I love Oliver twist more than anything, I know that this won't be seen by a lot of people but I wanted to write it anyway because it was stuck in my head. This is set in an alternate universe where Oliver has suffered from beatings by Bill Sykes for long enough and decides to run away. He doesn't want to loose his best friends and the strange, confusing emotions he gets with him but his life is at stake. He runs away, changes his name and makes his fortune. Years later, married and well off he runs in to the familiar cheeky thief from his past who needs his help and feelings he thought buried and gone resurface.
The beatings were bad, but the pitying looks from Jack Dawkins, or The Artful Dodger as he preferred to be known, as he helped him clean his wounds were worse. Oliver flinched as Dodger pressed an old, damp cloth against one of the larger new bruises.
"Be careful." Oliver whispered as Dodger scanned the worst of his injuries.
"You must'a really done bad for ol' Sykes to hurt you this good." Dodger criticised Oliver before thrusting the cloth in to the nearby bucket.
The rest of the pick pockets were sound asleep near by, only Dodger waited up for Oliver to come back, this both annoyed and pleased Oliver but he couldn't quite discern why either of those emotions rushed through him upon seeing that grubby face, dimly lit, waiting for him.
"I didn't do anything, that's the point." Oliver seethed.
"Well…" Dodger tipped his hat back and scratched his head, looking thoughtful "He wouldn't ta just done it for nothin'."
"Dodger, we could just leave." Oliver whispered, placing his hand on Dodge's. He knew deep down Dodge would never agree to leave, but he couldn't not ask.
Dodge stared at Oliver for a few seconds before coughing and taking his hand from Oliver's. He stood up and stretched dramatically, placed his hat by his bed and lay down.
"We don't 'ave no where to go." He replied "An' why would I leave me family?"
"Family." laughed Oliver coldly. "Some family."
Oliver lay back in his own cot and stared at the ceiling.
"I'd stop it, y'know? You're a friend o' mine and I'd stop it if I could." Dodge whispered to Oliver in the dark.
"You never would. You're just as afraid of him as I am." Oliver spat.
Dodger didn't reply, just closed his eyes and sighed before falling in to a deep sleep. Oliver didn't understand why it bothered him so much, he could leave by himself, but he didn't want to leave Dodger. He was the first person to show him any kindness and the feelings of friendship had turned in to something more, something that Oliver couldn't quite put in to words just yet.
The next day.
"Oliver!" yelled a familiar voice "Gerroff me!"
A fist struck Oliver hard in the chest making him fall to the ground with a large thud, this time he could die and he knew it.
"Stop it!" That voice again, why does that voice care.
"Please…" Gurgled Oliver before another fist hit him in the face, his lip split making it too painful to keep pleading. He saw the next fist rising, ready to strike him once more but the blow never came. Instead a flash of familiar blue and a messy mop of black hair appeared in front of him.
"Move boy." Growled Bill Sykes.
"That's enough, don'tcha think? Someone's bound to notice." Dodger, that's who it was, Dodger had come to save him. A painful emotion filled Oliver's throbbing chest.
Oliver felt himself being clumsily pulled up and let all his weight fall on Dodger's shoulders, they carefully made their way back to Fagin's hideout.
Oliver felt the relative comfort of Dodge's bed as he was gently lead down.
"I tol' ya! I said it! I stopped it." Dodge's voice was full of pride as he beamed down at Oliver, and despite himself Oliver felt his own mouth grin back at him. Oliver tried to push himself up but Dodge firmly pressed him back in to the bed. "Don't move, you need to rest."
Oliver felt groggy, his entire body ached as his eyes opened. He glanced around the darkened room and realised he must have slept for a long time because everyone else was asleep. His eyes landed on Dodge, who was curled up in Oliver's cot on the ground. Oliver forced himself up and dragged himself towards him.
"Dodger, I can't stay, you know that right?" Oliver whispered, he peered at Dodge's sleeping face "You saved me this time but next time he might turn on you too." Oliver felt hot, bitter tears run down his face. "I wanted you to come with me but I know this is the life you want." Oliver shook his head, he groaned and glanced once more around the room. He had decided, today was the day, he had to escape. Everyone was fast asleep so he could if he was quick. Before he had time to think he leant over Dodge's sleeping body and gently kissed him on his chapped lips. The shock that ran through him was something he had never felt before, and never felt since. He dragged his sore body up and limped as quietly as he could out of the hideout letting the door close behind him. He was free, and he would begin his life anew.
In the dark, silence of the room Oliver had just left lay a confused Artful Dodger, his fingers traced his own lips before he rolled over and squeezed his eyes shut, hoping to forget the squirming feeling in his stomach.
If you are reading this and have happened to stumble across this story please leave me a review and let me know what you think, it will really help me want to carry on. Thank you so much for reading this. :)