Saturn Stars – Oh my! If that little display of Winry's affection made you blush, I fear her future action will make you pass out. It's nothing bad, I promise! This fic is PG-13, after all. sweatdrop
Hehe, he's not so much a new character. He's an old character wearing a new face. ;) But either, he's an evil bastard. You can be sure he'll show up again.
Laughs Pretty much, yes. And yay, I'm glad you enjoy the Winry/Ed fluff. More in this chapter… although my personal opinion of this chapter is rather low. Sorry for it's crappiness, but I hope you enjoy it anyway? sweatdrop
It's hard, but I'm glad you think I'm pulling the rocketry off.
Ah! How flattering! Really, you make me blush! I'm so glad you're enjoying this fic! I look forward to hearing more of your opinions! THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! Hugs, hands you a cookie
Nyago – Yes, Envy is evvvvvvvil. Evil, evil, evil! But this story was in need of an evil bastard and Envy fit perfectly. :) And yes, poor angst ridden Winry of this world. Ed can be so moody, ne? Thanks for reading!
Yasha Joy – Unless you've seen the end of the anime series and you know some of the background about the upcoming movie, then yeah, you'll probably be confused. However if my writing is confusing, I'm sorry! Hopefully this chapter is less confusing? Thanks for reviewing!
hiei44 – Well of course it was a wrench! She wouldn't be Winry without one, right:) Yes, her step-father AKA Envy is evil. Hopefully something bad happens to him soon, ne? Thanks for reading!
Kistune no Youkai – Oh-ho! Plot thicken is my specialty! ;) Thanks for the review!
lazerducky27 – Hehehehe, no worries. I totally understand, school sucks! Thanks for the R&R!
anonymous – Woot! Praise! Much thanks!
Sorrow'sRaven – Fluff makes the world go 'round, baby. Especially the Ed/Winry kind. :) Thanks for the R&R!
As much as I embrace the frozen night, it spills pain.
Trivial words only hurt me more; time will heal me.
Inside your warm arms, your lips, your lie...
I don't need to show kindness, if all I see is lost.
Please tell me how can I get close to your heart?
"Close to Your Heart" By: Aiuchi Rina
Winter in Germany
pure snow
Al sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes. He hadn't realized it had gotten so late until he glanced out the window to see darkness. He leaned back in his chair and draped his arms over the back of it, staring at the mess on his desk. He briefly wondered where his housemates had disappeared to. Hohenheim had left a while ago for some get together. But where was Ed? Al turned blue eyes toward the staircase. The hall was dark, but that didn't mean anything. Ed often kept his room dark. This made Al slightly annoyed, since it was near impossible to tell if the man was asleep or not. He knocked either way, but he didn't like bothering Ed. The guy always seemed busy with either his work or his thoughts.
A knock at the door snapped Al from his own thoughts and he glanced over at it curiously.
Who'd be here this late? He wondered as he stood, taking a moment to stretch before walking over to the door.
He opened it and smiled when he saw who it was.
"Winry!"
Winry returned his smile, pulling her coat closer to her shivering body. She was dressed up nicely, hair pulled up and face touched with make-up. Her dress was made of lovely black silk and was held on with thin straps. She wore glittering earrings and black velvet gloves that rose to her elbows. It had begun to snow again, so a few flakes had settled on her shoulders and head.
"Hey, Al! Sorry for dropping by so late."
"Don't be," He chuckled, holding the door open for her and stepping aside to let her pass. "Just got back from a performance, huh?"
She smiled and nodded, entering the blissfully warm house. "Yes. Apparently the manager of the tavern likes to schedule performances for me and not tell me until the last minute."
She glanced around, smiling at how wonderfully simple the layout of the little house was. She then turned to Al as he shut the door.
"I've got good news for you," She said cheerfully.
"Oh yeah?"
"My step-father is no longer funding your research."
Al nearly fell over. "Wait, how is that good news?"
"You didn't let me finish," Winry laughed, shaking her head. "My step-father may not be funding your research, but you're work is so popular that there are plenty of people willing to take his place. There's going to be a whole lot of offers for you in the next few weeks. And... this is good news because I know how much you don't like my step-father."
Al frowned. "I don't like him because of the way he treats you, Winry."
Winry quickly glanced away, dropping her emerald green eyes to the hardwood floor.
"It's alright," She said quietly. "He's never touched me."
"There are other ways to hurt someone," Al said darkly. Just the thought of that man made him shake with anger.
There was a moment of silence before Winry perked up, forcing a smile.
"Is Ed around?" She asked cheerfully.
"In his room, I think," Al chuckled, waving a hand toward the staircase. "Good luck trying to get him out of it."
Winry glanced up toward the stairs curiously before her attention was drawn to Al again as he crossed the room and sat back down in his chair. She patted Al's shoulder.
"Don't work yourself to death."
"Too late," Al said, grinning at her as she turned away.
He watched her ascend the stairs and disappear before turning back to his work, shaking his head.
Winry stopped at the top of the stairs, one hand still on the railing and the other on her chest. She paused for a moment so her eyes could adjust to the dark before she made her way down the hall. Her heels clicked softly on the thin carpet covering the wooden floor. A small table next to the wall caught her eye and she stopped beside it. Conveniently a candle and some matches rested on it. She figured since she'd never find the light switch in the dark, she would use the candle instead. After it was lit, she picked it up and carried it to the door of Ed's room. It was, of course, locked. She knocked on it softly with her free hand.
"Ed? It's me, Winry. Are you in there?"
When there was no reply, she knocked and called his name again. Still there was no answer. She wasn't sure if she should be worried or not. After all, he could just be asleep. Or maybe Al was wrong and he wasn't in his room at all. She tried the doorknob and was surprised to find it unlocked. She cracked the door open, but no light greeted her.
"Edward, I'm coming in."
She pushed the door all the way open and was hit with a blast of cold air. She shivered and the candle flame flickered. It took her a moment to locate the source of the cold air. The window had been left wide open, the curtains blowing inwards and bits of snow drifting in, melting instantly as they made contact with the floor. A quick look around the room with the candlelight told Winry Ed was not in here.
She walked in further and sat the candle down on his desk that sat facing the left wall. She was careful not to place the candle too close to the mess of papers and books piled on the surface. She then moved to the window, leaning out as far as she dared and peering at the near empty streets below, covered in a thin layer of white powder. Suddenly, extreme cold hit the back of her neck and ran down her exposed back. She squeaked in fright and glanced up in alarm.
A familiar man with golden eyes and blonde hair tied in a ponytail waved at her, a goofy grin plastered on his face. He sat on the roof, of all places. The snow had been cleared off half of it.
"Edward!" She cried, glaring at him.
Ed merely grinned, resting his arms on his up bent knees and leaning onto them.
"Come to still my clothes again?"
"As a matter of fact, no," She huffed, still feeling the chill of the snowball that he had thrown.
"Aw, c'mon. Don't be mad. You were looking for me, right? Had to get your attention somehow."
"Calling my name would've sufficed."
"How unoriginal," Ed snickered.
Winry rolled her eyes before glancing around. A small concrete ledge wrapped itself around the house, seemingly separating the lower and upper part. Although most of it had been covered by snow, she saw his footprints on it. Opening the window further, she began the near impossible task of climbing out of it in a tight dress.
Ed dropped his chin into the palm of his gloved hand and watched her, thoroughly amused. She managed to get out after a few minutes and now found herself on the ledge, facing the house and clinging to the wall.
"Don't rip your dress," Ed called, obviously trying (and failing) to not laugh.
Winry glanced up at him and merely glared. "Shut up."
"Need some help?"
"No!"
Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration and she carefully scooted sideways along the ledge, each step carefully thought out. She could feel how slippery the ledge was underneath her less than comfortable heels. Despite all the odds against her, she made it to the end where a latter had been nailed to the wall. It was such a poorly done job that she figured Ed had done it himself. Taking a deep breath, she gingerly gripped the ice cold and half frozen bars. Slowly she placed one foot on it then the other. Then she hurried up the latter as if someone had been chasing her.
Ed laughed as she crawled onto the roof on her hands and knees. She glared up at him as a strand of hair fell into her face. She made her way slowly up to where Ed sat before placing herself beside him with a sigh.
"Not bad," He chuckled.
Winry shot him yet another glare before pulling her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs.
"I would've helped you."
Winry 'humped' in reply and Ed shook his head. Now she was mad at him? Honestly, he'd never understand women. He tilted his head heavenward to watch the snow fall. A small hole in the clouds gave him a peek at the midnight sky dotted with stars. There was a long silence between them before Winry spoke suddenly. So suddenly, in fact, that she surprised herself.
"What are you doing up here?"
"I like it up here. Let's me think and watch the sky," He replied, eyes never leaving the heaven's above.
Winry turned to her eyes to him, head still turned forward. She couldn't help but stare at him. He had such a handsome face, even with that sorrow always present in his eyes. Suddenly he turned to face her and she felt herself blush, quickly dropping her eye to her feet.
"So, what's up?"
"Huh?"
"Well, you obviously have something to tell me, right? Or else you wouldn't have climbed up here."
Winry lifted her chin from her knees and turned to him, smiling sheepishly. "Wow, it's that obvious. I could just be up here because I want to, you know."
Ed stared at her blankly. His face made her laugh, which she quickly smothered with a gloved hand.
"Actually, I have some good news," She said, eyes returning to her feet. "My step-father isn't going to fund the your research anymore. Someone else will. Someone a whole lot better."
"I'm not sure I'd call that good news. More like okay news," Ed said, shrugging. His eyes didn't leave her. "You sound unhappy about it."
Winry wasn't sure if she was doing a bad job hiding her feeling from him or he was really that perspective. She doubted it was the latter. After all, Al was pretty perspective and he hadn't noticed. And they had known each other for a long time.
"I guess I... Well, with my stepfather funding the research for you guys I felt like I was...helping you in someway. I've always wanted to help with this project and since I'm not allowed to actually help you guys build the rocket... knowing my family was funding it was the next best thing. But now..."
She trailed off and her face fell. Ed frowned and sighed softly, leaning back on his hands and stretching out his legs.
"Who said you can't help build it?" He asked.
"Al... my step-father... my mom... Do you really want the entire list?" She inquired with a hint of morbid humor.
"Sounds like what's really keeping you is your step-father," Ed said quietly, watching her carefully.
Winry barely nodded and hugged her legs closer to her chest. "I hate him so much, Ed. He's a vile and selfish man. He only married my mom for our family's money. I'm worried he plans to kill her to get the inheritance or something. But I... I see the way he looks at me... it's disgusting."
Ed suddenly had the overwhelming urge to beat this guy's face in. Instead he settled for throwing a handful of snow from the roof and pretending it was her stepfather plummeting to his death. Winry watched this curiously before smiling sadly at him.
"I'm sorry, this isn't what I came up here to talk about..."
Ed smiled back at her. "No worries. You look cold, so we can talk inside."
Winry smiled gratefully. With this approval, Ed stood easily and made his way toward the latter. He paused to make sure Winry was following before climbing down it. Winry followed him down a few moments later, pace much slower. However she only got half way down before she slipped. Ed quickly caught her, arms wrapping around her waist.
"Whoa! Are you alright?" He asked, concerned.
Winry, who had squeezed her eyes shut in fright, opened them slowly to find herself in Ed's arms. She blushed, face buried in his shoulder, and nodded. She pulled back as far as possible on the small ledge (which wasn't very far at all) and glanced up to look into his eyes. Their faces were very close.
"Y-Yes," She stammered, feeling his breath on her face.
There was an odd look on his face and his eyes showed such an intense emotion that it made her breath catch in her throat. Suddenly he reached up and brushed the loose strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear with such a gentle touch it made Winry shiver. Then he suddenly jerked his hand away and the look was gone. Before she could say a thing, he abruptly pulled away and took her hand. He led her across the ledge without another word.
W-What just happened...? Winry wondered. Her heart had done such a flip-flop when he had touched her.
Ed crawled through the window and helped her in before he pulled it shut, locking it. He brushed past her and walked to his desk, sitting down heavily. Winry watched him, concern in her eyes at his sudden silence. She clasped her hands over her heart. Why did he act like this? Every time they got close, he pushed her away. More so than that, he ran away. Almost like he was afraid. But of what? Of her?
"Ed?" She spoke, voice barely above a whisper as she watched his back.
He made some sort of noise in response.
"Did I... do something wrong...?"
Ed straightened at this comment and turned to look at her, heart breaking at how terribly sad her face was. Instantly he felt like a heartless jerk and struggled to say something... anything.
"N-No," He said quickly. "It's... No, I'm sorry. You didn't do anything."
He bowed his head before quickly turning back to his desk. Winry watched him for a long moment before reaching into the pocket of her coat. She placed a small card on the desk directly in front of Ed, which startled him. He hadn't even heard her cross the room. She remained standing behind him, hands resting on the back of his chair.
"My family holds a Christmas party every year. Of course you and Al are invited, and Hohenheim too... but I would... like it if you would be my escort."
Ed stared at the card, times and dates written across it in fancy handwriting. He felt Winry move away.
"Just... think about it, alright?"
Winry paused at the doorway as she said this and glanced over her shoulder, hoping for just one more look into his liquid golden eyes. However he did not offer her so much as a glance, nor did he reply. She frowned, feeling unwanted tears in her eyes, before she quickly fled the room.
Ed dropped his forehead onto the desk with a soft thump, eyes closed. A picture lay half hidden near the invitation. A very old and torn picture of himself and Winry, blue eyes sparkling.
Okies… so I have some pictures of what the Al and Ed in this story look like. The pictures are copyrighted to the official movie website. Just copy and paste the urls.
Al - http:img222.exs.cx/img222/5785/chalimg1wc.gif
Ed - http:img115.exs.cx/img115/159/chedimg4qk.gif