TRP: Finch, Goro, and Jonn (Clay)

[SETTING: Day 275, Skyport.]

Finch needed stuff. Jonn didn't really know what all the stuff was, but Finch was all crabby at him for being gone so long with the Runners, and all that mattered was that Jonn picked up the shit from Maaki and made him happy again. Or, not mad, anyway.

The problem was that Maaki was being a dick. His prices had gone up.

"Late fees," he said.

"That's bullshit."

"Should've picked it up earlier. Taking up space in my storeroom."

"I was out of town!"

"Not my problem."

"Well -- I don't have the gold!" he objected.

Maaki shrugged and crossed his arms. "Not my problem."

Jonn growled in frustration and kept trying to argue, but Maaki wouldn't be fucking argued with, so Jonn started snapping and yelling to get a reaction out of him, but the reaction ended up being throwing him out. He snarled and clawed onto Maaki's arm -- fucker was about eight feet tall, so he didn't have any trouble just lifting Jonn's feet right off the ground by his shirt, but Jonn just dug his fingers into him. He had that hard goliath skin, though -- fingernails wouldn't bite into him.

He could hear his voice getting shrill and fucking hated it, grabbing onto Maaki's sleeve with one hand and clinging to the doorframe with the other. Maaki was fucking stonefaced about it.

"Paying customers only."

"Fuck you!"

LINA

People were staring. Turning to look at the scene taking place in the doorway of the general goods store. Now, Goro wasn't in the habit of lurking around, watching people get into altercations--he didn't go out of his way for it, in any case--but a free show was a free show.

He was at a good vantage point across the street, just had to move a dozen or so feet to the left to really see what was going on. Fucking gigantic shopkeeper--goliath, looked like--kicking out some little runt. Paying customers only, he said, and incredibly, the runt was trying to fight him. That was fucking hilarious. What a fucking idiot.

Then the runt's head turned to one side, enough for Goro to see his face. His grin vanished. Ah, shit. He knew that idiot.

Goro glanced around, wondering if anyone else was gonna step in, though he didn't know why they would. The guy was a fucking goliath, after all. So he jogged across the street himself. "Hey. 'Scuse me. Fucking pardon me."

IZZY

Maaki looked past Jonn, pausing in his efforts to pry Jonn's hand off the doorframe -- Jonn just kept squirming away and grabbing it again, and he took advantage of the distraction to get a better hold.

"What," Maaki said.

Jonn glanced back and saw Goro, and ducked his head a bit. Fuck. He was gonna get in trouble.

LINA

"What exactly's the fucking problem here?" Goro asked. Ordinarily, he'd say anyone who tried going toe-to-toe with a shopkeeper that size had whatever was coming to them, but eh. Was different when family was involved. He'd never claimed to be objective.

IZZY

"This belong to you or something?" Maaki asked flatly.

Jonn growled in frustration and let go of the doorframe to swipe at his face, forgetting that he had to hold on and couldn't make a fucking dent anyway, and Maaki chucked him at Goro.

LINA

Goro caught him, staggering to keep them both on their feet. "Hey, fuck off," he snapped. "Jonn, what the hell's going on?"

IZZY

"He won't fucking --!"

Maaki started to back away and shut the door, and Jonn lunged forward to lodge his boot in the doorway and keep him from being able to lock it. Fucker. He tried to shove it open, but Maaki was literally a fucking boulder and just stood there glowering at him, not budging.

"I -- it's fine," Jonn insisted quickly, throwing his weight into the door. Fucker. "I, uh. I can handle it."

LINA

Yeah huh. "He won't fucking what?"

IZZY

Jonn tried again. "I'm supposed to fucking -- pick some shit up for Finch --." Again. His shoulder hurt. He bared his teeth at Maaki. "And he won't fucking give it to me!" His voice was getting all loud and high again.

"You can't pay," Maaki stated.

"You never charged us fucking late pickup fees before!" Jonn yelled. He threw himself into the door. "That's not my fucking fault!"

LINA

Ah, fuck. Fuck. This seemed like a relatively minor fucking problem that Jonn was just flipping out over. But he was really flipping out. Not good. "Jonn. Hey, Jonn. C'mere."

IZZY

"Should've gotten here last week," Maaki said.

"Fuck you!" Jonn reached through the gap to claw at him again. He didn't hear Goro.

Maaki look over his head at Goro, unimpressed.

LINA

"Jonn." Goro edged closer. Fuck. Jonn didn't mind being grabbed, right? Eh. Goro looked at Maaki. "Hey, maybe you stop being a son of a bitch, huh, and give him the shit he came to pick up?"

IZZY

Maaki regarded Goro impassively. "Are you gonna pay for it?"

"No!" Jonn snapped. That was no good. He couldn't owe Goro. Finch was gonna be so fucking mad at him if he came back empty-handed, though. But money was too tight -- they couldn't fucking afford the goddamn fees. He growled again -- it came out more like an angry whine -- and rammed his shoulder into the door again.

LINA

Goro ground his teeth. "Y'know, I'd love to negotiate something. But I'm not gonna do it standing here in the street with this--"

He watched Jonn for a second longer, and decided to just fucking go for it. He stepped forward and grabbed Jonn's upper arm, pulled him in against his chest, and hooked an arm across him firmly to keep him there.

He gave the shopkeeper a sarcastic smile. "Fucking let us in so we can discuss it, alright?"

IZZY

Jonn kept clawing towards Maaki, but more subdued about it. He wasn't fucking getting anywhere. He hunched his shoulders a bit.

"No," Maaki said.

"Fuck you!" He squirmed in Goro's hold, not really trying to get away, just fucking mad.

LINA

Goro tightened his hold on Jonn. "Why not? Don't you want your money?"

IZZY

Maaki jerked his chin at Jonn. "That's not coming back in my shop."

Jonn growled, but he stopped clawing and shrunk down a little more.

LINA

Oh, yes, that was familiar. Goro was no stranger to being referred to as a thing, himself. Definitely not a fan. This guy was a real charmer.

"Jonn," Goro said, not taking his eyes off the shopkeeper, "did you or Finch pay him already? Not counting the 'late fees.'" He sneered as he said the last part.

IZZY

"No," Jonn muttered.

LINA

"In that case. Sir. He's with me," Goro said, indicating Jonn, "and I'd like to come in and purchase some supplies. So I ask you again. What's the fucking problem, exactly?"

IZZY

Silently, Maaki pushed up his sleeve and indicated the vaguely pinkish scrape where Jonn had gotten his best hit in.

"I didn't even break the fucking skin!" Jonn snapped, then remembered that wasn't the point. He squirmed away from Goro and ducked behind him, making himself be quieter, like he was calm, and not jittery and itchy. "It's fine. There's no problem. Don't buy anything."

LINA

"Huh. Yeah. Think I would like to take my cash elsewhere, since you mention it. Seems this guy's an asshole for the sake of being an asshole." Goro leaned back, making a show of looking long and hard at the sign hanging over the door. "Defthand's Supplies. Hm. Alright. Hey, buddy--" Goro looked the guy up and down. "You know a businesswoman by the name of Larkin Basha?"

IZZY

Maaki scoffed. "I'm not concerned about the Cardinals."

Jonn plucked at Goro's sleeve nervously, trying to not actually touch him out of habit. "Don't."

LINA

"Oh, that's even better, then. That means you won't see it coming. Y'see, this here's my stepkid." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "And Larkin Basha is my cousin. See if you can follow the bouncing ball, there. This ain't about the Cardinals, per se. This is more personal. I'm a generous guy, though--y'know, clerics, love and forgiveness and shit. So I'll ask one last time. Will you let Jonn here come in and pick up his fucking supplies, or won't you?"

IZZY

Jonn made an anxious ehhh sound.

"No," Maaki said flatly. He looked over Goro's shoulder to Jonn. "Tell your boyfriend that if he wants his shit, he sends someone else from now on. No more backroom deals. Pay me."

Jonn cringed behind Goro, plucking at his sleeve again.

LINA

Fucker. Goro turned around and grabbed Jonn's forearm to tug him away, leading him up the street.

When they turned a corner, he stopped and let go, and watched to see if Jonn was gonna freak out some more.

IZZY

Jonn followed along, but as soon as Goro let go of him he started pacing, scratching at his arms, looking down.

LINA

"Hey," Goro said. "Hey. You alright?"

IZZY

"Ehhh." He kept pacing. He should just, like ... run for it. He bet he was faster than Goro. Just get away from him, before he did anything else. Except -- someone might find out -- he might tell Larkin, and she might get at him, or -- actually Larkin didn't, usually, but then it might get back to Finch, and then maybe Finch would just get pissed, too, and Finch was already gonna be mad at him.

LINA

"Listen, kid. It's alright. That guy's an asshole. Don't take it personal. What'd Finch want you to get? We can find another store, one that's not gonna be getting torched here in the next couple days."

IZZY

He shook his head vehemently and blurted out, "No! It's my fucking fault. Finch  gave me a job. He's gonna be so fucking pissed at me." He voice cracked. He scratched at his arms harder, over the sleeves.

LINA

Goro stared at Jonn's hands, clawing at himself. He chewed his lip a second, then stepped up to Jonn and grabbed his hands to still them. "Fuckin' cut that out. Look at me. If Finch has got a problem, he's gonna fucking talk to me about it. You get it? You got a fucking witness. Motherfucker wouldn't work with you, wasn't your fault, the end."

IZZY

Jonn didn't look at him -- he stared at his hands, shoulders tight, trying to figure out if he should jerk away. 'Cause the other Runners -- Hansel, Mishka, Larkin -- they might be mad at him for touching Goro. Because there was something wrong with his hands, and everyone knew it, even if they wouldn't explain it. But -- Goro was touching him. And if he jerked away, then they might get mad at him for not doing what Goro wanted.

He didn't know what the right thing was, so he just kind of froze, because if he didn't do anything, and just let whatever was happening keep happening, then he couldn't do it wrong.

LINA

Nuts. That couldn't be good--that was a hop, skip, and a jump away from the day the Helmites had got him, and he turned all fucking catatonic. "Jonn. Look at me."

IZZY

He looked up without budging otherwise.

LINA

Goro looked him in the eye for a moment. Made his gut lurch, being this close to him, and peering into him like that. There was something fucking wrong; he'd known that since the day he first met this kid.

Empty, Diva had said, but Diva said a lot of fucking crap. Jonn wasn't empty. He was missing something, no question. Something Diva could take advantage of, and Helena, and Morgan Wyn, and maybe Finch. Goro still wasn't fucking sure about that guy.

"What's Finch gonna do to you, if he gets pissed off?"

IZZY

"Nothing," Jonn said immediately.

LINA

"Jonn," Goro said, thinking he might try taking a little advantage himself, "tell me now. Don't lie. What's Finch gonna do?"

IZZY

"It's fine. Nothing." He looked down and pulled his hands away, folding them behind his back, like Hansel would say to do if he wasn't there to grab onto.

LINA

Hm. Hmm. Finch must've been scarier. Goro wondered if he could pull rank another way. "Thought your dad taught you not to lie, kiddo."

IZZY

"It's not a big deal," he muttered. "He's just gonna be mad. It's fine."

LINA

"What's he do to you when he's mad?"

IZZY

"It's not a big deal," he said again, twisting his fingers together behind his back. "He's just gonna ... yell. It's stupid. It's fine."

LINA

Goro was kinda baffled, but he had to remind himself of the way Jonn had tried to slit his own fucking throat because he thought Hansel would disown him for being mind controlled, or some shit. Clearly, the guy thrived on approval. "Like I said. If he wants to yell, he's gonna have to yell at me. You didn't do nothing wrong."

IZZY

"No," he said forcefully, still looking down, then grit his teeth and made himself be quiet again. "It's fine. Don't do anything."

LINA

"Why the hell not?"

IZZY

"Because don't!" He squeezed his eyes closed. "Because I can't owe you shit!"

LINA

Goro looked around at all the imaginary bystanders who might help him make sense of this shit. "You're not... gonna fucking owe me anything, for me just telling Finch what I saw."

IZZY

"No, no, you don't get it." He shook his head a couple times. "'Cause if you, like -- take my side, then -- then Finch is just gonna get more mad once you're gone, 'cause I shouldn't've told you shit, and gotten you involved, and I should've handled it myself --" his voice broke, again -- "and you shouldn't try to make things fuckin' better. I fucked up. It's fine."

LINA

Ah, yeah. That, Goro could see--leaky barrels, and all. "Fine. We'll get your supplies somewhere else, then, yeah? What were you there to pick up?"

IZZY

"I don't know," he said miserably. "Just ... a package for Finch. I dunno what was in it."

LINA

"Fuckin' shit." Goro rubbed a hand over his face. "Well, alright, that plan's a bust, then. Listen, I'm gonna have to talk to Finch. I namedropped the Basha to that fucker, and I can't let him think it was an empty threat. Wouldn't be any of Finch's concern if Larkin weren't his business partner." Goro wasn't sure if all this gang-related talk went over Jonn's head or not. He had to be used to hearing it, at least. "So... c'mon, lead me to him."

IZZY

Jonn fidgeted, giving another anxious ehhh. Goro shouldn't've gotten involved in the first place. Then this wouldn't be a problem. He was right, though -- Finch kept talking about how most of what they had was the Basha name, and how it was already cheapened from Renar having run away from the Sanguines. He'd be even angrier if Jonn didn't even ...

"I can just tell him," he tried. "I'll tell him I mentioned Larkin. It's my fault." Finch was really good at spotting lies, but Jonn was really good at telling them. And it would just be a small one.

LINA

"Nah. Bullshit. Listen, I don't let people in my gang take the fall for me. Ever." He wondered if Jonn had that same thing Luci did, where she took shit literally. "I mean, we're not in a gang, I don't run with the Redbirds like you do. But we're family, and that's the same thing, far as I'm concerned."

IZZY

"Don't say shit like that," Jonn muttered, staring at the street. "I'm not your fucking stepkid. We're not family."

LINA

Goro studied him for a minute. "Is Hansel your family?"

IZZY

He shrugged reluctantly.

LINA

"Listen, it's a rhetorical question. Ain't a big fucking mystery." Good god, this must've been how people felt every time Goro had tried to claim Amari wasn't his mother. "Hansel's your dad, and eventually I'm gonna be Hansel's husband. So in the most literal sense, yeah, you are gonna be my fucking stepkid. And I know it's not a fucking given that any husband of Hansel's is gonna be looking out for you, alright, but me? That's the way I operate. You're in with me. The end."

IZZY

Jonn crossed his arms, fingernails pressing back into him, and kept looking down. He was pretty sure he wasn't gonna win, here. No point in trying to keep arguing. He didn't have to fucking enjoy it, though.

"Fine. Whatever." He turned to start towards the bunker, whistling for Cora to call her down. Finch wouldn't want Goro knowing where the bunker actually was, but he guessed they could just ... meet nearby. Then it wouldn't be secure, though. He stopped abruptly, Cora perched on his wrist, not sure what to do.

LINA

"What, you worried about bothering him?"

IZZY

"Does ..." Maybe Goro just already knew, 'cause Larkin did. "D'you know where he lives?"

LINA

"No." Goro frowned. "Don't you?"

IZZY

"Yeah. Just." He chewed on his thumbnail, and Cora tilted her head, impatient. "He'll be mad if I take you there. But he'll be mad if he has to leave, too, and talk about shit somewhere that's not safe." He started bouncing anxiously on his toes, and Cora fluttered from his wrist to Goro's shoulder, annoyed at being jostled.

LINA

"Sounds like Finch needs some fucking anger management strategies." Goro craned his neck to the side and frowned at the bird. "Seriously, is the guy ever not mad? Who gives a shit? Tell him I need to talk to him, and leave it up to him whether I come to him or vice versa."

IZZY

"Ehh." Jonn beckoned Cora back over, and scratched a note to Finch. Goro wants to meet with you. Now. Where?

Once she was away, he went back to walking towards the bunker, at least, figuring that Finch wouldn't want to have to go far. She came back with the reply that Finch was fucking busy and didn't have time for playdates, and that Jonn needed to stop fucking around with the Runners. Jonn sent her off again, saying, Important.

Finch told him to just come to the bunker.

They hadn't been able to pay for permanent illusion magic yet, so the bunker was just -- as always -- a few steep steps down at the back of a dead end alley, with some crates and barrels and tarps thrown around to obscure it. He tapped on the door. Had a key, knew the password, just didn't want to walk in unannounced. After a moment, the door popped open on its own, and he pushed in, already wincing.

The desk was positioned in a way that Finch could see the door from his chair, where he was hunched over a mess of papers and scrolls and books -- more than usual. His forehead rested in his other hand, and a half-empty bottle of vodka sat precariously close to the edge of the desk. Jonn silently slid it to a safer spot as he went by.

Finch didn't look up from scribbling notes in the margins of a spellbook. "What the fuck do you want."

LINA

"Hey Jonn, what was that asshole's name?"

IZZY

"Maaki Defthand." Jonn sat on the foot of the bed and folded his legs under him.

"Ah, what the fuck." Finch sighed and looked up, glancing between Goro and Jonn. "What'd you fucking do with Maaki now? Why are you even fuckin' here?" He gestured at Goro, scowling.

He looked tired. Jonn got back up to get the jar of cold-brewed coffee off the shelf for him.

LINA

"I got kicked out of his shop," Goro said. "So I told him Larkin Basha was gonna take it up with him. Wanted to give you a heads up, since Jonn says he's your supplier, or whatever. Not for much longer. Find someone better."

IZZY

Finch narrowed his eyes at Goro. Jonn didn't think he was buying it, but he also looked too tired to work out what the truth was. "All right, what'd you fucking do with Maaki? Why'd you get kicked out?" he challenged.

Jonn set a mug of coffee down next to his vodka and backed off nervously, back to the bed.

LINA

Goro reached out and knocked the vodka bottle off Finch's desk.

IZZY

Finch jerked up, catching the bottle with a spectral hand, but not before some sloshed out. "The fuck is your goddamn problem?"

LINA

"Do I strike you as the kind of guy who frequently gets invited back to places? Anyway, you don't like it, you can take it up with Lark. But I don't think she's gonna want to let it slide. Guy said he wasn't scared of the Cardinals."

IZZY

Slowly, Finch put the bottle back on the desk, screwing the cap back on and staring at Goro. "You're full of shit," he said after a moment, jabbing a finger at Goro, and rounded on Jonn. "The fuck did you do?"

Jonn shrank and looked between them. He shouldn't lie to Finch, but he shouldn't sell Goro's lie out, either. He didn't say anything. Finch's jaw tightened and his fists clenched, and little blue sparks fizzed around one.

LINA

Oh, my. Temper indeed. Goro was sorta tempted to make things worse, see just how nasty it was gonna get. There was Larkin to consider, though.

"Why's it fuckin' matter what he did?" Goro asked. "Are you loyal to your people, or this motherfucker Maaki who hasn't got a shred of respect for you?"

IZZY

Finch looked back to Goro, glaring, but the sparks dying down. "Maaki's one of my people. I don't know what your fucking deal is, here, or why you're covering for fuckin' Jonn, but if you knew what he was like, you wouldn't waste your fucking time."

LINA

Goro fought the urge to roll his eyes. Finch must not've heard about the whole vials incident. As if Goro had any fucking illusions.

"You really think you're gonna have run of this whole city with that shitty attitude, huh? Y'know, at least Wyn and Baron had style."

IZZY

"Don't tell me how to do my fucking job. Get the fuck out."

LINA

Goro gave him a fake salute. He turned halfway toward the door, eyeing Jonn. Hm. Same problem as before; he was probably worried Finch was gonna chew him out as soon as Goro was gone.

Goro looked back to Finch. "Is he gonna be in fucking trouble, or what?"

IZZY

Finch scowled and gestured, slamming the door back open behind Goro.

LINA

"You answer my goddamn question."

IZZY

"Oh, for fuck's sake. Who gives a shit?" He threw a hand up. "Depends on what he fucking did, and he's clearly not gonna tell me the goddamn truth while you're around, so fuck off."

LINA

Goro gestured at Jonn. "Tell him. Go ahead."

IZZY

Jonn winced and pulled his knees up to his chest, looking between the two of them. Quietly, he said, "Maaki said I had to pay a late fee 'cause I didn't pick it up last week. We couldn't afford it. I tried to, y'know, bargain with him, and he wouldn't do it, and I got mad, and he kicked me out. Goro tried to help."

Finch gave him a scathing look. "You could've just fucking come back, and I'd've sent you on some job to make the extra gold."

"You would've been mad. I didn't wanna bother you."

"I'm fucking bothered now, Jonn."

He ducked his head. "I know."

LINA

Goro crossed his arms and let out a low whistle. "So? What's the verdict, Finch?"

IZZY

"He's not in trouble," Finch said acidically. "Out."

LINA

Goro narrowed his eyes and didn't move.

IZZY

"What do I have to fucking do to make you leave? Call Larkin? Fucking Mask."

LINA

"I need some kinda fucking assurance that you're not gonna fuck over my fiance's child the second I walk out of this place."

IZZY

"You have my fucking word," he drawled.

"It's fine," Jonn put in softly. Finch talked over him.

"Look, I don't know how much you fuckin' know, but things aren't that goddamn great over here for the Redbirds, all right? What, you think I'm gonna do something to Jonn when he's one of about three half-fucking-competent people I've got?" Finch demanded. "Oh, and now I have to go electrocute Maaki, I guess, so the deal I've got to get cheaper shit from him is off -- fucking thanks to you and Jonn -- so we're gonna bleed even fucking more gold and supplies.

"Yeah, though," he snapped, and jerked a thumb over his shoulder at Jonn, "gonna damage what resources I've actually got. Sure."

LINA

"Fine," Goro said. "Jonn, I need to talk to you for a minute. Come with."

IZZY

Jonn started to unfold his legs again, watching Finch, and Finch gave him a sharp look.

"Since when the fuck do you do what he tells you?"

Jonn stopped.

LINA

"Hey, Finch. Tell Jonn he needs to come outside with me for a second."

IZZY

"You can say whatever you fucking wanna say to him right here."

LINA

"God. You really gotta make something out of every single fucking step along the way, don't you? Do you have a fucking problem with me, bird boy? Will you say it to my fucking face, just so we're clear?"

IZZY

"My fuckin' problem is you getting in my business and undermining my fucking authority."

LINA

"Oh, so sorry. Please do instruct me on the proper protocols for requesting a five-minute chat with one of your baby birds, and I'd be happy to oblige."

IZZY

Finch growled and scrubbed his hands over his face. "Fuck. Fine. Fine."

He shoved away from his desk and came over to grab Jonn's arm, dragging him up and pushing him into Goro. Jonn stumbled and tried to catch his balance without leaning into Goro or anything.

"Just fucking get out," Finch snapped. "Leave. Go. I don't fucking care, just stop fucking bothering me." He thrashed his hands at them.

LINA

"Neat." Goro linked his arm through Jonn's and swiftly led him out the door, up the steps into the alley. He let Jonn go once the door had slammed shut behind them. He could hardly even remember what he'd called him out here for, just that it hadn't seemed like a good idea to give in and leave without getting a last word.

"God," he said. "You sure you wanna keep fucking working for that guy? I mean, are you absolutely fucking sure?"

IZZY

Jonn picked at his fingernails, vibrating in place slightly. Eventually he was going to have to go back in there. He could maybe stay away long enough for Finch to cool down or just forget what he'd been angry about, but when he was gone for too long, Finch got pissed about that, too. Maybe he could ... work it out right. Figure it out.

He looked off to one side. "It's fine. I like working with Finch."

LINA

"Fuckin' weirdo. Hansel told me you thought Helena was your friend, too."

IZZY

He winced and started scratching at his hands. He wanted to say, She was. She took care of me. She told me what to do. He kind of fucking knew better, though.

LINA

Goro frowned at Jonn scratching himself. Had to be something they could do about that. He was familiar enough with the fucking feeling to know you couldn't just stop, though--you had to replace it with something. Amari was always good at that kinda thing, finding replacements.

"Hey." He pointed his head toward the end of the alley. "Come with me. I wanna go for a walk."

IZZY

"Okay," Jonn mumbled. He didn't have anything else to do.

LINA

Goro led him out into the street, and back into the commercial area they'd been in before. He didn't talk at all, even though he sensed Jonn was still antsy as fuck. Not really much to say, at this point. Or maybe he just needed the time to think about how to say it.

They walked past storefronts until Goro found what he was looking f ttery shop. He paused outside, thinking about what Jonn had said earlier. I can't owe you, or whatever.

"Wait out here," Goro said. "I'll just be a second."

IZZY

Jonn nodded. He'd settled down enough that he'd stopped the scratching, and he was just digging his fingernails into his sleeves now. He stopped and stayed where he was when Goro told him to wait.

LINA

Goro went inside the shop and spoke with the proprietor. "You sell clay and shit, right? You got any that doesn't dry out for a long time?" He wasn't sure if there was such a thing. His backup plan was to go after some beeswax--Amari had given him some of that to play with, once, when he was younger--but it would be a lot more expensive.

The potter was able to hook him up, though. Modeling clay, he called it. Made with oils so it stayed soft for ages, let you keep building stuff with it. Goro glanced out the windows to make sure Jonn wasn't looking when he paid.

He emerged from the shop with a nice-sized lump of the stuff, a ball that fit into his palm. "Here," he told Jonn, holding it out to show him. "Keep this in your pocket. Maybe tear it into two pieces, keep one on each side. And when you feel like clawing at yourself, do this instead--" Goro dug his nails deep into the clay, and let out a satisfied sigh. "Try it."

IZZY

Jonn gave him a blank look. "Why?"

LINA

"Just try it. Here."

IZZY

He obeyed with a doubtful expression, rolling the clay in his hands and squeezing it a bit, then digging his fingers into it. It was ... kind of satisfying, he guessed. He tried it a couple times. It didn't really make the itch under his skin go away, but it was the kind of thing Hansel or Helena would do -- give him something to do with his hands to keep them out of trouble. It was nice.

He didn't want Goro to be nice to him. He mumbled, "Thanks," anyway, though, because he knew he should.

LINA

"Nah, no thanks. You're doing me a favor here. No more of this." Goro pushed his sleeves up and scratched viciously at his own arms for a second. "Clay instead. You got it?"

IZZY

Jonn opened his mouth, then hesitated and closed it. He didn't wanna sound ungrateful. He also wasn't supposed to lie. "It doesn't ... help," he admitted. "It's not the same."

LINA

"I know it's not. But it's something. Makes it easier to stop. You still gotta have some fuckin' willpower, though, yeah, I'll grant you that. You got willpower, or not?"

IZZY

"I dunno." He gave Goro a confused look.

LINA

Goro swallowed down a sigh. "You always do whatever you fucking feel like doing, or can you stop yourself?"

IZZY

He kept playing with the clay absently, passing it from hand to hand. "Usually the first one," he mumbled. "Dad helped."

LINA

Willpower in the form of Hansel. Yeah, Goro'd drawn on that one a few times, he was pretty sure. "Your dad doesn't want you scratching yourself all to hell. So you gotta try and find other stuff to do, instead. I know it's not the same. But sometimes, you just gotta work through it anyway. Yeah?"

IZZY

He wanted to say, I'm trying. That's what I'm doing. I'm just scratching myself. I'm not hurting anyone else. It's fine. It's better this way. But he didn't wanna argue. He didn't think he could explain, anyway -- the one time he'd tried to explain was the one time Hansel had almost hurt him. It wasn't worth trying. He'd just deal with it himself and keep anyone from noticing.

So he said, "Yeah. Okay."

LINA

Goro frowned a little. God, this kid was struggling. It was fucking hard to watch. Hansel might have an easier time getting through to him. "Hey. Why don't you come back to the castle with us for a few days? Spend some time with your dad, and Luci."

IZZY

"I can't." He shook his head, squeezing the clay. "Finch needs me."

LINA

"Finch can suck a dick," Goro said. "By which I mean, fuck 'im, he can do without you for a few days."

IZZY

"He can't," Jonn insisted. "He's really ... busy and stressed out. And he doesn't like leaving the bunker. And he doesn't trust anyone but Larkin and me." He squeezed the clay harder. Something to do with his hands. Yeah. "He needs me. Luci and Hansel don't."

LINA

"Luci and Hansel love you. Finch doesn't." God, what a surreal fucking conversation to be having. There was a part of him--a pretty big part, in fact--wondering why he bothered. If it was even worth it.

IZZY

"I know he doesn't." Finch made it pretty clear, all the time, and always had. He used to be ... nicer, though. But he still needed Jonn, and -- "But he needs me. He doesn't ... he's not gonna stop needing me even when I fuck up. So."

LINA

"He can make do without you," Goro said, but he already knew he was losing this argument. "Seriously, though, that guy--Jonn, look at me. Look me right in the eye, so you know I'm not fuckin' around." Goro pointed to his eye, for emphasis.

IZZY

He looked, reluctantly.

LINA

"If he ever fucks with you, I will skin him. Do you understand? You fuckin' let me know. I'll be there. I'll come take care of him."

IZZY

Jonn winced. "Okay."

LINA

Eh. That was probably as good as it was gonna get. Goro thought about going for a hug, but second-guessed himself and just patted Jonn's upper arm instead. "Don't take it personal, him treating you the way he does. Motherfucker's got no joy in his life." He took a step back. "See you 'round, kid."

IZZY

Jonn gave him another slightly confused look. All of this was confusing, honestly. Maybe he'd go talk to Asya. She could help. "Okay," he said again.

LINA

Goro turned and left, reluctantly. Wasn't fucking right, Finch keeping Jonn around like his personal slave, like that. He might talk to Larkin about it later, find out more just what that motherfucker's deal was.

His fingers itched as he walked. He waited until he'd turned a corner, and looked back just to make sure Jonn hadn't followed.

He leaned against the side of a building and shut his eyes for a second, grinding his teeth. Trying to control himself. Ah, it was so fucking stupid. So fucking stupid. But he gave in. Couldn't help it. He'd just spent a considerable about of time within arm's reach of Jonn. He started patting his pockets down.

'Course he didn't fucking find anything. He was mad at himself as he continued up the street, but tried to just let it go.

As far as nervous twitches went, there were worse ones to have, definitely.