Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist is any way, shape, or form.

Authors Note: This was written for Fire & Ice 2009.

The Longest Night
January 15, 2010

The electricity had gone out. A strong wind had made the house creak and groan, and with one last groan—the lights flickered out. The house was dark. The snow outside was stacked high. It was late so it shouldn't have mattered much; except, however, for the young woman who pulled all-nighters in order to get her work done, regardless of the time of year. Not wanting to kill her good eyesight by trying to tinker on automail by candlelight, she went to seek out another that would keep the shadows at bay.

He was supposed to be sleeping. When she opened the door, his eyes slowly opened in the dark. Even though the Promised Day had come and passed, any unusual noise in the house was cause for alert. He was like a dog. No matter how much that comparison pissed him off… jumping at every noise, it was true. He couldn't lie about it.

By her light footsteps, he knew immediately who it was. Every member of the Rockbell household had a certain melody to their steps. Granted, Al was a lot lighter on his feet now, but Winry's steps were always more confident than his brother's.

"You awake?" she whispered as she closed the door behind her with a soft click. If he wasn't awake, she was sure to wake him up. Her track record for interrupting his sleep was great.

He grunted in response, following the small orb of light the candle in her hand created, transfixed at the glow. "Think I'm afraid of the dark or somethin'?"

"No," she said. She put the candle, in its ornate holder, on the dresser nearby. "I was working and then the lights went out, so…"

"You got bored and wanted to see what I was up to?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

She smiled. "I just figured that, if I was going to be lonely in the dark, I'd rather be lonely in the dark with you. Is that a problem?"

"I'll buy that," he said, shifting over in the bed to make room for her to sit. "C'mere."

She pointed at the space he patted with his automail hand. "You want me to get in?"

"Uh, sure," he said.

Kicking off her slippers, she moved to lie down next to him. Finding that where he had been lying was deliciously warm, she snuggled with the blanket that was brought over her.

"My toes are freezing," she complained.

"Don't talk to me about freezing," he frowned at her, thinking of his automail limbs.

"Yes, yes. Don't think I've forgotten." She closed her eyes, feeling not only the warmth from the blanket but from him so close by. "You're warm, though."

"I'm not," he argued.

"You're not?" She opened her eyes, raising a hand to press against his cheek. He reeled back at how cold her hand was.

"Compared to you, okay. Why aren't you wearing more? You'll catch a cold."

"You're complaining about me wearing clothes?"

"For right now, anyway," he said. He smiled at her, a gesture lost as her eyes had slid shut again. The serene smile on her face was enough for him.

He was mesmerized at the glow of the candlelight against her skin. The yellow hue licked at her cheeks and kissed her lips. He brought his hand up to trace the light, not noticing the shift in color or heat as Winry flushed in regards to the rare, yet tender, act. His knuckles caressed her cheek before he extended his fingertips to trace her relaxed lips. Following the trail of his finger, he kissed her softly, finding her lips to be the warmest part of her body.

She melted instantly. The light brush of Ed's lips against hers urged her to push back with more fervor. She snaked an arm around him to pull him closer and deepened the kiss. Hands wandered, kneaded, and caressed with every rising moment but stayed in safe areas. They were still new to this.

Kisses dwindled in number and intensity as the weight of the night's hour pressed against their minds. The fire didn't grow, didn't get out of control; it was easily maintained and stoked, yet intimate. His lips graced her forehead when they departed from her lips, brushing her bangs up and out of the way. Once her head dropped to rest on his collarbone, he kissed the crown of her head. They rested, eyes closed, just enjoying the warmth the other provided.

"What time is it?"

"Late," she replied, not bothering to check.

"Informative."

"Shut up and cuddle."

"Cuddle?" he asked, the concept somehow confusing him.

"Hold me," she said, thinking that the different word would help.

"Hold… you?"

"Put your arms around me," she said with a hint of frustration, reaching for him, "how I have my arm around you."

"But my—"

"I don't care," she said forcefully. "It'll change with my body temperature. Besides, you're wearing long sleeves. Stop being a baby."

"I am not a baby!"

"Shh," she whispered. "Don't be obnoxious or you'll wake Granny. Remember the last time we woke Granny?"

"Yes."

"Do we want to relive that?"

"Not in the least."

"Good." When he didn't respond, she whined, "I'm cold. Put your arms, or at least an arm, around me."

"How can you still be cold?"

After much cajoling, many puppy dog stares, and well-timed battings of eyelashes, he relented, shifting in order to bring her closer to him. She nestled against his chest, smiling contently when the weight of his arms comforted her. She could hear his heart beat quickly against her ear and was sure her own heartbeat matched it beat for beat. Not wanting to interrupt the serenity of the moment, she didn't comment on it. His hugs were far and few in between, and whenever they had a moment like this, it was interrupted. Without an interruption in sight, she found contentment.

She found contentment in not thinking about the future, not thinking about where he could go from here, where he would go the second Al was healthy enough to roam again. She felt relaxed in his arms, something she wouldn't have thought possible—wishfully thought, sure, but never truly thought possible.

"What day is it today?"

She leaned back, looking at him with quizzical eyes. It took her a few seconds to figure it out, and then she replied, "The twenty-first."

He chuckled. "The longest night of the year. The darkest day."

"I don't know about that."

"How do you figure?" he asked, pulling her back to him.

She smiled when she found herself nestled against him yet again. "The longest night goes by easier when you have someone to share it with. As long as you're with someone you love, each moment flies by."

"Corny."

"Shut up and cuddle, dammit."