Title: Ordered Lives (Formerly entitled "He Came Back")
Author: meroe
Pairings: EdWin
Summary: Ed and Al make a heroic attempt to come back to their world, for the sake of all things dear to heart.
Disclaimer: If I own Fullmetal Alchemist, it won't be this sad.
Prologue
He recoiled from her touch, and she could do nothing but pull her hand back. She tried again, touching his cheek, his smooth cheek. This time he didn't move, he was prepared, but he couldn't look straight to her eyes.
"As I thought," she whispered in a strained voice. Her voice was much like hers; strained, whenever she tried to hide a feeling she can't express. But now, as before, he can't do anything to help her. He can only help himself.
He was that selfish.
Her hand went down to her side, and they stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. The three feet in between them was a distance she couldn't comprehend. So they've said, she muttered to herself. Every time someone gets close, Edward Elric would push away. More so than that, he ran away. It was almost as if he was afraid. Afraid of what? Of someone touching the complex of his heart? He would withdraw suddenly, shutting himself in the universe of his undisturbed thoughts.
He did not say anything, not even a mumbled apology, and her chest constricted. Was she not enough of a replacement, to whatever image he held dear to his heart? His brother was equally nice to her, and Alphonse was a better gentleman. This is not to say that Ed was a bastard; he was, in many ways than one, charming. To her. And mostly to anyone else, as long as you don't call him short.
"Will I never be enough?" She blurted out. The pupils of his eyes dilated, he looked at her. "No," he started and moved his hand to wipe away the tears that made their way. "No—"
Instinctively, she backed away and wiped her eyes. She breathed audibly and smiled — much like how she faked her smiles — to say everything is alright. "No, Ed. I didn't mean to cry. It's alright, I kind of understand. She must be very dear to you."
Ed looked to the floor.
"So very dear that you won't dare…make…" she struggled to find the right words "some–"
"I'm sorry Winry," he finally said. She looked at his face; he was staring at the rug where she stood. "It's not about you, it's about me." That was corny, but he had to say something. "It's just… I can't do this to you. I know I don't love you," he said flatly. That hurts, he thought. But he was selfish, remember? He can't do this to her.
"Or maybe I did. But for all the wrong reasons. And I can't spoil any woman, just because they look like someone I'm in love with." He finally looked to her face.
"You understand, don't you? You're lovely, and I mean that as a man. But this is just not right for you; I know I can't return those feelings. I…apologize."
She slowly schooled a smile. That was a learned speech, he sounded so detached. "Yes."
"Don't take this personal—
"Please Ed," she cut. She looked so fragile, and all the more so lovely, in the moonlight. "Please keep the image of a strong me in your eyes."
He smiled and she smiled back. With that, she gathered her remaining clothes he removed and headed for the bathroom.
A/N: I apologize for Ed's corny line, but that's that for the moment. . Yes, yes. It was my first attempt at a multi-chaptered fic. If I haven't written it clearly, yep, Ed was in his room with Winry, but that's not quite what you make it out to be. If you want to know what happened at least,kindly REVIEW...