Edward Elric groaned. Homework. He hadn't had to deal with this since he was, what, seven? Eight? He glared at the door again and scowled as there was still no sign of his commanding officer. Reluctantly, he picked up his pen (because he absolutely refused to use a feather to write) and turned to his homework to occupy him as he waited.
He was halfway done with his last assignment for the night when Roy Mustang strolled into the room.
"You're late," Ed snapped. "I had to teach by myself."
"Only two classes," Roy replied. "We have five minutes until the third."
"What the hell took you so long?" Ed asked snarkily.
"I was investigating the Ministry. I told you this morning," Roy shot back, sounding as if Ed was the one at fault.
Ed rolled his eyes. "I'm not an idiot, Dad. You said you'd be back in time to help me teach. Don't you realize I have homework for other classes as well?"
Roy dropped silent for a moment, staring incredulously at Ed.
"Dad?" Ed asked, raising an eyebrow.
Roy blinked. "Sorry, it's just weird hearing you complain about normal teenage things like homework," he said with a chuckle.
Ed groaned in annoyance and buried his face in his hands. "Can't you focus? I need you to help me teach."
"Technically, you're supposed to be helping me," Roy corrected. "Because I have more 'alchemical experience.'"
"Yeah. Cos you definitely know more alchemy than I do," Ed said in a deadpan voice. "Definitely."
Roy chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. C'mon, here come the twerps. Ready to teach?"
"Just let me finish this essay for my Runes class." Ed plunked himself down in Roy's desk and got to work on aforementioned essay as Roy leaned against the side. The sixth year Slytherins glanced warily at the two alchemists as they went to their seats.
"I wonder what they've heard about us already," Ed muttered to Roy as the class settled into silence because Ed was busy, Roy didn't feel like doing his job, and the Slytherins were too wary to speak up.
"Probably nothing good," Roy replied with a smirk, low enough for the students not to hear.
"Unless they're talking to Gryffindors. Then they'd have heard nothing but praise. But they're probably too prejudiced," Ed shot back, and then raised his voice. "Right. I'm done with that. Ready?"
"You lot are the sixth years for Slytherins, am I correct?" Roy asked. There were a few scattered 'yeah's, but the students remained mostly silent. "Wow, lively bunch."
"They're probably too busy planning our deaths to respond to us, if the house prejudices are anything to go by," Ed said with a chuckle.
"We aren't a bunch of murderers," one student grumbled in annoyance.
Ed grinned. "O' course. If you ask me, the rumors about each house are ridiculous. Seriously. If I was a Hufflepuff and I wanted to do something reckless, I'm not going to stop and think 'well, only Gryffindors are reckless, so I can't do this.' No. I'd just go and do something reckless. Granted, I actually am a Gryffindor, so I guess if I did something reckless it'd just be brushed off as normal. But you get the point."
Roy gave him a weird look. "Have you been wanting to say that all day?"
"Little bit, yeah," Ed told him. The Slytherin sixth years sat, awed by the fact that a Gryffindor had managed to come across as somewhat likable to them.
Let it be known that if you did not read the author's note that preceded this, you are an idiot and I'd appreciate it if you do not waste my time ranting at me. Thanks.