Swallow Your Pride!Ed

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I Don't Own FMA or Bluebird's Illusion In Any Way; They Each Belong to Their Respected Creators!!!

Rating: Pg—PG-13 Due To Bad Language and Violence.

A/N:

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"Thanks" he said happily. Winry returned with a kind smile but it soon melted to a frown. "What's wrong?" Al asked worriedly.

Winry sighed. "I'm just worried about Ed, I guess"

Al walked up next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "He'll be fine, I told you, he just needs to rest" he said comfortingly. Winry let out a breath and managed a small smile. "Let's hope so" she whispered.

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Later That Night…

Ed's eyes struggled but he soon, slowly, forced them open and looked around. He carefully sat up and continued to examine his surroundings. Where the hell am I? He asked himself. His eyes widened slightly. I'm in Winry's house he established. Memories of what happened earlier came into his mind. "…Oh yeah" he whispered, rather annoyed.

He swung his other leg onto the floor and stood up. He looked down at himself and took note of his attire and intricate tattoos. He shrugged it off for now and began walking towards the stairs; he wanted to find his brother and mechanic.

He took the steps up and looked down the hallway. He could see Winry's door opened a crack and light coming out of it. He could also hear two voices coming from her room; his brother's and Winry's. He walked up to the door and looked inside. Both his brother and friend were sitting on the bed, chatting. Al was laughing slightly and Winry was smiling politely.

Ed looked down at Al's hand, covered in the bandages, and cursed Pride for injuring his brother. Ed took a deep, silent breath and walked away, leaning back on the hallways wall. I can't face Al…not after that! He thought sadly. He lowered his head, his bangs shadowing his eyes, and went into deep thought.

"I'm gonna go check on Ed" Winry told Al but Ed was too lost in his thoughts to hear.

Winry slowly walked into the dark hallway and closed the door a little behind her. She looked ahead and her eyes widened when she saw Ed leaning on the wall. She slowly walked up next to him. "Ed?" Winry's voice caused Ed to jump slightly and look at her.

"Oh, Winry, I was just, uh, um, I"—he stopped completely and blushed as Winry pulled him into a tight embrace. "Ed, I'm so glad you're OK" she said as buried her face into the crook of the Elric's neck. Ed looked down at her and shakily brought his hands around her waist.

Winry pulled away and smiled at him happily. Ed returned with a smile himself. "What are you doing in the dark?" Winry asked suddenly. Ed looked away. "It's just…" he trailed off, really not wanting to explain himself.

"Ed?" Winry said curiously. Ed shrugged and clenched his fist at his sides. "I can't face Al, Winry…not after what Pride did to him…" he whispered. Winry sighed. "He's your brother, he knows Pride was controlling you" Winry comforted.

Ed let out a breath and looked to her, those azure eyes of hers wide with comfort and a gentle smile. "Alright...lead the way, I guess" he agreed finally. Winry smiled at him and took his left hand in hers. The two walked up to Winry's bedroom door once more.

Winry carefully opened the door and peered her head inside. "Hey Al, guess who's awake!" she said cheerfully. Al looked to her as she opened the door and both she and Ed walked in.

"Brother, you're awake!" Al said happily. Ed smiled at his younger sibling.

"How do you feel?" Al questioned worriedly as he walked up to the elder Elric. "I'm fine" Ed replied, smiling but then frowned. "Brother?" Al asked worriedly. "I'm sorry about your hand, Al" Ed apologized.

Al blinked twice and looked down at his bandaged hand. "Why? You didn't do it" Al said, confused. Ed's eyes widened and he glanced at Winry who was giving him the 'I-told-you-so' look. Ed looked back to Al. "I'm just sorry that Pride hurt you, I guess" Ed said as he smiled happily but sheepishly at once.

Al smiled gratefully. Winry sighed and rolled her eyes at the two Elric's.

Al and Winry suddenly heard the sound of metal meeting skull and, when they looked at Ed, his eyes were spinning and he had a large bump on his head. Ed then fell back and, behind him was a very triumphant Pinako.

"Told you I'd get him" she said mischievously.

Ed said sat up with his legs crossed and a hand to his sore head. He looked over his shoulder and glared at the older woman. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, YOU OLD HAG!!!???" Ed demanded angrily. Pinako huffed out a breath.

"That was for tying me in a mess of dirt with your damned Alchemy and for hurting your younger brother!" The elder woman replied heatedly. Ed rubbed his head. "It wasn't my fault, damn it!" he muttered irately.

"Hmph!" Pinako huffed and walked away, the wrench she used with Ed's head in her hand behind her. Al and Winry snickered quietly. Ed looked up at them crossly. "What's so funny!?" he demanded. The two looked at him and stopped laughing.

"I think I'm gonna go quell Auntie's anger a bit" Al said as he walked out of the room, closing it behind him, leaving Ed and Winry…alone.

Winry walked up to the blonde Alchemist and reached her hand out to him. "Need a hand?" she asked kindly. Ed looked up and smiled before taking her hand in his and she helped him to his feet once more. "You OK?" Winry asked.

Ed smiled. "Well, aside from my head, I think I'm fine" he replied. Winry took his hand in hers suddenly and smiled. "Sit down for a little" she offered and carefully led him to her bed. Ed took her offer and sat down next to her.

"Ed…what will you do now?" Winry asked. Ed looked at her curiously.

"What do you mean what will I do now? I'm going to sit back and relax!" Ed replied as he lay back on Winry's bed and pulled his hands behind his head, giving Winry a playful smirk as well. "So, you're not leaving anymore?" Winry asked hopefully as she lay down next to him.

Ed eyed her curiously and then propped himself up on his elbows. "Why would I?" he asked inquiringly. "Well, it's just…well, you know, you don't have Automail anymore and…" Winry trailed off. "And what?" Ed asked.

Winry closed her eyes and then looked at him sternly. "Oh, c'mon, Ed! You don't have Automail; you could leave and do anything you want and never come back!" she told him firmly. Ed's eyes widened at her sudden outburst. Winry sat up and crossed her arms, looking away.

Does she honestly think that? That just because I don't have Automail I'd leave and never come back? Ed asked himself sadly. He sat up and put a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to look back at him. She was already crying lightly.

"Winry…I would never do that" Ed said quietly. Winry averted her gaze away from him but still looked upset. "You don't mean that, do you?" she muttered. Ed's eyes widened. "Winry…why would you think that? The only thing I've ever wanted is to come back with my body restored, or at least Al's, and stay home…you know, here, with you" Ed stated.

Winry's eyes widened and she gasped silently as she looked back at him. Ed blushed, suddenly realizing what he was suggesting. "And Pinako and Al" he added quickly. Winry wiped the tears from her eyes away.

"But, what about Pride and the Milit"—"Winry, forget Pride and screw the Military! I quit being a State Alchemist a while ago anyway!" Ed cut her off. Winry's eyes widened.

"Winry, just" Ed stopped and his shoulders dropped. "What do you expect me to say, Winry? That I'm leaving next week and planning to never come back?" Ed asked her. "No, of course not! I would hate to hear that!" Winry told him immediately as she took both of his hands in hers.

Ed glanced down at their hands and blushed but looked to Winry. "Well, I'm not gonna say that, Win" he stated. "Yeah, not now, but, how can I be sure that you'll never say it?" Winry asked as she lowered her head sadly.

Ed's eyes widened significantly. Never He asked himself curiously, and slightly triumphant. "Winry?" he said quietly. "Yeah?" the blonde mechanic replied, still not looking up at Ed. "How do you feel about me?" Ed asked. Winry's eyes widened and she looked up at him curiously.

"What does that have to do with anything?" she asked him curiously. "Just tell me, and be honest!" Ed replied. Winry blushed slightly. Honest She asked herself.

"Well, uh, I think that you're…smart, a great friend, though, a little stupid about things at times, but, you're a really nice person. You're temperamental but you have a big heart and very attractive"—Winry stopped there immediately and looked at Ed, who was smiling gently and looking at her happily, blushing slightly as well.

"Um, just an opinion from a friend to another friend, that's all!" Winry explained nervously and looked away, blushing furiously. How I could I say that!? I'm an idiot! She thought tensely.

Ed was enjoying this, at the least. She thinks I'm attractive, eh? Ed asked himself and mentally smiled. That's enough for me he thought happily.

"Winry?" he asked, quietly but happily. Winry tensed her shoulders but didn't turn to him. "Winry, look at me" Ed requested softly. The mechanic sighed and turned around to face him finally. She stared into his golden eyes, the eyes that were filled to the brim with determination and compassion and could burn through one's soul like a fire burning through paper.

"Ed, I" she stopped as Ed began bringing his face closer to hers. He brought his left hand to her cheek and carefully, as he closed his eyes, pulled his lips into hers. Winry's eyes widened, obviously shocked but she soon sunk into it as she closed her eyes and returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around Ed's neck.

She ran her fingers though his, still loose, hair as Ed placed his other hand onto her cheek and continued kissing her passionately.

After a while longer, the two finally pulled away and looked at each other, smiling. Ed let out a relaxed breath and smiled. "Anymore questions?" he asked playfully. Winry laughed quietly and shook her head. "Now I'm sure you're not going anywhere" Winry said happily.

She leaned her head on his shoulder and rubbed her hand on his exposed stomach. Ed leaned his head down on hers, smiling.

"Ed, what about Pride?" Winry asked suddenly. Ed shrugged and looked to his left shoulder. He widened his eyes when he saw no Homunculus emblem. "It's gone! The crest is gone!" Ed said, surprised. "Hmm?" Winry said curiously.

"Remember the symbol I had on my shoulder?" Ed asked. Winry nodded. "Well, it's gone! Which means…Pride must've given in!" Ed said triumphantly.

"Then why do you still have all the tattoos?" Winry questioned.

"What?" Ed asked and quickly looked at himself. An annoyed expression came across his face. "Great! Pride's gone and I end up looking like a crossbreed between a Homunculus and a human!" he complained. Winry laughed slightly.

"I don't know" Winry said as she placed her head back on Ed's shoulder and ran her fingers on his chest once more. Ed looked at her curiously. "I think the tattoos make you look more attractive" she said playfully. Ed smiled and leaned his head down on hers again.

"That's one good thing about this" Ed said jokingly. "But I can transmute them off whenever I want" he stated.

"Either way, you look good" Winry told him. Ed blushed but smiled nonetheless and wrapped an arm around her waist.

No words needed to be said, for their kiss had said it all; they loved each other.

Sometimes…you just need to Swallow Your Pride.

Fin

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A/N: Wow, long chappie O.o Oh well, anyway, please, do me a favor and R&R, constructive criticism, no flames, thanks! ;) As, I'm sure you've realized, this fic is complete! I'm really happy with how this fic turned out and I hope you guys are too:)