Isn't it beautiful, to walk together in each others hands
I do so want to go,
To your city, your house, into your arms.
That heart,
held within your body
In those confusing nights
I dream
"Isn't It Beautiful?" By: Rikki
Winter in Germany
adieu
Ed was sure he had fallen asleep and was dreaming. That had to be it. No, there was no other explanation. But when he pinched himself, he found himself awake. Wide awake... and staring at the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. For the second time. She stood shyly on the stage, looking nervous and trying desperately not to show it. Yet it bled through from the way she swayed and wrung her hands. A man came on, placing a stand with a microphone on it in front of her. He gave an apologetic smile before hurrying off the stage. The woman closed her eyes, took a steady breath and wrapped gloved hands around the microphone.
The piano started first, giving a short intro before breaking into a melody. And the woman sang with this melody.
"Been a fool, been a clown
Lost my way from up and down
And I know, yes I know
And I see it in your eyes
That you really weren't surprised at me at all
Not at all
And I know by your smile it's you."
Now the drums joined the piano in a jazzy melody, the symbols tapping softly in tempo.
"Been a fool, been a clown
Lost my way from up and down
And I know, yes I know
And I see it in your eyes
That you really weren't surprised at me at all
Not at all
And I know by your smile it's you.
Don't care for me, don't cry
Let's say goodbye, Adieu.
It's time to say goodbye, I know that in time
It will just fade away, it's time to say goodbye.
I stand alone, and watch you fade away like clouds
High up and in the sky
I'm strong and so cold
As I stand alone
Goodbye, So long, Adieu.
Oh how I love you so, lost in those memories
And now you've gone
I feel the pain, feeling like a fool, Adieu
My love for you burns deep
Inside me, so strong
Embers of times we had
And now here I stand lost in a memory
I see your face and smile."
The words were sad to him and all too true. He thought about the lyrics as the piano broke into a solo, eyes never leaving the familiar woman's face. Her eyes were closed; they had been this entire time. The solo ended and she sang out again.
"Oh how I love you so, lost in those memories
And now you've gone
I feel the pain, feeling like a fool, Adieu
My love for you burns deep
Inside me, so strong
Embers of times we had
And now here I stand lost in a memory
I see your face and smile."
She held the last note as the piano finished the song. The bar burst into applause and she finally opened her eyes, smiling shyly and waving her hand in thanks. Her voice was truly beautiful. Ed knew she could go far with it as he watched her, a half smile on his face. He wondered if his Winry had been able to sing like that. Suddenly green eyes met gold and an odd look crossed her face. Instantly embarrassed, Ed quickly turned to look back out the window at the snow.
The clapping slowly died before the piano player went on to play his own soft, jazzy piece. A man, who appeared to be the owner of the bar, hurried over as the singer stepped down, eyes on the golden eyed boy near the window.
"You were lovely, Miss Diamond," The man said, blocking her path and smiling warmly. "You always bring such a large crowd."
Winry blinked and smiled kindly. "Thank you, I do my best. Uh... excuse me." She hurried past the man, high heels and tight dress hindering her movements just a bit.
She approached the table Ed sat at a bit shyly. "Excuse me? Aren't you... Edward Elric?"
Ed nearly fell off the chair. He turned and blinked up at her, breathe catching in his throat as he looked into that hauntingly familiar face. So similar and yet so very different.
"Er... yes, that's me."
She smiled and held out a gloved hand to him. "My name is Winry Diamond. I've read about your work in the paper. It's very impressive."
Ed had to keep himself from laughing at the new last name as he shook her hand. "Not really, but thanks. Seems you're the one with the talent here."
Winry blushed lightly and dropped her hand to her side, shaking her head with a small chuckle. "No. Singing isn't an extraordinary talent these days. Your skill for rocketry is guaranteed to put Germany in the history books. At least, that's what Al tells me."
Ed looked surprised. "You know Al?" Well, he supposed that made sense. It would explain how Al knew about this place and that tonight she would be here. He doubted Al had set him up to meet her, though.
Winry nodded. "Oh, yes! We're very good friends."
"Funny. He's never mentioned you."
Winry chuckled. "I figured."
Ed suddenly stood, taking his coat from the back of his chair. "You're voice is lovely, Miss Diamond. I'm afraid I need to get going now. It's late."
"I'm going the same way. Mind if I walk with you?" Winry asked, smiling.
Ed was about to ask how she knew that when he remembered she was Al's friend. So, of course, she knew where the small place he and Al shared was.
He shrugged at her request as he adjusted his coat. "Sure."
After Winry slipped on her own coat, the two left Das Tier Tavern and headed down the sidewalk in the falling snow. Ed stuffed his hands in his pockets and glanced up at the sky, finding a small glimmer of moonlight through the clouds of snow.
"Al told me you've both made some huge progress," Winry suddenly spoke up, eyes watching his face closely.
"Not recently, but yeah, we have," Ed admitted.
"It must be nice to be able to work on such a machine."
Ed turned his head to her, looking bemused. "A woman into mechanic?"
Winry gave him a sour look. "You're going to give me that too? The whole lecture on how mechanics is a "man's job"... I get enough of it from my father, I don't need it from you."
"Whoa, whoa!" Ed yelped, holding up his hands at how cold her voice had turned. "I didn't say anything, did I? There's nothing wrong with that."
Winry blinked, face instantly softening. "Huh? You mean you don't think its... weird?"
Ed grinned, dropping his hands back to his pockets. "Hardly. One of the best mechanic I ever met was a girl."
"Really?"
Ed nodded, smiling sadly. "Yup." The thought of this certain mechanic made his heart ache.
Winry took notice in his sadden face and frowned slightly. "Was she... someone close to you?"
Ed kept his eyes to the sky, sad smile still on his face. "Yeah. We sorta grew up together."
"I see. What happened to her?"
"She... faded off somewhere."
The tone of his voice stabbed at her heart and she quickly looked away, unable to stand how terribly sad his eyes had become. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."
"It's fine. It's just hard to remember something you lost that you loved so much."
The two of them walked in silence after this, Winry with her head lowered and Ed with his eyes still turned Heavenward. Now feeling obligated to change the subject, Winry gathered her voice and glanced back at him. However she didn't speak right away. She found herself staring at his face. He was handsome, she had to admit. Long blonde bangs framing his perfectly shaped face with the rest of his hair tied in a ponytail, swaying with every step. But his eyes captured her the most. Eyes that were so very distant and filled with an indescribable loneliness. She couldn't explain why seeing his eyes so sad made her want to hold him tightly until whatever it was that made his eyes so eternally sad disappear.
"Al speaks highly of you." It took Winry several minutes to realize that had been her voice.
Ed blinked and turned to face her. "Oh? How so?"
She looked away quickly, clasping her hands behind her back and turning her eyes upward, a smile on her red painted lips. "He says you're a practical genius when it comes to everything rocketry. He looks up to you."
Ed blushed at the comment and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Aw, shucks. He's the one with the talent."
"No, he's the one with patron. You're the one really moving this project along."
"Not recently, I'm afraid."
Ed stopped, having reached the street his house sat on. Lights were one, which meant Al had made it home. He turns to Winry.
"Where do you live, anyway?"
"There," Winry replied, pointing a finger to a street adjacent with the one they stood on. "Down there a ways."
"Wow, you live close, huh?" Ed chuckled, finding this extremely ironic. Why hadn't he noticed her before? "Well, goodnight then."
He turned, hands in his pockets and headed for the door.
"Ed?"
He stopped and glanced over his shoulder, giving her a quizzical look. Winry glanced away shyly, smiling a bit.
"Thank you. I hate walking home at night." She glanced back up at him, only to find him staring at her oddly.
There was a sudden pause in which they both merely stared at each other. Winry confused and bit nervous at the intensity of his gaze. Ed, meanwhile, was not seeing her. He was seeing someone else. A girl wearing a black top and baggy pants, hands on her hips and scolding him for mistreatment of his automail.
"Ed?" She whispered a bit nervously.
Ed blinked and his face turned to a look of horror. He shook his head and shot Winry a sheepishly smile.
"Ah, s-sorry..." He then quickly turned, hurrying into the house without a second glance.
Winry watched him go, hands folded over her heart. What was that feeling?
"Adieu, Mr. Elric..."