"Have a good rest of the day, sir!" Winry called out to the man exiting the shop. He said nothing, but tipped his hat and smiled politely. Sighing and wiping sweat from her forehead, she leaned on the counter to stretch.

It was strangely quiet this morning - almost afternoon - with Garfiel on a house visit and Iris in her room sleeping since last night. It was odd to Winry; by now she knew her friend was an early riser.

Seeing no one outside interested in coming in, she snuck away for a minute to check up on Iris. Once upstairs, she called out her name.

"Iris? Are you awake yet?" She knocked on the wood door then let herself in. "You've been sleeping all..."She trailed off, not seeing anyone in the messy bed.

"Iris?"

•••

"Ling, what are we doing?" Iris complained as she was practically being dragged around town.

"I want you to have brunch with me!"

"With you paying this time, right?" She gave him a glare.

He looked back at her and grinned. "Of course not!"

She pulled on his yellow sleeve, effectively stopping him in his tracks.

"So let me get this straight. You sneak into my room, wake me up, and then kidnap me to a meal I have to pay for?"

Ling looked confused, as if there was absolutely nothing wrong with any of these things.

"Uh... yes?"

"How... courteous. Of you," she said through gritted teeth. A small smirk passed over his face.

"C'mon, Iris! Lighten up. I have some friends I want you to meet."

He pulled her along as she talked aloud to herself, "This guy has friends?"

They ended up at an outdoor cafe, and since Ling was 100% broke, and Iris didn't have any cenz, the two only had free water to try to satisfy their hunger.

"You know," Ling started as he put his water down. "Next time we do this, you should bring some money."

"You're so audacious, it drives me crazy."

He pretended he didn't hear her.

"So you wanted me to meet some of your friends?"

Ling's face lit up and he held up a finger. "Ah, yes!"

Perfectly on cue, two more people appeared by him, one on each side. They were heavily dressed, and both wearing masks. Iris felt sweat forming on her temple. Now if Ling really wanted to, he could easily kidnap her with the help of these two.

She gives one of them a cautious smile, but they remain tight-lipped. The other doesn't look any friendlier, so Iris doesn't even try.

One of them leans over to whisper to Ling, yet don't dare to take their eyes off her.

"Yes!" he exclaimed cheerily. "This is my new friend, Iris! Introduce yourselves."

Both seemed hesitant, but eventually one stepped around the table in front of her. She stood up so she wouldn't feel so small.

"Iris," she titled, sticking her hand out for the stranger to shake. They took her hand firmly in theirs, then took off the mask with the other.

"Lan Fan," the Xingese girl said in a serious tone. Iris gave her a smile, and this time she returned it with a small one of her own.

She let go and stepped aside so the other could be introduced. They shook. This hand was just as rough as Lan Fan's, but aged and a bit wrinkled. When they released hands, the man took off his mask as well.

"Fu," he stated deeply, giving what Iris took as an approving nod.

"These are my friends... but they're kinda my bodyguards as well."

"We protect the Young Lord at all costs."

Iris resisted the urge to laugh. "So," she grinned, "you pay people to be your friend?"

Ling gave her a sly smirk. "I didn't pay you, and you're still my friend."

"That's because you're a broke bastard! And one way or another, you're paying me back for all the money you made me spend!"

He only laughed.

•••

"So, how long have you known Ling?" Iris questioned to Lan Fan, who was walking beside her, mask donned and face hidden once again. Ling was casually walking in front of them, taking in the city's beauty before him. Above, Fu took watch.

Lan Fan let out a breath through her nose. "All my life."

The alchemist's eyebrows shot up. "Really?"

"My family has served his for many generations now. My grandfather, Fu, has trained me, and now we're both required to protect Master Ling to our final dying breath.

Iris smiled at her loyalty. She knew she would be a good friend and ally to stick around with.

"Does he get annoying to you?"

The foreigner pulled up her scarf to her mouth, despite the heat the valley created. "I am not allowed to answer such questions that make an embarrassment of him."

She tilted her head back and laughed. Flashing her teeth, she responded, "So is that a yes?" Lan Fan didn't say anything, but she swore she saw a smile behind her garment.

For a while they walked in contentedness, but Iris's curiosity would not leave her alone until she got it out of her system.

"Lan Fan?" she spoke tenderly, looking at her. The warrior returned the eye contact. "Do you love him?" She watched in fascination as her stoic expression remained the same, except for her cheeks, which turned a shade of red. She looked as if she would implode.

"The Young Lord is a prince! Even so, I am not fit to be a princess!" she blurted.

"That's not what I asked," Iris teased. "And so what if you can break a man's jaw? You can still be a princess, too! I do it all the time!"

Ling, hearing the commotion, turned around to say, "What are you two talking about?"

Iris sniggered, "Nothing!"

It was good to be around friends again.

•••

The smell of oil and wires was familiar to Iris by now. Her nose could detect it even before she entered Garfiel's shop. Despite a bit of an abundance in the shop, she felt comfortable enough to call out, "Winry!" Winry was so greatly liked here that even hearing her name brought smiles to the people of the valley. Iris too, smiled. She was so proud of her friend.

"Winry?"

"She's in the back," one of the customers informed her.

"Oh. Thank you." She smiled kindly at them and led herself to the garage.

"Hey Winry, I'm home!"

Hearing her friend's voice, her head shot up immediately and she accidentally twisted a screw too tight on the patient lying face down on the table.

"Yow!"

"Iris!"

The mechanic put down her tools and pushed her goggles up to the crown of her blonde head. She rushed over and gave her a hug.

"Woah, calm down Win!"

She pulled back to stare at her in the eyes. "Don't tell me to calm down! I was worried about you! Is everything okay?"

The alchemist laughed at her almost motherly concern. "Yes, yes, I'm fine, I promise! I was just hanging out with some friends I met."

Winry gave her a skeptical look, but remembered the patient she just hurt.

"We'll catch up later," she said, peering behind him grimacing in pain.

Iris only nodded and left, hearing Winry profusely apologize and explain to the man before she headed up to her room.

Shrugging off her jacket, she entered and face planted herself onto the mattress, throwing the clothing article across the room. She let out a groan that was muffled by the sheets.

'Who cares if it's like, three in the afternoon?' she thought. 'I'm tired.'

She nudged off the flats on her feet -something she bought while in town the first few days - and heard them drop to the carpet with a 'thump'.

Moments later, she was out like a light.

•••

She never checked if Edward called back.

Nonetheless, he didn't.