Chapter Text
Winry had forgotten how infuriating he could be sometimes. How could things go so wrong. She had never recalled seeing Ed like this, and although he could cop an attitude, he’d never outright snapped at her like he just did. She pulled the desk chair out and sat on it, putting her head into her hands and taking a deep breath. It had been a really long day and the extraordinarily good mood she was in this morning evaporated into thin air.
When did Ed stop believing in himself, she wondered as she pressed her palms against her cheeks. She had complete faith in him, she reminded herself, and even if he had forlorn some of his own, she needed to him to understand that she didn’t doubt him at all. She never would. As she replayed the conversation in her head, she got that Ed wanted her to be safe. What Ed didn’t know was that without him, she didn’t want to be anything at all. She thought about it for another moment. Looking towards the door she narrowed her eyes. She had to let him know.
She stood up and opened the door. Standing in the frame was the gigantic blonde man who traveled with Ed’s group. His hand was raised in a fist to knock the door, and he looked mildly surprise when the door opened without him tapping it. He brought the hand to his mouth and coughed politely in his hands, “I’m sorry to bother you, Miss. I came to collect Fullmetal’s notes.” She returned to the desk, grabbed the journal and handed it to him. “Thank you on behalf of our group for hosting us. We appreciate your hospitality.”
“You mean,” Winry started, “you’re leaving?” The man nodded.
“We are about to head out now if you’d like to say goodbye.” He suggested and turned around heading towards the stairs. He stopped at the top step and looked back at her. “I think it would mean a lot to Fullmetal,” he added before continuing to walk down the stairs. Winry followed. As they headed through the front door, standing on the porch was Greed/Ling, the dark haired soldier, and Ed; jackets on, briefcases in hand. The gigantic blond soldier joined them.
“You’re leaving in the middle of the night?” Winry asked confused.
Ed leveled his eyes at her. “We were actually planning on leaving earlier today, but then we ran into you. It was good to see you…and thanks for the tune up, Winry.” Granny called out to Ed as he turned around and made his way down the front steps. “I will, I will,” he returned, waving his hand not bothering to turn around. His signature move. Winry sucked in a breath; he always did this. Too cool to be polite, just a brief ignored backward wave before he leaves without another word until he returns busted up.
Winry hadn’t finished what she wanted to say. “Wait, Ed. I need to…”
Ed stopped and turned to her. He wasn’t an idiot, the conversations of the evening were not lost on him. Plus, as they prepared to leave, Ed had chewed on the situation and analyzed his choices in accordance to Bayesian Probability: the likelihood of anything happening is fifty-fifty. Ed reasoned a 50% chance that probability number one is that this is not the last time he will ever see Winry. Another 50% chance was probability number two: this is the last time he will ever see her. Hope costs nothing and gives you everything. “Just lay low until the Promise Day passes,” he met her eyes. “We’re going to stop them, Winry, and Al and I’ll be home before you know it. Have an apple pie waiting for us, okay?” He smiled kindly at her.
Taken aback, Winry nodded her head and smiled. Ed’s eyes conveyed everything to her. She just needed to keep trusting him.
Once past the laneway and heading towards the station, Greed muttered somewhere in the back. “You’re pretty lucky, Fullmetal, someone actually believes in you more than yourself.”
Ed looked back towards the house. Two shadows on the front porch, engulfed by the porch light. They won’t go in until the crew were out of sight, fading into the darkness of the night. “She’s always been that way.”
The four men hung out in the shadows of a shed over by the sheep festival grounds. The next train was due to pass through in another few hours so they had a bit of time to spare. Ed twisted his arm and rotated his ankle trying to get used to the new adjustment of his limbs. It was not lost on him that the appendages had gained some length.
The plan was to head to Kanama slum outside Central - that was the message they had been waiting for. It was the final last place; it meant that everything had nearly been completed and that their counter measure for the Promise Day would be in full execution.
After being at the Rockbell house for some time, much longer than any other in the last four years, it was surprising how much he missed home. Being on an adventure, their quest, had been stressful and exciting and rewarding, but also more difficult than he had ever anticipated as a precocious twelve year old kid who leapt before he looked. He wondered if he could go back in time, would they do it all over again? Probably he decided…. After some thought - what better than explore? But the excitement and thrill of everything happening and that had happened, all the knowledge and understanding they’ve gained, nothing beat how he had a felt when he saw Winry walk through her bedroom door. Being at the Rockbell house for weeks, even with Granny holding court, felt fine and normal - but it wasn’t until she came home that he realized it how much better everything suddenly felt.
Now in the shade of the shed, hovering in the chill of the night waiting patiently for a train that would probably be running late anyways... He couldn't get her out of his head. The way her hair smelled when she put her head next to his. How soft and warm she felt when he cradled her against him. The outlines of her stomach and chest as she peeled off her shirt in the darkness. Her smile when she looked up at him from examining his leg. Her smile as she pressed into his chest. Her smile when he asked her to wait for them a little longer.
He leaned his head back against the shed and closed his eyes. What a hold she had on him. Refocus, Ed, he told himself. But he immediately went back to her.
She was home.