AN: Thank you for reading and reviewing! I'm planning on having two more chapters.
"Watcha want, David," Jack demanded, not turning around.
David silently cursed himself. He thought he had been walking down the fire escape so slowly and carefully! He never could get anything past Jack though. David opened his mouth to speak-
"Just kidding, David! I don't wanna hear it," Jack sneered before David could say anything. David rolled his eyes. Jack was sitting on the final step of the fire escape, shoulders rounded and feet hanging off the edge.
"Alright, Jack. Just say what you want to say," David said with a sigh.
"Why would I have anything to say to you, David? You're supposed to be my second in charge! You're supposed to back me in everything I say and do! You're supposed to explain my decisions to my men, not totally disregard me," Jack exclaimed, still not turning to face David.
David took three more steps down toward Jack. "I know but..."
"But what? There's no excuses, David!"
"Jack, you must admit you are being a little bit hasty," David tried desperately to reason with him.
"How can you be hasty when it comes to the future," Jack demanded, finally turning around to face him. "We both know none of us boys can sell papes forever! Do you deny that we're getting older?"
"No, of course not but-"
"But nothing! For Christ's sake, but nothing!"
David sighed deeply, running his cold, gloved hands over his frozen face harshly. He had to find a way to express his feelings accurately. He had to find a way to force Jack to drop this. "If you...if you," David began slowly.
"If I what," Jack questioned, narrowing his eyes dangerously.
"If you start admitting that you're an adult then...then..."
"Then what," Jack snapped impatiently.
"Then any trouble you cause will send you straight to jail and I mean jail-jail, not the refuge," David exclaimed. Even before he said the words out loud, he knew this was not the reasoning to get Jack to drop this whole adult thing.
Sure enough, Jack rolled his eyes. "Please, David. When you're an adult, you don't start trouble like we start trouble now. Give me a break."
David rolled his eyes in response. No way would Jack Kelly stop causing trouble just because he was working in a factory instead of out on the streets. In fact, David was sure that the cramped, dark space would make him even quicker to fight. David slowly closed the space between Jack Kelly and himself, sitting on the stair just above him. David put his hand on his shoulder. "Jack, I'm only going to say this because I'm your best friend and I want to be honest with you," David said slowly. Jack scoffed in response. "Do you understand that," David asked gently.
Jack didn't respond so David took that as his permission to continue. His mouth felt dry and stiff. "Jack, right now you have things pretty good. You have a place to sleep and a few coins in your pocket and-"
"And a few black eyes," Jack sneered.
"Well, yes...but you also have respectability and seniority. Kids all throughout the city know who you are. You're Jack Kelly, the famous strike leader!"
"I'll still be Jack Kelly, the famous-"
"But you won't be! You'll have to pay taxes and do legal things! You'll have to be..." David hesitated before saying Jack's real name. "Francis Sullivan." Jack growled but David continued.
"I could still be called Jack," Cowboy exclaimed, in an almost whiney voice.
"Yes, but you'll be a has-been! Jack Kelly will be washed up and pointless. You'll be ...the angry man who had his 15 minutes- no, 15 seconds- of fame! Right now, you have men under you! You have power to make decisions and dictate people's actions. But, Jack, as soon as you step foot out of the lodge house for the last time, that all ends. You'll be nothing. You'll be just another factory worker with nothing. No power, no men. Nothing." Jack remained silent. David sighed. "It's all going to be over soon, Jack. You're right. But why throw everything away for nothing when you can put it of for 6, 8, 12 months?"
Jack remained silently for many long moments before growling, "Can we pretend that I never wanted to quit?" Jack looked over at him with wide, silent eyes.
"Yes," David said, chuckling. "That's one thing I'll back you on!"