- Chapter 33 - The First Day Back After the Strike -
Warnings: Nothing really. Some joking, but nothing that bad
Third Person POV
A/N, I lied. I'm posting this today because Stage wants to get the three books out as fast as she can (: and see comments lol
"Morning, Weasel!" Race exclaims, a bright grin on his face as he slapped down his money.
Weasel looks from the money to Race, taking the cigar out of his mouth. "You sound like Jack." He comments.
Jack chuckles with Crutchie.
"Except your voice is higher pitched." Oscar comments from behind Weasel as he counts papers.
"And you look like Spot, only you look like you're a puppy trying to be scary and failing, whereas Spot succeeds." Race shoots Oscar a sarcastic smile as he takes his papers.
Oscar rolls his eyes. "Jerk." He mutters under his breath.
"Butt-face."
"Idiot."
"Dimwit."
"Annoyance."
"Fair point." Race shrugs, turning to walk away.
Almost everyone there- Weasel and Morris included- chuckle or laugh at them.
Race sits down next to Jack and Crutchie.
The two older boys look at him and laugh.
Race looks up from tying his shoes, raising an eyebrow. "What?" He asks.
Still chuckling, Jack shakes his head. "Nothing, Racer."
Race shrugs it off, going back to tying his shoes.
When he finished, he grabbed a paper and started reading it, looking for anything useful or anything he could change into an interesting headline.
After a few minutes, Davey sat next to them and Race heard some chaos.
"Pirate-wannabe!" Albert screeches. "That's my hat!" He starts running after Blink.
Blink laughs, waving the hat around as he sprints around the square. "Come and get it, Robin-hood!" He shouts back.
Race looks over at Crutchie.
The two boys laugh together.
"Blink..." Mush starts slowly, looking nervous.
Blink stopped in his tracks. "Yes, Mushy?" He asks, looking concerned.
"I can't figure this out." Mush admits quietly, looking defeated.
Blink turns around and chucks Albert's hat at said redhead, before heading over to help his boyfriend quickly.
"What happened?" Blink asks quickly, his hands cupping Mush's cheeks as he lifts his head to stare him in the eyes. "Are you okay? What do you need help with?" He questions.
Albert rolls his eyes at Blink. "Smitten one-eyed kitten." He mutters, putting his hat back on and walking over to Race.
Race now stood by JoJo, both of them laughing as they watched the boys in the square.
Race smirks at Albert, his arms crossed. "Got your hat back, Red?" He asks.
Albert rolls his eyes. "If you call me that again, I'll smack you with it." He threatens.
"Oh please." JoJo scoffs, crossing his arms. "We all know how this'll end." He comments.
Albert raises an eyebrow at him.
"Race'll run away and you'll try to chase after him, giving up after two minutes because you know he's faster than you and he'll continue shouting 'Red' because he knows you can't get him." JoJo explains.
Race's smirk grew wider.
Albert rolls his eyes at Race, pouting at JoJo. "Joooooo..." he whines. "You're supposed to be on my side." He complains.
JoJo puts his hands up. "I'm just stating facts." He responds.
Albert rolls his eyes again.
"How's your boyfriend?" Race asks Albert, still smirking.
Albert rolls his eyes. "You live with him." He points out.
"That doesn't mean I know how he is." Race responds.
"But you do."
"Not the point."
"You seem to be completely whipped for him." JoJo pipes up. "You're almost always with him and whenever he needs you, or even calls you, you're at his side within seconds." He points out.
Albert's cheeks redden slightly as he puffs out his cheeks. "Nooo..." he responds unconvincingly.
"Albie!" Finch exclaims from across the square.
Race and JoJo smirk, their arms crossed.
"I need cuddles!" Finch makes grabby hands for Albert, sticking his bottom lip out in a pout.
Albert exhales slowly. "This changes nothing." He tells his best friends.
He turns around to start walking over to Finch.
"Sure it doesn't, love-bird!" Race cups his hands over his mouth, smirking.
Albert flips him off as he was pulled into Finch's lap, Finch laying down with Albert still in his arms.
Race and JoJo share a look, before both of them laugh.
"How is your boyfriend?" Race asks JoJo.
JoJo smiles, his cheeks slightly redder than usual. "I love him, Race." He tells him softly. "He's just so perfect- and he understands me and my past and helps me through the 'I shouldn't love a boy because I was taught I shouldn't' troubles." JoJo explains.
Race smiles, noticing someone behind JoJo.
"And his hair is really soft and he helps my hyper-ness and short attention span and horrible memory." JoJo continues, his cheeks slowly turning redder and redder. "He's just amazing, Race. Truly amazing. I don't think I've met anyone better." He states.
Race smiles. "I'm glad. He's perfect for you and you're perfect for him." He tells JoJo.
JoJo smiles.
A look of panic crossed his face when he was picked with an arm under his legs and another behind his back.
He looked up to find his brown-haired boyfriend.
Mike smiles. "Hi."
JoJo's face immediately went red. "How much of that did you hear?" He asks quietly.
Mike chuckles. "All of it." He answers.
JoJo's face turned even redder.
Mike looks up at Race. "Mind if I steal your best friend?" He asks.
Smiling, Race shakes his head. "Not at all."
Mike walks off with JoJo in his arms.
Race smiles, turning back around.
He looks around the Distribution Center.
All of the Newsies were chatting happily, whether it be to a Delancey, teasing Weasel a bit more (and Weasel had a small smile on his face since he was happy this morning and it didn't bother him as much), or talking to each other.
Race smiles contently. I missed this.
The strike was worth it and I'm really happy that it's over.
Race's attention was pulled to Jack, who had walked over to him.
"Morning." Jack greets with a smile.
Race smiles, running his hand up and down the strap of his bag that went over his chest, over and over again. "Morning."
"So, I was thinking," Jack starts.
Race stares at him, his eyes wide. "That's not good." He states. "I need to get a doctor." Another idea popped into his mind. "Or Davey!" Race exclaims.
Jack rolls his eyes, an amused smile on his face. "You're lucky I love you." He mutters.
Race smiles, batting his eyelashes jokingly.
Jack laughs. "Anyway, because you were leading through a lot of the strike," he starts.
Race's eyes widened in panic this time. "Oh my God, are you leaving?" He asks quickly. "I knew Pulitzer's offer was too good and you'd leave." Race mutters to himself.
Jack's eyes widen. "No, no!" He quickly shakes his head. "I'm not leaving yet." He chuckles weakly. "I was just wondering if you wanted to send people off today?" He asks.
Race's jaw drops. "Really?" He asks.
Smiling, Jack nods. He could feel the excitement radiating off of Race, though Race tried to play it cool.
Race almost grins to himself. "Yeah." He nods.
It wasn't working as well as he wanted it to.
Jack smiles.
Race hugs him quickly.
"Alright." Jack pats Race's back. "We kinda need to go, so you need to do it now." He tells him.
Race nods, pulling away.
Race quickly runs over to a crate in the middle of the square, jumping on it.
Everyone's attention turned to him.
"Newsies!" Race exclaims, grinning. "It's our first day back after striking!" He tells them. "If you're Albert or under the age of ten, stay with the adults!" He shouts.
Albert glares at him.
Almost everyone there laughs.
Race laughs to himself. "Nah, I'm kidding, Al." He tells him. "Les, Luck, stay with your buddy." He tells them.
The two boys nod, grabbing each other's hands.
Pretty sure that's not your buddy, but alright. Chuckling, Race smiles. "Alright, have a wonderful day and-" he starts.
"Carry the banner!" The Newsies chorus.
Race grins to himself as he jumps off of the crate, doing a flip.
Jack walks over to him, high-fiving him.
Race smiles.
Jack pulls him into a short hug, before they part ways.
Jack watches Race leave, him starting his journey to Brooklyn in a jog.
Jack smiles to himself.
He felt a hand on his shoulder.
Jack looks over at Davey.
Davey smiles. "'Hattan will be in good hands with him whenever you do leave." He tells him.
Jack smiles.
"Did Davey just say ''Hattan'?" Crutchie mutters from Jack's other side.
Davey and Jack chuckle together.
"I guess he did."
Weasel turns back to face Oscar and Morris, smiling. "The chaos is back, boys." He states.
Oscar and Morris smile.
"Alright," Weasel starts. "Go run off, visit your boyfriends or whatever." He shoos them away.
Oscar and Morris laugh, waving goodbye to him as they run off together.
Weasel watches them with a smile, chuckling at them holding each other's hands as they ran.
1618 Words
The conversation at the beginning was originally gonna go;
*more insults*
Albert steps in between them. "Ladies, ladies," he starts. "You're both pretty." He snickers as he pats Race's head of curls.
Race and Oscar share a look.
Oscar steps out from behind the counter.
They corner him. "Albert, Albert," they both smack him with their hats. "You're annoying." They state in unison.
Albert cringes in pain as he holds his head. "Yeah." He mutters. "Fair point."
Which one do you prefer?
Anyway, hope you enjoyed lol