The Empath Alchemist {Edward Elric X Reader}

28

The tips of Winry's ears flushed pink as the cold air nipped at her gentle skin. She tugged her peach scarf closer around her neck as she walked down the narrow pathway that the underground tunnel provided. Her nose and fingers grew numb due to the harshness of the atmosphere that drained the color from her body. Though her gloves and coat provided enough warmth for her to sustain a small amount of body heat, the relentless cold refused to allow her body to rest. Her brows drew together when a sneeze escaped her nose, leading her to miserably bury her face further into her winter scarf.

The blonde was oddly soothed by the sound of Al's bulky body moving noisily behind her. It was the only aspect of this brisk place that she was familiar with, and it brought her the awareness that came with the comfort of accompanying the Elric on a trip for the very first time since Edward joined the military.

Her brown eyes flickered up to the back of the violet eyed man's head for the umpteenth time during that trip. Her eyes glued to his hair intensely, and she wouldn't have been surprised if he were to whip his head around and tell her to stop staring. Her gaze was so sharp, so intense that it was impossible for him to be incognizant of it. If he knew, Winry wouldn't have known. His shoulders remained relaxed, as if this stroll through the north's underground mining tunnels was just another walk in the park for him.

He was seemingly unaffected by the things around him, and Winry had a significantly hard time trying to analyze this stranger's personality. Somehow, she took more interest in him than the mass murderer leading the group further down the tunnels.

His name was Ling, yet it was also Greed. His eyes were onyx, dark and lively, yet they were a ghoulish, violet hue as well. He was a prince Edward's age, yet he was often straightforward and a tad rude. He was practically two people in one, and Winry was not entirely sure how to go about comprehending how this was possible.

It was obvious that this person was not a single person, but rather two entities sharing a vessel. There was Ling, whose voice was a tad chipper and his mannerisms less drab. Then there was Greed, who appeared to be disinterested or vexed by every little thing around him. Alphonse seemed to be unaffected by their sudden switches in personality, almost like he had expected this. This left Winry, once again, to be left to her own devices as she tried to fit the pieces of this unlikely puzzle together. Alphonse and GreedLing both emphasized that it was best that she didn't understand the strange being's origin, which of course only made her more eager to understand.

Winry found that busying herself with GreedLing's identity was better than thinking about how much waiting she would have to do before she saw the young State Alchemists again.

All she could do was wait. Wasn't that right?

Even when she thought she had come to terms with it, she found herself despising every additional second she spent lingering in a world of constant uncertainty.

Her chest was heavy with this feeling that she couldn't quite put her finger on. It felt as though she was waiting for something bad to happen, yet she didn't know what that thing was. Winry could feel it, from the top of her head down to her very core. Something was oh so wrong, but she just couldn't see what it was.

All she could do was wait, and stare at the back of that strange guy's head as she did so.

When she and Al had finished collecting (Y/n) and Ed's belongings, they met back outside with Scar. Alphonse insisted upon carrying both of their bags while Scar explained that he had business to take care of before he left. Alphonse, who was still not fond of being forced to travel with the man who'd taken the lives of so many, impatiently interrogated the red eyed man. Scar simply explained that he had to retrieve the people he had been traveling with, and decided not to say much else on the matter before he explained the location of the two men who had accompanied him.