Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ When the Cherry Blossoms Bloom ❯ What He Would Give ( Chapter 7 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I never claimed to own this, so guess what. I do not!

Summary: When faced with Love's difficulty, can three people locked in its hold push aside their fear for the sake of it? Sequel to Feel Me, Shame Me, Heal Me.

A/N: Well I'm back from my vacation, I hope you guys enjoy this next episode. Sorry I couldn't get it out before I left, but I was way busy. Because I have past Edward and Alphonse mixed in this chapter/episode. Past Edward is identified as P-Edward and Past Alphonse is identified as Metal-Alphonse. I hope that makes sense to everyone

Enjoy!

When the Cherry Blossoms Bloom

Episode 7—What He Would Give

Another burst of bright light had Edward, Alphonse and their mother standing behind Winry, Scieszka, the large suit of armor that Alphonse's soul had once been attached to, along with P-Edward and the small numbers of Mustang's military subordinates. Falman was looking through a set of binoculars over the hills and where the train station was.

“Well, it looks like the military hasn't arrived yet.” Vato said, then lowering his binoculars.

They all heard dragging footsteps and slight weeping and sniffling and everyone turned their heads in the direction of the sound and saw…

“Wait a minute, that's Sergeant Bloch.” Breda replied, causing everyone to go on alert.

Riza reached for her gun as he might be here to report to the higher ups about the Elric boys. She was ready to defend, “Is he…?”

A panicked sound escaped from Winry's throat and she waved her hands wildly in the air causing everyone to turn and look back at her. “He's not after Ed and Al. He's okay, I promise.” She noticed Roy turned more, looking directly at her and she grinned wider. She jumped up from her kneeled hiding place and stepped out into the path into Bloch's way. “Sergeant Bloch!” Her brow arched and a slightly worried expression passed over her face. “What's the matter with you?” Whatever he was crying about, Winry felt sorry for him, he looked so depressed. He wasn't even standing up right.

Bloch sniffled and started to whine, “Lieutenant Ross!!” He cried out in agony with his eyes shut tight. When he opened them he noticed that Winry wasn't alone that she was with Colonel Mustang's subordinates and the Elric brother's and he cried again as they all seemed to express an annoyed appearance.

“Look, Brother.” Alphonse pointed, “Look where Winry is, we didn't even notice this before. She's standing right next to the Colonel, even closer to him than she is to you!” He waved his arm up and down at the fact that Winry was standing in between his brother's past figure and the Colonel. “She obviously doesn't hate him anymore because she's standing right next to him.”

Edward growled and tightened his fist down at his side, “All right! Enough!” He stomped away following after the group with his own brother and mother following after him. He watched as they hid behind a stone wall as Sergeant Bloch was still crying and pointing.

Hoenheim had Lieutenant Ross's hand held in his and looked adoringly into her eyes, there was a light blush spread across her cheeks. “A long time ago I saw an eagle with wings as black as obsidian. Your hair is the exact same color. I never thought I'd see it again. Thank you for bringing such a beautiful memory back to me.”

Trisha laughed, remembering that her husband really was a master at this game of flirtation. It was quite humorous to watch it. She saw Edward slap his palm over his face and shake his head back and forth.

Maria was blushing even brighter now, just soaking up those wonderful, sweet, adoring words. “And thank you, what a lovely thing to say.” She gushed and looked away shyly.

The sound whimpering and sniffles came from Sergeant Bloch, “See… she's falling for it hook, line and sinker.” He cried while biting his hat, straining to rip it into shreds.

Staring in disbelief, there was no time for flirting, this was a serious matter and Winry voiced, “Don't we have bigger concerns now?”

“Bigger than love?” Roy replied, saying it as if she were insane for even thinking that. `There is always time for flirting and making romance.'

`I forget who I'm with here; he would pick romancing girls as a top priority.' Winry thought to herself, feeling like rolling her eyes at that ridiculous comment of Roy's.

The giant suit of armor gasped, “There's something about that guy, he seems familiar, doesn't he, Brother.” Metal-Alphonse glanced down to find where his brother was and noticing that he wasn't there anymore. He lifted his head and he along with everyone else saw the sixteen year old Edward Elric running towards the house at amazing speed.

P-Edward's voice was heard before his abrupt action, “What the hell are you doing flirting!?” His fist flew from out of nowhere and smashed into Hoenheim's cheek sending the man to the ground, who obviously had not been expecting the blow.

Maria gasped in shock, “Edward…what the...?”

Standing raging mad, P-Edward shouted, “You're gone for over ten years, and I have to come back to this!” He growled, “Damn you, Old Man.”

Metal-Alphonse could hardly believe his eyes, “Dad? I remember him, from the pictures. Dad, he's home!” He moved and everyone looked at him with a slight sense of affection as Metal-Alphonse started running towards the house. At that point everyone got up from their hiding place and proceeded to follow him.

When Metal-Alphonse stopped running and folded his hands down low, he stared at the ground. “I know you might not be able to tell who I am, because of the way I look—” He got interrupted.

“Alphonse,” Hoenheim said with affection and a slight smile, “You certainly got tall.”

Metal-Alphonse was surprised, “How did you know it was me?”

Hoenheim laughed lightly and looked to his older boy, “Edward. So, do you still hate milk?”

Enraged, P-Edward delivered a kick to the man's stomach and shouting out in a rush, “who are you calling a micro-sized half-pint who didn't grow any taller because he didn't drink milk!?”

“That's not what he said, Edward.” replied three female voices in unison, which happened to belong to Winry, Riza and Scieszka.

****

“Are you still mad, Edward?” Scieszka asked, while holding a steaming coffee cup.

P-Edward closed his eyes, his hand lifting the bread he was holding to his mouth. “Whoever said I was mad?” He took a bite.

“There's nothing to be mad about.” Maria informed, looking calm and collected, except for tightening her hand about her piece of bread. “I was just having a polite conversation with that man, nothing else.”

Clearly everyone around her wasn't buying that load of bologna!

Winry was smiling brightly and humor laced her voice, “You sure looked like you were enjoying it.”

Maria gasped and indeed looked very embarrassed as her cheeks heated even more, “Oh, it was just the cologne he was wearing. I, ee… you never smell anything like that in the military.” Her fingers started absently ripping into her piece of bread, tearing it continuously into tiny pieces. “No soldier I know wears cologne,” She gushed, sounding completely enamored.

There was a huff from Sergeant Bloch who was sitting next to her, his hand gripping his coffee cup, as he couldn't help the jealous twisting of his insides, “Maybe the soldiers you know don't wanna smell like flowery, sissy boys.”

Maria looks at him oddly, “And just what's the matter with you?”

Sergeant Bloch made a strangled noise and lowered his head to the table. He had to get Lieutenant Ross to notice his feelings, how dare she just sit there and gush over that…that smooth talker. He turned his head facing the nearest girl who sat on his other side and slightly at an angle. He decided to put forth a small plan, maybe if he could make his partner jealous… `Heh, heh.' “Winry!”

“AH!” She jumped, startled, her lips wrapped around a piece of bread. “Hmm?”

“You're a single girl, right?” He scooted his chair around the other side of the table, so that he was right next to the young lady. The man's hands cupped hers that was holding her bread and her brow arched.

Chewing her bite and swallowing, Winry tried to subtly yank her hand from his grasp, “Well, yeah, I guess.”

“Did you know that in this light, your hair looks like—Aiya! Hey!” Something hit him in the back of the head and he looked around and saw a piece of bread on the floor behind him. “Who threw that?!” He scanned the overcrowded dinning space and no face gave away anything linking to them to the thrower of the bread.

Alphonse laughed to his brother who just stood there with this hated expression on his face, “now we know who threw it.” He pointed to the Colonel who had hurled the bread at Sergeant Bloch's head when the man tried to ridiculously flirt with Winry, his slightly narrowed dark eyes was the only thing that gave him away, only those around him couldn't really tell unless they had been watching for it.

`Keep your damn hands off her!' Roy internally seethed at Bloch, who should use some other girl to make Ross jealous, not that it would do any good.

“Honestly, Sir.” Riza said with a roll of her eyes and a very soft, almost whisper like voice.

Edward realized that the reason he didn't notice what had happened was because while this was going on, he was talking about his father and that smell of his. That's what he had been focused on, nothing in the background. He should have paid closer attention! He might have been able to see this horror of Winry involved with Mustang a lot sooner!

“Wait, who's Lyra and how do you two know her?” Winry asked, wondering who this girl was, just how many other people were in the Elric brother's lives that she didn't know about. She hated not knowing what they were going through, she worried so much for them. Why didn't Edward or Alphonse ever talk to her! It was downright frustrating. “You can't keep talking around us.”

“Ah, why do you have to know everything?!” P-Edward shouted, jumping up from his chair.

Winry growled and did the same, “Don't get mad at me. I'm just tired of being kept in the dark! You never tell me anything!”

“I don't have to tell you. It's got nothing to do with you!” P-Edward stomped his foot forward.

“Do you guys have to fight?” Metal-Alphonse interjected and a horrid glare came from Winry and he coward back as that wrench of hers seemed to materialize right in her hand and she gripped it tightly.

“It's got everything to do with me when you come back with your Automail limbs destroyed, you jerk!” Winry swung her wrench at him, nailing him right in the forehead, sending the boy flying backwards.

P-Edward moaned in pain from his spot on the floor, a bump forming on his forehead. “Ah, why'd ya do that?” He sat up and rubbed his forehead. “You could never really understand.” He was well aware of all the eyes in the room on him and Winry's argument.

“You don't even try to get me to understand. You and Al never talk to me anymore.” Winry stared at the floor. “It's always been secrets with you two, even when we were kids. Don't you know I worry about you, you idiot!” She turned and Metal-Alphonse ran towards her.

“Winry, wait...” Metal-Alphonse called out but she whipped around and swung her wrench at him, barely missing swiping him in the stomach.

She glared up into the metal face that never changed. “Stay away from me, Al.” she said dripping with venom. Winry rushed for the door that separated the dinning area from the rest of the house, wrenching the door open she left through it, slamming the door behind her.

Metal-Alphonse whirled around on his brother, “Look what you did, Brother!” He pointed to the door. “You better go and apologize.”

P-Edward scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “She'll get over it, she always does.” Maybe he did feel a little bad, but she wouldn't even talk to him right now. It was better to let her cool off.

Edward stared at himself, “Go talk to her you idiot! Don't just sit there.” He wanted to ring his past figure's neck. He hated looking back on this, there were many instances where he could have talked to Winry, reassured her, done something to show that he cared even in a small way. But he chose to ignore it.

****

After Metal-Alphonse had left with his father, and P-Edward stomped back inside the house, that left Roy to sit outside at the patio table, putting his hand to his chin in thought. `Fuehrer Bradley, a homunculus? It makes sense in some ways.' He tapped his fingers about the table top. He heard footsteps and looked up to see Hawkeye standing there. “You're still up?”

“I heard everything from one of the upstairs guest rooms, which I am sharing with Lieutenant Ross.” She pulled back the chair that Hoenheim had been sitting in and sat down. “Do you believe them, that the Fuehrer could really be a living doll?”

“It's a possibility. I don't know if I can just go on the Elrics' word, it's a very serious accusation. My instincts are telling me its true though and I can't ignore that either.” Roy leaned back in the chair more. “We need to get to the truth. If the Fuehrer is a homunculus, I have to remove him from power immediately.”

Riza gave a sharp nod, “I'm with you, Sir.” She said confidently. “I can safely assume that you are possibly coming up with some kind of plan to take the Fuehrer down?”

Roy snorted, “When you say it like that it sounds like I'm a traitor.” He smirked. “I need to speak tactics over with Major Armstrong, he's been helpful to me so far and I have no doubt he will believe in my cause to get to the bottom of the truth.”

Looking down at the table top, Riza cleared her throat, “What about Fuery and Havoc, I know they were injured...” Her eyes narrowed slightly, “I'm sure they are doing just fine now and would be willing to help.”

“How sure are you?” Roy's voice sounded teasing and his Lieutenant sharply lifted her head, and he rested his chin on the heel of his hand waiting for her reply.

Clearing her throat, Riza straightened her posture, going to turn the conversation in another direction. “It's getting late, if we want to head off the military that are sure to be here tomorrow, we need to leave early.” She stood.

Roy gave a slight nod, “Well stated.” He pushed back from the table and stood up himself. The two of them walked back into the house. Edward, Alphonse and his mother followed them.

Entering through that door, they were met with a set of stairs and the way towards the living room. This part of the house had nicely polished hardwood floors and pretty white rugs that sat on the floor beneath two navy blue couches and a matching plush arm chair. A chestnut coffee table sat in the middle between the sofas and the chair with a short vase of daisies.

They immediately took the stairs up to the second story. Roy and Hawkeye could hear the Elric brothers in one room, they were talking… more like arguing, loudly at that, across the hallway to the room that even though the door was closed the sounds of tinkering and pounding metal could be heard and it suddenly went quiet. An object hit the floor and then the light that was glowing from beneath the door went out. It was no surprise whose room that was.

Roy headed towards that room and lifted his hand to knock on the door.

“What are you doing?” Riza whispered, trying not to sound scolding and she walked over to the Colonel. “You are aware of whom that room belongs to?”

A very light smile curved against the corner of Roy's mouth, “Of course.” He said quietly. “I want to talk to her.”

“Are you sure that's wise, Sir?” Riza said in a tone that meant serious business. “The Elrics are just across the way, her grandmother's room is the one on the end.”

Roy let his eyes close for a moment, before turning his head and looking at her. “You might not believe me, but I just want to talk to her.” He saw Hawkeye's brow arch in clear disbelief and it almost made him laugh. “I want to explain to her what is going on, and apologize for earlier today.”

Riza shook her head, “I just hope you know what you're doing.” And she walked towards the door to the room she was sharing with Lieutenant Ross, opening the door and entering it, closing it behind her.

Lifting his hand, Roy knocked lightly on Winry's door with a slightly curled hand and the back of his knuckles. He heard her footsteps come towards the door and her quiet voice asking who it was. Clearing his throat he answered, “It's Roy. Can I come in for a moment?” He glanced over his shoulder in case someone sneaked up on him, before returning his gaze forward.

The door slowly opened a crack and he saw her blue eyes looking out at him, she seemed to scan the area around him quickly before her eyes met his. “Are you insane?” She whispered slightly harsh. What if someone were to see him?!

“Maybe a little,” Roy replied with a sarcastic grin. “Just let me in, there's something I need to say.” He said quietly and hearing her half groan, half sigh, she opened the door wider and stepped aside for him as he entered the room.

She closed the door and turned around to face him, the room was dark, except for the half moonlight shining in from the open window. The room had been stuffy when she stomped in here furious with Edward and immediately started to work out her frustration and anger on a project. She had heard the conversations going on outside and tried to pay close attention to them, whatever was going on was very serious and ice had seemed to travel up her spine at what might be happening. A dark feeling somehow had managed to take root inside her and spread out and she really did not know why.

Roy glanced around a little; the room wasn't even a little bit girly. It was filled with tools and objects you might find in a mechanic's workshop. The only thing remotely feminine was the bed that had pink sheets that were a mess and the top red comforter had been bunched up at the head of the bed. The room though, it was perfectly fitting for her. “You never did make your bed when you were living in Central. I always made it for you.” He said quietly then turning around to face her, seeing her shrugging innocently with a half smile. “I wanted to apologize for earlier today, when you thought that I had been ignoring you. I needed to maintain an appearance of doing my duty for the state in apprehending the Elrics. Nothing else could distract me, even you.”

Winry stared at the floor taking a deep breath, “I realized that eventually. But to be honest I didn't know what to think, what you were up to, until you had Major Armstrong escort those unfamiliar to me military soldiers away. Then you…well said what you wanted, made the Elrics think and try to understand.”

“They still don't,” Roy let out a rough breath, “it's a bit frustrating dealing with Edward, as you well know. He seems to try and make his brother think the way he does when Alphonse has his own mind. He is just easily swayed by what his older sibling says and expects of him mostly because he doesn't want to fight with him. Alphonse I notice likes to rather keep the peace. I know Edward does not trust me at all, have I ever given him cause not to?”

“Well you do tease him an awful lot.” Winry cracked a small smile, “but then so do I, everyone does. It's just hard for him to trust anyone except Al and it seems he still doesn't even trust me. He can't even tell me what's going on in his life, the people he meets and other friends he's made. To tell you the truth, I think you motivate him in ways he doesn't even realize, much more than I could.”

Their conversation was barely above a whisper, a knock at Winry's door had her jump, startled. She pointed for Roy to move behind where the door would open. Her stomach flipped and heart raced at him getting caught being in here. She rushed to the door and opened it, where Roy stood behind the door, up against the wall, looking towards the archway.

Winry was surprised and held the door only half open, “Ed? What is it?” She noticed that he looked worried and tapped his foot on the floor. She gripped the door tighter with her hand, hoping that P-Edward couldn't hear the rapid beating of her heart.

Scratching the back of his head, P-Edward looked up at her. “I just wanted to say…that, I um…about what you, we said downstairs.”

Letting out a soft noise and an expression of understanding crossing her face, she said, “It's all right, Ed. Don't worry about it.”

“When it's all over, Winry. When Al and I have our original bodies back I will explain everything to you, all the people we met, and all that we had gone through. You just have to trust me. All right?” P-Edward sighed, hoping she would understand what he was trying to say.

“Okay, Ed. I guess I can accept that for now.” She replied with a light smile.

“I'll see you in the morning.” P-Edward said with a slight smile before turning on his heel and heading to the room he was sharing with his bother.

And Winry closed the door. She heard footsteps and turned her head to the right. “I don't think he saw you.”

Roy smirked, “We would definitely know if he saw me.”

Edward growled and his fists tightened intensely that his knuckles turned white. “What the hell! Right under my nose! That bastard Mustang! He was in her room when you made me apologize to her Al!”

Alphonse's mouth twisted up in a small sneer. “I made you apologize because it was the right thing to do. You always make her feel bad!” Here he had been trying to be supportive and it was like he was being blamed for all of this. “If anyone deserved Winry's heart, it was me!”

His jaw dropped, Edward stomped. “What? You!?”

“Yes, me!” Alphonse stepped forward, glaring at his older brother. “I was the one always nice to her, she should have fallen for me. Don't you think I too had feelings, Brother? Don't you think that I hated the idea of Winry getting involved with the Colonel!? But unlike you, I don't voice everything loud and obnoxiously!”

“Obnoxious!” Edward growled, “Why you…”

“I loved Winry too, damn-it!” Alphonse cried out, his hands curling into fists as he held them an inch from his chest. “I know we had a priority in getting our bodies back, but that didn't stop me from thinking that Winry was the greatest person, the prettiest girl who was my friend and adored me even when my soul was in that suit of armor. She's someone who really cares.” Alphonse stared at the floor. “This wasn't hard for just you, Brother. Sure I knew about it sooner, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt any less when I found out.”

That completely shocked Edward, he had never heard his little brother curse before. This was serious business. “Al…”

“I'm getting tired of hearing your whining about Winry and the Colonel! This was your own fault!” Alphonse paced, stomping his foot. “She only saw me as a friend, at one time I know she had a crush on you, she told me so!”

“She did?” Edward gasped, staring in shock at his little brother.

“It was a long time ago.” Alphonse moved over to the wall and rested against it. “I know that this is upsetting, Brother. But you have to think about what she wants, what makes her happy. If it turns out that you make her happy then that's great,” He smiled, “but if it turns out that it's the Colonel she gives her heart to, you shouldn't be bitter about it. You should be glad that she's able to be happy. That is what's important. So stop whining about it. You're not the only one that suffers, Brother.” He pointed to the past figures of Winry and the Colonel. “Look at them.” He stood straight and walked closer to his brother.

Edward lowered his head, staring at the floor and shook it. “No.” He didn't want to see. Sure he wanted Winry to be happy, but he couldn't stand it if it was that bastard that made her so.

“Edward.” Trisha softly called out, and she saw her oldest son look over at her. “Please listen to your brother on this; I know this situation is hard for you. But it's something you have to face. You don't have to like it, but you have to understand it. You can't be selfish as love is not selfish, it is giving and you must do what is best for your loved one… even if it's letting go.”

“Look at them, Brother.” Alphonse stood beside Edward as his older brother slowly lifted his head, glancing at Winry and the Colonel who were still talking quietly. “Can't you see how much they care for each other? Can't you hear it in their voices?”

Roy did not move any closer to her even though he really wanted to. He didn't come in her room for romance; he came in here to talk to her about a completely serious matter. “I am going after the Fuehrer.”

Sapphire blue eyes widened, “What?”

“If he is indeed a homunculus… you do know what that is, don't you?” Roy asked, wanting to make sure she understood what he was talking about.

Winry nodded, “Yeah, I do.” She sucked in a deep breath. She knew all a little too well about the homunculi. And she dropped her head, her eyes closing tightly.

“Well that's the reason that I need to act as soon as possible in removing Fuehrer Bradley from power. I can't just act without knowing the truth, so I will investigate it, I'm forming a plan right now and I know I will have others on my side.” Roy heard her mumbling something. “What? I didn't quite catch that.”

“Why does it have to be you?” She said a little more clearly, still staring at the floor.

Roy's shoulders fell and he made a soft noise, knowing she was worried and upset. He didn't like upsetting her, but this was something he had to do. “You know why.”

She lifted her head, her eyes colliding with his. “Haven't you suffered enough?! You've already given up so much, much more than anyone should have to. I know this is what you've been trying for the last couple of years, but at what cost? The cost of your life?”

“My life is meaningless.” He said firmly, trying not to let her outcry affect him.

“Not to me it isn't!” She practically shrieked. The tears that were building up in her eyes finally drizzled down her cheeks.

Roy indeed looked surprised at her declaration before he reached for her, pulling her into him. “I promised Maes I would do this, I promised those lives I had taken I would do this.” His arms wove around her tightly.

“Aren't you scared? You have to be, if you're going after a powerful being.” She crushed herself against him, resting her cheek against his chest.

His fingers were in her hair, “I will admit it to you, yes. It's not going to be easy and I might lose my life. But I can't let that stop me. It is like you said to me about that courage not being the absence of fear but that there's something more important than fear, something worth fighting for, and giving up everything for.” He cuddled her tighter. “I am not just doing this as my atonement; I am doing this for you.” Roy heard her gasp. “You are worth fighting for, giving up everything for…even my life.”

She squeezed her eyes tighter as more tears leaked out. “How is any of this for me?”

Roy's hands curled around her shoulders and he pushed her back from him so that he could look into her beautiful eyes, “It will assure your continued happiness, you're being safe from a controlling government. It shall give you freedom. If I can give you that, then I'll gladly go down to the end for it.”

“You're a stubborn fool, Roy Mustang.” She said on a sigh.

And he smirked.

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