[Winry won't let go of her either, especially because she obviously doesn't want to let go yet. Let's just keep holding on then~. Dammit, she even pets Katara's dark hair. She can talk to her, of course, she can break down too... Winry just... Can't. Stupid promises and the feeling that it won't stop if she starts and she hasn't even fully realized that Ed's not here anymore...]

There's nothing for you to be sorry about... Really, nothing. [Oh gowd, Winry's not good at this, not at all. Well, she can try...] I... Never know what to do without him either. He's always been my pillar and strength to carry on... Always. [And Winry has to fight her tears at this point. She fights against them well!]

And... He's tbe big brother who always knows what to do and takes care of people around him and... ...and I'm so grateful to you for traveling so long with that dummy even though he can be a real pain because he's Ed and he can be so difficult... Thanks, for taking care of him here. We... will do something. I don't know what. But I promise I won't go anywhere if I can help you instead of him. Maybe he'll come back someday. And if not... well, he has so much important stuff to do back home...

[Katara's heart breaks a little, hearing those words. How must Winry be taking this? Has she even let it really sink in yet? Katara's grip tightens gently, wanting to be there for Winry as much as Winry is there for her right now. Ed, you are in for SUCH an ass kicking when or if you come back, you'd better believe it. It doesn't matter that it's not your fault you left, you should definitely pay for making two girls come so close to crying.

And really, Katara is close to it too. Her voice sounds thick and heavy with tears as she speaks moments before, and only marginally better now.]

Yeah... [The big brother, yeah, Winry was right about that. Granted that she argued with him way more than she would with Sokka, and aside from a fascination for the scientific side of things he really was nothing like her brother, and it was even true that her feelings had been... well... but he'd been here when Sokka wasn't. Somehow or other he filled that void even if it was just in the same vein of: "Someone that is always there and I know has my back.".

He was there before Aang and Toph, after all. He was there when Zuko returned home, when Azula showed up, when Toph disappeared.

That short tempered doofus. Katara thinks she might lose it when Winry thanks her for looking out for him. She really might, her eyes feel hot, but she holds back.]

I know... but still. I hope he does. He'd better, and I'll kick his butt myself for disappearing so soon after we finally found you, and after his brother came. I'll help, anyway.

[Because she's sure Winry will have that covered all on her own anyway, really. She attempts a smile, finally losing the fight against a few tears, but she's not going to let herself break down like this. Winry doesn't deserve having to deal with some other girl crying on her shoulder like a baby when-- she's the one that has every right to.]

[Yeah, Ed, it doesn't matter that it's not your fault you left. You should have kicked Johto's ass and stay here. There will be lots of pain when you come back!

And hearing that Katara is close to tears too doesn't exactly help Winry much. What would Ed do? Uh, hard swallow and try to put a brave front? Winry tries that right now, except she's no good at making brave fronts.

Kicking butt and all the other things make her smile though!]

Of course he'll come back. And he'll be pissed to this world because it made him go home all of a sudden at the perfectly wrong timing - what with you coming to get me and Al arriving to Johto - and then he missed weeks of training with his kick ass pokemon too. Yeah, he'll be pissed. And in severe pain as soon as my wrench hits him.

[...Winry bites her lip when she sees those tears wondering if Ed which option makes Ed more pissed:
a) she lets it all out and cries now breaking her promise with him
or
b) she holds all those tears back and tells him that she kept that damn promise even now.]

...I can try to be a good pillow if you need one right now.

[That's right, that's right. :| And then lots of hugs.

Katara laughs a bit, pulling back and wiping at her eyes quickly. It's all just been a little much. She hasn't allowed herself to cry about the disappearances since Sokka disappeared. Ed's was just the last straw. Still, Winry has a point, he'll be back, Katara has to believe that. So will Sokka, he WILL. She just... started to feel a little unsure after months had passed. How long has she been in Johto now? Five months? Nearly half a year. Nearly half a year without Sokka, without Toph, Suki, her father, and almost without Aang too... Yeah, she could safely say she deserved a good cry over that.

She takes Winry's hands and squeezes them, looking her in the eye.]

Me too... if you need it, but I'm okay... thank you, Winry. I guess I just... I'm a little more homesick than I thought. I'll be fine. I've got you, and Aang, and Zuko is back. At least I got to see most of them for a little while.

[She takes a steadying breath, looks up at her again, and smiles more certainly.]

Let's hurry, Alphonse is waiting for you, right?