This boy was very enthusiastic about making friends with a very disinterested hick but Jonathan couldn't deny that it was strangely fascinating. He just kept on talking. Jonathan didn't know how much he wanted to wander off with some stranger but then, it wasn't like it'd be any more dangerous just standing here. He'd already been offered drugs and seen a few hookers, it wasn't exactly 'safe' here.
Turning to Edward, he still gave him a skeptical look, as if trying to determine what the catch was. Kids never liked him. Seriously, never. Not even when he was in kindergarten. He just had a weird way about him.
Was this good or bad that someone wanted to spend time with him? Hard to say. Yet. "Tell me where you're going first and I'll tell you if I fancy the trek. Not sure you can get away from the bullshit in this town."
"I always run but never walk, often murmur but never talk, have a bed but never sleep, has a mouth but never eat. What am I?" Eddie didn't actually expect an answer, people tended to not care for his riddles, but that didn't stop him from posing them. "There's a warehouse by the river that has a section we use right now. Mostly street kids. Some like us."
He gestures to the stairs nearby. "Stoop kids." Flashing a smile, he curled his hand, gesturing to the boy to come walk with him. "You can't get away from the bullshit, but you can get dry and slightly warmer."
"I don't believe you can get warm in Gotham." It just didn't seem like a warm place. His mom had been just as depressed since they'd left - not that he felt bad for her but he understood the unstoppable feeling of the cold and dark just seeping in here. It was quite the change. "I'll come, not really like I'd do much else. Though if this is a trap or a mugging, you gonna be disappointed. I don't have anything of value."
Literally. Even his clothes were garbage. They were too big on him but the intent was that he'd grow into them. It had been two years and he still hadn't. He only grew upward, not outward. Walking beside Edward, he wondered why the boy had asked a riddle but decided not to overthink it. Probably just a nerd. "I'm Jon, by the way."
"Warmer." Actual warmth would be asking for a bit much, Edward admitted. Not that it wasn't a lot better in summer, he thought it was a bit too hot and sunny at times then, but right now? Freezing cold and dreary, more often than not. "If I wanted to mug someone, you'd make an awful target. But I'm not a mugger. I don't think I'd be any good at it."
Pickpocketing, maybe. He could do that, at least, but it wasn't really his thing either. "Nice to meet you, Jon. Short for Jonathan, right?" He looked him over. "Gift of God. I don't know about that. Anyway, what school are you going to? I reckon we must be in the same year."
"East Gotham middle school, my father says we live close to it." So he was already guessing that only meant bad things. He didn't fancy going but he didn't think he had much of an option. He put his hands into his pockets and looked ahead, just taking in the area as best he could. Everywhere was like a dark grey or dirty brown, about as dreary as expected. In Georgia, the houses tended to be red wood or pine, looked real pretty compared to this. "I start Monday. Curious to see how different it's gonna be. I hear you folks are allowed to teach evolution. That's gonna be novel."
His hick town had strict rules - all science was challenged, creationism was an option (the likely option), no sex ed allowed and daily prayers. He would not miss that. "Our science text book usually come down to 'God did it' so I've been flunking."
"The teachers are mostly ignorant imbeciles, but they do get to teach actual science. There's that." So, by comparison? At least he wasn't forced to sit there and learn anything egregiously wrong. Eddie hadn't even thought to be grateful for that. He supposed it could always get worse, there was a lesson there. "They don't like when you know too much in class."
That was his take-away, at least. "And most of the people at school are a waste of time." Jonathan was something new, at least. And he was different. Edward liked that.
"I see." So this kid was an overachieving nerd looking for validation from school and not getting it. Like bullied too. Well, Jonathan knew that feeling well enough. He couldn't say that he likely didn't deserve it either. That just seemed to be his curse, he made people hate him and not like him. No matter how hard he tried... not that he tried any more.
"Sadly, most people are a waste of time. That's just people." Edward included. Though at least he was talking to him, taking his mind off things - that was something. "I don't usually talk to anyone. It's weird."
"I talk too much. But then, I've more interesting things to say than most people, so I doubt I'll stop any time soon." If his father hadn't managed to make him shut up and stop showing off in all these years, he doubted it would somehow miraculously happen. "You like science, Jon? That's a lot more engaging than liking sports. I'll mark that down as a positive."
Not that he thought Jonathan care whether Ed liked him or not, but still. It was true, he liked this better than some boring jock. "West Gotham is strange insofar as there is a peculiar mix of rich and poor. It's because of where the school is located and some initiative to further integration, we get a lot of the rich kids that live on the edge of the city."
"I do like science, particularly chemistry. My father is a chemist, in a manner of speaking. Though he specialises in human behaviour these days." Jonathan wished he hadn't of changed fields. Not that he wasn't always a bastard but at least back there, it was easy to predict and understand. The fear in his house wasn't and when it got to him, it got him bad. "I like both but I don't care much for people so I lean towards chemistry. I do not understand sports."
He watched a lot of football and he still didn't quite grasp how it was played. "I assume the poor people aren't thrilled, to be forced to associate with such lower classes."
"Depends. Mostly there's a pretty stark divide. Rich and popular, the only way to sit at their table is to do their bidding one way or another." Eddie shrugged, his mind already on the new information being revealed. Jonathan's father was a chemist? Human behaviour... That was fascinating. He would have to investigate further. "This is all from an outsider's point of view, obviously. I don't exactly belong. Anywhere."
That said he opened the door to the warehouse, now they'd reached it, letting Jonathan in first. Not a lot of kids around, but there were some barrels with fire burning in them and it was dry, so there was that. "I didn't promise a lot, so I didn't promise too much."
"I doubt I will belong. If I don't belong back home, I sure as shoot ain't gonna last out here." He had a weird accent, he looked funny and he couldn't help annoying people - he was so doomed. School was going to be a nightmare, he just knew it. As he headed into the warehouse, he looked around before nodding his head, unable to deny that Edward was right - he made it very clear he wasn't promising much.
But he kept his promise. That was all that mattered. "Still better than outside. The streets are are awful. I used to walk through fields, now it's all cobblestone." And he kept tripping!
"Fields, huh? Well, I'm sure you were outstanding at walking through them." Eddie smiled to himself and walked closer to a barrel, holding out his hands so he could warm them up. "If you have to stand on the streets, best to stick close to the wall. Easier to blend in."
Easier to avoid trouble, which ran rampant in the area in so many ways. "Who knows, Jonny. If neither of us belong, maybe we can stand on the outside together."
He kind of liked the accent, personally. "So. Your father is a scientist?" That was a hell of a lot better than his own old man.
"Perhaps we can. You don't seem stupid." So that was a plus. He wasn't calling him gay or accusing him of being a giant nerd so this was already the best relationship he'd ever had with someone his age. Usually, it was rougher than this. "I know that I will always be there so if you wish to stand with someone, I suppose I am the right one to pick."
Jonathan watched the flames but didn't put his hands over the fire - he was just fascinated by how the flames danced in the can.
"Yes, he is. He used to do research science. Still is but less peer reviewed so I'm not sure how to define it. He has an on-going project." And maybe he could get a proper job at a university and earn them some money, who knew? "How about you?"
"About me? You mean my father?" Edward snorted, because the idea of his father as a scientist was inherently funny for so many reasons. "With him, I'm prepared to give him standing ovations should he ever manage to string together three coherent sentences. He's a few steps below on the evolutional ladder, if you follow me. Despite your lack of education where evolution is concerned."
"I understand the principles of evolution." Jonathan felt the need to point out, not wanting to seem like some idiotic zealot. He didn't care for what they taught, he had his own resources. "I read all of my father's books. He loves books, we have a lot of them. I know everything I need to know about science. I didn't read the other stuff, it's not as fun."
Though he did have a special place in his heart for Sleepy Hollow. "The best thing about my old man is all the books he owns. Books are my favourite thing."
"Books are a grand thing. I don't own any, but I love the library." Huh. He grinned at Jonathan. "I'll take you there, Jon-boy, this time I have a lot more to promise. For some boy from a hick town, I imagine the Gotham City Library would be quite impressive, since you are smart enough to appreciate books."
It was the place he had gotten the most knowledge from for sure. He had learned reading their originally, when he'd been a lot younger, now he was teaching himself a lot about computers. The library was his true refuge. He wondered whether Jonathan could truly understand that.
"I would very much like to do that, Edward. Thank you, I appreciate the offer." Jonathan very nearly almost sorta smiled at Edward, feeling good about something for the first time since he moved. So maybe Gotham wasn't the worst. He might have friends, an easy to access library and a place to go to get away from his father - it wasn't all entirely negative after all.
"I'm free almost any time, school aside." He didn't exactly have a social life. "Whenever you are ready, I am too."
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icebergloungers2021-01-31 12:59 pm
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Turning to Edward, he still gave him a skeptical look, as if trying to determine what the catch was. Kids never liked him. Seriously, never. Not even when he was in kindergarten. He just had a weird way about him.
Was this good or bad that someone wanted to spend time with him? Hard to say. Yet. "Tell me where you're going first and I'll tell you if I fancy the trek. Not sure you can get away from the bullshit in this town."
no subject
He gestures to the stairs nearby. "Stoop kids." Flashing a smile, he curled his hand, gesturing to the boy to come walk with him. "You can't get away from the bullshit, but you can get dry and slightly warmer."
no subject
Literally. Even his clothes were garbage. They were too big on him but the intent was that he'd grow into them. It had been two years and he still hadn't. He only grew upward, not outward. Walking beside Edward, he wondered why the boy had asked a riddle but decided not to overthink it. Probably just a nerd. "I'm Jon, by the way."
no subject
Pickpocketing, maybe. He could do that, at least, but it wasn't really his thing either. "Nice to meet you, Jon. Short for Jonathan, right?" He looked him over. "Gift of God. I don't know about that. Anyway, what school are you going to? I reckon we must be in the same year."
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His hick town had strict rules - all science was challenged, creationism was an option (the likely option), no sex ed allowed and daily prayers. He would not miss that. "Our science text book usually come down to 'God did it' so I've been flunking."
no subject
That was his take-away, at least. "And most of the people at school are a waste of time." Jonathan was something new, at least. And he was different. Edward liked that.
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"Sadly, most people are a waste of time. That's just people." Edward included. Though at least he was talking to him, taking his mind off things - that was something. "I don't usually talk to anyone. It's weird."
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Not that he thought Jonathan care whether Ed liked him or not, but still. It was true, he liked this better than some boring jock. "West Gotham is strange insofar as there is a peculiar mix of rich and poor. It's because of where the school is located and some initiative to further integration, we get a lot of the rich kids that live on the edge of the city."
no subject
He watched a lot of football and he still didn't quite grasp how it was played. "I assume the poor people aren't thrilled, to be forced to associate with such lower classes."
no subject
That said he opened the door to the warehouse, now they'd reached it, letting Jonathan in first. Not a lot of kids around, but there were some barrels with fire burning in them and it was dry, so there was that. "I didn't promise a lot, so I didn't promise too much."
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But he kept his promise. That was all that mattered. "Still better than outside. The streets are are awful. I used to walk through fields, now it's all cobblestone." And he kept tripping!
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Easier to avoid trouble, which ran rampant in the area in so many ways. "Who knows, Jonny. If neither of us belong, maybe we can stand on the outside together."
He kind of liked the accent, personally. "So. Your father is a scientist?" That was a hell of a lot better than his own old man.
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Jonathan watched the flames but didn't put his hands over the fire - he was just fascinated by how the flames danced in the can.
"Yes, he is. He used to do research science. Still is but less peer reviewed so I'm not sure how to define it. He has an on-going project." And maybe he could get a proper job at a university and earn them some money, who knew? "How about you?"
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With a shrug, he summarised. "He's an ape."
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Though he did have a special place in his heart for Sleepy Hollow. "The best thing about my old man is all the books he owns. Books are my favourite thing."
no subject
It was the place he had gotten the most knowledge from for sure. He had learned reading their originally, when he'd been a lot younger, now he was teaching himself a lot about computers. The library was his true refuge. He wondered whether Jonathan could truly understand that.
no subject
"I'm free almost any time, school aside." He didn't exactly have a social life. "Whenever you are ready, I am too."