Friends 2

rain and storm

It was exactly noon. A hot July day where the sun was high in the perfect blue sky. There were no clouds in sight and the green grass blades of the hills bent against a gentle breeze. The trees were bright and alive, filled with singing birds and squirrels. Considering the nice, yet hot, weather, it was no wonder the river had become the perfect place to be. At least, for the children. Ed had set himself up for an impossible task as he waded into the knee deep part of the river, shirt discarded on the muddy shore and shoes being carefully inspected by a young Den. Liquid gold eyes were set in fierce concentration as he watched fish swim underneath the shimmering surf, their scales catching the sunlight and reflecting it off his face. Winry sat on the shore, legs to her chest and hands on her knees. Large, bright blue eyes watched Ed curiously and she wore a lovely flowery summer dress. Her sandals had also been tossed, although they rested on the grass behind her rather than near the water. The usual trio was a duo today. Edward's brother Al had gone off with their mother to the doctor's and while Ed would have usually gone to hold his brother's hand during the shot, he decided he didn't want to waste this fine day inside. Al didn't seem to mind. He didn't find shots as terrible as Ed did.

"You're never gonna catch a fish with your hands," Winry told him from her place near the shore. "That's too hard. Only Al's ever done it and that was just the one time."

"I can!" Ed insisted, eyes never leaving the prey swimming near his feet. "Just watch!"

"I am," Winry sighed. "Hurry and get one already! This is boring."

"This takes skill. I can't hurry or I won't get one," Ed sniffed.

There was a pause; the only noise was the various bugs in the air. Suddenly Ed dove and crashed into the refreshingly cold water. Winry perked up, only to laugh when Ed stood back up empty handed.

"The third time isn't the charm," She giggled cutely.

"Shaddup," Ed grumbled, sulking back to shore.

Winry just giggled again as he plopped himself beside her, blonde hair dripping wet and shorts soaked. She poked his cheek.

"You should have Al teach you," She said to add insult to injury.

Ed waved her hand away in annoyance. "Shaddup! I'd like to see you try it!"

"I know I can't do it. I'm not stubborn enough to believe I can."

Ed stuck his tongue out at her before grabbing his shirt and shoes. "Race ya up the hill!"

"Hey!" Winry cried as he bolted, snatching her own shoes quickly as she hurried after him. "No fair! Head start!"

Ed just laughed as he easily reached the top of the hill. Winry was almost there before she abruptly tripped and fell hard, crying out when her knee slammed into a large rock. She rolled to her back and sat up, wailing as if she had just broken her ankle. Ed blinked, alarmed, and wandered over to her with an innocent child's concern. Upon reaching Winry's side he saw she had scrapped the skin from her knee.

"You idiot, you made me trip!" Winry cried through her tears, aiming a kick at Ed's leg with her good foot.

However the kick merely brushed by Ed's knee and she whimpered, hands clutching the area around her injured knee. Ed squatted down beside her, making a face.

"You're the one who fell. You're such a klutz."

"Am not!"

Ed stood, placing his hands on his hips. His shirt and shoes were left forgotten at the top of the hill.

"It's not that bad. C'mon, Granny will patch it up," He told her, turning back to get his shirt and shoes.

The afternoon sun had dried his skin quickly, so he slipped his shirt and shoes back on. He then turned to Winry, who turned to him at the same time. She held out her arms like a child wanting to be held, looking at him shyly.

"Carry me. It hurts when I bend my knee."

Ed stared at her. "But it's not that bad. It's barely bleeding!"

Actually, it was bleeding quite a bit.

"I wanna be carried!" Winry whined.

Ed rubbed the back of his head and looked at the ground, obviously embarrassed. "Jeez..."

He walked over to her and helped her up. He then hefted her onto his back, hooking his arms underneath her knees for better support. Winry clutched one shoulder, her other hand holding her sandals. She sniffed, tears still in her eyes and face dirty from her fall.

Thus Ed carried her over the hill and onto the dirt road. The road twisted itself around the entire countryside. Plus it lead straight to Winry's house, which is where he was heading. Den scampered after him, tail wagging as he chased various insects.

"Thank you, Edward," Winry giggled, shyly hiding half her face behind his shoulder, blue eyes turned to look at him.

Ed made some noise in acknowledgment, but was too shy himself to really reply. His cheeks were red, although whether it was from embarrassment or for being in close contact with a girl, it was anyone's guess. Eventually Ed arrived at Aunt Pinako's house. The old woman stood on the porch, pipe in mouth. She blinked at the two children, frowning in concern and ignoring the hyper puppy that bolted up the steps, slipping half way and rolling backwards to the ground.

"Oh my, what happened here?" She asked, removing the pipe from her mouth.

Ed stopped a few paces from the first step and glanced up at Pinako, Winry's face still hidden behind his shoulder.

"Winry fell," He said matter-of-factly.

Pinako noticed her granddaughter's knee and chuckled. "I see. Well, it doesn't look terrible. Come on in and I'll patch her up."

Although it was unnecessary, Ed carried Winry inside and sat her down on the couch, moving away from her so that Pinako could clean the scrap and put a band-aid on it. Ed quickly lost interest and went off to play with Den in the yard. Winry joined him shortly, her bouncy self once again now that her knee had been fixed. Later Al returned, breaking free from his mother's grip to run over, smiling happily.

"You're back, Al!" Winry said happily, standing from her spot next to Den.

The puppy rushed over to greet Al, whole body shaking in happiness. Al greeted the puppy with a laugh and smiled at Winry.

"Yup!"

"Didja get a shot?" Winry asked.

"Yeah. It was okay. I'm not scared of them like Brother is!"

"I'm not afraid of them!" Ed protested, bonking Al on the top of the head.

Al rubbed his head and glared at him. "Are to!"

"Are not!"

"Are to!"

Ed took to tackling Al to the ground instead, to try and prove his point that way. Winry laughed as Den, who thought this was a new game, jumped on top of the both of them.

Unfortunately for the children, a thunderstorm rolled in quickly. By then the sun had been setting, but it soon became hard to tell the sun had ever been out in the first place as black clouds covered the sky. As it happened sometimes when Ed and Al stayed at Winry's late, the two boys slept over for the night in a separate room. Both Trisha and Pinako had found this method easier than trying to pull the trio apart. Not only that, but while the two houses were fairly close to each other, neither Trisha nor Pinako wanted the boys outside in a thunderstorm. The lightning was deadly in the countryside, easily causing fires during the dry summer. So the two brothers stayed and after filling their stomachs, Pinako sent all three of them off to bed.

"We never get to stay up late," Ed complained as he changed into his pajamas. "Even here. It's not fair."

Al, who had already made himself comfortable underneath the blankets of his brother's bed, (He was far too afraid to sleep in his own bed across the room due to the lightning and thunder) peeked out from the covers.

"That's because you get cranky when you don't get enough sleep," Al giggled.

"I do not!" Ed snapped, crawling onto the bed once dressed. "Get outta my bed!"

Al whimpered and tried to hide his face as Ed attempted to pull the covers away from him.

"Al, c'mon!" Ed cried when he found the covers would not budge. "It's only a little thunder and it's not like we're in separate rooms. These beds are too small for us to share one!"

"I don't want to, Brother, I'm scared! Let me stay with you!" Al begged.

Ed sighed and gave up. "Fine! Jeez... Well, move over at least!"

Al sniffed and did as told. Soon the two boys had huddled themselves together on the bed. The wind howled outside and thunder shook the house, but somehow the two managed to fall asleep.

It was a short time later when the door to their room opened and a teary eyed Winry slipped into their room, dressed in pink pajamas and hugging an extra pillow. Thunder cracked and she yelped loudly before quickly hiding her mouth behind her pillow. She blinked at the bed, but neither boy stirred. Feeling it was safe, she shuffled soundlessly to the bed. As expected, Al and Ed were sharing it. She then began the task of climbing onto the bed.

Both Elrics were heavy sleepers once they had drifted off to dream land. It was amazing what they could sleep through. So it was rather surprising to Winry when Ed woke up, having felt the movement on the bed. He sat up and rubbed an eye sleepily, peering at her through the dark.

"Winry?" He muttered sleepily.

"U-Umm..." Was Winry's reply as she finally crawled fully onto the bed, now sitting on her knees in front of him. "I'm scared..."

Ed didn't seem to really grasp this with his half asleep brain. He dropped his hand from his face and blinked sleepily at her.

"Scared?"

"Of the thunder..."

"Oh. You wanna sleep here?"

Winry nodded, hugging her pillow against to her chest again. Ed shrugged and flopped over.

"M'kay."

Winry lit up. She honestly didn't think he'd let her. She happily abandoned her pillow and crawled to Ed's side, Al sound asleep on the other. Ed was snoring again, signaling he was asleep, but was now facing her. After some difficulty she managed to wiggle under the covers with them and curl up against Ed, head against his chest. Instantly she was asleep and the three slept like that all night.

Of course, all hell broke loose the next morning when Ed discovered he had been in close perimeters with a girl.