Chapter Text
Jonathan Brewster was finally free.
Maybe ‘free’ wasn’t the best word to use. It was more like he was freshly escaped.
Freshy escaped from his childhood home, his aunts, and most importantly, the institution he was placed in for being ‘clinically insane’.
Now, Jonathan was walking down the streets of London, looking to begin his new life. Beside him walked Herman Einstein, his fellow inmate and practised plastic surgeon. They had been cell mates and dug out through the wall of the prison using spoons given to them at meal times. Jonathan originally planned on ditching Einstein after escaping but the man was too hard to shake off—like a flea on a dog.
London was cold and dreary and looked to have never seen a lick of daylight. Jonathan clutched his tan overcoat—now stained with dark spots from the rain—closer to his body and repressed a shiver. Einstein didn’t look to be doing any better. He was wearing a dark jacket that dragged behind him on the street. Rain hung heavy on his hair, weighing it down and making it stick to his face uncomfortably. He wasn’t good at masking his tremors and liked to complain. A lot.
“Oh Chonny, what are we going to do?!” Einstein stressed, his German accent was heavy and almost unintelligible as he spoke quickly.
“Cut it out, Einstein. You’re drawing attention to us.” Jonathan pulled his collar further up his neck and buried his face deeper into his scarf.
“Also, what did I tell you about calling me ‘Johnny’?”
Einstein brushed his rain-soaked hair out of his face and angled his body fully to Jonathan.
“Oh sorry, Chon-a-than—” He rolled his eyes as he enunciated every syllable. “—Forgive me, I’ve never been on the run before.”
He attempted to walk off after that but the taller man grabbed him by the arm before he could get far.
“What makes you think I have?” Jonathan asked sternly.
“You ran from your home, no?” Einstein raised a dark eyebrow and removed himself from Jonathan’s grip. He began walking at a much faster pace, dodging Londoners as the two of them pushed against the crowd.
Jonathan was quick to match speeds.
“Okay, yeah I did. You have to admit that this is a bit different though.”
“Yeah, okay, whatever.” Einstein shrugged Jonathan off again and kept his dark eyes looking forward.
Silence fell over them as they walked through London with no destination in mind. Jonathan could see how much the hustle and bustle of the large city overwhelmed Einstein, who was used to the quiet of Germany. But Jonathan found London to be less chaotic than where he grew up in Brooklyn
“I really need a drink,” Einstein said out of nowhere, rubbing his eyes lazily.
Jonathan couldn’t help but agree.
Logically, they knew they didn’t have time for a drink, especially not in a major city where they could be recognized anywhere at any time, but what damage could a little drink do?
The pair walked up and down the streets, searching for the nearest pub. Just when they were about to give up, a bar came into their sights. Einstein walked in without a second thought but Jonathan needed a minute to collect his nerve. Sure, what were the chances they would be caught in the middle of the dark building with only one day of freedom under their belts? Still, he didn’t like the odds.
Before he could step a foot into the bar, a voice caught Jonathan’s attention.
“Is that Jonathan Brewster?” A man said to his friend.
The man was almost a full head shorter than Jonathan. He was stocky and balding. He was a threat.
Taking one last glance at the bar, Jonathan slowly made his way over to the man. His friend saw Jonathan before the man could and ran away, not looking back to see if Jonathan or the man was following. Well, it’s less blood on his hands.
Jonathan put a strong hand on the man’s shoulders and dragged him into the dark alley behind the bar.
He shucked off his jacket and shoved the sleeve into the man’s mouth before he could start to scream. Then, he did what he knew how to and wrapped his large hands around the man’s neck.
The man’s fat face slowly turned from its normal pale color to red and from red to blue. Jonathan knew he didn’t have much time left until his little friend called the police so he tightened his hands on the man’s neck and looked for the best way to snap it. After a minute, Jonathan heard the sickening crunch before the man turned limp in his hands. Dropping him carelessly, Jonathan made his way towards the front and finally walked into the bar. He found Einstein in his own booth with two drinks in his hand.
“Oh Chonny! You’re here.” Einstein’s face was flushed and he tried handing one of the drinks he was holding to Jonathan, who declined and dragged Einstein up by the arm.
“We have to leave,” he said firmly, lugging Einstein’s inebriated body behind him.
“Oh, c’mom Chonny! I’m not ready.”
“I’m not joking. I’ll show you why outside.”
Jonathan heard Einstein huff and pout from behind him. Still, he pushed Einstein into the alley where the body was lying.
“Oh god!” Einstein whipped around to look Jonathan in the eyes. “You did that?!”
If Jonathan didn’t know better, Einstein might’ve seemed excited about this.
“Yeah, he recognized me. That’s why we have to go.”
Einstein looked back at the body, deep in thought. “If he recognized you here, how do you know they won’t recognize you everywhere else?” He asked, looking back up.
That stumped Jonathan. “I don’t know. I just know we shouldn’t stick around.”
“I have an idea.” Einstein reached inside his coat and produced a small black suitcase-looking box.
“What am I looking at?” Jonathan asked, confused on why and how Einstein had such a thing.
“Could I perform plastic surgery on you?”
Jonathan was taken aback. Was he going to let a man he barely knows potentially mutilate his face? It’ll certainly be safer if he does. But should he?
As if sensing his unease, Einstein added “I’m a doctor and barely even tipsy.” As if to strengthen his point, he attempted to spin with a flourish but barely kept himself up straight, making Jonathan even more apprehensive than before.
But if Jonathan were to leave England, he would need a disguise…
He sighed greatly, “Fine.”
Einstein lit up and hopped over the body on the grimy floor to grab Jonathan on the shoulders to force him to lie down.
“I’ll make you look so beautiful, Chonny! Should I make you look like the gorgeous Vivien Leigh?”
And that’s how Jonathan found himself on the ground behind a bar in London, getting his first plastic surgery.