Story number eight: another little Ed/Winry fanfic, placed right after Edward returns from the West and six months after the end of Brotherhood. This story is set in the same universe as all my other Brotherhood stories and it kinda leads up to Sweet Child O' Mine and The Beauty of Life. This one's also a little more...shall we say enthusiastic with the kissing scene (I haven't done one since Let Your Guilt Go), so let me know how it turns out. I don't own anything, which includes characters and places and the universe the story's set in and so on; Hiromu Arakawa is the rightful owner and creator. Enjoy!

11/27/11: I've updated this to match the actual manga/anime timeline. Since Ed and Winry get married in 1917, that would mean that's the same year he gets back from traveling, so he can't have been gone for very long. While they were twenty in this fic, I've made them eighteen instead :)

StarKatt427

Four days. Edward had already been back home for four days now, and he hadn't said anything to Winry about proposing to her at the train station seven months ago. Call it nerves or whatever you wanted, but he couldn't make himself bring it up, even as he found himself alone with her more often; whether it was for automail maintenance or just sitting together late at night, Ed found he could tell her every story imaginable from the last few months he'd been in the West, yet he couldn't even mention the fact that he'd pretty much proposed to her.

If you even considered that a proposal, he thought sullenly, ashamed at his own incompetence. How hard was it to just ask? Will you marry me? That was it, all he had to say to her, but he'd been unable to say it. Instead, he'd found himself shouting out about the principal of Equivalent Exchange, telling her he'd give her half of his life in return for half of hers.

And she'd said yes. After, of course, telling him what an idiot he was for asking like that. Still, she'd said yes, promising him almost all of her life and tipping the balance of Equivalent Exchange, just like that. As he sat in the Rockbell living room, the breeze blowing through the open window and ruffling his bangs, he smiled at the memory; at that moment, his entire being had been filled with such joy and pride. That was Winry though, his Winry, and she was always amazing him.

Edward stretched out on the couch, propping his arms up behind his head and closing his eyes as he tried to figure out what was wrong with him, why he couldn't just bring it up. At all.

It was pathetic.

He was pulled from his musing by the heavenly scent of freshly baked apple pie, something he'd missed more than he'd imagined he would during the months he'd been visiting Creta and the others countries out that way. He was immediately on his feet and walking toward the kitchen, almost like a zombie. True, Winry had made an apple pie the day he'd gotten home, but he didn't mind having it more than once a week, not at all.

Once he entered the kitchen, he was greeted by the sight of Winry in an apron, her hair pulled back in a high ponytail, placing the pie she'd just baked near the window to cool. She turned to look at Ed, her regular bright smile on her face, and Edward found himself slightly breathless, just for a moment; even with flour smeared over her cheek and loose strands of hair falling around her face she looked beautiful.

As if realizing she had something on her face, Winry quickly lifted her apron and scrubbed at her cheeks until she got the flour off, then brushed some hair behind her ear. "Should be ready in about ten minutes," she said, walking toward the sink to place the mixing bowl and spoons in.

"Cool," he muttered nonchalantly, walking over to her side. "You need any help?"

"Now that you mention it…"

"I take it back," he said quickly, turning around and trying to make a break for the door. He was stopped by her hand pulling at his ponytail, and when he turned to face her, she was smirking.

"It's nothing big, just involves a little lifting and carrying things."

"Great, can't wait," he said sarcastically.

"Quite being a baby," she replied as she walked out into the hall, then returned a moment later with several boxes in her arms. "You think you can carry these to the cellar?"

"Is that all I'm good for, being your slave? You and Pinako run me ragged around here."

"Please, you haven't done anything since you got home." She walked toward him and loaded the boxes into his arms. "There's a few more, but don't try to get them all at once, you'll just trip."

"Will not."

"You really wanna have this argument?" she asked, then quickly brushed at her hair that refused to stay behind her ear once again. "The last time I got you to unload something for me, you ended up at the foot of the stairs and several of my tools were broken."

"Yeah, and I had a concussion. That was three years ago. I said sorry, didn't I?"

She nodded, smiling slightly. "Yup. And I forgave you, just like always."

Something about her words caught him for a moment; maybe it was the way she'd said it or just because she'd said it, but he felt his cheeks grow warm. Careful to not drop the boxes, he reached out with his free hand and caught the lock of hair she couldn't keep out of her face with his fingers, then gently tucked it behind her ear. A small smile played across his face at the sight of her; her blue had grown large, breath escaping her in a little sigh as her cheeks grew pink. "Just like always," he said.

And then it dawned on him what he'd just done. He stood frozen, eyes wide and shocked, face pink, a mirror of her own. And before she could say or do anything, he turned tail and fled from the room.

After he'd unloaded all of the boxes and somehow managed to avoid Winry, even when he'd gotten his two pieces of pie, Edward remained deep in thought for the rest of the afternoon. Not even Pinako's teasing had brought him from his mood; and after the three had eaten dinner,

Edward had retired to the front yard. Dinner had been mostly quiet save for Pinako's occasional question, to which he would make a quick reply before continuing to eat a fast meal. He'd only looked at Winry once, and when he had, she'd been looking right back at him, a thoughtful expression on her face; once she'd seen him watching though, she'd looked away.

Ed sat down in the grass, arms propped on his knees as he stared out into the coming twilight that covered the hills of his home. It was nice, being back; he'd missed this, even though he'd never say it. After the two years of being home with Al, he'd thought he'd have his fill of the quiet life, but he was wrong. He'd never get enough of this.

"You know," Winry suddenly said behind him, "they say that if you make a wish on the first star at night, your wish will come true."

Edward jerked around, looking up at her as her hair blue softly around her face. It was down now, the pale blonde strands looking soft and silky, and Ed was suddenly filled with the urge to run his fingers through them. He brushed it away though and crossed his arms, managing to give her a grin. "How old are you, six?"

"Sometimes," she replied, coming to sit down next to him. Her shoulder gently bumped his as she did, and he felt himself suddenly crave the contact. He hadn't seen her in months, and after that little confession he'd declared, it made being away from her even more unbearable. "You were quiet tonight."

"I could say the same for you," he said, looking away from her and back out into the purple-pink dusk.

She sighed, but didn't deny it. "Did you have a lot on your mind?"

"Yeah."

"Me too."

Oh, he did not like the way she'd said that. Me too. What the hell did that mean? What was she thinking about? Ed's mind suddenly went into overdrive as his imagination took hold and ran away with him. She could be regretting this, agreeing. She knows how stupid I sounded and she could be thinking about letting me down easy, trying to find a way to say she doesn't want to give me half her life. More than half. Damn.

Instead of voicing any of this, Edward simply fiddled with several blades of grass.

"Al called," Winry suddenly said, pulling him momentarily from his morose thoughts.

"When?"

"This morning. You, of course, were still asleep."

"Get off my back," he whined, and she laughed. That's a good sign, right? he asked himself.

"He just got back from Xing a few days ago and is in some little town on the Eastern border."

"Did he say when he was coming home?" Edward asked hopefully.

Winry's gaze turned slightly sad. "No. He said he had to get back there in a few days, but was just calling to check on everyone. He said he shouldn't be gone too much longer though."

"Good." A sense of loneliness only Alphonse could fill suddenly swallowed him; after all they'd been through together, seven months without seeing his little brother any had been even worse than not seeing Winry. In spite of everything, though, he was glad Al was away. He was doing what they'd decided on, and Ed was proud of him. "Why didn't you wake me up? You never thought about me wanting to talk to him?"

"Al said to let you sleep."

Of course he did; that was his little brother, always caring and considerate. Ed smiled. "How'd he sound?"

"Good. Really good, in fact. He sounded happy."

Edward nodded softly. "Alright then."

"At least he had the decency to actually call, unlike his older brother," she mumbled, and for a minute, Ed had trouble figuring out if she was being serious or just kidding. He relaxed when he saw her smirk though.

"Excuse me for not having a phone in my back pocket."

"And I can't believe how much dirt you got in your automial. Did you even clean it once?"

"I tried," he said truthfully, glancing down at the automail leg, covered by his black pants leg.

Winry seemed to understand. "I know. But still…try harder, please. Take care of your limbs, and yourself."

Edward's throat suddenly grew exceedingly tight and thick, like he'd swallowed a ball of cotton, and he couldn't speak. Her words were soft and so filled with care and affection that it scared him slightly. Swallowing down the lump in his throat, he nodded.

They sat together for several minutes, shoulder to shoulder and both silent, until Winry made a soft little squeal of delight. "Look Ed!" she said, her hand going to his right arm and gently taking hold of it. With her other hand, she pointed up toward the sky. Ed followed her finger until he saw what had gotten her so exited: a small dot of white against the dark sky; the first star of the night.

"Lucky us," he said, smiling over at her shining face. She grinned back at him, laughing softly as her hand suddenly moved from his forearm to his hand and she was holding it. The feel of her soft, small hand in his sent a warm heat up his arm and into his chest and, trying not to look smug, he wound his fingers through hers. "What are you going to wish for?"

"Can't tell," she replied playfully as she looked up at the small star, the light reflecting in her eyes.

And suddenly, Edward was in another place in another time and he was lost to his memories.

Edward lay in between Alphonse and Winry, his brother on his left and his best friend besides Al on his right. He stared up at the night sky, waiting for the first star to appear, just like he and Al had promised her they would; Edward didn't believe in wishing stars any longer, being five and all, but Winry and Alphonse still did, and even though he'd at first said it was stupid, he'd agreed to go along with it and humor them.

Winry suddenly cried out in glee, her tiny hand grasping at his and she pointed upward. "There!"

Al laughed, taking hold of Ed's other hand and squeezing it tight; Edward squeezed his hand back, even Winry's. It was nice, seeing them this happy, even if what they believed in wasn't real.

"Okay, make a wish on three," Winry called out. "One…two…three!"

As Al and Winry scrunched up their eyes to make their wish, Edward simply watched them, first Al, then Winry. Al was four, cheeks chubbier and skin softer than Ed's, hair the same gold blonde as his brother's and gently falling over his forehead to the right. When his eyes were open, they were slightly lighter than Edward's own eyes, more pale honey than dark gold. His little face was rapt in concentration, and Ed smiled, then looked over to Winry.

Short strands of light blonde hair circled her round face, curling up under her chin and around her head as she lay in the grass. Her face was even more serious than Al's, her bottom lip caught under her top, and when Edward looked over to her free hand, she had her chubby fingers crossed. Winry's eyes, now covered by their lids, were a strange mixture of light and dark blues and so deep that, when he'd grown older and came to understand just how much the word "love" meant, Edward could imagine jumping into them like they were the ocean.

She was…pretty. For a girl and all, he decided; not the way his mom was pretty, but cute. Even with her face scrunched up in thought, Winry was pretty. As he looked over at her, he felt something strange happen: his cheeks suddenly grew unfamiliarly warm as a blush crept over them. Slightly confused, he turned his face back to the night sky, but ended up taking another quick glance at Winry. Her hand was holding his tightly, their palms sticking together hotly in the summer heat, and Ed felt himself grip her hand a little more firmly.

Quickly making sure Al still had his eyes closed, Edward turned his gaze toward the small star that had just appeared and, trying not to feel too little and young, he made a wish.

As soon as it was made and his eyes were open, so were Winry's; she was looking over at him brightly, eyes reflecting the dark sky as she smiled happily at him, and Ed gave her a small grin in return. "What did you wish for?" she asked enthusiastically.

For just a space between moments, Edward was at a loss for what to say. Before she could notice, though, his trademark smirk was in place and he said, "To become the greatest alchemist in Amestris. Even better than my dad!"

She frowned slightly at him. "That's a dumb wish."

"No it's not! It's what I want, and it's gonna happen!" He pulled his hands free and sat up, crossing his arms as he glared down at her, his childish pride wounded. "Next time I won't tell you what I wish for if you think I'm so stupid."

"I didn't say you were stupid, stupid," she hollered at him as she sat up, but that was it; it was over, and Edward wasn't going to make anymore wishes on stupid stars ever again.

"Um, what did you wish for, Winry?" Al quietly asked, sitting up now as well, a nervous little smile on his face as he tried to keep his brother and best girl friend from fighting.

She smiled over Ed at him, ignoring his older brother as she lightly kicked her feet against the grass. "I wished to get married to a prince and have a lot of kids and be a doctor like Mommy and Daddy."

Alphonse's eyes rounded slightly and his lips formed a small smile. "That's a big wish."

"Yup! And it's gonna come true."

"Then Brother's will too, won't it?" Al asked, looking over at Edward.

Some of the annoyance fled Ed as he looked over at Al's soft face and he smiled encouragingly. "Of course it will. Hey, it'll come true for both of us."

"Really?"

"Yeah, of course it will! We'll become famous alchemists and make people happy and make 'em smile."

"Like Mom?"

Edward's thoughts went momentarily to his mother, just a few yards away in their house, probably in the kitchen making dinner. His smile turned softer as he said, "Just like Mom."

"Well, what did you wish for, Al?" Winry asked, scooching her way over closer to the youngest child.

Alphonse looked embarrassedly down at his chubby hands. "Um, I…wished for a kitten."

Edward grinned, ruffling his younger brother's hair. "I should have known."

"You think I'll get one?" he asked Ed hopefully, pale gold eyes dancing with light and desire.

Edward knew that even though their mother let them take care of the strays that made their way to the Elric home, she wouldn't let Alphonse keep one. Still, he'd never tell his brother that, not when he was this happy. He patted Al's head gently and smiled, the secret brothers' smile he only used with Alphonse. "Definitely. You'll get one one day."

"Of course you will," Winry chimed in, "just like I'll marry a prince."

"Why a prince?" Edward suddenly whined.

"Because they're tall and handsome and rich," she told him dreamily. Ed frowned, something about that idea deeply bothering him.

"Well, if both of your wishes come true, then so will mine," he stated firmly.

"Yeah, whatever."

Edward was just about to go into a tantrum on Winry about how stupid her wish was and that no one in their right mind would ever want to marry her when his mother called him and Al into the house for dinner.

"Gotta go," Al said, latching on to Ed's hand and pulling him along behind him, trying to prevent the disaster waiting to happen.

"Kay, see ya' tomorrow," Winry called as they walked away. Edward looked back over his shoulder at her as she dusted off her sundress, waiting for the moment he could make fun of her and her dumb wish. Oh, she would regret saying his wish was stupid.

He never did make fun of her that night, though, because when she had gotten all the loose grass off of her and was looking up at him, a happy little smile was on her face and she was waving. "Night," she called, then turned around and began to run down the road toward her house.

And Edward, for the first time in his life, felt his breath be taken away.

Certain aspects about that memory were blurry; it had been thirteen years ago, after all. But, for the most part, Edward remembered everything vividly. He'd been barefoot, the cool grass tickling his feet; Al, unfortunately, had already taller than him; Winry's dress had been pale green with lace trimming; and, of course, he could still remember the way her hand had felt in his, all warm and moist, like children's are.

Ed looked over at Winry, noticing that, instead of being closed tight like all those years ago, her eyes were gently shut as she faced the sky, a soft smile on her lips. And, like last time, that stupid heat settled over his cheeks. He looked down at their entwined hands, holding hers a little more tightly as he tried to make himself stop blushing.

Quickly looking up and feeling like a complete idiot for doing this a second time, he made a hasty wish on the star, then looked back at Winry.

When Winry opened her eyes and looked at him, he felt a quiet smile spread over his face; her eyes looked almost black, but were still so deep and full of emotion, still so gorgeous. Hair cascaded over her shoulder, framing her face and accenting every feature. She'd matured over the past several years, even more than he'd thought possible since he'd last seen her; her face no longer held any traces of roundness, but was still soft, and her neck was slender and long. Her skin was still colored lightly, even after all those years of playing out in the sun. Her chest had developed as well, and—

Edward shut his mind off from the thought of her chest, his face growing extremely red, not comfortable with that line of ideas.

Of course, there were the other ways she'd matured; she was stronger now emotionally, braver than before, calmer. Losing your parents at a young age, then finding out they were murdered, then facing down their murderer would make most people hide themselves away, slipping into a state of depression. But not Winry; she'd remained strong and upbeat, and, Edward admitted proudly, it was, in some ways, because he'd pushed her to it, having promised to make her cry tears of joy. She'd grown stronger from all the times he and Al had left her waiting, and each time they'd come home, she'd been right there, smiling and welcoming and just, in some ways, all Ed really needed besides Alphonse to feel like he was home. She had always been caring and compassionate, but as she'd grown, she was even more so; she always spoke softly to her automail patients and calmed them, especially if they were young. When he was seventeen, Ed had even heard her telling this little boy who'd lost his arm in some farm equipment about her best friend who had lost an arm at leg at ten, but hadn't let that stop him; he was walking and living, and it was because he'd gotten automail. That had really made Edward smile.

"So," she began, fingers playing with his hand, "what did you wish for?"

"Oh, no. If you won't tell me yours, I won't tell you mine."

"Big baby."

"Fair's fair," he grumbled childishly, and she laughed.

"Well, what if I tell you mine one day, hm? Would you tell me then?"

He thought about that for a moment. "Maybe. Now, I'd say it's about time for another piece of pie."

"You're kidding. Ed, how many stomachs do you have?"

He barked out a laugh, then stood up, hand still held in Winry's. "You'll never know. You want some?" He pulled her up to her feet and loosened his hold on her hand, expecting her to pull away. Instead, she held on more tightly, fingers brushing over his knuckles. He looked at their hands, then back at her.

Winry smiled, then began pulling him lightly along beside her. "I think I could go for a piece. Granny's gonna kill us though for getting more dishes dirty. We'd just finished washing them before I came out."

"Ah, she'll get over it," he said, squeezing her hand back and basking in the warmth in gave him.

Edward was in his room, the one Pinako and Winry had put together for him and Alphonse to stay in permanently, feeling clean from his shower, hair still slightly damp after towel drying it. He brushed his fingers through it absentmindedly, over his long bangs and along the long, golden strands, before shaking his hair lightly.

It wasn't late yet, only around eight-thirty, and he wasn't tired, just horribly restless. Not because he wanted to get moving or anything; he wanted to be here, for once. No, Ed was fidgety because he was trying to decide if he should talk to Winry about it. He was still horribly nervous about bringing the subject of marriage up, but this was something he really needed to do. Promising a girl half of your life, then coming back and acting like you'd never said it was, he realized, extremely gutless.

Did she have to make him so damn nervous though? It didn't matter what she did; when she smiled at him in that secret way, it made him nervous, as did hearing her laugh at something Ed didn't understand. Her tears, though, were the worst, because they didn't simply make him edgy; they attacked his heart, like each saltwater tear was a bullet being shot straight into the center of his chest.

However, he could make her nervous as well, just like he had at the train station right after she'd told him he could have her entire life.

Her life. His life. They were one in the same now.

Tired of wussing out, Edward balled his hands into fists and, jaw firm, went out the door and walked down the hall to Winry's room.

Her bedroom door was slightly ajar when Ed got there and he quietly pushed it open wider, planting a light knock on the wood with the back of his knuckles. "Winry?"

"Yeah?" She came into view, moving away from her closet as she walked to the bed and picked up a coat hanger lying there that had one of her shirts on it. She stopped there and looked at him, waiting.

"Um, can I talk to you?"

She shrugged lightly, then walked back to the closet to deposit the garment. "Sure."

Ed came in, closing the door behind him, trying to keep himself from running back out and forgetting about doing this. He turned to face her, shoving his hands in his pockets, frowning in concentration.

Winry leaned against the wall, a smile playing on her lips as she watched him, her arms crossed over her chest. "So, what's up?"

"Well, I just wanted…um…"

As she looked at him, eyebrow slightly raised in confusion, Edward felt his entire face turn red and his knees go weak. His lips parted as he tried to speak, but they stuck on the words, and he made a strange little gasping sound. What the hell is wrong with me? He cleared his throat, a hand going to the back of his head as he scratched at it anxiously.

"Ed? You okay?"

"Yeah, why?" he asked quickly, nerves getting the better of him.

"Well, you can barely speak and you look sick." She walked toward him, and Edward felt his entire body become hyper aware; he could feel her body heat, even though she wasn't touching him, and could smell her scent, all lilacs and mechanical oil and metal and fresh rain. It filled his nostrils and clouded his senses, because no matter how many times he smelt it, all of those smells were just Winry and they did this to him every time.

"I'm fine. Really," he lied.

"Uh huh." Winry put her hand to his forehead for just a moment, then pulled it away. "You're hot too."

His face was probably even hotter now due to the contact of her hand. He could barely think, being this close to her, trying to tell her how much he…cared for her. Yeah, that sounds safe, he decided quickly.

She laughed a little, a nervous sound. "Geez, Ed, you look like you're walking to your death."

I probably am, he thought, quickly making an investigation of the room, searching for a wrench; luckily, he didn't see one. She'd probably find something else to hit him with though, once he screwed this up. Still, he couldn't help but notice the slight hopefulness in Winry's eyes and the way she seemed to be waiting for him to explain, her cheeks colored light pink. She looked like she was trying not to smile.

"I wanted to tell you…that…I, um…"

"Yes?" she asked expectantly, blushing a little more gently.

Edward felt himself tremble slightly. How the hell had he gotten it out last time? Equivalent Exchange! I'll give half of my life to you, if you'll give half of yours to me! "Winry, I…"

She nodded encouragingly.

"I…" Edward sighed harshly. "I just wanted to say goodnight is all."

It nearly broke his heart when Winry's face dropped, her eyes loosing their sparkle and her mouth falling from its light smile. She looked at him incredulously, lips parted slightly, her hands loose at her sides. She looked so…disappointed.

And at the sight, Edward hated himself for not being man enough to tell her.

She gave a small, pain filled laugh, trying to lighten the mood. "Oh, yeah. Okay. Um, well…night." Winry smiled at him, though it was extremely fake and resembled more of a grimace, and her voice sounded dangerously thick.

If he made her cry over this, he'd never forgive himself.

"Wait, Winry—"

"I guess I'll see you in the morning," she said quietly, voice quivering, and she turned her back to him, picking up another hanger from the bed.

God, he was an idiot. An insensitive, horrible idiot who couldn't do anything right. "Winry, just let me—"

"There's nothing to say, so would you just leave me alone?" she snapped, turning back to him, eyes bright with tears she would let fall as soon as he was gone.

Edward wasn't going to let her cry though; there had to be something he could say to make her smile again, some way to apologize. And when he realized what it was he could do, he walked forward and grabbed her by the shoulders roughly, pulling her closer to him and staring right into her eyes.

"Edward, I said get—"

Before he could think about what he was about to do and realize what a mistake it probably was, he pulled her even closer to him and leaned down toward her.

And then Edward was kissing her, cutting her words off.

His lips were rigid, harshly pressed against hers and keeping perfectly still, and at the contact of her lips against his, he realized what he was doing. He was kissing her, actually kissing, and he didn't know what the hell he was doing. Eighteen, almost nineteen years old, and this was the first time he'd kissed a girl, if you could call it kissing; he never moved, just kept his lips against hers, and it didn't exactly help that Winry wasn't responding. She was completely still, her lips not actually resisting, but surely not yielding. The urge to bolt suddenly filled Edward's body, telling him to run away and hide from the embarrassment this was bound to inflict upon him. Instead, he stood firmly where he was, eyes squeezed shut and mouth pressed harshly to Winry's.

Winry, for her part, was in state somewhere between anger and hurt and amazement and joy, a place she could determine only to be shock. Her eyes were wide open as Ed's lips pressed against hers, his entire frame rigid, and she could do nothing but simply stare at him. His cheeks were a dark red, flushed and hot, the blush even deeper than when he'd proposed. His eyes were shut tightly, almost painfully so, his eyebrows furrowing; he blushed a shade darker.

Although her lips was pressed back against her teeth and his mouth was pushed a little too stiffly against hers, Winry felt a warm, glowing happiness swell up inside her chest because Edward was finally, finally,kissing her. She sighed gently against his mouth, her eyes fluttering shut in satisfaction, before pulling back just enough so that she could actually kiss him.

As Winry's lips pressed against his, Ed was surprised at the feeling it gave him, so warm and encouraging, and even though he was still afraid of what they were doing, he basked in the feel of her mouth. It was a light pressure, so gentle and soft and just Winry that it stole his breath. A sound somewhere between a sigh and a moan exited his throat as she moved her lips over his, the touch that of a moth's wing.

Something deep inside him, maybe instinct, told him to not just stand there, but to act. So, without thinking and before he could decide against it, Edward softly pushed back on her mouth, moving his lips somewhat timidly against hers. At the contact, he felt her smile into his mouth.

And then every thought, coherent or not, fled his mind, as did every fear and insecurity, because he was actually kissing Winry, something he'd dreamed of doing for years.

Ed found his hands suddenly cupping her face, thumbs stroking over her soft skin and cheekbones as his lips explored hers; against his hard, chapped one, Winry's were warm and full and tasted like vanilla chap stick. One of her hands gently caught onto his left hand and the other came up to land on his jaw, her slender fingers tracing over his neck for just a moment as she moved her lips in time with his. Ed felt her push herself up on her tip toes, and he grinned against her lips.

His smile vanished, though, and was replaced by his lips going completely slack when he felt her catch his bottom lips between hers. He moaned, shaky and deep in his chest, and his hands moved from her face to the back of her neck, cradling it. He felt her teeth gently nibble at his lip, grazing over it, and suddenly he felt himself beginning to go limp.

Winry seemed to realize what was happening; she released his lower lip, then planted a tiny kiss to his mouth.

It didn't stay tiny for long; Edward pulled her into him, mouth fiercely pressed to hers, spit hot on his lips as he brushed them over hers with more eagerness. He breathed unsteadily as, returning the favor, he caught her bottom lip in his teeth and gently tugged at it. She made a soft, moaning sound into his mouth, and he smiled in pleasure as he bit her lip with a little more force, worrying at it.

Winry yanked him closer into her body, his chest pressed against hers, her arms twining around his neck and playing with his loose hair as she attacked his lips. His large hands were now on her hips, pulling her closer, and he felt the swell of her breasts push into him as his tongue flicked hotly over her lips.

They stayed like that for seconds or minutes or forever; Edward wasn't sure how long they held onto each other, kissing and groaning and feeling, but the need to breathe finally won and he pulled away for a shuddering gasp of air, panting into Winry's mouth. His eyes were open now, watching her as he caught his breath, and she did the same. He took in her flushed face and swollen lips, knowing he probably looked the same, and the shining blue orbs that were her eyes; they were dancing with light and joy and want and happiness and love.

Love?

All of Ed's fears and uncertainties suddenly came crashing back and he went rigid. He felt nervous, scared he'd done this wrong, showing his emotions and telling her with actions instead of words, letting Winry know just how much he…

Loved her. He was in love with her, always had been, always would be, so deeply and without hesitation that it was interwoven into every fiber of who he was, his very heart and soul, becoming a part of him. He loved Winry.

And it terrified him, just how much he loved her. As he tried to catch his breath, he suddenly realized it was very likely that he wasn't ready for this, for being with her like this, intimately, even though it was all he wanted.

Winry seemed to realize something was wrong; she was panting breaths as well as she watched him and the way his swollen lips seemed to tremble, his golden eyes filled with so many emotions, still glassy from their previous actions. At that moment, even though he was eighteen, Winry saw him as a little kid again, all wide eyes and panic and fear.

A little nervous now herself, Winry reached one of her hands up to his cheek. "Ed?"

"I…" Caught on his confession, he looked down, then back up at her, breath coming just a little more steadily now. He gave a shaky laugh, then said, voice soft and strangely fragile, "I'm scared."

Winry was silent as she looked up at him, understanding completely what he meant. Because she was afraid too.

She cupped his cheeks with her hands and simply looked into his face, one that was so dearly familiar to her that she knew it better than her own. Winry took in the angular, melted gold eyes, now filled with fear and slight worry, but also so much care and affection, an emotion she'd recently discovered to be utter love; they were framed by long lashes, longer than hers, and golden blonde eyebrows were placed elegantly above his eyes, a faded scar still slightly visible above the right brow. Winry looked at his straight nose, beginning to resemble his father's the older he got, and his strong, determined jaw, then looked to his lips; they were somewhere between thin and full, but fully kissable and, while slightly rougher than she'd thought they would be, they felt wonderful, better than she'd imagined.

His face, so strong and weak, man and boy, so beautiful and just Ed, and she loved him so much; he might not always be open or strong or eloquent, but he was always hers.

And that was why she wanted him.

Leaning up, she pressed her forehead to his and gave him a crooked smile. "Me too."

Edward's eyes widened at her admission, a slight sense of relief filling him, because she was just as unsure as he was, even if she hid it better. She was blushing softly, eyes so bright and filled with love, her face only slightly nervous and even more determined.

She was scared, just like him.

But she wasn't going to let that stop her from living and loving.

And neither would he.

His arms were suddenly circling her waist and he pulled her forward, lips just hovering over hers. She gave him a tiny smile, then said, voice a whisper. "Don't stop. Ever."

And that was all he needed to hear. He smiled back at her, a gentle smile he'd never given anyone before and hadn't even known he'd possessed, just before planting a soft kiss to her lips. It wasn't the same as before; no more feverish lips and hot tongues, when all he'd been able to do was attack her mouth, wanting nothing more than to have her against him. Now that he could actually think straight, the fear was still there, but the desire to just hold her was even more present.

He pulled her into him, arms tight around her in a hug, one hand going to her hair while the other rested on her back. "Wasn't planning to."

When ten o'clock came around, the two were still in her room, both sprawled out over her bed, sleep beginning to settle over them. Winry was cradled in Edward's left arm, her head partially resting in the crook of his neck. Her arm was thrown around his waist loosely, holding him through his shirt as his fingers gently glided over her knuckles. His other hand was caught in her hair, playing with the strands contently.

They had never lain like this, this closely and familiarly, and, although they were both blushing and Edward was trying to keep himself from crawling under the bed, they stayed in each other's arms. They hadn't said anything for a while, the sound of their breathing the only sound in the room. Pinako hadn't come in once, but Edward had heard her walk by on her way to bed, and he was grateful for that. If she'd come in, he would have died, and he wasn't just speaking figuratively; the woman would probably have murdered him for being in bed with her granddaughter, even if all they were doing was laying together, all items of clothing still present on their bodies.

Winry turned slightly into him more. "Ed?"

"Hm?"

"Can I tell you my wish?"

He looked down, then gave her a grin. "I think I know what it was."

"Really?" she asked, smirking slightly.

"You wished to marry a prince, become a famous automail mechanic, and have a million kids."

Winry's eyes widened and then, unsurprisingly, she was laughing, her face buried in his chest. "No, you idiot. Where did you even get that from?"

"That's what you wished for last time," he replied quietly, looking out the window. "Except you wanted to be a doctor then."

He could sense her looking over at him, her awe evident. "You mean back when we were little."

"Don't say little," he growled.

She rolled her eyes, then pulled herself up over him and looked down, waiting for him to look up at her. When he finally did, though reluctantly, his face was pulled into a scowl, cheeks dusted a light pink. "You remembered that?" she asked.

He blushed even darker. "Well, yeah. Anyways, that's what you wished for this time, isn't it?"

She smiled, amazed at him and his amazing memory and absolute silliness. "No, not at all. Wait, I take that back. Part of it is."

"Which part? About marrying a prince?"

"What are you so sore about?" she asked, frowning at him.

He looked away again, but Winry didn't miss the uneasy look in his eyes or the way each word seemed to pain him. "Back when we meant Ling, he asked you to marry him, remember?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I…thought, you know…"

"No, I don't. Spit it out already."

Ed looked up at her, pouting slightly. "I thought you'd start liking him."

Once she realized what was bothering him, she tried not to smile. "So you were jealous."

"Was not!" he said, sitting up slightly and raising her up on his chest. He looked down, then back at her, sulking slightly. "So what if I was?"

"You actually thought…? Me and Ling…"

"He's a prince, or have you forgotten?"

"I can't believe you actually remembered I wished for that. Ed, I was five. Of course I wanted to marry a prince! What little girl doesn't?"

He mumbled something unintelligible under his breath, and Winry sighed.

As she twirled a strand of his golden hair, she said softly, "It's kinda cute though."

Edward looked at her, an eyebrow cocked. "What is?"

"You being jealous."

His mouth went into a straight as he tried to keep himself from responding.

She laughed. "Do you want to hear my dream or not?" she asked him, and he nodded, looking a little nervous at what she was going to say.

"If it's got anything to do with automail though, I can do without."

She frowned at him, completely serious.

"Sorry," he said meekly, shrugging slightly as he smiled innocently.

Winry sighed, slightly unsure. Then, trying not to blush, she leaned down and buried her face in his neck.

Edward took a sharp intake of breath, followed by a very shaky, "Winry."

She softly planted a tiny kiss right below his jaw, then whispered, "I wished I could marry you and have a family."

Edward couldn't say anything; what could you say to that? Instead of responding immediately, his arms went around her and he held her tightly as he rested his chin on the top of her head, his cheeks heating up. He smiled gently. "You…really want that?"

"More than anything," she replied, voice slightly shy and muffled as she kept her face in his neck.

"Okay then."

She pulled back, looking closely at him, her eyes wide and hopeful. He smiled calmly, like it was nothing and everything all at the same time, and nodded.

Winry grinned, laughing as she threw her arms around his neck, and he felt himself laugh along with her.

Both were quiet for several minutes; finally, though, Edward turned onto his side, bringing Winry along with him to where they were looking each other directly in the eye. "Winry?"

"Yeah?"

"You remember what I said I wished for, right? Back then."

She thought for a moment, then nodded. "You wanted to become the greatest alchemist in Amestris. And you did, you know."

"Yeah, yeah." He smirked at her, then grew a little more serious, face slipping into a soft, very vulnerable expression. "Can I tell you something?"

"Yes."

"I lied."

She cocked her head in confusion, pulling closer to him. "About what?"

"That wasn't what I wished for."

"Then what was?"

A soft blush spread across his cheeks and nose and he leaned toward her, pressing his forehead to hers. "The same thing I wished for tonight."

"Edward…"

"I wished for you. Because you're my wish. You're my dream." He gave her a crooked smile, waiting to see what she'd say.

Winry didn't say anything, couldn't say anything, as she was stunned into a joyous silence. Her eyes suddenly filled with tears and then they were overflowing down her cheeks and to the side of her face, falling onto Ed's shirt.

"Aw, come on already!" Ed said, hands flying to her face to wipe the wetness away. "You weren't supposed to cry, you know. These are happy tears, right?"

"W-what do you think?" she asked, blue eyes flashing with tears and utter joy as she looked at him.

He grinned brightly. "I'd say they are."

She laughed, then kissed his lips softly, smiling at him.

He pulled her even closer, savoring the feel and taste of her mouth against his as she tangled her legs with his flesh one, wary of the automail limb. "You're such a crybaby," he whispered, eyes boring into hers.

"Shut up," she mumbled, smiling through her remaining tears.

"Geek," he said affectionately. Then, mustering all of his courage, he softly kissed her forehead.

Winry sighed contently, rubbing her nose against his before she buried her face back in his neck.

Edward thought she had fallen asleep until he heard her soft and timid, "Ed?"

"Yeah?"

"Love you."

Edward's heart stopped beating at her words, then suddenly sped up, and his body locked up, his breath catching somewhere in his throat. Love you. She loved him, he'd already known that, but she actually said it. His hold on her tightened and he tried to keep his breathing normal.

Because he was happy and terrified, worried, thrilled, and so many other things that they all mixed into one and he couldn't decided how he really felt.

"You don't have to say it back, if you don't want to," Winry said, but she was lying; Ed could hear the longing in her voice. She really wanted to hear him say it.

And, surprising himself, he wanted to say it back. He just wasn't sure if he could.

Unfortunately, it didn't work out as well as he'd hoped. As soon as he opened his mouth, he quickly stuttered out, "You know, carbon makes up a third of your body."

Oh, God, what did he just say? He was just about to tell the girl he was in love with he loved her, and he was spouting off about chemistry!

Winry sighed, slightly amused and hurt at the same time. "Even without alchemy, you're a freak."

Edward wanted to just kill himself at the pain in her voice. She hid it well, but Ed had known her long enough to know when she was hurting and upset. A broken sigh exited his lips at his ineptness and he buried his face in her hair ashamedly. "I'm sorry," he said, voice breaking.

"Don't worry about it."

But he couldn't do that; it was eating at him from the inside, like cancer, gnawing at his heart. He loved Winry, he was in love with her, but why couldn't he just tell her?

Because he wasn't good with love.

The last person he'd said "I love you" to had been his mother, and she was dead now. Edward hadn't told Alphonse any over the five years he'd been in armor because Al had already known it, but that wasn't the only reason why he'd remained silent; he had been afraid saying it would take his little brother as well, and even though he'd never told Alphonse those three words, Al had nearly died several times. If he didn't tell Winry, would it keep her safe?

It might keep her safe, but it would hurt her.

Edward realized, a soft love filling him, that as long as he was there to protect her, he'd never let her get hurt. And he would always be there, now and forever.

So, hiding his face deeper into her hair, he said, so quietly that it was almost impossible to hear, "I l-love you too."

He felt and heard Winry's breath catch, but she didn't look up. Instead, Edward felt her smile softly in understanding into his neck, her hand catching hold of his and her small fingers winding through his much larger ones. She knew just how hard it was to say, because she'd been just as scared to admit it. But she had.

And so had he.

And, holding Winry for the first time in what would later lead up to a lifetime of holding each other and kissing, arguments, thrown wrenches and tears, soft words of love and comfort and long nights of passion and desire, Edward felt himself become truly at peace.