Warnings and Disclaimers: Any and all characters from the anime or manga Fullmetal Alchemist do not belong to me. I only torture them for some stories. There may be some teenage content in the story but it is very limited. This story is set after the movie which means there are some spoilers and if you have no idea what any of this may be about, then don't come crying to me please. It's not my fault, I warned you -:sheepish grin:-.
Seasons
Summer: Sanity
Chapter 15
By: RomanceFanFicLover
Winry grimaced slightly as Ed passed by her without a glance. Turning to watch his retreating back, Winry sighed miserably before flopping onto the couch.
Curses, hammering and the screech of metal against metal rang out through the house as Ed once again attempted to manually fix the sink. Despite her current mood, Winry smiled softly as she though of Ed's attempts of fixing the sink.
First he had bought one that was too large, then one that was too small, and when he finally got one that was the right size, the pipes weren't the correct size! On top of that, he had so many dents in his automail arm that Ed had decided to wear a heavy-duty automail glove to prevent injury to his flesh hand.
They had gotten a lot of money from those recent repairs...although…every time Winry had been working on his arm he wouldn't even look at her unless it was a questioning glare when she paused in her work.
Growling slightly in annoyance, Winry jumped off the couch and swung around towards the stairs. Glaring furiously at the upper level, Winry stomped across the room towards the first step.
"Winry, come and help me with dinner." Pinako suggested from the kitchen. She knew where he granddaughter was headed and she knew that nothing good would come from it.
"Alright, when I come back." Winry insisted as she continued towards the stairs.
"Now, Winry." Sighing in defeat, Winry grudgingly turned back towards the kitchen at her grandmother's firm response.
"Okay, Granny…"
Winry watched dully as the blade she was cutting carrots with narrowly missed her finger once…twice…three times…
"Winry, put down that knife." Rolling her head towards the old woman, Winry stared at her. "Don't let Edward bother you." She said before turning her attention back to the pot on the stove.
"How can I not…?" Winry asked aloud as she continued to cut the vegetables viciously.
Eyeing the brutally smashed vegetables, Pinako decided it was better to intervene now rather then later. "Well, maybe you did something wrong…?" She suggested as she stepped towards the slaughtered vegetables.
"I never do anything wrong to people!" Winry insisted as she flung the knife across the kitchen. Pinako winced as it landed tip-first in the wall, dangerously close to a picture of the eldest Elric.
"Your aim never disappoints me, my dear." Pinako commented as she removed the knife from the wall and washed it off before taking over the vegetable job.
"Hmm…Maybe I should re-introduce Ed to my wrench…" The blonde wondered absently as she twirled a screw in her palm.
Pinako paused in her chopping to take a slow puff from her pipe. Exhaling slowly, she gave Winry a suggestion. "Why don't you try apologizing anyways? It might cheer up the squirt."
Winry nodded gently as she let the thought tumble around in her mind before she spoke. "What if he doesn't accept my apology?" she muttered gloomily.
"I'm pretty damn sure that he will but if the need arises, there is always the Fall Festival that's coming up."
Considering this carefully, Winry headed out of the kitchen. Grabbing an apple out of the basket before going through the door, she turned towards the front door and put on her boots. The wind flirted with her hair briefly before passing on its way as she opened the door.
Stepping out into the warm summer air and seating herself on the first step, Winry took a deep bite of her shiny red apple. She barely batted an eyelash as the juice rolled off her lip and down her chin.
"The Fall Festival, huh…?"
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"The Fall Festival…?" Ed murmured as he tightened a bolt near one of the sink's pipes. "Why would I bother going to that?"
"Winry wants to go and Nelly and I are going. Come on, brother! It will be fun." Al pleaded for the third time. He was getting tired of repeating himself, but apparently he was making some process.
Originally the idea of going to the Fall Festival was Pinako's idea, and after a short, diabolical meeting the tow of them had decided it would be the perfect place to get Ed and Winry together. Pinako was to tell Winry about the idea and Al was supposed to tell Ed.
One of them had to give in, or so they thought.
"Why do I care if that machine freak wants to go?" Ed muttered sadly as he once again tightened the same bolt.
"Brother, you're a jerk."
"What!" Ed roared. He whirled around to face his brother and pulled the wrench too tightly in the process. Ed spun around to face the pipe again as it groaned audibly and shook fiercely. "A-Al…"
Turning to where his brother had previously standing, Ed found the space to be empty.
"Brother! Run!" Al called from the hallway.
"That's my line, you bastard!" Ed yelled as he slammed the door shut and ran down the stairs after his brother.
A loud crash and the sound of splintering wood tumbled down the stairs after them and they lay in a panting mass of limbs on the floor.
"Elrics…" Pinako's voice boomed from the kitchen as she stomped towards them. "What have you done!"
Grinning sheepishly at the old woman, the two Elric brothers scurried back up the stairs and went to inspect the damage.
"T-T-The door, too?" Ed gaped at the splintered remains of the door. "How could some stupid, exploded pipe do that much damage!" He whined as he kicked a particularly large piece of wood.
Lifting away another large piece of wood, Al winced at the sight he was greeted with. "And the wall too, brother." Al moaned as he inspected the smashed-in wall.
The familiar click of a pipe against teeth pulled the boys' attention from the damage and towards the small woman in front of them. "A sink, a door and a wall. Well, well, it looks like you boys owe me a favor."
Al's face paled visibly and he jumped into the conversation. "Well, Granny, you know how Ed is; always reckless! He just popped open that pipe and I had to save him from it. Terrible, terrible incident but I'm sure he'll gladly complete your favor to make up for it. Right, brother?" He asked from Pinako's side, grinning nervously and taking an extra step back just in case.
"Al! You little-!"
"Well, that's very good of you Al." Pinako said, turning to him and giving him a wink of reassurance before he raced down the stairs and out the front door. "Well, Edward it looks like you're going to do me a favor. In return, I'll fix everything myself and you just have to pay fro the damages, alright?"
Nodding numbly, Ed watched the evil grin spread across the wrinkled face. "What do you want…?" he muttered helplessly as the old woman removed her pipe from her weathered lips.
"You are going to take my granddaughter to the Fall Festival." She chirped happily before replacing the pipe into her mouth.
"The Fall Festival…?"
"You've heard of it, haven't you?" She inquired innocently.
"Well, I guess, but-"
"Good, then you will be taking Winry to that. Make sure to be kind to her and show her a good time." She nodded in agreement with herself and started down the stairs. "Oh, and if I find out you're not going to be doing my little favor, you'll pay the consequences."
Ed gulped slowly and stared at the empty space where she had threatened him just moments before. "Why me…?" He muttered and flopped backwards onto the floor. "Ah! Shit! Splinter! Splinter!"
Winry's head rose from the herbs Al was proudly showing her. "Was that Ed screaming?"
Al shivered unconsciously and turned to Winry while a large, reassuring and fake smile. "No worries! Nothing would happen to Ed that could be all that bad." Internally, Al's heart jumped into his throat. His brother was going to murder him later.
Winry's sigh caught the younger Elric's attention and he turned his head slightly to look at her sad expression.
Maybe his brother was going to murder him, but he couldn't allow his oldest friend to suffer so terribly from his brother's stupidity.
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Glaring at the sky defiantly, Edward Elric moped about the days events. Pinako had asked, actually scratch that, threatened him that if he didn't take Winry to the Fall Festival she would get him to completely re-do the washroom.
She had decided to change her mind about the favor later that afternoon, Ed remembered dully as he leaned back on his forearms.
He switched his glare form the blue expanse above him, to the metal and flesh feet that were attached to legs, of the same material as the feet, stretched out and crossed at the ankles
Twitching one flesh toe then one metal toe in turn, Ed refocused his thoughts to Pinako's proposal. So he was to take Winry to this Fall Festival thing?
Ha! Not happening! He heard there was a dance for one of the Festival's celebrated days. He had had enough dancing for one year, thank you very much!
Not to mention the fact that he had avoided Winry's wrath very nicely since the Lake party. 'Parties every season are just too much trouble.' Ed thought grudgingly as he uncrossed and re-crossed his feet.
"Edward! Come join us inside! We've got the air-conditioning to work!" Pinako cried out the window.
Ed fought from shaking the woman to death. She got the air-conditioning started now! It was almost the end of summer, and she only got it to work now!
Angrily, Ed stood up and stomped into the house, fully prepared to yell at the woman. What he wasn't prepared for, however, was for the very woman he had been trying to avoid to be sitting in the middle of the living room floor, right in front of the air-conditioner and his yelling target.
Making a frustrated sound, Ed flopped onto the couch and made himself comfortable, glaring at the ceiling, floor, chair, couch…anywhere but the two evil women in front of him.
"So, Edward…have you got any plans for the autumn season?" Pinako inquired innocently, too innocently.
"No." He replied gruffly, glaring at her.
She ignored this and moved her attention to the other female in the room. "What about you Winry? Any plans? Any boys taking you out?"
Ed grunted arrogantly and crossed his arms, looking at Winry expectantly. Winry glanced at him quickly before looking down again. "Not really, no."
His chest deflated as he released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Of course she wouldn't do that, she wasn't a jerk like he was. He made a mental note to slap himself very hard for that thought. He was supposed to be the one in the right, not her!
"Who would she go with anyways? There's no one but me and Al around." Ed muttered huffily.
"Al and I," Winry commented.
"What?"
"It's 'Al and I' not 'Me and Al'," she explained without looking at him. She knew he was already moping; she didn't need to see it to confirm it. "You'll need good manners if you take a girl out anywhere this autumn."
Ed rose out of his position to glare at her. "Why do I care?" he snapped violently, before resettling himself into the cushions.
"It doesn't matter if you care or not, you should be able to ask a girl out to an event graciously." Pinako's cranky voice boomed at him; it was clearly a hint.
Ed sighed dramatically as he slouched further into the couch and pointedly turned away from Pinako's threatening stare. That didn't seem to faze her too much, though.
"Have you kids heard about the Fall Festival?" she continued to hint.
"Granny, I live here. Of course I've heard of it." Winry replied dryly as she continued to flip through the automail booklet that hung loosely in her hands.
Ed had to turn back at that one, it was just too obvious; she was telling him in 'Pinako language' that "You'd better ask my granddaughter to that thing in the next few days or you will be missing more than just the usual two limbs."
Sighing heavily again, he turned his gaze towards Winry; she looked mad. Mad Winry plus extremely unnerved Edward did not go well, which of course meant that it would be best to ask her to the Fall Festival some other time.
"Well, considering the circumstances and atmosphere it seems as though asking anything from anyone is totally out of the question so I'll just have to go help Al with his kittens." Forcing out some deranged laughter, Ed got up and stalked over to the door. "What a shame! I really wanted to be here, but I promised Al!" Slamming the door shut behind him, Ed bolted down the dirt path in front of him and disappeared down the hill.
Winry rounded bright, accusing eyes towards the suspiciously innocent eyes across from her.
"Granny…"
"Den! Where did that dog go! Oh, he's so much trouble. Honestly Winry you should take better care of him. Well, it looks like I have to go look for him. I haven't seen him since the morning, have you Winry?"
Winry raised a blonde eyebrow. "Well actually, Granny-"
"Exactly, well I'll just go out looking for him right now." With that said, the old woman marched out of the room and out the door.
A curious whine was emitted from behind the couch Pinako had just passed by. Peeking over it, Winry was greeted with Den's greatly confused eyes.
Plopping down beside the dog, Winry sighed exhaustedly and petted him absently. "It looks like Al, you and I are the only sane ones."
"Mr. Kitty! Come back! I need to wrap you in the decorating paper! Mr. Kitty!"
A grey kitten streaked down the stairs and out the partially opened back door and Al dashed after it, armed with Christmas wrapping paper and a bow.
Closing her eyes against the fast-approaching migraine, Winry slumped down against the back of the couch.
"Then again…" She shook her head of the dizzy feeling. "…maybe not."
Den looked up at her sympathetically and licked her hand comfortingly. She only shook her head in denial and continued to try to force back the headache that threatened to consume her head.
The door opened and Ed stumbled inside, breaking Winry's concentration. She watched him from the edge of the couch as he cautiously scoped the area for any signs of Pinako or Al.
She expected him to see her, since he was supposed to have fought the most sneaky villains in all of Amestris.
Apparently not, though. "Ugh! I can't ask Winry to the Fall Festival! It's too hard."
Pulling herself up and onto the couch, Ed shrieked in surprise and embarrassment; a strange mix for the alchemist.
He eyed her angrily before shouting, "Don't hide in strange places and eavesdrop on people!"
Closing her eyes again, Winry replied calmly. "I wasn't hiding, I was petting Den. And it doesn't count as eavesdropping if you're shouting out your frustration."
She tried to suppress the triumphant giggled that wanted to escape as she heard Ed opened and closing his mouth in apparent shock. He settled for muttering curses as he marched into the room and sat stiffly on the couch beside her.
An uncomfortable silence hung around them and Winry fumbled for the words she wanted to say.
"It's not really that hard." She blurted out. Silently damning herself to a thousand years in hell, Winry clenched her fists tightly in her lap.
"What?" Ed asked lazily.
"It's not that hard." Winry repeated.
"No, I heard you, but what do you mean?"
Sighing in mock-annoyance, Winry smiled softly. "It isn't that hard to ask me to the Fall Festival." She looked at Ed and recognized the cocky smirk that was forming.
"Oh really?" He asked arrogantly.
"Yup." She nodded as extra emphasis.
"Then how would I go about doing it?"
"Simple. You just have to say 'Winry, will you go to the Fall Festival with me?' and then that's it." She turned to him expectantly.
"Hmm…" He scratched his chin thoughtfully before turning to her and grinning evilly. "Winry, will you go to the Fall Festival with me?"
It was his turn to stare at her expectantly. Why was she taking so long to answer? His smile faltered slightly. What if it wasn't even Winry in front of him? What if it was Envy, back from the dead!
Ed refocused his attention to her as she rose off the couch and turned to him. He felt his entire body freeze as she spoke.
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Al grumbled in frustration as he nudged open the front door. He had spent the whole afternoon searching for the cat and it was nowhere to be found.
It wasn't like he was going to harm it. He was just going to create a collar out of the Christmas paper and add the bow to it. The idea was supposed to make the cat look cute, not make the cat run for its life!
He kicked off his boots and walked into the quiet, empty living room.
Upon arrival, Al realized the living room wasn't quite as empty as he thought. His older brother was sitting on the couch with an expression that resembled complete horror plastered to his face.
"Brother?" He questioned lightly. Could something have happened to Pinako and Winry while he was away?
The steady sound of a hammer and blow-torch pushed away those thoughts and he proceeded to wait patiently for his brother's answer.
He didn't have to wait long, but he had to strain to hear the mumbled words his brother formed.
"S-She…she said…she said maybe." Ed whispered in horror as he sat on the couch, paling as the memory resurfaced. "I can't believe that woman said…maybe." He spat out the last word with a little more emotion.
"Uh…Brother?" Al asked hesitantly as Ed rose from his seat and stomped towards the stairs.
"Oi! Winry! What do you mean 'maybe'!" was the last thing Al could properly hear before a series of curses and loud crashes echoed throughout the house and Ed returned to the couch with a few fresh bruises.
Blinking rapidly at the spot his brother had been was tenderly nursing, Al slowly turned back towards the front door and slipped his boots back on.
"Maybe I should go and look for Mr. Kitty again…"
"Don't say 'maybe' around me!" Ed shouted angrily and Al sped up the process of retreating out of the house.
Den looked up as the door slammed closed and then looked over lazily at the fuming blonde.
"What do you want, Den?" He shouted angrily.
The dog whimpered slightly and returned to his sleep. Humans were too insane anyways.
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A/N: Don't give up hope, guys! I'm not abandoning the story, but I'm pretty busy so updates could take 3-4 days. Sorry for the delay in chapters, but they're coming!
Xoxoxoxo!