#and what if davey can be sharp and direct and angry with jack and feel loved for it not despite it | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sugarbutterbroadway · 4 years

Text

Crowning The King

The sun was high in the sky and beaming. It would’ve been a perfect day to not be walking the Brooklyn bridge. But here Race was, little on his back and damp hair stuck to his forehead. He’d strip and dive off if it wasn’t broad daylight, wouldn’t be the first time either. On the bright side they were making good time, Shadow getting tired was a blessing in disguise. He was growing on him, but little legs could only move so fast. He spared a glance at Spot and stifled a laugh. Ah yes, little legs could only move so fast.

“What’s with the smirkin, Higgins?”Spot huffed. He wasn’t too keen on the heat either.

“Jus thinkin about stuff”He said innocently. Spot narrowed his eyes. It was never a good idea when Race started thinking.

“What stuff?”

“How short you’s is”he said. He felt a sharp pain at the back of his ankle and gasped.

“Don’t kick me! I‘m your beau!”

“You’s a pain in my ass, that’s what you is”Spot grumbled. Race’s smirk broadened.

“I could be a pain in your as-”

“Racetrack.”Spot warned with a pointed look. Race sucked his teeth and whined.

“You never let me have any fun!”

“Oh me and you had plenty fun not even an hour ago”Spot said, “And plenty fun this morning. Keep it in ya pants until we get there, I ain’t bailin you out for public indecency”

“Oh I just love when you say big words at me”He swooned, batting his lashes. “Really makes me melt”

“...’m sendin you to an asylum”

“Why? Cause I'm so crazy for you?”

“No, Cause you’s a complete nutcase”

-----

“Alright,”Race said, once the lodging house was in sight. “Do you um...do you wanna stay outside? I mean I don’ know how Jack is gonna react and-”

“And leave you to deal with him by yourself?”Spot said, raising a brow. “Yeah, no. Let’s go”

The fact that Spot was willing to put himself in the line of fire—with firsthand knowledge of how unpredictable Jack could be—made him want to sing. He smiled and slung his arm around Spot’s shoulder, careful not to jostle the child on his back.

“Ya know how gone I am for you?”He said with a dreamy look in his eyes. Spot quickly looked around them, and sighed when he was sure no one was looking. He grabbed the hand that was around his shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze before pressing the blonde’s knuckles to his lips.

“Yes I do, now get yer arm off a me! It’s too hot for this,”Spot said and squirmed away from his grasp. Race made a noise of protest but Spot shook his head, later he mouthed.

Race huffed and started walking in full strides. He wanted to get this shit over with as soon as possible. He heard Spot yell but kept walking, after all it wasn’t his fault that Spot was short.

By the time Race made it to the doors, Spot was still down the street taking what seemed to be his sweet time. He gently maneuvered the sleeping child into his arms and leaned back against the building.

“They should call you sleeper”He said with a laugh, “Boy you could sleep through a war and wake up askin what happened” He looked up just in time to see Spot stalking towards him looking angry and very very sweaty.

“You’s an ass, Higgins”Spot huffed, his chest rose and fell at an unsteady rate. “A right ass”

“I-”

“I wear a shirt with sleeves, to try and make a good impression”Spot continued. “And you go and leave me? Your cathedral sized body was blockin the sun!”

“Oh so I'm a cathedral now?”he drawled, “You wanna explain how that makes any sense?”

“Really pretty, decently tall and provides me with shade!”Spot stressed.

“Oh you think ‘m pretty?”he said with a wink. Spot nodded quickly, wiping his forehead.

“And smart an’ tough as nails, but can we go inside!”

“Yeah Spotty just...just hold on”He said. He lifted his back off the cool bricks and faced the doors. He didn’t know what was waiting for him on the inside. Best case scenario Jack would be angry, maybe soak him, but get over it. Worst case scenario, he’d walk in and get thrown right back out. Sure he did have Brooklyn to fall back on but these boys were his family, he didn’t want to lose them.

“You’s nervous”Spot said. Race nodded. Sure he had a temper,and he’d soak anyone who crossed him. But he didn’t like conflict with his boys. It made his stomach tie itself in knots, made him feel like he was going to be sick. His paling face must have been a dead give away because Spot had quickly plucked Shadow off his back and pushed him in the direction of a bush. He fell to his knees and retched. His body shook and his head felt like it was spinning, but thankfully nothing came up. Spot had pulled his cap off his head and fanned him with it while he tried to regain his composure.

“I ain’t seen you nervous like this in a long time, Racer”Spot said carefully. “Are you sure you wanna do this?”

“I gotta”He groaned, “ ‘m tired of bein a coward”

Spot squatted down next to him, voice dropping to a whisper. “It’s makin you sick, Angel. I don’ want you to get in there and vomit all over Davey”

“How do you even know Davey’s there?”He asked quietly. “An’ why not Jack?”

“Firstly”Spot said, “I can see him through the window. Secondly, if you vomit on Jack it’ll be the best day of my life”

“Shut up”He said, pushing himself up on shaky legs. “ ‘m good, let’s go”

“Racer-”

“ ‘m good, Spot”He said, wiping the corner of his mouth. “Honest. Let’s go”

-----

He was holding Spot’s hand when they walked in. He knew that he shouldn’t be, that it would cause Jack to freak out even more, but he needed to. He needed to touch him. When he saw Jack—or more like Jack saw them—Spot gave his hand a squeeze, he didn’t complain when Race’s nails dug into the pad of his hand, he didn’t comment on the way he was trembling down to his fingertips. Race squeezed back and slowly willed his eyes to meet the ones he had been avoiding. Blue met green and Spot squeezed even tighter, he knew. He knew that Race wanted to run and it was his silent way of saying no, it wasn’t worth it. They took another step forward and all Jack did was stare. His eyes scanned over Race,then Spot, then their connected hands.

Race made the decision to let go. His arm went limp and dangled at his side, he turned to Spot and nodded. Spot took a few steps back while Race continued walking forward. He walked until him and Jack were only a few feet apart.

“Hey Jack”He said with a weak chuckle, “ya miss me?”

In an instant he was roughly pulled into a pair of arms. His chest hit Jacks and he groaned but didn’t pull away. It seems like he wasn’t the only one who was trembling. Just as quickly he was pulled away, and boy did Jack look angry.

“Don’t you ever!”Jack snapped, “Ever, pull that shit again. You hear me? Boy I outta soak you good-”

“Jack”Davey said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. Jack closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“We had boys lookin all over the city for you”Jack said, “All day, and all night. Racetrack I did not sleep last night because I didn’ know where the hell you were. So next time you plan on runnin, at least yell where you’s stayin”

Davey pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “What he means is we were all worried about you and we’re glad your back”

“ ‘m sorry Jack”he said, “I didn...I was scared--I still am scared, I ain’ no good at leadin”

“That’s where yer wrong!”Jack exclaimed, “Racer, I wouldn’ve made you my second if I thought you was a shitty leader. These boys look up to you, they see’s how smart you are—you’s the only one here who can do that fancy ‘rithmetic ‘sides Davey! You’s quick on yer feet and even quicker with that brain you got. If you think it’s too much, then so be it. But these was my boys since the day I got here and I wouldn’t leave them with you if i thought it’d be puttin’ them in danger”

“Honest?”he asked, his fingers gripping the sleeves of Jack's shirt.

“Racer you got my word”Jack promised, “I don’ make promises lightly either, now c’mere”

Jack pulled him in for another hug and he finally exhaled. Things were going to be alright, he was worried for nothing.

Or maybe he spoke too soon.

“Group hug!”Davey exclaimed. His eyes widened.

“No-”

“Too late!” An extra force was added to Jack’s already tight embrace and Race felt like he couldn’t breathe in the best way possible. He felt a small pair of arms wrapped around his leg and looked down to see Shadow hugging him too. Spot wasn’t too far behind him.

“I tried to stop him,”Spot said, but he was smiling. The three pulled away and Jack knelt down in front of the small boy.

“And who might you be mister?”Jack said with a goofy grin. Shadow spared him a quick glance but opted to hide behind Race’s legs instead. Race couldn’t help but smile as the little boy gripped the bottom of his trousers. Spot patted Race on the back and mouthed I got him before gently guiding Shadow back to his side.

Jack couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“Look at that!”jack exclaimed, “We leave him in Brooklyn for a day, he comes back with a kid!”

“What can I say?”he smirked, “ ’m loved by all”

“Except the nuns”Jack said.

“And the cops”Davey pointed out.

“And that one shop owner down the street-”

“Alright!”he snapped, “I get it!” Jack laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.

“It’s good to have you back, Racer”Jack said, “Now you,”he said turning to Spot, “What’re you doin here? I thought you’s never left Brooklyn”

“Ah no”Race mumbled, he shot a glance at Davey who must’ve been thinking the same thing because he rolled his eyes.

“ ‘m just here to make sure Racer got back safely,”Spot said calmly.

“Racer?”Jack said, raising a brow, “Oh, so he calls you Racer?”

“Jack-”

“Nah”Jack said, he squared his shoulders. “Also the hand holdin, what’s that about?”

“What’d you think it’s about, Kelly?”Spot said.

“Don’ go gettin smart with me”Jack warned, “What did you two do in Brooklyn last night”

“Nothin we ain’t already done before”

Jack’s nose twitched and his hands were already bunched at his sides. “Spot Conlon you’a dead man-”

“Jack!”

“Spot!”

Race and Davey looked at each other before turning back to their respective partners.

“Don’ Jack me!”Jack exclaimed with wide eyes, “I jus’ think Spot’s gotten a little too comfortable with our Racer-”

“Please don’t start,”Race groaned.

“-and I think he should know that it is completely inappropriate for them to be doin this kinda stuff-”

“That’s it, ‘m not listenin.” Race said, “I am not listin, one of you’s watch the kid, ‘m gonna be outside if anyone needs me” without another word he walked out the door. Jack was still going and Davey rolled his eyes. That boy could rant himself to death.

“Spot”He said, “let’s talk” When Spot nodded Davey walked over and took a seat.“Now”He said, “I may not be as forward as Jack but that doesn’t mean I care any less for Race, is that clear?”

“Crystal”Spot said.

“Now I'm an older brother”He said, “I’ve got two siblings that I love dearly and I'd do anything for them. I feel the same way about our boys, ya followin?”

“I am”Spot nodded. Davey leaned in across the table and his voice dropped to a whisper.

“Which means i’m not above getting my hands dirty if you hurt him in any way. I don’t like getting violent, it’s not my thing”He said.”But I’m as sharp with my wit as I am with a pistol, I’m as dangerous as Jack but unlike him I think my plans through, thoroughly. We on the same page?”

“Absolutely”Spot gulped, pulling at the collar of his shirt. “You’s scary when you need to be”

“It’s one of my hidden talents,”He said, pushing his chair out. “Good talk, Spot”

“Um, yeah”Spot said. “Good talk”

-----

“Can I sit out here with you?”Jack asked.

“You gonna stop lecturin’ me about my virtue?”He asked.

“Never”Jack scoffed as he lowered himself to the ground. “So uh...you and Spot huh?”

“Yeah,”He said.

“How long?”Jack asked. Race smiled as he fiddled with his hands.

“Officially since last night, but it’s been me and him for years”he said. He could hardly remember a time before the soft smiles and gentle touches that were Spot Conlon.

“You’s grinnin’ like a fool”Jack said.

“Well he makes me happy”He said, “You don’ gotta like him, but I do. You don’t know him like I do Jack, you don’t know how sweet he is to me”

“I guess I don’t”Jack said softly, “I just wanted to uh...apologize for how I acted in there, I lost my head”

Well that’s not what he was expecting. “Don’ worry ‘bout it Jack, you was just tryin to look out for me”

Jack stared at him long and hard. “When did you get so grown up?”

“I don’t know”He said softly, “I guess it jus happened”

“I still remember you and Crutchie squeezin into my bed at night cause you had nightmares”Jack said, “Now you’s got a beau and you’s ‘bout to be leadin...where does the time go?”

“Down the drain if you think too long”he said, “Time don’ wait for no one Jack, life moves fast so I just gotta be faster so I don’ miss it, ya know?”

“Yeah”Jack said, “Yeah I know exactly what you mean, yer gonna do good for our boys”

“I don’ wanna be good”He said, “I wanna be great...wanna give them the things I ain’t never had, wanna give them a chance”

“You got a chance,”Jack said.

“ ‘m sixteen with no proper education”He chuckled, “My life’s already been planned since the moment my Ma passed...i’m doomed to a factory”

“Racer don-”

“But it don’ gotta be the same for these boys,”He rushed, “I wanna do what Brooklyn’s doin. I wanna send ‘em to school, I want us to care about each other...I want us to love each other. I mean most of us ain’t got families anyways, why not make this a family?”

“You got that fire in yer eyes”Jack said, “keep goin”

“We need to have each other's backs”he said, rising to his feet. “Not just for necessary shit like food and clothes, ain’t no bond. I wan’ these boys to come to me with their problems, I wanna know how they’s feelin, if they got a dame or a beau, I wan ‘em to know they ain’t gotta drop like flies when they sick because we’ll take care of ‘em”

“That’s what i’m talkin about”Jack said, “what else”

“I wan’t them to be able to ask for help”He said, “to feel comfortable enough to put their pride aside ‘cause I don’ wanna lose no one else, after Eagle we...we can’t lose no more boys because they felt like they had no one” tears pooled in his eyes but he blinked them away, “We’s always singin songs ‘bout brotherhood, but we gotta act like we brothers too”

“You see Race”Jack said, “you think you ain’t ready but you came up with all that by yourself”

“Ain’t all my ideas”he said with a shrug, “It’s just how they do it in Brooklyn”

“You love Brooklyn,”Jack said, shaking his head.

“Nah, I hate it over there”He smirked. “But I love their leader”

Jack’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull. “You…that word holds weight Race, you gotta be careful ‘bout it”

“Like I said Jack”he said, “Life moves too damn fast, one blink and yer ancient. All I know is I don’ wanna see a day that Spot ain’t in”

“You got it bad”Jack said standing up.

“Got it bad?”He said, “I’m fuckin gone for him”

-----

The room felt a little tense when they walked back inside but Race ignored that and beckoned Spot over.

“Davey you too”He said, taking a seat at a table. “Need to have a witness with sense”

“Hey!”Jack exclaimed. Davey practically beamed and took a seat, so did Spot but a little closer to Race.

“I want peace between these two boroughs”He said, when nobody objected he continued. “Things have been calmer since the strike, i’ll give you that. But we’s the only two boroughs that got it out for each other, with absolutely no reason? Now does that make any sense?”

The boys shook their heads.

“Exactly. We ain’t all that different from each other, the only thing separating us is that bridge. I know it’s gonna take time but I want peace, complete peace”

“That doesn’t seem like a half bad idea”Davey said.

“I know,”He said. He shifted to face Spot. “I don want my boys bein scared of you or Brooklyn no more, especially when there’s good sellin spots. It ain’t right”

Spot's face shifted and Race could tell he was putting on the King of Brooklyn. “Well if your boys can be sellin in Brooklyn, that means mines can sell here. Right?”

“Absolutely”he said, “I don’ got a problem with it-”

“I do!”Jack said. Race raised a brow.

“You’s not leadin this borough no more, I‘m doin this to better our boys.”He said. “Now if you ain’t gonna say anything worth sayin, keep yer mouth shut”

Spot stared at him in awe, this was his boy. “And the King of Manhattan is back”

Jack glared at him and crossed his arms. “Fine”

“I got one more thing to say”Spot said, “Your boys tend to get rowdy, fists flyin before they even think. What you gonna do about that?”

“Says the one who’s boys soak anyone who even steps foot in Brooklyn”He countered, “This gotta go both ways, Conlon. If one of my boys soaks yours, they answer to both of us”he paused and leaned closer. “But if one of your boys soaks mine, then i’m raisin hell. You’ll hear me screamin from across the bridge before I even get there.”

“I expect nothin less”Spot said, his face was hard, but his eyes were sparklin. “So tell me, Higgins. How do you plan on punishin them?”

“I’m glad you asked, the way that…”

-----

“Racer!”a voice shouted.

“Huh?-oof!” Albert. His brain supplied just as his back hit the ground. The voices around him seemed to multiple, the boys were back. He groaned and tried to sit up, but was knocked back down by the force of the entire borough, plus Les.

“Jesus, give a guy some space!”He shouted.

“Not gonna happen buddy!”

“Where the hell’ve you been?”

“Jack was worried sick!”

“We looked everywhere for you!”

The familiar guilt from earlier tried to rear his ugly head, but this time he buried it. He was tired of feeling guilty. He managed to fight his way through the sea of limbs and sat up.

“It don’ matter where I was”He said, “It just matters that i’m back now”

The boys all seemed to pause collectively before barreling down on him with an onslaught of questions. He groaned as he was tugged every which way, but he was happy. Brooklyn was calm, but this is the hell he was bred for.

“Boys boys!”Jack shouted, clapping his hands. Everyone—even Spot—turned to face him. He perched on top of the table and made sure all eyes were on his. What was he doing?

“Boys”he addressed, “As you know, I recently had a birthday”

Race’s eyes widened, oh no.

“An eighteenth birthday, meaning in the eyes of sellin, i’m as good as dead”he continued, it earned a few laughs. “I don’ got no fancy speech prepared but, i’m stepping down-”

The uproar started up again and he flailed his arms wildly.

“Hey hey!”he shouted, “Ain’t no need to freak out! I ain’t gonna leave you all alone”

His eyes scanned the sea of boys and they landed on Race. “I’m sure you all know Race is my second”

The boys nodded and murmured in affirmation.

“Well then say hello to your new leader, boys.”He smirked, “You all know me, I wouldn’t let this knucklehead lead if I didn’ trust him. We was talkin earlier ‘bout the plans he’s got for here and well, the future looks bright. I know we ain’t got no booze, but cheers to Racetrack!”

“Cheers to Racetrack!”the boys repeated. An arm gripped him tightly around the waist and he was hoisted onto somebody’s shoulders. He looked down and saw Spot looking up at him with a grin.

“Who’s your second!”Someone shouted from the crowd. A chorus of voices repeated.

“Yeah, who!”

“I think we all know the answer to that”Race smiled, “Alby, my partner in crime. Will you be my second?”

“Only if you don’ plan on leavin no time soon”He smirked. He lurched forward as someone slapped the back of his head.

“Just say yes, idiot!”

“Of course, Racer”He said rolling his eyes, “Like i’d pass up the opportunity to do business in Brooklyn, heard the dames there are beautiful”`

“We’s not gonna be there checkin out dames”Race said, “If we’s goin on business, it means business.”

“You’s no fun anymore”He said with a pout. Race gave him a face.

“There’s a change comin to this borough, once and for all”

“I’ll drink to that”Davey grinned.

“But there ain’t no booze”Albert said with furrowed brows.

“For the love of god Racer, please don’t make this idiot your second!”Finch said.

“Who’re you callin in idiot!”

Race felt himself getting carried off to a quieter side of the room and thanked not only Spot but god. It was barely his first day as leader and his boys were already tearing each other’s heads off. Spot squatted and he took that as the initiative to climb down. The two sat on the floor in the corner side by side. And Spot, boy was he still beaming.

“ ‘m proud of you, Angel”Spot said, “It’s been so crazy today that I didn’ get to say it but i’m proud. You’s gonna do good for these boys, I know you are”

“Stop butterin me up, ‘m already sleepin with you”he said, he could’ve sworn Spot was blushing before a cap hit him square in the face.

“Ow!”

“This is why I can’ be nice to you”Spot sighed, “If you ever ask why I ain’t romantic in the future, remember this”

“Please”He said “Like you can resist me.” Spot chuckled and wrapped and arm around his shoulder.

“I think that’s the smartest thing you said all day”

-----

The festivities died down when they remembered they all still had work in the morning. The boys trickled up the stairs slowly until the younger ones were eventually ushered up by Crutchie. That left only Jack,Davey,Spot and Race sitting in the middle of the room trying to take in all that happened.

“Racer”Jack said, breaking the silence. “Come with me, I got somethin for you”

“What is it-”

“Don’t ask questions,”Jack said. Race sighed, hadn’t his day been eventful enough? He slid off the table he was perched on and followed Jack down the hall. They stopped in front of Kloppmanns desk, Jack snagged a key sitting on the hook.

“What’re you-”

“I think it's about time the King gets his crown”Jack said, his smile wavering a bit. “I ain’t got much to give you so here, from one leader to the next” he placed the key into Race's palm.

“Is this for…?” He didn’t want to get his hopes up.

“You know the rules, Race”Jack said, “Leader gets his own room”

“Are you sure about this?”He said slowly, though all he wanted to do was run upstairs and lock himself in there forever. A taste of privacy seemed intoxicating.

“As sure as I've ever been,”Jack said. “I already got an apartment waitin for me. Drawin them cartoons for Pulizter and sellin really helps rack up the money”

Race’s jaw dropped. “You’s got an Apartment!”

“That’s not the point, it’s yours now Race, you earned it.”Jack said, “But, I will be stopping by very frequently, and if I see you and Mr.Conlon-”

“Alright!”He exclaimed, “I get it”

“One last thing, from leader to leader”Jack said. Race didn’t trust the look in his eyes.

“Yes”

“The headboard thumps against the wall when you rock the bed too much so I’d-”

“Jack!”he said fighting the blush creeping up his neck. Jack laughed and wiped his eyes.

“Okay okay, i’m done now,”Jack said. Race gave him a look. “Honest, just make sure you’re safe and olive oil helps-”

“That’s it”He said, “I’m leaving” he could still hear Jack laughing as he walked down the hall.

-----

“Do you really have to go?”Race asked.

“I do”Spot said, “Someone’s gotta bring this little guy back” Shadow was once again fast asleep in his arms. Race nodded, this borough wasn’t exactly child friendly yet. He took a step forward and placed a kiss to his cheek, and then one to Shadow’s forehead. This kid was really starting to grow on him.

“Make sure you get back safely”Race said.

“I will”Spot said, “I may be soft to you but to everyone else i’m still Spot Conlon”

“King of Brooklyn”He finished. Spot grinned and brought a hand up to stroke his cheek.

“And don’t you forget it, Angel. I’ll still see you tomorrow, right?” “Of course you will”He said, “I may be the leader but ‘m still a newsie”

“And you’re still my boy”Spot said. He felt himself blush again.

“I thought you was done bein romantic?”

“I thought we agreed that wasn’t possible?”Spot countered.

He narrowed his eyes, “Fair.”

“I really have to get goin”Spot said, “New York don’ get no less dangerous just cause we’s high on life”

“Then go”he said.

“I want you in bed before I do”Spot said.

“Fine”he said, “After I watch you leave, I will”

“You’re impossible”Spot sighed,

“You love it”

“I do”Spot said with a grin. He gently grabbed at Race’s collar pulling him down to plant a kiss on his cheek.

“I’ll see you”

“Y-yeah” Why was he stuttering? Spot smirked and walked out the door. Race held a hand to his cheek and grinned. If you would have told him two days ago that he would have a beau,a borough and his own room he would’ve thought you were crazy.

“Well”He said to himself, “Guess this is what it’s like bein King of Manhattan”

#newsies #broadway #racetrack higgins #jack kelly #newsies broadway #spot conlon #davey newsies #crutchie newsies #jack kelly x david jacobs #spot conlon x racetrack higgins #spot newsies #race newsies #oc Shadow #all the newsies #King of manhattan #javid #sprace #this took me two days #please be kind

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must-be-brooklyn · 5 years

Note

Ahh I need the reunion omg!!!

:DDD

Part 1!! (Click!!) - Although you can probably survive without reading p1 if you really don’t want to haha

Ship: Javid

Words: 2.3k

Era: Modern university au

“You’re coming to the party, right?”

Jack glanced up from his laptop to see Crutchie watching him with an unreadable expression on his face. “What?” he said, tapping out a few more words in renaissance art theory essay. It sucked, but he had to finish it sooner or later and, for once, he was determined that it would not become a last-minute rush.

Crutchie seemed to have other plans, though. “Didn’t Kath text you?”

“Uh, maybe,” Jack said, clicking on the save icon and closing the lid of his laptop. He pushed himself upright as he reached for his phone, thrown down on the bed next to him.

Crutchie rolled his eyes. “Davey got back last night and Sarah wanted to do something for him, so she and Kath are getting some people over to their apartment for the evening.” He hopped to his bed, opposite to Jack’s, and sat down.

“Davey’s back?” Jack echoed, his finger freezing above the scene, where he had been flicking through the messages that he and Katherine had sent to each other.

It was like the room had skipped a second as Crutchie stared at him like a deer in the headlights. “Didn’t he, uh, say anything?”

A shard of ice pierced Jack’s chest and he managed to send a scathing, unimpressed look at Crutchie. “What do you think?”

In all honesty, he probably had. Since that night all those months ago, he and David had only shared limited and awkward contact. Things like asking David if he knew where Jack’s over large, grey hoodie was. (As it turned out, David had accidentally packed it and Jack had been unable to bring himself to ask for it back).

So much for time heals the heart. Every time Jack thought of David, his chest ached with the type of pain that he could not put a name to. Though they had exchanged a few messages while David had been in Munich, the texts had quickly degenerated into an overly cautious, mutated mess.

Jack had never quite been able to bring himself to try to find regularity in his texts with David. It hurt too much when he remembered that they were meant to be friends now, not lovers.

“It’s, uh, happenin’ tonight, if you want to come,” Crutchie said, his voice an octave higher than it usually was.

Flicking up one last time through his message history, he found the text from Katherine, as well as his own promise to come along that looked more than a little tipsy. Jack stared at it, somewhere between horrified and panicking.

By the time he made it to Katherine and Sarah’s apartment that evening, he had made precisely no progress on his essay. The only thing he had succeeded in was making the dorm look like a hurricane had torn through it, with shirts strewn all over his bed as he searched for the right clothes to wear. He could not have said why it felt so important, but the butterflies in his chest would not let him skip it.

With Crutchie standing next to him, Jack stood frozen as Sarah opened the door, smiling. The expression dropped off her face as she set eyes on Jack and took on a look that screamed of confusion.

“Hey, Sar,” Crutchie said, grinning and walking into the flat. “You’re good?”

Sarah ran a hand through her lose hair, dragging her gaze away from Jack and turning towards Crutchie. “Yeah, all good. David’s in the living room. Few others are here already.” Gesturing down the hallway, she watched Crutchie disappear from sight before turning to Jack with a frown creasing her forehead.

“What’re you doing here?” she said. She did not sound angry. Perhaps a little tired and puzzled, but there was nothing that betrayed a hint of irritation.

Defensive, Jack crossed his arms over his chest. “You sent me a text asking me to come,” he said. Okay, perhaps that was not fully true; it had been Kath who had sent the message, but there was no way that she had not at least run it past Sarah first. That was just how they worked.

Sarah grimaced. “Okay, whatever, come in.” Glancing behind her, she pulled Jack inside, shut the door behind him, and then made him stand in a corner as she spoke to him a whisper. “Look, as his twin sister, I’m obliged to tell you that if you hurt him tonight, I will end you.”

Opening his mouth in protest, Jack was cut off by Sarah’s glare before he could say anything.

“As your friend,” she continued, “I also have to say he’s a halfwit, has refused to date anyone or even talk about it, and is still completely hung up on you.”

Jack looked at her, lost. His heart hammered in his chest like a bass drum, resonating over everything else.

Sarah rolled her eyes and gave him a stern look. “What do you want me to say? I think you’re both idiots and this is the first time you’ve been in the same room as each other for half a year. I refuse to watch you two dance around each other again.” She grinned at him, a wicked glint in her eyes. “Think of this as your wakeup call.”

Jack did not know what to say and had still not thought of anything when Sarah disappeared to the sound of Katherine calling her.

As it turned out, Sarah’s pep talk was completely unnecessary. Jack barely even saw David that evening and could not have got a word in edgeways, anyway. There were only a few of them there, but people crowded David like bees to pollen.

Sarah’s words would not leave his mind, though, and he stumbled around with them ringing in his ears for almost the entire evening. As he found himself alone in the kitchen, he poured himself a glass of water and leant against the bench, trying his best to process everything. At least it was quiet in here.

Then, another figure walked into the room. Jack looked up for a second and felt his heart rise up into his throat when he recognised David. An awkward silence spread through the room as David also found a glass of water and stood near the sink, sipping at it slowly.

“So, you enjoyed Germany, then?” Jack said, voice gruff.

David shrugged. “It’s really beautiful, there, but the language was pretty tough…”

“Ain’t it similar to Yiddish?” Jack was already clutching at straws for small talk. It was as if he had forgotten how to talk normally around him, like in the first week or two that he had dated David. “Thought you said once…”

Nodding earnestly, David managed a small smile. “There are some similarities, yeah, but there’s still a hell of a lot of stuff that I don’t know.” He retreated back into his shell, leaving the room devoid of talking. From the doorway, Jack could hear other people, completely unaware of what was happening in the kitchen.

Jack cleared his throat and took a sip from his glass. “But you had fun?”

“Yeah, it was good,” David said, “the people were all really nice there.” He leant against the countertop and did his best to avoid making eye contact with Jack.

Jack bobbed his head in agreement and tapped his fingers, trying to ignore the tension that was filling the air between them. “I heard you didn’t manage to shack up, either.” His face drained when he realised what he had said, and he clapped his hand over his mouth in horror.

Raising an eyebrow at him, David sent an unimpressed look and a raised eyebrow. “Well, it wasn’t exactly my first priority,” he said, voice dry, “and even if there were some good-looking guys, the language barriers didn’t help my case much.” His words were sardonic but not angry or irritated.

Jack bit his lip and wrapped his hands tighter around the glass, looking determinedly at the ceiling.

David sighed heavily and Jack heard him set his own glass down on the bench. “Look, Jack, I’m sorry about…” He trailed off with a slightly choked noise. “I’m sorry things ended the way they did… I guess I’ve realised now, that was pretty low of me.” Combined with the whispering tone he used, his statement made a lump swell in Jack’s throat.

“You don’t need to be sorry,” Jack said, voice hoarse. “It was, you know, mutual.” He convinced himself to look back at David and was suddenly unable to look away again. Their eyes locked for a moment before David pulled away and stared at Jack’s feet.

“No, it wasn’t,” David murmured, “you just didn’t try to force me to stay.” With the anxious ticks that Jack had come to know like the back of his hand, he looked up again.

Jack opened his mouth, but David spoke over himself, tone frantic, before he could say anything.

His voice pitched up and he started picking at the skin on his hands and around his nails. Flicking nervous looks in Jack’s direction, his eyes darted away every other second. “And, don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful for that and all, and maybe it was for the best, but,” he paused with a heavy exhale and his voice dropped again, “but, it wasn’t mutual. And, I’m sorry that I didn’t even try to listen to what you were saying at the time.”

Jack shook his head, feeling himself trembling a little. “It was the right thing at the time. I get that now.” He swallowed, doing his best to keep a straight face. Although what he had said was true, it did not change the fact that it had never stopped hurting to hell.

David sucked in a sharp breath and nodded, letting the air out again. The tension in the air had dissolved, leaving behind something between nostalgia, remorse and perhaps even a streak of forgiveness.

Jack’s stomach was tight and painful as he swilled the last drops of water around in his glass.

“Do you regret it?” he finally asked, gazing at David and putting the cup down beside himself.

David looked confused and there was silence for a minute as he considered his answer. “Going to Germany? No. Breaking up with you because I let myself believe that it was the best solution? Every fucking day.” He avoided looking at Jack as he twisted his fingers into knots and glared at the floor, apprehensive.

A funny, warm feeling filled Jack’s stomach and he could not stop a small burst of hope from exploding somewhere deep in his chest, flooding him with warmth. “Really?”

Although Jack knew that his desperation was leaking into his voice, David showed no sign of recognising it as he gave a tiny nod and continued to glower at his feet.

Jack cleared his throat and crossed his arms over his chest as if it was a shield. “I regret breakin’ up with you, too.” He paused as David raised his head and their eyes met. The silence in the room was only outdone by the quiet conversation that echoed through the walls.

“Would you, uh,” David cut himself off and his face turned red. Fumbling over his sentence and turning his hands ragged with his picking, he struggled to finish what he was saying. “Would you consider, you know?” Words failed him again and his cheeks had taken on an alarming colour.

Jack’s heart was in his throat as he crossed the few short meters that separated him from David. Hands trembling, he took David’s hands in his own and looked down at them. David did not attempt to pull away.

“You know it ain’t good when you do that,” Jack said, watching the small beads of blood form around his nails. There were years’ worth of scabs that had scarred and picking that had never fully disappeared littered all over his hands, some that Jack recognised and others that must have been new.

He hardly dared to look up as he traced his thumbs over the back of David’s hands. He was close enough to hear David’s erratic breaths and to be able to tell he was waiting on tenterhooks.

“But, if you’re askin’ me if I’d consider bein’ your boyfriend again? Hell yeah, Davey, I’m down with that.” His thumbs stilled as he heard David exhale heavily. Taking his chances, Jack raised his head to look into David’s eyes.

They glistened, and even though it was no more than usual, it made Jack’s chest tighten and forced a small grin onto his face. David smiled in return.

As they stared at each other, there was silence for a minute. Jack could barely believe what was happening. It felt as if there were small fireworks firing out of his chest and exploding into all the shades of blue in David’s eyes.

And, suddenly, they were drawing closer to each other as if working on auto-pilot. Jack’s brain was going haywire as their lips met and, God, it was like he had found heaven after months in purgatory. David’s kissing was warm and familiar, like returning home after a long, long day.

Jack sunk further into it and wrapped his arms around David’s waist, deepening the kiss and pushing him into the counter as he leant forwards. David’s own hand reached up to cup Jack’s jaw, unwilling to pull away again after so long.

Finally, Jack pulled back, breathless. His face broke into a grin. “God, that was good.”

“Tell me about it,” David said, equally as winded as Jack. His eyes had dilated, and his hair was slightly ruffled, but he could not keep the smile off his face, either.

“I’m so glad you’re back again.”

David nodded. His hand had dropped from Jack’s face, but he was no longer defaulting to pulling at his skin. “Me, too.” His eyes were alight with a fire that Jack had not seen in what felt like an age.

Satisfied, Jack nodded and beamed. His cheeks ached, but it was completely overpowered by the inferno in his chest that warmed his every extremity.

“Should we, uh, go back out?” David asked after a minute, glancing at the door. “They’re probably wondering where we are.

Jack smirked at him, one eyebrow quirked. “Let them wonder. I want just another minute with you before I have to talk with them again.” David’s eyes widened a little before they softened with a gentle laugh.

Their lips met again.

32 notes · View notes

deafwestnewsies · 5 years

Text

She’s A Lesbian!

Sarah's wishful, Katherine's irritated, and Jack can feel a scheme coming on. (And Davey can't find Sarah.)

crossposted to my ao3 and ff.net!

newsbians, javid

It’s not that Sarah didn’t want to end up in a gay bar called Packagé, but she definitely wasn’t expecting it. Her brother had promised a quiet night with their normal group of ragtag friends that started well-intentioned but quickly made a left turn. It was her fault, really. When had there ever been a time when something didn’t go terribly wrong? Like the Christmas they had all decided to spend together when money was too tight to go home and ended in a screaming match between Spot and Davey about different theologies, Crutchie almost giving himself alcohol poisoning, and Specs losing a shoe. Or when Les came out to visit and Boots nearly got him arrested for stealing ice cream? And that time in the park, with those crazy pigeons… So all in all, Sarah should’ve seen this coming. This plan, of the ones they had had in the past, was not the most illegal (but still partially, sneaking Romeo into bars was a favorite pastime), so she really didn’t mind.

The smell was a different story. Unsurprisingly, Packagé was mostly occupied by men, shoved into a crowded room full of people dancing and sweating. It didn’t help that it was New Year's Eve, so there was that lingering scent of “I just barfed up my long island iced tea and we’re all dancing in it!” Sarah was trying to keep her calm demeanor, but she just wasn’t drunk enough to be having a good time. There was a glass of Riesling sitting idly by as she watched the rest of the crowd lose their mind in that special holiday madness. The wine was fine, but she wished she wasn’t such a lightweight so she could drink something fun- like the girl sitting four seats down, twirling a hot pink straw in a slush that practically glowed green. Sarah didn’t recognize the drink but she could smell the artificial apple from here, and that told her everything she needed to know. It was probably better than the wine they swore wasn’t boxed but had to pour from a spout, under the counter. She was a lot of things, and a smart connoisseur of cheap wines was one of them. Glaring at the fun swirly straw and cursing her genetics for giving her such terrible Asian flush, Sarah felt someone slap her back. Hard. “JACOBS!” The voice yelled, and she turned to look a very drunk and very excited Romeo in the eyes. The poor baby had only started drinking his sophomore year, so he still got wasted pretty fast. However, he was a fun drinker and usually was the one Sarah trusted the most to dance with her and just have a good time. “Sarah! Sarah, Sarah. They’s is playin’ my song! Doya hear?” Smiling, she listened intently for his sake to everyone sing along to Mo Bamba for about a minute. Romeo cackled. “I love this song! So good. I got HOEE-” Sarah clapped a hand around his mouth to save him from disastrous embarrassment and got him to sit on a stool and listen to the rest of the song. He hummed happily as she covered up her laughter with a drink. The girl with the fun drink laughed openly, but not in a mean way. The laughter sounded like bells, chiming and grabbing everyone’s attention. Well, everyone who could hear her. Which meant Sarah and Romeo. A very confused and now a little bit angry, drunk Romeo. “Isshe laughin’ at me? That goil,” He pointed directly at her, “laughin’ at me? Why I outta…” Jumping on him at the last second, Sarah saved the girl from Romeo’s tiny wrath. She pulled him into the crowd (the things she’d do to save these boys from public assault records) and yelled, “Can’t do that! Let’s dance, Romy!” His mood immediately switched back, and Sarah found herself lost in a sea of sweaty bodies and the pulsing beat of Barbie Girl. &&& Katherine hadn’t meant to laugh at the boy, but the situation was just entirely too ridiculous. She was dragged to a club with a name that would make any respectable human blush by Racetrack Higgins (of all people!) who was meeting his friend that provided certain... resources that they both were taking full advantage of, considering they were both taking bumps off the side of a table. The realization that this wasn’t just a normal bar, but a gay one, made Katherine stomp to the bartop and order something called a Sour Apple Smash. When the bartender handed her a glass with a swirly straw, she had to physically hold herself back from groaning aloud. This New Years Eve was shaping up to be a disaster. A disaster until she noticed the quiet girl sitting a couple seats down staring very obviously at her. She had a glass of wine next to her (They had wine? And Katherine was stuck with a blended glass of sugar?) and was doodling on a napkin in between bouts of ogling Katherine. First, it was a little strange, but then Katherine realized that she wasn’t all that bad looking. In fact, her sharp features, angular eyes that caught the glint of the light, lips with a perfect cupid’s bow, straight brown hair falling perfectly to one side, made her one of the prettiest girls she had ever seen. Now Katherine was staring, trying desperately to catch her eye. Begrudgingly, she thanked Race in her head that they were at a gay bar because that gave the assumption that she had even a glimmer of a chance. If anything, she wouldn’t get punched for flirting. Thinking of conversation starters, (“Come here often?” “Why do they play this song? No one likes Sheck Wes anyways.” “What do I have to do to buy the prettiest girl in the bar a drink?” “So you like red wine, huh?”) Katherine lazily twirled her straw and ignored the burning stare she was receiving. After finally deciding, (“I’ll bet you ten bucks that wine is boxed and they just won’t admit it.”) she took a deep breath and faced the girl, just to get completely cut off. “JACOBS!” A small boy yelled, slapping her on her back. Katherine winced and turned quickly back to her drink, acting as if nothing had happened. Their conversation went on for a bit and the girl got the boy to sit down. As he hummed, Katherine laughed, once, to herself. First, her friend takes her to a bar in the middle of wherever, then she gets a drink that she does not want to finish, and lastly she can’t even flirt with the most beautiful woman she’s ever seen. Wonderful. The boy takes this the wrong way, however. She watches, almost in slow motion, as he lunges for her and the girl leaps on top of him. My hero, Katherine thought dreamily, not even hearing the girl scold him while pulling him onto the dance floor. For a second, she’s disappointed again that she’s been left alone, but then her gaze locked on a phone. Specifically, the girl’s phone and Katherine almost laughs in glee. She wanted Katherine to follow her! She wanted to be found later! As she reaches out to grab the phone, another boy blocks her entirely. This time, she does groan, head in hands, the whole shebang. It’s a pair of boys this time, one sitting directly where she sat and the other beside him. Boy number one picks up her glass, wrinkling his nose in distaste. “Wine? Sarah? Are we sure?” Sarah. What a pretty name. “This is totally her phone though, so…” He looked around and Katherine got a better look at his face. His face was similar to hers, sharing the same cheekbones and nose shape. The hair was almost a dead giveaway that they were siblings, however. She almost didn’t hear him ask, “Have you seen my sister?” Blinking in surprise, she just pointed in the direction she had disappeared in. “That way,” she squeaked. “with a boy. Short, backward hat?” Both boys made eye contact and nodded. “Romeo.” They said in unison, and the brother got up to get swallowed in the crowd. The other boy was left to make awkward eye contact with Katherine, nodding his head hello. “That’s… quite a drink you have there.” He said, almost sounding impressed. She leaned closer to him. “It’s gross,” under her breath, “I’d honestly rather have the wine.” The boy laughed, full and broad with his head tipped all the way back. Katherine stuck her hand out. “I’m Kath.” “Jack,” the boy offered his hand. “Do you know Sarah?” She awkwardly shook her head. “I’d sure like to, though. Do you know her?” “She's my boyfriend’s sister. That was him just now, he likes to keep tabs on everyone when we go out. Davey.” Jack explained, voice raising over the loud music. “Are you here with anyone?” Katherine pointed in the general direction of Race and his ‘friend.’ “Race? He’s over there somewhere with a friend. But he’s like a brother to me.” Jack quirked an eyebrow. “So… you don’t have a New Years kiss?” Right as he said that sentence, the countdown from a minute began spreading through the bar. “Expert timing, Jack.” Katherine laughed. Jack did a silly bow, his hat almost falling off of his head. When he straightened back up, he looked around one more time. “Can you promise not to move for the next, thirty seconds?” Jack yelled, the volume getting steadily louder. Katherine nodded, confused but not exactly scared of this boy. He seemed harmless enough, albeit goofy. Jack dashed into the crowd and Katherine was left to her own devices for the third time that night. &&& She had lost Romeo within thirty seconds of going on the dance floor, so Sarah decided to head for the bathroom instead. The line wasn’t very long, thankfully, so she was in and out just in time for the whole bar to start counting down. 48, 47, 46, pounded in her ears as she tried to squeeze past people to head back to her seat when Jack’s arm reached out and grabbed her wrist. “Jack?” She yelled, bewildered. Shouldn’t he be with her brother somewhere, getting ready to ring in the new year? “Follow me!” He yelled, glee evident in his voice. Inwardly, she groaned. That was the voice he used when planning something that didn’t often turn out well. Sarah was pulled all the way back to her seat, where the girl with the fun drink was sitting with a small smile on her face. 10, 9, 8, “She’s a lesbian!” and with a shout, Jack disappeared into the crowd. Sarah blushed and held out her hand. “I’m Sarah,” she offered. Katherine took her hand and pulled her in. “Katherine,” she murmured, before kissing Sarah as everyone else cheered for the new year. She tasted like artificial apples and the beginning of something new.

that happened. spot is race’s drug dealer. happy new years!

32 notes · View notes

theycallmemoosey · 6 years

Text

I’m Right Here

Crutchie x Reader

A/N: Well here is a blast from the quite recent past! Back at it again with the Newsies fics...I was really happy to write for the fandom again cos I won’t lie, I kinda missed it. This was another request and I’ll be honest, I feel kinda bad because I’m not too happy with it. All the same, I hope you guys enjoy it! (PS. There’s a reference in there for my fellow Teen Wolf fans...50 points to Hufflepuff if you can spot it) Moose :)

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You sprung up from your bed, gasping at the loud ringing sound from the warden’s walking stick on one of the beds. Looking around the room, you watched as all the other boys groaned and whined with you. You screwed up your eyes and pulled the blanket back over the top of you, desperately trying to block out the noise from the boys around you.

“Y/N?” The warden pushed your shoulder gently, laughing at your ignorance, “come on…only fair you have to go too”

You flopped around and huffed, looking at him momentarily before dramatically groaning.

“Can’t. Have. Cramps.” You groaned, pretending to wince after each word.

“You used that excuse yesterday. And the day before that. And the day before that. And must I go on?” He laughed, throwing the covers off of you onto the floor beside the bed, “GET UP!”

“You’re mean, old man!” You shouted back at him, snatching up your blanket off of the floor as you hesitantly got out of bed. You paused as you watched the boys all laugh and talk as they got ready before your eyes landed on a particular boy. He smiled brightly as he pulled up his socks, struggling slightly as his leg didn’t co-operate with him. You smiled sadly, your heart breaking for both him and yourself.

“You’re bright pink, Sparky” a familiar voice teased you, making you snap your head in his direction.

“Shut up, Race, or I’ll make ya” you snatched his hat off his head and shoved it in his chest, turning round sharply on your heel as you headed towards the bathroom.

“Is that a threat?”

“Why? Want me to make it one?!” You shouted at Race, slamming the door to the bathroom in frustration. You sighed as you turned your back to lean on the door, listening as Race shouted at the rest of the dorm.

“Sparky’s in the bathroom, boys!”

“She’s got a name, Race!” You heard another boy shout, laughing slightly as he ended his sentence.

“Oh yeah? Cos with that temper, I thought that name suited her!”

Sighing, you pushed yourself off the door, heading to the mirror to check the state you were in.

“Not that bad, today…I mean, still look like a bloody ogre but I guess it’s better than usual?”

“Why are you talking to yourself, Y/N?” Crutchie questioned, laughing to himself slightly as he watched you jump, pink spreading across your cheeks.

“There’s a girl in here. You know the rules”

“I’m your best friend, rules don’t apply to me”

“Well, actually, it kinda does. See, there’s this thing called privacy that is actually a human right and right now, you’re violating my human right. You could go to jail for that”

Crutchie scoffed, smiling widely, “Come on. We’re already late”

You scoffed and grabbed your tattered brown jacket from the hook next to the door, before joining Crutchie as the two of you would head to the circulation gate.

—————————————————————

“JACK! JACK!” You called out, pushing your way to the front as the hoard of boys began shouting and screaming at the terrified boys in the circulation grounds. You managed to get to the front and grab Jack’s hand. He spun around in shock, relaxing when he saw it was you.

“What’s the matter?”

“What’s going on?” You asked, trying to look beyond the gates to see what was happening, meeting the two pairs of hungry eyes you were used to seeing every day.

“They jacked up the price of the papers”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“You heard…” Jack turned around at the sound of the Delancey’s sneering.

“Well well well, look what the cat dragged in” Oscar remarked, making it obvious he was talking to you.

“Hi Oscar” you replied haphazardly, not caring for him as your eyes scanned the crowd for Crutchie.

“You joining the strike too? Oh, stupid question. You’re a girl! You ain’t smart enough to make your own decisions”

You whipped back around, staring at Oscar angrily before smirking, “I always knew you were a girl! Now, where’s your sister? You two really aren’t smart enough to be on your own”

Oscar growled at you, lunging at the gates and grabbing them threateningly, getting even more frustrated at the fact you didn’t even flinch. At the sound of his brother’s growl, Morris sauntered over, picking something out of his teeth.

“What’s the bitch done now?”

You were about to snarl back at him but the name he had given you had triggered something in all the boys as all of them pushed forward, trying to get to Morris to kill him. No one called you that and got away with it. Not even those in Brooklyn would dare call you such a name for they feared the wrath that would entail. You were forcefully pushed forward from the crowd, pushing you into the gate. Jack screamed out, silencing the crowd and stopping their actions.

“ENOUGH! Listen…I just had a talk with Davey here, and we is gonna start a strike!”

You shook your head as you pushed your way all the way to the back to where Crutchie was, not wanting to hear the constant teasing from the brothers anymore.

“You ok?” Crutchie asked, smiling sadly as he noticed you emerge from the crowd.

“Let’s just go home…I don’t think this is going to end very well”

Crutchie nodded and offered out his arm and you took it lightly, very aware he needed to use his entire upper body to support himself. The two of you began walking back but you both stopped in your tracks when you heard the gate open and a roar of boys shouting. You turned around, noticing a brawl happen between the Newsies and the Delancey’s gang.

“Crutchie? What’s happening?!” You cried, wanting to jump in and help but not knowing how.

“I don’t think they’re too happy that we’re on strike!” Crutchie cried out to you, the sound of the ‘fight making it hard to talk without shouting.

“SPARKY!” Race shouted, his head in a headlock of one of the Delancey brothers, his eyes wide in shock, “LOOK OUT!”

You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion before you heard a yelp from Crutchie behind you, making you turn around in surprise. Snider was behind you with a load of policemen and guards from the refuge. Before you knew it, the Newsies were trying to fight off both the Delancey’s gang and the guards all at once. Somehow, you were dragged into the fight, but having been raised on the streets by your parents before they passed, your fighting skills were not bad at all. You dodged punches from the circulation boys and slid underneath the legs of the guards as he lunged to grab you. You caught glances of newsies being attacked and dragged away, but that only angered you more. Out of nowhere, a sharp pain hit your face and knocked you to the ground, your head slamming on the concrete as you fell. The last thing you heard was Jack crying out, “CRUTCHIE!”

————————————————————

You woke up slowly, your eyes stinging as the bright light from the window shined right on you. You sat up slowly, jumping slightly when you saw all the boys stood around your bed.

“What-what’s going on?” You stammered, trying to stand up but stumbling backwards slightly, feeling two arms hold you upright.

“Sparky, maybe you should sit down” Race nodded, holding his breath.

“What’s happened, where’s Crutchie?!”

Jack knelt down to your eye level and took your hand, “Listen, Y/N…please don’t freak out”

“Oh yes, because that’s so settling” you snapped, immediately regretting it when Jack gave you a glare. He relaxed and took a deep breath when he realised you had calmed.

“Y/N, Crutchie was…taken…”

“What?” You breathed out, so quietly you were surprised anyone had heard you.

“I’m really sorry. We’re going to try everything to get him home. Race and I are going tonight to try and rescue him”

You nodded and stood up, the boys all watching you cautiously as you slowly walked to the bathroom, shutting the door slowly. As soon as the door had clicked shut, you collapsed to the floor and cried your eyes out.

Crutchie wasn’t just your best friend, he was so much more. He had been with you when you were brought in from the streets, comforting you each night when you woke up crying from your nightmares. As the two of you grew up, he was there for you no matter what. He made you laugh, cry and angry, but more than anything, he made you fall in love with him. You had loved Crutchie for so long, but no one knew. You never told him as you feared he wouldn’t feel the same way, so you kept your feelings hidden from all the boys and the warden, crying some nights when reality set in again.

“Sparky?” Race knocked on the door, entering slowly. He gasped as he raced to you on the floor, scooping you up and holding you tightly as you cried into his chest.

“I love him, Race” you sobbed, “I love him so much. I can’t lose him! He’s going to die! They’re not going to take care of him! He’s too weak! Too fragile! He’s going to die in there!”

Race pulled you in close and shushed you, rocking you back and forth as you cried. Jack knocked on the door to get Race when the two of them noticed you had fallen asleep. Race carried you back to bed and tucked you in before heading to the refuge to get Crutchie.

——————————————————————

“HEY! GIMP! GET OVER HERE, THERE’S SOMEONE AT THE WINDOW FOR YOU!”

Crutchie limped over, using the bunk beds for support as the guards had broken his crutch.

“Jack! Race!” Crutchie said gleefully, smiling widely.

“Hey, we’re gonna bust you out of here” Jack smiled, groaning as he tried to support himself on the bars of the window.

“Jack, I’m not so sure. How are you going to do it?”

“We’re working on it” he groaned, still trying to smile although struggling.

“Is Y/N ok?”

“She’s worried about you” Race piped up, struggling more than Jack to keep himself up on the bars of the window, “She just wants you home now”

“This place is guarded to the very door. There’s no way you’re going to be able to sneak in here, at least tonight. And I’m certainly not going to fit in between the window bars”

Jack nodded, “We’re coming to get you. Just hold on tight”

Jack took Crutchie’s hand and squeezed it in reassurance, smiling sadly at the boy he had always considered to be a brother.

“Quick. Before you get caught” Crutchie shooed them away, Jack and Race shuffling down the drain-pipe quickly but cautiously.

Crutchie watched the two boys scurry out of the refuge gates and sighed sadly, limping back over to the crowded bunk that was now his bed for the next week. He began to feel tears in his eyes at the thought of you being scared and alone, your nightmares coming back and no one being able to comfort you like he does. He appreciated that you were worried about him, but he was probably worried about you more.

——————————————————————

“WOAH! WOAH! Y/N! IT’S OK!” Jack cried, taking you into his arms as you continued to scream and cry from a nightmare you were having. You had the same nightmare for weeks now, the image of Crutchie being taken and hurt replaying in your mind, getting worse each night.

“Y/N IT WAS JUST A DREAM. IT’S A DREAM. WE’RE OK!” Jack tried to calm you down, shushing you as you sobbed.

“Jack, he’s being hurt. He’s going to die” you cried into him, not caring that the rest of the dorm was probably awake as well.

“Y/N, please…calm down” Jack begged, rocking you gently. You squeezed Jack’s hand tightly and listen to Jack’s steady heartbeat. He wasn’t Crutchie, but he was trying his hardest to help you all the same.

“I’m sorry” you sniffed into Jack’s chest, loud enough that you knew the rest of the dorm would hear.

“Don’t be sorry. Hey, I promised I would get him outta there…you ain’t giving up on me, are you?”

You shook your head gently and sighing, pulling back from Jack’s embrace to look at him directly.

“Please, get him as quickly as possible. I just need to know that he’s safe”

Jack nodded and laid you back down on your bed gently, pulling the blanket on top of you as you fell back asleep. He sighed as he watched you sleep, guilt overcoming him as he thought about all the nightmares you had been having recently. He knew that the only thing that would put your mind to rest would be for Crutchie to be home, by your side. Race had told him about your love for Crutchie, explaining why you had been having nightmares about him.

Race looked down at Jack from his bunk and bit his lip, “we really gotta get him home, Jack…it’s not fair on her now. It’s killing her now”

Jack nodded in response and grabbed his cap, nodding his head towards the door as a silent signal for Race to follow him.

The two headed towards the refuge, dodging in and out of the shadows as they hid from anyone and everyone, taking every precaution under the moon not to be seen. As they walked past the refuge gates, they snuck into the grounds, finding an open door into the main building. Luckily, it was at such a time in the morning that all the night-guards even gave up and fell asleep. Silently, they headed in the general direction of the dorm they previously saw Crutchie in, Jack’s previous experience in the refuge being of use to them.

“Crutch? Crutchie?” Race shouted in a hushed whisper, getting elbowed by Jack for making noise.

“Shut it, Race. We can’t afford to be caught”

The two of them tip-toed towards the nearest dorm door they could find, sliding in the crack in so as not toped it any further or make a noise.

“Crutchie?” Race whispered out, boys and girls of all ages looking at them with confusion.

“Wait” a boy commanded, not bothering to hush his voice, “Why are you here?”

“We’re here to get someone. Crutchie. Know where he may be?” Jack asked, not caring that the boy tried his best to be threatening, “About this high, can’t walk properly and has a crutch?”

“Had.” The boy corrected him, “You want Gimp? I know where he is”

“Can you help us?” Race pleaded

“For a price”

“Fine” Jack stated, “Now where is he?”

———————————————————————

“Y/N?” Albert shook your shoulder, trying to wake you up, “Y/N, come on. Someone is here to see you”

You opened your eyes slowly, seeing Albert’s face filled with excitement. You sat up, confused, and looked around, your eyes widening with shock when you saw a boy sat on the end of your bed, crutch in hand.

“Crutchie?” You asked, your voice shaking slightly at the boy you saw in front of you.

“Hey, Y/N” he smiled, shifting up towards you to take your hand.

“No” you took your hand back, cowering further back away from him, “no, you’re not here. You aren’t real”

Crutchie looked up at the boys, all of them looking sadly at him, before turning back to you, “What do you mean? I’m right here, Y/N”

‘No. You’re just in my imagination, you’re not here” you began to cry, your breathing quickening and your vision becoming blurry.

“Boys, leave” Jack ordered, standing further back himself as he watched to make sure you were going to be ok, “Crutchie, she’s been having nightmares and hallucinations of you. She probably thinks you’re not real, just like the past weeks”

Crutchie looked at you with worry, trying to think of any way to calm you down, “Y/N listen to me, you’re having a panic attack. Listen to me, I’m right here. I’m real. Listen to my voice, Y/N…match your breathing with mine”

You watched as Crutchie took deep breaths, trying to encourage you to breathe with him, his hands slowly going towards yours to take them.

“Crutch, it’s not working” you hyperventilated, shaking your head as you tried to make your vision clear once again.

Crutchie stammered, looking back at Jack who was also showing his worry, his arms by his side and his eyes not leaving yours. Crutchie took a deep breath and placed both hands on face and pulling you towards him, kissing you gently. Surprised by his action, you stopped breathing and stared at him with wide eyes. When you realised what he was actually doing, you closed your eyes and kissed him back. Crutchie pulled away from you, his hands not leaving your face.

“What was that?” You asked him breathlessly, still trying to make sense of what had just happened.

“I read somewhere that holding your breath can stop a panic attack. You held your breath when I kissed you”

“You could have stopped me breathing without kissing me”

“I wanted to kiss you” Crutchie smiled, stroking your cheek with his thumb. You grinned back at him and lunged towards him, embracing him tightly. You saw Jack chuckle to himself and leave, pulling the door to the dorm closed behind him. As you pulled back, you laughed before kissing Crutchie again. He loved you too, and that’s all that mattered.

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