Romance:

Simone’s Notes:

Infatuation or being smitten is the state of being carried away by an unreasoned passion or love. Hillman and Phillips describe it as a desire to express the libidinal attraction of addictive love. Usually, one is inspired with an intense but short-lived passion. Cox says that infatuation can be distinguished from romantic love only when looking back on a particular interest. Infatuation may also develop into a mature love. Goldstein and Brandon describe infatuation as the first stage of a relationship before developing into a mature intimacy. Phillips describes how the illusions of infatuations inevitably lead to disappointment when learning the truth about a lover. It is an object of extravagant short lived passion or temporary love of an adolescent.

Edward thinks about his two loves, Derdra and Winry. They are the reason he isn’t fully lost. He loves them for the same and different reasons.

Edward loves Derdra. She is proof that he still has his humanity. He confesses all of his sins to her after they make love. Derdra can’t take the burden anymore, but he needs her. He pleads for her to stay by him. Despite knowing what he is, the nurse complies because she sees the pain in his eyes. He loves his head against her breasts. Her scent puts him at ease.

“I need you,” he tells her. It hurts her heart, but she lets him in. He does cry, but they aren’t fake. In her arms is the only place that Edward can be himself.

Edward loves Winry. She hopes that he will go back to his old self. To be honest, he doesn’t know if that is possible. She hates what he has turned into. When he is with her, the self-loathing begins. Winry has the power to pull him out of his hole and bring him back to his senses. She holds him in her arms and won’t let go.

“Please don’t leave me,” he whispers. Just like Derdra, Winry feels that she must comply. She probably believes that the old him is still there and is desperate to bring him home to her and his brother.

Edward thinks about his two loves, Derdra and Winry. They are the reason he isn’t fully lost. He loves them for the same and different reasons. Tonight, he laughs and shakes his head.

I must be going soft, he thinks. He looks down at his latest victim in the early hours of the morning.