STAND UP AND WALK.

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        ❝ IT ISN’T YOUR FAULT. I swear, it worked as good as ever. ❞

          He speaks firmly. He wants her to know that none of this is her doing. Not directly, not indirectly. It was his own actions that caused the damage to his arm, his own haste to stop the Angel making impact with the ground she walked on. He doesn’t resent her in the slightest — if anything, he resents the higher-ups that couldn’t think of a better way to get her to the Geofront. And those bastards have the nerve to say they’re protecting people when they can’t even keep their own out of harm.

          Though he keeps the anger out of his voice, because none of it is directed at her. For now, Ed just lays still, sharply meeting Winry’s eyes before letting them trail back to the ceiling.

          ❝ I was just doing what I needed to do. My arm can get fixed when it needs to. You can’t do that to a human life. ❞

@wretchedtm

@lifesevered ( x2 )

@automaiiiled

@lcgendaris ( x2 )

@pescaprincipessa

          thinking, is it? golden hues find their counterparts, a glint of CURIOSITY while attempting to guess what his brother may be about to share. something about alkahestry? something about their upcoming return to Resembool? something about— …pretty much anything but what Alphonse just serves on the table along with coffee? and it is FORTUNATE, indeed, that Ed himself isn’t currently holding his cup nor attempting to drink, lest it all ends up spilled on flesh && wood alike. which isn’t to say he’s not now turning at least seven different shades of red on cheeks and nose and ears, clearing his throat and pretending to still be absolutely impassive. and failing, of course.

‘ w-why would you say that, WHERE did that come from?? ‘

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        AL CAN’T FIGHT OFF a little snort at his brother’s comically red complexion, but he restrains himself from full-on laughing; that would cross the line from lighthearted teasing into just plain mean. Still, he can’t help the grin plastered on his face; jokes aside, he’s happy for the two of them!

   “…thanks.” words spoken in a low whisper, but inside her stomach twisted into a million different knots. anxiety & a little bit of guilt all at once. why couldn’t she have kept quiet, not let anyone else know, not drag anyone else into this? gaze dropped to her boots as she followed him along—pensive, her fingers drumming against the binder she clutched to her chest—nervously, instinctively leaning into his touch as she did. his hand a light weight on her shoulder & their arms brushing against one another.

   they weren’t fast enough: she’d heard the tread of his footsteps before they were able to reach the double doors, saw him catch up to the pair. “winry!” the sound of his voice made her shudder slightly. she leaned a little closer into ed, her hand gripping the strap of her backpack tightly. “uh, hi,” she said quietly, “we were just about to leave, actually——”

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        THE SOUND OF HIS CLASSMATE’S VOICE had grown steadily more irritating the more he suspected that things between him and Winry were tense. But right now, Pitt grated more on Ed’s nerves than he ever had before. Ed turned around as Winry did, never letting his hand drop, not even missing a beat as she leaned closer against him.

          ❝ Where to? ❞ Pitt asked, intent in his voice ill-concealed. ❝ Maybe we can walk there together. ❞

          ❝ Actually, ❞ Ed cut in, a little more harshly than was perhaps necessary, ❝ I was already doing that. Winry’s got class right now — ❞ Not even true, but anything to get this guy off their backs ❝ — and she’s gonna be late if you don’t let us go. ❞

          ❝ Oh. Well, I mean, I think Winry can speak for herself. ❞

          It was all Ed could do not to snap back, and I think you can shut the fuck up. But he didn’t, for Winry’s sake. He had to keep up a mostly indifferent facade, he had to shake Pitt no matter how infuriatingly persistent he was. But his mind buzzed with everything he would say if he could. He might burst at the seams, if Pitt said even one more stupid thing. He wanted nothing more than Winry’s peace of mind, goddammit!

          ❝ You really don’t care what she says either way, do ya? She already said we were just about to leave. ❞

          ❝ Well...okay, I guess. I don’t want you to be late. Maybe we can meet up after your class, though? ❞

          And in that moment, his seams burst. Ed stopped thinking, looking from Pitt to Winry before taking action. His body moved independent of his mind, other hand finding a place on her other shoulder, and he swiftly leaned forward to plant a kiss on her cheek.

          And then his mind caught up with him, and he realized how impulsive and dumb he just was.

TAGGED BY: @automaiiiled / @lifesevered, ed squad roll up TAGGING : if u wanna do it go for it!!

      SHE SHOULD BE OFFENDED by his outright irritation with her, but she is more concerned by his lack of knowledge about a space ship. and this place, which she could only assume is Terra because the people that look like Quill have red blood and not blue, is not at all like Quill described. The cars are not correct, there is strange magic here that she has never heard of or studied, and there’s the feeling in her stomach that something terrible has happened. “Please, little boy, can you help me?” Mantis pleads with him. “I fear something terrible has happened to my friends.”

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        OH. THERE IT IS. The nature of Ed’s expression changes, his brow furrows, his jaw goes taut, almost reflexively, upon hearing the L-word. It takes every ounce of strength he has not to let all his frustration burst out at once, not to cry out, Who the hell are you calling so little that even other bugs would need bug-sized microscopes to see him?!

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        ❝ SO, I WAS THINKING. ❞ He can’t help the slight mischief in his smile as he begins, innocently taking a sip of his coffee before continuing. ❝ About that time we argued over who was going to marry Winry as kids. Looks like you’ll end up winning that one after all, won’t you? ❞