Hey again friends! Happy Mother's Day to all the Mother's out there, including my mother who, don't ya know it, had me on this very day twenty years ago!
This story has nothing to do with any of that, but i happened to finish it today, so why not post it?
This is a request from a Guest reviewer of mine from a fluff story I wrote forever ago. The request was for some Les Fluff.
So here you are! I'm sorry I don't know how to write fluff! But I tried!
Please enjoy!
"Hey, Les… why the long face?"
Les shrugged, not knowing what to say to his friend as he walked down the stairs of the lodge.
"Just thinkin'..."
"Yeah? 'Bout what?"
Les looked up at the Newsie leader who was sitting on the couch in the lodge, sketching on some old newspaper. He sighed and dragged himself over to the older boy who easily made room for him.
Jack set aside his things when the nine year old sat down beside him, facing him with a small smile. He gently fisted at the kid's chin, earning a small smile before it fell again. "Cmon, kiddo… what a' matta'?" he asked.
"Did ya know that Romeo can't read? N' Elmer can't either?"
The question caught Jack a little off guard. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at the boy beside him. "Les, a lot a' my boys can't read… we neva' had no one ta teach us how," Jack answered, like it was no big deal.
"But you know how ta read," Les countered, looking up at the seventeen year old who nodded and offered him a sad smile.
"Yeah… yeah I do… but that don't mean I's good at it… Morris taught me how ta read, back when we was both real little…" Jack explained, wrapping an arm around the kid's shoulders. "A lot of us neva' went ta school ta get smart, like you," he teased, ruffling the boy's hair. "But it's okay—"
"But why don't anyone teach 'em? Specs can n' Henry can n' you can—"
"Les, we do what we can… readin' ain't our top priority a lot of the time," he tried to explain gently.
The boy still didn't understand. He couldn't. He hadn't grown up like these kids. With nothing and no one. He'd gone to school. He'd had parents who'd gone to school. He'd had David.
These boys didn't have anybody.
"What's this all about, pal?" Jack asked, nudging his shoulder a bit, trying to get him to smile. "Why's this gotcha so worked up?"
The boy looked up at Jack and shrugged. "I just… never thought about it before…" he admitted, his voice small.
Jack still smiled at him. "Well, kid… Ain't much ta think about," he shrugged. "See, we may not all have folks like you, but we's still get by. Ain't no one mad at you f'r knowin' how ta read 'r havin' a free place ta live…" That was when he heard Les sniffle. "Les… ya know that right? You's still our brotha'... no matta what…"
"But… We're different than you…" the small boy stated. Jack nodded, knowing that already. He still loved these kids. Sure, he'd been shocked to discover that Davey had a family, a house… but that didn't mean he loved these boys any less. "Me and David are gonna have ta go back ta school soon and we won't be able ta see you everyday n'—"
"Les, did ya know that Albert's got a fatha'? N' two brothers?" he asked, looking down at the boy. "N' Elmer… he's got eight brothers n' sisters n' a mama too…" Les shook his head. He did not know that. "Yeah… now, they don't got two folks, but they's got family… they got blood… that don't make 'em any less my brothers, though…"
Les squinted up at Jack and cocked his head. "Why… why don't they live with their families?" he asked, genuinely curious.
Shrugging a bit, Jack didn't know what else he could do but tell the truth. "Well, Al's daddy lost his house. His brothers got families of their own. So Albert works for him and his Pa. N' Elmer's Ma… she can't afford ta feed nine kids… sometimes, things happen that we can't control, so we's gotta work ta support ourselves," Jack explained, still seeing a sadness washing over Les's face. "Kid, we're all okay… we like bein' newsies. We know we don't got much, but we'll always be family. That means you n' Davey too, got it?"
With a small nod, Les leaned into the older boy who he looked up to so much. "Got it…" Jack hugged him tight and ruffled his hair before ushering him up and towards the other kids who were playing games on the ground in the middle of the lodge.
Les eagerly rushed to them.
And Jack laughed, reaching for his newspaper and pencil again.
It was just another night at the lodging house. And that was alright with him.
Alright, very short, but it was fun and interesting to write! I hope ya'll enjoyed it!
As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya, fansies!