(yay for romantic drama that makes people mad)
Chapter 3- Dancing with the wind
Walking beside him now felt…odd. There was something different. Something had changed in the year
they had been apart….but what was it? She tried to look closely at him without being obvious, but
ended up attracting his attention to her anyways. His gaze was as relaxed yet distant as it had been
earlier on, almost as though he were staring through her and not at her. He turned back to facing
forward after a few moments. No words were passed in between them.
Now she had seen it. It was then that she noticed a sort of limp in the way he walked, each time he
would bring his left, automail leg down, and the way she had to look a bit upwards in order to meet his
gaze…and the light stubble on his face just beginning to creep its way out into the open.
He was almost a full head taller than her now…
What a difference from the last time they met, when they were eye level with one another.
He had grown over the year into a fine man…
He insisted on leaving his long hair loose. For some odd reason, he just didn't want to pick it up or braid
it anymore. Winry thought maybe he just liked the feel of it free, and her thoughts were confirmed each
time he would close his eyes and sigh when the breeze toyed with his golden locks.
She couldn't help but smile at this, but her smile faded when Edward suddenly came to a halt. His head
was turned in her direction, but he wasn't looking at her. This time he WAS looking beyond her, over the
top of her head and into the distance at a large patch of black, dead grass, black broken concrete, and a
dead, burnt up tree. The peaceful look in his eyes seemed to fade. Emotion, which he did not want to
show, welled in his eyes like tears. He bit his lip.
Winry followed his gaze to the patch of land where his childhood home once stood tall and proud.
She looked back, only to find him missing from her side and walking ahead with his hands in his pockets
and his head hung so that a wall of gold could shield his eyes from the heartbreaking sight.
"Ed, wait up!" She called, jogging after him to keep up.
He stopped walking and waited until she was beside him again before continuing on.
"Ed, are you okay?" Winry asked, feeling foolish for asking afterwards.
Of course he's not okay, she thought, He just lost the only family he had left, how CAN he be okay? She
mentally scolded herself for asking, but It seemed like the right thing to say to him at the moment. He
looked at her, half smiled and winked, just as he used to do when reassuring her, "Yea, don't worry
about me…I'll be okay."
He turned away and headed up a familiar swell in the land, the grass beneath his feet worn by
being stepped on, creating a path up the side of the hill. He didn't head up the hill consciously…he
didn't even head in its direction consciously. His legs carried him there, as if they had some mind of their
own and this particular hill were beckoning them forth. In his mind, a fond memory formed itself…
He saw himself ten years younger, running up the side of the hill towards his awaiting brother, laughing
as they raced each other down the other side, straight into the lake below. At the lakes edge stood
Winry, scolding them for jumping into the lake when granny had told them not to. With Alphonse's help,
Edward was able to pull her in with them. The enraged Winry chased them out of the lake and all the
way back to her front lawn. Alphonse made it to safety, but Edward wasn't quick enough. He cried out
for Al's help, but Winry had already thrown him to the ground under her weight. Alphonse watched
from Winry's balcony squealing with laughter as Edward got what was coming to him, a nice big hit to
the head.
That laughter…he remembered it so well…
Edward looked down towards the familiar lake with a fond smile on his face. The memories were painful
to think about so soon…but he let them come. No matter how much it hurt, he wanted to remember.
A hand softly gripped his, snapping him from his thoughts and over to the concerned sapphire eyes.
Winry noticed something different in Edward's eyes…much different than what she had seen yesterday.
Yesterday his eyes had been brimmed with sadness, defeat, then empty of emotion…today there was
something new. A sort of softness she had never seen. Whenever she'd see him, all she would see was a
rough determination and impatience caused by the leash and collar placed upon him by the
military…but he was free now…and she could clearly see the relief from being so. Of course, his freedom
wasn't given to him kindly…but he was free nonetheless. The ache wasn't gone. She could still see the
pain in his eyes, but it seemed well hidden, just as he would rather have it. He was tired of crying…and
he was sure that Al would rather him live than mourn so much…of course, he was still recovering from
the shock of the events that occurred over the past couple days.
It was something about the peaceful scenery around him, and Winry…especially Winry…that kept these
painful emotions at bay.
He gasped when her hands found his sides and pulled him close into a warm, loving embrace. He could
feel his heart pounding almost mercilessly against his chest; any harder and he was sure he'd have a
heart attack.
"Ed…thank you…for coming home alive…" she said against his shoulder, gripping at his shirt, "After what
happened to you…I figured you would take your own life. But you didn't, you came home…thank you…"
"W-winry…" His voice was shaky, obviously shocked by her sudden display of affection. He held onto her
waist lightly with shaking hands, not knowing what else to do. She was rather warm, and it was chilly
out, even colder when the breeze blew. When it did, he couldn't help but return her tight embrace. He
noticed how…perfectly…she fit against him, how much it seemed like the space between his shoulder
and head was made to fit her and her alone.
He bit his lip.
For a moment, he noticed, the ache was gone…since the second she touched his hand.
It was there before, but now it was gone. He knew that the second he'd let go of her, it would come back…
So he held on as if she were going to disappear. He didn't want the pain to come back…he didn't want
it…and neither would his brother want it.
He let his head drop on to her shoulder and gently began to sway with the wind, as if dancing to its lonely song.
The moment seemed to carry him away…he knew this when he felt Winry shake in his arms.
Only then did he notice her hair, once tied up, was loose and blowing gently with the breeze, her hairtie
was in his hand, and his face was against the side of her neck…no…not his face, his lips, softly brushing
over the fragile flesh. Something inside him screamed at him to stop, but his body told him otherwise.
He was torn between the two. He didn't know what to do.
Should he keep going and form a relationship he's always wanted and risk hurting her and leading her to
suicide…or should he let her go and keep the relationship they have now…also hurting her.
He moved to softly kiss her collar, but with every twitch of his muscles came a warning, so the action
was stopped just as his lips touched her skin. He clenched his teeth and held tightly onto her for a few
more moments…then let her go, taking hold of her shoulders and pulling her away from him. He stared
at the ground instead of her eyes. He knew that if he looked into those deep, sapphire eyes he would do
something part of him didn't want to do.
"I'm sorry, Winry…" He said softly, then turned on his heel and left, heading back towards the house.
Winry stared after him, Shaken and hurt. Her insides were on fire from the moment they had just
shared, and her legs weak…but her chest ached from the sudden rejection. Tears brimmed her eyes…
Edward bit his lip again…
The ache was back…