Time had a strange way of passing quickly, even for someone that was nearly immortal. It had been almost three weeks since their run in with the renegade state alchemist in Lior; three weeks of scouring documents, obtaining leads, chasing those leads down to inevitable dead ends, and traveling all over the country side of Amestris. Envy had been inside more train carriages and truck cabs than they could stand lately. The only decent part of the hunt so far had been getting out of the overly warm climate of the eastern territory. They had discovered a few intriguing details about the mission their team was on, specifically that Führer Grumman had been the one to pressure Mustang into coercing them to participate, either by force or choice. It made sense that it took a man of that position to influence the colonel to embark on such a risky venture, but they were rather glad for it.
Glancing around the private box they were presently riding in, Envy noticed the way their warden and the lieutenant were leaned in together, their eyes intently pouring over a file that contained a new lead on their target. They had started taking more careful observations of their team recently, and it hadn't been long before they had picked up on the not-so-subtle behaviors between Mustang and Hawkeye. They were always professional of course, but Envy had been given enough descriptions and tutoring by Lust to recognize a deeper connection when it existed. Whether the rest of the team was aware of it or too polite or obtuse to notice they didn't know; but it took a great deal of willpower not to badger and tease their warden about their observations.
Their gaze shifted to the other side of the box, where Havoc was fast asleep against the window while Falman and Fuery were engaged in a lively conversation with Breda about the best stops to make along their route for obtaining potential leads. They had chased trails of their target as far as East City before it seemed that everything had gone cold. Mustang had made the decision to try the southern territory and see what they could pull up by scoping out some known hot spots for trouble and unrest. One of those places was going to be Dublith, a town that got under their skin simply because it reminded them of Greed. Envy scowled at their feet as they thought about him.
He's just lucky Wrath was the one to find him there and not me. I don't care how much time passes, he'll always be a self-serving traitor. I wish I could have felt my fist smash into his smug face just once before he disappeared, for all I know he could be in Xing with that squinty-eyed brat-prince. Probably living it up in a palace while I have to gallivant all over the country on a wild goose chase. Tch, he probably never even thinks about Lust, or Gluttony, or Pride, or Wrath, or me. We meant nothing to him, well, he can rot inside the stupid prince's body. I have things to keep me occupied too now, sort of.
Working with their new team in a willingly, cooperative way had been an adjustment for them; one that had been rocky. Mustang was wise enough not to assign them to work with Breda yet, the two of them were on tenuously bearable terms with each other, but it didn't take much to get them bickering and posturing for a fight. Havoc had been easier to deal with, but they found that his company would eventually wear on their nerves as his comments about beautiful women tended to annoy them. On one stop at a hotel he had remarked about a curvy, dark-haired woman at the service desk and Envy had quipped in a barbed manner about how she would never compare to their sister. Havoc had been notably uncomfortable, but had shut up for the rest of the night.
They shifted against their seat, attempting to quell the nagging itch in their nodes. Mustang kept their powers restrained during travel and when on assignment, or for sleeping. The constant ache in their nerve endings had dulled over time, morphing into an annoying buzz of irritation in the back of their brain; like an old wound rubbed raw at the outer edges, frustratingly painful, but not enough to inhibit them. They longed for a chance to have the little pins removed, to flex their strength, such as it was, and feel free for a few moments.
Click, clack, click, clack. This stupid train is so noisy. Between the clanking of the rails and the drone of their never-ending blabbering I'm starting to get a headache here. The only one who ever made this much noise before was Greed, especially when he was rambling on about some idiotic conquest he had made. I don't know why you ever entertained his boasting Lust. Especially since he always followed up his blowhard stories by trying to entice you. Made for each other he would quip, two sides of the same coin, a complimentary pair. Ha! Why did you always laugh? I never understood that, it always pissed me off, and you never explained it to me. Why am I thinking about him so much anyway? Stupid ass! He's getting on my nerves even when his fanged-face isn't in front of me.
The changing terrain outside the window signaled that they were crossing into the southern territory and brought with it a souring of their mood. Envy tilted their head back and tugged their military cap down over their eyes to shut out the light and incessant chattering to their left. It was still a good while till they reached their station in Tobha, they could pass the time better with a nap than glowering about memories they didn't want to think about.
The midday sun blazed brightly in the clear sky as they disembarked their train at Tobha's station. Fuery and Falman made a quick stop at the general store next to the station while Hawkeye procured local transportation for them. The luggage was loaded into the back of a horse cart and the team piled in with it to make the trek to their rest stop. Envy stretched their stiff muscles and leaned back against the bench seat as the cart swayed gently from side to side. They caught movement toward their right and glanced up slightly to find their warden watching them from his seat. Arching their brows, they sat up a bit straighter as he carefully crossed over the luggage to sit beside them.
"How are you holding up?" His question was curious, and they weren't certain where he was going with it, but they shrugged and offered an honest reply.
"Bored, tired of traveling, and sick of these things stabbing my back, they itch."
"I can imagine." He nodded toward them, and their eyes narrowed in annoyance.
Oh you can huh? I highly doubt that.
"Did I screw something up again?"
Mustang blinked at them, seemingly surprised by their direct question. He furrowed his brows and shook his head.
"Why would you ask that?"
"Because!" They waved a hand in front of them, gesturing in a small circle. "Any time you come sit by me while we're on the road, it's to give me some lecture about how I messed up and need to improve more or some other crap. I can't think of anything I've really failed at lately, but if you're sitting here then I had to have done something. So, what is it?"
They weren't expecting him to laugh, and the sound drew the attention of the rest of the team briefly, causing a rush of embarrassment to wash over them.
"You haven't screwed up, as you put it. Actually, I came over here to talk to you about Evertsen. You witnessed her fighting style personally, do you think, you could replicate it?"
Envy frowned as they mulled over the question.
"I can't perform alchemy, but I could mimic the motions of her transmutation, at least on the short-range level. Why are you asking?"
"When we get settled, I want to run a training exercise with the entire team. I need you to give everyone a practice run at fighting her, even if it isn't a perfect replication of her abilities, you can help us understand her stance, her movements. At least what you remember of them." He tilted his head toward them and smirked. "Of course, I'll have to take those needles out for you to transform, but I think you've earned some trust by now."
Envy's eyes were wide with shock as their brain absorbed his words.
He's serious! The last time he took them out was only to let me heal before we left Lior, it's been weeks. Finally!
They couldn't help grinning as they gave their warden a sharp nod.
"I'll do it."
"Good, but remember, this is only training, I don't want you actually injuring anyone, mimic her attacks as best as you can, but don't make me regret this decision." His warning was stern, a reminder that all the faith he was placing in them rested on a narrow ledge.
"I know, I know! Don't get your fuse lit so soon. I promise to behave, I won't even hurt tubby." Mustang snorted at them, shaking his head at their jab towards Breda. The rest of the ride to the house Mustang had arranged for them to stay at was spent in anticipation of the evening's training. Envy could barely contain their elation as the horses plodded on along the dirt road.
Grassy knolls gradually gave way to patches of sage bushes and clusters of trees dotting open, unused fields. At the end of a curving path stood a humble little house, a single story wooden building, with a few spots of chipped paint and a roof that had seen better days. The place was far from impressive, but it was secluded, a good half hour's ride from the bustle of the town. Once they had unloaded the luggage into the house and the driver had faded from view, Mustang called everyone to meet him in the field behind the house.
"We've gathered enough intelligence about Evertsen to know her specific type of attacks, but when we engage her I would prefer it if we had a little training to go by. Some of you are not as practiced in fighting an alchemist as others are, we can't afford error in this mission, I need everyone to be sharp. We have to take her alive, without injuries to ourselves or civilians if at all possible. To do that, I'm going to have Envy act as a stand in for Evertsen. He can demonstrate her range of attack and give us a good idea of what we'll be facing." He swept his gaze over the group, gauging their reactions to his orders. When he seemed satisfied, he continued.
"Go inside and get your weapons, but remember this is training, Envy isn't going to harm anyone so don't fire at any vital areas, understand?"
Envy balked at his words. They whipped around to stare at him as the team headed into the house.
"Wait a second! You never said anyone was going to be shooting at me! Do you have any idea how much getting hit by a bullet hurts?"
Mustang gave them a look that clearly meant he wasn't going to give their argument any sympathy.
"You'll be fine. Now let me see your back."
The tension in their muscles was visible as they met his stern resolve with suspicious irritation.
This is a callous move colonel. How am I supposed to trust you if you're going to just use me for target practice? Some team this is, I guess I'm supposed to be grateful it's only non-vital areas they're targeting?
Glowering in displeasure, they turned their back to him and shrugged out of their jacket. Mustang's fingers slid over their back, pulling the material of their shirt up and allowing the cool breeze of the late afternoon to kiss their skin. His fingers grasped in turn at each pin pressed into their nodes, plucking them from their resting places and freeing their stone's power. The surge of released energy rushed through them with an invigorating charge. They flexed their fingers, grinning as they instantly adopted their old attire.
Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought, after all, they need to HIT me for it to hurt. It's so good to be back in my favorite clothes. I'm just not me without my complete look.
Patting their hands against their hips, they hummed in pleased amusement as the team rejoined them. Envy glanced at their faces, noting the nervousness in Fuery's eyes and the irritation from Breda. They smirked.
That's right boys, I'm free!
Mustang signaled for them to take positions around Envy and then nodded to the homunculus. Red light crackled around their body as their form changed, adopting more pronounced feminine features, the dark braid, and severe visage of Octavia Evertsen. Though they couldn't mimic her alchemy, they could split their arm into writhing green tendrils of flesh, that, when whipped about quickly enough, gave the appearance of undulating liquid. They allowed that part of their arm to lengthen to the approximate distance of her short-range attack, then turned their attention to Mustang.
"If my arm touches any of them, it will mean that Evertsen is close enough to drain the water from their body." They hadn't bothered to copy her voice, given that they were going to be a living target, they wanted to remind their team they weren't the actual enemy as much as possible.
Mustang nodded and took a position beside Hawkeye, though he didn't draw any firearms. Envy supposed he wouldn't need them anyway, and adopted the stance they recalled the woman taking when she had attacked them in the cavern.
This is probably going to suck. If anyone shoots me I'm going to kick them in the face.
"Engage!"
Mustang's abrupt command caught them somewhat unexpectedly, as they had still been worrying over potential injuries and weren't fully focused on the humans surrounding them. The sound of weapons clicking as bullets were pushed into firing chambers resonated in their ears from all directions, alarming despite Mustang's previous assurances.
Acting on instinct, they pivoted on their heel and dove to the right when the first shots exploded from the barrels of the guns, the sharp ping of metal slamming into rock echoing in their ears as they weaved their way toward the pair nearest their right side. Havoc and Breda stood their ground, weapons in hand as they watched Envy's writhing tendrils approach. Havoc proved to be a quick shot, blasting a warning bullet into the dirt right in front of their feet. Envy paused, their eyes narrowing as they took a step back, retreating for the time being. Mustang's voice called out orders, encouraging the team to work together to force their target into a cornered position.
Envy scowled, watching as the team responded, moving into open positions, but continuing to fire shots that blazed into the dirt at their feet, or whizzed past their body with frightening proximity. The shots that came the closest, nearly kissing their skin with trails of fire had to be Hawkeye's. They whirled around to snap their arm in her direction, anger drawing a shout from their lips as their writhing limb slammed violently into the ground, cracking earth, and kicking up dust. It wasn't exactly a move that the woman they were impersonating would have used, but they couldn't help lashing out. A small spark of satisfaction welled up inside them as they watched the lieutenant and the colonel dive away from them.
I'm not going to make this easy on you.
Crouching down, they swept their arm out in a wide arc, slashing at the approaching members of the team on their other side, driving them back. Recalling Evertsen's style of approach with her swirling vortex, they snapped their arm up, twisting and whipping the tendrils they had violently as they stalked toward Fuery and Falman. The feeling of chasing prey was invigorating in a way they didn't dare announce aloud, but privately, they relished it.
Here I come Squinty!
Snapping their arm side to side, they lunged forward abruptly, ducking below a shot fired from the side, and reaching out toward Falman as he scrabbled backward on the ground. Their green limbs flailed dangerously, encroaching on his personal space until the tip of one brushed his chest, knocking him flat against the dirt. Envy let out a victorious cackle, utterly pleased with their win, but their mirth was cut short as a searing pain exploded in their brain. Eyes widening, they gaped down at Falman as crimson spattered over his uniform and flooded their vision. Dark spots flickered around the man's stunned expression before their world tilted sharply and the ground rushed up to meet them.
Seconds later they blinked their eyes open, and sat up slowly from the dirt, carefully reaching a hand up to massage the tingling, aching area in their forehead where healing energy was sparking red around their flesh. They could hear Mustang's angry voice berating and chiding someone, but it took them a moment to pinpoint who it was the colonel was lighting into.
"You! You SHOT me!" Their screech was a combination of disbelief and outrage, and it cut Mustang's scolding off abruptly. All eyes turned to regard them as they jerked to their feet and stomped across to where a distressed Fuery was attempting to stutter an apology out. Their fists clenched tightly at their sides as he bumbled over his words.
"Shut up! I don't want to hear any stupid human excuses! It was training you idiot!" They drew their right fist back, then twisted around, jabbing an accusing finger at their warden. "This is YOUR fault! YOU said I would be fine! Liar! Do you have any idea what that cost me?! I DIED!" Anger clutched at their gut, mingling with the gnawing terror of the truth they had tried to keep quiet since they had first regained their form; they couldn't survive very many deaths at their current strength.
Mustang's gaze hardened in annoyance and suspicion, a look they blanched at, realizing what it meant.
Don't you start analyzing me Mustang!
"I removed the pins so that you would be safe to recover, even if you were hit, you're over reacting Envy." He narrowed his coal black eyes marginally, observing them as they squirmed under his gaze in discomfort. "Unless you're with-holding information from me. Is there something we need to discuss?"
Their mouth fell open, but only broken syllables tripped across their tongue. Dry fear constricted their throat as they struggled with the desire to lie. Their constant time with him had slowly worn at their defensive walls, breaking down the venomous barrier of hatred and disgust they had flung at him with his unprecedented patience and guidance. Where they would have once snapped a scathing curse at him and denied any weakness, now they felt a shameful urge compelling them to expose their vulnerabilities, to confide in him their fears. The realization that they wanted to yield, to trust him without any physical constraint or emotional pressure to force it, was jarring. Envy blinked, drawing a hand up to their chest as if they could wrench the strange, alien feelings from their body. They heaved a heavy breath, shaking their head once as they kept their eyes locked with their warden's, observing his face shift from irritation to questioning concern.
That look was like a knife, stabbing them with kindness. It still didn't make sense to them. His compassion was maddening. They hated it, but they craved it all the same. The fact that he cared about them in any capacity was insulting and uplifting all in one terribly amazing rush. They were always ashamed of how that look could confound any resistance they tried to put up to him, drawing consent, submission, even beseeching need from them with a power they simply couldn't comprehend. Heat flooded across their face as they grimaced against the unnatural swirl of delight and shame churning in their gut.
What kind of Homunculus am I?! I'll never be able to go back from this, he's pulled me too far down. I don't want to tell him, but I need to, he'll help me, won't he? Mustang, you did this, look what you've done to me!
"You've worn me down so much, I can't even fight myself about you anymore." They hissed softly, lowering their gaze to his boots briefly. "When you gave me the liquid Philosopher's Stone, it was barely enough power for me to take this form. I've been weak all this time, dangerously weak. Dying is risky right now, I don't exactly know how many times it can happen before I lose the ability to take this form, and I don't want to be that powerless again. I hate being trapped in that tiny, pathetic state." They scowled, glaring despite the humiliation burning across their face.
Mustang's gaze turned thoughtful, his brows furrowed as he stared them down in contemplative consideration. The rest of the team was gathered behind him, waiting for the colonel's decision. Envy wrestled with the urge to renege their announcement. It was too late to change anything they had said now.
"I hadn't considered to what extent the limitations of your stone were. Up till now I had assumed you were fine since you healed from any minor injuries with little effort. My main concern was keeping you too weak to assume any more threatening forms or being too difficult for the team to manage should you turn on us." He massaged a hand against his chin, observing the homunculus as they shifted their stance in visible discomfort. "Let's go inside for now, everyone could use some rest before we head into Dublith tomorrow." He stepped closer to them, placing a heavy hand on the top of their head, allowing his fingers to slightly curl against the strands of their thick, dark hair at their scalp.
"We'll discuss this further in the morning Envy."
They sucked in a sharp breath through their teeth, nodding their head once. His hand slipped through their hair briefly as he walked past them, and they turned to follow, their gaze locked on the broad expanse of his back. The steps of their team sounded faint behind them, half-secreted chatter meaningless in the wake of their internal questions.
What is the morning going to bring? He has to help me out, I've proven I'm trust worthy by now, right? And why, WHY does it have to be Dublith?! That despicable cesspool of human waste isn't worth anything. It's tainted with his filthy influence.
When they had all sequestered themselves inside the house, the lieutenant had instructed them to follow her down the hall to one of the rooms. They took a quick scan of the relatively small space, noting the simple, metal-framed bed, an old wooden table and two sturdy chairs, and a single, old-fashioned oil lamp standing in a corner of the room. Hawkeye lit the lamp, then took a seat at the table and waited for them to join her.
Huh, this is new.
Envy arched their brows as they settled into the seat across from her.
She had a deep crease in her forehead, stress lines were faintly visible near the corners of her brown eyes from years of war and personal struggles, but despite the wear and tear she had endured emotionally and physically, she still held some semblance of charm. They supposed it was a soldier's beauty, stern, dangerous, and pained. She was a woman of few words, with a tendency to be direct with her points when she did speak, they appreciated that, her blunt nature meant they wouldn't have to endure her company for an excessive amount of time.
"I've been resolutely against your participation with this mission from the start. At any time, I've been prepared to shoot you, and to keep firing until you were completely gone." Cool as ice, hard as stone, and utterly resolved; she held their gaze for a moment across the table. Her brown eyes widened slightly, her face troubled. "I didn't believe it was possible for you to adapt, I knew we would have to put you down at some point, but you haven't just adapted. You're legitimately forcing yourself to work with us, to betray your own vulnerabilities and trust that he's going to catch you when you collapse."
She leaned forward slowly, her eyes searching their own.
"Hatred can fade with time, it withers when compassion constantly washes over it, like stones in a river. He's offered to you what he found in us, genuine support and care, strength, and structure. What are you going to do with that Envy?"
They felt their jaw tighten marginally as they lowered their gaze from her piercing eyes to examine the cracks in the surface of the table.
"I don't know what you want me to say. Mustang has made it clear he doesn't hate me, and I believe him. I can't say he doesn't piss me off sometimes, but I know I don't feel any desire to attack him. You can't understand what this is like for me, and I don't feel particularly inclined to spell it all out for you." Frowning as they fell back on the comfortable familiarity of defensiveness, they lifted a stubborn face toward her.
She leaned back in her chair gingerly, weariness pulling an unnatural slump into her shoulders. Resting her head in her right hand, she met their dogged expression with a faint quirk of a smile that drew their brows together in confusion.
"When I worked with Wrath he opened up to me about his past, his purpose in the plans for the country, and the designated role he had no choice but to play. I was too angry to feel any sense of pity for him, believing that he was a willing chess piece, an eager puppet who delighted in the charade he was playing. Then he told me about his wife, how he chose her, that she was the only part of his life that he had taken control of, and I could tell how proud he was over it, how meaningful she was to him. It made me doubt, for a moment, what I believed homunculi to be." Brown eyes rich with a searching warmth pinned them to their seat, she raised her other hand, pointing a slender finger at them from the table's surface.
"You've forced me to rethink my position again. He's willing to go as far as it takes to bring you out of whatever darkness is enveloping you, and I can see that you're trying to pull free from it. It used to confound me how Mrs. Bradley could spend so much of her life with Wrath, but having observed you, and in talking with him. I'm understanding now, relationships between humans and homunculi are possible, even if they take more effort and develop slowly. I have to know, if he needs you, can you step up to the line Envy? How far have you really come?"
What is WITH these people?! Why does every damn conversation have to be probing and uncomfortable?! Can't any of them just ask me something boring and mundane? Why not, 'what was your favorite part of the train trip Envy?' or 'Hey Envy, what kind of dessert would you like?' or at the very least she could congratulate me for not slapping the stupid out of Fuery for shooting me!
Exasperated, they heaved a heavy sigh and allowed their head to drop with a thump onto the table top. Riza didn't move, waiting for an answer despite their dramatics. Eventually, they lifted their head and folded their arms across their chest, frowning across the room to avoid looking at her.
"Somehow I don't think the Flame Alchemist is going to need a half-dead homunculus for help with much of anything." They raised a finger up, still refusing to look in her direction. "However, he's done a lot for me, even when I didn't want it, especially when I didn't want it. Gratitude isn't a sentiment I'm used to feeling, but clawing and screaming as he's dragged me into the most uncomfortable positions of my existence has been better than evaporating into ashes. As painful as it is to change, I'm making the journey because that smug jerk is right about everything, he's right about the situation, and he's right about me, and it's infuriating and terrifying sometimes, but, no one has treated me like this in such a long time that I can't help but crave more of it. The only way to get that is to give in, to compromise everything I am, and, I'm learning how to accept it." They snapped their gaze over to meet her own, their expression conflicted, but honest.
"I won't give you any promises to defend him or aid him at the risk of my own life. If that's what you wanted to hear, you're going to be disappointed Hawkeye." They watched her expression falter, frustration, and sadness seeping into her eyes as tension returned to her shoulders. She pushed away from the table, standing up with a firm frown set on her lips. They grimaced, fighting with themselves over what to say.
"It isn't that I plan to let him face his battles alone okay?! I just don't want to die for him. I won't die for any of you, I wouldn't even do it for father, so why should you humans be any different? Can't you just be satisfied knowing I'm helping however he asks me to?" Dropping their head into their hands, they dug their fingers into their hair.
They expected to hear her footsteps cross the room and the door to shut behind her, but instead they heard her approach them and felt the lightest brush of her hand against their back. They stilled under her touch, listening to the silence in the room.
"I can be satisfied with that for now. Why don't you get some sleep Envy?"
Her hand left their back as she started for the door, and they jolted up from their seat, staring after her in bewilderment.
"Wait a second! Isn't he coming in to secure me for the night?"
The lieutenant turned at the door, regarding them with a strange expression they couldn't interpret. Her smile was subtle, but discomfortingly trusting.
"Not tonight. If you need anything, we're close by. Good night Envy." She opened the door and stepped into the hallway, giving them one last glance.
Envy was dumbfounded, stunned by the freedom they were being allowed.
"Good night…Hawkeye."
She paused, then closed their door and made her way down the hall, her steps echoing softly as she left them in their room.
"They're not going to chain me down, or cut off my stone all night. He's going to trust me this much. Is he stupid? I could escape, or murder them while they slept-but I don't feel like doing either of those things, and he knows it, doesn't he?" Groaning at their realization, they crossed the room and flopped back on their mattress, feeling it bounce lightly under them. They dropped their hands into the blankets, fisting the fabric between their fingers. It felt good to be able to slide their hands over the material, to roll over into any position they wanted. Envy lifted their left hand into the air and spread their fingers, feeling a surge of pleasure ripple through them as they stared at their unbound wrist. A delighted laugh tumbled from their lips as they kicked their feet up and dropped their head against their pillow.
The light in the room flickered and guttered as the oil inside the lamp began to run low. They didn't bother to turn it out, letting it slowly die while they rolled from their back to their stomach on the mattress. Their thoughts wandered in the darkening room, shifting from their strangely fortunate turn of circumstances to the day ahead.
In the morning we're going to Dublith, your old stomping grounds you wretched waste of a stone. I'll have to find something that belonged to you, just so I can smash it to pieces. I'll pretend it's your stupid, smirking face. Heh, I think I know where all my hatred has been refocused. Look at that Greed, you're useful to me after all, if I can hate you for everything, maybe this working with the humans will be even easier. You deserve it too, you left us all alone, it's your fault Lust changed, you knew it when you left, but you always needed to please yourself first. Well, that's fine. I'll keep going forward, and when Mustang's satisfied, I'll get him to tell me where you are, you traitor. Then I'll hunt you down, and I'll make you sorry you abandoned us. I'll track you down, even to Xing, and you'll answer to me this time.
Twittering birds announced the early hours of the following morning, and Envy was eager to greet it for a change. They were out of their room after a relatively short, but restful slumber, expecting themselves to be the first one up and active as they entered the communal quarters of the house. Their feet came to a halt at the entry way to the living room, all movement stopped as their gaze took in Roy Mustang's figure seated on the couch facing them. His coal black eyes met their surprised violets in quiet observance before he gestured toward the open seat at his right. Envy crossed the distance, settling onto the cushion as they cast a miffed look in his direction.
"Why are you up this early? Did you even sleep?"
A slow smirk spread over his face at their annoyed tone of voice.
"Did I spoil your morning plans by beating you out of bed?"
"I was going to bring you and Hawkeye breakfast in bed, with flowers and all of my tear-soaked gratitude, and you ruined my surprise! You should apologize, and go back to bed!" They were mocking of course, sweeping their hand through the air dramatically and pouting at him as they leaned back against the couch. Mustang snorted and they dropped their faked sulking for a sneering grin. "Even I wouldn't buy that load of crap, if I brought you anything to eat, you can bet it would make you sick."
"Which is why I would incinerate it, and then smack you for even trying." He shook his head, watching as they snickered lightly. There was a lightness to their exchange, a familiarity of established boundaries and understood temperaments. It was comfortable.
"You seem in better spirits today, I'm pleased to see it." Regarding them briefly, he turned his gaze toward his lap. "Hawkeye informed me of the conversation the two of you had last night, she's starting to trust you a bit, which is good, for you."
"What doesn't she tell you?" Envy scoffed with an exaggerated roll of their eyes. They slouched into the cushions a bit deeper, capturing their lower lip between their teeth to worry the flesh absently as they thought about the lieutenant. "I guess if I had to pick between the two options, I would rather have her aiming her gun past me than at me."
"Obviously." Mustang nudged them gently with his elbow, and they turned their focus on him. "About your stone, I don't have access to any way of increasing your power or sustaining your immortality right now. However, I can make arrangements to obtain another dose of the liquid stone for you." He watched them closely, observing the way they struggled not to display too much excitement at his words.
It was hard to maintain their self-control when the promise of more Philosopher's stones was dangling in front of them like meat before a starving dog. Their hands trembled faintly and their eyes were wide with eagerness and delight, a grin trying to twitch their lips back over their teeth as they fought to maintain an even expression. Mustang rolled his eyes at them and abruptly pressed his hand down on top of their head, ruffling their hair, and twisting their headband in a way that drew a surprised squawk from their lips.
"Keep it together down there, I wouldn't want anyone to walk in and think we're being companionable now." He snickered softly, allowing them to knock his hand off their head. "We'll be making our way into Dublith in a few hours. You've been somewhat tense ever since you first found out about that. Should I keep a close eye on you while we're there?"
Envy paused from fixing their hair, glancing at his cautious expression with a small frown. It wouldn't be the first time they had opened up to him, and they knew it was unlikely to be the last either. Heaving a sigh, they shrugged their shoulders and dropped yet another wall to him.
May as well get it off my chest now.
"Dublith was Greed's city. Wrath captured him in the sewers beneath some grungy bar, but he had been visiting that waste of space since it was only a few slapped together shacks. I have every reason to believe he's the reason it developed into the pathetic den of human filth it is today, he encourages depravity in things just by breathing on them you know." They made a disgusted noise, their lip curling over their teeth in distaste. "As much as I hate the idea of going there, because it does nothing but remind me of that smug ass, it's probably the best place to look for information. If you want to know about underhanded dealings in Amestris, you have to scour the deepest gutters, and they don't run much deeper than the alleys and dens of Dublith. Personally, I want another crack at that water alchemist, when I'm not leashed; then I can really show her how fascinating I can be." They chuckled darkly for a moment, but straightened up as Mustang snorted.
"We'll see about that if we encounter her, I don't doubt that information will be forthcoming from our visit, but the nature of the information could be utterly useless to our search. Dublith is a gutter, as you put it, and illegal activity of all types is rampant, even with the change in power over the country." He drew a hand over his face, pausing to tap his index finger against his chin.
Envy watched their warden in silence as he thought, but any comment they may have made was sidelined when Hawkeye entered the room and sat down across from them. She was followed closely by the rest of the team, and after a few exchanges of morning greetings, Fuery preparing a quick round of coffee for them, and everyone settling in around the living room, it was time to discuss their plan for scouting Dublith for information.
"We'll divide into teams to cover the most ground possible, keep a low profile while you're there, mingle with the locals as best you can, and get whatever information you're able to on any strange activities, but mainly those involving disappearances, alchemy, or military officers, current or not. Hawkeye, you're with Breda. Fuery, stick with Havoc and Falman, Envy, you'll be with me. Get yourselves changed into civilian clothes, conceal your weapons, and then head into town as soon as you're ready. We'll meet back here tomorrow morning to go over any intelligence we've collected. Be smart, stay sharp. Dismissed." The colonel was always quick with his orders, but Envy observed that their team mates rarely had questions about them anyway, and the living room was soon cleared of all occupants but the two of them.
The flame alchemist stood from the couch, running a hand over the back of his neck before glancing at them. They watched his gaze as it traveled the length of their body from head to toe and back, curious as to what he was scanning them for.
I ought to ask him if he sees something he likes, and then tell him not to be jealous of what he can never be, but I'm sure he'll just light my hair on fire if I say it. It's SO tempting though. I shouldn't, but, I'm going for it!
"See something you-"
"Can you change into Greed?"
They had spoken at the same time, but the colonel's request forced Envy's entire train of conversation to derail in a violent burst of shock that deafened all their senses and left their face frozen in open mouthed horror, save for a developing twitch in their left cheek.
"WHAT!?"
Envy flew off the couch as if it had exploded beneath their backside. They balled their hands into fists so tight their nails dug into their skin, and their body tensed with enough rage to pop a vein. Outrage and fury lit their eyes as they gnashed their teeth together and stalked toward their impassive warden.
"How DARE you even suggest that I debase myself by taking that bastard's form! Did you hear a single word I said before?! Why would I ever want to parade around as that snaggle-toothed, brainless, self-degrading excuse of a homunculus?" They were practically frothing at the mouth in anger, but Mustang lifted a finger and brought it down between their eyes, holding it there as they blinked.
"You said that Greed practically formed Dublith from the ground up. It's his city. Anyone that is connected to unsavory activities and has been in Dublith for more than a year would know his face, would be comfortable talking with him. More so than with strangers from outside, don't you agree?"
Envy huffed as they tried to ignore his reasoning, it made perfect sense. Of course he was correct, but they couldn't stand it, and they couldn't possibly conform to his expectations this time. It was absolutely out of the question.
"I can't do it Mustang. I won't do it! If I have to wear his face I'll skin myself! The revulsion of his bone structure will make me wither and die the moment I take it on. I'm not exaggerating. The answer is no and you'll just have to find some other way to make this work."
They scowled darkly at him as he arched his brows and settled his arms across his chest.
I'm not going to give in! How could he ask this of me?! What's he doing?
They watched as their warden walked across the room to the corner table where a telephone was set beside a pad a pen. He reached out and placed a hand on the receiver, then looked over his shoulder at them.
"You were doing so well lately Envy, I was almost feeling a sense of pride in being able to call in for that liquid Philosopher's stone. Now I'll have to tell Führer Grumman that you've become taciturn again, and we're experiencing set-backs, he expects reports on your progress after all, it's a pity." He sighed, a long, drawn out puff of solemn disappointment.
Envy saw it for exactly what it was.
Don't try to manipulate me! You dirty, rotten human!
They seethed, tugged at their hair, and went so far as to take a single, agitated step toward his smirking face, but then they drew back and jerked an accusing finger in his direction instead.
"You'd better include your own extortionist manipulation in your report Mustang! This is low, even for humans!" Flustered and furious, they shoved their arms over their chest and turned their back on him, hunching their shoulders as they stewed. "You're a callous, unfair man, Roy Mustang. If I wasn't the victim right now I'd be impressed."