Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ When the Cherry Blossoms Bloom ❯ Outsider ( Chapter 15 )

[ 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.

When the Cherry Blossoms Bloom
Episode 15—Outsider

Winry reached over and pinched her arm, flinching. That hurt! This meant this really was not a dream, or rather, a nightmare. She took the moment of shocked silence to look about his features. His raven hair was longer on one side, trying to cover the patch over the side of his face. He had been injured, she remembered that Riza had mentioned that he had been, along with the intense surgeries the man had gone under. She didn't really focus on the eye patch as it didn't seem to take away from his fine appearance. If she were to be honest with herself, it added a sense of mystery about him. She'd rather not focus on his looks, but rather the reason why he was sitting here in her living room. Why did he come back now? What did he want? She couldn't take this and was going to turn and leave the room when her son and daughter's giggles filled her ears, which halted her steps.

“Unca Alfos, make me a pony?” Anna asked him. Which he smiled at her, but she could see that he was upset. She looked back over to her mother who she found was staring at the visitor unhappily. She dropped the paper and ran to her mother and hugged her about the middle wondering if something was wrong.

Placing her hand atop Anna's head, Winry took in a deep breath. “Well this is… unexpected.” That was certainly the understatement of the year. She kept her eyes on the man sitting on her sofa, who then slowly lifted to his feet. She saw his line of sight move to Anna and then drop to Brian on the floor before meeting her gaze, only a moment of shocked realization passed in his eye. Winry couldn't help it; she started trembling, almost too slight to see.

Anna felt it and hugged her mother tighter. “Are you a'rih, Ma—?”

She was immediately cut off when Alphonse jumped up from the loveseat, coughing so loudly like he was hacking up his lungs. He pounded against his chest. “Hey, why don't you two little ones come with me to get some water?” He coughed again and reached down grabbing a hold of Brian's hand, pulling him up from the floor and headed towards Winry and Anna, where he immediately took Anna by the hand.

“No!” Anna stomped her foot and gritted her teeth. Her face contorted in fierce determination. “Mama need me!” She grunted, trying to pull her hand from Alphonse's, but his grip tightened. He didn't want to hurt her as he tried to pull her a little more firmly.

“She'll be all right, I promise. Just come to the kitchen with me, you too, Brother.” He looked over at Edward, who's face was hard and tense with anger and hate.

Without waiting and warning, Edward walked over to Anna and scooped her up. He held her tight as she struggled, kicked and wiggled around while crying to be let down. Her dark eyes were swelling with tears which started to run down her cheeks. He simply ignored the little girl's demands and he went with Alphonse into the kitchen.

Winry could hear her little girl crying and Alphonse trying to console her, the door to the kitchen closed, blocking out the sound, leaving her alone with Roy.

They both stood there in uncomfortable silence. The tension was suffocating.

Roy folded his hands behind his back which made Winry look at him and he said the first thing that popped into his head. “You don't look sick.”

Her brow furrowed, “I'm not. I have perfect health.” was that all he came here for because he thought she had been sick? That was so strange, why would he have even thought that? They haven't even been in contact for years. “What are you doing here?”

He cleared his throat and started to pace. “A couple of days ago I was in Central City, minding my own business when I got this telegram, a rather urgent one that explains vaguely about you. But when I get here, because I was worried about you, I find that not only are you not sick or hurt badly, but there's another surprising discovery which you seem to have neglected to tell me…” He took a deep breath, stopping in his pacing and turning to face her, his dark eye focused on her blue ones, “…That I happen to be a damn father!” He snapped harshly.

Winry flinched back by the harsh tone he threw at her and opened her mouth, her first instinct to say that the twins were not his but he seemed to know what she was going to say and he spoke up before she could.

“And don't you dare tell me those children aren't mine.” He said darkly, causing the woman to close her mouth and take another step back. This was a stinging betrayal, how could she never say that she had his children? How could she keep them from him like this?!

She took a deep breath and she avoided looking at him, “Who told you that I was sick or hurt?”

“That is not important right now.” He said tightly, trying to keep from completely losing his temper. “I haven't seen or heard from you in years—”

“—and who's fault is that?!” Winry argued, cutting him off this time. It was like he was blaming all of this on her. She slid her right foot forward, her hand curling into a tight fist. “I tried to talk to you, to tell you about... but every time I tried you'd cut me off or you'd hang up. You wouldn't return my letters. You wouldn't even see me when I came to Central a couple years ago! So don't you dare try to blame me for keeping the twins from you! What was I suppose to think except that you were finally tired of me and wanted nothing more to do with me ever again?!” She shook her head, staring at the floor. “Gracia even suggested that I write in a letter about them, and I was going to, but what would be the point of you'd never answer back?”

Roy just felt like he had been punched in the face. “Gracia knew that you had my children and she never told me?! How in the hell could you tell Gracia and not me?!” He took a few menacing steps towards her, all Winry did was lift her head and her eyes narrowed bitterly.

She was not going to let him intimidate her! Winry shouted up into his face, “She was here with me when I had them! She helped me bring them into the world. That's why she knows! Maybe if you'd have been here—” She looked away from him unable to take his accusing expression that melted into something softer that she didn't want to acknowledge. “But you didn't care enough to even tell me how you were doing.”

It would be useless to apologize for him cutting her out of his life, Roy knew her so well that she might say it would be all right, but it truly was not. “How old are the children?”

Walking to the sofa she sat down, lowering her chin. He shouldn't be here; she had to send him away, her sanity depended on it. “They'll be five next week, on Saturday.”

`So many years wasted,' Roy thought with regret. `So many years that I missed out on all because of my self pity and stubborn attitude.' He sat down next to her and she stiffened. “What are their names?”

Winry sighed and closed her eyes. He had always been able to affect her, even when she was hurt and angry with him. “My son is Brian and my daughter is Anna.”

“You mean our son and daughter.” He stared at Winry's profile. He thought with a little grief that she hadn't bothered to name their son after him. Of course, he really couldn't expect her to, since she was obviously angry with him.

“I said what I meant, Roy. They're my children.” She said tightly.

He smiled lightly without mirth, knowing exactly what she was hinting at. “You know you can't keep me from them.” Roy saw her close her eyes tightly in that truth. “Don't you dare even try it.” Roy leaned closer to her, “I know exactly how you think, Winry. They are my children, too, and I have every right to them.”

“You didn't seem to care that much before, why now?” She turned and looked at him head on which was a big mistake for he was closer than she really thought and she tried to move away from him, but he reached out like a striking snake and grabbed her arm, keeping her in place. “You don't need them. You have your own life.”

Roy looked shocked, he did need them, he needed her too. Being away from Winry had been a most painful endurance. “You're being selfish.” He really couldn't say anything to that, he had been selfish too, by not going back to her. But he was here now and that's all that really mattered. “I want a chance with them, to get to know them. They are half mine, Winry. It was cruel that you kept them secret from me.”

She stared down at his hand on her arm, heating her, and she could feel blush rising to her cheeks. `No, not now. Stop!' she demanded herself. “I didn't mean to be cruel. And besides, they were never really a secret, you just never bothered to come back or even talk to me.” She might not have kept them secret, but she never told him about the twins either.

“Well, I'm here now.” His eye moved over her features, and he knew when he immediately said the wrong thing.

Winry just about fell over with what he just said. “You think that…” She stood up in a rush, which managed to make him remove his hand from her arm. “Oh no…you've ignored me for the past almost five years, things are not just going to pick up where they left off. There's no way in hell!” There was too much heartache, he didn't care about her, not like she had cared about him. She didn't want him to stay with her just because she had his children. She was not going to open anything to him, not her heart again and certainly not her legs!

“Why not?”

She gasped, then her eyes narrowed. “My days of being your plaything were over. It all had been a mistake, I never should have.”

“You don't mean that.” He said smugly, knowing the truth. She was a terrible liar and he was glad of it. For if she were a little more convincing, what she said would have been hurtful.

How dare he see right through her! Winry felt her temper bristle, “I want you to…just go!” She violently pointed to her door and stomped her foot in anger. “And don't come back this time!”

Roy lifted to his feet, his intimidating height towered over her. “I have no intention of going anywhere, Winry. My children are here and so are you. I know it was apprehensible what I had done in cutting you off like that, but I had my reasons and it's nothing of what you think.”

“You can't just come back here, not when I've… `I've given up on you and put you in my past, it's not fair.' She couldn't let him in. Her head would not allow him to hurt her this way. She couldn't take that chance, there was too much at stake. “Please, just leave. The children don't have to know about you. You don't have to do anything for them, I can handle it. All you need to do is leave, that's all I ask.” Her tone had changed from anger to begging.

She didn't want him anymore? No that…he couldn't believe that He wouldn't believe it. Sure, it would have been his fault if she didn't. A person can only take so much rejection. He had to try another tactic, even if it was a little underhanded. “You do realize that I can take the children from you, don't you?”

“You wouldn't dare!?” Her heart thundered and her temper sparked as well as her nervousness jump. Would he really take her babies from her?!

He didn't want to threaten her, but he wanted to use any means necessary to get his way in this. “I am much better equipped to raise them than you are, no court would grant you full custody over me and what I have.”

“You may have more in the way of your inheritance, but the court system wouldn't dare separate children from their mother.” Winry argued hottly, “You'd have to prove you can take care of them, and they'll look at the five years you weren't in their lives as abandonment.” She smirked.

“That is until I tell them you purposely kept them from me. That I didn't know that they even existed.” He added, stepping closer. Roy found her eyes heating in that same dark luscious blue. He was a fool to have stayed away from her. He enjoyed her challenging expressions, thinking she could out-do him on anything. But he always won and he would win her back. He knew it down in the very depths of his being. If her reactions to him now were just as passionate as she was showing him they still were in whatever she did, there definitely was the hope that he could get her back.

He loved her.

She was still his, even if she didn't realize it.

Winry cried out indignant of that slightly true comment and she lifted her hand, swinging it almost as fast as lightning striking towards his face, his hand clutched her wrist before it made contact and she growled, her eyes aflame with fury.

“So fiery,” he said with a devastating smirk, making her cheeks heat. He knew he still affected her this way, and that he was the only one who could. Everything was always impassioned between the two of them. The way they argued, the way they enjoyed each other, the way they held simple conversation. He was tired of being cold and lonely. He wanted her warmth and the way she gave him life and a reason to really live.

Edward watched them through the space he made with the door. “So this is how he does it, that bastard.” He said quietly aloud to himself watching how that ass was still as manipulative as ever. He had never witnessed what had happened in the beginning between Mustang and Winry, but if it was anywhere near close to what he was watching right now, then he would have to try a lot harder and admit his feelings quicker to Winry. He could tell Mustang was on a mission and for as long as he's known the man, Mustang has never walked away from a challenge any less than the victor. “Not this time, pal.” Edward seethed.

With a sharp `yelp', Edward stumbled forward and out the door and into the living room. He had been pushed out by Pinako who had now come through the doorway. He growled from on the floor, embarrassed that he was pushed by her of all people. “What did you do that for, ya old hag?!” He clenched his hands together into tight fists.

Both Roy and Winry had turned to face the commotion which allowed Winry to pull her hand from Roy's grip.

“You were blocking the way, Shrimp.” Pinako said, holding her pipe while a smirk curved the side of her mouth. It had been ages since she had been able to tease Edward. She looked at the situation going on in the room between her granddaughter and Mustang. “Ah, now I see why you were spying.”

Edward's face flamed red, “I wasn't spying! You've sure gotta lot of nerve.” He really was spying, but there was no reason to let anyone know that.

“Ed…” Winry gasped, she took two steps away from Roy which she saw his eye narrow at her retreat.

Growling up at Mustang, Edward gathered himself onto his feet. “You get your damn hands off Winry. Haven't you done enough?”

Roy felt annoyance rush in. “Nice to see you've come back, Edward. Whatever could have been the reason?”

“That is none of your business.” Edward turned to Winry who was staring at the floor, her hands folded in front of her. “I'm here now, so you can just go on back to your little office in your little world.”

Putting his finger in the air, Roy smirked. “Funny that you mention little—”

“Raaah! Shut up!” Edward shouted before Mustang could insult him. “I will admit that at first when I learned of what had happened between you and Winry, I was pissed. But if I would have thought that you were good enough for her, I would have stepped aside. But you're not. You're an ass with a God complex. She doesn't need that kind of arrogance in her life.”

“So then where does that leave you then, Edward?” Roy threw back with a smug tone.

“Pfff, why you—” Clenching his metal fist, Edward pointed right at Mustang. “You stay away from her! I—”

“—Edward!” Winry interrupted their fight, “This really is none of your business. Whatever it is, it is between Roy and I.”

His jaw dropped, and Edward stared in disbelief. “How can you say that? He abandons you for who knows what reasons and—”

She growled, “Shut up, Ed. Listen to me.” Winry sighed trying to calm her temper. “I know as my friend you want to help and stick up for me, but I don't want you involved in this. This has nothing to do with you.”

“It has everything to do with me!” Edward raged.

“No it doesn't!” She angrily yelled into his face. “Not everything revolves around you, Edward.” Winry took a deep breath trying to calm her raging temper. “Really, I appreciate it, but I can handle this myself. I'm not some little kid, you have to trust me.”

Edward hung his head, “You can't handle him, Winry. He'll have you dooped all over again. It's been proven.”

“What do you mean, proven?” Winry's eyes narrowed in confusion.

He stammered trying to find an appropriate answer without telling her the truth. “Well the proof of that is in the kitchen with Al.”

Winry rolled her eyes, “You knob-head, I was never tricked!” She crossed her arms in irritation. Sure it might have been underhanded tactics that Roy had pulled on her in the past, but he had never lied. He told her exactly what he wanted and why, there were never any promises of love and affection. She was not going to tell Edward that though. Taking another deep breath, Winry sat down on the sofa. “Ed, please I know you mean well, but just leave this between me and him.” She gestured to Roy with a nod of her head.

Looking back at Mustang, Edward for the first time in his life actually felt he was outside the window of her life. She wasn't going to let him into this aspect of it. According to her, the subject of Mustang and the children were not to be crossed by him at all. That wasn't right and it was painful to his heart.

“Do what she wants, Edward,” Roy said without malice. “What had happened had been between she and I. Even this matter concerning the children and where it goes from here will only be between Winry and I, and no one else.”

Winry stared at her lap, “I wish you hadn't come back.” She folded her hands against her belly.

“You didn't feel that way before.” Roy said, now ignoring Edward.

“That was before.” She ran a frustrated hand through her blonde hair.

Edward stared at the two of them, they weren't even acknowledging him anymore. It was as if he wasn't even in the room. The realization ached in his heart. Winry didn't need him, she'd grown apart from him. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. “Winry?”

Looking up at him, her blue eyes weren't their usual brilliance. “Edward, can you excuse us please?”

She might as well just have stabbed him in the heart with those words. Edward gave a short nod, still shocked that she just asked him to leave the room. He slowly walked towards the kitchen. Turning his head, he saw Mustang move over to Winry and sit beside her, he leaned forward a little, folding his hands in between his knees, and Winry turned, facing him and began to speak. No it wasn't just a feeling Edward had, he really was on the outside.

The scent of cooking meat assaulted his nose and Edward stepped inside the kitchen, closing the door. He found his brother making some sliced meat, chopped potato and carrot mix on the stove. “She doesn't need me anymore.” He stared at the floor. He barely heard the children at the table drawing and giggling happily.

Alphonse turned his head, “I'm sorry, Brother. Are you throwing in the towel, just giving up?”

“No way,” Edward scoffed, “This is just a small block. She can stand on her own and doesn't need anyone. Not even Mustang.” He smirked. “I can work around this, I just have to tell Winry the truth, about how I…” He heard the children giggling louder and it sounded like they were laughing at him personally.

“Unca Edwa love Mama.” Brian snickered loudly.

Edward's face flamed. “Hey! You just color your paper!” He gestured quickly to the drawing of a mouse that needed color. That remark only made the children laugh louder.

With an amused grin, Alphonse turned back to the stove to finish cooking the twins' their meal.

“Do you really want to spend time with the twins?” Winry asked Roy. It would be wrong to try and keep them from him now that he knew about them.

He stared down at his hands before lifting his gaze to hers, “I do. I also want to spend time with you.”

Winry shook her head, “That's not going to happen. I am going to make this as civil as possible, you are their father and I'm not going to keep them from you. But that's all it is.”

“Winry—”

“No!” She turned her head. “Just please, don't.” It had taken her years to admit to herself that he didn't care for her, not like she had cared for him. She couldn't take getting involved with him again to just end up hurt; she knew that he would leave her, he had done so when he promised he'd come back. He cut her off completely, wouldn't even really speak to her. It was like he hated her. She didn't want to let herself feel anything for him. Not again, not ever again. He must not have any lady friend prospects and just feels `hey, I know someone who will give me what I want easy.' She was not going to be used that way, not by anyone, even him.

She turned back towards him, seeing his eye pointed towards his lap. She found herself looking at the patch that covered almost half his face. Why was it so big? “Riza had said that you had been injured.” Without realizing what she had done, she lifted her hand and moved her fingers through his raven hair that hung almost chin length over his patch as she moved it behind his ear.

He moved away from her touch. “Yeah,” Roy cleared his throat. He didn't want her asking about it, he didn't want her to look at really, even though he knew it was unavoidable. “It's part of living with my mistakes.”

“It looks nice,” she said with a light smile and unaware of the affection shining in her eyes.

Roy jolted and looked right at her. “You think so?” His brow was creased in confusion.

She nodded, “Yeah.”

“Don't feel sorry for me.” He said, tightness edging his voice.

“I'm not.” She really wasn't. Deep inside, she was glad that he had this, because it could have been a lot worse. He could have lost his life. So this was nothing and she had been actually glad of it. Winry stretched her fingers forward, and lightly touched the material on his face, finding it smooth and soft.

Pinako folded her arms over her chest, watching them from the stair banister. “Hmm...” She knew she was doing the right thing for her granddaughter.

“It's ugly.” Roy said, reaching up and lightly taking her hand.

“That's your opinion.” Winry said, feeling his warm hand curled around hers.

His eye narrowed, “And it's a pretty damn important opinion, since mine is the only one that matters in this case.” Roy brought her hand away from his face and pressed it to his knee. He really wanted to change the subject. “So, the children, they're twins.” He put his hand to his chin, “I guess when I do something, I really do it well. See how powerful I am, two at once. Truly amazing,” He smirked.

Winry rolled her eyes but still couldn't help the laughter that she fought to keep from emerging. “Arrogant ass,” She mumbled. “You weren't the only one involved, you know?” She got up from the sofa. “I need to feed Anna and Brian and then put them to bed, it's getting late.” Winry noticed that it had gotten dark outside and she turned her head to the clock, seeing that it was a quarter to nine. She was way off schedule; her babies were probably starving by now! “I guess you can come back tomorrow and get to know them.”

“That won't be necessary, Winry.” Pinako said stepping into the living room. “I think that it would be more beneficial for the father of your children to remain here with us.”

Roy got to his feet, throwing the old woman a suspicious expression. “It really is no trouble; I've already booked a hotel room. I'll just extend my stay on a nightly basis.” He really didn't know how long he was going to stay, he did have to go back to Central sometime, but not now. He would take as long as necessary to get Winry back, he had months of saved up leave time. Good thing he never really used it before so he could really put forth the effort in winning her back

Pinako turned her head, “Well you can forget about that. I've already called your hotel and they're delivering your luggage here.”

Winry's jaw dropped, “Grandma, you can't do that. He can't stay here!” She nearly screeched. She did not want him in her house, didn't her grandmother know what he was capable of?! Her face flamed red just thinking about it!

“I can do whatever I want, kiddo, it's my house.” Pinako stuck her pipe in her mouth, hearing her granddaughter's groan in irritation. `You'll thank me for this someday, kid.'

“How did you even know which hotel I was staying at? I never said anything before.” A sly expression crossed Roy's features as he folded his arms over his chest. He was actually pleased that the old woman invited…more like insisted, for him to remain here. Just what was she up to?

The old woman merely laughed, “What do you take me for, Mustang? Resembool only has two hotels; you were bound to be at one of them.” She smirked. “You should start spending more time with your offspring. They can be a handful though, so I suggest you watch your back.” She walked over to Winry. “And don't worry about them getting fed; Alphonse took care of that for you.”

Winry smiled, “I'll have to thank him. He's saved my butt when it came to the little ones a couple of times today.” She sighed in tired frustration. “He'll make a really good father someday.”

Roy's eye narrowed slightly and he tightened his arms over his chest in irritation. He would have to prove that he could be what she and the twins needed, and that she did not need Alphonse and certainly not Edward. Earlier when he had arrived only Pinako had been home, he had been surprised to learn that Winry was not deathly sick. It was at that instant that he then realized something devious was afoot, that there had been some plotting going on by none other than his father. Now it seems Pinako was in on it too. He had hated being involved in a plot that he knew nothing about or had not planned himself. It was a good thing for his father's sake that he was still in love with Winry as that seemed to push past his desire to make his old man pay for this trickery. Instead, he might have to thank him for this opportunity to try and correct a grievous mistake he had made.

“What was that? Mustang's staying here?!” Edward shouted by the kitchen door which caused their heads to turn in that direction. “Who's bright idea was that?” Sarcasm oozed from Edward's tone.

Pinako grinned, “Why mine of course.”

Edward growled. Why did that old lady have to stick her nose into other people's business? Did she really approve of Mustang? He was a womanizer pervert; he shouldn't be staying here where he could do more damage to Winry's heart.

She really did not like upsetting Edward this way, but Pinako knew who her daughter loved and sure it was sad that it wasn't Edward as they had been such close friends for all their lives. If she would have thought that it really was Edward who her granddaughter had given her heart to, she would fully support that relationship. But alas, it was not, she had to face the facts that Roy Mustang made her daughter happy, she just hoped Winry would remember that instead of focusing on the pain. Sure, it might have taken persuasion and a push to get him here, but he did come. Mustang was here now and she could tell he would put forth a valiant effort in winning her granddaughter back just as long as he could get past his own insecurities as well.

This was sure to be an interesting to witness, Pinako had every hope that Winry would make the right choice for herself in the long run, even if she chose to remain alone with the children. She eagerly awaited one of the Alchemists to make the next move. Who would it be?

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Well that's it for this episode/chapter. Are you all happy I got it out so fast? I was on a roll the other night and just breezed right through this one. Hopefully the next one will come out of my head just as quick.

Thanks for reading,

Ryoko Blue