So, Marley is really hungry.

He made it back to his room—Nero wasn't there, thank god—and relaxed on his bed. He closed his eyes and almost even drifted off, but then his stomach growled.

So here he is, outside the closed cafeteria doors, realizing the fact that this place only serves two meals and he missed both of them. After trying the door and not getting anywhere, he is able to determine that, yes, this cafeteria happens to be closed.

In other words, Marley is completely fucked. He's about to starve to death and there is nothing he can do about it.

Well, he could... maybe someone he knows can pick locks? Nero? Nero seems like the type to break rules for no reason. Maybe Marley could convince him. Somehow.

Before he can actually start planning something he most likely won't go through with, he hears a voice from a few feet away ask;

"Are you trying to get into the cafeteria?"

Marley, startled, turns on his heel to face the person that he immediately recognizes as the girl from Supervisor Hookler's group. She was the first one to introduce herself. Leilani, Marley's pretty sure. He doesn't know why he can remember Nero and Leilani but not Ben but that's just how it is.

"I..." He goes to defend himself, but she doesn't seem particularly malicious so he comes clean, "kind of. I haven't eaten anything all day."

She nods in understanding, a nervous but somehow serene kind of look about her. He doesn't know how she can be both of those at the same time but it's happening. He has a feeling the nervous part is probably because of him.

She doesn't answer, not for a while. She just kind of stands there, swaying a bit, staring at Marley.

At least a minute passes before Marley, to break the silence, says stupidly, "I'm Marley." Like she doesn't already know that. Like everyone doesn't already know that.

She seems to snap out of it and blushes slightly. "Sorry, I... uh... it's just kind of weird. Seeing you in person, I mean. I'm so used to you being on TVs and newspapers and books and magazines and..." she trails off. Staring at him.

Okay, Marley is used to this kind of treatment to an extent, but he really wants some food and she may need to wait a minute while he figures this out.

"You're shorter than I thought you'd be, but... cuter." Then she slams her hand over her mouth, eyes wide.

Yup, this is his cue to escape. Girls hit on him frequently but that does not, at all, mean he enjoys it. That said, he's about ready to make up some excuse as to why he needs to leave or something. Maybe try to find another entrance and sneak in there, but then she starts talking in a rush again;

"Do-Do you need food? Are you trying to get in there so you can get some food?"

Duh. "Yeah."

"Oh," she smiles and nods. Marley doesn't know why she's smiling at his oncoming starvation but okay. He turns back around and stares at the doors again. There has to be more than one entrance here. Maybe he should find someone who works here and ask. Maybe there's–

"You know, I could grow you something to eat. If you wouldn't mind?"

Marley turns back around and finds her scratching her elbow, looking at him all nervously like she's been doing. He's about to be really confused, but then he remembers her talking about Venus flytraps and he wonders if she has some kind of ability with plants.

At this point he doesn't particularly care if this is her way of flirting and he's taking advantage of her or whatever, he's just really hungry. "Sure."

She nods and it doesn't take but a few seconds before her hands start glowing this wild green color. He watches in a mixture of surprise and awe as some of the grass that was leaking through the cracks of the pavement begin to morph and grow. She's doing some hand motions and, slowly, a tree sprouts from the ground. It starts growing and growing until eventually it stops, and Marley's eyes fall upon a full grown tree, blooming what he first thought were flowers, but he now realizes are...

Apples.

Huh. Marley has to admit, that's actually really impressive. Then again, if any of the administration were to come across this tree in the middle of the sidewalk, they'd both be toast.

Marley wastes no time, he's reaching up and grabbing at least three or four apples, holding them in his arms and taking a bite out of one because holt shit, he'd probably eat snails or greasy pizza or any other disgusting foods right now with how hungry he is.

When he looks back up, the tree is mostly gone, the last little bit of it going back in the ground. The only evidence of what she'd done is the sidewalk being a bit more cracked than usual.

Well, unless there's cameras. Marley's eyes widen and he starts looking around.

"Don't worry, there's no cameras in the cafeteria building. People get in too many fights." Leilani notifies him, as if she'd been reading his thoughts.

Marley just nods, still munching on the apple. After a few minutes, she says she's gonna go back to her room and suggests Marley do the same. Their rooms happen to be in the same building so they walk together. They're halfway down the corridor that leads to their rooms when she breaks the silence;

"You know, I'm not... like... interested in you or anything. I'm actually ace! Asexual, you know. It's just the when I get nervous I say stupid things and..." she trails off towards the end and Marley gives her a sideways look.

"It's fine, I usually can't have an intelligent conversation without a script anyway." Wow he literally just broke the first role of being a Nocona. Show no weakness. Well, his father's already disappointed in him. Why not make it worse?

She laughs, and eventually she parts off down a hallway and says goodbye. Marley says it back and walks back to his own room.

Sadly, as soon as he enters, he's met with the sight of his endearing roommate.

Shit. Marley was not ready for this. Every other time he's come in here he's had time to mentally prepare himself and all that. Take a few minutes to do his breathing exercises before walking in–honestly, he's surprised he was even able to keep it together with Dr. Rellik. That little anxiety monster in him must be building up to something.

Anyway, he almost falls down when he walks in to find Nero sitting on his respective bed, reading a book. Marley can't tell which one it is, but it looks pretty thick and the guy seems to be immersed in it. Maybe he didn't even notice Marley come in. God, that would be fantastic.

Marley still has papers in his pockets, so he walks over to his dresser and starts pulling them out. That happens to be a pretty bad idea, because uncrumpling papers is a noisy process, so standing there with his arms full of apples while screwing with a bunch of paper turns out to not be quiet business in the least.

Oops?

By the time he's done, apples and papers both on his dresser with Sushi doing fish things, he turns his head to the side to make sure he hadn't disturbed Nero and his angry bedtime reading.

Somehow, he's still got his nose in the book. Marley takes a bite of his apple.

Marley is starting to think that this is how it's going to be the rest of the time he's here. The thought makes his heart drop—constantly having to dread coming back here, losing even more sleep than he already does. Always feeling uncomfortable in his own living environment.

That can't do. Marley won't survive. He needs to... he needs to redeem himself. His name. He needs to at least be on decent terms with his roommate.

Taking a deep, deep breath, he decides to make conversation;

"What are you reading?" He asks, thanking the heavens for not stuttering or anything. He starts eating his apple again as Nero looks up.

As Marley stares into his eyes, he's caught off guard. Why? Well, at least from this distance, Nero's eyes look like they're... they're glowing.

It's probably the dim light of the room that's bringing it out, but they're definitely glowing. That's not even the worst part. They actually look kind of red.

Nero just stares at him for a moment, then with a bit of a growl to his words, "none of your business."

Oh, okay. This is going well. They'll be best friends within the week.

"Okay, uh..." c'mon Marley, think. "Your eyes are cool."

What in actual–seriously? This is why you don't talk without a script Marley, you always sound stupid or gay. Shit.

Marley's eyes widen when Nero puts the book down and throws his legs over the side of the bed. He stands up and, slowly, makes his way over to Marley.

Well goddammit, Marley's about to be electrocuted. That won't kill him but mother of fuck it will definitely hurt.

Nero's stops a few feet away from him and crosses his arms over his chest threateningly. He stares Marley down and, yeah, his eyes are red. The red seems ever moving too, the color in them. Like cracking electricity, Marley realizes. Like his powers are contained in his eyes.

Marley is broken out of his pointless thoughts when Nero finally speaks, "We need to set some rules, for your own safety."

Well that was vaguely a threat. Marley gulps, taking another bite of his apple, unable to look away from Nero's hypnotizing eyes.

"Okay." Marley replies stupidly, taking in Nero's face now that he's closer up. He has black hair that's shorter on the sides, freckles on his nose and eyebrows shaped so well Marley wonders if Nero actually fills them in. They're lowered in anger right now, because the guy is clearly not in a good mood. He hasn't been in a good mood since the first time Marley met him.

Of course, then there's things that Marley shouldn't be noticing. Things like, Nero's angular jaw and straight nose. Full lips and the like. Not to mention, if the muscles that are being shown off with the way his arms are crossed, the guy works out. Marley doesn't know how, it's not like this place has a gym. However, the man in front of Marley is wholly, objectively, obviously, attractive.

Marley shouldn't be thinking that. So he looks away and prays that his checking out wasn't noticed. He even takes a bite of his apple in hopes that if his mouth is occupied then the words from his mind won't somehow find an outlet.

"Okay." Nero repeats, his tone a bit off. Marley still doesn't look at him. "One, don't talk to me unless I talk to you."

Marley frowns and finally meets Nero's eyes. Don't talk to him? Ever? But they're living together! What in the world? "Don't talk to you?" Marley blurts out.

Nero raises a brow.

"But what if... what if it's an emergency? What if you're dying? Or you get emotional or something and start crying and need to pour out your feelings?" Marley is dead serious, but Nero must not think so judging by the way he looks like he wants to decapitate Marley over and over again.

"If I ever pour out my feelings to you, I give you permission to destroy the rules." He states. It's only then that Marley notices he'd actually taken out a sheet of paper and pencil. Where did he even get that? School? There's nothing written on the paper, though, so he decides to go ahead and title it;

Rules for Living with Nero

Then, under that, write;

Rule #1: Don't talk to him unless he talks to me.

If anything, he's doing this for at least some kind of comedic purpose. Even then, it's probably a good impression to be writing this down anyway. Maybe it'll make Nero like him more if he actually takes this seriously.

"Okay, 2, don't go on my side of the room. For anything."

"Wait-" Marley shakes his head, "but what if I get poisoned or something and the antidote is over there?"

Nero glares at him, clearly impatient. Yeah okay, he's being a bit of a nuisance isn't he? This would be a lot simpler if he would shut up and stop nervous babbling.

"Stay on your side," he grits out, then, "not like you'll die anyway."

Marley frowns, but begrudgingly writes it down. This is leading up to never interacting with Nero ever again, which Marley would be fine with if they didn't live together.

"Three is the obvious, never touch my things for any reason..." he says, and Marley realizes he's been counting these out on his fingers, "that's it."

He looks like he's about to turn and walk away, but Marley interrupts him before he gets the chance, "Wait! I also have a rule."

Nero frowns, staring at him for a moment. He looks like he's conflicted about whether or not to accept Marley's request. Well, too bad, it wasn't a request anyway.

"Don't mess with my fish. Just leave him out of this." Marley states, only realizing how absolutely ridiculous that is until after it's left his mouth. Wow, that's seriously the only rule he has to add to this?

Nero looks like that's about the last thing he thought Marley was going to say, but still does a slow nod and glances at Sushi for a moment. He must be wondering if Marley is serious, which Marley is. So there. How does Nero look pissed off even when he's just simply thinking? Marley hasn't a clue.

"You know what? Fine. Don't break my rules and I won't fuck with your fish." He clarifies, and turns around. He starts tidying something on his side of the room. He seems pretty clean, actually, unlike Marley.

Well, okay. Looking down at his paper, Marley writes; Nobody hurts Sushi, and looks around for a spot to put it. He settles for his dresser, and, after finishing his all his apples, finally decides to call it a night.