(1915) Sorry this piece is a bit rough and all over the place. :\ Sometimes I'm not quite satisfied with a chapter at all, but I don't quite know what else to do with it so I'll end up posting it anyway?


Their second (sort of) kiss occurred a few days after the first. (Though the time between both had been filled with awkward silences and nagging questions about what was wrong from both Granny and Al.)

It was early morning and Winry had pulled another all-nighter working. She was just putting the finishing touches on an arm-piece of automail when Ed wandered by the workroom.

Nervously, she called out after him.

"Ed?"

He froze in his tracks and she had to call him once more before he moved again, entering the room.

"Yeah? What is it?" He asked stiffly.

She felt like her face was aflame, but she continued. Calmly. "I was wondering if you would let Gran know I'm finished." She jabbed a thumb at the automail. "I think I'm just going to go upstairs and collapse for a while."

"'Kay." Ed nodded. "You really ought to take better care of yourself, you know. These all-nighters are going to take a toll if you don't get enough rest."

"Says the guy who was always breaking his automail and getting into fights." Winry retorted grumpily, then added a bit regretfully, her voice softening, "I'll try, though. Um. Thanks."

They remained silent for a brief time before Ed went on, "So. Is there anything else I can help with?"

"Uh. Well…" Finally, in frustration, Winry slammed her fists down on the workbench and stood. Ed looked rather startled - and appeared even more so when she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and sealed her lips upon his. When she had pushed aside the initial sensation of her heart feeling ready to burst free from her chest, she realized that he was kissing her back.

After a moment, Winry parted from him. "We'd… We'd probably better stop. Just in case someone sees." She said breathlessly.

"R-right." Ed agreed, just as out of breath.

He seemed as though he was about to leave, when Winry grasped his hand.

"Ed?"

He stared at her.

"I just need to know. What are we going to do about… whatever this thing is between us?"

"I don't know." Ed sighed, and it sounded like he honestly meant it. "What do you think we should do?"

"I wish I knew. Are we together or just taking things slowly, or still friends or more than friends… I mean, we've always been more than friends, but…" Winry rambled on.

"Look, Winry." Ed scuffed a slippered foot on the concrete floor, "What I said I few days ago… I…" He seemed to be stumbling over his words, "I, um, I really meant it. Isn't that enough for right now?"

"But, what about a few months from now, or a year from now? Things… things might move forward more." Winry crossed her arms, attempting to soothe her bubbling temper amid the mass of other emotions within herself. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'd like more. I mean-" She closed her eyes, wishing she could form a coherent sentence, "I'd like something solid. Something definite. A relationship."

"A-a… relationship?" Ed repeated. He looked vaguely green.

"Yeah." Winry met his eyes, "I wouldn't mind, uh, being your girlfriend all that much. I suppose."

"G-g-girlfriend?" Ed practically squeaked. "What?"

"I'd understand if you wouldn't want to - it seems like you'd rather have things stay the same…" Winry couldn't quite finish her sentence and was ready to storm off, but Ed stopped her.

"Winry, wait." He was looking at her. Almost bashfully. "I didn't mean that at all. It's just me. I'm horrible at this sort of thing. Really horrible."

"Oh? I hadn't noticed." Winry snorted sarcastically.

Ed scrubbed a hand through his hair, (which did nothing to help abate the fluttering in her stomach. In fact, it had quite the opposite effect.) "Aaagh! I want to stay friends with you, but…" He raised the level of his voice before she could walk away again. "BUT, I also want more. Something more than that. I guess. I just have no idea of what all of this is or what we should even be called and it's weird enough for me to be talking to you about this out loud right now, but I'm okay with doing this for y-you, er, I mean, uh, us. I mean, I've considered it for a while, now, too, and I've always… Well, not always… Um. Anyway. It's okay. You being my… my g… girlfr-" He looked like he was practically choking on his words. Ed glared at her, suddenly angry, "Look, if you want to be boyfriend and girlfriend, then fine! This is a ridiculous conversation…"

Winry giggled and his scowl deepened. She threw her arms around him and he hesitantly hugged her back.

"Thank you, Ed. Um. Y'know…" she added, "it's not like we have to make this official right away. I mean, this is just between you and me, right now."

"Yeah, that's true." He nodded.

"It's not like we have to let Al and Granny know or anything." She said.

"…They'll most likely find out eventually." Ed grimaced.

"Oh, dammit, they already know, don't they?" Winry asked worriedly.

"Ugh. Most likely. But… but we can still go on and act like there's nothing actually going on. Uh. That is to say… Not that there are things going on… y'know… between us. That's not what I was implying. Ugh. I- I think I need to go get a little more sleep in."

"M-me too!" Winry blustered at hearing his words, "I mean… I should actually get some sleep now because I'm clearly not thinking properly… with this sleep deprivation."

They both silently left the room.

(Though they did walk hand-in-hand up the stairs.)