Sorry for the wait! This one took me ages, for no real reason. I love writing any incarnation of Nina, even though this one has different parents.

Also, is anybody interested in betaing Hero of the People? My old beta had some issues with her computer and doesn't have time anymore :( (And I'm working on Chapter 9, I swear.)

Fairyboydammit: It is a trademark, but I can't buck the trend with EVERY oneshot, ya know...XD And I do drabbles mostly when I'm feeling bad for not updating or it's a really simple idea I want to communicate. Uncertainty...that kind of defines EdxEnvy, doesn't it? Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

Call Me Tom: About time, you silly goose. I was wondering where you'd toddled off to. I'm glad I did Ed well, I feel like sometimes I make him too perceptive when he's...really...not. Feels are good :D That's one of the ones I'd really like to do a continuation of...although it all comes down to the poll I'll put up when I've finished all 100 of these :3

Chapter 75: I love your description of drabbles...even if it makes me a drug dealer, haha. I'm glad this one got you fired up, the last legit drabble I did for this collection was 'eh'. And trust me. You will have PLENTY to read when this is done XD Just because I've done all 100 themes doesn't mean I'm done with the ideas. Anyhoodles thanks for reviewing ^^

Violetlight: Chapter 19: Wow, thank you! This is one I've gotten a lot of praise for, especially from non-Edvy shippers. So it's super awesome you like it - and you're right, I should make a non-fanfiction version...

Chapter 30: YOU WOULD WRITE THE BEST LUSTxENVY. Do eeeet. And I hope interesting's good, I've never written the pairing before this.

Chapter 52: I haven't actually seen the movie, I just knew Creta was one of the less-stable countries surrounding Amestris. (Are ANY of them stable?) And I think it's more the reverse - I like to think that if Kimblee was used as a sacrifice, he'd end up taking in a bunch of Father's power instead. In insanity lies power, but in sanity lies restraint.

Chapter 61: Damn, I knew I should have looked it up. I just kind of went with my gut :P And I debated having them do that, but it didn't feel right as far as Envy went. I dunno. It was more fun having them dance around each other. I'm glad you like this one, though, specially since you're a EnGreed person yourself XD

Chapter 69: Yeah, the other poems are kinda sappy, I'll admit it. I'm glad you liked this one, though, I wanted to explore the 'dragon' concept a bit more since almost everything concentrates on Envy's usual form. And reptiles are just plain awesome :B

Chapter 72: Heehee. Love writing Roy. I'm glad it made you laugh, I like writing funny ones but I'm always worried that no one else will get the joke. Thank you so much for all your reviews! (And I'm totes gonna play with Envy's gender some more. JUST FOR YOU 3)

76. Voices

Nina opened her eyes to the sound of raised voices. She hadn't been asleep - unlike her younger sister, she liked lying awake and savouring the darkness - but she'd been halfway there.

But these were voices she didn't know. She recognized Mama's voice, and Papa's, but there were others mingled in as well. (She'd always been good at recognizing voices; at picking them out from the jumble.)

She closed her eyes again, trying to hear the words - and then suddenly they jumped out at her with alarming precision.

"I don't want him - her - it - whatever, hanging around my children!"

"Winry, he's reformed, he's fine, he's -"

"Win, try to be fair, please -"

"He killed Hughes!"

That made Nina's eyes snap open again. She'd heard of Maes Hughes before - how could she not? All the big people thought she wasn't listening when they talked about how much like him little Maes was becoming. Uncle Roy thought she was too young to see how sad he got when Maes started snapping pictures or gushing over how cute Sarah was.

She sighed. She hated being treated like she didn't understand - she was almost six, that was old enough!

Well, she decided with a huff of finality, they're not keeping this from me.

Easing herself out of bed, she crept over to the door, hopping over the floorboard that always creaked. Sarah was still asleep - thank goodness - but she was still careful opening the door, letting only a little light flood through before darting outside and closing it behind her.

Slowly, she walked over to the banister along the second floor, staring down as she closed her hands around the bars. Papa and Mama were arguing with someone she'd only ever seen in pictures.

Nina knew his name, though. Uncle Ed.

She swallowed. She'd never seen her uncle before, only heard stories about him growing up with Papa and Mama. He looked...well, different than she'd expected. He looked like Papa - he had the same colour hair and eyes - but it was long like a girl's, tied back into a high ponytail that got messier and messier as he buried his hands in his hair in frustration.

"Winry, please...I... look, they're my nieces, they're the closest thing to kids I'm ever gonna have -"

"And why's that my problem? I am perfectly fine with you coming to visit, but not him. I've wanted you to be part of their lives, but only you!"

They were too busy fighting to notice her - or, she realized, the person sitting about halfway up the steps, watching them with a wistful expression.

She dropped to her hands and knees, crawling to the top of the stairs, and then walking carefully down, hoping that the three adults wouldn't notice her.

"Hi," she whispered, and the person swivelled around in surprise. She held out her hand. Just because everybody else seemed to be forgetting their manners didn't mean she would - Granny 'Zumi had been very particular about that. "I'm Nina. What'th yourth?" She winced at hearing her lisp.

The person raised an eyebrow, but didn't take her hand. Nina wasn't sure if they were a girl or a boy, but they had long hair like Uncle Ed, the same colour as the leaves on the trees outside. They were wearing girl clothes too, a skirt and a weird shirt, but they didn't look like a girl...It was confusing. So she stopped thinking about it.

"You're the tin can's brat, aren't you?" they murmured, smiling slightly.

Nina blinked. "Who'th the tin can?"

"Alphonse."

"Oh! Yeah, that'th my papa."

After a moment, the green-haired newcomer took her tiny hand, almost completely enveloping it in their own. "I'm Envy."

"Envy? That'th a cool name. Papa and Mama have boring names."

Envy chuckled slightly. "First time I've heard that one. Shouldn't you be asleep?"

Nina nodded towards the arguing adults. "They woke me up." She cocked her head. "How old are you? You don't look very old."

They snorted. "Can't believe you asked me that. You're what, three?"

"I'm thix! Uh, almotht."

"Yeah, well, I'm two hundred and eighty."

"Really?" She sat down next to him (which is what she'd settled on), not noticing how he stiffened. "Wow, you're even older than Papa."

"Yeah..." But Envy was watching the three adults again.

Nina watched them for a while, and then said quietly. "It'th not very nice when people talk about you like you're not here, ith it?"

He glanced back at her, eyebrow quirked, and then he exhaled. He didn't respond. He didn't need to. Instead, Envy looked back over at - Nina realized, following his odd, dark eyes - Uncle Ed.

"Uncle Ed ith really pretty," she murmured, and couldn't stifle a giggle when Envy nodded distractedly.

"Hey - no - wait - you brat!" He raised his hand, and then thought better of it, poking her fiercely in the side. Still, she couldn't stop giggling.

Finally, she looked up, to see Papa, Mama and Uncle Ed staring at her and Envy with strange, almost horrified expressions. Finally, Mama jerked her arm towards the door.

"Out," she said, in a low, angry voice.

"But I - she just came down, okay? I didn't do anything -" Envy tried to argue.

"I said out!"

Nina glanced between them, and then let out a whimper as Envy got to his feet. "Fine, yeah, whatever. Don't wanna be around a bitch like you anyway -"

"No!" she said finally, but nobody paid any attention. She leapt towards Envy and wrapped her hands around his middle - or as close to it as she could reach. "Mama, thtop being mean!"

Mama blinked, her blue eyes showing her shock more than anything could.

"Thtop being mean," Nina said again. "I don' want Envy to leave, he'th awesome nice and he has a cool name and he thinkth Uncle Ed is pretty and I don't want him to go!"

"Nina," she said warningly, "this isn't about you -"

"Winry." Mama turned to look at Papa. "How about we give him a chance?"

"Al, I can't believe you're -"

Papa shrugged. "Nina doesn't want him to go - and I want my brother back."

Mama looked back at them, distrust and love warring in her eyes. Finally, she pointed a finger at Envy's face. "One incident. One. And I'll kick the both of you out."

"A-hem." Uncle Ed cleared his throat. "I think we're all missing what's really important. What was that about me being pretty?"