Fanart by crucified-serpent on Tumblr.
Yep, this is gonna be a long one, folks. I went a little overboard... >///<
[this ship is v cute, but can sometimes be problematic, so I'm going to write this one to be non-abusive and non-sexual. Enjoy a non-problematic version of this ship for now, kouhais! Also, this takes place before Ed & Al get their bodies back. I mean, not that this takes place on a timeline anyway.]
"Ha! I beat you again, Envy!" Edward proudly put his hands on his hips. "You're getting out of shape!"
The homunculus crossed his arms. "That's only because I let you win, Pipsqueak."
For once in his life, Ed dismissed the comment. He was still heavily panting, while Envy hadn't broken a sweat. "Yeah, yeah."
"Can I go now? I gave you your little 'sparring' session."
Ed shrugged, apparently satisfied. "Sure."
"Buh-bye, Fullmetal." Envy gave his cheeky grin and waved before running off.
"Brother, why do you like to practice with him? Isn't he kind of... our enemy?" Alphonse appeared from the sidelines (where he was cheering his brother on) and praised the other Elric for his succession.
"Well, I know how you fight, Al. I can read you better. And the other homunculi... They would probably actually kill me." Ed scratched his head. "Envy's weird. He's not going to kill me, and I can sense that." He dramatically pointed at Alphonse. "Plus, I have you here to spot me in case anything goes wrong!"
Al gave the 'sup son' ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ shrug in response, earning a playful punch in the arm from his brother. [No one can stop me from meming in my fics, no one]
Ed and Alphonse wandered off to grab lunch, but Envy was long gone. It felt like some sort of trivial game for him. He had no idea why Ed would want to shape up his skills with him of all people. He looked behind him from the high building he was perched on.
"There's something wrong with that kid." He sighed. "He's never gonna beat me unless he kills me." At this moment, Envy learned a new feeling other than... Well, envy, and that would be confusion.
He shook his head and continued on his way. He really had no place to go, but he was probably expected to be underground sooner or later. If the rest of the homunculi caught onto his training sessions with Ed, they would probably revoke his entire existence.
Contrarily, the Elric brothers were headed toward Rush Valley. Beating Envy twice didn't negate the fact that Ed was in need of an automail checkup. It was a short walk to Winry's shop, and once there, the two received smushy hugs from their childhood friend.
Winry stepped back and crossed her arms. "Were you doing stupid things? Is that why you're here?"
Al gave his brother a look that said, Don't lie to the automail mechanic!
"No, I haven't." Ed rubbed the back of his neck while his face turned a light pink.
"Mmm?" She leaned forward to get a closer look at the metal-limbed boy. "I should hope not. You guys worry me sick!"
Winry smiled and sat her client down in one of the chairs. "All of your bolts seem to be in place..." She moved his arm. "No oil needed... Nothing's missing... Wow, Elric. Looks like you won't even need to be put together! Your careless ass must be watching out! I'll just tighten a few of your bolts and you'll be good, m'kay?"
"Yeah, okay." Ed replied. He was still reading the newspaper with his left hand.
As Winry screwed in and replaced a few screws here and there, she could feel a bit of blood rush to her face. Working on Ed's automail was just work, but she couldn't help have feelings for him after all of the childhood years they spent together.
Edward nonchalantly moved his eyes from his newspaper. "Wh... What are you looking at? Do your job!" He said, probably too forcefully.
"Okay, okay." Winry moved to his leg and tightened a few things. "Sheesh, you're gonna make the neighbors call the cops if you keep yelling like that."
~
"Whoa, what was that?" Envy quietly muttered to himself. He was wasting time sitting on a tree limb when a flock of birds flew out of a far-away tree.
"Maybe I should investigate..." He wondered, and began making his way toward said vicinity.
Rush Valley, huh? I think the pipsqueak was over here somewhere.
Envy came across an automail shop that was across the street from the bird-tree.
He laughed. "That little runt must make a lot of noise to make a bunch of birds move!" The homunculus thought for a moment. "I wonder what he's doin' today?"
Peeking in the window earned him a view of a blushing Winry and her (now) asleep, blonde-haired client.
Envy crossed his arms. "Well why is she so special, huh? I bet I could tighten a few bolts just as easily. Hehe... How boring. I can liven things up a bit. You'll thank me later, Ed."
When Winry started waking up her client, Envy figured he should get out of sight. "Heh-heh, see ya later, Fullmetal-brat!" He whispered, and off he went.
~
"Brother, do you think someone was watching us outside the automail shop?" Alphonse called to his brother from the other room.
Ed responded from the bathroom through a mouth full of toothpaste. "This is an interesting time for you to bring that up."
"I know but..." Al shifted uncomfortably on the sofa. "It kinda felt like someone was just... There? Like someone's presence, or... I don't know."
"Okay." Edward dismissed anything Al had just brought up and spit the toothpaste into the sink.
"Seriously, brother. Something was kinda off. I thought I saw someone move outside."
Ed was curled up in bed at this point. He yawned. "Probably just a passerby... G'night."
"Hm." Alphonse nodded, and, since he can't exactly sleep, kept watch for any sinister objects outside just in case. A few times he thought he had seen something outside the window, but convinced himself it was just a branch. By morning, Al and his paranoia were standing in karate-stance next to the window.
"Hey..." Ed's eyes graced open. "Don't move, you're blocking the sunlight better than the curtains."
"Oh, you're awake. What do you want for breakfast? I can order something." Al eagerly responded. It was boring for him to stare out the window all night.
"Mm... What? I just woke up."
Al shook his armor head and sighed. "I'll get some bagels." He stealthily slipped Ed's wallet and grabbed a few coins before skipping (as far as that goes for Alphonse) out the door.
Edward rolled over in bed and dozed off for no longer than fifteen minutes when a harsh tapping on the window forced him upright.
He rubbed his eyes, yawned, and with his right hand, took the fire extinguisher off the wall in effort to chuck it at the intruder. The palm tree outside the window threw his hands up defensively in response, and Edward sighed and unlocked the window.
"Why are you here?" Yawning again, he tiredly extended his automail arm into the familiar bladed shape.
"Whoa! Hey, runt. I'm just here to tell you a little thing I found out..." Envy held back his sinister grin with every muscle in his face.
"What?" Ed squinted at the homunculus through exhausted eyes. He could never get enough sleep, even if he slept for multiple days in a row.
"Your... Your blonde friend. She certainly has some secrets." It took all of his willpower to contain an evil laugh.
"Wha--Winry?" Now awake, the blonde kid quickly moved his metal blade-hand-thing to Envy's throat. "What did you do to Winry?!"
"Nothing!" The aggressive aloe vera plant threw his hands up in surrender once again. "I just, y'know, saw her out getting ice cream with someone last night. It was by the sunset, real romantic. Thought you might want to kn--"
Ed's eyes widened. "Wh... What?" He his muscles relaxed, eyes losing focus... and probably hope, too.
He blinked, apparently regaining awareness, and felt something come over him. He jerked his arm toward the homunculus and fired the blade severely to Envy's throat.
"Who? Who was it? I won't let them touch her!"
Envy casually shrugged, despite the fact that there was an angry (and probably yandere) garden gnome holding a sharp piece of metal to his throat.
"Someone super strong. They had really, really cool automail. Probably could beat the shit out of you."
"Envy, you fucking liar! Will you just find a better hobby somewhere?" Ed was madly flushed in the face and shaking Envy vigorously by his shoulders.
"No! I'm not lying! They had really, really pretty bronze skin! It glowed in the sunlight, oahh, how romantic!" He held his hands up to his face at the thought. "Name was... Paninya, I think."
Edward froze, arms falling to his sides. "P... Paninya... I had no idea that Winry... I didn't know that she was also bise--" He realized Envy was still sitting in the window sill and reddened darker, automail re-extending. "H-Hey!"
"Also what, Ed-o?" Envy simpered. "Finish your sentences and you'll be smarter. Finish your milk and you'll get taller."
"H-Hey!!" Ed regurgitated, since he really had nothing else to say, but Envy was already gone.
He was brain-dead and dumbfounded by everything that just happened. The alchemist stared tiredly out the window, spacing out from surroundings.
Birds replied to one another with their leftover summer sounds in the nearby yellowing trees. A fall breeze whisked them off of the branches as they took to the skies, sending them soaring to anywhere but that spot.
That was how Edward Elric felt in that moment.
His whole life, he and Al had playfully fought over Winry, preceding the epiphany of Ed's true feelings. It had been so long that he had harbored them. How long now? Was it months, or years? He had no idea. They just appeared one day, and he knew in his heart that, some lucky day, in the future, he would recieve mutual feelings. And that would be that. And there was no doubt about it. He would marry Winry one day, because... Well, his subconscious confidence said he would.
But now, he wanted to be anyone but himself, like an autumn cardinal that would fly anywhere apart from where the bitter wind blew.
"I've got bagels!"
Al joyously broke through the doorway holding a box of varying breads. "And cream cheese! ...Brother, are you alright?"
Ed put on a bright, shiny face for his brother and turned from the window. "Thank you, Al. Just getting in some morning nature."
Al could deeply sense that something was wrong with him, but now was not the time for TeenAngst.exe. Now it was Let'sEatSomeFuckingBread.png!
"Uh, okay."
Even though Alphonse couldn't eat, he still thought he'd find some reassurance in his brother's brimming cheeks once he brought home breakfast. But not like this. He knew his brother, and he knew him well. Plastered smiles are easiest to spot by the beholder, and Alphonse wasn't exactly totally stoked over his lonely inability to sense smell, taste, or touch.
Ed knew too well that his brother was probably catching on, and figured that if he refused to eat, Al would probably call the cops and say his brother's been abducted.
"Brother, I know something is wrong. You don't have to foster your emotions on your own... Just like Winry always says--"
Edward's fists landed on the table. He sighed. "I don't want to talk about Winry." He muttered through gritted teeth. He didn't care to control his emotions. Hell, he nearly let it slip to Envy that he was bisexual, which was a secret he kept clamped tighter than his pocket watch.
Alphonse was taken off guard by his brother's sudden behavior. Ed was obviously the renowned hothead, but never acted as such in response to Winry.
He didn't know what to say, so he didn't say a word. Al had no reason whatsoever to fear Ed, but still felt a strong sense of respect for his older sibling, and didn't want to provoke him any further.
"You don't have to say anything." Ed spat. "She's with Paninya."
Alphonse scratched his metal helmet. "Paninya?" He shrugged, assuming that Ed had seen them outside the window or something. "I knew she was bisexual, but didn't think they'd be a thing."
"What? You knew and you didn't tell me?!" The metal-limbed alchemist crossed his arms. "Not fair, not fair!"
"She told me not to tell anyone, brother... I can't break that promise."
"Hmh." Ed crossed his arms and stared at the plate of bagels, as if he expected one to get up and crawl away.
~
"Step one: complete! What a success!"
Envy laughed viciously.
"I wonder if there's any more dirt I can dig up on this little toy... Or, any more that I can make up."
He adored this feeling of control. Not as desiring for it as Greed, say, but still power hungry in all its glory. It made his heart race. Everything about this situation was too enjoyable.
"I'll give him another little something in a month or so. That should be enough time, no?"
He giggled as he wandered down the sidestreets of Central, gazing at the interesting interactions between bystanders.
Hours turned into days, which blended into dreadful weeks. Edward continued to loathe his life. Lunch on work days and other forcibly social situations were extremely rough to stand. While the rest of the military enlightened one another, he just sat hand-on-chin, dissociating with the rest of reality. He didn't bother to hide it anymore. There was really no point. Of course the other soldiers and alchemists noticed his behavior, but none would approach him. They had all seen his short-fused temper and would look at Ed, and then to Alphonse, who would whisper something like "He had a bad doughnut yesterday." And in response, Edward would place his forehead in his hands, and satirically murmur "I wish I had eaten a bad doughnut, and died from it too."
Edward had just been released at the end of a work day. He and Al were on their way to a restaurant for dinner when a rock hit him in the head.
The boy spun around steaming at whoever threw it, when he noticed a black spike behind a tree move.
"Go inside." Ed ordered his brother, and stomped off.
A confused Alphonse obeyed and, still unassured, waited in their sleeping quarters.
"If you decide to skip rocks on my scalp one more time, I swear to--"
"How could I not, with this blonde cascading river of dead proteins waiting for me to?"
Envy sarcastically smiled with innocence; Ed crossed his arms and looked away.
"Right, yeah. Okay. Yeah. I expected this from you. I have a brother to feed, buh-bye."
The Elric waved off Envy, who, in return, grabbed his wrist to prevent him from leaving.
"W-Wait! I found out something else good." He nodded to himself. "Follow me."
After a bit of walking through little street fair markets, Ed grew impatient.
"Where are you taking me? Can't you just tell me?"
To tell the truth, Envy wondered the same thing to himself. Why was he stalling like this? Couldn't he just have told another lie and left? I guess I need to make it believable somehow. Otherwise he'll just dismiss every word I tell him.
"No! That's no fun!" He laughed.
Genuinely laughed.
Not a sly smirk, or cruel snicker, or even an evil grin, but an actual, happiness-induced laugh.
What was that horrid noise? Ew. This pipsqueak truly brings out the worst in me.
Ed stood just as confused as Envy. It seemed neither of them could wrap their heads around it.
"... We should get dinner first! That's what I'm saying."
"Uh... Okay." He agreed.
All the while that they were out, the homunculus' internal monologue was constantly scolding him. Don't smile at that, that's stupid. Ew, why are you laughing again? Oh my god, not another pun. No, put the scented candle back, you don't even have a house for that vanilla-scented hell-demon. Jeez, I came out here to attack and honestly I'm having such a good time right now!
At one point or another, Ed cracked a smile while being dragged around by Envy, even if just for a moment.
What is this? I've never felt anything but jealousy... Another new feeling? Could this be... Joy? Euphoria? H...Happiness?
"Let's get some soup and go home." Ed snapped. He was doing the homunculus a favor and letting him drag him around, but it was getting dark and Al was probably starting to worry.
The soup shop in question was across the street, and Ed began to dissociate once again while waiting for a few cars to pass. He spaced out until a "Come on, ya little worm!" phased him back to reality, capturing a glimpse of Envy looking back at him and smiling as he began to cross.
"You have... Such a way with words." Ed responded, following the weird palm tree head.
"I got it." Ed paid for the food and they sat down at an outdoor table, much like the one he met Ling at.
"Hey, thanks." Envy smiled.
"Why are you so giddy? I just want to go home." Ed slumped next to his bowl, swirling around the noodles and vegetables in the bowl. He had decided to go vegetarian not long ago due to his extreme no-kill morale.
"What? I'm just trying to have a good time. I've never felt so human before." Envy rested his chin in his palm and stared into his bowl.
Ed looked up. I guess I never thought to consider how a homunculus would feel. Or, more accurately, how a homunculus can't feel. Maybe that's similar to how Alphonse can't feel physically, because of his armor. Maybe humans and homunculi aren't very different at all.
"What are you staring at, runt?"
"What did you bring me here to tell me?"
Envy blanked for a minute. Well, shit. I forgot to come up with another lie, in all that time I was screwing around. What should I tell him now? That I just wanted some sort of play date?
"Uh-um, that girl, what was her name? WinRAR?"
"Winry?" Edward spat the name as if it were poison on his tongue.
"Sure. So uh, her and her buddy Pancake or whatever--"
"Paninya?"
"Okay, so get this: the blonde one just proposed to the other one yesterday."
"What? Why should I believe you?"
"I have pictures!" Envy pretended to dig in his pockets until Ed interrupted.
"Alright! Fine. Thanks, I... I guess." He picked up his mostly full bowl and dumped it in the trash. "I... I hope they're happy, both of them. I hope they have good lives together."
He zoned out again after throwing the bowl away, feeling his eyes begin to sting. Am I going to cry? In front of this dick? Right here and now?
Envy watched him have this inner struggle, and realized that he no longer found joy in seeing it. However, he didn't feel boredom either. It wasn't a blank feeling, nor was it an evil, enjoyable rush. What was it?
Envy sighed and buffed his nails on his shirt collar. "Are you gonna sit down or what?"
Ed slowly turned around to Envy and muttered something inaudible, then waved him off. It had something to do with losing the love of his life, and that was all that he could make out. Even so, something felt sharp upon hearing it.
"What a little weirdo." Envy crossed his arms at looked at his soup. "I've been stood up. How rude." He laughed cruelly and watched the blonde alchemist take his leave.
Ed felt dizzy. Too much information had gone through him in one sitting. He didn't know what it was about Envy that made him trust him. Maybe it was the fact that Envy had allowed himself to show an actual personality around Ed today, even if for only a few a spare seconds at a time. It was unknown to both of them that Envy could even feel that way in the first place.
Edward collected himself and all his thoughts and pulled himself home to where Al was waiting. He felt somewhat better knowing that he had Al and Envy to look after him (or so he thought). Winry was becoming less of a venomous, serrated thought, and more of a dull heartache.
~
"I must've really upset him." Envy smiled, though it almost felt... Forced.
He frowned. "It's not fun."
Envy stirred the contents of the bowl and looked at his reflection. "I'm not bored, but it's not fun either."
He got up and threw away the Styrofoam bowl.
"Mm. Why am I even doing this?" He cracked a softly amused smile to himself. "I'm aware that I am vengeful and malicious... Am I maybe trying to prove that I'm more than that?"
Envy looked down at his clothes and poked the fabric. "Amazing. I can be anyone I want, yet still feel dissatisfied."
He shrugged and let it go for today.
"Envy!"
The homunculus turned around to face another of his species.
"Greed? What are you doing out?"
"I was just about to ask you the same thing." He put his hands on his hips. "Especially out with that little nerd. He looked like he didn't wanna be here."
"I know." Envy smiled. "Isn't it fun? I get to toy with his 'wittle feewings'."
"I don't know, it looked like you were having an awful good time." Greed rose an eyebrow.
"Gee, you're stupid." Envy laughed. "That's called good acting. Anyway, answer my question or go away."
Greed rolled his eyes. "I've just been picking up a few ingredients for Lust's casserole recipe... And maybe a bit of drywall for Gluttony. But don't act like you want me to leave or anything."
Envy disregarded Greed as he rambled on and on about how he should get the biggest dinner serving, and not Gluttony. He was far too caught in his thoughts. Was I even acting? Or was I actually having a good time?
"Hey, why don't we stay out for a drink or two? Couldn't hurt. You look like you need it." Greed pointed to Envy's confused and slightly tired eyes, as if they automatically indicated "Drink some alcohol !!!"
"No, I'm alright. Not much of a drinker myself."
~
"It's just a childhood crush, right? I mean, first feelings take a long time to heal over. That's what mom always said about dad, anyway." Al reassured his brother.
"Yeah, you're right." Ed looked up at his brother triumphantly. "I'll get over it. It's about time for me to stop moping around anyways."
"Yeah! That's it!" Al couldn't smile, but if he could, he would be beaming at his brother.
"Haha, yeah! We're going to get through this, little brother." He bumped his brother's metal chest with his fist and smiled warmly for the first time in ages.
"Alright, I guess I should get some sleep now. Too much to do nowadays. Have a good night, Al." Ed tucked himself into his bed, back facing his brother.
"I'll try. Sleep well, brother."
He gazed out the window of the wall he faced. Spacing out was a normal thing for Ed, but something really stuck with him as he fell asleep.
Why do I... Trust him so much?
Envy's actions today were completely unusual. How could it be possible that he was the same person, yet at the same time, a different one altogether? It estranged Ed to his ends. And it interested him.
And he wanted to see more of it.
Morning arrived through the thin window curtains, very much unwelcomed by the sleeping Elric brother. Blinding rays of striped sunlight leaked through to his face, initiating a few twitches from his cheeks. Alphonse watched intently as Ed's eyes fluttered open. It had become routine for them. Since he no longer could experience waking up, he did it vicariously through his brother.
"Good morning!" He softly chimed. "Brother, I made you some oatmeal for breakfast."
Edward's head sprang from the pillow. "It doesn't have any--"
"Nope, nope! No milk at all! D-Don't you worry about a thing--"
"You're a terrible liar." Ed smiled and stretched the muscles in his back. "I'm just giving you grief. It's fine as long as I can't taste it." He slipped out of the covers, shivering to the quiet, cool breeze from the open window. Cold feet pressing against an even colder wooden floor sent a shock up his spine.
Alphonse watched this exchange with interest from the breakfast table. He longed so badly for the day he could once again experience life and all of its sensations in one, but waiting would have to serve him for now.
Ed rubbed his tired eyes as he wandered to the table his brother was seated at. As his skin brushed over the cool wood of the chair, goosebumps formed on the surface. He lifted the spoon to his mouth.
"Tastes just like mom's, Al." He didn't smile, nor did he frown. Ed's face was not expressionless, but merely depicted a solemn memory through hazy eyes of a child.
"I'm glad." Al nodded.
It would be about a week before the alchemist and homunculus would cross paths again, this time for another sparring session. They convened at an open field just outside of Central. After several minutes of struggling, Envy had prevailed.
"Try harder next time, runt." He laughed, looking down at the late-teen on the ground.
Edward stood up and brushed himself off. "You say that like you think I'd lose." Ed sneered back, spitting a bit of blood from his mouth.
"Well, if you really want to go again, then let's--"
"--I think we'll have to decline that offer for now, but thank you very much." Al interrupted before Ed could respond and get beaten up any further.
He pulled his brother aside and hushed his tone. "I don't think this is a good idea, Ed. He's going to kill you one day, and then what will you do?"
Ed smiled. "I'm gonna wish I had listened to you." He replied, hushing his tone to Al's level. "He's not going to kill me. I can sense it." He pointed over his shoulder at the homnculus, who was sitting in the tall grass, fiddling with the roots. There was a serious look about him. "There's something going on in his brain. Something real weird."
"You think so?"
"Yeah. I've only noticed recently. But he's got something on his mind, and it's been affecting him since--"
Edward couldn't finish his sentence. He hadn't thought about Winry for a while now. He suddenly wondered how she was doing, and more importantly, why he hadn't received a wedding invitation yet.
Alphonse, unsure of what to do in this painfully long moment of silence, allowed his brother to take his time. He knew better than to try and help, since generally it would only cause him more stress and discomfort.
The blonde parted his lips, seeming to be running a few things through his head until standing up and stretching sore muscles.
He placed his hands on his hips comfortably. "Oi, Envy!"
The ho-punk-culus [I'm running out of substitutes, ssh I know it's stupid] looked up from the bits of twigs he had somehow found amusement in. "What? I thought you woulda' left by now."
"Let's meet here every week, huh? I could use some training, and you could use some entertainment."
Envy stood up and appeared to think for a moment before shrugging. "Alright. As long as you don't mind getting the shit beat out of you every Friday."
From then and forth, the two (plus Al, who wanted to spot Ed in case things got too serious) congregated for a short challenge. They would only last several minutes; until Envy would lose interest and give up, or Ed took too long to resurface, which sent Al into overprotective-mode.
But as Ed grew physically and mentally stronger, Envy grew curious about him. He attempted once to continue his mind games, but they obviously bounced off of the kid's skull, even if he did believe Envy's lies. Their sessions would sometimes lead to lunch or dinner in nearby restaurants until drifting away from purely fighting. Practices were almost certain to be accompanied by deep alchemic discussions borderlining existentialism over a nice meal.
Now late November, it was becoming too cold to spar outside. Ed slipped on his jacket and shoes after freshly polishing his automail.
"Brother, it's supposed to snow today, and it never snows in this part of Amestris! Even Envy isn't even crazy enough to be out in this cold."
Ed removed his hand from the doorknob and turned to Alphonse. "I know, but I could use a walk, regardless of his presence." He replaced a glove on the knob. "You can stay home, y'know."
"So that you can be killed?" Al pointed to his brother.
"He's not going to kill me." Ed looked at the floor. Why was his heart beating faster now?
"I've talked to him a lot, if you haven't noticed. I mean, you're usually too busy picking up stray cats, anyway." He smiled and pointed an accusing finger. "Don't think I didn't notice that."
Al laughed nervously and scratched the back of his neck... Er, helmet. "Eheh... I guess you have a point... But please--"
"Let loose, Al. In fact, you're the one in the metal body. You could totally be doing the most reckless stuff ever until we get your body back!" It was an insensitive statement, but he was mostly out the door now.
"Wh-what?"
"See you later!" Ed gave a cheeky smile and closed the door before Alphonse could respond.
"Uh... Bye?" Al crossed his arms, and would've rolled his eyes if he could. "Sheesh, how ruuude." [<where's michelle tanner when you need her? XD]
Upon his arrival, the sky began to yield a powdery white dust. It wasn't bitterly cold, to Fullmetal's surprise, but quite lovely for this time of year.
Envy was nowhere to be found. He didn't expect to find him out here, anyway. Everyone has a threshold, and Envy was king of not caring enough. It disappointed Ed a bit more than he had anticipated, but continued to stare at the sky and catch its pretty falling flakes on his tongue and gloves anyway.
He paused when he saw a (presumably) evergreen bush move. Blade extended, he ducked under a branch and headed toward the plant. Maybe there was an animal underneath it?
... No, that's not a plant, nor an animal! It's a person!
"E-Envy? What on Earth are you--"
"I-I-I'd never break a promise, Ed-o~." He tried to create a snarky grin, but it was forced so harshly that the punk just looked mental.
"Why are you curled up under these pine branches?"
"Gotta keep warm somehow."
"You're not even wearing a jacket! How stupid are you?" Ed criticized.
The palm tree shivered harshly, knees tightly knit to his chin. "I'm not stupid. I d-don't have a jacket to wear."
Ed's scolding attitude immediately dispersed. "You... You don't?"
"No. Sorry, I guess I wouldn't expect a State Alchemist like you to understand that."
He blinked, then forcibly regained his 'cool'. "Well, your lucky butt can be thankful." As Envy looked up, his face collided with a red, satin-lined jacket.
"I don't need your pity." Envy muffled under the fabric.
"Yeah, but you do need to cover up. You're gonna get frostbitten." He offered a hand to Envy, who was curled up in Ed's cozy red lined coat, wide eyes peering up at the alchemist. The jacket draped over him a bit oversized, since he was a bit thinner than Ed, who would wear multiple layers underneath it anyways.
At the sight of this, Ed felt his cheeks heat a bit. He had never seen Envy so vulnerable in his life, and it felt so... Improper, almost as if he had walked in on someone changing clothes. As Envy took his hand, he felt chills run up his spine. He had offered his right hand, but could virtually sense Envy's algidity through the metal.
"You don't need to act so tough. It's cold as hell out here." Ed muttered, dragging the guy in red behind him. "Let's get some hot chocolate somewhere, alright?" He moved his eyes back, and Envy smiled--not evilly or maniacally, but almost... warmly.
As they continued walking, the nearby town became more visible. Ed's hand was still tethered tightly to both of Envy's, mainly so that he wouldn't fall over.
"E-Edward..."
Said alchemist stopped and turned. I don't think this guy's ever actually called me by my name... What a time to be alive. "Yeah?"
"Why are you... Why are you helping me? You know I could just regenerate..." He shivered.
"Well, it's a pretty damn uncomfortable road until then... At least as far as I can imagine." He continued to pull his partner along until reaching the outskirts of Central, where a small coffee shop rested peacefully against the white.
As they stepped inside the vacant store, gushing warm air excitedly greeted them both. Ed sighed--Envy shivered furiously at the sudden temperature change.
"Hello, there! Have a seat wherever you like, it's been a slow day." A young lady behind the counter waved to them, and giggled slightly when she noticed that the palm tree was still clutching the blonde's gloved hand. Both boys immediately pulled away from each other in response, each becoming equally flushed in the process.
"Could we have two hot chocolates, please? ... Unless you want something else, En--"
"Honestly, I would drink the amniotic fluid of a pregnant woman right now if it would warm me up. Hot chocolate sounds as good as it gets."
"What an... Enlightening vocabulary, you have... Yes, two hot cocoas should do it."
While Ed paid, Envy scouted out the perfect seat by the front windows. Nice and warm underneath the heating vent, but not in the way of the draft leaking in from the door. As Edward returned with the drinks, Envy pulled out the chair across from him and patted it, indicating that he should sit down.
"Thank you." Ed said flatly, setting the drinks down.
There was an awful long silence from then. It wasn't like they could just continue one of their previous conversations on the meaning of life, or pick back up an intense discussion on metaphysical probabilities.
Ed gazed out the window, and Envy divided glances between the alchemist across from him and the paper cup in front of him. There was always something visually attractive about Ed to him, but couldn't pinpoint what it was, exactly. Maybe his aesthetic, or the way that he carried himself, or maybe it was the pure fact that he was, well, a pretty darn good looking eighteen-year-old.
Ed caught Envy's eye for a brief second, then continued his staring contest with the window. Envy quickly looked away, feeling his cheeks heat up.
"Red's kind of a good color on me, yeah?" Envy laughed softly, receiving a caring smile in return.
"Yeah, you should wear it more often." He then added, less than a second later, "I-I mean, not to say that I think you should wear m-my clothes more often--"
"I know what you meant." He reassured.
It was another painfully long minute of awkwardness before Envy, in a quieter tone, initiated.
"U-Uh... Hey, Ed?"
"Hm?" The blonde turned his head from the window, eyes speaking with some sort of innocence.
"Thank you." Envy replied confidently, but not arrogantly. "Thank you for your kindness. I really do owe you."
Ed's eyebrows knit. The circulatory system in his face must've been getting a workout today, as his cheeks turned a scarlet shade in response. "Um... Yeah, sure." He shook his head slowly while responding. This homunculus was confusing the poor kid.
"I should really get going, Father is probably wondering where I've been, especially out in this weather. Thank you for lending me you jack--"
"Keep it. You've got to get there somehow, and I already have long sleeves.
Envy nodded, hands folded together in front of him. "Um... Thank you!" Envy suddenly threw himself at the seated daydreamer with a brisk hug, who had evidently been caught off-guard.
"Wha--!" Ed's face was a blushing mess but Envy was already out the door. He was quick for someone so lean.
"What a... Weird guy." Ed shook his head, finishing his drink. He didn't see anything he had done for the homunculus as much of a big deal, but Envy was practically tearing his hair out. He had made it back to headquarters when he finally began to lose his shit.
He pulled a baggy sleeve to his face. The jacket was silky and soft. It smelled like Ed--Like cinnamon, with maybe a tinge of the coffee shop's aromatic scent. He looked down and poked where his heart would be. "It's funny. It kinda hurts." A soft smile escaped his lips.
It was becoming evident to Envy that his malice was based on something so much deeper than purely his 'design'. Envy had thousands of lost souls within him. Countless had fallen due to his vicious temperance, and he, frighteningly, would find amusement in such actions.
He knew all of this. But why was Ed so different? He had toyed with so many emotions and lives in the past, but this shortstack blonde kid completely threw him off course. No one had ever sat down and had a real conversation with him before Ed started showing up every week. No one had given him the time in the day. But Edward seemed to care, at least a little, for the finest details. Except, this may have been a detail to Ed, but a complete game-changer to Envy. It was no longer fun to play with him as a toy. It only reflected off of the alchemist and pained him further.
"Guilt?" Envy's voice grew from something almost inaudible to near yelling. "Remorse? Is this what this is?"
The homunculus sank down to his knees and cackled hysterically. If he wasn't already attracting perplexed looks from Lust and the others, he certainly was now.
"Stupid!" He tilted his head to the ceiling. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! All I've ever felt was jealousy! Bitterness! Cruelty runs in my veins, damn it!"
His head fell to his hands. His voice trailed into a quiet whisper now. "But... What am I envious of?"
Tears ran from icy, violet-hued eyes.
"Perhaps... The very thing that makes homunculi superior... Is also our weakness."
~
"Hey Al, what's your opinion on homunculi?" Ed asked from the bathroom shower.
"Homunculi?" Al called back from the other room, where he was washing the dishes. "I think you might have to clarify."
"Do you think they might be able to... To learn to feel?"
Al paused a moment. "I'm not really sure, Ed. But I bet there's at least one out there that's accomplished that." He shrugged, not thinking much of the question.
The shower water switched off, and out stepped a toweled Edward Elric. "I think you're right, Al." He shook his hair out, slipped some shorts on, and crawled into bed. "And I think they're not so different from you and I."
"Uh... Alright..." Al placed the last dish on the rack and seated himself at the breakfast table. He didn't know what kind of brainwashing that Envy had done to him today, but he wasn't sure he liked it. "Well, uh, good night, Ed... You brushed your teeth, right? And flossed?"
"Yeah, yeah. Good night, mom." Ed waved his brother off and was out like a light in a matter of minutes.
The following week approached, and Ed was hesitant to meet with Envy once again. He felt bad for seeing him in such a condition last time. Sure, Envy was a complete dick, but Ed felt so awkward seeing him in such a fragile state. Admittedly, he slightly liked it, but at the same time, it felt like he had seen something he shouldn't have. The way that Envy carried himself was always so high-and-mighty that he must've felt at least a little embarrassed by Ed taking care of him.
Nevertheless, he made his walk to the same meeting spot, which was empty. Of course it wasn't snowing like last week, nor was it as fever-inducingly cold, but there were no snarky palm trees in sight today.
The same story repeated for a few weeks following, yet Edward still ventured out to see his homunculus friend. His brother began to worry why he would continue to leave every Friday after work when he knew full well that no one would meet him, and to be quite honest, Ed wondered the same thing to himself. Why was he doing it? Did he feel like he had to? Or did he just want his jacket back?
It flew right over his (short) head until one day, he realized.
It hit him like a brick.
"I want to see him."
"What?" Alphonse responded from across the room.
"I want to see him, Al. That's why I keep doing this."
"Oh?" Al questioned in a snappish tone, near opposite of his usual tone.
"Yeah. I want to treat him like no one ever had before. He doesn't... He's ever experienced that feeling of someone being there, and--Al, guess what?--I think I might be that someone."
Al nodded. "Go on..."
Ed's face turned crimson and he buried his head down in his arms at the breakfast table. He honestly didn't know how he had lasted this long without hiding under the covers three rooms over. [or the closet... hehe, gay joke? no?]
"Alphonse, this is so personal... I want to hug him, and... And, you know what? I want to kiss him. I want to plant one on his forehead n' tell him everything's gonna be alright!" Ed's voice gained more power the longer he talked.
"That's so nice to hear.~" Alphonse's voice purred, only--
"W-W-Wait a minute!" Ed jumped up in fear. "Y-You're not my b-brother!"
The suit of armor melted into a fleshy body and morphed into a familiar face. Heya, folks, it's everybody's favorite shapeshifter!
"Ooooaaaoooh, good eye. You figured me out, detective." Envy clapped sarcastically and laughed evilly to himself.
"Wh-What did you do with Alphonse?!" Ed's back arched angrily at the homunculus.
"Relax. I just sent him down the street to pick up some vegetables from the grocery store." He said casually, then inspected the floor, in all its... Woodiness?
"Uh... Ed... Was what you said..."
Ed's spine jolted straight up, and he felt all of the blood in his body rush to his face. Envy hadn't moved from his floor-staring position. He seemed too shy at the moment to look up, which was definitely a full character development written in by the fantastically talented author of this story!
"That was--! I was--I-I'm really tired and I, um, I did just have a couple of glasses over in the Colonel's office, y'kno--"
"No, tell me how I make you feel, Ed." Envy placed a hand on the wall behind Ed and leaned in, practically pinning him to the wall. Before the ponytailed alchemist could process what was going on, he could sense a pair of lips--much softer than Ed imagined--delicately brushing against his. Fullmetal felt his arms snake around Envy's neck, up and down his back, in circles around his chest. Black wisps of hair tickled the darkly reddened cheeks of the alchemist, an arm smoothing around his waist sending sparks of euphoria into both bodies.
They pulled apart, and Envy backed away, tears pooling in his eyes and forming canals down the surface of his skin. "I... I can't take it anymore, Edward! You're so stupid, I hate you, you little slug!"
Ed was beyond confused, so he responded with an "U-Um... Okay..?"
"That girl, Ed! She... She's not married... Nor is she with Paninya, or... Any of the other things I've said a-about her--"
It was just setting in to Ed's brain what Envy was saying. "Wha... What are you telling me?" He extended his blade, shattering a desk lamp in the process. He yanked Envy by the collar of his shirt and forced him into the wall behind, holding the sharp automail against his skin--harder than he had done so back a few months ago.
Envy didn't speak.
"Do you even know? Do you know the pain and suffering I went through? My depressive relapses? I nearly had to go to a fucking therapist! All because of you! And you think you can just... You can kiss me, and everything's A-OK then?"
"I... I was afraid, Ed..." he whispered.
Ed didn't budge.
"I didn't want anyone else to have you... I wanted you, and wanted to use you as my toy, and... And I thought it would be fun to see you fall, but all it's done is hurt me. It's destroyed me, Ed. You... You taught me so many wonderful things... Feelings and expressions I had no idea existed, until I met you. You're completely right, I've internalized my problems my entire life, taking my pain and envy of your human emotions out on other people, and you've taught me that it's not right! It's really not, Ed!"
The metal limbed boy released Envy, who fell to the floor on his knees. "I learned to love you, Edward Elric. You're a fucking bastard. And that is why I hate you."
Ed stepped back from the puddle of a homunculus that remained on the floor.
"Please, be mine..."
He crouched down to Envy, holding his head to his chest as Envy sobbed into it. "Alright, alright. Pull yourself together, drama queen." He rested his chin on top of the palm tree's head, which was also an awful lot silkier than expected. "What did I tell you? I'm always going to be right here for you."
He kissed the top of Envy's forehead, moved down to his lips, and poked at the upper until gaining entrance. Softly and slowly, he kissed him the same way Envy had a mere five minutes ago. In fact, Ed had never had his first kiss until then, so he tried his best to emulate what he had seen in the movies.
"You've beaten yourself up enough. Get some rest." Ed pushed the palm tree away from him and stood up, stretching like he usually did after a sparring session.
"And you better give me back that jacket too, asswipe. I need to take it to the drycleaners."
The following half hour was filled with cuddles, and Ed realized something weird. He never got this kind of feeling when they would curl up like this as kids. Obviously, lying on top of someone on the floor and hearing their heartbeat was a bit different than just a hello/goodbye squeeze, but it was all physical contact to him.
"I'll be yours, Envy." He muttered, still resting his head on the homonculus' chest. "Just don't do anything stupid and make me leave you."
Envy smiled and nodded. "And you... Don't fall for any blonde girls or I'll kill you."
"How 'bout a brunette instead?" Ed looked up and laughed, earning a lovely kick in the shin.
The door flew open, nearly off of its hinges, startling both of the boys. "Hey, Ed! I got the veggies you asked for-- ... Wait, are you home?"
Ed and Envy were luckily positioned around a corner of the room, not visible to the front door.
"Y-Yeah, um... L-Look at this cute cat I found!"
Envy played along and transformed into a feline, with black fur that reflected an interesting purple-green hue.
"Interesting color... I've never seen a cat like that before! Can we keep him? Can we name him!? Please?!"
Ed laughed unsurely. "Uhhum..." What did I just get myself into...
This thing took like 10 years to edit but uwahhh it was fun to write! A little long for a one shot, but, um... I guess I do kind of have a bad habit of adding unnecessary buildup. Let me know if you have any requests or ideas, or even if you'd like a Part Two to anything. Hope you have a lovely day!