Chapter 5 - Recovery
Despite the tough face Ed had on, he couldn't help but to wince as Winry helped him walk along with him, supporting his weight, though when they'd reached the couch, he smiled for a brief second. That is, until pain shot through him, as to be expected with the various injuries he now had.. not to mention, that pounding headache wracking his mind was definitely not helping his state.. "o-ow… Winry… I.. I really hope things get better…. a-and we find out just who it was who made you attack me…." He whispered faintly, his voice going in and out as he spoke.
Winry nodded, and winced a little at seeing the pain her close friend was more than obviously in... "Don't you worry about that" she said softly with a faint smile. "I'll find out on my own, don't you worry.."
Even though she spoke so valiantly.. she really had no clue who would do this sort of thing to her, and moreso, Ed… though to keep him safe and uninjured for the time being she'd have to look into it..
Being distracted in her thoughts she stood up, pulled a blanket out of the closet and placed it over Ed's form.
Looking up at her, Ed smiled lightly and nodded, though a hesitant look crossed over his features. "but… I have to.. Winry… Damn it.. I can't just stand by not knowing who it was that made you do this to me…" he said softly, as a frown then creased his features, making it apparent he disapproved of not being able to help and feel just so.. weak and useless.. he hated it..
Forcing a frown onto her features as well, she sighed. "You should only worry about resting and getting better. You won't be able to do anything in this condition.. plus, we have to re-attach your arm as well.. remember that, Ed.." she said,looking down at Ed with her rather sad, sapphire blue eyes.
Knowing it was futile to fight with Winry in his condition, Ed sighed in defeat and closed his tired, golden-colored eyes. "Well… you have a point, I guess… no sense in arguing… I really am in no condition to be doing anything…" he replied lightly. "Well.. not for a while, anyway…" he added with a small grimace.
The blonde mechanic smiled and chuckled lightly at Ed caving in, and after a brief moment, she looked down at him, the thought that he had fallen asleep crossing her mind, and with that, she bent down and got onto her knees and looked intently at the alchemist's face, and without a second thought, she softly moved forwards and placed a kiss onto his cheek, murmuring a soft apology.
Of course, Ed's gold eyes opened abruptly at her lips making contact with his cheek, though he smiled, a little, thinking about the soft apology she had just given him.. "Win..ry… I told you.. don't worry.. about apologizing so much.. it's fine, really.." he whispered, his voice cracking in more than one place.
Smiling softly, she gently placed her finger on Ed's lips to silence anymore words he might say next. "Okay. I'll try to stop.. but only if you promise to rest.." she murmured, smiling gently at him.
Ed blinked and nodded lightly, a soft smile crossing his features, and after a moment or two, his gold eyes slowly fell shut, as he was tired and way too hurt to be able to keep them open any longer, and for the first time that whole night, a look of mixed hurt, agony and vulnerability showed on his features as he now fell into a deep and dreamless sleep..
Even though the night passed quickly, bright and early the next morning, Winry woke up, and without even changing, ran downstairs like a madwoman to check on Ed, worried as much as the night before, hoping he was alright and hadn't had any problems overnight..
Softly, she knelt down next to where Ed laid peacefully on the couch and she looked intently at his sleeping form. "Ed….Edward.. are you awake?" she whispered, her eyes never leaving the boy as she spoke.
Upon hearing her, and half-mumbling something, Ed's tired eyes opened a crack and looked at her lightly, tiredness tinging them noticibly. "hm? y-yeah… now I am.. not a big deal though.." he whispered with a smile. "I was half-awake anyway.."
"Oh! ye-yeah.. sorry about that…" she said, a slight blush of embarrassment coming over her features. "I-I should let you get back to sleep then.." she added, standing up, though never looking away from Ed. "uhm….. do you.. think you would be able to eat?"
After thinking it over for about a second or two, he sighed and nodded. "I want to, yes… don't know if I exactly can.." he said with a hesitant sigh, before starting to attempt to sit up, though he only started moving in the slightest when he winced, and a sound of pain escaped his lips against his will, as his wounds hurt a lot more today than they had yesterday.
The second she saw Ed in pain, she gasped and knelt down beside him, worry knotted into her features. "hey.. careful.. don't strain yourself.." she said quickly, setting a hand on Ed's shoulder and gently pushed him back down, mindful of his wounds. "Y-You're in terrible condition because of me, Ed… don't strain yourself until you're better.. Just take it easy… " she added in a softer tone. "I'll find you something to eat.. just wait here.." she added again as an afterthought, as she stood up, a sad smile on her face.
Cringing slightly at her words, already feeling defeated, he sighed lowly. "I..fine.. alright.. but Winry.. please… stop blaming yourself… it wasn't your fault… you really weren't yourself.." Ed murmured gently after a moment, hating just how weak and useless he was feeling, wishing he could do more than just say words of apology and actually do something..
"Don't kid yourself, Edward, it is.. it is my fault.." Winry sighed, and after a few moments of silence, she disappeared upstairs, realizing she had still been in her nightgown, and minutes later, she came back downstairs to Ed, dressed in her black skirt and white tank top, and smiling briefly at Ed, went into the kitchen and began to cook some stew for Ed.
Sighing heavily, despite the pain it sent up his spine, Ed laid back more into the couch, twinges of pain running through him every once in a while, making him wince and let out a small cry of pain, though; it was nothing compared to when he forced himself to sit up, which, being a bad mistake on his part, hurt like hell, being incredibly painful, and causing him to cry out in pain as he felt his stomach wound re-open.
Hearing Ed's cry of pain, Winry felt her heart skip a beat in worry and she set down whatever she was doing and ran back into the living room, and noticed the blood staining his bandages and stomach. Her eyes widened and she ran over to him. "Ed? What are you doing!" Winry exclaimed worriedly, as she bent down to look the boy in the eyes.
Wincing in obvious pain, he looked back at her, frowning at her. "sitting up, Winry.. what else does it look like?" he said slowly, pain edged into his voice despite his obvious sarcasm.
Scowling at him, she gave Ed an angry frown. "Don't strain yourself, Ed. You've already reopened your stomach wound. Give it a rest.. please.." she said in a calm, yet irritable voice, placing her hand on his right shoulder.
Ed felt himself sweatdrop, and looked down, seeing that his wound really had reopened and had started to bleed again.. though the pain was a definite indication it had indeed opened a fair bit. He winced slightly for a moment and he looked at her with a hurt look. "sorry. I.. just didn't want to lie down all day.. that's all.. nothing to get worried over.."
Winry's frown deepened and she walked out of the room without a word, to grab the first aid kit, and walking back in, she knelt down beside Ed, and wordlessly began to re-wrap his wound. "Ed.. you can move all you want when you're better.. but until then, you need to rest… otherwise.." she paused and pulled out her trusty wrench. " maybe mr.wrench would give you a visit" she finished softly, as she put it away, Ed sweatdropping, as she finished wrapping up his wound.
Sighing, he nodded, knowing it would be best not to argue with her, that and he didn't exactly need a dent in his skull along with all his other wounds.. "Fine… I'll rest until my wounds heal… okay?" he said slowly in defeat, pouting a little in his usual way.
She nodded and sat back, looking at him. "Good. Now that sounds like a good idea.." she said with a small laugh. Ed smiled at her words and nodded. "yeah yeah…."
He didn't know how long it would take to heal his wounds.. but Ed knew.. it would take a while.. and later he'd have to find out what had happened and who had been the culprit behind Winry's strange attitude earlier..
End Ch. 5 – Ch. 6 coming soon
((A/N: Sorry to all if I haven't been updating a lot. I've been busy with lots of editing for my stories… and I also apologize for the short chapters.. I promise to make longer ones
Aside from that.. I know this chapter was kinda fluffy-ish and boring…meh.. it'll change.. I promise Hope you all enjoyed it ))