I'm back to being in a mood to write this story so let's see how long it lasts. I'm hoping we can finish Year Three.

Year Three: Rooming (Re)arrangements

Communications Lecture Hall - 14:26 PM

Merida didn't return to her classes until the week following her field test. She slept for the whole day afterwards, not even hearing if Angela ever came in or stuck around. When she awoke, she did see Angela sitting at her desk typing a paper. After lamenting about her stupid field test, Angela passed Merida her laptop (at her request) since she had a German paper to write. Since German was a part of Communications, Merida couldn't get an extension. She tried. Many times.

Communications didn't give a scheißegal about her field test.

So now she walks into class, tossing her paper on the pile at the front before heading over to her seat next to Victoria. Her silver hair is pulled back into a ponytail with no stray hairs out of place and her lips a shade of maroon, grinning at Merida.

"You look dead," Victoria greets as they wait for class to start.

"How did you pass your psych eval?" Merida asks, lying on her arms on their table since she doesn't want to have this conversation now. She only showed up to class to hand in that paper since she couldn't convince her prof to accept an emailed copy. She tried that too.

"I started asking him questions."

Merida looks up at her, not surprised Victoria took the lead on her own psych eval. Although it sounds like deflection to her. "What happened?"

Victoria's smile fades a little. "We spoke about my sexual habits, not details but the frequency and all that. Then he brought up America's relationship with Sokovia."

Merida sits up, now cringing as she moves her seat closer to Victoria. "How are those related?"

She shrugs. "According to him, I like being the dominant one in hook-ups because it's my projection of taking back control."

Merida's grimace remains on her face for everyone to see. "I think that's a stretch."

"Whatever. I'm still here. What about your friends?"

"From what I've heard, we're still here."

"Still bunking with Angela next year?"

"Duh. Sticking with Naomi?"

Victoria nods happily. "You know, we bonded and both agreed that we don't want to spend our last year with a stranger. She's a sweet girl anyways, just like Angela."

-o-

Hudson Residence - 22:26 PM

Xavier and Brody have spent most of their afternoon, evening, and night saying goodbye to fellow cadets who are unable to continue at the Academy. Hugging, helping pack, carrying bags to their cars, anything to help boys they've seen for the past three years in the dorm halls or trained with them in classes. Whether something happened with their psych eval or field test, or both, they'll be heading somewhere else to continue some form of training. Cadets could be the best field agent to walk the earth, but if something goes wrong, then they're out.

Even before they were freshmen, they knew that Operations would have a substantially smaller graduating class compared to the other programs. Some cadets weren't cut out for it, others get recruited by other organizations, and then there are those that just leave at their own choice for whatever reason.

It doesn't hit them until they were helping people bring their bags to their cars. The floor of their residence was nearly cut in half. The quieter space would be nicer but also eerily uncomfortable.

Nobody's really left yet. A lot of them are just getting their packing done ahead of time to beat the rush of the other years leaving for the summer.

"Looks like I'm being an RA next year," Xavier tells Brody as they head back to his dorm.

"Bro, that's awesome!" Brody exclaims, nudging Xavier encouragingly which makes him smile. "If Vander still needs one, drop him my name. My SO plans for me to give extra sparring sessions for their cadets next year."

They head back to Xavier's dorm where they see Ashton just ending a phone call. He smiles at them, plastered as if forced, as he slides his phone into his back pocket.

"Want me to drop your name to Vander if he's still looking for RAs?" Xavier asks.

"Thanks," Ashton mutters, "but I'm academically dismissed after the end of the year. Or more so transferring."

Xavier and Brody pause, glancing at each other to see if they heard that right. Considering they're both spooked, they heard the same thing.

"Can't you appeal it?" Xavier asks as he closes their dorm door.

"I did," Ashton responds.

"And?"

"I didn't win in the sense that I'm back in the Academy but my SO helped me work out a transfer and referred me. Agent Palmer has contacts. Hence the transferring."

"This is messed up."

"Yeah, man, what the hell?" Brody asks, sitting on Xavier's desk chair. "Look, I'm happy for you and think this is a great opportunity, but you and I could've been roommates since Rogers gets a single dorm with being an RA. Or we could've all been RAs."

Ashton sighs. "That honestly sounds like an epic senior year. Look, either way, I owe you one, Rogers."

Xavier shakes his head. "You don't."

Brody spins around in the chair. "Don't take away a favour. You'll never know when you'll need it."

"Exactly," Ashton says, "besides, I have to thank someone for giving me the coolest roommate."

"We were chosen randomly," Xavier states.

"God, you're always hard to work with," Ashton smiles, "then I'm thanking God, or the gods, whoever the fuck is in control."

"You're not leaving now, are you?" Brody asks. "It'd be really rude if you didn't tell us until now."

"No, no, end of the year."

There's something about the first few days of college that really make people bond. The small shared space of their dorm room, sharing classes and training together before and after class hours. Xavier feels like he's known Ashton his whole life rather than three years. The times when they and Brody would be in the gym trying to ride a laundry basket on a treadmill at top speed. Sometimes, they would put two treadmills back-to-back to guarantee constant movement.

They watched stupid videos, ate each other's food and borrowed each other's aftershave. Covered for them when their profs would ask where the other was, even when they didn't know where they were. Sometimes, there are moments where they sit in companionable silence for hours on end. No words, barely any thoughts, just presence.

"You and your friends were lucky to go to public school," Ashton says, breaking Xavier from his trance. Brody nods in agreement since they both went to specialized schools with stricter regimens, better preparation programs for schools like SHIELD Academy. Most cadets have been through the same. "You got to party, break curfew, write useless essays about boring books you didn't read, have high school sweethearts. You got the dream teenager experience."

Xavier pauses, nodding. It's not that he has nothing to say or is ungrateful for his dream high school experience, it's that he's thinking of the best way to end this school year.

Ashton being in Xavier's debt… *coughs* PNG Rando Week *coughs*