It’d been years since he had seen head or tail of them - nearly his entire life - but from his understanding this was not unheard of. Immortals frequently went in for a long nap to pass the time. 

How they could spend so much time sleeping when there was so much to do was beyond the youngest Sin, but he supposed it was their right to indulge in a little sloth when the need arose. 

Not Pride, though. Never Pride. 

Pride had kept busy enough to fill Diligence with envy.

The young Vice swallowed up every task he could get his hands on. He attempted to learn languages and histories, understanding the past so he could better comprehend the present. He filled his home with aquariums and gardens nearly as beautiful as he was. He traveled the world, soaking up cultures from all over the globe. 

Anything to occupy all of his time. 

Anything so that he did not have to sleep. 

He had learned the hard way what damage a good nights rest could do. 

Pride wakes up with a gasp, deft fingers grasping frantically at his skin, searching for crystals that were never there. How dare his brother try and take them from him!

Clawed hands meet nothing but smooth skin, not even finding scars. In hardly a moment, the dream has faded into the night and his breathing has steadied, leaving Pride with nothing more than a burning distaste for Greed that felt unnatural in his own mind. 

Memories from the first Pride graciously eluded him while he was awake, but when his mind was sprawled out under a blanket of sleep, anything could slip in. 

As a Vice, he was lucky. Pride did not need sleep the same way that mortals did, but even with every distraction in the world, he could not stay awake forever. 

Tendrils on heated skin, finding cracks in his armor.

Lip crushing kisses, skin breaking bites. 

Mon amour...

Pride has had this dream before. 

The memories never stuck. He could never see clearly through his predecessors eyes, see what once was, but the feelings remained. 

Frustration towards his opposite, as well as confused affection. 

Anger, hated, and distrust towards his Father.

Love towards Lust. 

These feelings did not belong to him, and in his waking hours he separated his reality from the first Pride’s past. 

“Riddles, Edward~?” The harsh hiss had Eddie jumping, turning his head to find the source of the sound.

Blue eyes and shifting smoke stared back at him. 

“Lust.” Eddie tried not to sound too relieved. “Help me out of this.” 

“You promised. You promised no more riddles~” Lust hissed the words, moving towards the hospital bed with unnatural speed and grace. Tendrils moved around the room, shifting an unbolted, heavy piece of furniture in front of the only door.

Edward flinched. “Look, we can talk about this later. Right now we need to go.” With a bit more force than before, Eddie pulled at his arms, making the handcuff holding his left arm to the bed rattle. “Help me out.” 

“Eddie you promised~!” Lust roughly put a hand down on the arm of the bed Looming over him with dark eyes he looked more the monster he was meant to be rather than the lover he was. “Did you lie to me~?”

“What?”

“I asked did you lie to me~?”

“No, what - Lust I don’t lie! We have -”

“You told me no more riddles, Eddie! No riddles so you wouldn’t get caught~!” For emphasis, Lust snarled, using the hand not gripping the bed to quickly sweep to the side of him, tearing through the air. Maybe it was the sedatives, or maybe it was actually happening, but Lust seemed to grow, smoke shifting and tendrils spreading around the room, blocking out most of the light. “You look pretty caught to me, dearest~!” 

“Lust, I-”

“Could you not control it~?” The question lay heavy in the room. “Angel, Eddie, tell me, was this on purpose~!?” The Sin’s eyes softened slightly.

Eddie gaped up at him, mouth opening and closing while he tried to find the right words to say. Couldn’t control it? He could control it! What kind of stupid, idiotic question was that? Anger replacing shock, Eddie lurched forward, ignoring the pain it caused to upset the bruises. “I didn’t plan this!” He shouted. “I wasn’t meant to get caught! How dare you assume it was a mistake! I don’t make mistakes now help. me. out!”

The fury returned to Lust in full force, and he snarled harshly, “I told you, Eddie! I told you not to do anything stupid~!” 

The words felt like a slap to the face, and Eddie visibly flinched. Something passed through Lust’s eyes, lingering there only for a moment before hardening once more.

The host’s body was tense, and with harsh eyes he hissed the words. “Let me out.” 

Lust stared down at him. 

“Lust. Let me out.” 

Another beat of silence. 

“Lust!” 

“No. Eddie, no.” The Sin seemed to shrink, tendrils folding back into his body. There was something sad in his voice. “I won’t.”

“I said let me out!” 

“You need help.”

“Lust! Get me out of these cuffs!” 

Shouting sounded from outside the door.

“Help that I can’t give you...~” 

The Sin shifted, body starting to blend into the shadows and there was a loud banging on the door as someone tried to move the desk out of the way. 

Eddie thrashed, fighting with his whole body despite the pain and his weakness. “Let me out! Let me fucking out!” He yelled, face red from shouting and emotion, angry tears falling from his eyes as he spit curses at the fading shadow. “You damned Sin, let me out!” 

“I’m sorry.”