Disclaimer: Don't own it.
Author's Notes: A Jack introspective fic. It's just drabble, because I haven't written anything remotely Newsies in a long time and I needed to. You can probably read mild Jack/David subtext into this if you want, but it can go either way, really. I wasn't aiming for it. Feedback is much appreciated.
Don't Lose Your Head
In the end, you've gotta learn when to say goodbye to everyone else and start looking out for yourself. You can stick your neck out if you want, but if you stick it out too far, someone'll chop off your head.
I wonder why it's so hard for kids like you to understand. Maybe it's cause you've never had to stick out your head for nobody. Your mommy and dad have always done it for you. I mean, your father ain't got a job because he stuck his neck out for you and he couldn't get out from under that machine in time.
You think I wanna end up like that, just because a few kids need a few extra cents?
I can't be doing that. I tried, but if I do it any more, I'm gonna end up with more than just a coupla black eyes. They play for keeps around here, here in the big leagues, and if ya don't take the game seriously, you'll lose everything and you'll never be able to get it back. No matter how much you try.
I tried to put it into words that you'd understand. But you don't. You think you're smart, a real bright kid, but the truth is, you either don't think or you think too much. Either way, you just don't get it.
Go on, keep making this whole mess move forward if you want to. Talk for yourself, see how they react to you. Try to get that charisma that makes them all watch you, hang on your every word. In between the bits of truth you've pieced together, go ahead and tell them all the things you never really heard me say, the things you thought that I promised you. Tell them whatever you want, whatever you read between the lines. Be mad at me too, while you're at it. I don't care any more. I never promised anyone a damn thing. And that includes you.
I'm not losing my head for anyone.
Author's Notes: A Jack introspective fic. It's just drabble, because I haven't written anything remotely Newsies in a long time and I needed to. You can probably read mild Jack/David subtext into this if you want, but it can go either way, really. I wasn't aiming for it. Feedback is much appreciated.
Don't Lose Your Head
In the end, you've gotta learn when to say goodbye to everyone else and start looking out for yourself. You can stick your neck out if you want, but if you stick it out too far, someone'll chop off your head.
I wonder why it's so hard for kids like you to understand. Maybe it's cause you've never had to stick out your head for nobody. Your mommy and dad have always done it for you. I mean, your father ain't got a job because he stuck his neck out for you and he couldn't get out from under that machine in time.
You think I wanna end up like that, just because a few kids need a few extra cents?
I can't be doing that. I tried, but if I do it any more, I'm gonna end up with more than just a coupla black eyes. They play for keeps around here, here in the big leagues, and if ya don't take the game seriously, you'll lose everything and you'll never be able to get it back. No matter how much you try.
I tried to put it into words that you'd understand. But you don't. You think you're smart, a real bright kid, but the truth is, you either don't think or you think too much. Either way, you just don't get it.
Go on, keep making this whole mess move forward if you want to. Talk for yourself, see how they react to you. Try to get that charisma that makes them all watch you, hang on your every word. In between the bits of truth you've pieced together, go ahead and tell them all the things you never really heard me say, the things you thought that I promised you. Tell them whatever you want, whatever you read between the lines. Be mad at me too, while you're at it. I don't care any more. I never promised anyone a damn thing. And that includes you.
I'm not losing my head for anyone.