Leave A Scar (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Departure

Winry spoke, breaking the silence created by us getting ready to leave.

"You look exhausted, Ed."

"I'm fine," he responded, not looking to her. Lines still haunting his eyes.

"Obviously not, Ed!" She took a step forward as she spoke, and instantly those eyes snapped up to her shoes, his own feet copying her movements. One step back. Equivalent, like always. "What about you giving Al part of your sleep, or whatever it was?"

"It's fine," he repeated, and looked down to the floor again before his eyes closed. "He's still getting an equal share. Everything's fine."

There's nothing to worry about, I waited for him to say this, but he didn't. What was happening? Why was he acting so... Guarded?

"Stop saying that!" Winry cried, and something inside me screamed out as well. I wanted to get mad like she was. He was so frustrating sometimes. But I couldn't do anything; I could only stand there, feel Ed's gloved hand brush against the back of mine as he moved his fingers. Like he was stretching them out; like he was trying to reach out to me again. But what could I do...?

"Stop acting like everything's okay, because you wouldn't be here if it was!" Tears broke from her eyes as she said this, a steady stream that instantly pelted the floor. Decorating it in tiny dots.

I heard the smallest of sighs come from Ed; probably just enough for me to hear as Winry kept speaking, his voice catching my attention before hers did. "Here come the waterworks..." he murmured.

"What's going on with you two?!" she asked, still frantic. "Why was your arm busted like that—I thought you two were done fighting. I thought it was over with it!"

His fist clenched; I could feel the fabric of the glove tighten against the side of my own hand.

"What's your problem, Winry?" Ed shouted back.

"My problem?" she returned, hands pointing to the middle of her upper-chest. "I think you'd KNOW by now what my problem is, Ed!!"

I resisted taking a step back, some stupid part of myself wanting to take this in. Wanting to witness it all, make myself a bystander. Someone who could have done something, should have. But didn't. I knew my place as a causality, by now.

"My 'problem'," Winry began, voice low but nowhere near less malicious, "is you keep acting like we're not even here! My problem is you keep acting like the whole entire world is against you!"

I froze, the weight of her statement hanging in the air around us. I felt Ed clench his hand into a fist; the fabric of his glove tightening beside the back of my hand.

"You really believe that first part?" he shot back. "You REALLY think I actually forget you guys?"

I saw Winry's anger falter, giving way to something more vulnerable. She pulled herself back, posture straightening from her outburst as she looked down.

"I know you are doing something that's a lot of work... Time can attest for that. But..." Her hands rose to her hair, a pained frustration overtaking her face. "Just..." Her arms drew outwards, knees bending as she clawed her hands in a plea.

"What kind of things are you doing with my automail?! Why so much danger, Ed?! That's what I mean! That's why I think you forget about us because you throw yourself into these situations!"

"Okay," Ed swiped one arm across himself in gesture, "That's a hell of a lot different than me acting like you aren't even here!" His other fist clenched, and I could feel the anger in him rising. "I know this might be hard on you, Winry"—More anger came to her face, as if this struck a nerve—"And there's never been a time where I haven't appreciated the act of your mechanic specialty, despite what we have trudged through." His pointer finger flicked out, motioning to himself and her. His hand dropped, returning to a fist at his side. "But this is not your fight. This isn't your burden to carry, no matter how much of the 'world's' weight you'd like to take off my shoulders."