Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist characters don't belong to us. We are just having fun with them.
Chapter 11: Trip to Resembool
The trip to Resembool turned out to be quite productive. Well, actually Major Armstrong had been quite helpful in getting an important new lead on the philosopher's stone as it had been he who had identified the Crystal alchemist Tim Marcoh. At first Ed had thought that all they were going to get was the hope of knowing that the real philosopher's stone really existed, no myths or fakes but, surprisingly, Dr. Marcoh showed up at the station at the last minute to hand him a paper containing the location of his research on the powerful object.
Something that had caught Ed's attention were the words with which he handed him the paper. Knowing you I know you will find the truth behind the truth. He didn't understand what he had been referring to but for some reason Dr. Marcoh had clenched his jaw slightly as if debating whether or not he should have said that. Not finding the meaning of those words, Ed sent them to the back of his mind. There would be time to think about it.
The recent clue obtained meant that, as soon as possible, Ed and Al had to go to Central to find the research material. The possibility of finding a major breakthrough in their search for the philosopher's stone caused him to smile. Perhaps the paper he held in his hands was the door that would lead them to the solution they had sought for so many years.
For a moment his brow tried to furrow as he remembered the words Hughes had said to him on Mustang's behalf (despite the hour, the lieutenant colonel had come to see them off at the station). Damn colonel. I'm not going to die for going to Resembool, let alone detouring to Central City. Besides you never said I had to report back to you when I got back. Before his frown could fully finish, the smile returned to his lips. He had no reason to be angry, he now had an important lead to follow and honestly, he had never been one to share his itinerary with the colonel. The only thing that mattered at the moment was getting his automail arm back so they had to hurry to get to the Rockbell's home.
What Pinako Rockbell liked most about Resembool was its rustic and welcoming landscape that she could see in any direction she looked. Although in her youth she had traveled to completely different places like Rush Valley to perfect her technique, the charm of Resembool had always captivated her.
She couldn't say that she hated the smoke from the mines or that emitted by the larger cities as smoking was a vice she had never been able to shake off throughout her life, but the contrast the fresh Resembool air made with each puff she took of her pipe was simply relaxing.
That's why it was common for her to take a few minutes to enjoy the fresh air when she finished serving one of her clients. Although her work was well known in the region, her schedule was not as full as it had once been living elsewhere in Amestris. But that was perfect. After years of hard work, Resembool gave her the perfect opportunity to pursue her passion while raising a family of her own. Her husband had been a good and hardworking man who complemented her perfectly while her only son was someone she was extremely proud of to this day. She was even sure that her son had chosen the best possible wife. Sara had also been a very worthy representative of the Rockbell family name despite not having carried it with her since birth.
Despite the unfortunate fate of her son and daughter-in-law, both had left her a very valuable treasure: Winry. Her granddaughter was the support that had given her the strength to cope with the death of her son and daughter-in-law. She may have had more physical resemblance to her mother but the love for the automail was 100% Rockbell. She was sure that her intelligence, dedication and passion would take her far.
After a little chat with her client for the day, Pinako went out into the courtyard of the house as was her habit. Her eyes focused on the scenery of the town through one side of her house. Occasionally she could hear the clink of tools clanging against metal, indicating that Winry was engaged in another of her projects.
Pinako took a deep puff on her pipe and began to slowly expel it when Den snapped her out of her thoughts by starting to bark effusively.
"Huh? What's wrong, Den?" The old woman turned her gaze in the direction Den was looking in meeting with a pleasant surprise. "Wow" Pinako smiled at the same instant Den could no longer contain her excitement and ran off towards the object of her interest. "Winry, our regulars are here!" She shouted in the direction of her granddaughter's alcove.
As the small group approached Pinako took the opportunity to quickly check them out. The first thing her eyes noticed was that Al was in a crate being carried by an unknown giant of a man. She was surprised that, as big as the armor was, Al would fit in that box but, hearing his cheerful voice greeting Den, she relaxed as that indicated that emotionally they were fine. Although Al's was news, it was not uncommon for Ed to arrive with an extremely damaged arm and missing parts.
"Hey, Granny Pinako. I'm going to need your help again." Ed said with a smile as they stood in the courtyard of the Rockbell residence. Pinako kept her smile as the unknown man set the box on the ground. Pointing it out to him, Ed added. "This is Major Armstrong."
"Pinako Rockbell, nice to meet you." With a friendly smile on his face, the man extended his hand toward her and Pinako shook it briefly.
So Major, huh. The military was still not Pinako's favorite people, especially because of a certain blonde and a certain black-haired man, but at least this man had a friendly expression and had introduced himself from the start without barging into her house abruptly.
Trying not to delve into thoughts of the military, Pinako decided to return to safe territory. "Is it just me or since I last saw you, Ed..." She took a puff on her pipe to add a little suspense. "Have you gotten a lot smaller?"
The desired reaction was not long in coming. "Who are you calling small, you midget witch?!"
Internally Pinako enjoyed the realization that Ed was his usual self but that didn't mean she was going to spare him the insult. "What did you call me, you little runt?!"
"I know you heard me, old lady!"
"You little shrimp!"
"Micro mini-grandmother!"
Before Pinako could respond, her granddaughter's voice could be heard shouting Hey, Ed! and the old woman could swear that those couple of words had been enough to make Ed turn pale. She could barely watch as beads of sweat began to run down Ed's forehead when a familiar wrench flew off in the direction of the blond's head knocking him over in the process.
"How many times do I have to tell you to call before you come for maintenance?" Winry asked from the balcony of her alcove.
Ed pushed himself up enough to sit up and put a hand to his head extremely annoyed. "Winry! You could have killed me!"
Winry simply laughed. "Welcome!"
Although he still had energy to continue arguing, Winry's laughter calmed his annoyance a bit, so Ed merely frowned slightly and replied. "Yeah, ok."
Without a doubt, the house always seemed to be livelier when the Elrics were visiting. She obviously enjoyed Winry's company very much and besides it was common to have noise as the two worked on new automail parts or repairs but today a different kind of commotion had started. It always started with the typical arguments between Ed and Winry accompanied by the sound of a wrench impacting a surprisingly sturdy head. Somewhat calmed the waters, there was some animated chatter and then Pinako could notice how the sounds were distributed throughout the house. The common sound of Winry working in her room or in the basement was accompanied by chatter and laughter in the living room of the house or even in the yard when both brothers got to training although of course, with the current conditions they came in, that would have to wait a few days.
Although many people her age (not that she's old, mind you) tended to complain about any noise that might disrupt the tranquility of their home, Pinako enjoyed every moment of the Elrics' visit. They both brought a fuss with them (especially the eldest) but their presence alone complemented her home perfectly.
She didn't consider herself a sentimental or extremely affectionate woman, but inside she admitted that she used to miss those brothers. They were nothing of hers but they called her Granny and she liked that because in her eyes they were her grandchildren too. She had held them in her arms when they were just babies, had watched them grow up and had accompanied them through thick and thin.
Undoubtedly the most difficult ordeal was the night when Al, transformed into a suit of armor, came desperately to the door of his house carrying a bloodied Ed in his arms. That night and the aftermath of that tragic event had been the most critical moments she had shared with the Elrics. First, she had some remorse for not having forced those brothers to live with them. They spent a lot of time at her house and used to eat with them but they were always stubborn and preferred to go spend time and sleep in their own home. If she had supervised them better perhaps the human transmutation would never have happened, although a part of her was sure that there was no possible way to convince them to come and live with her. If there was one thing these brothers shared, it was a great level of stubbornness and determination when they set their sights on a goal.
On the other hand, the look on Ed's face days later had made her seriously fear that he would never recover. In those early days Winry and she had tried everything to get him to talk but all they could get was a nod or a shake of the head. Al had also tried to help his brother but Ed remained wordless, only pressing his hand over one of Al's gloves and averting his gaze to the floor clearly consumed with guilt.
Those days were very troubling but the arrival of unexpected visitors changed everything. To this day, Pinako wasn't sure how to feel about it. She was aware that the military man's words and offer had been the impetus that helped Ed get back on his feet, but she was still disgusted by the kind of offer that man made to a child. Although, to be honest, what bothered her more was who had come to recruit Ed.
Pinako carried the great weight and responsibility of the secret of Ed's origin. After the death of Trisha, Urey and Sara, and the disappearance of Hohenheim, she was the only one who knew that Ed was adopted and who also knew who his real parents were. She had not even dared to tell Winry. Both she and the Elrics were still too young to deal with such a delicate truth. Trisha had told her that she would tell Ed herself when he came of age because she said he deserved to know the truth. Pinako knew that Trisha feared that time would come but her resolve was so strong that, while on her deathbed, she commissioned a letter addressed to the boy asking her to tell Ed the truth when he was older or when Pinako saw fit.
Pinako had not made a promise as such but had told Trisha that she would. From that moment on she inherited the worry that that time would come. But everything changed since that day 4 years ago. She never thought she would ever meet Ed's real parents in person but, after putting the pieces together after the soldiers' visit, her blood was now boiling at the thought of them. What kind of parents seek to recruit their own 11-year-old son into the military? As talented as Ed and Al are, Pinako could not understand how there could be people who would use their own son to score points in the military.
Trisha had told her about Ed's mother, describing her as a very kind young lady who only sought to protect her son from the military. Protect...from the military? Really? Oh, Trisha. They took advantage of your kindness. As far as Pinako could tell, this Riza had only sought out the first good samaritan who crossed her path to raise a son she didn't want or was perhaps already looking to take advantage of when he grew up. How could she explain that, coincidentally, both Riza and Ed's father had come looking for him just when he had performed high-level alchemy? How come they arrived only a few days after the event?
Perhaps she was venturing too far with her thoughts but that visit gave her the impression that those two had probably known her son's location for some time. Maybe even since before Trisha died. Pinako understood why they didn't want to approach him knowing that Ed already had a family, but why didn't they show up after Trisha died? In all the years that had passed they could have visited him, whether they introduced themselves as his parents or not. And if not, in the ultimate of cases, why didn't they offer to take care of him and raise him (as they should have done from the beginning) after seeing him in the state he was in?
Pinako knew she was asking herself a lot of unnecessary questions. What was done was done. Ed had decided to join the military and, even if it wasn't to her personal liking, she wasn't one to stop him and, as far as she was concerned, once that decision was made she was completely willing to support the Elrics in any way she could. As for Ed's biological parents, if there was one thing she was sure of, it was that she could never forgive that pair. She could never forgive them for choosing to turn their own son (when he was just a child!) into a military dog like them.
Pinako sighed and tried to focus on the automail she was working on. It had been a long time since she had thought so much about Ed's parents. She used to remember the contempt she had for them whenever Ed would mention anything about his commanding officer and his assistant but she sensed that Major Armstrong's presence had made her think even more about it.
Surprisingly to Pinako, Major Armstrong seemed to be a nice person. Despite his fancy clothes, he had quickly made himself available to help her in any way he could so Pinako asked him to cut some wood. When she asked him she was sure he would refuse, but the man immediately sprang into action. The only odd thing was that he had refused directions as to where the axe was located assuring her that he would manage just fine.
Pinako had developed a general contempt for the military in the wake of what had happened to his son and daughter-in-law, which only increased with the unexpected visit from Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye. But she had to admit that perhaps she had been too negative in categorizing all the soldiers in the same way, since Major Armstrong was making a good impression on her. Probably it's because of his very marked good manners unlike that damned ill-timed colonel.
The sound of the back door opening brought her out of her thoughts. Pinako turned in the direction of the door meeting Major Armstrong giving the military salute with a smile. "The firewood has been cut, Mrs. Rockbell." The man said proudly.
"Oh, thank you." Pinako said as she returned her gaze to the automail.
"By the way, do you know where Edward Elric is? I haven't seen him in a while."
"He's visiting his mother's grave."
"I told him it was too dangerous for him to be wandering around by himself." Said the Major in a worried tone.
Pinako was surprised by the concern reflected in the Major's face and tone. Yes, I definitely like this guy. Relaxing, Pinako let out a light laugh and replied. "He'll be fine. He has an excellent bodyguard with him."
The Major nodded not entirely convinced as Pinako continued to work the automail. A few minutes passed in which the man had opted to contemplate the scenery through the back door he had left open.
Deciding that this was a good opportunity to gather some information, Pinako interrupted the silence. "Major..." The man turned to look at her. "How are those two doing? As you can see we live a simple life here in the countryside. We don't get much news from the city, and those boys haven't written us a single letter. I worry about what they have to deal with in the city."
"The Elric brothers are really famous in Central, especially Edward, who is known as the 'Fullmetal Alchemist.' That fame seems to get him involved in quite a bit of trouble. I wouldn't worry about it, though. Those brothers are strong." Said the man as he leaned against one of the walls and crossed his arms.
"Strong." Pinako repeated with a proud smile. In those moments memories of that fateful night when Al came to her door carrying his brother, also when Ed decided to join the army and brief glimpses of the painful automail surgery came to her mind.
Pulling some wires apart, Pinako resumed the talk. "I've wondered where all that strength in that little body comes from. Since he's so strong, I'm worried that when he finally encounters an obstacle he can't overcome, he'll have trouble getting back on his feet."
From the position he was in, the Major had a chance to glance at the photographs resting on a cork board. "They're like grandchildren to you, aren't they, Mrs. Rockbell?"
"Uh-huh. I've watched them grow up since they were born. After all, their father was an old drinking buddy of mine." The image of Hohenheim popped into her mind. "I wonder where that man could be after leaving his wife, his children and this town behind. I don't even know if he's alive or dead."
"Speaking of parents, where are Miss Winry's parents?" the Major asked.
"They died in the Ishval war." Pinako replied trying to hide his sadness. "My son and his wife were surgeons. When the war broke out, they were called to the battlefield because there were not enough doctors. They never came back." Pinako concluded with a slightly mournful tone.
"It was... a terrible war." Replied the man a little lost in his memories.
"Yes, a terrible war." Pinako sighed. Soon after she picked up her pipe and turned on the stool so she could look at the Major. "On the other hand, not everyone died. Many people lost their arms and legs. Now they rely on prosthetic engineers like us to help them." She took a deep puff of her pipe. "I call that irony. The war that took our family is the same war that allows us to earn our bread."
The man averted his gaze slightly. Pinako, for her part, despite the years, still had very acute hearing so she could notice some muffled words and Al and Winry's laughter coming from her granddaughter's room. Realizing that she had a great opportunity before her, she couldn't help but be tempted to ask. "You were on the battlefield?" The man nodded and Pinako took the opportunity to steer the conversation in the desired direction. "The people in Ed's unit, were they there too?" She wanted to ask directly about Roy and Riza but she had to investigate carefully so as not to raise suspicions.
The man returned his gaze to her and replied with a somewhat evasive tone. "Just a couple of them." After a few seconds of Pinako's intense stare, the man realized he couldn't just leave it at that. " His commanding officer, that is, Colonel Mustang and First Lieutenant Hawkeye were summoned to the war. The other members of the unit were still at the military academy except for Officer Falman who at the time was assigned to the west."
About Mustang she had figured it out but knowing that Riza was also involved in the war puzzled Pinako although she tried not to show it. "Gosh, those two were precisely the ones who recruited Ed."
Armstrong smiled slightly trying to relax the atmosphere. "It was to be expected. Colonel Mustang was the one who recommended him and Lieutenant Hawkeye is the one who commonly accompanies him on missions out of town."
Pinako laughed trying not to make her laugh sound fake. "Anyone would say she's his wife."
Armstrong waved his hands in front of himself. "Oh, no. Nothing like that. Romantic interactions between members of the military are strictly forbidden."
Wow, at least she didn't lie to you on that one, Trisha. "Well, but they' re at a good age to get married, so I guess one of the two of them must already be married right? Or are they definitely forbidden in the military from any marital commitments?" Pinako asked arching an eyebrow.
Armstrong crossed his arms again and let out a light chuckle. "Of course we can get married as long as it's not to someone in the militia. As for them, no, neither of them are married. Although I must admit that there are rumors in town that the Colonel attracts a lot of attention from young ladies but apparently he hasn't found the one."
Pinako took a drag of his pipe. "Surprising he hasn't married. With the position he's in I suppose he could easily support a family."
"Surely he is too engrossed in his career since, as young as he is, he has advanced rapidly through the ranks. His title as a state alchemist was one of the first steps that put him in the spotlight of the higher ups and that attention only increased when he was awarded the title of the 'Hero of Ishval'. It wasn't long after that that he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel."
Pinako stopped the pipe a few inches from his mouth and Armstrong regretted talking so much. "Wow, looks like the war benefited him quite a bit." This time Pinako couldn't help but frown.
Armstrong sighed. "I can't deny that the war ended up benefiting his professional career but, from my perspective, Colonel Mustang is a very hard-working man."
"Still doesn't seem to be the best influence on the boys."
"He may seem to be but, from what I understand, the boys get along well with him. The Colonel supports them with their investigations by giving them what information he can get about it. Also, although the Colonel is envied and perhaps not much liked by everyone in the command, his team respects him a lot and are very loyal to him. I think that speaks volumes about the man he really is."
Not too convinced by the Major's little speech, Pinako added. " Sometimes Ed has mentioned to me that he tends to argue with him and even continually calls him a 'bastard'."
To Pinako's surprise, the Major laughed lightly. "The fights of those two are legendary in Eastern Command, so much so that we at Central get news of them." Armstrong waved a hand downplaying the matter. "You don't have to worry about that. I wouldn't call them serious fights, it's just part of their routine. At the end of the day I think most of us can agree that they tend to fight because of how similar their personalities are."
"So similar, huh." Pinako replied. Damn irony. And here I was believing that Ed hadn't inherited anything from that dog of the military.
Thinking Pinako didn't believe him, Armstrong added. "Seriously, you have nothing to worry about. Like I tell you their fights aren't serious but when those two get creative in their arguments, Lieutenant Hawkeye steps in. Even though the Colonel is her superior, the truth is that neither of them would dare to mess with her or disobey her."
Pinako raised an eyebrow "Is she that bad?"
"Oh, I don't mean it that way. The Lieutenant is a kind woman, she's just also known for being very responsible and attached to discipline. I'm not sure but I get the impression that a lot of the work that gets done in that office is because of her and her supervision. It's even rumored that she's practically the Colonel's babysitter." Armstrong said with a slight smile at the end.
"Mmm" Pinako replied. It seemed to be that at least those two were moderately well behaved in their daily lives but her annoyance towards them wouldn't go away so easily. Glancing at the clock resting on one of the pieces of furniture, she said. "Oh, I'd better start making dinner. With someone big and burly like you, I'd better prepare extra food." She added with a brief laugh.
"No, madame. I can't allow you to go to extra trouble on my account." Armstrong replied politely.
"Don't worry about it. Food tastes better when it's shared."
On the morning of the third day the Elrics had been staying at the Rockbell home, Ed woke up a little later than usual. Yawning he got out of bed and grabbed clean clothes and his towel to head to the bathroom to take a shower. As he bathed he thought he heard the Major's voice from the small upper window of the bathroom but paid no attention to it. As soon as he got out he went back to his room to put the towel out to dry and went downstairs expecting to find his brother in his living room.
"Al?" With slightly wobbly steps because of the replacement prosthesis, Ed paced the living room but there was no sign of his brother. Surely he's hanging out with Den. He was about to go out to look for him in the yard when his grandmother called to him from the kitchen.
Ed walked into the kitchen, noticing that his grandmother was sitting at the table chopping some vegetables for breakfast omelets. " Granny, where's Al?"
"Major Armstrong took him with him to the yard. He said something about showing him some of his family's typical training techniques or something like that." A shiver ran through Ed's body. "Would you like to join him?" Ed quickly shook his head and Pinako started laughing. "I figured as much. Al didn't seem too cheerful about it. So come on, help me with this." Pinako said as she handed him a small chopping board and a plate full of spinach.
Ed sighed. Sorry, little brother. I can't save you from Armstrong single-handedly. "Okay, though I won't be held responsible if they' re too big." Ed said as he grabbed a knife and sat down on the opposite side of the table from Pinako.
For a few minutes the only sound that could be heard was the steady rhythm of the knife clattering against Pinako's board and Ed's uneven cutting. Pinako knew Ed wasn't very good in the kitchen but him cutting the spinach wrong wouldn't affect the taste of the breakfast. Besides she had been looking for an opportunity like this ever since she had talked to Armstrong about Roy and Riza.
"Hey, runt." Ed stopped chopping the spinach and glared at her. "How have you been doing with that boss of yours?"
"Why the question?"
Pinako shrugged. "A little small talk would do me good." She said in a nonchalant manner.
"No matter what day you ask. That bastard is always a bastard." Ed replied with a frown.
"Does he treat you badly?" Pinako asked raising an eyebrow and stopping cutting the mushrooms for a moment.
"Nah, it's not that. When he's not slacking off he gives me interesting clues about the philosopher's stone. It's just that 'bastard' would be a perfect middle name for him." Ed replied with a smile to resume his work with the spinach.
Pinako looked at him in confusion. "Does that mean you like him?"
An almost imperceptible blush appeared on Ed's cheeks. "No! He's a smug." Ed tried to cross his arms but remembered he only had one and dropped it to his side. "Besides whenever he can he always sends me on unnecessary missions." Ed grumbled but then his gaze seemed to soften slightly. "He's a complicated guy, but I don't know, sometimes he seemed to care about how Al and I were doing."
Pinako was surprised, did this man have at least a hint of a parental attitude? "Surely he does it because he's obligated to. After all he was registered as your legal guardian." Pinako replied with a bitter tone that did not go unnoticed by Ed.
"Come on, Granny. I thought we had already made it clear that it had been MY decision to go into the military."
Pinako regained her composure and continued cutting the last of the mushrooms. "Right, I guess I forgot for a moment." At Ed's mischievous grin, Pinako threatened him by pointing the knife in his direction. "Don't you dare say I'm old."
"You said so, not me." Ed replied amused.
Pinako reached for a spoon and threw it at Ed's head with such precise aim that it clearly indicated where Winry had inherited it from.
"Ouch!" Ed exclaimed, rubbing his head.
"Insolent brat." Pinako snorted as she passed the sliced mushrooms to a plate. "How about your coworkers? Are they just as cocky as your boss?" she asked as she got up and headed for the stove.
Ed set about chopping the last of his remaining spinach. "They're good people. Sometimes they're a little weird but overall they're fun. Especially Havoc, he always has everything going on. Although I have to admit that my favorite one is Hawkeye."
Pinako froze after hearing those last words from Ed. The person she despised the most actually was liked by Edward?
" Granny?" Ed asked as he noticed that Pinako had stopped by the stove for no apparent reason.
Don't be so obvious, Pinako. She mentally scolded herself and walked over to Ed, after setting the plate down on the counter next to the stove. "Go on, give me the spinach." Ed did so watching her curiously so, when Pinako's back was to him again, she continued the small talk. "If you mean the woman who came next to the Colonel, she struck me as a very serious woman, why do you like her so much?"
"Because she knows perfectly well how to put the Colonel in his place." Ed replied cheerfully. "Besides she's always been very good to me and Al. I must admit that sometimes she's scary when she gets serious but overall she's a very nice person." He added with a smile.
Pinako, who was starting to cook the first omelet, glanced over her shoulder and was surprised to see Ed's very sincere smile. "I didn't really get a chance to talk to her, but she never gave me the impression that she was someone nice."
Ed shrugged. "She probably gave you that impression because she was technically on work time. She's very serious when it comes to work but, even though she sometimes tries to disguise it, she usually looks out for all of us in the unit." Ed seemed to remember something and smiled broadly. "By the way, remember I had told you that there is no good stew in town?" Pinako turned to look at him and nodded. "Well, I haven't had to worry about that anymore. Sometimes, when I come back from a mission, she brings me stew to the office and it's not bad at all."
"Wow, who would have thought it." Was all Pinako replied before returning her gaze to the stove, making it clear with her tone that the conversation needed to pause for a moment. Ed's smile and his words had puzzled her. She had always believed that this woman would interact with Ed in the strictly professional sense but now it turned out that she had earned Edward's appreciation. Plus, to top it all off, she had a feeling that Mustang was also liked by the boy. Pinako tightened her grip on the spatula she was holding. What were those two playing at? They didn't raise Ed, they abandoned him and turned him into a military dog just like them, and now they wanted to play house? They wanted to find out what it was like to be the family they denied Edward? A part of her told her to focus on the good opinions of that pair that Armstrong and Ed had given her, but her stubbornness overruled her telling her neither Armstrong nor Edward knew the secret those two were keeping. Their opinion would not be the same if they knew what they did.
Not paying much attention to Pinako's silence, Ed leaned back in his chair and put his arm behind his head, and asked. "Hey, how much longer?"
Pinako placed the omelet she was cooking on a plate and set it on the counter. "Pour a glass of milk." Ed wrinkled his nose. "It's for Winry."
Ed did as she instructed and asked. "I'm going to call her?"
Pinako laughed lightly. "Do you really think you're going to manage to get her out of her room? I practically had to drag her out of there last night."
"Oh." Ed held up his hand and waved it, showing it to Pinako. "May I remind you that I only have one hand available."
" I remind you that on the dresser there is a tray you can use." Pinako smiled. "Are you going to tell me that the tray is a little big for you?"
"I'm not small!" Ed left the kitchen and returned in a few seconds with a tray. "You'll see this is no problem for me, old lady." He said as he set out the omelet, milk and a couple of slices of toast.
"I hope so, runt." She said as she began to prepare the next omelet.
Ed simply glared at her as he took the tray and walked out of the kitchen in the direction of Winry's room. As soon as he was in front of her, he tapped the door with the spare prosthetic trying not to fall over in the process.
"Come in!" Winry exclaimed from her desk.
"Very funny, Winry." Replied Ed sarcastically.
Winry sighed thinking the blond was trying to play a joke on her and headed for the door. As soon as she opened it she found Ed with a slight frown and holding a tray. Surprised, she asked. "What are you doing?"
" Is that not obvious? I'm bringing you breakfast. Granny knows it's going to be impossible to get you out of here." Ed growled.
Winry glanced toward one of the windows in her room and noticed the bright sunshine illuminating the fields of Resembool that day. She laughed lightly. " Geez, I didn't realize it was already dawn."
"You were working all night?" Ed asked somewhat puzzled.
"Yeah, you know, that automail isn't going to build itself." Winry replied with a smile.
Ed felt slightly embarrassed. It was now two nights in a row that Winry was staying up late because she was working on her automail. He wanted to travel as quickly as possible to Central to look for Marcoh's research but he didn't like to make such demands on Winry.
"And you're just going to stand there all day?"
Ed tried not to jump at being pulled out of his thoughts and snorted. He walked into the room and set the tray down on Winry's nightstand, ready to get out of there as soon as possible.
"Leaving so fast?" Winry asked as she sat down on her bed, pulled the bandana off her head and brought the plate of omelet closer.
Ed turned away. "I wouldn't want to risk staying and end up with a wrench embedded in my head." He said jokingly.
Winry rolled her eyes. "Don't be an exaggerator. You make it sound like I'm always beating you."
"And you're not?" Ed asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Only when you've earned it." She replied with a big smile and patted her bed right next to her. "Come on, keep me company. You and Al have been visiting and I've hardly seen you two."
Ed sighed. "Okay."
Ed sat down next to Winry and placed his hand behind him to lean in slightly. Winry began to separate her omelet into small pieces as was her custom and Ed took the opportunity to look around his surroundings. He hadn't been in his room since before he and Al had started their journey over three years ago now. The last time had been the night they had burned down their house, in turn being the last night they would spend with the Rockbell's before they left.
Edward was heading to his room to change and go to sleep, when Winry had surprisingly grabbed him by the hand and pulled him into her own room. Puzzled, he followed her into the room, which was lit only by the moonlight. Despite the dim lighting, he was able to visualize some of the things inside before Winry, without warning, hugged him tightly burying her face in his left shoulder. In those moments, Ed was sure his cheeks had flushed intensely and he was deeply grateful for the almost complete darkness that surrounded them.
However, neither of them said anything although Ed was sure that her silence was partly because she was holding back tears. Just a couple of hours earlier, Winry had cried as she watched the Elric home being consumed by flames and Ed, trying to stop her tears, had called her a crybaby in an affectionate joking tone. He had never liked to see her cry so he always tried to distract her or comfort her by placing a hand on her head but he had never dared to hug her in those situations so the embrace Winry initiated caught him completely off guard causing his arms to lie limp at his sides for a few seconds. When he felt Winry's small hands clinging to his back, he reacted and reciprocated the hug. He wanted to say something that would make her feel better but he had never been good with words, so he just held her tightly hoping to bring her as much comfort as possible.
For her part, Winry was making a great effort to hold back her tears. She had long noticed that Ed didn't like her crying but sometimes the tears came out of her without her being able to control them, like hours before outside the Elric home. That was why on this occasion she was mustering all her strength to avoid doing so now. She didn't want one of the last images Ed would take of her before such an unpredictable trip to be with her face wet and flushed with tears.
Winry had become so accustomed to the brothers' company that it was now hard for her to imagine how everything would change starting the next day. She knew that things had begun to change a couple of weeks ago and naively believed that she would be prepared for the moment of farewell, but she was very wrong. After pacing back and forth in her room she had caught the sound of Ed's footsteps and, on impulse, had decided to pull him into her room and hug him. She herself didn't understand why she had done so but as soon as Ed's arms moved to return the embrace she could feel a warmth inside her that was helping to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes.
Edward and Winry were not used to physical contact with each other as the most they ever got was a pat on the head from Ed. But in those moments they both discovered the warmth, security, peace and tranquility that the other transmitted when they were united in that embrace, inhaling and engraving in their minds the essence of the other without understanding why they felt that time was stopping in those moments while their hearts were beating intensely.
Winry wanted to say so many things to Ed. She wanted to wish him luck, to ask him and Al to take good care of themselves, to pay attention to his automail and so much more, but her mouth refused to articulate the words. Besides, she had the impression that if she did so the little charm that had been placed on them would vanish and she would end up bursting into tears, so she merely squeezed her hands on Ed's back as she felt him draw her a little closer to his chest.
Not knowing exactly how much time had passed, Winry remembered that it was already late and Ed needed to rest for the journey ahead. So, she reluctantly loosened her hands and slowly pulled away from him, noticing how something inside her saddened as she moved away from the warmth the blond was giving her.
For his part Ed, sensing Winry's movement, began to slowly pull his arms away from her, surprising himself at the thought that he didn't want this moment to end. Pulling away, Winry placed her hands on Ed's arms, while he placed his hands on her shoulders. They had both closed their eyes at some point during the embrace so, as the distance began to emerge between them, they both opened their eyes and, despite the darkness that surrounded them, they could notice the glow in each other's eyes. They stood like that for a few moments, only losing themselves in each other's gazes until Ed closed his eyes again and moved closer to lean his forehead against hers.
Winry's cheeks tinged a shade of pink and her eyes widened even more after Ed's action. He was not one to seek out physical contact with others, which made what he had just done all the more unexpected. However, Winry found that this action did not displease her in the least so she closed her eyes again and leaned her forehead slightly towards his.
After a few minutes in complete silence, Ed broke away and murmured a 'Goodnight' before quickly exiting the room, leaving a flushed and slightly confused Winry behind. What had that all been about? Why had that kind of closeness between them felt so... nice? The sadness over the Elrics' impending departure was still there but, despite that, that night Winry was able to muster a sincere smile before going to sleep.
Ed, for his part, had decided to make a last minute visit to the bathroom. He felt his cheeks burning and didn't want Al to notice because what explanation could he give him? He himself didn't understand why he was having that reaction. He had only been around Winry, his best friend. There was no reason for him to blush like that. Well, they had never shared such a long lasting hug before and he had never placed his face so close to hers. Blushing even more at the memory, Ed turned on the sink faucet and washed his face with cold water trying to chase away his thoughts. He had a very important mission to head out on starting tomorrow, he didn't have time to think about trivial things. However, when Ed finished washing his face and looked at himself in the mirror, he himself was surprised at the natural smile that adorned his face and that had refused to leave all that time.
After that night, Ed and Al began their journey to find the philosopher's stone. Winry and Granny saw them off at the station wishing them well and giving them some recommendations at that time. There was no hug from either part but one thing that caught Ed's attention was that Winry didn't shed a single tear. Her eyes still held a spark of sadness that Winry hadn't quite been able to cover up but, if the blond wasn't mistaken, her eyes now also reflected a certain tranquility that hadn't been there the day before. Besides the last smile she gave them that morning didn't seem forced and even, Ed confessed to himself, that warm smile gave him hope that everything would be all right.
Despite the unusual moment Ed and Winry had shared in her room, neither of them mentioned anything about it, practically pretending it had never happened. What they didn't know was that they both remembered that moment fondly from time to time and often with a smile. Just that happened at that instant to Ed, who had to shake his head slightly to push the memory away and continue his quick inspection of Winry's room.
The first thing that caught Ed's attention was the change in the color of the walls. If he remembered correctly, they had previously been a pale pink color and now had a yellow to beige hue similar to the one that covered the rest of the rooms. Almost all of the furniture had changed position but seemed to be the same as he had seen years ago except for an elegant dresser that stood on the other side of the bed. He examined it curiously at first until a brief memory made him realize that it was the dresser that had been in Winry's parents' bedroom years ago.
Ed continued his observation by turning his body slightly to get a better look at his surroundings. His gaze stopped on a pair of shelves placed near Winry's desk. The lower one was crammed with books on automail and a couple of containers with nuts and bolts in them. The top one was in similar condition but Ed was surprised to see on it a rag doll that was a little worn and dirty from its years. He couldn't help but crack a smile when he noticed it.
Winry had taken the first bite of her breakfast when she noticed how Ed's position had changed since he had sat up in bed. Curious, she followed the direction of his gaze and discovered the object that had caught his attention. Smiling slightly, she picked up one of the slices of bread and, without warning, pushed it against Ed's mouth.
At the unexpectedness of Winry's action, Ed opened his mouth, causing the bread Winry was actually feeding him to enter his mouth. From the surprise and the force with which she had pushed him, the blond dropped onto the bed completely.
Swallowing some of the bread that had entered his mouth and pushing the rest away with his hand, Ed groaned. "Damn it, Winry, what's wrong with you?"
Winry took the other slice of bread and smiled in a nonchalant manner. "It's no fun eating alone."
"You could easily come down and eat with us. Besides you didn't have to give me the bread like that." Ed grumbled as he sat back down.
"That was extra for snooping around a lady's room." Winry replied before taking a bite of her bread.
"I wasn't snooping." Winry arched an eyebrow. "Well, it was a small observation, it's not my fault your room has changed. Besides, what did you expect me to do? You know I don't like to be idle."
"I know, that's why I gave you something to occupy yourself with, isn't it?" said Winry with a wide smile.
"Whatever you say." Relented Ed without being completely convinced.
They both continued to eat for a few moments until Ed's gaze was once again drawn to the doll resting on the shelf. "I can't believe you still have it. The poor thing is almost falling apart." Ed said in a slightly joking tone as he pointed to the doll with his head.
Winry followed his gaze even though she knew what he was referring to. "Are you out of your mind? I can't throw it away, you and Al gave it to me."
Ed smiled. "You know we can do you one better now, right?"
"Yeah, but that doll is special." Winry flashed a fond smile. "You two made it for me even though it was still a little difficult for you to do alchemy."
"Well you didn't look too happy when we were in the middle of transmuting to make it." Ed joked.
Winry gave him an affectionate tap on his left shoulder. "Hey, it's not my fault. I was five."
"And from then on you were already quite the crybaby." Ed replied with a broad grin.
Winry shot him a look of mock annoyance. Ed's expression made her see that he, too, had fond memories of that doll. Crossing her arms, Winry said. "There's nothing wrong with crying. Besides, you must admit that when I want to I can control my tears." Winry added at the end without thinking too much about the meaning of her last words.
When Winry realized what she said, they both fell silent and stared at each other after being transported back to that night almost four years ago. As soon as their gazes met they were both sure they were both thinking the same thing. This was the closest they had come to talking about what had happened on that occasion. Perhaps it wasn't important but despite the time that had passed, the two still didn't fully understand each other's actions and the feelings of warmth and peace that had been triggered by their closeness with each other.
Ed was sitting next to Winry but in those moments they had both turned slightly to face each other. To Winry's surprise, Ed began to slowly lean toward her, leaving her paralyzed in place. She didn't understand what was happening but something inside her wanted to stand there without moving an inch and find out what was going to happen. Ed paused until their faces were separated by only a couple of centimeters, he raised his hand and with it gently pushed aside some of the locks that covered the blonde's forehead. The brush of Ed's fingers on her skin caused Winry to shiver slightly feeling how that simple touch sent a strange warm sensation throughout her body as her heart inexplicably raced.
As soon as Winry's forehead was relatively clear of her blonde hair, Ed moved his hand away a little at the same time taking the opportunity to form a circle with his thumb and forefinger and then gently tap Winry on the forehead. "Your breakfast is getting cold." Ed smiled sheepishly and pulled away as quickly as he could, placing the leftover bread in his mouth as he made his way to the balcony of the room.
Winry was confused and put a hand to her forehead as she watched Ed walk away from her bed. What had that all been about and why was her heart racing so fast? Noticing no signs that Ed was going to speak, she tried to focus on finishing her breakfast by occasionally casting furtive glances in the direction of the balcony.
As for Ed, standing on the balcony, he leaned his arm on the railing as he chewed the last of his bread watching the scenery spread out before him. The cool air rushing in that morning was serving to cool his cheeks which were suspiciously threatening to flush the more he thought about what he had done. Yes, for some strange reason he had lost himself in Winry's bright blue eyes, but as soon as he reacted he wanted to play a little joke on her by smacking his forehead. The problem was that from the first contact with her skin there was something that kept him from stopping and he ended up running his fingers across the blonde's forehead many more times than necessary.
Ed sighed and leaned back to rest his head on the railing. In Resembool he always felt calm and relaxed but he couldn't stay there for long, at least not until he accomplished his goal: he had to recover Al's body. Maybe Marcoh's clue would allow them to find the solution they had been looking for so long and perhaps at that moment, he would have time to think carefully about the sudden and strange actions that from time to time made their appearance when he was with Winry.
Ed closed his eyes letting the air gently move the strands of his hair as he enjoyed the scent of the grass around him. Everything was so peaceful until a voice abruptly ended his moment of peace.
"Edward Elric, I'm so glad you're awake, I'm sure you'll enjoy learning some of the physical training techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation in the Armstrong family just as much as your brother!"
Ed snapped his eyes open as he felt a shiver run through his body. From the left side of the house, where he had almost no vision, Armstrong had made his appearance proudly displaying his bare muscles. A few steps away from him was Al in his crate and, as difficult as it might be, Ed could tell from Al's bright red eyes that he was desperate to get out of this situation.
"Hey, Al. Last time we were here I forgot a book on bio-alchemy, how about we take a look at it together in the kitchen?" said Ed, ignoring the Major.
Without hesitation, Al began to move his helmet in an affirmative manner. "Sounds like an excellent idea to me, brother."
Ed looked at Armstrong. "Major, can you take Al to the kitchen? I'm still down a hand."
"I'll be glad to. But don't you think that book can wait? I'm sure these techniques will be very useful to you on your journey. There are still many more I haven't been able to teach your brother yet" Armstrong replied as he did one of his poses to emphasize his opinion.
Ed couldn't help but grimace a little at the thought of what his brother had to witness but quickly changed his expression to one of false innocence. "I'm sure Al really enjoyed this session." Ed could almost swear his brother's bright red eyes were glaring at him. "But believe me when I tell you that Al is an excellent fighter so I don't think it's necessary to continue. Besides we both had an excellent sensei for fighting techniques." The intensity of Al's gaze relaxed. "And at the moment, I'm in no condition to train. So Al and I can get more out of our time if we go through the book I left here."
Armstrong seemed to get the point but made one last attempt. "Are you sure, Edward Elric?" Ed nodded. "If you want I can teach you the techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation in the Armstrong family as soon as they reinstall the automail for you."
Al laughed quietly and Ed couldn't help but wave his hand frantically by way of denial. "No!" Armstrong raised an eyebrow a little surprised at the blond's reaction. "Come on, Al! That book isn't going to read itself, besides I'm starving." And without giving Armstrong much of a chance, Ed turned and walked back to Winry's room.
By the time Ed returned, Winry had already finished breakfast so she looked at him in amusement as he approached.
"That's not funny." Ed mumbled.
"I didn't say anything." Winry replied with a smile. "What are you doing?" She asked as she noticed Ed inspecting her shelves.
"Just borrowing something." Ed replied as he grabbed a book on general medicine.
"Oh yeah? And with whose permission?" Winry said with mock annoyance as she put her hands on her hips.
"With yours." Ed replied without looking her in the eye as he moved the tray with the dirty dishes closer and placed the book in a space on the tray. Noticing that Winry didn't change her position, Ed sighed and dared to look her in the eyes again fearing to lose himself as he did a few moments ago. "Please?"
"Ok." Winry said with a broad smile, the same one that infected Ed relaxing him. "Weren't you saying something about a book related to alchemy?"
"Yes, it was the first thing that came to mind. But this will do. I'm sure Armstrong will keep trying to convince us and won't pay attention to what we're 'reading'. Even, with any luck, Granny Pinako will be able to distract him long enough to give Al and me a break."
"I see. I don't know why you're shying away from him, though. He seems like a nice person."
Ed shrugged " Maybe so, but that guy can hardly keep himself with a shirt on. Besides I recommend that whenever you can you avoid his hugs unless you want to get a couple of broken ribs."
Winry couldn't help but laugh. "I think you're exaggerating."
"You've yet to meet him and if he ever gets to hug you you'll understand what I'm saying." Ed replied. "Well, I'd better get downstairs." He added as he headed for the door.
"Hey, Ed." Winry placed a hand on his shoulder so he would turn to look at her. "Thanks for bringing me breakfast." She added with a smile.
"You're welcome. In fact, I think I owe you for all the work I'm giving you." Ed said also with a smile.
"Don't worry. This will pay off with the tools I'll be able to buy myself with the money you pay us for the quick repair service." She joked as she folded her arms proudly.
"Geez, you're going to bankrupt me" Ed said with a sigh.
"Keep bringing me my meals and maybe I'll consider giving you a discount."
The blond raised an eyebrow. "Really? You're not supposed to like me loitering when you're working with automail."
Winry held up a finger and winked at him. "I'm not working with automail now. Besides, I'm still going to need a couple of breaks like this."
Ed smiled. "Okay, if this is going to save me some money we have a deal."
She smiled back. "Okay, I'll see you later then." And with that said she turned and walked back to her desk as Ed resumed his walk and left her room.
Neither of them dared to say it, but really the money didn't matter to them. They had both simply enjoyed that little time together and, now that they hardly saw each other, they had to take every opportunity they had to at least feel each other's presence near them.
The afternoon of the next day was full of movement. Despite the initial pain after the reinstallation of Ed's automails, he was quickly energized by the excitement of what might await them at Central so, after a typical discussion of alchemy and automail with Winry, he ran out into the courtyard to repair his brother's armor.
As was their habit, both brothers began to train as their sensei had always advised. Everything was going great until Armstrong invited himself to the Elrics' session and it practically became a game of running away from the Major's muscular bare arms.
Despite the extravagant addition to the session, the training ended up being fun for its three participants while Pinako and Winry occasionally watched them through the window as they rested in an couch.
"Looks like those guys got themselves an interesting playmate." Pinako laughed.
"I think I'm beginning to understand why Ed is afraid of his hugs." Laughed Winry nervously.
"At least that much muscle isn't just for show. I think we've got firewood for the whole year now."
"I think you're right." Winry was quiet for a few moments and then added. "Granny?"
Pinako began to light his evening pipe "Mmhh?"
"You like Major Armstrong, don't you?" Winry said with a slight tone of disbelief.
"He seems like a decent person. Besides, I get the impression that he really cares about those brats. Now tell me why are you so surprised?"
"I thought you hated all military people in general since what happened to... my parents."
Pinako placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it lightly. "I can't deny to you that I resented the military but that's in the past."
"Really? Then... Why does your gaze always darken when Ed mentions something about his commanding officer and his assistant? I always thought it was because of the resentment I had for the militia too but now it seems like something different."
"You don't resent them anymore, my girl?"
"As I told you years ago, since I met Miss Riza I realized that not all military men are bad."
Unbidden Pinako snorted but tried to disguise it with a puff of her pipe before answering. "You spent too little time with her to really get to know her."
"But there was something special about her look. She didn't have the look of a cruel, unscrupulous person, but of someone caring who wants to protect the people she loves. Besides, granny, you still haven't answered my question."
Pinako sighed. She had underestimated her granddaughter's perspicacity. "I don't understand what you mean, Winry. You probably mistook my look for something else. I have nothing against those people." She said trying not to bite her tongue at the end.
"At first I thought I was imagining it but then I realized that you always try to change the conversation or just ignore the parts where Ed and Al get to talk about Mr. Mustang and Miss Hawkeye. And don't tell me it's just a coincidence." She added as she saw that her grandmother wanted to interrupt her. "When they talk about the other members of the unit you don't have that reaction and even you keep yourself in the conversation even when they mention them."
Despite being in an unfavorable situation, Pinako couldn't help but smile proudly. "As astute and insightful as a whole Rockbell." She sighed. "All right. I admit it. I don't like those two." I practically hate them for what they did. She thought bitterly.
"But why, granny?"
Pinako felt the reasons come to her mind. They are irresponsible, self-serving, power-hungry... They didn't care about abandoning their own child. They never looked out for his welfare and only seek him out when he can be of use to them to raise their points with the high command of the military. But as much as she wanted to make Winry understand why those two were not what her granddaughter believed, she had to restrain herself. A secret was involved that was not hers to openly divulge and, frankly, she didn't want her beloved granddaughter to have to carry such an important weight on her shoulders. She knew she could trust her but she didn't have to carry the secret of that brazen pair.
Trying to sound as convincing as possible, she replied. "I still can't believe they dared to recruit an 11 year old." That would work, it was a half-truth. A truth without a backstory.
"But in the end they were given a choice and Ed was the one who ultimately made the decision. Besides, as much as it saddens me not to have them around, I think it's the best option they have to get their bodies back."
"I understand that, Winry, but who's not telling you that they only did it to make themselves look good to their superiors? Face it, that woman got a promotion shortly after Ed enlisted in the military."
"Sounds like a coincidence to me. After all Miss Riza gives the impression of being a very dedicated woman so it wouldn't be hard to imagine that her hard work and effort earned her promotion."
Pinako gave her a wry smile. "Alas, my girl, you are still very innocent. People with hidden agendas are no surprise in this country." She said as she patted her on one hand before getting up from the couch.
"But-"
"Enough of this conversation, miss." She interrupted her using her authoritative grandmotherly tone. "We have things to do. With all that exercise they' re getting, I'm sure they're going to come back wanting to eat a horse." She added without turning to look at her as she headed for the kitchen.
Winry stayed a couple of minutes longer in the couch biting her lower lip slightly to hold back her urge to retort. There was something strange. She didn't know what it was, but she was sure there was something else her grandmother refused to tell her. Although Pinako gave the impression of being a somewhat brusque and rigid woman, the truth was that she was someone quite friendly. Winry didn't know of a single person in all of Resembool with whom her grandmother didn't interact nicely. Besides, she was sure there was something in her grandmother's eyes whenever the colonel and his assistant were spoken of. And today had been no exception. Try as she might to disguise it, it wasn't enough. Maybe Ed and Al had never noticed it but Winry had and it had long since piqued her curiosity. At first she related it to their link to the militia but now she had the impression that there was something more to it.
Giving a sigh, Winry got up from the couch and headed for the kitchen. Although she suspected there was something her grandmother wasn't telling her, she was also sure that no matter how hard she tried she couldn't force the truth from her grandmother, because the Rockbells were known not only for their cunning and insight, but also for their strong and stubborn nature.
As Pinako predicted, the food quickly disappeared from the table. In spite of everything, the time passed cheerfully. It had been a while since she had shared a family meal with the boys, and since they had both regained full mobility, their mood and excitement had improved considerably.
Although she was good at pretending not to notice, at the beginning of the meal and while they were preparing it, Winry's curious glances did not go unnoticed by Pinako. She knew that, unfortunately, she had aroused her granddaughter's suspicions. She was extremely proud of the demonstration of more Rockbell traits, but that was not reason enough to tell her the truth. It wouldn't be easy the first few days but she knew that eventually Winry would relegate her thoughts to the back of her mind when automail took center stage in their lives again. For the moment, she was glad how the Elrics brightened the day and distracted Winry from the talk they had been having.
During some point during dinner, Major Armstrong ended up taking off his shirt when he was talking about the importance of body training. What caught Pinako's attention was the raised eyebrow and the look Ed gave Winry causing her to respond with a nervous laugh. Did they finally...? Before her thought could finish taking shape, Ed eagerly returned to his meal as everyone resumed the normal pace of conversation. That pair is hopeless. Sighing inwardly, Pinako continued to eat, chatting and laughing at the Elrics' and Armstrongs' anecdotes.
Also, during dinner, Ed mentioned that they would be leaving on the first train in the morning, to which Pinako said, "Well, I guess it will be quiet around here again". She said this with a smile and continued with the talk not entirely letting on how much she liked having the brothers home. She knew they had a purpose to accomplish but she had to admit that their home seemed to be really complete when they were in it. After all, they were practically a couple more grandchildren to her.
Shortly after dinner Ed fell sound asleep on the living room couch, as usual with his hand lifting his shirt just enough to show part of his stomach. Watching Al complain affectionately about how careless his brother could be, Pinako joked with him a bit and then, along with the company of Winry, who brought a blanket to cover Ed, the three of them talked about the meaning of home. Pinako was sure that everyone present was aware that the Rockbells would always welcome them with open arms but she couldn't help but feel an extra warmth when Al thanked them, on behalf of the two of them, for all their support. She truly wished that the Elrics' journey would soon be over and that the brothers could enjoy the happiness they so much deserved.
Just as Ed had said, the Elrics and Armstrong were ready to leave first thing in the morning. Now dressed in his distinctive attire, Ed walked out into the courtyard with his suitcase in his left hand, followed closely by Al and the Major. Knowing that the brothers would be leaving early, Pinako was already in the courtyard smoking his first pipe of the day.
As Al said goodbye to Den and the Major took a few steps away to give them some privacy in their farewell, Ed turned to Pinako. "Thanks for everything, Granny."
"You're welcome."
Al pushed himself up. "Hey, where's Winry?"
"She stayed up several nights, so she's still asleep. Should I wake her up?"
Trying not to give the matter any importance, Ed waved his automail hand in a dimissive manner. "Don't worry. If you wake her up, she'd just spend it talking about automail maintenance." He concluded before starting to walk away a bit from the house followed closely by Al.
"Ok, then take care of yourselves. And don't act like strangers, come back when you're in the mood for some home cooking." Pinako said with a smile.
"Ok, we'll be back." Al replied cheerfully.
Despite actually liking the idea, Ed feigned nonchalance as he lifted his suitcase and leaned it against his shoulder. "Like we're going all this way just for a meal." As he approached Armstrong he heard the Major chuckle lightly and asked. "What's so funny?"
Armstrong smiled. "A family welcoming you... Having a place to come home to really is a wonderful feeling."
Ed shrugged and kept walking a couple of steps as he replied. "We just keep drifting from place to place."
"Ed, Al!" At the call both brothers turned and could see how Winry, still half asleep, was leaning against the railing of her balcony. "See you later." She said as she waved her hand lightly.
Al immediately returned the gesture as Ed scratched his head. A family huh. A smile threatened to appear on his face so he quickly turned away so the others couldn't see it. "See you later." He waved goodbye raising his automail hand by way of farewell.
Winry smiled. She was looking forward to the next time she could see the Elric brothers again.