Just wanted to say THANK YOU! to all my reviewers. You guys rock my socks off, and all your kind words make me smile. Seriously, I appreciate it sooo much! You all deserve a cookie!

An Equivelant Exchange

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It was raining when Ed had caught a case of the flu. He was coughing all over the place, unable to breathe through his very congested nose. His temperature was well in the hundreds place, making him feel awful and horrible. He hated getting sick, but pretended he wasn't to make sure the others wouldn't worry about him.

However, he was a horrible actor and Winry saw right through him. He looked terrible and she frowned at how he wasn't in bed trying to get better. So, she decided to take action in her own hands.

"Edward, get to bed," she said sternly, hands on hips to show she meant business.

"Why?" Ed asked through a stuffed nose.

"You're sick!"

"No, I'm-" Ed remarked but got caught in a coughing fit.

"Not sick, eh?" Winry took him by the arm, and led him to his room. "Get into bed. Pretending you're not ill won't solve anything."

Too sick to fight back, he cooperated, snuggling under the covers as Winry disappeared downstairs. She returned moments later with a bowl of hot chicken soup.

"Here, eat this," she handed him the steaming stew. "I'll go out and get some medicine, so I'll be back in a bit. In the meantime, stay in bed."

Ed nodded obediently, sipping the soup as he watched her head out.

"Wait... Winry!"

She stopped in her tracks, turning to him and asked, "Yeah?"

"I... uh, well..." he paused, trying to find the right words to sum up all he had wanted to say. "Just... thanks."

"Sure thing," she softly smiled and left the room.

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A few days later, Ed had gotten back to his usual energetic self, cured from the flu with the help of Winry. Having been occupied with making sure he had gotten to good health, she had forgotten that illnesses and sicknesses like the flu are contagious and caught the bug herself. Now she was the one with the coughing fits, stuffy nose, sore throat and high temperature.

"Oh man..." she groaned as she wiped her nose with a tissue. "Now I'm sick..." She collapsed onto the couch and closed her eyes, feeling the terrible wrath of the flu.

She felt something warm and soft wrap around her. Opening her eyes, she saw Ed, who had placed a blanket on top of her. He was holding a bowl of hot and steamy soup in one hand, a bottle of medicine in the other.

"You don't look too good," he said warmly, handing her the bowl.

"I don't feel too good," she replied and paused to look up at him. "Ed... why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" he seemed slightly confused by the question.

"Being so nice and taking care of me... I mean, you and Al should be on the road by now. Didn't you say you were leaving today?"

"That was the plan, but I decided it'd be best to leave later," Ed replied with a shrug, fluffing up a pillow and placing it underneath Winry's head. "Besides, you take care of me. Now it's time I take care of you."

She smiled; his words alone were enough for her to get better. "In a way... it's sort of like an equivalent exchange... isn't it?" she asked timidly.

He returned the smile with a grin of his own. "Yeah, something like that."

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