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Ed groaned, getting up from his bed. He walked towards the telephone in his room. He knew who would be calling him at this godforsaken hour. But he was supposed to be on leave today. Couldn’t they just leave him alone?
He picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
“This is Sergeant Brandt speaking. Am I talking to Colonel Edward Elric?”
Of course, it was him picking up. Who else would answer his own phone at this hour?
“Yes,” he replied curtly, trying to keep his voice level.
“Your presence is requested at headquarters.”
He groaned and yelled, “Why? I am supposed to be on leave today!” He could feel the man flinch over the phone.
“Um… I don’t know about that,” he said in a small voice. Ed raked a hand through his hair in frustration. Then slammed the phone down.
He pulled out his uniform, cursing at Mustang. He had rejoined the military a few weeks ago. That bastard, why didn’t he sign the leave form? He needed to be back in Resembool today.
He had been staying in this hotel room for almost a week now. He had sent a leave form to Mustang two days ago. But that bastard! He hadn’t signed it. He was just too lazy. He would have to run off from the office if this continued.
He looked at the phone again. Should he call? No, she would be asleep, he thought looking at the time. Or at least she should be!
But it might be urgent if they were calling him this early. He pulled at his bangs.
He slung his coat over his shoulder and walked out.
Turned out some officers had found more hidden records yesterday and needed him to sign off on related paperwork and start the investigations. He was the only one who could do it, since the State Alchemist investigation was his. He sighed, resigning himself to loads of paperwork.
Sciezka looked up from her book again as Ed cursed. She was genuinely impressed by both his multitasking capacity and his colorful dictionary at this point. His hand never stopped. He signed and wrote at a frightening speed, grumbling and cursing the whole time.
This was normal, but he usually became focused enough to stop.
She knew his work included both formal requests and reading alchemy research by past and present State Alchemists. Not many people knew that. She managed the inventory, and he asked her for the past research records. So, he had to tell her.
He loved alchemy. She could tell from the way he got engrossed in anything that touched it.
She had gotten promoted to Second Lieutenant after the great upheaval in Central, she didn’t know how to feel about that at the time. But it meant better salary and she got to read a lot as she was still part of the investigation department so she was happy.
It had been a huge surprise for her to see Ed back in the military. As a Colonel. She remembered him as a short prodigy kid.
She had always been grateful to him for his help with her mother. He had paid her an enormous sum for writing out that research-cum-cooking instructions. She didn’t know what he did with them. He had gotten quite famous after the Civil war thing that happened in Central, but then he’d resigned.
She placed some more papers on his desk as he looked up and nodded at her in greeting.
Now he was almost the same age as she had been when she met him—and tall. She could tell he was nearly Mustang's height, and Mustang was five foot ten. She had read all the records about them so she remembered the exact heights too.
He was even handsome. Well, he had looked good as a kid too, but now it was something else. She had gotten to see his sharp mind and competence this past month.
He kept breaking protocols. He didn’t even wear his full uniform. His coat was mostly nowhere to be found and his sleeves were rolled up. No one seemed to be able to make him do anything.
She wondered if he had a girlfriend, then shook her head. It seemed impossible. Who could even tolerate him, and who could he tolerate? He was nice, and she wouldn’t call him arrogant, but still, he was insufferable.
She looked up at his makeshift bookshelf. She had been pleasantly surprised to know he was a fellow bookworm. He mostly had alchemy-related books but she saw some on different topics too. No, she wasn’t snooping, books are supposed to be public, right? She just couldn’t help herself.
She had even found a romance novel tucked behind a fat alchemy text. She had no idea what it was doing there.
His hand was moving faster than she had ever seen it, and the curses were keeping pace. She carried another stack of books to his desk.
“Um… Colonel Elric?” He looked up at her, still glaring. She flinched.
He quickly relaxed his face and said, the frustration still there in his voice, “You can call me Ed.”
She nodded but she just couldn’t call him by his name.
“A-Are you alright?” she asked, looking at her hands. He didn’t reply and turned to his papers again with a scowl.
Maybe there was something going on at home? She didn’t know where his brother was. She had heard in passing that he was in Xing. He must have some other people in his family too, right?
She had seen him on the phone sometimes, arguing with someone, though she could never tell whether it was arguing or flirting. He would be smiling a bit sappily, and it startled her every time. Maybe he was a secret womanizer like Mustang. It seemed very unlikely though.
She sighed, giving up and going back to her books. She knew there was someone better suited to this task.
Havoc walked into the office, throwing some papers onto Ed’s desk making him groan. He grinned, cigarette in hand and plopped down on the couch nearby.
The kid would grumble but still do his job fast. A fact they teased Mustang about, since he was lazy when it came to paperwork.
Ed’s hand moved like he had unlocked some supernatural speed. He raised an eyebrow. Ed looked grumpier than normal. And the kid had a way with curses!
“Hey chief!” he called, pulling out his cigarette. Ed glanced at him and glared furiously.
“Your hand is going to fall off if you keep this up.”
“Can you just fuck off?” Ed snarled. Havoc blinked. That was fast. It usually took longer to rile him up – which he made sure to do daily.
“Trouble at home?” He grinned mischievously; he knew about his pretty mechanic in Resembool. He wasn’t sure if they were dating but he suspected that Ed liked her.
Ed's glare sharpened. Havoc was used to Ed glaring the way other people sighed, background noise. But this one made Havoc feel a shiver of something like fear.
He tried to hide it with his smirk. “Got into a fight with a certain mechanic?”
“Can’t you just leave it? Don’t you need to go back to that bastard?” he yelled. His eyes might actually have been red.
So, he was mostly angry at Mustang. He was acting like a kid who had been denied candy.
“Seriously, Ed, is everything alright?” Ed just nodded and went back to his papers.
Havoc sighed. He wasn’t going to get anything now. He glanced at Sciezka, who had been looking at the exchange while pretending to read, she quickly ducked her head into the book.
He'd find out the reason once Ed inevitably stormed off to yell at the General about it.
Ed’s love life was a mystery to him. Havoc had been trying to give the kid woman advice since he was thirteen, and had gotten nothing back but a glare and total disinterest. He had hoped that would change now the kid was nineteen. Kids grow up fast. He smiled at the thought. But he was still averse to Havoc’s “adult talks.”
He had no idea how he remained like this. He was nineteen! People his age usually fool around with girls, even he had. But Ed was just a grumpy young man who didn’t even bat an eye when a pretty girl passed him.
He mostly knew about Winry because Al had teased Ed countless times about her and Ed would blush sometimes which actually surprised all of them.
He looked up as Ed finally got up from his chair and stormed off. The pile of papers stacked on his desk. Havoc stood up to follow him and saw Sciezka do the same who looked away when he glanced at her. They walked into the General’s office.
“Why didn’t you sign the leave form, you lazy ass?” Ed yelled. Ok, so he had applied for leave. Havoc sat down as Sciezka made herself busy with some books.
***
Mustang blinked, Ed had just barged into his office and yelled at the top of his lungs.
Mustang smirked, looking around his desk. He really hadn’t seen any leave form. He found it in the stack of papers, he could feel Hawkeye staring at him, she had told him the day before to finish his paperwork but he hadn’t. Well, he kind of liked it when Hawkeye scolded him.
He glanced at the paper, the reason section was left blank.
“You didn’t add any reason, Fullmetal.”
“Why do you need one, you bastard? Just sign it. I need to go.” Ed narrowed his eyes, his hands clenched.
He could. But how could he miss this chance? It was still afternoon, Ed could still go wherever. He didn’t mind signing the leave form, Ed had been working really hard this past month.
“It’s protocol.” He placed his chin in his hand looking bored.
“Your protocol can fuck off.” He looked too angry for it to be just a leave form. Maybe…
“Got into a fight with someone?” He guessed. He knew Ed was dating Winry. Havoc glanced at him. His other subordinates were clueless. They had been mulling over the relationship status for a month now, and he liked watching them suffer.
“You are going to get a punch in the face if you keep this up.” He seemed ready to punch him and storm off.
“Then is it Al? Is he back?” he asked.
“No, he is still in Xing. Just sign the form!”
“Missing someone then?”
Ed's eyes went dangerous, no trace of joke in them now.
“I'm walking out of here either way, Mustang. Sign the damn thing.” Mustang didn’t doubt that. He looked ready. Ed actually said his name?
“It must not be important if you can’t tell me the reason.”
Ed’s fist came close to his face. Mustang didn’t even blink.
“Hm… it can wait then. And if you leave just like that you know the repercussions,” Mustang threatened. He didn’t mean it though.
“It’s her birthday!” Ed yelled at the top of his lungs. Mustang blinked and saw others in the room do the same. Everyone was looking at Ed.
“Whose birthday?” He knew the answer but he couldn’t help himself. He pulled the form towards him.
“Winry.” Ed grumbled under his breath.
Oh! So, he still likes her. Are they dating? thought Havoc.
Winry? Who is Winry? Is she his girlfriend? No, Edward having a girlfriend? Sciezka thought at the same time.
Mustang put the signed form down in front of him. Ed snatched it up, glared at Mustang one last time, and turned around.
At that exact moment, someone ran in.
The soldier saluted and reported to Ed, “Colonel, there's a disturbance near the old warehouse district, the site your team flagged yesterday. A few individuals were caught trying to move something out. Local units engaged, it's turned into a fight.”
Ed groaned loudly, not bothering to salute back and headed for the door. Havoc followed him.
Ed scowled the whole way over, staring out the window, breaking off only to check his pocket watch.
The warehouse district was already a mess when they got there. Ed was out of the car before Havoc could even blink.
Havoc had seen the kid fight before, back when he was small and loud and could turn a wall into a fist. Now he fought with his own hands, no clap, no lightning. But he still was able to take down three men before Havoc had his sidearm up. He almost felt bad for the men Ed was currently beating into the ground. They had just chosen the wrong day.
It took four hours. By the end Ed had a split cheek and was bleeding down his jaw and did not appear to have noticed. He signed off on the seizure standing up, handed the clipboard back. He looked at the sky, and started running.
"Hey! Get that cut checked first!" Ed didn’t stop.
Havoc sighed, lit a cigarette, and watched him disappear down the road. Huh. So that was it. Many women in headquarters had shown interest in Ed, some flirted with him and some even asked him out.
Ed would mostly not even notice them, grumble and shrug them off, say no flatly. He'd never understood how a man could get that much attention and not want any of it. Maybe Havoc had just gotten used to Mustang being a womanizer, Ed was just different but still the kid needed to behave like his age sometimes!
Seeing him run for a girl’s birthday like this was a real surprise for Havoc. At least Ed had someone he cared this much about.
***
Ed pulled out his pocket watch again. It was getting darker now. He really needed to reach there soon. His leg was shaking at this point.
Can’t this train move a bit faster? He thought angrily.
Today was her birthday, dammit! He needed to be there. Pinako was off visiting a friend, Winry had told him the day before.
She was alone. He had left her.
My parents said that too, Ed! And they left me.
He thought about her outburst two months ago. He had promised he wouldn’t leave her. But in the end he couldn’t even be there for her birthday. He squeezed his eyes shut leaning against the window. She must have thrown herself into work like she always did when she was sad. He knew she would just smile and say “I’m fine, Ed” which made it even more painful.
His eyes shot open. He hadn’t even gotten anything for her!
He really was hopeless. How was he supposed to face her? First he had left her for a week, then he was late for her birthday, and now he hadn't even brought a gift.
He hoped she would throw her wrench at him. Anything but the silence and that dejected face.
Finally, the train reached the station. He ran off the train, people were giving him odd looks for some reason. He slowed, and put a hand to his cheek. That was what they were staring at. He looked at his hand and found blood. He looked down, his white shirt had blood over it. He shrugged and ran.
He stopped at a bakery on his way, asked for a chocolate cake. The owner stared, but boxed it up and took his money.
He ran up the hill, slamming the door open.
Winry came running out of her workshop. He placed the box on the sofa table and tried to control his breathing for a moment before turning to her to apologise.
She was looking at him in panic now, her eyes wide.
“What happened, Ed?” She touched his cheek lightly then frowned. “Did you get into trouble on the way? Why were you running? Is someone following you? Sit down. I’ll get the first aid kit.”
She pushed him down by his shoulders as he kept staring at her.
She had grease stains on her cheeks and neck. He had been right. She had been working.
“Happy Birthday.” He panted a bit. “I am sorry, really sorry that I am late,” he continued sincerely.
Her eyes went wide again and she turned to look at the calendar. “Oh! Today is my birthday,” she said, disbelieving.
He blinked. She forgot her own birthday?
She looked at him again then ran upstairs. He just waited, stunned.
She came back with a first aid kit. He stopped her by taking her hand in his.
“Hey, let’s cut the cake first.” He pointed to the box. She glared at him.
“Ed! You are bleeding all over your shirt. You really are an idiot. You should have gotten it checked first!”
“Then I would have been even more late for your birthday!” He glared back.
“Who cares?” She started cleaning the cut. “You are more important.” She blew at the cut, applying the antiseptic slowly. It didn’t hurt at all. She didn’t need to.
He blinked again, looking at her as she bandaged his cheek gently. At least she wasn’t sad. He sighed.
He felt her arms around him, holding him tightly. “You moron,” she said, nuzzling her face in his chest as his arms came around her.
“Happy Birthday, Win.” He opened his eyes to gaze at her, holding her to him.
“Thank you, Ed.” She tipped her head up and pushed his bangs out of his face. She smiled.
He smiled back, wiping off some of the grease from her cheeks. She leaned into his hand.
Then it caught up with him. He frowned. She forgot her own birthday!
“Gearhead, how can you forget your own birthday?” He raised an eyebrow.
“I’ve been busy with my orders the past few days,” Then she looked away from him, and added in a quiet voice, “And no one was at home so…” she trailed off.
He wanted to punch himself. No one had wished her happy birthday! No one was there to remind her of her birthday. It was night now and she had missed her own birthday.
He turned his head down and gritted his teeth.
“It’s fine Ed. Don’t be like this.” He felt her kiss his nose lightly, then cheek. He looked up at her and started, “Sor-”
Then she dug her fingers into his stomach. He tried to control his laughter, glaring at her. Yeah, he was ticklish. But so was she!
He got his hands around her sides, tickling her. They fell down on the couch laughing, both trying to win. Then their eyes met. They stopped. She was on top of him. Her hands on his chest. He just stared at her.
Then she leaned down and kissed him properly this time as she lay down on him. She held onto his neck. He kissed her back, holding her tightly against his chest. After a moment, she placed her head on his collarbone as he ran a hand through her hair.
“I really am sorry Win.” He kissed her forehead. She looked up at him and glared.
“It’s not your fault, Ed! You were doing your job.” He frowned.
“Don’t be an idiot Ed, cheer up please?” She tilted her head and cupped his cheeks smiling at him. He nodded.
“Okay, let’s cut the cake then.”
She shook her head. “Just one more minute.” She leaned on him again, closing her eyes. He just smiled, looking at her.
After a while she sat up and looked at the box. He pushed himself upright after her.
“You got the cake bleeding like that?” she asked exasperated and fond at the same time.
He scratched the back of his neck not sure what to say.
“Um… I’m so-“ She glared. He closed his mouth. But tried again, “I didn’t get you any gift.” He said quietly looking down.
“There is no need for any gift, Ed.”
She rolled her eyes saying, “And you have given me plenty of gifts.” She pointed at the locket around her neck.
That’s not the point! Birthday gift is supposed to be different! He opened his mouth to say that but she kissed him, stopping him.
“Now let’s finally cut the cake before you decide to say sorry again.” She moved to open the box.
***
Ed glanced at the wall clock. Winry could come anytime now. She had been in Central since morning shopping for some tools and automail equipment. She should be done by now. There was no train for some hours. She should be coming here at any time now.
He then checked the time again and groaned. A meeting was scheduled in ten minutes. She would need to wait for him then. He should have given her his hotel room key!
“Sciezka, there'll be someone coming by soon. Tell her that I am in a meeting. Will be back soon.” And then he left for the meeting pulling on his coat – oh how much he hated this coat.
He threw it back on his chair. No need. They could suck it up!
Sciezka looked up from her book in surprise, and opened her mouth to reply but he was already out. Her? Someone coming? No one had ever come to meet Edward before!
She went back to her book trying to keep her excitement in check.
After some time, she heard a knock.
She jumped up and ran to the door then took a deep breath trying to look normal. She opened the door to find a girl already craning past her to look around the office, a little confused.
“Um… I thought this was Edward Elric’s office?” She checked the nameplate again.
“Oh, it is. Colonel Elric is out for a meeting right now. You can come and wait inside.” The girl frowned and nodded.
She was carrying a heavy looking bag. Sciezka reached for it and the girl smiled and carried it in herself. She was pretty, and looked the same age as Edward.
Sciezka sat down to continue with her book as the girl took her place at the couch across from her looking around the office. Sciezka didn’t know how to talk to her.
“So, what’s your name? You work with Ed?” The girl asked curiously turning to her.
“Um… I am Sciezka. Yes, I work under him.” The girl nodded.
“Oh! Ed mentioned you.” Edward mentioned her?
“How is Ed at work? Does he eat properly?” The girl continued, “He never says anything about that.” She pouted.
Sciezka blinked. This girl must know Edward well.
“He is good at his work and i-is nice. I don’t know if he eats properly though.” She really didn’t, he always seemed to be working.
“Who are you by the way?” she asked then flushed and added, “I didn’t want to be rude or anything bu-“
“It’s alright Sciezka. I am Winry, I came to meet Ed. I was shopping for some tools and automail equipment in Central.” She smiled.
Winry? She was the girl Ed had run with a bleeding cheek for her birthday? Havoc and others had been talking about her since then and no one was sure what she was to him.
“Y-you are Winry?” she blurted out before she could stop herself.
Winry nodded, looking a bit confused. “Did Ed tell you about me? I didn’t think he would.” She scrunched up her eyebrows.
“No. We heard your name when he was fighting with the General for leave because it was your birthday.” Sciezka replied.
Winry stopped, then put a hand over her face, “That idiot.” She sounded fond rather than annoyed though.
Was she actually Edward’s girlfriend? Should she ask her? How?
“So, how do you know Colonel Elric?”
Winry looked at her and answered, “I have known him and his brother since we were kids.”
Childhood friends? Then she saw the heavy tool box. Mechanic. Ed had an automail leg.
“Um… Are you an automail mechanic?” It would be embarrassing if she was wrong but she had to try!
“Yeah! I am.” Winry beamed.
“Are you the Colonel’s mechanic too then?”
Winry nodded rather happily.
So, his childhood friend and automail mechanic. Ed never mentioned her. But she remembered those phone calls. She wanted to groan in frustration at this point. This was so confusing.
Winry seemed to care a lot about him, she thought, watching the proud way she took in the office.
Some minutes passed then the door opened.
***
Havoc entered the office to find a pretty blonde sitting on the couch. She looked rather young. What was she doing in Ed’s office of all places?
He started to sit down beside her, and caught Sciezka shaking her head at him. He frowned.
“What is such a pretty girl doing here all alone?” The girl shifted away from him and glared.
“I am here to meet Edward Elric.” He glanced at her bag. She looked kinda familiar.
“You are Winry!” He exclaimed. He had seen her before when she came for Ed’s maintenance some years ago. She nodded curtly.
He smiled and moved back a bit. He wouldn’t risk getting killed by Ed.
She relaxed a bit too. “I am Havoc.” He held out his hand. She shook it, still not quite following.
“Did he make it for your birthday?” Havoc asked curious, leaning back on the couch’s headrest. He didn’t have his cigarette today.
“Yeah, he did. How do you know about my birthday?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Well, he yelled in front of the General. I was there. Actually, all of us know at this point. He ran out to catch the train to make it, bleeding. It's been the gossip ever since.” He looked at her to check her reaction.
She was just shaking her head. She looked annoyed.
“He works too hard and yells about it the whole time. Fun to rile up, though,” he commented.
She smiled. “He’s always been like that.”
“How long have you known him?” He decided to go direct.
“Since we were kids.”
Ok, he didn’t know that. “He is quite popular though. Especially among women here.” She looked up sharply at that.
“He's been asked out plenty of times.”
“He didn’t tell me that!” She exclaimed. Gotcha!
“Oh? He didn’t.” She turned to the window and said,
“Not that it really matters. I know what he is like.”
Now what does that mean? Was she saying that she knew he wouldn’t cheat or that he was not an attention seeker? It can go both ways. He sighed.
Then he looked up as the door opened again. Winry also jerked up.
Then he and Sciezka were both called to the General’s office. He frowned. He finally had the chance to solve the mystery! Sciezka looked disappointed too.
***
Ed made for his office, passing Havoc and Sciezka going the other way.
He opened the door to find Winry sitting there, looking utterly bored.
She perked up at seeing him.
“Missed me?” He smiled. She rolled her eyes.
“In your dreams.” He laughed then said, “I got caught up in a meeting, sorry for that.”
“It’s fine, Ed.” She smiled up at him.
“We can leave in an hour.” He looked at the clock. “I have some books here, you can read them.” He pulled out some non-alchemy books passing them to her. She nodded and opened one of them to read.
He sat back in his chair.
“How was your shopping?” he asked
“I got so much of it cheap today, Ed!” She lit up, then groaned. “I am exhausted now, it was too sunny today.”
Her skin had gone red. She burned easily, since she spent most of her time indoors. “You should have worn a cap, gearhead.”
“I forgot to bring one, Ed.” She looked down sheepishly.
He shook his head. “How long have you been waiting?”
“Oh, not long, maybe thirty minutes?” then she added excitedly, “I also met Sciezka and Havoc.”
He frowned. He knew all of them had been talking about Winry and him behind his back. He hoped they hadn’t teased her. Sciezka wouldn't have. Havoc, he doubted. It wasn’t like he was keeping her a secret, he just… didn’t say anything.
“You got into an argument with the General over my birthday, Ed?” She narrowed her eyes.
He shrugged. He argued with the bastard almost daily, it was normal for them. She rolled her eyes knowing how he was.
“Havoc told me you are quite famous among women here.” She folded her arms.
“Hey! It’s not like that, maybe yeah but it doesn’t matter. I don’t care about them.” He exclaimed. He would kill Havoc.
He knew they’d be dead if Winry came to know their names. She could be scary! Or he would be dead.
He shuddered.
She laughed. He turned to glare at her. Okay, he was safe.
She came around the desk and kissed his cheek, and smiled softly. A smile came over his face too. She leaned against the desk, and neither of them said anything.
He couldn’t help himself. He pulled her into his lap, hugging her.
He leaned in until he could feel her breath against his lips then touched her lips with his softly. She pulled him closer, her hands closing on his collar, and his came up to her waist.
Then they heard a whistle. They broke apart and looked up to find Havoc, Sciezka and Mustang in the doorway. Havoc was whistling, Sciezka looked shy and surprised both at the same time and Mustang smirked.
Ed and Winry both turned red. Winry scrambled off his lap and fell down. He bent down to help her up but she brushed him off and ran out the door blushing.
Damn. He turned to face the curious newcomers and said sharply, “Don’t you dare tease her.” Then he went after her.
The three of them were left blinking at the empty doorway.
Mustang had known they were dating and had been curious when Havoc told him Winry was here. Sciezka and Havoc both had looked frustrated. They still didn’t get it? He decided to barge into Ed’s office with them.
He hadn’t been exactly expecting to find them making out though.
He looked back at his two subordinates.
Havoc was grinning, and cheering “I knew it!” Sure, he did, Mustang thought dryly.
Sciezka's face kept changing, mortified and confused and, underneath, pleased. “H-He has a girlfriend! I knew it. No I didn’t. How?” She kept muttering to herself like she was trying to figure her whole life out.
He just smirked. He did feel bad for Winry, though. Caught out by three people she barely knew. Ed's threat had been immediate, and no, none of them would tease her.
He hadn't said a thing about himself. Not that it mattered.
Ed was going to get hell, he thought looking at Havoc.
***
Ed found her on a bench outside, her face buried in her knees, still red, and he couldn't tell any more whether it was the sun or the embarrassment. Those bastards! Couldn’t they have knocked before entering?
He sat down beside her, tipped her head up, and smiled. He knew his own face was still burning.
“Sorry, Win.” She shook her head then sighed.
“I’m never coming back here again, Ed.” Ed felt a bit disappointed but nodded.
“Let’s go then.” He stood and pulled her up after him.
“My tools! They are still there in your office.” He frowned. Then looked up at the building.
“I’ll go get them. You wait here.” He turned and quickly made his way to his office, pulling open the door to find Havoc grinning at him. Mustang was nowhere to be found, he was glad for that.
He tried to glare while blushing, grabbed her bag, and was gone before Havoc could get a word out. He had never thought he would have to run away from his own office.