Edward slept very well last night. He dreamed of the party Winry threw for him and Alphonse. That was such a nice thing to do on Winry's part. She's done so much for those two, and Edward feels like he owes her so much. Being the nice person she is, all Winry asks for is friendship. Equivalent exchange?
Alphonse pushing on his shoulders interrupts Ed's dreams. Ed moans from being so tired and opens his eyes. Ed smiles, "I've never partied until the early morning. I think I've only gotten 5 hours of sleep."
Al smiles back, "I'm glad you had fun. The party was more so for you. You haven't seen most of these people for over four years." 'Not to be mean, but I could've done without seeing half of them' Ed thinks to himself. "Ed, did you forget what you're supposed to do today?"
'What am I supposed to do today?' Ed ponders. 'What am I supposed to… damnit!' "I'm supposed to teach today!" Ed yells angrily.
Al corrects him, "You're supposed to be teaching in ten minutes." Ed flies out of bed and whips his clothes on. Al grins, "So… Ed… I didn't know you had a romantic side." Ed looks at him like 'Huh?'. "After you finished dancing with Winry, you looked like you were going to kiss her."
"Was not," Ed retorts. "Are we going to do this every morning? You wake me up, then recite everything I did the day before, then try to get me to admit my personal feelings, and then we argue. Now you've made me even more late!" He steps into his shoes and literally leaps down the stairs. Winry is downstairs waiting for Ed to eat breakfast with her.
Ed quickly says, "Sorry Winry, I'm already late. Oh, I smell…". He drools at the sight of a pot full of steaming hot rice.
Winry giggles, "I figured you'd want this for breakfast. Just eat it while you're running, and try not to choke." She pours him a bowl of rice and hands it to him with chopsticks.
Ed takes it. He smiles, "Thanks Winry! See you later." He opens the door and darts down the road. Winry smiles. She's so glad to see Ed so happy. He usually looked like he was faking happiness every time she saw him after what happened to him and Al, but this time she knows he's happy. She pours a bowl of rice to Al and herself.
Al walks downstairs and sighs. Winry looks up, "What's wrong with you?"
Al lets out an even bigger sigh. He scratches the back of his head. "Heh, if only you knew, Winry. If only you knew. By the way, you look kinda pale. Are you okay?"
Winry continues to smile, "I'm fine, Al. Just tired from yesterday."
Al nods and starts looking through Winry's collection of books to find something to read. Automail, automail, prosthetics, how to tell good wrenches from bad ones. Al shudders. So many automail books. She probably learned how to throw her wrench from one of these books. More automail, automail, good oil to use, and… an alchemy book! Why would Winry have an alchemy book?
Al looks at Winry strangely. "Hey Winry. Do you use alchemy?"
"Are you crazy! Why the hell would I try alchemy when I could try making new automail designs?" Winry says. Nope, she doesn't. Al flips through the pages of the book, noticing it looks like one of his father's books. Actually, it is! His father's signature is signed on the inside of the front cover. The only way Winry could have this is if she recovered it after they burned their house down. Why would she keep it? He begins flipping through the pages, observing the notes handwritten inside. It's not Hohenheim's handwriting. It's Winry's.
Winry is curious as to why Alphonse would ask such a question. Her curiosity is answered when she sees him reading the alchemy book. She freaks and snatches the book out of his hands. Al whines, "Hey, I was reading that! Besides, where did you get that book?"
"Al, just don't read what's in here," Winry says seriously.
"I bet Ed would love to know what's written in here. Maybe I should tell him, or let him read it himself," Al grins.
Winry gasps, "You wouldn't dare! Since when did you become so evil?"
Al says, "I'm not evil. But anyway, I think you should tell him yourself."
Winry frowns, "I can't. No. I don't want to. I'm afraid he will think of me differently and act differently around me." She gives Al his bowls of rice and goes upstairs, coughing the entire time. Al smiles inside. 'She'll give in before he does. Besides, Ed needs a girl in his life.'
Later that day around 3 P.M., Ed returns. He flings the door open, wearing that happy face you rarely see. He yells, "Hey Al, Winry, I'm…" he pauses for a brief moment and looks around. He says to himself, "Where is everyone?"
Al hears Ed and comes downstairs. Al speaks quietly, "Keep your voice down. Winry is upstairs sleeping. She has a cold."
"She gets a cold when summer is about to start, that's odd. Is she okay?" Ed frowns.
"Yeah. Somebody probably came to the party sick." Al changes the subject for a second. "So anyway, how was teaching?"
Teaching. Teacher. Ed thinks of Izumi when he hears either of those words. "It was interesting. I didn't really teach anything today. The kids mostly asked about me and when I was in the military."
Al smiles, "You're still a celebrity."
"Eh, anyway. I'm going upstairs to see Winry," Ed says, already starting to walk upstairs. He quietly twists the doorknob and opens Winry's door. He leaves it open just a crack and pulls up a chair next to her bed. 'She looks pale.' He notices an alchemy book sitting on her nightstand. He picks it up and sits back down, flipping through the pages. 'One of Dad's old alchemy books. Why would Winry have this…' He flips to a page with a simple transmutation circle on it and reads the writing next to it. He chuckles. When we were young, Edward and Alphonse used this circle to make a doll for me. I was scared, but I played with that doll all the time. I still have it too. He flips to another page. No one understands what happened to Edward that day. When Al came back as a ten-year-old boy, it left everyone confused. Most people thought Ed died. I didn't. I knew he was somewhere. I hoped everyday I would see him again, but I soon gave up. Maybe he really did die. Even so, I've come to realize that I have strong feelings for Ed, and always will. I'll take care of Alphonse to the best of my abilities, for Edward. 'Feelings… for me?' He is about to read more pages, some might make him gasp, but he hears Winry moan. He sets the book down to look at Winry.
Winry opens her eyes and smiles at the sight of Ed. She manages to croak out, "How was teaching?"
Ed laughs, "That doesn't matter right now. How are you feeling? Getting better?"
"I think so. I'm just really cold."
"Want me to grab more blankets?" Ed asks.
"No, that's okay. I'm already under three. Adding more doesn't seem to work," she chuckles.
"Well, Al tried to call Granny, but he couldn't get a hold of her," Ed says. Ed wants to talk about his day, but Winry starts shaking uncontrollably. "W-Winry?" Ed stutters. Ed yells, "Al, get up here!"
Al runs up to the room Ed and Winry are in. "What's wrong?"
"She said she is very cold, but she started shaking uncontrollably like this!"
Al remains calm. "Roy Mustang said there was a bad flu going around Central. One of them probably brought it when they came to the party. He said they get pale, then really cold and start doing this, then you're bedridden for a week."
"A week!" Ed freaks. "I have to teach again soon!"
"Forget that! We have to help Winry," Al states. "I kept giving her blankets, but she said they weren't helping."
"Then what else can we use for heat?" Ed asks impatiently. He looks at Winry and fears for her.
Al thinks for a moment and says, "Well, remember what Teacher told us? The body is the best source of heat. So, if you get into the bed with her…".
Ed cuts him off. "What! First of all, why me? Why don't you do it? It's your idea."
"It would make more sense if you did it."
"What does that mean? Oh, don't start this Al," Ed warns.
Al sighs, "It would mean more to her if you helped her. Besides, when have you ever helped Winry?"
Ed is speechless. The answer to his question is never, and now he feels bad. "You're right. I'll do it." Ed pulls up some of the covers to get in, but Al stops him.
"You idiot. You have to take your clothes off," Al says.
Ed grumbles, but he takes off all his clothes until he's in only his boxers. He pulls the covers off and gently lifts Winry up. He gets into the bed and leans his back against the headboard of the bed. He lowers Winry back down. She practically melts into him. Al pulls the covers back over them. Ed wraps his arms around her. A thought just popped into his head. "Won't my automail feel cold on her?"
"I think she'll be okay," Al reassures. "I'll come check on you guys in a little while." Al opens the door, and right before he leaves he says, "Brother, I should've told you this earlier, but this flu is contagious." Al closes the door before Ed has a chance to throw something at him. Al says to himself, "Which means I'll probably get it soon."
Ed sighs. 'I haven't been sick for years, just a little homesick.' He feels the shaking Winry against his body and cringes. He pulls her a little tighter against himself. He closes his eyes and hopes for the best.
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Sorry the update took so long. Now I work 5 days a week, so it feels like I can't do anything else. I leave for vacation on Friday, so don't expect another update for about a month. I also started a livejournal, so I think the link is in my profile. Also, Ed might start acting a little OOC, but I'm trying to make it as believable as possible. Enjoy!