Knowing Someone
By Gomp

Short Story- Takes place at the end of series, dismissing the movie. Ed did find a way home and now lives with the Rockbells. Winry and Ed are both 20.

Word Count- 768
EdXWin

I don't own Fma.
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You think you know someone, it's a major surprise when you find out you really don't. I grew up with Winry, she was one of my best friends. I thought I knew everything about her…favorite color, favorite food, favorite crayons…

Maybe at one point I truly did know everything about her. Then what happened?

I went away to the military, then vanished from this universe for a few years. I guess that's what happened.

Well, I was back… and I feel like I knew nothing. Me, the genius, know nothing? Who would have ever thought…

Al had changed, that was something I had to quickly accept when I was told of the conditions for him to return normal. His and my relationship was still slightly shaky, but we were working together, figuring everything out.

Winry on the other hand… it was hard for us to try to relate. I would offer her a chocolate cookie, thinking it was her favorite, only to find out she now loved oatmeal and raisin. When did that come about? She used to hate raisins and now she loved them! It was a major shocker.

I don't want to make it out that I'm complaining… ok, really I am. But I'm not blaming anyone but myself for not knowing this.

I think the moment I discovered how much Winry had changed was this one afternoon when we were in the kitchen. I asked her what she was up to for that day, she had giggled at my question. First off, Winry giggle? When we were kids she would have punched me and told me 'hangin' out with you stupid'. Now she giggled and told me she was going out with friends. There were no fireworks or flashing lights going off in my head, it was just this deep sinking feeling going 'oh shit… Winry has other friends?'. Sure, she did have some friends growing up, but she saw them more in class then anywhere else.

After that it did become extremely hard to relate anymore. I was busy with my brother while Winry did what she did best… auto-mail. Now and then we would cross paths (we did live in the same house after all) and we would offer a small smile to each other, but that was all.

This one afternoon I had slept in, woke up with a beam of sunshine hitting me right in the eyes. And then bam, I felt alone. I don't know why it hit me that day, there wasn't anything special about that day at all. But like a thousand needles striking me at once, I realized just how alone I truly was. I made some mistakes, I worked hard to correct them, I finally get back and found myself more lonely then I had ever been. Yea, I did have my brother but we were still trying to learn about each other. Granny was getting old, she was not as interactive as she used to be… and Winry.

So I got out of bed, dressed myself. From that day on I kept a close eye on her.

Ha, so you think going on a dangerous mission would be a lot harder then figuring out an old friend. Yea right, I would take a dangerous mission given by Mustang any day. Winry was a needle in a haystack… and I mean one big ass haystack.

I think for awhile I actually ticked Winry off cause I hung around so much. I got a few wrench's tossed at me, I just learned to duck. But when I get determined, I remain determined. Slowly as time passed I accumulated the new knowledge I would need to rebuild my old friend. I think Winry did the same, she was surprised to learn that my favorite color was not red anymore, it was a dark blue. She could not believe that I preferred fall now over summer or that I had a secret love for trains.

So you live, you laugh, you learn, and well… ha, you begin to really enjoy someone you can be close with.

It does suck when you're so sure you know someone so well… then find out it's not true. But at the same time, it can be fantastic and amazing just to learn who someone is, learn new things you would have never thought to be true.

Her favorite color was not pink anymore, it was yellow. Ha, she didn't like crayons anymore, just this one wrench she adored.

Anyways, I kid you not...you live, you laugh, you learn, and maybe one day… not so far away… you might even begin to love.