Irenic Moons: Hey all, thanks so much for the comments, I truly feel loved…These next few chapters are going to be very melodramatic and angsty for Ed and Winry, so I'm sorry if you don't like them. I've been thinking of them for a long time now so I must write them down. Well whether you like it or not here we go (once again, no mean comments).

Chapter 6: Only You – A Confession

Winry's POV

I sauntered over to Ed who stared dumbfounded at my attire (I pretended not to notice). Grabbing his arm, with his hand still dug into his pocket, I pulled him into the street then called to the rest of the party,

"Come on everyone, we're going to be late!" Ed replied in a more surprised than rude tone,

"Why are you so exited?"

"This is going to be fun." With that I started walking alongside him. After awhile we were in back of the rest of the group. My somewhat plastic enthusiasm was no longer needed, and now as I clung onto Ed's right arm, I looked down at the ground as we walked, a sad expression on my face. I knew that Ed didn't want to go, that he'd much rather just sleep or read some old book or something, and that knowledge made me feel sad that I was forcing him into this. 'You're so self-centered Winry' I silently told myself, 'Can't you just think about other peoples feelings? Especially his…'

We walked some more. Colored lights began appearing around corners. Streets became narrower and warmer. We could smell the mouthwatering junk food that characterized these parts of town. As we passed a corner a bunch of heavily made up women in tight "clothes" began beckoning for Ed to come over to them, uttering sweet compliments and then throwing in some obscene comments. I clenched my teeth, but to my ultimate relief, Ed simply sniffed with a disgusted air and turned his head away. Good thing too, because if he hadn't I would have hit him with…well, something.

We were reaching the center of the festivities and I could tell that he was getting more uncomfortable. People were constantly brushing up against us and shoving us around. Cassie beckoned to us (as we had fallen a little behind) and ushered us to where the rest of our group was sitting. It was an outdoor theatre type thing and we were sitting in the outskirts of the many seats. Mr. Franklin explained how every new moon festival dancers would perform a sort of welcoming. He didn't quite finish because everyone quieted, straining to hear the voice of a man introducing the dance.

Before I knew it, strong ethnic music of the region began blaring over the amphitheatre and soon dancers clothed in every color imaginable were flocking the stage. I tried to keep myself from bursting out in laughter as I imagined what Ed was thinking of all this. I watched for about a half an hour and then noticed Ed's head dip for a second. Obviously, my thoughts were correct. The performance was no where near done, and I'd pretty much had enough too.

"Hey Ed," I whispered, "Do you want to go somewhere else?" It took a moment for him to register that someone was speaking to him and then he nodded with great pleading.

"Anywhere…" We slowly inched away from the others, who didn't notice as they were very entranced with the performance. We breathed a sigh of relief as we walked into the less crowded street, only to bump to grandma.

"Grandma! Um…we were just getting some fresh air…?" She replied,

"It's fine, I was bored to death also, only escaped because I told them my "fragile age" required a bit more sleep. I'm heading back, you coming?" Ed and I looked at each other with very surprised looks. I spoke before he could.

"We think we'll just walk around a little, see the city."

"Ok then, be careful." We walked away from her, our arms both at our sides. We meandered throughout the endless alleys and streets, talking sometimes and sometimes not. Suddenly we reached a short bridge that crossed a thin canal. It was illuminated by the lights that reflected off the moving water. We crossed half the bridge and then sat down on a lone bench.

Then, we just sat, maybe for 10 minutes. All the while I was thinking, thinking about Ed. Right now at this moment he was sitting next to me and we were alone on a bridge in a big city, and I couldn't find anything to say to him. Hadn't I decided that I loved him? That I was going to try and help him? Those were my first thoughts, but then they shifted. 'He's back in the military,' I thought, 'He's going to be gone sooner or later…And then I will be left waiting like always, not knowing whether he's safe or not. I might never see him again…' With these thoughts I began to cry, silent tears. 'Why can't I just forget him? Maybe…no.'

I more mouthed than whispered "Only you, it's only ever been you and-" I sniffed, "that's the way it'll always be." But, he heard, though he didn't understand.

"What? Winry, what's wrong, why are you crying?" He said in a voice that inquisitive, but frightened. Suddenly, I felt a rush of words come to my mouth, and though I tried to control them, it was really impossible.

"Oh Ed!" I began as I started sobbing through my words, "Don't you know what I feel every time you leave? The heart attack I get every time you come back shattered and broken in more than physical ways? You have NO idea what you've done to me." I started hiccupping in short gasps.

"I'm sorry Winry……Maybe…It'd be better if I stayed out of your life…" He spoke jerkily in a monotone voice.

"NO!" I buried my head into his left shoulder and started lightly pounding him with my tired fists, "You're so clueless Ed, sometimes I, I…I don't know…." I started sobbing again, my face hidden in his arm.

"Winry, what the hell are you trying to tell me?"

Ed's POV

I really didn't know why she was upset, and it was sort of scaring me.

"Winry," I asked, "what the hell are you trying to tell me?" She looked up with her sparkling blue eyes, cheeks stained from the tears. Her eyes met with mine for a moment but then she looked away again. In a small sob, she uttered something that was inaudible to me.

"What? Sorry…I" She cried it again, still a jumble of noise.

"Winry, I can't understa-" Her face contorted and then suddenly she was staring straight at me with both anger and sadness in her eyes.

"GODDAMMIT, I LOVE YOU ED." My heart literally stopped for a second, and I found myself only able to comprehend why she'd been acting strange after I could breath again. She was breathing heavily, her head tilted down with her bangs covering some of her face. I. Love. You. The danger that came with those three syllables.

"What?" I said it so quietly that I was afraid she wouldn't hear me.

"I love you so much Ed." She whimpered as her face fell into her hands. She started weeping again as if her new found feeling was some sort of horrible taboo.

"Winry, I…I've been gone a long time. You're…just…feeling different now that…I'm around again…" The look of shock on her face was appalling. Her eyes and mouth were open and she shook her head slowly from side to side, as if she were trying hard not to believe something that she had just been told. I quickly continued.

"And besides, you've always said I'm too short for you right? The Fullmetal Shrimp?" My voice was shaky. Through the tears pouring down her face and her uneven gasps, she turned her head down and clenched her fists. Suddenly her face jerked up and she was screaming in my face.

"DON'T YOU DARE TRY AND TELL ME HOW I FEEL EDWARD!" She stood up and faced me, her sobs the only sound around us. I stood up.

"Why can't we be together Ed? I don't care if you're short, you're not. I don't care if you leave as long as you come back…" I put both my hands on her shoulders.

"Winry, there might be a day when I don't come back, and I wouldn't want to make you sad…Now especially that the Homuculi seem to be back, if you got hurt, or…I would never forgive myself. I already have too much guilt…" She sniffed and leaned against me, her hands on my chest.

"Then we can live in the moment." Her eyes looked hopeful.

"Winry, it's not as simple as that."

"Yes it is." She was getting more persistent. I didn't want to make mad.

"Winry…I don't deserve you…I can't accept your love. Until I rescue Al, if that day ever comes, I can't let myself get involved with distracting relationships. I can't enjoy myself without thinking 'I wonder what Al's doing right now, what pain he may be going through.' It hurts me and it would hurt him." She pulled away.

"So is that all I would be…a "distracting relationship"?"

"No! Winry-"

"What Ed? What! I just found out that I'm going to live the rest of my life waiting for someone who doesn't care about me. I just found out I'm in love with someone who is completely self-absorbed."

"What!"

"That's right. You say you're doing this to protect me, so that YOU don't feel bad…But what about me? Don't you think this will hurt me just a little! You're too cowardly to face the pain that might come with us, so you push it on me! And as for Al, I'm sure he'd want us to be happy…You're just too afraid to be a man and face guilt." Then her sobs took over her words until she forced herself to speak.

"Ed, I don't care if I die, at least then I'd have always lived in a world with you." Then she did something I was not ready for. She quickly stepped to me and kissed me full on the lips. I felt a surge of calm come over me and I closed my eyes and kissed back, suddenly I thought 'What the hell am I doing?'

"Winry, STOP IT." She looked up shaking her head and crying again. Before I knew what happened, she punched me in the face, and I, falling to the ground, heard her say as she ran away.

"YOU'RE COMPLETELY YOUR FATHER'S SON!"

It took me a few minutes for my mind to stop spinning and my nose to stop bleeding. 'Winry' I kept thinking to myself, 'Winry Rockbell loves me. Me…The Fullmetal Alchemist…' I had no idea what to do. It was extremely dark outside, so that the faint streetlamps were the only light anywhere. I looked from one side of the bridge to the other. 'Dammit,' I thought, 'which way did she go? Which way did we come from?' I stood up and started walking in the direction I thought we came from, while rubbing my sore face…

I was right. Soon I found my way back to Cassie's street. The windows in all the houses were dark, save one that was on the ground floor of Cassie's. I approached the doorway and put my hand up to knock, only to pull it away. I contemplated for a few moments, then knocked twice on the wood door. A few seconds later, the same butler opened the door.

"May I help you Fullmetal Sir?" The comment sounded so awkward, 'He remembered my name?' I thought.

"Do you need a tissue? It seems you're bleeding."

"N-no," I replied, "It's fine, I just…Do you think you could get Miss Winry?" I know I sounded desperate, but I didn't care. He looked at me with a confused expression.

"I'm sorry, but she hasn't gotten back yet, wasn't she with you?" I didn't breath, I could feel my heartbeats sending vibrations throughout my body.

"Say that again?"

"She hasn't-" But I didn't let him finish because I was already running down the street, attempting to retrace my steps back to the bridge…

Irenic Moons: Ack…That took me like TWO weeks…Well, I had an excuse…It was finals week. I'm sorry to say that I'm in Washington D.C. with my 8th grade class for the next week, so there won't be any quick updates. Once again, I hope you liked it, don't leave mean comments…