Chapter Text
"Envy."
Envy turned at the sound of his name. The bell had just rung and he was about to exit the classroom. "Yeah?"
Mr Mustang stood near the door of the classroom, crossing his arms as he stared down at Envy, "I told you to stay back after class, didn't I?"
"I would, Mr Mustang, but I have another class to attend." Envy said in a matter of fact tone as he faced his new teacher.
"Is what you want to say to me important? Can't you say it now?" He knew he was being rude, but he didn't care. The dark haired man wasn't exactly polite to him either.
Mr Mustang's frown deepened, "Indeed."
"Oh, I'm sure it can wait," Envy said. He turned, waving a vague hand. "Can't I meet you after all my classes?"
Mr Mustang seemed to consider this for a moment, before he said, "Meet me in my office, Envy."
"You mean Mr Booris's office," Envy thought in his mind. But he gave Mr Mustang a smirk. "Sure thing."
Without waiting for the man's reply, Envy strode leisurely out of the door, closing the door none too softly for good measure.
Alfonse was waiting for him. He gave Envy a smile as he pushed himself off the wall. "He's still targeting you, huh?"
"Yeah, and I have no idea why," Envy shrugged as he walked beside his friend. He frowned thoughtfully. "Do you think he knows- I mean, knew me?"
"Maybe?" Al responded. He hesitated, before saying, "You think you did something which warranted his wrath in the past?"
"Probably," Envy said. His purple eyes clouded over in lost memory as his voice became softer, "But it isn't my fault, is it, Al? I mean, I don't even remember."
"How can I be blamed for something I don't remember?"
Al's eyes softened. "Envy…" he reached out, wrapping his right arm around the shorter boy's shoulders. "You're right. It's not your fault – it can't be."
"You didn't choose to lose your memory, and personally, I don't think you need it," Al said, caution in his tone, causing Envy to look up at him in surprise. "You have a new life now, don't you? You're popular, smart, athletic, many girls want to date you, and even a few guys as well!"
Envy blinked, before he smiled, touched. "I was thinking of that too, I couldn't have done too bad things in the past…right?"
"Right." Alfonse nodded in agreement, and Envy smirked.
"And Al, a few guys who want to date me?" He drawled, confidence replacing the uncertainty in his amethyst eyes as he raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you find me hot as well."
Alfonse laughed in good nature. "Nah, you're my friend, En," Envy vaguely wondered if Al had used his nickname just to make the words rhyme, "I was talking about the guys I caught staring at you."
"Who?"
To his surprise, Alfonse gave a smirk. "Well, Russell Baxton for one."
He chuckled as Envy twitched. "I regret punching him even less now," he said dryly. "Scratch that, I don't regret punching him at all."
"Shit, I thought he was straight!"
"Nah, I've suspected Russell's bisexual." Alfonse offered. "He just doesn't want people to know for fear of losing his infamous title of being the greatest womanizer of our batch."
"Talking about me, Ladies?"
Alfonse blinked and Envy whirled around to glare at Russell, who lifted his shoulders in a careless shrug, smirking, "What? You two were gossiping like the girls do."
Envy shot him a deadly glare. "Don't make me punch you again, Russell."
The teen had not even raised his fist, but Russell held up his hands in a defensive measure. "Hey relax Envy, I was just joking. No need to get your panties in a twist-" seeing Envy looking like he was about to carry out his threat, he quickly amended, "I mean, there's no need to get so upset! Geez, it's just a figure of speech En!"
Envy stared at him for a moment. Apparently deciding to let Russell's comment slide, he scoffed and turned, walking away.
Russell blinked. He turned his gaze to Alfonse. "I swear, that guy's bipolar." He complained as he walked beside the blond. Their classes were in the same direction. "I was just teasing him – Winry does that all the time!"
"Perhaps it's because you agitate him?" Alfonse said in mild amusement.
Russell huffed. Then he seemed to muse, "Well, he's cute when he's angry…"
Alfonse's lips twitched, "Don't let Envy hear you say that, Russell," he said sternly, but with amusement in his voice. "He's not in a really good mood at the moment."
"You wouldn't want to end up in the hospital like the last time, would you?"
Russell grimaced at the memory. "No." He muttered. "I swear I didn't know what pain was until then."
Alfonse shrugged, "Well, what were you expecting? You called him a girl."
"It was an honest mistake, Al!" Russell insisted. He shook his head with a sigh, "I mistook him for a girl. I mean, look at him! His hair is- well, was up to his waist, he has the sexiest legs with completely no hair and the jeans he was wearing were feminine, and I bet if he let me measure his waist it would be smaller than, say, Winry's!"
Alfonse merely smiled in amusement at his friend's passionate words about the androgynous boy, "I suppose you could be forgiven, it was your first meeting with Envy after all."
"Damn right I should be forgiven!" Russell agreed heartedly, scowling. "Especially after being landed in the hospital on my first day of the term!"
Alfonse laughed, and Russell pouted. "Right, Al. Laugh at my misery." He grumbled. "You didn't need to stay in the hospital because Envy broke your arm on your first day of school."
Alfonse grinned. "To put you out of your misery, why don't we leave the topic of Envy's feminine body?" He asked, lips curling, "And discuss another aspect of his life?"
"What is it?" Russell asked curiously.
Alfonse smiled. "What do you think of Mr Mustang?"
"Our new Physics teacher? Well he's dark not only in his looks but mood and personality too," Russell said bluntly. He gave a sigh. "Seriously, he's no fun. I can tell he's knowledgeable, but he's lacking the passion, you know?"
"You'd thought with that kind of stature and looks he would get the girls falling all over him, even if he has an eyepatch...they'd probably think it looks cool anyway. Yet, it seems quite the contrary."
"So the best and second best in Physics don't like their new teacher," Alfonse observed languidly. "Well I'll admit I don't like him as well."
Russell gaped at him. "Sorry Al, did you just say you didn't like him?"
Alfonse nodded, watching in bemusement as Russell spluttered. "W-What? But how can you not like him? The Alfonse Heiderich I know likes everyone!"
Al blinked, before he smiled. "I don't like Mr Mustang." He said simply. "There's something about him that bothers me."
"You mean, the way he hates Envy even though he's just met him?"
"Yeah, and have you seen his eye, Russell? It's...not normal." He frowned. "It looks like the eyes, well, eye, of someone who has gone through the painful horrors of life, yet lived to tell the tale and…"
"And?" Russell asked, his eyebrow raising in amusement. "You sound like an adult, Alfonse."
Alfonse just smiled as Russell nodded his head, "But I think I know what you mean. That guy creeps me out."
"You think Envy's going to be okay?"
Alfonse blinked at the uncertainty in Russell's voice. He turned to smile at his friend, speaking comfortingly.
"Yes, he will be."
Envy sighed as he walked out of his last class for the day. He yawned, his bag slung over his shoulder as he trod along the hallway with the rest of his classmates.
"Hey Envy," a hand clapped on his shoulder. "We're having a football match against some upperclass jocks. Wanna join us?"
Envy turned to face the taller boy with a light shrug, "Nah, I have to go see Mustang," he yawned again. It had been a long day. "Sorry Rick."
Rick, a tall athlete with both brown hair and brown eyes, smirked at him, "You mean our new Physics teacher who seems to be pissed at you for no reason?" He drawled. "Sucks for you, man."
"Think he's envious of your Physics prowess?"
Envy snorted. "I wish, Dean – at least he seemed to be more than proficient in the subject."
Dean, who had dyed his hair from black to red, grinned. He raised a hand, sweeping his hair to the side. "Hey, we'd rather rely on you than him to help us, even if he's a teacher."
"Definitely, with that stoic face, he seems more like a military commander." Rick pointed out wryly.
Envy smirked, "Well, he did make a lame joke about me not being in the military," he said dryly.
"See you tomorrow, Rick, Dean."
With that, Envy turned and strode away, as Dean replied, "See ya, Envy."
"Try to avoid getting caught by the Track team!" Rick yelled after him. "They're having a practice today!"
Envy groaned. "Don't remind me!" He shouted back, then muttered, "Won't they give up already?"
The purple haired teen rolled his eyes. Unable to resist the urge to yawn again – damn, he guessed he really was tired- he began to make his way to Mr Booris's office.
It was quite a long way, Envy thought dully. He was tempted to run so he would be able to reach his destination faster and get it over and done with, but couldn't be bothered to – why should he run to meet that cold bastard anyway?
Besides, one of the members of the track team might notice him, and he couldn't risk that. He had already had enough trouble fending them off the last time.
It took him quite some time to reach his destination. Yet, Envy supposed it was time not wasted as he had spent the time arranging his schedule after his meeting with Mustang, and musing about his recent dream.
It was not the first time he had seen the blond boy in his dreams, though he looked familiar all the same. Envy didn't know why – and he refused to believe Winry's belief that he was his future lover. The teen scoffed. His life wasn't as cheesy as Winry wanted it to be.
Envy suspected he was from his past. The question was, what kind of significance had he held? He remembered the hatred that coursed through him at the sight of the boy, the envy.
It had been strange, yet exciting at the same time to feel those emotions, even if it had only been a dream – well a dream of a possible past. Envy considered himself to be a laidback person – although he had gotten annoyed and he had people he disliked, he had never truly hated anyone before. Why, he didn't even hate the frigid bastard Mr Mustang, even though he had every right to, with the way he treated him.
Mustang seemed to be a figure of his past – Envy had seen recognition in those eyes, and it was not a pleasant look. Envy found himself hesitating as he stood at the entrance to the teacher's office. Would it really be wise for him to enter? What if Mr Mustang told him about whatever it was that he had done to make him hate him? And what if he was plagued by guilt at that revelation, even if he did not want to be?
It wasn't fair – he had decided to forget about his past and move forward and now it was coming back to haunt him, and no longer in just nightmares. Envy scowled, took hold of the doorknob and roughly shoved the door to the office open.
"Screw this," he thought as he slammed the door closed, gritting his teeth. "I'm not a fucking coward. I'll listen to what the bastard has to say."
With that thought, Envy turned, to encounter a raised eyebrow from his least favorite teacher, "Did you have to slam the door, Envy?"
There it was again, the name, that tone of voice. Envy prided himself on his name, and he couldn't stand the patronizing tone the man associated with it, the mocking, the condescension. If he had a pet peeve, it was people looking down on him when they had no fucking right to.
Mr Booris's office was relatively dark with the curtains closed. His substitute was sitting at his desk which was loaded with piles of papers, his posture seeming like that of a ruler of a country instead of a mere teacher of the state, his right eyebrow raised at Envy smoothly, who felt a sudden violent urge to rip it out of his high forehead.
Envy forced the urge back – he would not resort to violence, yet. He stomped up to the teacher's desk, glaring down at him with fierce purple eyes.
"Look you bastard, I've been nothing but polite to you despite your hatred for me for no fucking reason," Envy spat, daggers in his eyes, "I came all the fucking way here to meet you, and you still treat me like dirt? You're starting to piss me off."
If any of Envy's classmates had been in the room with him, they would have looked at him with apprehension. From what they had witnessed, Envy was an amiable guy, but when he was angry no one wanted to cross him, and only the people he was closest to would prefer to stay in his presence. Fortunately, Envy did not get angry easily, but when he did, it wasn't a pretty sight.
Mr Mustang merely raised his other eyebrow at him, and smirked, "Polite? You? Edward would beg to differ." He said dryly.
Envy stared. It was the first time he had seen the near stranger display any sign of amusement. It was strange, but somewhat refreshing all the same.
Then the man's words caught up to his brain, "What the hell do you mean by that? Al would agree I was being polite," Envy narrowed his eyes. "And who's Edward?"
Mustang stared at him, "Al? Al's here?"
"Of course Al's here, he was sitting in your fucking boring Physics class beside me, idiot," Envy snorted. "You know, Alfonse? Your student?"
"Oh." Mustang blinked. He coughed. "I see, you're talking about another Alphonse."
"There's only one Al I know," Envy said. He brushed away the confusion in his mind, slamming a hand down on the table, amethyst eyes narrowed. "Now tell me, who's Edward?"
Mustang snorted. Silence reigned, before he looked up, and realized Envy was being serious.
Envy watched as Mustang stared at him, before he raised his gloved hand, his one eye impossibly narrowed in a dark glare that would have had anyone except Envy moving backwards in apprehension.
"Drop the act, Homunculus." He snarled, hatred in his voice. "This game of teacher and student has gone on for long enough."
Envy stared at him blankly, feeling a sudden chill at the unknown word. "What do you mean?"
"Don't pretend!" Mustang yelled, anger in his voice as he rose from his seat, dark eye piercing, "You know what you fucking did. You think just because you disguised yourself as a high school student no one would recognize you?!"
"You're a fucking coward, Envy! Face up to your sins!"
"I don't get what you fucking mean!" Envy yelled, incensed at the insult to his pride. He moved back, glaring hatefully at Mustang, "I didn't do anything! I don't remember doing anything! And even if I did, maybe you fucking DESERVED IT!"
"You don't remember?" Mustang said the words slowly. "You don't remember?"
The man seemed to be in shock, but Envy couldn't care less. He clenched his teeth, directing a hateful glower at the dark haired man. "Hell yeah, I don't remember! I have amnesia and I don't remember anything from my past, and I don't fucking want to!"
"Impossible," Mustang whispered numbly. "I-I came here just to – you can't just forget!""
Envy sneered at him. "Well, I did. Too bad for you huh, teach?" It felt so satisfying to stop being so polite to the man.
Mustang snapped. With heavy steps, he strode around the desk to Envy, reaching out to grab his wrist in an achingly tight grip.
"Fine then. I'm going to make you remember," he snarled, leaning in close to Envy's furious face. "To start with, my name is Roy Mustang, and you will remember me as the cause of your deaths."
Envy glared at him, "Let go of me! I already said I don't want to remember!" He yelled in the man's face, moving to tear his wrist away, "You can't just kill me! I have friends! I have a fucking new life!"
Mustang smirked darkly at him, letting out a harsh bark of laughter. "A new life? You're not even alive." He hissed cruelly, crushing the bones in Envy's thin wrists. "And your friends would hate you as much as I do when they find out about your past, Envy."
"FUCK YOU!" Envy screamed, feeling his control rapidly slipping away. "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME!"
"I KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT WHAT YOU DID!" Mustang yelled deafeningly back. He grounded his teeth as Envy thrashed against him, moving his other, gloved hand to capture Envy's other wrist, forcing the teen backwards to the floor to get a more stable hold.
Envy gave only the slightest wince of pain as his head collided with the floor painfully. He glared, hidden fear in his gaze as Mustang loomed over him, a dark anger in his eye. "What the hell are you doing?! Get off me!"
Mustang let out a low growl. He forced Envy's struggling wrists down, pinning them on either side of his head of wild purple hair with rough hands as he met those furious but fearful purple eyes angrily. "Where's the Ouroboros on your body?!"
"Ouroboros? The fuck is that?" Envy spat rudely into the dark haired man's face. "I never learnt such a term in Biology!"
"The tattoo, the proof of your inhumanity!" Mustang glared, moving to secure Envy's thighs with his knees as the teen started to kick. "Where is it!?"
"How the fuck should I know?!"
Mustang narrowed his eye at him, and Envy yelped as the black haired man forced his shirt off his abdomen.
"What are you doing!?" He yelled angrily, staring up into that dark eye, feeling suddenly vulnerable in his current position.
Mustang ignored him, his dark eye scanning Envy's pale skin, before raising his gaze to his neck. He looked down Envy's pale shoulders, then back up to his angry purple eyes with a confused gaze.
Envy growled, his cheeks flushed. "Whatever you're looking for, you won't find it." He sneered at the narrowed eyed man. "So let me up so I can kick your ass into your stupid face!"
"The Ouroboros must be on your body." Mustang replied in that dark voice of his. He blinked once, as if seeming to have realized something. Holding Envy's wrists in one tight grip, he used his free hand to unbutton Envy's long blue pants, pulling the zipper down.
Envy's eyes widened and his vicious struggles started anew as the dark haired man pulled his pants down his legs, igniting fear in him. "What the fuck do you think you're doing you bastard?!"
"I knew it."
Mustang smirked at him, and Envy hated that suddenly familiar look in his eye. He glared, resisting the urge to squeeze his eyes shut in the sudden chilling pain at the force of something digging into a sensitive spot on his upper left thigh.
"You Monster."