Chapter Text
The doors on the bus screeched closed as the vehicle rolled to the next stop, leaving Peso standing in the soaking rain and luminous moonlight.
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< Peso: Yes, Chucking it down in London too. >
< Pinto: what a shame…. but you made it to the college dorms safe? >
< Peso: Mhm. >
< Peso: Apparently a bunch of people came this year, so I’m sharing with two others. >
< Pinto: OOooooooooo!!!!!! >
< Peso: PINTO! >
< Peso: It’s not gonna be like that! >
< Peso: I don’t even know what they’re like yet! They could be the worst people ever! >
< Peso: I need to head inside now anyways, talk to you later. >
< Pinto: okayyyy!! let me know how your…. roomates… are later! >
— — — — — — —
Peso internally groaned at Pinto’s messages. Well, he’s always been a bit… how do I say it… weird. The rain was starting to mess with Peso’s phone, so they attempted to wipe off the collection of water and buried the device inside their messenger bag.
The automatic door whirred to life as the short figure made their trek to the reception desk. Some small talk later and Peso had acquired the keys to their (and some strangers) room. Room… Fifty-nine. Top floor. Lift broken. Great.
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A painful fifteen minutes later, Peso finally reached the correct room. They were out of breath and.. Rather pale in the face. God knows how many people saw them like that. They prayed that the lift would be fixed soon. The key clanged against the lock a few times before Peso could turn the keyway and open the dorm door.
It was already mostly furnished, with a living room, dining room and kitchen. There was a short hallway leading to three rooms, two of which had nameplates reading ‘Kwazii’ and ‘Barnacles’ decorated in ways that might have displayed the strangers' hobbies and / or personalities. Well, the last room must be for Peso then.
The interior had only a small bed, a desk, a wardrobe and a bed-side table. Peso didn’t need much, to be honest. They only brought a backpack filled with one change of clothes, pyjamas, multiple posters and books. That would be enough until they had time to go to the shopping centre for more supplies. They also needed to order a badge maker, as they were finally out of that awful judgy household.
They could put up their posters and stack their books onto the desk for now.
How odd, surely their roommates would’ve come to visit by now? Maybe they aren’t here.
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“Ahoy there, Matey!” Peso’s door slammed open, the wood ricocheting off the wall.
“OH FLAPPITY FLIPPERS!” Peso jumped, falling onto the floor. Well, there’s one of their roommates.
“Aye Cap’n! We got a cute little roommate!"
“Kwazii, don’t be scaring them, we’ve got to spend 3 years together.”
The two hadn't acknowledged Peso any more, as they were now having a discussion about whether or not they would spend their years teasing, as Kwazii called them, the shortstack.
“Kwazii, they’re still unpacking. Hey, uh..”
“P-Peso, Peso Penguin.”
“Peso, we’ll head out now, you can finish unpacking.”
The really tall guy, who, from a guess, was Barnicles, dragged Kwazii out by the collar.
“YEOW-”
“... Wow.” Peso huffed, then dug around their messenger bag for their phone, opened Whatsapp and texted Pinto.
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< Peso: It’s worse than I thought. >
< Peso: They’re both hot. >
< Pinto: oh? >
< Peso: Yeah. One is loud as fuck, and the other is kinda strict >
< Peso: But nice. >
< Peso: Well, they’re both nice. >
< Pinto: oh ur so down bad >
< Peso: I am NOT! >
— — — — — — —
Peso was sitting at their desk now, making a to-do / to-buy list. A laptop was a necessity, same with notebooks, pens and definitely more fans, handheld or not. They could do with some shelves, and a wardrobe full of outfits. Maybe some more posters too. Peso could order a badge maker online. The other two had nameplates, so they should probably get one.
Peso looked up to the window behind their desk. The moon shone like a beacon through the twisting branches of the cherry blossom tree. Summer was in a few weeks. Peso didn’t like summer, it was too hot and overall they felt worse for the whole season. But then there was autumn and winter, which was always better.
Peso may need some blinds as well, they didn’t want to be sucked into their thoughts from looking outside. If the moon was this high, it was probably late anyways. They should head to bed.
Checking their phone one last time, they had a good luck text from their older brother, younger brother, mum and dad. They only responded to Pinto.
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“Barnieeeee…. You thought that shortie was cute too, right?”
“.. Kwazii, let them settle in first, before going all out on them. They seem like the shy type.” Barnacles glared at Kwazii. “It’s midnight. Go to bed, Kwaz.” Kwazii groaned dramatically but did end up stalking out the room.
“Just know, cap’n, that he’ll be hard to resist for you too, you aren’t as stone-cold as you seem, the walls to your heart are weak.” The orange-head snickered to himself and closed the door behind him as Barnacles stared at his back.
“...”
“Oh, Kwazii, what an adventurous soul you are.”
Barnacles turned to his bed, straightening the duvet, and getting under the covers.
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Kwazii closed Barnacles door, but didn’t go to his room just yet. Instead, he opened the door to Peso’s room. Looking around, it was still a bit bland. Kwazii saw a paper on the desk with a list of items, so Peso would probably decorate more tomorrow. Speaking of Peso, they were still awake, a book in hand.
“Hey matey, what’cha reading?”
“Kwazii-!”
“Aye?”
“O-oh, I’m just reading Five Little Liars..”
Kwazii nodded, then moved back to Peso’s desk.
“Ya thinkin’ about going shopping tomorrow matey? Me and Barnie could go with ya”
“Well, if you don’t mind? I wouldn't like going around the whole city in buses or uber's”
The cryptozoologist nodded, then finally decided to go to bed, after a mug of warm milk, of course.
— — — — — — —
Peso reached the end of the current chapter, and decided to switch off here. They had a long day tomorrow, and wanted to mentally prepare for being near the two roommates for most of it. Then classes started on Monday. The city was big, and Peso wanted to become acquainted with it, to really feel safe here.
“Goodnight Kwazii, and Barnacles.”