Newsies Imagines

In the Future (JoJo)

It is late by the time you finally manage to make it to the fire escape. Third floor of the Manhattan newsies' lodging house, on the side facing the west, two windows down. Same one as always. Same boy as always waiting for you there, too.

You have enough time to flash him an apologetic smile as you slide into a seat next to him. Jojo has been many things at many different times– insufferable, quick to a temper, prone to flights of fancy– but forever your best friend. That's why you know enough to expect forgiveness for your tardy arrival even before he opens his mouth to speak.

Jojo's still going to give you a hard time, at least for a minute or two. That's just what he does. That's what the two of you do, what you have done since the moment you met in this very same lodging house and what you'll probably keep doing until one of you gets stuck in the Refuge for good or manages to move out of this city.

He arches a brow. "Y/N, do you know what time it is?" He asks it casually enough, but you can tell from the sarcastic glint in his eyes that Jojo isn't just posing this question for fun.

"Half past six," you admit begrudgingly.

Jojo's eyes widen comically. "Is that so? Crazy. I thought we agreed to meet at half past five. You know, like we do every single day."

You groan. "Oh, lay off already. I was busy."

Usually, you're as carefree as could be after work lets out, just like any other newsie worth his coin. Today, however, your tone is a little strained, your face a little exhausted. You try to hide it, but you should have known that you wouldn't have that much luck.

Jojo leans forward. "What's wrong?"

Straight to the point, just like always. You do your best to push off the inevitable for the time being, even if you have a feeling this tactic of distraction won't work out. "Nothing. I'm great. Say, did you see Race? I think he said he stole a fresh box of cigars, maybe we should investigate–"

Jojo cuts you off with a sharp look. "You'se hiding something. Don't think I don't see it. Can you cut to the chase and tell me already?"

You shrug, the picture of innocence. "Nothing is wrong. I'm just a normal person behaving normally."

Jojo sighs exasperatedly. "Y/N."

"Jojo," you repeat back, just as deadpan, "okay, fine. It's just the job, that's all. A pair of newlyweds had the brilliant idea to use newspapers as confetti for their wedding today, seeing as it's a cheap source of paper. I was delivering the papes to them this afternoon."

"That doesn't seem too bad," Jojo says cautiously.

You nod. "Yeah, and it shouldn't have been bad, but something about seeing everyone together at the chapel, so happy, it reminds me that I'm never going to get something like that. I'm not stupid, Jojo. I know my prospects or whatever aren't the brightest. I don't have a dowry, I don't have parents who are going to pay me through a nice ceremony. It just sucked watching those people be so successful when I know that's never going to be me."

Jojo frowns. "I know what you mean. We doesn't have enough money to be that carefree."

The two of you sit in saddened silence for a while before Jojo's eyes light up again. "Wait a minute," he declares, "I have an idea. A really good one, in fact."

You grin. "What kind of good idea?"

Jojo stands, starting to pace back and forth across the narrow fire escape. You tuck your legs up to your chest so you're out of his way.

"Hear me out," he says slowly, "what if we get married? Not now, of course. Just, you know, if nothing happens. We can get tax benefits and all that stuff Katherine keeps talking about in her articles. If we'se both on our lonesome by the time we're older, we get married. Easy as that."