passionatelyxlust

[passionatelyxlust]

And just like that, my family and the world are imploding together.

[passionatelyxlust]

Neither of his conversations with Gluttony and Azriel ended the way that he wanted. Lust wasn't lying to the dream witch how tightly of a bind landing himself between the loyalty of two different families wrapped around his torso like an invisible rope tightening with each passing moment he considered turning his back on one of his brothers. Charging Envy for crimes he has yet to commit was just as easy doing so with the knowledge of what he has already done in the past, each offense just as despicable as the last, but none held a candle to destroying the light in Gianna's eyes. Lust finally plucked the courage finding himself at the woman's door, knocking twice before entering. "Just wanted to see how you were settling in. The beds are the best feature." He attempted at a light tease, though, it fell entirely flat. "Gianna, I won't pretend I know what you're going through, but know that you aren't alone in this. Your brother loves you and he would do anything to fix this."

Everything was muted in her head, a rare phenomenon that she'd never encountered before, but Gianna knew that with how much of a mess her head was, it would scramble everything else. It was a blur between landing at the Golden Trio mansion, encountering her brother briefly enough to feel a small spark of his apparent rage, before she was pulled away by Josephine and placed into a room where she could only collapse into the bed and cry. Cry and cry until there was nothing left but the numbness. Then and only then did she brave opening her hand again to reveal the ring that Envy had so callously taken off. Only then did she dare take off her own ring and the one he'd originally given her, with his initial on it, to place them on the nightstand. They sat there, mocking her with their reminder of happier times. The witch didn't respond to the knock on the door, only pulling the duvet up to her chin in hopes that whoever was on the other side would leave her be.

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"Then why didn't you tell me sooner? If staying here with me is akin to a jail cell, then why didn't you say anything?" Lust swept out his arms in a wide shrug and turned around on his heel, creating some space between him and Azriel incredulously before facing the dream witch. He remembered his conversation with Gluttony, the possibility he would choose going against his brother still crossing the prince's thoughts. Condemning Envy meant splitting apart the brothers when they should have shown unity. "You know what position I'm being placed in right now, Az. My hands would be tied, yes, but the thought of becoming your enemy and losing you to this is scarier than helping you go after my brother." Lust sighed in defeat and placed one foot in front of the other, gaze falling on Gianna's bedroom door. He wondered what he would hear if he pressed his ear to it. Sobbing? Silence? "He's not getting away with hurting her. Just tell me what to do to make this better and I'll do it."

"That shouldn't have been a factor– this place isn't supposed to be a jail, and yet that's what it turned into." Azriel shot Lust a glare but chose not to respond despite the bubbling retort in his throat. He would have quipped that Lust never really asked after the fact, but he also never spoke up. Not that he necessarily hated living there, but it was too loud now. Too much, when all he wanted was his normal– and this was far from it. Everything was shattering beyond his control, and the thought alone made him want to rip his own skin off. "See, it's the maybe that I can't put any weight in," Azriel waved in the direction where he'd fought Gluttony, knowing that the other prince was still in that general vicinity. "He stopped me from going after Envy, and I don't care about his reasoning. As long as your brother continues to stop me, so will you. A maybe means nothing." The witch turned on his heel, pacing a short circuit in front of his sister's room; still not brave enough to see her in person. Azriel had never been this angry, this out of control, but things were spinning and spinning, and his lungs constricted at the very thought that he couldn't exit the one-way trip to self-destructing. "I don't care who stands in my way, I can't let him get away with hurting her. She's the only thing I have left."

[passionatelyxlust]

Seriously, did he actually believe verbally tearing her to shreds until she was a complete sobbing mess would be the best solution protecting her? Envy's self-esteem problems aren't my concern right now, Gluttony, keeping the love of my life's crumbling family together is. You have always done everything in your power seeing the best in people, brother, especially with our own brothers, but if it came down to supporting Envy and supporting Azriel...I'm choosing Az every single time. He and his siblings, they're my family too. You know? Until we actually show proof we all can last as a united front, I need to be there for him. He's alone right now trying to clean this mess, Gluts.

Do you not hear what you're saying right now? The whole reason that Envy did this bullshit to Gianna was because his own view on himself was skewed by everything that happened in other timelines that aren't ours, and you're doing the same thing. Branding him the villain before he even changes into one, and you know what that does, right? Makes him the villain. I can look at you and say that he can change, Lust, and I'll continue to say it. I know she's hurt, I know Azriel is hurt because of everything. I sympathize, I really do, but we can't just... do what all of our brothers would do to us at the flip of a dime. We are supposed to be better than that.

[passionatelyxlust]

I wasn't there for the whole thing, so I can't say what went down, but I know you wouldn't intentionally ruffle his feathers. Envy would've eventually fallen back on old habits down the road, Gluts, at least none of us can say we dirtied our hands with the blood of the innocent like he has. I'm not saying I was giving up on all of us as brothers, but the stories of his atrocities from my poor niece and nephew paints a pretty clear picture we should nip this in the bud before he starts turning on us. On you. What I want is to not turn into the version of me that my son grew up with, the one that lost his twin and best friend. You can't look at me and say Envy can truly change.

Just because the very sight of me is enough for him to go off the rails doesn't mean I can't own up to my own mistakes in the interaction. Of course, I remember how he was. I remember how Wrath was. I remember how I was, and the others. Taking this stance is going to force Envy back into the role he had, because he won't think he has another option. I'm not saying he's smart– he's rash and irresponsible, hurting the one person who would have always seen the good in him. But if we give up on him now, we're giving up on all of us who have actually changed for the better. Is that what you really want?

[passionatelyxlust]

Had I known he was going to do that, Azriel, I would've warned him how you are in confined spaces. Maybe it doesn't matter if my brother was trying to stop you from doing something reckless in your state, but it doesn't give you the right turning this back on me when I didn't know staying here made you so goddamn unhappy. I'm not saying the shit hasn't hit the fan when your family's come into contact with us, I can't deny that for a second. It doesn't take a genius either to figure out what would help you breathe easier and maybe...it's something we both want. Gianna never deserved this, especially from one of my more psychotically inclined brothers.

A home that I was locked in by your brother when all I wanted to do was leave, but that fact doesn't matter when I do what you want, right? Live here in this house, so you're happy playing house with your little family while mine implodes. Anything so you're happy. What the fuck is going on– my brother and sister were fine before they got tangled with demons, Lust, and I can't take it. I can't fucking breathe and you ask me what's fucking wrong.

[passionatelyxlust]

You can't help what sets him off, even the very sight of another Prince grinds his gears. This isn't just about Mom and Hope, Gluts, the more I hear the stories from your daughter and our brother's own fucking son is enough to convince me that every Envy in any timeline is the same. You remember how he was back in the days, brother, how far he went? Maybe Wrath had his own reasonings with those team-ups, but Envy sure the fuck didn't. Look at what he did to Gianna.

I don't expect you to let it slide, but I recognize that I pushed a lot of his buttons and threw kerosene on an open flame. C'mon, Lust. We're all feeling stressed about everything, and we're lashing out at people we shouldn't be. I know Mom and Hope dislike our other brothers, but you can't start on this, too. Not when we were all finally feeling like brothers after so long, a family that our mother wanted us to be all those fucking eons ago. I'll figure things out and fix the situation.

[passionatelyxlust]

All I ever hoped for was for you to treat this home with the respect because I just wanted to plant roots with you, but jumping at Gluttony's throat? Breaking shit? The fuck is going on?

I never asked to be under your roof, and I don't have to explain anything.

[passionatelyxlust]

I'm not planning on sitting idly while he thinks hurting my twin brother is something I'll slide with. Then again, maybe I'm pissed at the wrong fucking person. The never-ending pain always comes back to Envy, doesn't it?

No, it's not right, but none of it is. It's not going to make the situation any better if you go in there angry off the bat, is it?

[passionatelyxlust]

He punched you in the fucking face and nearly destroyed our living room. And you don't want me getting angry? No, that doesn't make it right.

I'm fine. It could have been a lot worse, but I don't want you to get angry about it.

[passionatelyxlust]

Okay, you are going to explain to me why you think it's perfectly acceptable attacking my brother under my roof.

And you better start explaining quick.

[passionatelyxlust]

"Okay." Lust spoke after a moment of silence absorbing the words. So, his Prince not only chewed out the First Witch understandably, but potentially angered an actual god. "I will tell you what I told his son Ulric. It's not really brotherly unity if I stood by and watch someone seek revenge on any of my brothers. However," The Prince released a deep sigh and slightly hung his head before lifting it, "Given your history with him, I have seen his brutality for myself. Knowing that I'm dead in a different timeline by his hand proves it's only a matter of time before the bomb explodes." Lust pushed from his spot and approached the witch, not hesitating to reach out and cup Azriel's cheeks in his hands, "You are more than capable of being a father, Az. I know it's new and I know how you are with change, but if another version of us managed to raise two beautiful children, we can be that for them here. For Cael." He gave him a sad smile, "Honestly, I didn't think I could either. I never had the best fatherly influence."

Fine. I pissed off the ass-hat time god, though he was just itching for someone to yell at, and I chewed out Pandora. They're the ones I've banned from seeing my sister. I would do the same to your goddamn brother if she wasn't so insistent on being with him but if there's ever a moment of doubt in her about her commitment to him, I'm taking her away. He got her into this mess. I don't give a shit if it was for something good– Envy doomed my sister with this bullshit.

I know, Lust, he's from a different timeline altogether. I'll take care of Cael. I made a promise to help him look after his cousin, but I've never... imagined myself being a father. I can't.

[passionatelyxlust]

Oh, shit, that explains why I would have a thing for a Delacroix regardless of the timeline. It does matter if I'm a walking constant reminder of your Prince. I am sorry, Asa, that I'm not yours. Any man, any Prince, would've been lucky to call you theirs.

No, unfortunately, your parents are still alive. I can't be transparent and lie about the fact the thought of giving them a nice little visit hasn't crossed my mind.

You're not the only one in that regard. In my timeline, I'm your Prince, but that doesn't really matter in the long run, does it, if you're not my Prince?

Our life didn't differ too much in that regard then. What of our parents? Did they perish in this timeline as well?

[passionatelyxlust]

I'm not saying you can't take care of your own shit or clean your messes, baby, I'm only pointing out I am here for you as a partner and as your Prince. We're supposed to figure out the messes together rather than me be the control freak and take over. Thank you. Though, I don't need to ask if the person on the ban list begins with an En and ends with vy.

Not the greatest first impression, but that's normal knowing his personality falls more in line with yours. In more ways than one, the way Blair tells it. We have a son, Az.

That's not the point. The moment I tell you everyone I've pissed off, or who I've talked to, you're going to take it upon yourself to fix it when I can do it myself. I don't want you to come in and clean my messes like you're my handler, but if you want to talk to Gianna, then fine. You're not the one I'm banning from her.

Yes and no. I've met Cael, but not Blair. Kind of bit his head off the first moment I spoke to him.

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Fuck. I know I should keep reminding myself your version of my brother and mine are completely different, but I have a sneaking suspicion the Envy I grew up with always possessed a flair of the dramatics and a special kind of cruelty. Ulric, my heart goes out to you for the torment he laid waste to you and your sister. I just want you understanding any thought of going after your father from this timeline should probably be banished right now. I have my own qualms as a sibling does, but I can't send revenge knocking on his door.

You know what really pushed me to finally take a stand against him? It wasn't the fact that I never saw my mother again or that half of my family was snuffed out of existence in the blink of an eye. It wasn't the mental, emotional, and near-physical torture at the hands of my father. No, he couldn't just stop at terrorizing us that way. He took the only person I ever loved outside of my mother and sister from me. Publicly executed him while I begged him not to, and then turned around and served his head on a platter to my sister. We weren't just in on it. We, our father's own flesh and blood, wanted the kill shot for our own, and nothing will stop us from driving his own dagger into his black heart.

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I didn't think it could get any worse than him tormenting my Prince's family in the beginning or straight up killing people, but I'm not denying Envy's faults. Losing Gianna somehow caused a domino effect beginning with her brothers. I'd travel through literal Hell and high water for Az, so he took my life. Jo would've done anything to help me and your mother hence why she was killed too. Gluttony has always been a tactical machine, Ulric, stealing an opportunity of revenge is the same route I would have taken. You and your sister were in on it.

I can guarantee that what you've seen him do is just the surface of what he's capable of. The day that my sister and I lost our mother, we lost everyone. It started with Uncle Azriel and Uncle Kai. Then you. Then Aunt Josephine. Even my mother's personal handmaid. The Uncle Gluttony I know is a conniving mind, hungering for revenge from the shadows like a snake lying in wait. He's been amassing forces against my father, but my sister and I gave him the cherry on top. Our cooperation.

[passionatelyxlust]

You know I'm not bowing at your feet, right?

I suppose some celebrations are in order, but I can do without.