Dorm Buddies! (Zarius)

[Matthaus]

7th of Fall, 512AV Mallory, first floor, third on the left. Those were his directions. Thankfully for him the woman had covered for him and he had gotten a room with minimal questions. Taking a breath he calmed himself, it was not as if it was a big deal. But it was strange to have a place of his own, on his own. He wasn’t sure if he liked the idea. Lips thinning to near indivisible proportions Matthaus, realized he had missed the hall for seventh time and sighed heavily. If it was this bad he could imagine what getting to his classes would be like. What the people would be like. So many questions he felt the twinge of a headache coming on and his shoulder burned steadily from carrying his belongings. Muttering to himself his free hand reached up to tug at a strand of hair that was no longer there. It almost disappointed him but the thought was not one to stick because he had reached his dorm, reached it and found things were already in it. Including another bed. “No.” It was simple denial said allowed and the boy cursed his luck. Of course he would get a roommate. The same way every adult within the vicinity questioned his ‘aloneness’. This city was proving to be a challenge. Fine, he accepted the challenge but that didn’t mean he had to accept the roommate. Moving towards the empty half of the room Matthaus laid his sack of belongings on the bed and glanced around. He didn’t trust enough to leave his things there but the idea of dragging it back to the registers office did not seem pleasant either. Frowning he closed his eyes and contemplated taking a nap but instead was struck by an idea. He didn’t need to get his own room he would just get rid of his roommate, a few well-placed lies, perhaps even a disease and his problem would be solved and he could have his own room. Maybe he should go for a female disguise again? Even with short hair he was still young enough for it to be plausible. A haircut gone wrong would be his excuse. Deciding that was the best course of action, in case he did end up stuck his roommate would at least be telling people he was a girl. Shedding his cloak he tugged open his sack, entirely forgetting about the door and stripping quickly. Pulling out his belongings he rummaged around and pulled out the dress. Shaking it out he tugged it over his head and only sighed when he realized his hat was still stuffed inside it.

[Zarius Shine]

Zip had been well chuffed. He wasn’t opposed to having a roomie, being a sociable kind of guy. The last term he had been in a room by himself and would still be there if it hadn’t developed a wicked leak in the ceiling. No matter how he arranged his bed and desk, the water was always dripping on one or the other. With his nerves already frayed from the ordeal that was breaking up with Simon, he had finally given in and gone to the burser’s office and asked to be assigned to a new room when the Fall term began. It was a given – he who complained about his quarters typically got punished by given worse ones. But honestly, that drip, drip, drip was enough to do his nut in a thousand times over. So, he had not been at all surprised when he had arrived for the new term and been shown to a double – meaning he’d have to share with another student. But at least the room was a nice size and the furnishings not completely beat all to hell, only just roughed up a bit. And the sweetest part was – his roommate had yet to make an appearance. So Zip had his choice of all of it. Shoving the desks about, he managed to get the one in better shape close to the less lumpy bed, and actually under a window! Granted, the view was only of the quadrangle – three other dorms just like Mallory, with a bit a grass and some connecting paths in the center, a few benches, and – not much more. The chest at the end of the bed was in good shape, and there was a small bookcase to share, so…that was that. He had stowed his gear and relaxed, waiting for the guy to show. That had been two days before. Students were allowed to move into the dorms as early as the week before classes began. Zip lived in Zeltiva, well, his parents did. So he could move back and forth between residences when needed. He wasn’t in any hurry and thought three days before term began would suffice. A day had passed and there had been no roomie come barging in. Then another day came and went. And Zip was beginning to feel secretly joyous. Could it be? Was there to be no other student assigned to his room? For he considered it very much ‘his room’ by this point. All this space to spread out in – an extra bed to throw his junk on – a second desk? Heaven! On the third day, he had been out on some errands, gathering up the last minute things he would need for the following day. His thoughts were on his class schedule, and that one book he had not been able to put his hands on in the library. Preoccupied, he entered Mallory and turned in at the door to his room – only to find a little girl standing there! He blinked, doing a double take. Looking back over his shoulder, he reaffirmed that he had turned into the correct room. His head shot back around and he just stared at the little person, wondering where the hell she had come from, and where she belonged. “Um, hi…” he said, uncertainly, his dead surprise overcoming both his usual friendliness and good manners. “Who – who are you? Are you lost?” Being terrible with guessing anyone’s age, especially children – and especially girl children – Zip had no idea how old this child might be, and thus all unknowingly adopted that tone of voice used by adults who are not commonly to be found around kids – the sweetly fake kind. “Do you need some help, um, little girl?”

[Matthaus]

Matthaus didn’t bother to answer the questions. Rather he slowly reached into his dress and tugged out the hat, shoving it onto his head quickly and hopping onto the bed. He took a few chimes to silently stare at the other, the young man was tall, blonde and otherwise normal looking. Scenarios ran through the boys head of how to introduce himself and settled on walking towards the other and trying to stealthily stub his toe. It worked better than expected, his eyes stung and he held in a hiss, squeaking out the answers. “Th-this is my room and I d-don’t need help.” The stutter was more for effect but he was sure it didn’t sound right, it came out slow and his voice wavered uncertainly. His mind whirled even as he held out his hand. He didn’t have enough time to properly prepare and trying to think of how this could go. He hadn’t meant to seem like he was introducing himself but there he was, waiting for the others hand. His original plan had been to shout and shut the door, pretending the other was the intruding but his roommate had come sooner than expected. His mind searched for something to work with and locked in on the young man’s tone. He thought he was much older…so maybe this wasn’t his room. It was his…sisters room. No brothers. But he’d already said it was his room. “You are the one who is lost.” The boy wasn’t rude, going for a nervous tone instead but he forgotten his stutter already, settling for speaking quietly so he wouldn’t have to injure himself to get his voice higher. His toe throbbed as if to reinforce this decision. He tried to think of anything that would make this end quicker. His mind going back through information he gained over the last few days. He didn’t give a name and only just realized his statement contradicted his attempt at a handshake. He really needed to think these things through better. The only upside was he remembered Tock informing him of the sickness that Zeltiva had. He could fake having it but that might just end him up in the infirmary. “Who are you?” When in doubt distract with questions. It was his best option at the moment.

[Zarius Shine]

Zip’s eyebrows shot up – this kid was sure weird! She had hopped onto the second bed – his second bed, as Zip had been referring to it mentally – and pulled out a hat which she then clamped over her short hair. She certainly was a very plain looking thing, he thought, without meaning to be critical, as she just sat and stared at him. But her demeanor was so odd - it was almost as if she had not heard him, or maybe she had not understood him? His mind leaping about perplexedly, Zip thought maybe she was a foreigner that did not speak Common – and that might explain how she had wandered into his room. That must be it! She was the daughter of a visiting professor – or another student. He was just on the point of asking her again, more slowly this time in case she knew a little Common, if she was lost, when the girl rose from the bed and came towards him. When she spoke, her voice had an odd, strained pitch – but she clearly did speak the common tongue – but what she said! That this was her room? His jaw just dropped and he could only stare at her for a moment, as if now he was the one who didn’t speak this language. What the hell? OK, she really was mental. The kid had stuck her hand out, as if she expected for them to shake, as one would if meeting another normally. But this was shaping up to be a far from normal encounter. So Zip hesitated. But his good manners got the better of him and he reluctantly took the proffered hand and gave it a very brief shake before dropping it. This gave the child time enough to assert the next ridiculous claim – that Zip was the one who was out to sea here. But, having already checked the door, Zip knew that he had not accidentally turned into the wrong room. There was all his stuff, which he now scanned quickly, anxious that this tiny intruder might have rifled through his things. And there was – a bulging bag as well – one that was not his. Oh, this really couldn’t be happening could it? In his distraction, the girl managed to get in one last word – questioning his own identity – as if he was the intruder here. Still completely confounded by why a young girl should be in his room obviously claiming it as her own and expecting him to vacate, Zip replied, “I’m the guy that lives in this room – the one it’s been assigned to. So wherever it is you think you should be, and for whatever reason, I think you better scoot. You’re obviously confused. This is my room.” With a shake of his head, he moved past her and unslung his backpack from his shoulder and tossed it on the chair by his bed. Picking up a book that lay on his pillow, he eased himself down to sit on the bed, feet still on the floor, and opened it, though he did not read. His eyes watched the child, wondering if she would in fact just go, and if she did not, what in the hell was he going to do?

[Matthaus]

His eyes watched the young man carefully and he deliberately followed him waiting until he was right in front of him and spoke slowly. As if he was the adult and the young man was the child. “I am going to school here,” he gestured behind him, “this is my assigned room.” “And I am a girl, shouldn’t you be the one leaving? I’m sure it would look strange to have you lurking around in little girls room.” There was a slight smirk after this and Matthaus took a few steps back to assess the situation. It wasn’t a threat, it was a fact. Even if this was his roommate it would still look strange but Mathaus couldn’t even pretend to report it because he had registered as a boy. Still, this person didn’t need to know that. “And you didn’t answer before, who are you?” Thinking quickly he puts his hands on his hips for good measure and glared. It was a pathetic one but he figured it would be what any little girl would do. Or at least he hoped, he hadn’t really met many children his age. But this game of who was who was working for him. It was giving him time to think, his disguise wasn’t well thought out and no doubt if the other boy decided to look closer he would notice something was off. He needed a good excuse, something to get the other to leave with no questions. Diseases wouldn’t work. Maybe an imaginary parent? That brought too many questions. But his brain was drawing a blank. There weren’t many things for him to do properly. Least of all without help. Maybe he could get a read on the other and see something he could use. That could work well. In fact, it was looking to be his only option.

[Zarius Shine]

Zip was still looking at her as she restated her case. But it didn’t make any more of an impression on him than before. “Well, stay or go as you like. They assigned the room to me four days ago, and here I am. So if you really are a student.” He looked at the child with a raised eyebrow, clearly skeptical of this assertion. “And you have some sort of gripe with where they’ve sent you, feel free to go get it sorted.” He shifted about, throwing his pillow against the headboard and settling down with his back there, legs crossed before him at the ankles, book in lap. “But you might want to take your stuff with you.” He nodded towards the pack. “Lots of people with light fingers around here. You come back – it might not be here.” His eyes went to the book, which he opened to a marked page, and he began to read. Or at least, he pretended to. In truth, this was all a little freaky, but…what could he do about it? It wasn’t as if he could bodily remove her. That would have seriously gotten him in trouble. He wasn’t too bothered by her jibe about being seen as a creep. It wasn’t his fault this kid was hanging about him. Worse came to worst, if she did leave and then came back with someone on staff and they told him to move well…well he’d try to protest, but in the end he’d do what he was told. He didn’t need any hassles. For now though, the next move was hers.

[Matthaus]

This was not turning out like he wanted. Then again when did things ever do that? He grit his teeth and stared the boy. “I do go to school here, I have papers and everything. And unless you are the one with sticky fingers I doubt anyone wants what I have. Unless you have a fondness for teddy bears?” Matthaus wasn’t sure where to go next, he hadn’t exactly plotted out his next move. Rather than try to say anymore he moved to his own bed and mimicked the others position, the only difference being he didn’t pretend to read. He just stared at the other silently. Carefully, slowly he allowed his mind to relax slightly and focus on other things, focus on his own djed and try to weave it to suit his purpose. It was mostly simple in nature, a pull here, a deep breath in between and another pull. It was always there but now it seemed to relax just beneath the surface, ready for use. Tipping his hat up to get a better focus he trained his eyes on the others face. His nose seemed to sting for a moment before rather than see the shapes he was used too there was a scent. It was strange and gave him the urge to sneeze along with fuzzy mental pictures he couldn’t hope to comprehend. The boy was too far away for anything to make much sense. But he could feel his eyes grow tired, the blur of a face distorting even more and the scent become a little stronger. So he pulled harder, let the djed pulse freely beneath his skin and inhaled deeply. He had to focus, had to stop thinking and just let it occur. But he couldn’t because he could knew the other wasn’t moving, knew their door was wide open and heard the faint stepping of shoes. Tap. Actually, that wasn’t faint at all. Matthaus tore his eyes away from the other, having gleaned nothing but a tickle in his nose. Passing there doorway was a young woman who didn’t even look in to stop but she had effectively ruined all his concentration. He tried to blink away the feeling, realizing he had jumped up in surprise, as if caught doing something wrong. He felt funny and his eyes didn’t focus for a second, latching onto everything and anything. Gripping his desk tightly he watched the young man. “I was told…” he took a breath, what could he use to cover his little ‘episode? Something that would help get rid of the roommate and make him look slightly less mental, “I would have a roommate but I can be prone to fits.” Yes, because that was not desperate at all.

[Zarius Shine]

Zip feigned deafness to the girl’s further protests. Maybe if he ignored her long enough, she would leave and go figure out where she was really supposed to be housed, as she seemed insistent that she was, in fact, a student – however unlikely that would appear to be. Well, the University had enrolled stranger students over its history, no doubt. Zip had never heard tell of any race of midgets in Mizahar – except for the Isur and they were only short, not diminutive. Perhaps this child was some freak of nature, which might make her an interesting target of study, if one was into anatomy or medical conditions. But in any case, he had no intentions of enabling her belief that she somehow had a superior claim to this room than he had. Obviously, she did not, regardless of any other consideration. True, he had no desire whatsoever to share digs with a petulant child all term. But if she wanted him gone, she was going to have to get someone…taller, and with a bit more authority, on her side. Til then, he would wait her out. So, as the kid first stared at him, and then seemed to go slightly catatonic, Zip paid her no mind, happy at least that she had finally shut up. He did manage to read a few lines, though their content never made it very far into his brain. Even the passing footsteps did not bring his gaze up, so determined was he to be oblivious to outside stimuli. But it had to falter at some point… And when the child leapt from the bed as if stung by some hidden insect, and then grabbed onto the desk for support, Zip’s eyes went automatically to her – and she didn’t look exactly rude with health. In fact, she looked a bit…peaky. The statement that came was, in a way, ridiculously contradictory to what had passed ever since he had turned into the room a few minutes ago. But the second part of the child’s assertion brought a look of alarm to Zip’s face, and almost involuntarily, he raised up and swung his legs from the bed and his feet hit the floor. His hand shot out, as if he might somehow intervene should her legs prove too weak to support her. “Fits?” he asked, clearly concerned. “What kind of fits? Are – are you OK?” With a slightly exasperated look, but his voice softening with genuine solicitude, he rose and stepped closer to her, his hand still hovering uncertainly. “Here, sit back down, or you might fall and hurt yourself.”

[Matthaus]

Luck. It was pure luck that Matthaus had such a gullible roommate. There was no other way to describe it. To anyone else it should have been obvious something was off but maybe the elder male simply thought he was strange and the fits were linked. Either way he could work with it and it wouldn’t make the other think twice about his energy drain. Even if he couldn’t get rid of him this would supply the other should he pass out suddenly. No that that would happen. Nodding warily Matthaus let himself sag a bit more and wobbled exaggeratedly towards his bed and out of the area of the hand. He sank gratefully back into the bunk and appraised the other. Likely as displeased as he was but not unkind it seemed. His hovering hand showed sympathy, sympathy he could use. “I’m fine most of the time, it’s an…after effect of the outbreak.” There he had put that information to good use and he had to bit the inside of his cheek to ward off a self-satisfied smirk. “I didn’t want a roommate because I don’t want to be a bother and I usually need care from my roommates. It’s easier if I don’t.” If that didn’t give the other a clue…maybe he had pushed too quick though, he might give himself away. The boy looked down at his feet trying to make sure his face wasn’t inspected too closely. Perhaps the fits would be a good excuse for the constant pitch changes he was using. He’d have to invest in a bird’s tongue sometime. “What I meant is I thought I request my own room.” “Unless…unless you don’t mind?” That defeated the purpose but he was sure most peoples sympathy stretched only so far and what person would willingly room with someone who could be contagious. Perhaps he should mention that. He shifted his gaze up again, quickly, then back down waiting for the other to leave or something.