A/N: I have been WAITING for this one. NGL, I think it might be my favorite. Although I wrote the prompts in order, this drabble predates the project. When I realized that it would fit one of the prompts on the list, I decided what the hell, let's give this a shot.

Universe is irrelevant, or irreverent, or maybe that latter is just Roy.

39. Please request

Winry had literally been up all night finishing Ed's limbs (as Ed happily pointed out while she was examining his busted arm, he'd grown again). When Ed insisted she go to bed, she claimed she pulled all nighters all the time in Rush Valley, but Ed guessed that she usually didn't stay awake all the next day. Her eyes had been drooping all through dinner at Gracia's, and she'd hardly teased Ed all night. For a moment, he actually thought she'd left her wrench at the hotel, but she proved him wrong by hitting him with it when he was going to beat Elicia at a game.

Ed was already wondering how long they were going to stay before Winry's head drooped onto his shoulder. He was about to tease her about it until he caught sight of her closed eyes and felt her breath slowly drift across his neck. He was glad she'd been on his left; even a machine junkie like her would probably find his metal shoulder an uncomfortable pillow. A stray lock of hair fell across her face, and it took all of his self control and misplaced sense of decorum to refrain from tucking it behind her ear. It wasn't until she sighed something incoherent that Ed remembered how she used to sleep-talk when they were kids. "Ed…" she sighed, and his face went from pale to coat in less than a second. He hoped, nay prayed, that no one else heard her. Al looked up momentarily from the game he was playing with Elicia, and Ed would swear up and down that the armor winked at him.

"Uh, we should probably get Winry back," Ed announced, his right arm coming up to the back of his neck in the universal gesture of awkwardness.

"Aw, but we're not done yet!" Al whined (what the hell kind of armored bastard whines like a four-year old?)

"Fine, keep playing, I'll take her," Ed sighed. He began gently shaking her awake with his right hand. They said a sleepy goodbye to Mrs. Hughes (Elicia wouldn't be moved from her game- she was winning, after all). Five minutes later, Ed and Winry were on the front stoop, door closing behind them. Winry almost immediately collapsed on Ed's shoulder again- or at least she tried to (forgetting his growth), and she crashed into his chest. Ed managed to catch her and held her upright.

"Nnnn," she moaned. "Too tired to walk…"

"Oh hell no, woman," Ed cut her off. She swayed in his arms, whether on purpose or not he couldn't tell.

"An' coolldd…"

"Wimp."

"E-ed-wa-ar-dd…" It was a talent that she could get that many syllables out of his name. He tried his best not to imagine other situations in which she would moan his name like that as she looked up at him with big, sad-puppy eyes. "Pl-leeasse?"

Ed hit his head with his flesh-hand. Why the hell was he giving in? She was half asleep, he should have the advantage here! Why was he suddenly wrapping his coat around her, and crouching slightly for her to climb onto his back?

This is how the mighty Fullmetal Alchemist found himself in the middle of Central near midnight, carrying an unconscious blonde, who happened to be clad in his trademark. At least she was out of it enough that he'd managed to pocket that damned wrench. She was just coherent enough to hang on; he was just tired enough that he didn't stop himself from thinking about how her bare leg felt in his left hand.

Lady Luck must have had a bone to pick with Edward (didn't she always?), because as he turned the corner, he saw none other than Jean Havoc stumbling out of the bar, followed by the bane of Ed's military existence.

"FULLMETAL! Get over here!"

"Hell no," he groaned and resolved to take the long way back to the hotel… which was next to the military housing, meaning that Colonel Bastard was unavoidable. Mustang and Havoc had caught up by then anyway.

"Whatcha got there?" Havoc asked, pointing at Winry. "Oh, hi Miss Rockbell," he said upon recognizing her.

"Wore her out already, Ed?"

"Shut the hell up." Ed felt like smoke was coming out his ears.

"Wow, kid, didn't know you had it in ya,'" said Havoc, patting him on the shoulder.

"I do n- shut up! She was fixing my automail all last night!"

Mustang grinned. "So that's what you kids call it these days."

"GOD, quit it would you?" Only Winry's weight on his back kept his overactive anger in check.

"I just work with what you give me," the colonel chuckled. "You should give me some credit, you're so short there's not even that much…"

Ed was about to pounce when he felt Winry's hands start to slip. Insubordinate attack derailed, he caught her arms before they slid any farther. "Give it a rest, I've gotta get her back to her room," he mumbled as he headed off to the hotel.

"Enjoy the night, Fullmetal!"

Ed flipped him off without turning around. It sounded like the colonel was about to say something else, until the calm, cool voice of Riza Hawkeye scolded him, and judging by Havoc's laughter, she was dragging her commanding officer away by the ear.

"I hate my life," he groaned.

Finally the hotel was in sight, and the lieutenant had apparently found a way to keep Mustang from bothering them. Ed hoped it involved pain. The hotel security man smiled kindly as Ed passed him; at least someone knew when to shut up. (It probably helped that Winry was mumbling something about metal alloys and not nuts, bolts or screws.)

Winry finally stirred when he reached the room; of course, he had to break his arm the week of evaluations, when all the rooms were full of state alchemists, forcing Winry into his and Al's room. It worked logistically, since Al never used the second bed anyway, but in the eyes of Ed's perverted superiors… yes, well. He held her up while he unlocked the door and helped her to her bed. Winry managed to sit up and take off her shoes while Ed kicked off his own boots (in the process losing almost an inch).

"Ed?"

Winry was looking at him with drooping eyes, and he couldn't help loving how she looked with his coat wrapped around her, as if it were the only thing she were we-

Stop it. "Yeah, Winry?" He stood by the head of her bed. He would never tire of looking at her, especially having to tilt his head down to do so. Winry reached a hand up to his, sliding her fingers into his hair and guiding him down so she could kiss his cheek.

"Thanks," she whispered in his ear. Ed felt his face hat up like an oven.

"Any time," he muttered back. Winry was still smiling sleepily at him, gazing into his eyes and moonlight making her white-blonde hair sparkle- Ed couldn't resist. He placed a kiss on her forehead. "G'night, Win."