Pride stood up straight with a fake smile etched across his face as his mother helped him get ready for the day. He'd lived for centuries longer than her. He didn't need help getting a simple coat on. But as he saw the elder woman smile sweetly, genuinely and lovingly down at her only son, he thought that it might not be so bad to be looked down upon by a human, so long as it was in the way his mother did; with love and care, always holding out a helping hand to those below her, or more appropriately, those seemingly younger.
It was a secret craving, though the boy still had his pride. He liked that he had to act like the perfect son and child partly because even when the things he said were true ('I love you, mommy!' 'I'm scared, mommy.' 'Can I please sleep with you tonight, mommy?' 'I miss daddy.') he could still keep his pride by claiming it was all an act. He hated how he was imperfect in his creation. How he was not only Pride, but he was also very, horribly human in ways he shouldn't be. Father may have taken away and focused his emotions into specific homunculi, but even he was not all-knowing. As the very first experimental homunculus, Pride was burdened and cursed with his humanity.
His smile slowly turned into a frown as he thought about these shortcomings. His mother glanced up at his eyes and pulled him closer to her with a kind smile. "What's wrong, Selim?" Pride startled, hating how easily she saw through him. He hoped the other homunculi couldn't see through him as easily as his mother. That would be a very big problem.
"Mommy?"
"Yes, dear?" She wore a concerned expression on her face as she waited for Selim to answer. The boy stared down at his feet, scuffing one shoe into the tile. "I don't want to leave you," He said with tears in his eyes, his expression wavering. His mother gave a short 'oh' and hugged the small boy. "Honey, I thought you wanted to see your father at work?"
The boy wiped the tears from his eyes furiously. "I do! I do! But I don't want to go to school today," He paused in all his movements, trying to come up with an excuse that might work. "That boy from school keeps messing with me. And I want to spend more time with you, mommy." He leaned more of his weight on her as he hugged her around her neck, acting like a petulant child. His mother smiled and laughed. "Okay, but only for today. And you can't tell your father!" She said as the two giggled in excitement.
Just one day to forget that she was going to die on the promised day. One day to pretend that they might stay this way forever.
Wrath stared down at Pride with what looked like blank apprehension. He was glad that his mother was busy speaking with some General to see the way Wrath was looking at him with an almost fear. He vaguely thought that he should talk to Wrath about being less obvious in his expressions later, but quickly dismissed it, remembering how easily his mask slipped that morning. But not in front of Wrath or Father. Never in front of them. "I trust that things are going well on your end?" Wrath asked almost impatiently.
Pride merely rolled his eyes. "Of course. The promised day will come without any hiccups," Pride replied, followed by an actual hiccup, which he giggled at. Wrath's face suddenly turned dark and serious. "I sincerely hope that you're not becoming too..." The man hesitated as if unsure whether he should even bring up the topic. "Docile with the arrangements we have set up. I know you've been stuffed into the family role and haven't been able to do much of actual purpose yet, but I would hate to have to kill you like we will have to kill Greed."
Pride nodded stiffly. "Of course not. However, you of all people should know how important it is to keep up an act. Especially considering all the eyes on us," The boys said menacingly as black shadows suddenly swirled around the room in a fearsome manner, circling Wrath as if he was prey. "Lived my life as the good boy I was told I should be," He stated as if it was obvious. "You should try to keep your masks up as well, father. Even in privacy. You can never be too careful." The boy turned with a smug smile and Wrath didn't bother to poke at the young boy's flawed reasoning.