icebergloungers | I write sins, not tragedies

Of course he couldn't have started at the very beginning of term, no. Since he had had to make the whole way here on a series of buses, it had taken too long and he was now almost a week late, meaning that him being new would get far more attention. Edward didn't really want attention, for once. He was still bruised - metaphorically and literally - from everything that had happened. It was too bright here, definitely too hot, entirely too humid and he longed for Gotham already. He longed for civilisation.

"This is Edward Nashton," the teacher introduced him and Edward tried to find it in himself to not just look sullen. It wasn't easy though. Everyone looked dull. Dull and from at least two decades ago, had he time travelled? The girls almost all wore dresses, everyone had a vacant quality to them and the hairstyles? Ugh. "He is from Gotham City. I hope y'all show him some real Southern hospitality."

To his credit, Edward managed not to gag, although he did roll his eyes.

The teacher looked him over with a frown. "We will explain the dress code to you later."

He hadn't thought about that, but while his jeans, t-shirt and sneakers, all of them only minimally customised with some stitching and writing, were perfectly normal for his school in Gotham City, apparently not so much here. "Sorry. I didn't know plaid could be a uniform."

Seriously, what was it with these people and plaid? He walked past some of those plaid clad idiots and then ended up just sitting in the back row, since there weren't that many free spots. There was a kid in the corner by himself, as if he was a leper. Interesting. More interesting than the whispers and glances he got from the people around him, that was. He recognised that well enough. Some jocks trying to determine how hard he'd be to beat up - not very - some girls trying to figure out whether he was a nerd or sexy - two things could be true - and everyone being frightfully dull and boring. Some things didn't change, apparently.

So he looked to the side, trying to make eye-contact with the weird corner kid. Weirdness was always more fun. Or maybe that was the Gotham energy in him talking, but whatever. One could leave the city, but the city hadn't left him.

Jonathan hated school, violently and with such a passion, to him it was the hell that church always warned him over. Idiots, fools, brutes and primates. And not only were the people all fucking terrible but the lessons weren't much better. And this was his least favourite class - science. An insult to science, more like. He had much more fun skimming the text book for uncensored information and doing his own research than listening to his teacher badly explain how life came to be.

He was wriggling his pen under one of the stickers covering a diagram on his text book when he felt eyes on him and there was no shaking it. He didn't like people staring at him.

Slowly, he turned his head and looked over the new boy, giving him a look of utter contempt. The hell was the city boy's problem? Did he have some kind of issue with him or what? Last thing he needed was more people coming at him. Especially not some uppity rich boy - had to be rich, he seemed all fancy like. Gelled hair and nice shoes? All the right hallmarks.

Turning away from Edward, he finished lodging his pencil under the sticker and pulled it off quietly, peering underneath it. As he did this, the teacher asked him... something. She definitely said his name but he wasn't sure what on Earth she had asked him and he looked blankly at her as she clearly expected some kind of answer.

"Jonathan, I asked you a question."

"Oh. I assume God did it?" Jonathan asked bluntly, not sure what else he was expected to say. She teacher was glaring at him but Jonathan was already looking away again. He'd probably get detention again. Oh well.

This lesson was already a crap shot and it had only just started. Edward was mostly just watching, trying to figure out whether this was all a practical joke. Sure, his educators in Gotham hadn't exactly been the best either, but miles above this crap. So when the boy in the corner - Jonathan, apparently - was asked that incredibly stupid question, Edward couldn't help but jump in.

"Your belief in intelligent design relies upon a mischaracterization of biological mutation as a relatively linear process involving only the addition of more and more "parts," rather than a dynamic process that can also reshape, rearrange, or fundamentally alter existing elements and features." All right, he was probably talking above this teacher's reading level. Also, based on the look she was giving him? Not pleased at all by any of what she did understand of what he said. Still, he persisted, gesturing to try and get her to follow. "Systems that must be fully formed to serve their current function could have developed from earlier forms that served a different function, or could be significantly reorganized versions of an earlier form that served the same function."

"...Edward, I see you have not learned appropriate classroom conduct yet. I thought as much going by your report card, but I was hoping you'd prove me wrong."

"Well, I just did." Ha. "I mean, not about the conduct."

Yeah, he was getting detention.

"Jonathan, Edward. Detention after school."

"... What? He said it, I agreed with you." Jonathan protested but he knew she did not like him after he challenged her last year on this bullshit. He probably shouldn't have questioned her too much on evolution but it got so frustrating. He felt it was very personal that he was getting penalised for Edward's bullshit but whatever, that was his lot in life. "I mean he ain't wrong but--"

"Do not answer back or you'll get two days of detention. Are we quite done?"

Jonathan sighed and leaned back in his chair, exhaling in annoyance as the lesson continued and she instead called upon the future homecoming queen, who gave her the exact answer she was likely looking for. Quoting bible verses and all, real nice work. Jonathan rolled his eyes and turned to Edward, unsure how a guy who two braincells expected to function in this mess. City kids didn't belong in this sort of system. Jonathan met his eyes and then looked back at his book, reading the diagram he had freed instead of getting distracted by Edward.

Jonathan had really nice eyes.

Oh, no. That was the thought brought on by his recent heartbreak and current horniness, definitely not something he needed. Not that he needed any of this. He had been in his hellhole for about half an hour and he had already earned himself detention and the strong desire to put his head through a wall.

He sighed and started scribbling in his notebook, since any kind of stimulation was better than listening to the teacher. She did call on him once, clearly testing to see if he'd listened, but when he managed to quote her back exactly - down to her infliction - she couldn't do anything to punish him further. Yet. He was sure they would soon. Teachers back home in Gotham had hated him too.

But there was someone interesting here, at least. Edward finally wrote down a riddle, tore the paper off, folded it up and tossed it over at Jonathan's desk when nobody was watching.

What is the difference between a school boy studying and a farmer watching his cattle?

Jonathan looked at the paper on his desk and made sure no one had seen before opening it carefully, assuming it must have come from Edward. Usually people didn't toss him notes, usually people just threw stuff at him. Drinks, paper balls, food, pens and occasionally, pencil sharpeners - those really hurt. Always at him, not to him. He looked over the words written on the paper before raising his eyebrow and looked at Edward.

Huh. Was that a riddle of a joke? Jonathan wasn't sure and he didn't care, he turned the paper over, scribbled his answer and flicked the paper back over when the teacher's back was turned.

Not appropriate classroom conduct.
What would God think?
For shame.

He smirked to himself as he looked at his text book, amused at how entertaining it was to have someone new around. He never thought it'd be so fun but it kind of was. He didn't like him much but he did think it was different. Different was always an improvement.

God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?

The real accomplishment here was Edward's ability to fit all these letters on a scrap of paper while still writing legibly, but he had had a lot of practise over years of not getting a proper notebook to write in. He knew how to make use of space. Really, he was just hoping to make Jonathan smirk again, the expression fit him. And if he was someone who could appreciate a Nietzsche quote, he was definitely unique in this Georgian town.

Edward flicked the balled up paper his way, then leaned back and waited for his reaction.

Jonathan caught the note and looked around before opening it up and reading it over, a small smirk on his face as he read over the lines, impressed that he could fit all of that on a scrap of paper. As Jonathan finished reading, the guy sitting in front of him turned around and gave Jonathan and Edward a look before getting a smirk of his own.

"Looks like the fairy got himself a boyfriend. You passing faggy little love notes?"

"Fuck off." Jonathan hissed, hoping the teacher didn't turn around. Unfortunately, the guy was hitting his friend in front and getting his attention, the boys snickering over the idea of two guys passing love notes or whatever homophobic shit they wanted to laugh over. Jonathan tucked the note away in his pocket before anyone else saw and told on them, looking away from Edward to try and save him from getting dragged down with him. Funny or not, it wasn't worth it. Edward would have enough shit to deal with, never mind all of his stuff.

Well, that was nothing new. Although it was interesting that Jonathan got the homophobic bullying, made Edward wonder whether that was just the only default setting those idiots knew or if there was something to it. He should not be wondering about that, not after his recent misadventures, but here he was anyway. He was still debating whether to try and pass him another note when the bell rang and he got up, going the direct route of walking up to Jonathan's desk.

"Nice meeting you and absolutely nothing else around here." He smiled, tried to look charming, and even held his hand out. There, he could conduct himself.

Jonathan looked up at Edward and the hand extended to him, looking almost immediately suspicious. He didn't fancy touching his hand, felt like a trap and all but he also knew that it was good manners so he was compelled to return it, shaking Edward's hand firmly before rising to his feet picking up his bag, cramming his book into it.

"Don't get too carried away now, son. You don't even know me. You watch yourself and you keep away if you know what's good for you." He slung his bag on and stepped around Edward, heading towards the exit. He was the lowest of the low here, any time spent with him would not help his standing. He was doing Edward a favour.

Son? Huh. Edward wanted to just follow right behind Jonathan, but unfortunately some of the boys had taken it upon themselves to heckle him over sounding like a nerd before, apparently. It might have ended even worse, but luckily Edward knew how to charm some of the girls in class, at least temporarily, making them speak up to have the boys lay off him.

He assumed that really would only lead to more hurt down the line, but at least it meant he could follow behind Jonathan. Of course, by then it was too late and he had to go to his next class anyway.

It wasn't until it was time for detention that he did see Jonathan again and he just sat down next to him this time. "If I knew what was good for me, I wouldn't be stuck here."

He just continued their exchange, as if the hours between then and now hadn't passed.

"What?" He looked at Edward, trying to work out if he had said something to lead into that... then he had a mini flashback and realised that yes, he had. He took a sharp inhale and then tried not to laugh as he turned forward, staring at the blackboard instead. "You just saved that up for when you saw me again? Huh. You really don't like unresolved shit, do you? Or do you just like to have the last word?"

Probably a mix of both. He checked his watch and sighed, knowing he had half an hour to go and the teacher wasn't even here yet. Usually all they had to do was clean so it wasn't going to be too awkward. Hopefully.

"Some of column a, some of column b. Oh, and every other conversation I've had today has been so dreadfully dull, you are like my shining light in this ocean of shit." That was slightly exaggerated in some ways, mainly that he knew that Jonathan wasn't that much of a light. Didn't even seem like he wanted to look at him, for one, something Edward had never taken to well. Not from people whose attention he wanted.

So, maybe he should provoke him. "You gay?"

Perhaps Jonathan should have been shocked, there was an awkward moment where he felt his heart stop because it was just a habit but these days, the feeling didn't linger any more. It was a quick feeling, in and out of him, and all that was left was resignation and amusement. He got asked this a lot. Or called it a lot. With a tired sigh, he still didn't look at Edward. This boy clearly wanted to provoke but not because he wanted to make an enemy - he wanted to make a friend. He wanted Jonathan to give him some sort of attention or validation. He wasn't going to give it - it was more fun this way.

"Bad classroom conduct again." Jonathan tsked, his tone mocking. "That's a slippery slope to Satan right there."

"Good, good. I was hoping I'd get to see the devil coming down to Georgia, Jonny." Might as well, he had had that song stuck in his head since he'd made the connection before. All the more reason to befriend this strange boy. Since Jonathan still wasn't looking at him, Edward looked at him all the more closely, studying what he could see. Plaid, like the unofficial uniform dictated. Did not fit him well, his clothes. His hands were calloused, he had felt that before. Farm work? Probably, at a place like this.

Edward so wasn't the type for outside work. He was annoyed enough by the freckles he was already sporting. So not his style. "So, what do you do? I'm a sinner." Evidently.

"I can tell." It was pretty obvious that Edward was a sinner and he loved being one. Not that Jonathan cared either way but he did find men who dabbled in sin more interesting, more intriguing, more... attractive. He didn't like to think about it too much, that was a good way to get himself into a lot of trouble but Edward was stupidly handsome and it was stupid to pretend that he wasn't.

"Doesn't matter what I am or what I do. I ain't looking for friendship." He was just looking to be left alone. People around him were baggage, weaknesses that he couldn't easily get rid of - he didn't need people.

"Shame." Edward thought about that for a while, or maybe he was thinking about a lot of things at once, if the scribbling in his notebook was anything to go by. He really, really hated this place. He hadn't thought he'd miss even the things he didn't like about Gotham so much. At least he knew the idiots there. This was new, strange and a lot more shrouded in religion than he felt comfortable with. "You got a car? Because detention's made me miss my ride. What if I throw you a pretty please?"

Worth a try.

"What? You can't just walk it?" He supposed a city boy wasn't used to walking home, probably had some form of transport and lived close to his school, didn't face a daunting 50 minute walk home when he missed the bus or anything. Jonathan wasn't really one for offers of charity, he didn't exactly do things just cause. "Maybe you just shouldn't have gotten detention, genius."

Before they could discuss it much more, the teacher entered and proceeded to give them a ten minute lecture on classroom etiquette before making them clear out the classroom, in silence, on opposite sides of the room. Jonathan was used to this sort of thing, he just turned his mind off and got through it, waiting until the teacher told them that they had done enough.

"When you come tomorrow, I expect you both to attend with a very different attitude."

"Yes, ma'am." Jonathan pulled his bag on and wondered if Edward would try his luck for a ride again or what. He kind of hoped he did, he was amusingly persistent.

"Sure." Edward expected he'd be way more combative from the start, mostly. Honestly, this wasn't bad enough to teach him much of a lesson. Few things were, he was never deterred that easily. Which was also why he simply walked next to Jonathan, as if he had already been guaranteed a ride with him. Sometimes that worked with people, got them to go along with him.

"I am a genius, actually. You know?" Yes, he was continuing a conversation again as if it had just been paused temporarily. "They had me tested. Not that these tests are all that conclusive, honestly. Better than nothing, I guess."

Hadn't helped him, he was still doing nothing much in hick town, nowhere, Georgia.

"Congrats to that." Jonathan offered him with utter disinterest in his tone because it was awfully amusing to see Edward just pick up where they left off every time, not deterred by breaks and distractions. Jonathan really did find him entertaining. He was strangely endearing with how needy and determined to prove himself that he was - Jonathan never knew he liked needy people. How novel.

"No one who's real smart would have done any shit to get them sent here. You came from a city and now you're in the middle of fucking nowhere. Not a lot to do with that fancy IQ now, is there?" Only cow tipping and hay rides.

"If being smart granted me autonomy, it would have had to somehow age me out of being a minor. But, you know, what flies without wings? Mountains will crumble and temples will fall, and no man can survive its endless call. Time. Only thing that will get me out of here." And, evidently, painfully slowly. One day, however. "I like it better from you."

Wait, he should explain what he meant. "The accent. You make it sound better." Kind of hot, actually. Maybe he liked country boys after all.

As they finally exited the school, Edward groaned and lifted his hand to shade his eyes. "Why is it so sunny all the time?"

"You're a weird one. All city boys this weird?" Talking like they only spout riddles, calling his accent nice and then whining about a beautiful sunny day like it was the worst thing that could happen to him. He was an odd one but he was charming in his own weird way - and he said things that made Jonathan feel things that he certainly didn't want to feel. He pushed it all down as he pulled out his car keys and walked towards the battered old truck at the far side of the parking lot.

It was light blue, rusted as hell and the back was full of farming tools his grandma always needed him to have. He unlocked the door, tossed his backpack in and then looked at Edward, who was clearly waiting for a ride.

"You want something else? Directions, maybe? I can give you some advise on what fields got rattles in 'em. You don't wanna tread on those."

"No. I mean, maybe? But they are not like me. Most of them are as moronic as the imbeciles that populate this school." He smiled at Jonathan, knowing that the boy could see it out of the corner of his eyes, even if he stubbornly refused to look directly at him. "Present company excluded, obviously."

He looked at the car and whistled. "That's impressively rural. Looks like a prop for a music video."

He loved it, honestly. "I like that you go all in. No half-assing the aesthetic here." He could appreciate that. Not so much the idea of snakes in fields he'd have to walk through. He put a hand on the car door, stepping closer.

"Aw, Jonny, don't tease. You know you want to know me better. I'm the most interesting thing that's happened to this town in ages."

"Then you ain't heard about the crop circle up at Mr Henderson's farm. Now that, son, is real interesting." Jonathan rolled his eyes as got into the car and waited for Edward to get in, manually winding down his windows cause it was fucking on in his car and cause he wanted to smoke. He put a cigarette in his mouth and light up, letting it hang loose between his lips as he started up his car.

He didn't bother with a seatbelt, he just backed up out of the space once Edward was in, checking behind him before taking off. It was one hell of a bumpy ride and Jon drove with one hand on the wheel, the other pulling the cigarette from his lips.

"Where'd you live?"

"Peach Tree Street. The one behind the church." Because apparently this nothing town just had to have more than one Peach Tree Street. He hadn't even seen a damn peach tree yet! Not that he was all that eager to. Edward leaned back in the seat, pulled a leg up and wrapped his arms around it, watching Jonathan from the side. He didn't like the smell of smoke, never had, but he had to admit that there was something aesthetically pleasing about all this. Jonathan had a strong profile. He fit the country boy thing, but his eyes held more than he saw in anyone else around here. He was taking note.

"Crop circles are interesting." He could admit that. "Hey, Jonny. You know where to get weed around here?"

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