Newsies oneshots

Buttons // Apreciated Part 2

Tw- alot of shit, child labour and injury, cruel discipline

Buttons stood infront of the factory with his father behind him. He was shaking so much but knew he couldn't cry, he looked at his father, "When am I coming home?" He asked sheepishly.
His father, not even passing him a slight glance, coldly said, "Fridays and your going back on Sundays, but Saturdays, you are going to the Lodging house and selling, you hear me?"
"Yes sir..." Buttons looked down before going inside the factory. His father watching his every step to make sure he couldn't escape. Each step made him seel so overwhelmed and scared. He held onto his small suitcase that he wasn't even sure if they'd let him bring in. Inside was his toothbrush, some clothes, and a letter from Elmer to keep him company. And while he was scared, he just knew deep down this was the best way to make sure his brothers and sisters were well fed. Buttons was taken by a caretaker who didn't seem all that caring to the boys sleeping quarters. It was a horrible place with a stinging smell and tiny beds they shared in pairs. Buttons was told which bed was his, and was told he would be sharing with a kid around his age. The boys were all in rags and dirty clothes, their faces covered in grease and dirt, but alot of the older ones looked very tough and scary while the younger ones seemed small and sheepish.

Meanwhile, at the lodging house, Elmer couldn't get ready to sell, he was too scared for Buttons. "Elmer, don't worry," Jojo said, comfortingly, "Buttons is tough, im sure he'll be fine." Honestly, Jojo was lying. "I used to work in a factory..." Specs mumbled, "The kid I shared a bed with got his hand trapped in one of the machines, lost two fingers."
Henry nodded, "Billie once got her hair trapped in a machine at the factory she used to work at, almost ripped her scalp off, they had to cut her hair." Elmers heart stopped listening to the stories, what if anything bad happened to Buttons? Jojo, however, was not impressed with Specs and Henry for scaring Elmer like that, "I didn't work in a factory but I was put to work in the church with other kids to make clothes for the church's income. I had to work with sewing machines and stuff and as long as your careful nothing bad-"
Henry interupted him by grabbing Jojos hand and showing Elmer a scar on Jojos finger, "You see that? The needle of the machine went right through his finger, how old were you when that happened?"
Jojo pulled his hand away and sighed, "I was 7..." Elmer looked even more worried than before.
"See? We can't sugar coat it, those places are awful," Henry said, "Elmer, if you would have told us we would have done anything to make sure Buttons didn't go."
Elmer nodded, "But it's too late now..." He looked down.
"Well, usually they let the kids come home on Fridays. So all we can hope is that Buttons will be OK this week before we can do anything." Specs said.
Elmers lips trembled as he whispered, "...please be ok, Benjamin."
Jojo rubbed his back comfortingly, "Ill stay with you for today."

Meanwhile, Buttons had already started working, cleaning up the underside of the machines. He was being extra cautions to not get hurt. He kept coughing from the dust and he even came across dead rodents and bugs, he tried his best to avoid them, but then a man who took charge of that section told him, "Pick it up."
Buttons looked at him, "What, sir?"
"That rat there, pick it up, put it outside." He said sternly.
Buttons looked at the huge dead rat the man was talking about and his heart stopped, "I can't-"
Truth be told, Buttons had a huge fear of rats, dead or alive. He knew they carried diseases and bit.
The man yelled, "Don't you dare disobey me! Pick it up!"
Buttons was trembling, but he didn't want to get in trouble so he picked it up slowly by the tail and ran out to get it outside. Outside, he threw it on the grass, but he felt so physically ill and distraught, he started throwing up against the fence. He bursted out crying, and went back inside to see where he could wash he hands, because he didn't know what disease that rat could carry and he knew it could be deadly. After washing his hands in a bathroom, one of the caretakers found him and asked why he wasn't at work. Buttons tried to explain, but to them it wasn't a good enough excuse so she took him to an office room, "Show me your hands, palms facing up." Buttons complied, shutting his eyes tight as he knew what was happening as he saw the lady pull out a short bamboo cane.
That night, Buttons curled up in his bed, holding his hands to his chest as he felt the stinging pain from the palm of his hand. He tried to massage his hands with his thumb but it hurt the bruising even more. He tries his best not to cry, but he just wanted to go home back to Elmer.

The week passes slowly and Buttons can finally go home. Outside the factory, his parents are waiting for him. Buttons was badly beaten and weak so all he could do is silently follow them home. But he still wanted to ask, "Could I please have some dinner, tonight?" He silently asked his mother. His mother snapped back, "They fed you at the factory."
"Yes... but only a couple times I'm still hungry..."
"What is the point of extra money if you're going to spend it all on food for yourself?"
Buttons teared up, "...please?"
"No. You are going straight to the lodging house and you are selling 100 papers tommorow. Got it?"
"Yes, mam." Buttons looked down, defeated. His parents watched him go inside the lodging house before leaving. Not letting Buttons see his siblings.

When Elmer saw Buttons, his heart shattered on how broken he looked. He quickly ran up to him, "Are you OK? They didn't hurt you did they?"
Elmer checked everywhere for injuries, and took Buttons hands. But Buttons flinched when he felt the stinging and pulled his hands away, "Sorry... they've been hurting..."
Elmer nodded and cupped his cheeks with one hand,"You want me to bandage them up for you? Keep them secure?"
Buttons nodded as Elmer took him to his bed and sat him down. As Elmer got bandages, Buttons couldn't help but lay down, feeling the soft fabric of the pillows instead of the burlap pillows at the factory, he let his eyes close, he wasn't falling asleep but his eyes felt heavy. When Elmer came back, he smiled a bit, and not wanting to ruin his boyfriends peace, he took his hands slowly and bandaged them up for him, before kissing his forehead and laying down with him, "You hungry?" Elmer asked, kindly.
Buttons eyes opened slightly as he nodded. Elmer kissed him and went to his bag and took out a sandwich wrapped in brown paper Elmer brought for Buttons earlier that day. Buttons smiled wide, "I love you so much." Before taking a bite while Elmer cuddled him close. "I'm not letting you go back there." Elmer mumbled.
Buttons sighed,"Elmer-"
"I'm not taking no from an answer Benjamin," Elmer said, sternly, "Cybill got her hair trapped in that machine, almost ripped it clean off, Jojo once had a needle go straight through his finger from a sewing machine and Specs knows a boy who lost two fingers-"
Buttons was about to say something but Elmer interupted him, "-I'm not done, you know York, from Brooklyn, a furnace blew fire right into his face while cleaning them, now he's got an eyepatch, and he was only 5 and when they thought his vision was gone for good they fired him. Now its only a matter of time until you get seriously injured like that Benjamin and I am not letting that happen."
Buttons was very still, trying to process all those stories, "My parents...they will find me-"
Elmer shook his head, "No, baby, they won't. They'll come find on Sunday, right? We'll wait the day out somewhere-"
"-No, Elmer, I can't leave my family-" Buttons teared up, "My brothers and sisters...I can't run away..."
Elmer sighed, "I know baby, but you're not going back to that factory, I won't allow it..."
"I don't care, Elmer." Buttons said, "You don't control my life, you don't get to chose what I do."
Elmer was taken aback, "I am trying to help you."
Buttons softly said, "I don't need your help. I am not running away from my family."
"But they hurt you-"
"And I am not letting them hurt Ethan, Oliver, Amy or Mia. And I am not letting them starve."
Elmer sighed and nodded before hugging his boyfriend tightly, "I love you... and I am going to that factory with you."