Hello, fansies! I'm back with another request that, again, is pretty old, but still important. This request is once again from the lovely FuriedNight! Way back when, this beautiful person gave me a request to see Jack's interactions with a few of the newsies that we don't get to see so often in fics, either in canon or modern. I personally think I'm better at writing in modern era, so this is all modern. Let me know what you guys think!
Enjoy!
"Henry, slow down… you're gonna break the bowl…"
Henry did not slow down. He didn't even know if he could. He was so lost in his own head that he words hardly even registered in his poor little confused brain.
"Hen… hey… look at me, buddy…"
Henry let out a strained breath as he did as he was told, dropping his spoon into the bowl and dropping the bowl back down onto the counter. He looked up to see Jack standing in the doorway, a backpack slung over his shoulder. Henry could hear Katherine somewhere in the background. But he didn't care to listen too much as she swooned over little Romeo who had been sitting with Race and learning to read.
"You wanna tell me what's goin' on, kid?"
"Nope."
Jack snorted. Henry didn't find it so amusing. But Jack just shook his head and rounded the counter, dropping his backpack down on the ground as he snuck his finger into the bowl that Henry had been desperately and violently stirring just a minute before. Henry swatted him away, shaking his head.
"Go 'way," he grumbled pathetically.
Jack gave him a playful smirk. "Boy, ya know I won't leave ya alone till ya tell me what's eatin' at ya," he stated, going in for another taste. But Henry grabbed the bowl and turned away.
"You'll make yourself sick, Jack. I'll make you n' extra batch without dairy, just… stop…" the younger boy sighed.
Smiling, Jack wrapped an arm over Henry's shoulder. "Fine… but I still ain't leavin' till I know—"
"I think I'm in love, okay?!" Henry cried dramatically, stopping in his practiced movements and looking up at his big brother, completely terrified.
To his horror, Jack only laughed.
"What, you think this is funny?!" he demanded, pulling away from the older boy and taking his bowl and spoon with him to the other side of the kitchen and pulling out more ingredients.
He was stress baking. A habit he'd only sort of picked up from Race.
"Kid… come sit down," he coaxed, heading over to the kitchen table and pulling out a chair for the fifteen year old.
Henry grumbled something under his breath. But he complied.
"Alright… so… tell me about this person…"
Henry sat still for a moment, looking embarrassed and frazzled as he stared down at the batter now sitting lifelessly on the table. "He's… different…"
Nodding, Jack smiled. "And?"
"And… he's… he's protective… and he's… he's so hot and strong and good at… at… so many things…"
"Henry, if you've already had sex with this boy, I might have to kill him—" Jack started, knowing it would get quite the blush out of his little brother.
"I haven't had— Jesus, Jack, just…" Henry didn't know what to say. He had no idea what to do. "I… really like him…"
For a long moment, Jack studied the boy. He rested his chin on his hand and smiled. "So? Why is that so bad?"
Henry dramatically groaned and threw his head back. "I can't be with him!" he cried, picking up his bowl and heading back to the counter where he'd left the flour. "It would be a disaster!"
Jack blinked and shook his head, trying to shake off that shout that he hadn't quite expected, but he stood again, following the younger kid. "A bigger disaster than Race n' Spot?"
"Yes!"
"I find that hard ta believe," Jack scoffed. "But I'll bite. Why would it be a disaster?"
Henry paused, looking over at the boy that had looked out for him since he was eleven years old. "He… n'... I just… I—"
"Okay, okay, pal, don't hurt ya'self," Jack chuckled. "Look, if ya really like him, talk ta him… thing's 'll work out… n'... a cupcake definitely wouldn't hurt ya," he said, reaching to ruffle the boy's hair before grabbing his backpack again and walking back out to his girlfriend.
Henry watched Jack go. And he sighed.
Maybe Jack was right.
He sighed and turned on the oven.
He hoped red velvet would be good enough.
"Sniper! You've been in there for an hour!"
There was a banging on the door. Sniper recognized it as a lacrosse stick. It wasn't hard to guess. The voice that continued to whine outside the bathroom door belonged to none other than Smalls. The thirteen year old was the best player on his team. He loved to train with his big brothers. Almost all of them played a sport of some kind. "And I'll be in here for another one if you don't stop banging on the door!"
"Ja-ack!"
Sniper rolled her eyes. Of course that would be the kid's instinct. Crying for Jack.
The young teenager tried to calm her trembling hand as she raised up her mascara brush to her eye.
The second she tried to apply the makeup, another bang hit the door and she jumped, slamming one hand down on the counter as the applicator hit her skin, just below her eyebrow.
She didn't know if she wanted to scream or cry.
The banging did not stop. So Sniper growled and whirled towards the door of the small washroom that desperately needed to be washed. She ripped the door open, ready to yell at the boy who would not leave her alone. "Smalls, I swear ta God—"
"Hey! Hey!"
And there was Jack. Just like always.
The oldest boy of the house rushed up and grabbed the lacrosse stick out of Smalls's hands, holding it just out of the boy's reach. "Smalls, Romeo's outta the bathroom downstairs, grab your toothbrush and go down there, please. Ya got twenty minutes before it's time ta go," he stated.
Smalls rolled his eyes and pushed past Sniper, doing as Jack instructed and rushing down the stairs. The girl glared at him the whole time. And when he was gone, she only spared her big brother a small glance before she went to slam the door again.
But a hand stopped it from shutting. Sniper scowled but knew better than to try and force the older teen out. Her jaw tightened. And Jack sighed. "Okay, kid, what's the matta'?"
"Nothin'!"
"Sniper, don't lie ta me. Ya ain't talked ta no one in days. What's wrong?" Jack asked again. Sniper shook her head, retreating back into the bathroom. Jack just leaned against the doorframe.
"Ya ever think that maybe I have friends outsida' this house?" the girl snapped, reaching for a towel and running it beneath the sink, dabbing at the black makeup above her eye that only smeared, not wanting to come off. It took all of willpower to keep from viciously stomping her foot into the ground.
Though, resisting that urge only led to her viciously rubbing her skin red with the towel.
Jack rushed in, quick, gently grabbing her wrist. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down—"
"Just leave me alone, Jack! I'm fine!"
"You're clearly not fine, Snipes…" Jack whispered, taking the towel from her hand and setting it aside. She went to reach for it again, but Jack stopped her, grasping her carefully by the shoulders and turning her around. "Hey, talk ta me… what can I do?"
"I don't know!" the fifteen year old girl finally admitted, unable to meet her adoptive brother's eye. "I don't know what's wrong and I don't know what you can do! But it's so loud in here and I can't think! And I forgot to do my lab write up n' Mr. Seitz already told me I was gonna fail!" She didn't know when the tears had begun to fall. But it was clear they were going to stop anytime soon. "I can't sleep! I can't… I can't stop shaking n'..." Makeup was running down her face now. She was sure of it.
Of course Jack had to do this right before school.
Her big brother pulled her to his chest easily. Ever since she'd known him, he always had this gift. It seemed he had it with all of them. Something about him was calm. Something about him felt safe.
Sniper was twelve when she'd gotten a big brother. And to this day it was still a mystery how she'd survived without him for so long.
She pressed her ear up against his chest and sniffled, letting him run hands through her hair. She balled her fists up in the back of Jack's t-shirt. He rubbed her back carefully. "Hey, little sister… I'm right here… none of this means the end of the world, okay? Why didn't ya tell anyone you was stressed?"
The girl sniffled and shrugged as Jack ran a hand through her dark hair. "I… Jack, there's so many kids here… I didn't wanna—"
"Sniper, look at me," Jack ordered gently, pulling back from the hug. His sister sniffled and looked up at him with teary eyes. "Just because there's a lot of kids in this house doesn't mean you're not important. Yeah?" The girl tried to look down, but Jack clipped her chin with his index finger. "Yeah?" he repeated.
A small smile spread on the kid's face. "Yeah…" she replied, looking back up at him.
"Okay… c'mon… let's fix you up n' get some food in you… I'll talk to Medda, alright? She'll call Seitz n' you c'n sit in the nurse's office t'day, okay? Just durin' fifth period…"
The girl with the long, dark hair nodded and dabbed at her cheeks. But she didn't turn around without another quick hug. "I love you, Jackie…"
He laughed and pressed a kiss to her head. "Love ya too, little sister…"
The book hit the wall with force as the boy on the couch allowed his leg to bounce up and down again and again. He couldn't stop it.
He could never stop it.
"Okay… I didn't care for Lord of the Flies either, but… did it threaten you in some way?"
Finch almost laughed. But he couldn't. He was too angry with himself. "I can't do it, Jack! I… forty pages! By tomorrow, Jack! For some reason, I can't do it!"
He'd read the same page seven times. He couldn't recall a word that was on it.
Jack was typing away on his laptop in the chair that seemed to be reserved for him. Katherine and Crutchie were taking cooking lessons from Race in the next room. Jack was working on some art project. Romeo was running around with Albert not far behind him. Sniper was upstairs on a very loud phone call.
And Finch couldn't focus.
Jack sighed and set his computer aside, pushing himself to his feet and scooping up the book, noting that some of the pages were now bent. "Okay…" he muttered, taking the book and moving to sit beside his little brother. The way Finch cuddled up next to him was immediate. Jack smiled and wrapped an arm around him. "Have you been takin' your meds, pal?"
The silence was all the answer Jack needed.
"Finch…"
"They slow everything down! I just… I… I don't like 'em…" the younger boy admitted, picking at a loose thread in the seam of his jeans.
Jack nodded as his smile faded a bit. He ruffled the fourteen year old's hair and let the book get the cushion beside him. The boy was shaking a little. Finch wasn't the only boy in the house with ADHD. But it was different for all of them. They all handled it in different ways.
Finch never knew how to handle it well.
"Okay… n' that's okay… we can talk ta Mama about gettin' ya some new meds—"
"Jackie?"
Jack sighed. "Yeah, kiddo?"
"When did you start callin' Medda 'Mama'?" It was a genuine question. One that Jack was a bit shocked at.
But he shrugged anyway and really thought about it. "When she told me that would be okay with her, I think… a couple days before she adopted me…" Jack recalled. He'd been the first one she'd picked up.
Only ten at the time. Three more had come after him.
And Medda didn't mind at all.
"That's nice," Finch stated, closing his eyes for a moment. His head hurt a little. "Do you think she'll bring that fella ova' again?"
Jack squinted. "Teddy?"
Finch shrugged.
"I dunno, kid… maybe…" Jack replied, hugging the boy a little closer. "Okay… so… is this all ya have ta do?"
"Hm?"
All Jack could do was laugh. Finch never understood it. Jack was always so calm with him.
People hadn't always been calm with him. His mind bounced from one place to another and he never seemed to remember where he'd even begin. But Jack never cared.
"The book, Finch… is the readin' all the homework ya got?" he asked.
"Oh… yeah…" Finch nodded, shifting against his brother but refusing to pull away. "But I can't do it—"
"Okay… how about if we go up ta my room, where it's quieter?" Jack suggested. Finch froze for a moment, thinking about it. But he shook his head. It would just make it worse. His brain just couldn't stay in one place. Especially in the quiet. So Jack rubbed his arm. "Okay… would it help if I read it to ya?"
The younger boy blinked a bit at the frustrated tears gathering up in his eyes. "Y-you don't have to do that…"
Jack let out a light laugh and nudged the kid. "Okay, kid, get comfortable," he said, snuggling further into the couch as Finch snuggled further into him. He smiled as he began to read the tale.
And Finch hung on his every word.
"So anyway, she slipped and fell and now she has a black eye, but it's only because she tried to get the ball out from right under me. Spot told me that I was bein' real aggressive. N' that it was real good. But he said I needed ta be more careful. 'R at least sneakier… n'... JoJo, is someone there with you?"
"Hmm?" The young girl glanced back up at the screen. She had fallen a bit out of it for a moment as someone behind her played with her hair. The young dark skinned girl staring back at her glared a bit. But JoJo yawned. "I'm sorry, Bean… I'm just a little tired…" she stated, rubbing at her light brown eyes. "M' brother's here…" she finally replied.
Jack just pressed a kiss to the back of her head, continuing to brush through his sister's hair as she zoned in and out. Her friend's face took up her phone. Coffee Bean looked to be walking around. Jack could make out some of Spot's foster siblings coming in and out of frame. For a moment he was sure he saw Race. That was when he took his eyes off the screen.
That was a discussion he didn't want to have right now.
"Why's he sittin' with you?"
JoJo, sighed and shrugged, not wanting to give any real kind of answer. She was tired. She shouldn't be tired but she was. So. Tired. "Sorry I wasn't at practice, CB…" she muttered, only sort of meaning it.
"Coffee Bean! I need ya off the phone! Ya still got homework!"
Jack recognized the voice. There was Spot. He sighed, but still remained quiet. The eleven year old in his lap did the same. "Whatever… I guess I gotta go. I'll see you on Thursday, JoJo!"
"Bye…"
The phone was hung up fast and JoJo let hers fall into her lap.
Jack didn't speak. He just set the brush aside and ran his fingers through the girl's hair before he began to carefully braid it. JoJo let him, her gaze going blank as she started straight ahead. There was chaos beyond the door. But Jack ignored it. Some of the older boys could take care of it right now. Medda would call him if she needed his help.
While silence was never Jack's favorite thing, he knew that JoJo needed it sometimes. She'd go from bouncing off the walls, being absolutely insane, jumping on her big brother's backs, to being solemn and almost mute for days.
There was never one thing that made the switch happen. It always just… happened.
"Jack?"
"Yeah, kid…"
"Thanks…" the girl whispered, just as he tied the end of her light brown hair. He nodded and reached to turn her around. She let him, practically falling into his chest the minute she got the chance.
He giggled a little at that, hugging her lightly as he lay back on the bed. "You wanna sleep, kid? Or maybe try eatin' first?" he whispered, careful not to wake her up too much.
"I ain't hungry…" she muttered, truly not wanting to move.
Jack rubbed her back. "Okay… when was the last time ya ate?" A shrug was all the response he got. "How about I get someone ta bring ya a sandwich? Just a few bites n' you can sleep, if ya want…" he promised, knowing that the young girl was ready to pass out against him. It wouldn't be the first time.
"But I ain't—"
"Hungry. I know… but that don't mean ya don't need ta eat…"
JoJo let her eyes slide shut. "Okay…" she decided, letting Jack reach for his phone and dial someone's number.
She didn't listen to the conversation. She was only vaguely aware that Jack was on the phone with Sniper. Ten minutes later, Jack was helping her sit up and was splitting a PB&J with her. They didn't talk much.
But that was okay.
As long as Jack was there, JoJo knew she'd be alright. And that was enough for her.
"Shhhhh, it's gonna work!"
"Ike, what if—"
"Shhhhh!"
"Oh, no no, I'd love ta hear what Mike wanted ta say…"
Before either of the twins could whirl around, arms surrounded them and they were lifted up. Ike let out a small, "whoa!" But Mike just struggled in the grip.
Ike was easily tossed over Jack's shoulder and Mike was held against his chest. "Okay, you two. What'd I say about bein' in my room? What'd ya do?"
Mike glanced over Jack's shoulder. They'd been so busy setting up the bucket above Jack's door they hadn't heard him slip through the window. That meant he'd climbed up onto his small balcony. "Just a bucket a' wata'..."
Jack laughed. "That's an old one. Racer did that ta me once… but I got him back real bad," he stated. "I don't think the two a' you wanna be on the other end of that," he warned. "What did I say about pranks?"
Ike grumbled. "Ta not do them?"
Jack nodded, carrying the little boys both over to his bed and flopping Mike down onto it while Ike slid down to his chest. "Ta not do them. But here we are, n' I had ta climb up the side a' the house ta avoid gettin' soaked. So, which one of you was the mastermind?" he asked, knowing full well what the answer was.
Neither of them spoke. Ike shyly looked down at his hands as Jack stared right at him, still holding him close. When he didn't own up to it, Jack's gaze travelled back to Mike. "Mikey, it's okay… you can tell me," he said.
"Well, it was Ike's idea-"
"Mike!" Ike grumbled, twisting around to glare at his twin brother.
Jack snickered and tossed Ike down next to the other boy. "Okay, Ike… you've been ratted out. Ya know what that means…"
Ike's eyes widened and just as he opened his mouth to protest, Jack went in for the attack. And suddenly, all Ike could do was laugh. Jack had practiced fingers. They squeezed at the child's sides and tickled beneath his armpits. "Ja-ack! No! Stah-hop!" the ten year old squealed.
"Hmmm,.. no, I don't think so…" Mike laughed at his brother who was squirming beneath Jack and giggling like crazy. But Jack looked over at him and shook his head. "Oh don't think you're gettin' out so easy, kid!" he laughed, before going at Mike just the same.
They giggled and wiggled beneath his hands but he was bigger than them. And a lot stronger.
"Jackie! It was just a joke!" Mike tried. But Jack didn't stop.
Not until the two little boys were almost completely out of breath.
Jack could only smile at them. "So… what did we learn?" he asked, as Mike rolled into his stomach and started to crawl away. Jack just grabbed him around the torso and pulled him to his chest.
Mike sighed but didn't struggle. "No more pranks..." He just let himself be carried while Jack grabbed his desk chair and pulled it closer to the door, carefully reaching up to pull the bucket down off the top of the slightly ajar door. Some of the liquid splashed onto the carpet. Jack didn't pay much mind to it as he set it aside, circling back to grab Ike and head out into the hall.
"Okay, guys, time ta getcha downstairs…" he mumbled, tossing Ike back over his shoulder. Mike turned to wrap his little arms around Jack's neck and Ike simply let himself hang.
Jack may have picked up a kid or two on his legs while he tried to make his way down the stairs. But he didn't mind.
"Specs! Slow down!"
Specs did not slow down. If his brother wanted to catch him, well, Lord knows he was fast enough.
Specs however, Specs would never be fast enough.
"Specs, I got the car t'day, where're ya goin'?"
A hand caught Specs's shoulder and it took him a moment before he was able to turn around and face the slightly older boy who'd just chased him down the school hallway to the front entrance of the high school.
Specs knew that Jack had the car today. That didn't mean he wanted to take it.
In fact, that very look on Jack's face had been what he was trying to avoid. "Spencer, what the hell happened?"
"Just leave it, Jack," the boy insisted, trying to push past his adoptive brother now. "I gotta get home—"
"Specs," Jack tried again, shaking his head and keeping his hand firmly on the other boy's shoulder.
"I just broke my glasses! That's it!"
"And gave yourself that cut?"
To be honest, Specs had no idea there was a cut just below his left eye, bleeding only slightly. It figured. He never had been good at hiding these kinds of things, no matter how hard he tried. "Look, I… I don't wanna talk about it. Can we please just go home?"
Jack sighed. People were filing out of the building, simply walking around them, not sparing Specs a second glance. It broke Jack's heart. He looked at his brother again. The one that got taken in just after him. They'd been at Medda's the longest. Together. And it pained Jack that Specs was still one of the most closed off kids he knew. He never wanted to talk.
Only Medda could ever get him to talk about the things he'd never speak of to Jack.
It hurt.
But Jack knew it was something the boy couldn't truly help.
"Fine, okay… we don't… ya don't have ta talk about it," he sighed, wrapping his arm around the boy's shoulders and guiding him back through the halls of the school. Specs let him. After all, he couldn't truly see all that well.
He held his broken glasses in his hands gently. All he wanted to do was cry. But he wouldn't. Not here. Not when Jack could see him. Not when Henry and Crutchie and Race and Sniper would be able to see him. He just willed himself to go numb as he leaned into Jack.
Jack kept his gaze steady ahead. He caught sight of Crutchie waiting for them at the exit. And he smiled.
But there was still an ache in his heart.
He couldn't help but lean down and place his lips beside Specs's right ear. "Hey… ya know I got your back, yeah?"
The words caught the boy off guard. He paused for a moment, shocked Jack would even have to ask. His gaze trailed up the blurry figure of his brother and he nodded. "Course, Jackie… we's family… I got your back, n' you got mine… ain't no forgettin' that…" he promised, offering a small smile.
Jack just nodded.
"Alright then, kid…"
"Jack, honey, I hate to ask, but could you check on the baby?"
Jack rubbed tiredly at his eyes, but he smiled up at his mother and nodded as he stood from his chair and set his sketchpad aside. Making his way up the stairs he was careful to stay against the wall as many of his brothers rushed down, loud and rowdy as ever.
He didn't mind. He was accustomed to the noise by now.
The crying child up there stairs, however, not so much.
Elmer was only two. The youngest Medda had ever taken in. And while all the kids in this house adored him, they weren't quite used to having a baby in the house yet.
And Elmer was not used to having so many kids around him at all times.
Jack carefully pushed the door open to the littlest boy's room. He smiled at the poor, crying thing who was sitting all alone in his crib. The tiny boy was wailing, unsure of what else to do with the chaos going on beyond the door. "It's okay, kiddo…" he whispered, stepping across the room and carefully reaching down for the child, bringing him close to his chest. "I gotchu, bubba… everything's gonna be okay…" he promised, pressing a small kiss to the boy's head as his wails died down just slightly. "Yeah… everything's gonna be just fine…"
The child in his arms hiccuped, but melted into him as he gently rocked and bounced him.
He didn't live in this room alone. Only Jack had his own room and he was beginning to think that might change if Medda continued to bring home more and more kids. He wouldn't mind. He knew how those kids would feel stepping into this house for the first time.
Alone, overwhelmed, terrified.
But he'd be there every step of the way, promising them that they weren't just some stray anymore. That they were family.
Part of him envied Elmer. When the kid started to grow up, he wouldn't remember even being in the system. Jack sure as hell did. He remembered getting looked over time and time again. He remembered the anger and the terror. He remembered every bad house he'd been in.
But Elmer wouldn't.
Elmer would never have to go through that.
The boy was calm in his arms now and looking up at Jack. Those big hazel eyes looked at him and Jack almost went weak in the knees. It was impossible for one being to be this adorable.
The boy squirmed, so Jack carefully set him on his feet, watching as the kid's bare feet padded across the hardwood floors to get to his play bin. Jack watched him with an amused smile as the boy grabbed two tiny cars and ran back over to him. He lifted one up to Jack. And Jack let out a small laugh as he accepted it, crossing his legs as he lowered himself to the ground.
Elmer grinned and promptly showed Jack how to play with the car, though Jack had played with him many times before. Jack didn't rush him. He just watched and smiled.
This kid would never have to know what it was like to not have anyone to play with. This kid would never know what it was like to be thinking about where he'd be sleeping that night, or where he'd find his next meal. This kid would never have to fight for a place at the table.
And that was okay.
"Bubby… wha' 'cha thinkin' bout?"
Jack shook his head. "Nothin', baby… nothin'..."
Elmer smiled up at him. And Jack leaned down and pressed a kiss to his baby brother's forehead.
This was Jack's family. And he loved them.
More than anything in the world.
And there you have it! I loved writing this one! Jack is the best big brother. He knows every single one of his siblings birthdays, he knows how to calm every single one of them down and yes he knows how to braid hair. When Sniper was little she broke her arm, so Jack learned how to do her hair for her when Medda couldn't.
Anyways, thank you FuriedNight for the request! I'm sorry it took so long!
As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't like, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya, fansies!