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[brooklynishere]

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[brooklynishere]

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

[jabbathehutt]

"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.

[brooklynishere]

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.

[jabbathehutt]

"No it ain't."

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.

[brooklynishere]

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.

[jabbathehutt]

"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.

[brooklynishere]

"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.

[jabbathehutt]

"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.

[brooklynishere]

Spot snorts.

"That's worse than the chores." He jokes. Mostly jokes. Sometimes he'd prefer to just get punished, honestly.

[jabbathehutt]

Ezra snorts as well.

"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."

[brooklynishere]

"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.

[jabbathehutt]

"Yeah they didn't at mine, either," Ezra agrees.

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.

[brooklynishere]

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?"

[jabbathehutt]

That makes Ezra smile again.

"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.

[brooklynishere]

"Mmm, that's about on par with a Catholic grandmother, I feel your pain" Spot actually offers something approaching a grin.

He thinks, actually, that Ezra isn't so bad. There's a lot that's shit about this place, and he's not really going to be happy until he can dance, but making a friend is pretty okay.

[jabbathehutt]

That smile is definitely worth skipping class, Ezra thinks.

(Because he likes making people smile.)

He offers a smile in exchange for it, and shrugs. "You think you'll get in trouble with her?" he asks.

[brooklynishere]

"If she finds out," he shrugs "if I'm lucky I'll get grounded. If she's really mad she'll volunteer me to help run Sunday School next week." He pulls a face.

For some reason, little kids love him, and contrary to all expectations he's actually really good with them - it's just... really not cool.

[jabbathehutt]

"Ew," says Ezra, who has nothing against kids but doesn't go out of his way to be near them.

"That's worse than anything mine will come up with."

[brooklynishere]

"Yea." He nods "Don't even get to skip the sermon since Sunday school is after, it sucks."

It's not just about commiseration, though, he's also extending a cautious 'yes, I do go to church every week' - the last thing he wants is to find out his new friend has a problem with that. It's not exactly by choice, and he isn't really a believer, but his grandmother is and he doesn't particularly want to hear a tirade against catholics that would be insulting to her.

[jabbathehutt]

Ezra exhales a sigh in commiseration, but noticably doesn't offer any immediate judgement for Spot going to church.

Mostly he's wondering if he should offer the equivalent information. Then he figures - Spot's got eyes, he'll have noticed, and if he doesn't, it'll come up.

So he eventually offers:

"At least I don't have to do that. Kanan doesn't even try to drag me to mosque."

Not least because the nearest one is a considerable drive from their suburban residency, and neither Kanan nor Ezra are particularly devout.

[brooklynishere]

"Lucky," Spot offers, casual enough that he hopes it doesn't across as any kind of judgement - people's religion is their own business, as far as he's concerned, he only has a problem when they try and use it against him (like his bitchy aunt Catherine who uses her religion as a club to beat everybody else)

[jabbathehutt]

If it's going to be a problem with anyone, Spot attending church, it's likely to be with Sabine, who has issues with her own Catholic upbringing. And she's not here to have that problem.

But he appreciates Spot's casual reply.

"But if he gets it into his head I need to answer to God I'm going to have to rethink this skipping class thing," he adds.

[brooklynishere]

Spot snorts.

"If he starts asking you to pray for forgiveness or guidance then you know it's only going to get worse from there," he offers with a grin

[jabbathehutt]

"He'd better not."

He won't - Ezra knows well what a complicated relationship Kanan has with religion, but he doesn't bring it up.

"Let's leave that to the Catholic grandmothers."

[brooklynishere]

That gets another laugh, and an impression of his grandmother;

"Don't apologise to me, apologise to Jesus."