Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Right Next to You ❯ Memory Lane ( Chapter 1 )

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


Memory Lane


The sun was setting and the cold wind of the late autumn evening was picking up. The lone figure walking down the dirt road paused for a moment as the biting breeze blew through his long overcoat and hit the metal shards encased in the flesh of his left shoulder. He shivered as the foreign material seemed to dig into his body becoming vaguely uncomfortable. He shrugged the small annoyance away with a loud outward breath as if blowing it away from his mind. He had more urgent matters to contend with.


Edward hesitated and cringed inwardly as he looked up at the big yellow house in front of him. He’d been gone for three months and he knew he had what was coming to him. In the past, three months wasn’t very long to be gone at all. Not for him anyway, so why did it feel so different this time. What made him feel like he almost deserved to see the light reflecting off metal as it came hurling towards his head. His skull hurt automatically and he rubbed it gingerly remembering the last time he was on the"business end of one of Winry’s blasted wrenches.


~I’m glutton for punishment; somewhere down deep I guess I’m one of those masochists after all. I probably bought the fucking wrench she’ll be using too. ~


He mused as his knee creaked and reminded him of the metal limb he still had. His automail… It hadn’t been serviced since he left Winry at the train station.


~Well, whenever that does happen, just call me and make an appointment. ~


He didn’t do appointments. And what was it about making an appointment to have his leg checked that caused him irritation. He never had to make appointments in the past, why after years of something that worked just fine for him, did something have to change. Why couldn’t she just be happy he showed up at all? And what the hell was she doing that would require him to make an appointment. After all, wasn’t Winry always  available when he needed her?


It would have been much easier if he could just admit to himself what was really happening in his head but then again, he was hard headed and needed to learn the hard way. He leaned down to pick up his battered suitcase and took anotherstep towards the house. His stomach clenched and his heartbeat pounded in his chest.


The train station… what had he meant? What was he saying? What was she saying? It was now three months later and still he was as confused as ever, if not more so. His grip tightened on his suitcase handle. He could hear her voice and his conscience couldn’t block it out anymore. This wasn’t alchemy and he had no idea what he was doing; especially when it came to expressing how he felt. Alphonse had cornered the market on how to follow your heart. He was so much more articulate with his words than Ed and it showed how blindingly clueless he really was whenever he was forced to hear his brother talk. Ed grumbled at the last image he had of his brother as Mei had somehow managed to dig her little Xingese claws into his little brother. He was glad Al was happy, he wasn’t holding any grudges but damn it, wasn’t he the older brother. He was the one that was supposed to teach Al, not the other way around. He smirked with one last thought of how Al had changed since having his body returned, his mind not letting him avoid his true reasoning for returning home.


He exhaled sharply closing his eyes. The memory of the last time he had seen Winry flooded his brain and he allowed the distraction to take over his subconscious.


The train station 3 months earlier…


“Knowing you, you’ll probably break it within a month and have to come home for matinance.” Her voice was pleasant with a hint of sadness.


“Yeah… Yeah…You’re probably right.” Edward waved his hand nonchalantly, trying to make himself believe that this was just like any other time she had seen him to the train.


“Well whenever that does happen, just call me and make an appointment.” She called after him as one foot stepped onto the train. She watched him stiffen and stop, putting his suitcase down his hand grabbed the doorway. He looked almost purple, and she had to stifle a laugh.


“An appointment?” He whispered, his long golden hair hiding his eyes.


“What’s wrong?” Winry asked softly as she saw him turn every color of the rainbow.


“Winry…” He said a little louder but just barely audible.


“Well what?” She asked getting a little impatient. “Just come out and say it…” Her tone sounding mildly annoyed. Her expression went from pretending to be cheerful to pensive as she stared at the former state alchemist. She could feel his tension and her eyes grew wide as she watched him open his mouth.


“EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE…” He cried. “I’ll give half of my life to you if you give half of yours to me…”


With that her heart fell into her stomach. Her mind didn’t, couldn’t grasp what he was actually saying. She shook her head and clenched her fists. It was her turn to turn the spectrum of the rainbow.


“Ahhh, come on… Do you have to treat everything like alchemy? The whole equivalent exchange thing is just nonsense.” She cried almost desperately. She wanted to kiss him and throw a wrench at his head at the same time. In her frustration, she barely heard what he managed to reply.


“What’d you say!?” He questioned her… how could she ridicule the only thing his mind could use to process these emotions that were bubbling to the surface and were now clearly evident as plain as the crimson color brushing his cheeks.


“It’s NONSENSE…” She continued to wail. And then her mouth ran away with itself, speaking without thinking first, much the same way Ed usually formed sentences.


“How about I just give you my whole life!!!” She screamed and then it dawned on her exactly what she had just said. She looked away from him panicking. What she had said, she had meant with her whole heart but what if she wasn’t interpreting what Ed had said the way he had meant it. She quickly recovered and instantly began rambling.


“Maybe not all of it… 90, 80, 70 percent… 85 is a good number…” She counted on her fingers, her panic rising as she heard Ed start to laugh. Was he laughing at her? “WHAT”… She cried and before she could catch it “SHUT UP!” followed abruptly. She didn’t notice that Ed had stopped laughing and sat down on the step at the entrance to the passenger car. He was shaking his head.


“Sorry really…” He chucked lightly.


“Edward!” She screamed. She really was getting annoyed with him now.


“You’re so incredible…” His voice was full of admiration. “You’ve knocked equivalent exchange flat on its butt in just a few words.” He understood at that second that there could be something more than just alchemy, even if he wasn’t ready to say it out loud. His heart swelled as he looked at Winry and something in him wanted just that… something more. He stood up taking a step towards her.


“And what’s that mean? Are you making fun of me?”


“Not at all.” He shook his head as he got closer, not knowing what he would do once he could feel her breathing. Somewhere deep inside a voice told him to kiss her and his heart quickened as he tried to gather the courage to do just that.


~ Yes, a kiss would be incredible. Then he could finally taste her… WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT! ~ He berated himself. He took a deep breath. He could smell the motor oil and something else sweet that was entirely too intoxicating. Instead, Edward settled for wrapping his arms around her, embracing her nearness to him fearing that he wouldn’t be able to let her go. If he had kissed her, he knew he’d never leave. He snuggled his nose into her hair, taking one last long deep breath trying to commit that scent to memory and finally he began to relax his hold on her.


“Thanks for cheering me up.” He let go and turned to get on the train. He paused for a moment as his automail foot hit the first step. “I’ll miss you. Goodbye… for now…


Present day…


Den greeted him with his automail leg and Ed patted the old dog on the head. He shrugged as he stooped down to pet the animal properly. Den covered his face in slobbery kisses and Ed laughed wholeheartedly.


“At least someone missed me.” He joked. “I never get any static from you when I get here do I girl.” He peaked up at the doorway checking if maybe someone had heard him arrive. He could have sworn that he had heard the door open.


“Well pipsqueak… I see you’ve managed to show up unannounced once again.” The unmistakable voice was gruff and came from the doorway. Ed had to adjust his eyes lower until his gaze fell upon the short old woman smoking a pipe and wiping her hands on her splotchy apron.


“Oh… it’s just you.” He managed to reply sounding disinterested removing his hands from the dog’s thick fur and stood to his full height.


~Pipsqueak~ the word grated on his nerve endings and before he could stop himself, his mouth ran away with words that usually took on a life of their own.


“Just who did you call a shorty that has to be looked at through a magnifying glass to actually be seen?!” His arms flailing as he practically threw his suitcase jumping around desperately trying to insult the old woman standing in front of him.


“Why Edward… it’s good to see you again too. Welcome home.” She smiled with a hint of emotion that Ed was nowhere near comfortable with. Bending over he fished for his discarded suitcase and mumbled something along the lines of thank you as he passed Pinako holding the screen door.


Taking a deep breath as he entered the house he smiled rather smugly as he looked down at his surrogate grandmother. “You do know that I’m taller than Winry now don’t you. I mean it’s really kind of a moot point to call me short now isn’t it?” He smiled as the old woman looked up at him over the rim of her glasses.


“Old habits die hard kid.” She puffed on her pipe. “Now will you be gracing us with your presence for a minute or are you just passing through.” Pinako shut the door behind her and continued to stare up at Ed.


She could see his long intake of breath as he contemplated his next words. She noticed as he shut his eyes and wondered just exactly what he was going to say next.


“Where’s Winry?” He asked rather impulsively and Pinako smiled while arching an eyebrow.


“She’s in Rush Valley till the end of the week…” She shook her head with a knowing grin. “But you never did answer my question kid.” She added.


“End of the week huh?” Ed sounded disappointed.


“Why do you have somewhere better you have to be?”


Ed shook his head and smiled genuinely down at the old woman. “No… no place special. Here sounds good to me right now. I got too many alchemic equations running through my head and I need a break.” He scratched his head. “Do you think maybe you could take a look at my leg though…? If I wait for Winry, I might lose a couple of teeth or have a few new lumps added to my skull while trying to get my leg looked at.”


Pinako shook her head knowingly. “Well, pipsqueak… why don’t you get settled. From the looks of you, I think you could use a shower. Your room’s still upstairs where you left it. I’ll warm you up some supper and take a look at your leg after that. Sound alright with you Edward?”


“Yeah… I think that’ll be alright.” He agreed and bounded towards the stairs. “You’ll call me when you’re ready for me right?” He glanced back at the old woman over his shoulder from half way up the staircase, his stomach grumbling.


“You know you didn’t even call me an old hag this time Edward.” She smiled as she turned to the kitchen,


“Yah, don’t get used to it… I must just be hungry or something.” He waved her off nonchalantly and proceeded towards his room. “Remember old habits die hard, don’t get used to it.” He smiled at her with a hint of his trademark smirk.


“Good to see you too pipsqueak.”She muttered in a low voice and moved towards the kitchen.


Ed put his suitcase away and shrugged out of his coat. He pulled his shirt tail from his waistband and clumsily moved towards his bed. Laying down he laced his fingers behind his head and closed his eyes.


He couldn’t decide which was worse, a wrench to his head immediately or waiting the remaining days until Winry got home. The looming prospect of the knock on the head would probably be worse with the threat of it and not knowing when it was actually coming. A wrench to the head he could take. It was the anticipation of when it was actually coming that bothered him. He was mildly disappointed that she was gone. After all, he had been thinking of little else but this homecoming for a few days now. His insides were all out of whack. He knew that he needed to talk to his childhood best friend but at the same time he was grateful for the reprieve. What the hell was he going to say to her anyway? His words never came out right and he had never been any good at discussing how he felt. What was it Havoc had told him and Al at the hospital when they were there recuperating from the battle with Father...


~”Think before you open your mouth boys. Women take everything the wrong way.”~ Edward laughed out loud remembering what a lecher the man could be.


He knew his feelings for her ran deeper than just friendship, the way his pants would grow tighter if he thought too much about her was solid evidence of that. His cheeks went red and he draped his arm over his eyes to hide his embarrassment. The corners of his mouth twitched upward as he remembered the first time he realized her physical closeness was what was causing that to happen.


“You mean you seduced your mechanic…”


Hughes’ words still taunted him. He could hear them now still, years later plain as day, just like he could replay the fight with the serial killer Barry the Chopper that caused him to be in the hospital, and causing Winry to have to replace his arm once again that particular time. When everyone had finally left the room, Ed had laid back down. He could still feel her hand on what flesh was left of his leg as she examined both his automail arm and leg. At the time he had no clue why his body was betraying him but it was nothing compared to when he woke up and Al still anchored in his suit of armor was staring at him.


“Brother...?” Al’s voice sounded off in the distance trying to gain his attention but not even the faint worry in his brother’s tone could pull him away from where he was right then.


The feeling was immense, the warmth and tightness that enveloped him was almost excruciating. He never wanted the feeling to end. His face was buried in the crook of her neck and he could smell the fragrance of wild flowers and a hint of motor oil. Since when did Winry start wearing perfume? And what was that sound coming from her throat. His name escaped her in a gasp and he could taste sweat on her jaw line as he licked her skin with the flat of his tongue. Wait a minute… why was he licking Winry anyway? His flesh hand ran down her arm as his knuckles grazed the side of her breast. He leaned up on his automail arm and looked down their bodies feeling his private region grow and surge. His eyes locked on the scene his mind played for him and he realized he was buried inside her. He was about to… to… -what was it that military instructor said at that stupid in-service…- oh right… come inside her. He was having sex… with Winry and with the look on her face she wanted to be having sex with him and he was doing a fairly good job at whatever the fuck he was doing. That vision, the one he couldn’t take his eyes off of where he sank into her and became one with her had to be the hottest thing he’d ever seen. Where was his mind getting these images? His flesh hand ran over her arm and finally palmed her breast and he knew he was going to explode especially if he pulled out and pushed back in… yet there was something distracting him, something sounding far off that kept interrupting his impending bliss. He didn’t know what it was but it was starting to really piss him off. He thrusted himself harder into her hearing her cry out his name once more. That did it; he felt the grip around his dick tighten as he emptied himself into that welcoming passageway.


Suddenly, he felt something rather wet and sticky on his lower belly and along with the fingernails on chalkboard like sound of the word brother echoing through empty armor, Ed shot up to an upright position embarrassingly more aware of the warm sticky substance now making his boxers stick to his skin. Realizing that it was still rather dark he was grateful that Al could not see the crimson color of his face or the goofy grin that had just been wiped off of it. He struggled to breath.


“What the fuck was that!” He exclaimed before venturing a glare over at Al.


Once he did look over at his younger brother, he really wished he hadn’t. If a suit of armor could look horrified and embarrassed at the same time, then Al managed it flawlessly.


“Are you alright brother? You were moaning and crying out for Winry. I thought you were dreaming she was hurt or something. I was about to call Hughes’ and see if he could bring her back here.” His voice was almost a panicked sound.


“OH NO, not that, I don’t need her here.” ~I don’t think I could look her in the eye at this point~ He thought horrified, his mind’s eye seeing the hazy need reflecting from hers while he hovered over her in his dream. “I don’t think she was hurting Al.” Ed replied scathingly trying hard to hide the sticky wet spot from his brother.


“Look it scared you so bad you had an accident!” Al exclaimed. “I should really go get somebody.”


“Could ya keep your voice down?” Ed hissed menacingly raking his flesh hand through his hair. “I wasn’t having a nightmare Al.”


“Sure sounded like it to me…” Al replied back.


“I’d appreciate it if we kept this between us. I don’t want you going and telling anyone about this. Especially Winry. Okay Al.” Ed slid to the side of the bed.


“Are you sure… if you’re having nightmares maybe the doctors can help.”


“It wasn’t a nightmare Al…” He explained as he stood up. “I wasn’t hurting her... I swear.” ~Oh fuck that wasn’t pain… it was… it… felt so real.~ He felt his spent flesh start to harden again at the memory. Panicking, he flew past his brother towards the bathroom.


“Brother!” Al screamed his voice echoing through his armor as usual when Ed pushed past him. “You should let me call for a nurse or something, you’ll bust open your stitches! At least let me help you.” Al stood and made a slight move towards his older brother when he saw that Ed had stopped suddenly glaring at him over his shoulder.


He heard the sharp intake of breath and a small growl before he heard the words. He was sure it was his brother’s voice but then again Ed never really stayed mad at him and he had no clue why he would be upset with him now but never the less, the threat resounded through the room and caught Al somewhat off guard.


“Al… don’t make me go find a can opener.”


To Be Continued-