The Double K Farm for At Risk Youth - How it Starts

[stands_for_hope]

It had been a hard year for the Kents.

The loss of a father, a husband, had hollowed out mother and son, though thankfully they'd managed to make due on the farm between the both of them. But that was just the financial parts. The farm felt empty without Jonathon Kent, their home felt empty, and Clark...

Clark was so angry with everyone, with everything. It wasn't fair.

He could do so many things, so many things, but he hadn't been able to do anything when his father's heart had given out. He hadn't been able to do anything when Jonathon Kent had dropped dead in a field while Clark was at school. He'd just been there to get pulled into the office, take the phonecall from his mother.

It was doubly hard to go through his days now. Before, there'd been a bit of a barrier between the people who liked to tease him; Jonathon Kent had been respected and folks had looked out for Clark because of it. They still looked for him, but now it was more about sympathy and less of a willingness to put themselves between him and trouble.

That's why he was here. Twelve years old, pushed against a chain link fence, holding onto the fence pole for their sake as much as his own. Anger boiled up inside him, anger enough to make his eyes start to lighten to red, anger enough to make him want to do things he couldn't do, shouldn't do. Because people were mean and cruel and they picked on weakness like a pack of jackals, even if the weakness was feigned.

I can't do it. I can't hurt anyone.

It was like a screen door trying to hold back a tidal wave. He was shaking and his eyes were so hot. He just hoped he could hold on long enough for them to get bored. Long enough for someone to wander by. He just had to hold on.

Comments

[kolodnoykovki]

Bucky reached over to nudge Clark. "I told you you could trust him."

But now he was happy - so happy. He was going to be able to stay. Steve was going to have someplace safe after school. Both of them had a new friend. "This is gonna be fantastic."

[stands_for_hope]

"I dunno about fantastic" Clark pointed out with a little shrug. "It's still Smallville."

Steve looked sideways at him. "This is already way better than we had it."

[kolodnoykovki]

"The barn was better than the orphanage," Bucky agreed. "A house with my own bedroom? A hot meal every night? No alleys for Steve to get beat up in? I feel like I just moved to Fifth Avenue."

Reaching out, he pulled Steve to sit with him, and then he reached out for Clark, too. "This is the good life."

[stands_for_hope]

Steve settles mostly into his lap happily enough, curling up against Bucky with an audible sigh of relief as Clark smiles just a little and settles beside the two of them. Then Steve grabbed his sketchbook and started to scribble in some things.

"So what do kids do out here for fun?" Steve asked absently.

Clark shrugged. "Mostly I read."

[kolodnoykovki]

"Aren't there streams in the country? Somewhere where we can swim? I mean, the Hudson's really off the menu up in New York, and Stevie could probably use some sun." Bucky playfully poked Steve's side. "Gotta make sure he doesn't burn, though. It makes his freckles show up more."

[stands_for_hope]

"There's nothing wrong with freckles," Steve said stubbornly, mostly because he liked when they came out. Bucky would get interested and try and connect them when they sat together and Steve liked when he did that.

Clark nodded in agreement, though.

"Oh yeah. There's a creek up past the north 40 between our land and Grandpa Clark's farm. Just gotta go to the right part of the creek to avoid the cows."

[kolodnoykovki]

They were like constellations across Steve's upper chest and back. He'd passed hours tracing patterns between them before, but that didn't mean he couldn't tease a little.

"So, see, we can go swimming, probably see some little fish and tadpoles - that'd be neat. Ride bikes just for the fun of it. Read together. We all like reading. ...Find neat things for Steve to draw." His arm had settled easily around Steve's waist, the other draped across Clark's shoulder. It felt good. Natural. Like he had a future right here.

[stands_for_hope]

"There's an arcade in town too, if you guys like pinball and stuff," and Clark was very good at 'finding' extra quarters.

[kolodnoykovki]

Instantly, Bucky said, "Steve is so good at pinball and pool, it's crazy. Never bet against him." And he grinned with pride. "We beat some sharks up in the city, little dive called Scratch. I never saw people get so mad in my life, getting beat by a nine year old."

[stands_for_hope]

Clark looks over at Steve with newfound respect before letting out a little laugh at the mental image.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Steve gives Bucky the hurt eyes. He'd wanted to trick their new friend just once, even if it wasn't for anything but a laugh.

[kolodnoykovki]

Bucky ruffled Steve's hair. "He's too smart to fall for it after the first shot, anyway, Stevie," he soothed. And then he gave Clark a smile. "That's how we got our bikes, see. It's not really fair, but if they were willing to beat a kid, we figured they deserved to get took."

[stands_for_hope]

Steve grinned as he got his hair ruffled.

Clark just laughed.

"That sounds awesome. I've never done anything like that."

He hadn't been allowed to try out for anything, as much for fear of discovery as for fear of hurting any of the other children.

[kolodnoykovki]

"You've not had much opportunity," Bucky answered with a shrug. "I don't see many pool halls out here. Or streetcorners where I could do card tricks. ...I don't see much need to."

And that was a miracle in its own way.

"But once we're old enough to drive somewhere where they do exist, I'll teach you," he promised.

[stands_for_hope]

"Once nice thing about living on a farm is we can get driving a little earlier than most folks," Clark explained with a little grin. "So it won't be too long. I can get my permit in a couple years."

[kolodnoykovki]

His eyes went wide and he nudged Steve-- "Does this mean we can, too?" Of course, half of that pairing depended on being able to see over the dashboard, but that wasn't the point. "That would be awesome."

[stands_for_hope]

Clark nodded and Steve was practically bouncing.

"And you can actually use cars out here," Steve pointed out with a laugh and a nudge to Bucky.

[kolodnoykovki]

"Yeah, I won't have to hotwire 'em." And then, wincing, he looked over at Clark to say, "I only did it when I had to."

[stands_for_hope]

Clark looked at him before snickering just a little.

Then he shrugged.

"I break the speed limit all the time."

[kolodnoykovki]

"I bet that's easier to do out here than it is in New York. Hard to break the speed limit when you're bumper to bumper, right, Steve?" He tightened his arm around Steve's waist.

[stands_for_hope]

Steve leaned into that arm and couldn't quite help nudging back into Bucky's shoulder.

Clark just giggled.

"It also helps that I'm on foot."

[kolodnoykovki]

And that had Bucky eager again. "It's true, Stevie - he's fast. It's like you blink and he's not there, and you blink again, and he's back. Seriously, he's amazing. And he's got this big, fat cat who actually likes me."

They had pets. That was a luxury few New Yorkers actually had.

[stands_for_hope]

Steve's eyes went wide at the mention of a cat. He'd loved all the alleycats near their old apartment, but he'd had to stay away since there was no telling what the cats might have and if they'd aggravate his illnesses.

"Can I meet her?"

Clark blinked.

"Oh sure. You can meet Sandy too. She's our dog. She's up with Grandpa Clark during this season, though, since she helps with the cows."

[kolodnoykovki]

"I bet you could probably stay the night sometime," Bucky agreed, and grinned as he leaned in to stage-whisper, "I have my own bedroom."

[stands_for_hope]

Steve's eyes went wide before he grinned so bright he almost looked like he was going to cry. He didn't have an answer for that, though. Instead, Steve put his forehead to Bucky's and smiled. He was so happy for his best friend. So happy things were going to go right for him.

Clark leaned in and nodded.

"Ma's always said I could have friends over. I doubt she'd tell Bucky different."

[kolodnoykovki]

He just couldn't stop smiling, his arm tightening around Steve while the other hugged Clark tight around the shoulders. "I think both your moms might have to get used to having all three of us around."

That had swiftly become important to him. Clark needed friends, and he wasn't going to abandon either him or Steve. That meant that they were going to have a lot of adventures for three.