Dancing in the Rain
Chapter Ten
Monday was hell. She sat through her classes, trying to figure out how to tell Edward she was getting a ride. It would normally be easy, but with Saturday's realization, it just became near to impossible. She wasn't focused on the schoolwork, and got yelled at many times during the day. She stared at the clock as time seemed to speed up on her. As she watched the last seconds count down she closed her eyes, wishing, hoping that time would simply freeze, and she wouldn't have to deal with Edward and Envy.
As the bell tore through her ears, she mentally cursed the gods. Collecting her books, she headed for her locker.
"Hey," Edward said, leaning against the locker next to her. "Ready to go?" He had already been to his locker and collected everything he would need. Damn. He was fast.
"Um, about that Edward." She trailed off, grabbing her books. "Envy is picking me up today."
A flicker of anger dashed across his face. "Envy," he said, managing to hide the malice in his voice. "Mind if I talk to him?"
"Sure," Winry said as she threw her pack on her back and headed for the door. As they arrived outside, she spotted Envy's black car. Envy waved and headed towards her.
'"Hey," he said, kissing her on the cheek. "Ready?"
Winry nodded. "Yeah... I think." She glanced down and then cursed. "Crap. I forgot my jacket. Mind waiting a minute while I grab it?"
"Sure," Envy chirped. The blonde turned and headed back into school. Envy and Edward leaned back against a nearby fence, letting the silence swallow them. It was several minutes, before either of them spoke.
"So," Edward said, casting a bored look over at him. "Spill it. You don't like the girl, let alone love her."
Envy let out a small chuckle. "You're a smart one, aren't you?" he asked. Edward refused to answer. "You're right about one thing, I don't love her. Hell, I don't even like her. She's quite annoying actually." He chuckled to himself, as if finding this all one big joke. "I'm using her to get back at my old girlfriend."
"Hm," Edward seemed unfazed by his confession. "So you're going to drop her like a rock? Break her heart? Make her feel like no one needs her?"
Envy snorted. "Yup. To put it bluntly." He then smirked. "But this is where we both prosper. I turn out like the jackass, and walk away with my ex. Then you can scoop her off the ground and seem like the hero. It's a win-win situation for both of us."
Edward said nothing, but stared at the ground. "Yeah," he said. "It sounds like a brilliant plan. You seemed to have spent a lot of time on that." Envy failed to notice the sarcasm in his voice. They were then swallowed by silence. Then, in a blur of speed, Edward turned to Envy, and punched him hard across the face.
Envy stumbled back, clutching his throbbing face. "What the hell?" he cried, bushing down the pain so he could glare at Edward.
"That's sick," he spat. "You don't use people like that."
Envy frowned. "You're one of those people aren't you? Damn. Looks like I have to take the hard way."
Edward tore at him and aimed a kick at his midsection, which Envy avoided. He then aimed a punch back at Edward, which he dodged. At the scent of a fight, many remaining kids started to gather around them, creating a circle of which they couldn't escape. The chanting was doing nothing but egg them on, as they threw punches and kicks, hoping one would connect.
It was Envy who landed the first hit. He kicked Edward to the stomach, causing the blonde to stumble back. He then elbowed him to the neck causing Edward to drop to the ground in a desperate attempt to catch his breath. Envy aimed a kick down on his back, which Edward avoided.
The crowd was getting quite hyped up, and it seemed they were all cheering for the dark haired stranger who had chosen to pick a fight with Edward. Many were throwing things, yelling for him to get up, so he could get kicked down again. Needless to say, the kids were ruthless.
Edward stumbled to his feet, making sure he could breath, before lunging at Envy. He aimed a kick at his stomach, which Envy sidestepped, but before he could react, Edward punched him in the nose. Envy stumbled back, clutching his badly bleeding nose.
"You 'roke my 'ose!" he cried, trying to stop the bleeding. "You 'astard!" Edward relaxed slightly, thinking he would back out now that his nose was broken, and missed his movements. Envy sent a hard kick to his face, causing Edward to stumble back into the fence. He then kicked him hard to the ribs, and took advantage of the fact that Edward didn't get up immediately, and started repeatedly kicking him.
"What the hell are you doing!" cried a voice, as Winry pushed her way through the crowd. "Envy!" she screeched. "For god's sake stop kicking him!"
Envy immediately stopped, turning to face her with an "I didn't do it" kind of smile. Sensing the fight was over, many kids started to wander off. Winry dropped to her knees, checking to see if Edward as all right. The blonde got to his feet, still holding his bruised stomach.
"You 'ad to 'ave a 'irl save you, didn't you?" Envy said with a smile, his hands still over his face. "You're 'eally 'athetic."
Edward ground his teeth. "I'm going to kill you!" he roared, as he tried to grab the dark haired boy.
Winry stood between them, holding Edward back. "Edward!" she cried. "Stop it! You're acting crazy!"
Edward ground his teeth, but let it go. He turned on his heel and started to walk in the other direction. He didn't care anymore. Clutching his stomach, he hissed slightly, and began to move at a slower pace.
Winry frowned, watching Edward go, before turning angry eyes over to Envy. Without a word, she turned to leave.
---
Edward stumbled into his house, clutching his still pained stomach. "Damnit..." he hissed. "Bastard hits hard..." He walked over to his refrigerator, where he pulled some ice from the freezer and pressed it to his face. He hissed slightly at the cold but let it sooth his sore skin.
When the doorbell rang, he froze. There was only one person that ever wrung his doorbell. What was she doing here?
When it wrung again, and a third time, he grumbled, and went to answer it. Winry gasped when he opened the door. "Oh Edward!" she cried, stepping inside.
"Is it really that bad?" he asked, pulling the ice away from his face.
"Sort of..." she replied hesitantly, closing the door behind her.
"I bet your little boyfriend looks worse," Edward said with a small confident smirk.
"You broke his nose!" Winry said, placing her hands on her hips. "Of course he looks worse."
"Speak of the devil..." Edward said, turning his golden eyes over to her. "Why aren't you over with him, holding a cloth to his bruised and bloody face?" he couldn't help but let a small chuckle escape as he moved deeper into his relatively clean house.
"I broke up with him," Winry said simply. "No need to hang around with an ex-boyfriend."
Edward raised an amused eyebrow. "Why would you do that?"
Winry shrugged. "He hit you, isn't that reason enough?"
Edward took a seat on the old couch next to the beige wall, holding the ice to his face. Winry sighed, taking a seat next to him. "Let me do it." she said, as she took the ice from him. She took the bandana from her hair, letting her hair fall freely on her shoulders. She wrapped the ice in the cloth, then pressed it gently to his face. Edward hissed on contact. "Sorry," Winry whispered.
"It's fine," Edward replied, and let her gently pat his face with the ice cloth.
It was then silent. A comfertable silence that both were afraid to break. The only sounds that pierced the almost perfect universe was the motor of the refrigerator, and the sounds of cars out the window. Both of them became entranced in the mute conversation they were having.
"Edward.." It was Winry who first broke the silence. "On that day... when I nearly got hit by a car." Edward closed his eyes to suppress the guilt. "What did you want to say to me?"
Edward blinked, before he realized what she was saying. With a sigh, he turned to face her, getting lost in her sky blue orbs. "On that day... Winry... I-"
Their moment was interrupted by a powerful knock at the door followed by a man's yells; "Elric!" came the bark of a voice. "Open the damn door!"
Sighing, Edward got to his feet, turning towards the kitchen. He picked up a small black wallet and headed for the door. When he opened the door, he wasn't surprised to find his landlord glaring down at him through small, beady black eyes. "Elric!" he boomed. "Your-"
"Yeah, yeah, my rent is late, gotcha." Edward said, looking through the wallet before shoving the entire thing in his hands. "Here. That should be enough."
"I swear Elric, your rent keep coming later and later. If you don't hurry up-"
Once again, Edward cut him off. "Blame the government. Their checks keep coming late."
"I don't care if their checks are late! I need my money one way or another!" the man yelled, the veins in his neck throbbing angrily.
Edward remained calm. "You'll get your damn money. You have it now so wait until next month to give me your lame ass speech."
The man looked like he was going to have a heart attack, and was ready to yell at Edward until his ears fell off, before Edward slammed the door in his face and turned back towards the couch. There were several loud knocks on the door, before the man turned and stalked off.
Winry frowned. That was the second time her question was interrupted and she was still without an answer. Edward sat down next to her, and she placed the cold cloth to his face again. The silence then wrapped it's claws around them again. Although it wasn't as comfertable as the first.
Winry sighed, trying to make conversation again. "Edward... why would you do this..?" she asked. "What did Envy say that would make you start a fight?"
Edward wrinkled his nose. "What makes you say I started it?" he snapped.
Winry shot him a "what? are you kidding me?" look.
He snorted. "It was nothing."
Winry pushed the cold cloth to his face a little harder then needed, causing Edward to yelp in pain. "Edward," she said in a motherly tone. "It wasn't nothing. Now tell me what happened."
Edward turned away with a scowl. "He was..." he paused. "He was using you to get back at his old girlfriend."
Winry's eyes softened. "So you were defending me?"
"Now you're making me sound all noble!" Edward cried, turning to look at her before turning his eyes away again. "It was nothing like that. He was an all around jackass, and I just got mad. It's not like I did it for you or anything."
She frowned. "Yes you did."
"No I didn't." he shot back.
"Yes you did!"
"No I didn't!"
"Admit it!"
"No!"
Winry frowned, pulling the cold cloth from his face and frowning. "Well then mister too-full-of-himself-to-admit-he-has-feelings. Why did you do it then?"
"Why should I tell you?"
"Because I asked you!"
"So?"
"Just tell me already!"
"No!" Edward yelled. "I'm not telling you because it doesn't matter."
"Yes it does!" She yelled back. "Now why did you do it?"
"Why? Why did I get into a fight with Envy?" Edward yelled. "Because I love you damnnit! And I couldn't let him..." He trailed off when he saw her staring at him, wide eyed, as if he were a ghost. "What?" he asked, not knowing what he had just said.
"You... you said..." Winry couldn't bring herself to say it. The joy inside her all jumped into her throat and sealed it off. She was surprised she could even breath. "Do you mean that?"
Realizing what he said, he turned his eyes away and stared at the ground, his cheeks tinted pink. "Uh... well... I guess.." he mumbled, unsure of how to word it.
When he glanced up, he spotted Winry crying, desperately trying to wipe away tears. "Ah! I'm sorry!" he said, unsure of what he did wrong. "Why are you crying?"
"I don't know." Winry said with a laugh. "I guess I'm really happy." She said, turning to look at him with a broad smile.
"You are?" he asked, rather intelligently.
"Yes. Edward, I want to be with you. I love you and I hope you accept me for it." Gently, she took his hands, staring into those deep golden eyes she had fallen in love with.
"You're asking for my acceptance? I thought I needed to ask you," he said, his cheeks still pink. He then grinned. "Of course I accept."
She then pulled him into a deep hug. "Edward!" she cried. "You've made me the happiest woman on earth!"
Edward hissed. "Ow, ow, ow, Winry! Ribs!" She instantly pulled away.
"Edward! I'm so sorry!"
"It's fine," he replied, before gazing into her eyes. The silence found them again, and wrapped them in a tight ball that neither could escape.
Edward's lips parted, and he mouthed words as if trying to speak. "I guess," he whispered. "This is where I would kiss you."
"I guess..." she whispered back.
As the two blondes drew close, the phone's ring tore through their perfect silence and shredded it to pieces. Edward ignored it, but by the third ring, he sighed, and stood to answer it.
Winry had to put her hand over her chest to slow her rapidly beating heart. She couldn't believe this was actually happening. It was like a scene from one of her dreams.
"You're kidding me?" Edward exclaimed into the phone, catching her attention. "You're not-- But they-- Damnit. Hold them as long as you can Julie. We'll be there as soon as we can." He then slammed the phone down on the receiver, cursing.
"What's wrong?" Winry asked, rising from the couch.
"It's Alphonse," Edward said, turning to look at her. "They're going to cut off his life support."
-
A/N: I know. I took too long and now I leave you with a cliffhanger. Oh well. And yes, you can kind of tell that I love writing love scenes that are totally interrupted. xD Anyway, next chapter is the last, so I'm nervous about putting it up. Oh well. Gotta do it sometime. Please tell me what you think.