gonna get myself together, gonna turn it around

[ticogamble]

Tico definitely didn't think he was ready for college yet. He'd gotten through high school by the skin of his teeth, and struggling with more important things. Winchester didn't seem to care a lot about that, though. And his mother had been so proud the day he got that one letter from a college that he had to go.

He was lost throughout the application process, and even more lost when picking his majors. He settled for something he knew well enough, though, mainly from experience. Law and Criminal Justice played a big role in the slummy part of town.

Everything was done in a hurry, mostly because his mother was so ready to get him on a college campus. He would be the first in the family to be in college in a few generations. It wasn't really that insane to him because he really didn't care much, but the look on his mother's face told him this was the right move.

What his dad said about the whole thing was something he didn't give a fuck about at the moment.

"Baby you caaalll me if you need anythang else. Okay, baby?" His mother was calling to him as he was getting the last of his stuff out of the back and hauling over to the door.

"Ya momma, aiight. I'll call you if I need anythang." He said, giving her a nod. He would've waved if there weren't so many things bundled up in both of his arms, but he wasn't going to try.

"Love you baby! Do good!" She was still calling to him even as she started up her car. He smirked back over to and nodded his head, watching her pull off, one hand waving out the window. He finally turned to head the rest of the way to his dorm after the car had disappeared around a corner and set his stuff down to grab the door knob and push the dorm's door back open. With a big sigh he plopped down onto the bed he'd set up only a half an hour ago.

He hadn't really even had time to check who his roommate was, but he hoped they were okay with him smoking a joint because after a few minutes of digging through stuff, finding the stash he'd hidden, and rolling one up, he knew he wasn't going to be able to cut down any time soon. His mother had asked him to keep the usage to a minimum. And...well, this was only his third today. That wasn't so bad for him. His roomie would sure have quite a smell to greet him.

[PERCY YEATS]

"Don't do anything stupid, kid."

"Yeah, mom."

"I'm serious. I'll disown you."

Percy glared, Alexa lifted her eyebrows imperiously, and David cut in, acting as usual as the smooth peace keeper. "I think what your mother is trying to say, Percy, is to have a good time, and do your best." Percy sniffed haughtily and eyed his stepfather with begrudging affection; David beamed, shook his hand (because he was a "man" now, apparently, thanks Dave), and patted him on the back. His mother huffed and pinched his cheek; the girls wailed and clung to his legs; James looked on the verge of tears, staring up at him with wide, adoring eyes.

Percy sighed, squinted up at the sun, and took a small hinting step back towards his new dorm building. They'd moved him in that morning before his roommate had arrived (at least, they'd gotten the boxes in, Percy refused to let them help decorate) and then gone out to lunch as a family.

It had been... trying.

"Alright, guys," he said, dislodging himself from the clawing, snotty hands of his younger sisters. He passed them stiffly off to his mother, gave everyone was last hoorah, love you, see you for Thanksgiving, before promptly turning on his heel and making his escape back into the building.

Thank God. He had unpacking to do, a bunk bed to claim, and a new roommate to intimidate into submission.

He straightened his signature bow tie, thumbed his hair from his face, and started climbing the stairs to the second floor, and his dorm room.

Percy saw the door was open as he approached, and he smirked slightly to himself. Good. His roomie was here.

He turned the corner, crossing his arms in a kingly way over his chest as he entered. "Hey, I'm Percy, your room - "

And then he actually looked at the guy, and several things happened in very swift succession: his jaw dropped, an embarrassing, high pitched noise left his throat, and he had launched himself into the air and across the space between them to pretty much tackle the poor boy he'd walked in on.

"OH MY GOD TICO ARE YOU MY ROOMMATE??"

Best year ever.

[ticogamble]

Looking around at all the other boxes set up on the other side of the room for the first time, he tried to figure out, from some of the visible contents, what his roommate was going to be like. There was nothing very definitive about any of the items he saw, though. It was all bed sheets, and other basic necessities that he could spot. He was sure, whatever the guy was like, he'd be able to deal with him pretty well being already pretty toked up.

Now if the smoking was an issue for this kid, then there would be a bit more of a problem. He'd let his mind wander off again, though, as he turned to look out that window that faced out to look on the campus. It wasn't that impressive of a campus- being that it was a community college, and had a lot less money behind it than other schools. But it was big, the quad looked like a good place for him to go, if he needed an alternative location to light up.

Just as he finished this thought, he saw his roommate heading in through the door, which he'd left cracked open in his hurry to get in and sit down. Some white dude, of course. Was he at least-? No, wait. Dude, he knew this guy. And Percy obviously realized it was him the moment he'd actually looked in his direction.

He wasn't prepared for the high-pitched sort of squeal, and even less prepared for the smaller boy to run straight at him. He staggered back a few steps before finally finding his balance, taking hold on the boy before he toppled them both over.

"Yo, Percy man. 'Ay." He said, half-chuckling, half trying to make his heart slow back down from that high-pitched squeal. He took a last drag before putting the joint out in the hem of his shirt.

"Yeah, bruh. Looks like I'm yo roommate." He said with a nod, smiling more broadly than he usually managed when that lit.

Throwing his arm over Percy's shoulder fondly, he hugged him in for a second,

"How you been, man? Ain't seen you in months, huh?" He said, not believing it had been so long since the two had last spoken. But the summer had been long, and he hadn't seen Percy but maybe twice- and it had definitely been a while since.

[PERCY YEATS]

Percy had gone into cat-mode, which was a Percy mode that was only ever activated when in the presence of one person.
And that one lucky winner was Tico Gamble.
He was rubbing his face happily into Tico's shoulder, surprised to find how much he'd missed the heavy scent of weed in Tico's clothes, a perfume that mixed earthily with the boy's after shave. He wrapped his arms around the unfortunate stoner's middle, hugging against him like some kind of clinging monkey, and said (voice muffled, since he was still busy nuzzling), "Hi."

As unlikely as their friendship was, it was an undeniable fact that no one was capable of bringing out Percy's good (tolerable, nice, and even endearing at times) side. The diva who had, five minutes ago, been enjoying mulling over how he would frighten and intimidate his unknown roommate had been very neatly replaced by a very excited, very affectionate boy who was seeing his best friend for the first time in months.

"Why wasn't I informed?" he demanded when he finally at up to give the other some breathing room. "I had no idea we were rooming together!" He leaned happily into the embrace before leaning back and looking into Tico's pink tinged eyes. "Jeeze, smoking already?" He tsked gently, and then shrugged. "I've been okay. Where have you been all summer? I hardly ever saw you."