Happy birthday to The Red Harlequin On The Luna! :D

I'm sorry it took so long, but there are other stories going on, I'm studying, life in general... I can't promise when the next update will be, but I'll try to make it less than five months this time ^^;

As always, beta'ed by Vergina-spva and MyLadyday

Anyways, enjoy ^^

Chapter 2

His aura was radiating murder when he got on the bus which would bring him back to campus. No one dared to sit next to him, despite the fact that it was rush hour. Anyone who attempted to come close to him was shot a glare that could, presumably, kill them on the spot. On an ordinary day, people would avoid sitting next to him and if they did sit down, they were on the edge of the seat and jumped up as soon as they reached their stop. Kid didn't care. He knew people thought he looked intimidating, with his red hair and punk clothing. He preferred if people stayed the fuck away from him.

That was exactly why that guy on the train had been so annoying. He hadn't even blinked when Kid shot him his dirtiest look. And the worst part was that he kept touching him. First the guy fell asleep on his shoulder, then he had tried to listen in on Kid's music and finally the thing with picking up the pen. Kid didn't like to be touched ever, but when that dark haired bastard insinuated he, Kid Eustass, was gay, he had been ready to squeeze his tanned head like a grape. The idea alone was disgusting and that damn faggot had been touching him. He really needed a shower.

The bus came to a stop at the campus and Kid clumped out of the bus, the other passengers pressing themselves against the walls to make room and when they didn't right away, the glare the redhead shot them did the trick.

When he finally reached his room – having intimidated some people he met on the way and almost made a guy who was stupid enough to bump into him wet himself – he found his roommate lying on the top bunk.

Killer looked up from his book. "Had fun?"

"Fuck off," Kid grouched as he pulled off his boots.

"Aren't you in a lovely mood," his friend commented and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. "What happened?"

Killer was the only person who dared to talk to him when the redhead was in a mood like this. Killer wasn't his real name, of course, but Kid respected him enough to call him that as he requested. Now, however, he wasn't in the mood to talk, so he just shot his friend a glare he knew wasn't going to work on him. He could practically see Killer raise an eyebrow behind the curtain of blond bangs.

"You're never happy when you come back from your parents' place, but right now I'm surprised I don't see bloodstains on your clothes." Like usual, Killer made his remark like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Believe me, I was close on murdering someone," Kid muttered and let himself fall on the bottom bed.

"So what happened?"

"My parents cut me off." The redhead let out a feral growl. "Which means I'll have to drop out of college."

"The poor rich boy is having a hard time?" Killer scoffed.

Usually, Kid would have half way to skinning the person in who dared to make a remark like that alive, but this was his friend. Who could very well hold his own, and right now Kid was in a mood to beat someone up, not to be beaten up. So he decided to ignore the sarcastic tone. Killer knew he wasn't spoiled, despite his parents being rich. When Kid was still living with them, he had run away often enough, which was how he had met Killer in the first place. His parents weren't happy with the redhead, especially when he hit puberty and started dressing the way he did. He had almost given his father a heart attack several times. They were more than happy to see him go when he left for college, paying him to keep a low profile and pretending for the outside world they loved their son that of course wasn't a rebel and would come back in a suit with a lovely wife at his arm to take over the family business. Yeah, right.

Today, that fairy tale had ended. His parents had told him to come over and dress up nice, which he thought he had, but apparently a long coat and army boots didn't count as 'nice'. His parents had actually invited some other posh people as well, with their daughters, and told everyone Kid's 'silly rebel phase' was over and that he was ready to get into the family business as soon as he finished college. Why they had expected him to change and show up in a suit was beyond Kid, though he did hear some of the staff whispering about them being pressured to find their son a suitable wife.

Suitable wife, his ass. Like any of those giggling bimbos would do something for him. And the few that were smart and didn't go for the trophy wife position had practically fainted when he had entered. Most of them almost did. Whatever.

It had prompted his father in almost popping a vein and yell at his son until he had no voice left. No more money, no inheritance.

"They can't disown you, it's against the law," Killer said when Kid had told the story. "But I don't think there is much you can do about the cutting off. Unless you kill them, of course."

"If I did it right now, I'm afraid I'd leave to many traces," the redhead grouched.

"The best serial killers always have a cool head." The blond shrugged. "But your parents really have pissed you off now."

"And that wasn't even the end of my day. In the train back, because they took my car too, I had to sit next to this guy who kept touching me."

Again, if the curtain of hair wasn't in the way, Kid could have sworn Killer raised an eyebrow. "And he still has his hands?"

"I didn't bring a knife. But if I had…" Just thinking about that tanned, smug face with stupid facial hair made his blood boil. He would love to see that bastard trying to look like that with a broken nose and two black eyes. If Kid was able to stop himself at that. "But then a freak of a conductor comes by, who I swear had an axe for a hand, and almost decapitates me. I would like to pound in his face as well," Kid grouched.

"Why didn't you?"

Kid shrugged. "It was my stop and it was kind of crowded."

Killer let out a laugh. "And here I thought I should stop trying to get you to anger management. But annoying people on the train aside, you know that you can make money by working, right?"

The redhead stared at his friend blankly for a moment. It wasn't that he didn't know he could work for money, but he had a job placement in a garage which hardly made enough money to pay his tuition. "Like what?" he asked. "I don't want to stop working at the garage, but I'll have to if I take a mind numbing job at the supermarket or as waiter or something. Or I won't pass my classes."

"Don't you have any other skill?" Killer said musing. "Something people would pay for?"

Kid grabbed a bottle of vodka from under his bed and took a sip. "Bodyguard?"

"I don't think many students need a bodyguard or can afford one," the blond said. "Besides, you don't really know when to stop so hired assassin is more like it."

The redhead scoffed and took another draught from the bottle before handing it to his friend. "You have any better ideas?"

Killer hummed and sipped from the bottle. Then he handed it back. "I still have to study tonight, but I'll think of something. Why don't you go to the gym and work off you aggression before you actually kill someone?"

Cooling off might be a good idea, so Kid headed for the gym they had on campus. There was also an indoor pool, which he was planning to use. Swimming always helped him to get his thoughts in.

On his way over to the pool, he almost bumped into a broad-chested guy with odd green hair, but managed not to attempt and murder him. Killer had already calmed him down somewhat with his level headed thinking, as usual, so he just glared at the guy, who, much to his annoyance scowled right back. Kid huffed and walked on. That idiot was just as tanned as that bastard from the train. Thought that guy had been more lean than that muscular guy from just now.

He stopped in his tracks. Why was he even thinking about that guy from the train? He probably wouldn't see him anymore anyway and if he did, he would show him what Kid did to people who pissed him off. If he was lucky he would live to tell the tale. The redhead grinned to himself. Just the thought of that smug grin beaten right of that pretty little face of his brightened his mood.

A few yards away from Kid, a few girls whispered and pointed at him with scared looks on their faces. Quickly, he forced the psychotic grin down. Fuck, that bastard got under his skin. He decided not to think about it anymore.

At the reception at the pool, he showed his member card and was allowed to pass through, so he headed for the changing rooms. He changed into his tight fitting black swim briefs and tied his red hair together in a ponytail. Grabbing his goggles, he left the changing rooms. The pool was relatively empty around this time of night, which would make swimming laps easier. He grouched a greeting at one of the life guards, before climbing on the driving board, placing the goggles over his eyes and diving into the water with a graceful arc.

Being in the water immediately refreshed him and washed the worries from his mind. There was nothing to freak out about. So, his parents had cut off the money flow, he just needed to find a job that paid well and didn't take up too much of his time. Killer would come up with something, no problem.

Then there was that damn faggot on the train. Whom he wouldn't see again. The guy had a medical book with him, so he probably went to university. No way Kid would run into him on campus, since the nearest university was a town over. So there was nothing to worry about with him as well. The redhead just had had a bad day, but that was all behind him now. He would enjoy his swim, take a shower and have Killer solve his problem about work.

He had lost count of how many laps he had swum when he had grown tired of it and just floated around on his back in the water. Everyone had already left aside from some employees. He didn't care and continued floating.

After a while – he lost track of time – he vaguely heard someone was calling out. "Sir?" It took a moment before he realised that the person might be talking to him, when he was called again: "You with the tight briefs!"

He turned around an treading water he searched for the person call him. It wasn't hard to find them, as there was only one person standing by the edge of the pool. He was wearing briefs like him and wore a t-shirt with the pool's logo on it. So he was a life guard.

"We're about to close up," he called to Kid. "So you better hit the showers."

The redhead nodded and swam over to the edge of the pool. Next to the life guard, he climbed out, placing his goggles on his head and undoing his ponytail. While he ran his fingers to his wet strands, he got the uncomfortable feeling that someone was staring at him. Brusquely, he turned around and glared at the lifeguard beside him. "What?" he snapped. "I'm leaving already!"

The lifeguard looked him up and down. "There's no hurry."

Kid's left eye twitched. Seriously? Two faggots in one day? He scowled at the lifeguard. The man had orange hair – he refused to call it red, his hair was red – with a sharp hooknose and a x-shaped scar on his chin. "You better look somewhere else if you don't want your eyes gouged out," he spat and turned to leave. The guy was lucky he was in a good mood.

He took a quick shower, keeping one eye on the lifeguard, but luckily, he was too busy mopping the floor to pay attention to Kid. Still, the redhead made sure he didn't linger too long and all but ran to the changing rooms. If he met the lifeguard outside, he wouldn't be held responsible for his actions. Dammit, he just calmed down.

He dried himself off and peeled the swim briefs off his body. At least he had had some exercise. Leaving the pool and heading back to his dorm, Kid was surprised to see the green haired man wandering around again. He heard him muttering something along the line of: "I was sure my room wasn't this far on the way out."

"The fuck? Are you lost?" Kid spat before he knew it. There were maps of campus everywhere.

The green haired man looked up. "Of course I'm not lost," he snarled with equal venom. "It's not my fault when they move the dorms around."

Kid rubbed his temples. What the hell was that guy even talking about? Whatever, he didn't care. Muttering, "yeah, whatever", he made his way to his own dorm again, when he noticed he was being followed. Whipping around, he snapped: "What?!"

The green haired guy stopped in his tracks as well and scratched the back of his head, murmuring something Kid couldn't hear. The redhead sighed. "Fine." He would help, but if this guy turned out to hit on him as well, he was going to murder someone. Preferably the guy. "What's your dorm number?"

"Three."

"I'm in two, it's next door. Come on."

They walked in silence as Kid tried not to get too annoyed about his companion, who actually wandered off a few times and the redhead had to call him back. How hard was it to walk in a straight line? When they finally arrived at the dorms, Kid came to a stop. "Here it is." When the other guy hesitated, the redhead fought the urge to smash his own head against the wall. Or the green haired man's. "Don't tell me you can't find your room either?"

"Nah, that should be fine." He held out his hand. "Zoro."

He hesitantly took the extended hand. "Kid." When they shook, the red haired man noticed how much their skins contracted with each other. Zoro was very tanned, compared to him, Kid's seemed almost white. It was weirdly fascinating.

"Er…"

The redhead realised he was still holding the man's hand and quickly pulled back. Clearing his throat, he said: "Well, I'll see you around then."

When the man nodded, Kid turned and entered his own building. He decided not to dwell on the fascination with the difference in skin colour. There just weren't that many people around who were so tanned. That was all.

Entering the room, he found Killer with his feet popped up on his desk, reading a study book. When he noticed Kid, the blond slapped the book shut and sat up. "You're back? I was starting to think you'd drowned."

Kid snorted. "Since when are you my babysitter? Besides, it's not that late." He shot a glance at his phone. It was almost half past eleven.

"If I were, I would be scandalously underpaid. However, I do think I have found a solution for your money problems."

"Really?" Kid sat down on his bed, kicking off his boots and retrieving the vodka. "What's that?"

"Well, I waged your talents and skills against what students want and need, and there is one thing that overlaps and promises a nice pay without having to sacrifice too many hours," Killer explained.

"Sounds great." Kid sat on the edge of the bed. "So, what is it?"

A smirk appeared on the blond's face. "You could teach ballroom dancing."