I don't need this | Javid Oneshots

Bowery Boy: Part 1

Davey felt his heart beat hard in his chest as he heard his parents' words from the other side of the wall.
It was one AM and Davey should have been asleep, but Les had woke up groggily asking for a cup of water, and as the older brother he had no choice but to oblige with a groan. He'd hesitated however as he heard voices coming from the kitchen across the hall, prompting him to flatten himself against the wall to keep from being noticed.

"We can't afford it anymore, Esther..." Mr.Jacobs sighed, "The house is too big for our wallets being this small."

"But we're already down to two bedrooms, darling, how much smaller can we get." Mrs.Jacobs leaned against the dining room table that her husband sat at with a frown.

Mr.Jacobs shook his head, "The cost, not the size...I'm afraid New York expenses just- aren't what they used to be.."

Davey felt his heart drop at what his father was implying, making him grip the wall behind him tighter.

"What are you saying?" Mrs.Jacobs fretted, voicing her son's thoughts.

"We...well, the country side is practically dirt cheap to afford living...the boys could take their working talents and harvest crops there-"

"We don't know the first thing about crop harvesting, Mayer." Mrs.Jacobs furrowed her brow at her husband, moving to sit in a chair across from him, folding her hands on the table.

"And Davey didn't know anything about selling newspapers either, but that boy said he's a natural born- ah what is it? News....z?"

"Newsie, dear." Mrs.Jacobs corrected politely.

Mr.Jacobs nodded, "Exactly. I'm sure they'll do fine in the country, and it'll give my arm time to heal anyhow.."

'That boy...' Davey felt his heart tighten, 'Jack...' ...and, moving out to the country? What a gimmick, right when the other boy had finally decided to stay, Davey would be leaving.

'If you're fadda' had had a union, he'd still have his job-' Wasn't Davey's job enough?
Clearly not, if they couldn't afford rent...but it wasn't like there was a job that paid more-

"Sarah and I could work a double-shift-" Mrs.Jacobs began.

"I'm not making my family work harder for me than they already are- it just isn't fair." Mr.Jacobs rubbed his temple, "We've got a week until the next rent payment is due...it'll be the last one we pay."

Davey felt his hands go to his face. He couldn't leave New York. Not now. Not after everything was finally going his way- They'd won the strike, he had friends, he had Jack!
Jack...
Davey felt his stomach twist with frustration and longing, hating how the other boy made him feel.
He couldn't just stand idly by and watch this happen.
He had to do something-
But first, he had to go get Les some water.

***

"And I-I really don't intend to be rude- I just thought if you had any extra work you needed, I'd be willing to take it." Davey shrugged his shoulders sheepishly as he looked at Medda.

"Honey, I would love to give you work, but it's already being done- it wouldn't be fair to take hours away from others..." Medda sighed with a frown as she looked at the pleading boy before her, sulking against an old set backstage.

"It's alright, I understand, I-"

"Medda!" A shrill voice came from the wings, causing the woman to turn around with a cocked eyebrow.

"Julia just tripped and twisted her ankle, I think she might have stapled a tendon." The blonde girl in a feathered dress fretted to Medda.

"Oh dear, and you girls go on tonight.." Medda felt her heart drop, "Does she have an understudy?"