"Hate you?" Burr mumbled half-asleep.

"Yeah- no I mean us," Joel explained but Burr just looked confused. He had no idea what Joel was on about, whether he was crazy or not would be determined in these next few seconds.

"Can you talk to me later?" Burr didn't want to be rude but he was so tired his eyelids barely stayed open. He could accidentally say something stupid. "No, tell me now," Joel frowned and Burr didn't want to poke at something that might have been bothering him for a while.

Burr rubbed his eyes to get himself a little more awake. Clearly, Joel wouldn't be giving up anytime soon. "Why do you think I hate you- er I mean you guys" Burr slumped forward into a sitting position bed hair flopping in his face. He almost felt this conversation was stupid but he wouldn't say anything to not make Joel feel bad. From what he's seen so far Joel is stubborn and has an anger issue if poked at. Burr didn't want to provoke the lion.

"Because you haven't hung out with us," Joel explained sitting upright as well leveling his gaze around the room. "It hasn't even been a day though?" Burr tilted his heady yawning softly.

"Is it your cycle?" Joel questioned wide-eyed as if a light bulb went off in his head. Burr's face flushed backing away from Joel which caused Burr to fall off his bed with a thump. A laugh escaped Joel as he held his belly pointing a finger at Burr who gritted his teeth in humiliation.

"Weren't you ever taught to never talk about a bear's hibernation!?" Burr snapped out, crossing his arms with his back to the floor and legs resting on the side of the bed. "Sorry I just wanted to see your reaction," Joel laughed again as if remembering the events that took place. Blowing a strand of hair out of his face Burr rolled his eyes feeling a little amused. "Yeah was it funny?" Burr mocked.

"Very," Joel flopped off the bed with a bounce to the mattress and stood above Burr.

He was about to get up too but Joel's hand touched his shoulder suddenly making Burr jolt away. "Did I scare you?" Joel laughed after a minute although a little forced.

Burr nodded not making any eye contact as he stood up wiping invisible dust off his uniform. "About your question earlier," Burr began eyeing Joel to find him listening in interest, "hate is a strong word and I don't particularly dislike any of you. You all seem friendly." He ended trying to not make anything end on a bad note.

Joel seemed to pump with excitement, he held a toothy smirk happily and ran out of the room before jogging backward. "Dinners almost ready!" And with that sentence, he left officially or maybe unofficially.

Burr couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief before looking at the messed up bedding and quickly fixed them. He wouldn't want to get in trouble for messy covers. Since dinner was almost ready and he wasn't tired anymore, he left, turning the corner and going down the stairs. Burr wished he had gotten a tour of some sort so he would know where everything was, but things would just have to work out with the little knowledge he has of this house.

A tv blared in the living room space and with curiosity, Burr peeked at the screen from the corner downstairs. He hadn't really ever watched tv, teachers always said it rotted the brain so he never had it in the dorms. At his parent's house, he got snippets of it the screen flashes of lights that drove him to want to see more but was never allowed. So Burr felt guilt for secretly looking at the tv in the living room. He was also confused as to why the tv was allowed here.

"Boo!"

Let's just say a very unattractive scream left Burr's mouth as he jumped away tripping on himself in fright.

"I'm sorry I startled you!" Pink glamorous eyes sparkled, it was Iker. Burr clasped his mouth as if he had said or heard something terrible. "Sorry" he whispered like the scream would be unheard but everyone on the couch watching the television had turned around. Nasir, Joel, and Olive were all looking at what had happened. Burr's face reddened, even more, when he heard Joel snickering at him with a muffled fist on his lips.

Iker smiled sweetly easily picking up Burr who was startled once again at the close contact. 

"Iker no! No, drop him," Olive said dangerously low and continued, "Zadoc said to ask for permission before touching the newcomer." He spoke seriously as if trying to get a puppy to sit, finding the situation not amusing at all, and gave a side punch to Joel who fell off the couch with a thud. Nasir snickering at him now.

Burr liked the way that sounded while Iker pouted letting Burr wiggle out of his hold and onto the floor again. "Do you want to watch tv with us?" Nasir who had finished laughing at Joel spoke. Burr's eyes wandered to the screen but looked away just as fast scratching his nape awkwardly. "I heard it rots the brain," he murmured almost questionable.

"Who told you that? Your mom?" Joel piped up jokingly fully expecting Burr to puff up mad.

"So it was a lie?" Burr's voice sounded as if he came to a reveling discovery. "Come on let's just watch tv~" Iker breathed out like he couldn't hear any more of what was being said, moving Joel aside so he can sit on the couch and ever so gently Burr followed along. Olive called Burr over patting a spot next to himself for him to sit. 

Burr sat down and hesitantly looked to the screen but it didn't feel right like he had to ask for permission and would only feel relieved when said he could watch. He blinked looking at Olive then the screen before turning back to Olive. Noticing the reoccurring stare Olive turned his attention to Burr and slightly nodded, "do you want to watch something different?" Olive asked.

"No, no um I was wondering what were watching," Burr awkwardly scratched his wrist realizing what he was doing was causing a disturbance to Olive.

"It's Jeopardy haven't you seen it before?"

"I-"

"Dinners ready!"

Saved by the bell!

Saved by Mr. Zadoc!

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[ A/N :0 thank you for 1K~ :) ]