Now If Only

Somewhere deep beneath the earth in the confines of Dante's once great mansion lay two figures twined together, one content and one confused. They couldn't be called humans for they were neither weak nor mortal but they really didn't fit as homunculi anymore for though they had no souls they did have hearts. Once byproducts of human alchemy the two had hated all of mankind for having what they did not but no longer, one had lost all he once had and the other had gained all he ever wanted. Envy and Wrath, the names no longer suited the two creatures they were meant for; did that mean their suffering was over?

Lying curled in Envy's arms Wrath thought about all that had been lost and gained in the past few weeks since Envy's profound confession. The elder sin had only raised his hand to strike Wrath three times though none of them connected as Envy always stopped right before contact, favoring scolding the boy when he had done wrong as apposed to beating him. Even when Wrath had cried at the loss of Sloth Envy had done nothing but hold him and kiss his tears away, yes he was still violent and would destroy anything in his path when Wrath angered him but he never laid a hand on the smaller sin.

Sighing and nuzzling closer to Envy's pale chest Wrath thought back to the fairy tales Sloth had read to him when she had been alive, back to the world where the princess would fall helplessly in love with her prince and the two would live happily ever after. He recalled asking what love felt like and her telling him it was a warm feeling that filled you up and made you never want to leave that person's side. Nothing like the ice that numbed his body or the fear that made his heart race when Envy was near, nothing at all like the terror that kept him silent the nights Envy would seek him out.

Wrath froze when he felt Envy shift and wake at his fearful shivering. "What's wrong Squirt? Cold?" Wrath felt his heart speed up at Envy joking tone; homunculi didn't feel cold, it was a code. "Wrath?"

"Y..yes, a little." Wrath stuttered meeping when Envy shifted to cover his small form with his own larger body even though he knew by answering positively he'd invited the contact.

"You should have woken me up." Envy whispered running his hands over Wrath's pale skin. "Were you afraid I would have been angry?" Wrath whimpered when he felt Envy lean closer, not that the elder understood. "You know there's nothing to be afraid of, I love you."

Wrath swallowed thickly before Envy covered his trembling lips with his own, wishing what Envy said was true. Wrath was afraid, afraid of the anger Envy showed so often, of the threats that he hissed with bloody hands, of the pain that he could inflict, but not his love. Envy loved him with gentle hands and lips, cooed to him with a humanity thought long lost, and he never feared that.

'I know Envy, now if only I could love you back.'