Good news, everyone! Chapter eleven is up, and the idea for this one came as a suggestion by whimsicalMedely. Y'all know the routine, so enjoy!
Drops of Jupiter by Train
She honestly couldn't believe they were back. Well, she could, but it was hard to wrap her head around the fact that they wouldn't be leaving again, at least not any time soon. And she couldn't help but notice how much they had both changed, especially Edward. He was more relaxed, talking more to her and Pinako, and his stride was more confident, the graceful, fluid lope of a man who knew he had just saved the country, if not the world. But with everything that changed about him there were some things that never would.
He still sparred with Alphonse to help keep the young boy in shape, but the music they would occasionally listen to while doing so took on a more classical feel instead of the noise that he called music. Some of the changes were very welcomed, but everything he had done, seen, and changed had her concerned. Would he think of her as boring, uncultured in the ways of the world? And there was only one that caused that big of a change in a young man, and it wasn't saving the world; it was a woman. So one night, before dinner, she pulled him inside her workshop as he was going into the living room to read.
"Winry? What's up?"
Winry worried her lower lip with her teeth and wrung her hands, suddenly nervous about what she wanted to ask.
"Winry? You OK?"
"Did you miss me, Ed?" she whispered.
"Huh?" he responded, truly puzzled.
She looked down at her hands, a light blush staining her face as she continued.
"Well, it's just that you've changed so much and usually that big of a change means that there's someone special in your life. So did you find someone while you were gone? Is she pretty?" she stopped, her voice small. When had she turned into such a girl?
Edward was silent for a moment before he spoke.
"Yes"
Winry's face fell as tears welled up in her eyes.
"Oh. What's she like?"
"Well, she's shorter than me. She's temperamental, but caring. She's nerdy in her own way. She's got hair the color of hay and eyes the color of the summer sky. And her hands are soft, but scarred and calloused in some places. They've done the most amazing things I've ever seen."
Winry kept her eyes trained on the ground and her mouth hung open as she pieced everything he had said together.
It couldn't be. Could it?
"Like what?" she whispered softly.
"They've given life to people." he responded just as gently, a blush creeping across his cheeks. "They've helped give birth to a baby and given me a new set of limbs to help me on my journey. She swept me off of my feet without even trying, like a powerful gust of wind. She's the one person, other than Alphonse, that I can't imagine living without. Wanna know who she is?" he asked the question with a small smirk on his face.
Before Winry could open her mouth to respond, Edward came forward just a step and raised her face to look up at him.
"I'll give you a big hint." he murmured before pressing his lips to hers, Winry's eyes remaining wide as his lips slid against her own.
Just as her eyes closed, Alphonse opened the door, giving the two a knowing smirk as they broke apart quickly.
"Dinner is just about ready, you two. Quit kissing in here and come get washed up."
When Edward didn't sputter a protest like he normally would have, Winry was pleasantly shocked. Edward Elric had really changed, growing up in more than just height.
That had to be the best change of all.
I hope this turned out alright. Much thanks to both whimsicalMedely and ashleykitty for their very kind reviews and to Nickolasius-the-Conqueror and SpottedFreak for following and adding this story to their favorite list. Until next time!
A/N 5/12/15: I edited this chapter just a smidge to fix some errors that I noticed a few days ago. Nothing too major.