.

It only took five moments with him for her to fall in love.

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/ he is my most beloved friend and my bitterest rival, my confidant and my betrayer, my sustainer and my dependent, and scariest of all, my equal /

1.

Winry Rockbell was a bitter woman. She had been ever since the loss - ahem, double suicide - of her parents when she was small. Since then, it was always a dark hole she'd been walking into. Since then, it was always a black sun she was waking up to. Life went on and her grandmother Pinako took her in, but days were filled with hard work and tough love. It was the way Pinako raised her son, and her granddaughter wouldn't be any different; she'd end up strong, independent.

And she did. Even though there wasn't a really, truly happy moment in her life anymore, she still laughed...somewhat. And smiled...somewhat. She went through college and school and worked hard to be the engineer she was today, twenty one and successful and living in her own house.

Her house was perfect. Located in the middle of a quiet cul-de-sac, the green grass and looming trees bloomed over spring and summer and always gave off fresh air. Every Friday there was someone to mow the grass, and Winry didn't even have to know her neighbors; other than their names, she didn't have any urge to know them. And, to her utmost joy, neither did they.

It was Saturday on a cool July evening when she heard a little hum. At first, it was no biggie - after all, it could just be the birds overhead or a lawn mower gone loose, right? But then it became clearer and sharper with every passing second and a hum became a roar, then a chant. Her coffee dropped on the table when her fist hit against it, a headache beginning to form.

"What the hell is that?" she muttered furiously, making sure her blonde hair was kept tactfully pinned behind her neck. She opened the door and smoothed out her shirt to see a whole parade in the wide streets.

And, what was more amazing - the fact that some of the neighbors, ones she recognized faintly, were laughing and conversing and pushing each other around like it was nothing, like they were friends their whole lives.

"Hey!" Winry jumped at the warm voice. A man jumped up to her house steps, a white grin on his - admittedly - handsome face. He had bright, golden eyes and hair of the most silken variety long enough to rival hers. "Are you coming?"

Winry glared, not at all - well, not entirely, at least - faze by his smile. "Coming to what?"

"The gathering, of course."

The lemon-blonde scowled. "If you call that a gathering, than I shudder to see what's a party."

Goldie frowned now, looking a little disappointed. He furrowed his brows, and she pretended that it wasn't in the slightest bit affecting her too. "But...you're all couped up in your houses. Don't you want to know each other? Besides, frowning so much wouldn't do good for the face or the heart."

"As you can see," she said frostily, "I don't really care. So goodbye."

She slammed the door in his face - which was, actually pretty rude - but at the moment she couldn't care less. Socializing wasn't her thing; even as a teenager, her head was always stuck in books and reading material. She had no time for friends. Perhaps a study partner, but that was the closest thing that she would get to. Her doorbell rang, and Winry being the woman she is, went to answer it.

It was Goldie again. But this time, before he could shut the door Goldie smirked - an incredibly sexy smirk and she couldn't help but slap herself mentally for that thought - and started to speak. "My name's Edward Elric, but just call me Ed. I'm a child genius from Risembool, but I've been living in Central for a long time now. I've graduated Central University with honors and a PhD. I work as a forensic scientist and alchemist at the military base. A friend of mine live here and I've noticed how lame you guys were, and decided to help out and make everyone smile." He took a deep breath, and then cocked his head at her. "Your turn."

Winry stood speechless for a second, before crossing her arms. "What?"

"It's your turn to say something about yourself," he explained patiently. Winry looked at him like he was insane, but Edward only smiled at her, and she rolled her eyes before complying. Anything to get him to leave her alone, right?

"Winry Rockbell. Engineer. Twenty one." she replied shortly.

He smiled, still. "Really? Only a year younger than me!"

She found it quite impossible for a twenty-two year old to already have gotten his PhD and work as someone important enough into the military base of Central, but Winry didn't comment. "That's great," she said tonelessly. "Now, if you'll excuse me - "

"Oh no, you're not going back inside." Edward grabbed hold of her wrist. Winry blushed red at his touch, but it could've been passed off as anger and she was glad for that. "You're coming out here and you're going to smile."

Oddly, the engineer wanted to listen to his words and follow, but she snapped back. "Who says that I have to do that?" In her heart, she knew that she was already caught deep. Apparently, Edward knew too, and he smiled - not his overbearing grin, but a small, soft one.

"No one. Just thought you would."

She fell a little bit.

/ i don't wanna be the girl that has to fill the silence / the quiet scares me 'cause it screams the truth / i won't remember save your breath what's the use? /

2.

Monday morning called for her presence at work once again. The memories of the brief march around her neighborhood's circling road was fleeting and left her mind as soon as she thought of all the prosthetic testing she would have to do today. Her company was working on creating a newer, advanced type of prosthetics that would help their patients move more flawlessly. So far, they were doing something on the nerves and their team had gotten a breakthrough.

Her mind pounded in her head - as usual, she was just having loads of bad days today - and she raised a finger to her temple to fruitlessly rub against it to stop the whole thing so she could think clearly. Either she needed another cup of coffee, or more sleep. How she wished for more sleep.

Winry recalled something that her grandmother had said before she moved out; "I may not be around to take care of you anymore Winry, but you take care of yourself. Remember to smile and don't over work yourself." Admittedly, she had taken her granny's words for granted and forgot about them usually, though sometimes they came around to haunt her once more.

Well, she could at least tell Pinako she was at a party on Saturday. It would make the old woman pleased to know that her granddaughter wasn't a complete social cut-out. Plus, she only really had one friend - Edward, even if she didn't want to admit it. The guy just had the personality of a likeable person; people flew to him like moths near a light.

He had made her smile once, but had been celebrating about it all night. Winry herself didn't understand why; he had just met her, and she really didn't put up a good first impression. Why stick around?

"Dr. Rockbell?" Winry turned to the sound of her professional name. Although an engineer, she was also a professed doctor and it helped much during research days. There was a kind-faced brunette nurse that was familiar to the eyes. Winry nodded. "Good morning, Rose."

Rose smiles. "Dr. Rockbell, they're waiting for you in Room 214." Rose handed Winry a pale yellow folder thin with papers. "Those are the files. The State has sent someone to look over the theory. We might even get it approved." Winry thanked Rose politely and walked away without another word. Those people from the State - it wasn't a sort of hate that the blonde held over them, more of a mutual frost. They worked together but avoided each other at all costs.

Winry skimmed the contents of the file quickly and then shuffled herself over to Room 214. She opened the door to see her team of doctors and engineers around a table with metal scraps and nerves, and it felt like a cement block had hit her when she saw familiar golden hair.

"Ah, nice to see that you've finally arrived, Dr. Rockbell." Edward said, and Winry nodded slowly, eyes focused on him the whole time. He wasn't smiling, laughing. In fact, it seemed like all the cheer, joy, warmth it was gone from his facade and what was left was an observing, empty shell.

It was unnerving.

"I was just telling Colonel Elric here about the hypothesized process that would take place if this new brand of prosthetics are used," Yvonne Baun, a mousy woman with a small face and glasses said toward Winry. "We plan to call it automail, and it would be available to the user for life." This time it was directed at Edward. Colonel Elric nodded.

Winry cleared her throat and stepped up. Hadn't he said that he worked in the military? It was no surprise that he should be here, even if it was just a coincidence. Winry had to get on with their presentation; it was they were aiming for in the whole year.

"Yes, that's true. Automail is technically metal prosthetics that use the energy of the human body's electrical currents from nerves. It moves like normal arms and limbs, but to do that the automail user would need to go through a series of rehabilitation movements. Easier to say, they would be reteaching their limbs basic movements."

"Isn't that a little too much work?" Edward inputted. His golden eyes didn't look at her, his mind completely on the task. "Your lackey here says that rehab would take minimum two to three years."

"It would be worth it," Winry affirmed, suddenly adamant in her sincerity. "They would move as if they didn't lose their limbs in the first place."

Edward was silent for the longest time, and Winry felt the nervousness in her stomach pitch like it never did before. If this worked, then she would be the reason why so many people - so many lives, destroyed by wars and massacres, they could be saved. She was one step closer to her dream. One step. Now it all depended on this man. And suddenly, she felt like breaking down, but held her ground firmly.

"I like it." he said suddenly, and two people from her team gave out a whoops. Edward's face flickered in a smile at them. "I'll talk to my superior about it. It'll probably be passed though, he knows that whatever I like it's good."

Winry felt the corners of her mouth tilt upward, and before she knew it, she really was smiling.

She didn't hear the gasp or the stunned giggles of her coworkers; instead, she threw her arms around the taller male blonde, hugging him fiercely. Winry could sense that the doctors and engineers around her look on as if she had suddenly gone mad; Winry Rockbell didn't hug random strangers, much less people she knew. She was the least affectionate person they knew.

Edward chuckled and she could feel the rumbling of his throaty laughter, and against her will, a few tears slipped out.

"You're welcome," he replied in her ear softly, like he knew her question before he answered.

She fell just a bit harder.

/ i don't want to be the girl that laughs the loudest / or the girl who never wants to be alone / 'cause i'm the only one in the world you know that won't be home /

3.

Edward Elric was the weirdest man she had ever met.

After her little slip up in the presentation that had only lasted five minutes - the shortest she had ever done, the least anticlimatic - Edward had caught up with her outside and asked for a little time off. Trying not to be rude, especially since he had done a big favor to her with the automail, she accepted. Still very oblivious for what he was really asking of her.

On her next thirty minute break before her last shift, she went out to where Edward said that he would meet her. The curve of the next street was where she saw his his bright golden hair amongst the others, it was very easy to pick him out.

She huffed until she ran up to him, his eyes brightening at her sight. "Hey, Win!"

Winry smoothed out her coat and looked cross-eyed at him for a moment. "Win?" she repeated, the butchering of her name unfamiliar and sort of sweet on her tongue anyways. Edward shrugged, his broad shoulders raising easily with the movement. "Yeah, Win. A shorter version of Winry, because you're a winner."

Winry pouted slightly and rolled her eyes at the childish reason. Feeling a little more happier than she had recently, she replied to his teasing tone. "Then I'll start calling you Ed."

However, this didn't phase him. "Go right ahead." he grinned.

The place he was taking her was a small, warm cafe on the corner of the street. It fit in between two larger building and people passed by it without a second glance. However, it was a place where Edward seemed like he would go; it was made of browns and tans and honey-golden inside, and it was heated and the smell of coffee made you instantly relaxed. She would have to come here often.

"You have good taste," she murmured, taking in the scent of French Vanilla. Absentminded, she didn't notice when Edward had slipped off her coat for her and placed it neatly on the back of a nearby chair. He placed his on the chair of the opposite seat.

"Really?" Edward said after a moment. "You've been the first in a long time to say so."

Winry quirked a brow. "Do you have something that I need to know about?"

"Not now, no," he smiled cheekily.

She shook her head. Being with him made her more childish than it had for all her life. Perhaps it was his own attitude, but it was nice. It was also addicting; she couldn't wait for the next time she would see him, even though she saw him right now.

"Order?" said one blank-faced waitress. Edward looked at her pointedly.

"Hot chocolate." Winry ordered, in the mood for something else than coffee. After all, being with Edward was enough to keep her awake.

Speaking of Edward...he had a pleased look on his face. "The same thing." As the waitress nodded and left, he looked toward her, and Winry was momentarily mesmerized by the color of his eyes; she had first thought they were really light hazel, but they were gold. Like...really gold. "I'm glad you chose the hot chocolate. This place makes the best. How'd you know?"

"Instinct?" Winry shrugged. Edward chuckled. "Good instinct, then."

"So...why did you want me to come?"

"...No reason."

Winry blinked. "What do you mean by no reason?" The blonde male simply grinned at her tone of voice and statement, which were both blunt.

"No reason. Just wanted to see if you would come." Was his enigmatic answer. Winry's brow furrowed in irritation, but she said no more on the statement. Edward Elric would never make sense, so it was worthless trying. But...something he had said still got on her nerves. Just wanted to see if you would come. And she did. She came without a second thought.

The waitress came by with a tray and placed their drinks on the table, Edward paying. Winry opened her mouth to argue - she did had money and it was technically her drink - but Edward closed her mouth with a long, slender finger on her chin and waved the waitress away. Winry slapped his hand away.

"Ouch. Someone's touchy today."

Winry felt like rolling her eyes again, but she had been doing that a lot today and she feared that he eyeballs would fall out of their sockets if she did anymore. "Someone else is persistent today."

"I'm hurt."

"No you're not."

Edward laughed and took a sip of his drink. "So, I wanted to ask you something."

"You just did."

"Okay, smartass, I want to ask another question." Winry stifled her giggles in her drink at his tone, but then mentally slapped herself. Giggling? Where's your pride? Don't act like a dumb blonde just because he's a guy that likes you! In the total friendly way of course. (Something in her felt like dropping dead.)

"G-go ahead." There was an ache in her chest at that thought. Well, they were friends, right?

Edward looked down at his cup and cupped his hands around the soft drink. "Well, I just wanted to know why you want to build automail, as you call it." Winry froze slightly at the question. It was personal, and she opened her mouth to say so, but there was this fresh wave of despair -

"My parents died in that Ishbal Civil War years back," she said softly, and a part of her was hitting herself for saying so. "They were helping patients with lost limbs. Both Ishbals and Amestrians. I guess...I wanted to continue their work. And somewhere along the line, I wanted to help those people that couldn't help themselves. I know that I can't save everyone, but...I can try."

When he was silent for the longest time, Winry started to feel the ebb or nervousness. But then she remembered than when Edward was silent, he was usually thinking hard about something. Funny, how she had only met him twice and she already knew this. It felt like she knew him all her life, but she still knew nothing about him.

"That's a very noble dream."

Winry coughed. "I guess," she croaked out when she stopped coughing. Then, she turned toward him. "What about you? Why'd you join the military?"

Edward hesitated, but then she said, "I told you my reason, it's only fair."

"Equivalent exchange, huh?" he chuckled, and she could detect a hint of respect and surprise in his eyes. At what, she didn't know. He sighed. "I joined...because I wanted to fix a mistake of mine. And somewhere along the line, I couldn't stop working for them. I wanted to change the way the world worked, I suppose. It's a fool's dream, but..." he trailed off, and Winry found herself thinking that anything was possible for him. He was one of those people who had the charisma to even stop the flow of the way things worked. "I know someone who's working for the same goal. Changing the world. Our world. To something better. So I guess that's why."

"That's a noble goal too," she teased. Somewhere, in her mind, she was actually registering the fact that she was smiling freely and chatting with someone that she actually liked and liked her back and she was also acting her age for once in a while and there was an ache in her chest but it was a good ache and she couldn't stop what she was feeling.

Edward reached out, a pink dusting on his cheeks, and flicked her forehead. "Shut up, you."

She couldn't stop herself from falling deeper.

/ when it's good then it's good it's so good 'till it goes bad / 'till you're trying to find the you that you once had /

4.

Rose was at the front desk doing lobby work for the day. She observed Winry as the blonde woman sipped from her hot chocolate - which was an instant favorite - and opened her mouth to comment what was on her mind. "You've been much happier," Rose said.

Winry looked over to the curvaceous Liore woman and nodded her head to the side. "Really now?"

Rose nodded, dyed pink bangs bobbing repeatedly. "Yes. Like...a load's been taken off your back," Rose shuffled another folder and put it in a pile, all the while never taking her eyes off Winry. "I think it's doing you good. Edward, right?"

Winry blushed. "Right." What was the point of denying it? She had realized it herself two days ago at the coffee shop with his easy temper (she had accidentally teased him on his shortness even though he really wasn't) and his charming smile, and it was all over for her. Hook, line, and sinker. If she denied it, it would just hurt more in the long run - besides, it couldn't hurt admitting her feelings to herself at least, right?

Unnoticed by Winry, something in Rose's eyes shifted. "Have you ever thought...that maybe he doesn't like you back, Winry-san?" Rose piped up suddenly, sounding somber.

"What?" Winry was startled. She hadn't...thought of the possibility, and it started to rip a hole in her heart. Seeing Winry's dejected look, Rose hurried in. "I - I mean, not that he might not like you, but maybe he thinks of you as a friend...?" There was something in Rose's voice that sounded hopeful. Winry straightened and walked away without saying another word to Rose.

She decided to skip work for one day. Winry was one of the most efficient people in the company, so it couldn't have made a scratch on her record. She would call in sick or something. There was a queasy feeling in her stomach.

Winry ignored a few catcalls from a nearby teenager group. It was the beginning of nightfall, and she understood how every teen now slept during the day and came out at night, but wasn't it too early to get drunk? Winry rolled her eyes and sat down on a park bench, happy that she wasn't the only one in the park still. There was a couple talking in low murmurs on another bench and a family still eating from a picnic, unaware of the ending sun.

She laid her head back on the bench and breathed in the cool, night air when she felt a familiar voice and warm breath on her ear. "Hey, you."

Winry started and almost dropped out of her seat. "Ed! Don't do that!"

The blonde smirked before grinning. "Do what? I didn't do anything wrong, Win. How can you expect that of me?" Winry spluttered, and upon instinct, slapped Edward lightly on the back of the head. A second later she flushed and hurried to correct what she did, but Edward flicked her on the head again and said that "it really wasn't a big deal, stop worrying about it".

"You look sad." Edward commented after a moment. He was staring at her openly and Winry shrugged.

"I've been told just recently that I've been looking happier this morning," she said. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on her. Rose's words still hung around like a lost child, waiting for Winry to acknowledge it.

Edward must've knew what she was thinking, because he smiled and placed his large, rough hand in hers. She felt him squeeze it and a warmth spread through her body, which was slowly becoming a constant with him.

"It's alright," he murmured under his breath. "Everything's fine now."

Winry nodded. Her heart sank in her chest.

/ and suddenly i don't want to be that girl in the mirror / and she haunts me as i sleep and when i wake / she hears him calling and runs at the last word /

5.

"I thought you said you were taking me to the carnival," Winry pouted. It was Sunday finally, a day off. Edward had shown up at her door - he had somehow gotten to know her house very well and let himself inside without help - placing two tickets in front of her face and demanding her to come with him. Demanding as in, giving her a sad look and pleading.

She broke anyways.

"I was..." he trailed, licking the ice-cream cone he bought for himself. Winry had passed. They didn't have strawberry anyways, and chocolate wasn't her favorite unless it was on PMS days. "But then the carnival closed."

"So what was the point of those tickets?" she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air, exasperated. Edward shrugged. "Just to get you out of there." he said, evasive.

"Uh huh," Winry was no where close to believing that. "So those tickets you bought were for naught, then?"

Edward chuckled, as if he was in on a joke that and Winry was only making it better by being clueless. "Oh, those tickets? I bought 'em last year." He gave her a cheeky grin, poking her in the face before running off.

"Ed!"

Winry walked hastily after him - heels were hard to move in, damn him and his long legs - but he kept eluding her, changing sides and laughing. It was near the afternoon, but the air was cold and bit her cheeks. There wasn't anybody around, and they were on the fence border of a carnival, waiting for something that would never open.

Winry huffed and placed her hands on her knees. "I give!" She stood up and her back popped with the movement. Edward came over a second later, amusement on his face. "You don't work out much, do you?"

The blonde glared. "I'm more of an arm-work girl."

"Of course you are."

"Of course I am." She stuck out a childish tongue at his antics; here was the woman who had changed with the help of one man who had barged into her life and changed it. Winry smiled to herself and rubbed her palms together when they started to freeze up; she had forgotten to bring her gloves, such a smart idea.

"Cold?" Edward muttered. His face was close to hers, forehead almost touching. His hands, which were - enviously - covered in warm wool, encased hers a second later. He gave her a hesitant smile, as if unsure how she would respond. His cheeks were pink, and that was the only thing that helped her in the fact that her own skin was flushed red.

Winry shook her head, pale locks sticking to her face. "Not anymore," she said softly, smiling when he kissed her.

/ they belong somehow / her eyes are clear when they look to the future / because their love was warm like that / because love was just simple.

.

(For the record, it only took one moment with her for him to fall in love.)

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