FMA: Gilded (First)
Sixth chapter of Gilded! First chapter/explanation of this fic can be found here, with links to later parts.
Title: Gilded
Prompt: First
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist (manga/Brotherhood)
Word Count: 490.
Rating: PG (slight medical-related gore)
Summary: In which Ed has another surgery.
Warnings: SPOILERS through to the end of the manga/Brotherhood.
Author's Notes/Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist and all associated characters, settings, etc., belong to Hiromu Arakawa-san. The only profit I make from this work of fiction is my own satisfaction and, possibly, the enjoyment of others.
Ed’s sudden reacquisition of his arm had not come without its complications. After hearing what had happened, both Pinako and Winry agreed that they needed to make sure there weren’t pieces of metal lodged beneath his skin. And when they discovered that there were, they had declared that they needed to get them out immediately.
After Winry explained it to him - how they didn’t know if the edges were sharp and could cut a vein if he moved the wrong way, or could develop an infection, or any number of other gruesome possibilities - a wide-eyed Ed had consented to their plan.
Fortunately, Pinako found only one really problematic piece of steel, resting worryingly close to Ed’s right humeral head. Winry managed to fish it out with little damage, nothing time and rest wouldn’t heal, and Pinako let her sew up their patient, who was still supine under the anesthesia. Her grandmother had then grumbled about writing down Ed’s most recent surgery while Winry cleaned up; it was only after Winry was certain she was out of earshot that she snickered.
Gone to have a pipe, is more like, she thought to herself as she dried their tools and then her hands.
“Mnarghal,” came a soft, drowsy voice from behind her. She whirled to see Ed blinking slowly at her atop his patient’s bed. “Wih-nee?”
“Hey there.” Winry smiled as she walked over to him, leaning forward to feel his forehead and check his pulse. “Are you hurting?”
“Jes’ sore,” he mumbled, eyes not quite focusing on her. “Arm?”
“Should be fine in a couple of days, if you rest.” She stressed the last word, arching her eyebrows so he’d understand she was serious.
He grinned dazedly. “Mmm-kay.”
“You must be really out of it. You’re never this agreeable unless you’re doped up,” Winry teased, wondering how much of the conversation he was actually following.
He stared at her for a moment, eyes wandering. “Gotta do sumthin’,” he murmured, apparently to himself, before saying more loudly, “C’mere.” He jutted his chin up, clearly wanting her to lean in.
She did so, amused. “Ed, wh-” Warm, chapped lips on hers silenced her. Ed’s aim hadn’t been perfect - his top lip only managed to hit her lower one - but it was still Ed kissing her.
Ed was kissing her. It was her first kiss and Ed was kissing her.
She sighed when he fell back against his pillow, noting distantly that her hands had somehow become tangled in his loose hair. He smiled, making a contented “mmm” sound as his eyelids fell. Seconds later, a snore cut the still air.
Winry stood frozen over him, fingers hovering in front of her mouth. After a moment, she let out a shaky laugh. “Wow,” she said aloud, then glared as fiercely as she could at the sleeping figure in the bed. “If you forget that in the morning, Edward Elric, I am braining you.”
TBC ( Part 7 - Grave)