Envy awoke with the abruptness of being thrown unexpectedly from complacent, warm comfort into icy water. He knew, even before he felt the sharp pinpricks on his neck and shoulders, that Pride was there. It was all he could do to bite back a cry. Pride was so useful, and so much of his use revolved around secrecy…Envy wouldn't put it past Pride to kill Kimblee on the spot, if he woke up and saw that the darkness now had eyes and teeth. Pride might even blame Envy for it, if he were to do something stupid like scream.
"Rise and shine." Pride's small voice whispered, soft as a breath of wind in the still air, parodying something his 'mother' sometimes said to him.
Envy reflexively curled into his lover's sleeping form, realizing even as he did so how futile it was. Pride scoffed.
"Your pet human going to protect you, Envy? Why not wake him, then. See how brave he is when he sees me."
"What do you want?" Envy whispered.
"To rip him to shreds, mostly. How kind of you to ask."
Envy sat up, then, wearing an altogether braver face than was sincere. Better to turn Pride's attention to himself. Pride might rip Envy to shreds in Kimblee's place, but Envy would recover.
"Father gave me permission. He doesn't like it but he didn't stop me. Now tell me why you're here, unless you just like to watch."
"Mind your tongue."
"Mind your own damn business."
"This is my business, much as we both dislike it. Father wanted me to tell you something, but perhaps you'd rather go down and hear it from him yourself, if my presence is so disagreeable."
"You goddamn conniving –"
But suddenly, all traces of Pride were gone.
"Did you say something?"
Envy flinched as Kimblee laid a hand on his back, frozen in a moment of terror at what might happen. But apparently all that ripping-to-shreds business was a bluff, as the darkness was now quite empty. Pride must be good at that, Envy realized, vanishing just before someone opened their eyes to a worse nightmare than they had woken from.
Kimblee was sitting up now, eyes still heavy with sleep but nonetheless concerned. "Were you talking to someone?"
"No." Envy said quickly. "No, I was dreaming."
"Upright with your eyes open?"
"Why not? Some humans move and talk in their sleep." He did not want to tell Kimblee about Pride. Kimblee would want to know, certainly, but what good would the knowledge do him? It would only get him killed, if Pride knew that his secret was compromised.
It was impossible to tell if he was convinced, but he let the subject drop.
"It was a good dream, I assume." He said dryly, drawing the sheet up around Envy's bony shoulders.
"Oh yes, peachy keen." Envy said with a grimace.
"Involving a family member?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
He didn't force the issue, instead pulling Envy back down, under blankets and into his arms. Envy felt calmer then, in spite of everything. It shouldn't have helped, being held – because Pride was right, what difference did it make? – but it did help, regardless. He knew he couldn't give into it, though, nice as it might be to forget that Pride existed. The cost of doing so could be too high.
"I should go." The words didn't have much conviction behind them.
"Why?"
"I…just have a bad feeling, after that dream. I think I ought to go downstairs, see if everything is alright."
"I think you should stay." He tightened his arms around Envy slightly, laying a series of kisses on his forehead and temple. "They'll still be there in the morning."
"You're not making this easy."
"Not trying to."
"Have a little mercy, if you can. It's not like I want to go."
"Ah, if I had a dime for each time mercy was asked of me…" He placed one finger under Envy's jaw, tilting his face upwards so his mouth was accessible. This kiss was not meant to soothe, but to scorch, and Envy's treacherous body responded, pliant and willing as the proverbial putty in Kimblee's hands.
Then he pulled back, loosening his hold around Envy.
"Something to remember me by." Kimblee said, smiling pleasantly.
"Cocktease." Envy muttered, glaring.
"Pot, kettle." He placed one more quick kiss on Envy, who nipped at him. "Don't be like that. I'll make it up to you when you get back."
The cold air was like a slap as Envy pushed the blankets aside and stood, walking into the living room where most of his clothes had fallen. They changed as Envy put them on from the showy formal attire of earlier that evening to their usual shape. He hesitated, and then turned towards the bedroom once more. Might as well say a proper goodbye. Envy might, theoretically, be gone a long time. One never knew.
Kimblee looked younger somehow, sitting there with hair loose and tousled and love-bites dotting his neck, regarding Envy with something that seemed almost like longing. Envy sat down on the mattress next to him.
"With any luck, I'll be back by morning." And with no luck…best to assume he would have some luck.
"Let me come with you then."
"That's…not a good idea."
"Why?"
Envy hesitated, wondering how best to phrase it. "Father allows us to take human lovers if we so choose, but he's not…thrilled, especially in this case."
"Ah, so I'm not popular there at the moment?"
"Don't worry too much about it. Greed and Lust do it and no one bats an eye; it's just that since I've never…. When you get as old as us, you get stuck in your ways, don't exactly welcome change."
"Much like elderly humans in that regard."
"Precisely."
Envy shifted, planting one knee on either side of Kimblee's hips so that Envy was looking down on him for once. Burying his fingers in the alchemist's already tangled hair, Envy tugged his head back and drew him into a long, deep kiss.
"And that's something to remember me by." Envy said with a wink, before climbing off him and walking out the door.
.
The chill underground was a cruel contrast to the close warmth in bed. Usually Envy was oblivious to temperature, but that night the coldness seemed to gnaw at his very bones. It went without saying that he was in a bad mood, and running into Greed, with Gluttony in tow, on the way to Father's chamber didn't help matters.
"Evening, Monstrosity." Greed said, regarding Envy with a broad grin.
"Same to you, asshole." Envy shot back, doing his best to act normal.
"And where have you been, so late at night?"
"Crashing your new car."
Gluttony, who had cautiously approached Envy from behind during this exchange, now chose this moment to remark,
"Envy smells tasty like Xingian alchemist."
Greed roared with laughter, not even deterred when Envy kicked Gluttony directly into him, bowling Greed over and sending Gluttony bouncing off him like a pinball. Gluttony scuttled away hurriedly, understanding that Envy was in one of those moods, although having no idea as to why. Why did all his siblings have to be so complicated? Except Sloth, but he was around so scarcely.
Greed climbed to his feet, still chuckling, and approached Envy. Envy braced himself for a fight, although Greed didn't seem quite ready to attack. Usually Envy could tell what was going through Greed's mind; they read each other well. But as he stood in front of Envy, grinning, Envy realized he had no idea what Greed was planning on -
In one swift motion, he closed the short distance between them, pulling Envy flush against him. Envy lashed out reflexively, but it was a thoughtless reaction born of shock, and for that reason, perhaps, Greed intercepted the blows easily, catching Envy's fists and pinning his arms behind him. Greed inhaled deeply, burying his face in Envy's hair, the crook of his neck, exhaling in a sigh that turned into a growl.
"God I love that smell." Greed did not possess the keen nose of Gluttony, but all of them were gifted with senses sharper than a human's. That close, it told him everything. And it worked both ways, as Greed's musky, animalistic scent washed over Envy, strong yet somehow not unpleasant. That, combined with his hot breath across Envy's skin, the rough-cut solidity of his muscular physique pressed so close...Envy knew he should be doing something, anything to stop this, and yet... Damn this voracious male sex drive, damn Kimblee for starting something he hadn't been able to finish.
Oh right. Kimblee.
Red sparks blossomed between Greed and Envy, as the latter's body reverted back to its default asexuality. Envy brought one knee slamming up into Greed's unshielded groin.
"What the hell are you doing?" Envy snarled, leaping back several feet as Greed doubled up in agony, although it lasted only for a moment.
"I was thinking maybe you'd loosened up." Greed said, standing up straight once more, still wincing slightly.
"Not that fucking loose!"
"Apparently not. And still grumpy as ever, I see." He grinned once more. "Didn't he satisfy you?"
Envy's fists clenched. "I am not discussing this with you."
"Ah. So no."
"I didn't say that!"
"Now now, you can hardly blame us for being curious." Lust's voice spoke out of the shadows.
"Not you too." Envy said, turning to look at her incredulously as she approached, still maintaining a safe distance.
"Why not?" She smiled. "After all the times you've called me a whore, you can hardly begrudge me a brief I-told-you-so."
"I didn't mean it." Envy muttered, eyes averted. "That's really not how I think of you."
Both of them stared at Envy in dead astonishment.
"What?" Envy snapped. "I still maintain that you're a whore!" It pointed at Greed.
"It's surreal." Lust said.
"The little monstrosity is all grown up now." Greed said, tracing a tear-streak from his eye.
"Oh hell with both of you!" Envy snapped, turning on it's heel and stalking away.
.
After dousing itself thoroughly in water - the underground labyrinth had several sources thereof, all of them freezing cold unfortunately - Envy took a deep breath and entered Father's chamber. He was not seated on his usual throne, but standing over a wide stone table, laden with maps and the distinctive chess-like figures he used to represent the few humans who were of any import. Potential sacrifices, for the most part.
Father seemed too absorbed in what he was doing to pay Envy much attention, so it sidled up to the far end of the table, examining the spread of papers and sundry clutter in more detail. A shiver ran up its spine that had nothing to do with the disagreeable climate. All the maps were of Ishbal.
So it's very soon now.
And then...no more dark. No more hiding. No more world ruled by humans and their narrow ways, their pathetic little lives. Envy felt a swelling of admiration and gratitude towards its Father. So wise, so powerful. He would deliver all of them.
"What is it, Envy?"
Envy jumped slightly, as Father's voice jarred it from its thoughts.
"Pride indicated that you had something to tell me."
Father frowned slightly. "And didn't tell you what it was?"
"More interested in hissing threats in my ear and - "
Father held up one hand. "Pride was merely to inform you that you may disclose the broader details of our plan with the alchemist. By all accounts, he seems to posses altogether less loyalty to his kind than even I might have expected. However, do not share with him any knowledge that I've held secret from Greed."
"Yes sir. Only..."
Father raised a brow. "What?"
"...I assume he'll ask what his fate will be, after the promise-day."
"Meaning you've been wondering. Don't dissemble."
"Either way, what am I to tell him?"
"Tell him that his reward will be in accordance with his service to me."
Envy could have screamed at the vague response, although it would not have helped. Father was big on service based on loyalty rather than reward. Then again, with the power to grant immortality and, soon, to create entire worlds, who wouldn't follow him in hopes of such a reward? Plenty of humans, that was certain. Plenty who did not consider themselves traitors, until the opportunity presented itself.
Envy could think of nothing else, so it bowed quickly and left.
.
Outside, Lust was waiting.
"Come to gloat more?" Envy said as it passed her.
"It was nice of you, to take Kimblee's fate into consideration." Lust said, falling into step with Envy.
"A rare lapse in protocol." Envy didn't want to be nice, damn it. It was so much easier not to give a fuck about anyone.
"He treats you well then?" She asked as they passed up the stone corridor.
"I wouldn't put up with it if he didn't." Envy said in a slightly softer voice. "You know that."
"Perhaps." She said with a shrug. Privately, she wasn't so certain. It was the way of all creatures to seek out what was familiar, and in Envy's case that was something a good deal less than tender affection. "Can you really blame me, when I say he strikes me as cruel?"
"No less than me. Isn't it supposed to be a good thing, to have stuff in common?"
"That's the problem. Envy, the way I see it, the point of having a lover is to escape the family situation, not perpetuate it. He has plenty in common with all of us, and that's what worries me."
"Really." Envy stopped and swung around to face her. "What about you and Greed, then?"
She closed her eyes briefly, brow furrowed. "Oh don't bring this up again."
"Why not? It seems rather appropriate."
"After all this time, you're still upset?"
"That you chose him over me? Yeah, it stings just a little."
"You were hardly an option! I'll fuck you right here and now if you want, if it means you'll get the hell over it!"
"That's not what I meant. It's not about fucking, it's about ownership." It went beyond what Envy could or would put into words, how it had felt to have the closest thing to a mother taken away, and by Greed, no less. To live with the bitter knowledge that, for all the kindness she might show Envy from time to time, she was still his.
"It wasn't about ownership. Not for me." She looked at Envy, dark eyes pleading, silently asking Envy to understand. "It was about trying to get him to stay."
Envy did understand. It knew what that meant to her, maintaining family bonds, how she hated their constant strife and infighting. It was what made her who she was, the reason behind her kindness towards all of them. Envy was too bitter, though, to acknowledge that. Envy was not and would never be 'nice'.
"Oh well thanks. God knows I'd have missed him so much."
Her eyes narrowed, all traces of vulnerability gone. "You would and you know it, you little hypocrite."
"Speaking as the one here who hasn't spread my legs for him, I beg to differ." Envy took a step forward, the snake lunging to strike. "That's one thing that can be said about Kimblee, you know - whatever else is true, he prefers me. He's the only one who ever has."
She felt pity then, in the face of her anger at Envy's stubborn spite. She understood as well. Born so ugly, so small and weak, to a family that barely had one heart between them. In the end she could never blame Envy - could never blame any of them, for being the way they were. That was why she didn't run Envy through with her spears that time. What Envy said wasn't exactly true, but it wasn't exactly not true, either.
"Go back to him then." She sighed, feeling tired. "Although at times I wonder how either of you can stand the other."
As her sibling's footsteps faded into silence, she remained, motionless as a statue. Effectively immortal and destined to inherit the world, it was amazing, she reflected, how one could feel so doomed.
.
(A/N: Ah, so much going on in this chapter, I hope all the family drama wasn't confusing. But yeah, I don't see how Greed and Lust wouldn't have gotten in on at some point in their lives, they're quite suited to each other. And I don't see how Envy wouldn't have been...well, Envious. And I sure don't see Envy getting over it. Ever. Because it's Envy. I tried to foreshadow it a little, not sure how well it worked. Also, very soon I'm going to step away from homunculi ensemble drama and shed some light on Kimblee's backstory. Thanks for reading!)