Seize the Day {newsies}

One

[character aesthetic is stray/ethan]

All characters except my own OCs and most dialogue and scenes in this story belong to Disney; I do not claim to own them.

-

Ethan's Point of View
I rubbed my eyes, trying to stop my tears.

"You're a freak! A disgrace! Get outta my house and don't come back!"

"How could you do this to us? Do you not love us anymore? Aren't you thinking of this family?"

I ducked into an alleyway when I heard footsteps approaching, and sunk down to the ground, my back against a brick wall. I pulled at my newly-cut blond hair, tugged at my brother's too-big hand-me-downs.

I had run all the way from Brooklyn, never looking back, never stopping to see if anyone had seen or followed me, never stopping to really care.

"'Ey, what're ya doin' out here at this time a' night?" a voice asked. I looked up with a fright, wiping at my eyes furiously. "Whoa, you's all right?"

"I-I..." I tried to take a breath but almost hyperventilated. The boy, with his thick New York accent and betting slip in hand, rushed toward me.

"Hey, s'all right, s'all right." He patted me awkwardly on the back. "Look, seems ta me like you's got nowhere ta go, c'mon wit me. I's got a nice place, and you'd like the others."

I nodded vaguely, standing up on shaky legs.

"The name's Tony, but call me Racetrack," the black-haired boy told me. "Wha's yours?"

I swallowed, almost saying Elva by force of habit.

"E-Ethan." I managed to get out the name my brother had given me before he left.

"Well, dat ain't no good. You needs a newsie name if you's gonna be one a' the boys." Racetrack seemed to mull over his thoughts for a moment, before finally saying, "How 'bout Stray?"

I looked at him.

"Y'know, I founds you alone out on the street. You's a Stray."

I actually gave him a small smile. Then it disappeared as I thought of the reason I was even out here. My stomach dropped to my feet, but I knew I had to tell him.

"Race?" I asked tentatively. He looked at me as we walked. It struck me how short he was; I wasn't very tall, but he still had to look up to meet my eyes. "There's somethin' you oughtta know 'bout me."

"Yeah, and what's that?"

I gulped down the lump in my throat. Seize the day, Ethan. Seize the day. "I... I wasn't born a boy."

Racetrack blinked at me. "How d'ya mean?"

"I was born Elva." My voice dropped to a whisper. "But I ain't... I ain't her. I'm a boy, I knows I am, but..."

I cut myself off with a sob, burying my face in my hands.

"I'm a disgrace," I cried. Suddenly, there were arms around me, a hand at the nape of my neck.

"Hey, shh, you's all right. You ain't a disgrace, Stray. There ain't nothin' wrong wit ya. You's different, but different ain't bad."

I sniffled, my tears soaking through Racetrack's shirt.

"C'mon, Stray. You's a newsboy now." He ruffled up my hair, shoving his cap onto my head. I smiled lightly, wiping at my eyes again. Racetrack slung his arm around my shoulders, guiding me down the street to the newsboy lodging house.