Beauty and the Alchemist
"You don't understand! I'm nothing more than a monster, a metal freak! Who could love someone like me?" he asked in anger, eyes piercing her own. Gently, Winry placed a palm to his cheek, feeling the sudden heat rush to his face. "I could."
Disclaimer: I don't own FMA or Beauty and the Beast, ugh.
Chapter 14: Something There
Snow.
It covered the gardens, the pathways, the trees, and to put it simply; everything.
Winry wiped her hands thoroughly, finishing up after another long day of work. The automail arm was now more than a set of steel skeletal frames. Two electric motors were installed and operating accordingly, as well as the pneumatic actuators. The sound was a sweet melody to Winry's ears. She could listen to the sleek hum of the machines until she was tucked into her deathbed. After putting in hours during the night and skipping a few meals, she was well ahead of her schedule. Edward continued his routine visits, poking his head through the door every now and again. Winry often greeted him with a "still not done," or "please leave I'm working."
Today, however, he had chosen not to make an appearance. This struck the young woman as odd, considering he was the nosiest human being she had ever come across in her life. Perhaps, he had buried himself in a particularly interesting piece of research or fallen asleep on his desk after a long night. Those two scenarios seemed likely. Winry leaned against the window. The cool glass soothed her skin. She couldn't believe it, autumn had come and go. It was winter. The piles of snowflakes created such a magnificent illumination that there was no need to light a candle
One by one, she picked up her tools and stored them in their proper places. Wrenches with wrenches, hammers hung comfortably on their hooks; she picked up all the unused bolts and discarded them in a tin can. She folded up her notes and placed them at the corner of her work table. They were not much use to her, but they served as a reminder of her progress with this piece. Soon, she would be able to attach it to its host and be on her merry way. She could return to Risembool and see her grandmother, share with her all the stories she had been saving up just for her.
But leaving Ed and Al, that would be difficult.
The snow looks so pretty.
She closed the double doors behind her and headed to her bedroom. The hallway was quiet except for the creaking of the wood under her steps. The mechanic briskly threw open her door. She was quick; pulling off her dirty clothes and replacing them with fresh, warmer ones. She shoved her arms into the sleeves of her coat.
Where are my boots?
Her eyes searched every corner of the room. She checked the wardrobe; it was empty minus the few articles of clothing she owned.
Not here.
On all fours, she crawled on the floor and towards her bed.
There you are!
The pair waited for her underneath the feather filled cushions. Her eager fingers tugged them out of the darkness. She fumbled with the laces, the strings refusing to cooperate with her. Eventually, she coaxed them into tight, little knots; ones that would not come undone.
Or so she hoped.
The stairs proved no match her legs, she took them down two at a time. The grand entry doors beckoned her, urged her to escape to the wonderland just beyond. She accepted the invitation, turning the knobs and introducing herself to the crystal white landscape outside.
The air greeted her before anything else, its cool embrace cutting right through all the layers she had put on. Winry curled up, regretting that she had decided against wearing her scarf. She tediously made her way down the path; or what she thought was the cobblestone walkway. It was barely visible. The snow had come and conquered.
"There's plenty for all of you. Wait please."
Winry knew that timid voice. She veered off the path and towards the back of the manor. There he stood; Alphonse Elric was surrounded by little birds. His brother stood beside him, arms crossed and a frown on his handsome features. He was dressed for the weather, a deep red coat and black trousers fitted his lean figure.
"Hey!" the young woman called to them, waving like a child.
Alphonse returned the gesture. "Winry! Isn't it beautiful? We haven't seen this much snow in years!"
"Neither have I," she said. "Not since I was a little girl. May I?"
The metal man nodded, pouring a small bit of seeds into her hands. Winry sprinkled it on the ground, earning a tweet or two of appreciation. The birds; grays and blues pecked away at the snow.
"You didn't come by today, Edward."
"I assumed you were busy."
"Hasn't stopped you before." She joked, tossing another handful of seeds to the birds. She held her hand towards him. "They won't hurt you."
Alphonse chuckled as his brother took the seeds. "She's right brother, they're just birds."
"I know that."
He knelt down, opening his palm to the hungry little critters. Several flew back, startled by his sudden presence. He groaned and dropped some feed, attempting to earn their trust. They kept their distance from him.
"Here," Winry whispered. "You have to be gentle."
She bent down next to him and took ahold of his hands, cradling them in her own. Slowly, she guided them towards the birds.
"I don't think they're—"
"Ed, look."
One brave little winged beast hopped towards him, cocking its head. The bird was a light blue, like the color of Winry's eyes. Unafraid, it scurried into his hands, pecking ferociously at all the food. Winry retracted her grip, letting the two have their moment. She stood up, taking in the adorable scene before her.
How sweet.
Another bird took a leap of faith into his hands, followed by several more. Before long, the eldest Elric held several of them along his arms and shoulders.
"They really like you Ed," Alphonse noted. "It's like you're their mother."
"Ha ha Al, you're funny. Now take some of these."
"They look awfully comfortable."
Edward shot him a glare. However, instead of trying to shake the birds off, he let them feast.
And kind. He's not entirely mean and cruel after all.
Over the past few weeks, Edward's demeanor had improved greatly. She always caught him smiling to himself, and rarely did he ever yell. Occasionally, they had words or spat over some small matter. But in the end, he would always find her and apologize.
It's like there's something there that wasn't there before.
Winry couldn't control her lips; they grew into a large grin at the thought. The smile that adorned her face did not last long. Alphonse wiped it off with a snowball.
"Alphonse!"
He shrugged and took off, escaping the mechanic's newfound fury.
Edward rose to his feet, interrupting the meal of his little friends. He held up both hands, hoping to mediate between the two.
"Now Winry, it was just a snowball. There's no need to get angry over—"
Winry doubled over in laughter. The snowball meant for the younger brother had somehow found its way into Edward's face.
"What the hell, Winry?!"
"T-That wasn't f-for you!" she choked out.
"No, I see how it is." He grabbed a handful of snow from the ground and began shaping it for his revenge. "I've got something for you!"
Winry back away from him, still clutching her stomach. Tears leaked out of her eyes, slightly blurring her vision. Still, she couldn't help but giggle.
"I'll give you something to laugh about!"
"Do it!"
His first snowball missed her by an inch and the second one was not any closer. They bantered back and forth, while white balls flew through the air. Alphonse took shelter behind a tree, secretly aiding Winry with small tokens whenever she ran dangerously low on ammo.
"Damn it!"
"I expected more out of you, Edward!"
He smirked. "You just wait!"
"I've been waiting!"
Edward caught sight of his younger brother betraying him from afar. "Alphonse! What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry Ed, she looked like she needed help!"
"Does it look like she needs help now?!"
Alphonse laughed at his brother's disarray. It was refreshing, to be able to laugh and play around with one another. It felt like they were kids once again, behaving wildly in the yard of the estate. Wherever his body was, Alphonse was sure it was smiling at the thought.
"Okay," Edward said, hands held up in surrender. "I see I've been outnumbered."
"Finally, I thought we were going to be here all day." Winry dropped the snow from her own hands and dusted them off on the sides of her trousers. "How about some lunch?"
OoOoO
The fire cracked, licking at the fresh logs placed in its midst. The flames of yellow and blue met in a warm embrace, intertwining, and then falling back into another step of their dance. Winry watched them, leaning left and then right along the wood. Edward sat beside her, watching her solemn expression. She was hypnotized by the heat. Cheeks flushed; her face took on a rosy color, and Edward noted that it suited her.
"Winry," he began. "I just want to say, uh, thank you."
She tugged the blanket tighter around her shoulders before casting her eyes upon his face. And for the first time, she really saw him. He was nervous, fingers tugged and pulled at the hem of his coat. His golden eyes were laced with small bits of fear.
"It's just that, you've been really helpful. To Al, and I."
The fireplace popped. Edward pushed back his bangs. He was having a difficult time extracting the words stuck in his throat.
"Mostly Al, he's really enjoyed your company."
A small grin appeared on her face. She scooted closer to him, bumping his shoulder. Her arms met at the front of her knees and she leaned onto them, making a cushion of herself.
"Al is good company too. Our trip to Rush Valley was certainly a barrel of fun."
Ed laughed nervously. "Yeah, he's always got something up there…in that armor."
That made her laugh. "He does, doesn't he?"
The elder Elric swore under his breath.
"What was that?"
"Nothing, I just had to cough."
She raised her head in mock concern. "Getting sick, are we?"
"Of course not."
"Don't lie to me Edward. You're not very good at it."
"Why do people keep saying that?"
Winry laid her head on his shoulder, entranced by something other than the fire. "Because it's true."
She felt him tense up his muscles constrict under the weight of her head—and then ever so suddenly, relax. Ed was not used to these sorts of feelings. They proved to be overwhelming, and he had not the slightest idea how to tame them. There was not an equation for this, a formula he could scratch into the wood of his desk. No, this was all new to him.
Ed was not a machine. He was a man, with a few engineered extras. Winry knew how to take a machine apart and put it back together. When it came to a man, however, she had not the slightest clue. But, she gave way to her desires and followed the urge that grew inside her chest. The mechanic angled her head and nuzzled her nose against the smooth skin of his neck. His breath hitched in his throat. The sudden contact surprised him, crashing through the boundaries he had meticulously set up. Her eyelashes began to tickle him. She was so close.
"Ed," she whispered.
He lowered his chin, slowly, not wanting to disrupt her comfort.
Am I really about to do this?
Yes, I am.
Using her hand to stable herself, Winry leaned deeper into him. She glanced up into his eyes, and then down to his lips. He did nothing to stop her, but instead, attempted to close the distance between them as well. His breath tickled her face, creating small goosebumps all over her body. She parted her lips. He was so close.
"I made hot chocolate!" Alphonse sang cheerfully.
The pair quickly separated, jerking their heads to view opposite sides of the room. Winry pulled the blanket up to her nose, hoping to hide her embarrassment.
So much for that.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Edward. He looked completely disheveled, taken off guard by his brother's sudden entrance. He was leaning back on an arm, one knee was drawn up to his chest. His face was tinted pink, eyebrows raised and lips tucked tightly together. She wondered if that's what her own expression looked like.
"When did you learn to make hot chocolate?" he asked his brother.
Alphonse passed him a mug. "Winry was telling me about a recipe on our way to Rush Valley. It sounded easy, so I gave it a try. Oh, here, this one is really hot."
Winry gratefully accepted the mug, warmed by the fact that Alphonse made such an attempt. She pursed her lips and blew, trying to cool down the drink. "Thank you Al, this smells amazing."
"You're welcome. It was a little difficult, hands are so big that I practically knock over everything," he replied, laughing at himself. "Oh, I left mine in the kitchen! I'll be right back."
The flames cracked, once again. They cried out in the quiet of the sitting room. Winry rested her lips at the brim of the mug, ushering small sips into her mouth. The silence was heavy. However, it was not as nearly heavy as her heart. It threatened to fall out of her chest at any moment.
"Al's timing is uncanny," Edward remarked.
"Yes, it is."
"This is good."
Winry grinned, looking down into her mug. "It is. Don't you think it's odd?"
"What's odd?"
"That he made a mug for himself, even though he can't drink it."
Edward furrowed his brow. "That is strange."
Winry rolled her eyes. It was not apparent to him, in the slightest, that Alphonse had left the two of them alone. He was hopeless, to say the least. "It's getting late. I should get some rest, there's lots of work to be done tomorrow."
"Right, the automail."
"So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah, tomorrow."
She gathered her blanket and stood, preparing to leave him alone with the fireplace. But Winry felt a small tug on her cover, and when she looked down, Edward was holding it in his hand.
"Wait," he whispered.
Winry knelt down next to him, so close that her nose nearly brushed his own. His eyes bore into hers, searching for some kind of signal that it was okay. To soothe him, she offered a small nod of encouragement. Then, without any interruption, he kissed her. It was slow and sweet, like honey running down the side of a jar. Winry leaned into it, taking in as much of him as she could. One of her hands cradled his face gently, yearning for any contact he was willing to give her.
But suddenly, he pulled away. His eyes, usually fiery, were filled with such melancholy. He turned away from her, closing himself off once again.
"Goodnight," he muttered, "You should get some rest."
Winry nodded awkwardly, not expecting him to react in such a manner.
Did I do something wrong?
Does he not feel the same way?
She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Exposed; that's how she felt. And unwanted. That feeling followed. As she stood, she fought back tears. Winry kept her head held high as she left him alone in the light of the fire. But when the door was shut, one escaped and rolled down her cheek.
Stop it.
Don't cry right now.
Don't.
A/N: This one was really hard to post. I've been battling my own high expectations and terrible hotel wifi. Thanks everyone, for all the kind words. I really appreciate them, but critique is lovely as well. Don't be afraid to shoot me a message! I'm just trying to improve. Give my Royai fic a read! I'm hoping to add a second chapter to it. :)