Man, it's good to be back.
I am so sorry that I've been gone for so long. I think I needed a break, as school has been eating me alive. Strangely, it's been a great year despite a lot of change coming my way soon, but it's because of that change that I'm not sure how often I'll be able to write. I also FINALLY got a lead in a musical, so that will be taking up a lot of my time as well. But I will do my best to keep writing whenever I can!
So this is an AU in which Crutchie is deaf, because why not throw another disability into the mix? Honestly, I was just thinking about how great of a character Crutchie would be even if he had never said a word in the musical, and then this happened. There's not a lot of structure to this piece, it's sort of just me trying to get out all of my feelings about deaf!Crutchie. It's kind of sad...but not all of it!
Enjoy!
-Marcelle
Jack Kelly has never heard Crutchie Morris's voice.
He has never heard Crutchie cry out the headline in the early hours of the morning.
He has never heard him shouting and arguing with the other newsies late at night when they should all be sleeping.
Jack Kelly has never heard his best friend's laughter.
But Jack has seen Crutchie's eyes.
He's seen the way they fill up with affection for his brothers, the way they gleam with mischief before he executes a devious prank.
Those eyes speak volumes; they blink and open wide and squeeze shut. Crutchie's eyes are the very essense of who he is.
He never has to say a word for Jack to know that this kid is something special.
He bears the weight of his bad leg as he carries a stack of papers under his arm.
Crutchie smiles enough for all the bous put together; his grins seem to come as naturally as breathing.
But Jack has seen those eyes spill over when Crutchie reaches for words he'll never grasp, when his leg turns against him and taunts him with journeys he'll never take.
And Crutchie will turn his water eyes to Jack, biting his lip although to keep from sobbing. What else is there to do?
There is silence as Jack holds him.
There are so many things Jack wants to say.
But Crutchie can't hear him. So there is silence.
And when the tears finally dry, Crutchie smiles again.
Jack returns the grin, because his little brother deserves that.
Not an hour later, Crutchie is pulling Romeo's cap over his eyes, and playing keep-away with Jojo, and swapping marbles with Race.
His eyes are lighting up the room again, and Jack realizes that he was never worried.
Crutchie has never spoken a word to any of the boys, but they know that he loves them.
His smiles says everything that Crutchie can't.
And it's only when he's taken to the Refuge that the newsies discover what silence truly sounds like.
Jack's only solace is that Crutchie won't be able to hear what the others will say about him there.
When he gets the letter, Jack almost crumples it up and tosses it off the roof before he even reads it, because how can he possibly face that?
But Specs begs him to stop.
"Jack, please! You have to listen to him!"
And Jack unfolds the letter. And he finally hears Crutchie's voice.
It's shaky, and it's uneven, but it's his.
"Dear Jack...how are you?"
And when Crutchie kicks Synder's rear end and is clearly soaking up the sight of cheers from the boys, Jack is there.
The letter is folded up in his back pocket, and Crutchie's grin is on his face.
The kid sees him and those eyes are bright again, and now Jack knows that Crutchie has been speaking to him for a long time. Jck had simply never heard him.
Jack Kelly has never heard Crutchie Morris's voice.
He has never heard his laughter.
But Jack has always seen Crutchie's eyes, and Crutchie's smile.
And he knows exactly what he's been trying to say.