Previous Chapter: Water 7 - Next Chapter: Head of the Dorm

In his life thus far Iceburg had already dealt with his fair, perhaps unfair, share of unpleasant and unexpected situations. He knew everything could change in the blink of an eye... Bright, cloudless days have the chance of turning into stormy skies. You might be playing in the garden with your twin brother one day while the next you're confined indoors while he is sent off to study abroad, without even so much as a chance to say goodbye. A person who was a gentle, fun-loving spirit is later cruel and uncaring. A seemingly composed and charming man could turn villainous on a dime and everything you once thought sacred is no longer so. One moment you're watching the crew to your family ship preparing to leave harbour, then you're hastily stowing yourself away on board and before you know it...

Where do I go from here?

It had all happened so fast - everything that led up to this point for him. It was almost too easy to believe it had all just been a nightmare that he was only now awake and still dazed from.

He sighed as he looked at the nurse's office around him. The walls were well-decorated with posters that advertised clubs, social functions, sign up sheets for sports teams, photos of star athletes and other notable figures of the school. He found none of it appealed to him, especially now. Instead, he looked forward to a calm future that would be just him, Tom and Kokoro. The brief time with them and the care they'd shown him had been such a relief but it felt so far away now. Only the thought of being discovered by the people of his homeland kept him from running back - but what if this fate turned out even more foul than the other had promised to be?

He thought again of his former life on the Kimmerios isles; how often his attire, schedule and life would be changed around and how he'd be placed in front of god-knows-who without even a moments notice... then they'd shuffle him off to more appointments and events. Just when he'd be sure it was done and over with, they'd be off to another horrid social outing... then life would go on until the next unpleasant thing; it usually wasn't a very long wait.

This, however, had been a completely different set of unpleasant things and no matter how he tried he couldn't wrap his mind around how exactly things had gone the way they had - and so quickly too. It had certainly been a wake up call after the day's pleasantries.

The nurse, seemingly one of the only women in the school, leaned over and held a large cold pack to his battered face.

"So can you tell me what happened now?"

He looked down at his shoes awkwardly and for a moment wondered why he was going along with it so easily.

"Well...it all happened so fast. I'm not sure I can explain it, really."

If I tell the truth, but nobody believes me, it'll just cause me more problems...

"Do you know who did this?"

He slowly shook his head and winced at the pain it caused. He hoped the bandages would keep him from bleeding anymore. The sight of it had made him all the more queasy.

"I suppose you wouldn't know, being your first day and all. It's odd though, students aren't usually in the dormitories during mealtimes...was he a student?"

He hesitated before he answered.

"I'm... not entirely sure. He wasn't wearing a uniform but everyone seemed to know him well enough..."

"It's being looked into, anyways. You did say you're in the Sapphire Wing, right?" after a tiny nod she continued. "Usually don't hear much from the group in there...nice bunch of kids. Anyways, I sent for the head of your dorm. He'll be round to escort you, just to be safe." She glanced down at a chart she held on a clipboard. "He's a good lad. I'll be back 'round in fifteen minutes or so, if he's not here to get you by then I'll take you back myself."

"Thank you, ma'am."

She bustled away and left him holding the ice pack to himself before she called back over her shoulder.

"Try to stay out of trouble now - if you avoid making waves I'm sure it'll be smooth waters from here!"

He tried to get comfortable in the chair he was seated in and thought of what had happened. He didn't feel like he'd started the trouble at all - he'd been trying to avoid trouble. The words rang once again through in his mind.

"Well, unfortunately this is...a Boys' School, little girl."

At first he'd frozen at the words, but quickly the quiet warnings received from Kokoro before they'd arrived at ornate doors of the school had echoed in his mind - about how she was unsure of how people would react if they found out about his "biological situation" so it was best he keep it as secret as possible. He was fully aware of course, considering his experiences, but he figured since she didn't know about all that he'd just smile and nod. She gave tips about how to avoid fights like: keep calm and not get overly emotional over things that are said. Act like you don't care. Throw it back at them if it comes down to it and use wit over fists. Any heated reactions will just be fuel to them.

I suppose anything can be fuel to those who are always ready to fight...

He looked down at his fists and wished he'd had the strength, any strength, to fight for himself. He'd always felt so weak, like the medicines he'd been taking ritually before he left had been slowly draining him - holding him back instead of helping him like it was supposed to be. What had all of it, all of those shots, blood tests and doctors appointments been for if none of it ever really made him feel any better? He knew he'd never get answers but he wondered still.

Not wanting to give himself away and lose his place at the school or make himself a target he'd decided to defend himself and his identity as a male as politely as he could, without conflict. However, he found out quickly that he had no idea how to do that. In the end, he wasn't sure if his responses had been what triggered the boy to attack him or if he would've just done so regardless. It was everything else that transpired from the situation that had him most worried though.

Iceburg stared at the boy with mild surprise for only a moment before he straightened himself up and cleared his throat.

"...Well...yes. Yes it is." He gave a small smile. "As that is my bed, and thats my bag on the floor beside it."

"Oh is it?" He rose and drew himself up to his full height.

"My name is Ice...Iceburg. How do you do?" He kept his shoulders high and tried to maintain polite eye contact while doing his best to not to look as intimidated as he felt. This boy was much taller than the small-statured teen - even taller than Giroux, who was about six feet tall and had so easily overpowered him. He felt himself trembling but didn't look away.

The boy leaned forward a few inches from his face before blowing out more smoke. It swirled and twisted around his exhausted body as he attempted to swat it away from him, but he could still feel it sitting heavy on his clothes and in his lungs.

"You know, the Girls' School is just over across the canal..." He pulled back a heavy curtain to reveal the stunning view and without further comment he grabbed his hair and wrenched him forward. Iceburg cried out in shock but had no time to respond otherwise as he was dashed against a large picture window that overlooked the water "Shall I escort you there, Princess?"

"Princess..."

Another voice began to overlap his as Iceburg tried to grasp what was happening; Giroux's voice. To him, it felt like his soul was torn and in two places at once. Within seconds it was as if he was an outside observer, entirely out of place and doomed to watch the situation unfold from somewhere in the distance.

He did well to not think of all the times his former family had become forceful or violent with him - usually over what they saw as "gross defiance" of tradition; what he saw as simply trying to maintain sanity. However, being weak and helpless as he was under the dark-haired boy's strong grip he couldn't help but be blasted back into the situation that had carried him to this very moment - the one thing he wanted to get away from the most but seemingly couldn't escape.

"I've been waiting so long for this...my little Icelyn."

In seconds it was flashing through his mind, as if it was happening all over again. For a moment he swore the fingers digging into his skin were Giroux's and it was hard to tell if the sound of his heavy, rushed breaths and sick whispers in his ear were real or just memory. He felt numb and lost but somehow he kept his head enough to stop himself from drowning in it all.

He answered in the most simple, rational way he could figure.

"Well...I don't know if you've noticed but I'm wearing this school's uniform..." he coughed under the veil of smoke and glanced back briefly at the boy's beige muscle shirt and jeans. "I'm sure this is where I'm supposed to be."

The boy let out a frustrated growl and spun him around hard so they were once again facing one another. He looked wild with anger and it only served to confuse Iceburg further.

"So I'm the girl, am I?" His hands now free, he abruptly crushed the cigarette in his palm and tossed it towards Iceburg's bed.

"I-I actually didn't say that...not even once. I - "

"Yeah, you're wearing the uniform and I'm not, eh?" He laughed that eerie laugh again before pushing hard into his shoulder with a thrust of his palm "Perhaps you should be the one to walk me there then?"

Iceburg felt emotions bubbling up in him; a mixture of confusion, fear... and something else he wasn't quite sure of - like his body was frantically telling him to attack. Every muscle and nerve in his body became agitated and he felt his fists clench. He frowned as he stared hard back at the boy. He could still picture his face instead, hear his voice. It was like he hadn't truly gotten away at all and no matter where he turned there would always be another awful male, another Giroux, waiting behind each door with forceful hands and lecherous intentions.

Are they all like this?

He felt odd in that moment, like perhaps he didn't quite want to be a boy after all. He knew for sure he still didn't want to be a girl, but he certainly wasn't anything like this and would never want to be. Slight comfort was found as he thought of the rest of the boys he'd exchanged conversation with throughout the schoolday thus far. They had all seemed like decent people. They couldn't all be that way. He took a deep breath before be responded to the rugged, antagonistic teen.

"Well." He looked over his shoulder out across the water and smiled aimlessly. "I don't feel like it. It's lovely weather today, isn't it? Perhaps you could walk yourself."

The boy's fist smashed into his face harder than anything he'd ever known - until the second punch struck him.

When he drew his fist back and wiped it off gently on his shirt, Iceburg was on the ground, burning with pain and blinded by tears. Blood splattered from his lips as he sat and tried to steady his ragged breathing.

The boy stepped towards him and squatted down low enough so they could make eye contact again.

"You must be the little queer everyone was going on about. So it's your first day then, yeah?" He laughed and struck a match to light another cigarette. He held one out to Iceburg who at the moment could only stare blankly back. He shrugged and replaced it into the ornate case he'd taken it from. "They said you came off a bit snobby but I wasn't sure what to expect. You'll learn the way things are here soon enough - and next time you'll reconsider running that bold little mouth of yours."

The smoke curled around him again as he struggled to get back on his feet. The smell was putrid and he didn't want it clinging to him when he already felt so ill and out of breath. He tried to ignore it and continue to diffuse the situation.

"I think, perhaps, we may have gotten off on the wrong foot...I didn't mean any -"

Before he knew it, a heavy boot connected with his jaw and he was knocked back to the floor.

"Wrong foot? How's that one then?" With a broad grin and brows upturned with condescension he stared down at the battered boy.

With every fibre of his being he wanted to fight back, push him off and run away. His body, however, was still too cramped and worn from his journey across the turbulent waters, let alone the sudden attack, to even sum up the energy to lift his arms. The bandages bound around his breasts had begun to burn and dig at him, and he wondered if that what was causing the shortage of air to his lungs.

"P-please..." was all he could manage.

It hurt both his body and his pride but Iceburg still preferred anything to the things he knew Giroux would do to him if they were ever to be alone together again. He'd rather put up with years of this than be discovered so quickly by him. This boy was evidently hostile but didn't try to take advantage of the situation in the same terrible way he had at all - so he decided silently that maybe they weren't all the same...they were just awful in their own unique ways instead. Even the others students had obviously hid their true colours.

Little queer. Snobby.

They had all seemed to like him well enough at the time; it had been such a good experience until then. He wondered which of them had been genuine, if any. He knew what they meant by queer, and he had been taught adamantly that it was very wrong to be so.

Iceburg's vision had begun to fade as he struggled before the boy lifted his foot from him. He sighed and put his hands on his hips as he turned away to look at the beds.

"Anyways, your bunk will be the top." He grabbed his bag of things from its place on the floor and heaved it upwards before he looked to him again. "And don't go leaving your stuff just lying around like this either. Has it been here all day? People around here aren't as honest as they let on... you want all your shit stolen?" The way he said it so strictly with the smallest grumble in his voice made it sound as though he was actually concerned for him.

"Well...thank you."

It felt absolutely moronic to thank him considering the situation at hand but he was afraid of making things worse for himself so that's how it went.

As he stared up at him, he wondered if twisted people knew they were all twisted up and were content with it...or if they simply didn't know at all and thought their actions were entirely justified. Maybe there were both kinds of people; others a blend.

The door swung open and the stillness of the room was replaced with hushed conversation - two boys slipped in quickly. The last in and the first to notice the situation was a red-haired boy he recognized from dinner; Desmonde.

He stared for a moment, with an odd expression that Iceburg couldn't read at all. Eventually he looked away from him and smiled.

"Dylin!" His voice sounded cheery, but forced.

"Desmonde." He smiled back at the boy but there was something steely in his eyes as he looked him up and down.

"You're here?"

Dylin, evidently, raised an eyebrow.

"I am." His voice was arid and bemused. "So are you, it would seem." He looked between the two warily.

The redhead closed the door behind him and uttered one, hushed word.

"Inspections."

The violent teen's eyes flicked first towards Iceburg then towards the door with a skeptical glare.

"Now?"

"Should be here any minute, I'd say. They were two dorms down when we were heading in. "

"Well, get a move on boys!" Dylin's voice rattled through the room and right away the other two were circling around them and clearing out the room like a tornado kicking up sand in its path. Smaller windows were thrown open to air out the cigarette smoke, beds were made, and one of them even snatched up the discarded remains of the crushed cigarette on the floor and tossed it out the window. Dylin sauntered up behind him and tossed his freshly lit one out after it, then turned back to Iceburg who was again struggling to get back up again.

"Oh, come on then." He sighed loudly and reached out a hand to him. Iceburg looked at it warily, but not wanting to anger him further held his out in return. He quickly yanked him up to his feet. "There. Now. I'm sure you've already figured out it's in all of our best interests we don't talk about what happened, right?"

The pressure on his ribs eased up slightly from the position change so he took the deepest breath he could manage before he nodded. He just didn't want to fight anymore.

"Right. Let's get you the hell out of here then."

He began to lead him away but Desmonde grabbed the smaller teen's arm.

"I'll take him. Don't worry about it."

Something in his voice and grip was far too eager and it caused Iceburg to shrink away in fear, surprisingly, back towards the larger boy. Dylin gave him another quick glance then seemed to scowl at the two.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. You know, you just got back and all... It's been days since we've even seen you. You look worn out. Just relax, shower... get some rest. I'll take him. We'll take him." He fumbled over his words only the slightest bit as he glanced back at the other, a blonde boy with kind and bright eyes, who nodded and smiled.

"The nurses' isn't far, we'll be back in no time."

What seemed to be hesitation briefly crossed Dylin's dirt smeared face before it vanished and he shrugged haphazardly. He shoved Iceburg towards them.

"Whatever. Just get a damn move on, would you!? I've got shit to do!" He brushed his hair from his face before he turned from them and headed quickly to an old armoire in the corner while they pulled Iceburg out the door.

The door clunked shut and, aside from its haunting echo, they were alone in the hallway. He walked willingly for several paces but before he knew it they were rushing into a stairwell. Iceburg frowned, knowing there was a nurses' office in the other direction on the very floor they were on.

With legs buckled tighter than his shoes and his chest bound tighter still, he tried to use what little strength he had left to pull himself away.

"I think I'll just take myself to - "

"Shut the fuck up." The order came out like a sinister hiss, cold and steely as the knife he pulled from his belt and pressed against Iceburg's throat. "Try anything and see what happens."

He was shocked that it all came from the blonde boy who had seemed so sweet and cheerful moments ago; his face now looked contorted with something dark, something evil. When the blade was moved away from his flesh he followed along without a struggle - not that he had much strength left even if he did put up a fight. Defeated, he wondered where they'd take him and what they'd do.

He continued to talk like he wasn't even there as they dragged him along down the stairs.

"I told you we'd figure it out." A light chuckle played through his voice that chilled Iceburg.

"You really think this'll work?" There was a nervous tone to Desmonde's voice as he spoke that seemed to contrast the other's.

"Don't be such a jackass! This will work out way better than dealing with that little brat from before..." He glared down at a bruised bite mark on the redheads wrist before they descended the final few steps "...or do you want to go back empty handed and tell him you were overpowered by a shitty street kid!?"

"No...I - "

"You wanna tell him how you turned down an opportunity like this? Want this little rat talking? We're not going back on this now!"

"No! It's not that. It's just, Dylin. Y'know? He's been freaking me out lately with the things he says. It's like he knows..."

"What? Nevermind! We agreed the next one we brought would be a student; what will work better than this? Just shut your mouth. We'll tell Dylin he ran - if he even asks."

"If he finds out we- "

"Ah, fuck Dylin! He won't know a thing. Look at the kid!" He shook Iceburg like a rag doll for emphasis, and he thought his neck might break from the whiplash. "Would it be such a shock!? First day and he's already managed to batter him up like this. Come on, anyone would run. This is perfect."

"Still, we'll have to figure out a good explanation - not just for Dylin but for Ghylls too. We're so late...do you think he'll want him beat up like this?"

"I'll handle it."

Iceburg's heart weighed like an anchor in his chest with the knowledge that something was terribly wrong and he was defenceless.

They reached the bottom of the stairs. The blonde held Iceburg back while the other stepped out into the hallway to look around.

"It's all good. Let's get going."

When they pulled him out into the hallway, he balked again, this time with more confidence.

"Hey! Let's get going!" Desmonde's voice was hushed but tinted with urgency as Iceburg held his ground and refused their hasty ushering.

There were open doors all down the hallway, and he knew if there was any commotion someone would hear. Someone had to hear. He managed to pull away.

"This is how we're gonna play?" A mixture of amusement and disbelief had surfaced in the blonde. He flipped the knife about in his hand and took a step towards Iceburg, who took a long stride back.

"I suppose it is." The small teens voice came out weak and hoarse but he stood his ground.

A wild look crossed the boys face as he prepared to lunge, when a light voice sounded from behind them causing them to flinch.

"Braeburn! Desmonde! What on earth happened here!?"

The knife vanished as quickly as it had appeared. The blonde, Braeburn, shot him a murderous glare.

"Don't say a bloody word."

His face brightened up again and the cheerful demeanour was back like a switch had been flipped as he turned to face the nurse who was leaning out of her office.

"This boy has been injured!" He called over his shoulder sweetly; even his accent had changed. "He needs help!"

Iceburg narrowed his eyes in disgust at him as the nurse rushed to his side. The two of them watched him like vultures waiting for their prey to die off before they swooped in for their meal as he was bustled into the vacant room. While the nurse was fetching what she needed to treat him, he wrestled with the bandages under his clothing until he finally had enough air to manage his breathing properly again. The cramping subsided but didn't do away entirely, however, his chest wasn't as well hidden anymore so he had more to worry about than the pain. He crossed his arms in front of himself and frowned. Even living life as a boy he wasn't safe from sick people, but he couldn't imagine what would happen if they found out what he was hiding.

So now he sat, pondering his next move: stay or run? He knew on one hand if he ran away his stepfather or Giroux might find him, and terrible things would happen - but he might also be able to live in peace with Tom and Kokoro. On the other hand, if he stayed these two boys would certainly come for him again, and terrible things would also more than certainly happen. What troubled him most was the uncertainty that he'd even survive staying around people like them. Then there was Dylin; a whole other situation. It seemed more of a question of who would get him in the end than it was a question of whether.

Why did I have to get assigned the dorm from hell?

A laugh nearly escaped his lips as he thought of the nurses words.

Nice bunch of kids, indeed...what on earth will the others be like? How will I get through this? There's so many things I never considered at all...

Washrooms; one of those many things he hadn't considered. The blood on his clothes and sweat soaking his hair served as an unfriendly reminder that he'd have to shower at some point. He shuddered at the thought and decided then he'd find a way to sneak out and shower at night to avoid the others. After all, he'd snuck onto a ship and made it this far - sneaking a shower couldn't be much harder. The idea of being away from his bed at night was comforting anyways to say the least. Those boys were terrifying and he wanted to be nowhere near them in the dead of night.

I've plenty of books in my bag, and carpentry supplies...I'll just stay up after and work on my studies. Worst case scenario - well, at least I'll have my knife with me.

He looked up and jumped when he saw there was a boy standing in the doorway looking directly at him. Dark, ruby-tinted and contemplative eyes pierced into his and left him frozen in place. He grinned slightly at Iceburg's look of surprise, and stepped forward. Raven hair framed his face and was drawn high with a ribbon; Iceburg admired yet envied the way it still presented so masculinely. His skin looked nearly grey against the white wall he stood next to, and while he wore a black and red uniform just as everyone else did he wore it with a graceful flair that others seemed to lack. Instead of sporting a simple tie like the other boys a silky cravat laid across his sternum, ruffled and white as the shirt he wore under his jacket.

"H-Hello." Iceburg tried to sound cordial. He remained hopeful that this one would be a better person than the others had been. "I suppose you must be the Head of the Dorm."

"I suppose I must be."

For perhaps the first time in his life, he was aware of his jaw dropping in utter disbelief. Although he spoke in a more subdued tone than he had before, it was still painfully obvious the moment he heard the voice who this boy was. The abrasive laugh he let out was just as recognizable.

"Shall we?" He reached a leather-gloved hand out and grinned.

He could only sit and wonder how he hadn't noticed before. Slowly a scowl surfaced across his face as it flushed red; before he could think he spoke.

"Well..do we have to?"

His grin didn't waver as he wagged his hand at the smaller boy until he reluctantly gave in and allowed himself to be helped up.

The nurse's voice chirped once again from the doorway.

"Dylin! Iceburg! I'm glad you found each other. Send for me if you see any signs of concussion on him, would you?"

Dylin nodded as he placed a hand on Iceburg's shoulder.

"I'll be keeping a close eye on this one."