University love story Ch.1

Maxwell Charles Bayer who is also known as SUNY Potsdam, and Leon Dana Cook who is commonly referred to as SUNY Canton, absolutely hate each other. It’s a mixture of competition, jealousy, and something else they can't put their fingers on. Regardless this hatred has made them stay as separate from one another as possible. While the SUNY name is tied to both, their campuses couldn’t be more different from the structure of the buildings to the majors and even the students.  Regrettably they have begun merging certain things due to budget cuts. Not only has it given them a chance to keep tabs on one another, it also means they have more to fight about.
“I will not share a vacation week with your stupid school!” Leon insists, slamming his hands down on the table. “If the vacation time is the same you and I will be stuck with one another for a week and I will not have that! I’d rather wait til everyone else has finished their vacations to start mine!”
“Don't be such a brat! Think of those who go here! They want shared vacations to spend time with friends!” Maxwell points out, easily ignored by Leon.
“Those students fuck me up constantly with their graffiti and bad manners. Why should I give them anything nice?”
The red haired man beside him snickers. “It’s not their fault you have a crappy school. My students always behave.”
“Mostly. And only because your students are pretentious asses! Like yourself!”
“Better than being some lazy slacker!”
Leon glares. “I'm not lazy or a slacker! Just because I'm not constantly pushing homework down their throats doesn’t mean anything!”
“Oh please you even take Fridays off! Just so you don't have to get up early!” Maxwell yells before Leon pouts and sits in his seat annoyed.
“This isn't convincing me to do it.” The dark haired man mumbles.
“My students really want this, and unlike you I love my students, so if you do this I’ll make it worth your while.”  Maxwell promises and Leon laughs.
“The only thing you could give me to make anything ‘worth my while’ is you shutting down!”
A strange smirk comes to Maxwell’s face. “Is that all? Because I'm fairly certain I have more to offer you than that.”
“Doubtful” Leon says, looking the man straight on.
“Then how about if you say no I’ll give you something you would never want in a million years?” Maxwell threatens, watching as Leon tenses in his seat.
“Give them a free ice cream day or something. I’ve already filled out the paper work. None of our vacations will ever be on the same days.” Leon mumbles, trying and failing to hide his increasing fear of retaliation. There are few things Maxwell can do to make him happy, but the possibilities for the college to torture him with are infinite.
“Revenge will be slow and torturous, Leon. Keep that in mind.” Maxwell warns before getting up and exiting the conference room, leaving a now nervous Leon in his wake.
“Oh god oh god please don't let him try to push us sharing a president.” Leon pleads to the empty room. “H-he was totally against that, even went as far as to declare it publicly….so that shouldn’t be it….” A lump forms in his throat as all the other terrifying alternatives float around in his mind. “Wh-what if he offers my students free tuition for a semester to steal them?” He gasps, jumping up from his seat and running to the president of the school for both kind words and a game plan.
It’s only a stupid vacation date, well a lot of them technically, and Maxwell doesn’t understand why he’s so angry with Leon over it but he is. All of their students would be happier, and happier students means better grades, not that he would expect a technology college to understand that. Leon is incredible with fixing things no matter what it is including health problems, but when it comes to understanding people or even being able to act like a normal person, or college in his case, he falls ridiculously short. Would it truly be so painful to share vacation weeks?
Technically Maxwell doesn’t have much of a leg to stand on when it comes to childish acts against one another. When the idea of sharing between the two was pitched he threw a big fit about keeping his own individuality from such a loser college like Leon’s. However, his students were 100% with him on it so he wasn’t hurting anyone he actually cared about. Even if the look on Leon’s face at being called a ‘loser college’ did kind of hurt. Only a little though and it’s not like he meant to say it out loud. Perhaps letting this whole vacation thing go would be the best idea.
“So did you do it?” His college president asks when he returns, a hopeful look in his eyes. “Did you get Leon to have shared vacations?”
“…No….” Maxwell admits, watching the man frown and deciding right then and there that yes, retaliation is necessary.
“Well then good luck getting him to hold classes on Fridays.” The man sighs in defeat.
“Oh he won't say no to me this time.” A smirk comes to Maxwell’s face. “Not if he knows what’s best for him.”
“Oh my, that sounds ominous.” His president says, laughing a little. “Don't be too harsh.”
The next day Leon is sitting in the conference room, having to meet with Maxwell again. Worst part is that he can't say no today because that bastard has something up his sleeve.
“Leon, you’re looking great.” Maxwell mocks, walking into the room and sitting across from him. “So, as you know our schedules need to be in synch and a great way to do that is you giving up your free Fridays.” He says and Leon pales.
“Y-you're going to take my Fridays? Of all the things you could do! Why do you hate me so goddamn much?” Leon screams, finally having snapped. “Damnit Maxwell this is the last thing I have in my favor! Kids who didn’t know what they wanted had the two of us to choose between and for a while I had the fact they didn’t need SAT scored to get in but even you dropped that so this was the last thing I had…fucking Potsdam.” He says bitterly, slamming his head into the table and falling silent.
“Leon…” Maxwell stares at him in awe.
“Don't call me that. I never want to hear you saying my name again.” Leon mumbles, his voice muffled from the table.
“It’s not my choice, you know.” Maxwell points out. “I do as my president says, just like you.”
“I hate your president and I loathe you.”
“Well now that’s a bit harsh just because of Fridays.”
Leon keeps his head on the table, his body unmoving. “It was the last thing I had….the last thing….”
Maxwell frowns and moves to stand next to him so he can place a hand on his head, an act that quickly results in his arm being punched away. “Alright, alright…no touching.” He sighs, sitting beside him. “Look, offer classes on Fridays, but don't stick new kids with mandatory Friday classes and let that be an option they don't have to choose in prescheduling. It will be there but it won't be in your face.”
Leon pokes his head out to glare at Maxwell. “Stop trying to make me feel better, it makes me sick.”
“Haha! Of course it does.” Maxwell smiles at him. “Look, I know we don't get along but I don't like making you sad either…there’s no sportsmanship in sorrow.”
“That makes no sense. You constantly make me sad.” Leon grumbles before standing up. “Look, I have no real choice but to agree…but even without you bringing it up I plan to find every loophole I can with it.”
“You're almost cute when you take a stand.” Maxwell teases.
“…Yeah, yep, I'm out of here.” Leon decides, walking out of the room to hide his embarrassment.
Maxwell watches him leave with an amused smile. “For such an unkempt guy he actually smells pretty good. I wonder what he uses…” He blurts out without thinking and Leon stops in his tracks, turning to look at him in complete disgust.
“Did you…did you fucking smell me you creepy bastard?” Leon asks in horror.
“H-huh? No!  You were supposed to have stormed out by now! God you are slow, no wonder you always lose against us in sports!” Maxwell taunts and Leon just stares at him.
“Insulting my sporting abilities is not going to change the fact you fucking smelled me and proceeded to talk about my scent you stupid fuck.” Leon groans. “Now please leave my campus before I have our shared police man escort you back.”
A red tint comes to Maxwell’s cheeks. “I'm going, I'm going.” He gets up and walks to the door, where Leon is still standing. “Oh, and a little fun fact.” Maxwell leans on the other side of the door frame and looks at Leon. “This weekend I am having a dinner theater.” He says, amused at the annoyed look on Leon’s face.
“Switching it up, huh?”
“The SES did an excellent job on it, too. Went all out for a special guest who will be attending.”
Leon raises a brow. “Huh? And just who did you get?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you.” Maxwell pats him on the head. “A little bonding time wouldn’t hurt us, you know? This merger has us at each other’s throats along with the other’s beckon call. We need to balance it out with a little fun.”
Leon smacks his hand away. “We don't need to get along. This was your president’s idea wasn’t it?” He asks annoyed and Maxwell laughs.
“I sure as hell didn’t make it myself! Anyways, it’s Saturday around six so I will be getting you at five to make sure you don't ditch.” Maxwell explains. “Again, the president’s idea.”
Leon sighs. “So that’s what mine meant when she said to keep Saturday open…they need to stop pushing us together.”
Maxwell groans. “I wish they would just stop.”
“Huh. Would you look at that. Something we agree on.” Leon mumbles before catching Maxwell’s leg with his foot and pushing him out of the conference room. “Now get out.”
“Gladly.”