Roommate Bonding

It's been maybe two weeks since Grey's arrived at the orphanage and we haven't really gotten all that close which I'd say is a major problem since although it's not awkward anymore it's not fun either and I'm a firm believer that if you don't want to burn out when trying hard on something you always need to have some fun. In my last life, video games were my first choice but as I grew into my teens I started reading novels then gradually fell into the rabbit hole known only as "the Isekai garbage dump". Of course I found a few books I believed were gems but strangely my top three were all from different countries, with "Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation" at the first spot, the novel in which I'm currently in "The Beginning After the End" as a close second, only not first since it's unfinished, and at third I always put "The Second Coming of Gluttony", I didn't like the harem at some times but the romance was decent on top of good character development, great world building and an interesting story was enough to put it at second, I'm pretty interested in learning how to make a Ki Sword and maybe I can try to pull of some interesting moves from that novel, like raining Ki Swords all over the battlefield. What a dream it would be if I woke up and had the raw strength to pull it off.

As for my first choice, character development is top tier, with literal trash becoming a decent guy with a strong will. World building is top tier as well with the novel exploring pretty much every facet of the world it takes place in, as for the romance easily top tier no questions asked, I swear it's one of the few novels that actually does harem well. How I wish I could just sit and read all day, but no, I have to go and chat it up with a stupid masochist. How the hell am I even meant to do that, like kick him, maybe bully him till he decides that we're friends, I'm pretty sure that's not how masochists work but you'd never know till you try and I don't feel like trying that shit out so I'll need to come up with something else.

Maybe start adding him to my and Nico's prank wars, but how would I approach that subject. You know what, screw it, I've never been the best at talking so I'll just be blunt and hope for the best. "OI, GREY" I yelled out a little too loudly which caused Grey to flinch before he responded "yes.." "Want to join in on a prank war me and Nico are having"

" Sure, but what exactly are you doing, what are pranks?"

"Basically just elaborate ways of annoying eachother for fun"

"How would that even be fun?"

"Hey, lighten up a little gloomy guy!"

"You didn't answer my question!"

"Fine princess, come and you'll see"

"WHY'D YOU CALL ME PRINCESS!?"

"hehe, since it's fun seeing such a gloomy kid get so angry" "ugh" Grey grunted seemingly deciding that he'd stop falling for my tricks, by not responding anymore.

As I had decided that I've annoyed the princess enough for now, I went and found a folded piece of black paper that looked slightly like a spider that I'd made a few days ago in preparation to scare Nico after I learnt of his fear of spiders. Grey looked strangely at me but I ignored it and put a mischievous smile on my face that somehow screamed I was completely confident that what I was doing would work, before gesturing for him to follow me.

We arrived near Nico and I called out to him saying "Hey Nico, me and Grey have something we want to ask about"

"Be there in a second!" Nico replied

Normally Nico would think of me pulling a prank on him as the cause of me calling him over to me, however the presence of Grey made him less suspicious of me which was just what I wanted.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Grey just wanted to ask a question about how you make your plans for pranks so elaborate" I replied while wrapping my arm around his shoulder and lightly dropping the spider paper on his shoulder.

"Ahh, spider on your shoulder!" I said with the most surprised tone I could muster up. Nico looked over to his shoulder and saw the spider paper on his shoulder before he started screaming like a little girl and smacking his shoulder. Seeing his reaction I burst out into laughter and even Grey let out a little giggle.

Realising that this was just a prank Nico looked at me with hatred in his eyes worthy of a future war criminal before yelling

"I'LL GET YOU BACK ALIOOOOO!!!!"