Chapter Text
[FLAMEFRAGS]
When FlameFrags got accepted into Unstable College, he was certainly over the moon.
Unstable was the perfect college. Absolutely massive campus, ridiculous acceptance rates and the BEST professors. I mean like this was the kind of place students dreamed about since middle school. And somehow, against all odds, Flame had made it in with a basketball and law scholarship carrying his entire future.
“This place is huge,” Flame murmured under his breath while barely managing to drag two suitcases across the monumental campus.
Students swamped the pathways around him, their laughter and chatter melting into the overstimulating cacophony of noises, hauling boxes into dorm buildings while their parents hovered nearby, pestering them into taking emotional photos every few seconds. Somewhere in the distance, music blasted from one of the welcome events already being set up near the main gate of the college.
Flame adjusted the strap of his bag with a grin.
Yeah.
This was DEFINITELY worth all those late night training sessions.
He stopped for a moment near the centre fountain, staring up at the enormous university buildings surrounding the vast courtyard, taking in the cold yet refreshing air. The architecture looked unreal. Tall brick walls draped in ivy, huge glass windows reflecting rainbow hues of sunlight across the campus ground.
For the first time in his life, he didn’t feel the need to be tense every so often. Being in Unstable was a new start for him. A completely new life. Maybe he would be able to—
“Move.”
Flame’s smile vanished in a heartbeat.
No.
Absolutely not.
Slowly, Flame turned around, absolutely mortified.
And there stood with all his glory (that was sarcasm if you couldn’t tell) Wemmbu, looking just as annoyed.
Well. So much for the peaceful life I wanted.
“You have GOT to be kidding bro,” Flame said flatly.
Wemmbu adjusted the strap of his violin case on his shoulder, expression already looking pissed. “Why are you out of all people here?”
“I go here bro.”
“With your crappy basketball skills? You know, I find that kind of hard to believe.”
Flame stared at him in disbelief. “Bro, you cannot be serious right now.”
Unfortunately, Wemmbu looked completely serious.
Which was annoying because he somehow still looked ridiculously put together after moving across an entire campus. The white shirt under the black jacket, gloves covering his hands despite the warm weather, headphones resting around his neck. Meanwhile Flame felt like he was actively dying under the weight of his luggage.
“You? Got into Unstable?” Flame asked.
Wemmbu raised an eyebrow. “Of course I did.”
“Wow. So humble.”
“Thanks.”
“Bro, I was being sarcastic.”
“So was I.”
Right.
Flame had almost forgotten how insufferable this guy was.
The rivalry between FlameFrags and Wemmbu was infamous at this point, it started years ago over grades, escalated into sports competitions, and somehow evolved into arguing about literally everything possible.
Nobody actually remembered how it started anymore. Flame opened his mouth to continue the argument before noticing the paper in Wemmbu’s hand.
The dorm assignment.
PLEASE CAN LADY LUCK BE ON MY SIDE FOR ONCE?
“…What dorm are you in?” Flame asked slowly.
Wemmbu narrowed his eyes immediately. “Why.” He answered with that annoying tone of his.
“Just answer the question.”
“Why.”
“Wemmbu.”
“FlameFrags.”
“Okay bro like—”
Flame quickly glanced down at the number printed on his own dorm paper.
Room 314.
Wemmbu looked suspiciously smug all of a sudden. Flame’s stomach dropped.
“No."
Wemmbu held up his paper silently. Written in bold letters were the numbers 314. The two of them stared at each other in complete horror.
“You have GOT to be kidding me bro,” Flame said.
Wemmbu looked equally devastated. “I’m requesting a transfer.”
“Bro, you’re not allowed to do that.”
“Ughhh. You're serious?”
Wemmbu sighed before walking past him, purposefully bumping his shoulders against Flame’s, toward the dorm buildings, receiving a “Tch” in a return.
“C’mon dude. The sooner we move in, the sooner we can both suffer"
Flame stared after him for a second.
Then followed hesitantly.
Because despite everything, despite the arguing, the insults and the stupidly unbearable amount of smugness, college suddenly felt a little less terrifying knowing someone familiar was there too. Flame just refused to admit that out loud, though.
The dorm room itself was surprisingly decent, small, but decent. Two beds, two desks, and a large glass window overlooking part of the campus courtyard. As they walked in, the smell of cleaning detergent hit their senses like a truck, sharp and sterile. As if the room itself had been scrubbed clean of its previous horrific life.
Jesus. At least I know the cleaners actually do their jobs.
Wemmbu walked over straight away and claimed the desk closest to the window without further discussion.
“Bro,” Flame said while dropping his bags dramatically onto the floor. “So god damn selfish.”
“Hm. Well, you were taking too long.”
Flame rolled his eyes before throwing himself onto the bed nearest the wall.
Wemmbu was already unpacking with practiced efficiency. Most of his things looked organized painfully neatly compared to Flame’s junk of complete chaos.
Then Flame noticed the violin case again.
“Bro, you brought that thing?”
Wemmbu looked offended instantly. “That thing is worth more than your life, thank you very much.”
“Right…” Flame snorted while watching him carefully place the violin beside the desk. Something about the movement was strangely gentle. Different from the way Wemmbu usually acted.
“So,” Flame started, “music major?”
“And volleyball aaaand also biology minor.” Wemmbu glanced over briefly. “You?”
“Basketball and law major, also a biology minor.”
“Figures.”
“What the hell is supposed to mean?”
“You look like you’d peak during sports games.”
“I hope you suffer a miserable death.”
“Wow! I love you too.”
Wemmbu shot a passive aggressive smile at Flame before turning back toward unpacking.
And for a second, Flame really thought about it, what exactly were Wemmbu and him anyway? Enemies? Rivals??? But rivals don’t just tell the other that they loved them even if it was satire.
Never mind. What am I even thinking?
Luckily, Wemmbu immediately ruined the moment by speaking again.
“If you snore loudly, I’m dropping out.”
Flame sighed dramatically. “Living with you is gonna be worse than hell”
Wemmbu shrugged casually. “Sucks to be you I guess.”
Yeah.
Safe to say, college was going to be a nightmare.