TITLE: Who Says College is Easy?

PART: Two

GENRE: Shounen-ai (Humour/ Continuation/ Angst / Romance)

DISCLAIMERS: The series I'm referring to does not belong to me… ^_^ only this weird story does.

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Part Two: Of Bonds... and Sadistic Roomies

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"I'M LATE!"

It was one of those things that irked him much to the core of his very being.

He hated seeing someone pattering around like a headless chicken on a downcast autumn morning - especially if that someone is none other than the proverbial drama queen, Shishido Ryo... the bane of his blessed existence. No, it wasn't a case of absolute annoyance. It was a case of pure hatred. He HATED Shishido with his whole heart.

Damn his hide.

"I'M LATE!"

He pulled the nearest pillow he could get his hands on and covered his aching ears. He swore he heard the occupants of the room next to theirs grumble at the early morning wake up call. At least he was not the only one who felt the same way about his accursed roommate. If ever he was thrown out - at least he wouldn't be the only one who would dare let out the most evil laughter he could muster... he wouldn't feel too guilty that way. If he says that he's late another time, he's really gonna get it. He muttered under his breath.

"I'M LATE!"

That's it. He could feel a vein popping inside the pale skin of his temples. I can kill him now! He readily sat up and searched for the flailing half-dressed figure hopping around while trying to fit navy blue socks on restless feet. Gathering his strength, he reared a bit back and unceremoniously launched the pillow he was grasping towards the panicking teen.

Bull's eye! He gloated inwardly as the deadly projectile hit Shishido at the back of his pompous head. Satisfaction poured into his veins with almost petrifying speed, and he had to squash the urge to howl with demonic laughter when the other boy fell forward, going splat on the floor like a really bad ballet dancer... minus the dizzying pirouette. That'll show him! He thought evilly as he returned the glare Shishido shot at him upon recovering from his graceless fall.

"Why did you do that?" Shishido flipped back his, once again, long hair in indignation, eyes glittering with suppressed instincts of pure murder.

"You're being annoying again." He answered simply, raising a brow in mockery.

"I am NOT being annoying you miscreant!"

"Yes you are. Just ask our dorm mates, stupid."

"Why you -"

"Want a piece of me now, don't you? Then come and get it!" He challenged, rising up in nothing but his boxers.

"AAAAAARGH!" It was the most pathetic war cry he had ever heard. He made a mental note to tuck the sissy sound in mind for future references. With a dark smirk, one he was known for, he beckoned tauntingly with his index finger, crouching a bit to prevent damage once the human tornado crashed against him - if it crashed against him. His eyes measured the distance between his raised fists and the pretty boy's face. Ten inches... nine... eight... seven... six...and now! He lashed out a strong arm and adrenaline took care of the rest, a heady feeling engulfing him as he felt his knuckles connect against a soft cheek. Victory is mine! He crowed inwardly as Shishido teetered back and fell straight on his bed - out cold.

Shaking his hand, he shuffled over to where his roommate lay, chuckling in amusement as the boy's lips moved unconsciously. "Akutsu... I'm gonna... get you... next... time..."

Akutsu patted the crown of gloriously dishevelled hair almost condescendingly before walking past the bedroom door and into the pseudo-living room of their flat. Sighing gratefully, he sank down into the soft chintz sofa they bought three months before. With a smile, he snuggled into one of the throw pillows.

"Ah... Life is good."

* * *

It took two hours before Shishido recovered from the painful blow. Groaning, he sat up, wincing as he stretched his jaw in the process, sending stinging pain down his sensitive nerve endings.

"What..." He moved gingerly, standing up the best he could without falling backwards again in a dizzying spell. His eyes rested on his alarm clock, blinking... blinking... blinking...

His eyes widened, hands involuntarily grasping his dishevelled hair. "NO! I MISSED MY TEST!" He screamed, rivalling that of a banshee. He flailed, hopping about, trying to locate his cellular phone, inventing stories in his mind for his professor to give him a special exam. He just hoped the old puppy dog eyes would work on the stern old lady.

Still half-dressed, he bounded out and began searching for the dark green gadget his dad had given him years ago. He had not bothered replacing it with something newer... it made him remember his family that way. He came upon the couch and was about to start his search again when the bundle underneath the throw pillow moved. Shocked, he reared back, landing painfully on his bottom. "WAH!" He cried out, scooting further as the unidentified alien got up and blearily looked around.

An alien topped with white hair.

Akutsu.

Why was his roommate sleeping on the couch? Why wasn't he in his... wait a minute...

His cheek ached as if on cue. His brows furrowed, eyes glaring once more. "Teme..."

Akutsu's eyes landed on him, staring for a millisecond before recognition dawned and the smirk was in place again. "Oh, it's pretty boy." He intoned, switching to mock shocked mode. "Why so murderous this beautiful Monday morning?"

"JIN, you JERK!" Shishido grated, clasping both hands around the taller boy's neck, and shaking him twice, hard enough to make his eyes roll. "You made me miss my exam!"

"So, we're on first name basis all of a sudden?" A greyish brow lifted in feigned innocence. "And why are you so touchy? Whatever did I do?"

It was then that he decided it was worth choking him to death. Shishido saw only red, as his blood pressure succumbed to his anger, escalating with such speed that he had to momentarily place a hand on the arm of the couch to steady himself in a sudden attack of dizziness.

Then, he was back to the throttling. With enough force to actually kill, he applied more force on his hands and pressed them against the slender throat.

Of course, Akutsu, the devil that he was... did not even flinch.

Odd.

Maybe what the guy said a few weeks back was true... Shishido's eyes widened in horror, and his hands immediately let go, dropping in defeat down his sides. Maybe he DID hit like a girl. He envisioned himself wearing tons of make up and a very short... skirt. Brrr. He cringed, focusing on the deep indentations on pale skin that his fingers had made on Akutsu's neck. The image was very disturbing. It was best not to think of it anymore. Shaking the image away, his gaze went straight up to where intense golden eyes settled... staring at him as if in challenge.

And Shishido did not answer back.

He simply muttered an oath and turned hastily away, deciding to just search outside the living room... at least until Akutsu left in the evening.

He could feel his roommate's eyes focused on him... without batting a single eyelash.

Shishido snorted in annoyance - more at himself for not being tough enough to stand up to the insufferable guy... and at Akutsu who had made it a sole purpose of existence to ruin his college life.

"Stupid." He mumbled.

He just did not know to whom he referred the comment to - to him or to his roommate.

* * *

"WAH! Shishido-san! What happened to your face?"

Shishido Ryo cast his best friend a warning glance before slumping down his assigned seat. It was already four in the afternoon, and he still did not find his phone... so he went to school to look for his professor. The old lady already left. And he was going to fail. Damn Akutsu. "Choutarou. Mark my words. One of these days, I sure as hell would get him."

Ohtori stifled his laughter. Shishido had been saying that line for over six months now - ever since the aftermath of the disastrous first meeting between him and his roommate. He could remember his sempai acquiring enough bruises on his face to render him as blue as the oil paint currently on his palette. Of course, Akutsu also had his share of contusions, but it was so sparse compared to what Shishido had, that they almost seemed unnoticeable from afar. Maybe, what Akutsu said was true.

Maybe his sempai did hit like a girl.

He couldn't help the faint sliver of laughter that issued from his trembling lips. The notion was just so funny! His hotheaded sempai punching like some random girl bordered on the ridiculous. At that, Shishido gave him a withering look and stuck out his tongue childishly.

"You're siding with him, Choutarou."

"No I'm not... I'm just... amused."

Amused? Shishido bristled, a scowl marring his usually smooth brow. Why the hell would he be so amused about that damned hellspawn of a roommate? Unless... he sympathizes with him? NOOOO! His eyes suddenly widened, shock coursing through his veins. Could it be that my best buddy thinks I'm a drama queen too? He sneaked a glance at the reddening features of the younger boy - obviously trying to keep his mirth at bay. He had been corrupted by the devil! He instinctively pulled out the cross pendant, given to him as a birthday present, lying snugly on his chest... maybe an exorcising ritual should be done. He had heard about it from Ohtori back in junior high. Or maybe I'm overreacting as usual. He sighed, shaking his head, glaring moodily at the younger boy instead.

He swatted him chastisingly on the arm. "You are just as evil as him. Do you know that?"

Ohtori chuckled, rubbing a hand on the offended skin area of his pale arm.

"Hai, hai."

***

For the life of him, Akutsu could not understand what had just happened this morning. Questions filtered into his deranged mind, trying to find answers, which didn't seem to be present. The second time they fought a while ago... it was not the usual quarrel they would have at the start of each waking day.

Maybe he was obsessing over it far too much.

For all he knew, Drama Queen (he was not so inclined to call the prissy bastard by his name) had a severe attack of brain whack... or maybe he was just as stupid as his hair was glorious. Of course, he wouldn't admit it, but he DID like the hair. It was soft, silky, and very much unlike its owner.

He pressed bony fingers against his tired temples.

Thinking about it can wait. He thought, striding towards the infamous Ougon Jidai Biru, where his mother was temporarily staying to visit in room 13D.

Or maybe I shouldn't think about it at all.

* * *

Everything would be fine... or so he thought.

He had just entered the kitchen to find something suitable for a mid-afternoon snack, and had immediately halted in confusion at what was laid before him. Hiyoshi cringed at the sight of numerous odd-looking crystal-clear jars filled with even odder, for the lack of better word, things lined up on the kitchen counter. "Oi, Sadaharu-nii!" He said tentatively, craning his neck to see if his flatmate was anywhere near the sheet-white door... and hoping at the same time, that he wasn't.

"Yes?" Came the deep-voiced response, a spiky-haired head peeking into the cooking area.

The smaller boy pointed disgustedly at the weird concoctions. "What are those for?" he asked warily, eyes straying towards the boy genius.

Inui grinned at that. And Hiyoshi felt the need to just leave the matter of his stomach be and just hightail it out of there. The lopsided appearance of those lips was too frightening to go unnoticed. Something was up, he could tell.

"I thought you knew?"

He stepped back, ready to bolt the moment something unappealing happened. "You thought I knew what?"

Inui was entering the kitchen now, full of mystery and eerie expressions that Hiyoshi's stomach began to churn. He wanted to throw up... but he did not quite like the thought of seeing his lunch again. He swallowed.

The bespectacled boy sauntered almost lazily forward, movements quite sensual as he trailed elongated fingers on the tiled counter, coming to rest on the side of the Pyrex jar containing something with muddy consistency... the sloshing liquid seemingly a poor version of a Vodka Mudshake, or probably a Bailey's Irish Cream... with something gooey breaking the surface as a capable hand picked the offending object up almost lovingly. Inui's smile widened up a notch.

"Ah, Wa-ka-chan." He drawled, jiggling the sealed jar lightly. "You are so forgetful. Didn't you know that I've started making new versions of my infamous energy drinks again?"

Hiyoshi's eyes widened. "You... you mean you're making those horrid whatchamacallits again?" He gasped, backing slowly away from his approaching stepbrother. All thoughts of being ecstatic of having another older brother as a part of his new family fading with each step the older boy took. It was one of those times he wished his father did not split up with his mother during his senior high school days... and one of those times when he wished his mother had just taken him away with her to God knows where.

He never knew Inui would have such a demented personality.

"Yup, did it again."

"But I thought bouchou told you to stop threatening us with it every single practice day?" He asked, noting with a huge amount of dismay as his back hit the kitchen wall. I am going to die... he thought frantically, eyes surveying his surroundings, trying to map the place up and device a foolproof escape route towards freedom... even if it was just temporary. "And you promised me you won't threaten me to sample it out again two weeks ago!"

"I did?" Inui asked, his cinnamon-scented breath caressing Hiyoshi's pallid cheeks. "But all I remember was that Meishin-bouchou told me not to threaten you with it... he did not tell me to stop making it. That goes to you too."

The grin grew eerier as the hand holding the jar edged closer to his face. He gulped in terror; eyes fixed not on his stepbrother... but on the suspiciously deadly... drink. "But what if I do not threaten you to sample it for me? What if I convince you to take it, hmm? Or what if I beg you to take it?"

Oh. My. God.

Slowly, large hands took off the lid, and Hiyoshi almost gagged at the grassy smell. He could not move... Inui was crowding him close enough to be rendered immobile - almost. Inui dipped a finger in the solution and took advantage of his partly opened lips to push a drop of liquid in for preliminary tasting. WAH! IT'S SO... AAAAGH! DISGUSTING! "I'm not going to drink that monstrosity you sadist! AAAGH! Stop! You're going to drown me with that putrid - WAAAH!"

He wanted to throw up, but he couldn't. If he did he would be completely in Inui's mercy.

"Look, just one more taste, then you'll tell me about it and we'll be done!" Inui declared almost sunnily as he saw the younger boy's immediate reaction. Maybe it was time for better convincing tactics. He laughed inwardly. Still kicking and screaming eh? What if I do this...?

"NO! There is no WE! I am not going to fall for that puppy dog eyes ever again!"

No more! Ever! He swore as he pushed the other boy with all his might, ducked a long flailing arm, and grabbed his knapsack on the way as his sprint turned into a full-fledged run the minute he burst through the front door.

"Hiyoshi! Just one more taste!"

He ran away so fast that he swore anyone with eyes to see would cry out in shock. He felt as if he was already flying.

It was just unfortunate for him that Inui Sadaharu was blessed with long speedy legs, and he knew that if he did not make it to the elevator in time... he would be rendered unconscious for two whole days.

"It's still not complete Hiyoshi!" He heard Inui call out to him almost beseechingly. "It isn't so bad! Not at all - yet! His stomach curled into a knot. Not yet complete? I wonder if anyone who ingests the complete version would still live to be twenty... He decided then that he did not want to find out - at all. The voice sounded a lot nearer that he had anticipated. With a sudden boost, he sped much faster, flying down the spacious corridors towards where his salvation was bolted in. The damned elevator.

He could see the lights glowing from afar. 9th floor. He muttered under his breath. Please, please, get up here... hayaku... hayaku... onegai shimasu!

He halted in his steps as he reached the metal doors, hopping up and down like what his past teammate Mukahi had done when restless, pushing the down button frantically.

Ten... eleven...

He began his countdown, his heart pounding in his ears as he saw Inui's reflection on the shiny metal surface.

Twelve...

THIRTEEN!

Yay! Freedom!

* * *

Tezuka could hear choking sounds inside Inui's flat from the bottom of the stairway. He was supposed to give him the homework he had missed during an emergency council meeting, where the guy was batch representative, yesterday. He was only a couple of floors below him after all, so it was no big deal...

A scream.

What the hell?

The door to condo unit 13B burst open and a screaming blonde boy came rushing out, hands waving wildly in the air, feet going as fast as they could away from the bespectacled person giving chase. "Hiyoshi! I need to know if it works on others too!"

Tezuka blinked. What was that about? I thought those two had been getting along well nowadays?

"NO!" He winced as he heard Hiyoshi scream back, saw the pale clumsy fingers frantically pushing the open button of the elevator, looking back constantly as to know how large the gap between him and Inui was. "My parents did not raise me to be your new guinea pig!" There was a sudden poing-ing sound and the metal doors opened.

Uh-oh. Tezuka was not such a heartless bastard most of the time, but what happened next was one of the funniest he had ever encountered in his whole life... and he couldn't help but snort in amusement. Point one for Inui. He thought, gazing at the scene playing out in his line of sight. For Hiyoshi Wakashi... nada.

Inui's eyes, still hiding behind horn-rimmed glasses lit up. "Hold him still!" He called out in glee.

"Gotcha!" Hiyoshi's eyes widened as the one who was the lone occupant of the contraption took hold of his slender shoulders, rendering him immobile.

"Hanase!" He cried out, pupils dilating further as Inui closed in on him... An Inui clutching a bottle of... mud-coloured liquid in one hand and a navy blue notebook in the other. "Hanase, Akutsu-san... AKUTSU-SAN! LET GO OF ME! HE'S GOING TO KILL ME!"

Tezuka stifled his laughter, eyes catching Akutsu's as the taller boy looked up and saw him lounging a small distance behind.

The other boy's arched white brows lifted in absolute amusement... and Akutsu did something any person like him would do.

Absolutely nothing.

"IYAAAAAAAA!"

And Tezuka finally burst out laughing.

* * *

Akutsu was in pain.

He wanted to howl with laughter... but he couldn't, or else he would face the evil-looking solution contained in the jar nestled in Inui's loving hands... or at least, what was left of it...

The jar was now empty.

Maybe he should start laughing now. His shoulders shook unsteadily as laughter bubbled up to his throat.

Hiyoshi gave one last gurgle as the undoubtedly unpalatable concoction entered his system before he slumped against Akutsu unconsciously.

So... it's as potent as Kawamura said back in junior high... interesting.

His eyes shifted to Tezuka's shaking form. The former Seigaku captain was laughing so hard that he bent at the waist slightly, an arm slung across his stomach, the other swing freely, clutching shining eyeglasses. So... he could laugh after all. He mused. Seishun Gakuen is sure filled with weird people.

Freaky.

He turned to the self-satisfied sophomore taking notes in his usual notebook. The Evil Scientist gleam of Inui's glasses and the thought of being roomies with the Nutritionist Extraordinaire was enough to give him the creeps. It was one of those times that even with the burden of having a drama queen in his face twenty-four seven, he was somehow thankful of his current sleeping arrangements.

All he could think of was that... Life is good...

His eyes strayed to the one leaning heavily against him... and his laughter finally escaped his lips.

Demo, Kami-sama... don't let Hiyoshi commit suicide anytime in the future... he's too young to die...

* * *

TBC

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A/N: Thank you for your reviews! ^_^ I hope this chapter is to your liking! ^_^ More to come soon! Tell me what you think of it people! ^_^