Lust lay before him, spread wide and open – not so much of a physical invitation as a threatening demand that he entertain her sin, or else be punished for resisting. Not that Greed had indeed bothered to mount any sort of resistance against her, other than sexually of course. Yet there was no thrill in it. Thank God – or whatever was closest to it – that this would be the last time.
Greed as a concept of course can only be facilitated by the luxury of choice – one must choose to desire something specific to muster the avarice to make claiming it worthwhile after all. One could not call themself greedy when they took only the handouts given to them.
That was what Lust was. What had once started in the mutual pursuit of condolences and comfort had become a handout. An expected obligation, a partner he had a certain degree of duty to service, even if the desire was not there.
Vaguely Greed pondered with slick amusement, must this be what marriage is like?
Nevertheless as he parried the thoughts about his mind as his sister tightened beneath him, clinging to her climax with the viciousness one would expect of 'the ultimate spear' before she inevitably began to loosen around him once more.
Once sated – like the bitch in heat that she truly was – she would always turn away from him, waiting with the feral patience of a wolf observing a rabbit hop around the entrance to it's den for him to leave – the male of the species totally worthless and utterly undesirable now he had completed his task in pleasuring her to sexual satisfaction.
The tiny detail of whether or not he too had been able to reach release before being banished from her own sated presence proved – as always- totally immaterial to his ungracious elder sister. Lust was her sin; selfishness in the bedroom seemed to come naturally as an added bonus. Once more Greed had to wrestle himself back into his trousers with unpleasant resistance.
Escaping the flickering candlelight, scarlet bedspread, matching beaded lampshades and sensuous shag-rug that colored Lust's boudoir in bloody hues and trembling light, Greed performed his nightly ritual – shrugging back into his fur-lined jacket – adjusting his dark spectacles and slinking down the pipe-lined corridor's of his Father's underground kingdom.
Never did he return straight to his own chambers after one of his incestuous trysts, despite it being the closest room to Lust's own. Always instead would he make a single stop first, creeping to and lingering in the doorway of the so-called 'accommodation' that now made up Envy's personal nest…
Ironic in its own way.
Envy was the only one of their number who truly required sleep, and yet it was the single member of their group without a bed… or even a bedroom.
Lust possessed a room. Pride – as a creature who lived in all the shadows of Central – could in many ways call the whole city his lodgings. Even Greed, who's underground landslide of discarded possessions and revered belongings contained within four walls, a ceiling and a floor could vaguely be identified as his own personal space and resembled more of a room than Envy's own.
High above them Envy made his nest in a small hollowed out space in between pipes that looked out over the throne room, the ever-hot blustering metal tubes that made up the walls of the nook knitting together like a strange fusion between a steel spider web and a duct-constructed field mouse nest. Why he had chosen exactly that location was unknown, and somehow the logic of lodging a monster as heavy as a train above his head never seemed to come into Father's questioning.
The noise was terrible, the piping seeming to choose transcendental moments in which to suddenly scream with the release of built up steam like an overworked kettle, or heat to supernova temperatures that scalded the flesh from bone when touched. At some time or another Envy had clearly gone to some lengths to drag a rather ratty mattress in there. An acknowledgeable accomplishment considering the entrance to his lair was scarcely large enough to allow even Envy's own small humanoid body passage, let alone the fact that the cavern's mouth sat 30 meters up a wall with nothing but a vertical drop.
Envy had no bed. No chairs. No surfaces of any kind that he might be tempted to lean on and subsequently break. Envy was not allowed furniture – Father had forbidden it – the patriarchal homunculus having grown tired of the constant sounds of straining, splintering wood creaking and echoing around the hallways of the subterranean realm.
It 'begins to grate rather quickly' Father had announced, interrupted one time too many while planning the next of their homunculus siblings to be born.
'Sloth', he had decided – would have to be much lighter.
Light slithered across Envy's ever-exposed midriff as Greed slowly inched the sheet obscuring the entrance of it's lair aside to peer through.
Apparently Envy's exile from the wonderful world of wooden-furniture also applied to doors.
With enough light to see by Greed nodded to himself in satisfaction, the sleeping form of his envious little brother the exact sight he had come to check upon before leaving for his next destination. He snorted in amusement. Even after all this time the smaller homunculus apparently still hadn't managed to kick the habit of curling up in on itself as tightly as it possibly could, as if it still where the palm-sized worm it had been born as.
Had this night been the same as any other night, Greed would have moved on, returning to his own tireless underworld machinations having successfully checked upon the sleeping sin.
This night was different though.
This night was THE night:
The plans and foundations representing years of work would finally pull together to create the flawless blanket he had worked so hard to weave ready to serve as the cloak under which he would disappear from this meager life – from Father's watchful eyes – from Lust sexual ungraciousness – from Pride's prying darkness and from the threat of like Envy, being lobotomized.
Tomorrow, he would greet the sunrise as a free sin. Free to live frivolously in any way he chose under the sky that they hid from.
Tonight was the night of Greed's escape.
"Envy" he called, his voice and tone neutral and casual, knowing full well that by inviting the light into Envy's den to find his sleeping form he had indeed created an opening for Pride to enter through… should his eldest brother suspect something worth listening in on was in danger of passing him by.
"Hnn"
Shaking Envy's shoulder's succeeded in only eliciting an unintelligent murmur from his lips; hiss barely clothed body trying to curl up impossibly tighter to evade his attacker. Greed to fell back on his trusty tradition of poking hard the ouroboros marking on his thigh before Envy bothered rousing enough to unwind and glare at him.
Patting and ruffling had no place in the life of the shape shifter whose mind and memories had been disassembled and reformed into this new Envy. This Envy reacted to challenge savagely. This Envy loved destruction and death. This Envy knew only how to attack, and be attacked. And yet… despite his attempts to hide it, this Envy still loved chocolate and still hated division, multiplication and being poked.
"Greed?" The younger homunculus growled bleary-eyed. How it hated to be jabbed there.
"Envy."
"Fuck off. What the hell d'ya want? Go away."
Apparently being awoken had not improved his temper or his ability to decide if he was curious or agitated by the interruption to his 'ugly sleep', as Greed had so affectionately named it.
"Envy." Greed pressed, a little more force entering his voice this time.
"-Tell me t'mora. Some people actually fucking need sleep!" the shape shifter interrupted, turning back away from Greed to lie lazily on his side.
"Oi. Listen for a minute, I'm trying to say something important here"
"Whatever it is can wait until tomorrow, right?" Envy snarled back determinedly, his voice quieter than normal for the usually boisterous homunculus, more serious undertones of muted pleading slipping into his words.
Unbeknownst to the elder sin, Envy already knew what Greed had come to say.
Greed could only sigh, adjusting his shades to satisfy the need to somehow twitch away the growing difficulty of the impending statement.
"…"
"…"
"…You're going, aren't you?"
Greed faltered. Behind his sunglasses, the elder homunculus's eyes went momentarily wide at the realization Envy had not only already predicted his intent… but had saved him the pain of having to explain it in words. Did that make it even harder or easier Greed stopped to question before replying:
"…Yeah"
With his suspicions apparently confirmed, Envy sat back up, twisting his lithe body to stare Greed in the eyes, the hauntingly solemn look in them near staggering the elder brother. Envy's gaze danced right and left across Greed's face, as if trying to take every detail down in the photographic format that was the envious homunculi's near infallible visual-memory.
"You'd better move your ass then" He finally settled for saying with a calm, quiet listlessness that suited Envy about as much as a headless bullfrog suits a colorful wig. "Dunno why you're telling me anyway. Isn't like we're close" muttered the younger homunculus.
Greed winched at the comment.
A sudden bright hopeful look revived the youthful quality of the shape shifter's eyes, an expression of joyous revelation flicking across his features and Greed knew what his little brother was about to ask… the one question Greed had hoped to avoid being forced to answer, for Greed the avaricious had sworn never to lie.
"Can I come?"
"Suuuuuuure" Greed sarcastically purred, their new natural dynamic of brotherly mocking and jabbing escaping from him before he'd even thought it through. Greed winced again, instantly regretting it. That one had been in poor taste.
"Really?!"
The shameless optimism painted across Envy's face made it only more heart wrenching, but like pulling out a sword from the gut: the quicker it was done, the quicker the wound could begin to close.
"No, Envy."
He fixed the younger with a meaningful stare. Envy had to know - needed to understand - that he couldn't follow… even if it hurt.
For Greed to be free, Envy had to stay behind.
"You know you can't come."
And just like that, the deed was done.
"…"
"…"
"…Pft, Yeah-" agreed Envy crisply; all evidence of the gleeful expression he had worn only seconds ago sinking beneath what appeared to be the surprising quick onset of somber acceptance. " –I didn't think so…"
Father would not miss Greed, neither as a son nor a weapon.
Lust's claws where just as capable as his own diamond-tipped talons and the second son's impenetrable epidermis meant little when any wounds sustained by a homunculus would heal in mere seconds anyway.
Envy was not so lucky.
The strange circumstances of it's birth and the staggering potential of its shape shifting abilities meant it would never be allowed to leave Father's side. It was too valuable to lose, or let loose.
Yes indeed, for Greed to be free… Envy had to stay behind
It was Greed's fate to be greedy enough to take this opportunity now that Father's new shape shifting homunculus could easily shoulder his half of the work, and sadly it was Envy's fate to be envious of that same freedom, claimed without regret at hiss own expense.
Only, it was not without regret.
Greed took a final secretive look at the younger 'male' who stared forlorn with eyes downcast at the floor.
If lady luck smiled down on Greed they would hopefully never see each other again. He knew this Envy well enough to predict that though the wound his departure might inflict would heal, it would scar too. Envy's capacity for cruelty and resentment – much like his unique capacity for affection and generosity – was much greater than the other homunculi. When they met again, they would be made enemies by his own bitterness.
Yes, tonight was the night of Greed's escape…
And though they may always be 'siblings', this would also be the last night the younger and elder homunculi were…
'brothers.'