A quick lighting strike produced a deafening boom of thunder that awakened Winry from her sleep. Her bedroom at the Rockbell house was illuminated every few seconds by the flashes of white light while the rain steadily pounded against the window.
But it wasn’t the booming thunder or whirling winds outside that caused the young mechanic to suddenly feel an overwhelming sense of worry. Rather, the sight of a still, lean figure staring out at the storm caused Winry’s eyes to widen before she was immediately out of the bed.
She walked over to the figure with slow and unsure steps, before stopping a short distance away.
“Why are you awake right now?” she asked in a small voice, her hands weaving around her midsection to try and steady herself.
Ed heaved a long sigh at her question, but didn’t turn around to face her.
“Stormy nights are always hard,” was his simple answer and for the first time, Winry looked down and noticed him rubbing mindlessly at his leg.
A particularly gripping form of guilt overtook the young mechanic when she realized what he meant. Of course, how could she even forget? While he may have his flesh arm back, his automail leg still gave him trouble, especially when it rained really hard.
Not knowing what else to do, Winry took the last step toward him and wrapped her arms securely around his waist, burying her face into the fabric of his shirt, hugging him from behind. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, trying desperately to keep the tears at bay.
She felt as his muscles tensed at her gesture, before they relaxed and he placed a reassuring hand on her arm. “Don’t be sorry, you idiot,” he spoke affectionately. “You know it’s not your fault.”
“Still,” Winry responded, the tears prickling at the corner of her eyes. “I hate that you still have to live with this. I wish there was something I could do.”
At her words, Ed immediately twisted in her embrace and faced her head on. At his motion, she looked up in his eyes and nearly gasped at what she saw. A soft smile graced his handsome face before he spoke in a reassuring voice, “It’s a small price to pay, all things considered. After what I did, if this is all I have to live with in order to make you and Al and everyone else I care about happy…it’s nothing.”
The determination and self-assured note to his tone immediately erased all guilt or concern Winry had originally felt. She returned his soft smile, and leaned in to his embrace, as his arms wrapped tightly around her.
If he was prepared to deal with this pain for the rest of his life, she was ready to help him through it. After all, they had promised to in sickness and in health.
9, Edwin
Julkaistu
FMA appreciation life 