Author's Note: One advantage to having a brand-new account is now I can upload my previous stories faster! Now...as you read this... To Excalabar! -opens umbrella-

"Well I'll be damned." Thought Envy. "Greed wasn't exaggerating. The kid really is depressed!"

In the early hours of the morning, the Sin crouched in a tree, concealed by the thick leaves and maze of branches, watching as Edward stumbled about his dorm room within Central's main headquarters. His hair, which was normally pulled back in a neat braid, was in a tangled golden mess around his shoulders while his bangs hung limp over his face. It looked as though he hadn't eaten in days and Envy could have sworn that he had heard the blonde sniffle a few times – a tell-tale sign that he had been crying. The Sin almost felt sorry for Edward, but that deeply-felt anger returned and burned his throat, reminding him why he was really here.

"Maybe if I'm lucky, the blonde shrimp will commit suicide too!" Envy muttered to himself as he shifted himself to be able to watch Edward slowly get dressed. Ed moved with slow, sluggish movements but it was not how he moved that caused Envy's eyes to widen or his jaw to drop.

"He's so...so..." Envy couldn't finish his sentence aloud, but many words still filled his head. Such words were, for lack of a better description, perverted. Though he could not help his thoughts, he still felt angry with himself for even letting such erotic ideas pass through his mind without earlier self-reprimanding. Brushing off the shock of the images and thoughts that had filled his mind moments before, the same burning anger and hatred returned and fueled his energy to move from the tree and get closer.

"Edward."

Envy stopped his scaling of the side of the broad building and assumed the form of a measly fly. Everything that had once been completely of average size to him became enormous and frightening. His sense of sight and smell was heightened considerably and he took advantage of that by flying through Ed's open window and placing himself on the blade of the ceiling fan. Careful not to fall off, he peered down to see that it was a short-haired woman who had intruded on the blonde.

Edward turned slowly to face who he recognized as Maria Ross. In her hands was a small basket, wrapped in clear cellophane, filled with fruits, flowers, and sweets. Stepping forth, she smiled gently. It had been some time since he had seen Maria and found that her presence was almost alien to him now.

"Edward, this is on behalf of the entire personnel here at Central." She said softly. Extending her arms, she handed him the basket. He studied the contents of the basket, picking out what he would eat and what he would refuse to touch. Smiling half-heartedly, he nodded to the dark-haired woman.

"Thanks, Maria."

Nodding, she began to turn and leave when she swiveled around again. "Oh, I almost forgot. Major Armstrong made you something..." She rummaged in her pockets for a moment before brandishing a small, handmade card written in large, bubbly print. From his spot on the blade of the fan, Envy read the card as Ed opened it.

"To the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric." Envy read silently. "I am terribly sorry for the loss of Alphonse. He shall be greatly missed. However, you are a treasured part of the State and we all appreciate you – even Roy. Feel better, Major Alex Louis Armstrong,"

"Well, tell the Major that I said tha--" Edward began, but stopped as said Major burst in through the door.

"Edward Elric! I could not wait another moment without having to console you in person!" Alex Armstrong exclaimed, flexing habitually. Bounding forward, he clung to the now-frightened Alchemist and hugged him tightly. Edward felt the breath and, perhaps life, being squeezed out of him as he was lifted off the floor. Maria Ross stepped forward.

"Urm, Major! You'll hurt him if you aren't careful--!"

"Nonsense, Miss Ross! A good hug never hurt anybody!"

"Ex...ssss...cept...m-me!" Edward moaned as best he could. Alarmed, Armstrong set him down and patted his head.

"I am terribly sorry, young Edward!" He said, obviously trying not to hug him again in another futile effort in comforting him. Maria appeared beside the Strong Arm Alchemist, ready to attempt at holding him back should the need call for it.

"Thanks for the...urm...card." Edward said, smiling as best he could while still trying to get his bearings back. Armstrong's mustache lifted upwards at the ends, a tell-tale sign that he was grinning.

"You are welcome. Again, I am terribly sorry for your loss and am always here if you need someone to talk to or to get a hug from--"

"Oh, there you are Maria!"

Armstrong, Edward, and Maria turned towards the doorway to see Denny Brosh standing there and looking flustered. He smiled awkwardly and nodded to Edward and Armstrong, both of which waved back.

"Mustang sent me to get you. He says it's...urgent." Stifling laughter, Brosh turned to Armstrong. "Also, the Fuhrer is coming today, so if you could--"

"I'll be there to greet him immediately!" Armstrong said, posing and flexing again.

"Take care, Edward." Maria whispered and kissed him gently on the cheek. "We'll see you again, I hope."

"Yeah, see ya..." The blonde murmured. Armstrong, unable to help himself, hugged Ed tightly again before hurrying passed Ross and Brosh. It was just then that Edward noticed the considerable bump that was Maria's stomach.

"Urm...Maria?"

"Yes, Ed?" She asked, turning around from her spot beside Brosh. She followed his gaze and she patted her stomach gently.

"Oh, yes, I'm pregnant, actually."

Brosh grinned and flushed. "Guess who the dad is." He said, taking her hand and squeezing it. Maria smiled gently at him and then waved with her left hand; Edward noticed the engagement ring but said nothing about it. He waved back to them before closing the door and wallowing in his own depression yet again. Envy, growing tired of his fly-form, flew down from the fan and onto the arm of the small chair in the corner of the room. He watched Edward, who had sat down at the foot of his small bed, before deciding to make himself known.

Edward, who had become immersed in his thoughts of loneliness and sadness, saw a blinding light from the corner of his eye. Thinking he must have lost his sanity, he ignored it. Envy, who had now resumed his usual form, pouted at Ed's lack of...over-reaction.

"You really must be depressed." Envy said as Edward turned, surprised, in his direction.

"Envy!" He snarled, standing. "Look, if you've come here to harass me, then just don't bother because today is not my day to be--"

"I am sorry, Edward."

Ed, stunned by the Sin's hospitality, froze. "...What?"

"You heard me." Envy cooed. "I said I am sorry."

The blonde looked baffled for a minute before narrowing his eyes and muttering in an accusing manner. "For what?"

Envy crossed his arms and sighed. "Just because I've only sought your death for the past few years now doesn't mean that I don't care. I'm talking about Alphonse's death!"

Edward seemed shocked into silence. And finally, "How did you hear about it?"

"Greed."

He fell silent and Envy watched as he sat down, resigned, and sigh. His amber eyes, usually fiery with energy and fight, now looked wet and dull – almost as if he had given up on life altogether. He seemed to be looking at his hands as though his palms would give him the answer to coping with his brother's death. The Sin almost felt sorry for him but, just as soon as the sympathy came, anger replaced it. What had Edward done for him other than piss him off and ruin the Homunculi's plans for the past six years?! Nothing, that's what. So, why should he show him any mercy? Envy looked down at his feet, obviously struggling with what he should do with himself. Edward hadn't even attempted at putting up a fight. He was so vulnerable right now! He looked up to see said blonde studying him intently. His cheeks burned faintly with shock and let his wild, violet eyes portray the anger he had been harboring.

"What are you doing?" Envy snapped. Ed shrugged and looked away.

"Just wondering why you're here. Surely it isn't because you've come to give me a gift basket."

Envy scoffed and smirked at the blonde's dry humor. "No, far from that. When I heard that you were depressed, I just wanted to see if it was true that you lil' brother had actually kicked the bucket. Shocking to say the least."

As he spoke, Envy had grabbed the basket, unwrapped the cellophane and proceeded to pick out a rather large chocolate orange. Splitting it open, he daintily picked out a slice and continued to speak.

"How'd Al die anyway? Suicide, right?" This was Envy's way of torture for the moment. He knew it pained Ed to bring up such a tender subject and just to have the Alchemist recall the memory of it was painful for him. The Sin concealed his grin behind the chocolate. He took a bite of it and munched as Edward glowered up at him.

"Yeah. He killed himself."

"Bullet to the head? Knife through the neck? Gimme more details, Chibi."

Edward, who was now starting to grow even angrier both at Envy's deliberate choice of words and the fact that he had the nerve to call him 'chibi,' scowled and answered in a low voice.

"Knife along the jugular vain."

The Sin winced. "Yeesh. Must've been a lot of blood, right? Poor boy was probably sucked dry by the time you reached him. All over the walls and everything." He popped another slice into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. He smiled at the pain he was causing but immediately frowned as soon as the blonde's eyes snapped back up to meet his shining violet ones.

"Where'd ya find him?" Envy asked now. Edward sighed and shook his head.

"Bathroom."

"Then why are you still living here? Didn't they need to investigate?"

Shaking his head, his voice quivered. "It wasn't this bathroom."

"Oh?" The Sin said, genuinely surprised. "Then where?"

"Winry's."

"Oh! Isn't she that blonde mechanic that always throws wrenches at you?"

Edward nodded. His hand shook and he sighed. "He and Winry were engaged."

Envy nearly choked on the fifth slice at this news. "So the used-to-be-tin-can got hitched, did he?"

Edward nodded. "They had a place in Amestris and Winry invited me over for dinner. She was gone and then I found that note and..."

Just then, much to the great surprise of the gorging Sin, Ed began to sob. His entire body rocked with heart-wrenching sobs and great wet tears fell down his face, staining the front of his black shirt and splattering to the ground between his feet. Envy sat there, unsure what to do, and watched him cry. He had never seen Edward cry like this. Maybe he should put the weak blonde out of his misery? No. Envy decided it wouldn't be fair in this situation – even he had a heart. Not to mention he wanted a fair and hard fight so that way he could really call himself victorious rather than just completely heartless for taking advantage of the Fullmetal Alchemist during his lowest and weakest point. He finished off the chocolate orange and moved on to the rather large grapefruit that was pressed between a bag of mixed nuts and another bag of solid chocolate. He ripped the fruit open with his bare hands and listened while Ed tried to recompose himself. Finally, Edward stuttered out a statement.

"W-why are you...listening t-to m-m-me an-nyway?" The blond moaned. "W-why not-t k-kill me?"

"Mmm, good question." Came Envy's thick response from behind the mushy and moist mouthful of grapefruit. He shrugged. "Just wouldn't be fair. I want a good fight. Why, you lookin' for the Grim Reaper?"

Edward shook his head. "Al wouldn't have wanted that."

"Then don't think on it."

"But..."

"But nothing!" Envy hissed as he swallowed. The bitter taste heightened his senses in a way he couldn't really explain and proceeded to finish off the other half. Edward watched the Sin stand and walk over to him as he finished off the citrus. Shoving the peelings of the now devoured grapefruit into the blonde's abdomen, he leaned down.

"Suck it up and find someone else that makes you happy."

Standing, Envy turned on his heels and lunged back out the window. Edward watched after him but found that the Sin's form blurred almost immediately before he disappeared from sight completely. He looked down at the dripping peels in his hands and sighed. He didn't know how he'd ever find anyone that could make him happy ever again...