A/N: Okay, so I haven't written anything in five days. Ouch. Here's something random that came to me in class to make up for it.
Prompt 25: Appreciate
Inspiration: A quote in my English class.
"And so, students, in the light of the lesson, write a paragraph on this quote."
Roy was enjoying his work quite a lot. When he applied to be an English teacher in the Eastern school for a mission, he didn't expect it to be anything other than boring and irritating. But the students were actually nice, except for the few idiots and the talkative ones and the commentators… well, okay, that was a lot, but at least they tried to be original in whatever they did.
"What's the quote, sir?" A student asked lazily, taking out a pocket watch and flipping it open to see the time. The next period they had was Physical Education, and Roy knew the students were always excited for it.
"We must always appreciate and treasure the small things in life." There was a pause as their English teacher smirked and his eyes focused on the blond student in the front row. "Like Mr. Elric here."
"For the last time, I am not short, you-!" Edward censored himself just in time, remembering he was sitting in sixth standard and not in the military.
Roy continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. "Think how different the class would be without him in it, everybody!"
The bell rang at the moment, and the noise of the students drowned at any protest Edward could make. The boy was glaring at him, cheeks pink.
"I'm assigning this as homework. Don't forget to do it!" Roy shouted, and the collective groan of the class ensured he had been heard. All of them stood up with a "Thank you, sir" except Edward, who mumbled what sounded like a stream of insults.
As the students lined up, collecting the equipment for the sports they were going to play, Roy collected his books from the teacher's table and looked at Edward, who was still seated. "Aren't you leaving for the next period, Edward?"
"Goddamn you, Mustang," the boy hissed, standing up and shoving his books in his desk. "Why do you always have to be such a jerk?"
Roy watched the boy walk over to the door, not even trying to catch up with his class who had left. Roy followed, switching off the lights and catching up to the boy with his longer strides.
"You are a rare kind, you know," he said fondly, ruffling the boy's hair with a free hand and gliding past him to the staff room.
Edward paused, staring at the back of the colonel-turned-teacher. His hand lifted, hovering uncertainly in the air before it dropped. He decided on an answer that was instinctual and easier to give. "Who're you calling shorter than a pinhead that people can't believe they even exist, huh?"
Roy smiled to himself. Nobody could ever be like Edward Elric.
A/N: Just hearing that quote made me feel that would be exactly what Roy would tell Edward to rile him up. I have to apologize for my lack of updating, by the way; I'm a huge procrastinator.