Disclaimer: I don't own FullMetal Alchemist. I don't even own myself. My reviewers do.
AH! Still no love, and THREATS THIS TIME? Though somewhat humorous, yet frightening at the same time, I think I shall manage and add another super dooper chapter. This one, I'm hoping you will like more then the last two.
By the way, I'm assuming in the world of FullMetal Alchemist that they do not have washing machines.
Chapter 19 - Say That You Do
Words are as hard to say as charades are so hard to keep.
The news about "Al and Winry" had spread amazingly fast, but no one seemed to try to talk them out of it - Everyone knew the truth that Al was too blind to see, that he was way more into it then Winry. While he was ecstatic, Winry still tried to hide her misery. Whenever he hugged her, she didn't feel the warmth she had felt from Ed, and when he tried to kiss her she turned the other way, even if it landed on her cheek. It still didn't send that certain electricity that Ed's kisses had made her feel. He was always bugging Winry about it, but she never answered him. She didn't want him to kiss her.
Edward stayed out of Winry's way, as Winry avoided him too, but it still wasn't a bliss in the house. There was always someone commenting to add to the tension, and an eruption didn't seem too far away. Both Riza and Roy, had noticed Winry's artificial attraction to Al, and even Pinako kept her nose out of it. But Riza knew better, that the whole thing was making everyone in the house unhappy, and she had planned on talking to Winry about it. When she had proposed that Roy did the same with Al, he was a bit baffled. It wasn't everyday that he was asked to give advice to the younger Elric, but since everyone had been so tense, he had agreed.
Hawkeye had gotten quite used to sharing a room with Winry, and it was actually fun to have someone else to talk to that wasn't a guy. In the military, almost everyone she worked with was a man. Winry had just finished showering, right after Hawkeye, and was now drying her hair in a white towel in her bathrobe. Riza's hair was still down, and it was drying as she sat in her camouflage sweatpants and a white tank top, cleaning her gun. She knew she wouldn't use it, but it was still comforting to know that it was clean and always ready for use. Winry had set on brushing her hair, before Riza knew it was time to start the conversation.
"So, Al's pretty cute, right?"
"I guess." Winry said.
"That doesn't sound too convincing, especially from me."
"Well, he's cute. That's that." She turned and looked at Riza. "Can I braid your hair?" Hawkeye looked a little shocked, but she nodded, and Winry started.
"So . . . how do you feel about Al?" She felt Winry's hands twisting her hair.
"I'm dating him, aren't I?" A very diplomatic answer, she had to give Winry credit. "What about you and Roy?"
"That's not the subject, but I love Roy, if that's what you're getting at." She blushed furiously while Winry gave a small laugh, and restrained herself from mumbling 'lucky.' "Do you love Al?" Winry sighed and slowed down braiding.
"Love's something you can't rush." She remembered how stupid she was, telling Edward she loved him. Stupid, stupid. . .
". . .Unless it's a first love. Those come rather fast, don't they?" The subject was of course, leaning towards Ed, and it was Winry's turn to blush.
"I guess they do." She tried to close the conversation, but Hawkeye wasn't done yet.
"Did you love Ed?" Anyone in the world would have known Winry's immediate reaction to this question, and that it would be a lie. She was hurt from him, what else could she say?
"No, I was stupid for acting on a crush." Riza noticed Winry was a little rougher when it came to finishing the last of the braid. Still, Winry tied it in elastic, while Riza continued talking.
"Nothing more?" Winry shook her head and stood up from a ground, handing Riza a mere to admire her work. "Wow, you're good at braiding." Winry nodded, proud of her skills and practice.
"Your hair reminds me of . . ." She didn't finish. Lately, she couldn't even say his name.
"Edward's?" Winry nodded, and quickly changed into her pajama's, while Hawkeye laid down on her mattress, and stretched her legs. After changing, Winry did the same with her own bed. "Win, you know you can talk to me about this stuff. It's not like I'm Al or Pinako."
She sighed. "I know Riza, it's just so . . . strange, talking about it. I just want to forget that it ever happened."
"And you think dating Al will help you do that?" Winry didn't reply, so Hawkeye tried to rephrase her question to get the answer she expected. "Do you want to date Al?"
"Do I have to answer?" Riza nodded and Winry groaned. "I don't think it's the right thing, but I don't see why not. He's nicer to me then some people."
"Don't settle for less then you want, Winry. I didn't." Riza said, giving her advice.
"That doesn't help. I don't know what I want." She said, frustrated.
"How do I know what you want, but you don't? Talk to him Winry. You know who I mean." Hawkeye flipped the lights out, and Winry laid down on the pillow, and as much as she tried, she couldn't fall asleep, because part of her knew Riza was right, and the other part denied it.
Meanwhile, in the other room, all three men were already changed into their night clothes (except for Roy, who's so sexy he sleeps in his boxers), and sitting up in bed, sharing "manly talk." Edward was sitting at his desk, writing a letter to who Roy assumed was Rose. He knew that it was the perfect time to bring up the subject of Winry, who Riza had most likely already talked to. He had to keep his end of the deal.
"So, Al, how're things with Winry?" Ed stayed silent, and kept to what he was doing. Now, if this was just any girl, Edward would have already let out his share of perverted comments.
"Thing's are going pretty well, I guess." He said, leaning back into his pillow.
"Have you kissed her yet?" Edward twitched, waiting for the answer, but Al just laughed.
"Does a kiss count if it's unsuccessful?" Roy shook his head. "Oh. Well then, I guess we haven't. But I know she will soon, maybe even tomorrow."
"Why, what's going on tomorrow?" Roy asked, still watching Ed out of the corner of his eye, who seemed very intent on listening to the conversation.
"Well, Edward and I were going to look for a home down here, but Ed didn't want to go so I invited Winry." Roy watched as Ed bit his lip, suppressing the angry words that would come out.
"And I was thinking, if she wanted to get out of this house, maybe she could come spend a few days with us in our new house." Roy thought of the perfect phrase to see Ed's reaction. He watched the boy carefully, who too was awaiting a response.
"What do you plan on doing with her there?" Ed turned around.
"Will you two shut up!" Roy tried to hide his smile.
"Well, Edward, a little jealous?" Ed sat back, and tried to act very nonchalant about the whole ordeal.
"Not in the slightest. I have Rose now." Mustang knew it was time for his charismatic charm, heh.
"Ah, but Edward, just because you may be with someone else doesn't mean that you can't think about other women. In fact, every man thinks about other women, it's just a matter of hiding that fact from the one they truly love."
"Yeah, Ed, don't think I'd get mad or anything. I understand if you think Winry's pretty. I think she's gorgeous myself."
"I didn't say that!" Roy smirked.
"Well, do you think so?" Ed looked outraged.
"What!" Roy rephrased his question.
"Do you think Winry's pretty?" There was silence and anticipation in the room.
"She's alright."
"Liar." Roy commented. Ed turned to glare at him, and their eyes met. After being in the military so long, Roy could spot a liar from a mile away.
"She's pretty, alright?" Al looked a little disturbed, but nodded. That was the best talking Roy could do for now, because he couldn't talk to Ed any farther then that with Al in the room. So the lights were turned out, and everyone laid down, not another word said. The next day, Al woke up early and got dressed in jeans and a button up shirt. He tip-toed out of the room, trying not to wake up the other sleeping men, and opened Winry's door. Riza was gone, but Winry was still sleeping. Al bounced on her bed, and she groaned and turned over, using the pillow to cover her head.
"Wake up sleepy." He said, shaking her. She popped out from under the pillow, her hair a mess covering her face. He laughed. "Bad case of bed head." She hit him with the pillow and tried to go back to sleep, but he wouldn't allow her.
"We have to go look for the house!"
"This early?" She groaned.
"Yes, so get ready."
"It's going to take a while."
"I can wait." He left her room, and saw Ed, awake in the hall, stretching.
"Good morning!" Al said cheerfully. Ed nodded and yawned.
"You know, Al, it's been a while since we sparred. In fact, last time was when you were a bulky suit of armor. What do you say to stretching those muscles?"
"I say, meet you outside in ten." Al hopped downstairs, and Ed changed his clothes, and raced out onto the porch to see Al standing, with a smug look on his face he could have only acquired from watching Mustang.
"Ready?" Al nodded.
"Ready as ever." Ed raced forward and tried to land a blow on Al, who caught the fist, pushing Ed away. Al kicked Ed, who landed on the ground with a soft thud, but he was back up again when he hit Al in the stomach.
"Things hurt more when you're flesh . . ." He said, trying to recover his breath. He dodged another kick by Ed, and tackled him. Winry took a step outside, and saw the two boys fighting, and almost laughed. She knew who challenged who, but this time, she didn't know who would win. Normally, she would have counted on Al to win, but he wasn't in his suit of armor anymore, he would actually fatigue. Ed reeled his fist back to punch Al, and Winry knew it was time she interrupted.
"Al!" Both boys looked up, and scrambled off of each other. Al waved, but Ed stuck his hands in his pockets, a little angry that things had to stop. He was sure he was going to win. As Winry walked past with Al, for once, she didn't glare at him, but she didn't smile either. Ed looked back and watched her walk away. Winry had remembered Riza's words, and while they were looking for houses with "For Sale" signs, she was barely paying attention, but Al didn't seem to notice. She just stared out into the open, thinking about if she should really talk with Ed. But what was she hoping for? Him to dump Rose for a dull blonde like her? She shouldn't even be thinking about it anyways, she had Al, and that was what she wanted, right?
By the time they got home, Winry didn't even know if Al was interested in a house, bought a house, or even looked at one. She wouldn't even had known if he won the Noble Peace Prize, because she didn't pay any attention at all. The only thing on her mind was what she could say to Ed, or if she could say anything at all. When they arrived home, it was around three and Al was still babbling on about the things he saw.
"So what do you think, Winry?" Winry panicked by her lack of listening skills.
"Uhm, go for it?" She said, hoping it'd be the right answer to whatever he had asked or said before.
"Okay, then, I'll be back soon." Winry sat at the kitchen table and rested her head in her hands. She thought of something she could do to pass the time away. She could at least help out Pinako with chores, since she hadn't been much of a help lately.
"Laundry call!" She yelled to whomever was in the house, she heard people stomping, and most likely picking clothes up from the floor. Everyone in the house came and dropped their clothes into the laundry basket, which Winry dragged to the bucket of suds outside. She started on her own clothes, checking the pockets to make sure nothing important got wet. Actually, she did this with all clothes, and collected quite a lot of change from it.
She shook Ed's jacket, and some crumpled papers fell out. Before she threw them away, she looked at them - They were her letters. Confused, she was looking threw them, thinking of any possible reason he would keep them for so long. Mixed in their, were letters from Rose. Reading each of them, being the curious person she is, she could barely comment.
Edward,
I'm doing quite fine, and you? I'm still stuck until I can find another train to Liore. No one really wants to go there, so they don't make a lot of convenient trains with Liore as a destination. Tell Winry I said Hi, I guess. Maybe then you'll stop talking about her? That'd do just fine. I'm worried about leaving though, and you should start responding to my letters more often.
Rose
Winry admired the beautiful script on the letter, so much neater and prettier then her own. It made her a little jealous . . . just a little.
Edward,
Writing this on a train, please don't mind the handwriting. The train's actually pretty empty, but it's not a smooth ride. I'm going to be pretty sad going back to that desert town. I still haven't gotten your reply. I swear, Ed, if you don't right back I'm going to be angry.
Rose
She did notice that the writing was shaky, but she didn't care. She just put it behind the next letter, and continued reading.
Edward,
When you do write, it's barely a response. You never say anything interesting, or what's going on with you. I'm sick of you being so distant. Maybe we should just call it quits!
Rose
Winry hadn't the slightest clue that things were going so bad for him and Rose, but she couldn't help but feel the smallest of hope grow inside her, that she knew shouldn't be there.
Edward
Fine then! Don't write to me ever again! I don't want to talk to you anymore. You should get over Winry first before trying to date other girls.
Rose
Ed wasn't over her? When did this happen? Winry felt so confused, she didn't know what to say, until she saw Ed heading out of the house.
"What are these about?" She said, in a voice she didn't mean to make out so weak.
"I should ask you the same." He said, lifting up a pile of letters, that Winry recognized as the ones under her bed. She was shocked that he actually went snooping.
"Give them back." She said, in a voice that was supposed to be firm.
"Why, you want to keep them?" He said, smirking.
"Just give them back!"
"Give me mine."
"Fine!" She handed them over and snatched hers out of Ed's hands, still surprised he actually went into her room.
"I imagine you've read them?" He said, more of a question then a statement. She gave a small nod.
"Why. . .Ed? Why did you break up with me?" He looked down, losing his confidence quickly. He didn't want to tell her, but there isn't any other reason he could come up with.
"I was . . . afraid."
"Why?"
"I was afraid that you'd just go away like everyone else. That'd I'd scare you away, and you'd leave. You're just too good for me, Winry. I couldn't handle it."
"What about Rose?"
"I broke things off with her. She'd tell me I'd talk about you too much. . ." Winry was happy in a way, but still so confused. She was right in front of Ed, and she shouldn't of been thinking the things she when she was "happy" with Al.
"Do you love him?" Ed said, looking into her eyes. She shouldn't say anything, she should just walk away. He broke her heart, she should just walk away without answering.
" . . .No. Ed, you're complicating things so much for me." He took a step closer to her, and she was afraid he'd hear her heart beating out of her chest. She wanted to stay cool in front of him, but it was getting so hard for her. . .
"Do you still love me?" She almost flinched at the words.
"Ed. . . I can't do this! To your own brother!"
"You're right, you can't do this. You can't keep leading him on if you feel anything for me." She looked at him, at his golden eyes that were so convincing. It almost hurt.
"But - " They were interrupted by the sounds of Al walking down the path.
"Hey Winry! I did what you said and I bought it!" Ed walked into the house, leaving Winry and Al alone.
"That's great, Al."
"It will be, Winry, but first I have to ask you something." Winry nodded, and Al sat down on the porch steps. She sat next to him.
"I was thinking when I was looking at that house. I thought of you . . ." He said softly. Winry nodded for him to continue. "It's only been a week, but I have to say it. I love you, Winry. It's been bugging the hell out of me, so I have to ask it." Winry waited for him.
"Do you love me too?"
Dun.Dun. DUNNNN. Okay, I would like to INFORM YOU ALL that I will MEET the reviewers demands so I don't get my head blown off. Okay guys? No killing? Fantastic.
animechick50 - An ultimate Edwin moment isn't in this chapter, but perhaps next if you get that gun out of my face, lol! And don't tell my mama, she might kick meh down the stairs! lol!
SavannahX - Yeah, He's annoying when he's all metal, but perhaps now he can be cute, lol!
BlaznXrapture - Mwahaha. I am insane, but evil, nahh. If I was evil, I'd make you wait reallllly long for this chapter. But I promise I will meet the rest of your demands in the next chapter. You have my word. And by the way, you're still one of my favorite reviewers even if you have a gun to my throat.
Anicka - Thank you for not threatening me with weapons, lol!
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I'll inform you guys again. Go to my freewebs site, which link is in my profile. I update it with summaries about further chapters. If you're too lazy to view my profle to get the link, I'll put it here, but remove all the spaces please
w w w . f r e e w e b s . c o m / r o y m u s t a n g s b a b e / h o m e . h t m
