"You're cheating." he snapped after losing his third straight game. The little girl across the glossy table from him giggled.
"'M not cheating. Your strategy is simply that obvious."
"You were too cheating!" he stuck his tongue at the dark haired girl and she returned the gesture. "Half the time you were using your powers and I know it."
"Prove it."
He smirked and motioned to the book in her lap, "You never took your eyes off that cookbook."
The girl with fawned colored eyes gave Envy a cute pout. She daintily ran her hands down her navy dress, smoothing the pleats in the skirt before responding.
"I could see the board and your obvious moves using my peripheral vision."
"You were using your other vision, just admit it."
"I admit nothing." she replied haughtily.
"Stupid weak human!"
"I'm ho~me." The girl cried as she walked into her home. Between moments, her appearance had transformed into an attractive young lady. One that looked around then turned back and motioned to someone outside the door.
"Come inside, quick." she whispered and pulled an attractive blond man inside. With a giggle she closed the door behind her and quickly pulled the boy along with her. Sheska knew without a doubt this was a vision she was experiencing…but could recall the moment it began.
"Hurry, he's coming."
Just the moment she had managed to reach her room and hide away her boyfriend, Envy turned the corner. The teenager smiled sweetly and held the door closed.
"Home somewhat late." he pointed out and her smile turned sweeter. "I know that look."
"What look? I see no look, there is no look."
His lips puckered with annoyance, "Young lady."
"Envy." she replied brightly and the homunculi took a breath, immediately catching the foreign scent in the air.
His gaze turned sharp, "Who's in your room."
"You smell something? Must be from outside. Yes yes, outside where there is many people and none here." she stammered becoming increasingly uneasy under his scrutiny. "People who I've never met and never been around and-"
"Christ's sake, you've been in town?" he roared. "Do you know-?"
At the hard and devious expression on her face, Envy knew she knew and knew everything. Not just about her own past but also his.
"Mouth closed, my little secret safe and I'll tell you about a lovely place you want to visit."
It was then that the real game between them began. Their pawns were the secrets and information they were willing to sacrifice. And their king was the one secret they'd die to keep.
Sheska awoke sputtering. With a laugh, Envy dunked her head under the fountain again. She screamed as the cold water hit her warm neck and thrashed in the homunculi's arms.
When she came up with water spilling from her hair, the woman realized she was standing in a town square. The town's people had gathered to watch the spectacle of the two of them splashing around the structure before going back to their business. By the time Envy climbed out with Sheska still in his arms, most had already dispersed.
"Note to self: four eyed, homely ex librarians get heat stroke easily." he told her as he lowered her to her feet. She nearly went down when her knees buckled but Envy held onto her until she was able to stand on her own.
"When I'm feeling better remind me to hit you." she muttered and he snickered.
"So where are we?" Sheska inquired.
"Some rinky dink place." Envy answered leaning against the fountain's edge. "The place can barely be called a town and the only thing it has going for it is the fountain."
"Does it have food?"
The homunculi shrugged, "Does crappy army rations count?"
"Must be where they come from." Sheska muttered wringing out the hem of her shirt and Envy chuckled.
"You have any money on you?" she asked and Envy's smirk was answer enough. Sheska threw her arms up to the heavens, sloshing water from her sleeves into the homunculi's face. "Of course you don't. Why must aliens wear skirts and skin tight things that don't enable them to carry wallets?"
Sheska began storming off toward what she hoped was a restaurant or store that sold what passed as food. Envy followed her with a grin.
"It's a skort and I'm not an alien." he corrected. "And for your information I dress this way to throw opponents off."
"How does cross dressing throw people off?"
"How long did it take you to realize I was a guy?"
Sheska thought for a moment. She wagered she realized for certain he was male when they were in the hotel. The moment he stepped out of the shower even before she heard him speak. When she did hear him, Sheska was positive she was naked in a room with a guy with one dead sexy voice.
No no, that voice was not sexy! She told herself as her cheeks turned pink. And neither is his body and I'm not interested in seeing if everything else matches!
"In the hotel when you came out of the shower." Sheska replied, hoping the tremor she heard in her voice was just her imagination. "The way you had the towel around you…uh-h, girls don't do that."
Envy smirked and she rushed onward with her words.
"But what does that have to do with you dressing in drag!?"
"It's a distraction." He replied. "Most men have a thing about fighting girls and if you didn't know better, you'd think I was one."
"You look like a transvestite palm tree."
"Shut up."
"You look ridiculous."
"That's the plan." Envy said with an out of place jovial grin. "Most humans don't take outrageous people seriously. Everyone thinks they're idiots until they suddenly find a knife at their throat."
"I can understand your logic, but why chose to have green hair." Sheska asked as she searched the area. She spotted a building with sign that said General Store on the front and began walking towards it.
"Why not cotton candy pink or purple?" she said and heard Envy laugh behind her. There was something warm and enchanting in his humor. It took the edge off of the subtle danger she knew they were both in.
"Because I'm green with envy!" he replied matter-of-fact like with a grin. Sheska paused and then brought her hand up to stifle her giggles. Envy came up beside of her and draped a companionable arm around her shoulders.
Amusement flickered in the eyes that met hers.
"You're kidding right?"
"Not really." He replied and Sheska laughed.