From the moment she had adjusted her swimming schedule, Winry should've known it wouldn't have gone as planned. Nothing in her life was that simple, and for her, even a slight change in routine could cause a chain reaction.
Because of the storms that commonly appeared at night, she had taken to swimming in the morning instead. She figured it would double as practice and exercise, and be a good start to her day. That had been a vast understatement on her part.
Having grown tired of freestyle laps, she was taking a break to watch the sunrise, kicking her legs absentmindedly to stay afloat. It painted the horizon in shades of orange and yellow, melting in with the blue sky like molten glass. Beyond its beaches and vast fields, Resembool was known for its sunrises and sunsets, and this one had hardly disappointed.
Just as she had turned to return to shore, a voice broke through the silence, inches from the back of her head.
"Hey."
Without thinking, she let out a shriek and splashed the perpetrator across the face. It was Ed, because of course it was, and he was wearing a goofy grin on his face as if he hadn't nearly given her a heart attack.
"You could at least give me a warning, you jerk!" she yelled, voice an octave higher than usual.
He grinned wider, wiping his bangs from his face. "Where's the fun in that?"
She huffed, splashing him again. "What are you doing here anyways?" She inwardly winced at her question as soon as it left her mouth.
"For starters, I live here."
Right, and he had just proven her point. She ignored him and opted for a deadpan expression, hoping he'd get along with the real reason he was swimming right behind her.
"Fine… there's something I need your help with. You still owe me for saving you, you know."
She raised an eyebrow. This didn't have something to do with the automail arm, did it? "Sure, but if we're going to be making deals, I'd rather be on land than treading water."
Ed looked down at her legs as if he had forgotten she had any, and shrugged with his single arm.
"Alright then, but don't take all day getting there!" He dove head first beneath the water before she had a chance to answer, tail splashing her on the way down.
She quickly ducked beneath the water to follow him, squinting through the water to the best of her abilities. From what she could see, he was fast. The last time she'd seen him he'd been washed ashore with her, incapable of moving around. Now that she was finally watching him swim, she couldn't help but stare in awe at how gracefully he moved throughout the water. His body moved as an entire unit, with the waves seemingly working alongside him. She'd never seen anything like it, and it was breathtaking.
As soon as Ed reached the shore, she saw him pull himself up onto one of the many large rocks that covered the beach. She quickly hurried to join him, straining to climb up so she sat beside him.
"Took you long enough." He looked seconds away from breaking into laughter, and Winry had to force herself not to smack him on the shoulder.
"Like that's even fair!" She wiped at her eyes, trying to get rid of the stinging feeling the seawater gave them. "So what do you want me to do? I'll be glad to help as long as it isn't too crazy— I do have a job, you know."
For as confident and arrogant as he had looked before, Ed's demeanor completely shifted into one of uncertainty.
"Umm…" He absentmindedly tugged at his hair, looking the opposite direction.
"Just spit it out!"
He flinched and turned to face her, eyes suddenly burning with resolve. "I want to be a human."
He… what?
"How could I help you with that?! How is that even possible?"
"Look, I know it sounds crazy-"
She cut him off, completely bewildered. "It is crazy!"
"But— I have good reason to believe it can be done." His arm strayed to rub at the back of his neck. "There's rumors that say merfolk can transform into humans if they're on land for long enough, after their tail is completely dry. It's a long shot, sure, but I need to try, and you're the perfect person to help me get adjusted to land."
"You mean you don't know for sure? If that were possible, wouldn't you all be trying it?"
He shook his head. "No. Merfolk spend their entire lives staying as far from humans as possible. They're terrified to even approach them, let alone live among them. Even besides that, most aren't willing to leave their homes and families behind."
It seemed strange to her, but she could hardly judge their behavior. Humans were the same way, constantly stuck in their ways and refusing to accept change. Even if given the opportunity to explore something new and exciting, she wasn't sure many would be willing to. With that admission, though, another question tugged at the back of her mind.
"Why do you want to be a human then? What makes you so different from everyone else?"
"I've always been fascinated with the human world, ever since I was young. I guess I just… want to see what's out there." He stared ahead at the rolling hills of Resembool, a faint smile gracing his lips. "There's not much left for me back home—besides my brother—so why not take the chance to start fresh?"
That was as good a reason as any, she supposed. She couldn't imagine living her entire life in the sea, separated from the world and everything it had to offer. Without automail, she wasn't sure what she'd do.
"What about your brother? Is he coming too?"
"Yep, later tonight. I thought I'd get a head start though, you know?" He looked down at his tail, hanging over the edge of the rock, and scowled. "It's taking longer than I would've thought, though."
If he'd have legs soon, then wouldn't that mean…? Shit.
"One second, let me grab something." She hopped onto the beach and jogged over to her towel, hoping he wouldn't notice the redness on her cheeks.
After grabbing it and returning to where he was sitting, she threw it at his face in a heap. "Try and use this to dry off, and then wrap it around your waist, okay?"
"Wrap it- why?" Oh god, he was clueless.
"You'll need some sort of decency before I can get you some clothes!"
He tilted his head, holding the towel out in front of him. "Clothes?"
Winry didn't know whether to laugh or scream in frustration. "Yes! It's what humans wear on our bodies. It helps protect our skin and cover up more… sensitive areas, so just do what I'm telling you!"
"Okay, fine!" He began drying himself off with the towel, mumbling under his breath. "Don't have to act so weird about it…"
After he had dried himself off and tied the towel around his waist, she could tell something had begun to happen. He let out a small gasp, and she curiously pressed for answers.
"What is it?"
"It feels really… dry. Really dry." He stared at his tail and Winry followed suit, looking fixedly as the scales seemed to morph into skin.
"Does it hurt?" she asked. As someone who worked in the medical field, the entire process seemed impossible to her, but then again, so had merpeople.
"No, it just feels weird." He stared with his mouth agape as his tail slowly split into two. "Holy shit, it's actually working! It wasn't just a story!"
In a matter of seconds, all semblance of a tail was gone, and he had legs and feet just the same as any human. Ed's face broke out in an enormous grin, and he slowly began to move his feet, wiggling his toes.
"Al is gonna freak!"
Winry didn't bother asking who Al was, assuming he was Ed's brother, and instead smiled alongside him. Despite hardly knowing Ed, the pure joy radiating off of him was contagious, and she couldn't remember the last time she'd seen someone look so happy.
He pulled in his legs and started to push himself up with his arm, wobbling as if it would help him keep his balance.
"Need help?"
He frowned, shooting her a glare. "I can do it on my own just fine!"
Winry stood for good measure, holding her arms out for what would inevitably happen. Why did he have to be so stubborn?
As expected, his wobbling legs gave way and he toppled over, right into her arms.
"You sure you don't need help?" she giggled, looking down at him as he turned a bright shade of red.
He huffed, doing a pouty face she was sure he wasn't aware of. "Shut up."
That was his cue for "yes," she assumed, so she pulled him up until he was standing and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
"One step at a time. Just move your leg forward and lean into it, following with the other. Copy what I do." As an automail engineer, she was used to teaching patients how to walk again. Compared to them, Ed would hopefully be no trouble at all.
He did as she instructed, moving one shaking leg after another as she guided him down to the beach.
"Ready to try on your own?"
"You bet I am!"
Ed pulled away from her and took a hesitant step, followed by another. By the third, he was wobbling and flailing his arm around as if he were on a tightrope. As soon as he began to fall over, she caught him with ease, and once again he was scowling in her arms.
"I'll get it next time."
She rolled her eyes, propping him up like she had the first time. "Sure."
He frowned but didn't protest, so they began the slow trek up the hill.
"This stuff feels funny."
She looked over in amusement, catching him staring at the ground in wonder. "You mean the grass?"
"Yeah. It's so… green."
Winry shook her head and chuckled, pulling him ahead. If the grass was enough to get him excited, then it seemed her day would be full of his new "discoveries." She mentally reminded herself to cancel her appointments for the day, because there was no way she'd be able to leave Ed to his own devices.
As they climbed, Ed exhibited the behavior of an overexcited toddler who only thought they were cool. He'd act composed when she was looking, only to return to his awed staring when she wasn't paying attention. His enthusiasm rivaled hers when she had just discovered automail, and cancelling a day of work was worth it if it meant she'd get to see more.
It had taken longer than she had anticipated for them to reach the house, as he'd stopped to look at nearly every flower and plant he hadn't seen before. Even though he was lighter than normal because of his missing arm, lugging him up the hill had not been an easy task.
"This is it. I suppose you'll have to stay here until you get your bearings. You're lucky I have extra space," she said.
She unlocked the door and led him inside, his infectious amazement only growing. The house was modest but spacious, with enough room for both living arrangements and her automail shop.
"You live here alone?"
"Yep, it used to be me and Granny, but… she passed away not too long ago."
His face fell. "Oh, I'm sorry…"
"It's okay, she wouldn't want me upset by it. She lived a full life." She waved him off, not wanting to shift the mood to one of discomfort. She'd accepted losing Granny months ago, and dwelling on the past would do nothing but fill her with melancholy.
She sat him down at the kitchen table, the towel around his waist becoming even more prominent now that they were inside. Finding him clothes was priority, for both of their sakes.
Luckily for Winry, he was about the same size as her, give or take a few inches. No way was she going to mention that that meant he was below average height. Something told her he would not react well to being called short, now that he couldn't use his tail as a buffer.
Deciding he'd be fine alone for a few minutes, she left to grab a shirt and a pair of her work pants, as well as a pair of boxers that were tucked in with the medical gowns.
When she returned, Ed was all but sitting on the table, staring at a spoon like it was about to reveal the secrets of the universe.
"I have one of these!" he called, holding it up for her to see.
"It's called a spoon, and you're supposed to use it for eating, not staring into like a mirror."
He twirled it around, scrunching up his face. "Well that's stupid. My way is way cooler." He stuck his arm out and held it like a sword, waving it around in front of her face. "You can use it as a weapon too, so it's multipurpose!"
She couldn't help but snicker at the prospect of Ed using a spoon as a weapon. "I'll be sure to tell that to whoever invented spoons. I'm sure they'll change its purpose just for you."
"Good! They should!"
She plucked the spoon from his hand and replaced it with the pile of clothes she held. "Instead of playing with silverware, how about getting dressed?" She pointed to the tag on the back of the pants. "This goes in the back, by the way."
"I think I can figure out some clothes." He stood, heavily leaning on the table. "You want me to go somewhere else?"
"Yes, please. The bathroom is fine." She pointed to the nearest room down the hall, and he nodded, walking to it with his shoulder pressed against the wall.
As she watched him leave, Winry hoped his brother was somewhat more manageable than the dork she'd been tasked with taking care of. With her luck, she doubted it.
Despite it all, though, as she stared at Ed's retreating back, Winry couldn't help but feel grateful for the curveball that'd been thrown at her life.
It had only been an hour since he left home, and already Ed had never regretted a decision less. Sure, the human world was weird as hell, and the "clothes" he was wearing felt scratchy and confining, but everything was amazing.
If he thought his collection of human items was impressive, it was nothing compared to the things he could find in Winry's house. Beyond that, he was already beginning to gain his balance, and could even walk short distances on his own. Everything felt lighter on the surface, and he had to keep reminding himself that he didn't have to move as harshly to get around. Standing upright was disorienting to say the least, but the thrill of it all was enough to keep him from getting frustrated.
Winry, on the other hand, was a completely different beast to tame. She was downright confusing. One second she'd be sweet and helpful, and the next she'd be yelling at him to not break her belongings. It wasn't his fault her stuff was so fragile.
After much convincing to stay put, Ed was now waiting at the dining table in anticipation for Winry to finish cooking. Whatever it was, it smelled mouth-watering.
"What kind of things do you normally eat?" Winry asked, turning away from what she called a "stove."
"Whatever you'd expect; there's not much to choose from. Fish, oysters, seaweed, you name it."
"Huh. I'll have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of seafood."
Ed scoffed. "That makes two of us. The food mom used to prepare was amazing, though, but I haven't had anything as good since then. Even the highest quality chefs can't prepare food as well as she could."
"Highest quality chefs? Are you some type of big-shot, then?" she asked, voice laced with amusement.
Shit, he hadn't meant to slip up like that. The last thing he wanted was for Winry to find out about his status, lest she treat him differently. If she knew he'd left a week before his coronation, would she try and convince him to go back?
"Uh… no, I've just encountered a few, is all. Some merfolk are better at catching and preparing food than others."
She hummed, returning to the round metal thing she was holding over the stove. "I can't promise this meal will compare to that, but it'll certainly be something new for you."
Winry finished whatever she was preparing and set it in front of him, with a cup of white liquid sitting beside it. The plate was full with a stack of round brown food, with a sticky substance poured over top.
"It's called pancakes, they're a common breakfast food."
He reached towards it to tear off a piece when she grabbed his wrist, pushing a three-pronged metal... thing into his hand.
"A fork. Use it."
He didn't understand why he needed to use a pointy thing to rip apart his food when his hand was perfectly efficient, but he wasn't about to risk Winry's fury over it. He held the "fork" in his fist and used it to rip off a piece, unceremoniously dropping it into his mouth.
The taste was incredible. It was light and fluffy and sweet, with no fishy taste whatsoever. If all human food was like this, he vowed to never go near another fish again.
"What's this white stuff?" he asked between bites, gesturing to the cup of opaque liquid.
"Milk. It's filled with calcium, so if you want to get taller, it might help." He decided not to question why she was encouraging him to get taller, because he was not short, but he went along with it anyways.
He'd heard of milk, but he couldn't recall ever trying the stuff. With one sip, he knew why.
Ed promptly spat it out, sticking his tongue out for good measure. "Gross!"
"What's gross about milk?! It's good for you!"
"I don't care. It's nasty."
She rolled her eyes and wiped up the mess, leaning over to get in front of his plate. Ed held his breath as she passed right over him, inches from his face.
Winry looked up from her rag and met his eyes, her face quickly turning as pink as Ed's felt. They looked at one another for an uncomfortable second, and she jumped back as if she'd been burned.
"Finish your food before it gets cold. And don't spit it out again!" she stammered, lemon-blonde hair whipping behind her as she turned away from him. Before he could get a word out she stomped back into the kitchen, leaving him alone at the table.
Ed couldn't decide if he was supposed to be annoyed or not, but he was sure of one thing. The fluttery feeling that rose from his stomach to his chest was not normal, and Winry—with all of her strange quirks and behaviors—was the cause.
He turned back to his food, shoving another bite into his mouth. Humans were weird, he decided.
this one was a bit rushed, so apologies if the quality isn't up to par. the story is starting to pick up, though! human!ed is very fun to mess with, and I'm excited to play with more scenarios.
thanks for reading! :)