Chapter Four

When they had arrived back at the apartment, Winry sent Jered to the bathroom to take a long overdue hot shower while she started packing the crates of automail parts she had strewn about the room. There was a workbench against the far wall with a light and all her tools. She gathered parts from the floor, dresser top, beside table, even the bed as she moved about the room and put them in the crates near the door. She was used to gathering up her parts when her Granny or Ed came to visit and would use the guest room. Once the crates were full, she moved them to the large living room and put them in the corner to rearrange later. Winry was back at the work bench, gathering her tools into her toolbox when a throat cleared behind her.

Jered was standing in the doorway, hair dark from the water that dripped off the curling ends to land on his bare torso, a towel wrapped around his waist. Winry's fingers stilled as her gaze scanned his chest, lingering over the lines etched by firm muscles and the scattering of shiny scar tissue. She found a light blush coloring her cheeks as she let her gaze drift lower and lower, past the strip of hair below his navel to the towel tucked snuggly around his hips when a glint caught her eye.

Winry heard herself gasp, but her eyes were locked on his right leg, which instead of the toned flesh mirrored on his left leg, was automail. She found herself kneeling before him to closer inspect the automail limb. It was well worn, with several signs of age, wear, and tear. She was about to reach out to touch when Jered suddenly shuffled back a step. Only then did Winry remember he was in only a towel.

Her face turned beet red, and she stumbled back on her feet until she bumped into the work bench, averting her gaze in embarrassment. "Uh, sorry… about that… I'll just get this out of here and let you change." Winry snatched up the toolbox and swiftly exited the room, Jered stood aside, hiding a smirk as she quickly rushed past him.

Jered had noticed the heated look on her face as her eyes roamed over his mostly naked body. He enjoyed her attention and felt a bit smug that someone as beautiful as Winry would be caught admiring him. When she had noticed his automail leg, something he knew would be inevitable, the look of hungry excitement crossed her face as quickly as she crossed the room to kneel before him. As much as he enjoyed the image, not to mention the naughty thoughts, that came from her on her knees before him, when she began to reach for him, he pulled away from her reach and his temptation. Judging by the shocked look on her face, it had been the right thing to do.

He unpacked his few belongings and changed into a worn pair of dark gray sweatpants and a white t-shirt that had some small holes in it. He looked down at his bare feet, the dull metal of his right foot and the flesh of his left and let out a breath. Winry would want to know; she would have a lot of questions. He knew this conversation was bound to come sooner or later and he braced himself to explain his past.

Winry fiddled nervously with the crates of automail she'd moved into the living room, rearranging the parts on the spare table she had in the living room on the far side from the couch and coffee table. She heard a door open down the hallway and she froze, feeling embarrassed from their earlier encounter and anticipation in learning more about Jered. He had never talked about himself much and once Winry realized he was homeless, she could see why, but Winry had a curious nature.

Jered appeared around the corner and his gaze scanned the kitchen to his right before seeing her moving towards him and the couch. He shuffled nervously towards her, clothed in a well-worn white t-shirt that was becoming threadbare, enabling Winry to catch glimpses of the well-defined ridge of muscle just below the soft material. He also wore old and worn out dark gray sweatpants, the cuffs frayed and his feet bare, exposing one flesh foot and one metal foot. Winry sat on the couch and patted the seat beside her as she gave him a reassuring smile. Hesitantly Jered continued his shuffle forward and lowered himself on the far side, leaving the middle cushion between them open.

He remained sitting forward, his elbows resting on his thighs, his hands fiddling nervously, and his gaze averted. Winry was turned towards him and watched with growing worry at his silence.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." She smiled warmly at him when he glanced her way. "I know it's been a long night, and I've learned enough about you for one day." She glimpsed at the clock on the wall. "And it's late." She added with a nonchalant shrug. A brief silence ensued and Winry started to stand until a large, warm hand wrapped around her wrist and as she leaned back on the couch again, she was caught in Jered's warm gaze as his hand slid from her wrist to weave their fingers together.

"No. I want to tell you." He said in a heavy, husky voice, his face serious and his gaze sad. "I just… I haven't told anyone this story… in a long time."

Winry scootched closer, keeping her fingers linked with his and leaned against him in a show of comfort. A smile briefly pulled at his lips before a far-off gaze overcame him.

"I was twelve at the time. It was raining that day and my family, my older sister and my parents and I were all driving somewhere; I don't even remember where anymore." He frowned and Winry squeezed his hand. "The light changed so fast, and the roads were slick…"

Winry tried to suppress her gasp as his voice broke and trailed off. Winry leaned heavily against his side and resting her head on his shoulder as she felt the familiar sting of tears in her eyes.

"We were t-boned in the intersection. My dad was driving and my sister, Anna, was sitting behind him. They died on impact. My… My mom-" his strained voice cracked for a moment before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing on their joined hands, her thumb stroking the back of his hand, as he continued. "Mom was crushed by the dashboard. I heard her screams turn to gurgles…" He had glassy eyes as he recounted the horrors of his past. "The car had twisted, and the seat had impaled my right leg and I was trapped until rescue workers got me out. In the hospital, I lost my leg from above the knee." He shifted forward, still holding her hand and careful not to dislodge her from his side as he slowly worked up the leg of his sweatpants to reveal his automail leg and the old, scratched, and dented metal of it. "I didn't have any other family, so as soon as I was healed, I was out on the streets. I did a lot of odd jobs." Winry snuggled against his side, and he squeezed her hand in reassurance. "It wasn't all bad. As I got older, I had to learn to repair my automail on my own. It's not always pretty or a very good job… It helps when you have access to everything you need." He said elbowing her lightly in a teasing way.

Winry suddenly looked up at him with glistening blue eyes and a determined look on her face. "I want to make a new leg for you." She said, putting her free hand on his metal knee.

Jered looked startled for a moment. "Eh… you don't have to…"

"I want to." She said insistently.

Jered thought it over a moment. "That would be great!" He gushed, turning a broad smile on her. "My foot is too small, the knee likes to stick, and my port connection is old and the wiring shoddy." He grinned as if he was proud.

Winry's eyes bugged out at him and the hand on his knee struck him in the chest. "You idiot! Why didn't you tell me all about this sooner?!" She shouted angrily.

"Hey!" he protested, capturing the hand against his chest with his free hand and stared down at her angry face. "I'm… telling you now?" he asked tentatively.

Winry's beautiful features softened into a smile and Jered felt drawn to her as he leaned forward slowly.

"My parents died too!" Winry suddenly blurted, pulling away and turning her gaze to her lap. She tried to let go of his hand, but when she pulled away, he tightened his hold and pulled her back to his side. Her hair had swung forward to obscure her face and Jered tenderly brushed some strands behind a pierced ear before tracing her jawline with his calloused fingers to her chin where he gently lifted her face to meet his concerned gaze.

"Winry…" he whispered softly, his green eyes searching hers. "What happened?"

"My parents were doctors and amazing, generous people. When the Ishvalan war was happening, I was young, maybe five or six. My parents went to help, and they treated the Amestrian soldiers… but they also treated the injured Ishval innocent bystanders. They didn't care where people came from or what they believed, they just wanted to help people." Winry took a deep breath as tears fell freely from her eyes slowly, but her voice remained steady. "They were killed because they were helping people." She didn't realize her hands were shaking until Jered gave hers a firm squeeze. "They were both murdered and I never got to see them again. I barely remember my parents."

She began to cry in earnest. She almost never talked about this because it was just too painful to open old wounds. Jered released her hand only to pull her into a tight embrace, and she wrapped her arms around him and allowed herself to cry into his shoulder, dampening the threadbare material. Jered held her and ran a soothing hand across her back until Winry had cried herself out.

"Sorry." She sniffled, wiping at her eyes. "I'm not usually this much of a crier."

Jered brushed away an errant tear with his thumb as she smiled gently down at her. "It's alright. It's been… an emotional evening."

Winry wiped the dampness from her cheeks one last time and smiled at him wearily. "We should probably get some sleep now. We work in the morning."

Jered let out an exaggerated groan before he heaved himself off the couch and turned to offer Winry a hand up. She took it and then followed him from the living room, down the hall to their respective rooms. "Goodnight Winry."

"Goodnight, Jered."

Sarahplainntall here! Hope you enjoy this super sad extra tear-jerking (super duper weepy) chapter! I appreciate all the people who review this story, you guys are the best! Purplevioletts, I'm glad you're enjoying Jered, I hope this chapter just cements that for you! Elvenstar146, thanks! Hope you liked this chapter too! Rookblonkorules, hope this keeps your interest. Things are about to start getting a bit darker. And I also got a lovely comment from a guest, so thanks!