A/N: *whimpers* it's…been…so long… since I've written of my own accord…here… I hope they enjoy it… Hi! It's me. Again. After a really long time of not having an original story for Newsies. Actually I mean I just did one but I don't count it as it was a prompt story. So here have a cute little improvised one-shot that came literally straight out of my head from nowhere because why the heck not? I don't even know what it's going to be about…
The familiar smells of wonderful foods and the baked breads-which were in his opinion the best in the whole city, all of the boroughs included-hit his nose and he took it in as much as he could, knowing that someday this wasn't going to be the best smell in the world because one day he'd smell better smells. The sounds of people trying to bargain or buying their breads and baked goods and such around him pleased him; it was familiar and he liked familiar things. Familiar things meant comfort and home to him. Silently going past each display and avoiding the looks people gave him at having their space invaded by some street-seller boy who had nowhere to hide himself in or anywhere to run to yet they were all the same and that's what he didn't get about it-and finally there was the place he enjoyed the most. There he could see the work being done. Thomas, the main chef, had taken a liking to him after a little while of him being around and it was that day where he could go in and sit there.
Thomas gave him a smile and then left, off to deal with some order or other no doubt. This was the biggest, well, best bakery in all of Manhattan in his opinion and Thomas agreed wholeheartedly. Ever since he'd gone to work with the newsboys, Thomas had told him he'd look after him. It was almost a fatherly-son relationship even when Thomas was only thirty himself, and had a family he was looking after; but they'd gotten along so well it was a surprise he wasn't part of that family.
"Ya got anyting for da boys?" He chuckled as Thomas walked in, placing a few loaves on the shelf behind them.
"If you want some, come an' get it." The older man held it above his head.
Refusing to leave the seat, the newsboy instead laughed hysterically as Thomas waved it above his head like a flag. It felt like home. And not just any home. Actually home. And he reveled on this for a moment like it was déjà vu but then decided no amount of thinking about it was going to do him any good and he needed to be free from that place for as long as he could. Jack said after all 'he shouldn't think about it for fear of ruining his health' or something of the sort. He couldn't ever remember.
After being called out to many more customers all over the next hour, Thomas finally came in with a few cupcakes and a tray of small baked goods for the whole lodging house. It would only supply them anyways. He could hardly think of what the others would do when they found out he'd been back. They loved the food from it, especially Crutchie, who always remarked on the fact that it was like tasting family.
"You okay, sonny?" The thick, Irish accented man looked at him a little more concerned than usual.
"Fine." He shook his head at Thomas, who shrugged and put the tray and cupcakes down on the counter, and once more was forced to walk out again at the call of a distant customer standing impatiently at the counter.
The more he analyzed it, the more he could only think about it and the more he thought about it, the more it became apparent to him. Maybe home could be found in baked goods and such. Maybe they had a point when they said home was wherever you feel loved.
Everything had fallen apart for him. He'd been shouted at by Jack. The guy hadn't been himself that day. It was all because of him that each newsie was trying to understand just what had happened. Yet none could. Not even himself. Jack Kelly was changed by something, and whatever that something was it had shouted at all of them. Even Crutchie, who had almost been reduced to tears but then had valiantly stood up for everyone when the yelling had stopped and the yeller had stormed off. Everyone had stared at him, looked to him for guidance when there was none else. And Crutchie took it. He sat down gingerly and looked them all in the eyes and smiled brightly, even if there were still tears rimming his own. He'd spoken with a sincerity.
"You all..wese gotta long way ta go before any of dis makes any sense. But don' worry 'cause soon, it will. And we'll get dis. It'll be okay." Romeo had run up to him and hugged him at this point, and Crutchie had winked over the younger boy's shoulder, trying to appear reassuring. Indeed, all the other boys including himself had been lifted in their spirits just a bit when they saw that wink, that smile, those brown eyes and dark hair hanging over Romeo.
"Hey," Thomas had suddenly popped up right in front of him, "hey don't cry, why are … what happened?" The guy sounded and looked so shocked that he wanted to give him a hug and break down, but he couldn't do that.
"It was…it ain't nothin'. Jus'…" He trailed off, looking at Thomas's brown eyes.
"It 'aint nothing' ain't gonna cover it. What was it? What happened at the lodging house?"
"Jack. Dat's what happened. You ain't gonna think so bu'…it did. An' dat's da problem. It ain't him, Thomas. That ain't Jack Kelly, the Jack Kelly. Not the one I followed." He blinked away the rest of the tears, an effort that hurt him deeply.
"Jack? What did something 'appen with his …"
The Irishman stopped as the Italian nodded slowly, biting his lip. And then Thomas gave him a hug, one that felt like one of the best in the world, the one he'd though would come from Crutchie or somebody. It was friendship that they had. Not quite the brotherly bond of a newsboy to another, but a friendship that he wanted to keep and clearly, clearly Thomas did too. Maybe he found home in this friendship too.
"Just take the food, please. You guys need it. You'll all be lost without it. I know. Come back if there is any trouble whatsoever after this." The baker gave a warm smile and the newsboy nodded.
Taking up the trays and nodding to the baker, he walked out of the fresh aromas and the beautiful array of baked goods and out into the cold, hard, bleakness of winter. A small smile popped onto his face for the first time that day. After all, with this snow, they weren't going to be working for a while because no one would be out to pay. They'd get to stay inside with…Jack. The smile disappeared once more.
If it wasn't for that danged bastard, not one of the newsies would have to suffer like this. He didn't know where the others had gone. It was so much like the time Kelly had almost abandoned them for Pulitzer, yet hadn't. They had been so relieved. But now it felt like it was really going to happen, well, it wasn't the same ordeal, but they would really be pulled away. Or the time he'd nearly gone to Santa Fe…
Racetrack found his way back to the lodging house in no time, and once there, was greeted by the silent eyes of several newsboys who followed him in, including Romeo who was red-eyed. They all were. Race smiled gently at the whole of them who were all sitting inside on the bunks, staring at him with the food in his hands. He put it down on the table and looked at the others expectantly. Slowly, the newsies came up to where Race stood and took food. Crutchie was one of the last and even though he was younger than Race himself, he looked older today. But that oldness disappeared as he smiled at Race, who found he could only smile back. Some rolled their eyes or averted them, not believing that either could smile at a time like this. But suddenly Race knew. This was home. And at home was where smiles belonged when they were needed most.
A/N: Oops did I say this was going to be a one-shot? Hahahahaha…. I lied. It's gonna be a chaptered story. I really didn't know this was how it was going to go but now that we all (including yours truly) need to know what the heck is wrong with poor Jack, I think I shall give it a shot. It's maybe an already used plotline kinda with Jack being moody but I think I shall also figure out his problem and it'll be unusual, different from others. So yeah. And also you might notice a pattern with how the chapters work. Anyways, hope you enjoyed that first chapter! Please, review, review, review!