Ezra's hatred of math isn't anything special per se, just a normal teen boy's hatred of math, but because he's a teenage boy he hates it a lot. Because he's also understandably worried about Hera's reaction if he gets into trouble, he doesn't bother skipping, but he does spend most of the class trying not to get picked on, with his chin in his palms and his gaze out of the window at the school fields.
Which is why he sees someone he knows shouldn't be out there. And that's when his fear of Hera is overridden by... something. Call it wanting to look out for the new kid. He puts his hand up immediately for a hall pass - spinning a tale very quickly about needing to help Kanan with something.
He'll face that music when it comes to it.
So, stashing his stuff in his locker, and leaving a cover for me note for Sabine, he slips out of the school building. He knows all the exits by now, and has a pretty good idea of where someone might head on their first day, so jogs off in that direction.
Spot's pretty much wandering aimlessly, just trying to find a spot (ha) he can avoid people and wait out the end of the class - and maybe quietly sulk about the whole situation.
He figures outdoors makes the most sense, he's way less likely to run into anybody, so he skirts around the edge of the school grounds until he finds a spot that seems out of the way enough that nobody's going to bother him and settles down to wait.
He's not dumb enough to turn his hearing aids off, but he does pull out his phone and start flicking through the photos - he's only making his bad mood worse, of course, but it's something to do. Something distracting enough that he doesn't notice when somebody else approaches.
Ezra is, it has to be said, not deliberately sneaking up on anyone. It's just that he's naturally light of foot and has a lot of habits learned from a nefarious past, so it's easy for him to sneak up accidentally.
When he sees Spot, he slows down to approach, but when ebven that approach doesn't seem to be noticed, he stops a short distance away, hands thrust in his pockets, and clears his throat loudly.
Spot flinches at the sound, panic in his eyes when he looks up - panic that is quickly masked by a scowl, annoyed at himself for being so easily startled, and at the newcomer for startling him.
He isn't sure what to do with that annoyance when he sees that it's Ezra, but the scowl doesn't really fade. He's wary, now, too - their interaction at lunch was pleasant enough but he doesn't really think he can call Ezra a friend, and if he's a teacher's kid how is he going to feel about Spot skipping?
Ezra tries not to take the scowl personally. He didn't actually come out here with a plan, he just wanted to make sure the angry new kid didn't get himself into trouble, and with his own history, he connects 'running off to be alone' with 'about to do something destructive and/or needs someone to check up on him.'
He doesn't wait for an answer, just drops down to the ground where he's standing, ready to whip his own phone out, or make conversation, whichever works.
Spot pauses for a moment and then nods, the scowl softening slightly - it's not exactly a pleased expression, but it's not quite so combative any more, more like cautious acceptance.
"I don't have any more cookies, if that's what you're after." He comments, deadpan but he's probably joking... probably.
Spot snorts slightly in something approaching amusement, and he actually looks like he's starting to relax - nobody who's going to hang around and make jokes is also going to then turn around and try and get him in trouble for skipping, not when he's doing the same.
Well. He might, but then there'll just be a fight. Right now he's willing to accept that Ezra probably doesn't care enough to be plotting his betrayal.
And then... then it's awkward, because Ezra didn't come out here with a plan beyond 'make sure Spot doesn't actually get into real trouble' and 'be there if he needs you' so then when conversation doesn't flow naturally he isn't sure what to say.
Spot's got his phone out though, and Ezra eventually gets his out, at first useing 'just checking messages' as an excuse.
(Because Sabine's picked up his message and has texted back to say 'wtf?')
Spot glances back down at his phone when Ezra looks at his, unsure what to do about the slightly awkward air that's developed - only, then he realises that he's just making himself feel worse looking at pictures, because what's he going to do? Tell his grandmother thanks but no thanks, let's move back to Brooklyn?
He sighs, shoving his phone back in his pocket and leaning back on his hands, looking up at the sky.
"What're they like here about skipping, anyway?" he asks "They gonna call home?"
Spot nods. So, he's got a bit of time to figure out what he's going to do - it'll be harder for them to notice, he thinks, with him being new, and he can handle a detention or two before his grandmother gets called and he actually has to face the proverbial music.
If he can think up an excuse before it gets to that point, so much the better...
"Good to know." He says after a moment.
Of course, that only helps with the problem of whether or not he's going to get away with avoiding the classes, the real problem is that he actually wants to dance, and he can't get better on his own, he needs a teacher... it's just whether his distaste at the idea of being in a group class, being the only boy in a group class, outweighs his need for teaching...
"He might," Ezra allows. "I dunno how much those two talk. If he does, I'll be grounded or something. Not like I haven't been in trouble before."
He will absolutely say 'I wanted to check in on the new kid,' but he's not going to say that to Spot right now. And Kanan and Hera might understand, but no one else would.
Spot nods - maybe that should be a red flag, some sign that he's getting involved with the 'wrong crowd', but mostly it's just reassurance that he's found somebody who isn't going to judge him for being a little bit rough around the edges. Besides, Ezra's not exactly a crowd.
His grandmother cares more about him having friends at all than about his friends being a 'good influence' anyway.
If he notices the mirroring he doesn't show it, just nods at the words.
"I gotta do chores anyway," he shrugs - they're nothing compared to what his dad expected him to do - living with his grandmother is basically a cakewalk compared to living with his dad.
"Yeah," Ezra agrees, "me too. Hera's just really good at coming up with new, extra bad ones. Like the cat litter box for a week, or deep cleaning the bathroom, or the car."
Hera is really good at creative punishments, he has to admit.
"You think you're in for something like that if they hear about you skipping today, then?" He asks
He wonders what his grandmother will do if she hears about this, about him not even giving the class a chance... probably won't even punish him, she'll probably be disappointed at him.
"Probably not," Ezra says wryly. "I'll probably get sat down for a family discussion where they check I'm okay and ask me to talk about my feelings or whatever."
And tell him that he should have ratted on Spot for skipping, instead of following him out here.
"Yeah, no kidding," he agrees. It won't be too bad, he figures. Hopefully they'll understand, but he will be forced into doing catch up math or whatever. Probably have to skip dance practice, which if he's honest is the worse punishment.
"Can't disagree with that" Spot nods. He does not volunteer which class he is skipping.
"I used to skip a lot at my old school. Nobody really cared." Which was for the best, really, since half the time he was skipping to hide bruises or injuries, and if they cared they would have phoned home and just made it worse.
When he came back, he skipped out of habit, and frustration - everything was so much harder after the months he'd missed.
Then he pauses, wonders how much he should share, and how much would be awkward - then decides that it's probably okay to share. To let Spot know that whatever he's got going on, he's not alone.
"Yea, sounds like the same kind of place as mine," he nods - he wonders if they would have noticed if his grandmother hadn't notified them when he was in the hospital.
"Guess your foster parents don't let you get away with that though?"
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branchandroot
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Date: 2022-08-26 08:24 am (UTC)Which is why he sees someone he knows shouldn't be out there. And that's when his fear of Hera is overridden by... something. Call it wanting to look out for the new kid. He puts his hand up immediately for a hall pass - spinning a tale very quickly about needing to help Kanan with something.
He'll face that music when it comes to it.
So, stashing his stuff in his locker, and leaving a cover for me note for Sabine, he slips out of the school building. He knows all the exits by now, and has a pretty good idea of where someone might head on their first day, so jogs off in that direction.
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Date: 2022-08-26 08:43 am (UTC)Spot's pretty much wandering aimlessly, just trying to find a spot (ha) he can avoid people and wait out the end of the class - and maybe quietly sulk about the whole situation.
He figures outdoors makes the most sense, he's way less likely to run into anybody, so he skirts around the edge of the school grounds until he finds a spot that seems out of the way enough that nobody's going to bother him and settles down to wait.
He's not dumb enough to turn his hearing aids off, but he does pull out his phone and start flicking through the photos - he's only making his bad mood worse, of course, but it's something to do. Something distracting enough that he doesn't notice when somebody else approaches.
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Date: 2022-08-26 08:48 am (UTC)When he sees Spot, he slows down to approach, but when ebven that approach doesn't seem to be noticed, he stops a short distance away, hands thrust in his pockets, and clears his throat loudly.
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Date: 2022-08-26 09:03 am (UTC)Spot flinches at the sound, panic in his eyes when he looks up - panic that is quickly masked by a scowl, annoyed at himself for being so easily startled, and at the newcomer for startling him.
He isn't sure what to do with that annoyance when he sees that it's Ezra, but the scowl doesn't really fade. He's wary, now, too - their interaction at lunch was pleasant enough but he doesn't really think he can call Ezra a friend, and if he's a teacher's kid how is he going to feel about Spot skipping?
"....hey..."
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Date: 2022-08-26 09:42 am (UTC)Ezra tries not to take the scowl personally. He didn't actually come out here with a plan, he just wanted to make sure the angry new kid didn't get himself into trouble, and with his own history, he connects 'running off to be alone' with 'about to do something destructive and/or needs someone to check up on him.'
He doesn't wait for an answer, just drops down to the ground where he's standing, ready to whip his own phone out, or make conversation, whichever works.
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Date: 2022-08-26 09:58 am (UTC)Spot pauses for a moment and then nods, the scowl softening slightly - it's not exactly a pleased expression, but it's not quite so combative any more, more like cautious acceptance.
"I don't have any more cookies, if that's what you're after." He comments, deadpan but he's probably joking... probably.
(He is, he's just not very good at it)
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Date: 2022-08-26 10:10 am (UTC)"Damn, I really had my hopes up there," he returns, with what would be equal deadpan, except for that smirk.
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Date: 2022-08-26 10:12 am (UTC)Spot snorts slightly in something approaching amusement, and he actually looks like he's starting to relax - nobody who's going to hang around and make jokes is also going to then turn around and try and get him in trouble for skipping, not when he's doing the same.
Well. He might, but then there'll just be a fight. Right now he's willing to accept that Ezra probably doesn't care enough to be plotting his betrayal.
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Date: 2022-08-26 10:49 am (UTC)Spot's got his phone out though, and Ezra eventually gets his out, at first useing 'just checking messages' as an excuse.
(Because Sabine's picked up his message and has texted back to say 'wtf?')
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Date: 2022-08-26 10:55 am (UTC)Spot glances back down at his phone when Ezra looks at his, unsure what to do about the slightly awkward air that's developed - only, then he realises that he's just making himself feel worse looking at pictures, because what's he going to do? Tell his grandmother thanks but no thanks, let's move back to Brooklyn?
He sighs, shoving his phone back in his pocket and leaning back on his hands, looking up at the sky.
"What're they like here about skipping, anyway?" he asks "They gonna call home?"
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Date: 2022-08-26 12:39 pm (UTC)"Depends if they notice," he says. "But yeah, if they do, they'll probably do a couple detentions and call when they decide you're a problem kid."
Because he definitely was one of them when he arrived.
Another shrug, and he adds: "Got to figure out what's not going to be questioned. I said I had to help my Dad with something."
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Date: 2022-08-26 01:10 pm (UTC)Spot nods. So, he's got a bit of time to figure out what he's going to do - it'll be harder for them to notice, he thinks, with him being new, and he can handle a detention or two before his grandmother gets called and he actually has to face the proverbial music.
If he can think up an excuse before it gets to that point, so much the better...
"Good to know." He says after a moment.
Of course, that only helps with the problem of whether or not he's going to get away with avoiding the classes, the real problem is that he actually wants to dance, and he can't get better on his own, he needs a teacher... it's just whether his distaste at the idea of being in a group class, being the only boy in a group class, outweighs his need for teaching...
"They ain't gonna ask your dad about it?" He asks
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Date: 2022-08-26 01:14 pm (UTC)He will absolutely say 'I wanted to check in on the new kid,' but he's not going to say that to Spot right now. And Kanan and Hera might understand, but no one else would.
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Date: 2022-08-26 01:44 pm (UTC)Spot nods - maybe that should be a red flag, some sign that he's getting involved with the 'wrong crowd', but mostly it's just reassurance that he's found somebody who isn't going to judge him for being a little bit rough around the edges. Besides, Ezra's not exactly a crowd.
His grandmother cares more about him having friends at all than about his friends being a 'good influence' anyway.
"Grounding ain't so bad." he comments.
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Date: 2022-08-26 06:52 pm (UTC)He mirrors the word without even meaning to, unconsciously following Spot's phrasing.
"They'll lock away my phone too," he adds. "And there'll be chores."
Probably involving Chopper's litter box.
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Date: 2022-08-26 07:05 pm (UTC)If he notices the mirroring he doesn't show it, just nods at the words.
"I gotta do chores anyway," he shrugs - they're nothing compared to what his dad expected him to do - living with his grandmother is basically a cakewalk compared to living with his dad.
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Date: 2022-08-26 07:36 pm (UTC)Hera is really good at creative punishments, he has to admit.
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Date: 2022-08-26 07:44 pm (UTC)"You think you're in for something like that if they hear about you skipping today, then?" He asks
He wonders what his grandmother will do if she hears about this, about him not even giving the class a chance... probably won't even punish him, she'll probably be disappointed at him.
Which, of course, is worse.
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Date: 2022-08-26 08:01 pm (UTC)And tell him that he should have ratted on Spot for skipping, instead of following him out here.
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Date: 2022-08-26 08:14 pm (UTC)Spot snorts.
"That's worse than the chores." He jokes. Mostly jokes. Sometimes he'd prefer to just get punished, honestly.
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Date: 2022-08-26 08:20 pm (UTC)"Yeah, no kidding," he agrees. It won't be too bad, he figures. Hopefully they'll understand, but he will be forced into doing catch up math or whatever. Probably have to skip dance practice, which if he's honest is the worse punishment.
"Still better than going to math, I guess."
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Date: 2022-08-26 08:28 pm (UTC)"Can't disagree with that" Spot nods. He does not volunteer which class he is skipping.
"I used to skip a lot at my old school. Nobody really cared." Which was for the best, really, since half the time he was skipping to hide bruises or injuries, and if they cared they would have phoned home and just made it worse.
When he came back, he skipped out of habit, and frustration - everything was so much harder after the months he'd missed.
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Date: 2022-08-26 08:32 pm (UTC)Then he pauses, wonders how much he should share, and how much would be awkward - then decides that it's probably okay to share. To let Spot know that whatever he's got going on, he's not alone.
"Didn't even notice when I stopped going."
Which was the problem, really.
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Date: 2022-08-26 08:35 pm (UTC)Spot nods.
"Yea, sounds like the same kind of place as mine," he nods - he wonders if they would have noticed if his grandmother hadn't notified them when he was in the hospital.
"Guess your foster parents don't let you get away with that though?"
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Date: 2022-08-26 08:48 pm (UTC)"Hell no," he agrees. "They're ex-military, I can't get away with anything."
Which isn't really true, he gets away with a lot, they're just aware of the important stuff.
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