Draped in Wires
by. Poisoned Scarlet
Theme 024: Girl Talk
"Really?" Winry breathed, in awe as Mei relayed the unbelievable richness of her culture in the form of enticing verbs and wild hand gestures. The girls both sat cross-legged by Winry's bed, giggling when Mei whispered that the clothing would look absolutely gorgeous on her should she ever decide to wear it.
"I wonder how'd you look in Amestrian clothing?" Winry mused, eying her thin body critically. "I think I've got some clothes that fit you around here somewhere!" She stood up, skipping over to her closet and rummaging through the pastel and dark clothing she owned.
"Oh, no, I wouldn't want to burden you!" Mei flustered, pausing to glance at the door when she heard low murmurs. Her eyes narrowed and she cautiously tip-toed to the door, pressing her ear against it.
"Ouch—brother!"
"Shut up! They'll hear you!"
Mei refrained from laughing and put a finger over her lips when Winry shot her a puzzled look.
The blonde understood immediately and Mei saw her scowl and begin to reach into her back pocket when Mei shook her head and quietly took big steps toward her. She whispered in her ear: "Let us make them regret ever eavesdropping!" She smiled, mischievously.
Winry grinned, thrilled by the idea. "Alright, lets..." She grabbed the girls shirt and pulled it up, gasping exaggeratedly when she managed to take it off and quickly change her into her own shirts. "Wow, Mei, you sure are big under those bandages!" She stifled a snort of laughter when she heard a thump ring from outside.
Mei chirped: "Oh, no, Winry-chan, your own are much bigger! In Xing, you wouldn't be able to pass as a priestess!"
"Priestess?" Winry blinked. "How come?"
"Well, you'd tempt the visitors, of course!" She grinned.
Winry laughed. "You're probably right!"
Mei cocked a brow, glancing back at the door as she changed into the clothing Winry laid out. "How arrogant of you to agree with me." She chuckled.
"Well, you can't be arrogant about something that's true!" She winked. "Partial reason we had so many clients was because I wore that tube-top, you know! Granny kept me on a strict diet so we could continue reeling in visitors..."
"WHAT? That old hag's gonna'—!"
"Ed! Please!"
"Winry!" Mei gasped, astounded by her shamelessness.
"No! It wasn't my idea!" Winry quickly corrected, sheepishly. "It was all granny's doing!"
"Why am I not surprised?" Mei murmured, checking herself in the mirror. A blush adorned her cheeks when she noticed the clothes fit her a little loosely but a safety pin to the sides would take care of that...
"You look so cute, Mei!" Winry smiled, standing behind her. "Boys will be crowding around you for dates in no time!"
"Alphonse—what the hell—!"
Both girls rose brows when they heard a few thumps before it quieted once more.
"You think?" Mei continued, picking at the pretty sun dress.
"Of course." Winry assured, patting her shoulder. "You already looked cute in your martial arts clothes but these make you look so much more feminine...Ooh! You're so cute!" She hugged the girl, smiling at the dust of pink across her cheeks. The smile became smaller and Winry frowned at the conflict she saw in her eyes. "What's wrong, Mei?"
"I..." She swallowed, aware of the two who were no doubt listening intently by the door. They had been in the room for a long time – she wasn't very surprised they eavesdropped on them. She leaned back and whispered to Winry: "I just wish...Alphonse-sama would notice me."
Her eyes widened and twinkled, something that confused the flustered Xingese girl until Winry squealed loudly. "I knew it! I knew it!" she chanted happily. "I can't wait til I tell Ed—!"
"NO!" Mei shouted, panicked. "You can't tell him!"
"Why not?" Her face fell.
"Because...because..." Mei lowered her voice to a whisper again: "He is his brother! Please, Winry, don't! We both know Edward-san cannot hold his tongue!"
Winry pursed her lips. An idea blossomed in her mind and she whispered, quickly: "Do you think Al likes you back?"
She hesitated. "Sometimes."
"Hmm.." She smiled again. "Oh, you're so cute Mei!" Winry sighed out loud, confusing the girl by her abrupt mood swing. "I have this friend of mine who would love to get to know you, if you know what I mean."
"Wh-what?"
"Al—shut! Up!"
"But she just—!"
"Alphonse! If Winry catches us we'll be in a world of pain and I am not getting beat by her just 'cause you wanted to know what girls do when they're alone!"
"You wanted to know, too!"
"Yeah—but—you wanted me to help you out so there!"
"What are you planning, Winry-chan?" Mei asked, curiously.
"You'll see." Winry smugly replied, voice an undertone. "If he's anything like this brother, that mean's he also can't stand it when the girl he likes is being checked out by others."
"Oh..." Mei was quiet for a second. "You know? I think I would like to meet this guy." She agreed, the bickering outside their door ceasing at her words.
"I don't know, Mei..." Winry thought out loud, repressing a grin. "I thought you liked Al!"
Mei's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates but Winry coaxed her on with a shoo of her hands. Mei swallowed, her cheeks growing redder by the minute, and she squeaked: "I...well..."
"Oh?" Winry smirked. "So you do?"
"NO—I well..." Mei bit her lip. "Only...only a little."
"That's why you're blushing so hard, aren't you?" Winry sang, a giggle lacing her words.
"Winry-chan!" Mei hissed, tone low again. "What are you doing?"
"Al just needs a little push." Winry whispered right back, in control of the situation. "Just follow my lead! Keep him guessing for a little bit before you say it! Trust me on this!"
Mei looked reluctant.
"Anyway," Winry shrugged. "You're too cute to be single. If Al won't move it, maybe my friend will..."
"Um..." Mei trailed off, uncertain.
"Don't worry! You'll love him! He's really polite and friendly!" Winry reassured, aware that the other side of the door had gotten strangely quiet. "If you like, we can meet him right now! I'm sure he's out in town somewhere..."
"Y-you're sure?" Mei worried her bottom lip; this was seeming to be a bad idea. She did not want to scare Alphonse away with her agreeing to Winry's wishes. Mei had a vague idea that the boy would allow her to date other people if she wanted and that was what frightened her. "But...Alphonse-sama..."
"You never said you really liked him, right? I don't really see a problem in seeing other people..."
"Well..." Mei cleared her throat. "Y-you never let me finish."
"So you do?" Winry asked, dropping her voice several octaves. She looked concerned now – as they were both aware of the two males lingering outside their door; listening to their words with baited breath. "Because if you do...you can still meet him." She persisted, resolve in her eyes. "I mean, Alphonse has known you for, what, two years already and he still hasn't made a move?"
"You've known Edward-san for longer!" Mei countered.
"Yeah, but he was a special case." Winry waved off dismissively. "He's got a case of stupid no one can rub out of him!"
"HEY—!"
"Brother, shut up!"
Winry grinned.
Mei stifled a laugh.
"Besides," Winry continued. "He had other things to accomplish like restoring his brothers body and repaying the debts to the people he had met along in his journey. I understood that and waited for him all this time. At least he made his move now, right?"
"Oh...are you two a couple now?" Mei asked, curiously.
Winry hesitated. "Maybe..."
"Maybe?"
"He... never clarified." Winry mumbled, now thinking about this dilemma. They had never really clarified their relationship. She didn't use the dreaded 'b' word and he had never called her his girldfriend or anything of the sort... "I think we are, though."
Mei smiled, directing her eyes to her shoes. "You are...lucky."
"You can be to if you decide to see my friend!" Winry suggested, voice hopeful. "Or if Al sucks it up and does something about you..."
"I...don't think he views me like that." She said, rather sadly.
Winry pursed her lips. Her eyes flickered to the door. She was doing them both a favour by doing this... "He does."
"How do you know?"
"Al is easier to read than Ed." Winry patted her shoulder in comfort. "He's just going through an awkward stage. You have to cut him some slack – he spent his whole adolescence stuck in a suit of armor. His self-esteem is rather low due to it..."
"I liked before he was restored." Mei mumbled out loud accidentally, gasping right after. "I-I mean—!"
"I guess you won't be seeing my friend after all." Winry smiled, sympathetically. "Or ever. He doesn't exist!" She laughed.
"What?"
"I lied!" Winry giggled, as Mei squealed her frustration by grabbing a pillow and pounding the life out of her. "Hey! No fair! You have my good pillow—hahaha!"
"That was cruel, Winry-chan!" Mei whined, also laughing with a pink hue going to the tips of her ears while the two boys by the door slumped back against the wall. Mei saw Winry beam at her and whisper, just barely above a whisper: "All you have to do is wait now..." Before a pillow met her head.
"You're on your own on this one, Al." Ed whispered to him, who was staring at his lap in silent disbelief. "I nearly broke my back trying to ask Winry out..."
"And you never even did it right." Al mumbled back, leaning off while his brother glowered. "You should...clear that up as soon as possible."
"Yeah, I will."
Ed took Al's hand and hefted himself up, sighing as his younger brother absently made his way down the stairs without another word.
He gave Winry's door one last look before heading to his own room.
Now they both had things they needed to work out...
A/N: I fixed this one-shot 4 times and it still came out like shit. I can't fix it anymore without rewriting it and I don't have the time to do it right now... Sorry, guys! I hope you can all forgive me x.x
Scarlett.