Warning: David is gay in this fic, because I ship Jack/David. If you don't like, don't read :) Thank you!
It's been two months since the end of the Newsie's strike. Two months since Jack Kelly disappeared off the face of the earth. Two months since they won.
It was funny how fast time seemed to fly by in times like that, but at the same time David wished he could go back to the strike and do it all over again. Becoming a newsie was one of the best things that had ever happened to him. It was the first time he found people who seemed to care for him, even if he wasn't like the rest of them. It was what made him have hope, for the first time since his father's accident, that everything was going to be okay.
Now, two months after the strike, David's dad was fully recovered and had gone back to work. Since his father had his job back, Les and David were now back in school. The downside to going back to school was that David and his brother could only sell papers in the evening and on weekends. He missed the boys, and part of him wished he could drop out of school and just be with his brothers who didn't care if he threw his education out the window. In fact they may like him even better since he would officially become one of them in the process.
However, David knew that it wasn't that easy. He couldn't just drop out of school, he could never live with the disappointment from his parents if he did. He was smart, he will admit that, and if he threw his future away in an instant his parents may never look him in the eye ever again. So, he bit his tongue and he just endured the grueling hours of school.
Before becoming a newsie, school was a tolerable place. It wasn't his favorite pass time, but then again it was school. No one found school interesting. There were kids who despised him, especially since he was a poor boy walking on the same ground as rich folk. David knew this and he always kept to himself and the other boys left him alone. It wasn't until after the strike that those kids changed. Now when he went to school the kids picked on him for being a newsie and taunted him, telling David that a poor boy like him had no business hanging with the upper-class. They would steal his lunch money or beat him in places where bruises don't show... sometimes they did both of those things.
It was that reason alone why he treasured the times he got to spend with his newsie family. The only person he hadn't seen since the strike ended was the famous Jack Kelly. To be honest, it wasn't a surprise, Jack had never hesitated to talk about his dreams of escaping the city to travel west to a small town. It didn't stop David from hoping that he convinced Jack that giving up his family was not worth it, especially for Santa Fe. So, when David showed up for work with Race telling him that Jack was gone, David was crushed, even if he hadn't expected anything else from the famous Cowboy. It had felt like his heart was ripped from his chest. That was the first day he sold by himself and Davey hated it.
He had sold by himself ever since, mainly to hide his limp that he got from the guys at school who decided it was fun to kick his legs until he was afraid they'd break. He'd also be able to cry in peace and not worry about the other newsies judging him for it. Also, it allowed him to openly miss Jack without his friends knowing about it.
That's exactly what he was doing when Crutchie came up to him.
"Davey!" He beamed as the newsie hobbled over to his friend.
David was surprised, "Crutchie? What are you doing? Do you need a new selling spot?"
"Nah," Crutchie shook his head. "I finished my papes up early so I figured I'd come keep ya company."
David looked impressed, "I was actually heading home myself. Headline was a good one, I finished early myself as well."
"Then let me walk with ya," Crutchie insisted.
David frowned, wondering where all of this was coming from. He loved the newsies, but Crutchie and him haven't talked since Jack left. The other boy had been secluded and kept to himself ever since the boy's best friend had disappeared. David had tried to approach him once, but Crutchie turned on him and blamed Jack for leaving. David didn't say anything, he didn't fight back, he had just left and avoided the boy ever since.
However, David just shrugged, "Sure, why not."
David set out a slow pace that was comfortable for Crutchie and made his way towards his place. There was a silence for a good few minutes before Crutchie broke it.
"So, how you been?" Crutchie asked awkwardly.
"Fine," David replied. "You know, sellin' papes and studying... nothing else is new."
"Sounds stressful," Crutchie noted.
David frowned, he never really thought about it. "I guess it's just what I have to do, though."
There was another minute of silence before Crutchie sighed. "Davey, I'm sorry. What I said to ya... that was awful and I ain't have no excuse for it."
"It's fine, Crutchie," David found himself clenching his fists. "I forgave you a long time ago."
"I haven't," Crutchie admitted. "I was just hurt, ya know? I lost my brother, but I didn't have the right to take my confusion out on you."
David really didn't want to talk about this. It brought back the reality that Jack was really gone and that he was never coming back. "Crutchie, I'm serious, we're fine."
Crutchie's shoulders sagged in relief. "Good. I really missed talkin' to ya, Davey."
David gave the boy a small smile despite his sour mood, "Right back at ya."
This time, when they fell silent, David felt something change in the air. This silence was not uncomfortable, no it was a much more comfortable silence. It was like the two newsies had a silent mutual understanding and it was okay to be silent for once, even if David was a 'Walking Mouth.'
David hadn't been talkative since Jack left, it felt like that part of him had left along with the Cowboy. Now he was the silent and sad boy that always kept to himself. If it weren't for Race and Albert trying to get him to talk, he probably would've stopped talking altogether. Les and Sarah worried, and so did his parents, and he felt like a horrible son and brother for it. However, part of him couldn't help it. He felt like a ghost of what used to be.
Sometimes David wondered what would happen if he had disappeared instead of Jack. Would Jack be feeling the way he was feeling? Probably not. David also wondered if Jack, wherever he was, missed any of them? Or if he was too happy to be free to even give a damn about them? Why not send a letter? Or give them an address so they could keep in touch?
"Earth to Davey," Crutchie's voice made David jump. Crutchie's eyes widened. "Whoa, easy, Davey. You got lost in that head of yours."
David ran a hand down his face, "Sorry."
Crutchie frowned as they slowly continued their trek. "You doin' alright? You look like hell."
David scoffed. "Gee, thanks."
"I just meant you look tired as hell," Crutchie amended. "And maybe a bit too skinny and also way too quiet. What happened to the Walkin' Mouth of Manhattan?"
"Gone," Was all David said.
"Davey... I know it ain't been easy on you either," Crutchie stopped and grabbed David by the elbow so they could look at each other. "But Jackie is gone. That don't mean we should stop livin' our lives like we did in the past."
"You don't get it, Crutchie," David shook his head.
"I do, Davey, that's the thing. I went through the same thing as ya," Crutchie patted his friend's shoulder. "You ain't alone, you never were. You got me and you got the other boys too. I know I ain't been the best friend, but I wanna make it up to ya. You's still my brother, that don't change just because we lose one."
David felt his eyes tear up and he knew he had to get out of here before he had a full-blown meltdown in front of his friend.
"I should get home," David said and if he took off at a run on purpose, well, he'll feel bad about it later.
When David was basically dragged into an alleyway after school the next day, he was honestly expecting it. It wasn't an unusual occurrence, David was used to the beatings now. So, when he was shoved against the brick wall by the leader of the gang, John, he was so done. Just because the beatings happened practically everyday didn't mean he stoped hating them.
"Look who's back again," John smirked. "I could've sworn you would've ran back to Jack Kelly... you know, away from here? New York ain't big enough for queers, but you know that don't you? 'Davey'?"
David struggled when he heard the nickname, but he received a knee to the gut for his efforts. David wasn't impressed with the yelp he let out as he curled in on himself. John and his goons let him collapse to the floor and they started to kick him. It was always the ribs and stomach and legs they went for. Never the face and never his arms. They wanted to hide their crime from the world, escape the trouble but still give David hell.
David passed out from the pain this time, though, but he knew it wasn't for long. By the time David woke up on the alley floor, it was still light out and the sun in the sky hadn't moved much. David guessed he was out for at least ten minutes. Painfully getting to his feet, David basically limped the rest of the way back to the apartment. He climbed through his bedroom window from the fire escape to avoid running into Sarah and Les.
Going into the bathroom, David got two bowls, filling one with cold water and one with warm water. He closed the bathroom door and grabbed a rag from a nearby hanging rack. Taking off his shirt, David dipped the rag in the warm water and laid it on his bruised ribs, sighing in relief at the way the warm water soothed the ache.
The bathroom door opened, causing David to jump out of his skin. "Hey, David..." Les began but stopped. "What the... Davey are you okay?"
His little brother came running over to him and David so didn't wanna deal with this right now. "Les, I'm fine. This is nothing just leave me alone."
"I ain't stupid," Les looked angry. "I know those jerks pick on you. I just don't understand why you hide it. If the others knew..."
"No," David shook his head. "They are not to know about this. I can handle this, do you hear me?"
"Why not?" Les demanded. "I mean, Davey... look what they did to you! And again, I ain't stupid. I know this has been happening for awhile. I ain't blind, you're my brother and I worry."
"They are not to know," David repeated sternly.
"Again, WHY NOT?" Les stubbornly crossed his arms.
"Because I said so!" David snapped.
Immediately Les's face crumbled. David never raised his voice to him like that.
"Just leave me alone, Les," David didn't look at his brother, for he knew he hurt him. David couldn't bear to know he was the one who made Les cry or look hurt.
It wasn't until he heard the bathroom door slam shut that David let the tears flow.
I'm bad at writing accents so sorry if it seems like I'm trying too hard. Also, the writing will seem a little stiff, as this is my first newsie fanfic. I'll get better in time :)
