Yes, this is the same plot as 'Drowning'. Shaddup. It's more depressing.

Brotherhood.

Straykit: Heehee. Sorry for the angsting. It's what I'm best at X) Happy you liked it, even in the sad-and-angry way.

Guest (what-is-the-colour-of-love): Now, be nice. Just because EdWin isn't as awesome as some people think it is doesn't mean there's no man for Winry. I really can't see her with a woman, honestly :P Paninya, absolutely – Riza, depending on the woman – Izumi, in her younger days, hell yes – Olivier, ARE YOU KIDDING ME ABSOFREAKINGLUTELY – but not Winry. And the question was actually the first part that came into my head when I had this idea, so I'm glad you liked it :D

Rowana Renee: have to admit, I have no idea what Mellon Nin means, but I'm glad you like the first two themes 3 I'll be honest, I was just word-vomiting with the first one so I'm surprised it turned out so well, happy the second made you laugh though ^^ (And you totes won't even get this until you get to this chapter…LOL)

Thanks to everybody for reading and reviewing, and for making this story so popular~ (Well. Ish.) I'll try to get at least one more up before my vacation, but no promises!

57. Ice

"You're going to die here."

Ed glanced up, wincing as the pellets of snow whipped at his face. "Shu…shut up," he growled. Somehow his lips were still moving, but they were sore and stiff, just like the rest of him. He couldn't move his automail arm at all. Chances were the flesh it connected to was completely dead. "I'm…not s'posed-ter…die yet."

Envy grinned, every tooth visible and shining just as pearly white as the bleak landscape he perched on. He didn't seem to feel the cold at all. "Well too bad for you, pipsqueak. We found some new sacrifices. Some blind guy and a small-town hoke. And you know too much."

Ed tried to push at the ground, to haul himself out of the crust of ice, but his arm just collapsed into the snow. He was so cold.

"Bastard…"

Envy patted Ed on the head. "That's how to do it. Struggle more, it'll get your body heat." He shrugged. "Or you'll die faster. I dunno."

Another desperate attempt. His legs were completely immobile, buried in the snow.

Envy frowned. "Why are you still fighting? You know it's already hopeless."

"Because…" Ed's voice was descending further and further into barely-intelligible mumbling. "Fuck it, not lettin' you win…" He murmured something else, but his lips were turning blue.

Envy leant over, careful to keep his balance on the rock that still poked out of the snow. "What's that you're saying, pipsqueak?"

"I said…" Taking a deep breath, Ed pulled his flesh arm out of the snow enough to strike the homunculus in the stomach. It wasn't much, hardly enough to even count as a punch, especially by his usual standards, but especially in the winds of the dying blizzard, Envy's balance was disrupted. After flailing his arms helplessly for a moment, Envy landed in the snowbank on Ed's other side. Some of the snow was dislodged, covering even more of his small frame.

"Don't…under'stimate me, bastard."

Envy pulled his face out of the snow with a gasp. "That was not fair!"

"Neither was…luring me out here…"

Envy scowled and got to his feet – only to scream as the crust underneath him gave way, plunging him deep into the snow. Even more of the bank gave way, cascading down onto Edward.

Ed sighed. He'd stopped trembling. He was just about dead, then. He cast another look over at where Envy had been. The homunculus was heavy – too heavy for the snow to support him for long. He'd probably crawl out after a while, but not after learning a lesson.

Maybe.

Ed didn't know.

He closed his eyes. Sorry, Al. Did my best. Wasn't good enough.

Cold.

So cold.

They never found his body.