Seeing Red

Chapter 5

"It hurts... it burns... it's burning me..."

"It's going to be alright. Take a deep breath. You've still got a ways to go."

Envy sobbed, twitching on the bed, not opening his eyes for fear the light would cause him even more pain. "It hurts so much... please, please do something..."

"Sorry, kiddo, but we can't do anything." Greed's smirk was evident from his cocky tone. "You'll just have to suck it up like a big boy."

"Shut up," the youngest homunculus hissed, fingers curling through the bedsheets. "It's not fair. Why aren't you in pain? Why can't I feel better?"

"That's your jealousy showing," Greed laughed. "Poor little Envy, he can't be healthy like the rest of us. He has to wait."

"Shut up!" Envy froze, having opened his mouth too wide and sent pinpricks of electricity over his lips. "This isn't... f-funny."

Greed fell silent, and then he chuckled. "I know it isn't. You're in agony, and there's no relief. You're scared and vulnerable. You've only been alive for two hours, and the only thing you've known is pain." He paused, and Envy could hear the smile in his voice. "But if you're mad at me, it'll take your mind off the agony. So, if you don't mind, I think I'll just keep on irritating you."

Lust laughed softly. "Greed might not have the nicest methods, but it helped me when I was created. Give it a chance."

Envy felt the bed sink next to him and cried out in pain.

"Is there anything that doesn't hurt?" Lust asked. "Anything at all?"

"I... I... there's a spot on my thigh. On the left..."

Envy tensed slightly when he felt a finger on his skin, but he soon relaxed, able to focus on the sensation and distract himself from the pain everywhere else.

"Focus on my touch... on my voice..."

Greed snorted. "Kinda hard not to, toots."

"Be quiet, Greed," she sighed.

Envy startled, pulled from the daydream by a loud whistle from somewhere close by. He looked up instinctively and met a pair of very irritated eyes, though it took his brain a moment to figure out whose eyes they were.

"Huh?" he mumbled.

"I was trying to get your attention." Mustang crossed his arms over his chest, tapping his foot impatiently. "You've been sitting there for nearly eight hours. It's almost midnight. Do you intend to sleep anytime soon?"

Envy shook his head. "He's awake. I'll stay awake with him."

Mustang blinked in surprise and turned to look at the bed. "He is?"

"It hurts to open his eyes," was the only explanation Envy offered.

Mustang hummed curiously and leaned over the form on the bed. "Can you hear me?"

Envy shot Mustang a vicious glare, but he was either unseen or ignored.

"It hurts," the boy whispered, barely moving his lips. "Please... please, do something."

Mustang turned to Envy with an expectant look in his eyes, but Envy only shook his head. Mustang scowled, his expression shifting to display suspicion, like he thought Envy was torturing the boy for fun.

"There isn't..." Envy stopped, let out a sigh, and got to his feet. "Kid, is there anywhere you don't hurt? Anywhere at all?"

"I... I..." The homunculus convulsed, drool trailing down his cheek and into his hair. "I think... my arm... my right... at the top..."