Author's Note: This started out as a challenge to myself to write something under 100 words. I went 68 words over, but whatever. I like it. Enjoy this short thing that I like for some reason. Thanks for reading!
One year ago, Sarah knew Davey was lonely. More than lonely. He was miserable. She could see it in his demeanor, the way his shoulders slumped when he thought no one was looking. The way he kept his answers to his parents' endless questions about his day as brief as possible. The way his eyes were trained on his feet at all times.
Flash-forward and Davey's shoulders are drawn back confidently as he addresses a crowd of Newsies, as they look up to him. He beams at them, filled with a confidence he didn't know was in him. Jack beams back, swinging his arm around Davey's shoulder and laughing. Crutchie gives him one of his shining smiles, and Davey smiles back. It's the truest smile Sarah has ever seen on her brother's face.
Afterward, he rushes over to her, grinning wider than Sarah had thought possible for him. He envelopes her in a hug and exclaims, "We won! We did it, we won!"
In that moment, Sarah couldn't be prouder of the strike co-leader.
She couldn't be prouder of her brother.