Alright, a quick little one-shot written for my friend Zach. You go Crewesy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies.
To see Zach in action as himself check out my story 'Wish Come True'!
ALRIGHT. I DID SOME SERIOUS EDITING...HERE YOU GO!
Crow flipped his brown bangs out of his eyes. Those piercing blue eyes that perceived and analyzed everything in their path with military precision. Crow was the leader of the Harlem newsies. His reputation for soaking unwanted visitors or disobedient newsies was second only to Spot Conlon of Brooklyn. He was shorter than Spot, standing at 5'8 and still cutting an imposing figure at any newsie gathering. The only difference between them, otherwise, was the fact that Crow had only one girl. Fire, who was missing at the moment.
Crow's nerves were frayed and his patience worn thin. Fire had been gone for two whole days. He had sent word to her friends in Bronx, but they hadn't seen hide nor hair of her either. Birds were combing Queens, Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Little Italy, and Harlem itself for the girl with platinum hair, crystal blue eyes, and a fiery temper (Hence her name). Apollo, the second in command, set a comforting hand on Crow's tense shoulder.
"She's a strong girl," Apollo said comfortingly, his blond hair falling into his face. Apollo was 6'2 and had startling blue eyes. He was just a boy, despite his amazing height, and had a rather long curved nose. He and Crow had been friends for a long time, and Apollo was one in many who could calm the boy when Crow was outraged. Or on the very rare occasion, nervous, like he was desperately trying to hide now.
"Don't even start. If she's hurt or worse..." Crow couldn't finish the sentence. He ran a tanned, ink stained hand through his hair and sighed. He was more on-edge that he'd like to admit.
"She's not though. I have a feeling," Apollo was like Fire's brother. They had both become newsies the same day, and had looked after each other since then. Until Fire and Crow became an 'item'.
"She better be, or someone will have heck to pay," Crow snarled, slamming his tanned fist onto the crate he was seated on.
"CROW!" Slink, a Harlem bird, appeared running. He was sprinting for the leader as fast as his short legs would carry him.
"What?" Crow was on his feet.
"We found her!" Slink panted. "We found Fire!"
"Where?" Apollo was glad now, beaming from ear to ear. The grin dissipated at Slink's answer.
"Queens," Slink slowly regained his breath from the long run.
"Figures," muttered Crow. The tan, lithe boy checked his pocked for the trusty switchblade; it was where it should be. Leaders should never go anywhere without a concealed weapon. Jack from Manhattan had his rope, Spot had his cane or slingshot, Jip from Queens carried a knife. Crow had a switchblade. "Lead on."
Those two dark words muttered from the frowning leader prompted Slink and Apollo to begin the walk to the Queens Headquarters. It was an old warehouse on the edge of the town, the nearest to the Harlem border. It was a very precarious place to put a central camp, almost as if Queens was daring Harlem to attack, to test its forces. Dangerous grounds for newsies, especially newsies from the wrong borough.
As they entered the dank building, heads turned. Stubborn, the Queens' leader, stepped forward.
"How can I help youse gentlemen?" he asked snidely, a cocky grin on his pale face. Stubborn was about the same height as Crow, maybe an inch or two taller. Still shorter than Apollo. He had short, spiky black hair and beady brown eyes that darted to and from the people in the room.
"Where is she?" Crow's voice was nothing but a growl.
"Who?" Stubborn played innocent, matching Crow's glare with his own, slightly less intimidating, one.
"You know who," Crow bellowed angrily, he wanted to quit beating around the bush and get down to fighting. Apollo cracked his knuckles nervously, knowing his leader's intent.
"Oh, that who," Stubborn laughed and clicked his fingers together. Two large Queens' boys pulled Fire out of a nearby closet. When she saw her rescuers her face alit with (slightly misplaced despite the situation) joy.
"Crow! I knew you'd come," she said happily, nearly chirping with pride. "Although waiting two days in a basement was rather discouraging."
"Sorry, I had birds combing the city for you!" Crow's hands were spread before him in an I'm-pleading, is-that-enough-for-you fashion. Fire nodded, a lock of red hair falling into her face with the motion. Fire, with an un-girly burst of strength, wrenched away from her captor's arms and into Crow's. They hugged for a few seconds before a cough pulled them away from each other. Crow looked up; an arm still around Fire's slim waist. Stubborn was holding a knife in his hand, idly tapping it in his palm and eying the two. Crow pushed Fire behind him protectively. You never take what belongs to Harlem.
"You'll never get her," he said darkly.
"I wasn't planning on it," Stubborn was just as stoic.
"Don't be stupid," Fire whispered to Crow as he approached his enemy. Her words went unheeded as the boys observed each other. Weapons drawn, they moved in a slow circle. Only one leader was walking away from this fight. Fire was praying that it would be Crow. It was Stubborn that was the first to move, swinging his arm in a wide arch towards Crow's face. Crow ducked, bringing his own blade upwards towards his opponent. Stubborn sucked air through his teeth, hissing, as the sharpened metal drew blood on his forearm.
Stubborn retaliated fast, pulling his arm downwards with momentum, Crow wasn't fast enough. The blade skimmed over his shoulder blade, ripping his shirt as a line of red bloomed. Both wounded, both pumping with adrenaline, they eyed each other once more. Stubborn rushed forwards, Crow dropped to the ground. He lifted his feet, pushing the other boy over his head by giving him a swift kick in the abdomen. Stubborn gave a grunt as he hit the ground and rolled to his feet, nearly as agile as a cat. Before the Harlem newsie could stand once more, Stubborn was upon him. He flew down, attempting to straddle his fallen enemy.
It was then that Stubborn noticed his mistake; he fell off of Crow with a sickening 'thud'. Blood pooled around the switchblade hilt protruding from his chest. His eyes were wide in shock, his last thoughts portrayed on his face.
"I win," Crow stood and walked out of the warehouse, silent and breathing hard. Fire held onto his arm, her eyes large and round. Apollo was silent, but as soon as they were on home turf, he stopped them.
"Here," he ripped the sleeve off of Crow's ruined shirt and tied it around the wound to staunch the meager flow. It wasn't much more than a scratch.
"Thanks," Crow was still panting and Slink was following at a distance to check for trouble. No Queens newsie would be stupid enough to follow them. Once Crow had drawn blood, he was almost like a shark in the water, unable to contain the instinct that drove him to kill or be killed. Fire was the antidote to that instinct, calming him without needing words like Apollo. She stroked his uninjured arm as they walked home.
"Thank you for saving me, you were so brave," she whispered. She had seen her first death that day. She knew that the newsies sometimes had to kill each other, but it was the first time she had seen it done. And over her, and their home. It scared her.
"I wish you didn't have to see that," Crow said, turning to envelope her in a one-armed hug. She hugged him back, wary of his injury.
"Sometimes we all have to do things we don't like," she said. Crow knew she was referring to the murder of his late enemy, Stubborn.
"I hope Ninja can take better care of Queens," Crow muttered to himself. Ninja may be a bit impulsive, but anything is better than Stubborn!
"I do to," Fire said. They arrived home to the Lodging House. Silence was heavy, ever newsie knowing what had transpired without an explanation. Queens has a new leader. Ours survived.
"I'm going to bed," Crow leaned over to kiss Fire before swiftly departing for the washroom. She walked up after him, following him into the bathroom.
"I love you," Fire said, walking to the sink and pumping some water into the basin.
"I love you too," Crow returned, leaning over to peck her cheek. Fire blushed as she cleaned the minor injury on his shoulder blade. Crow flinched at the water, but didn't make a sound.
"Thank you for rescuing me," Fire smiled.
"I wouldn't have left you there, even if Stubborn was the leader that came out alive!" Crow said, leaning towards her. Blue met green in unhindered adoration. When Crow was sufficiently patched up, he and Fire sat on the ratty couch in the lobby. They told their story and watched the newsies react.
Fire looked around her home, happy to be back and be safe. She was with her family now, her family and her love.
No one takes what is Harlem's.
No one takes Crow's Fire.
Crow's Fire.
