- Chapter 108 - Also, I imagine that the all of the Newsies in every borough who celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanza or another holiday group up and celebrate together -
Warnings: not anything bad; it's pretty fluffy. Slight mention of puking, but no one actually throws up
Third Person POV
"Race."
Cigars.
"Raceee."
Cigars are flying through the air.
"Race!" Lucky shook Race awake.
Race groaned and covered his head with his blanket. "Ain't ya ever heard of anything called sleep?" he grumbled.
"You sound like Skittery," Tumbler commented, sitting to the side of Race.
"I didn't know you've heard of sleep before," Les responded. "It don't look like you've ever gotten any in your life."
"Ouch." Spot chuckled.
Race lifted his blanket up a bit and stared at the boy. "You've hung around Albert and Finch too much."
Les grinned. "You're awake, great!" He started climbing down from the bunk. "Now to wake up Blush!"
Tumbler jumped over the side of the bunk, into Spot's arms. Then, he slid out of the older boy's arms and bounced off.
"Ay," Jack chuckled, "who taught you that, Lester?"
Les stopped in his tracks. He turned around and narrowed his eyes at Jack. "You, actually, Francis."
Jack's jaw dropped.
Race snorted as Lucky giggled, hiding under Race's blanket with him.
"Oh, you-" Jack reached for Les.
Les giggled and quickly took off, grabbing Tumbler's hand and pulling him with him.
Spot chuckled. "You deserved it."
Jack rolled his eyes. "Did not."
"Oh, have some Christmas spirit, Jack." Boots rolled his eyes at him as he walked past the bunk, his blanket wrapped around him. "He's an excited kid who learned your name from hearing Race yell it when you annoy him." He yawned and walked away.
Jack looked over at Race, clearly unhappy.
Race smirked. "I don't regret it."
"You're gonna get in trouble." Lucky giggled from under the covers.
"Yeah, Antonio," Jack nodded, gesturing to Lucky, "you're gonna get in trouble."
Race raised an eyebrow at him. "That didn't work," he commented.
"It did not," Jack agreed.
"It doesn't have the same ring to it," Spot commented, leaning against the bunk. "Everyone knows Race's real name."
"Not true."
Spot shot him a look.
Race rolled his eyes. "So... the Jacobs are here?" He looked at Jack.
Jack nodded. "They're spending brunch with us at Medda's, then they're taking Kath, Crutch, Luck, Les, and I to their house for dinner and so we can get a feeling of Hanukkah," he explained.
Race nodded. "Ew, that means I'm in charge." He stuck his tongue out in disgust.
Jack shrugged. "If anyone stays at the lodge," he responded. "A few of the boys are going to visit Kenny's family, some others are going back to the Bronx to see Snipes and Smalls, and a lot of the Brookies are going home tonight."
Race nodded.
"Now, get up." Jack grabbed Race's pillow and hit him with it, before dropping it on the boy's head. "We've gotta get everyone up and to Medda's."
Race groaned, pulling the pillow off of his head. "You suck."
"And I'm the reason we can even have breakfast on Christmas. You're welcome." With that, Jack turned and walked off."
Race rolled his eyes, hugging his pillow close. He looked at Spot. "He sucks."
Spot chuckled. "I've said that for years," he responded.
Race rolled his eyes fondly, before starting to get up.
At Medda's
The trip to Medda's was interesting, to say the least.
The sunshine squad had decided to sing Christmas carols the whole way there.
Davey almost had a heart attack when he realized Race and Blink had both forgotten their extra flannels at the lodge.
Jack was giving Crutchie a piggy back ride so he didn't slip on the ice, figuring that, if multiple of their boys who had use of both of their feet had slipped on the ice, it would've been a lot easier for Crutchie to slip.
On top of all of the slipping, Blink and Mush were practically ice skating together.
Everything was a lot calmer once they actually got to Medda's.
"Jack Kelly!" a familiar voice called when they all got inside.
And there, in all of her glory, was Medda Larkin. She was wearing one of her Christmas gowns she wore for her winter shows.
Jack smiled. "Hi, Miss Medda. Thank you again for letting us come," he said, embracing her.
Medda smiled. "Oh, it's no big deal. You kids deserve a treat on such a special day when you all work so hard every other day." She brushed it off and pulled out of the hug. She looked behind him, spotting Race and Snowflake among the other Newsies. "You two, how are your injuries?"
A few days prior, Race had been allowed to run and flip for the first time in months, and Snowflake was finally able to travel between Manhattan and Harlem as her pain was much less than it had been.
The two smiled. "We're good, Miss Medda." They looked at each other.
"Aren't you and Spot the twins?" Race questioned, gesturing to them.
Snowflake nodded, looking equally as weirded out.
Medda chuckled. "That's good." She looked at all of the Newsies. "Now, I have a surprise for you all before breakfast! Something a certain Katherine Pulitzer helped me with."
Katherine smiled, nodding to her.
Jack looked at Medda, clearly confused. "What surprise?" he whispered to her. "You didn't mention any surprises."
Medda chuckled. "You'll see." She gestured for them to follow her.
Turns out, she had gotten all of the Manhattan Newsies a present. She had gone to Katherine and together, they figured out what each Newsie needed and had gotten them that thing.
For Romeo, Tommy boy, and Finch, this was new shoes.
"Look! New shoes!" Tommy boy beamed.
Romeo squealed. "And they have matching laces!"
For Race, Elmer, Blink, and Henry, this was a new flannel.
"Now, you don't have to worry when I take yours." Mush giggled, his cheeks a bit red.
Blink chuckled. "Very true. It also means that you have another to steal."
Mush grinned sheepishly.
"It also means that I don't have to worry that Race will freeze to death on the walk back to the lodge," Davey commented, sighing dramatically in relief.
Race rolled his eyes. "The cold never bothered me anyway, Davey." He waved him off.
Elmer turned to Buttons when he opened his present. "I'll still wear the rainbow flannel you kept fixing for me, I promise!"
Buttons smiled. "I'm just glad you'll be warm, El."
Elmer smiled.
Spot watched as the Newsies opened their presents, smiling.
Medda had gotten Jack a few more art supplies.
The littles had gotten stuffed animals.
Davey had gotten another notebook so he could write lists or journal entries when he was anxious and needed a way to feel in control.
After that was brunch, which the some of the Newsies who were allowed to cook and bake helped make.
Hours later, after brunch and their trip back to the Manhattan lodge, Spot found himself climbing onto the fire escape.
Race looked up when he heard him climb out. He was clearly shivering, but he was also smiling. "Hi."
Spot looked at him and shook his head. "Hi." He draped his flannel over Race's shoulders.
Race smiled, still shivering. "Grazie." He looked out over the view. "What brings you to my fire escape?"
"Just my endless love for you and Christmas cheer," Spot answered, sighing.
Race laughed. "They wanted you to pretend to be Santa Claus because you're dressed in red, huh?" he asked knowingly.
"They wanted me to pretend to be Santa Claus because I'm dresses in red," Spot grumbled out, pulling the hat off of his head. "I'm not Santa Claus."
"No, you're not." Race snorted. "I didn't decide to date Santa Claus."
Spot rolled his eyes. "Thank Befana. I would've had to fight him if you had, and I think that would've traumatized the littles a bit if they had seen it," he commented.
Race laughed. "Well, be glad the littles aren't here to see that," he responded.
"Or this?" Spot smirked and leaned over to Race, slipping a finger under his chin and turning his head so he could kiss him.
Race smiled against Spot's lips. "Dork."
"You're too in love with me to care," Spot mumbled back, pulling him into another kiss before Race could disagree.
Race giggled softly and wrapped his arms around Spot's neck.
"Woah, I wasn't aware the mistletoe was out here," someone commented from behind them.
"Accidenti, I didn't close the window," Spot grumbled as he and Race pulled away.
Blink stood in the window, smirking.
"Don't you have a boyfriend to kiss?" Race questioned, touching his lips lightly.
Blink rolled his eyes. "I do, but I was told to come tell Spot that the Brookies are heading out soon," he informed them.
"Right." Spot frowned.
Race looked at him, his head tilted. "What?"
"We haven't seen Chris and some of our other Newsies in two days, so we're going to spend Christmas Eve with them," Spot explained quietly.
"Oh." Race looked down at the ground below them.
Spot frowned as he looked at him, wishing he could stay longer.
Blink rolled his eyes at the two. "Just freaking ask him, Conlon." He crossed his arms.
Spot put his hands up as if he was surrendering. "I don't want to take him away from his brothers," he defended himself. "I'll have my sister and brothers."
Blink rolled his eyes again. "He'll be fine; just freaking ask."
Race looked at the two. He gasped. "Wait, were you going to ask me to come with you?" A grin made its way onto his face.
"Uh... yeah," Spot admitted, "but I understand if you want to stay with your br-"
"Spot, I spent all morning with them; of course I want to come with you!" Race paused for a moment. "That is... if a specific, amazing someone doesn't mind leading." He pursed his lips and looked at Race, grinning sheepishly.
"I thought I made myself clear." Blink rolled his eyes fondly. "I don't want to see you back until tomorrow." He waved him off, turning and walking away.
Race grinned and cupped his hands around his mouth. "I love you, Blink!"
"Love you too, Racer!"
Race turned back to Spot. "I knew he loved me."
Spot chuckled. "You know who also loves you?"
Race blushed, already knowing what was coming. "Don't do it."
"Oh, come on, I have to." Spot chuckled. "Me. I do."
Race rolled his eyes fondly, his cheeks red. "Dork."
"Your dork," Spot replied, smiling.
Race grinned and wrapped his arms around Spot. "My dork." He leaned him and kissed him.
Spot pulled him close and kissed him back.
A little bonus
Race walked with Spot at the head of the group of Brooklyn Newsies (with their Manhattan boyfriends) to Brooklyn. "I have half a mind to turn around and go back to Manhattan," he grumbled.
Spot took his hand as he chuckled. "Come on; it's a Brooklyn tradition."
"I'm not playing freaking Christmas B.S., Conlon."
"But Skittery will be sad if you don't. You don't want to make Skittery sad, do you?"
"Skittery's sad anyway."
"He'll be even sadder if you don't play."
"I'm not happy about it."
Spot chuckled. "You're so dramatic."
Race rolled his eyes fondly. "And you're a dork."
"But you're my dramatic blond." Spot smiled as he looked at him.
Race chuckled. "And you're my dorky brunette."
Spot lifted his chin and kissed him again.
Race closes his eyes and leaned in.
"Gosh, I love this feeling," Spot mumbled into the kiss. "Forget Christmas cheer; I've got enough cheer right here."
"Okay." Hotshot rolled his eyes fondly as he pushed the two away from each other. "Thank you for the wonderful demonstration of what will make me puke," he commented. "Now, enough kissing in the middle of the street."
"Ah, go kiss Ike." Both Race and Spot pushed the boy over to his boyfriend and away from them.
"Wow, rude." Hotshot stuck out his bottom lip in a pout.
Ike chuckled. "Idiot." He grinned and pecked Hotshot's lips.
Hotshot chuckled. "Cutie."
"Don't even go there."
"Aww, your cheeks are as red as Santa Spot's shirt!"
"Don't even, Fowler!"
2222 Words
This is definitely not my best chapter, I will say that. I know I say that a lot, but I know that this one isn't great. I don't love writing Christmas or holiday chapters, and I think you can tell lol.
Anyway, here's a continuation of my Newsies Christmas song that I sing every year (yes, I'm aware it's August when I'm posting this):
Dashing through the snow,
The Delancey brothers in my way,
What is wrong with Joe?
Where the heck is Santa Fe?
Davey's lost his mind,
"Albert, that doesn't rhyme!"
Jack keeps making art,
Papes are being torn apart.
Oh, Newsie bells, Newsie bells
The Brookies are confused
The Manhattan Newsies have lost their minds,
And Snyder's on the loose
Oh, Newsie bells, Newsie bells
The Brookies are confused,
Crutchie's letter made nothing better,
It just made Jack upsetter
(I know "upsetter" is not technically a word lol, but for the sake of the song and that terrible last lyric, it is lol)