H e a t w a v e

( notice: rated T, just for almost nakedness and swearing. No lemons, limes or anything of that sort in this one, I promise. )

Amestris was in the middle of a heatwave.

In fact, the blistering weather was pretty much normal for summer; but even by Ed's standards, this was ridiculous. He couldn't even go outside without his arm and leg practically setting on fire, so, he gave into the slightly-less humid bliss of inside, lazing around and fanning himself whilst beads of sweat steadily made their way down his shirtless chest.

The only other thing bugging him was the fact that Winry kept yelling at him for lying around. It wasn't his fault that this stupid weather had decided to hit whilst he was taking a break in Rush Valley. Jeez, he would have decided to go some other place if Al hadn't be determined on coming here for the National Cats with Automail contest or something.

However, somehow he had wanted to come here. He'd never admit it outloud but, whenever he complained about this place, a little voice nagged him in his head; you did want to come here to see Winry...

The alchemist determinedly ignored it. Even if it was extremely hard to whenever the blonde mechanic herself kept bursting through the door, yelling and screaming about...-

"I won, I won Ed! I can't believe it, I actually won!" Ed could only stare as a piece of paper was waved around in his face, Winry practically dancing with glee in front of him as she celebrated.

Finally giving up on asking, he grabbed the piece of paper with his automail hand and held it in front of him, avoiding Winry's annoyed but still excited eyes as he read it.

"'Automail Modelling Contest'..." He gave Winry a quizzical glance but she only beamed, nodding for him to carry on. "'Congratulations, Miss Winry Rockbell, you have won our contest to be the latest Automail Fashion model! As a result, you will be featured on the latest issue of Automail Monthly with a professional photoshoot!'"

He glanced up to another squeal, the happy female still dancing and twirling around the room, ignoring the fact that she'd already knocked several of her tools on the floor.

"I can't believe it, I'm going to model with automail! And I bet they'll have so many different styles, it's going to be brilliant!"

Her enthuasium didn't seem to deflat at all as Ed gave her one of his 'automail freak' glares; he went back to the paper in his hand and reread it, pausing on the smaller text at the bottom of the sheet.

"'In agreement to our contract which you have won, you must be... scantily clad?" Winry stopped dead as Ed read it aloud, a mixture of horror and 'what the hell have I just read' mixing in his features.

"What!" The mechanic grabbed the paper back furiously and held it to her nose as she scanned the page, searching. "Oh... I guess it must be for the male audiences of Automail Monthly."

Ed choked.

"W-W-What? Winry, you can't be serious about doing this!" His horrified gaze settled on the outfit she was wearing (the usual black tube top and bottom half of her beige boiler suit- dangerously low, even for her) and his cheeks reddened as he realised that she'd hardly have to change her outfit at all for this... photoshoot.

He'd noticed it before but never actually thought about it; Winry had always worn the same types of outfits whenever she worked. What Ed hadn't thought about was the other guys in Rush Valley. Winry was extremely pretty and single (Ed swore his heart skipped a beat everytime that thought went through his head); how long was it going to be before...?

Before someone took her for themselves?

A lump appeared in Ed's throat as he watched the mechanic reread the sheet in front of her for the tenth time.

"Y...You seriously can't be thinking of doing this... What about your dignity!" A protesting expression came across in Winry's features at Ed's statement.

"Jeez Ed, it's not as if they're asking me to do it in my underwear or anything! And since when have you cared about my dignity?"

The alchemist could only splutter in his seat as he watched the blonde girl march out of the room with a flutter of paper, the only thing lingering in her wake being the faint sense of purfume and oil which she always carried with her.

~

Ed couldn't quite explain the jealous feeling in his stomach (dignity? Ha!) but he could certainly do so for the heaviness in his eyes as he dragged behind a flouncing Winry, watching her blonde hair swish from side to side.

He hadn't slept a wink last night. The whole of his sleeping time had been spent raging over the fact that his- that Winry was going to be doing a 'scantily clad' photoshoot and he still couldn't tell her why not do to it.

He knew the reason really. He knew that he hated the thought of other guys seeing her like that; in fact the feeling of possessiveness kept coming over him at every guy that passed Winry, his golden eyes always sending a piercing glare their way.

She's mine, don't you dare look at her like that! His mind kept screaming but he buried it, keeping his mind focused on the task in hand. Okay, Edward, you can do this; just tell her how you feel and it'll all be fine...

His train of thought crashed dramatically at the squeal of "We're here!" as it pierced his ears from beside him; they'd arrived at the site of a large, grey building, the kind where movies were made (except this looked slightly grottier and had a big camera on top).

Deep breath, Edward.

"Winry, I... I-"

"Oh my, you must be Winry Rockbell!" A high-pitched but rather obviously male voice came from behind him; however he didn't even get the chance to turn as he was rudely shoved out of the way, a middle-aged man with large sunglasses and blonde, black-streaked hair took his place.

"Oh darling, I just knew it! You're so perfect!" His hand settled on Winry's arm - much to Ed's teeth grinding - causing the mechanic to smile at him nervously.

"You're the director of this photoshoot, right...? Mr-"

The man cut her off, holding a hand up to her face and waving a finger.

"Oh no, no sweetheart, just call me Gordon! Anyway let us go inside, quick quick, you must prepare for the beautiful photos you will produce!"

His casual push at Winry was stopped as a heavy, rather metallic-feeling hand landed on his shoulder, pausing him dead.

"Excuse me..." The direction turned around to find Ed hissing at him through gritted teeth, his eyes narrowed.

"Oh, Ed! Can Ed come in too?" Winry's worried gaze went from a rather pissed-looking Ed to the director, who sighed before nodding.

"Oh I suppose your little toyboy can come in too... But hurry up!" He marched away with his hand at the small of Winry's back, ignoring the strangled yell of "LITTLE?" behind him as he forced his client into the main barn-like structure of the building.

Ed furiously followed, hands fisted by his sides as Winry's concerned glances went un-noticed.

"Right, darling... Oh my my, we have to do something with those clothes." His eyes roamed all over the mechanic as she gave him a quizzical look.

"My clothes? But I thought..." Instead of her usual mechanic garb, she'd gone for a rather low cut white top which slipped off one shoulder, a pair of denim shorts ending (much to Ed's spluttering) way before her knees started.

"Why yes! For one, your gorgeous curves must be more revealed in this beautiful issue cover; why, you could take it all off!" His laughter and words alighted Winry's cheeks in an almost luminious red.

"You mean-" "Yes, well why not? Or if you're a ikkle bit uncomfortable with that, don't worry, we can hide everything with some, ah, what's it called- automail!"

His grin was matched with a irritated look from Ed and a slightly irritated frown from Winry (for one, her beloved automail just practically got insulted- 'what's it called' indeed!).

"I don't think..." "Oh darling don't be so modest, you'll be famous! A star, in fact!" The mechanic's protests were cut off as she began to get steered towards a white backdrop and a number of technical objects in the center of the room.

But a wrist grabbed her hand, causing Winry to pause, blue eyes turning to see pleading golden ones.

"Ed?"

"Winry, don't..." He began but was cut off again as Gordon came back, making several tsking noises and grabbing Winry's arm again.

"Now now dear, you can talk to him later. Come on!"

Ed's face faltered as he watched her being steered away, his heart dropping.

Was she really going to be famous? Winry, of all people? It wasn't that she couldn't be - she was beautiful and talented enough, that was for sure - but he couldn't stand a Winry-less Rush Valley... Without her to maintain his automail, it was like a hole in his life. A hole that he couldn't stand.

"STOP!"

The whole room became silence as Ed marched across the room, straight towards where Winry was surrounded by a team of fashion experts, all determined to get her clothes off.

"What is it now, litt-" Gordon's face lit up in surprise as an automail fist found itself right on target with his nose.

"No, just listen to me, please- Winry..." The crowd of people around the blonde split in half, moving out of the way whilst Ed approached, moving to stand in front of Winry with a determined glean in his eyes.

"I don't want you to become a model. I don't want you to... to do this. I don't want another automail mechanic except you and... and... I can't stand to see anyone else look at you... in the same way that I do." He hesitated, feeling his cheeks burn as Winry's own turned pink, her blue eyes widening.

"I want you to be mine. No-one else's."

There was silence soon after the words came out of his mouth and he noticed that somehow, his hands had found Winry's, fingers entwined.

The blonde's head tilted to the side slightly and she smiled.

"You know what, Ed?"

His breathing stopped as he impatiently waited for a reply, but she laughed.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

~

That night (after ignoring the director's whining pleas for Winry to sign the contract), the mechanic herself and the alchemist had ended up in a room together, Winry being in Ed's lap- and arms.

"So, that's why you acted so weird? Jeez Ed, you're so possessive..."

Ed opened his mouth to complain but only found himself blushing furiously and otherwise occupied by Winry's lips as she swooped down to kiss him.

"But maybe I should still do a modelling contract..."

Her finger stopped him from speaking for the second time and he scowled, pouting slightly.

"But this time, I'll only be doing it for Edward Elric Weekly. How does that sound?"

Ed's face lit into a grin.

"Make it Edward Elric Daily and it's a deal!"

INSPIRATION FROM SHAMPOO.
don't ask.