Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Seasons ❯ Winter: Adjustments ( Chapter 4 )

Warnings and Disclaimers: Any and all characters from the anime Fullmetal Alchemist do not belong to me. I only torture them for some stories. There may be some teenage content in the story but it is very limited. This story is set after the movie which means there are some spoilers and if you have no idea what any of this may be about, then don't come crying to me please. It's not my fault, I warned you *sheepish grin*.

 

 

 

Seasons

Winter: Adjustments

Chapter 4

 

By: RomanceFanFicLover

 

 

It's been two weeks since Ed was first injured and he was still having massive headaches. The doctor had said that it was common for him to have headaches quite often for up to even a year. “Rest is the best cure, but medication could be taken” was what the doctor had said. Ed had quite bluntly told the doctor that “Like hell I'm taking medication. That shit knocked me out cold” and was soon slapped rather hard by Pinako for his bad language.

 

 

Winry couldn't help herself as she stared at Ed's back. `He really has changed' she mused quietly to herself. She watched quietly as Ed sat in the snow, leg stretched out with one arm fiddling in his lap. Making sure not to make a sound, Winry turned to return back into the house. She should have known better though, Ed was so close to being physic sometimes that it was scary.

 

 

“See something interesting Winry?” Ed's voice clearly showed that he was smirking.

 

 

“Have any other lines Ed?” Winry cocked an eyebrow but let a grin spread across her face as she mad her way over to him. Once she was almost close enough to see what he was playing with in his lap, Ed put it away into a small back which rested on his leg.

 

 

“Whatcha got there?” Winry's curiosity got the better of her as she sat down beside Ed and had to refrain herself from grabbing the bag.

 

 

“Nothing. It's none of your business.” Ed answered coolly, glaring at the grass on his opposite side. “When are you going to reattach my automail? It's done isn't it?”

 

 

“Yes, but the doctor said-”

 

 

“Like I care what that old man said!”

 

 

“Ed! If we attach it while your head is still injured, the fever and pain could make you seriously ill or make your headaches permanent.”

 

 

“But-…okay, never mind.” Ed stared off into the distance, a helpless and frustrated expression on his face. It reminded Winry of when Ed was still little. “Why are you laughing?” his growling voice broke Winry out of her fit of giggles as he glared at her.

 

 

Winry took a few gulps of air to sooth her lungs before she asked, “Ed, what are your five favorite childhood memories?”

 

 

Ed looked at her in surprise before returning to his usual grimace. “I guess I never really took the time to think about it…” Ed trailed off, his head was starting to hurt again; he didn't want to think about childhood memories when he couldn't even bring himself to think about alchemy.

 

 

“Well start thinking, I'll tell you my favorite memories after you tell me yours.” Winry grinned wickedly at him.

 

 

“What? That's not fair; you've always gone last; even when we were kids.”

 

 

Winry couldn't help but giggle as she looked at Ed, he probably didn't even notice he was pouting. Ed stared at her questioningly and she began to wind out of her laughter, “You're too cute sometimes.”

 

 

“Thought you said I wasn't cute.”

 

 

Winry's eyes widened in shock; she had forgotten about that conversation and he probably had as well until she opened her big mouth.

 

 

Ed smirked devilishly as he watched the emotions pass across Winry's face; surprise, shock, embarrassment, anger, embarrassment again, some more anger and even more embarrassment.

 

 

“I-I…uh, I need to finish your automail repairs.” Winry got up and hurried towards the house.

 

 

“Hey! I need help getting up, don't leave me here! Winry! Winry!!” Ed glared at the door as it slammed shut. “Stupid machine freak…”

 

 

..+..------------------------------..+..

 

 

Al was reading a book on alchemy peacefully in the living room. He was waiting for Pinako to finish up some jobs before they were to visit Nelly, then he had the rest of the day full with little things he wanted to do; might as well get some reading time in.

 

 

However, his peaceful reading time was quickly disturbed.

 

 

“Hey! I need help getting up, don't leave me here! Winry! Winry!!” Ed's shouting voice made Al look up from his alchemy book just as Winry came flying through the door, slamming it shut, and running into her workroom.

 

 

“Winry…?” Al sat in both horror and shock as he looked between the slammed shut front door, and the recently slammed shut workroom door. “Ed…?” Al decided the safer between the two would be Ed. Without a body of steel, wrenches hurt a whole lot more.

 

 

Kicking aside the alchemy book that he had dropped during Winry's stampede, Al made his way outside to check on Ed.

 

 

“Brother?”

 

 

“Hey Al, help me up?” Al was very glad he decided to talk to his brother first, he didn't want to die at the age of 18 and luckily Ed seemed in an incredibly good mood.

 

 

“Brother, why are you so happy? Did something good happen?” If something made his brother this happy, then Al wanted to know what it was.

 

 

Ed couldn't beat down the enormous smile that was plastered onto his face. His stomach was bubbling and he had a strange urge to run around singing and laughing. Ed shook his head of the thought and let his brother help him up. “Thanks Al.”

 

 

“So Brother, was it something good that happened with Winry?” Al wiggled his eyebrows at Ed in a suggestive way.

 

 

“Huh? Al! What the hell's wrong with you?!” Ed looked like he was caught between incredible anger and faint-worthy shock. “You spend too much time with that old hag…”

 

 

Al chuckled as his brother grumbled on about Pinako and how crazy she was. As he helped Ed make his way across the yard and up the porch Al realized that Ed should've had his automail back by now. “Brother? Isn't this the longest time you've spent without your automail?”

 

 

“Shut up Al.”

 

 

“I was just asking!”

 

 

“No, don't remind me. It's the doctor's fault anyways.” The conversation was ended as the brothers made their way into the house.

 

 

Al set his brother onto the couch before he made his way upstairs. “Where are you going?”

 

 

“I'm going to go run some errands with Auntie Pinako, Brother.”

 

 

Ed blanched, “What is she, your best friend or something?”

 

 

“Don't be stupid Ed. Al has more friends then you do, since he's taller and all.” Pinako stood at the top of the stairs smiling smugly with her pipe hanging form her mouth.

 

 

“Shut up old hag.”

 

 

“Pipsqueak.”

 

 

“WHO'RE YOU CALLING A-”

 

 

“AUNTIO PINAKO LET'S GO NOW.” Al picked up Pinako and bolted from the house.

 

 

“COME BACK HERE YOU CHICKEN!!!” Ed shouted after them before the door closed.

 

 

Al put Pinako down and muttered an apology before catching his breathing and following her down the path.

 

 

“What do you need to buy Auntie?”

 

 

“Groceries.”

 

 

“Didn't we buy groceries the other day?”

 

 

“We need more.” Pinako had a glint in Al's eyes that told him that that was most diffidently not the case.

 

 

“So, Auntie, have any ideas on how to get those two together?”

 

 

“Leave the house as often as possible for now.”

 

 

Their evilly diabolical plans of doom for the couple continued as they walked down the road towards the town's many stores.

 

 

..+..------------------------------..+..

 

 

“Winry…” Ed whined as he sat immobile on the couch; too hungry to move to get her. `I've been calling her for five full minutes. What is she doing in there? Why is she denying me!! I'm dying here!' “Winry!!!!” Ed's voice echoed throughout the house.

 

 

“What?!” Winry's angered face appeared out of the workroom door.

 

 

“I'm hungry.” Ed stated it as though it were an obvious fact.

 

 

“Then go eat.” Winry turned to go back into the workroom.

 

 

“You know I can't!” That didn't seem enough for her; she took the first step towards the workroom, half her body inside the room. “Please?!” Ed was sure that was going to work.

 

 

“Only if you do me a favor.” Winry's full body was once again inside the living room.

 

 

Ed hesitated, the look on her face wasn't exactly evil, but it was close enough. Gulping down the lump in his throat, Ed nodded his head in answer. The grin on her face became wider and Ed could almost see the wheels turning inside her head.

 

 

“Any favor?” The tone of her voice was sweet, sickly sweet.

 

 

Ed narrowed his eyes at her, studying her face for any traces of pure evil, but all he saw was regular old Winry. Once again he nodded an affirmative. The grin grew even wider and the wheels turned faster.

 

 

“As many as I want…?” Okay, now she was pushing it. But, when you've got to eat, you've got to eat.

 

 

“Yes…” Ed grumbled as he glared at her, signifying that that was as far as she goes.

 

 

“Wait right there.” Winry went back into the workroom and Ed heard her shuffling around; moving things, pulling things up, putting away things and picking things up.

 

 

Winry reappeared with Ed's automail arm and leg and placed them on the couch beside Ed before going back inside the room and returning with her toolbox.

 

 

“I thought you said you couldn't do it yet.”

 

 

“Take these.” Winry held out two large pills, probably painkillers. Ed looked at her in horror. “Trust me, this way there will be a smaller chance that your injury will get worse, and anyways I have to make some last adjustments when the automail is attached.

 

 

“But Auntie Pinako isn't here, so how are you going to put the leg and arm in at the same time?” Dread pooled into Ed's stomach ad he eyed the automail viciously.

 

 

“I'm not.” Ed's head whipped up to look at her face. She was serious. Dead serious.

 

 

“Y-You…YOU WHAT?!”

 

 

Winry leaned in front of Ed so that her face was inches from his. Using her best puppy eyes and most sultry voice she whispered, “Trust me…please?” She had to fight form grinning as Ed practically melted into the palm of her hand.

 

 

Ed hastily grabbed the pills and swallowed them without water. He turned his face away from Winry's before she noticed him blushing. `I'm not blushing, I'm not blushing, I'm not blushing…' Ed chanted the mantra in his head as he felt his face burning even more.

 

 

“Hurry up and undress.” Winry pretend to be preparing tools as she watched Ed take off his jacket, shirt, boots, and pants, before settling back into the couch. Winry took a deep breath and stood up.

 

 

“I'll be back.” Winry's voice sounded slurred to Ed as he looked up at her. She looked blurry as well.

 

 

“Winry, what were…?” Ed drifted off into unconsciousness and Winry took another deep breath.

 

 

“He's going to kill me…” she muttered as she prepared his arm for attachment. “I'm sorry Ed.” She whispered the apology as she attached the leg and his unconscious body visibly flinched.

 

 

After finally attached the leg as well, Ed's prone body was whimpering softly. Winry bit back the tears that threatened to spill. She felt like she was betraying him, but it was for his own good. Her conscience laid back and relaxed as Winry decided she wasn't at fault and began carving into the automail arm.

 

 

..+..------------------------------..+..

 

 

Ed's vision was blurred and the whole world seemed to be swaying in front of him. He groaned in confusion and pain as he realized his arm and leg were re-attached.

 

 

“Winry…” Ed called out to her softly, his throat was scratchy; he needed a drink. “Winry…”

 

 

“Hmm?” Ed was surprised that she was so close to him, her voice drifted up to him from the area near his metal leg.

 

 

“Water…” He felt her move past him and heard glasses clinking together in the kitchen. She came back shortly after, just as Ed was clearing his vision.

 

 

He reached his right hand up but soon groaned in pain. He looked up at her expectantly.

 

 

Winry sighed but tipped the glass towards his mouth anyways. After he drained about half the glass Winry pulled it away from him and went back to what she was doing before.

 

 

Ed watched her curiously as she chiseled into the metal plating on his leg. “Winry what are you doing?”

 

 

“Making adjustments…” she mumbled absent-mindedly.

 

 

Ed continued to watch her and began to realizing there were suddenly words on his leg. He couldn't make them out yet because Winry's arm was covering most of it.

 

 

The minutes ticked by and Ed was starting to get impatient. He looked at Winry who was still in deep concentration. `She really is beautiful…' Ed shook his head of the thought only to realize that his hair was out of his braid and had been combed out. `So she's taking advantage of me while I'm sleeping, huh? Well she doesn't concentrate when she's working, time to torture.'

 

 

Ed smirked as a thought came into his head. She didn't play fair when she made him take the pills; no one could have resisted that. Ed continued to play with the thought before he decided, `Time to even up the scores.'

 

 

Winry froze as a warm hand caressed her bare arm and shoulder. She looked at the hand and her eyes trailed up the wrist and arm that were attached until she looked Ed in the face. His molten lava eyes were burning into her own in a way that made her legs feel weak.

 

 

Ed mentally smirked as Winry looked at him like a deer caught in headlights. He found himself leaning towards her as though something was pulling him towards her. “Winry…” he breathed her name in a voice he didn't even recognize as his own.

 

 

Winry was sure he was about to kiss her, he was so close. If she just…just leaned in a little then maybe she could- “Winry…you're leaning on my leg and hurting me.” She blinked a few times, as though slowly processing his words through her head.

 

 

Winry flushed a light pink and leaned back, “Sorry…” she muttered before bowing her head and getting back to work. What the hell was this feeling in her stomach? No it was a little lower than her stomach…Oh God, not there. No, she was pretty sure it wasn't there either, sort of in the middle.

 

 

“Winry…?” Ed looked at her, blatantly amused. She realized she had stopped working. He was starting to lean towards her again and she turned back to her work quickly.

 

 

Ed tried not to pout as she diverted his `attack'. His hair brushed his shoulder and he got another idea.

 

 

Winry paused again as Ed started playing with her bangs. She glared at him, and he dropped it after giving her an innocent look that stated, “Who me?”

 

 

Winry finally finished carving the last word as Ed's hand trailed up her arm again. The feeling was back again; the feeling that seemed to be in-between everything. She abruptly stood up and exclaimed, “Done!”

 

 

“Done what?” Ed looked down at his leg and tried to make out the words. `Property of Winry Rockbell' was carved into his leg.

 

 

Winry watched as Ed's brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to make out the words from his weird angle. His mouth dropped open and he quickly re-read what she had written.

 

 

“W-What is this?!” Ed exclaimed, pointing to his leg.

 

 

“It's your automail, you should know that by now.” She received a glare for her comment, but she remained calm.

 

 

“Not that you idiot! This!” He pointed to the words and she just looked at him questioningly. “This!” He shouted again, waving his hand over the words. “What does it say?!”

 

 

“The truth of all truths.” Winry grinned wickedly as Ed paled.

 

 

“Don't joke around with that shit.” His words held no malice and his glare was empty, “Why is your `truth' carved into my leg?”

 

 

“It's in your arm too.”

 

 

“What…? What? What?!” Ed grabbed his right arm and looked at the words carved into it. `Property of Winry Rockbell' was also written there. “What the hell is this?!”

 

 

Winry pouted, Ed blushed. “You said as many favors as I want. That's one.”

 

 

“But what happened to the adjustments you were going to make to them?”

 

 

“Those are the adjustments.”

 

 

Ed looked at her with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

 

 

“Now you're going to clean my room, sort out the workroom, do the dishes, do my laundry for the next two months.”

 

 

Ed sat there speechless. His brain felt numb. Maybe attaching the automail was a bad idea after all.

 

 

..+..------------------------------..+..

 

 

A/N: Once again, feedback would be great! And don't be afraid to criticize! I don't bite… :-evil grin-:

 

Xoxoxoxo!