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When the Cherry Blossoms Bloom	By : RyokoBlue Category: Fullmetal Alchemist > Het - Male/Female Views: 9498 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Alchemist, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 17
- 18
- 19
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 18� The Cat�s Out of the Bag

Sitting
in the workshop in her black half top, purple mechanic jump suit with its arms
tied around her waist, with a pink wrap fit snuggly around her blonde hair
keeping it out of her face, she worked steadily on an order.� Her gloves were
covered in black grease as she took care of the gears that she would soon,
after a few more steps, attach to wires for a leg she had been working on for a
client.� The casing for the innards of the Automail would need to be done as
well. Leaning back, a piece of hair hung down from her forehead resting against
her cheek, and she wiped it away, not realizing that she had smeared a line of
grease on her cheek.� The door opened and banged against the wall making her
physically jolt, she turned around on her stool, seeing who it was.

�Mama,
Mama!� Both Brian and Anna yelled coming in, in fits of laughter.�

Winry
moved to get off the stool when she heard Edward�s angry, yelling voice.

�Get
back here you little brats!� He ran into the workshop after them, stopping an
inch from the door, panting in anger as his shoulders were heaving up and down
while he stood there.

Standing
completely, Winry looked between her children who had stood behind her,
obviously hiding from Edward.� She turned her confused orbs to his.� �What
happened, Ed?� She noticed he was only wearing one shoe, the other one was in
his hand.

Growling,
he thrust his shoe forward.� �Your �little angels�� He breathed out through
clinched teeth, �Put cat crap in my damn shoes!�

She took
one last look at her children before taking a step forward to see what Edward
was talking about.� As she looked in his shoe, sure enough there was the sandy
mix with cat clumps in the bottom of his shoe.� Winry snorted and thinned her
lips, trying not to laugh out loud.� The whole situation was hilarious and she
coughed to cover up her laughter that she was failing in hiding.

Edward
groaned, �It�s not funny!� His expression was murderous.

�Well,
Ed, um� at least the litter isn�t fresh and the uh� globs aren�t mushy.� Winry
said with an amused tone.� It might have been funny, but she couldn�t let her
children misbehave like this and she took a deep breath and steeled her gaze.
Putting on her mother expressions, Winry turned to her children.� �You, both of
you...� She pointed her finger between the both of them.� Pulling off her
gloves she sat them on the work bench, her clean hands grabbed both her
children, each by an ear.

�Ow, ow��
Both Brian and Anna whined as their mother pulled them towards the house.� They
didn�t even try to resist the pull as it was quite painful.

As they
approached the door that would lead into the kitchen from the back yard, Winry
threw a nod towards the door, �Open the door.� She said calmly, and Brian
reached forward and turned the knob and pushed the door open, while still
continuing to whine out his pain.

They
stepped inside and Winry saw Roy turn around from his seat at the kitchen table.� He had a
glass of lemonade and was going through a few articles in the Resembool local
newspaper.

His eye
scanned the condition of the children hearing their whines and how Winry was
holding on to them.� He cleared his throat. �What did they do this time?� He
asked with a slight smirk.� Last night when�

Roy
had just come out of the upstairs bathroom when his twins were both huddled
outside Edward and Alphonse�s room, he stopped and watched them wondering why
the children had been snickering quietly until Anna shouted��

�Unca
Edwa, Mama wants you!� And she giggled again, pressing her hand to her lips as
right on queue, Uncle Edward rushed for the doorway, he did not see the twins
there and they lifted up an almost seemingly invisible wire and pulled it taut
across the doorway when�

��WAH!�
Edward�s ankle caught the wire and he went tumbling forward, landing on his
face on the hard floor.

The
twins took off laughing and as soon as Edward gained his balance he limped
after them in an angry rage, shouting out for Winry to punish them for their
rude and painful behavior as the children�s laughter filled the air.

�With
an amused snort, Roy shook his head.� If this was evidence of how much of a
handful the twins were, then Winry deserved a gold medal just for handling it.

�After
last night�s memory faded, Roy continued to watch Winry pulling the children by their
ears into the house.

Winry
rolled her eyes, �I�ll tell ya in minute.� She then marched the children
through the house, up the stairs and into their bedroom, to the two chairs in
separate corners of the room.� �You two will sit up here, no talking, no toys,
no nothing, just sitting here and thinking about what you have done and why it
was wrong.�

Her
children pouted at her, but she only shook her head.� �Those pouty looks will
not work on me.� Sit down.� She pointed to the small wooden chairs and her
children dragged their feet over to them and sat down.� �If I hear one peep out
of you two, there will be no dessert tonight for you as well.�� She saw their
eyes widen and tiny gasps escape their lips where they both immediately turned
towards their corners of the room and folded their hands in their laps.

Turning
on her heel, Winry walked from the room and down the stairs.� She entered back
into the kitchen going for a glass in the cupboard.

�So, are
you going to tell me what happened?� Roy asked, folding his arms over his chest as Winry spun
around and rested back against the counter.

Taking a
deep breath, a tiny smile curved her lips.� �They put used kitty litter in Ed�s
shoes.�

Roy coughed, covering up the short laugh. �I see, are you sure
that is something they should be punished for?� He teased.

Winry
rolled her eyes, �Oh, you two, just get along already.� You�re both adults.
Can�t you start acting like it?� She twisted back towards her glass and picked
up the lemonade pitcher that was sitting on the counter and poured half a glass
full then drinking it quickly.� She heard his footsteps coming closer where he
came to stand before her.� She noticed he wore an amused grin and her brow
furrowed. �What?�

Reaching
past her, letting his forearm brush hers, Roy picked up the towel from the dish
drainer, turning on the faucet, he wet a corner of the towel.� After turning
off the water, he stepped even closer to Winry, watching her cheeks heat as she
stared up at him.� Without even saying a word, he lifted the wet cloth and when
he moved it close to her face, barely touching, her eyes softly closed and he
wiped the smear of grease from her cheek.� �Such a mess,� His tone was
playful.� He dropped the towel on the counter.

The
pounding of her heart intensified and she let out the breath she didn�t realize
she had been holding. �I�can�t help it. I just get so�� Winry started to say
quietly, her blue eyes softly fluttering open and she was staring up into his
dark one.� She swallowed what felt like really dry air. ��Caught up.�

He
leaned forward, just enough for his bangs to brush her forehead and he saw her
shiver. �Caught up?� In what? The work you enjoy� or me?� A tiny smirk lifted
the corner of his mouth.

�Oh, I�
I don�t know anymore.� Her reply was as breathless as she felt.� She could feel
him, even though he wasn�t touching her and he held his hands just an inch from
her shoulders.� Her pulse rioted.

Stretching
his fingers forward they came in contact with her cheek and Roy saw her take a deep
breath. �Winry, why didn�t you really tell me about the twins?� Be honest now.�

Her gaze
dropped to the floor and she stared hard in anguish at it.� Did he really see
through her? She had an idea that if she had written to him about them, there
was no doubt he would have come back.� But that was not what how she wanted
it.� �Roy, I
wanted to tell you, so badly.� That you were a father to the most beautiful
children ever.� Lifting sad eyes to his, she felt hers swelling with tears.� �I
guess it was kind of selfish to not say anything, but I wanted you to come back
not out of an obligation.� I wanted you to come back only if you wanted to be
here, I wasn�t going to hold the twins over your head and demand you come
here.� That�s not what I wanted for you.� I wanted you to be the very best you
possibly could, and the only way for you to achieve what I know you are capable
of, was to not tell you about Brian and Anna.�� She took a deep breath, tears
sliding down her cheeks.�

Roy smiled, �We both were selfish, if I hadn�t of made you
feel like you weren�t important, you would have been able to tell me about
them.� He stroked her cheek with the tips of his fingers.� �All three of you
are important to me, Winry.� He moved closer, his eye closing as his nose
brushed hers.� �Everything is different now, and I want to make it right.� Life
was bitter without you.�

Winry�s
chest hitched, �I� I don�t believe you.� Her voice was barely above a whisper.

�You
really should.� Life is definitely sweeter, even as I simply stand here within
your presence.�� Both his hands cupped her cheeks, and his mouth feathered hers
and her knees almost gave out that she leaned against him.� She groaned against
his mouth, her arm curling around his neck as she fit up against him.� Winry
felt hot, tingly and she shivered pleasantly as he wrapped one arm around her,
and the other, his hand moved up to tangle in her hair, only that damn head
wrap was in the way.� Gripping the bottom hem, he pulled it off and it fell to the
floor while her blonde hair cascaded like a curtain of silk about her
shoulders.

He
kissed her harder, deeper, plunging his tongue into her mouth as she nudged
herself against him, making him moan. He licked at her lips while pulling back
from her, breathing hard.� Roy had told himself he was going to go slow with her this
time, but that didn�t seem to be working out as she shifted against him,
rubbing herself along the length of his body.� He quickly gripped her backside
roughly and she mewled, throwing her head back and he attached his mouth to the
side of her neck.� He lifted her effortlessly and she wrapped her legs around
his waist as he walked her backwards and sat her on the counter.�

Winry
couldn�t control it, her heart beat wildly against the walls of her chest, God,
he felt good, she wanted so much more and right now all rational thought had
seemed to cease.� She groaned loudly, feeling his hard arousal against her.�
Her eyes squinted tight and the next thing she knew was his hand between her legs,
he had undone her zipper and plunged his hand into her panties, against her
heated center and she cried out, she could feel Roy�s chest heaving as his
mouth took hers hard while he stroked her, gathering her wetness about his
fingers and spreading, before thrusting his finger in deep making her cry out
into his mouth.�

Letting
her breathe, Roy lightly licked the shell her ear and she shuddered.� He grinned, his
finger driving harder between her legs while his thumb rubbed against her needy
pearl of flesh, feeling her liquid heat glossing his hand. He had to restrain
himself a little, he so wanted to sink his aching hardness deep between her
thighs.� To bring her to life in the way she was meant to feel, but he didn�t
want her to regret it, he wanted her to love it and want it over and over
again.� To remind her just what he was exactly capable of.� He would make her
crave him until she just about burst from tension.� This was a good way to have
her melt for him without him scaring her off.

Roy felt her clinging to him, her fingers were digging into
his shoulders as she thrashed her center against his hand.� With his lips still
near her ear, he said deeply, his tone sensual, �Come for me, Winry.� Don�t
hold back.�� He watched her brow crease intense.

Winry
felt she was about to die.� Harder and harder, she needed it and gripped him
tighter. Burying her face into his shoulder she cried out as she hit it hard
and almost violent, and the swirling colors nearly blinded her in raw bliss.�
Small sounds of pleasure still escaping her lips while her breath was labored
as she rested her forehead against him.� Coming down from her ascent she
noticed that he kept his finger inside her, slowly stroking her still.� His
thumb occasionally brushed against that little pearl of flesh and tingles
continued to race through her.� Just as her heart started to slow, he rubbed
again making her pulse jump and she groaned, dragging her teeth along his
shoulder, making small pleased sounds.

�I could
do this to you all day.� Roy kissed the side of her head as he still played with her,
making her pant and gasp.� He so wanted to devour her and bring her off again,
but it wouldn�t be a good idea while in her kitchen as anyone could walk in,
and he didn�t think others wanted to find him with his face pushed between her
thighs with her legs wrapped around his head.� With much regret, he pulled his
finger from her sweet warmth and she hissed, breathing hard.� Winry lifted her
face watching him as he sucked her liquid heat from his fingers and hand.�

Why did
she let him do that, why didn�t see stop him?� It had been such a long time
since she had been touched like that by him and it was nerve wracking as she
wanted more.� She couldn�t�she didn�t want him to just think she would do this
with him.� Not without something more, that she knew he wouldn�t give her. �Roy��

�Shh,
just don�t think about it.� He smiled, dropping his hand to his side, he
purposely left some of her essence on his fingers and it glistened in the light
shining in from the window. �What is so wrong with enjoying what I can give
you?�

She
stared at his hand, �It just don�t want it to be meaningless.� Winry shrugged.�
�I want, oh, I don�t even know anymore.� What I do know is that we can�t do
this, Roy.�

He
lifted his hand showing her, her wetness there.� �You wanted it, look at the
evidence I present before you.� He grinned seductively, �Proof here that you
clearly enjoyed yourself.�

Winry�s
cheeks heated, how was he always able to make her react to him like this, it was
positively insane.� �I�m not saying I didn�t want it, Roy.� I�m just saying
that I�m not going to do this with you.� I don�t think my nerves can take it.�

�It�s
not just meaningless, Winry.� He confessed, �If I wanted meaningless sex I can
get that quite easily elsewhere, but that�s not what I want.� I want you.�

She
scooted and jumped off the counter and she zipped up her pants, before bending
down and picking up her pink head wrap.� �It�s not a good idea, Roy.�� She started to
walk away but he grabbed her arm, making her turn her head in his direction.

�At
least think about it.� You know what I can do for you.� He said with a knowing
expression.

Not
really able to say anything to that, because part of her really wanted him, but
the other part was more cautious.� If she gave into her desire to feel him,
touch him, then she was doomed to be lost in her emotions and she didn�t want
to be disappointed again.� Sure, he might have said it wasn�t meaningless, but
how was she to be sure.� There were no guarantees. Winry just let out a smooth
breath of air, turned and headed into the living room.� There was some serious
thinking to do.

****

Roy had decided to take the children into town, to spend time
with them and see what other hobbies struck their interest.� He was determined
to find some common ground with his son.� Sitting outside a small caf� in a
sculpted heart and diamond shaped iron table and chairs, where Roy had bought the
children ice cream sundaes.� The two were feasting on the fine treat, as it was
still fairly new and exciting.� Ice cream was a fantastic invention, sweet,
cold and creamy.� He watched the children with interest.�

Brian
indeed looked a lot like him, especially when Roy was a young boy.� What he did know was that Brian did not
like Alchemy, he wasn�t even interested in it at all.� At least Winry held some
fascination for it.� The boy was indeed a lot like Winry, too� stubborn.� He
grinned.

�Why you
grinning, Mr. Roy?� Brian asked him, with chocolate smeared around his lips.

Turning
his single gaze to his son, Roy�s smile remained.� �I was just thinking of something nice
and it made me smile.� What makes you smile, Brian?�

Brian
pursed his lips and lifted his brow upward thinking, �I build bird house with
Mama.� He smiled lightly.� �An when she working on someting, I go in and sit in
next stool and color plans fer us to make stuff togeder.�

�So you
like building things, just like your mother does.�

With a
proud gleam, Brian thrust his spoon in the air.� �I help make adjumen to Den�s Atmail
with Mama, she help me do it.�

�How you
meet Mama?� Anna asked, after swallowing a mouthful of ice cream.

Leaning
back in his chair, Roy cleared his throat.� �It was a long time ago. Something
I�ll never forget.�� It had been the instance after the Ishbal War when he was
coming to the Rockbells to confess his wrong doing to the family.� It was by
mere accident that he had stumbled upon the forbidden Alchemy that the Elrics
had attempted.� He pushed the awful memory away and forced a smile for the
children�s sake.� �So has your mother ever mentioned your father?�� He wondered
if she even told them they had one.

Both
Anna and Brian nodded, but Brian was the one to answer.

�When we
in town we had notice uder kids with dere daddies soz one day we asks her where
ars is.� She say he is far away and a great man, someone she care �bout lots.�
Brian said with a far off look in his eye.�

Anna
sighed, �We neber know him.� She replied looking down at the chocolate syrup
lying in the bottom of the glass.

�Anna,
Brian, I thought that was you?� An older woman with brown hair with streaks of
gray walked up to them as she smiled.� She looked to the dark haired gentleman
with the patch over his face, she did not stare at it.� She really didn�t.� Who
was this man? Where was Winry or even Edward and Alphonse.

�Hello,
Mrs. McKinney.� Both Brian and Anna said with choclatey smiles.

�When we
go sckul afer summer, we gonna be is Mrs. McKinney class.� Mama say so.� Brian
said with a grin.

Mrs.
McKinney smiled at the children, �That�s right. I taught your parents when they
were young.�

Roy�s brow creased, �hmm,� there was an odd tingling in
the back of his neck.� Something was not right with that story.� He was the
children�s father and he knows for damn sure that he has never met this woman a
day in his life.� �Is that so?� Roy said, his tone sarcastic.� That made the older woman turn
to him in slight shock.

Narrowing
her eyes at the man, Mrs. McKinney asked, �So who�s this?�

�This
Mama�s friend.� Anna said, setting the licked clean spoon down on the table.

Roy smiled, but it wasn�t one of mirth.� �General Roy Mustang,
State Alchemist. It�s a pleasure to meet you.�

The old
woman wagged her finger at him, �Oh, I remember hearing about you.� You and
your military dogs had come here searching for the Elrics.�

�That
was ages ago. Edward is no longer with the military so there is no need for me
or my soldiers to be here looking for him.� I�m on vacation.�

�Just
don�t cause any trouble,� The woman replied sternly, �That�s the last thing
this nice, quiet town needs.� I lost my nephew because of acts of the
military.� She said sounding bitter.

Roy just gave a nod of condolence, �I�m sorry for your loss.�
He heard the woman humpfh.� �But please do not talk about such things in front
of the little ones.�

She
looked at the children and then agreed with the man, �Of course.� So, how long
are you staying in Resembool, General?�

He
leaned back lazily in the chair, �Not exactly sure, until I feel it�s necessary
to return to Central.�� Roy was planning on taking Winry and the children with him.�
The thing to worry about though, was Pinako. Would she mind if he did take them
with him?� It would probably be a good idea to speak with her.� He did
eventually have to go back, but this time, he�d rather not go without them.�
�Don�t worry, Ma�am.� Your town here will not become a battle zone, should one
ever arise.� I would see to that.�

The
woman smiled lightly, �I�ll hold you to that.�� Then turned a cheerful
expression to the twins where she ruffled their hair, �Say hi to your mom for
me.� And she walked away.

After
Roy and the children left the caf�, he decided to take them around to see what
their interests were.�

They
children wanted to go into the Nursery to look at pretty plants, they wanted to
get their mother a present so he took them looking for something special.� He
glanced at the flowers and pots to plant things in.� The tall fruit trees was
what drew his attention.� He noticed the young cherry trees were full of fruit
and blossoms, but one that stood in the middle was naked, its branches reaching
up towards the sky.�� Someone was carrying a wheelbarrow towards it and started
to lift the tree�

Roy walked forward and tapped the man on the shoulder �Excuse
me, sir?� the man sat the tree back down on the ground before turning his head,
where Roy spoke, �What�s wrong with this one?�

The
service man looked the tree up and down.� �This particular tree was part of our
imported division, from the Eastern Islands.� Some kind of cherry tree I believe.� It was supposed to
bloom light pink blossoms by now and bare fruit only it never did.� So it must
be a dud, we�re going to throw it out.�

Brian
tugged on Mr. Roy�s shirt hem, �Get dis one.�

Turning
towards his son, Roy�s brow arched. �The man said it was broken.�

With a
grin, Brian tugged harder on Mr. Roy�s shirt.� �Mama can fix it.� She can fix anyting.�

Roy looked back at the sales clerk, before returning his
single gaze to the child.� �I don�t think your mother can fix this one.� It�s
not a machine.�

�Get
it.� Brian jumped up and down sounding excited.� �Get it, get it.

Anna
nodded and started jumping too while giggling, �Yeah, get it, get it.�

Smiling
at his children, he then turned back to the sales clerk, �I guess we�ll take
the tree.�

The
clerk looked stunned, �Are you sure, Sir? Most likely the tree is� you know�
d�e�a�d.� He spelled slowly instead of just saying the word for the benefit of
the children who were begging for the tree.

�I�m
sure,� Roy
replied and the clerk gave a nod and picked up the tree putting it in the
wheelbarrow and taking it to the front where Roy followed with the children.

While
waiting in line, a woman who had been setting out violet flowers turned around
at seeing the children.� She smiled, �Well hello there, Brian and Anna.�

Anna
grinned up at the young red headed woman, �Hi, Mrs. Greene.� Is Ellie here?�

Mrs.
Bonnie Greene who used to be in Winry and Edward�s classroom looked to the dark
haired man and then back at the kids, �No, she�s at home with her daddy. So
where�s your mom at?�

With a
smile of his own, Brian answered while jumping excitedly.� �Mama at home, she
making our birtday cake for tomawoah.�

�Yep,
yep.� We gonna be fibe,� Anna held up five fingers on her right hand.

�Yes,
that�s right.� We�re all coming to your birthday party tomorrow.� Bonnie said
with a smile and took another quick glance at the man the children were with.
�Who�s this?� She said smiling at him.

�This
Mama�s friend, he bisiting.�� Anna answered.

Gray
eyes lit up, �Oh, so you know Winry?�

�Yes.� Roy replied with a nod
of his head.

�She and
I grew up together, we were in the same class.� Bonnie said, �Edward Elric too,
do you know him?�

Arching
his dark brow, Roy gave a nod, �Yes, little Edward used to be in my military
unit.�

Bonnie
smirked, �Ahh, so you�re the one he would complain about every time he came
home.� I see, I see.� Although, I kinda pictured you a lot older.� He always
called you old.�

Roy�s eye rolled, �The young man exaggerates quite a lot.�

With a
giggle, Bonnie agreed.� Then checking out what the man was buying. �You�re
purchasing the dud cherry tree?�� The man didn�t even bother answering the
question.� �My family owns this Nursery.� Actually, my husband�s family does,
but since I married into it, I kind of run things here now.�

�I see.�
Roy answered,
looking at his children.

�So are
you babysitting?� Bonnie asked politely, �I kinda figured since Edward has been
back that he would take the children into town to give Winry a break.�

Almost
physically jolting, but restraining himself, his dark brow creased, �And just
why would Edward Elric do anything like that?�

Bonnie
felt uncomfortable, a strange tremor ran down her spine, �You mean you don�t
know, that the children�Ed and Winry.�

Roy kept in a fierce growl, �What?� Are you suggesting that
the children are�� He looked at the children who were more interested in the
caterpillar crawling up one of the branches than paying attention to the
conversation.� �Are you telling me that the children�s father is Edward
Elric?�� Fury swirled in his mind.

Blinking,
hearing the anger in the man�s voice she nodded cautiously, �Well, yeah, that�s
what everyone says, even Winry.�

All
right, Roy was more than just angry, he was positively fuming� this was the
second person that had brought up the subject of Edward and the children, how
many others were going to come up to him and insist that the children are
Edward�s?!� It was going to stop here, he was going to make sure of it, right
now�

The
ringing of the phone echoed through the house and Winry raced to it and picked
it up, �Rockbell Automail and Prosthetics.�

�Hello,
Winry?� Bonnie Greene�s voice asked.

�Oh,
hey, Bonnie, are you calling to say you�re coming to the birthday party tomorrow.�
Winry slung the towel over her shoulder.

Bonnie
cleared her throat, �Gary, my daughter and I are coming tomorrow, but that�s not why
I called.� She had taken a deep breath.� �Your children and that friend of
yours had been here in town about a half hour or so ago, and well he was kind
of saying to everyone here at the Nursery that your children�s father is not
Edward, that it�s himself and he�s quite pissed to tell you the truth.� She
took another deep breath.� �Winry, is he some kind of insane person that�s
staying with you and your family, and are you going to be okay there? What
about the children?�

Winry�s
eyes had widened almost achingly wide, �oh, crap!� Bonnie, there�s something I
need to say and well I can�t say it now, but I�ll tell you tomorrow.� All
right?� she heard the front door slam, �Uh�I gotta go.�� Just as she hung up
the phone and spun around, there standing with an absolutely livid expression
on his face was Roy which practically knocked the breath from her body as his
intense aura was blazing.� Winry swallowed hard as her pulse jumped, nerves
caused sweat to gather at her hairline.

Edward
and Alphonse had been sitting on the couch and turned around at the sound of
the door slamming violently closed.

�Hey, be
a little more considerate, Mustang. That door isn�t unbreakable.� Edward said
bitterly.

Not even
looking at Edward, Roy lifted his finger irritably in the younger man�s
direction. �You, shut up.� He said smooth, controlled and menacingly dark as he
kept his bitter stare on the woman standing just ahead of him.

Both
Alphonse and Edward stood up at that horrid tone of Mustang�s voice and
approached both the General and Winry, who stood with quite a bit of distance
between the both of them.� Winry had taken to twisting the towel in her grasp
tightly.� Edward and Alphonse watched both of them carefully.

Roy tried to calm his severely pounding heart, tried to cool
the rage rushing through his veins only nothing was helping.� He had never felt
more betrayed as he had at this moment, even at the fact that he never knew
about the twins until now.� This�this was worse than anything she possibly
could have done.� �Please explain to me why� this whole damn fucking town
thinks that those children are Edward�s?!�

Winry
yelped and took a deep, staggered breath, moving backwards until she hit the
telephone table that she gripped it with her hands.� �It�s not what you��

He took
large steps towards her, and she flinched when Roy stood directly before her, not even an inch separated to
the two of them. �What you don�t have an answer for that, hmm?� His tone was
just as dark.

�Hey!�
Alphonse shouted, �What�s going on?� What happened?� He moved closer to the
General and Winry.� He was concerned, he had never seen anyone look so
positively murderous right now.� It was damn near frightening and Winry was
receiving the blunt of those expressions.

�Stay
out of this.� Roy glared hard at the Elrics, before turning that same glare
on Winry.� �What, were you ashamed to have bore my offspring, was that it?� Or
was it because I didn�t do what you fucking wanted�that you would find someway
to hurt me?�

Winry�s
eyes were wide as she was breathing hard, her heart pounded and she shook her
head quickly.� �That�s not it at all! I was never ashamed!� Hell, Roy it�s a small town.�
Gossip flies and I didn�t want to be stuck in the middle of it.� No one knows
you.� They all just assumed that Brian and Anna were Edward�s because he and I
were always together, we were close friends.� I would have had to endure living
here in looking so bad if I had said I was just screwing some guy that I wasn�t
married to or wasn�t going to end up married to. But I honestly never said it
specifically that the twins were his.�

�Some
guy�� Roy
practically whispered and took another deep breath.� He didn�t need to think
that he was just some guy to her right now, that wouldn�t help the situation.�
What was most important is that she lied to everyone, the whole town, him, the
Elrics too.� They are his children and it hurt deep within that he had to hear
multiple people insist that the children were Elric�s.� �But you didn�t correct
them either, you let them believe it.� You let everyone think�� Roy took a hard, deep
breath, running a hand through his hair.

�Roy, I�
I�m sorry.� She said softly.� �You don�t know what this has been like here, you
haven�t the slightest idea!�

His eye
narrowed harsh and he shook his head.� �Brian and Anna are my children! Not
that little punk�s!�

�Hey!�
Edward emitted.

� �Not
now, Brother.� Alphonse warned, �this is not the time to go over the top, just
don�t say anything.�� He knew when things were at their worst.

�I am
the twins� father, not Edward!� Roy yelled.

Hearing
little gasps, everyone�s heads turned towards the door that was wide open with
Brian and Anna standing in front of it, both looking extremely confused and
wounded expressions poured from their faces.

Winry
made a pained noise and took one step towards them, where she saw her babies
grab each other�s hand. �Anna, Brian.�� She tried to say, but the twins spoke
not one word, they both raced up the stairs, their pounding steps heard on the
upstairs hallway floor.� Winry heard their door slam, making her flinch again.

Roy couldn�t take this, it was suffocating and right now he
was rightly pissed at Winry, how could she do this?� If he stayed here looking
at her, he would do or say something that he knew he would regret.� So instead,
he spun on his heel and headed for the open door.

�Where
you going?� Winry asked, her voice full of guilt and grief.

�Out,� Roy snapped, leaving and
closing the door behind him.

Even
though this is exactly what Edward wanted, he wanted Mustang to leave Winry
alone.� But as he watched her face, her expression broken and strained as she
stared down at the floor clutching that towel to her breasts between two tight
hands, he couldn�t help but feel bad for her. �This was not how he wanted it.�
He stretched his hand forward, �Winry�� The only answer he got from her was a
chocked sob, and she sank to her knees.� Sighing deeply, he dropped his golden
gaze to the floor.� This wasn�t right.� He didn�t want Winry to be hurt, not
like this.� Narrowing his eyes in determination, Edward stalked towards the
door.

�Where
are you going, Brother?� Alphonse noticed that his brother had this look on his
face that meant business, just what was he going to do?

�Take
care of Winry.� was all Edward said and he left the house, following after
Mustang to knock that man for a loop.

Winry
reached up and wiped at her eyes.� �Al� I�m sorry, I�ve been crying so much
lately.�

Smiling
down at her, Alphonse kneeled to her level.� �It�s all right, Winry. Everything
is really confusing and a mess for you.�� He put his arm over her shoulder and
urged her to stand where he walked with her towards the couch.

�I�ve
really done it this time.� Winry groaned, leaning her head back.� �He�ll leave
again, not that I�d blame him for it.� If someone had done what I had, I�d
probably leave too.�� The tears slid from her eyes.

�Did you
want him to stay, Winry?�

She
shrugged, �I don�t know, but I never should have let the town believe that I
had been with Ed, but I panicked.� Roy never came back and I didn�t think he ever would.� What
would be the harm in letting everyone think what they wanted?� Especially, if
you two never returned, either.� Roy�s never really been the type to let what people say get to
him.�

Alphonse
grinned, �That�s very true.� Years ago, he wasn�t too popular among men
especially men who had wives and girlfriends stolen by him, still he never let
their remarks bother him.� But he hasn�t really been raised in a small town
like this where everyone knows who you are, everyone�s nose is in everyone
else�s business.� People can be quite cold and cruel.� Being ostracized in a
small town is not something the General�s ever had to deal with.�

She had
to agree with that. �You should have seen what happened with Ed and mine�s
classmate Sadie Collins, she had been rumored in having an affair with that old
rich guy, Sawyer Stroud. No one knew him that well, and everyone thought she
was only after his money and that she had sex before she married him. She was
in love with the man and he eventually married her.� Winry smiled, remembering
having been invited to the wedding.� It had been a beautiful ceremony.� Only
she and three others had been there.� Sawyer and Sadie were married beneath a
pretty white canopy under the stars, lit with soft candle light.� Red roses had
been surrounding them and a small four piece orchestra played a pretty melody.�
�Yet, the townspeople could still find reason to poke fun at her every chance
they got. No one would treat her fairly at all.� They all said she had been
ruined and was a tramp no matter what vows she had taken.� Still, the town
treats her like she has some kind of plague.� It was horrible.� I didn�t want
that to happen to me.� I didn�t want my kids to grow up being called bastards
and names because they can�t help who they were born to.� So I let the town
believe what they wanted so I could live peacefully in it with their support.�

�I
suppose it�s sheer luck that everyone knows Brother and actually like him, that
way they are supportive in thinking that the children were his.� But now you
have a problem� a big, big problem.� Alphonse sighed roughly and also leaned
his head back against the sofa, taking a similar sitting position as Winry.

�I don�t
know what I�m going to do.� Winry covered her face with her hands and groaned.�
�Roy has
every right to be upset.� I am the one to blame for this.� Maybe on some small subconscious
level it could have been a way to injure him, but I don�t know.� I�m not a
vindictive person.� Yet, I� I just don�t know what I�m doing! I never knew what
I was doing.�

Alphonse
gave her a weak smile, wanting to comfort her as much as he could even when
this situation was her own fault.� Only he could understand, he�s lived in this
town, heard the rotten gossip and outcasts of several people and couples here.
�Well, Winry, nothing is ever easy.� You do have to fight for what you want.�
If he walks away from you now, maybe what you had with him wasn�t very strong
and that you both should let go and move on with your lives.� There�s more to
relationships and love than just passion.� You have to be able to understand
each other, the way you and Brother do or the way you and I do.�

With a
short laugh, Winry shook her head with mild amusement.� �Since when did you get
so smart, Al?� You�re actually thinking like an adult and you�ve never had a
relationship, at least that I know of, ever.�

He
shrugged contentedly, �I guess it�s just in me to see the bigger picture, I�ve
been around, Winry.� I�ve seen things that no ordinary fourteen year old has
seen.�

Standing
up in exhausted distress, Winry smiled down at Alphonse, �I better go talk to
Brian and Anna.� They are so confused and probably angry right now.�

With a
nod, Alphonse watched Winry walk up the stairs.

Approaching
the twins� door, Winry took a deep breath and ran her hands down her white
shirt, straightening it and she knocked on the door, then opening it a crack
and sticking her head in the room.� The twins had pushed their beds together
like they often did at night, and were sitting beside eachother. �May I come
in?�� She saw Anna sniffle and wipe her eye and Brian nodded.� Entering the room,
she slowly walked to the beds and the twins moved apart and she sat between
them.� She put her arms around both their shoulders and pulled them in tight to
her sides.

Anna was
first to look up at her mother while she leaned her head against the warm shoulder.�
�Is Mr. Roy really arr daddy?�

Winry
sniffled and nodded, �Yeah, he is.�

Brian
glanced down at his lap in sorrow, �Why you neber say?�

Taking a
deep breath, she hugged her children tighter.� �I didn�t really know how to
tell you and it looked like you three would never meet up because he lives so
far away.� I didn�t think he would come back here.�

Brian
and Anna looked at each other before glancing up at their mother.

Squeezing
his hand tight, Brian growled, �He didn�t want to see us?�

Gasping,
Winry shook her head.� �Oh, no.� That�s not what it was at all.� I never told
him you two had been born, so he never knew about you.� I just didn�t want to
make trouble for him or for us.� I know it�s hard for you two to understand why
I never told him or you about him really.� What�s important now, though, is
that he knows about you and is here to spend time with you.� Please don�t be
mad at him, it�s not his fault.�

Anna
sniffled again, �He onee staying for liddle bit, he gonna leabe when his bacation
is oder.�

Winry
sighed, letting her children lean into her.� �I really don�t know what he�s
going to do.� But I�m sure he�ll spend as much time with you as he possibly
can.�� And her babies squeezed her tight in affection and sadness.

Having
followed the angry man, Edward walked into the local bar seeing him there at
the bar.� He rolled his eyes and stalked forward to the vacant seat beside
Mustang, on the side the man was sure to see him on and sat down.

�Hey,
Ed.� Paul Wright the bar�s owner said seeing the short blonde man sit down.�
�Can I get you something?�

Edward
glanced over at Mustang, �Just what this guy here has I guess.�

Lifting
his head a little, Roy glanced at Edward, �Sure you can handle it? This isn�t
kid�s stuff.� He taunted.

With a
smirk, Edward snorted.� �I ain�t a kid, Old man.�� The bartender turned to face
the bar with Edward�s glass a few ice chunks and poured him a small bit of the
golden liquid and sat it before him.

�And I
ain�t old, kid.� Roy took a small sip of his drink, letting the slight burn
smooth down his throat.

Edward
scoffed, �Sure you are. How old are you now?� What are you, thirty four or
something?�

�That�s
not old.� Roy
rolled his eye in annoyance.

�Maybe
not to you,� Edward chuckled, before taking a small drink from his glass. He coughed,
the liquid was itchy down his throat.� �Gah, this stuff is harsh.�� He heard
Mustang�s snort of a laugh.

�What
are you doing here, Edward?� Why are you following me?� Roy got to the point.

Shaking
his head back and forth, Edward crossed his arms over his chest, �Certainly not
for the fun of it.� He looked into the glass at the swirling gold liquid.� �You
shouldn�t have walked out on Winry like that.�

Roy turned sharply, his piercing single gaze moving along
Edward�s profile. �This is none of your business, Fullmetal.� And I didn�t walk
out on her; I needed to clear my head.� There�s a difference.�

�That�s
where you�re wrong, this is my business.� Winry is my friend, my best friend, I
am her family.� She�s a young woman that makes mistakes like the rest of us.�
She is not perfect and you shouldn�t expect her to be.�

With a
growl, Roy
stared down at the counter top.� �I don�t expect her to be perfect.� He slammed
the side of his fist down on the counter.

�I�m not
saying what she did was right, it was terrible that she has been hiding the
truth from the town, from you too.� But you�ve never grown up in a place like
this,� Edward said in defense of his childhood friend.� �Where everyone knows
your family history, and knows who and what you are.� Winry most likely would
have done anything to make sure her surroundings were comfortable enough to
find peace while living here.� It�s not like there was anywhere else for her to
go if people started to ostracize her for baring bastard children with a man
they don�t know.� And I don�t mean that as an insult, I mean it as in an
unmarried woman having some guy�s children.�

Roy turned a mirthless half smile to Edward, �You really have
no concept what this is really about, do you?� Sure I�m pissed that the whole
town thinks what they do.� That�s not the only thing that burns me, it�s the
fact that they think you�re responsible.� You�ve always been in the way.� Your
name was constantly falling from her lips, what you would think, what you would
say.� You, you, you.� He groaned in irritation, turning from him.

Golden
eyes lit up brightly, �Ah�so I get it.� He laughed realizing that he was a very
big threat, that in someway Mustang was afraid he was going to lose against
him.� �If you�re mad at me, that�s fine, but you should really figure out if
you�re more angry at me or at Winry.� Maybe she was looking for some way to
injure you, your pride, your heart.� She could have even unknowingly done
something like that.� I tell you this, though, she�s never done anything on
purpose to hurt another.� Even when launching her wrenches at me, it�s always
been because she was worried, and she has every right to worry over us�over you
too.� Our lives are so dangerous and she knows this.� But she�s always done
whatever she could to stand beside us even if she wasn�t with us physically.�
Only we�ve all been too blind and selfish to realize it, and when we finally
do� she�s closed herself off, won�t let anyone in.� Everyone has disappointed
her, she was always waiting and waiting, never doubting, always had the utmost
faith in all the people she loves.� None of us came back and it broke her
heart.� She�s hurting, badly, and the only one who can fix her this time is herself.�

�For
once, you make a lot of sense, Fullmetal.� He finished off his drink knowing
that Edward was right, was he more angry at Winry just trying to live decently
without trouble?� Or was he angry at Edward for always being in the way?� It
wasn�t like it was really Edward�s fault this time around.� There really was no
true harm in Winry not eluding to the truth to their children if the people of
this town can be that unforgiving in their gossip and taunts.� It also seemed
like Edward was giving him a pep talk, to make him think what was really
important here.� That was sure a reversal in roles.� �It almost sounds like you
were helping me get my head together.� Could it be you�re giving up, are you
just going to let me, your so called competition, have her?� He smirked.

�Ha!�
Hell no.� I ain�t givin� up.� Edward snorted, �You�ve always been my
competition, Mustang, I doubt that will ever change.� I ain�t gonna make it
easy for ya though, Winry�s ain�t just some prize.�

�Now
there�s something that we agree on, Kid.� Roy turned an amused expression to him.� �I expect you to
bring your all with this. Winry deserves the one that can make her happy the
most.� If it�s not me, you better be willing and able to prove you�re the
better man for her.�

With an
expression of pure determination burning in his golden eyes, Edward gave a
nod.� �On you can bet on it, Mustang, without a doubt.�� It seemed like
everything was going to take a turn, Edward really didn�t know in which
direction or who�s favor, only that it was going to explode and soon.

=====

Well that�s it for this episode.� I hope you enjoyed it.� I
figure about four or five more chapters and this particular piece will be
over.� But not to worry, this has developed into a series of some kind.� I�ll
be starting to post the next story after two more chapter/episodes of this
one.� So stay tuned and keep your eyes open for the new fanfiction coming soon.

Thanks for reading,

Ryoko Blue
- 17
- 18
- 19
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When the Cherry Blossoms Bloom