It had been almost a cycle since Pride had given Envy a shard of his stone. A lot had happened since then; and none of it particularly good. Although they would never admit such a thing, Envy knew that they were in over their head. But away from all the chaos, Envy had set aside a crumbled room, a serene and quiet little grotto where they could sit, and watch it grow.

The gemstone- Pride's little act of charity- had taken root, and grown.

Envy watched it with fascination, returning whenever they found the time. Of all their hoard, this was the most precious prize of all. If it disappeared, they would want to know. So, they'd set aside this room, where they were certain none of the others would look. Envy didn't even know if Pride knew where to find them; but surely the stag would be able to follow the signs. They weren't too far from the Throne.

They were, today, as with any day, watching the growing chrysalis, within which they were beginning to see a glimmer of pale green. The chrysalis was small, too; only a little taller than they were. Moving forward, the weasel pressed an ear against the chrysalis, and when they held their breath they thought they could hear a quiet creak as the child within shifted.

The weasel's gaze flitted to the empty doorway that lead to the outside for a moment. It was quiet enough that they could hear their own breathing. Slowly, they raised their ear away from the diamond surface, but remained close enough for their breaths to pool white on its surface. "Soon," they murmured. "Soon you'll be able to see the world." It was just a statement of fact- but as they said the word, Envy felt a shudder of apprehension that set their spines on end. What would it look like? Would it be beautiful like Pride, or sickly and weak like them? What if it hatched and died immediately?

What if it outdid them in every way? What if it ran away and left them behind?

No. They weren't gonna let that happen. The weasel curled up against the diamond chrysalis and prepared for a long wait. Soon- soon it would hatch. And Envy wasn't leaving until it did; no matter how long that took.

Speech. Thought.

Envy startled as Pride’s voice rang out through the ruins- close by where Envy had hidden the chryalis, but far enough away that Envy quickly relaxed. Heart still hammering, they popped their head out of the entrance to their small room, and looked around. Distantly they saw Pride- but they weren’t sure if he was coming or going- and the weasel knew they would have heard him if he’d already passed their secret alcove.

They hesitated before calling out. “Pride? Over here!” they called out, lingering in view for a few more moments before returning to the chrysalis. They sat opposite it as they waited for pride to arrive, ears perked and listening for any movement in the Chrysalis. They were quite clearly transfixed, although their quills were slightly raised- a hint to the nervousness insise them. The weasel was clearly unprepared for the onset of parenthood.

Speech. Thought.

The little weasel looked up as Pride entered the room, a jolt shooting through them as the stag spoke. They shook their head in an irritable manner to try and get rid of the disgusted feeling that rose in their, and grunted. Again came the painful reminder that Pride's other friend had been given two stones, and that they themselves were an afterthought. And, of course- the results were, as Pride described them, beautiful. The weasel was suddenly unsure if they wanted the little one to hatch out for fear of what would emerge- surely whatever did, Pride would be disappointed. Surely it could never compete.

Envy opened their mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Their quills prickled upright just that little bit higher. They turned back to the chrysalis, and stared. "I bet that ours will be even more beautiful." they said finally, shoulders sagging with pent-up tension. Their voice was taut with anxiety- it was unclear how long they'd been waiting by the stone. They approached the chrysalis again, once again drawing close enough that they could see their breath on its surface. "Not long after... I... I can hear it moving inside."

Envy finally turned their gaze away from the Chrysalis at his question, and even though they didn't answer right away, the look in their eye should have been more than enough. They shivered, quills rattling in the quiet. Perhaps Pride's admission of his own feelings coaxed them. "I don't know. I... might be. Are you?"

Speech. Thought.

Pride always knew just what to say; but even those words came with a shard of ice. Pride wanted to raise all three together? The weasel couldn't help but feel a sharp stab of disappointment. They didn't think they ever wanted to so much as see the other two- let alone see their child raised alongside them. Pride, with his words, clumped them all together as just three things- Envy's child wasn't an individual. It would just be another child, and probably the least favourite.

The other part of them didn't want their young one to be overshadowed, to live their life looking up at things better than them. That thought came with a jab of fear, as well- that their child's inadequacy would be an extension of their own.

But, exhausted, the weasel only nodded. It wasn't like they could stop him. And besides, Envy had more pressing matters to attend to. They heard the chrysalis creaking again, this time louder, and groaning. The weasel heard a sharp crack. They rocketed back from the chrysalis, dancing on the spot in front of it. They hadn't realized quite the extent of their anxiety, because the next thing they knew, they were flying into a panic.

"Pride!" they shrilled, between gasping breaths. "It's happening--!"

Speech. Thought.

Envy held back, frozen in what seemed like complete disbelief as their child finally emerged. It was green, like them, yet paler- with small stubby legs and a small, long face that seemed too big for its body. It was so round, and so wet- but unlike their emergences, the liquid coating it was not red like blood. The child smelled new, and fresh, and warm and it was a smell that Envy would remember for the rest of their days.

The child was like them, only better- and they didn't know if this was what they'd been hoping for, or dreading. Only... the pitiful sounds it made cut right to Envy's core, the conflicting emotions keeping them rooted to the spot. The expression they wore was stunned. It took a few moments longer for them to realize that the young one couldn't see, its eyes still tight shut.

It was only when Pride lay down that the weasel shook themselves out of their daze, and stiffly, they moved closer. Not wanting Pride to be the only one to do anything, they started to groom the young one as well, although they were barely aware that they were doing it.

What they were aware of, though, was the velvety texture of its skin and the warmth of its body, like a tiny hot water bottle. Envy could feel its tiny heart beating almost as fast as theirs. They tasted the strangeness of the fluid it had hatched with.

And they felt it calming with every stroke of their rough little tongue.

Speech. Thought.