(Fic) FMA: Chalk Dust - LOGIC
So I've been a long-time poster over at fanfiction.net, as I...think I mentioned already...did I? Dun remember... but whatev. Point is, I am now going to post some things here as well. Mostly for Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, once I actually complete something, and in the meantime, some Fullmetal Alchemist stuff for you to enjoy!
Chalk Dust: A whole slew of assorted unrelated oneshots for Fullmetal Alchemist, mostly centering around Edward and his relationships to various other characters. Nearly all of these are based in the original manga. May contain: Language, violence, wounds or illness, angst, fluff, slash, etc.
Fandom/Universe: Fullmetal Alchemist (Manga-based)
Summary: Winry has to deal with stupid boy-logic and comfort Ed during his automail surgery.
Warnings/Rating: PG, Mild angst, sickly Edo
Word Count: 852
Copyrights Disclaimer: These are all based primarily on the manga, which is soooooo much better than either anime, but especially the first one. I do not own Edward Elric or any other characters from FMA (melodramatic sobbing and wailing)
Chalk Dust: Part 1) LOGIC
"You idiot."
Winry rung out the cloth before laying it gently over her friend's face, cooling his feverish brow and shielding his eyes from the light of the candle. Her face crumpled slightly as Edward choked back the tiniest of whimpers. It had taken them hours to stabilize him when Alphonse had stumbled in that night and clumsily passed his older brother into their care. That was months ago, but Ed was still so weak. And now…
How could someone so frail endure automail installation surgery at all? Let alone do so in silence?
"Huh…ah…Winry?" Ed licked at chapped lips as she straightened with a start. Even though his eyes were covered by the washcloth, she made a valiant attempt to compose herself. Still, the pained smile she plastered on could not quite conceal the remnants of the pain and incredulity and awe she bore for the boy next to her. How could he be so strong? He was just…Ed.
"Winry," he gasped her name out a second time, feebly lifting his remaining arm to fumble with the cloth a bit.
"Shush," she murmured reaching out to push the folded cloth further up his face. Aureate eyes blinked open and watched her wearily as she straightened the cloth with one hand and grasp his sweaty palm with the other. "Go back to sleep, Ed. We're connecting the nerves in your leg tomorrow. You need your rest."
She made to lay his hand down and tuck the blankets in around him, but he gave her hand a weak squeeze so she couldn't pull away. "Win…can you ever forgive me…?"
"For what, Ed?" she asked, though she imagined she knew. She knew he had to be blaming himself for what happened - not just to himself, but to Al as well…and even to the grotesque creature that Granny had not let her see; that had made both her boys shake and flinch and whimper from the mere mention of it.
So it came as a slight surprise when the whisper that slipped passed his lips was "For leavin' you behind…" For a moment, she was shocked into silence, but as the quiet stretched on, Ed took another labored breath and let his eyes fall closed. " S'okay…I get it," He murmured sadly.
She twisted her hand to thread her fingers between his and let them drop to the bed. "Don't be silly, Edward. I understand why you're leaving."
"Need to fix Al…" he continued as though she had said nothing. "can't make him pay for my mistake, 's not fair." His face twisted. "I'm a horrible person…"
"No!" Winry placed her other hand on top of their entwined fingers. "No, Ed, you're not! Really, you aren't."
Gold eyes just barely opened again to stare into blue ones. "I am. Firs' I did this to Al, 'n now I'm leavin' you 'n Granny. I don't deserve you guys…an' you all don't deserve to have to deal with my problems. Gotta fix Al…oh Al, 'm so sorry!" His voice cracked as a few tears ran shining trails from the corners of his eyes down into his sweat-damp hair.
Her fingers stroked the back of his hand soothingly. "But you'll fix it Ed. You'll set things right. I know you, and you'll do it. And anyways, horrible people don't care when they do something bad, right? So, since you feel so awful, and are trying to fix it, that's means you're good. So don't talk like that."
He grimaced. "Still leavin' though."
"So you can fix Al. If I could, I'd come with you to see that Mustang guy in East City. But I can help you better by staying with Granny and learning more about automail, so I can make you the best arm and leg ever! I want to help you help him, so I'm staying where I need to be to do that. You're not leaving, Edward. You're going where you need to be."
Ed blinked tiredly at her, started to speak, then paused to swallow heavily. Finally, he whispered. "Then… I'm not like…like him? Like that bastard?"
Ah. So that was what all this was about. All of Edward and Alphonse's problems, in Ed's mind at least, sprung from when their father left them. And now Ed was worried about himself leaving, worried that doing so would hurt Winry. She smiled understandingly.
"No, Ed. You're nothing like him. I'll be alright here. I'll miss you guys, but…you and Al need to fix yourselves. That's the important thing, that you two get better. Which reminds me…" She took the cloth from his forehead, dipping it into the bowl of water to cool it back down. She wrung out the extra water, refolded the cloth, and slapped it back over his eyes. "Go to sleep. We've a lot of work to do tomorrow."
Ed gave a faint smile, his eyes concealed by the washcloth. "Thanks, Win," he murmured as he drifted off in a fog of exhaustion and pain. She smiled softly and looked down at her two hands folded around his one.
"…you idiot."
End.
Geez, trying to format this for lj was an ABSOLUTLY, MIND-BLOWINGLY FRUSTRATING experience. D8< Can't get it to do ANYTHING I want it to.
I've got around ten others of the Chalk Dust one-shots, but most are unfinished right now. They're mostly just little bits and pieces like this one, that I've been doing to try and get back into the swing of writing. I'll post one every now and then with no regular schedule, whenever I feel like I haven't posted anything in a while, so you guys know I haven't died. I hope you all enjoy my work!