Fullmetal Alchemist Ficlet: Strength In Small Packages

[badly_knitted]

Title: Strength In Small Packages

Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist

Author: badly_knitted

Characters: Winry Rockbell, Ed Elric, mentions Al.

Rating: G

Setting: Somewhere around Vol. 5.

Summary: Winry thinks about Ed.

Word Count: 304

Written For: nurseshark’s prompt ‘Any, Any, cute and strong,’ at
fic_promptly.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Fullmetal Alchemist, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Hiromu Arakawa.



Winry has always thought of Ed as cute, ever since they were growing up together. He’s smaller than she is, slim, his eyes as golden as his hair, and when he gets angry at being teased for his lack of height it’s just adorable watching him fume and rage. But seeing him in action, it occurs to her that until now, she’s never realised how strong he is.

Despite his small stature, he packs a surprising amount of raw physical power; obviously his automail arm and leg are part of the reason, but it’s more than that. He has an inner strength that got him through the agonising pain of the implants in the first place, a strength of spirit and reserves of courage that are at odds with his youth. His experiences have aged him, not in a physical way but internally. He carries a burden that should crush him, yet he stands straight and proud, as if daring the world to try to take him down, to stop him achieving his goals.

He’ll never back down from a fight, she realises, no matter what it might cost him. He’ll never give up on his quest to restore his brother’s body either. Getting his own arm and leg back is of secondary importance; Al is all that matters to him, the bond of brotherhood stronger than his own need to be whole.

So Winry vows to do whatever it takes, to learn from the best so that she can provide Ed with the finest, most advanced automail it’s possible to forge. He’ll need every advantage he can get on the long road ahead of him. And maybe one day, when his quest is over, maybe then this cute, strong, amazing boy who’s not yet a man will finally notice her.

She can wait.

The End