VOCALIZE:

Our Cruelty-

A bright fragment of light passed over my head, and then darkness ensued.

Scents of flowers and pine wafted through my nose.

The air felt chilly, making my clothes seem damp.

I could feel small wisps of wind blowing onto my bare legs. Why didn't I have pants on? It nearly felt like I was wearing a thin dress.

But that made no sense.

I tried to search my memory for something that would explain things. Why couldn't I open my eyes, why did my head hurt so much, why was I outside and how was I magically floating past blurs of light?

Last I recalled, eating a mint. The faint sensation of ice was still present of my tongue.

Right, I took one of Al's and ate it.

If I could taste the remainders, then it must not have been too long ago.

And on my wrist I knew was a bracelet. But I never wore those.

Flying onto the ground, a guttural groan escaping bruised lips.

I got hurt?

Blows repeatedly falling onto the limp body.

I was in a fight?

Screaming echoing from somewhere, and a face appearing to want to help, it was refused.

Slowly, I pieced together these flashes of color and sound, trying to understand.

I remembered someone hitting me without me even realizing the blow had been dealt, and then I'd fallen to the ground. The hits occurred so harshly and close between intervals that I couldn't move. And I saw Al's face, he wanted to help me. I knew that if he got involved, I wound not be able to guarantee his safety. So I told him no.

I had been in my house, and if someone was to attack me like that there, then it must have been him.

Well, that explained one thing.

What I thought was a dress was likely one of those gross hospital gowns, and the bracelet a 'dog-tag' to keep track of me. Made sense.

And if my head took the brunt of his punches, that could be why it was pounding and why I was unable to see anything.

Another flash of light passed overtop me, and then returned to blue darkness.

I couldn't feel my feet touching the ground, nor did I seem to be laying on anything.

However, I did notice two pressure points, one on my back, and the other behind my knees.

Was I being carried?

If I was, then who could be holding me?

I futilely tried to open my eyes. The hold on me tightened and a low growl came from my possessor.

I smelled smoke. Cigarette smoke that had not graced my nostrils for years.

Choking on my own breath, and trying to calm down I chose to think rationally.

Those lights above me could have been street lights, and that would explain why I was outside. And if I had come from the hospital, still dressed in their garb, it was reasonable to think I had been kidnapped.

I could tell from the difference in footfalls that the terrain had changed, and felt the muscles around me flex responsively.

I knew those arms.

But there was no way…

Using all will power I could muster, I forcefully snapped my eyes open, only to come face to face with a dreadful sight.

"Hello, Chibi."

My breath quickened and I fought to get out of his grasp. I stopped my own struggling when a sharp lance pierced through my arm and side, enhancing the drill being metaphorically forced to my brain.

"I wouldn't try to do that if I were you."

I ignored him and focused my attention on how I could escape.

He laughed at my lack of banter back, assuming that I would fly off into a rage of possibly being called short.

"So, I hear that these days you don't talk much," His snide smirk made the blood pump through my veins enough for them to burst.

He continued his trek through wherever we were without even taking the time to look back down at me. "How is your Mom doing Edo? Word's reached my ears that you have been a very bad son."

In absolute fury I released my good arm into his face, relishing as he staggered back, and threw myself from his grasp.

The pain shot up my spine at landing so awkwardly on my injured side and I frantically scrambled to get up and run.

I heard his jaw crack when he pushed it back into place.

"That hurt Chibi."

Fear exploded into me and I clawed at the hill I was sprawled on.

Hearing his footsteps tread closer I panicked, shakily standing to my feet, only to fall back down.

"Okay, maybe that was a little harsh of me to greet you that way after our long separation."

A low whine emitted from my throat when I was jerked up by his hand gripping the front of the pale blue gown.

He smirked at the apprehension clearly written on my face and shoved me back onto the grass. Leaves fallen from the tree behind me cushioned the fall somewhat, but still hurt like hell.

"Don't worry, I'm not mad. Though I do believe you have betrayed me severely Chibi." Leaning closer to my face he whispered, "I saw you making out with that retired old cop. And honestly Edo, it was quite sickening."

I tried not to listen to what he was saying, and when I turned away, he pulled me back to face him.

"I mean really, what desperate kind of person would sleep with the one who killed his Mother?"

Frantically, I beat my fist against his chest, trying to either ward him off or shut him up.

He was wrong.

Roy didn't kill her anymore than I did.

Envy sat next to me and held me down with his palm.

When had I started thinking of that bastard like that? He was supposed to be the one who annoyed my constantly, not the one I would think of to call out for.

"If you wanted action so badly, you should have called. I would have come back to deal with you sooner."

My ragged breaths halted and I waited.

"Don't you recognize this place Chibi?"

I looked around us. A garbage can, a bench, and this tree… Oh god no.

He laughed huskily, "I see that you do. That was the first place I took you."

When he began to pull me closer to him, I crawled a mere foot away before his hand latched onto my ankle.

"None of that Edo."

I stared in panic at the darkening lust in his eyes, wanting all the more to run away and hide.

"You should know what I brought you here for."

His hands grasped my shoulders as I felt the cold air on my skin.

"You've been very bad-"

Tears slipped past my eyelids while I squeezed them shut. There was no way in hell I was going to watch this.

"-therefore, you must be punished."

The agony was the same; the trepidation was even greater, because this time I couldn't attempt to get away.

It was different this time though, despite the pain and fear I felt, this time I could not scream outside of my own mind, I was trapped within a place where no one would hear me.

Silence became a deadly whisper.

Roy, help me.

I didn't even bother to try to wipe the salty tracks down my face.

Envy yawned loudly and stood, stretching in the morning light.

How could I let this happen again?

I was sore all over before anything else had occurred, and what he had done only made it incur tenfold.

He casually draped my garment overtop me, as if it was the most normal action in the world, and I fought to not bite his hand when it neared my mouth.

The last thing I needed was to piss him off.

"Got the time Edo?"

I remained silent, refusing to even meet his eyes.

Sighing dramatically, he tromped over and peered at the watch on my wrist. I wanted to smash his face in. But realistically, even I have to admit that at the moment, it would be impossible for me to take him down.

"Hmm… It's nearly seven. Perfect timing!" He chirped enthusiastically.

I wondered what I did to deserve this.

"That brother of yours is probably finding my little 'gift' right about now."

Immediately, thoughts of something horrible that this monster had left raced through my mind, and I scowled menacingly, daring him to lay a hand on Al.

"It's nothing bad Chibi. Honestly, you always assume the worst in every situation."

That wasn't true. If I did, I would have held the sense to beg Roy to let Al and me stay with him at his house. Then I wouldn't have gotten beaten up, never would have been stolen, or degraded in this way.

"I left a little message for him. Besides, didn't you tell me before that he worries about you? This way, with my foresight, he'll know that you're with me and that he shouldn't have a panic attack over your disappearance."

No, if Al saw me now, and knew what happened, he would not have a panic attack. He would be scarred for life.

This time, when Envy picked me up I made no protest. Lying there quietly I decided that this must be the way things are supposed to be for me.

Happiness is dangled before my mouth like a treat, and then when my guard is down, pain is bestowed by its king.

"See, Edo? Look how good you're behaving. All it takes is a good lesson in control."

He kissed me hungrily like before, but I made no move to contribute anything.

All I desired was to get the taste and feel of his tongue out of my mouth.

It made me sick to think that I had once loved the being before me.

Ignorance is bliss? What a load of shit.

Had I known what he was like beforehand, had I been smart, I would have destroyed myself with my own hands to rid him of the pleasure.

I tried not to think how possessive and controlling the supposedly intimate contact felt.

Instead, I took my mind back in my memories.

Envy spoke of heading to his hideout where no one would find us and we could resume our previous activities and catch up on old times.

But I didn't care.

All I could think of was when Roy kissed me so differently.

There was something that had been there, something so foreign to me, I nearly missed it completely.

There had been love.

AN: Thank you for last chapter's reviews and I apologize for the boring-ness of these last couple chapters. Hopefully though, some of you will feel compelled to make me happy with any shape of size of comment.