Chapter 11: The Sunset

Envy turned the key to Verona's cell and locked it tight. His stomach was still bubbling with regret and he felt as if he'd vomit, but he had to keep his composure, considering it was much too early for him to be checking on the prisoner and he wouldn't be able to give a valid excuse as to why he was down there. He turned his back to the door and walked down the dark, narrow hallway.

Good thing he didn't get caught. He didn't plan on doing this ever again.

He took a right down the corridor, leading to a tall staircase, where some light cast through the open door at the top. Suddenly, the light at the top of the staircase was obscured by a portly, shadowy figure. Envy was startled by this for a split second, stopping at the bottom of the staircase before realizing who this figure was. Gluttony.

"Envy!" Gluttony squawked triumphantly, "I've been looking for you!"

Envy sighed as he began to make his way up the staircase to meet his foolish sibling. "What do you want?"

"Lust wanted to see you. I think she's upset about something…" Gluttony's darkened face washed over with sadness and confusion. He whimpered a little bit, putting his index finger to his lip as he walked back into the light.

Envy, now at the top of the steps, stopped short. He felt his insides tremble and his legs shudder. Why was he suddenly so nervous? Lust was his sister, the closest person to him. If she was upset, shouldn't he be able to make her feel better? There was nothing to be nervous about, and yet he was. "Oh… okay. I'll be there in a second. Thanks, Gluttony."

Gluttony gave him a small smile and hopped down the hallway that was now before them, presumably going back to his own room. Now there was nothing stopping Envy from going to Lust's room and comforting his sister. He wished he could come up with some sort of excuse to delay his arrival, but he had none.

The further Envy walked down the hall, he could hear the faint sound of a record player and the smell cinnamon sugar. The music was by Henry Burr, one of Lust's absolute favorite vocalists. She had one time said that his voice always sounded brittle yet melodious; even if he's singing about something happy, his voice is tragically beautiful, like someone just broke his heart. The smell wafting through the air just stank of Lust—Envy wasn't sure if that should make him feel comforted or more nervous.

The door was slightly ajar, and when Envy gave it a quiet tap, it gave way. Allowing himself into the room, Envy was bombarded by the sensuous music, the hum of the record player, the smell of cinnamon, and the sight of Lust's voluptuous figure seated at her vanity in the far left corner of the room, humming to the song and stroking her dark, neverending locks with a golden brush. She was wearing a black strapless satin dress, one that showed off her curves and her toned, pale legs. As she turned to look at Envy, he noticed that her skin and eyes were glowing against the sensual lighting in the room. Seeing her like this made him uncomfortable. He wasn't sure how to feel about how show-stoppingly beautiful she was.

"You've said goodbye and everything is over now it seems,
And all you left behind for me were dreams, just shattered dreams."

"Envy." His skin felt hypersensitive to the air when she said his name like that. He could feel the goosebumps coming on. His breath hitched, and suddenly he forgot how to breathe regularly. This feeling was quite foreign to him, and her quiet demeanor was making it that much harder for him to keep his cool.

"For you were all I had, the only happiness I knew…"

"Lust… you wanted to see me?" He quietly shut the door behind him. The room felt hot almost instantly.

"You went away without a word, you proved your love untrue."

"Yes. I'm sorry to disturb you like this, but there's something I need to talk to you about." She stood up and slowly walked over to him. The closer she got, the more it seemed she towered over him. Envy already knew she was tall, but she wasn't even wearing heels; she was barefoot. When did she get this tall? How was she making him feel this small? How was she intimidating him like this? Envy, the seemingly craziest homunculus of all, the one who isn't afraid of anything, is cowering from the fear of… Lust.

"You never meant the kisses that you gave me…"

"Envy, I've been thinking… about you." Her voice was much more seductive than usual, even for Lust. No time had passed before Envy realized he had been backed into the wall. A devious smile crept up onto her face. She placed one of her bare hands on the wall next to Envy's head.

"I've paid with tears for every bit of joy."

"I-I've been thinking about you too, Lust." Envy wasn't even sure what he was saying anymore. Had he been thinking about her? He didn't know. He couldn't remember.

Instantly, Lust's eyes lit up with passion. She pushed her body into him and grasped his face with both hands, pushing her lips forcefully onto his. Cinnamon and hazelnut. He smelled it, felt it, tasted it—so much so that it clouded all of his senses and he forgot which way was up. Instinctually, he kissed back, grabbing her waist and pulling her closer towards him. In that moment, he felt like close just wasn't close enough. He needed her. He needed all of her.

He felt a small smile begin to play upon her lips as she flicked her tongue against his mouth, begging for him to let her inside. His stomach fluttered and he was shaking more than he would ever admit to, but he allowed her clearance. How was she doing this to him? He had never felt like this before—certainly not with Verona. Verona was nothing compared to the infinite beauty he was currently feasting his senses upon. He felt so helpless, almost like a child. He never believed something could ever make him feel this way, let alone the person who has been by his side all these years.

Feeling her tongue explore every inch of his mouth thrilled him in a way that was beyond words. He decided to take a chance and forcefully stick his tongue in her mouth as well, causing her to fidget with surprise and arousal. He opened his eyes for a second, catching a glimpse into her violet beauties.

God, she was so fucking incredible.

"You made a plaything of my heart, the heart I gave to you,
You broke it like a child would break a toy..."

Lust drew a hand anyway from Envy's face and traced down his toned body. Suddenly, Envy was jolted out of his stupor when he felt a hand caressing the skin underneath his waistband. He opened his eyes wide and his lips stopped moving in tune with her's, although their lips remained locked. She let her hand wander into his skort, quickly running her soft fingertips against his hardened member and clutching onto it tightly.

Hastily, he pushed her away. "L-Lust, we can't do this… You're my sister."

"The love you gave was like a fading flower,
The kind of love that lives for just a day."

Lust's eyes wielded a combination of torment, hurt, sadness, love, and anger. "Don't you want to be happy?! Don't you want ME to be happy?! For the first time in my entire life, I'm doing exactly what I told YOU to do! I'm acting on my desires, and all I desire is you! I need you Envy, I want you… I love you!" The louder she yelled, the harder she cried. Tears streamed down her face, ruining her once-flawless makeup.

"I have a great deal of love for you too Lust, but I don't love you in that way. You're my sister, my best friend, the only person I have in this godforsaken world."

"SO WHY CAN'T YOU LOVE ME, DAMNIT?!" Lust shrieked, putting her face in her cupped hands to muffled her wails.

"Wait... " She paused, raising her head up and straightening out her back. "It's the prisoner, isn't it? You love her, don't you? You care for her more than me." Her hands fell to her sides and balled up into fists.

Envy was starting to get frustrated with his sister's ridiculous accusations. "Don't be naive, Lust. I despise that disgusting rat, and you're the most important person in my life!"

Lust pushed up against Envy once again and wrapped her hands around his neck. "THEN WHY HAVE YOU NEVER TAKEN ME WHERE YOU TOOK HER?! I'M NOTHING TO YOU!" Her spit splashed onto his face and the grip she had around his neck tightened, only causing him to grow even angrier than he already was. He grabbed her wrists and pushed her away from him with more force than he intended, causing her to trip over her own two feet.

"THAT PART OF MY LIFE IS PRIVATE!" Envy roared, "WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO INTRUDE?!"

Lust seemed to grow weary as she came to the realization that she was never going to get the response she wanted from him. "Because… because you've intruded on my private life, Envy. Every breath I take, my every thought is consumed by you. I can't seem to think about anything else. You're what give my life meaning and happiness. I need you, and I need you to love me the way I love you in order for me to go on living this way…"

Envy scowled. To him, her words were harsh and piercing. How dare she ask such a thing of him? It was sickening and mad. "WELL I DON'T NEED YOU! I DON'T NEED ANYONE! CAN'T YOU SEE ALL YOU'RE DOING IS CAUSING PAIN? I WISH YOU NEVER DID THIS, I WISH YOU NEVER TOLD ME THIS STUPID SHIT! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Lust, finally out of tears to shed or words to yell, fell to her knees. "Okay. I'll leave you alone. I'm sorry I put you through this—" Envy did not listen to her apology. He was still hysterical over the whole situation. Before she finished, he stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him. Lust could almost hear her heart break at the sound of the slam. She couldn't believe what she had done. She had taken the one good thing in her meaningless life and shattered it into a million pieces and there was seemingly no way to pick up the remains of what was left. She didn't know what to do. All she knew was that she wanted to run and hide.

"But forgive you, dear, I will,
God knows I love you still,
Though you broke my heart to pass the time away."