As Lucas does his best to ignore his underaged stalker, he makes it to about half a block away from his apartment building before finally having enough of it. Abruptly stopping, he suddenly spins around to try and catch the young teen in the act. Before Lucas's eyes have a chance to completely focus on the familiar too-large black jacket and baseball cap, there's suddenly a blur and he's gone.

'Woah what?'

[Oh, that's how he was able to keep up with your pace. Seems he's in his early developmental stages for super speed. He does look like he's about the right age for your average naturally occurring enhanced individual.]

'Uhhh, then doesn't that mean that messing with him was actually like, really dangerous? Wait, what the hell did he need my help for then?'

[Most likely, he has little to no control over it. I'd guess he has at least another year or two before he'll have fine control, in the early stages for any natural-born superpower there is a long time where the powers will manifest erratically. This can often be when they are most dangerous. Accidentally triggering abilities against your own will is much more hazardous than intentional applications, a majority of the time.]

'Wait... Even for like… Eye lasers and shit like that?'

[Bzzt…]

'Uhhh, 427?'

[Eye... Lasers? How would that even work? What kind of… Never mind, no, that's… Not a thing. But following your line of thought, yes. The most commonly referenced example is firestarters. Sometimes they have resistance to fire, but not always. No small amount of people have accidentally killed themselves or others dear to them during uncontrolled manifestations.]

'Oh… Not really sure what there is to say to that. Though this all doesn't explain why he's following me? Do you know where he went?'

[He's currently in the side alley nearby, peeking around the corner. Your guess is as good as mine as to why exactly he's following you, though I'm rather confident he doesn't have any malicious intentions at this point in time.]

Heaving a deep sigh, Lucas resumes his journey home at a normal pace.

'I agree, but it's really bothering me that I have no idea why he's doing it. I can't think of any way to stop him from finding out where I live, so I guess I'll just go home.'

Even though Lucas and 427 are aware of the boy tailing him, he doesn't find any occasion to call him out on his behavior for the rest of the trek to his apartment.

After sliding the last of the barrel bolts on his door shut, Lucas leans his back against the door and presses a palm against his forehead.

'A lot of it is probably from being distracted by the brat, but I really hate how calm I am right now.'

Slowly letting out a deep breath, Lucas turns his attention up to the ceiling as he lowers his hand.

'I assume he saw which apartment number I went into?'

[I believe so. As insensitive as this seems, it truly is a good thing to be able to stay level-headed given the circumstances.]

'I know. I know. I just hate it. Fuck.'

Leaning forward to step away from the door, there is a soft hesitant knock behind him.

'Oh? It's him right? Why was he so sneaky if he was going to come right up like this?'

[Yes… It is him. I believe he is better qualified to answer that question than I am.]

Staring at the door for a moment, Lucas decides to answer. "Yes, who is it?"

There is the barely audible sound of a startled intake of breath, after a few seconds pause a soft voice calls out, cracking partway through. "It's... It's me. Um, you don't really know me, but can we talk? Ah, my name is Jonathan. Pl-please, can I come in? Um, even if you won't let me in, I still wanted to um, say thank you for earlier…"

[Well… If he was planning on causing trouble I don't know why he'd wait until now to do it… Might as well?]

Lucas has a small smile for a moment, then snorts out a brief bit of laughter before beginning the long process of unlocking the door.

'Might as well. The curiosity will kill me one way or another.'

Once the door is finally opened, Lucas is greeted by the sight of the youth hanging his head down and staring at his own hands, twisting the top of his hat in one hand and squeezing the brim of it with the other. In the absence of the hat, a head full of short, matted, dirty black hair is shown in all of its messy glory.

Belatedly realizing the door is now open, the youth slowly lifts his head to look up at Lucas, showing that the sunglasses and cloth mask have been removed. Fixing his dark brown eyes on Lucas, there is no mistaking their puffy redness and the alarmingly impressive dark circles of exhaustion.

Seeing his state, Lucas can't help raising an eyebrow at him and letting out a brief sharp whistle.

"Damn kid, you look like hell. Hurry up and get inside, I don't wanna just stand here all day."

Initially, Jonathan flinches from Lucas's whistle and initial statement, but then immediately collects himself and darts inside. He nervously triggers his speed in the process and ends up in the middle of the living room, turned around to face Lucas. Whom is still standing in the same place, holding the door.

Blinking at the now vacant doorway, Lucas glances over his shoulder at the teen before shaking his head and shutting the door. He starts locking it up yet again, but out of reflex rather than conscious thought. Both of them stay silent through the process.

[...You just earned .01 GDV for letting him in.]

'Eh? That's… Odd.'

Making no attempts at hospitality, Lucas goes from the locked door over to plop down on his patched sofa, lazily crossing one leg over the other as he watches the awkward child, who is just staring at him the whole time.

"So, Jon was it? I'm Lucas. What is it that you wanted by following me home like a little sneak?" As he says this, Lucas leans back into the backrest of the sofa, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow.

Seeming to have a built-in vibration function, the nervous wreck Jonathan flinches yet again. His eyes dart from side to side a few times before fixing his attention back onto Lucas, noisly swallowing a mouthful of saliva before speaking up.

"I didn't… I didn't mean anything. I'm sorry. No wait, um, thank you. Thank you for helping me. I know you were helping in the store too, even if you were a jerk about it. You're… You're a strength supe, right? I didn't k-know there were any physical enhancement supes near here… Oh, um, here." Jonathan stammers all of this out in record time, whether it was due to his erratic superpowers or sheer nerves, not even 427 could possibly tell. Towards the end, he flickers briefly, leaving his folded-up switchblade on the coffee table in front of Lucas before going back to fidget in his previous standing position.

'This kid is something else… I'd probably be terrified of how fast he is if he wasn't so comically awkward.'

[...He just gave you another .01 GDV by handing over his only weapon. There's no way he's here just to say thank you and to make some small talk, given what a ball of nerves he is… Congratulations on having a lost puppy imprint onto you and following you home.]

'Oh crap, I really shouldn't have invited him in… I can't get rid of him even if I tried now can I? Shit, I brought him home, now I have to take care of him...'

-----

Lucas kills this chapter: 0

Lucas total kills: 3

Lucas deaths this chapter: 0

Lucas total deaths: 3

Lucas current GDV: 2.67 (+.01 +.01 = +.02 net change)

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Little character theater:

Jonathan, darting around the theater to check everything out: Hey hey where are we? Who's that? WHY IS THERE A DEATH COUNTER!?

Lucas, sulking a bit: I liked it better when calling him my son was just a joke...

427, barely paying attention: [BRB, filing for child support with the main system. Also, requesting information on theoretical eye lasers.]

Author, smiling softly at Jonathan: Oh honey, you have no idea what you just got yourself tangled up with.