cornerofmadness

Caught in the Act
Cornerofmadness
Disclaimer - not mine, all characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa et al, Square Enix and funimition. I don’t make a profit
Pairing –Ed/Winry
Rating – PG-13
Time Line – manga based, no real spoilers , future fic
Summary – Winry has to know why he hides his feelings.
Author’s Note - Written for

japan_girl16 for her charitable contribution for

fire_fic. She wanted Ed/Winry with Ed blushing, no angst (I think a tinge of it snuck into the fluff though. Thanks to

lyricnonsense and

evil_little_dog for their ideas since I was all out of fluff

Winry didn’t understand him sometimes, well a lot of the times. Occasionally when he started spouting alchemic formulas to hide his feelings, she felt vaguely embarrassed that she loved him. Still, times like this, Winry knew why it was that she loved Edward. The thing that currently puzzled her was why Ed didn’t want anyone to see the kindness he was capable of. He wore armor thicker than the metal Al had been anchored to, hiding all his tender emotions behind it.

The automail mechanic had been watching Ed ever since Al had been brought back, his frail, pale body resting comfortably in the guest bedroom in the Rockbell home while he slowly regained his strength. Ed would never just go to his brother’s room with a snack or a book or whatever he was bringing Al directly. He would glance around to see if anyone was looking then sneak in like a thief in the night as if he would die if someone caught him being anything but an irascible brat. Winry wasn’t sure who he was trying to fool. Was there anyone who didn’t know that he had a fiery devotion to his brother and a deep love for her? Even the Fuhrer had known that much.

She didn’t know what to expect when she opened the door to Al’s room, seeing Ed sneak inside but she wasn’t prepared for this. Ed sat on the chair next to Al’s bed and in his hands was a grey ball of fluff. How had he snuck in a kitten? Seeing her in the doorway, Ed dropped the kitten on Al, going redder than his favored cloak.

“Wi…Winry,” he stammered, obviously embarrassed to be caught at indulging his brother’s love of cats.

Winry just backed out of the room, shaking her head. At least the kitten had the good grace not to get scared at its sudden fall. She waited on the steps, knowing Ed would have to come out and explain himself. He wouldn’t be able to help it. Ed didn’t disappoint her. “Dropping a cat like that.” She could barely maintain her stern look.

Ed dropped onto the steps next to her. “It’s a kitten. It weighs nothing.”

“Hardly the point.” Winry smiled at him. “I can’t believe you got Al a kitten.”

“I didn’t!” he blustered. “It came in….” Ed faltered, seeing she wasn’t buying it. “Through the window?”

Winry snorted. “So that was going to be your cover story? Why would you not want us to know you did something so sweet for your brother? Al has been dying for a cat since he was a little boy.”

Ed shrugged. “I don’t know…I…I’m so used to trying to protect you all. If the enemy thought I didn’t care…” Ed looked away. “I never did do a good job of that, did I?”

Winry caught his chin and made him look at her. “You did your best and we all made it through. You don’t have to hide any more. I think it was a very sweet thing to do and that’s one of the things I love about you.” Winry stunned him with a kiss then got to her feet. She left the dazed young man sitting there and greeted his brother with a ‘let me see the little one, Al.’ Winry knew a corner had been turned and everything was going to be the way she always imagined it could be.