Envy pov
Waking up was an experience, I'll tell you that much. Eyes opening from dreary, quiet darkness into the feelibg of softness all around me. The sheets below me were slightly warm and silky, a far cry from the cold stone sewers. The blanket over me was fluffy, warm, and it smelled a little bit like vanilla. It felt... Good. I didn't like it.
I kicked the blanket off, whimpering quietly as I sat up quickly and suddenly felt the whole room spin.
"Hey, hey. Take it easy." I heard the metal boy chime in, directing my eyes to his spot beside my bed. He sat quietly, rubbing his tired eyes that were ringed now with dark circles. His hand held a plate for me, decorated with freshly made eggs and a slice of toast with butter. It smelled simple, and yet the action alone sent a warm tingle through me.
My hand gripped the sheet tighter to me, shaking as worry took over. "How much did you see...?"
"Nothing. Just made sure you got some sleep." He answered with a long yawn. "You slept pretty soundly though."
"You actually fuckin watched me all night? Damn. Creep." I spat half heartedly, glancing again as I got very first bout of human hunger. A loud gnawing gripped my stomach as churning and uncomfortable sounds burbled out, making me wince slightly and take the plate with a quiet grumbling of frustration.
"Heh, sure." He chuckled lightly, smiling a little one at me. I rolled my eyes, shifting to look at the window. I was rewarded with my eyes feeling like they were on fire, so I decided the floor was the best view today. I munched quietly.
My nose caught the smell of apples baking downstairs, the melted butter, the pepper in the egg. It felt all .. wrong. Where was Lust's sharp perfume? Where was the rotting odors of Gluttony's legt overs?
Even the sounds felt off, somehow. There wasn't the sharp click of nails, only light conversation and chuckles. There was no sounds of breaking bones and mauled flesh, only the sizzle of a pan and the fire from their stove. The sheets, the sounds, the smells, everything was so... So...
I felt a much deeper ache, then. Lust, Gluttony. They really were gone. Completely, irrevocably gone. It left this pit in my chest that was nothing like the hollowness of the stone's feeling. It was hard and heavy, and it made me want to just curl into a ball. I missed them. My... My family ...
I felt a soft hand touch my shoulder. The Metal boy quietly squeezed. I flinched at first, but after a moment or two, it didn't startle me anymore. It wasn't an expectation or a question, not the way Father would give me. It was just ... Presence. I hated it, and I hated that I couldn't fully hate it. Was this hate? It was hot and intense and it made my whole body feel flush. Surely that was hatred.
"I'm sorry." He didn't elaborate and I didn't want him to. I just breathed quietly, tasting the crisp air as it hit my lungs. It burned, and yet it was a burn that felt needed. Then, I felt something lodge. It made breathing hard, coughing and shaking in shock.
"Hey, you okay?!" The metal boy said, worry creeping in as he stepped closer. I didn't swallow anything! After a few painful hacks, a wad of somethibg nasty and green popped out and hit the floor.
"Fuck is that?!" I shouted, panting.
"Mucus. You gotta make sure to clear your throat from time to time." Clear my fuckin throat?! My body had maintenance to even breathing?!
"Are you fuckin serious?"
"Yes." It was delivered so matter of factly that all the rage popped like a bubble. I deflated, grumbling in frustrations. He offered a chuckle and a pat on my back that sent sparks.
"Would you stop bein so fuckin handsy, Metal boy?" I spat, trying to form that old biting rage. I looked at him and saw it had failed as he just offered a smile.
"Sure." He started moving his hand. My stomach twisted in a knot, but I buried that feeling pretty quickly. I really didn't like it.
"Good. Creep." I muttered. He blushed, looking away and scratching his cheek.
"Well, once you finish breakfast we are gonna go downstairs. Talk about... what the plan is exactly."
"Lemme guess, hand me to the military? Or maybe you plan to call Mustang and this is just some trap!"
"... Do you really think we are that cruel?" He asked, a hint of pain in his voice. He knitted his brows in a way that made my chest ache.
"...no." I muttered, looking away from how much his eyes were making me angry. Was it angry? It was hot again. So fucking hot...
"Best idea we have right now is, well, none." He sighed, drooping his shoulders.
"Can't you just, turn me back? Like Wrath! Make a new stone, swallow it, Bingo!" I clapped with a grin.
"We are not making a philospher's stone." He shot me a look of finality that cut through all my arguments pretty fast.
"B... But..." I felt something leave me. Was that, hope?
"We would have to kill hundreds. I'm sorry Envy, but it isn't happening." He said with a bit of remorse on the end. I felt tears threaten me again, but I quickly wiped my face and hiding it like I was rubbing my eyes.
"Fine. Whatever..." I murmured.
"Come on, let's get downstairs." He answered softly, helping me to my feet as I wobbled a little. He explained how standing too fast could be why I got dizzy when I sat up, some shit about the blood and gravity. I didn't really catch much. I was stuck in my own head.
There had been a mirror in the room that I stepped by, catching a glimpse of myself finally. I looked so pathetic.
My face was bruised down each cheek with thin lines. Did tears... burn you? My eyes were bloodshot, ragged like sleep had achieved nothing. My hair was a frayed mess more than ever, and these clothes felt so... So wrong... They weren't my clothes... I felt so...
Armorless.
...
Alphonse Pov
We walked down after a few minutes, giving Envy time to breathe and mentally prepare before making our descent to the others. They were sitting about the dining room table, save for Granny who was cleaning up breakfast. It was a little tense with Ed staring into the table's soul as he half-heartedly sipped his luke-warm coffee. Winry was reading a book, leaned into her palm with a quiet look that said she wasn't really reading.
Envy felt like a walking nerve still, twitching quietly at every little sound. I lead her to a chair, sitting down beside her as I let everyone settle. Granny sat down soon after, relighting her pipe before taking a long drag, and a heavy sigh.
"So. Whatcha want brat." It didn't feel like a question so much a thinky veiled accusation. Envy responded with a shudder, unable to meet Granny's eyes.
"I... I want my stone back..."
"Fat chance." Ed narrowed his eyes. "Knew you were still a bastard." His throat rumbled slightly, and I placed a quiet hand on Envy's forearm for emotional support. It seemed to help, if just a little bit.
"Ya, metal boy said that already. So... Fuck me, I guess." She muttered angrily, the venom in it almost back to its old strength.
"Well, we gotta think of something. Could someone take her in?" Winry asked, putting the book down finally.
"Not likely. That mug would still be known to most of our folks, so odds are they'd just shoot her on sight." She sighed. "Nothin but trouble you are, brat." I could tell Granny wasn't serious. Her teasing got more clear if she was comfortable around you, a very tough love kind of woman.
I listened to them talk, glancing between the three and Envy as Ed argued for just throwing her out, Winry suggesting to still call folks and try, while Granny mediated the two to keep everything from being to heated. However, it didn't feel like they were really talking to Envy about this, just talking around her and planning without acknowledging her as sincerely as one another.
I felt my hand tense slowly, scooting her closer to my chair after a rather foul look from Ed made her whimper. She didn't fight me, only turned and hid her face behind my shoulder a little while trying not to touch me directly anymore than she was. I felt a little angry, I won't lie. They were deciding her life without even letting her put her voice in the discussion at all. Yeah, she had done bad things, but I was pretty certain by now she had suffered enough. The details of Mustang's attacks along with the clear state she had been living in alone all these years was punishment enough, wasn't it?
"I'll take care of her then, help her find a job, figure out what she wants." I don't know where the words came from, but they just had to be said. "It isn't right that you all are talking right sround her like this. She's in damn shock still, and I'd say she's heen tortured enough!" I didn't yell often, but I felt I had to emphasize. Ed took it like a physical blow, recoiling and looking at me with a mixture of shock and maybe a little more respect. Winry smiled ear to ear, lighting up. Granny cracker a smirk.
"That's perfect Al!" She clapped her hands. Envy felt like she was slowly relaxing in my hand, so she likely approved of the idea plenty.
"Yeah. Besides, can't be too hard. I handled being a suit of armor for years, helping Envy out will be a walk in the park!"