Alphonse Pov
It was not, in fact, a walk in the park. The first week was a little rough, just teaching Envy how often she had to eat, sleep, use facilities. It felt a little like guiding a toddler, but in the body of a malnourished grown woman. She struggled with walking in shoes the first few times, cursing and barking at the ground like it personally attacked her for being unstable. I guess the wood floorboards had been sonethibg she'd grown too accustomed to the stability of.
After that first week, a rhythm developed quietly. We would wake around 7 am and get her up and doing her basic exercises. I had insisted to help build up her musculature, which was near bone thin to say the least. She complained a lot the first few times, after she started keeping it to low grumbles after a while.
It was around week two I had figured out she prefered beef to pork, and that she quite liked milk and dairy. She especially had a fondness for the cheese we picked up here and there. I could also tell she was growing restless in just the house, and that those clothes were driving her crazy.
She had turned the mirror around in Winry's old borrowed room. She pretended it was fine, but I could see the glass breaking a little in her eyes everytime she wore Winry's hand-me-downs. So, today we would change that.
"Hey, come on." I offered her a small bundle of black silk. Envy looked up from her breakfast, eyes balking for a second before snatching the fabric from me. Her fingers traced the little silver stitches along the front where she had ripped it, and there were some dark spots on the skirt I couldn't quite scrub fully clean. "We are gonna go buy you new clothes."
"You messed it all up." She muttered grumpily, but she still slid back upstairs and came back down dressed in it. She kept tapping the silver threads and muttering how much the stains annoyed her, but she looked far comfier in that than the gearhead gitup.
"Heh, sorry." I smiled as she tied back her hair, the spikes redone then put in a large ponytail alongside the headband. She looked a lot more at ease, honestly closer to her self again than she had in the two weeks she had stayed. I felt my heart speed up a little when she looked my way, purple eyes narrowing as her cheeks gained a hint of pink.
"Gonna keep gawkin or get off your ass and take me out, Huh Metal boy?" She barked in what was surely an attempt at anger, but just felt like her whining. It was... Honestly kind of cute.
"Yeah, but here." I put a cloak over her shoulders. She understood in a second why, and as much as she clearly liked her old clothes, it was just too risky to walk around openly in them. Still, I figured she deserved to have them back and let her decide that.
"Hmph. Ya. Last thing we want is someone sending a letter to the military..." Her eyes wavered quietly, clearly drifting to an uncomfortable thought.
"I think they are having a sale today on onions, those red ones." This caught her attention.
"Yeah?" She perked up excitedly.
"Mhm. Lets pick some up while we wre getting you some clothes." I lead her out, starting down the road as she followed closely.
We talked lightly on the way, the sky cloudy which she seemed to like. She was still a vit sensitive to bright light, so I had picked a cloudy day for it. The walk i to town wasn't too bad, and she seemed able to handle it now after enough work on building her strength back up.
"So, this is your town?" We walked through the cobblestone streets, along the shop stalls and stores in the heart of our hometown Resembool. It was a nice place where farmers and tradesmen sold to passibg officials and locals alike, often showcasing new and growing crop techniques. We had grown a reputation, thanks to Ed and I, for innovation. Farming and soil management really was just a game of chemical rotations mixed with a healthy respect for the plants themselves.
"Mhm, nice isn't it?" I smiled as we walked through the wooden doorway of a clothing store. Simple attire and rustic dresses lined a few simple walls. Her lipped twitched on sight.
"Ya. Real fuckin nice." She muttered and crossed her arms. I felt a trickle of sweat run down my temple. Why had I thought this was a good idea again?
"Welcome!" Cheered the shopkeep, a brunette in her early twenties with soft brown eyes and a round face. She wore an apron overtop a long green dress with hand stitched leather gloves on.
"Hey Eli." I answered softly and chuckled at her overly jovial tone. Elizabeth was a fine seamstress, so I had an idea for what to ask her for. "I got something a little unconventional for you to make." I pulled out a small package with sketches I had done for Envy's new clothes. She took it and ripped it open with an eager giggle, always hungry for the latest challenge.
"Is she... Droolin?" Envy asked eith a olayful caution. I just chuckled as Eli looked over the sketches.
She scratched her chin thoughtfully, glancing at me and Envy then the papers with her tongue slightly held out of her lips. She walked over, a flurry of motion as her measuring tape practically attacked Envy.
"Wh-hey! Watch it! Woah!" Envy yelped and squirmed as she nearly wrestled with Eli, but after a few moments, she realized it was just for measurement same and quietly but poutingly stood still. "Coulda said something bitch."
Eli promptly ignored her, writing everything down on a notepad and looking at me. "Gimme two days!"
"Wh- really? Thats incredible!" I cheered enthusiastically. Envy quirked a brow.
"Hehe, you just leave it to me!"
...
Envy Pov
I stared down at the three new sets of clothes draped on the bed. Each was hand sewn black leather with green stitched into the seems. One had a little purple mark on the heart that matched the tattoo that still strangely lingered on my thigh, but it didn't feel like a brand. Not anymore. It felt like the one thing I had left of Lust and Gluttony.
I traced the little pattern as a smile edged at my lips. They were all midriffs, but in varied styles. One had puffy and lengthened sleeves with holes at the end for my thumbs, and a hood to keep my face concealed when I wanted to. The skirt was also missing on that one, changed out for black leather shorts with a belt looped around them loosely. The next was similar to my original clothing, but had the mark over the heart and had sleeves that hugged down to just above my elbows. This one was also paired with a brown leather coat, or I had paired that with it. Felt right, somehow.
The last was a bit more drastic. It was loose and had single straplines holdibg up the top, while the skirt was also replaced with very short shorts. I had decided this was just for when we didn't leave the house. It felt cool and lighter, the top wasn't leather but a soft linen that had been treated to be soft on the skin.
"Heh. Whatcha think?" He smiled that nervous yet goofy smile, rubbing the back of his head while he watched my reactions.
"I think your a damn idiot." I grumbled, crossing my arms as that stupid hot feeling swelled inside again and made my face all red.
"Yeah, guess I am." He chuckled and relaxed, seeing right through my barb.
"...Thanks, Metal Boy." I muttered quietly.
"Always, Ennie." Something about that make my heart race so damn fast, I turned and nearly screamed. But I didn't. No.
I just punched him in the face. He yelped, stumbling back and holding a bloody nose. "D don't call my that, asshole!" I felt my whole face was aglow, but this didn't feel like rage. Why was it so hot then??"
He just chuckled, smiling and wiping his nose. He didn't look angry. He looked... Happy.
"Hehe, Sure thing, Ennie. Oops." He offered a dopey smile now, eyes soft as he looked at me.
"...Jerk." I refused to meet his gaze. It was going to give me a heart attack.