Blue Pain
Reiuki: Okay I hope you're all ready for this, cause to makeup for the last two chapters, I'm making this one longer!
Envy: Oh whoopy now we get to listen to your mindless drabble even more!…
Rei (mutters) no good dirty cross dressing palm tree…(smiles) Anyway… I have to get this off my chest, I-
Envy: Oh god please keep your shirt on!( Shields eyes)
Rei: (smacks Envy on back of head) Fuck you Envy, It's an expression you dumb ass! But seriously, I have Nothing against Rose or any one else in my fic, I love them all, It's just that it fit so I used it, Though I do Hate Hoenhiem and some others….(gets evil dazed look)
Ed: so who do you have problems with?
Rei: I can't tell you, it'll give away my story.
Ed; OOOOOHHHH I get it (wink)
Rei: Just some quick notes for readers, answers to questions I've gotten ; Yes I made Winry older then Ed for a reason, she is actually almost 2 years older then him, cause her 17th birthday is coming up, it's to add to the effect that she is smarter, wiser, and more mature then Edward.( she DOES call him kid)
And to Skyforger(I think that's how you spell it) Ed didn't get smacked because it is also to add to Winry's laid back attitude towards life, she's not serious enough to slap him…(yet) Okay?
Envy: (gets close to Rei (Threateningly)) When are you adding me in Rei?
Rei: Uh…. Oww!.. I'll add you in this chapter Envy, I promise…
Envy Well then lets get it started!
Chapter 4- Hey Kid…
Ed stared at the plain white ceiling of his bedroom, his mind still foggy from sleep. He closed his eyes in a desperate attempt to fall back asleep. But a sharp knock at the door erased that hope.
"Brother?" Al said as he poked his head in the door, "Are you sure you're gonna be okay?" His compassion heavy in his voice.
"Al… my answer is gonna be the same as it was five minutes ago, I'll be fine, it's just a spranged ankle-"
"It's not just a spranged ankle Ed, You broke it" Al snapped at his brothers refusal to admit the level of his injury.
Ed smiled at his little brother, "Al, just go to school, I'll be fine I promise…" His words were responded by a quick nod, and Al disappeared out the door, Ed listen silently untill he heard the soft sound of the front door closing. He let out a sigh of relief, and closed his eyes,
It was a little past seven now, he had been woken up several times already, by both his mom and Alphonse, And though he knew it was just because they cared, he was really quite agitated, because today was one of the few days he was able to sleep in, and he intended to do just that.
He stretched harshly, yawned, and turned over, in order to fall back into his slumber, for a day of lazy solitude….Just the way he liked it…
.XXX.
Several hours later found Ed still trying to sleep, but it was harder than expected, because, in great timing for the unusually warm weather of September, their air-conditioner was on the fritz.
And because he was confined to his bed, he had no way to retrieve a fan from the hall closet, so Ed had to suffer.
With an angry grunt, he leaned forward to cool him self off, via removing all his clothing, leaving him in only his pale blue boxers. After completing this task he fell back on to his pillow, kicking his blankets off the bed in a childish movement, he hissed as the sharp pain shot up his leg, he would have to remember that he could not do that.
But because of said actions, he was left in a very interesting position when Al returned home, stating that Edward had a visitor.
"Wha- who," Ed pondered, but then the thought hit him in the face like a bucket of ice water," Oh Shit Al, send her away, tell her I'm sleeping, tell her I'm dead, tell her something, just get rid of her…"
But it was too late…
"Awww kid, you don't wanna see me, I'm hurt." Winry said poking her head around Alphonse, her lower lip stuck out in a semi-pout.
Ed let out an embarrassed yelp, as he tried to cover himself with his pillow, he turned a flushing shade of pink, and stared at her wide-eyed. Al smiled sardonically, and left the room, with an evil wave to Ed, who shot daggers at his brother.
Winry slinked closer to the bed and, with a graceful movement, she pulled the chair out from Ed's desk, and straddled it backwards. She rested her head on her arms, and look at Ed, a lazy grin on her face.
But she didn't speak, she just watched, making Ed feel slightly uncomfortable.
"What?" He asked in an almost inaudible voice, he glanced at her through his bangs.
"I was just worried that's all, when Alu told me what happened, I had to come visit my favorite little blonde. I mean, I thought I'd lost you!" At her last words her voice took a dramatic undertone, and she flew forward wrapping her arms around Ed's neck.
Her body shook slightly with her fake playful sobs. And Ed sat there completely frozen, and still blushing furiously, at the fact that his body was almost totally exposed.
Winry was touching him, hugging him, she was…Ed wondered why he cared so much that she was near him, he didn't like her…..did he? He shook the idea out of his head, they were friends, I mean he'd known her for about a week, he couldn't have feelings about her yet, love at first sight… NO! He did NOT have any feelings for her!
He pushed her away, she sat back down on the chair, grinning at him. "Seriously though, are you okay?" her voice hit a low note with her last questions.
He nodded silently, and watched as she rummaged through her purse, stopping when she found the black sharpie she was looking for, gently grabbing his ankle, she scribbled her name on the clear whit surface of the cast.
The large curly letters dashed across his ankle, the small doodle of a kitty below it was quite adorable. Adding to the over all girly effect of the signature.
"So when do ya think you'll be coming back to school?" she asked off-handedly. Placing the cap back on the marker, and dropping it into her purse.
"Uh, next Monday, The doctor said to rest it all weekend though, so I'm pretty much confined to the bed 'till then." He seemed agitated by this, Ed liked to stay busy, and didn't like limitations, so this was NOT going to be easy for him.
"Well, I'll just have to drop by and see ya again, you know so you don't try to sneak out and see me, wouldn't want you getting hurt,… again."
Ed muttered something like 'fat chance' but didn't push it. He just stared at her signature, then he looked to Winry, who was staring at him, smiling warmly.
"You alright kid?"
"I'm NOT a kid, so stop calling me that!" Damnit, why did she have to do that, it got under his skin SO bad…
"Okay, so how are you planning on spending your weekend, you know since you're crippled and all.."
"I guess I'll just stay here with Al and mom, "
"And me of course me.." she said striking a dramatic pose, and glancing side ways at Edward, who scoffed.
"Yeah well , I don't have much choice about THAT do I?" he crossed his arms.
Winry face-faulted at his rude response. "You make it sound like a bad thing.."
"Well it isn't good so…"
"Somebody's a little grumpy, huh kid.." She stood up, "Guess I'll be seeing you later then." She ruffled his hair, and left, leaving Ed alone in his room. He stared after her, confused by this point.
'She's an odd one, but there's something about her…'
………………………………...k………………………………...
Pulling into the small parking lot in front of her apartment building, Winry killed the engine, and climbed out of her car. Slamming the door shut, she began the short walk up the sidewalk.
But she stopped short when she heard the distinct whimper of an animal. She turned around, straining her senses to locate the source of the sound, she inched around the edge of the large metal dumpster, and found a large cardboard box.
A large moving cardboard box.
She peeked into it, the small wiggling balls of fur inside were whining pathetically.
"Puppies?"
Winry looked at them with kind eyes. She loved animals, she always had.
Reaching in the box she stroked one behind the ear, it looked up at her with big brown eyes, stealing Winry's heart.
"Aww. You guys must be cold, huh?" She asked the pups when she noticed the shaking. She picked up the box, "You know, I used too have a dog, his name was Ringo, Lab, A real sweetie." She walked back to the door.
Balancing the box on her hip, she was able to get the little metal key into the lock, but the door stuck, again, so she rammed into it a few times, it flew open, almost smacking
her neighbor, Gracia Hughes, in the face.
"Oh my god, Mrs. Hughes, I'm so sorry I didn't see you there!" She stampered, wide eyed, trying to hide the box behind her body." If I-"
"It's okay, no harm done." She reached for the door knob. "Oh by the way dear, you'd better be careful, animals aren't allowed here, you could be evicted." She warned, though not in a threatening way. "I wouldn't wanna see that happen."
Winry shook her head in a affirmative, and Gracia left. Winry hurried down the hall, and flew into her home before she could be discovered by anyone else. With a sigh of relief she locked the door, and placed the box on her couch.
She tipped the box on it's side gently, letting the puppies wonder out on the couch, which one did, the other stayed in the box, a pitiful whine of pain escaping from it's throat.
Slipping her hand under his belly, she lifted the pup up so she could further examin it. The first thing she noticed, was his leg.
It was twisted at an odd angle, the scar on it was long past healed, though it hadn't done it properly. It showed the obvious abuse the leg had suffered.
She looked at the other pup, she sat on the couch, playing with a loose button on the cushion. She seemed to be of good health, unlike her brother.
She sat the other puppy down on the couch besides his sister, and watched it. He stood up shakily, and attempted to walk, but his weak legs could not yet support his weight, which in turn caused him to collasp under it.
Scooping the puppy back up she cuddled him against her chest, "You're a lot like the kid huh, you're both crippled little ones." She smiled at the thought of Edward, she always did. Winry wondered why.
Gathering the other puppy up she carried them to her kitchen, setting them on the floor, she started the task of finding something for the three of them to eat.
After discovering that she had a brand new package of lunch meat, she set on her new task of making a sandwich, (MMMM, A samich XD) She placed several pieces of meat on a plate and set it on the floor near the dogs, long with a dish full of water, and took a seat at the table, to watch the two.
The girl rushed up first, followed slowly by her brother, and they began to eat ravenously. She stared at them with amusement.
But she was faced with a delema, What was she going to do with them? She may be able to keep one, but there was no way to keep both…
Then the idea hit her, she snapped her fingers in triumph." I got it!"
………………………………...
Winry sat on her couch, her legs tucked up underneath her, puppies curled up on the cushion besides her.
She glanced at the table, and reached out for the book on top of it, she flipped through the pages of her sketchbook untill she found a blank page. Grabbing a pencil, she began to draw, it had started out as a simple doodle, but that doodle turned into a three hour paice of art, of a certain someone, she couldn't stop thinking about…
………………………………...
(Saturday, Elric house)
Al looked up from his sketch book at the sound of a knock at the front door. He walked to the door, he was not all that surprised to see Winry there, it had been almost two days since he'd seen her last, and he was wondering when she would show up to visit Ed.
Though he was surprised at what she was holding.
"Hey Alu, your brother upstairs?" She asked, letting herself in. Al nodded in confusion, moving aside to allow her to pass. She walked past him, and headed upstairs, Al followed her out of curiosity.
Approaching Ed's room, Winry opened it without knocking, Ed looked up at her, from his magazine. "Hey."
"Hey, "She said sitting down on the edge of his bed, watching the curious look play over his face, as he too was surprised at her bundle. She sat the pups on the bed, pouring them out of the blanket.
She laughed at the noise that came from Ed as the little girl puppy pounced on his stomach, wishing to play. Ed acted as if the puppies were some type of deadly snake, freezing up and staring at them through wide eyes.
The male pup stayed by Winry, crawling into her lap, and curling up. He wasn't very energetic, probably because he was 'handicapped' .
"What, the hell are they doing on my bed, what the HELL are they doing here PERIOD!" He yelled, resisting the urge to throw the puppy off the blanket. Ed was not a fan of animals, "ankle biters' he called them. And Al was a cat person, so the thought of owning a dog never even crossed his mind.
Winry smiled, and leaned forward to ruffle Ed's hair, (only because it pissed him off )
Then she picked up the puppy that was near him, "oh come on kid, they're so cute…" She said, using her perfected Puppy-dog-eyed look ('scuse the pun).
Al joined the little 'party' and began petting the girl puppy. "Yeah well that still doesn't explain why you brought them here…" Ed stated in his usual rude/blunt manner.
"Well, this" she said pointing to the puppy by Al." is your get-well-gift." She finished brightly. Both boys stared at her.
"You don't give someone a dog for a get-well-gift, you give them a card, or a balloon, not a flea-ridden mongrel!" He crossed his arms, "And besides, we can't have dogs, Mom doesn't like them…"
"That's not was she said when I asked her, she thought it was a good idea…" Winry pointed out.
"Well tha- wait how do you know my mom, she's never been here when you were." Ed asked a perplexed look on his face.
"Well I see her every day, we do work together."
"You what!"
"You mean she never told you. I would have thought she would've,"
"No she never told me, why didn't you?"
"Because you never asked…" she put simply. Ed face-faulted at her blunt response.
Suddenly remembering something, she stood up, and rushed back to her car, leaving the boys alone.
"That was out of the blue." Al said, picking the puppy up, and holding it to Ed.
"I don't want it…" Ed said, recrossing his arms, and looking away.
"Oh come On brother, it's cute…" Ed glanced at them through the corner of his eye. He had to admit, she was cute.
Winry returned, carrying a bag of dog food, and a leash, she handed them to Al, who got up to take them downstairs, handing the puppy back to Winry.
"Ren."
"What?"
"Her name is Ren, and his is Den." She said lifting the puppy towards Edward. "He's not in the best of health, so I'll keep him, but she's yours." She set the pup on Edward's lap and watched as he slowly reached out and touched it.
After a minute he warmed up to her, and started wiggling his finger, and laughing when Ren would pounce on it playfully.
Winry thought it was cute to see Ed acting so relaxed, she didn't even realize she was staring till Ed pointed it out.
"Something wrong?" He asked not looking up from the puppy, which was now cuddled up by her brother.
"Oh nothing. It's just so sweet, the connection between a boy and his dog." She said, though Ed noticed that she didn't have as much spark in her voice, so he didn't even respond to her "BOY" statement.
"Hey I never even said I was going to keep the thing, I don't like dogs."
"Sure, well she like's you, so you're stuck with her."
"Kinda like you huh?" He said, studying her, he would have sworn, he saw a flash in her eyes, but she didn't say anything.
After a moment of awkward silence she spoke again, "You don't mind do you… I mean, me, the way I act or anything, Do I bug you?" Her voice was quiet, almost inaudible, but Ed heard it, and when she looked up at him, their' eyes locked.
Ed could see it, the desperation, the sadness, the loneliness, that this girl had.
And that's why Ed decided right then and there, that he would give her a chance, Up till then he had found her annoying, and overzealous, but they could be friends, it wouldn't be that hard… Would it?
'and maybe we could be something more…'
Ed beat up his mental self for his last thought, and returned his attention back to Winry, who was watching him through pleading eyes.
"No Winry, you don't, you're my friend, and I like the way you act, I wouldn't want you to change."
"Thanks kid," she smiled, fighting back her urges to hug Ed and never let him go. But they had a rule, nothing more than friends. 'but maybe… NO! it wouldn't work out, he's still a kid, I wouldn't do that to him, I couldn't…'
"So," she said trying to change the subject, before she could think any more." What've you been up to?"
Ed smiled, "Just watching some movies. Not much else to do."
"Huh, sounds interesting, but I honestly don't think I could sit still for that long, I like to stay busy…"
"Yea, I know what it's like, I'm gonna die if I don't get out soon, the doc said I could get out of bed, but I'm not supposed to walk that much, and since Mom's not around to drive I'm stuck here."
"Well you could come over to my house, you both could, I'll drive." she smiled at Ed's blush. Though she didn't know why he did.
"Uh okay." He called for Al, and between the three of them, they were able to get Ed and the two puppies loaded into her car.
………………………………...
Al glanced around Winry's small apartment, it wasn't very big, and it was quite empty, but it was almost cozy. The pale gray sofa set pulled the room together, along with a medium sized coffee table, and some lamps, it looked like something a teenager would own.
"Winry, are you sure your parents won't mind?" He asked helping his brother to the couch, and taking a seat himself.
"Hardly, I live by myself," She said plopping down in an armchair close to Ed.
"Really? Why?" He didn't know many people that lived by themselves at the age of 16, but she did.
She played with her locket nervously, and looked away." I really don't like to talk about it."
They were curios, but neither of them pushed it. They sat in silence till Ed spoke up again,' I gotta pee." He got up, steadied himself and looked to Winry."
"Down the hall, the door should be open" Al stood up to help his brother, but Ed brushed him off, saying that he was perfectly capable of taking a piss by him self.
Al sat back down and watched his brother hobble to the bathroom, listening carefully, in case he fell.
"You want something to drink?" Winry asked loud enough so Ed could hear and he answered with a 'soda' and Al with a water.
She went to the kitchen to receive the beverages,
"Hey Win, this your sketchbook?" Alphonse asked from the other room.
"Yeah, you can look at it if ya want" She said, dropping ice into the glasses, Then she remembered the drawing she did the other night, and flew into the living room to stop the blonde, but she was too late.
Al stared down at the picture of his brother staring back up at him, the detail in the picture making it look so real, it had taken a long time, and a lot of care.
Winry froze in embarrasment. Thinking the entire time. 'oh crapohcarpohcrapohcrap!'
Before she could say anything, Al spoke" You like him don't you?"
Winry swallowed the knot in her throat, and sat down sighing. " I…uh.. (sigh) yea I guess I do… But you can't tell him! Promise me you won't tell him Alu, please…"
Al looked up at her, disappointed that Winry had chosen Ed instead of him, but nodded, smiling at her, she returned the favor, and closed the book, right before Ed walked (well staggered) back into the room. ''Who died?" he asked at the sudden silence between the two.
"No one kid, just… nothing."
Ed cocked an eyebrow at he two, and sat back down.
"So what do you wanna do kid, this is your day out." Winry asked, trying to lift the mood.
The boys shrugged,
"I've got SCRABBLE…"
………………………………...
(Thursday 3rd hour)
"Come on"
"No"
"Come on,"
"No."
"Please…"
"NO"
"Aww, come on kid, just do it for us, just this once…"
"NO!…….Aaaalrighht fine. I'll do it, but so help me if anyone finds out about this, I'll kill you both!"
"Yaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy! I knew we could count on you, Al didn't think you would do it, but I said you were two nice to turn us down, especially since you love me soo much!"
Ed crossed his arms, and pouted. They had an assignment in Home Ec. They had to make a dress for Mr. Armstrong's niece, the one she liked the most would receive 20 more points extra credit. And since Ed was closest in size to the girl, he was chosen to be the model.
"Oh this is gonna be great." Al said, arning him a particularly hatful glare from his older brother.
"Shove it…"
"Oh but kid, you'll be sooooo pwitty!" Winry exclaimed, fluttering her eyelashes repeatedly.
Ed looked at her flatly, though not as hatful as the one he gave his brother.
Ever since Saturday, things had been a lot less tence between them, they had hung out all day, and after school Winry would drive them home. They were practically joined at the hip.
There would be an occasional awkward moment among them, especially since Winry's little "CONFESSION" to Alphonse, but he had remained quiet.
And Ed had grown fond of little Ren! (So much for hating dogs:3)
But there comfy little friendship was about to take a turn for the worst.
………………………………...m………………………………...
(after school)
Ed didn't see Winry waiting for him, she was supposed to help him to her car today, but she wasn't there. He limped down the hall to see if she was coming, what he did see was…
Winry leaned against the lockers, looking up at another guy, who had long green hair, and leather clothing. He had his arms pinned to the locker around Winry, who was smiling up at him. He leaned down and kissed her, Winry returned the action willingly.
The kiss broke, and that's when she saw Ed, standing there, mouth gaping, the unmistakable pain in his face made Winry flinch mentally.
She waved to him half-heartedly, and said something to the other teen, and walked to Ed, the boy following , draping his arm over Winry's shoulder.
"Kid, I'd like you to meet my… boyfriend, Envy." Envy leered down at Ed, an intimating smirk on his face.
Ed remained silent, and Winry remained uncomfortable. She said good bye to Envy, and shooed Ed out the doors to the car where Al was waiting.
He instantly noticed the look on there faces. uh oh what happened?'
Ed got in the car breathing heavily, trying to fight off the urge to cry. But he shouldn't cry, she had every right to have a boyfriend, why did he care, he didn't like her, they were friends…JUST friends…
The car ride was long and silent. Al kept glancing at the two, but couldn't figure out what was going on.
When they arrived at the house Ed got out of the car without a word, Al thanked Winry for the ride, and followed his brother.
"Ed! What happened." Al asked running up to his brother, he grabbed his shoulder when he received no answer.
Ed flung around, Al froze.
Tears inched down his brothers face, his gold eyes foggy with sadness.
He turned back around, and went inside, in his room he locked the door and sat on the bed, Ren scooted closer to him, waking from her nap. She laid his head on his lap, and Ed stroked her ear.
"Why am I so upset?" He asked himself, laughing bitterly at his own behavior. "She doesn't even like me, I never had a chance…"
………………………………...
Rei: Puuuue! Wow, that's considerably longer then the last ones.plus it had a lot of info, and fillers
Ed: mmmh hmmm.
Rei: Aand there were emotions and fluff and some inner felling revealed. But their cute little buddy moment crashed and burned because of Envy, though next chappies gonna have a cute cliff hanger ending, and there will be tension between Ed & Winry, and probably won't be so long, just so you kno.
Envy: Okay I'm glad you added me in and every thing, if only for that very short amount of time, but Why the hell did you put me with HER!?!
Winry: HEY THAT'S NOT NICE!!! (pouts)
ENVY: I know…
Rei; Well what else was I supposed to do, it was either her or Rose, I thought at least this way you got to mess with Ed.
Envy: hmmm,good point…
Rei: Look, I kno for a moment there it got confusing, like with the whole "sketchbook thing" cause it got a little overdramatic, but it should make more sense later. And I kno it sounds really cheesy sometimes cause I'm not the best authoress, but I'm trying, I'll try to update as much as possible, and I promise that I'll continue the fic, I'm not going to abandon this like some people do, but I have another fic stared too, called Syn, It's a ExE story,
Ed and Envy: ….
REI: I'm going to alternate between the two, so Expect an update, hopefully once a week, LOL Please R&R!