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It seemed his former roommate had had enough. That was the only possible reason his rooming arrangements were being changed. Nothing at all to do with the number of infractions he’d accrued over the last two months. It was true– he didn’t want to be there. Enzo chafed under the constant restrictions and rigid routine.[break][break]

So was it really his fault that he bucked those rules? Apparently so. Though, perhaps he should’ve been grateful. Even this was somehow better than home. How sad. That didn’t mean he wanted to be stuck with Kosei Kiryu as his new dorm mate, though. You’re on thin ice, de Luca.’ That had been what the schoolmaster had told him. And obviously they thought that sticking him with the most pedantic, uptight prick at the academy was some sort of genius fix for his behavior.[break][break]

What a joke.[break][break]

Perched on the edge of his bed, Enzo continued to tie his shoelaces, the long, spindly braids he’d woven his hair into hanging by his face. “Ah, babysitter duty is kicking in, then?” he asked airily, maybe a bit (a lot) derisively. It wasn’t until he finished and stood that Enzo looked over at him, arms folding as his posture slumped lazily. “Somewhere more entertaining than the barracks.”[break][break]

Admittedly, the town their base was housed in…wasn’t all that much more interesting. Which was probably intentional on the part of the military in a bid to keep their cadets from acting out too much. But Enzo could be innovative enough when pressed into a corner. And right about then, he was feeling more than a little cornered.[break][break]

But their superiors obviously didn’t consider how wily Enzo could be. Like a jackal gnawing its foot to spring free from a trap. He began his efforts nonchalantly, like a passing thought. “You know, Kosei. You could come along.” His head tilted toward the other, brows lifting slightly. “Beats a shoebox of a room.”[break][break]

The academy had no taste, either. Cement block rooms, walls painted white. Boring.

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There it was, so grating. He had half the mind just to tell the idiot to leave, give him some peace and quiet so that he could read or study or something, he didn't know. He didn't really have anything to study, having gone to study hall after school, and this book was clearly not interesting enough to keep his eyes trained on it rather than averting up to the aggravating person he was stuck with. "It wouldn't have to, if you didn't act like an idiot. It's not just you now, you know. That shit looks bad on me too." Kosei couldn't imagine the look on his dad's face if he saw a single smudge on his spotless reputation. It wouldn't be good. There were few things Kosei could claim to be afraid of, and that was one of them.
[break][break]
"Like where exactly? Unless you got a hot date... which I'm seriously doubting, there's nothing to do in town." His eyes averted to the other over the rim of his book only for a moment. Sadly, there wasn't a whole lot of privacy to be had in this place, not with another person living in it. Not that Kosei really had all that much to be private about... he just didn't enjoy unnecessary company that was a pain in the ass to deal with.
[break][break]
Kosei didn't think of himself as boring, but Enzo most certainly did. Which made it extra surprising when the other invited him along. "What?" The book slapped down against his chest, clearly abandoned. Now, honestly, not many people asked him to do things. He had friends, but his family was an intimidating name and he was... an intimidatingly serious person, at times (most of the time).
[break][break]
"And do what, exactly? No... no way, that's stupid. Curfew is... twelve minutes now. So... yeah, no."

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Enzo rolled his eyes as Kosei managed to rattle off a lecture with ease. His hand lifted, mimicking a gabbing mouth, going on and on and on. “It’s wild that you gobble those expectations right up and don’t stop to question the fact that that logic is a crock in the first place.” It looks bad on Kosei? It was backwards. Much as his uptight behavior grated on Enzo, he didn’t have it out for the other or something. But he wasn’t about to stop doing as he pleased for the sake of someone else’s squeaky clean reputation. In his opinion, it could do with a bit of dirt.[break][break]

“Maybe I do, you jealous?” He winked at the other, just for an added layer of obnoxiousness. “If you think that though, it’s a sign of your lack of innovation. Town can be entertaining, if you’re creative enough to make it so.” Maybe it was a stretch to manage sometimes, but it was doable. He’d know.[break][break]

The surprise he was met with was almost reward enough, in and of itself. He didn’t necessarily think that Kosei was unpopular among their peers, but at the same time, Enzo was fairly certain that most knew to steer clear of him when it came to any activity that drew any bit close to the words rule break, and infraction.[break][break]

Enzo, however, was daring (stupid?) and also bored enough to try, and see where it led.[break][break]

“You heard me,” he replied lightly, staring at Kosei down the line of his nose. “And anything. Literally anything that isn’t sitting in this room, being lame as hell.” The second idea wormed its way into his mind, and his glance shifted upward to the ceiling tiles.[break][break]

“Actually,” he shifted gears, and promptly climbed up onto his bed, shoes and all, before free falling back against the mattress. The old springs squeaked and sagged under the thud of his weight. “Twelve minutes is not enough time to convince a square like you to go out, so we can stay in.” Giving up almost a little too fast.[break][break]

He let that settle for a moment, let it sink in with Kosei that he was being humored. Not quite, but maybe ten percent. “But that also doesn’t mean that the fun can’t come to us, instead.”

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If he could have one person to deck in the face, it would be this guy. Enzo was so damn arrogant. Kosei wasn't sure if he could withstand the period of time they were expected to tolerate one another. Matters were only made worse that Kosei didn't know how long he was expected, only that the headmaster had high expectations for him. At the time, it'd made him feel determined. It made him feel good to be depended upon, but now he realized he'd just been handed garbage and told to change its form.
[break][break]
"Jealous that somehow you of all garbage people can get dates? Sure." He shook his head, "Don't be stupid." He wasn't jealous though, he was curious which was somehow worse. Maybe he was simply nosey though, trying to live vicariously through someone who clearly didn't give any damns. "Oh and I'm sure you're just full of boundless creative energy."
[break][break]
A part of Kosei wished he could be that way. Of course, he wished he could get away with stuff for once. Enzo fucked up and people rolled their eyes and got over it, eventually. Kosei fucked up and it was the end of the goddamn world as they knew it. Big fucking difference.
[break][break]
"W... well... no, I can't do that." He shook his head, clearly not about to go against his betters because someone like Enzo told him to. And then, almost as quickly, the other changed their mind? Kosei felt a little dumbfounded. That was almost too easy. He was suspicious.
[break][break]
He didn't trust Enzo as far as he could throw him and the discomfort of the follow proposition proved as much. "What kind of fun? What do you mean?" Still, he sat up, set the book on the bedside. He hated the fact he was, admittedly, intrigued by this idiot (even to a small degree).

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If Enzo could’ve known the level of disdain that Kosei felt for him, he likely would’ve laughed about it. Which probably would’ve only made Kosei wish to knock him flat that much more. As grating as the goody-good personality was, Enzo didn’t hold any true dislike for the other. He was annoying, yes. Inconvenient to his personal agenda of acting contrarian, absolutely. But it was way too much work to keep up an active dislike for Kosei Kiryu.[break][break]

Perhaps Enzo pitied him a bit, though.[break][break]

To be so beholden by a need to please. Or follow some obsessively pristine code of behavior. He was gonna snap one day, Enzo was almost sure of it. Definitely so, if some of that pressure wasn’t let off the coiled spring winding him up. “I’m not garbage, thank you very much.” Okay, so that one hit a little close to home, betrayed by the slightest harshness grating his voice. This spoiled little military brat didn’t know the first thing about his life. What it had been like, and where he’d come from. The nothing he’d been.[break][break]

“‘Course I’ve got creativity. I obviously have more fun than you.” His tone smoothed over, that flicker of anger there and then gone. He wasn’t wasting his time on it. His eyes rolled again, and quietly he mimicked Kosei’s excuse in a quiet, pitched tone. “You’re such a little hound dog,” he said on the tail end of a forlorn sigh. “Only following orders, it’s terribly tragic.”[break][break]

He continued to stare up at the ceiling tiles. A convenient hiding place. His glance didn’t shift away until he heard Kosei speak up again—then they slid over to the other as his wily grin returned, though he didn’t make an effort to lift from the bed yet. “Ohhh, what’s this? Curious, are you?” He huffed looking away, playing at something coy, but his grin lingered. “Dunno, Kos. Who’s to say you’re not just gonna rat me out, hm?”

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Maybe Kosei wasn't so much mad at Enzo as he was at his own circumstance. Maybe even at himself. He'd configured this perfect safe place away from all the expectation and then, suddenly, things were different. He couldn't even have his room to relax in, could he? Even here, he needed to lead by example and be the bigger person. Only now, he had to somehow make this guy do the same? He wasn't exactly qualified for that and, even more so, he didn't want to force the guy into doing anything. It wasn't in his nature.
[break][break]
The other's retort then only proved that because it made him hate himself a little more for it. He sounded like his dad, call the other garbage just because he led a life separate from theirs. Truthfully, he as envious of the other, in a way.
[break][break]
"I don't have time for fun, doesn't mean I don't know how." Clearly false, he hadn't a damn clue. If put in a place were he was forced to have a good time, he felt like a confused puppy. Like the party he'd gone to, the way the place got quieter when he'd shown up. It felt alien, he hated it.
[break][break]
Then it was Enzo's turn to bite back on the jugular and Kosei felt himself tense up. Yet it was, of course, a controlled response. As to be expected of him. Never let them know it bothers you. Though he also didn't have anything for a comeback at that point. "I don't always follow orders." Another lie. The truth was he pretended sometimes that he snapped back and disobeyed, just to see the look on their faces, but then he would wake from the daydream and do what he was told.
[break][break]
Kosei rolled his eyes at that, "I'm not— whatever.." He shook his head, "As long as its in the dorm, I don't care what you do."

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[attr="id","moonpost"]At the sulky response, Enzo laughed. Staring up at the ceiling tiles, he let the sound fall in the space of their room. It wasn’t rowdy and loud, but it was still very obviously an entertained sound. “You’re pretty funny. What qualifies as fun, then? Please share with the class.” Maybe it was a bit cruel to be a bit tickled by the retort, but Enzo couldn’t help it. He’d been at that party—he remembered that awkward lull. And it wasn’t like Kosei had done anything to really cut that tension when it occurred.[break][break]

That didn’t necessarily mean that he thought the other was a total lost cause, though. “Uh, yeah you do,” Enzo said point blank. He waved a hand. “No matter, it just means you need to be broken of the habit.” What a fun little experiment this was turning into. Much better than sneaking out actually, now that he thought about it.[break][break]

Enzo pushed himself up quickly. One of his braids slapped against his cheek with how he whipped to the side to look at him. “You said the words, so I will hear no other naysaying.” He pointed over at Kosei as he spoke, mischievous delight spreading across his face. Hopping up, he stood on the mattress and then from there climbed to stand atop his mostly empty dresser.[break][break]

Nudging his hairbrush away with his toe, Enzo reached up over his head to push up on one of the ceiling tiles until it popped out of place. “You’re not gonna regret it,” he said in singsong as his arm disappeared to feel around in the ceiling. Pulling down mostly snacks and things that weren’t allowed in the dorms. Some scattered and fell to his bed and the floor around him.[break][break]

“Or maybe you will, but that’s too bad. I’ve already enacted no take backs.” His fingers closed around a tall, thin bottle with a triumphant aha! and he pulled down the bottle of green apple vodka and pointed the neck at his unwilling roommate. “Prepare to eat your words, puppy.”[break][break]

When had he managed to find the time alone to hide all of this? That was his little secret.

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Enzo reminded him that even in military school, he could still somehow be the odd man out. It wasn't exactly an unusual situation, and he knew there was probably more that he could do to change, but...
[break][break]
Kosei frowned at that question. "Whatever, doesn't matter. I don't care what you think." Only, for reasons he couldn't explain, he did care. It was stupid. It was the path of greatest resistance and highest chance of disappointment, but he did care what an idiot like Enzo thought of him. Maybe he was stupid or enjoyed the humiliation of it, he didn't want to know.
[break][break]
As the other enacted his circus act, Kosei wondered if maybe he already regretted it but it far too late to turn back without coming off as more of loser. Even as he watched the bottle lower in the other's hand, it was too late to turn back. Even then, an objection rested on his tongue. He could feel near-robotic protocol hammering in his head and he nearly repeated as much about alcohol being prohibited on campus. Yet that was the opposite point that he wanted to prove, thus kept his mouth firmly shut.
[break][break]
"Drinking? That's your big plan? Okay." He grumbled, trying to sound nonchalant about it.

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[attr="id","moonpost"] For the most part, he wanted to see how far he could test the limits the other set. Surely he didn’t enjoy being so wound tight all of the time. What person their age would? No matter what school they were enrolled in.[break][break]

Enzo let out a bark of laughter. “An expert at lying to yourself, I see. Because you’re definitely not convincing me.” Impassive as he behaved, Enzo could sense it. It only further enforced the idea that shirking the rules for once would do Kosei some good. The boredom he’d been subjected to had taken a sudden turn for the interesting. And it was impressive that Kosei held his tongue just enough to not launch into the set of rules and regulations about drinking on school grounds. Let alone possession.[break][break]



He looked over at Kosei and pressed the hand not holding onto the neck of the bottle against his chest. “Oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware you had become so versed overnight.” The grin that pasted itself across his mouth was a tricky one. Nabbing a glass he kept on his nightstand for water, he unscrewed the lid and filled it about halfway. [break][break]

Sauntering over to where Kosei was perched on his bed, Enzo held out the glass as he looked down at him. His grin widened even more. “Drink up then, party boy,” he challenged before taking a swig from the bottle itself.

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Kosei didn't necessarily enjoy behaving as he did, of course not. However, it was difficult to let loose after years of insistence from his parents that he had to lead by example. He was supposed to be the person they wanted him to be, it didn't matter what he wanted. For the most part, he listened to this without question. It felt like an injustice not to. Kosei didn't enjoy it, but he disliked the idea of letting people down even more.
[break][break]
The other laughed at him and Kosei barely managed to suppress the scowl, only further disproving how little he supposedly cared. "I'm not lying to myself. God, you're so fucking annoying." He shook his head, hating how easily the other could rile him up. Clearly, that was the end goal. Enzo wanted him pissed off and fuming, easier to manipulate because of un-tempered emotions.
[break][break]
"Stop acting like you know me, you don't." There was always a lot of assumptions about him, always had been. In a school this isolated, there was gossip, of course. Rumors did very little justice to the victims associated to them, but mostly Kosei hated how close to reality his own were. Yet, simultaneously, people liked fitting him into a bubble, a good ol stereotyped bubble. Yet, in reality, there was very little to refute about his own.
[break][break]
Kosei looked down at the glass offered and then back up at the other, expression furrowed into an unimpressed frown. A lot of military families drank. His father kept a bottle of scotch or whiskey in the cabinet of his office for social calls, but he never drank it himself. His parents didn't believe in anything that could tamper the mind. Not that Kosei had never tried it before, in secret, it just wasn't very good. Yet still, he took the drink with an eyeroll. "Fine." He tipped the drink back and sipped. Now, it wasn't as bad as the whiskey his dad kept. It was sappy sweet apple flavor, but then followed the fire. He couldn't help but cringe at it. Too much at once, he coughed. "There. Happy?"

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[attr="id","moonpost"] Kosei was a curiosity to him. If he didn’t want to be the way he was, why not buck the reins? One had to start somewhere to get anywhere, after all. But what was under the surface? There must have been more. Was it someone more willing to let go? Or would Enzo only meet more of the same relentless uptightness? He hoped that wouldn’t be the case.[break][break]

“Sure you aren’t.” Enzo shrugged, unbothered by the insult. It wasn’t something he’d never heard before. At some point he’d learned to revel in the reaction it provoked in others. It was attention, after all. And Kosei was providing plenty.[break][break]

“I don’t?” he shot back, brow lifting. “Then if you don’t want assumptions made, maybe show your hand a little more.” A sharp, sly smile cut across his face, violet eyes fixing on the other’s as he continued to hold the glass out and lifted the bottle to take another long pull from the bottle itself. “Who are you then, Kosei Kiryu?” Of course Enzo knew the rumors. But he wanted to hear it from the other himself.[break][break]

He waited expectantly, a sense of triumph settling in his chest when Kosei finally took the glass. He grinned, mouth stretching wide and toothy. “Yep,” he replied, plopping down on the end of Kosei’s bed with a wave of his hand. “One sip isn’t gonna do you much good, though. Do carry on.” Completely skirting around the hacking cough. “There's plenty to go around.” He had little qualm with alcohol himself—had never had someone to insist it tampered the mind.” If anything, he felt it was good for loosening that excessive sense of control.

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Maybe it was his fault, in the end, that people assumed things about him. It wasn't like he gave them reason to anyways. Part of him wanted to be perceived as nothing but the perfect Kiryu boy, yet even being known as that didn't guarantee that his family would look at him with any other expectation than for him to disappoint them. It also didn't guarantee his happiness.
[break][break]
Still, there was expectation on him, even more so now than before. Somehow, he was supposed to control this degenerate human being and make him want to be there. Clearly, there was no forcing Enzo into anything and he was severely wasting his time in trying to do so. If anything, it was setting him up for failure from the very start and the school likely knew that. All the more reason to try and bring him down and probably an attempt to mock his family. He was used to being used as an instrument for someone else's goal, but this felt cruel.
[break][break]
Yet, Enzo didn't care about that. "Why bother? I have no reason to prove anything to you and you have no reason to care. Even right now, the only reason you're here is to prove a point and you're too stupid to even realize it. They want you to be exactly what you are to prove that me and my family are not so perfect, but I already knew that. Even if my family pretends otherwise."
[break][break]
He sighed, shaking his head at the other's insistence before sipping again. If it was always set up with the intension of failure, what did he have to lose? Not much, apparently. In the end, it didn't take much to persuade him to give up his family.

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[attr="id","moonpost"]He wasn’t stupid, of course. He knew what the academy had been doing when they placed him with Kiryu as a roommate. But it was a correct assumption to discern that Enzo wasn’t about to let himself be directed by the other. No matter how set in his routines or how well behaved Kosei was, that didn’t mean it would rub off on Enzo. He wanted to see how far he could push Kiryu, and if he could be a bad influence on the other, sure, but in the end it was what it was. If Kosei was gonna be mired in his ways, Enzo wasn’t about to try too hard to topple him if it proved to be too much work.[break][break]

Enzo’s head tipped back as he groaned. “You’re literally just proving assumptions right now.” His gaze sharpened, though, as he looked back down at Kosei. “But you don’t get to determine that I’m stupid. You’re still hung up on what all these people assume and think. You’re acting like it doesn’t matter to you, but it obviously does. That’s stupid.”[break][break]

He scoffed before taking another swig from the bottle in his hand. “I wanted to have a good time because I was bored, and you’re making this way too serious.” He waved a hand. “More, drink more. You’re not perfect, you know it, blah blah. Drink.” Whether Kosei wanted him to or not, he flopped on the opposite end of his reluctant new roommate’s bed, bottle still in hand.

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