Chapter Text
Felix was pretty used to schools for “troubled” youths by now. When he’d started acting out in elementary school they put him in the special class. In Junior High he’d been sent off to one of those delinquent schools for kids with disorders the school system didn’t feel like dealing with regularly. So starting his first year of High School in an honest-to-god boarding school for the criminally inclined was less a surprise and more of a natural step. He was honestly surprised it took this long for his mother to kick him out, but it probably just had something to do with having to pay for it. He was pretty sure boarding schools were expensive, usually they were the playground of the rich and well-intentioned. This was not that kind of school.
He hadn’t brought anything with him so when the car dropped him off outside he didn’t have to carry any useless baggage like the other kids he saw lugging things around. The school provided uniforms, they weren’t allowed to have much for personal effects. Not that Felix really had anything to bring anyway. He followed the crowd absently keeping an eye on the other new kids.
Charon Academy had a Junior High section, there would be people in his grade who had been there for years. He figured those were more likely the ones to look out for. He found most kids stuck to their year-mates, even when it came to harassment. Sure there was the occasional asshole who thought kicking someone two years younger than them was hilarious, but that wasn’t the norm.
No, Felix needed to be on the lookout for kids his year who knew the rules of this place already. They would know exactly how to break them and not get caught, so they were the biggest threat. And everyone in this school was going to be a threat. This was a school for fuck ups like him after all. And he already knew he was perfectly capable of being a threat.
After receiving his uniform he was assigned a dorm room and given a map. First test, how lost will you get in this hell hole. He expected there was supposed to be guides but he also suspected that he didn’t want to listen to some bullshit about what the school was supposed to be like. So instead he wandered away from the group and followed the map to his new room.
He supposed for most kids a room this sparse was a punishment, all Felix could think was that having a toilet attached to the room was a big step up. There were two desks, two beds, a large dresser and a closet. Two. That meant bunkmates.
One of the beds was already made, one of the desks already had stuff on it. Checking he found that indeed half of the closet was full and the same was true of the dresser. His new roomie was already here. That either meant he was one of those cases that got sent early or he was one of the threats who had been here for years. He tapped his foot and looked over the other boy’s uniforms to try and get an idea of what he was dealing with.
The trend seemed to be ‘big’. Holding his school blazer up to the one in the closet the shoulders dwarfed his, it was a good few inches longer. Same story with the pants. Possibly over 6 feet then. Great.
Felix had no delusions about his size. Age and race taken into consideration he was still short. He wasn’t sure his exact height, he’d never measured or been to a doctor who checked, but he figured he was over 5 feet by a little bit.
This was fucking bullshit. There was no way he could take this guy in a fair fight. Even if it turned out he wasn’t broad with muscle but fat he would have a serious size advantage. And the homefield advantage. This was some serious bullshit.
He put his things away and sat down on the bed that was still bare. He wondered if he should have at least tried to smuggle a knife in, but then again it never would have gotten in, he didn’t need to start the year in trouble. He also wondered if, given the assortment of pens and pencils on the other desk, he was supposed to have brought some sort of supplies. His mother hadn’t mentioned it, or bought him any, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t supposed to have them.
He was considering stealing his mystery bunkmate’s pen when he appeared. Felix had been right, he was at least 6 feet, shoulders broad and it was definitely muscle that filled out the school sweats. If there was fat on him it was the healthy kind normal people had. Felix found himself glad that at the very least he wasn’t stuck with some obnoxious white kid as he took in the other boy’s medium brown skin, black hair and dark eyes. He figured multiracial because he couldn’t place him exactly. Pacific Islander maybe? He thought the guy looked a little Native American too but he couldn’t be sure. Ultimately it didn’t matter. What mattered was the very large supposedly teenager standing in the doorway looking vaguely annoyed.
At least Felix figured it was annoyed, stoic seemed to be this guy’s schtick, and it was only the slight furrowing of the brow and down turn of the mouth that gave him away. Awesome. He and Felix were going to get along great.
“Sup?” Immediately he regretted his first words, off to a great start sounding like some inane asshole with just one word.
The giant teenager raised an eyebrow slowly as if the situation would go away if he gave it a stern skeptical look. He continued to say nothing and it set Felix on edge. Quiet meant a lot of things but he really hoped this time it didn’t mean broken ribs on the first day of school.
“So I’m Felix. I guess we’re roommates?” His voice was a little coaxing, this guy wasn’t giving him a lot to go off of. He hated new people. He never knew which tell meant ‘this has pleased me’ and which tell meant ‘I’m going to hit you now.’
The boy sighed and crossed his arms, studying Felix for a moment before responding. “Is that so?” His voice was deep. Puberty hit this kid fucking early and was very nice about it. Felix was a little pissed, this was not a first year high school student. This was fucking ridiculous.
“Yup, that is in fact what it says on my little paper. I double checked ‘cause man repacking everything would be a hassle, right?” Felix grinned as the stupid giant took in the complete lack of change in their room. “Sooooo… you got a name? ‘Cause I can come up with one if you want but you’ll probably--”
“Locus.” Was the response. The boy, Locus, stepped into the room finally but didn’t sit down or do anything that made him less intimidating in any way.
“Seriously? Is that a name?” Felix started goading, testing the boundaries this Locus guy had. How hard did he have to push a button to get a reaction? What kind of reaction was he looking at? It was easier to just get it out of the way if this was the kind of asshole he had to tiptoe around he may as well learn early. “Like the bug or plague or whatever?”
“That would be a locust.” Finally Locus took a seat at his desk, keeping his eyes on Felix. “My name is Locus.”
“Okay fine, cool, Locus it is. So anyway, I guess I’m your roommate now so I don’t… actually know what the protocol is here? Do we do 20 questions or each pretend the other exists?”
“I’ve never had a roommate, I wouldn’t know.” Locus’ voice was actually pretty hot, Felix was kinda digging listening to someone speak with a voice that didn’t crack or break every other word.
“Yeah? Shitty. Guess I’m ruining your streak. You been here long? Like did you get sent here in Junior High or did you just get here first?”
“I’ve been here for three years.”
“Wow and not once a roommate? Guess there’s some overcrowding or something. Sorry to take away your private suite.” He was going to die. He was invading the enemy’s fortress and he was absolutely definitely fucked.
“Do you always talk this much?” Locus sighed and leaned back in his chair. It did absolutely nothing to make him less intimidating. Though Felix did notice that his hair wasn’t short, it was pulled back in a stupid long braid. That was cool.
“Only when I’m awake.” Felix grinned brightly. Maybe Locus would be slower than him? That could be his advantage. Or this guy was buff from athletics and didn’t know how to fight. He might be able to survive if Locus didn’t know how to deal with someone fighting dirty. “So like are you seriously 15? Or whatever? I’m sorry I’m having trouble getting over this you are like at least three of me.”
Locus snorted, seemingly amused for a second before scowling. “I’m 16. My birthday is just before the cut off so I’m older, but not as much as you’re probably assuming.” That sounded like a rehearsed answer Felix didn’t doubt it was something that came up a lot.
Felix got a bit of that, though in the opposite direction. Everyone thought he was younger than he was. Being short and skinny had a lot of downfalls. “Well I’m 15. Probably. So maybe there’s still hope puberty will give me a growth spurt or something.”
“Probably?” Locus gave him a confused look and Felix shrugged dismissively.
“Did you get any of the unfortunate side effects of puberty? Seriously you look like you just skipped the awkward gangly stage and went right into being like… a superhero or something.” Okay so far no face punching. Locus hadn’t moved from the chair and Felix had no intention of moving from the bed any time so it seemed there was a stalemate. Or something.
“You just missed them.” Felix was pretty sure Locus was smirking a little. Maybe. It looked like it but it was very slight. “Did you get any of the fortunate side effects?”
“Okay fuck you. I have an excellent complexion.” Felix crossed his arms in a show of indignation and Locus snorted. “Also my dick works great just in case you were wondering.”
“I wasn’t.” The response was bland but not disgusted or horrified. Good sign. At least Locus was probably not going to beat the shit out of him for sucking cock. It was always helpful to figure out who would and who wouldn’t. He wouldn’t really change his behaviour, provoking people was too much fun, but he’d know to duck at least.
“So like what’s the big rule here. Either for you or the school or both or whatever. What’s the big issue?” Felix drummed his fingers against his arm. “Like if there’s something you’re gonna kick my teeth in for lemme know so I can like… not do it. Or something.”
“I’m not going to hurt you.” Locus frowned at that. Not angry, but he seemed… defensive, maybe hurt?
“Even if I ask really nicely?” Felix waggled his eyebrows to lighten the mood.
“I’m not going to hurt anyone.” Locus set his jaw and it looked like an important declaration for him. Maybe there was an unspoken ‘anymore’ to it. There was probably a reason he ended up in this place. It’s not like this was a school for nice people.
“Okay. No hurting. Got it.” Felix sighed and stretched his legs out, letting them hang off the bunk. It was probably a shitty bed, but it felt pretty normal to Felix. He was probably not getting the full punishment experience. “I’m guessing that’s not a super common outlook here, though? I mean this is what… Pre-prison school? Right?”
Locus wasn’t happy with that, Felix could see that much, but it was the kind of unhappy that had a whole lot of feelings behind it. Though Locus was doing a good job of hiding it, Felix was a master of faking it. Stoic was baby-steps, it’s a lot easier to fake indifference than happiness. At least that’s how Felix figured it.
“Okay it’s not official but that was the whole speech I got. Like… ‘we’re gonna beat the bad out of you’ shit with a side of ‘fuck this up fuck up your life’ or something? I kinda got it second-hand from an unreliable source though so if this is actually the not shitty school that’d be great.”
“No. You’re right. This school has a high rate of students who become criminals. It’s supposed to be a reform school, but…” Locus frowned deeper. “A lot of students are lost causes.”
“Awesome. That is just the kind of optimism I would expect from a school with bars on the windows.” He licked his lips as he tapped his foot, agitated. “Bound and determined not to be a lost cause, I take it?”
“And you aren’t?” Locus’ scowl kept getting more pronounced. Oh this was the start of a wonderful friendship. Definitely.
Felix hummed, sitting back with a deeply thoughtful expression. The pause for thought seemed to disturb Locus more.
“Well I mean I’ll give it a shot, sure.” Felix announced finally. “But if I’m a lost cause I’m a lost cause, right? I mean I don’t really have any crimes planned so hopefully no prison… but I’m also pretty sure most people in prison weren’t like ‘yup so I’m gonna go get myself arrested today’ or something.”
“You don’t have much faith in yourself.”
“Oh I have oodles of faith in myself. Less faith in other people. Other people suck.” He nods sagely. “They mostly just fuck everything up.”
Locus paused to consider that, then nodded as well. “That’s true enough.”
“Oh good you’ve noticed. Definitely not a lost cause. Once you realise the system’s shit you can learn how to play it.”
“I’m not playing the system. I thought you said you weren’t planning crime.”
“I’m not planning crime, I’m planning survival.” Felix grinned wide, flashing teeth. “People are always, always gonna be looking for ways to fuck you. Literally or figuratively. That’s life. That’s people. If you don’t learn to deal with that... well that’s where you get stuck. You believe in people, depend on people, and they absolutely without a doubt will fuck you.”
Locus continued to frown at him. He didn’t have a rebuttal, Felix noticed, which was refreshing, but he didn’t seem pleased with the information either. Felix didn’t really blame him. There wasn’t exactly a point in his life where he had much faith in other people, but he knew a lot of people did. He knew a lot of people needed that fantasy. He just thought it was pretty fucking stupid.
“Probably wouldn’t mind you fucking me though, gotta say. You’re pretty fucking built.”
Locus recoiled, the conversation swerve obviously throwing him. “What.”
“Seriously, offer is officially on the table. If you wanna fuck I’m game. You seem cool. Just like lemme know first and shit.”
“Let- You-” Locus was sputtering now, clearly embarrassed and a little horrified by the implications. “I don’t want to have sex with you.”
“Aw, boo.” Felix made a face and sighed. “That would have made it so much easier right? Like your fuck buddy is your roommate there wouldn’t be any sneaking around and shit.”
“Please don’t have sex with people in this room. This is my room.”
“My room now. Too. Shared room experience.” Felix laughed at the way Locus seemed to be blushing now. “But okay fine I can take that as a rule. No fucking in the home base. Never fucked in my own bed anyway it’s probably weird. Messy.”
Locus sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose. This might not be awful after all. Bashful prude realist? He could deal with this. Plus there were going to be points when Locus took of his shirt and even if he wasn’t interested in fucking Felix could still steal looks.
“I’m guessing by the expression on your face you don’t know the perversions of the faculty then?” Felix grin widened at Locus’ expression. That was horror and confusion. He was getting better at reading this guy. “Like schools like this the faculty always has some rotten ones. Someone always has a schoolgirl fetish or something.”
“We are teenagers. That is illegal.” Locus groaned softly and buried his head in his hands.
“That’s never stopped people before.” Felix paused, then amended. “Well it’s stopped some people. Vaguely moral law-abiding people. It’s done shit all to stop other people. Those people are criminals. And as we’ve discussed criminals do, in fact, exist.”
“And you think they’re part of the faculty?”
“Oh Locs I know they’re part of the faculty. This is exactly the place that they go. I mean who’d believe a delinquent piece of shit kid whose parents paid to get rid of them?” Felix hopped up off the bed and stretched. He kind of wished Locus’ eyes would linger on him all sexy like the strip of skin between his shirt and his jeans was appealing. He knew he could be appealing. Locus didn’t seem interested.
“You’re seriously…” Locus sighed and shook his head. “What you’re describing is a serious crime. For a reason.”
“Wow you have a lot of faith in this school system. Damn. Is this place a magical not awful sin hole?”
“Sin hole? You’re making it sound like we have Wednesday Night Orgies.”
Felix made a face. “You are such a fucking virgin.”
Locus recoiled again. He was definitely going to have to get used to Felix’s shifting attention, or things were going to get pretty annoying.
“You are. You are actually a virgin aren’t you?” Felix grinned, this was… actually probably normal for most 16 year-olds, but it seemed absolutely hilarious that someone this hot was not just awash in sexual escapades.
“What. Does that matter? What-” Locus was legitimately flustered now. Holy shit this was fucking adorable.
“That is so fucking cute. Seriously? You’re built like a fucking pornstar and you’ve never…” Felix bounced on the balls of his feet.
“I am not--”
“I absolutely volunteer to be first. I can make you feel good baby.”
“I am not having sex with you!”
“Fiiiiiiiine.” Felix’s shoulders slumped and he sighed. “But when you change your mind dude, I will get you off so hard, promise.”
“Stop.”
“Okay, okay, fine. I won’t make it weird since we have to live together and shit. Promise.”
“You already make it weird.”
“Well less weird. Normal weird. I won’t creep. I get no. Promise.” He considered a little. “I might flirt. Occasionally. I just do that sometimes so I can’t really promise not to because it’s one of those like ‘I didn’t realise I was doing that oops’ things, right? So like if I accidentally flirt with you I’m not creeping it’s just an accident. Unless you want to take me up on in which case it’s totally on purpose.”
“You are a very confusing person.”
“Yeah… not the first time someone’s said that. Maybe you’ll get used to it?”