we did manage to get some notes from Dr. Marcho."
"Who?"
"He's the one who created the Philosopher's Stone." Edward mumbled as he watched Winry practically finish his automail. There was still some minor tweaking to be dealt with, but other than that she was done.
"How come you guys are coming out here all alone? Surely the military would have sent out some kind of bodyguard or something after the fight with Scar."
"You saying I can't defend myself?" The blonde snapped, glaring at his mechanic.
"Of course I am! Why else would you have come out here to get fixed up if you weren't incapable?" Winry shot back, shutting up the male before her. She began wiping off the dirt and grime that remained on her slightly less that perfect perfection.
"As a matter of fact, Major Armstrong did follow us out here. We promised we'd head straight here and back to Central if he left." Edward informed, sitting up and working his new machine in a circular motion.
"How'd you get someone like the Major to just leave?" Winry puzzled, skeptical of Edward's claim. The short blond merely shrugged, half-listening to his friend as he looked over his arm.
Once Alphonse's body was all fixed and waxed, he and Ed began to say there good byes.
"Leaving already, I see?" Pinako asked with a raised eyebrow, Winry standing beside her in the open doorway. On the steps below her stood the two reckless boys she grew up with.
"We promised the Major we'd head straight back." Edward told, turning his back to them. He was grateful to them both for their hospitality, but duty called. Alphonse bowed before jogging off to catch up with his brother.
"Be careful, Ed!" Winry hollered, casing her hands around the perimeter of her mouth as she yelled.
Edward responded with a hand raised in the air as he kept walking. Winry rolled her eyes, looking down and expecting to find Den on the front step. She looked around when she noticed her black four-legged friend wasn't there.
"Den?" she called, looking around the property.
"Oh, that dog. She'll turn up eventually." Pinako put the situation off as nothing, but Winry couldn't very well do that. Den never ran off unless she was with Ed or Al. Winry closed the green door behind her, crossed the porch, and down the stairs she went.
"Den?" she looked around the house, but no sigh of her furry companion turned up.
"Den!" she called again, glancing hurriedly from left to right. She searched the whole house, inside and out. Granny ignored her as she folded some clothes. Only twenty minutes later and Winry was back outside, at square one once again.
I bet I can make it to Ed and Al if I hurry...
Edward and Alphonse were walking silently alongside the dirt road, the only sound available to their ears was the clanking of Al's body and the crunch of dead leaves under their feet.
"Brother, you're slower than usual today." commented Al as he kept his whitish colored eyes on the road ahead of them. Edward looked up, realizing his gradual pace.
"Sorry, I was just thinking." the older Elric excused, quickening his step.
"Maybe we shudda stayed awhile longer." sighed the metal body.
"You heard the Major, head straight to Rockbell's then back to Central." Edward reminded, earning a chuckle out of his younger brother.
"Since when do you follow the rules?"
As the two of them continued, Edward's tone driving them into bickering, both managed to hear a familiar voice, Winry's voice, calling after them. Both brothers turned on their toes to see the young woman running up the dirt path to catch up with them.
"Edward! Alphonse!" she gasped, nearly out of breath.
"Winry?" Ed questioned, real concern in his voice.
"Den got out! I can't find her anywhere!" Winry cried out, sucking in large doses of air once she finally reached her alchemy friends.
"What'd you say?" Edward asked, dropping his suitcase. His golden eyes were more wide than before. Alphonse would have been visibly shaken if not for his suit of armor.
"I wondered if whether or not she followed you." Winry glanced around just in case, but to no avail did she find her three flesh-legged companion.
"Den's gone missing!" Al all but shrieked while shaking. "Brother, we've got to go and find her!" The youngest Elric demanded, turning to his smaller sibling.
"Yeah, yeah. You go search around the ruins and the cemetery. Ask if you see anyone if they'd seen her." Edward ordered with a pointed finger. Alphonse was off before Edward could finish completely, leaving the two blondes on their own.
"I'll come with you." Winry declared with a worried smile she was trying to conceal. Edward only nodded, starting off back towards the automail family business.
After splitting up in search for the dog, Edward and Winry met up with Alphonse several more times but no such luck came with his arrivals. The two blondes gave up searching around the Rockbell home, and started looking elsewhere. The temperature started to fall, and Winry found herself shivering. It wasn't until her second shiver Edward took notice, and with this he stripped himself of his scarlet hooded alchemist coat.
"Here," he mumbled as Winry took it thankfully. It wasn't the first time she had worn his crimson coat, and she always appreciated wearing it in troubling times. It was getting darker and darker, and with its lack of light came the chilling wind. Even Edward's jacket could not prevent Winry from shivering.
"We should be heading back," Edward sighed, lifting a tree branch out of his way. He peered into the bush with squinted eyes, but he couldn't see past a few feet.
"Den? Den!" Winry cried, cupping her hands around the base of her mouth to further her voice. It did no such luck, and it only prevented her from hearing Edward's earlier statement. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she herself sighed.
"You guys still going to Central?" she asked sadly as they continued on.
"The Major did tell us to come straight back to Central..." Edward informed, his arm hitching around Winry's shoulders.
"Oh..I see." Winry sighed.
"But-" Edward stretched and yawned with his tongue sticking slightly out. Winry giggled and turned away from him.
"What so funny?" The tired alchemist barked.
"You yawn like a dog." she continued to laugh at the glare she was given.
"No, I don't!" screeched the embarrassed Elric.
"You do too!" Winry exclaimed, now more serious.
"I do not!"
"Do too!"
"Do not!"
"Do too!"
"Do! Not!"
"Alchemy freak!"
"Crazy gear-head!"
Both blondes were now glaring daggers at each other, their faces mere inches apart. Realization hit them like one of Winry's wrenches, but despite their rosy cheeks they both were too stubborn to give in. If given the chance they would've continued like this for hours on end, it was just too cold to keep up this behavior for long. Still, Winry as well as Edward were too strong headed for their own good.
Their glare never faltered but it wasn't long before Winry felt herself slipping. Edward was not too far behind, but he wasn't going to lose this battle. He leaned forward, pressing his lips onto his mechanic's. Winry gasped and her heart sped up to a million beats per second. Her face grew hotter and her eyelids felt heavy after another second.
Edward felt his lids closing as well, and the urge to bring Winry closer took over. His mind was no longer needed. They became tangled in each others limbs and fingers ran wildly through the others golden hair. Their bodies pressed together tightly, as if they were made for each other. Winry's arms wrapped themselves around Edward's neck, her fingers untying his hair from its band.
A sly woof interrupted them both, and baby blue and fiery yellow eyes popped open. Their heads whipped around to see a very much shocked dog watching them.
"Den!" they cried out in union, a loud bark being their response. She turned and began her way back toward the house. Winry and Edward watched her leave in confusion.
"What just happened?" Edward asked as he scratched his head, scarlet coloring his cheeks.
"Um...we..just found Den?"
"Guess so."
A cheesy grin spread over the alchemist's face. He wrapped an arm around his automail mechanic's waist as he tugged her onward, the crunch of dead leaves filling their ears once again. They'd figure out Den's situation later...when they weren't busy with each other.
Sorry for the long update. I watch too much iCarly for mi own good...and I don't even like that show! Please review! Sorry its a little rushed..i forgot how the ending went XDD