This request was for Harlock and Zero in a College AU without Christmas themes, so I put it on the prompt socks.

Whoever decided to make the floors of the dorm halls linoleum made a poor choice. The boys of my floor found a way to entertain themselves with it, just like with anything else. Their howls and cheers drowned out the irritated tapping of my pen. There were only two more days until break, but it looked like the brats couldn't manage to wait that long.

If I didn't get onto them, Marina would, and they wouldn't get off so easily. Slamming my textbook shut, I stormed out of my room. I turned the corner, ready to get onto my hall with a sharply-worded lecture. Instead, Harlock slammed into me like he'd decided to practice football tackles with me as the target. His weight dropped me to my back, while he cackled like a hyena on top of me. I should have guessed this was entirely his fault. It always was.

"Sorry, Zero," he said with a grin as he hopped up. Against my better judgment, I took the hand he offered to help me to my feet. Some of the boys crowding the hall glanced between each other, hopefully reconsidering their actions now that their R.A. appeared.

"You want to join us?" Harlock asked, hands shoved in his jacked pockets. He always stood the same way, as though he owned everything around him but didn't care. He was my least favorite resident.

"I don't know what you're doing," I said, "but you know we're on quiet hours all day because of finals. You're all being too loud for the people trying to study, and you need to break this up."

Harlock's lazy stance didn't waver, so the rest of the boys remained in place, as if waiting for a sign from their gang leader. "We've been studying and stressing over tests all day," Harlock said. "We're doing something to unwind. It's good for our brains. Destressor or something."

Despite the rest of the boys nodding to back him up, he was clearly pulling all this out of his ass. "What are you doing?" I asked in cold disinterest. They didn't appear to have any toys or objects of any kind, but they were all missing shoes. I was too, but I hadn't bothered to put them on just to get onto my residents.

That usual smug grin flashed onto Harlock's face. "You want a go? We greased the floor."

I felt my eyes narrow and forced myself to exhale calmly. One of these days, I would snap because of Harlock, but today was not it. "You greased the floors, so you could slide around on them?" I asked, putting weight to every word.

The boys in the back started to sweat, but Harlock remained ever unfazed. "It's fun." He nodded. "You should give it a go. You look like you need to relieve some stress."

All my stress stemmed from him, so getting rid of him would be the only way to solve my problems. "I think I'll get you all some sponges and soapy water instead."

"We've upset the dorm mom," Harlock called over his shoulder. Then his hand clamped down on my jacket sleeve. He took two quick steps down the hall, my feet slipping against the floor despite my attempts to ground my heels in. He stopped just to throw me forward like a bowling ball. Trying to stop would have landed me on my back again, so I threw my hands out for balance and slid until I smacked into the crowd at the end of the hall. They caught me with a cheer.

"I'm going to write all of you up," I sighed.

"Come on, mom, you can't write us all up," Harlock said. All the boys around me agreed, begging and whining for me to just let them have their fun. Harlock ran forward before sliding along with a slight spin. Of course, he ran directly into me again, his back butting against my chest. Big brown eyes with the fakest pleading puppy-dog stare I'd ever seen turned back to me. "I don't see how it's a problem if everyone is having fun."

"It is a problem if you get me fired. Even worse if I fail my history exam."

He reached up to pat my cheek. "You'll do fine. Now, all together!" His gang gave a rallying cry, and I realized I might as well turn in my resignation as the stampede dragged me along.

I should have put on my boots. Then I could have at least kicked Harlock for my troubles.