Another one with Al! I love how sneaky he can be – he's a lot less black-and-white than Ed, and I love it.

Guest: Happy you're enjoying them And yeah, I've posted a bit of an explanation on Hero of the People as well – my plan was to see if I could get the characterization to shine through enough, but it's difficult for Will and Alex.

Pen-Name-Kitsune-chan: Well, he does (kind of) in Brotherhood – Envy's just protecting the 'sacrifice' as he's been told to do and Ed figures that out in Lab 5. But I'll think about it. I like that pair too, although What do you want? is a little shaky as one of the early ones. As for 2003-anime…I thought I had a fair amount, but I'll have to double-check. For a lot of them it's not really explicit…but for you I'll see if I can fit one in that actually talks about the 'we're brothers' deal. Apparently I'm good at writing angst + humour. Go figure XD Thanks for reviewing!

33. Mayflies

"You humans are mayflies to me. I'm two hundred years old and I don't feel it. You're fourteen and you already sound like an old man."

Envy folded and unfolded his hands. Why was he here? And why couldn't he stop talking?

"Before I even begin to feel my age, both you and your brother will be gone, dust scattered to the winds. I'll have forgotten you by the next decade."

"I see."

Get angry, why don't you? You foolish little boy. Still, Envy couldn't quite bring himself to run away from the soul-bound armour who was listening so intently and so kindly.

"That's why…" He swallowed. Stop it. His mouth was charging ahead of his brain again. "That's why homunculi don't bond with humans. Because you'll die before we've even had the chance to live."

Al nods. "I see," he says again. "And that's why you're so single-minded in chasing me and Brother down."

He unstuck his lips, suddenly gone dry. "Yeah. Sure. That's why."

"You're in love with him, aren't you?"

Al's bluntness breaks the spell cast by the moonlight; Envy snorts as he gets to his feet, very obviously avoiding looking through the doorway and at Ed's sleeping form. "Yeah right. Look, I'll destroy you later, tin man. Go make sure he doesn't…something." He spoke too fast, tripping slightly over his words, then jumps onto the windowsill.

"Hold on, Envy. Before you go –"

Envy sighed and turned around, for some reason actually still listening to him. "What."

Al's voice sounded…mischievous, and Envy wasn't quite sure if he quite liked the sound of it. "We're mayflies to you. But maybe sometimes…it's worth it?"

"You're such a kid. I'm trying to destroy the world and you're trying to get your brother laid."

He shrugged, and if he'd had the functions necessary, Envy swore the brat would have been grinning. "He needs all the help he can get."