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Teenage Dreams, Teenage Circus

Chapter 17: we both found each other tonight

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

As Winry and Paninya walked to Russell's house around 10, Winry noted the state of calm she had reached since her revelation that afternoon. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense, and the more she was mostly just mad that it took her this long to realize. 

She was still left wondering what she was supposed to do now. Was she supposed to tell him? Keep it to herself? See what happens?

"Ugh, Paninyaaaa," Winry groaned suddenly.

"I know, it's fucking cold," Paninya said.

"Not that."

"Oh, the Ed thing," Paninya laughed. "I thought you were okay now."

"I am, I still just don't know what to do," Winry said. 

"To tell him or not to tell him," Paninya whistled. "That is quite the conundrum."

"And?"

"I have no answers for you, my friend."

Winry laughed. "Thanks. That's very helpful."

"Hey, I already told you what you should do and you tried to hit me!" Paninya pointed out. "My vote really is to just jump him and see what happens."

"You do understand how badly that could end right?"

"Such is love."

They turned the corner onto Russell's street after passing a line of cars. High school kids were smart to park away from the house the party was at but apparently not smart enough to park farther away. Winry couldn't help but scan the lineup and look for the Elric car, but she didn't see it. 

"Anything from the Amestrians?" Paninya asked.

"No," Winry said, looking at her phone. "Last communication was Ed saying they were trying to sneak out a window in an abandoned bathroom in the dorms."

"He is absolutely shitting you."

Winry shrugged, shoving her phone in her purse. "I guess we'll find out."

They caught up with a group from Central and followed them to Russell's. Winry could hear the music before they even got to the house, which was already packed with people inside and out. 

"How have the cops not already been called?" Winry said as they were pushing their way inside.

"Some kid's dad is the chief and got a heads up," a voice said behind them.

"Geez!" Paninya jumped and whipped around to see Lan Fan laughing. "You really are a ninja!"

"How'd you find us so fast?" Winry said. 

"Ling and I were standing outside," Lan Fan said. "We saw you walk in."

"Where are the others?" Winry asked, trying to act casual. Paninya just smiled at her.

Lan Fan shrugged. "Around here somewhere."

"We can text them," Paninya said, grabbing Winry by the shoulders. "I want a beer."

"We also have whiskey," Lan Fan said, "if you get tired of the beer. It is really, really bad."

"Thanks for the heads up!" Winry said as Paninya steered her through the basement. She pulled out her phone and texted Ed a quick "we're here", scanning the crowd for the familiar blonde ponytail.

"Why do you need me to help you get beer again?" Winry asked as they finally found where the drinks were.

"Hey Win!" On cue, Russell appeared next to them and Paninya burst out laughing.

"Hi Russell," Winry said as nicely as was possible for her without emphasizing the "ry" that was supposed to end her name. "Nice party."

"Yeah, it's gotten a little nuts," Russell said. "Beer?"

"Yes please!" Paninya said, taking one from Russell's hand. Winry laughed at the shamelessness. 

"Thanks," Winry said taking the other Russell had. 

"No problem. I've got more upstairs if you want to see a selection," Russell said. 

"No thanks," Paninya said. "Sorry, can't let her leave me."

"Not even for a minute?" Russell asked. It took all of Winry's strength to suppress an eye roll.

"Unfortunately, no," Paninya said. "We're looking for our other friends."

"Oh c'mon," Russell said. "You're a big girl, you can find them without Winry, right?"

Winry was about to respond in a not so friendly way when she suddenly felt an arm around her shoulder and looked up. Her stomach did a flip.

"Evening, ladies," Ed said, his arm around Paninya as well. "This guy bothering you?"

Winry couldn't help but relish the annoyed look on Russell's face. "This is my house," Russell said. "Who are you?"

"I'm Ed," Ed answered as Paninya ducked out from under Ed's arm, laughing as she did.  "Russell, right?"

"Sorry, I don't remember inviting an Ed," Russel sneered.

"He's with me," Winry said. "C'mon, Ed, let's go find Al and May."

She grabbed Ed's hand and wheeled him around, not giving Russell a chance to respond or even understand what had happened. 

"That guy looks like a douche," Ed said.

"He is a douche," Winry answered, "and you saved me so thank you."

"I think I saved him from getting punched," Ed said. "I could tell you were about to hit him from across the room."

"Like you wouldn't have done the same."

"I know better than that."

"No, you don't!"

It wasn't until they reached Paninya, May, and Al on the other side of the room that Winry noticed she was still holding Ed's hand. She hoped the blush creeping across her face wouldn't be noticed as she finally dropped it.

"Winry, they actually did climb out of a window," Paninya said.

"I'd like to point out again," May said, emphasizing the last word with a sharp look at Ed, "that we didn't realize we would be climbing in and out of anything."

"We told you we knew a way out!" Ed snapped as Al handed him his drink back. "Just because you didn't ask-"

"Why is there an abandoned bathroom in the dorms?" Winry asked.

"It's a bathroom in one of the suite rooms," Ed said. "The suites never fill up so there's always a room empty. Me, Ling, and Lan Fan have snuck out of that side of the dorms so many times."

"That's why we were here before you," Al said. "We had to go during a blip in the guard rounds."

"And we have to go back in a blip too," Ed said. 

"What time is that?" Winry asked.

"They rotate at 12:30."

"You've memorized the rotation schedule?" Paninya said.

"No, Lan Fan got it from the office."

"How?"

"You'll have to ask her."

As they stood and talked and drank, Winry kept glancing at Ed. It was strange how such a small shift could be so monumental. Because that's really all it was: a shift between loving someone and being in love with someone. She had always loved both Elrics, but it was different now.

And she knew it was strange to be in love with someone you weren't technically with, but there couldn't be a "crush" stage with Ed. Winry had known him for too long and too well. She had crash-landed right at love and was scared at how comfortable it felt.

She suddenly felt dizzy and far too hot. "I'm going to get some air," she announced suddenly, turning on her heel and heading for the door. 

When Winry was finally able to weave through the people and get to the back door, the cold air hit her like a slap in the face. Good. That's what she needed.

Winry took a deep breath and leaned against the wall of the house. Even though she had accepted it, it didn't make the fact that she loved Ed any less nerve-wracking. The question of what to do next only increased the nerves and it didn't help to be around him while she was still trying to figure it out. She took a long drink for her beer.

"Hey." Winry jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, turned, and immediately felt warm again.

"Fuck, you're jumpy," Ed said with a laugh. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Winry said a little too quickly. She cleared her throat. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just got too warm."

"I know, it's hot as hell in there," Ed said leaning next to her. "Why do you keep dragging us to these school functions that are fucking saunas?"

"Okay, number one: this is not a school function. I think they probably wouldn't approve of this. And number two: I did not drag you to this. You chose to come."

"Yeah, after you practically begged me."

Winry pushed off the wall and put her hands on her hips. "There was no begging! I just asked if you were going! And then you didn't tell me when you decided you were!"

Ed waved a hand. "Details, details."

"You're so annoying."

Ed snickered and Winry couldn't help but smile as she leaned back against the wall. They stood next to each other in silence for a minute, and Winry couldn't figure out if it was the bass of the music or her heart rapidly beating against her chest that she was feeling. She turned and look at Ed, suddenly wondering if Paninya's advice was spot on. She felt her cheeks turn pink at the thought.

"What's in this?" Winry asked, pointing at Ed's cup.

"Couldn't tell you," Ed said with a shrug. 

"Well, that's smart." Winry took the cup and took a long drink.

"Slow down, tiger," Ed chuckled.

Winry coughed as she gave Ed his drink back. "That's disgusting."

"Consider it pay back for the watermelon vodka," Ed said.

"Unlike you, though, I handled it like a champ."

"It took me by surprise and it was about ten times more disgusting than this is."

"Excuses, excuses," she said slyly. "By the way, no sweatshirt tonight?"

"It was dirty," Ed said with another eye roll.

"It's always dirty," Winry answered.

"It is not."

"Edward, that thing has so many holes in it and so much crap on it-"

"Well, buy me a new one then."

"Can it be a different color?"

"Fuck no."

Winry groaned and Ed laughed in response. "Got ya," he said.

"Do you try to be annoying? Like do you put effort into this?"

Ed grinned his annoying, shit-eating grin that Winry suddenly found adorable. "Nope. That's just natural charm, baby."

"You have no charm." Ling sauntered over with a handle in one hand, a grin on his face, and his arm around Lan Fan.

"Fuck!" Ed exclaimed. "How the fuck do you do that?!"

"Where have you two been?" Winry asked.

"Getting acquainted with your peers," Ling said, "as our Paninya has been getting acquainted with ours."

Winry raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

"She's looking very chummy with Rose right now," Ling said as he took a drink.

"What?!" Winry said ducking around people to look through the door. Sure enough, Paninya was on the other side of the room, talking very closely with a girl with pink bangs who was laughing loudly with her hand on Paninya's shoulder.

"I feel really weird about this," Ed said, taking the bottle from Ling and taking a drink.

"Why?" Winry asked, suddenly feeling light-headed. "Afraid you won't be able to compete?"

"Fuck you!" Ed exclaimed, his face turning red as Ling and Lan Fan cackled.

Notes:

wow it's been a minute, sorry about that. i have no excuse other than time isn't real but i've said that a lot so...sorry.

thank you for all the lovely comments and kudos <3

chapter title: 'waste it on me' - steve aoki feat. bts