Rowan and Sakura present the first multi-chaptered FMA fic Rowan has written! We hope you all enjoy it- that is, if you don't mind Elricest and OCs cluttering up the storyline. If you don't like these things, get the hell away from my story! Otherwise, you may proceed.

Disclaimer: Rowan doesn't own FMA. See, she's not even sure if Arakawa-san, who does own it, is male or female. And Rowan is not confused about her gender, see? So it's impossible.

Warning: One-sided Elricest, OCs. Purposefully bad dialogue.

Note: Okay, since I personally feel that the last chapter was a moment out of a soap opera, and I don't like it that way but I'm lazy, this whole thing is actually supposed to be funny, because all of it will be written like a soap. This is what I do to entertain myself. So have fun; laugh at the dialogue if you want to. That's what it's there for.

And then when you're done with this, read Darling, the serious, well-written version of this story. Also by me.

Definition of Sin

Chapter Two- Forbidden

"It's Al, Winry. I…I'm in love with my own brother."

With a gasp of horrified surprise, Winry released Edward's shoulders and moved slowly away. Silently, a tear escaped Edward's closed eyes, crawling slowly down his shamed cheeks.

"Ed, you can't be serious!" Winry exclaimed. "You know that's not right."

Ed frowned, eyes remaining stubbornly closed. "Even I know that Winry; I may not have religion, but I know what sin is. Don't worry anyway, it's not like I could ever have him, no matter how bad I want him." Winry slowly continued to back away from the hunched form on the couch. "Yeah, and I know how bad it is."

"But Edward, why?" she whispered. "Why do you love him?"

Ed looked up, a melancholy smile painted across his face. "Why not? He's so warm, and kind, and sweet, and-"

"Enough!" Winry shut her eyes and cried. "I-I didn't really want to hear that," she muttered. "I mean, why don't you choose someone else?"

"You think I chose to fall in love with him? Huh?" Ed leapt up from the couch, the blanket falling to the ground around his feet. "I didn't choose to love him! If I had my way, I'd love you, Winry. But I can't. Don't you get that?"

"Yes, I understand, but still. I won't mind. We can still get married. I love you enough for the both of us!"

"You'll grow jealous and suspicious before a year's over."

Winry shook her head violently. "No, I won't! Never!"

Ed smirked cruelly. "But what if we're in bed, and I call Al's name instead of yours? And when he comes to visit, and we hug, you won't feel jealous? You won't start to think that anytime we kiss, or make love, I'm imagining he's there instead of you? You seriously think you won't?"

Winry let out a choking sob. "But…but I love you, Edward."

"That's why you need someone who'll love you as much as you deserve. I'd only hurt you, Winry, by marrying you." Ed moved forward and wrapped his arms around her shaking shoulders. "You're like a sister to me, Winry, and I care about you a lot. That's why I know I can't hurt you like that."

Winry sobbed into Ed's shoulder, heart wrenching tears that fell on Ed like rain. Eventually, she quieted down, and, exhausted, they sank down on the couch together. "Edward?"

"Yeah?"

Winry glanced up, eyes shining, a tiny sad smile on her face. "We'll have to tell them, Ed," she said. "We'll have to break the news to Pinako first. What will she say?"

"Make up a story. Say you're in love with someone else."

"You mean…lie?" Winry looked up. "But why can't you?"

"Because they'll want to know who she is, and I don't know any other girls! Anyway. It would look suspicious if I said I was in love with someone else and then never married her, wouldn't it?"

"I don't think anyone will care if you say it's a guy," Winry said weakly.

"Winry, you are so naive," Ed said with affection. "People would still want to know who he is. I doubt I could tell them it's my brother; that would go over well, don't you think?"

Winry sighed and rested her head on Ed's shoulder. "Oh Ed, I'm so sorry."

"What are you apologizing for? It's not your fault I'm so corrupted."

Winry glanced up from his shoulder. "I just can't lie, Edward. I can't say I'm in love with someone else when it's you I love with all my heart." She closed her eyes and nuzzled her nose against his arm. "I want to help you, but I...I just can't lie."

Edward sighed. Who was he kidding? Just because sinning came easy to him- the human transmutation, lying all this time to Winry, his ugly, bestial love for his brother- did not mean sin came easy to everyone. Resting his head on hers, Ed whispered, "It's okay Winry. I'll just say I can't marry you because...I don't have enough money."

Winry moved her head from his shoulder. "Now Ed, that's a lie no one would believe."

"I could say I gamble, and am ashamed of it. I lost a lot of my money last time I was in Central to Havoc or something. I want to cleanse myself of that dirty habit before marrying you."

Winry tilted her head to the side in thought. "Well...you know, that just might work. Add alcoholism to that and I think you've got a good case for postponing the wedding."

"And that way," he said, getting excited, "Pinako won't tell anyone else the real reason for the postponement, and she can come up with whatever respectable reason she likes for the cancellation!"

"And what cancellation might that be?" asked a voice from the doorway. Ed and Winry turned wide eyes to the door, where Pinako Rockbell stood in a white nightgown. She had a scowl on her face.

Winry and Ed glanced at each other in a panic, then Winry said, "The wedding, Granny! I'm not marrying Edward until he cleans himself up!"

Pinako turned questioning eyes to Ed. "And what does Ed have to cleanse himself of?" she asked.

Ed looked down at the floor, the fire turning his face red. "I'm ashamed to say this, Aunty, but I...I've picked up a very bad habit."

"He's a gambler!" Winry exclaimed, a little too into it. "He lost his money in Central!"

"Is that true, Edward?" said Pinako, her eyes still boring into him.

Ed nodded slowly. "Yes ma'am. It's true. I'm a gambler, and a bad one at that."

"Well, if you were a good one, I'd have no objections, now would I?" Pinako said with a smile. Ed looked up in puzzlement. She wasn't supposed to be amused- she was supposed to be furious.

"But Aunty, that's not all," Ed said softly.

Pinako reached into her pocket and pulled out her pipe. "Yes?" she asked, her voice more than a little jocular. "What else?"

"I...I..."

"Granny, he's an alcoholic," Winry whispered.

"Really? Have you seen him drunk, Winry?"

Winry shook her head. "...No, I haven't..."

Pinako let out a puff of smoke and smirked at her granddaughter. "Maybe he's a happy drunk. Did you think of that?"

"Aunty, that's not the point!" Ed exclaimed, frustrated by her disbelieving attitude. "I can't marry Winry, that's what you're supposed to say!"

"Why would I say that? She obviously loves you."

Ed and Winry looked at each other. Love? But if they were doing this right, shouldn't it seem that Winry could not stand the thought of marrying an alcoholic gambler? "How do you figure that?" Ed asked.

"She wouldn't be worried about you otherwise."

Ed sighed and sank to the couch in defeat. "Well, I don't love Winry. That a good enough reason for you Pinako?"

Pinako hit Ed on the head. "That's 'Lady Pinako' to you, runt," she said with a bittersweet grin. "And why do I need reasons? If you say you can't marry her, then you can't marry her. It's not my decision, Edward."

Ed glared up at Pinako, suspicion in his eyes. "Why don't you ask me? How do I know I don't love Winry? Why don't you question me, Aunty?"

"Why would I ask you that?" Pinako said softly, pulling the pipe out of her mouth.

"How much did you hear, Aunty? How much do you know?" Ed growled under his breath, his gold eyes narrowing.

Pinako looked away, into the fire. "...Alphonse," she said, and Ed buried his face in his hands.

"And?" he murmured.

"And what?"

Ed looked up at Pinako, his eyes frantic. "Aren't you going to damn me, tell me I'm sick? Aren't you going to throw me out of your house, tell me that you don't need my kind living under your roof?" He furiously wiped the tears flowing down his cheeks off his face. "Aren't you going to forsake me?"

Pinako sat down beside the young man and awkwardly tried to put her arms around him. "No, Edward, I'm not. You know it's forbidden, but you also know the chance of Al loving you back is less than you seeing your mother again. I can see you're suffering enough from your love, and I'm not going to forsake you for something you have no control of." She quickly released Edward from the strange embrace and stood.

"Don't worry, either of you. I'll handle the cancellation. Why don't the both of you, in the meantime, go to Central. A change of scene will do you both good, and who knows? Maybe you'll meet someone in Central, Winry." Pinako smiled at the young pair. "Anyway, good night, and we'll work out all the arrangements in the morning." Pinako turned and went back to bed, leaving Ed and Winry alone again.

"A trip to Central, eh?" Ed said. "Maybe I can set you up with someone."

Winry frowned and hit Ed on the head. "Don't start getting any ideas," she said, then smiled. "Though, if you know anyone at all like you, then I'd probably be interested."

"We'll see." Ed's face grew somber. "The only thing I'm worried about is..."

"...Al lives in Central now..."

Ed nodded. "Yeah, and he'll insist we stay with him. I don't know how I'd handle that, seeing him again after these past two years."

Winry laid a hand on Ed's shoulder. "Don't worry; I'll be there with you."

tbc

Wow, an actual story is forming from this! Ha, well, the dialogue still sounds soap-ish (which is good, because that's what I intend) and Ed is crying a lot. Well, any suggestions for someone for Winry to fall in love with (though I've got an idea of who it will be) feel free to tell me! Anyway, please review and please go read Darling too- similar concept, but the writing is on a whole different level (and yeah, the plot is different from this, but they both came from the same idea.) I update both on Tuesdays- this is b/c I made you wait so long-(provided I finish each chapter in time, which isn't too hard.) Chapter Three should be up on January 31st, so mark it in your calendars (heh.) Until then- Rowan