Authors Note: Hi folks! I'm back again after a long delay. For that I'm really sorry, but I've been busy with school for a long time, I might get more time as I start getting used to it, but for now the updates will possibly come pretty late. And also I'm a bit stuck, not quite the biggest problem since it's only a short piece of the chapter, but it's still enough to delay the chapters. But I'll try my best. But when it starts to get more exciting, I bet it will all just come naturally and easily, meaning the chapters might come faster too. But anyway we'll see.
For now I hope you'll find this chapter to your liking cause I didn't xD Nah jk, but it did take me a long time to write...
Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist, nor do I own any of the characters of FMA. They all belong to Hiromu Arakawa.
Enjoy
Fullmetal Alchemist fanfic
.:Alienized:.
Chapter 7 - Teas and Truths at the Elrics'
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"You want anything in your tea… Nadine?"
Winry shuddered. For several reasons to tell the truth. First was that she still hadn't gotten used to the fact that she would have to live with this name for what she figured would be the rest of her life. It was not that she didn't like the name, more that she didn't really like the thought of having Ed fall in love with another person, even if it was herself.
The second reason was because of that expression her childhood friend, and secret love, wore. It was such an unfamiliar expression for her, especially on his face. He looked so sad and confused. It was obvious that he still hadn't gotten over the shock after suddenly seeing Winry, whom he had been convinced, had been living on the other side of the gate, safe and sound the entire time. She could hear from when the edge of the kettle hit the rim of the cup that his hands were shaking slightly, she could hear the nozzle clink on the cup continuously as the result of his unsteady hands. His eyes were darker and even though he was concentrating on pouring the boiling water into the cup, it looked like he wasn't really looking anywhere at all at the moment. His lips were pressed tightly together and his eyebrows were slightly furrowed. She had never seen him like this and she somehow wished she hadn't. He just looked so hopeless, so sad so… hollow. The sight hurt her more than any cut or wound she had ever received or any lie she had ever been told.
And also the third reason was the rest of his body, or what she could make out through his clothes that is. But it was still enough to trigger her concern. His skin was very pale and a little clammy it seemed. Like he had been staying inside for too long or hadn't been very physically active. And he was so thin. He was so skinny it looked like he only ate two times a week and Winry almost felt sick to her stomach at the sight. Just what in the world had gotten wrong with him since he left their world? The way his eyes were glazed and his movements seemed slower and a tiny bit more struggled. The way he always coughed and the incident at the hospital. And the pills and now his skinny form, it was just too obvious to Winry that there was something wrong with him. She didn't know what it was but she had to find out. From what she could make out from it and guess, it seemed bad.
She had to get into these boys' lives. Get to know them like "Nadine" and vice versa. She would ask them what was wrong with Ed and live a normal life with them, with no Philosopher's Stone, no alchemy and no military. Just the three of them living in peace. She was going to make sure of that. She was going to remove that awful expression from Ed's face, to make him put on some weight again and go back to the stunning person he once were. With this more matured appearance of his it couldn't be that hard anyway, she figured.
"Uhm yeah two spoonfuls of sugar please." She answered and looked at him as he met her gaze. She tried a cheerful smile and begged sincerely to whatever god that was looking over her, that he would return it if only just a little bit. It seemed her prayers was appeased as he smiled back at her, clearly not expecting a smile in that kind of situation and started to almost grin a bit meekly, his familiar and childish discomfort making Winry want to giggle.
He walked towards the table where she's been seated and placed a cup in front of her and took a seat on the other side of the table. Winry carefully took the cup and sipped on the tea. She watched as Ed quietly took the pills and swallowed them along with the water. He exhaled loudly, placed the cup back down on the table, leaned back in his chair and scratched his head absentmindedly. She wanted to smile at his so very familiar behavior, but decided against it since it would just make him feel uncomfortable.
"So… you're from a country named England right?" came his voice and Winry was forced out of her train of thoughts.
"Ye-Yeah." She replied and folded her hands under the table. She wasn't sure if England was the greatest place for an excuse, but that country and the neighbor countries to Germany were the only countries she knew of in this world, and she simply chose the one farthest away from Germany, just in case she got strange questions, she could always come with the excuse that it was foreign to her country.
"Haha great I've been there once you know. The capital city is enormous! So what town did you live in then?"
"Guh…" Winry choked. She really hadn't guessed Ed knew so much about the countries outside Germany. Of course he knew a lot more about England than she did. Just how in the world was she supposed to trick him now?! "I uh… I'm uh, well you see… I'm from the country so I really don't live any close to a town…. Hehe…" she said and scratched her neck. "Nice work Winry! That was so lame!" she scolded. "He's never gonna fall for that!"
But quite to the contrary…
"Ah uh alright I see. Well, then I guess that explains why you know so little of this country huh?" Ed said and put a hand behind his head while chuckling. Winry was to say, quite surprised that he just let her go so easily or just act so ignoratly, until a certain amount of comprehension dawned on her. "He really hasn't changed all that much, at least not in personality." Winry thought to herself with a smile. There certainly still was his thick skull to penetrate in order to let sense flow into it.
"Y-Yeah…" Winry muttered.
They just sat there for a while in silence, neither of them quite knowing what to say to the other.
Just then noise came from the stairway, causing the two young adults to look up.
"Oh hey Brother you're already home? How was your day? Oh, and we have a visitor? Care to intro-" he rambled on, but stopped abruptly when he got a closer look on the visitor. Winry recognized the expression that appeared on his face as a mild version of the one Ed had just worn and she felt bad all over again.
"W-Winry? Winry is that yo-"
"Al, this is Nadine, Nadine this is Al, my little brother. Nadine comes from England, she's kind of a traveler." Ed interrupted and plastered a cheerful smile upon his otherwise solemn face. Al thought for a moment and then smiled and looked at Winry. She could sense some reluctance in the smile though.
"Oh I see. It seems you got to see the good side of my brother. Believe me, it's almost a miracle to see him actually inviting someone inside instead of just scaring them all away." Al said and laughed, successfully receiving a hard glare from his older brother. Al just brushed it off.
"So Nadine do you have a home anywhere?"
"Yes, I live with a small family a few kilometers away." she said and frowned a bit.
"Well that's good isn't it? Then why do you look so distraught?" Ed asked her with a raised eyebrow. He looked at her as he downed the rest of the contents in the glass.
Winry sighed. "I'm just afraid they're having problems with having me live there since their so poor. They keep telling me it's no problem, but they already have problems with feeding themselves so another mouth to feed, and one who can't even help with the income.. I just feel so wasteful. They're such good people, but…" Winry said and slumped her shoulders and sighed. This was putting her in a bad mood. She had just met Ed at last, but things weren't turning out the way she wanted them to and thinking about her wastefulness towards the Schneiders wasn't helping much.
Ed and Al exchanged glances and Al spoke up.
"If you really feel that way, why don't you just come live with us here, Nadine? We're not rich, but Brother has a pretty stable job so I'm sure we can afford to have one more living here. Right Brother?"
"Sure."
"Besides, we could really need a woman in the house. Brother is your typical bachelor and he always leaves the house in a mess. Of course, since I have no job, I'm left with the cleaning. Haha, I feel like a housewife sometimes. And don't even get me started on his cooking." Al said and laughed. Winry joined happily, all too well knowing Ed's messiness and horrible (not to mention, harmful to health) cooking.
"Oh well excuse me for being a guy!" Ed snorted and crossed his arms.
But Winry kept laughing. It felt good. She had missed laughing like this and being accompanied by Al was only making it better. Yeah, and Ed being the victim made it the best day in a too long time. Suddenly she couldn't wait until she would come live with them. Just the three of them like the old days.
As they slowly ceased laughing and Ed's scowl slowly, but steadily diminished, Winry started to get up from her chair. "Will it be alright if I go and pick up my stuff at once and then return here? They say it's going to rain tomorrow."
"Of course. Want one of us to accompany you on the way?" Al chuckled and grinned. Oh how Winry had missed that boyish smile.
"Nah it's alright, I think I need a walk for myself. Besides, Ed looks pretty smashed and it looks like a nap would do him good." Winry said with a smile and headed for the door.
"Wait, how do you know my name?"
She stopped and turned around, scratching the back of her head. "Well, you told me earlier didn't you?" she said and with a wave, she exited the door. "Crud, crud, crud!"
Al looked at his older brother who was scratching his noggin.
"So I guess we just found this world's replica of Winry, huh?" he said and smiled.
"Yeah, guess so…" Ed muttered. He felt his eyes go droopy and rubbed one of them with his flesh hand. He noticed Al looking at him. "What is it?"
"Brother I think Wi-Nadine was right. You really do look tired. You should go rest. Remember what the doctor said, you shouldn't hesitate to rest whenever you feel the slightest tired. " he said and Ed visibly sighed. It wasn't like he didn't notice the look that appeared in his little brother's eyes every time they spoke of his sickness. Dear God, why did it have to hurt his little brother too?
"Al seriously I'm-"
"Brother, just go to bed already. I'll start making dinner soon; I bet we'll have a guest accompanying us tonight." Al said with a wide grin and his older brother sighed in defeat and chuckled.
"Fine I'll go upstairs. Night Al."
"Sleep well Brother."
Ed turned, ruffled his brother's short hair and went upstairs and into his room. He stripped down to his boxers and crawled into his small, warm bed. Just before sleep filled him entirely, a thought passed his mind.
"I…never told her my name…"
A/N: So that's it for this time guys, hope you enjoyed Next chapter will be called Welcome Home, Nadine, and will come out in (beeep) days...
Anyway thank you for reading and hopefully you'll leave review before you leave ;P
Until next time -Shirou hana
