It'll be a double update again, because of a stroke of inspiration. That means, of course, that I'll need double the amount of reviews. Well, I can always dream, can't I?

I'm curious, has anybody ever really thought about what would happen if Envy tried to go swimming…?

~ FairMaiden333

Disclaimer - I've asked ever so nicely, but they still won't give Fullmetal Alchemist to me.

Prompt - We all float on

It was a warm summer day when Envy found out that he couldn't swim.

It was the first time he'd seen a lake, so he stood for more than a minute with his mouth hanging open when Greed pulled off his clothes. and plunged in, followed, after a long minute of coaxing and persuading on her brother's part, by Lust. He'd wanted to do it too - to be able to float through the water the way he'd seen the birds float through the sky, and after a moment of initial hesitation he'd eagerly waded in.

First the water was up to his waist, and then to his chest, and though Envy felt a little nervous he would have died repeatedly rather than let Greed think he was scared, and then quite suddenly and literally he was in over his head and found himself sinking like a stone through wet, weedy dimness. He tried moving his arms and legs, but his weight still dragged him down, he'd forgotten about the way his stupid weight still mirrored the size of his true form, even when he changed his shape. Envy was really scared now, and he couldn't breath, and he thrashed around in a frenzy of water, reaching for his monstrous shape in a blind panic.

His huge head broke the surface of the water after a few moments which seemed like an eternity, and by dint of clumsy paddling and wading he got back to the grassy bank he'd set out from, and dragged himself back up the side, where he shifted immediately back into his preferred form. Envy sat there, dripping wet and shivering with residual fear and shame and the sudden chill while Lust, who had easily hoisted herself up beside him, asked him anxiously again and again what had happened and what was the matter, until she finally caught her breath with a soft gasp of understanding.

"Oh - technical difficulties, Envy dear?"

Envy hunched his shoulders and wrapped his arms around his legs, refusing to look at her. "It doesn't matter," he said sullenly. "I don't like swimming, anyway."

"Can't swim?" Greed swam closer, catching onto an overhang of rock and Envy felt a sharp twinge of jealousy to see how easily he did it. "Should have thought of that before you went in over your head, brat."

Envy stiffened. Was that a touch of - almost sympathy in his tone? "You don't need to pity me," he snapped at him, angrily pulling away from Lust's gentle touch. "Just because you can splash around like a stupid fish all day doesn't mean that you're any better than me."

Greed narrowed his eyes. "Ooh, the little monster's getting snippy. He's all yours, Lust." A few smooth strokes and he was heading out to the open water again.

'Envy…" Lust sighed, shaking her head. He let her pull him into a hug this time, after checking to make sure his older brother was occupied with diving. "Are you all right, really? I should have thought of this…"

"I don't mind," Envy lied again. He shrugged as if he couldn't care less that he'd never be able to do what came to her and Greed so easily. "I told you, I don't like swimming anyway," and this time he almost believed himself.