The crutch that ain't under my arm (Crutchie x Jack)

Chapter 1

Crutchie was crying in his sleep and mumbling words too slurred to make out. There was darkness, but everything hurt; everything burned and there was nothing he could do. There was only one thing he could think. Jack. Jack always knows what to do. He called out into the endless abyss, "Jack!". 

A voice responded, "No one is here to save you this time. Jack hasn't come yet and never will!" 

"No." Crutchie said through his tears. He even thought he heard Jack calling out to him. He was definitely on the verge of losing it.

Jack had heard Crutchie call out to him; It had actually woken him up, but he didn't mind. Jack quickly climbed down the bunk to get to Crutchie at the bottom. He knelt down and quietly spoke to the poor boy to try to get him to wake up. "Hey, Crutchie. It's me, Jack." 

He heard Crutchie say no very pitifully and it just about broke his heart. He shook Crutchie's arm this time.

Crutchie woke up, but his nightmare was never truly over. "Hey, Crutchie, it's alright. I'm here. Jack's here."

Crutchie looked up stunned, but then started silently crying again. "Hey, hey, don't you go cryin' now. It'll be fine." Jack sat on the edge of the bed and took the smaller figure into a hug.

Crutchie moved over to make room for Jack to join him. Jack continued whispering "Shh" and other things to calm him down. Once his sobs subdued into minor hiccups every 20 or so seconds, Jack spoke up again. "Had another of those nightmares did ya?" Crutchie nodded. 

"What about?" Jack looked at Crutchie, hoping for some eye contact.

Crutchie just stared forward with an unwonted glazed over and pained look. "Same as always" He whispered quietly and then shut his eyes. 

"Are you ready ta talk about it yet?" Jack rubbed Crutchie's back. 

Crutchie paused for a second. "Can we go back out to the roof?"

"Sure" Jack stood up, still holding Crutchie's back. It was a short distance to bring the crutch for, so Jack just helped Crutchie over. 

Now this was not a common occurrence. Usually, Crutchie insisted on doing things himself, but we have already established that Crutchie was pretty shaken up and just needed someone there.

Once they got up to the roof, they lied down, quiet for a few minutes. Jack didn't want to push. Crutchie suddenly sat up and covered his eyes with the heel of his palms. 

"Crutchie?" Jack sat up with him, concerned. "Hey, you okay?"

"No. Noting's ever okay."

It completely shattered Jack's heart to see his resilient, cheery friend all out of shape and desperate like this. 

Jack side hugged Crutchie and whispered. "The hell did they do to yu in that place? ...I've heard horror stories 'bout what they does to them older kids, but those 're just rumours." Jack was more talking to himself at this point. 

Crutchie took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around his knees, looking up to the sky.

"A few times a day, one of them old guys'd come into the rooms an' pick out one of them cute boys. Happened to me a few times. No one ever talked 'bout it, ya know?"

"Gosh, what'd they do? I mean..."

"I'd bet yous thinkin right, Jack. They'd take em into another room and have 'eir way."

Jack put his hand over his mouth and a few silent tears rolled down his cheeks.

" 's why I couldn't come to meet ya. I's all beat up from when they took me in, but 'sides that it just hurt too much to walk after... after that" 

Both boys sat in silence as tears rolled freely down their cheeks. 

"Yu said a few times. How many's few?" Jack asked through his tears, afraid of the answer.

"Four." Crutchie squeaked out so quietly that Jack wasn't even sure he heard him right. 

"Oh god. 'n this is all my fault. Crutchie I'm sorry." Jack hugged Crutchie. He just wanted to take away all the pain he must be feeling. He wished all it to go away from Crutchie.  His poor boy. 

"Sorry for hurtin' ya Jack. I ain't meaning to cause you no pain." Crutchie sniffled.

Jack pulled away to look at the boy he was hugging. "Crutchie listen tu me, You don't ever worry about nothin like that ever again. You telling me this can help me help you and that's what matters. M'kay?"

"Yeah, okay." Crutchie met Jack's eyes.

Jack hugged Crutchie for what felt like the twentieth time that night. He really just wanted to keep him safe and hold him. 

They stayed like that for a while. Jack noticed the small boy in his arms's breath start to slow into a steady slow motion. He could tell he was asleep or practically there. "night Crutchie. Sleep well." Jack turned his head and kissed the side of his head. 

Word count: 830