Hey everyone, long time no see! Okay, very very very long time no see. Thank you all who have been reading this and thank you new readers for favoriting and adding this story to your alerts. I have just gotten over a very long bout of writers block, and managed to type up this chapter for y'all. Sorry, but due to the amount of comments (103!) I won't be answering comments in the author's note anymore.
One more bit: did you know this story is a little over a year old? Although the anniversery passed without my notice, take this as a late gift.
The Typical Fanfiction Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or Ouran High School Host Club
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Collisions
By StarNight888
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Once both brothers arrived back home, they were surprised to see Winry pacing in the living room worriedly. Alone. Contrary to what they were expecting, the Host Club was nowhere to be found.
As soon as she saw them, Winry rushed over to Ed and Al. Worry still written all over her face, she opened her mouth to say something, before thinking better of it and biting her lower lip. She opened her mouth again, before closing it once more.
"We're fine," Al said before Winry could repeat the gesture again. He pushed forward a genuine, if not small, smile.
"Yeah, so you can stop acting like a dying fish," Edward teased, his expression soft. Winry's face visibly relaxed into relief as she slumped onto the couch.
"Don't scare me like that," she muttered, barely audible. They couldn't help but chuckle at the comment. Typical Winry. Edward took a seat next to her, while Alphonse chose the recliner. They sat in silence for a while, each one preoccupied with their own thoughts.
After a while, Ed asked, "What happened to all those bumbling idiots?" By "bumbling idiots" he meant the Host Club.
"Apparently they all actually had other plans for the night and politely declined your mom's offer for dinner," Winry explained. She hesitated a moment, biting her lip again, before adding, "They seemed okay after the… reveal, and promised they wouldn't talk about it to others." Al voiced his approval quietly while Ed simply nodded at the news.
Again, silence reined.
There was some shuffling coming from the kitchen, and Trisha appeared, wiping her hands on a dishtowel.
"Well, I think it's been a long day," the woman commented, already briefed of the evening's events by Winry. "So let's have some dinner and get to bed. Alphonse, come help me finish up in the kitchen please, and Edward, help Winry settle herself in the spare room."
While Al followed his mother into the kitchen, Edward picked up Winry's suitcase and tool box (which hadn't moved for obvious reasons) and led her silently up to the spare room. Winry stopped at the entrance, taking in the simple furniture and tastefully painted walls. The bed was made with a homely quilt on top and on the desk were a few mechanic magazines she liked. The girl smiled inwardly; they always knew how to make her feel right at home. Winry sighed happily before giving Edward's arm a pointed look.
"Since we're waiting, how about I check on your arm for a moment?" Winry asked. "I do remember you saying something about a jammed finger joint." She sat on the bed with her tool box, motioning for Ed to sit down as well.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," Edward replied in his usual way, taking his shirt off as he plopped down next to her. The blond slid the cover off his arm and held it out in front of Winry, completely at her mercy. Now having something to do, the girl pulled out a flat head screw driver and gently pried off one plate of the outer wood. It came off with a short click and Winry looked at the inner workings critically, a little flashlight in her hand to help her see better.
"Anything else besides the jammed finger?" she inquired as she pushed around a few cords, assured they were well anchored.
"Nothing much really," Edward said. "Except for one pressure plate doesn't seem to be working under my elbow. It's been bugging me." He frowned at said pressure plate, the little piece of metal that gave him a sensation close to touch, as if it personally was the cause of its discomfort. Without it working that little spot under his elbow felt continually numb.
"Probably a loose connection wire at the port," Winry commented, leaning over to pop another wood plate off. She shifted her position so that she was almost face to face with Edward, leaning forward to get a better view of where the connection wire should be.
As Winry moved closer, her warm breath tickled Edward's neck. His skin prickled and he was acutely aware of how close he was to Winry, who was wearing a tube top that exposed her midriff and she had a…. very nice figure. He felt he face heat a little, and his golden gaze tried to look anywhere but at Winry. Winry, doing this all the time when practicing with automail, didn't notice.
In what seemed like ages, but was more likely about 2 minutes, Winry managed to re-attach the loose wire. Edward felt a sharp little pain in his ports and it was done. His childhood friend finally moved back into what he considered a comfortable distance and began checking all his finger joints. Edward took this time to think.
Truth be told, that was the first time in all the years that Winry had been caring for his arm that Edward had felt anything like that. Sure, she didn't usually get that close, but it still bothered him. Winry had been their friend for years and years, she was almost like a sister. He realized now that she hadn't been so… womanly the last time they had met. Maybe she was becoming more that a sister…?
Ed suddenly had the urge to yank his arm from Winry and lock himself in his room to rid himself of the feelings, but then he shook his head lightly, as if trying to physically shake off the confusing thoughts. It was too complicated to think about it now, especially with all that had happened. The periodic table of elements was much more simpler to think about.
"All done," Winry announced, mopping up a bit of oil off his fingers. Edward stretched his arm as she released it, wiggling his fingers and checking the now-fixed pressure plate.
"Much better," the blonde said as he rolled his shoulders, not one to insult the mechanic's work. "I just wish connecting nerves didn't have to sting so much."
"Don't whine, it was only one little wire," Winry chided, the stern effect ruined by the smile on her face. Edward just laughed as he pulled his shirt back on.
"Yeah, yeah, Miss Mechanic, I get it," Ed answered back, flashing her a grin. His mother's voice echoed up the stairs, calling them down for dinner. "Thanks for the check up. Let's go eat, I'm starved!"
"I'll be down in a sec, I just have to put up my stuff," Winry said, gesturing to the mess on the bed. "Don't forget, I've still got to look at your leg."
"I won't," Edward promised, already turned around and heading downstairs.
As Winry watched his retreating figure, she couldn't help but smile. Although her first day here had been crazy and dramatic, and almost gone terribly wrong, she was happy to find her old friends the same as she had last seen them. Sure they had both grown, but Alphonse was still Alphonse and Ed was still Ed.
Funny, she noticed that Edward had actually gotten a little taller this year, not that she would admit it to him with his size-complex and all. She remembered the smile he had just flashed and giggled quietly. She always loved that smile. It was cheesy and sincere, softer than his usual smirk.
Remembering she still hadn't put up her tools, Winry quickly cleared off her bed and brushed off her pants. As she tried to pick back up on her train of thought, she realized how she had been thinking about Edward. Her face flushed pink. Telling herself it was nothing, the girl walked quickly down the stairs and into the kitchen.
In the house, the smell of stew floated around and happy voices echoed.
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This is definatly a shorter chapter and more of a filler, but I felt like the story needed to slow down. Well, actually, I felt the characters needed a little break from all the trama that I've been inflicting on them. Thanks again for reading, and I hope you enjoyed your bit of EdXWin!
~StarNight888
P.S.- Once again, due to the sheer amount of favorites and alerts and comments (!), I will no longer list every single person's pennname in a dedication. Sorry, I wish I could, but there's too many of you! So, consider this as a group dedication, to all of my readers!