SoulOmenspride – Hehehe, thanks! Yeah, sorry for the long wait. Sorry it wasn't really worth it. sweatdrop Thanks for the R&R and sticking with me!
hiei44 - Humor (next to fluff) makes the world go 'round, yes? Gotta love the humor. Thanks for the review!
Saturn Stars – Gahahaha! Sorry the 'love scene' isn't much of a love scene. Ah, me! Once again I fail! Sniffles Forgive me, 'lil sis? Yes, sadly no Envy!Serpant!111 will appear in this fic. I thought about it when you mentioned it in your last review, but came to the conclusion that it didn't fit this story. Hope to see him appear in your awesome fic (which all of you should go read, by the way) and I'm loving the tension in it as well! (Look, I'm reviewing your fanfic on my own. Just goes to show ya how awesome it is.) And indeed, how can anyone resist the sexiness that is Ed? Hmm… happy ending you say? Mwhahaha.
Nyago – Bwhahahaha! Silly Edo. Your very welcome! I love reading the reviews and I do take each one to heart. Thanks for the R&R!
anonymous – Gotta love Hoho-Papa AKA Hohenheim and the many ways he tortures Ed. Thanks for the R&R!
Kitsune no Youkai – Hohoho.. what truth? How he's from a different world and his heart belongs to her look-alike? Ah, that would crush her, no? Thanks for the R&R!
Hellokitty-4-ever - Laughs Ha! I bet Hohenhiem was, now that I think about it. He doesn't strike me as ever being one in the series, though. Regardless of whether he was or not, he probably just enjoys teasing his son. Hehehehe. Poor Trisha if he was, though. Thanks for the R&R!
Vash - Bows Much thanks!
Marie – No worries, my friend. Never think I'll not update because I swear upon my soul I always, always will. (At least for my FMA stories… don't ask about the crappy Inuyasha ones…) Even if there's a long pause between chapters, rest assured I shall update! Hmmm, she might. But considering Ed's the one teaching her mechanics, I doubt it. But, then again, you never know. These characters have minds of their own sometimes.
Gozilla – Whee! Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for the R&R!
DragonDreamer05 – Ah, welcome to Hope you get around to writing a fic! Thanks for the read and review!
HalfMetal Alchemist – Hahahaha! Hoho-Papa is lucky he lived after that crack about Ed's sex life. Yes, it isn't good for me to make you all wait… so sorry. Forgive me? Here, I'll make it up with this chapter that's not any good. sweatdrop Thanks for the R&R!
"We've found a kind of paradise in a flowers bloom.
We've seen the end of a mystic land so close it meets the parting sun.
We've shared the thoughts that two could share, we feel the truth, magic that we send...
Searching for something new
Isle of Gold in flowers bloom"
"strangers" By: Raji Ramayya
Winter in Germany
his most beautiful smile
"Hohenheim! Hey, Hohenheim!" Al called, peering down the steps to the darkness of the basement. He could hear the sounds of the elder man working. "HEY!"
The noises stopped and Hohenheim's voice finally drifted up from the depths. "Hm? What is it, Alphonso?"
"Where's Ed? He's not in his room," Al said, sounding obviously worried.
He heard Hohenheim chuckle softly, although he wasn't sure why. The sounds of work started up again.
"Ed got up very early this morning to head to the library. Did you have plans to go to the hanger today?" Hohenheim asked curiously. It was unlike Ed to forget that.
Al frowned and shook his head before remembering Hohenheim could not see him.
"No... actually... I was just going to ask him if he wanted to go out for lunch with me. But if he's at the library, I won't bother him."
The work paused and Al could hear footsteps. Moments later, Hohenheim appeared in the doorway, forcing Al to take several steps back. The man smiled warmly and placed a friendly hand on Al's shoulder, earning a confused stare from the seventeen year old German boy.
"Go get him. I know Edward would be more than happy to go for lunch with you," He told him.
"Really? He always seems so absorbed in his reading..."
"Trust me, I know. I'm the idiot's father," Hohenheim said, chuckling a bit. "He may seem distant, but I know he'd warm up to you."
"What makes you say that?" Al asked, thoroughly confused. If Ed didn't warm up to anyone what made Hohenheim think he'd warm up to him?
Hohenheim merely laughed and shoved Al towards the front door. "I told you, I'm his father. Of course I would know. Now go!"
"Ack! All right, all right!" Al cried, waving him away and staggering out the door.
Hohenheim grinned at him before shutting the door. Al stared a moment at this door, suddenly wondering why Hohenheim had several large lumps on his head. He shrugged and turned, heading off down the sidewalk to the library. It was a long walk, so his mind wandered. But mainly, it was on Ed.
He really couldn't figure out that guy, no matter how hard he tried to understand him. Every time he tore down one of his walls, he built another. Yet Ed definitely had a fondness for him that reminded Al of his older brother, currently missing. The thought of his missing brother made him frown and put a large damper on his thoughts. But then maybe Ed had lost a brother too, which would explain his brotherly love for him. However Al wasn't that quick to treat someone like a brother, despite how much he enjoyed Ed's company. It was hard in its own right, but harder with one like Edward, always distant and lost from society as he was. So his care stemmed from pity, Al concluded. He felt sorry for Ed and seeing him in such a hopeless state made him sad. It filled him with a desire to help him, to make his dream come true, as crazy as it was. He didn't think he would ever except the whole 'there's another world beyond a gate' theory that Ed had shared with him. Even if Ed and Hohenheim both claimed to have seen this gate.
Al kicked a large clump of snow randomly before he turned the corner. The library stood at the end of this street, a tall old building made of bricks of several shades of red and brown. Carefully Al climbed the icy steps, one gloved hand on the railing. He reached the doors without slipping and pushed them open. The doors groaned and screeched as they opened and Al couldn't help but to wince at the high pitched noise. He was sure the entire library now knew he was here, but he doubted Ed had even noticed. Once Ed got his nose in a book it was next to impossible to get his attention. Al had joked with him once that even if a good looking woman walked by, completely naked, he wouldn't notice. Al rubbed his head at the memory, for Ed had dropped the book he had been thumbing through on the poor boy's head with a smirk for the comment. Now the doors fell shut behind him with an echoing bang and Al entered into the main room.
It was huge, stacked to the ceiling with old brown shelves filled with books of all sizes. White stairs with golden railing twisted themselves up to the second level. There were three more levels above that, making Al's search that much more difficult. Unable to find Ed on the first floor, he headed up to the second. Nothing. The third and fourth floors were also empty of not just Ed, but of life in general.
Figures he's at the top floor, Al grumbled, panting as he finally reached the top of the staircase.
He paused here to catch his breath, one hand on the railing, before moving into the large area. He stopped before he walked too far in, instantly spotting Ed. It wasn't that hard, for he sat on a ladder that towered over the shelves. His back was turned and he was hunched over some old book. Al sighed softly and weaved through the shelves, coming to stop at the foot of the ladder. He glanced up at Ed, blinking a few times as a dim light shined into his eye. Ed's coat had been draped carelessly over one of the steps of the ladder. After watching Ed's back a moment, Al glanced around to notice several books scattered on the floor. They had obviously been thrown by Ed from the top of the ladder when he was finished or he found them uninteresting. Finding the thinnest one of the group (and 'thin' meant it was four-hundred and fifty pages) and chunked it at the perched Ed.
Ed yelped and dropped the book he was reading as the book collided with his back. Ed's book fell soundlessly to the floor and Ed wind-milled his arms for a moment to keep from completely falling off the latter. Once he had steadied himself, he whirled around and glared angrily down at the culprit: A snickering Al.
"Are you trying to kill me!" He cried, voice echoing in the silence.
Al laughed and placed his hands on his hips, bright blue eyes staring at Ed from behind blonde bangs.
"Maybe. But if I was, would I really tell you? Then you'd expect it," He joked.
"Har, har," Ed grumbled, rubbing his lower back painfully. "That hurt, you know. You could have at least found a thin book..."
"That was the thinnest one. What are you reading up on anyway?" Al asked, bending down to pick up a maroon covered book that appeared to have been read several times.
He glanced at the cover and arched an eyebrow at it. "Alchemy?"
Ed huffed and turned his back to Al, to return to his reading. Only then did he discover his book had fallen and he looked sadly down at it.
Al turned his eyes back to Ed. "You know that's nothing but an old Greek science philosophy about turning lead into gold, right? It's not possible."
"Not in this world," Edward muttered, still staring disheartened down at the dropped book. "Hey, give that to me, will ya?"
Al followed Ed's gaze to the book and snorted. "You're gonna spend your entire day off in this dark depressing place?"
"It's not depressing!"
"It is when its a nice day out. Cold, but at least it's not snowing. C'mon, let's get out!"
Ed turned a flat gaze to Al, resting his chin in the palm of one gloved hand. "And do what?"
Al smiled. "We'll have lunch. Knowing you, I'm sure you lost track of time. You're hungry, right?"
Ed's stomach answered for him when it growled loudly. Ed blushed in embarrassment and placed a hand over it, glaring at Al when he snickered.
"Lunch sounds nice. But then you're coming back here with me and I'll get to throw a book at you," Ed said, grinning.
Al stuck his tongue out at Ed childishly as he climbed down. The two boys left the library, dressed back into their heavy winter coats. They chatted as they headed toward the center of town about various things. Their rocket project, the new investor ("His daughter doesn't look half bad." "Don't let Winry here you say that, Ed.") and other random things that were generally pointless, but fun to chat about. Eventually they stopped in front of a familiar place.
"Das Tier Tavern?" Ed asked, blinking up at the sign before turning his confused eyes to Al.
"It has more than pretty girls singing love songs, you know," Al laughed, patting Ed's shoulder. "If you liked the entertainment, you'll love the food. You've been here quite a few times to see Winry perform and you've never eaten?"
Ed grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "Nope. She performs late and I'm usually not hungry at that hour."
"Figures. C'mon, you'll love it! I promise!" Al chuckled cheerfully, dragging Ed inside.
And Al kept his promise. The food was good and it left Ed marveling at how stupid he was to have never tried it before. Now with full stomachs and Ed not feeling up to any more reading, the two headed further into town with nothing better to do. It was nice, Al decided, to see Ed looking happy for once. Although true happiness never showed in his eyes or in his smile, even when he laughed.
"Christmas ended a few days ago and they still have decorations up," Ed chuckled, waving a hand at the wreathes hanging from the street lamps.
"They'll get around to it, I'm sure. It was a nice Christmas, wasn't it? Say, what'd you get Winry, anyway?" Al asked, trying to sound casual.
"Er... none of your business?" Ed coughed, turning his eyes away to hide an embarrassed face.
"Hey! Winry's my good friend! I have to make sure you're treating her right," Al laughed, winking.
"You act like we're an item or something..."
"Aren't you?"
Ed nearly tripped and whirled around to stare at Al's confused face. "No! We're not!"
"...Riiiight. Okay, Ed," Al chuckled, patting Edward's back.
"Al! We're not!"
Al frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "All right, fine. But you like her, right? She sure likes you."
Ed blushed and turned away quickly, dropping his gaze to a very interesting portion of the street. A change of subject was needed. Now.
"A necklace."
Al blinked. "Huh?"
"I got her a necklace. It was stupid... Nothing nearly as nice as what she's use to," Ed sighed and scratched the back of his head. "I shouldn't have bothered."
"Necklace... Oh! That silver one with the emeralds in it, right?" Al asked, holding up an index finger as if he had reached a brilliant conclusion.
"Yeah... cheap looking, isn't' it? ...Wait, how did you know that?" Ed inquired, watching Al curiously.
"It's not cheap! That's real silver and emeralds, isn't it? I wouldn't know a difference, though. And I knew it because she wears it all the time. You didn't notice?"
"Er, guess not."
Then the conversation turned to a different subject (much to Ed's relief).
Meanwhile, a certain girl with dark blonde hair and green eyes left a store, carrying heavy bags on both arms. She smiled happily at her purchases. Yes, this was the reason she had no plans to meet with Ed today. She wanted a bit of a break from the complicated teachings of mechanics and wanted to go on a shopping spree instead. Plus it would be nice for some alone time. However she found herself longing to be at the hanger with Edward and discovered her thoughts always drifted to him.
So one can imagine her surprise when she went to the park, frozen over and void of much life save for the occasional couple strolling by, and caught sight of Ed and Al, wandering aimlessly down the path chatting lively about who knew what. Winry stared for a moment as they drew near, Ed making some hand motions to prove his point in the discussion while Al seemed to be laughing. This drew a smile on her cherry painted lips and she sat her heavy bags down on the cleared ground. She then waved to them, cupping one hand over her mouth.
"Hey! Edward! Alphonso! Hey, over here!"
Both boys stopped and turned to her direction at the same time. Al laughed and Ed merely blinked. Eventually the two made their way over to where Winry stood, in the center of the park beside the silent fountain. She smiled brightly at them, but Ed got the first word in.
"So, you couldn't come to the hanger because you wanted to shop instead?" He asked, smirking.
"Hey, I haven't gone on a shopping spree for quite a while, thank you very much!" She huffed, glaring at Ed. Then the smile returned and she spoke cheerfully again: "And why aren't you two there?"
"We took a day off," Al replied, shrugging. "We need breaks too and we figured since you weren't going to be here today anyway, why not take today off?"
"Aww, you're schedule revolves around me?" Winry chuckled jokingly.
"Don't hold your breath," Ed shot back, earning another glare.
Al just laughed and shook his head. "Behave, children. Hey, if you have nothing better to do, care to join us in aimless wandering?"
Winry laughed at Al's choice of words and brightened at the suggestion.
"I'd love to! But only if you carry my things."
She picked the bags up and shoved them into Ed and Al's arms before they could protest. (Most of the bags went to Ed) Winry smiled at their disgruntled faces and motioned them to follow her.
"This way. I know the greatest store."
And she was off, her two reluctant pack mules trailing after her.
"Nice, Al," Ed grumbled, glaring at his partner behind bags of pink and brown paper. "Turn us into her butlers why don't'cha..."
"Shut up," Al grumbled back, obviously equally as annoyed.
However it was fun, at least for Winry. She dragged them from store to store and even coaxed Ed into buying something for her. Although the two males would rather die before they admitted it, they had fun too. Of course, their fun stemmed from merely being together and teasing the girl so eager to shop.
"Oooooo! Look, Ed! Isn't this pretty?" Winry squealed, holding up a lovely jade comb straight from China, decorated with a beautiful flower made of glass.
"Fabulous," Ed replied, giving her a flat look. "How come Al got to wait outside?"
"Oh! Look, this too!" Winry cried, attention drawn to a matching brush and mirror.
She picked the brush up and admired it with sparkling eyes. Ed chuckled softly to himself. So much the same and yet still so different. He was sure his Winry at home wouldn't be caught dead drooling over the labeled "girl stuff". Automail was a different story.
"I think," Winry suddenly said, turning to Ed with mirror, brush and comb clutched in her hands. "I'll get them!"
Ed groaned and slapped his forehead. "Winry... No more! I can't carry any more."
"Oh, they're small. You'll live," Winry giggled. "Or maybe..."
She reached over and placed the comb in his hair, thus pinning back one side of his bangs to give him a rather horrible hairstyle. This matched with Ed's flat look made Winry crack up.
"Yes, I think I'll make you wear it, seeing as how you don't want to carry it."
"No way in hell," Ed snapped, now attempting to untangle the comb from his hair.
Winry laughed and pounced him, her hands fighting with his to keep the comb in.
"It's a nice look for you!"
"This isn't funny."
"Yes it is!"
"Winry, cut it out!" Ed cried when he discovered he was losing the battle.
After more struggling, Winry pulled her hands away and Ed discovered he could no longer get the comb out. It had become hopelessly tangled in his blonde hair.
"Winry!" He cried.
Winry smiled sheepishly. "Ehehehe... Oops?"
"Get it out!" Ed demanded, pointing to his head in the general direction of the comb.
"You're such a big baby. Sit down," Winry sighed.
"In the store!"
"I need to see it better. Sit!"
Ed just grumbled and did as told, sitting cross legged in the aisle. Winry knelt down behind him and began to work at the comb. Naturally this took forever, during which several people turning into the aisle saw. Al came in not to long after the fifth person to catch a view of them burst into laughter. Al stopped when he saw them and Ed gave him a death glare.
"Don't. Ask." Ed growled through clenched teeth.
"Not asking," Al coughed, averting his eyes in hopes that not looking at the scene would stop the laughter that was rising.
Eventually the trio fled the store and by this time the sun had set and night had fallen. Once they reached the park with all the bags, Winry and Al cracked up. Laughter is easy to catch, so soon Ed was laughing about the whole thing too. Although he abruptly stopped when he found Winry staring at him.
"What?" He asked.
Winry blushed and looked away. "N-Nothing... Care to go for a walk?"
Ed tilted his head at her when she took his arm, smiling. Al got the hint and gathered all the bags, skillfully placing the smaller ones into the larger ones.
"I'll take these back for you," He offered.
"Oh! No, don't trouble yourself, Al," Winry said quickly.
"It's no trouble," He replied, quickly stepping away before Winry could grab any of the bags to lighten his loud. "Really, it's fine. See you back at the house, Ed."
Al nodded to them, unable to wave, and headed off. Ed watched him go, frowning suddenly.
Maybe I should leave with him... He shouldn't be alone with Envy running around...
Winry's gentle tug at his arm snapped him from his thoughts and he turned toward her curiously. She smiled shyly at him and Ed realized she wanted to start walk. So the pair headed off down the empty path that twisted its way around the entire park. They walked in silence for a long time, the only noise between them was their shoes on the path as they carefully avoided any ice, although it was hard to tell in the dark. Eventually Winry broke the silence, shyly placing her eyes on his face.
"So... I saw you smile for the first time," She said.
Ed blinked and turned to her, a bit confused by her odds words. "Eh? I smile all the time."
"Yes... but not like today, just a few moments ago when you were laughing. It was..." She struggled for the right words, then smiled when she found them. "It was a truly happy smile."
Ed stared at her blankly before quickly looking away, turning a troubled face to the path ahead. He had heard Al say it once to Hohenheim. His smile always had a sorrow to it. It was never truly happy. The same went with his laugh. But then Winry had said... Did that mean he was finally becoming comfortable with his life here? That he had excepted that he would never get home? He shook his head lightly. No... he couldn't lose hope.
"I want to give you something," Winry suddenly said, breaking him from his thoughts.
The couple stopped in the path, underneath a bright light post positioned next to a wooden bench. Winry detached herself from Ed's arm and dug into the pockets of her winter coat. After a few seconds of searching she pulled out the jade comb she had so skillfully untangled from his hair. She held it out to him, a faint smile on her painted lips.
"I want you to keep it and remember today. Remember how you were truly happy."
Ed stared at the object as if it would attack him. He held out his hand regardless and she placed the comb in his palm. His fingers slowly curled around it and he smiled, glancing back up to Winry.
"Thanks... I will," He told her truthfully and carefully pocketed the comb.
Ed had thought their walk was over now and turned to head back. But Winry halted his steps by snatching his arm. Suddenly she had him turned toward her and had drastically closed the space between them, her body now pressed against his in a way that made him squirm. Red stained his cheeks at how close their faces had suddenly become. Winry looked very serious.
"Kiss me."
Ed was sure he heard that wrong. "C-Come again?"
Winry somehow got closer and Ed instinctively stepped back.
"You promised to do something for me in return if I only went half way to your house. Keep your promise... kiss me," Winry whispered to him, breath tickling his face.
Ed was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. This wasn't right... this didn't feel right at all.
"W-When I said that I didn't really mean something like--"
However Ed never got to finish his sentence and it was forever lost. Winry had cut him off, capturing his lips with hers in a feather soft kiss. Ed's entire body tingled at the sensation and his mind went totally blank of any intelligent thought. It had been a shy chaste kiss as most first kisses are. Winry pulled away from it slightly, but was not satisfied as she kissed him again. This time it was no soft first kiss, but a deep one filled with adult passion. It completely and utterly took Edward by surprise. It sent a new feeling through him and caused his body to feel hot and cold at the same time. Winry was not shy about this as Ed was. She pressed herself more against him and wrapped her arms around her neck, deepening the kiss more even when Ed had been sure it wasn't possible.
He was sure this was wrong, but his body was disobedient and did not listen to his thoughts that told him to pull away. Instead he found her kissing her back with equal passion, savoring this moment. He dared to taste her lips with his tongue and she made a noise of pleasure against his mouth. However she broke the kiss and moved her lips to his ear, warm breath tickling it as she spoke.
"Come home with me tonight, Edward," She whispered seductively in his ear.
But suddenly Ed had awoken from his dream and he reeled back from her, as if he had been burned. He stared at her with wide eyes and then shook his head. Winry gave him a confused look.
"I...I have to go. I-I'm sorry... See you tomorrow at the hanger, okay?" Ed stammered before he abruptly turned and bolted from the scene.
He didn't dare look back. He couldn't, for he hadn't been kissing her. He had been kissing his Winry.