Note: This is a story I've been working on on and off for the past... I actually have no idea. I finally finished it up and decided it was time to post it.
Anyways, Winry is my favorite character and I've been writing a bit more Winry-centric content lately. (I seriously adore Ed, but we can't let him have all the love, right?)
There's something about her smile.
She doesn't even know his name, but when he passes her on the street, she still greets him with a smile that warms him from the tip of his toes to his heart.
It's amazing, he thinks, how she can do that to him when she hasn't even once looked his way.
Winry Rockbell, people tell him. The new automail engineer. She's brilliant.
(She's beautiful too. He doesn't need anyone to point that out to him. He can see it for himself.)
They smile with pride, like she's something they own when they say that. Their very own beautiful automail prodigy.
Who wouldn't be proud to own something like that?
Something flares within him when they speak like that about her.
It takes him time to realize that that something is possessiveness.
Winry taps the pen against her nose, chewing her bottom lip. Her bandana is tied around her head, pulling her hair back and out of her face.
The list of work ahead of her just keeps getting longer and longer. It's exhausting, but she's doing what she loves to do.
She wouldn't have it any other way.
There's maybe an hour between now and her first appointment of the day, so not a lot of breathing room.
There's still an order of parts that needs to be put in its proper place. She's missing a few parts- which means she's going to need to contact the distributor and find out why the hell part of her order hasn't come in yet.
She isn't going to be able to refit little Emily's foot otherwise.
Winry sighs, slumping back in her chair. At least it's a foot and not anything more vital. A missing foot, while inconvenient and uncomfortable, can at least be managed.
She taps her foot against the floor and sets the list down on the table in front of her. Emily's foot aside, there's that arm for Ainsley Morgan and then a finger for Peter Bush.
Apparently, he busted it again playing ball with some of the other Rush Valley boys.
Her left eye twitches at the reminder.
The boy isn't as bad as Edward is at destroying her precious automail, at least, but it feels like it was just yesterday that she reminded him to be careful with it.
And it's just a thumb, anyways.
How hard can it be to just take care of it?
Winry sighs.
She's not sure she'll ever understand boys.
Even if thoughts of a certain boy are enough to make her heart beat faster.
The storefront's bell chimes.
It takes her just a moment to remember that Garfiel is supposed to be across town visiting his mother for the next day and he isn't here to greet the customer before she's springing to her feet.
"I'm sorry." Her visitor is a young man. He's thin but wiry, with eyes that are rather large for the size of his face and a little droopy, giving him a somewhat dopey appearance.
It takes her a few moments to place him. She's seen him around once or twice, but he keeps to himself and isn't very memorable. "I… I didn't mean to startle you."
He twists his hands, looking like the very picture of anxious misery, and Winry sighs, letting her shoulders slump.
"It's fine," she says. She makes a note to herself to ensure that the front door remains locked before she's ready to open (it's a testament to how tired she's been that it's even unlocked in the first place). She rubs two fingers over the bridge of her nose. "It's just... I don't just accept walk-ins. You need to make an appointment."
"Oh." His voice is still infuriatingly soft. Winry wants to yell at him to speak up- she really doesn't have time for this- but that would feel too much like kicking a puppy. "Sorry, I don't… I don't actually need automail."
Winry cocks her head to the side, one eyebrow raising just slightly. It's too early in the morning for this and she can feel the frustration welling up inside her. She holds it all in.
"Then why are you…?"
"Um…" He rubs the back of his head, looking more than a little sheepish, and she notices the pinkish powder dusting his cheeks. He's blushing and Winry suddenly has the sense that this is about to get very, very awkward. "Actually, I was, uh, hoping maybe you'd be… willing to teach me something? About automail?"
Winry blinks. And then she blinks again. "You mean… like an apprentice?"
He nods, almost seeming a little too eager. "Yeah. Like that."
"I…" Winry opens her mouth to reject him, but remembers her own disappointment when Dominic had turned her down. But that was different, wasn't it? With her workload, did she really have time to take anyone on as an apprentice?
Okay, so maybe it's not that different and she's now starting to understand Dominic's refusal a little more.
Although, it's not like Dominic has the same steady stream of customers that she and Garfiel do.
She stiffens when she realizes the man has already taken several steps further into the store. When she glares at him, he raises his hands in surrender.
"I promise I won't get in the way," he says, eyes wide. "If I could just maybe…" he winces just a tad, "watch? For now?"
Winry studies him. Everything in her is telling her to tell him no, but she all too clearly remembers the sting of rejection.
Wouldn't that make her a hypocrite if she refused him?
Her breath deflates out of her in a sigh.
"I'm not doing anything right now," she points out. It's a lie. Inventory and paperwork are always important, but almost no one asked an automail mechanic if they could be an apprentice to watch them do paperwork.
"I know that it's… maybe a lot to ask, but… my sister." He rubs the back of his neck. "She has an automail thumb. I thought it might be useful if I could, you know, help her out with it."
Oh.
Winry softens just a little.
She knows all about helping loved ones.
Still, she frowns.
"Couldn't you just bring her here?" she asks.
His shoulders slump.
She wants to give in. She does. But...
"I don't have the time right now," she stresses carefully. She gestures to the table and all the work that still lies incomplete. "I'm sorry."
He comes back a couple days later.
Once again, Garfiel is away.
That alone should have been enough for several red flags.
It's hot and she's left the door open. She didn't think it would matter. It's daylight and she's open. It just happens to be one of her off days. Not very many people with appointments.
It's a welcome relief, but that doesn't mean that Winry doesn't have work to do.
She sees him before he can announce his presence and straightens, wiping the sweat from her brow.
"What are you doing here?" she asks, not unfriendly. "I thought I told you…"
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry," he interrupts and it catches her off guard. "I…" He rubs the back of his neck, blushing furiously. "I know it must have sounded… really weird the other week when I asked you to take me as your apprentice. You don't even know me! But, um, I guess that was just sort of my lame excuse to get to know you better."
Winry holds her hands up, heart racing wildly.
Is he taking this where she thinks he is?
Why?
What is he thinking?
"Do you even have a sister?" she blurts. If that had just been an excuse…
He colors. "Yes! And she does have an automail thumb!"
"Wait, hold on. I don't even know your name."
"Right!" If possible, he turns an even darker red. "James. It's, uh, it's James."
"Right. Well, James," she sighs, "I really don't have time for this right now."
"I know." And suddenly he's closer, a lot closer than Winry would have liked, even if it's not really so close as to be alarming.
She takes a step back and bumps into the table behind her. Automatically, her hand reaches back to steady herself, but she doesn't take her eyes off of him.
It's something she can't explain- he's doing nothing wrong, only standing there- but Winry's heart is beating sluggishly in her throat.
His hand comes to rest on her shoulder. "I thought… maybe you'd changed your mind?"
Winry side steps away from him and his hand falls away. "I already told you," she says, grateful when his hand doesn't try to follow her. "I don't have the time."
"Winry, I…"
"Stop." Stunned by the authority in her own voice, she lifts a hand. Maybe just as surprised as she is, he stops in his tracks, holding his own hands up.
"Hey, look now…"
"You need to leave."
"Winry…"
"You need to leave now."
She can't explain her sudden bout of hostility, but there's no denying the iron that grates in her voice.
He blanches and, without another word, he leaves.
Winry watches him go.
When he's gone, she drops into her seat and places her face in her hands.
She thinks that that's the last of him and he doesn't enter her thoughts again.
At least, not until a few days later.
She runs into him on her way back from picking up the groceries Garfiel had asked her for.
"Oh." Winry stops short. She clutches the paper bag a little closer to her chest.
She doesn't have time to deal with him now.
The Elrics are finally stopping by for a visit tonight and she'd like to get the food home in time for her and Garfiel to actually be able to cook something for them.
"Winry!" He comes to a halt, looking startled as well. His hand flies to the back of his neck as he looks away and she doesn't miss the tinge of pink that colors his cheeks. "I, uh, wasn't expecting to see you."
"I wasn't either," Winry says. She moves to step around him. "I'm sorry, but I have to get going."
He steps in front of her to intercept her, holding his hands up."Winry, wait! Please!"
She narrows her eyes at him. "What is it? I thought I already told you to leave me alone!"
"I know. I know and I'm sorry." To his credit, he really did manage to sound sorry. It didn't make Winry any less annoyed with him though. "Can you hear me out though?"
Winry sighs, letting her eyes slide shut with a shake of her head.
"I don't have time for this right now." This time, she steps neatly around him. Maybe later is on the tip of her tongue, but her mouth stays closed. Something tells her she shouldn't give him anything to latch onto.
She's not oblivious. She knows she's an attractive girl and that she's drawn the attention of more than just a few young men.
She doesn't make a habit of lying to herself. She knows there are days when the attention makes her feel special and it's not like she's waiting for anyone in particular (because Ed has so much more on his mind these days and even if he didn't, there's no indication that he would like her of all people), but she's also not looking to lead anyone on.
"Wait!" He grabs her arm when she attempts to move past him.
Winry freezes.
Don't ever let anyone lay their hands on you if you don't want it.
It's one of the first things her grandmother had ever taught her.
Right now, they're in a semi-public place. There aren't a lot of people around, but there are some.
Winry is confident that she isn't in any serious danger.
That still doesn't make this okay.
"Let go of me," she says slowly, but her voice is like steel.
He does. For an instant, he looks almost embarrassed by his actions.
Good, Winry thinks viciously.
"I need to get going." She makes a move to sweep by him again.
"Damnit, Winry! I'm trying to be nice!"
Winry stops in her tracks, heart beating wildly in her chest. Had he really just said that?
"Nice?" She turns back around. "Because it seems to me like you're just being pushy."
He stammers. "W-well…"
She doesn't have the time to listen to him stumble his way out of this one- or attempt to- and so she turns on her heel and leaves.
He calls after her, but she ignores him.
This time, he doesn't follow her.
Garfiel is already back when she arrives.
"You look lovely today," she calls to him and he waves over his shoulder.
"Thank you, Miss Winry."
"Have the boys arrived yet?" She sets the groceries on the table. There's no sign of either brother, but there's always the chance they're getting cleaned up.
"No sign of them yet." He twirls around, the skirt he's wearing today flaring out around his knees and winks at her. "That Edward is handsome though, isn't he?"
Winry's face flares hot immediately. "What?"
She knows immediately that she's given herself away, but it's not something she can help.
Edward has grown remarkably handsome lately. She can hardly be faulted for noticing.
Garfiel giggles to himself. "Ah, young love…"
She slaps a hand over her mouth. "It's not…!" She stops herself. There's no point in denying her feelings- especially not to Garfiel, who will only grow more persistent as time goes on.
Instead, she consigns herself to fate with a sigh as Garfiel pulls out a chair. "Let me tell you how to bag him…"
Edward's arrival, like most things about him, is loud and obnoxious.
Alphonse, of course,
Winry sighs, letting her shoulders slump, and wonders if there wasn't someone else she could have fallen in love with.
"You didn't break your automail again this time, did you, Ed?" She drops the box of tools on the worktable and wipes the sweat from her brow.
"What?" Ed somehow looks both affronted and mortified by the question. "Of course not!"
"Do you need help with anything, Winry?" Alphonse offers kindly before Winry can snort at Ed's denial.
Of course, she can see for herself that her automail is in one piece.
It's just easier to fall back into familiar patterns when she's still sorting through these unfamiliar feelings that surface whenever she looks at Edward.
"I'm fine," she answers. "Thank you, though."
Ed moves to the window and crosses his arms, peering outside. "You really like it here." It's not said as a question.
"Yeah." Winry wipes a bead of sweat from her forehead and straightens. She can't help the smile that his comment sparks. "I do."
"James…" His presence here again catches her off guard.
Neither Alphonse or Garfiel are around. Garfiel claimed he had a home visit to make. Alphonse left with him on the pretense of asking Paninya to show him around, insisting that he wanted to give his brother time to rest after their long trip.
It's just her and Ed.
(She wonders how much of that was planned between the two of them. Not that this endeavor is bearing fruit- Ed is taking a nap.)
"Winry…" He's more serious than he was the last time.
Her expression hardens. She doesn't have the time or the patience for this now. "Now really isn't a good time and I thought I told you…"
She gasps when his hand shoots out, grabbing her wrist.
"What are you…?"
He jerks her forward and she instantly forgets what she had been about to say, heart pounding in her chest when he steps over the threshold and slams her up against the wall.
Winry grunts when the back of her head connects. For an instant, she sees stars.
Her free hand reaches up, grasping the arm that keeps her pinned.
"James?" she whispers. Her mouth feels dry.
"You think you're too good for me, don't you? Is that it?" he hisses, leaning in close enough that she can feel his breath on her face. He studies her, breathing hard. "That's it, isn't it? All you've done is turn your nose up at me. Every. Day."
Edward is only just upstairs, but her tongue is stuck to the roof of her mouth and she can't scream.
"I'm tired of it. I'm tired of you looking at me like I'm shit."
Winry finds her voice.
"Let me go," she demands, louder this time. She tries to yank her wrist from him, but he holds her fast. "Let me…"
She raises her free hand and slaps him across the face.
Hard.
"Let go!"
"Hey!"
It's like she doesn't have time to blink before she and James are being yanked apart.
Edward stands between them and, from what Winry can see in Ed's posture, he is livid.
It leaves her shaken.
She doesn't think she's ever seen Ed this angry and certainly not on her behalf.
"What the hell were you doing?" he grinds out, eyes on James.
James steps back. His eyes flicker from Winry to Ed.
Winry can tell that he's uneasy, but, after a moment, the look in his eyes hardens and he begins to regain some of his composure.
"Just working some things out with my girlfriend…" he tries.
Winry's mouth drops open, but before she can protest Ed barks a harsh laugh. "Girlfriend, my ass," he snorts. "I know Winry and I know there's no way she'd ever go for a loser like you."
James' face twists. "Who are-?"
"I'm the guy who'll plant a fist in your face if you don't back the hell off and stay away from her!" Ed points to the door. He's not shouting- and somehow that makes him even more frightening. "Get out of here before I do something I'll regret."
James' jaw clenches, but he doesn't dare challenge Ed.
His eyes flicker once to Winry.
Ed steps immediately between them again.
"Get out," he repeats, voice dangerous.
Apparently, a fight with Ed is the last thing James wants and he backs out hastily, the bell ringing as he pushes out the door.
Once he's gone, Winry slumps against the wall, a mixture of relief and wariness mingling inside her.
"Are you okay?" Ed asks, his voice surprisingly gentle. "Did he hurt you?"
Winry shakes her head. "No," she whispers. Her pride demands she insist she could have handled him. "Thank you, Ed."
Ed doesn't acknowledge her gratitude. "Has he bothered you before?"
Winry hesitates a bit before answering in affirmation. "He wanted me to teach him the basics of automail. He said he had a little sister, but I… I told him I didn't have the time and I didn't, but…"
She inhales a shaky breath. "I didn't think…"
"Hey-" Ed rests his flesh hand on her shoulder. "He's not gonna bother you again. If he does, I'll kick his ass, okay? And Al too." He pauses. "And Garfiel."
That surprises a grateful laugh out of Winry.
Ed frowns, clearly not finding the same humor in his statement. "What?"
Instead of answering, Winry takes his hand, giving it a quick squeeze. "Thanks, Ed," she says softly.
Note: I deliberately made James a 'nice guy' at the start because, uh… being a nice guy doesn't mean you're entitled to a girl's attention and if you think that, you're probably not a nice guy. Sorry, not sorry.