*rages* I wrote an entire AN only to have it all disappear cuz my log-in timed out! DX So long story short, sorry for the late, late, late year-long update. Though I'm still not back into FMA, I'm going to do my best to keep this off of hiatus, and update regularily-ish... (I say that cuz I still have two other Bleach fics I need to update sometimes and stuff...) Also, sorry for OOC-ness, I'm still really big into IchiHime from Bleach, so I might accidentally switch back into that pairing every once in a while. Apologies~ Enjoy!

"I promise I'll make you better, Winry. Even if it's the last thing I do…"

He positioned himself next to her fragile body, and enveloped her into a tight hug. The last thing he wanted to do was let her out of his sight.

'I feel like crap…' He thought bitterly to himself, biting his lip. 'Though Win probably feels a lot worse-' He stopped himself, and tightened his grip on her. He felt her slow breathing, due to the close proximity, and couldn't help but feel somewhat relieved. Empowered, even.

'If I can keep her in my arms, maybe everything will be okay…' His mind wandered again, while running a hand slowly though her hair. 'I'll make this okay…' Amber eyes fluttered closed, meeting the darkness he both loved and despised.

--

Nervous blue eyes watched the sleeping boy next to her, a shudder going through her body. She had been in his arms all night, and managed to not have any nightmares. Too bad her eyes still hurt from crying and previous nights that had lack of sleep.

"Ed…?" Winry whispered, poking him lightly in the chest. "Are you awake?" She received a groan in response and her body was hugged tighter. Her eyebrows furrowed and cheeks flushed up. "Ed!"

"I'm sleeping, leemee alone…" He grumbled, holding her as tight as he could. 'W-What am I, a teddy bear?' She mentally scoffed, but soon stopped, halting her resistance on his grip. 'I… When's the last time I've acted this normal…?'

She looked back up to him, watching his previous serene face scrunch into an annoyed expression. Her face fell and she only watched him in slight awe. In one night, without doing a single thing, he managed to make her feel a bit better. 'That's just like Ed… Keeping his promises…'

"Guh…" She heard another groan and the hand of his that was previously on her back, lifted and went to his eyes, rubbing them in fatigue. "Morning Win…" A weak smile grew on her face.

"Good morning Edward," Winry spoke in a hushed tone.

"How are you feeling…?" He inquired, suddenly concerned over her current state. She was just sick the previous night on top of what happened before. The mechanic nodded meekly and let her arms wrap around his midsection, slightly embarrassed.

"Better, I guess… Um, thanks for staying with me…" She closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to see the embarrassment and pain in her eyes. Ed had his moments where he could read her like a book, and Winry didn't want now to be one of those times.

"It's fine…" Edward replied unevenly, making it quite obvious he was slightly embarrassed himself. "I told you I wouldn't leave you alone, didn't I?"

Nodding again, Winry began to pull out of his grip. Her face must have been as red as a tomato by now. "T-That you did…" Her voice was hesitant as she rose a hand to her newly cut hair. Ed propped his body up, his elbow as a support.

"Do you regret it?" He asked, continuing to watch her.

"Huh? Regret what?"

"Cutting your hair…"

She stroked her blonde locks again for a few minutes, lost in thought, before responding. Winry shook her head.

"Sorta… But this is a good thing…" she responded slowly, collecting her multitude of thoughts. "It signifies the start of change… I think…" Winry's lips pouted lightly, making sure what she was saying was making sense. Edward rose an eyebrow in confusion, his amber eyes clearly showing bafflement.

"What's gotten into you? You're so much more different than you were last night…" He asked, merely out of curiosity. His eyes soon grew wide and he started spouting nonsense. "N-No, not like that's a bad thing though!"

Lifting her shoulders into a shrug, her eyes suddenly felt tired. "I'm not sure… I, um…" She suddenly scooted back a bit, almost on the edge of the bed. "E-Ed, you actually shouldn't be by me…" She quietly spoke.

Edward's previously risen eyebrows soon furrowed into a deep arch. "Give me a good reason why I shouldn't."

"I… It's just that, I-I'm not the same… I know you said you loved me, b-but I'm not…" Winry's shoulders lightly shook, but she did her best to voice her thoughts. She didn't want to hide them anymore. "I-I'm not 'pure' anymore… I-I can't give you what you want."

"Now wait just a minute. What is it that you're thinking I want?" His tone grew more irritated, and it definitely didn't go unnoticed.

"I don't know. I guess you would want-"

"I'm going to stop you." He cut her off with stern eyes. "I'm not sure what you're thinking, but stop it… I don't care if you're not 'pure' or whatever else you're talking about." Ed rose from his relaxed position and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. Winry could see his face turning slightly red. "I love you for you, Win… So you had a traumatic experience. I love you enough to stay by your side and we'll get you feeling better, together."

Winry opened her mouth to respond, but quickly shut, unable to speak. She couldn't come up with anything good to say back, and his expression definitely told her to accept it like a good girl.

Clutching the front of his shirt with her fingers, she tiredly laid her head on his shoulder, letting a sob escape her, shaking her body.

"Thank you, Ed… Thank you…"

--

Hours later, Winry sat outside on the porch, elbows propped onto her knees, and her chin in the palm of her hands. Letting go of a sigh, she watched the clouds move lazily by. 'Clouds are lucky…' She mentally scoffed. 'They don't need to worry about bad people or bad experiences. They just float along.'

The slam of a door brought her out of the menial thinking in her head, and she turned her head slightly to glance at the boy exiting the house.

"Hey Ed…" She muttered, soon returning to her cloud watching. Glazed, blue eyes wishing they could be as free as those puffy clouds.

"Hey," Edward responded dully, appearing to be in a bad mood. The alchemist took a seat next to the mechanic, leaving very little space between them. "Just thinking?"

She responded with a slight hum, instead of saying yes or no. She felt too out of it to properly respond.

"So… I have some bad news…" He started. Winry brought her eyes back to the boy, her blue orbs now concerned and alert.

"What's wrong?"

"I just got a call from Al…"

"… And?"

"Apparently the colonel wants me to be back in Central tomorrow. Stupid asshole went back on his word, and is telling me I need to go back," Ed finally confessed, guilt weighing down in his heart. "I'm sorry Winry…" Feeling defeated, Winry lifted her head out of her hands and resumed to fold them neatly in her lap, her head hanging, facing her lap.

"So you're leaving… I guess this'll be the last day we're together," Winry mumbled, her thumbs fiddling with each other. Putting on a weak, false smile, she quickly to the boy. "Thanks for your attempts to help me though." 'I'm too much of a mess to fix anyways.'

Edward saw her obviously hurt expression and frowned. 'It's now or never…' "Actually, that's not what I was thinking…" Boldly reaching over to her, he took her small hand into his and held it tight. "I want you to come with me. I can't possibly stay here without getting in trouble, but you could tag along."

'Come along…? But the last time I did that, it didn't work out so well…'

He saw her confused, hurt, and very scared expression on her face, and immediately moved his hand to her shoulder, pulling at her body to his chest.

"I know what happened last time you went to Central… But I promise you Win, I'll be with you all the time… Well, maybe except for the bathroom…' he spoke firmly, sounding almost desperate. Winry shyly tucked her arms around his midsection, fingers nervously twitching against the fabric of his shirt.

"E-Ed, I… I-I can't… L-Last time…" She stuttered, fearing growing fast in the pit of her stomach.

"Winry… I swear, if anyone lays a finger on you, I'll beat them up… Nothing will happen to you, because I'll be by you at all times."

She grew more hesitant, her heart telling her it would be okay, but her brain going with logic.

"I-I… Edward…"

"Please…?"

Swallowing thickly, Winry eventually nodded shakily, and whispered an almost inaudible, "Okay…" Edward held her close for a while, reassuring her further that'd be okay.

Because if he promised it would be okay, he'd stay that promise. Even if it killed him in the end.

Anything for her…

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R & R, bitte~