Tire Swing

The blue moon's light shimmered across the water echoing peace and serenity. Winry pushed a piece of blonde hair behind her ear and slowly turned the old musty pages of the book lying in the grass in front of her. She was resting outside by a small lake on her stomach, reading by the light of the moon and the tiny stars the sparkled above without rest. She slowly crossed her legs, rocking them back and forth behind her.

A loud curse broke her peace, as the boy a couple feet beyond her stood out starring at the glassy water. Her eyes went to his profile as his eyes stayed on the water, but she knew his thoughts were else where. When ever he'd return home, he was never really back. He was always drifting off, picturing somewhere other then home with his family. Or at least what he should have seen by know as family. Sometimes she couldn't tell what he thought of they all were, and other times she was so close to believing that he was back. Not a day or a week but forever.

Winry slowly closed the red bound book and continued to watch him; crossing her arms and locking her fingers in lose fists while resting her chin on the back of her hand. She wondered if he would realize her gaze was on him and if he'd care. His normal apparel was back at the house where his little brother and Pinako rested. On the breezy night he'd chosen a lose pair of black pants and a red tank. Winry only rolled her at eyes at how the boy only knew two colors and with the exception of his underwear, that's all he owned. He stood nobly gazing out so very far away from her, with his eyebrows narrowed, his arms crossed, and his lips curved into a tight frown.

Winry tossed her hair decadently to the one side and smiled, chanting softly in a sweet voice, "Sad that you can't swim?" Her negative comments were usually the only way to snap him out of daydreaming and bring him back down to earth even if it only were for a few moments. Surely enough he turned his head to her throwing back his golden hair, "Damn could you really tell?"

Edward starred back at the silly laughing girl in her white flowered, royal blue sundress that spread out over the grass like the water itself. Winry shook her head a moment and managed to speak through her giggles, "I don't know why it bothers you so much. I'd rather fly across it." His smile faded and he quietly walked over kneeling in front of her. She looked up into his golden eyes as they reflected her own. That was the way she liked it. When she knew he was there with her. He wasn't thinking about the next fight or his burdens, but her and home, the place where she wanted so desperately for him and his brother to stay.

"You really want to?" She nodded knowing she would have said yes to just about anything he were to have asked her right then. He held out his hands and she eagerly placed them into his. Ed pulled her up to her feet and kept his hand in hers, pulling her around the tree. He put his rough hands to her shoulder and smiled the way he always did when he had an idea. Excitement pulled at her as he put a finger to her nose and tapped the end gently, "Wait here." His warm breath hit her cheeks when his whispered it hastily and she nodded quickly before he shot her a wink and ran around the tree again. Winry touched her cheek and then jumped back at her own actions. She was acting like was had a crush on him. Her back hit the tree and she felt her face burning. Not Ed, they were childhood friends.

A cool breeze rolled by and the familiar sound of two hands coming together followed by a bright bluish light came soon afterward. She put a hand to the tree's bark enchanted by the mystery of what magic the young alchemist was constructing this time. His head popped out from around the tree and she jumped back catching her breath, "Ed…" His eyes glowed laughingly as he held up a finger to her lips and took her hand entwining her fingers in his own, "Come on."

Tied tightly to the longest outstretched branch on the tree was a thick rope that at the bottom was knotted to a tire, which was tied with a thinner line to keep it from swinging away, just yet. Winry looked to Ed wondering where he'd gotten the elements for it but he only pulled her to it. His eyes turned to hers with the hopeful expression of a child, "I'll push you?" Winry put her hand on the black rubber, "What if I fall?" He laughed a little and looked down sighing depressingly. She looked from the tire back to him, "Swing with me?" Ed looked back up to her quickly thinking he'd heard her wrong. But her glance stayed on him till he smiled and nodded.

She glanced at him curiously as she put her legs through the tire and rested her arms on top of it curling her fingers tightly around the rope. She trembled nervously when unexpectedly his hot breath came close to her ear from behind and tenderly whispered, "Don't be sacred. I won't let you fall." She held her breath as she suddenly felt his chest lean into her back and his arms come around grabbing with his right the rope and with the left the edge of the tire.

"Ready, Winry?" She closed her eyes and nodded as he pulled closer against her just as he jumped up from the ground and the tire began to reel foreword. Her eyes flashed open as together they went flying across the luminous stream below them. She felt his leg slide in on either side of her and gasp as the barely touched the sky and went swinging backwards. He laughed out loudly hearing her and feeling her body jump against his own.

In long heavy strokes the swing rocked back and forth across the water. "It's not fly-" "Its perfect Edward." She relaxed herself a tad and leaned against him. When she did his body quaked beneath hers ever so slightly and she could fell his heart pounding through his chest. It had always been a game, just a frivolous game between two children. But it was so different now. Now matter how much they wanted to deny it, they had all changed.

His right hand lowered to her right hand on the rope, holding his hand tightly over hers. Ed turned his head toward her pressing his nose into her cheek and smiled. Reality hit her like a wrench that this was only pretend. Her left fist tightened and face fell knowing how much she couldn't let him leave again. Not again. "Edward stay with me." His smile left and his body slowly rocked against hers with the beat of the swing. He closed his eyes and slowly warmed her skin with his breath, "You know I can't."

Winry closed her eyes cursing herself for being so stupid. Nothing mattered more to Edward then Alphonse, and she knew that yet, she wanted to help him and take care of him. Al was always the optimist and knew what to do, but Ed was always falling apart. It wasn't that he'd push her away when she tired to help; he was never open enough for her to try. It seemed she was only useful for one thing, that was being his mechanic and giving him an arm and a leg he could run off and kill himself with.

She bit her lip trying to hold back tears. He dropped his right hand from hers on the thick cord and gazed her cheek softly with his metal fingertips. She shuddered as his hand trailed her neck to her shoulder. Finding her shoulder he held her tightly in comfort. The metal was cold on her skin yet the thick smell of oil that it carried made her smile.

"I know your pains Ed, so why is it you act to distant from me? I only want to…I mean…I care about you." She turned her head wanting to see him and her nose barely touched his as she locked her eyes on his golden orbs. "Winry…I have so much…" He looked ahead and reached out gripping the rope again. She starred back out onto the quiet water below them and noticed how much they'd slowed down. They were now just a pendulum constantly swinging yet eventually they would be stilled. Nothing lasts forever.

"I can't just stay put. It's not a part of who I am…I have to fix-" Winry put a hand on his left arm quieting him, "Ed…I know. It was only wishful thinking. I know you'll leave again, but please remember this Ed; I'm here waiting for you. Patiently, always and forever waiting for my alchemists, the most important people to me, to return to me where they belong." He leaned his forehead on her shoulder and Winry closed her eyes.

She didn't need a reply, it was enough that he understood. His muscles tightened. She wondered if he was angry, although she couldn't have guessed why. But Ed was only taking it in. Belonging feeling needed, wanted. The fact that she wasn't letting go or giving up and he knew now she never would, she was too stubborn for that. How she should could still care about them so much after they'd left claiming to never return. How should could still care for him so much.

"You'll wait forever." Winry slowly pulled her right hand away from the rope and leaned it back touching his head on her shoulder. She nodded and leaned her head back slightly, letting the moon's light hit her eyelids as the swing slowed almost barely moving. Her voice came out in a calm whisper, "As long as it takes, till you to find all you need." He slowly lifted his head to her ear breathing up her neck making her shuddered. Ed leaned his head on hers for a long time, both completely content with each other's presence and touch.

Before long however the swing came to a stop and Winry's giggle broke the silence. "So how are we going to get out of the middle of this, 'Mr. Look I'm a State Alchemist.'" Ed looked around and laughed out loud him self, "Hadn't thought of that. Damn and I can't swim." Winry turned a head again as Ed smiled at her, "Sorry." She shook her head. It was late and bed was no where in sight, but neither one seemed to care as they smiled like kids at one another and laughed at the ridiculousness of it all.

That's it, this is the frist fic i've ever posted, but far from the frist i've written. tell me if you liked it and i'll think about writing more. (even if only one one person in the entire cosmos likes me)...nevertheless thank you for reading my work :) also say if you think i should write a second part to this story. I know what'd I'd do i just don't know if i should take the time to do it. Thanks again. winXed 4ever!