Home? Ah the hotel! He nodded and walked with him. He kept an arm around his shoulders to help him remain upright.

"I will love to see your home and this baton." And he was excited.

While they walked, he didn't recall there being a hotel this way, but he knew he could be wrong. He didn't necessarily memorize every hotel in town. And spending more time with his new friend was too tempting to miss.

"Thanks for spending some of this night with me. I hope to have more nights with my friend. And I am having a great rainy night with you. Maybe this will give you some nice memories to tide you over when it isn't so nice."

Home.  Home?  Had Edmund said home, before?  He felt like gagging.  Only drunk would he ever consider anywhere in Whitby his home.  But he made no further comment on the matter, walking down darkened streets until he was very, very certain he was not going in the right direction.  Fuck.

"Once I show you where this - damn hotel is, you'll always know where to find me.  Just come by whenever you're lonely."

Still, Edmund's words were soft, but he was frowning.  "I've changed my mind.  Take me to St. Hilda's, I can find the hotel from there but these streets are - confusing.  And I need to piss."

And maybe Francis' company was a welcome change to his regular nights.  Maybe he was just a bit reluctant to leave his friend, as if he'd disappear and never return the moment he left Edmunds sight.

"Don't say that. I'll always be there if you let me." Was Francis lonely? He'd be lying if he said otherwise, but he had settled into it a long time ago.

"Oh?" His head whipped around and joy was on his face. "Sure!" With a nod and a grin from ear to ear, a pale hand reached out and took his. It was cold but refreshing and his form took off.

He scampered down the street pulling the other in tow. "Don't worry, I won't let you down." While he ran, he did make sure the other kept pace. "I really need to as well. Let's make sure st. Hilda is never the same." He laughed as he moved, the warm rainy air filled his lungs. He was drunk and almost dizzying but he knew the way and they'd be there in almost no time.

Oh, Francis really wanted to pee on the walls of this church.  Edmund didn't know why he was surprised, but he did know that running through these streets was disorienting and magical.  He followed Francis' lead unquestioningly, breathless laughs disappearing behind them.

"So fast," he shouted at some point, but it was not angry.  When they slowed to a stop in front of the church, Edmund was gasping for breath, but he was grinning.  His cheeks hurt.

"What now?"  The boy turned to Francis, questioning but thrilled.  "Well, I know what, but I don't...  I'm not sure how!"

There was a strange feeling of freedom when they ran. The echoes of their feet hitting and splashing puddles, the rain dancing off their hair, and the laughs and heavy breathing echoing from streets to alleys.

Finally, standing before the church, he took a few deep breaths as his laughter faded in his chest. His arms stretched out, taking in the moment before glancing back to Edmund .

"We..had to go fast. To get here fast. But, wasn't it fun?" The look on Edmund's face made him believe he agreed.

"You...don't know how?" He should have been quiet but his laughter escaped, dampened by the rainfall. "Come on." He waved his hand and went to the side of the church where they wouldn't be found too quickly if someone did investigate.

"You just...you know." He tugged down the simple gotten pants and exposed himself, looking very relaxed when he did exactly as he promised. His eyes searched for his new friend, starting to worry he'd gotten cold feet and was looking at him as if he was crazy.

Edmund followed Francis to the side of the church, unsteady on his own again, but unwilling to reach out or ask for help.  He couldn't help but laughing when the other did, even if it was at himself.

And - oh.  It really was just.  Pulling your dick out and peeing, then.  Quickly, Edmund averted his eyes from the other mans, ehm, manhood, meeting his eyes for a second before turning to the wall of the church.

Was he really going to do this?  Defile the building, this holy building, that Father Brennan called his home, just to impress his new friend?

...Yes.

Trying not to feel completely embarrassed and failing, Edmund pulled down his own trousers just enough to take himself out and took aim.  Just like peeing behind a tree on the farm, this was, except there was a warm body right next to him, and it was a church and not a tree.

Francis noticed it. He looked. He blushed and faced forward and rest his head against the stone wall, it was cool and relaxing as he finished. "Sorry..." He chuckled weakly. "No angels crying or devils laughing. It is just.. pissing on a church. " He stood up and certainly was kind enough to not glance over since the other was definitely bothered almost seeing him. He'd be embarrassed or furious if the homeless man accidentally got a look, not that he was trying to take advantage of his new friend.

"Is it too disappointing?" He asked as he gave a little shake and tucked himself back away politely. "I feel better though. Do you?" He did finally take a peak, but kept his eyes completely on Edmund's eyes. They were nice. "If I led you astray, I'm sorry. Maybe you can decide what we do next time."

Edmund could not speak while he was exposed.  It was physically impossible.  If he tried, he'd burst into flames, like God striking him down.  No crying angels or laughing devils, but a dead Edmund.  All for a quick piss.

Only once his pants were back up and skin that should be hidden was hidden did Edmund feel ready to face Francis again.  His face was red, from running, from his earlier drinks, from this, from all of it.  But, he was smiling.  It was small, but it was there.

"Not disappointing," he assured, pushing rain-wet hair back from his face.  "Just... different.  But not in a bad way."

For a moment, Edmund had completely forgotten what was supposed to come next.  He just stood, rocking slightly on his feet and enjoying, actually enjoying the cool rain that fell on him.  And Francis was right there in front of him.  Edmund reached out a hand to push his shoulder softly.

"don't apologize.  Follow me."  He'd found his way from St. Hilda's to the hotel many times since arriving in Whitby, so this part of their journey was easy.  Walking was still more difficult than it should have been, but Edmund was getting the hang of it.  He moved forward in a mostly straight line, bumping Francis' shoulder every now and again and laughing out a soft apology every time.

Francis noticed the look and waited until he was done to look over. He'd worried the other wasn't amused at least, but the smile and words gave him relief. Yeah, the activity was simple and dumb, but it was about the meaning of it. It was releasing his anger at god on a symbol of it. He could have pissed on Father Brennan but he'd be far more upset and he wasn't as angry at him now.

Francis was wondering what the other was thinking as they stood there. He was aware of the fingers running through hair and the rocking on feet. As he looked at him, he rubbed his hands together and almost started to toy with a loose thread when the hand went for his shoulder. He laughed and batted away his hand.

"Alright, alright!" He immediately turned to walk with him. Yes, the baton! He had a bounce to his step, and as they walked listening to water rushing down from roofs and the tapping of drops on shingles or cobblestone. The other nudged him and the first time he simply laughed, after that he would return it crashing his shoulder gently back into the other. He was subtle at first but after a couple of blocks, he'd be walking straight then make a curved beeline to aim his shoulder to the others and would laugh loudly watching his reaction and awaiting for Edmund to return the strike. "I miss having friends.' He said. "I'm so glad to meet you."

A game, Francis had turned their walk into.  A mistake, because Edmund was very competitive.

Every time he'd be knocked into, the boy would nearly crash into the cobblestone street, recovered at the very last second only before returning the push with a wild laugh.  Edmund was careful at first, sending the shove with only half the strength it was given to him, but Francis was relentless and Edmund wanted to win.

He didn't know how winning would happen, but he would do it.

When Francis spoke, though, Edmund paused.  Suddenly, he felt like crying.

Silly games were not new to Edmund, but he'd only ever played them with his sister.  New experiences lately were terrifying, but done out of necessity rather than foolish, but done out of impulse.  He'd never even drank with anyone before today.

He'd been missing out on this for eighteen years, he realized.  His whole life.

"Having friends is nice," he agreed softly.  "I'm glad to meet you too."  But the words alone were not enough.  Were there words that could express what Edmund was feeling?  Probably, but if they were out there, he didn't know them.

"You really are amazing.  I know - I know I just met you, but I know it.  Thank you, Francis.  I mean it."

Edmund turned to look the other in his face as he spoke.  His eyes fluttered all over, from his eyes to nose to chin and cheeks, following his stubble over his mouth and then back up to his eyes again.  Walking was harder when he wasn't looking where he was going, so to steady himself, he wrapped a thin hand around Francis' arm.