Archive of Our Own

She put down her automail blueprint to glance at the time. He would be here soon!

Winry had been back in Resembool for two weeks, after a month in Rush Valley. It had been nice; she'd seen Paninya and her other friends, and working with Garfiel always felt good. Ed was still commuting between Resembool and Central, as he had for three months now.

He usually came back on weekends and Wednesday evenings. Sometimes Tuesdays too. Today it was Friday. He tried to come home as often as he could. Not that she was complaining; she knew he missed her as much as she missed him.

The front door opened. She pulled off her bandanna, raked her fingers through her hair, and tackled him into a hug before he'd set his bag down. He hadn’t come on this Wednesday.

It’s been a week!

He laughed, pulling her closer. He closed his eyes and leaned onto her a bit more. She held him tightly.

She drew back after a moment, and he whined. She smiled up at him, and he grinned back, his hand still on her waist. His stomach growled and he scratched the back of his neck.

“You missed your lunch again, Ed!” she snapped.

“I didn’t do that on purpose, I just forgot. Mustang, yeah, he just doesn’t let me rest even for a second!” He loved blaming everything on Mustang. She knew it had more to do with him losing track of time while working.

She glared at him. “At this point, I’ll need to ask Havoc to force you to have lunch.”

“Don’t you dare.” He glared back. She took his arm, leading him to the dining table.

“Stop me if you can.” She opened the fridge. Granny would have cooked something.

“I’ll cut all the telephone cords,” he snapped, leaning back on the chair, pulling at his collar. She could tell he was itching to get out of his uniform.

“Granny would kill you,” she shot back. She pulled out the stew Granny had made that morning.

Ed glared at her some more as she served him stew. She sat down on the chair beside him. “How was your day?”

“Boring. Why do I have to do so much paperwork?” he grumbled, shoving down his food. She was sure he did more than just the “paperwork.”

Then he glanced at the pot which was full to the brim. “You didn’t have lunch.” He narrowed his eyes.

“I was working!” she huffed.

He fetched another bowl and served her without a word.

They both leaned back in their chairs and groaned; they'd eaten too much. She turned and found him already smiling at her. She cupped his cheeks and pulled him in, and his hands slid into her hair as he kissed her back.

“I should change,” Ed said when they parted. He hated the uniform. Not that he wore the full thing. He was supposed to put on the coat!

She nodded, getting up to pick up the dishes.

He came back as she was finishing the washing up and dried the rest.

After they were done, she hugged him again.

“Missed me, gearhead?” he asked fondly, his cheek pressed to the top of her head.

She leaned back to glare at him. “Like you didn't.” He smiled and tugged her close again.

They walked into her room – they usually slept in her room now. Granny didn’t seem to mind.

He plopped down on the bed, taking her with him. She sighed into his chest. Before long his breathing evened out, and when she glanced up he was snoring softly. She closed her eyes and let sleep take her too.

She opened her eyes, and smiled looking at Ed sleeping peacefully. She got up making sure not to wake him up.

She tiptoed down to the workshop. She always kept weekends light, but it was early, and Ed wouldn't be up for a while. She put on her round glasses, tied her bandanna, and started on the pending orders.

An hour or so later she heard mismatched footsteps in the hall. Ed set a cup of coffee on her bench. He was up earlier than normal.

She smiled up at him in thanks, and he settled at his own table and got to work.

It was Wednesday now. Ed hadn’t come home the week before.

He was coming today; he'd called to tell her. She went over to the train station to surprise him.

She was sitting on a bench when she heard the train whistling. She got up, smiling, and searched the crowd. She spotted him after a moment.

She opened her mouth to call him but stopped short when she caught the look on his face. He was cursing under his breath. Annoyed. Tired.

He spotted her. His lips turned up into a smile.

He ran towards her with renewed energy. “Winry! You came to pick me up?” She smiled and nodded. He dropped his bag and hugged her.

She pulled back to look at him. Dark circles under his eyes. And his smile was… off?

“Let’s go home, Ed.” She tried to keep smiling for him.

He pulled her back for one more hug. Then he quickly kissed her on the lips. She blinked. Ed hardly ever kissed her in public.

She took his hand in hers and led him out of the train station.

“Have you not been sleeping properly, Ed?” she asked, taking in his swollen eyes. He looked ready to drop at any moment. She frowned.

“Well…” He trailed off. They walked the rest of the way in silence.

“Sit down, Ed. I’ll cook something for you.” She pushed him down on the couch and turned towards the kitchen.

He caught her wrist. “And what are you going to cook, huh?” he teased.

She wasn’t good at cooking. Stew and apple pie were all she did well, and there wasn't time for either.

“Hey! I can at least make fried rice.” She pouted making him laugh. She smiled. He laughed!

“Don’t burn it, gearhead.” He grinned at her.

She glared at him but decided to drop it.  

“Don’t move. I’ll be quick.”

She chopped and sautéed the vegetables. Thankfully there were some rice in the fridge.

She came back to find him asleep on the couch.

She sat down beside him shaking his shoulder, “Ed?” His eyes snapped open and darted around the room.

“Calm down. It’s just me.” She placed the plate on the coffee table and took his face in her hands. He looked weary.

She gave him the plate. He ate without a word.

She watched him, worried. Was it just work? Did something happen? Why did he have to work this hard?

He was yet to complain about her cooking.

“Is it the investigation, Ed? Found something?” He shrugged. She sighed.

“Did something happen?” she tried again.

“No, Win. Everything is fine.” He grinned at her. His eyes couldn’t meet hers properly.

She knew maybe he couldn’t tell her. It might be classified.

Like he cared about that! He just didn’t want her to worry. Idiot.

She nodded standing up to take his plate, putting it in the sink. She would wash it later.

“Ed. I think you should go sleep now.” She turned to him. He suddenly pressed his lips over hers, his arms going around her waist.

“Okay,” he said, pulling back. She kissed his cheek, smiling at him. He took her hand and led her to his room.

She woke up to find Ed getting ready for his work. It was early, he usually had to get up early to get there on time.

She got up, took the comb, and started on his hair. He smiled at her in the mirror.

“Maybe you should stop coming on weekdays,” she said, staring at his droopy eyes.

He raised an eyebrow. “What? You don’t like me here with you?”

“No. It is tiring for you to commute like this.” He could come once a week instead. It was fine. They could talk on the phone. Might make things easier for him too.

“But I love coming to you, Win.” He turned around and patted her hair into place. She blushed. He leaned down and kissed her slowly. She rose on her toes to kiss him back.

“I’ll get going now.” He smiled again. His smile looked –

She nodded.

The telephone rang, and she ran for it.

“Hello?”

“Hi Winry” Finally! He hadn't been answering her calls. He wasn't that great at calling her, but he always called when he got to Central. Not this time.

“Ed! How are you? Everything good?” She tried to keep her voice cheerful like always, winding the cord around her fingers. She leaned against the wall. She'd let him off for not picking up, this time.

“Yeah, good. How are you doing?” She couldn’t hear his voice clearly over the static, he seemed to be talking quietly.

“It’s been great! I finally finished a leg with the new design. I changed the -” she rambled on like always.

He remained silent. He usually liked listening to her. Not that he’d say that. Ever.

“Um… Winry?”

“Yeah.”

“I have to go. I’ll be back today.”

“Ok, Take care and eat wel –“ The line went dead.

She stared at the phone, then set it back in its cradle. Maybe he was just busy.

What the hell had he gotten himself into?

She was working on an automail leg that had to be done by tomorrow. She removed the plating, seeing inside, the gears were jammed. She tried taking a closer look by tilting her head and moving her fingers inside but ended up jerking a part out.

It clattered to the floor. It wasn’t like her to be clumsy. She cursed picking it up and going back to work.

After a while she lost herself in it again.

Arms came around her shoulders and she startled, then relaxed back against Ed as he buried his nose in her hair.

“Welcome home, Ed,” she said looking up at him. He hummed. His eyes were closed and he seemed about to fall asleep standing.

She stood up making Ed jerk back a bit. “I made apple pie for you. Come on.” He perked up. She smiled at him.

She pulled out the apple pie and pot of stew from the fridge. She usually kept apple pie for after dinner, but this once was fine. She passed him a bowl of stew and rice. She sat down and cut a slice of apple pie, putting it on a plate.

She rested her chin in her hand, watching him eat, before she turned to her own bowl.

He was smiling. Yes. He was making a whole show of his excitement. But he wasn’t actually eating much. Not like he used to.

Soon he was picking at the pie, the bowl forgotten at his elbow.

She didn’t feel hungry anymore.

She woke up to find his side of her bed empty.

She made coffee for both of them and peeked into his room. Empty.

She found him in her workroom at his makeshift table, papers everywhere. He looked grim. His one hand was holding a paper tightly while one was pulling at his bangs.

There was already a half-drunk cup on the table. She set the fresh one beside it.

She smiled, “Good morning, Ed.”

He nodded. Then he suddenly looked up and smiled at her. “Morning, Win.”

At least his smile wasn’t fake. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

She went back to her bench and picked up the leg.

Ed groaned, throwing a book on the floor. She fumbled with the plating and dropped it.

“Careful!” he snapped, “I’m trying to focus!” He didn’t look up.

She picked up the plating.

The third time he groaned, she turned. He was clutching his head. It must be hurting badly if he was reacting. He didn't register pain much, having two automails, and automail surgery does that to you.

She went over and pulled his hands out of his hair. “Ed. You should rest.”

He glared, “I have work.” She sighed.

“Please, Ed?” She gave him her best pleading face. He gulped then nodded, getting up. It always worked on him.

“Stop nagging after this!” he grumbled and walked out.

Like she could. She followed him.

He lay down on the bed, his arms folded beneath his head, scowling.

She climbed onto the bed behind him and eased his head into her lap. He looked up at her in surprise. “Wha –“

She placed her finger on his lips then said, “Just sleep,” closing his eyes with her other hand. She removed his hair tie and massaged his scalp and forehead slowly.

He opened his eyes to glare at her. She smiled down at him until he closed them again.

She kept massaging his head for a while, until, finally, his jaw unclenched and he went slack. She sighed.

She leaned back against the headboard. She didn't want to move and wake him.

She sat on the counter watching him saute the vegetables. It had been a while since he'd made pasta. Their eyes were still watery from cutting onions. Onions were just bad for them.

“I think you should add more salt,” she commented swinging her legs.

He ignored her like he always did when she offered cooking advice. She whined, “Ed!”

“Well, when was the last time you cooked anything good except stew?” He glanced at her smirking.

“I made fried rice.” She smiled.

“Hm… the onions were not sautéed properly and it had too much salt.” She hadn't known that. He still remembered her fried rice?

“You still ate them,” she snapped.

“I’ll eat everything you cook, Win. Doesn’t matter how bad it is.” She didn’t know whether to be touched or offended.

“I’ll only eat yours when you cook good food though,” she teased, grinning. He pouted.

She was glad he was in a better mood now. Getting a break and finally sleeping seemed to have helped. He was still working through the weekend though.

She leaned up to kiss his cheek, then whispered in his ear, “I love you, Ed.” He turned to smile at her – his real smile and kissed her quickly.

“Love you too. My gearhead.” She beamed pulling him in for another.

It was Sunday now, he would be leaving the next morning.  She came in with apple pie and scanned his table for somewhere to set it. It would be dark soon.

Ed snatched the papers away. “What the hell are you doing?”

She blinked. “I just came to give you some apple pie.” She put the plate down, and studied him.

“Can you fucking stop bothering me and mind your own business?” he yelled making her flinch.

“I was just putting the plate here, Ed!” she yelled back.

“Didn’t need to look at the papers for that!” He didn’t want her to see them? Okay, fine.

“I didn’t.”

“You did!”

“You could have locked them somewhere if you didn’t want me to see them.”

“There is no space here. You should keep your eyes to yourself.”

“You should keep your mouth to yourself.”

“You are one to talk.”

“At least I don’t yell at you for looking at my automail!”

“You do if I touch them! And they are everywhere.”

“It is my workshop!”

“So what?” He went back to his paperwork as she opened her mouth to yell back. She frowned and walked out of the workroom.

She woke up to find Ed cursing at his hair looking in the mirror.

“I swear I’ll cut it!” Cutting his hair?

She got up quickly, snatching the comb from his hands. “Let me.” She wouldn’t let him cut his hair!

“Just sleep. I can do it!” he snapped.

He kept glaring at her in the mirror.

“Maybe you shouldn’t travel this much,” she stated.

“What? You really want me gone even more?”

“No. But it’s tiring you out. You are even working at home now,” she said quietly.

“Stop me if you can. I’ll come whenever I want,” he yelled. She shook her head.

After she was done, she kissed his cheek. His lips were still turned down.

She turned to get his coat, and he pulled her into a hug.

“Sorry.”

“Okay.” He didn’t need to apologize.

He sighed, pulling her even closer like she might disappear. She hugged him back – his waist felt a bit leaner?

He had lost some weight.

She tried to look up at him but he held her against his chest, tight. Too tight. He didn’t pull back for a moment.

“Ed, it hurts,” she said softly, trying to breathe. He pulled back abruptly, eyes wide, staring at her.

He took her arms in his hands, checking for bruises. She pulled them back smiling at him.

“I’m sor-“ She cut him off with a kiss, arms around his neck. His arms hovered, not quite holding her. She drew them around her waist, and he relaxed, though he kept his hold loose.

There was still an hour before the train. She walked towards the front desk.

“I’m here to meet Colonel Elric.” The woman nodded, looking at her pass. Winry readjusted her bag full of tools and went towards his office. She'd done too much shopping– she had been here since morning and the bag was killing her now. Her skin was red because of the sun. She really should get used to it.

She knocked on the door. Nobody answered. She frowned, knocking again. Havoc came around the corner.

“Oi, hi Winry!”

She smiled back. “Hi Havoc. How have you been?” She had befriended Havoc and Sciezka the last two times she came here.

“Good, good. Here to meet Ed?” She nodded, blushing at the memory of getting caught kissing some months ago.

His smile dropped as he glanced at the door. He opened it for her without another word. She frowned up at him but went in.

Ed was grumbling and writing furiously, crumpled paper on the floor around him, his fingers white on the pen.

He hadn’t noticed her.

“Ed?” she said quietly.

For a second he stayed bent over the page, as if he didn't trust he'd heard her. Then his head jerked up. He smiled.

His gaze swept the office and the pen broke in his hand.

“What are you doing here?” he snarled at her.

“Um… I came here to shop. The train doesn’t leave in an hour. Thought I would see you before that.” The ink was leaking from the pen, staining his hand.

“You should go back,” he muttered, throwing the pen and pulling another one from the drawer.

“Okay. Did you eat anything? I can get you something to eat.” She tilted her head.

“No need.” He didn’t look up at her.

She stood there for a moment looking at him hoping –

She didn't have it in her to yell at him right now. She nodded to herself and turned to go. She could wait at the train station.

Ed would be home soon, she thought, glancing at the clock. She pulled out the tray of apple pie from the oven and set it on the counter to cool. She reached for a spoon to taste the stew and knocked the whole lot clattering to the floor. She picked them up quickly.

She put the dishes on the table.

The front door opened. She ran and tackled him in a hug. She felt him stumble back, grumbling a bit but then his arms came around her. She couldn’t look at his face. She pressed her face to his chest, as he leaned into her and sighed.

She tried to pull back but he kept her there, “Just one more second,” he murmured. She smiled, nodding.

Then she pulled back, taking a proper look at him. He wasn’t smiling.

Her smile dropped. She swallowed. “Come on. I made stew and apple pie.” She looked up at him hoping he’d smile.

He nodded putting his eyes on his plate, then stood without finishing even the pie.

“Ed! Finish your food.” she said sternly.

“I am not hungry!”

She grabbed his arm, sat him back down, and held up his spoon. He kept his mouth shut. She tried again. He wouldn't open.

She glared at him.

“I am not a baby!” he yelled.

“You sure act like one!”

She tried again to feed him but he kept his mouth closed.

“Please, Ed.” She looked at him with her best puppy dog look.

He groaned but then opened his mouth.

He leaned down and kissed her after he finished eating. It was desperate. He didn’t seem to know he was being a bit forceful. Winry kissed him back just as fiercely.

He had been working since morning – he'd woken before her again. She looked up from her automail. His eyes were drooping shut, and every so often he shook his head to stay awake. The headache was back too.

She sighed, walking towards him.

“Get up. Go to bed,” she ordered.

“Fuck off,” he snapped. Okay, he was on one of his cursing streaks today.

“You get the hell out of here. You need to sleep! You're human, not a fucking machine.” She could talk in the same language.

“I don’t want to.” He kept writing.

“Please?” She tried pleading yet again. She didn’t want to fight more. He needed to sleep!

He didn’t look at her. She walked back to her bench staring at her automail.

It didn’t work? She couldn’t even get him to rest?

“Can you let me fucking work?” Ed yelled.

“This is my workshop! I work here daily.”

“Then work without dropping shit every five minutes!”

She scrunched up her brows. The noise must be making his headache worse. She set each piece down slowly.

She walked back to her room. It was past midnight. Ed had finally decided to sleep.

He turned her around and kissed her, and they tumbled onto the bed.

He was being rough, his hand wandering into her hair, the other gripping her waist. She tried to kiss him back, sliding her arms around his neck. His hand slipped under her shirt.

She couldn’t breathe. He was kissing her too hard. And something was wrong with this. It wasn’t –

She pushed at his chest. He jerked back, coming to his senses, while she caught her breath. He stared at her, wide-eyed and panting.

“I-I’m sorry. Winry.” He stood up, looking panicked.

“It’s fine.” She took a deep breath.

“I-I’ll go to my room.” He turned away, still shaken.

She caught his arm and pulled him back down. “It’s fine. Ed. Stay please?”

She'd never had to say please this often before. She had been doing it a lot lately. Anything, as long as it worked.

He nodded and pulled her close. “Can you please talk to me?” she asked into the dark.

“I can’t. Win.”

Another paper ball hit the floor. She glanced at the clock. Oh. They'd missed lunch. She got up.

“Ed! You didn’t have lunch. Come on.” She tugged at his arm to make him stand, but he pulled it back.

“Not hungry,” he mumbled.

“Just stand up!” She grabbed for his pen. He yanked it out of reach.

“Can you fucking leave?” he snarled, looking up at her.

“Why are you being so difficult? It'll take fifteen minutes to eat something, tops,” she yelled back.

“Why the hell do you even care?”

“Ed! Can’t you just listen to me for once?” She leaned into his face.

“I don’t have time to listen to your bullshit!” he yelled back. “I swear I’ll stop coming back here entirely if you keep this up!”

What? He wouldn’t, right?

“You have lost weight, Ed!” she yelled, louder, her eyes going wide.

He narrowed his eyes. She folded her arms ready to retort.

He opened his mouth, then stopped and stared at her. She shifted a bit. What?

“So have you,” he whispered, his hand coming to her cheek. “Shit!”

She had? He dropped his hand and went back to the papers scowling, not looking at her.

She tried to pull him up. “Get up, Ed!”

He stayed put, not yelling now.

He was just being stubborn. She groaned.

She walked back to her bench. “Fine. I won’t eat till you do.”

“What?” he yelled, standing up. She nodded.

He cursed and stalked out. “Come on.”

She followed him out. She wasn't hungry. Didn't matter. Anything to get him to eat.

They ate in furious silence. Ed broke it, quietly.

“You shouldn’t stop eating just because of me, idiot.”

“You shouldn’t skip your meals,” she shot back.

“You are one to talk,” he scoffed. She didn’t say anything for a moment.

“Please, Ed. Try to relax? Take a break?” No, he couldn’t. “Talk to me? Al? You can’t bottle everything up!” She looked up, but he turned away.

“I can’t. You don’t know how bad it is. They’re doing it again! That research needs to be stopped.” His eyes were glassy when they came back to her.

Again? He wouldn’t even talk to Al?

Why did he have to take everything on his shoulders?

She cupped his cheek. “You’ll stop it, Ed. I believe in you.” He needed to hear this. She could at least do this much.

He leaned against her hand, closing his eyes. “I wish I could just throw all of them on the floor and beat them up.”

She chuckled. “You’re going to, sooner rather than later.” Then he smiled, finally.

They flopped onto the bed with a sigh. She settled into his chest like she always did but he got up and turned the light back on. She sat up.

He sat on the floor and took her chin in his hand, looking at her rather intently, turning her face one way, then the other.

At least he wasn’t in a foul mood. Concerned? Why? She was supposed to be worried here!

She looked down at him as he furrowed his brows. Was he going to kiss her?

He traced his fingertips over her cheeks and under her eyes.

“You really are an idiot,” he commented, glaring. He was getting like that again?

“Have you looked at yourself? You look like a zombie,” she snapped.

“You still have sunburns, Winry! You didn’t put anything on them?” She touched her cheek.

But they were just sunburns!

“Um… after I got back from Central, things got busy.” He frowned, realization flickering in his eyes.

She took his face in her hands. “Really. It’s no big deal. I just forgot.”

Who got worried over some sunburns while going through all that? Ed really was a moron.

He swallowed and turned her hands over. There were cuts all over them.

Well, she was prone to getting cuts, working with automail. They looked new though.

He smoothed his thumb over them. He stared at them like he could heal them just by looking.

“You've got lines on your face. Your eyes are sunken. Your cheeks have gone hollow,” she said flatly, changing the topic. He was being weird. She stared at him.

His hands looked darker against hers than they used to. He'd always been fair.

Out in the sun? Raids? And he was scolding her for some redness on her face?

His eyes were still on her hands, traveling slowly up her arms.

He really should think about himself for once.

“Go look in a mirror.” Winry narrowed her eyes. “And I know you haven’t been doing your automail maintenance, I can hear it creak.”

She'd been letting it slide too. He came home less so she didn’t even get much of a chance. And he was always working.

“I didn’t have time,” he shot back. Neither of them said anything for a moment.

“We really are idiots.” Winry pulled her arm free and fell back on the bed, eyes closed.

“Wearing yourself out over an idiot like me makes you the bigger idiot.” He said sitting beside her on the bed. She sat up and looked at him. Was that a competition?

“Let’s make a deal,” he started, his eyes wandering to the side.

“You will eat properly when I am not at home.” He looked into her eyes seriously.

She nodded. “You will have your lunch in the office and will eat dinner too.”

“I can’t do that daily, Winry,” he said sharply.

“Then the deal is off. But I’ll start measuring your weight anyway.”

“Okay, deal.” He grumbled.

“You will sleep on time,” he said, thumbing the skin under her eyes. “No all-nighters.”

“None? I can’t do that, Ed! You know that.”

“Okay, keep them to a minimum. I'll be tracking your dark circles.”

She sighed then added strictly, “You will also sleep properly. You’re not allowed to wake up before me.”

He frowned and nodded stiffly.

“You will tell me when something is bothering you,” she said.

He stared at her for a moment. “I’ll try.”

He pulled his hands back and held out his pinky looking to the side a bit embarrassed. She tangled her own in his, sealing the deal like they used to do as kids.

Then he stood up saying, “Now let’s put something on these sunburns before they become permanent.”

“No need, Ed. Let’s just sleep.”

He glared her into silence, walked out, and came back with ointment.

She turned her face away not letting him take it. “Winry!” he scolded.

“You need to sleep,” she said moving back further.

“I’ll sleep after I’m done,” he snapped.

She gave in and let him take her face in his hands.

“Use a cap from now on,” he ordered, slowly applying the cream to her cheeks and forehead.

She laughed making him scowl more. His priorities were messed up.

“I’m serious!”

“Okay, Ed.”

Winry opened her eyes to find Ed still asleep. She smiled, getting up the way she always did. She looked up at the time and frowned. She would have to wake him up soon.

She went to the kitchen. She pulled out the pie. There was still a good portion of it left. She could pack it for him.

She couldn't cook him a proper meal now. Stew took too long, and she was bad at everything else.

I’ll eat everything you cook, Win. Doesn’t matter how bad it is.

She smiled, starting fried rice. At least he’d have lunch.

When she came back, Ed was still asleep. She shook his shoulder softly. He stirred, cracked an eye open, and shut it again. She smiled.

“Ed, wake up.”

“Don’t wanna,” he murmured.

“You need to go to work. The train will leave soon.”

“I can ditch Mustang for today.”

“You can’t, Ed.” She glared. She’d have liked it if he stayed at home, sleeping like this, but they both knew he couldn't.

He groaned, pulling up his blanket. She yanked it down. “I have some apple pie left. Get ready and have some.”

He got up. “You still have apple pie left? You sure made a lot.” Or he didn’t eat much.

“Yeah. I also packed lunch for you. You don’t have any excuses now.” She smirked.

“What did you cook? Fried rice?” He looked smug.

“Yeah, I made sure to put the right amount of salt this time.” He laughed and went to put on his uniform.

He came back after a moment, tugging at his collar. She shooed his hands away, straightening it.

He sat down on the floor by the bed as she started combing his hair slowly. After she was done, he leaned back, smiling up at her.

She smiled back at him holding his cheeks. He was forcing the smile. But it wasn’t totally fake.

He got up after a moment and kissed her softly, slowly. Then he pressed his lips to her forehead. She closed her eyes. He hadn't done that in weeks.

“Bye, Winry. Will be back on Wednesday.”

“Bye Ed. Love you.”

“Love you too, Win.”