A few days back I found this hilarious story by ihaveajuicebox. It was basically a bunch of oneshots about modern situation the newsies were put in. They weren't written like stories, but more like a bunch of connected headcanons. I absolutely loved this, so I am doing it too. All credit for the original idea comes from ihaveajuicebox. Go check out her story Just Some Modern Newsies Headcanons. You won't regret it!

This first one I did not come up with alone. My big bunch of buddies in a Newsies Instagram group chat came up with a lot of these. (I'm newsies_square on Instagram for those wondering). You people from the group chat know who you are, and you're all amazing!

The Pet Store

Sometimes, the Lodging House gets lonely. That ain't okay.

The newsies decide to go to a pet store, and get some nice little companion to keep them company.

Both Buttons and Elmer gasp as soon as they walk in through the doors.

There are so many animals!

Buttons immediately starts walking around and hugs every single animal he can get a hold of. Even the birds!

JoJo walks with him until they find the cats.

Buttons walks on, but JoJo gets absolutely stuck in the cat section.

They're a huge cat person.

They sit with the cats, cuddling them, petting them and talking to them.

After a while, Crutchie shows up too. He's also cat crazy.

He joins JoJo, and they keep cuddling the cats.

After a few minutes, it starts becoming obvious that Crutchie is allergic.

He doesn't care about this. He needs the cats.

Between coughing fits and sniffing, he talks to the cats.

"Hiya, fella!" *Sniff* "How are ya?"

Albert's also talking to an animal. The difference is that this one is talking back.

And oh boy, is it talking back!

This goddamn parrot won't stop talking.

Albert walked past it, commenting on how birds aren't really that fun.

That didn't lead to good things.

He's been arguing with that parrot for fifteen minutes.

Finch also claims to be talking to the birds.

He says that since he "is" one, he can talk to them.

He doesn't sound remotely like the birds he's trying to talk to, but they keep chirping, so he says it's working.

He's with his kind.

Smalls went straight to the rodent section.

Even though she complains about being small and short, she loves other small things. Especially living things.

Sniper followed her there. He knows that he ain't gonna get to buy a pet today. It would never be allowed by his father.

Smalls tells Sniper that every little mouse, hamster or rat they see is her new boyfriend, and that he's been replaced.

He retaliates and picks a dwarf hamster to be his new girlfriend.

They have a good laugh with the rodents, and pretend to be offended by the other's replacing of them.

Tommy Boy already has a dog at home, and is very hesitant to cuddle with any others. He says that would be "cheating". On his dog...

This doesn't stop him from looking at the puppies with longing eyes as the others (Buttons in particular) cuddle them.

Finally, he caves in and just smothers all the dogs with love.

Race also saw the dogs immediately. One hyperactive puppy got his attention.

Before anyone could have seen it coming, Race is rolling around on the floor with the puppy in his arms, claiming he loves her.

Spot, who was dragged along by Race, rolls his eyes, but secretly giggles at the sight. It's adorable.

Jack and Katherine are arguing about getting a dog or a lizard when Davey suggests getting a snake.

Jack rejects this idea. All snakes remind him of Pulitzer in one way or another.

Davey goes straight to the snake section and picks up a book about snakes.

He attempts to read some facts, but is very shut down by Jack, who interrupts him by naming every snake in the book "Pulitznake".

Davey is quickly done with that. Instead he goes to just admire the snakes, because he thinks they're beautiful creatures.

Les has gone somewhere else already, so why not just stare at snakes?

Where Les is is with the fishes. They're fascinating. They're fun. Les wants a fish.

In another corner of the store, Romeo has joined JoJo and Crutchie by the cats.

A store employee informed him one of the cats' name is Juliet.

Now he's emotionally attached to her.

Specs was with them until he spotted the bunnies.

Specs sure loves bunnies.

Elmer wants to buy every single animal in the store.

"Look at the cats, Henry! Oh! See that bunny! We need it! OH, THE FISHES!"

Henry reminds him over and over that they'll never have the money for that.

Elmer responds to this by shoving animals in Henry's face.

The twins have found the lizards. They insist on the group getting a lizard.

"Which one?" is the question that is asked then.

The twins simultaneously say different types.

Then bim, bam, boom, there's a full blown twin fight about which lizard is the best.

Mush looked all over for the pet he wanted. A tiger.

Blink kept saying that there wouldn't be any, but that couldn't stop Mush from wanting a tiger.

They've looked all over the store. There are no tigers.

Mush is sad.

Blink gives him a few comforting hugs, and then they spot a ginger cat. A ginger cat that Romeo is holding.

Mush demands that that is the pet they will be getting. Romeo agrees. They need Juliet.

Race insists otherwise. He says they need the dog he found.

Davey doesn't even bother suggesting the snake anymore.

Les is still with the fishes.

The twins are glaring daggers at each other over the lizards.

Albert's finger has been bitten by the parrot.

There's a bit of chaos. They didn't need more in the form of Race and Spot arguing with Mush and Romeo about which pet to get.

But they got more anyway.

Jack and Katherine gather up all the money they brought to see if they can afford both animals.

As it ends up, they can!

They figured that out right on time, because Race just made it clear he wasn't afraid to make the fight physical.

The newsies happily make their way home with one cat and one dog that afternoon.

Race wanted to rename the cat Albert, because it was ginger.

This earned him a slap on the back of his head.

Albert did not appreciate it.

Romeo also refuses to change the name, because he finally found Juliet.

The dog's name is debated.

Race wants to name it Spots, because... it has spots.

Spot does not allow this.

Every name is debated and shut down.

Finally, it is decided that naming the dog is a thing to be put on hold.

It shall be decided another day...

I've never written a story like this before, but it sure was fun! Thanks to my team of professional headcanoners. You made this possible.