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

[stands_for_hope]

Steve was the one to bounce up with the question.

"What was it?"

[kolodnoykovki]

"...My pet robot spider," Mike admitted, looking a little nervous but happy.

Bucky's eyes went wide. "A robot spider?! Awesome!"

[stands_for_hope]

Steve couldn't help but laugh because Bucky was going to be fascinated for days.

Clark just seemed to consider that for a moment before giving them all a grin and tipping his head to the garage. He was going to get a basketball.

...he was a little wowed by the car inside of it, though. Because it didn't sound like any car he'd ever heard. And a quick look at it's internals showed that there was a lot more going on there then he'd ever seen.

He didn't say anything or disturb the car, but he did walk around it warily before turning to grab the basketbal land hightailing it out of the garage.

[kolodnoykovki]

Bucky was grinning by the time Clark came back, having asked enough questions about the robot spider to get Mike to promise he could see it whenever he wanted. And then he was pointing. "Clark's got the ball. Let's play a round of..."

He had to think. Horse was out because Steve really did always win, but Steve couldn't really play a normal round...

"Hmmm."

[stands_for_hope]

Steve nodded towards Mike.

'We could always play Horse anyway," he pointed out with a little grin on his face. "After all, Mike's never played with us."

Clark looked sideways at Steve long enough to make him laugh.

"Okay, okay. Two on two? I can last a little while. Long enough for dessert."

[kolodnoykovki]

"I... don't know how to play, either," Mike noted, "So, uh. If Steve always wins, and I'm on his team, maybe I'd be a handicap?"

Bucky raised his eyebrows, shrugging as he looked to Clark. "What do you think?"

[stands_for_hope]

Clark considered that for a moment before nodding. Yeah, that'd be fair.

Steve bounced up, clearly excited, before taking the ball from Clark and moving around the court to show Mike the basics of the game before they started.

[kolodnoykovki]

Bucky watched with a degree of pride. Someone had asked to be on Steve's team. It made him happy. ...And maybe a little jealous, but he'd never admit it.

Mike, meanwhile, listened and nodded, asking a few questions here and there, but he proved to be a fast learner.

[stands_for_hope]

Steve passed Mike the ball and pointed to the first spot.

"You're new, so you get the chance to go first."

Clark nodded in agreement.

[kolodnoykovki]

"Okay..." Mike nodded and, after holding the ball for a moment, dribbling it to get a feel, he narrowed his eyes at the hoop and shot--

And missed. But he exhaled. "Okay, still got some practice to do, it looks like..."

"It's okay," Bucky assured. "You'll figure it out."

[stands_for_hope]

Steve caught the ball easily enough before passing the ball to Bucky.

"It was a good shot, but you should make sure you push mostly with your legs. It keeps the momentum straight so you can aim with your arm and hand."

Clark shook his head ruefully. Steve loved to help.

[kolodnoykovki]

"See, if you asked me how to march in formation, I could tell you - or even which mushrooms on the side of a tree are edible, or if this was football. But I don't know basketball." But he stepped back as Bucky came up to shoot and sank his shot after it bounced off the rim a couple times.

"Okay, we've got our first shot."

[stands_for_hope]

"Do we want to do turns so everyone gets to go?" Clark asked, holding his hand out for the ball. Steve retrieved the ball and passed it to him.

[kolodnoykovki]

"Yeah, I think so," Bucky said with a nod. "That way it's fair."

It was heartening. Mike smiled. Maybe he couldn't play basketball worth anything (yet), but he was getting a chance. That felt good.

[stands_for_hope]

Clark took his shot... and made it. Then he looked over at Steve and passed the ball.

Steve, tiny as he was, looked a the angle, lifted his head to feel the breeze, and made the shot.

...it didn't even hit the rim. It just sunk through.

[kolodnoykovki]

Bucky gave him a smirk. "That's Stevie."

Mike stared. "Why aren't you on the team or something? Or are you?"

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve shook his head.

"Can't do the running. Really bad asthma. Not to mention a million other things."

[kolodnoykovki]

"Oh." Mike paused, then nodded. "I understand." And that was the most Mike made of it.

Bucky approved.

"So... I guess it's my turn to miss again?" Mike sent a smile around their little group before going to get the ball and stepping back to try to find a spot to shoot from. One he might be able to make.

[stands_for_hope]

Steve stepped off his spot to gesture for Mike to adjust his stance just a little.

Clark stayed on his spot with Bucky, nudging him happily. Mike seemed super nice.

[kolodnoykovki]

Bucky smiled back. This was going much, much better than feared, and he was going to relish it for what it was - the chance to have a new friend.

What Steve instructed, Mike followed, and this time, even though the ball lingered on the rim after he shot it, it went through - and his first reaction was to grab Steve in a hug and spin him around.

[stands_for_hope]

Steve blinked at first before laughing brightly and hugging him back.

"Told you so! See, you all should listen to me more often."

Clark chuckled and shook his head as he took his shot.

"If we did that, we'd never move and you'd just keep us in place the whole day to draw."

[kolodnoykovki]

"And we'll do that sometime," Bucky said, "but tonight's special. We've gotta welcome our new friend."

And Bucky had no doubts that Mike was a new friend. He was nice. Friendly. Didn't have a problem with accepting Clark being vegetarian or Steve having health problems. That made him okay in Bucky's book.

[stands_for_hope]

"He's welcomed! Don't you feel welcome?" Steve asked with a little grin.

[kolodnoykovki]

"Oh, I feel welcome," Mike laughed. "I really like you guys. At this rate, I won't miss California at all."

Bucky smiled, squeezed his shoulder, and nodded. "It's okay if you do. I miss New York sometimes. But here's so nice that it doesn't last long."

[stands_for_hope]

"We don't have a lot of stuff, but there's a lot of good people," Clark said then.

"And you came in time for the harvest festival, so you really lucked out."