Disclaimer: I don't own them. or them.
Rating: PG13
Pairing: None really...
Summary: Tristan's life, the way he sees it.
AN: I actually DID my research for this. This is probably the military academy he would have been sent to, it's the only one in North Carolina that I found. I took all my information right from their website. http://www.oakridgemilitary.com/
Affirmation
Ch. 3: That's The Key
Tristan ventured further into the room and John followed him, "That's your bed there," John said pointing to a small plain bed up against the left hand wall. Tristan nodded and put his bag on the bed then sat down next to it. John faced him, "This time of day is used to prepare for bed so I would suggest first preparing to get into bed, and then unpacking. So gather your bathroom supplies and I'll show you the way." John turned back to his bunk and gathered his things. Tristan opened his bag, he pulled out his toothbrush and toothpaste.
"So I get a key to the room?" Tristan asked.
"Yeah, sorry man I almost forgot. I set it on your desk." John said without turning around.
Tristan looked at the desk at the end of his bed, sure enough there was a small silver key on a ring sitting there. Tristan reached over and grabbed it, "There's only one? How come you have so many then?"
John turned to look at him, his supplies in hand, "Well first off, you're new here. New people always only get the room key on the first night. You have to earn the rest. Meaning, you can't go just about anywhere without someone who has a key. Come on, bathroom time." Tristan grabbed his things and followed him out the door. Once in the hall they walked side by side. "We share two bathrooms with the rest of this floor, there's 5 rooms on each side of each bathroom. Making a total of 20 rooms. With two guys to a room that's 40 guys. Fortunately the bathrooms are as big as our rooms are," John explained. They'd reached the bathrooms by then and John chose the one on the right, "The bathrooms are never locked. Also this bathroom is strictly toilets and sinks. The one across the hall is strictly showers. Got it?"
Tristan looked at him, "Got it." They walked into the bathroom and found two other guys there. The two guys looked up when they walked in the door. One was tall, with short brown hair, the other was average size with red hair and freckles.
"Hey Mac," they called when they saw them. "Who's the new guy?" asked the tall dark haired one.
"Hey guys, this is Tristan DuGrey, our newest recruit," John responded, "Tristan, this tall fool here is Steve Darien and the other is William Crane."
"Great to meet you," the two teens said as they held out their hands.
"Yeah you too," Tristan replied shaking their hands.
"So where you from?" asked Steve.
"Connecticut," Tristan replied.
"Very cool," William said, "I'm from Maine, Steve's from South Dakota."
"North Dakota, Will," Steve corrected him.
"I'm sorry, North Dakota."
Tristan just nodded politely and looked at John. John took the hint and turned to the guys, "Hey you guys done here because we've got a lot to do so we need to get moving."
"Oh yeah absolutely," Steve said, "Later dudes." He walked past them slapping John on the shoulder.
"See you bright and early in the morning," William said with a smile to both of them before following Steve out.
Tristan turned and looked at John, "So, Steve and William huh?"
"Yep," John said walking to one of the sinks and setting his things on the little counter above it and looking into the mirror, "They're roomies in 216. Steve's actually here because he wanted to be. William's here because his parents thought it'd be good for him."
"Oh," Tristan said following John's lead and beginning to brush his teeth, "So was he a trouble maker or something."
"No," John said with a laugh, "Just the opposite, he was a wimp." John spit his toothpaste into the sink and grabbed a small paper cup from the cup dispenser nearby. He filled it with water and rinsed out his mouth.
Tristan spit out his toothpaste and did the same, "So about these keys, what do I need them for and how do I get them."
John gathered his things, as did Tristan and they walked out of the bathroom, "Well you need them for just about everything. Access to the rec. room downstairs, the laundry room, the tennis and basketball courts, the pool, the best one of all is the access to the cafeteria. Because with that you can go in any time you want. The cooks are always there anyways."
Tristan nodded as they reached their room. He pulled out his new key and fit it into the lock, opening the door, "And how do I get them?"
"Every month they evaluate you and see if you deserve to step up to the next level," John explained as they walked into their room and shut the door behind them
"So how many keys do you have? Tristan asked as he put his toothbrush and toothpaste in a drawer of his assigned dresser.
John put away his toothbrush and toothpaste and sat on his bed, "Four, The Rec. room, the laundry room, and the vending room."
Tristan nodded as he began pulling clothes and trinkets out of his bag and arranging them. Clothes in the drawers, writing equipment on the desk along with 2 books ends and 5 books, a few various other keepsakes on the dresser. He pulled out his brush and brushed his hair before setting it on the dresser next to a propped up mirror. He looked over at John's side of the room. He had posters and pictures and other keepsakes on his wall and near his bed. "So can I put stuff on the wall right away or is that a privilege too?"
John looked at him, an amused expression on his face, "Go ahead, long as you can."
Tristan reached into his bag and pulled out a folder and a container of teachers tack. He opened the folder and pulled out the first thing in it. A long Ferris Bueller poster of him kicking back with the saying Leisure Rules. He tacked that up over the side of the bed. Then he pulled out another folded up poster, this time Cruel Intentions. He put that above the head of his bed. Then he pulled out another folded up poster for the movie Dazed and Confused. He climbed on his bed and hung that on his ceiling over his bed. Then came the slightly smaller things. A smaller copy of a Van Gogh print of Starry Night, which he put just under the Cruel Intentions poster. He then moved to adorn the wall next to his head with smaller items, a Coca-Cola sticker, an "I See Dumb People." sticker, a Napster sticker, a few pictures of the guys, one of Summer. He put up another one of Paris, Madeline and Louise. Louise looked bored, Madeline confused, and Paris angry as always. He put up one of his grandfather. He put up a ticket to his first concert, Aerosmith it had been. He put up his ticket to the winter formal where he'd met Dean, the two unused tickets to PJ Harvey, and in the center that he'd left blank, a picture of Rory. He'd gotten it from the yearbook, being on the staff had it's perks. He didn't think she had even noticed Dave had taken it. She was sitting on the bench outside of school, their bench, her nose buried in a book as usual. Tristan sighed and sat down. He turned around and saw John watching him curiously.
"You're impeccable," John said looking at him.
"I'm what?" Tristan asked.
John ignored that and said, "You finished just in time. It's lights out, exactly. I'm amazed. Into bed, buddy."
Tristan quickly pulled off his shoes and set them at the end of the bed as John did the same. They both pulled off their pants and shirts looking nearly identical in white wife beaters and plaid boxers. Tristan slid under his covers as John hit the light switch. Tristan heard John get into his bed.
"Night Tristan," John said.
"Night John-boy," Tristan said with a slight smirk.
"Don't call me that."
Tristan smiled to himself and tried to sleep. Only a moment later there was a key in the door and an officer poked his head in to see that they were in bed.
