A/N pt1. Okay this started out as an idea for a serious piece which fitted in with my 'Envy Had Forgotten' story. But then this happened instead. I'll talk more at the end...
"Envy, you're pacing again."
Envy stopped and glared at Lust.
"So what?" They said aggressively.
"It's distracting."
Envy gave an exaggerated sigh and dropped down onto the floor with crossed legs.
Lust was well versed in dealing with Envy's moods, but this one seemed different. Normally they ranted about whatever had happened to cause it; it was very rare for them to be so silent.
"Something's on your mind." Lust observed.
Envy shook their head forcefully, sending hair flying around them in all directions.
"I wasn't asking… And you're a bad liar." She laughed.
"It's nothing." Envy sulked.
"Sure," she gave a sultry smile, "nothing to do with that Alchemist from Ishval then. What was his name…? Crimson something?"
Envy didn't look up, refusing to acknowledge her provocations.
"Ah yes, Crimson Lotus. You know, I heard his trial concludes today. I wonder if that's what's got you so riled up?" Lust's tone was conversational but she was well aware that her words were cutting deep.
Envy's head shot up.
"You don't know what you're talking about." They snarled.
"Oh, okay. So you don't need any advice, I take it?"
"Advice," Envy mocked, "what advice would I possibly need from you?"
Lust shook her head sadly.
"If you have to ask…"
Envy was silent for a few minutes. She was right of course. Today was the conclusion of Kimblee's week long trial… today was the day of the inevitable sentencing. Envy knew, as did the rest of the military, that the only punishment for a crime such as Kimblee's was the firing squad. They hadn't been able to admit, not even to themself, why that was a problem.
"Fine then," Envy stretched their arms behind themself and leaned back in defeat, "what's your advice?"
"You know I won't answer when you speak to me like that." Lust didn't even look up from the report she was reading.
Envy didn't speak for quite some time and when they finally did their voice sounded small and lost.
"I… I don't want him to die."
"Why not? He was useful during the war, I suppose. But I don't think he can do anything else for us."
"It's not that."
"Oh…" Lust's face was thoughtful for a while, "it's that?"
Envy's indiscernible mumble was neither a confirmation nor a denial.
"Well in that case, I suppose my advice is that you just need to change the outcome of the trial."
"Change it? How?"
Lust rolled her eyes (her siblings would be lost without her).
"Envy dear, don't you wish that sometimes you could just take. Someone. Else's. Place?" She said the final words slowly and deliberately.
Envy's eyes lit up as Lust's words sank in. Maybe there was a way to salvage this situation. There was no way Kimblee could walk free, the public would never accept him on the streets after the news of his crimes was released. Not to mention that there was no way Wrath would let it slide if Envy meddled so deeply in his state affairs. But that didn't mean he had to die. There was a third option…
XXX
Kimblee kept his head bowed as he was lead back into the courtroom one final time. He knew what the sentence must be, there was really only one outcome for a case like this. Anticipation rushed through his body down every nerve, filling him with a nervous sort of energy. Execution was not the death he had expected, but now that it was approaching Kimblee had made his peace with it. In his line of business, one did not expect to grow old.
The noise in the room rose angrily as he made his way to the front. The loudest of his attackers were the senior ranking military officers who lined his path shouting harshly at him.
"Traitor!"
"Murderer!"
Kimblee lifted his head and gave a chilling grin at the officials. There was no point in hiding his true nature now, they may as well know that he was enjoying this.
At the head of the room sat King Bradley, or Wrath as Kimblee now knew him as. To his left stood a General and a Captain from the Court Martials office. Kimblee recognised both of them from their time in Ishval; the Captain was Maes Hughes, a man with kind eyes and a loud mouth. The General was...
Kimblee stopped walking.
The General was a disguise fabricated by Envy to monitor various activities in Ishval. At least, Kimblee had never met the man that this appearance actually belonged to. Was this to be their first meeting, or had Envy slipped in to gloat over the conclusion of the trial?
The soldier escorting Kimblee prodded his back with the barrel of his pistol.
"Keep moving, scum."
Kimblee felt cold as he approached the King. For a while, towards the beginning of the trial, he had wondered whether Wrath would be able to use his position to make it go away. But as it progressed it had become clear that Wrath has absolutely no intention of interfering. Kimblee was irritated that he had even thought that a homunculus would go out of their way to help him. Envy had made it obvious over and over during their time in Ishval that Kimblee was of no real importance to them or their plans. He was a human and apparently that made him worthless.
Wrath eyed Kimblee disinterestedly as he stopped in front of him. A heavy silence fell over the room as every member of the military who ranked highly enough to attend strained to hear the sentencing.
"Solf Kimblee, your crimes against the military have been heard. I am ready to hear from our Court Martials," he waved a lazy hand towards the General and Captain Hughes, "please proceed."
The General stepped forward, watching Kimblee with a strange look on his face.
Kimblee inhaled slowly. This was it. He fixed the General with an icy stare; whether or not it was Envy, this man should know who he was dealing with.
A familiar spark of red caught Kimblee's attention, it seemed to emanate from the General's eyes and when it cleared Kimblee was faced with a pair of violet eyes he would recognise anywhere.
So it was Envy.
Another red crackle whipped across the General's face and his eyes returned to normal. Envy clearly wanted to let Kimblee know that they were there, once again in a position of power over him.
"Solf J. Kimblee. We have discussed your crimes, which you do not deny." Envy's look was almost accusing although their voice was uncharacteristically gentle.
Kimblee stood silently waiting for his inevitable death sentence. In Ishval, at the end there, Kimblee had thought there was something between them. He thought of it as an understanding, of sorts. They had spent so much time together… maybe it was foolish to think that a homunculus could ever feel anything as human as affection for another being.
"You are sentenced, in the presence of Fuhrer King Bradley, to…"
Here it comes. Kimblee's palms were sweating. It was very unseemly. He clenched his fists.
There was nothing he could do now.
"... life in prison." A chorus of gasps rose up quickly around the room. Wrath stood up, eyes flashing in fury, and rounded on Envy.
"What is the meaning of this General?" He hissed furiously, ensuring his voice was quiet enough not to be heard over the angry muttering in the room.
"It was a consensus between all of us at the Court Martials office." Envy replied evenly, not breaking character.
Curious, Kimblee thought. So Wrath was definitely not involved.
Wrath continued to glare at Envy at he thought it over.
"Fine," he said eventually, "we're done here."
XXX
Envy was feeling quite smug as they filtered slowly out of the courtroom. Wrath hadn't even suspected foul play and Lust's plan had worked perfectly (they really must remember to listen to her advice more often).
Kimblee was sat on a bench outside, closely guarded by two soldiers who were waiting for the prison officers to arrive to escort him away.
Envy's stomach tightened, was this the last time they would see him? It seemed likely…
Still in the disguise of the General, Envy walked over to sit with Kimblee.
"Soldiers, you are dismissed. I'll wait with the prisoner."
The soldiers looked surprised but accepted the orders of a superior without question.
Kimblee sat quietly, looking straight ahead.
"Well?" Envy asked once they were alone and had assumed their usual appearance.
"Well what? Do you expect me to be thankful?"
Envy recoiled from the malice in Kimblee's voice.
"I did as much as I could do…"
"Really?" Kimblee sounded resentful.
"Wrath would never let me… I mean… you hardly expected to go free." Envy trailed off lamely.
Kimblee didn't respond.
"I did all I could!" Envy burst out.
Kimblee finally turned to look at them with his piercing blue eyes.
"I know."
Envy felt useless.
"I'm... sorry." They offered. It was an unusual sentiment for them but Envy was genuine; for some reason this man elicited a feeling they were unable to put into words, but it was warm and comforting, and it was something Envy would miss.
Kimblee gave a wan smile.
"Don't be…" then, "Wrath didn't seem happy."
"No."
"Are you in trouble?"
"Probably." Envy shrugged. Wrath could go to hell for all they cared.
"Why did you do it?" It was a good question.
"I…" Envy swallowed, would Kimblee understand? "I don't want you to die…" They repeated their earlier words to Lust.
Kimblee's smile seemed genuine. Impulsively, Envy reached and took his hand. Kimblee froze and Envy immediately withdrew.
After a moment of feeling mortified, Envy was aware of Kimblee sliding closer.
"Thank you." He whispered, taking Envy's hand back.
Envy was uncomfortably aware of how close he was now. He looked different to normal, his eyes were somehow softer and his mouth was… very close.
Envy didn't know what was happening, they weren't even aware they had leaned in.
The brush of their lips against Kimblee's was light at first. He was warmer than Envy expected (not that they had ever expected this). Envy's lips slowly moved over his and the pressure of his mouth increased in response.
Envy was aware their free arm had snaked itself around to the back of Kimblee's neck while their other hand still lay on their lap, clasping his tightly. Blood was pounding in their ears but not loudly enough to drown out Kimblee's hard breathing.
After what could have been seconds, or minutes, or years, they seperated. Envy face was hot. This had never happened to them before.
Kimblee took a long breath.
"Thank you." He said again.
There was so much Envy wanted to say, but they couldn't find the words. The memory of Kimblee's lips was fresh and it was an unwelcome distraction as they tried to collect their thoughts. They knew they should feel disgusted but somehow they didn't. Envy supposed that would come later. But for now this was a perfect moment. They had always known Kimblee was special...
An engine sounded somewhere nearby, breaking Envy out of their reverie.
"That's me." Kimblee said softly.
Envy felt their breath catch. It was so soon.
"I'll miss you." It was a simple sentiment, but they hoped it conveyed everything they were unable to say.
"I'll miss you too."
A/N pt2. Yeah so obviously it's in an AU where both Envy and Kimblee are a lot more in touch with their emotions bc this would never fit in with the way I write these two in my other fics. But man did I want to write something cute for them… It's not exactly the fluff that I really wanna write but it's a decent compromise… I think it goes without saying that this is not set in the same AU as the rest of my Kimvy stuff.
So yeah, not what I planned when I had this idea and started writing. But I hope it's just as good :) Idk... let me know if you have any thoughts!
Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of the characters.
