I don't need this | Javid Oneshots

Self Preservation

Jack whistled to himself as he made his way down Second Street, glancing about the dark street. It didn't have many cars going down it at the moment as the sun had set a fair amount of time before. He had only two News Papers left in his hand, having sold the other ninety-eight that day. He had found himself not selling as well as usual, seeing as how his average was a two-hundred and to be home before night-fall. However, this was usually with the help of Les.

Unfortunately, the boy had fallen ill with the flu and was out of commission for until he found himself well enough to be out on the streets again.

It was a shame both for his health and both he and Jack's finances. He'd grown to depend on the short stack and was a bit out of practice without his help.

Jack let our a small sigh as he neared the gates with the large words of The World mocking him at the top. Perhaps he'd have spent more time glaring at the letters had it not been for a certain lengthy other that was currently sitting across the way in the square of the block, waving a news-paper with tired mumbles to the two people that awkward passed by him with a wave.
Jack furrowed his brow and smirked in amusement before sliding his hands flat into his front pockets and striding over to the flustered boy, stopping a few feet away. He eyed the half-full stack of News-Papers behind him, "Quite the haul there, Davey." He mused.

"Jack," Davey sighed in somewhat relief, "Hey."

"Hey yourself- what's with the...?" Jack revered to the large mount of paper behind the boy.

Davey groaned and slumped down onto the brick ground beneath him, beside the newspapers, "I haven't even sold half my stack!"

"You didn't sell half your stack- you say it like fifty peeps will magically pop outta' nowheres." Jack snorted.

"They might..." Davey mumbled before shaking his head, "I'm just...worried about Les, and- it's so much harder without him."

"Probably doesn't help we split up today." Jack shrugged.

"You said it yourself, Les is the only one who need out of us two."

Jack flushed, "I never said nothin' of that!"

"Multiple times, yeah, you have." Davey reached for his stack of papers, hauling it onto his lap.

"Oh come on, Dave, you know it's only because...uh because...you know!" Jack waves his hand dismissively.

"I-" Davey huffed as he got to his feet with the papers, arms screaming in protest from how much they'd already been used waving the papers today.

"Need help?" Jack interrupted.

"You're not going to take any?" Davey half-joked.

"Day-old papes? Thanks, but even I won't stoops low as to sell those." Jack lifted half from Davey's pile and the boy gave him a grateful smile that made his heart do a small flip as they began to walk back towards their sleeping quarters. Jack looked down at the papers with an amused smile. He couldn't do this poor of a job if he tried...he considered this for a moment before shrugging his shoulders, "What's say we sell papes together tomorrow? If your kid-brother ain't back in business."

Davey's eyebrows lifted in surprise, "R-Really? Why?"

"Because I-" Care about you? Find it cute- find it funny you can only sell half your papers even with effort? Like the idea of spending time with- "You look pat'etic walkin' in with a whole stack of unsold papes."

Davey scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Gee-wiz, thanks."

"Any time, Davey-Boy." Jack winked at the other who responded by looking down at the ground, "Hey, wait a moment-?" He paused outside the sleeping quarters, "Don't yous sleep at your own place?"