Daydreamin'

Jack Kelly- Marry You

Alright, this was requested by Anon, "Jack Kelly x Reader where he proposes on the spot without any of them being prepared on it happening? Probably after some event where Jack realized that "damn I really want to spend my life with her"... Like an emotional fight or dreams come true! Ya know? Real fluffy!!". I did take inspiration from scene, but switched it up for our bb Jack "Cowboy" Kelly.

I wake up before the sun and dress quickly, racing to the butcher as he receives his shipment for the morning. "Good Morning, Mr. Johnson. How's today's shipment coming along?" He smiles at me and finishes bringing it all inside. "Alright Rose, come on in and get your meat. I've got a box of chicken for you, plus the extra wings." Nodding, I follow him inside, careful to keep the blood off the one nice skirt I own. He ducks behind the counter and presents the white box tied together with twine. "Thank you so much Mr. Johnson. Take care of yourself, and tell Mary I said hello!" With a wave I make my way back to the house, avoiding the cops and hurrying to make breakfast in time. As I near the house, I hear Jack and Crutchie up in their "Penthouse" I gently open and shut the door and enter the kitchen. I start up the furnace and change into my newsies outfit while it heats up. Rolling my sleeves I pull out the wings that Mr. Johnson had thrown in. Sprinkling salt and pepper on the skin, I place them all in a buttered pan and place it in the oven. I tidy up and put the rest of the kitchen in the small ice box the house had. As the wings finish cooking, I wake up the boys, waking up Romeo and Racetrack, asking them to wake up the other boys while I grab Jack and Crutchie. Climbing up the fire escape, I hear their muffled conversation. Knocking on the ladder, I peek over the top of the roof. "Boys, breakfast is ready. You'd best get down here quick if you want something in your belly before the bell rings." Nodding, I help Jack lower Crutchie down to the window. The boys are all awake by the time I get down, as well as dressed. "Alright boys, wash-up so you can get breakfast before heading out." I pull the pan out of the oven to cool as the boys line up for their breakfast. One by one I pass out the wings as they race out the door. Noticing two left once it is Crutchie and Jack's turn, I quickly give Jack a peck on the cheek and wink at Crutchie to distract them. The boys leave, breakfast in hand, I drop the pan in the sink and race after them, wanting to get to the newsstand in time for the bell. I get into line for my papes, and the boys compliment me on my cooking. Winking at Jack, I flirt up Morris to get a couple extra papes for my trouble, and two new boys show up for papes. We sell papes until 5, when I head home to prepare dinner for my boys. We make a fine dinner out of a chicken and potatoes. We joke and play around with each other until it's time to head to bed to do the same thing tomorrow morning.

I wake up and shred the leftover chicken for sandwiches, and follow the boys to the gate to get the headline. Les and Davey apologize for being late, mentioning their mother. Race snaps back, but one of the younger ones step in. "Y/N is like our mother. She cooks for us, she tucks us in and wakes us up, she loves us. She's the closest thing to a Mother I've ever had." Grinning, Romeo throws his arm around my defender. "Yeah? And who's the Father then, huh? Can't have no mother if you don't have no father." Pipsqueak simply says "Jack!" and walks up the gate. I'm standing in shock, warm and cold at the same time. I'm flattered that Pipsqueak sees me as a mother figure, I do my best for these boys left without a nickel to their name. But Jack as the father... I love Jack, he looks out for the boys like I do, but what would he say about this? As the Headline is unveiled, a murmur of shock ripples through our group. "60 cents per 100?" "This can't be right!" As the murmurs turn to talk and talk to shouts, it all fades away. How am I going to feed my boys? I already am blessed that Mr. Johnson gives me extra bits and pieces when I buy the chickens, I can't ask him to go any lower. And the boys, they won't be able to spend their money on clothes or put anything in the pot for heat and rent. Lost in my panic and racing thoughts, I don't notice Jack put up a fight, rallying us around him. "They can't do this to us, we're a union now boys! And Y/N!" I head home to think things through and plan for what just happened. As I retreat back to the house, I hear Jack and the other boys convince the scabbers to drop their papes and join the fight. I cook and clean the rooms, thinking all the while. I mend pants and shirts while pondering if we'll even survive a month.

I finish pulling dinner out of the oven, and the boys file in one by one. We sit around the table, the energy a weird limbo of elation and sobriety. The boys were excited for the strike, but knew the cost if the strike didn't go our way. Clearing my throat, I ask if we could say the Lord's Prayer. A couple boys nod, but most look at me in curiosity. I swallow and start, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen." We all prepare for bed, bidding each other a good night, and I sit in my bunk and pray. "Our Lord in heaven, please look after my boys. Protect us from the threat of poverty and destitution." Pipsqueak climbs into bed with me, asking to pray again. Another one of the younger boys climbs in as well. "Please Y/N? You pray so well." More and more boys climb in, and when there is no more room, they sit around my bed. "Ok, how about we do a nightly prayer. Repeat after me. Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray thee, Lord, my soul to keep; If I should die before I wake, I pray thee, Lord, my soul to take." As we say amen, I give each of the boys a goodnight kiss. As the lines dwindle, Jack and Crutchie are the last to receive a goodnight kiss. I kiss Crutchies head and nudge him towards his bed. When I turn to Jack to give him a kiss, he grabs my face instead, kissing my forehead and telling me goodnight. I bury myself in the blankets and try to rest for the new day.

New day, same headline. Newsies still need to pay 60 cents per hundred. Finally, we have enough of the treatment and chaos is everywhere. I watch in slow motion as Romeo gets backhanded by a cop. People are fighting everywhere. Oscar corners me and goes to throw a punch, and is ripped away by Jack. "Thanks hon!" We fight in tandem, working and throwing punches at everyone in sight. He shouts for me to duck, knocking out someone behind me. He helps me up and smirks. "Hey, what do you think about marrying me?" I turn with a punch to face him, "Seriously? Right now?" Rolling his eyes he responds, "No, just someday soon though. I mean the boys see me as their dad, and you as their Mother." "We will talk about this later Jack Kelly." I hear Crutchie screaming for help, being dragged off by his bum leg. I run and pry the bull off Crutch, and shove the boy at Jack. "Take him and go, I'll get the rest of the boys." I turn and shout to the rest. "Boys, back home! Meet Jack back at the house, I'm right behind you." As they run off, I make sure everyone made it out. As I turn to take the alleyways back to Jack and back to my family, two bulls block my path. They grab me and haul me to the refuge kicking and screaming.

During my time there, I became a mother to those kids as well. We said our prayers and I tucked them in at night. Every night I pray for Jack and my boys, that they're safe and they're fed. I'm not there for even a few days when I'm taken out of the overcrowded room I was shoved into. We walk to the courtyard from the day of the strike, and I see my boys, I see Crutchie alive and well, and most importantly, I see Jack.

Once I am officially released, I run towards him, jumping into his arms. After setting me back down on solid ground he kneels down and pulls out a simple band. "Y/N, I love you, and I meant what I said earlier. You have been so good to these kids, to me. What I'm trying to say is... Y/N, will you marry me?" Crying I nod. "Yes. Yes!" He slips the ring on my finger, and our lips meet as the boys, and even governor cheer for us. We did end up getting married a couple years later, but that is a different story.