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The Elric brothers were in her dining room.
Winry was in the kitchen, searching for her oven mitts to take out the apple pie, walking from one end to the other in some kind of cloudy haze. The Elrics were in her dining room. They were talking amongst themselves, idly, quietly, a warm undertone of happiness in their voices.
Al’s voice didn’t echo anymore. Winry’s heart was still stuck in some place up in her throat, two steps away from tears, since he’d walked up to her house an hour ago, smiling at her for the first time in five years. His voice had become a warm tenor, startlingly deep compared to the ten-year-old voice she’d been used to. His damaged vocal chords left him raspy and quiet, and he’d said it was unlikely they would fully recover due to disuse, but Winry would take that any day compared to the tinny echo she used to know.
And Ed. Edward Elric, the walking sun, throwing his rays all around her front yard like it was his own sky to stay in. Winry didn’t know how to feel about him. Maybe she felt too many things at once.
His smile was blinding, years of tension finally starting to melt away. He was happy, she knew he was happy, in the way he held his head high and how his eyes crinkled up at the edges. It made Winry think someone had lit a candle in her heart.
His right arm was soft and warm and real and yet he’d still managed to get it banged up– he said he’d sprained it a month ago, while he was still with Al in the hospital, from trying to pick up something that was too heavy for him to hold. He wasn’t ready for his arm yet. His movements were too quick and light and his arm flailed out when he gestured with it, far lighter than the automail had been. But it was real. He’d gotten it back.
Her boys were finally back.
Dinner was a blur of light and warmth and laughter over stew and apple pie. The gold evening light falling through the kitchen window illuminated the boys in a way that made them look unreal, ethereal. Ed’s hair was bright gold around his face like a halo, and he spoke to Al with a smile warm enough that Winry could practically feel it. Al smiled back at him, that grin that was just a little too wide over his gaunt face, as if he was trying to make up for all the times that he couldn’t smile.
The conversation was easy, light, nothing important. Winry knew Ed would tell her about everything when the time was right, and she would hear about what had happened and how he’d saved Amestris and brought back Al. There was a story, and Winry wasn’t anxious, because she knew she would hear it in all due time.
For now, though, Ed had decided to go outside to walk Den around the neighborhood. He had paused in the doorway, gaze soft as it fell on her, and gave her a lopsided grin, saying “I gotta see the neighbors and tell ‘em all I’m still alive.”
Winry had let herself smile back at him, all the immensity and emotion that had built up within her shining through it. She didn’t have to say I’m glad you found a way to survive, I’m glad Al can live again, I’m glad you’re here–
Because he knew that. Ed already knew.
The house was quieter now, now that Ed was out, and Al was left on the couch in the living room, sitting back with his eyes closed and his cane left on the floor near him. Winry watched him for a minute before slowly walking over to join him.
Al opened one eye to look at her, gazing back for a second, before scooting to the side to make room. Winry sat down next to him, gaze fixed on his face.
“I know,” said Al, in that quiet, hoarse voice of his, giving her a small smile. “It’s… I know it’s incredible. I don’t quite know myself.”
“Know what?” asked Winry, letting out a small laugh. “That you’re back?”
“Yeah.”
Al’s expression was soft as he watched Winry look at him, blinking slowly. Winry’s gaze lingered on all the small details of his face, trying to commit it to memory once again– she’d almost lost that easy memory of what he looked like. He was too thin, too fragile and sickly, but the color was returning to his cheeks, and his green-gold eyes were bright and soft, just like they used to be.
Winry wasn’t sure if she was glad or not that she hadn’t seen him right after he’d come out of the Gate. Ed had mentioned he’d looked far worse, and Winry’s heart already ached from the sight of Al’s prominent cheekbones and dark-circled eyes. He was getting better, though. That’s what the boys had said, and that’s what she believed, and there was a strong hope in her that she would see him continue to improve as time went by.
After a minute, that sleepy look came back to Al’s face, eyes half-shut, and he leaned slightly in Winry’s direction. Winry hesitated, wondering if he wanted a hug or not, before carefully draping an arm around his shoulders.
Al hummed and leaned against her side, melting into the touch. His head fell on her shoulder, and Winry smiled, resting her cheek on his hair. He wasn’t nearly as soft as he used to be– Winry could feel bony shoulder blades from under his sweater– but he was warm, and alive, and that was enough.
It was enough for now. They could all get better, as time went by.
“I…” Al whispered, leaning comfortably into her, “I missed this. I missed you. …All of this.”
“I was just waiting for you to come home,” Winry murmured, eyes closing as her one arm circled around him a little more snugly. “All these years. And goddammit, you boys figured it out.” She laughed quietly. “Probably by doing something crazy, too.”
“It ended up okay, I think,” said Al. He paused for a long few seconds. “...Winry?”
“Yeah?”
Al hesitated again. Winry could feel him tense up for a second, before sighing, relaxing against her again. “Is it okay? If… If I don’t know if I’m okay yet.”
Winry drew in a long, deep breath, a wince crossing her face for a brief second. “Did you expect it to be over so quickly?”
“What?”
“Once you got your body back.” Her voice was quiet, half muffled against Al’s hair. “It’ll take time, Al. I know it will. Give yourself time.”
Al hummed again, turning to burrow his face in her shoulder, leaning into her like he wanted to absorb every bit of warmth she could offer. Winry hugged him tighter around the shoulders. Maybe the tighter she held him, the more real he would stay in her mind.
“Thanks,” Al said, muffled in her shirt. He drew in a small breath that hitched at the end. “Thank you, Winry. I missed you.”
“It’ll be okay,” said Winry, smiling slightly. “...I missed you too, Al.”
They stayed on the couch together, Al curled up against Winry’s side, never leaving her arms, for a long while. At one point, Winry thought Al might have fallen asleep, but by the time Ed got back, he’d woken up again.
Ed’s footsteps came up to the door, and Winry heard him saying something to Den, before he pushed the front door open and peeked inside.
Den came in first, tugging at the leash with her mouth, and Ed chuckled as he unclipped it and hung it up on the coat hook. His long overcoat swung around his ankles, and he turned to smile at the two of them, gold eyes bright as ever. “Mind if I join you?”
Winry scooted aside, Al getting up and moving as well. Ed took off his coat, then settled beside Winry, and Winry laid against his shoulder and chest, just as Al leaned back against her again. They were quiet for a long stretch of time, simply breathing, existing, sharing each others’ warmth like they hadn’t been able to do in a long time.
“Are you staying?” Winry asked quietly.
“I think we will,” said Ed. His arm found its way around her shoulders, gently pulling her closer to him. “I think we need to stay here for awhile. Remember how to live again.”
Winry smiled, closing her eyes. Being close to Ed, comfortable, with Al beside her too, reminded her of when they were little and the only thing they had to worry about was getting to the country schoolhouse on time. It was good. It was right.
“I’ll be here as you do,” she murmured, and she thought she may have felt Ed press a small kiss to the top of her head…
But maybe it was just her imagination.