Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Full Metal Alchemist Somewhere between Science and Alchemy ❯ The Wrong Brother ( Chapter 2 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Nursie note- I had this done yesterday but it seemed to take on a life of it it’s own around the time FMA came on Adult Swim last night. There’s just something about an Ed/Winry episode that’ll inspire you!!! I seriously meant to post this before bed last night but before I knew it, it was 7:34 am, let’s just say after feeding my ten year old breakfast and getting him to school, I collapsed… missing a doctor’s appointment I had this morning. *lol* oops. I hope you all like it. I don’t bite, so feel free to email or review with questions/concerns. -Nursie

******



Part Two:
‘The Wrong Brother’


It had been two weeks since Alphonse Elric’s return to the Rockbell house. He sat looking around the kitchen, noticing not for the first time that there was a gloomy atmosphere that had fallen upon the yellow house since Armstrong had brought him home.

There was something extremely different about the girl he had called his best friend for his entire life, and it wasn’t that she was unhappy to see him. She had hugged him, and cried when he had arrived at the house in his human form. However, it was odd when she covered her mouth and made a mad dash for the bathroom, as he tried to explain why Edward was not with them.

He hadn’t seen much of her in almost a week now, and he had never seen Winry look or be so sick. He had a feeling that she must be having some sort of physical reaction to his brother not returning with him. He was quick to promise her he was going to take the Alchemy exam and find a way to bring his brother home. That only made her blue eyes well up again and she cried for what seemed like the entire day. She wasn’t eating, along with the endless crying and general mood swings but most confusing to Al was that she hadn’t set foot in the auto mail shop the whole time he‘d been home. It was upsetting him just knowing that Winry wasn’t feeling well and the loss of his brother though Al swore only temporary, was causing her to look worse every day.

Pinako didn’t say much, but what she did say made Al think that there was something other than the fact that Winry missed Edward. Whatever Pinako’s suspicions were, she wasn’t sharing with the younger Elric brother. Maybe she thought he was too young to understand or maybe she just didn’t quite know what exactly it was that was going on in Winry’s head but it worried Al almost as much as having Edward trapped behind that forsaken gate.

He stood up pushing the chair from the table and ventured into the front yard. Breathing the spring air in, he couldn’t believe the sinking feeling in his stomach would ever go away. It irritated him profusely that he could not make himself see the bright side to anything anymore. He had always been the one to cheer up everyone when they were down and now, he couldn’t even keep his own head from feeling as if drowning. He glanced upward to Winry’s room, shaking his head, he turned around. His expression set, he walked briskly into the house determined to at least get Winry to talk to him. They were supposed to be friends after all and besides Ed, he was the closest person to her except her grandmother.

Stopping off at the kitchen, he threw together a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk. If it was the last thing he did, he was going to see her eat something, if only a few bites. She didn’t have his brother’s distain for milk products and he figured that it could soothe her stomach some. He stopped at her door, made a fist ready to knock on her bedroom door and sighed. He closed his eyes and just before his knuckles made contact with the wooden door, he heard the sound of violent heaving coming from the washroom down the hall.

He pushed on the door slowly, hearing the creaking sound as it opened. Seeing that his friend wasn’t in her room, he quickly placed the plate and glass on the bedside stand, turned around and followed the retching sound to the end of the hall.

“Winry?” Al asked softly pushing on the door seeing the girl’s blonde hair falling forward as she leaned against the toilet kneeling down with her skin a pale shade of green.

Al reacted quickly, falling to the floor grabbing her hair and pulling it behind her back. Her eyes puffy and red, he grabbed her face so that she could look him squarely in the eye.

“Winry… what’s the matter?” He asked his voice sad and his heart breaking seeing his friend in such a state. He hugged her close to him.

As soon as she felt her body connect with his, a hoarse sob came from her throat as she tried to push herself from him.

“I can’t… Al. don’t you understand that just seeing you reminds me that he’s not here.”

“Huh?” He replied stupidly but reinforcing his hold on the crying girl to keep her close. He sighed inwardly, he hadn’t thought about the fact that the older he became the more they began to look more alike. Although, he still held most of his traits from his mother and Ed their father, you could definitely tell they were brothers.

Al thought for a moment in the silence. He had always known that there was something unspoken between Edward and Winry. Maybe, somehow, it wasn’t such a secret to at least one of them anymore. He chose his words carefully before speaking.

“You’re in love with my brother… Aren’t you, Winry?” He said a note of pensive sadness ringing in his voice, meaning it as more of answer than a question.

He felt her nod into his shoulder and sniffle wiping her runny nose on his green pull over shirt. Normally, he’d of teased her but the shirt was green and Winry was in no shape for any kind of teasing. Somehow Al knew that wasn’t the way to cheer up his childhood friend.

“I’ll bring him home. I know I can… he… brought me back.” Al whispered pulling her away just far enough to see her eyes.

“But what if you can’t! What if he’s gone for good? What if he never knows?” She cried.

“I’m sure he knows how you feel about him Winry. I’ve known for some time that he’s loved you since we were kids. I may have been a suit of armor Winry, but my mind still worked. I wasn’t stupid, nor am I... and I do know how men and women feel about each other. I may only be sixteen but I do have feelings as well. I love you like a sister Winry but Ed didn’t just love you; he was in love with you. I‘ve always had eyes. It was hard not to notice the way he looked at you.”

“That wasn’t what I meant.” She sobbed. “I know he loved me. I mean loves me. He told me that.” She wiped her face with the back of her hand. “It’s just that he’s gone now, and I don’t know how to live without at least believing that he’s coming home any day now. Besides if I do somehow have to live the rest of my life with him gone, there will always be something reminding me of him and that… that‘ll never change.”

“I miss him too. But, I know that I will see him again. Just like he knew he’d get my body back. Have faith Winry… Ed always had faith in you.”

Winry pushed him away. Shaking her head, she looked down at the floor. “Doesn’t that defeat the whole alchemy theory? Equivalent exchange and all that bull? Won’t you have to give up yourself again to return Ed to me? I can’t ask you to do that. And Ed… well, he’d have no part of it. “She shook her head hanging it directing her gaze at the washroom floor. “It’s not just that.” She replied timidly.

“Then what is it? Maybe I can help.”

It was an eerie laugh… but a laugh none the less that Al heard come from her. He had never heard such a sarcastic laugh from her and it scared him. She sounded an awful look like his brother with that one sound. He took in a deep breath probing his brain for something more to say or do to soothe her but only looked at her with more confusion.

“Am I missing something?” He asked confused.

“Al, I afraid.”

“Afraid of what?” Once the words were out, Al immediately wanted to take them back. He could understand that she had many things to be afraid of, if he were completely honest with himself, he was afraid of most if not all of the same things.

She looked up at him. Her eyes set, looking emotionally drained and Al could see that there was something definitely wrong. He caught her eyes, looking deep trying to ease a little of her pain. Trying, to somehow make her believe that she could tell him anything. He held her tightly to him trying to convey that emotion into her through the hug, not knowing any words to ease her suffering.

Finally, it was as if she couldn’t keep it in any longer and her words came out furiously fast.

“Al… I’m pregnant.” She closed her eyes looking away from him, the tears falling from her lower eyelids. She gasped once the words were out. Disbelieving that she had said it out loud for the first time, it only added to her turmoil that it was Al kneeling there trying desperately to comfort her and not Edward. “Oh my God… I can’t believe I just told you that. I haven’t told anyone. I couldn’t even admit it to myself and now… I’ve told the wrong brother.” Her words were just above a whisper but Al had heard everything.

Al’s heart leaped into his throat. He would have been prepared for almost anything but that. With those words, he knew that there had to be something he could do for her. Some how, some way Edward needed to know about this. He’d want to know. The fact that his brother was going to be a father was almost unfathomable to Al but he knew that Ed would want the chance to have a family. All through, the past eight years neither really thought at all about that sort of thing, but Al was positively sure that Ed wouldn’t ever purposely abandon that responsibility. He hated their father fiercely for that exact reason.

He swallowed hard and grabbed her holding her close again. His heart racing, he searched his head for anything to console his troubled friend. Realizing that there was someone in the world that may just need his brother back more than he did, and remembering how Hughes little girl had been traumatized after his death; he realized there was a whole new life that needed him as well. He tried to let her know that he would be there for her doing anything within his realm of ability to help her as he hugged her.

His thoughts wandered. “Does Ed know…? I mean… you and him were… um…together right?”

“Who else would I have touch me Al.” Winry pushed Al away and smacked him hard on the shoulder.

“I didn’t mean it like that! I promise. I just meant that you guys weren’t thinking clearly when it happened.”

“Al, you do know what happens between two people when this sort of thing happens.”

“I’m not as innocent as everyone would like to think,,, I may have been made of metal but I did, I do have hormones…and living in the military dorms at Central. The guys in there were pretty graphic.” He commented shrugging. Finally something useful came to mind to ask. “When did it happen?”

“Just before he went to find your teacher to get the remains of her baby and just after he…”

“He what?”

“He collected a few remains of your mother from her grave. The night you got that weird phone call. When you disappeared without telling us you were leaving to meet with that crazy man that turned his own daughter into a chimera. I should have known you were hiding something… I should have let him go after you… but I was being selfish, I wanted him to think of me first for once. I didn‘t tell him that I thought you had snuck away“ Winry paused sighing guiltily.

“He stayed until first light.” She touched her cheek with the palm of her hand. Breathing in as she remembered the coolness of metal against her warm face. “ I can still feel my cheek against his bare chest where his auto mail connected. The roughness of his scars.” She sniffled her nose running profusely from crying. She smiled sadly at the memory almost forgetting she was talking to the uncle of her child instead of an old girlfriend. “He was so clumsy and goofy at first.” Her eyes grew distant as if somewhere else entirely and Al fidgeted awkwardly not exactly sure if he wanted to know the details of how his brother got himself into this particular situation. “But from all his fumbling and lack of experience… he certainly didn’t hold anything back on the first go.” This time she laughed almost happily as if remembering how Ed felt next to and inside her body.

Al bit the inside of his cheek allowing her to talk, hoping that if she could share her burden with him that she might feel better and they could at least work on a plan to get Edward home. He almost shuddered because every time he blinked he saw an image of his brother he didn’t exactly need to see but if it made them happy for any length of time in the past eight years, he’d figure some way to not dwell on his brother doing ‘things’ to his best friend.

“Do you know about how long ago it happened?” Al asked grateful that he had thought of something to say so that Winry didn’t actually start to describe to him how Ed had actually gotten her pregnant… or at least he managed to cut her off in doing so.

“Huh?” Winry said unable to shake off the memory of the almost pained face Ed had made when he released himself inside her. The noise he made as he said her name low from his chest and planted kisses all over her face, his tongue licking the tears he had caused when he had pushed himself all the way into her for the first time breaking through the wall that made her his forever. She tightened her legs together as her mind replayed that moment… as well as the three other times that night he had done the same thing making love to her till dawn then trying to leave before she woke to see him gone. Her mind replayed their last conversation and she couldn’t help but drift wholeheartedly into the memory.


*****

She had fallen asleep against the cold metal of his auto mail on the right side of his well developed chest after the final time they had spent themselves. Edward had not intended to stay as long as he did but he could not bring himself to leave her any sooner than he would have to. He lay awake, his amber eyes staring at the ceiling, feeling sweaty and sticky and unbelievably whole. It turned out Winry did like his human parts as well as his auto mail and he smiled as that thought crossed his mind. His metal arm was wrapped around her shoulder and he could feel her breathing becoming more and more peaceful and dream like. He knew that if he allowed himself to fall asleep, he would never leave… he was finally content with his own body and much too satisfied where he was, he didn’t need his flesh arm or leg back especially now that he knew that it didn’t bother the girl he loved that his parts were not all human. She didn’t mind one bit being touched by his metal limbs. He had laughed at that… after all, she had made them for him.

“Crazy machine junkie…” He whispered lovingly smiling at how many times he called her that but just now realizing how true his endearment was.

The only thing that did finally remove him from her warm body was the thought of his brother Alphonse. He had trapped him in the armor nearly six years ago and if he didn’t fix it, Al would never be able to experience anything remotely similar to what Ed was starting with Winry.

She stirred slightly as he gently removed himself from her naked form pulling the sheet up to cover her in case Cheska or heaven forbid Al would come to wake her in a few hours. He didn’t like the idea of someone other than him seeing her like this and the small evidence of what they had been doing through out the night staining the sheets wasn’t something that he thought Al could handle… hell, he’d freak out quite a lot if he saw the small spot of blood from her virginity that also stained the bed sheet mixed with his seed and her wetness. Come to think of it, he had freaked out a little when he first saw it. Winry was going to have fun explaining that one to Pinako… or maybe not, she could just blame it on that monthly cycle thing girls have so that they can have babies someday. His mind nagged at him for a moment about that. Stopping, he looked over at his lover and wondered briefly if they would ever have children, thinking that perhaps after everything he had done, he didn’t deserve that privilege. Not wanting to think on that particular subject all for now he then centered his thoughts on finding his clothes. He fumbled around in the dark for his clothing and was stepping back into his blue boxers when Winry sat up on her elbow watching him.

He could still smell scent of sex and sweat in the room and her taste was still lingering in his mouth. He stumbled hitting his flesh leg on the wooden table. He yelped in pain then cursed rather loudly as he tried to pull up his underwear.

“Damn it!” He cried in a loud whisper looking up at the ceiling. “Stop jerking me around down here!” He then gestured towards Winry. “I’m leaving the woman I love to fix a mistake I made when I was fucking eleven years old! How much longer do I have to pay for my sins!” He noticed that Winry had propped herself up and was looking at him concerned.

“Are you alright Edward?” She asked softly a hint of utter sadness in her throat.

“Yeah…” He said abruptly then changed his mind. “No.” He found his black sleeveless shirt and pulled it roughly over his head. “Do you know how much I’m going to miss you? Even more than before… I just… I just don’t feel right doing what we did tonight and leaving you for God knows how long. It’s not fucking fair!” His aggravation clearly written on every part of his handsome face.

“If it were up to me, I would have you stay… but you’d hate me in the end if I asked you to do that.” Winry replied.

Ed’s eyes changed from fully infuriated to a softer gentler gaze as he looked at her. “I told you last night that I’d come back. You said I love you and I promised. What I’m doing right now…” He paused fastening his leather pants. “Is keeping my promise to my brother. After that this whole thing is over Winry. I’ll plant my metal ass on your couch and drink milk all day long for the rest of my life as long as you are here with me.”

Winry smiled sweetly at him nearly giggling at his words knowing full well she wouldn‘t get so much as a slice of cheese to pass his mouth. “Then go… the sooner you go, the faster you come home.”

He liked the logic in her sentence even though his stomach turned and knotted with a distinct uneasiness that he didn’t want to acknowledge. Pulling on his red overcoat and pushing his last shoe onto his rather big foot for his height, he took the several steps over to where Winry was now sitting up holding the sheet to her chest.

He placed his hand on hers pushing it down uncovering her just enough to have a final look at her. “Don’t cover up on my account, I need some sort of mental image to get me through the next few lonely nights.”

“I think you took enough mental pictures though out the night.” She smiled as Ed leaned down and brushed his lips to hers a tear fell from one of his eyes and he quickly brushed it way. He placed his left hand on her heart and kissed her hard pushing her back a bit and opening his mouth on hers. This one would have to last him for a bit he gathered so he gave her everything he had in that one long lingering kiss, tattooing her taste to memory.

“I love you.” He said as he pulled away from her backing towards the door.

“And I love you too Ed. Hurry home. This side of the bed is gonna be so cold now without you.” She placed a hand where he had been laying.

Ed only nodded and whispered goodbye. Closing his eyes as the tears stung, he ran from her room closing the door. Not seconds later she heard the door downstairs slam shut. She jumped at the impact and pulled the covers to her chest bringing her knees up to rest her arms and chin on. Silently, her tears flooded her eyes and flowed over her lids pouring down her cheeks.


*****


“Winry?” Al tried again.

“Oh.” Winry finally snapped back to where she was.

“Did you hear me?”

“Huh? Um no. Sorry Al. I was just thinking.”

“Do you know about how long ago it was?”

“I’ve just missed my second monthly cycle.” Winry admitted.

“You need to tell Pinako. She’s your grandmother, she loves you, and she loves Ed and me. She’ll understand. You need to see a doctor Winry. Ed wouldn’t want you going about it this way.”

“But I don’t know how I’m going to do this by myself!” She began again with her tears.

“You aren’t alone, we’ll figure something out for now. But first, we have got to tell Pinako and get the doctor here to have a look at you.” Al let go and stood. He reached his hand down to her and pulled her up with him. “Come on, I think Pinako is out in the auto mail shop. We should start with her.”

“We?” Winry asked timidly.

“I told you I wouldn’t make you do this alone. He is my brother, so this is part of my responsibility as well. “

“But I’m not married… and when it comes out that I’m…”

“Let’s do this one thing at a time Winry. I don’t think you can do much more than that.” He placed an arm around her shoulders and began the long walk down to the auto mail shop where they would find her grandmother.


To be continued…

Part Three-
Widowmaker