Draped in Wires
by. Poisoned Scarlet

Theme 025: Green Beast

He had been watching her like a hawk since the early morning and he could honestly say that he was beginning to lose every last strand of patience he had. Which wasn't a lot, all things considered.

He sat in the living room armchair, feet stretched out before him while his arms crossed over his chest. He watched the current automail user she was attending say something witty, causing her to laugh. He had no problem having the clients make her laugh every once in a while, he had become aware that most of the town of Resembool was married and had at least one child, but when single guys like those came around and started to make her laugh, then he drew the line.

Especially since she was wearing that indecent shred of black fabric over her chest.

He could just see the thoughts in that boys head every time she looked away and they bounced right along with her faithfully...

It made him want to storm up to him and throw him out of the house. Or at least reattach his goddamn hand a few dozen times in the hopes of teaching him how to keep his eyes to himself and not on his woman.

But he had enough maturity at twenty to know that nothing good ever came out of acting on impulse and creating a scene.

So he did what he could in those few moments: wait for her to stand up for one reason or another and follow her and force her to change into a more decent shirt or so help him he'd do it for her.

Thankfully, she stood up with a smile a few minutes later and said she would be back, heading over to the door that he knew led to the basement. He stealthily ran through the hall that connected to the kitchen and rounded the man who sat nearby the basement door but not close enough to catch him making his way into the hall that would lead to the basement.

"Oh, Ed!" Winry started, when he appeared at the doorway as she began up the steps. "What is it?" She asked, holding what seemed to be a new can of screws in one hand. "Do you need something from downstairs?"

"No." He shortly replied. "What I do need is for you to change out of that top!"

"Change—? I'm fine like this, thank you very much!" Winry spluttered, recomposing herself and setting a hand on her hip. "I've always worn this when I'm checking patients! You know that!"

"It's different when you're shoving your stuff into that idiots face," he scathingly replied, crossing his arms over his chest in annoyance.

"I am not shoving anything into that boys face!" Winry shouted, defensively.

"Sure, that's why he's always trying to get you to lean down, huh?" Ed sarcastically said. "He's always dropping crap on the ground so you could lean down and he could get another eyeful, you bimbo!"

"He is not!" Winry argued,although she did take into consideration that she had dropped a mighty lot of things; more so than usual... "Now move out the way so I could finish him up!"

"And let him get one more look? I don't think so!" Ed growled. He blocked the doorway when she tried to push past him.

Winry exhaled in exasperation. "Ed, move! Look, if it's bothering you so much then I'll change after I finish up with him!"

"What, you like to shove your junk into that freaks face?" He accused, eyes darkening with a nasty glower.

"No, I just have a time limit I have to meet!" Winry snapped, fed up with his jealousy. "He has work to get to so it's better if I finish him up now than later!"

"Then I guess you better get changing!" Ed sneeringly suggested.

"Oh, lord." Winry rubbed her forehead in exasperation, hissing out: "And just what do you suggest me changing into, genius? All of my clothes are upstairs!"

For a second, Edward was stumped. However, that quickly changed when he realized that he was, thankfully, wearing a shirt. He stepped back a bit and Winry watched, a little puzzled, as Edward lifted his own black shirt over his head.

Her eyes instantly glued to his flexing abdominal muscles as he removed the shirt, gazing at the lovely lines that led her to believe that, no matter how long Ed lazed around, those rock-hard pecks and abs would never wear away, even with his unbelievable eating habits...

"Here!" Ed tossed his shirt to her face, breaking her of her dreamy musing. "Wear this for now!"

She grabbed the shirt and frowned when she measured it on her body: "This is way too big for me!"

"It'll cover up the important parts." He stated, crossing his arms over his chest again. "Now put it on! You're wasting that asshole's precious time," he smartly added.

She sent him a look.

She shoved the can of bolts into his hand, pulling the black muscle shirt on with a few choice words under her breath. The shirt was big on her, the cut outs for the arms going far too low on the sides, but she supposed it would suffice to cover up her chest and exposed stomach. She tied the side into a knot to prevent the shirt from getting in the way and snatched her can of bolts back, huffing out: "Better, you possessive jerk?"

Edward merely scoffed at her glare, grumbling to himself as he resisted the flush of red because of her words.

This only got a sigh from the girl as she walked back to her patient, noticing, with some amusement, the disappointment that momentarily crossed his face at the cover-up. She also noticed the none-too-subtle look of disdain the boy threw at Edward when he noticed the bare-chested man sitting in the armchair again; smirking smugly for reasons Winry did not even want to start to piece apart.

Boys, she sighed to herself, finishing up the client for the afternoon.