NOTE: I would like to say that if this becomes offensive to anyone for any purpose, whether it be medical bending in the rules or if some of you simply disagree with me on my view of treatment centers, you are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read…
The ways of the hospital began to shift into a sense of normalcy for Winry with the passing days. She couldn't say she was too relaxed or content with her situation, but her thoughts of receiving an early discharge or planning another escape were beginning to fade. She found herself wondering whether that could be considered a good thing or possibly bad. The doctors and remaining medical staff would argue that it was something to praise, but Winry didn't want herself to feel as though she had lost the battle. She wanted to remain firm on her decisions of treatment centers and medicine, but it was becoming increasingly difficult with each passing day. Her body wanted to fall into the swing of things… She didn't want to feel as though she were at war with every person that spoke to her in the building. But she also didn't want the staff to believe she was succumbing to their ways of handling certain situations. In conclusion, Winry convinced herself that she didn't have to agree, but could at least allow her stubborn attitude to die down for the time being. Things were not ideal for her, but they were relaxing enough. And although she still continued her refusal to take part in the group therapy sessions, she did manage to sit down quietly throughout their activities.
Winry was also now able to fully try and enjoy the bizarre company of Paninya, who was given full permission to become roommates with her once again. The girl was truly an oddball, but she did provide her with some interesting conversation during the day and night; although most of them consisted of tales terrorizing Dr. Elric and the fellow staff.
Currently, the two were on their way down one of the halls of the facility to participate in a school session. The classroom was beyond small and Winry found that she always became a little too warm within it. The chairs were squeezed too close together, the pencils were just as cheap and useless as the ones they were given in the Day Room, and the tables were that pasty blue color she disliked so much. Apparently, the hospital felt it was important to keep them educated, but the amount of space and décor didn't seem to matter. They might as well have been sardines crammed together for a good hour and a half, and the teacher they were given was as stuffy as an old boot.
"Mr. Falman is such a snore. He talks like a textbook, and he always calls on me for the answer. I don't even raise my hand," Paninya complained with a snort.
Winry shrugged and continued to follow the straight line towards the cramped classroom.
"I'm sure it's because he knows that you never pay attention," she responded.
"It's hard to pay attention to someone who's boring. Why can't Dr. Elric be our teacher? He'd probably be a little more interesting. Besides, it would be even more fun to throw paper balls and paper airplanes at him."
Winry rolled her eyes.
"And you wonder why Mr. Falman doesn't like you. You act like a five year old when we go in here. I can only imagine the trouble you've been causing him all this time."
"You cause trouble for Dr. Elric, yet you don't seem to mind. What's the difference?"
Winry instantly felt stumped.
"It's not like I'm doing it for sport. He's always bothering me first. You act like I'm the one with the problem."
At least that was how it felt.
Either way, the two decided to abandon their beginning conversation on Dr. Eric the moment they reached the tiny classroom. Winry could already feel the uncomfortable heat from the distance. She truly wasn't looking forward to stepping inside- group actually sounded like the better activity compared to this.
Shuffling inside past the other patients, Winry did well to gently nudge some of the slower ones aside so she could get herself a comfortable seat within- Paninya, on the other hand, chose to go the way of shoving and pushing.
Mr. Falman chose to remain seated throughout the entire hustle and bustle, and used his time to organize the paperwork on his desk. He didn't mind teaching the patients in this place, but some of them could be so difficult. He liked to believe that he had the tolerance for this type of work, but sometimes he wondered how he had ever gotten convinced to take on such a job.
Once the classroom became relatively quiet as the group seated themselves, Mr. Falman ran a hand though his disheveled hair and carefully got to his feet to speak.
"Good afternoon everyone. I'm hoping you're all ready to learn some new things today."
As usual, the man received an awkward silence and pitiful stares in response.
"We'll be going over spelling and reading for an hour, and the last thirty minutes will be spent on some life science worksheets from last time."
Winry suppressed a slight groan. She didn't mind the subject of science, but this particular area of it was more than a little boring in her opinion. They had gone over the structure of plants numerous amounts of times. She probably could even name the parts off in her sleep at night if she tried.
'Thankfully, it's the last thirty minutes of class. There's nothing too difficult about a little reading and spelling right now,' she thought.
This was her opinion alone, of course. Paninya had a completely different view on English study. Not only did she find it boring and stiff, but she lacked the skills that revolved around the subject completely.
"If you all would please use the books on your desk and open them to chapter one," Falman instructed.
Since the books were limited due to lack of funding, many of the patients in the room had no choice but to share with one another. It usually ended with two per book, so Winry and Paninya were forced to squeeze themselves closer together in order to both comfortably view the pages before them.
"Now if I could have someone volunteer to read the first page of the book, it would be much appreciated. Practice is what helps us get better."
Winry already knew how to read relatively well, so she ultimately decided against the voluntary job. In her opinion, it was best to get those without good reading skills a chance to try a couple sentences out.
"Paninya, don't be a sissy. Raise your hand and try," she whispered, giving the girl beside her a good nudge.
Her roommate instantly bristled at the interruption, yet continued on her work to create a paper airplane on the large desk.
"Nah, I'm not the reading type. It's not my specialty."
Winry slumped and gave a casual shrug.
"That's the point of practice."
As Falman began his search for a potential reader of the first page, Winry allowed her eyes to lazily roam the room and disappear into the back of her mind for the time to think. She wished the classroom had windows, for she had seen from her bed that it had been raining since the early morning.
Winry wasn't quite certain on what she should think of the rain. It seemed like a depressing type of weather to be viewing, yet at the same time she had found a strange comfort within it. The sun commonly was the stereotypical picture to describe happiness and joy, but rain also had a way of bringing peace to many people. She almost found herself wishing she could stand outside in it now, if only for a couple minutes.
"Paninya, why don't you read this time? I think it's a better alternative to making those paper airplanes you like so much."
Winry's roommate paused in her third constructed paper plane and pasted a smile on her face as she lifted her eyes.
"I don't like books. Besides, Winry does better with voices. She's got a pretty one, right? Pick her."
The mention of her name slowly brought Winry from her thoughts on the rain as she tilted her head over to the ongoing conversation. She hadn't been listening to what the topic was about, but judging by Paninya's face, she could tell it had something to do with reading. She could easily see their teacher shifting his eyes back and forth between the two of them.
"Winry? Would you care to read the next paragraph for us?" Falman asked.
Honestly? She didn't really care to do anything of the sort. She had been almost completely content in her thoughts on the weather. Books were interesting, but her mind was not focused on reading texts. However, declining the offer to read sounded rude, considering the poor man rarely found any true volunteers. It was just too bad that the stories he chose for reading material were considered rather dry to most people. And it wasn't as though they were allowed to read anything too intimate or violent either. The book they were viewing now appeared to be a romance novel, but the description could bore most people to tears.
Elbowing Paninya irritably and giving her an annoyed shove off to the side for lack of space, Winry scooted closer in her chair to gain a better view of the open book before her and slowly began to read the long paragraph. As she did so, her mind felt itself beginning to drift. No longer was her attention focused on her monotone reading, but was now circling around Dr. Elric. That arm of his has been fascinating. The machinery she had tinkered with lacked in comparison to what she had seen on Edward. Winry had taken apart clocks, stereos, ovens, and had even been allowed the chance to inspect her father's old truck. Her grandmother had educated her slightly on prosthetics, but she had never gotten the opportunity to see one quite as advanced as Edward's had been. Older models had delayed functions and didn't move anywhere near as smoothly as her doctor's. Of course, she did still wonder how he had managed to lose his limb in the first place. It couldn't have been too wonderful. In fact, Winry couldn't help but begin to imagine all the possibilities. Truth be told, she actually did possess a very vivid imagination at times- especially when it came to mechanics. So now that she had gotten to see his metal replacement it would continue to bother her until she got the answer. Until then, she would just have to remain patient and curious.
"Ms. Rockbell? Would you care to tell us what the author was trying to express in that paragraph?"
Mr. Falman's voice cut through Winry's thoughts the moment she finished reading the specified section. She even had to repeat the question in her head in order to truly understand. Unfortunately, it still did very little for her. Winry had not been paying attention to even one sentence! She attempted to skim the length of the page, but all she managed to see were bundles of useless words and random descriptions. Paninya did little to help either, for she had gone right back to her paper plane building.
"Well… he was trying to say that… um…" Winry mumbled uneasily. It was obvious that she was lost. Wasn't the author writing about a bench meeting or something?
"He was… I mean I think he was…" Winry stumbled again with her words and looked back down to the page. If she had the ability to comprehend a mass of words with a simple stare, it would have been much appreciated.
"She was expressing the sense of destiny and fate that focused around the particular area in her description- in this case, it was the bench. She also took great care in describing the milestones that were created from that same location. It's an in depth description of the popular 'love at first sight' for the author and her partner."
Winry initially would have been bristling with the unexpected explanation of the paragraph she had read- especially when considering who the person was. The voice, as usual, was brimming with confidence.
"I wasn't aware that you read these types of novels, Dr. Elric."
Winry turned her head to the door of the classroom, staring into those familiar golden eyes.
"Show off," she thought.
Either way, she felt relief for his satisfying input. Usually, Winry would be fuming in annoyance from his presence, but he had been the very reason she had gotten distracted in the first place.
"My little brother is the big fan, but I flip through them from time to time- enough to get the gist of everything," Edward explained.
Dr. Elric stepped a little further into the room with a gentle shrug of his shoulders.
"K.C. Brooks is the author, right? The house I'm staying in has almost every one of her bestsellers. It's hard not to become familiar with her."
Mr. Falman gave a confident and impressed smile before moving back towards his desk. It appeared as though Winry's expected explanation of the paragraph had been forgotten for the time being. Their teacher now seemed more interested in the rarity of Dr. Elric's company during the school hours.
"Well I doubt you came in here for a lesson. Did you need anything?" Falman asked.
Edward sighed and flipped a pen casually inbetween his fingers with an annoyed huff.
"To be honest, I was looking for my cup of coffee. I guess I lost it again. Farrah is gonna yell at me when I tell her."
Winry inwardly flinched. She remembered that old woman. Farrah had been present at the time she was admitted into this treatment center. She couldn't say she cared much for her at all. She was cranky and rude.
"But since my coffee isn't in here, I really should start snagging my patients one a time and discuss their treatment," Edward explained.
This wasn't all that uncommon. All of the doctors' had to find times to speak with their patients about medication dosages, discharge dates and treatment goals in general. The conversations with patients always seemed to vary though. Some of the teens in this facility loved discussing their progress, while others chose to remain stubborn and keep to themselves. Winry liked to see herself as somewhere inbetween. It felt somewhat comforting to talk about things from time to time, but she never did appreciate it when people forced it out of her- which was why she decided to take it upon herself to volunteer first. Besides, she sincerely doubted that Edward would have enough nerve to call her forward in the beginning.
Slowly pushing herself to her feet, Winry moved the book aside and cleared her throat.
"Can I talk to you first?" She mumbled quietly. It felt awkward to so suddenly be eager for these scheduled talks, but it had to better than sitting in this cramped classroom.
As Winry had fully expected, she received numerous odd stares from all around- especially from Edward and Paninya… To hear her so willingly go along with Dr. Elric seemed miraculous, for she usually spent the days trying to avoid him at all costs. Apparently the talk they had shared together had done more than anyone could have imagined. It hadn't even been that far in depth either- just mindless nonsense about animals and a touch of advanced prosthetics. But it really had been the last part that had gotten her attention. It had given her that slight push that she needed to at least be on talking terms with him.
Winry stubbornly held Dr. Elric's gaze as he considered her request. She could tell he was still trying to figure out why she was being so suddenly cooperative. But it must have dawned on him relatively quickly though, judging by the gloomy expression forming on his face and slumping posture. Edward must have realized that Winry's sharp curiosity and eagerness was stemming from her fascination with his right arm. It made sense. It had been his fault to begin with. He had made the decision to show her, and now he had to put up with her pestering questions in exchange of her intolerable attitude.
"Alright, Winry… You first." Edward gave a quick nod in Falman's direction, before beckoning his blonde patient forward.
"I'll give her back as soon as we're finished."
He wasn't ready to estimate a time for Falman yet. He had no idea how long their conversation was going to be. It always seemed to change, depending on the topic.
Watching with mild interest, Edward kept his eyes on her as she shuffled and maneuvered her way through the desks, chairs, and other patients. He could easily see that she was relieved to get out of the stuffy atmosphere.
It didn't take long for Winry to move past her curious doctor and outside of the classroom for some open air. It couldn't compare to the actual outdoors, but it would be sufficient enough for her. Plus, she now got to have a much needed break from watching her obnoxious roommate build those paper planes.
The two walked side by side for a short time before Winry slowed to a stop inside the Day Room. She could easily see through the windows that a light trickle of rain was still falling to the ground. It looked rather welcoming to her. The weather wasn't heavy and miserable either. It appeared calm and very relaxing- something she could appreciate.
"I assume you're the type that likes to watch the rain?" Edward asked quietly.
Winry gave a simple shrug and placed one hand along the cold glass window. If she listened carefully enough, she could even hear the raindrops tapping on the outside.
"Sometimes… I suppose I'm just trying to appreciate it more now that I'm stuck in this place. I used to sit by the window at home when it would rain. I never had to do anything either. I probably could have sat there for hours until the storm would pass."
Winry was certain that she had lost track of time at least once within her bedroom. If she was given the option to go to her hospital room at the moment, she probably would do the same there as well.
"Dr. Elric? While I'm on long term… Do I ever get to go outside?"
Edward had gotten so used to hearing his patient call him by first name, so to hear a formal title had startled him. Turning his eyes in her general direction, he frowned and considered the question.
"I wouldn't think you would be expected to stay indoors for an entire year or even a half, Winry. I have other patients who are going through long term treatment just like you. To be honest, they go out every couple weeks with their family for a dinner. There's a time limit, but it still gives them a decent amount of freedom."
Winry wasn't pleased with the answer, but at least it was something to hold onto. At the moment, she wasn't feeling very happy with her parents. They were the ones who dumped her here in the first place, and despite all the begging the hospital staff was doing to get her to talk about her problems, Winry kept herself stubbornly silent. Why bother telling another soul of that particular night when her own doctor would not even consider it?
Placing her forehead against the glass quietly, Winry allowed the cool window to soothe her aching head. Perhaps she really had taken the outside world for granted. If she had tried to appreciate it more, maybe she wouldn't have run into so many problems. How stupid she had been…
Edward stood quietly at her side and watched the dark clouds hover in the sky. He personally wasn't a fan of the rain-many of his darkest hours had occurred in the stormy weather.
Rubbing gingerly along the top edges of his prosthetic limb, Dr. Elric sighed in discomfort and turned his head to observe their surroundings. For the most part it was empty, aside from Rose filling out paperwork at the nurses' station. The other patients were still participating in class work, and the ones who monitored the behavior of the said patients and lead them through group therapy were most likely squished within the classroom as well.
'I really hope I'm not gonna regret this,' Edward thought quietly to himself.
Checking over the area again to make certain they were alone, Dr. Elric ran his hand through his long blonde hair, before moving quietly over to the courtyard door within the Day Room. He could almost feel Winry's curious stare behind him, but he chose to ignore it as he rummaged around for the key in his pocket. Once he had acquired it, Edward stuck it quickly in the lock and gave it a swift turn.
'There's not exactly anywhere for her to run,' Edward reasoned.
'It's just a small square structured area with a small tree in the middle and a lousy bench.'
Turning the handle of the door, Dr. Elric gave it a simple push forward, before turning his eyes over to her in warning.
"Five minutes… You look like you really want to go out there, so…"
He could tell that Winry was more than a little surprised at this turn of events. In fact, it was even taking her a few moments to even register what he was doing for her.
"I'll also have you know that the stump of what's left of my arm aches in this weather, so you better appreciate it," he grumbled.
It wasn't like he was lying. The cold weather really did make him ache. It also brought back some pretty terrible memories, but it seemed to strangely soothe the girl beside him, so he tolerated it for her.
Winry slowly moved her head away from the window and placed her hands at her side. She could see that her doctor had opened the door that led into the courtyard, but she was having trouble comprehending it. It was a rather small token of kindness, but nevertheless, Winry appreciated it.
It took her a good while to reach the door, but when she did, she couldn't help but look cautiously over at Edward. It wasn't that she was currently afraid of him; Winry just wanted to make sure that he truly had intentions of actually letting her outside- she had tried to run away after all not too long ago.
Once she had gotten a nod of approval from him, the girl stepped out into the light rain and instantly breathed in the scent of the outside air. It was refreshing. It was also cold, but she eagerly welcomed it. It felt much better than that uncomfortable classroom. Her doctor probably would have agreed if he had been in there longer.
"You're being awfully nice to suddenly let me go outside," Winry commented as she slid on the damp bench beneath the tree. A little water never hurt anybody.
Edward shrugged as he slowly followed her, but chose to remain standing at her side for the time being.
"Before I unlocked the door, I made sure there was nowhere for you to go. So unless you want to attempt to climb up that measly tree and jump for the nearest wall, I really don't think I have anything to worry about," he mumbled.
Winry hid a small smile.
"And if I were to try and climb up the tree…?"
"You wouldn't get far," Edward answered casually.
"Are you saying that you would even climb up trees to catch one of your patients?"
Dr. Elric chuckled and turned to place one gloved hand on the nearest branch alongside the bench, fiddling aimlessly with it.
"You don't think I could? If you think my white coat is likely to slow me down, I dare you to give it a try."
How interesting- usually conversation was difficult to come by between the two. Winry was finding it strangely easy at the moment.
"You're encouraging me to try and escape then?" she asked.
Edward continued to play with the small branch.
"I didn't say that. I just said that if you did, you wouldn't manage to get far up that tree."
Winry rolled her eyes.
"You're overly confident, doctor," she accused.
At least she wanted to believe he was incapable. Truth be told, Edward probably could climb remarkably fast in order to yank her back down. Winry knew this, but she chose to be difficult.
"Only one way to find out," he said.
She was speechless. Dr. Elric truly was not one's average medical professional. Normal doctors did not 'dare' their patient to escape or stand outside in the rain with them to have a chat. It was very strange indeed.
"It almost sounds like you're up for the challenge," Winry noted.
Edward released the branch from his fingers and finally focused his golden eyes towards the bench.
"You forget that I'm not a stuffy old man like the other doctors in this hospital. Unlike them, I need the exercise."
That appeared to be true. Dr. Elric was the only young medical expert in this building. It shouldn't have been too shocking to hear that he actually enjoyed physical endurance and younger based activities.
"Do you play sports?" Winry asked.
"On occasion… I'm not exactly a team player," he answered.
Edward didn't seem like he would be either. Winry couldn't really see him participating in any serious sport with other young men like himself for some reason.
"Basketball, maybe?" she questioned.
An annoyed snort was instantly the response.
"Do I look like a basketball kind of guy to you?"
Winry tilted her head off to the side in consideration.
"I guess not. And I really don't see you playing football," she answered.
Edward rested his weight appreciatively on the tree behind him as his frame slowly began to inch itself on the bench beside her. He wasn't aiming to make Winry uncomfortable, but he was gradually feeling the urge to sit down.
"That's a relief, because I never did see the entertainment in running back and forth with a cone shaped ball to score touchdowns. Besides, I tackle enough people as it is while I work here."
He wasn't lying either. He had gotten Winry pretty good the night she had attempted to run away. Why tackle people for a football when he had his hands full catching escaping patients?
"Anyway, I did only say five minutes maximum out here. What possessed you to volunteer first for my scheduling?" Dr. Elric asked.
"You spent a gracious amount of time trying to get away from me and never failed to give me hateful looks. You shouldn't expect me to not be surprised by this sudden change of heart," he continued.
Winry stubbornly turned her head away, keeping her hands promptly in her lap as she struggled to give him a reasonable answer.
"You're conversation with me before was interesting, I guess. What's wrong with wanting to continue it?"
That was a lie. She had been annoyed with their conversation in the beginning. Edward had pestered her with mindless questions about favorite animals and the likes. It was only when he had revealed a secret part of himself did she gain interest; something her doctor already was aware of.
"I care to disagree. If I didn't know any better, I would say you want to continue the last topic we discussed before I released you for breakfast a couple days ago," he argued.
It would have been best if Winry had just given in to his accusation, considering that it was true… but naturally, she was defensive.
"I didn't say anything about that. What makes you think I just don't want to talk about my progress so far in this treatment center?" she snapped.
Edward raised a brow and grinned.
"Oh? Are you now?"
Winry lowered her eyes and forced a nod.
"I might be."
Perhaps that had been the wrong thing to say, for Edward chose to 'playfully' take her words seriously.
"If that's the case, then I suppose I should start by asking you a few basic questions about this progress of yours."
Winry refused to drop the stubborn attitude she had acquired within their short time and gave a casual shrug.
"Go ahead," she grumbled.
It wasn't like she really wanted to hear the questions from her young doctor, but she felt far too proud to admit that she had truly wanted to discuss his metal prosthetics. Now she was stuck having to respond to things she had no interest in.
"How has your sleep been?" Edward began.
Winry arched a brow and carefully eyed the other up and down.
"Where's your infamous clipboard? Aren't you supposed to write everything down?"
He instantly chuckled.
"I'll go get it if that's what you prefer."
She didn't. It always had made her uncomfortable when people within this building chose to jot almost everything she said down onto a paper. It was probably the reason why her discussion of her personal feelings came so rarely. It didn't feel safe to reveal too many things.
"I'll pass, thanks," Winry muttered.
Glancing back up to the cloudy sky, she could feel the raindrops become heavier as they hit against her soft skin. Her bandaged arms still ached, but she refused to let that interfere with her precious time outdoors. She had no idea when she would be given this chance again, so she was making certain that she enjoyed it for all that it was worth.
"So?"
Winry blinked curiously and turned her attention back to her awaiting doctor. He seemed expectant- as though he was waiting for an answer from her. What had the question been again? She couldn't remember.
"So… What?" she asked.
Edward grinned in amusement.
"How has your sleep been?" he repeated slowly.
Winry's sleep was fair to put it mildly. She tossed and turned a good amount, but she always felt that she fell asleep within a reasonable amount of time. It was the nightmares that bothered her. But she wasn't ready to discuss those. Edward would have to believe the core of her story in order to understand her night terrors; it was unfortunate that he did not.
"It's been okay, I guess."
"Good. What about those arms of yours? I'm hoping that they're at least beginning to heal nicely," Dr. Elric said.
They were definitely healing, but the pain was still uncomfortable. However, she in no way could manage to regret what she had done to her body. So despite the burning sensation she received from the cuts on her skin, she never felt remorseful for her actions.
"They're healing…" she shrugged.
Edward had not seen the recovery of her arms since the day they had first bandaged them up. Since then, he had allowed the nurses to do the work. The sight of blood did not bother him- but he was no specialist on first aid. He knew just enough to get by, but that was the gist of it.
Taking in a breath of the misty air, Dr. Elric turned on the bench to reach forward to lift Winry's arms for a simple inspection. He could tell that they had changed her bandages again, but judging from the appearance, the lacerations beneath were still lightly bleeding.
"I'm really hoping you'll choose not to do something like this again, Winry."
Edward wasn't going to press the issue, so he chose to leave it at that. He wasn't scolding her; just giving her his hopes of anti repetition to cutting. As expected though, Winry remained silent on the issue, and turned her attention back to the cloudy, thundering sky. For a moment, Edward thought he would have to encourage her to speak again, but his patient surprised him with a few choice words.
"You give me advice on my arms, but what about yours? You're missing your right one," she pointed out.
That had sounded far crueler than she had wanted it to. Winry hadn't meant to be rude, but her wording had come out more than a little harsh. Perhaps it was in her best interest to try and fix her mistake.
"I mean…you… you should take care of yourself too. You must have done something reckless to yourself in order to lose one of your arms."
That probably hadn't sounded any better. But thankfully, Edward took no true offense. Instead, he remained disturbingly silent. The rain's persistent fall had done a number on his blonde bangs, causing his golden eyes to fall beneath them, shadowing his gaze completely.
Winry had truly wondered if she had accidentally hurt his feelings. He may not have gotten angry, but it didn't mean he wasn't affected by it. She knew she had no right to push into a situation of which she had no knowledge of. She had shamelessly just used Edward's concern for her arms as an excuse to bring up his own. She was acting no better than the nosy doctors she had come to despise within the years. Still, her curiosity was intolerable, and she hated it. It had only taken one glance at the secret beneath Edward's coat to interest her. The girl's passion for mechanics had caused her mind to race in excitement at the thought of learning more about that metal prosthetic. However, she had to learn the art of empathy and the patience to consider someone else's feelings. Dr. Elric may have annoyed her many times, but his rights to privacy should have been just as valued as her own.
"Edward? I just-
"I wasn't reckless," he muttered.
Winry remained silent, watching the other get to his feet and pocket his hands into his coat. She had thought he would say more, but the moment he moved forward towards the building's door, she sincerely doubted it.
"It's been way past five minutes, Winry. We should get back inside before one of those nurses come out here to nag at me for letting you outside."
It wasn't often that she felt guilty for the things that she said, but Winry was feeling just that. She knew that the words she had said earlier had been uncalled for. She truly hadn't meant to be rude, but her defensive nature had gotten the best of her. It was just too bad that it involved something she had taken quite a shine to. Now their beginning conversation was coming to an abrupt stop thanks to her roundabout meddling.
Taking one last look at the sky above her, Winry savored the final sensations of the light rainfall, before pushing herself up from the bench to follow after her blonde doctor. It was only then she could feel the discomfort of the water on the ground sink into her cushioned white slippers on her feet. She had had the option to wear actual shoes, but at the time it had seemed more logical to choose something in favor of comfort. Tennis shoes, boots, and sandals just didn't fit that description in her eyes- at least not in a hospital.
Walking up behind Edward, Winry watched and waited as the door was opened for her to step through. She knew that within the next few minutes she would be back within that old classroom, trapped with the other patients and forced to read that mild romance novel. The very thought of it caused her to hesitate. Not to mention that the guilt she felt was also poking at her. It wouldn't kill her to at least try to say something to him.
"Thank you," she whispered uneasily.
It wasn't the apology that she had wanted to say, but at least it was some words of gratitude.
"Hmm? For what?" Edward grumbled.
Winry had a feeling he already knew what she had been thanking him for, but was choosing to act childish and dense. Apparently his reasons for the prosthetic arm were touchy to say the least. His sudden behavior towards her was proof enough.
"For letting me go outside. I appreciated it."
Dr. Elric gripped his right shoulder and soothingly rubbed along the ends, nodding his head.
"Yeah, don't mention it. Just don't go announcing it to everyone. And don't get sick now either," he grumped.
Winry cracked a small smile and took a step inside of the Day Room, half heartedly welcoming the warmth. It felt nice, but she still preferred the calming rain.
"I have a stable immune system. I don't think you have anything to worry about," she reassured.
Hearing the door shut behind them, Winry turned to look back outside the window once more. It had only been a couple minutes out in the courtyard, but the sitting had been very nice and enjoyable. This was now the second time she had managed to make an interesting conversation with her doctor… and of all the places to be too- a simple location with a bench beneath a humble tree.
'She was expressing the sense of destiny and fate that focused around the particular area in her description- in this case, it was the bench. She also took great care in describing the milestones that were created from that same location. It's an in depth description of the popular 'love at first sight' for the author and her partner.'
Edward's detailed explanation of the romance novel they had been reading in class suddenly slipped into the depths of her mind. Why had those words seemed so important right now? Perhaps the sight of the bench had brought the thought back up. It did seem to fit the description after all.
'I doubt J.C. Brooks met the love of her life in a hospital,' Winry mused to herself.
"I'm curious. Are you really going to just stand there and stare out the window? If it means that much to you, I'll take you out there again sometime. I'll just make sure I stay on guard and be ready to scale that tree outside if you ever get the urge to hop that wall," Edward snorted.
Winry turned her eyes to the young man beside her and puffed her cheeks out in annoyance.
"Yeah, well if I ever do get that urge, you'll be the last person I inform. And if I do escape, you'll be sorry you ever gave me that idea," she bristled.
Edward arched a brow.
"Well thank you. I'm honored that I would be last on your list. It makes me feel special."
Had she really felt sorry for him moments ago? He had seemed so sad too! Apparently Edward had the capability to either brush pain aside or genuinely forgive and forget. Maybe he was even able to do both? Regardless, Winry balled her hands into fists at her side, feeling the urge to pout like a child in response to his words. Turning her back to him and the window of the courtyard, she began to make her way back to the small classroom down the hall.
"I'm assuming our discussion is over. I'll be going back to class now," she grumbled.
"Then do me a favor and send one of my other patients out?" Edward requested, calling out to her.
Winry nodded.
"I'll send Paninya. She's dying to talk to you anyway."
"Please don't…" Edward flinched.
Without another word, the girl exited the Day Room and began her short walk back to class within the hospital. She had been attempting to stay in an emotionless mood for the sake of being too proud, but it was unfortunately ending in utter failure. Winry's conversation with Dr. Elric had been at most, bittersweet. She knew she had hurt his feelings near the end, but overall… she had enjoyed her time outside with him. He was a grumpy, sarcastic guy, but he had been somehow managing to make her smile. They were very small ones, but they were definitely a start.
It was even safe to say that Edward had coaxed her interest in the famous J.C. Brooks. So needless to say… the remaining class time for her wasn't all that bad.
She had even decided to make a paper airplane right before sending her obnoxious roommate out to Dr. Elric-what an unimaginable 'joy' that would be for him.
Silverbell: I'll bet the lot of you are angry with me. I did say I would update in October... But I do have a good excuse! I have two actually... One would be that my friend came to stay for the month so I was kinda showing her around. I live in Las Vegas, so she was eager to get around and have a look at those hotels and casinos. And two...! I became officially engaged last month. I'm... very excited and flattered. So there.. Winry and Edward had yet another talk! And the only way I can describe it is as Winry believes it to be... Bittersweet. Love you all!
Note- Also.. to bloodynessie! Thank you for your encouragement! I was preparing to respond back to you, but your messaging is disabled! In any case, it is true. Writing the beginning of a romance between two insanely stubborn people is rather difficult. But I'm determined to get it right! Thanks again for the support and the kind message!