Disclaimer: I don't own Geneshaft or any of it's characters!

AN: Per the requests for add a space between paragraphs I'll be changing the format of earlier chapters as well! Special thanks to Minamoto Miyuki, MistressCoCoLoVeR, RianSapphite9, and Ludra-Jenova for reviewing! Thanks to much!

Chapter 3: Add On: Denial

Days passed as though nothing had changed. Jean sat ideally in his dorm room as he watched his class mates leave the academy. Each on their merry way to their quaint little homes. Up until this point in their lives most of the students had lived at home and comminuted to the academy. The other students were finally old enough to cut the ties with their parents and move into the on campus dorms. He leaned back in the wood chair, its aged frame creaking in protest. He had been living at the academy for several years now. After the untimely demise of his parents, it was decided that he would simply live on campus with the older students. 'Its not like there was anywhere else for them to stick me,' he thought bitterly.

Finding himself trying to recall their faces, Jean let his eyes relax and shift out of focus. His early memories were starting to fade, slipping away from him. Blurred recollections and fleeting images were all he could identify as being his parents. Pressing his lips to a thin line, Jean curled his body forward to bring the chair down to rest on all four of its feet with a muffled thump on the carpeted floor. Although its was probably best he forget about them. 'They were probably scum anyway.' Returning back to the abandon computer screen, Jean ran a his hand lazily through his bright mane.

'Its not like any of us are actually related to our parents any more,' Jean mused as the history text which flew across the screen. Pausing the steady flow of information, he scrutinized the current selection on the screen. 'Add on emotions, ne?' Something about the topic always fascinated him. 'If all this is true, then why dose everyone walk around hiding their emotions. That is if we have eliminated all the pointless add on emotions.'

Retracting his slim digit from the computer keys, he smiled to himself as the virtual volume resumed its pace across the screen. 'Jean is the best. He knows that all the scum still have their pathetic, useless emotions. The only on that doesn't have them is Jean. That's why Jean 's the best!' He cheered as he closed the program. Standing from his desk, he laughed softly to the empty room. 'That is why Jean 's the best.'

It would be a few hours before he had have to leave his dorm room to attend the dorm assigning assembly, but the confined space seem to be suffocating him. Despite his posturing he hadn't succeeded in convincing anyone withing hearing distance.

With his superior air in place, Jean strode past the gathering mass of people. At the end of every semester there was gathering of some sort, a kind of parent night for the academy. Sitting confidently in the empty seat he had selected in the far back of the auditorium, he pretended not to even notice the adults which crowded into the building. All their happy faces as they picked out their children and found seats closer to the stage. Its not like he cared that no one sat next to him... in fact... he preferred it, he nodded agreeing with himself. 'Their all scum. Scum and their offspring.' As the seats started to fill, Jean found it harder to stare into space which wasn't occupied anyone. "Why do I have to be here anyway? I already have a dorm room," he muttered under his breath.

Although all room had two beds, each pressed against the opposite wall, the bed adjacent Jean's had been vacant for as long as he could remember. The faculty liked to pair up students of similar ages and genetic 'compatibility.' 'What ever that is supposed to mean,' he let his posture degrade, slipping lower in the chair, a few of the adults hadn't stopped staring at him since he had sat down. He was the best, no one could even come close him. That is why they hadn't found someone the fill in. 'Its not like I would want to share a room with any one of these genetic rejects anyway!' His mental voices starting to argue with each other as the lights started to dim. "Its about time they started," he muttered venomously.

An aged man crept across the stage to the podium. His wrinkled skin and hollowed cheeks were accentuated by the spot light from above. Thinning hair did little to hide his scalp, his hands shaking as he adjusted the microphone. "Students and proud parents-" Jean tuned out the dry, crackling voice and let his eyes examine the silhouettes of the people around him. Catching bits and pieces of the old man's speech, Jean successfully concluded that he was scum as well.

On his left, Jean's gaze fell upon a shadow which hadn't seen who it belonged while the lights were one. Sitting three seats over, he was the closest student in the row. Before he could determine who they were, everyone started clapping. A polite even applauds, typical of formal occasions and long winded speeches, echoed through out the auditorium as everyone started to move. When the lights finally returned to their normal level, whom ever was sitting next to him was gone. Letting out an irritated sigh, Jean stood to leave.

"Your dorm room assignments will be posted in the main hall. All assignments are final,' the aged voice added a final note be hobbled off the stage to mingle with the masses. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Jean breathed incoherent notions of the monumental waste of his time. The slow press of people finally dissipated as he emerged from the bottle neck created by the doors. Running a hand absently through his hair, he resisted the urge to return the looks from students and adults alike around him. Their stares seem to bore into him as he purposely fixed his gaze on the dorm room assignments. Confirming that he hadn't been moved from his current accommodations, Jean didn't bother to check who he was matched up with. 'It doesn't matter. They are all scum.' He brushed it off unable to stand their scrutinizing any longer.

The only one in the hall, Jean walked as quickly as he could without calling attention to himself to escape into the court yard and continue to the dorms. His foot steps echoed through the empty building as he opened his door only long enough to pass though and purposefully close the door before throwing himself down on the bed. He had gone in with out turning on the light or bothering to take off his heavy boots. "Their all scum," he muttered to the mattress as he lay face down. "Jealous scum, why should I care if they were staring at me?" he rolled over to look into the darkness. "I wish I had had parents to show off. They would have been the best parents, " he admitted bitterly. Curling his fingers into the comforter, he contemplated how long the party, if it could be called that, would last before everyone come in search of their new rooms.

Sitting at the edge of his bed, he slipped out of his boots. His ruby eyes falling upon the bed on the opposite side of the room. In the low light, Jean found himself leaning forward trying to see. Was it a strange shadow or was their someone in the bed? Cautiously on socked feet Jean crept across the carpeted floor to the edge of the bed.

His heart pounded in his ears, making it difficult to tell if he could hear someone else breathing or if it was just his own quick breaths. Inhaling deeply, Jean reached out to grab the covers. His sensitive fingertips coming into contact with warm flesh, he bit his lip to keep a surprised cry from escaping as a hand brushed away his inquiring fingers. Taking a few backwards steps, Jean paused. Are they away? He held his breath to hear the slow even breathing of a sleeper. How could they have beaten him back? Letting his breath out in a low hiss, he narrowed his eyes. He had left right after the speech. In that case, why did they beat him back in the first place?

His adjusted eyes could make out the outline of pale skin against the dark bed covers. Glancing around the room, he also noticed the shadows of a few boxes set upon the desk across from his and the pair of boots at the foot of the bed. A mumbled string of words from the apparently sleeping form on the bed made Jean freeze. It was unnerving to discover his habitat had been invaded. Feeling his cheeks flush, Jean wondered if he had heard what he said earlier. 'No they are asleep,' he paused, holding his breath again as more half spoked words emanated from his new room mate. Exhaling, Jean forced himself to finally move.

Removing his jacket, he adeptly tossed it over the back of his chair. His fingers fumbled with the buttons of his white collared shirt as he tried to figure out who exactly was sharing his room. Cursing himself for not checking the roster, he managed to free the last of the buttons and slip out of the shirt. Stepping out his pants, he suddenly became self conscious as the cool night air hit his exposed skin. The last thing he wanted to do was to introduce himself in his boxers and undershirt. Stripping off his socks, he placed all his clothes in his laundry basket.

As quietly as possible, he padded barefoot to his bed. The plush carpet muffling his steps, Jean made it to the bed. 'Why am I'm being so quiet? If my entrance and ranting didn't wake him up then my walking around certainly wont. Just my luck that I would get a room mate that sleeps like the dead.' Pulling back the bed covers and fluffing his pillow, Jean lay down with his back to the room. After what seemed like hours of sleeplessness, he finally rolled onto his opposite side with his back against the wall. 'Its not that I'm afraid of him. I'm just more comfortably like this,' he assured himself as he let his eyes slip closed.

The inky darkness concealed the nearly black pair of eyes that watched him from across the room. The shadows hiding the ghost of a smile as his room mate watched him fall asleep.

To be continued...

AN: Well this chapter is setting everything up so I hope it was at least bearable to read. Please review! Thanks!