Winry couldn't catch her breath. All she could do was feel Edward's body pressed up against hers, so warm since he'd just been sleeping. Her arms hesitantly wrapped around him, discovering how broad his shoulders had grown, and how tall he'd become compared to her. She also couldn't help but notice how pleasant he smelled, and her blush deepened from such a thought.

Finally she found her voice, albeit small and shy. "E-Ed…? Um… what are you doing…?" Rather than backing away with embarrassment as he usually would, Edward hugged her tighter. She could hear his heart beating and felt unexpectedly comfortable as warmth spread throughout her body.

Then he spoke. "Winry…" his quiet voice was filled with emotion. "I… I don't care that this is only a dream. It's just… I thought I'd never see you again." His voice broke off. He breathed in deeply, inhaling her scent and then sighing. "I'm not sure if my subconscious is torturing me or giving me a gift." He remarked with a sad chuckle.

Winry's mind whirled with confusion. Why was his voice laced with such regret? And what was all this about never seeing her again? He'd just gotten back, so there wasn't any reason to worry about that anymore…

"Ed…" She said quietly. "I'm confused… but this isn't a dream, you know. You're back home and safe now. And Amestris is safe too, remember?" He didn't loosen his grip.

"Yeah, of course." He said, clearly not believing her. Edward knew that this had to be a dream. How else could he be on the other side of the gate one moment, and back in his own world the next? He'd been so frustrated with life lately, and he figured that his mind couldn't help but create and cling to such a wonderful fantasy.

While the life he lived with Noah and Alphonse was good, it wasn't quite fulfilling. He missed his alchemy terribly. It had been a part of him for so long, and its absence left a void that scientific research and his daily job couldn't fill. But it was the people he'd left behind that made it the most unbearable. If Alphonse hadn't snuck back to that side of the gate with him, he wouldn't have been able to function. Especially… especially after that world's Alfonse passed on…

And now he was holding the person that he'd missed the most.

Winry began babbling softly, feeling like she had to fill the silence. "You probably just had a nightmare or something. Just think about it, almost everyone back in Central is fine, and all of the homunculi were defeated. We were just talking yesterday about how you and Al were going to stay here for a while. And…"

She trailed off when Edward took a step back, finally releasing her but still gently holding her by the shoulders, as if to prevent her from disappearing. He intended to enjoy this pleasant dream, and wasn't ready for it to slip away just yet. "So everything worked out then, huh." He smiled, but his eyes remained serious. Brilliant gold boring into deep blue.

Winry stared back, unable to fathom what was going on. Ed was like a completely different person. But part of her was… happy? Lately she was beginning to have doubts about if they'd ever be more than friends, what with them fighting every day. But this… this look in his eyes was different and unguarded.

Meanwhile, Edward's thoughts raced. Winry was right in front of him, and felt so real. He made up his mind. This was a dream anyway, so why not?

Before Winry knew what was happening, Edward closed the distance between them, pulling her body against his once more and then leaning down to press his lips to hers. Their first kiss.

Winry hadn't had time to react. She was still frozen, here eyes staring blankly in shock, not really seeing anything. She was too preoccupied with the fact that… that Edward was kissing her. I mean, it wasn't as if she hadn't daydreamed about this moment. But she hadn't expected it to actually happen, and especially not this suddenly. But soon her mind began to shut off. She slowly closed her eyes as a hot blush spread across her cheeks. His lips were warm and sent excited flames spreading through her whole body.

In the back of his mind, Edward marveled at how realistic the dream seemed. Except for the fact that Winry hadn't hit him on the head with a wrench yet. Luckily, his subconscious must have been sparing him. And to top it off, she seemed to actually be enjoying it. He felt her melt into his arms, pushing herself closer to him. His hand traced up her back gently until it cradled her head. He could feel her soft, silky hair and could smell the pleasant scent that radiated from her body. And most of all, where their lips met, it was almost like he'd caught on fire.

Winry didn't know what was going on, or what game Edward was playing. But she'd lost the ability to resist. Why would she want to? Though somewhere in the back of her mind she was embarrassed and confused, all that was overshadowed by the joy of this moment. She reached up, running her fingers through his golden hair and letting down what was left of his messy braid. As his hair cascaded over his shoulders, a wave of his scent washed across her. Edward pulled her even closer to him, wanting the moment to last forever.

But he knew it couldn't. He'd wake up soon, and that would be the end of it. But he had to at least make the most of this experience. So maybe… he should pretend it was real, and that it really was Winry. Maybe that way he could finally let go of the regrets he'd felt… if he finally got up the nerve to say what he'd been too stubborn to tell her before.

He broke free from the kiss, but still kept his arms wrapped around her, holding their bodies together. She looked up at him curiously, still surprised, but radiating joy. His molten gold eyes met hers, their faces only inches apart. Finally, he whispered the words he'd been longing to say to her for so long, and had thought he never would get to say.

"Winry… I love you."


… So this chapter has a lot of… fluff… they won't all be like this, I promise! But I mean, it is an Edwin story on many levels, so deal with it (kidding, kidding! I love you all so much for reading this! But don't worry, this is only temporary since Ed thinks it's a dream.)

Anyway, in the next chapter more of what is actually going on should be explained. There will be a very interesting plot eventually, I promise! But feel free to review/tell me if you'd prefer I emphasize the Edwin or the plot more or less.

Also, I'm making these chapters pretty short, but I'll try to keep them publishing at a steady rate of once or twice a week. (but sorry, being a freshman in college is busy guys -.-)

Thank you all so much for reading, favoriting, following, and especially reviewing! You're all amazing and are motivating me so much!