if time could stop

Seemed like time was passing by without him these days. The persistent tick of the clock sitting on his dresser liked to remind him of that fact each and every morning he sat on the side of his bed to stare at it. Prior to Manta Carlos, this very same clock used to make him smile in the mornings— it was something cute he bought at the pawn shop near his old apartment, back in Los Angeles where the days were cool and the nights were warm— but now, it made him feel strange— the second hand moving forward perpetually as Jonah put it face-down into a cardboard box.

He was moving today. The thought filled him with a feeling he couldn't itch away. He'd been in Manta Carlos for a while, staying at a cheap motel while he situated himself, his dorm, academics, and finances, and— well. He was enrolled. He did not exactly want to be enrolled into any kind of education system thanks to the amount of heebie jeebies they gave him, but it seemed like he didn't have much other choice. Nothing going for him back in LA except his flings and a part-time job as a waiter. His parents getting onto him about his future— hell, he was already nineteen. Most people had dreams by now, right? And some modicum of accomplishment?

Jonah felt like he had none of those things.

Not that it really mattered anymore. It wasn't like giving a shit now would change the fact he was probably going to get hit by a car in the next few years. Or, more likely, killed by some kind of magic-related freak accident. Yes. He could see it now. He'd be one of those tragic victims you'd see all over the news. But then they'd realize he was trans and gay and a literal NEET and who knows what'd they say then. Maybe it would've been better if he just vanished quietly, like the way shadow engulfs a candle flame.

If that were to happen, at least his new roommate wouldn't have to clean too much of his shit out. He had, uh, a lot of clothing, but other than that he traveled light— just his laptop, his photo albums, his cameras, film, some other necessities all tucked in a few boxes.

So now he stood outside his new dorm, tentatively knocking on the door. He wasn't used to moving to new places, and he definitely never thought he'd be dorming with anyone— but he'd already spoken to the guy who was living here now, if only briefly over the phone. His name was Neil. Jonah didn't know quite what to expect other than that.

Maybe it'd turn out all right. After all, Neil seemed pretty nice over the phone.


@Sky
ooc: ive never dormed in my life so idk how to do it sry

Jonah did a quick once-over as politely as he could, trying to figure out what kind of person Neil was by the way he dressed, looked, held himself. He... seemed a bit unimpressive, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. After all, if some really talkative, big, buff, burly dude with like a million scholarships and a southern accent answered the door instead, Jonah might've ended up staying at the motel for the whole semester.

That was an exaggeration of course, but Jonah didn't want a roommate who pried too much. That's why he moved out in the first place— for some goddamn privacy.

Neil looked... uncomfortable. Jonah knew people well enough to read their body language to an expert degree, and Neil definitely did not seem like he was in his element at all. Neither was Jonah, but Jonah was an excellent actor. He smiled, waving a little at him.

"Hi Neil! Yeah, I'd like a hand— I don't have too much. Just some essentials and a bunch of clothes."

He motioned to some larger boxes sitting near him. "I mean, like, a bunch of clothes. You think this is is gonna fit?"

"Oh yeah, not at all. Be my guest."

Jonah looked around, poking his head inside first before actually moving the rest of his body through the door frame. Neil's side was very neat, which very much seemed to suit him so far. He looked plain, and so did his room— though, to be far, Jonah was the exactly opposite of plain (with his pink hair and loud sense of fashion) but he never really felt a need to decorate his apartment. Seemed like a waste of time when he spent so much of it out and about, usually at other people's places. His own bedroom back in Los Angeles had off-white walls that were perpetually empty save for his bulletin board and a few clotheslines of polaroids hanging from the walls.

He wandered over to his side of the room, examining the space, then put the box he was carrying down on what was soon to be his bed. With time, the newness of this place would wear off, and once again he'd have a proper place to stay— not just a room, but hopefully a home.

"So, you like technology?" Jonah motioned to Neil's monitor set up with a tic of the head. He tapped his lips a little with finger, as if trying to figure out what the hell someone would need more than one monitor for.

"Let me guess... comp sci?"

Jonah made a face when Neil asked about his major. In truth, he'd prefer to be majoring in absolutely nothing at all, but alas, in order to mooch off the academy he had to major in something. He still didn't understand entirely why he was invited to SA in the first place— one incident notwithstanding —because he'd never been exceptional in any way. He, uh, just barely graduated high school actually. Average-passing everything except his history courses, english, and composition. He never tried in school. He spent most of his time doing the exact opposite— actively ignoring his homework in favor of bullshitting his time with hot boys of dubious integrity.

Which was exactly why he was a hot boy of dubious integrity today.

"Photography," he answered, nudging a box to the side of the room with his foot. "I'm one of those hipsters people warn you about— always fifteen minutes late with starbucks."

So he'd been right about his major. He dated a few guys who were in the technology field, but "dated" was a very loose term. More like seduced and mooched off of. But Neil was younger, and not actually on his hitlist for once. Not that Jonah would be against something casual with him, but they did kind of just meet— gotta wine and dine them first.

"So, like, uh... I don't like sitting around and stuff. I like to go out at night, so like, I dunno if that'll be a problem. Also I'm a vegetarian. So, uh— I don't know, is there anything I gotta know or...?"

Jonah scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Jesus, this was awkward. He never liked telling people he was a vegetarian— sometimes, he'd get these strange looks like he was the grossest, most privileged piece of white trash ever. But in general, somehow Jonah was terrible at formal introductions. He was good at letting things happen naturally. Usually with the aid of drugs and/or alcohol. Right now, he had neither of those.

Well, even if Jonah felt awkward as hell, at least Neil had pretty few stipulations for their roommateship. As far as he could tell, Neil was a low-maintenance kind of guy, which Jonah could appreciate. As long as they didn't, like, purposely encroach on eachother's boundaries, it was gonna be smooth sailing for the school year.

"Oh, yeah, I don't care if you eat meat and stuff. It just kinda makes me sick sometimes."

Jonah went out to retrieve the last box, putting it down at the foot of his bed and clapping his hands together once. "Mmkay, that's it. Thanks for the help pal."

If there was once thing Jonah noticed about Neil, it was that he was very laid back. That was nice. Even in the short amount of time they'd been talking, he felt the atmosphere gradually relaxing as he got a better feel for the type of person Neil was.

Jonah made a little face at the mention of partying. To be completely honest, he didn't like them. But it was the best way to hook up with strangers, so he kept going to them anyway. Neil probably thought he was one of those wild party animals who'd, like, get drunk and strip on the table. While Jonah wasn't against doing that depending on the circumstances (and if there was money involved) he... he had standards. If anything, Jonah considered himself the type of person to blend into the crowd, take someone to the back where no one could see, where hot sloppy makeouts could happen in private.

But, uh, Neil didn't need to know that. He'd probably think Jonah was gross or something if he ever found out.

"That all sounds good to me. I mean, if you let me hijack your netflix."