#this might be the only time where one of the newsies is happy

[buttonsfleas]

Newsies cast are a literal mood *part 4*

[rosanna-writer]

Love at First Sight's for Suckers (1/5)

Summary: [A Feysand Newsies AU] Rhysand had a reputation. A big reputation. But fortunately for Feyre, a newsie selling papers on the streets of Velaris, tabloid gossip about the handsome, charismatic, hard-partying war-hero of a High Lord's heir means business is booming. That is, until the city's newspaper magnates get greedy, Feyre finds herself an unwitting labor leader at the center of a strike, and Rhys becomes an unexpected ally... Warnings: None

A gift for @the-lonelybarricade, for @acotargiftexchange! @lbs-secret-santa is me!

LB, creating this for you has been such a blast, and I am definitely the luckiest secret santa in the world to have such a gem of a giftee. It's rare for someone to have both a talent AND a heart as big as yours—you're truly the High Lady of Feysand, not just because your fics are incredible, but because of the way you make new writers (including me earlier this year) feel immediately welcome and how you handle fandom nonsense with such grace and tact. I'm so glad to call you a friend <3

And sorry for an author's note that reads like an annoying award show speech, but there are SO MANY people I want to thank. The event organizers did such a thoughtful job creating an event that brought so many people together across the fandom; not just secret santa/giftee pairs, but people reaching out to new betas, roping new friends into secrecy shenanigans, and getting hyped about other gifts! @iambutmortal, @thesistersarcheron, @itsthedoodle, @wilde-knight, and @ablogofsapphicpanic have been the best betas/saucy Rhys pun brainstormers/secret keepers/DM screaming session partners, and the daily headlines would not have happened without their beautiful brains. I had SO MUCH FUN watching the excitement and creative energy grow and grow in the lead up to this reveal. And also @reverie-tales, thanks for being my unwitting cover to throw LB off my trail!

Anyway, you can find the first chapter Here on AO3 or under the readmore. Happy Holidays!

One Heir to Share? Rhysand's Rita's Threesome

Baring it All at Starfall! Rhysand Stuns in Daring Deep-V Shirt

Rhysand's Baby Blues: Heir's Latest Fling Spotted Shopping for Baby Clothes

Future High Lord’s High: Witchberries, Fae Wine, and Wild Starfall Benders in the House of Wind?

Lady of the Night or FUTURE Lady of Night? Rhysand's Girlfriend Shocks Royal Family at Nynsar

Un-Rhys-onable: Night's Heir Refuses to Kneel to High Lord

Heir Head! Rhysand Forgets Alphabet During Library Community Service

Rhysand had a reputation.

A big reputation.

Perhaps that was why after selling him the newspaper every day for the better part of a year, Feyre Archeron had long since decided that he was far too full of himself to be ashamed of anything.

As he did every Saturday morning, Rhys appeared on her corner like clockwork, wearing last night's clothes and his trademark smirk. If Feyre wanted to know what lucky male or female had gone home on his arm, she'd only have to check tomorrow's society pages, which were always breathlessly detailing the exploits of the Night Court's handsome, charismatic, hard-partying war-hero of a High Lord's heir.

Not that Feyre cared. There were more important things to worry about than Rhysand's love life, like where her next meal was coming from. She only kept up with it because his scandals sold papers like nothing else.

And she definitely didn't feel a stab of envy every time she read about his latest fling. That would be pointless—a lesser fae shadow-wraith like Feyre would never be Lady of the Night Court. The stir Rhys's Illyrian mother had caused made that obvious enough, even if she was the High Lord's mate.

"Good morning, Feyre darling," Rhysand drawled, the way he always greeted her.

"It's noon, Rhys," Feyre said. The nickname might have been overly familiar, but Feyre had noticed his eyes glittered like stars whenever she used it with him. And besides, after being up since dawn, she wasn't inclined to fall over herself currying favor with someone who'd just rolled out of bed.

"Then let me be the first to tell you that you look delicious this afternoon."

Feyre rolled her eyes, positive she looked the farthest thing from delicious in her threadbare leggings and sweater. If it were anyone but Rhys, she would have been sure they were being cruel. But he had enough of her goodwill that he could pay her teasing compliments and not end up with his teeth bashed in for his trouble.

"Did you give them anything interesting to write about last night?" she said, leaning back against a streetlight and crossing her arms over her chest.

Rhys picked at an invisible piece of lint on his tunic, which almost had Feyre rolling her eyes a second time. Despite being in last night's clothes, he didn't look the least bit disheveled—probably some spell he'd cast to ensure he looked irritatingly perfect as always.

"Mor needed a wingman again," he said.

Feyre relaxed, relieved at his answer. Rhys's equally beautiful cousin was the subject of plenty of headlines of her own, and the two were frequently seen together. The people of Velaris were fascinated by the pretty blonde former Hewn City princess–when the Herald ran a story about her, Feyre just had to shout "Morrigan" to turn heads and make sales. If the lead story was about her, Feyre could probably afford to eat tomorrow.

It had been a while, though, since Rhys had been spotted with someone new on his arm. Or with anyone other than Morrigan, his sister, or the two Illyrians he called his brothers actually. Feyre had rolled her eyes at the rumors of a secret relationship or a hidden love child—if you asked her, the most likely explanation was that there were only so many attractive people in Velaris with a weakness for violet eyes. Rhys was bound to run out of people to fuck eventually.

"Is that the truth?" Feyre said, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "Or did you actually find someone to settle down with?"

She'd meant it as a joke, but Rhys didn't smile. There was something hungry, almost predatory, in the way his gaze slid over her. Feyre found herself flushing, even as she stared right back. "Would you care if I did?" he said.

It felt like a challenge; Feyre lifted her chin. "Of course I'd care if you stopped causing scandals. I'm a newsie, and gossip sells papers."

"Of course," Rhys said, something in his expression seeming to shutter. He reached into a pocket and pulled out a gold coin, handing it to her. The value was far more than a single paper was worth, but he'd always insisted she keep the change.

Feyre pulled a paper from the bag slung over her shoulder and handed it to him, longways so there was no chance their fingers would touch. She'd let that happen once, and his fingertips brushing hers had sent a crackle of electricity along her skin that she'd been thinking about ever since. Her mind replayed it almost daily—and frankly, Feyre found that embarrassing.

She pocketed the coin. "Pleasure doing business with you."

When Rhys spoke again, he dropped his voice to a low, sensual purr that sent shivers skittering down Feyre's spine, heat washing over her despite the autumn chill that cut through her tattered clothes. " Everything is a pleasure when it comes to you, Feyre."

He flashed her one last feline smile, and Feyre tipped her cap as he winnowed away, trying not to blush. With her other hand, she fingered the coin in her pocket. It would go under the floorboard with the rest of the ones she'd stashed away. Only a few more until she could afford the one-way ticket to the Continent that she'd been dreaming of.

Velaris was wonderful— if you could afford a big, strong door to lock out the hustle and bustle. Feyre certainly couldn't, and she was dying to get away.

A flash of auburn hair and a shout of "High Lady!" across the street pulled Feyre from her thoughts. Lucien was striding towards her, a half-empty satchel of newspapers slung over one shoulder and carrying another paper bag in his hand. She raised a hand in greeting—she'd stopped cringing at the nickname a long time ago.

"Is the new spot over by the docks working out for you?" she said when he got closer, even though she knew the answer. Lucien could sell papers anywhere; he didn't even need the eyepatch and the sob story about being an Autumn Court orphan who'd found his way to Night—just his brilliant smile was enough.

Lucien shrugged, the gesture far too elegant for someone who'd spent his morning selling newspapers to sailors and fishmongers. "I can make anything work."

"Then why did you come looking for me?" Feyre said. With unsold papers still in his bag, there had to be a reason. The newsies bought the papers from the distributor each morning, starting each day operating at a loss until they'd sold enough papers to recoup the cost. Lucien still had work to do if he wanted to turn a profit.

He pressed a hand to his chest in mock offense. "Isn't gazing upon your beautiful face reason enough?"

"You sound like Rhysand."

"And you're saying that like it's a bad thing. Trouble in paradise?"

Feyre resisted the urge to roll up one of the papers in her own bag and smack him with it. Lucien had overheard her speaking to Rhysand once and apparently decided the prince was in love with her. Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.

"Rhysand isn't—"

" By the Cauldron, he'd follow you around like a lost puppy if you'd let him."

"He's just a flirt," Feyre said, the edge to her voice making it clear she didn't want to talk about this anymore. "What did you need me for?"

"Someone needs to finish my pickles," Lucien said, pulling a sandwich out of the paper bag. He handed Feyre half, along with the entire side of pickles it had come with, then sat down on the curb to eat, stretching his long legs out in front of him.

Feyre nibbled on the pickle, the first thing she'd eaten all day, and thanked the Cauldron for a best friend who hated them and shared them with her. Putting her papers aside, she sat down next to him. "Thanks, Lucien," she said, unwrapping her half of the sandwich. Lunch would be on her next—that had been their unspoken agreement for years, even when meals were sporadic and infrequent.

They lapsed into silence, more intent on eating than talking. It was comfortable, a much needed rest after a morning spent shouting headlines at passersby. Feyre's feet already ached from standing all morning.

After a few minutes, Lucien balled up the now-empty wax paper. "Now that you're fed, I think it's safe to mention that you're needed over by the Rainbow."

"Again?" Feyre said with a sigh.

"Bron and Hart are fighting over the same spot. The High Lady should step in."

Feyre wasn't sure when exactly it had happened, but at some point, she'd found herself the unofficial leader of the newsies of Velaris. She'd always kept an eye out for newcomers and lended them a hand—advice on selling papers and navigating the city was all she had, but Feyre shared freely. When there was a problem, she was usually the one to resolve it.

At some point, "High Lady" had gone from an ironic nickname for a poor girl on the streets to a mark of respect for a young woman who took care of her own.

"I'll talk to them," Feyre said, finishing her food and standing up.

Lucien started to thank her, but Feyre had already called on her magic, her body becoming nothing but shadow. Incorporeal like this, she could slip through walls and travel unseen—and crucially, it was faster than walking. As a lesser fae, it was the only magic she had at her disposal.

Even in the brightest sun, Velaris was full of shadows. And for better or worse, Feyre had made them her home.

***

Rhysand had planned to give himself time to read the news before he was due for a meeting at the House of Wind. Yesterday, he'd told himself he'd be up early enough to look over the agenda ahead of time. He'd wanted to be prepared, and his father would have his head if Rhys was late for official court business again.

But somehow, the High Lord's ire seemed incredibly far away last night, when the Cauldron only knew how many drinks he'd had and Mor was dragging him back to the dance floor at Rita's again, and dawn had nearly broken when he'd finally stumbled home.

Late or not, though, he still had to see Feyre.

The most important part of his day had become buying the paper from her. It wasn't about the news and never had been—every day, Rhys hoped that would be the day she finally took an interest in him that went beyond trading a few teasing remarks and rolling her eyes. He'd never flirted so much, so painfully obviously before, just to have it all go ignored like water off a duck's back.

And that had already been going on for a few months before the mating bond snapped.

Their fingers had brushed as she'd handed him the paper. Perhaps that brief touch skin-to-skin had been all it had taken for the urge to claim and taste and scent his mate to hit him with all the force of a brick to the head. Before he'd done something stupid, Rhys had winnowed away without an explanation or a goodbye.

After that, Rhys had resolved not to tell her, at least not until she showed some sort of interest back. But in the months since, he hadn't gotten her to even blush. And even if by some miracle, she did want him that way and accepted the bond, there was no guarantee she wouldn't resent him after a few decades as future Lady of Night. Her indifference was painful enough—Rhys wasn't sure he could withstand her hating him.

For the short flight to the House of Wind, Rhys let the chill in the air clear his head of thoughts of Feyre. He was supposed to focus today. Some of the city's most powerful merchants had asked for a meeting with his father, and as the High Lord's heir, Rhys was expected to be in attendance too.

The meeting room was already full when Rhys walked in, brushing his windswept hair back into place. From the head of the table, his father glared daggers at him.

Rhys ignored it, dropping into the empty seat that had been left for him. "I hope I didn't miss anything interesting."

He kept the smirk plastered on his face, even as his father pushed past his shields to speak mind-to-mind. We'll discuss this later. For now, get through this meeting without embarrassing me further. That's an order.

Rhys made a mental note to let Mor know he'd likely have to cancel their plans to go to the theater that night.

One of the merchants—Rhys had met him before but had forgotten his name—gave him a cold smile and said, "We were just discussing economic policy."

"Carry on, then," Rhys said.

As the meeting droned on, Rhys forced himself to focus, even if the subject matter was painfully dry. One day, he'd be High Lord, and if he wanted to be the sort of ruler the Night Court deserved, one who made things better, he needed to be knowledgeable and willing to listen.

But even then, he wasn't immune to letting his mind wander. At some point, he'd found himself thinking about how the sunlight had brought out the gold in Feyre's hair, when the sound of his name brought him crashing back down to reality.

"…but you'd know all about that, wouldn't you, Rhysand?" one of the merchants was saying, the sneer in his voice obvious.

Rhys felt his father's eyes boring into him, and it was clear this was some sort of test. He was supposed to be handling something, and Rhys didn't want to think about what sort of punishment might be in store for him if he made it obvious he'd stopped paying attention.

"Would I?" Rhys said, arching a brow in a way that he hoped looked imperious.

"With how many headlines you've been the subject of? I think by now you'd know a thing or two about what sells papers. If it weren't for you, we'd have gone under after the War."

Rhys's hands curled into fists under the table as he recalled exactly who this merchant was—Pulitzer, a newspaper magnate, the one who'd been complaining that circulation was down since the Treaty had been signed. Peace, apparently, was boring.

Peace that Rhys had bled for, had nearly died for when he'd been captured by Amarantha's army. Not that any of that mattered when profits were down.

"Then a bit more gratitude is in order," Rhys said, his voice low and deadly and all command, sounding every inch the future High Lord he was. It was so brief that Rhys nearly missed it, but his father's lips quirked up in approval. "If you have a request, I suggest you word it carefully."

It quickly became clear that Pulitzer and the rest of the owners of Velaris's major newspapers had come to grovel. Even if Rhys couldn't bring himself to care, it was true that the Night Court's newspaper industry was bringing in less money since the end of the war. They'd come to petition his father for assistance.

And to Rhys's relief, the High Lord's answer had been a quick and resounding no.

Of course, Rhys knew his father's answer had been more about safeguarding the Night Court's wealth more than anything else. That much was obvious when so many of their citizens were struggling, even in Velaris. It was something that Rhys vowed to change one day.

But Rhys's relief didn't last much longer. His father had told the newspaper moguls to figure it out themselves, and they'd quickly agreed that to fix their bottom line, they'd raise the price for the newsies who bought the papers to distribute each morning.

Newsies who were barely getting by as it was. Newsies who were already going hungry and sleeping outdoors even as the weather got colder. Newsies who'd been orphaned or disabled after the war and couldn't find decent work.

Newsies like his mate, and Rhysand certainly wouldn't stand for that.

[dear-ao3]

newsies fic recs

cause you all asked

unfortunately i remember a lot of the good ones were on tumblr and so many people have changed their urls that they are not findable but, heres what i got

also keep in mind i havent read any of these in years and the summaries im giving are probably ass

these are all mostly ralbert, because that was what i read the most of, except for the ones at the end

the toaster fic (i used to remember this persons tumblr @ like 5 url changes ago but my brain is small and soupy so i am sorry). its crack, under 2k, absolute silliness and im still laughing about it five years later. modern era.

side by side its a really long ralbert soulmates fic where they are oblivious to hell and back. from what i remember its fluffy and silly. modern era.

voice okay she slaps ngl. its a modern era kind of angst situation. albert is mute. theres some referenced homophobia. lots of cuddles. 6k.

shaking thisss is a sick fic if i remember correctly. race is silly and gets a cold and there is cuddling. definitely part of a larger spralmer au but it works as a stand alone. under 5k. modern.

let the memory live again THIS FIC o gosh its killed me several times over. might be my favorite. idk. its up there. modern ralbert au. sad but also happy. albert is supposed to be dead and is not. he also has amnesia. its like 14k. read it at 2 am for maximum effect. god tier.

a love that will never grow old this is a sad canon era soulmate fic. race is alberts soulmate but albert is not races. theres also a sequel. the good kind of dad. multihap, 9k.

hero complex by @turtle-steverogers classic little ralbert oneshot, perfect amount of angst and comfort. albert is a firefighter and race is Worried also theres a dog. about 3k. modern.

thank u, next by the one and only @jack-kellys. its paranormal. its funky. its modern. its five parts and its complete. its 12k words and honestly like. i remember reading this and going absolutely batshit fizz is such a good writer (and is still actively writing newsies, throw them some prompts they love javey)

dont leave me by @sun-kissed-star its sprace, modern and spot is in the military. a good angst fluff angst ping pong match. 3.5k. theres some good and funny little jack moments :)

story written on skin by @patrocool oh my god the most well written soulmate au that i can possibly remember stumbling across at 3 in the morning and crying while reading. its a canon era sprace one. soulmate au where if one person gets injured the other person gets a mark. its really good. theres a part 1 and 2 and its long. like 15k long. read at 3am for best results.

the beast of brooklyn which i dont remember if ive actually read but i was asked to include it on the list so i did. mafia sort of au but also kind of beauty and the beast. well written and beautiful. fuckton of angst. sprace. modern.

[ablatheringblatherskite]

Fic Tag Game!!

How many works do you have on AO3?

25!

What’s your AO3 word count?

109,751

What fandoms do you write for?

Star Wars (haven't in a while tho), Wednesday, and I used to write for Hamilton. I also have a single fic for ATLA and Daredevil, and I'm currently writing a few fics for The Phantom of the Opera, HTTYD, Freelancers, and several other fandoms I can't remember ATM (I have that many WIPs LOL)

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

The Valentine's Day Curse (Wednesday)

"send your cutest delivery boy" (special instructions, Tyler's POV) (Wednesday) (which was based on the fic by @cosmic-lullaby!)

wet face towels (Wednesday)

can I have this dance? (Wednesday)

My Halloween Angel (Wednesday)

Do you respond to comments?

I do!! I try to respond to every single one of them, though I'm a little backlogged rn LOL

What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I think it would have to either be stupid, stupid cartoon (Wednesday. Basically a what if Tyler died, and how would Donovan react?), or The Bonds of Lycanthropy (a Hamilton AU where he turns into a werewolf LOL)

What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I think a lot of my fics end pretty happy, but I think one of the happiest ones is Angels In Hell's Kitchen (Daredevil. About Matt Murdock having a good day for once).

Do you get hate on fics?

Thankfully no! And I'm praying it stays that way 😅🙏

Do you write smut? What kind?

Nope. And I never will 😅 makes me much too uncomfortable (I never read it either). Both because that's just how I am personally and for religious reasons. But I do love writing wholesome romance!

Do you write cross-overs?

I do! I only posted one tho, and that was literally the first fic I ever wrote 😭 it was a crossover between Newsies and In the Heights, where Jack and Usnavi run away from New York. I do have several crossover WIPs though!! Including but not limited to: a Narnia/The Hobbit crossover, a Narnia/His Dark Materials crossover, a HTTYD/Wings of Fire crossover, and a Daredevil/Batman crossover!

Have you ever had a fic translated?

I can't remember, but I think it's possible I have before? When my main site was still Fanfiction.net?

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I have!! But they aren't done yet 😭 but I'm writing them with @the-old-fashioned-girl! It's the Daredevil/Batman crossover, as well as a Hamilton fic!

What WIP would you like to finish but doubt you ever will?

Oh gosh, I don't want to ever think I'll NEVER finish a WIP, don't do that to me! I wanna say I'll finish all of the ones I want to finish eventually!!

What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Oh goodness, that's hard... probably Hiccstrid, Raoulstine, Silverparry, and Wyler!

What are your writing strengths?

I'm a pretty fast writer, I think. When I finally sit down and set my mind to it, I can easily get out a thousand+ words!

What are your writing weaknesses?

EDITING MY BELOATHED. And actually sitting down and starting to write...

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I think it's really cool when done well!! I've done it for Lafayette in some Hamilton fics, and I want to try using Tagalog in another fic someday! I'm also using sign language for my Deaf!Raoul AU!

First fandom you wrote for?

Like, wrote for, or actually posted? Because wrote for in general, it might be Ninjago but I never posted it. But published, Newsies and In The Heights LOL. But the one I posted frequently for first was Hamilton.

Favorite fic you’ve ever written?

Dang, that's hard. Possibly Talking To The Moon (Avatar: The Last Airbender)! I like how I tackled both Toph and Sokka in it :DD

No Pressure Tags!!: @rainintheevening, @clawedandcute, @darling-gemini, @chaotic-bumblebee-agenda, @mrgartist, @catkin-morgs-kookaburralover, @wednesdayandherhyde, @thee-antler-queen, @broken-everlark, @incomingalbatross and @muse-write!

[pigeonwit]

pspspsps I wanna hear your jack thoughts for the ask game :)))

JASPERRR thank u king. i did not Get jack kelly at ALL until michael ahomka lindsay's performance so that's where all of this comes from

one aspect about them i love

his vulnerability. throughout uksies jack is trying so hard to convince someone to just Keep him. he puts on a big show for katherine and davey, trying to seem like a big strong guy who knows what he's doing, trying to convince them to stick around - but every so often you see him crumbling just a little bit, desperately wanting to just... be a KID, be held, be taken care of. it's so poignant, i love it.

one aspect i wish more people understood about them

his anxiety. i feel like a lot of people just assume that jack is naturally confident but in my mind he is only confident because he HAS to be. someone has to lead the newsies and it just happens to be him; his bravado is held together by staples, glue and sheer will half the time. honestly in my mind jack is JUST as anxious as davey is, he just knows how to hide it better and shove it down until it all boils over and consumes him.

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have about this character

i imagine he has such steady hands from painting and sketching that he's good at sewing too - and i like to think he tries to add some little details that might make the younger newsies happy, like sewing a raindrop over a tear in splasher's clothes.

also, jack has AuDHD and intense RSD and if you disagree you are WRONG (/j) you can see when he learns les and davey have parents and a home he grows embarrassed and ashamed and stops talking almost entirely. not to mention the whole 'i know girls like you don't end up with guys like me' - it really sounds like he's been rejected before and it hurt him enough to never want to go after anyone anymore besides playful flirting.

one character i love seeing them interact with

katherine!!! i know javid is The Big One in the fandom but he and katherine have such a wonderful dynamic, specifically michael jack and bronte katherine. they're both pretty morally driven and impulsive but imho jack is the voice of reason between the two who has to bring katherine back down to earth on occasion ("we'll be using his very own printing press to BRING HIM DOWN!!!" "... remind me to stay on your good side."). they're playful, they bicker, they encourage each other, they believe in each other, they're very cute and they so clearly have each other's back ALWAYS, whether you view them romantically or no.

one character i wish they would interact with/interact with more

any of the younger newsies, but specifically jojo. in uksies during carrying the banner he picks jojo up so he's horizontal-face-down in jack's arms and spins them both around like a propellor until jojo's in a laughing fit - i'd love to see more of how jack makes him feel welcome within the newsies

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have that involve them and one other character

(this one is pulled directly from one of our convos jasp) jack reads! yeah shocker right. i really don't like how this fandom made jack this illiterate dumbass and davey the genius - jack was never put in a situation where he was encouraged to read or seek knowledge, he was ALWAYS labelled as a dumb reckless kid. i imagine when he hears davey talking passionately about a book he loves, he gets interested - and i think davey would notice that and offer a book for him to read. i think it would be difficult for him at first, because the language is difficult but he doesn't want davey to think he's stupid, but i think one time davey sees him glaring at a passage and says 'oh yeah, i got really stuck on that one, my teacher says it's supposed to mean [x], i kinda thought it meant [y] but yknow, to each their own' - and he just doesn't make a big deal of it. and he doesn't make jack feel stupid at all. so they start reading together, back to back on the roof or in a park, and jack loves it. his favourite so far is the picture of dorian gray.

aaand one that ISN'T pulled from jasper - i imagine jack and crutchie both have trouble just doing kind things for themselves or taking gifts or food from people, as they don't want charity and they don't often want to indulge and spend their money, so i think they've started a habit of one of them buying them both lunch and if the other protests, they say 'it's fine, you'll get the next one,' and now they just have a little tradition of doing kind things for each other (buying lunch, penny novels, matchbox puzzles, etc) without the other needing to feel guilty about it.

[muckety-mucks-i-s-goin-delux]

Ok buckle up cos I'm about to tell you why 92sies Santa Fe hits HARDER than Livesies and Uksies

Not to say that JeJor's Santa Fe doesn't hit hard, it does but for different reasons

First of all, in Livesies we have a Santa Fe (prologue) so we know that it's something Jack dreams of and wants to go there because he's feeling suffocated in New York. And I kind of always read that as a companion song to Carrying the Banner because that one puts Jack in the position of a leader right off the bat. He's feeling responsible for the newsies or at least the ones that live in the lodging house. It also makes sense because viewing those songs together it's clear that while Jack loves the newsies he's feeling like he's got no options no future in the city. He wants a breather, where he is not responsible for others, he's not being chased and put in jail for helping and protecting others. He wants to be the one who is protected. When Crutchie asks him "You got folks there?" He bitterly says "I got no folks, nowhere" and even though he's so defensive about it deep down he wants that. He might not had parents or had abusive parents and ran away from home we don't know that's but it's interesting that even though he says he doesn't need them he still created in his head that image of loving and welcoming comunity. That's why he's so SURE saying "Folks walk up right and say, welcome home son, welcome home to Santa Fe". For me it's incredibly important that he says "son" and "home". That is clear indication that deep down he is yearning for someone to take care of him, take this incredibly heavy burden of his shoulders and let him just be.

And in Santa Fe, he's even more frustrated with not being able to protect others. He lead them to think strike was a good idea and they got hurt. Crutchie is in the Refuge. And it's all. His. Fault. And later on that's why he decides to 'betray' the others because if Jack can protect others, if there is a way to ensure they will be safe he will take it, no matter the cost. And listen Jack isn't stupid, he knows he can never go there because there is no way that a homeless kid selling papers can get himself to Santa Fe but he needs this dream, because his family is here and he needs them to be safe but at the same time he's a KID and he needs to be safe too. And if noone is going to provide for him, well then he'll make up a city made of clay where he'll be free to play, to mess around, where he will be welcome and taken care of.

And in the end he stays in New York because he feels like he doesn't need to be the ONLY one that is responsible for the newsies and is the only one protecting them because the newsies, Davey and Katherine have his back and would do everything for him as well. He's still looked up to but he has definite help now in dealing with everything. He learns to rely on other people to help him and take care of him. That Santa Fe can be people if he lets them.

Now 92sies

Now in 92sies Santa Fe is placed after Carrying the Banner and we only have few comments in between how Jack wants to go to Santa Fe. Also, so far Jack is shown as someone who's looked up to, but mainly because he sells most papers and kind of just is? He's escaped the Refuge and that made him famous but so far in the movie there is nothing to indicate that he's the leader or feel somewhat responsible for the other newsies.

What is important what Jack says in those few comments about Santa Fe that precede the song is that he's got folks there. We can see that David thinks it bullshit and frankly so did I because why would his folks be in New Mexico and he was living in NYC hawking papers? But I say it's important he talks about his parents because the following scene, at the Jacobs is absolutely heartbreaking. Seeing a happy family, that little interactions they have during supper is like a punch in a gut for Jack. That's why he starts with (what always makes my heart twist):

"So that's what they call a family. Mother, daughter, father son. Guess that everything you heard about is true.

So you ain't got any family. Well who said you needed one? Ain't you glad, nobody's waiting up for you?"

And later on he finishes with

"So that's what they call a family. Ain't you glad that you ain't that way. Ain't you glad you got a dream called Santa Fe"

92sies Jack dream is not Santa Fe (neither is Livesies!Jack rather what it represents but it's different for them. Livesies!Jack wants safety and security for himself. He might think it's a little selfish that's why instead of saying it he just makes a whole ass place) it's family. Now you might say that, well Jack had, has and will have the newsies.

Well the thing is, that Livesies!Jack does, he treats them as family and sees himself responsible for them. 92sies!Jack doesn't.

First he's shown as just another kid, the camera focuses on him more of course because he's the protagonist but other than that he isn't much talkative with other boys. At the beginning only Mush asks him "How'd you sleep Jack?" But the others just do their thing and so does Jack.

In the evening when he returns to the Lodging he exchanges greetings with Race, and they are similar in a way. They just do their things. Other newsies either returned to their families or to the Lodging much earlier so it seems and they are the two independent ones who come and go and they please.

Even as a leader I questioned why the hell he's in charge. He seems to know as much about what he's doing as the next guy and he doesn't seem that component doing it. Why not give this role to Kid Blink? Or Mush or Crutchie or Race? (Missed opportunity to make it actually historically accurate but ok) Jack is popular, yes but why? He sells most papers. He escaped the Refuge, sure. (Although if I remember correctly it's not stated explicitly why he was there? Not like Livesies!Jack who was stealing for the kids there) I might be wrong so let me know.

But he's just there. He is part of the group but does not consider newsies his family. He's constantly looking for one and he thinks Santa Fe is the answer. He says "I'm alone but I ain't lonely. For a dreamer nights the only time of day" Santa Fe is security. It's "a feelings that time can never take away".

But 92sies Jack is not so sure that's it's going to be all unicorns and rainbows when he gets there. Unlike Livesies!Jack who is convinced that's the place, or trying to convince himself and Crutchie, Bale says:

"Santa Fe, are you there? Do you swear you won't forget me? If I found you would you let me come and stay?"

Will he also fit in there? Will he find his family? Will he have what the Jacobs have? He had this perfect picture in his head. He and his family, happy and then he's brutally faced with reality, well with Davey's reality and finally see that what he thinks is a pipe dream is normal for others.

+ West Endsies

I think that Michael!Jack intentions are much like JerJors although his Santa Fe is more like a fever dream, he barely makes it up that fire escape and it's not that just he's angry or resigned it's almost as if he can see Santa Fe right there and wants it to take him in into safety but I've only seen Uksies twice and it was a hot minute so if anyone wants to add to that please do

[meggie-stardust]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Thanks to the ever lovely @lucky-bishop for the tag! <3

How many works do you have on ao3?

74! Which feels both like a lot and not that much at the same time.

What's your total ao3 word count?

270,119?!

What fandoms do you write for?

Right now primarily Teen Wolf and I recently revisited my first fandom of Gundam Wing. I've also written a ton for BBC Merlin, Percy Jackson/Heroes Of Olympus, BBC Sherlock, Harry Potter, Newsies and random other things...

Top five fics by kudos:

Act of Man | BBC Merlin | Arthur/Merlin

Nightmares | PJO/HoO | Percy/Jason

Looking for the Thing We Lost | Teen Wolf | Peter/Stiles

Here I Am (Stuck in the Middle With You) | PJO/HoH | Percy/Jason

Know How A Man Becomes a Beast | Teen Wolf | Peter/Stiles

Do you respond to comments?

Yes, on all of my stuff from the past few years. There are older fics that I've opted not to respond to comments on for varying reasons, but I do read them all.

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

When I have angst, I like to have it with a happy ending, but I would probably say this fliclette I wrote based on the prompt: "Can you do a Jasercy fic where Jason is trying to comprehend the fact that Percy's gone, preferably death, but it doesn't have to be."

A Slow Deep Panic | PJO/HoO | Jason/Percy

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I really like the end of Stuck Between Stations. After putting Stiles and Peter in the Wild Hunt and in time loop, the least I could do was give them a happy ending.

Do you get hate on fics?

Not hate, but I have gotten weird comments. I usually just ignore if they are just odd, but I have also deleted comments that are boarding on hate.

Do you write smut?

Yep!

Craziest crossover:

Aside from one HP/Sherlock fic that was co-written with my bestie and that we both abandoned, I don't really do long form crossovers (and that one wasn't crazy anyway). That said, there was a tumblr prompt game years ago, that was for 3 sentence fics and almost every prompt I got was a crazy crossover:

Dean and Castiel. Fight Club

MJN crew (bonus points for including Herc Shipwright). Supernatural hunters.

Sherlock/John. Teenagers working at Mooby's (View Askewniverse).

Jack/Spot, Night Vale AU.

Arthur and Eames. Exorcism.

You can read all of these and a few others: 3 Sentence Fic Collection. And actually, this was a fun trend, we should bring it back.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of, and knock on wood it never happens.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes! A few actually, and it's always so, so, so flattering:

Acts of Man was translated into Chinese

Black Sails in the Sunset was translated into Português

Looking for the Thing We Lost was translated into Russian

This is a perfect time to say that I am always open to my fics being translated, podficced, remixed, etc. Just let me know so I can gush about it!

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes, the aforementioned abandoned HP/Sherlock fic, but it's been ages. @punchedbymarkesmith and I have kicked around some collab ideas, which I think would both be a blast and also for a potentially niche audience. Maybe 2024 is the year this happens!

All time favourite ship?

Steter is the one I've stuck with the longest, but I do have a few that I will always return to in the same way you might eat a comfort meal.

What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Look, I really, really want to finish It's Only Forever. I have like 1, maybe 2 chapters left. But it's been so long and I feel like my writing has changed, and idk. Every year I say I'm going to work on it, and every year I don't... le sigh.

What are your writing strengths?

I think I'm really good at finding a small moment in canon and then diverging from that. I also think I'm good at authentic dialogue and I think I'm pretty good at world building.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Action/fighting. Keeping things short unless it's a drabble/other restrictive format.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

I am not fluent enough in any language other than English to do this confidently. Instead, I would write something like:

Stiles cursed at them wildly in Polish.

or

Peter responded in French, then turned back to Stiles and resumed their conversation in English.

First fandom you wrote in?

Gundam Wing. All of my old fic from *cough* 20+ years ago is lost to the annals of time (actually some is still on archived GW 1x2 sites if you look hard enough). And if you are one of like 7 people who remember my username, you can find my Newsies and Harry Potter fic (my next two fandoms) still on ffn. After I got out of a bad relationship that kept me from my own interests, including fandom, I returned with BBC Sherlock fic, which you can still find on AO3 if you scroll to the beginning of my profile.

Favorite fic you've written?

Gosh, I feel like this changes all the time, but I am particularly proud of At This Truth We Have Arrived. I loved exploring certain aspects of Peter's character, and doing a different take on Nogistune Stiles. I was also able to incorporate a lot of different themes and elements into it, as well as get my own closure with Monroe, something that has bugged me since the finale. Plus, I think I was able to accomplish a reveal that would add extra elements if anyone went back and re-read the story (even if I somewhat show my hand if anyone paid attention to the epigraph).

I have no idea who has done this yet, since I sat on this for a bit... so no pressure tags for @lolahardy @mirrorthoughts @myletternevercame @punchedbymarkesmith @midmorning-bomb @like-lazarus

[inked-out-trees]

16, 17, a cheeky 28, and 49 for the ask game? Thanks :)

Also obligated to include 43 though you don’t have to answer bc I don’t think you do prompts

HELLO MY LOVE thank you for asking me things even though it's one and a half days after I said I'd be bored at work.

16. What's an AU you would love to read (or have read and loved)?

ohh i read and love so many aus it is so difficult to choose just one. some of my favourites include spies, ghost hunting, anything with magic, pacific rim (despite never having seen the movie lol), stories in which there Are alternate universes and characters get trapped in them. i could keep going but i'll stop there haha

17. What highly specific AU do you want to read or write even though you might be the only person to appreciate it?

I love writing things that draw from real life, partially because it adds ✨realism✨ and partially because it's fun to romanticise things that are happening in my life by turning them into fic in my head. (see: newsies band camp fic, newsies soulmates fic)

SO in that vein I would probably have an absolutely joyous time reading/writing a summer festival au, with tips to a bunch of the shenanigans I've gotten up to / been privy to over the past couple years. this may or may not include the romcom I dreamed up last year because our office (serious meetings) shared a wall with the city basketball team management (ping pong and beyonce). perhaps some bad roller coasters. camaraderie. breathless wonder. doesn't that sound alluring??? I can't get too excited otherwise I'll start writing it for real

28. Does anyone read your fics before you post them? If so, who?

welllllll if you're asking...

anyway I do have beta readers, three of them in fact! they are all some of the most incredible people I have had the fortune to meet through mischief, each incredibly talented and inimitably kind, and it brings me so much joy to get to hang out with them in chat every day. bean on!!

49. What are you currently working on? Share a few lines if you're up for it!

surpriiiise I am currently working on my supernatural detective agency au! it is called detective sagency in my files because I tried to make a joke about how they could use the same acronym. the cornley polytechnic detective 'sagency. it feels in character, like they would put it on their door like that. you know.

Trevor seems pleased to hear this. "That's what we do here," he says, and before Vanessa can interject with a slightly bewildered tell people which animal their initials look like? he adds, "Discover new things. You know." He waves a hand sort of willy-nilly. "Detectives."

+ 43. If you take/write prompts: what's your favourite prompt fic that you've written?

I love how you are obligated to anyway despite knowing the answer. In lieu of prompt fics etc, I will mention one of my favourite things that could have been a prompt but isn't - it was suggested in a private chats and expanded upon to a point where it basically became a little chatfic. It's an au of Lookout 3 (really inception-ing the AUs haha) in which Paul is not dead, the Penguin lands in Bethsbridge to wait out a storm and the crew embroil themselves in a cultish murder mystery, and Paul and John get to do the spiderman pointing meme at each other. I will probably never write it, so if you ever want a full elaboration / the entire sparknotes plot, I will be happy to oblige :)

[momotonescreaming]

20 questions for fic writers

I have been tagged by both @eriquin and @rejectscanon so thank you to you both! I try not to look at my stats much, so it'll be interesting to see

How many works do you have on AO3?

Currently, 20. I just uploaded 3 of my old tumblr ficlets though, so that helped.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

162,556. Which was honestly more than I was expecting.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

The only fandom I actively write for at the moment is Stranger Things. In the past I have written for BNHA, Newsies, Dragon Age, Downton Abbey, and L.A Noire. Quite the random assortment.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Tragically, none are from my current fandom, but what can you do.

put your loving hands on me (BNHA)

ain't got nothing on you (BNHA)

Wandering in the Shade  (BNHA)

The End Was Soon (BNHA)

And There Reigns Love (Newsies)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try my best!! It is easy sometimes, to get overwhelmed when comments come through. How to convey my thanks to everyone for reading and commenting without just sounding like a broken record. In a way that truly conveys my gratitude.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I've written some angsty things before, but I always try to end on something happy or comforting. Nothing super angsty. The closest might be i couldn't utter my love when it counted, my L.A Noire fic, because its a character study of a man who comes home from war and doesn't know how to connect with his family. But even then the ending isn't all that angsty haha.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

A lot of them, to be honest. But I'd have to say where the heart is (Steddie, Stranger Things) because it ends with them admitting they're both in it for the long haul, they're in love, and there's no where else they'd rather be.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not yes!

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I've only written smut twice in my life, and both times was kind of an ordeal, but I'm glad I did it. Both were on the soft, sweet, and loving side of things. I do not think I could write anything hardcore. My asexual ass would combust.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I haven't written any! Read a few in my time, because I think they're interesting though.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Once again, not to my knowledge!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nope! I've co-written some original work with a friend back when I was a uni, but not fanfic.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Oh god, this is a tough question. Fenris/Hawke from Dragon Age will always hold a very special place in my heart; though Steve/Eddie from Stranger Things has gotten me into fandom and fic writing like nothing else.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

There are two WIP's on my Ao3 right now, both from BNHA and I have accepted the fact that I am never going to finish them. I'm not in that fandom anymore, and I doubt I'll go back.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I've had people mention my characterisation before, which was incredibly flattering. So I'm saying that haha because I can't come up with anything on my own.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Oh, there's a lot of them. Dialogue, being an easy cop out answer. Motivation, writing speed, getting far too in my head about what I'm writing and psyching myself out.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I've never done it! So I don't know how much weight my comment is going to hold but I will say this - be careful your translations are as correct as they can be and don't overload a fic with it if the phrases said aren't easily understood by context or have an easy translation in the notes. Constant flicking between fic and google translate is no fun.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

The first fandom I wrote for was on Fanfiction.Net, and it was Glee. Unfortunately. I wrote something, posted it, got embarrassed, and then eventually deleted it. So I have no idea where what I was writing has ended up.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

My favourite would have to be where the heart is (Steddie, Stranger Things), because it was a total labour of love. I wrote it slowly over a period of months, and it means a lot to me.

my no pressure tags: @unclewaynemunson @findafight @farahsamboolents @shares-a-vest @augustjustice

[luckylolabug]

What made you decide to have Seb's family be Mormon???? Just curious lol

Oooh, boy, time for me to stand on my Newsies box and shout from the rooftops. My time has come.

Longer explanation under the cut, but TL;DR it's a lot of context clues based on the very minimal we see in the show, compared to my own personal experience growing up in Utah where a HUGE chunk of my school and also my best friends were from LDS families. Take it with a grain of salt of course, everyone's allowed to headcanon their own thing!

Long answer:

Partially, because he comes from a homesteading farming family, and my personal ideal is that puts him out near Farmington which as far as religions go, is 78% LDS by population. That's a HUGE chunk, and there's too many kids in drama club for at least ONE of them to not come from a predominantly mormon upbringing, honestly likely more than one. But if I'm picking someone out of their group that is most likely to lean into it, it's Seb. Sorry not sorry.

Mormons have traditionally large families, I say this with love. We don't know his family PERSONALLY but we know they bought out three entire rows of bleachers to come see his performance. I had moments before then in Season 1 (which I'll touch on in a second) where I started slowly leaning towards my personal thought process that he might come from an LDS upbringing, but it was the moment he pointed his giant family out that really sealed the deal for me. Also, sorry, but it's a giant family of blondes with blue eyes in Utah? The theory writes itself.

A lot of the happy-go-lucky and almost naive at times energy he has is SO surrounded in that culture to me that it's really hard for me unsee it. I went to school with at least six guys that looked and spoke exactly like Seb did as far as his wording goes, and every single one of those was either a deacon or had some leadership role in their church in high school.

This one's a bit more personal, because I went through my own similar experience (though my family is Jewish and not LDS) as well as physically watching one of my best friends in high school go through the exact same plotline. But the smidge we get in season 4 about not being out to his dad yet and being nervous about it really hit my religious trauma like a TRUCK, and my friend who went through it when we were in HS (her dad was a bishop, so it was REALLY hard for her to admit her sexuality for a long time) has said the same thing. Coming out experiences in general can be extremely scary before they're freeing, and when you're growing up as a queer person in Utah, you're not only worried about your family, but also the fact that a seriously good chunk of the state population is religious and conservative. I never personally came to terms with my own sexuality until I moved out of the state after I graduated, but my entire upbringing there was pretttttty pressurized and I felt like I had to follow a lot of social standards that didn't apply to me at all. Hiding a big part of yourself from the people you love sucks!

Another projection, but it tracks, is finding who you really are as a theater kid. (Think the brief "Im home" scene when he's in Sharpay's costume for the first time) I had *multiple* LDS friends (plus me as the group's Jewish gal) who fell into theater and discovered how to be themselves because of it, and it was almost like a second person entirely. A place and group of people that you could finally be who you were supposed to be around. That's sort of the vibe I'm going with as far as Seb's character development in my re-write series, because it's incredibly important to me.

Anyways. Thank you for asking because clearly I have SO many thoughts on this subject.

[spinningyarns]

For @daisiesanddarkness-blog, for the @newsiesgiftexchange!

The prompt was: Jack repairing relationships with Race after the rally. Enjoy!!

In the days after the Rally, Jack felt more alone than he had in a long, long time. For the first time in years, he had been the only person in the room when he went to sleep and for the first time ever, he had been the only person in the room when he woke up. Even as a child, on days when he put himself to sleep because his father was out god-knew-where, he had always woken to find his father snoring somewhere in the little apartment. He had never really been alone, even if his father was bad company at best.

Jack remembered feeling lonely like this on the night his father was arrested, when he realized that if he went back to their apartment, where rent was not due for another week, he would wake up alone. But that night, he had seen the older boys exchange looks and then their leader had swooped in with his arm around Jack’s shoulders and pressed a penny into his hand and led him to the lodging house. Jack had gone to sleep that night with the comforting sound of dozens of boys snoring and sighing and muttering in their sleep and as broken as everything was, Jack had been comforted by the presence of friends.

But the morning after the Rally, for the first time, he had awoken completely alone. As he sold his papers that morning, the feeling never left him. Over the next day, it only intensified as he saw how the other boys shied away from him on the street and looked at their feet, or up at the buildings, rather than meet his eye. There had not been one friendly greeting since they had seen him in his new clothes, off to sell his papes, probably looking as miserable as he felt.

Jack was not entirely sure why he went into Tibby’s that second day. He knew the other newsies would likely be there and it was possible that he wanted to see them, even if he couldn’t admit it to himself. He waited until it was late for lunch, increasing the possibility that he would be alone and when he was, Jack couldn’t decide whether to be disappointed or relieved.

He placed his order- a sausage on some bread, and a water- and sat down to wait. He couldn’t help looking around nostalgically, thinking of the days when he would have been meeting Crutchy here to pool their pennies to split something sweet or bother the proprietor for one seltzer in two glasses. Not so long ago, the whole place would have been filled with happy, boisterous chatter and Jack would have been right in the middle of it. Today, however, all was silent, and Jack was alone.

In the middle of these thoughts, Jack only barely registered the sound of the little bell that rang whenever someone opened the door. He didn’t look up as slow footsteps crossed the floor nor when someone sighed, and the counter creaked as it was leaned on. But when he heard a familiar voice, a very tired voice that sounded like it had been through a lot, wearily placing an order for “just a glass of water, please” Jack’s head snapped up.

It was Racetrack, and he noticed Jack at the same time Jack noticed him.

Without really thinking about it, Jack nodded a greeting, like he might have a few days earlier. Racetrack made a face, briefly, but it was hard to tell what the response was supposed to indicate. Because Jack was noticing for the first time how bad Race looked.

Of course, he knew Race had gotten knocked around a little after the Rally, because they all had. But he hadn’t really gotten a good look at him until just that moment and Race looked bad. His face was swollen and bruised and one of his eyes was almost shut. The way he shuffled from the counter to the table next to Jack’s, and the way he sat down with a wince and closed his eyes for a moment suggested that some of his ribs were broken. He was still carrying a handful of morning papers.

Racetrack’s water and Jack’s lunch were put down on their respective tables by Mr. Tibby, who looked at them as if he knew exactly what was going on. Given his clientele, he almost certainly did.

They sat in silence for several very long minutes while Racetrack sipped at his water and Jack stared at his plate. It wasn’t that he was no longer hungry, but he felt a certain amount of guilt for eating while Race made do without.

Into the silence, Jack stood. Trying to make as little commotion as possible, he slid over to Race’s table and set half of a sandwich in front of him. Race looked up; he was startled at first, but then his eyes narrowed, and he frowned.

“What do you want?” he asked.

Jack was genuinely surprised by this and opened his mouth to answer. No sound came out and he closed it. Then he tried again, awkwardly. “Looks like you don’t have any lunch. You can share mine.”

Racetrack sat in silence for so long that Jack almost couldn’t take it. Race looked from Jack to the sandwich and back a few times

“What makes you think I want your food? Paid for by Pulitzer,” he spat.  

Another minute passed, then Jack finally said, “You don’t have to if you don’t want. But if you’re hungry, it’s yours.”

“If I’m hungry, it’s that weasel Pulitzer’s fault,” Race replied, and once he had started, it seemed he couldn’t stop. “I’m losing money hand over fist paying his new prices. And I’m not moving as fast as usual right now, so I’m not selling much to make up for it.” He glared at Jack. “But I don’t want your food. I don’t want anything Pulitzer paid for.”

“All right,” Jack said. He didn’t know how to argue with that. He wasn’t hungry anymore either, but he knew that he would regret it if he didn’t eat something, at least, and so he took a halfhearted bite of the hot dog.

“Why did you do it?” Race asked, after another long silence. “Huh? Why’d you toady to Pulitzer like that?” Yet another silence. “You want to go to Santa Fe that bad, that you’d climb over all of us to get there and just… just stomp on everything we’ve been fighting for? Huh?”

It took Jack a long time to answer. He weighed the pros and cons of lying. It crossed his mind that his dignity might suffer if he told the truth and explained that he had folded out of simple fear. Then he remembered that, even angry, this was Race. They had shared a bunkroom for years; they had played pranks together and laughed even when they were punished; they had stayed up late into the night talking when the world felt too cold to bear alone. On any other day, Race would have finished Jack’s sandwich.

Jack pulled out a chair and sat down across the little table from Racetrack, who eyed him with distaste, but didn’t actually tell him to leave. It was a hopeful sign, Jack thought.

“Race,” he started, “the truth is- thing is- this ain’t about Santa Fe. Pulitzer-he didn’t just promise me money and clothes and stuff. He- he threatened you.”

“Me?” Race asked. He sat up very straight and the suspicious look left his eyes, replaced by bewilderment. For the first time recently, Jack felt his heart swell with hope.

“Not you personally,” he clarified. “But all the newsies. He said he’d have you all arrested and thrown in jail somewhere. He said he’d put Dave in jail and come on, Race, you can’t imagine Dave in the Refuge, could you?” Jack was pleading now. “He wouldn’t know how to make it in there, and the Jacobses can’t make do without the money he brings in. And Crutchy- my God- not that he’s weak, but you know he can’t hardly make it through the winter without gettin’ sick and it’s not going to be nice weather forever. He’s supposed to get out of the Refuge as soon as he can, not get stuck in there longer ‘cause I was too proud to knuckle under.”

Race’s mouth had fallen open as Jack spoke. Now, he closed it very carefully and rubbed his jaw.

“He really said all that to you?” Race asked.

Jack looked down at the table and nodded his head, very slightly. “I didn’t know what else to do,” he said in a small voice.

Race sighed. “This sure is a pickle,” he said. “But don’t worry- we’re gonna find a way out of it, I know we are.” And he picked up the sandwich and took a bite.

[castle-dominion]

c6x10 audio commentary liveblog

les mis

lol typecasting drinking

XD gave me a heart attack

THEY GOT QUADRUPLETS

"she might have had more screen time than nathan"

with all the shootouts & fire THIS took the most planning?

"when nathan handed the baby to seamus it would start crying as if it read the script"

Julian my beloved "julian come on now don't look at them"

"skill set" crying, smiling, sleeping, stop crying when you pick it up...

Terlesky chose to film this on the lift, good for him

This group of people

NF: Seamus, I notice this every episode: your eyes POP

"howling at a moon" & I never wanted to correct him

"I made the database"

& the cobra's CRYING!

Ah two boys two girls

For a guy who's not a dad irl he's really a good dad on screen

they LEGIT HAD THE BABY CRY WHEN THEY HANDED THEM TO DEVER

NF: Ooh quads! Babies: we are not off-road vehicles

SD: Jon Huertas needs 20 minutes then he takes a nap NF: then he needs to get changed

baby POV XD

Good toss & coat dodge

TAMALA JONES

JT: it would be hilarious to say this technical jargon in a baby voice

Usually he can CATCH the perps when he's chasing them

They run by & seamus is in there oblivious

Despondent, good word

the high five was the baby's idea apparently

Apparently a lot of the stuff with fillion in the obs room is ad libbed.

He couldn't put in a good word BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT YOU ROPED BACK INTO THE LIFE EITHER

I love it when they get caught watching

Kristen Ariza, friend of Dever, did a play together which katic saw

straight laced gates cooing over the baby

A different side of everybody <3 thank you terri miller

Richmond & Andrea, the tech ones. Thank you for your service.

Three men & mustang

Boxes within boxes

In a situation where I don't have to go home hungry

Mum: I love Dever's laugh

Ah yes the relationship <3 I love these two. all the writers went "aww"

XD the us post service stole the prop mailbox XD XD XD

I NOTICED IT TOO, THEY WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT NOTHING IN THE BACKGROUND

JT: we'll put a pingpong table there one day I'd love to have a pingpong table there just for a time

still day one! SD: I don't change clothes nearly as much!

"that's the crying one"

there WAS a doll, $1 500 fake baby that you keep dropping, Nathan

Wanna have a baby?

Two grumpy babies, two happy babies, one was grumpier than them all

"bpice of ice cream's going up, by the time you're old enough to eat it you won't be able to afford it"

Ooh that ball is in the writer room huh

JT & his fun bits, glad this guy is here JT: & I'm glad all those years of WB cartoon watching paid off

AC: How long have I been gone? Love SS & MQ

This is the face of your future

I love watching this with my mom

WHEN THEY HIT PING PONG BALLS TOO HARD THEY LIGHT ON FIRE?

OH. RELIEVING YOURSELF. I SEE.

acme wine preservation kit

diaper connoisseur

oh no i hate the lottery riff

baby needs an education & this was edver & huertas

Lol the lottery ball machines didn't even work

Yeah how do they come in that order?

triple six fix

The guests are always so great

Come in, cry your eyes out, thanks you were great

Commercial!

Five down a hallway, sounding like a herd of elephants.

Yeah the background is so hard, where were you from this exact moment? nf: seamus write a song sd: ~background artists~ nf: not now

"We took the baby up in the helicopter that night" "but only for 20 minutes"

I started by touching... I touched everyone in this scene

lmao the newsie store "we turned him into a little white boy!"

scripted parenthetical

Jim, that's the one who got slammed by dever a billion times

[cosettepontmercys]

Hi! I'm sorry I haven't replied! I just like to take my time thinking of a response. I hope that's okay! Aww don't work yourself too hard! I hope you're getting some rest and that your doctor's visits went well! That sounds like hell dealing with it. Ya I think I remember being awake almost 24 hours when Red TV released or close to it..haha. plus the album is so long! But anyway I would agree that Red is probably the best. Cuz Nothing New and ATW 10 are two of my favorite Taylor songs of all time! I didn't even like the original song as much as everyone else at all but the ten minute version means so much to me! The extra verses and outro adds so much. However I wasn't as impressed with Message in a Bottle and The Very First Night at first..but now I like them. Forever Winter is one of my favorites too. When I heard the Speak Now vault for the first time, it felt like I loved more of the songs instantly but then maybe they're not as good as I thought now..but they were all pretty equal hearing them in a row and I still like them a lot. I'm wondering what it will be for the 1989 vault..maybe a mix since it was never my favorite, or maybe the same..cuz there's only 5 songs but I'm so excited to see. I still have some left over from my concert I plan on wearing and that's good enough but I admire how many you've made. That's so awesome. I'm planning to watch both I think so I can tell you how it is if you want. It's exciting that you have things coming up though! When is your birthday? I love knowing other people's birthdays.

Idk if I had a favorite show to act in but I had the biggest part in Seussical as Yertle the turtle. But I didn't like it cuz I had to wear a wig. But my favorites overall are Charlie and Alice based on the stories. Unfortunately I can hardly remember any of the songs though but maybe from Seussical. So you were never in any musicals? Where does your love of theatre come from? I'm curious cuz no one elsein my family besides my sister likes it really and they don't know anything about Broadway. That's also why I liked Theater Camp cuz it showed the perspective of her son not liking theater lol and it reminded me of my brother. I wonder if people who don't like theater would still like it but then I feel like they wouldn't get all the jokes or references.

So I actually think the Gatsby musical seems pretty good..better than I expected based on what other people said. There's three videos I saw and I agree maybe that the opening number could be better..it did not really match Gatsby vibes to me so far though. It did show Nick halfway through at least. I still don't know how I feel about the casting though. Maybe it's cuz I have seen the actors in other things so it's pretty hard so far and they weren't in costume and that might help. I think the choreography was at least good. The second video was Daisy's solo and it was short but showcased Eva's vocals and it almost reminded me of her in Miss Saigon. This song references the beautiful fool line. The third was their duet song which references the green light. Honestly I am only vaguely familiar with Gatsby from the movie, and it just reminded me of Happiness lyrics lol. The duet actually kinda reminded me of Something to Believe in from Newsies but I think it's just a me problem and cuz he was in Newsies. That also might be why I can't picture him as Gatsby yet. I guess the music was okay but it didn't wow me or anything and just wasn't like Gatsby. Someone made a comment that said they're trying too much to make it a love story and that might be a problem. I think the Florence version might do something different to that and I'd be interested to see how. I would wanna see what a song from Nick will be like. But I still have hope for it by the time it gets to Broadway and still love the cast but the comparisons might make it worse..but then hopefully you'll at least enjoy one of them!!! I'd like to know your thoughts on the rest and if you still don't like it, that's fine, but overall I still thought the cast was good.

That's cool you're going to see the Band's visit! It's another smaller show I love. I'm sure it will be great along with seeing Hadestown. I read a rumor on Reddit that his replacement will be Jordan Fisher but idk how true that is and how he would be. I think Reeve had a specific voice to the character like in Wait For Me or the ahhs but I enjoyed the tour as well. The Orpheus I saw had a smoother voice and was also black..so maybe it will be similar to that and I think I would still wanna see how he sang the role. What do you think about that? I am also still planning on seeing the Les Mis tour in two weeks hopefully and I will update you! So it will be the eras tour next week, then Les Mis and then 1989 TV!!! I guess it's a pretty big month for me haha.

Well I still thought Our Year of Maybe was good..I liked the writing and story at first but by the end I just wasn't sure how I felt about it. I still liked some parts of it. The book is about a girl that donated a kidney to her best friend she is also in love with and how their relationship changed cuz of it. I I still thought it was interesting but idk if I would still recommend and I think she has better books. Apparently she announced a Today Tonight Tomorrow sequel! There seems to be a lot of sequels in books now and I will put For the Throne on my list too. This book has been on my list forever so I'll have to finish it by then. I also think this is the first book of hers that I was familiar with and I think I'll like it more. I read the first few chapters before and remember relating to the main character loving romance so I'm excited. But I'm still planning to read You'll Miss me when I'm gone first and finish Business or Pleasure. I do plan on reading all her books eventually though and I will let you know how You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone is. How do you feel about the sequel since I think you said it's one of your favorites? I thought I should let you know in case you didn't. Anyway I will finish Some Mistakes Were Made by tomorrow and let you know my thoughts. I know you said there's no pressure but I'm gonna make time tonight..I think I only have 5 chapters left. Then if you are still planning to read The Night Circus again..I can start that for this month as well. I am planning to finish more books this month. Also I would love the Taylor songs books list! I saw there is one called Enchanted to Meet you recently that matches the witch prompt so I might add it to my list but don't know many others. I hope I didn't forget anything but as always don't worry about replying if you're not feeling well! Although I hope you continue feeling better like you said you were starting to. 🩷

hi!! no worries for taking your time replying 🤍 i hope you had a great weekend!

my week of doctor's visits are now over, and now i have to wait for results and then maybe we'll get some answers (or not)! but i'm feeling much better already now. nothing new is so so good; i do like all too well 10, but i think i listened to it way too much when it first came out that now i have to be in a really specific mood to listen to it (also it's just long), but the lyrics are so good! i really like message in a bottle, and the very first night too! i think my favorite vault tracks from red are forever winter + nothing new, and then maybe message in a bottle since that was one of my surprise songs! i think my favorite fearless vaults are that's when, and we were happy, and then timeless and foolish one from the speak now vault! i've made about 62 bracelets now (my original goal was 40), but i think i'm going to aim for ~ 75 by friday, and then take about 50 to the movie on friday (so my friend can have half to trade too), and then the rest on sunday! my birthday is december 16th! when's your birthday? 🤍

i actually don't know seussical that well, but i feel like everyone who has been in a production of seussical loved it. and yes, i was never in any musicals! but i love theatre, and grew up going to shows — i also think that it helps a lot that i was named after cosette in les mis! my mom and i would go to a show every year once we moved to the states (we saw a few shows in hong kong, but tours don't go there as often). the first show i really vividly remember seeing is phantom, when they were in hong kong, but that was the third musical i'd seen! i also wondered that when watching theatre camp, but am unsure if how many non-theatre people would watch it! (i did spend a good chunk of the movie wondering who was linked to waitress, because someone sang a bit of when he sees me for their "audition", and then there was the waitress poster + playbill in several scenes, then was like hmm noah galvin was ogie but that doesn't feel right, then went maybe just ben platt, and then remembered who molly gordon's mom is haha).

i read gatsby in high school (read: i lived and breathed it for a few months because i had a big presentation + paper on gatsby)! i want to reread it and re-annotate it now, as an adult (like ten years since i first read it 😵‍💫) he really doesn't feel like gatsby to me, but we'll see if he grows into the role? i just think there were a lot of ... choices made ! but either way, i was always more excited about the florence one so here's hoping that one is good!!

wait i didn't know about the t3 sequel omg!!! that's so exciting! i really liked t3, it's very much like a ~ love letter ~ to seattle and makes me feel so so nostalgic for my own high school experience (well, more specifically, we had a celebration after graduation and i got really close with someone who is now one of my best friends, at that celebration. not as fun as howl, but still very special to me!) and yes!! still down to read the night circus! waiting on my friend to send me the copy she annotated for traveling book club, but if you want to start that i can catch up whenever it gets here!

i saw enchanted to meet you the other day at the bookstore — you'll have to let me know how it is! i really liked meg cabot's the princess diaries (which i adoreeeed as a kid)! and off the top of my head (i'm sure there's a lot of them that i'm missing, especially self-pub/indie books) here are some books named after taylor songs (i haven't read all of them):

this is me trying by racquel marie

begin again by emma lord

long story short by serena kaylor

never getting back together by sophie gonzalez

don't want you like a best friend by emma r. alban

call it what you want by brigid kemmerer

never saw you coming by erin hahn

hope you have a great week!! 🤍

[caniruineverything]

i wanna taste her lips (yeah, 'cause they taste like you)

Chapter 1: oh, how can my baby go and desert me?

Chapter Summary: Jack expresses his jealousy of Katherine and Davey's closeness, and the group's dynamic is established.

"- and then Race comes running through the door and shouts, 'If anyone asks where I am, I've left the country!' Turns out, he let it slip that he's got feelings for a certain Brooklyn newsie leader."

"But Spot reciprocated, right? What happened then?"

"Yeah, 'cuz a day or so later, Spot comes running to Manhattan, hunts down Race, and when he found him, he smashed their mouths together in the most heated kiss anyone's ever seen."

"Oh my God. You're kidding, that's how they got together?"

"I know, right? Only them, I swear."

Jack gritted his teeth as Katherine laughed as Davey relayed last month's drama. Why does he get to make her laugh? Half of him just wished they would have the inevitable 'we're dating' speech, while the other half prayed it would never happen.

After the successful strike, Katherine and Davey had begun to hang out often. Like, all the time. He knew he shouldn't be jealous, as it wasn't like he didn't want to see them getting along. Still, they were almost always together, as if they were unable to be parted from each other for even a moment. He should be happy, right? His best friend and the girl he hoped would become his girlfriend, this close? He knew it should make him feel happy.

But it didn't. Why? Because Jack knew what it meant. They liked each other the way Jack liked Katherine, and would sort that out fast. He would become the third wheel, which probably wouldn't be that bad. They were certainly nice enough to include him, but it would still be awkward.

He realized that he had a sort of grimace on his face, and quickly fixed it into a proper smile when he noticed Davey spot him. He and Katherine began to make their way towards Jack, smiling and waving.

"Hey, Jack. Davey was just telling me about Race and Spot's dramatic confession. I would say I'm surprised, but honestly, with them? Nope." Jack swallowed his jealousy in order to respond in the way he knew he should.

"Oh, yeah, I remember when they's got together. Pretty funny, had all ah us rollin' on the floor laughin'." He even forced a smile to complete the act, before realizing it wasn't very forced as he was happy to just be with them, even if it wasn't in the exact way he had hoped.

"See? I couldn't make it up if I tried!" At this, Katherine turned towards Davey once he had finished, smiled, and reassured him,

"I know, I believe you. Don't worry. It's just almost unbelievable. I think if it had been anyone else, I might have been suspicious." After she finished, Jack broke in, the claws of jealousy sinking in deeper.

"It just makes sense, yeah? Race's always been super dramatic, so ah course he gonna get with Spot th' way he did." Davey and Katherine expressed their agreement, and made to move onto another topic of discussion before Davey gasped.

"Oh, I forgot. I have to get Les, our folks'll be waiting, sorry." Katherine's face visibly fell at this, but she smoothed it out quickly, though not before Jack noticed it. He couldn't deny that he was disappointed as well, he quite enjoyed Davey's company, though he felt he should be happy.

"Hey, Dave, go get ya brother. We's gonna hold down the fort." Davey shot him a grateful smile, and rushed off to collect his brother, but not before adding,

"You guys are welcome to stop by our place any time, or come over for dinner. Remember that." And with that, he was off, leaving Jack blinking at the words he'd left with them. Jack couldn't pretend he didn't want to show up at the Jacobs' house one day, if only to see Davey. And hey, a free meal with people who loved him would never not be a plus. He turned to Katherine, happy they were alone now, though, oddly enough, missing Davey already.

"Hey, Kath. How long's it been since it was just us two together?" Jack couldn't help but inquire, curious to see what her reaction would be.

"Yeah, it has been a while, hasn't it. I miss just the two of us hanging out. Don't get me wrong, I love Davey, but I miss you, too. I want to hang out with both of you." Jack felt something twist inside him when she spoke about Davey, but settled when she continued. He felt protective of the boy he'd come to be close with, and didn't want anyone speaking badly of him, especially when he wasn't there to defend himself. Katherine, though, would never speak badly of Davey, as she loved him as well. As a friend, please, as a friend, Jack's thoughts pleaded.

"Yeah, I misses hangin' out with ya, too, Kath. Why're ya always off with Davey?" He said it jokingly, but deep down, he cared what the answer was. Why wouldn't she hang out with him?

"Well, he and I just get along so well, and talk about things we can't talk about with you. No offense, of course. Why, you jealous?" She was clearly teasing him, but it still stung. Not that she knew how on the nose she was, though.

"Course not. Ya can hang with whoever ya wanna. As long as I's there, ah course."

"Oh, so now, you'll always be with me? Wow, what a dream come true. Who wouldn't want their very own bodyguard?"

"Hey, I aint' no one's bodyguard. Who's to say I's always gonna protect ya?"

"Well, since you go out of your way to protect Davey, I figured it's only fair that I get the same special treatment, seeing as I'm your other best friend." Jack's stomach shifted uncomfortably when she said Davey's name with that odd emphasis and again when she said best friend. Davey was his best friend; she was the girl he had a crush on. Right?

"We both knows Dave can't fight ta save his life. You's pretty formidable, ya knows. I's willin' ta bet ya can handle yaself." She smiled at that, and oh, what a beautiful smile it was. He knew he would do anything to make her smile.

"Why, thank you, Mr. Kelly. Maybe you're more chivalrous than I gave you credit for. And where did you learn such a big word. 'Formidable', huh? Did Davey teach you that?" This was the dynamic he'd been hoping for. This he could deal with, and could use it to his advantage. It also gave him the ability to slip some flirting in, which was his strong suit, of course.

"Ah, ya think I can't know big words? Maybe I spend hours readin' from a dictionary."

"You, reading? A dictionary? Are you sure the world's not ending?"

"Hey, I's able to read. What's ya tryin' ta say?" The two of them continued their playful banter until they reached Katherine's little apartment, where they parted ways for the night. It was only as he was walking back to the lodgings that realized: he hadn't really done much flirting at all.

Jack stared at Davey. Well, his face, to be specific. Even more specifically, something on his face. "Davey, ya got freckles?" Said boy startled, not expecting to be confronted about the aforementioned freckles.

"Uh, yeah? They come out when I've been in the sun a lot. Like, uh, this summer, I guess." Huh. That made sense, Jack supposed, and it also explained why he had never seen them before. Something about them interested him, and he literally had to force himself to tear his gaze from the small, dark circles dotting Davey's cheeks.

"You's hafta lemme draw ya sometime. With them freckles, I means." Davey flushed, at the idea of someone wanting to draw him, Jack figured.

"Oh, uh, sure. I'd like that. Only if you want to, of course."

"Dave, I's the one that offered, remember? Of course I wanna." Davey smiled, and Jack felt warm inside. Must have been the sun, and the feeling of making a friend happy.

"Then, yeah, definitely. Let me know when, I guess." Jack nodded, and turned to face Katherine. She was smiling knowingly at the two of them, though what, exactly, she knew, Jack had no clue.

"Oh, and Kath. I's gonna draw ya too. Specially with ya new haircut." Katherine had gotten her hair cut a bit shorter for the summer, and it looked good. It looked like her, which was one of the main reasons Jack liked it. It also framed her face better, making her even prettier. Jack had always been in the habit of drawing, and now that he had more free time due to the success of the strike, he found he could draw more often.

He hadn't gotten around to drawing many people though. He'd never thought he was very good at that, and avoided it for fear that people would laugh. He knew neither Katherine nor Davey would ever laugh at him for that, so he felt confident enough to share it with them. He just hadn't gotten around to doing it yet. Looking at Davey now, covered in new freckles, he felt the urge to draw him, stronger than he'd ever felt before. Unable to explain it, he glanced back at Katherine, slightly confused when he didn't feel anything nearly as strong when he looked at her.

He tamped it down, and turned back into the conversation.

"Sarah offered to teach me how to cook, and I was wondering if any of you would want to come with me," Katherine offered, cocking her head and looking between both of them.

"Nah, I's already promised Crutchie I would hang with 'im. Have fun." Jack would have loved to, but he was busy, and he wouldn't trade his time with Crutchie for anyone, not even Katherine. He knew his brother was already feeling a tad left out, what with him hanging out with Davey and Katherine all the time, and promised to make time for him.

"I need to study, I have summer assignments, and besides, you haven't hung out with Sarah alone in a while. I know you wanna," he teased, and Katherine glanced down, cheeks reddened from the sun. Jack wasn't sure exactly what that was about, but he figured it was just that the girls really hadn't had much time to hang out recently.

"Oh, okay. Thanks, I guess." The last part was directed at Davey, but Jack wasn't sure what she was thanking him for. They began to chat for a bit, about any random thing that popped into their heads, and Jack felt at ease for once, jealousy practically nonexistent. The peace ended when a blur ran at Davey and knocked him over.

"Oof! Les? Why'd you tackle me? Oh you little gremlin, I'm gonna getcha!" Les just shrieked in joy and got up, running away from his brother, who began to chase him with a look of faux anger on his face. Jack and Katherine scrambled out of their seats on the grass, and began to chase the two brothers.

Together, they were able to 'tackle' Les, and Davey began to tickle the laughing boy, who only began to laugh harder, pleading,

"No, Davey, stah-stahp! Ahahaha! No!" Davey, a look of fondness on his face, let him up and pulled him into a hug. When Les protested, weakly, because he did enjoy his brother's hugs, Davey scolded,

"That's what you get for messing with me! Teach you not to do it again!"

"Okay, I won't do it again. . . today."

"Thank yo- hey! Les!" Davey's scandalized face made all three of them bend over laughing, and they were only able to stop when Les stated,

"We gotta go, Mom and Dad will be waiting." Davey stood up, nodded, and said goodbye to Jack and Katherine, then grabbed Les's hand and walked away.

"Hey, Jack, I have to go as well. Thanks for today, it was nice." Katherine offered a pleased smile, and turned to go as well.

"Have a nice night, Plumber. See ya tomorrow." They were off, in separate directions, and Jack was left to his own thoughts again. He felt happy, of course he did, he had been able to be with Davey and Katherine all day, but still felt. . . odd. He chalked it up to spending all day in the sun, but he knew that wasn't the full story. He wanted more time to flirt with Katherine, and wanted to, selfishly, keep her away from Davey, all to himself.

After their kiss in the Penthouse, Jack figured he and Katherine had a connection. He was surprised when nothing else happened between them again, and was waiting for something to happen. He wasn't sure why she was showing a romantic interest in Davey, when all signs had pointed to himself being the object of Katherine's affections. Still, he felt pleased to be included, and happy that nothing romantic had happened between his other two best friends.

All that changed two days later.

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

[heliads]

Hi friend! I love your writing 💛. I was just wondering if I could request some Racetrack x Reader fluff where they are both in college and have liked each other for a long time but are oblivious. They are have to do a project together and they admit their feelings for each other. Thank you!

a newsies college au?? anon you delight me

masterlist

Today could quite possibly be described as the perfect day. The weather is nice, for once; no billowing heat waves or unforeseen cold snaps, not even a hint of dripping humidity or tear-raising winds. Your footsteps, typically brisk on the brick walkways of your college campus, have slowed to a pleasant stroll. There’s no need to rush, not on days like this.

You’re startled by a sudden arm snaking around your shoulders, but just before your heart rate gets the proper chance to skyrocket, you glance over your shoulder to see your best friend walking beside you. 

Race laughs at your expression. “Are you ever going to get used to seeing me, or am I going to scare you every time I say hello?”

You roll your eyes. “Maybe if you actually said hello instead of doing your best to freak me out, I wouldn’t be nervous.”

Race grins. “Yeah, that might work. It’s a shame I’m not going to do that, though.”

You smile, unable to feel anything but happy around him for long. “I assumed as much.”

Looking over at Race, you can’t help but feel a rush of pure, brilliant happiness rise to your chest. It’s a sunny day, the amount of homework awaiting you isn’t actually that much for once, and you’re here with the one boy who actually makes your life worthwhile. It’s cliche, fit for the lines of a storybook, but Race makes everything feel as right as rain.

Your gaze grows soft. You’ve been friends with Race for what feels like forever, and been crushing on him for surely that long as well. You just can’t help it, can you? This golden boy before you has made everyone else seem like nothing. There’s no way you could possibly love anyone else but him.

It would be nice if Race could see things the same way. Surely he should manage to figure it out, right? You’re the only one who’s managed to memorize his ever changing coffee order, who waits up behind the group when Race falls behind to tie his shoes. You have been set on him for forever, but for some reason he’s never noticed.

Or, worse, he has, and is just doing his best to pretend you only think of him as a friend. You don’t think this is quite the case, though. Race is just happily oblivious, even when you swear you’re giving him as many hints as you can.

For now, though, you won’t let the pining trouble you. You lean into Race’s arm, and let the sun shine down on both of you. You don’t need anything more, not when he’s with you, even if you wish his heart would start singing a different tune whenever you’re in sight. It’s the two of you against the world, the same way it’s always been.

Race whistles under his breath as he walks. “Are you ready for class? I heard Mr. Pulitzer’s assigning us a new project.”

You groan. “His projects are terrible! I swear, would it kill him to actually come up with an interesting prompt for once? He gives us the most boring stuff in the world, and then gets surprised when nobody wants to do it.”

Race nods in sympathy. “He only tries to change things up when he gets worried that his approval ratings are down. I swear, nothing motivates the guy like research funds or seeming better than the Suns.”

Race has just quoted a truth universally acknowledged, which is that a teacher such as Mr. Pulitzer who cares not for the affections of his students but the grade of his pay, must drive himself to madness trying to compete with rival professors at nearby universities. You and Race both go to Manhattan University, home of the Worlds, and the one place that truly feels like home.

MU is also one half of a well known rivalry between another local school, New York College. The New York Suns have been trying to tear out Manhattan’s throat ever since the schools were founded. The two universities compete for research projects, accolades, the best staff, everything. 

Needless to say, if Mr. Pulitzer thinks he can get ahead by boosting his own cred, he’ll do it. That doesn’t mean you and the rest of your friends have to like it, though.

You grimace. “One day he’s going to get what’s coming for him, I swear.”

Race snorts. “What does that mean, we riot against him? That would be crazy.”

“Yeah,” you say, “Crazy. Just like me skipping his class again, even though I really, really want to.”

You look longingly in the direction of your dorm room, but Race tightens his grasp on your shoulders, forcing you to keep walking with him. 

“Not a chance. If I have to be here, so do you.”

You sigh plaintively. “A supportive friend would appreciate my needs and let me go.”

Race cracks a smile. “Then I suppose it’s good that I’m not supportive, right? I’m a terrible, awful friend, who really needs someone with him in class to make sure he doesn’t fall asleep.”

You laugh. “A really bad friend who also speaks in third person about himself?”

He taps your arm in agreement. “Exactly. Now, come on, we have projects to hear about. Exciting things await.”

You smile when you think he can’t see, and keep walking. 

You and Race share the next period, History of Journalism. It seemed like an interesting class, and the only thing you regret about taking the course is the fact that it’s taught by Mr. Pulitzer, who seems to have it out for every kid who walks through his doors. 

Today, though, the fearsome teacher is nowhere in sight. You and Race exchange glances before taking seats near the back.

Race nudges you in the side as you sit down. “Look, he’s got both the TAs here instead. Think he’s skipping class on us?”

You nod. “Must be. He wouldn’t get both Jack and Katherine in here if he wasn’t there to supervise the class himself.”

Up at the front of the room, one of the TAs notices you and Race arrive and raises a hand in greeting. You wave back out of habit; although Jack Kelly is a couple of years older than you, he’s still a good friend. He keeps talking about how he should really quit being a TA to go on this cool study abroad program he’s hearing about, but he’s too fond of the rest of you guys to fully commit to spending a semester over in Santa Fe.

Jack is one of your favorite TAs, though, in any class. He didn’t intend on being a teaching assistant, but towards the beginning of the year, people had a lot of complaints about Mr. Pulitzer’s hands off method of teaching, so Jack stepped up to help people out. Out of bare necessity, Mr. Pulitzer hired him, and now Jack’s your student-teacher liaison whenever you need him.

On days like today, though, Jack isn’t alone. Your other TA, Katherine, is carefully organizing her notes to make sure she’s ready for the day. She doesn’t use her last name that often, leading to a rumor that she’s actually Mr. Pulitzer’s daughter in disguise, but when she publishes articles in the Manhattan University student newspaper, she goes by Katherine Plumber, so most skeptics are turned away after long.

You nudge Race back. “Look at Jack and Katherine, they haven’t stopped checking each other out since we got here. Are they ever going to ask each other out or just keep flirting until they die?”

It’s rich, coming from you, but Race still laughs. “It may never happen. It’s funny, I’ve never known Jack to not speak his mind, but I guess he’s too lost on Katherine to get up the courage to say something.”

Race flashes you a quick glance as he says this, but what he means by it, you can’t tell. Overhead, the bell rings to start class, and Jack and Katherine move to the center of the room to start the class. Race is right, Mr. Pulitzer is out for a teaching conference downtown, but you’ll be starting a new project anyway, so you don’t entirely need your professor.

The only twist that Race failed to report back is that this isn’t a solo project. You happen to hate having to work with other people, because anyone from close friends to complete strangers can disappoint when it comes to having to do their fair share. However, Jack and Katherine aren’t yielding. Apparently Mr. Pulitzer wants to see that his students can work together to benefit him, so you’ll be receiving partner assignments as dictated by the TAs.

Jack starts reading off names. “Alright, let’s get going. Jojo and Albert, you guys will be working together. Specs and Finch, Elmer and David, and…”

Jack breaks off, looking between you and Race with the sort of look he only gets when he has really bad ideas. Suddenly, a wide smile spreads across Jack’s lips, and you realize you know exactly where he’s going with this. Jack has been teasing you for months about your crush on Race, saying stuff about how it’s totally obvious and you have to do something about it.

He’s going to pair you with Race, isn’t he? You like talking to Race, and it’s no problem to sit together or talk while walking to class, but this is different. You’d have to spend a lot of time together, just the two of you, without the shields of friends to keep you from focusing on each other. Can you imagine it, you and Race bent over a paper together, looking up too fast to find that you’re only inches apart?

No, it’s unfathomable. You stare desperately at Jack, silently slashing your hand near your throat as if to beg him not to do this, but it’s too late. Jack’s grin broadens, and he reads out the next partner assignment as if he’s never been happier to deliver a death sentence.

“Y/N and Race!”

Jack’s voice fades into the background, turning into an endless string of names. You can’t do this. You can’t keep faking how you feel long enough for this to work, but you have no other choice. Race turns to you with a feeble smile, although he looks just as surprised as you no doubt feel.

His startled expression fades in a second, though, and you half wonder if you were imagining the whole thing. He’s just regular Race, now, regular, bright, never stuttering Race.

“So, we’re partners, huh?”

You nod, trying not to let it show how much this terrifies you. “Yeah, I think we are. What topic do you want?”

Race’s expression clears as he starts to brainstorm. “Well, I think we have a few options. The effects of prices on newspaper consumption would be interesting, or work and pay rates.”

This doesn’t surprise you; Race has always been good at running numbers. You don’t think he’s ever lost a bet, something about how he can visualize statistics in his head without even questioning it. You nod along, and before you know it, you’re drawing up charts and starting to research your topic without another thought.

Internally, though, you’re practically screaming. How are you supposed to pretend that you’re not grievously in love with Race when you have to be so close to him for so long? You risk a look over at Jack, up front, who’s practically beaming with what he’s done. You shoot your friend a glare, but it only makes his smile broaden.

Beside you, Race coughs pointedly. “Everything alright, Y/N?”

You glance back at him, startled. “What? No, yeah, I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

Race scratches the back of his neck awkwardly. “Nothing, you just looked distracted. If you don’t want to focus on this particular topic, we can change it.”

You shake your head. “No, it sounds good. Why would we change it?”

Race sighs. “If it’s not the topic, what is it? You’ve looked upset ever since Jack started talking, and if the problem isn’t with the project, then–”

Race’s voice slows abruptly, and you panic when you realize what he must be thinking. “No, Race, that’s not it. You’re not the issue, I swear.”

However, Race’s mind seems to be made up. “Are you sure? I mean, I saw your face drop when Jack announced that we would be working together on the project. If you wanted to switch partners, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”

Race looks deflated, and you hate that you’ve made him feel like this. “No, Race, I don’t want to switch partners. Not at all.”

He still seems confused. “Then what is the problem? And don’t tell me that there isn’t one, I know there is. I’m not an idiot, despite what you might think.”

This is quickly going from bad to worse. “I don’t think you’re an idiot, Race, and I want to work with you. It’s just that–”

You manage to cut yourself off before you say the hated truth aloud, but Race has already noticed your hesitation and jumped on it accordingly.

“Just that what?”

You fish around for some sort of excuse to get you out of this. “Shouldn’t we really be working on the project?” You muster feebly, but Race is having none of it.

“Finish the sentence, Y/N. I want to know.”

You exhale slowly, then say it. “I like you, and Jack knows it. That’s why he put us together, so I would have to talk about it. I guess his plan worked.”

Race stares at you, then starts to smile. “Funny, that’s what he told me yesterday.”

Now it’s your turn to look at him in confusion. “What do you mean?”

Race shrugs. “I only knew about the project because I was talking to Jack yesterday. He threatened to put us together so I would have to say something, and I tried to call his bluff, but he did it anyway.”

You blink, shocked. “Wait, you like me too?”

Race just grins. “Yeah, I have for a while. Never managed to say much about it until now, though.”

You have to take a moment to fully comprehend this sudden, blessed twist of fate, then laugh. “We were both just that oblivious all this time, then?”

Race laughs as well. “I suppose we were.” 

Perhaps you have to thank Jack, after all. He’s managed to do what neither of you thought possible: get both of you to confess your feelings.

newsies tag list: @lovesanimals0000, @misguidedswagger, @thatfangirl42, @amortensie

[pluviophile-bookworm]

HSMTMTS 2x8: the one I’ve been waiting for

Last week watching the new HSMTMTS was the last thing I did before going to bed (and let me tell you, I almost couldn’t sleep that night), but now I’m starting my day with it. I’m having trouble breathing just thinking about everything that could possibly lie ahead. I don’t think I’m ready, but I also can’t wait a second longer. So let’s dive right in!

Ahhh we got Big Red doing the recap! We’re off to a strong start, I see.

Ok, so I don’t know which is funnier (objectively): Reddy calling Antoine ‘Napoleon’ or the ‘zat man looks ridiculous’ line delivery -- I mean, I do not condone Antoine’s behaviour when he said that line, but ABF makes impertinence sound funny. Still, ‘Napoleon over here’ is my new favourite thing to call Antoine.

I am absolutely loving Miss Jenn in this scene (’when they go low, we sing high’, anyone), but why’s she threatening my Sebby? She has no right.

Ahhhhhhhh we’re getting the Gaston scene! I mean, of course I knew that, but I still don’t think I’m ready for the sheer awesomeness...

Ok, things are awkward between Ashlyn and her Biggie (see, I noticed she calls him that and that’s why I chose to call him Reddy instead)... hope they’ll be fine though. I know what they have is stronger than some so-called French bloke trying to come between them.

I... forgive me, I need to take 5... the Gaston number is a thousand times better with the choreography! Big Red performing his heart out, EJ making Gaston look effortless just like he did in the audition, juggling those eggs, and then the dancers... glorious, indeed.

‘Keep our heads down and our chins up’ ... and Seb trying to physically do it... adorable! But why is Miss Jenn being so harsh to him today? I don’t like that.

Ok, so I’m happy for Nini (or is it NIna?) and I’m happy for Olivia, but I just don’t seem to be able to get invested in her, either in the show or in real life. I don’t know why, but that’s just how I feel. To each their own, I always say.

EJ making the Career Day announcement in the middle of Ricky and Nini’s conversation is just... a choice. An interesting choice on the part of whoever wrote it.

Yikes, Ricky! What is it with guys and violating Nini’s phone’s privacy?

Ok, so I was an advocate for ‘EJ and Gina emphatically as friends’, but I think I’m sold on them romantically. It’s kind of hard for me here -- as an aro, I’m uncomfortable with the ‘everything evolves into romance and revolves around romance’ approach, but as an unapologetic shipper, I think this episode is going to shatter my heart and then heal it and then shatter it again.

‘How many of you are familiar with the phrase “Seize the day”?’ Um, yeah, I love Newsies! You know, for someone who has never seen it and has only heard a couple of songs from it... where was I?

Ooh, we’re getting Jennzara content! After all that ‘Zacky Roy’ action, I’m ready for this.

And here, Carlos struggling to make the part of Chip sound good just goes to prove that this part is too small for Sebby! You don’t just go from Sharpay to Chip like that. I mean, I kind of see it... Seb’s got a Chip-worthy smile; but at the end of the day, Chip hasn’t got a Seb-worthy song, nay, showstopping number.

I won’t lie, seeing Big Red give Ricky the treatment he’s been getting from him was low-key (high-key) satisfying. But I can’t even tell you why I’m suddenly starting to empathise with Ricky here. Still, Reddy is right - Ricky’s been here before. Or if I might quote Carlos here, ‘Is this Mamma Mia 2, cos here we go again!’

You know, Ashlyn is right. Ignore the test. Career tests are bull. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve got the most ridiculous results on these things... though I guess ‘mediator’ isn’t so far removed from ‘translator’, which is my dream job that I’m working towards. I guess career tests are like horoscopes and prophecies -- they’re not meant to be taken literally, but require reading between the lines.

‘I live to serve’ Oh Reddy, don’t be like that! I mean, I know working in the service industry is one thing and being a doormat is another, but right now it just kind of seems like he’s equating them in his mind and putting himself down because of it, and he’s being outwardly cheerful for the benefit of others. Maybe it’s not just Ricky who needs therapy, and Reddy definitely needs a LeFou of his own, to cheer him up and lift his spirits, and remind him how brilliant he is.

You know, I think both Kourtney and Howie make some valid points here... but I’m afraid I’m with Kourtney on this one. It’s difficult to trust someone if you find out there’s a whole side of them you didn’t know.

Gosh, I’m so done with Rini. Even Carlos has an inside voice compared to what these two are demonstrating right now. How ‘main character syndrome’ of them is it to make a scene in the middle of the Slices?

Ohhhhh, Paris... gosh, why does everyone keep saying the wrong things with the best intentions in this episode? It’s frustrating.

Awwww, I can’t with these two! ‘The only other thing that makes me happy is you.’ But then he’s like ‘maybe it’s not enough’, and I just got a flashback of how he once told her ‘you are enough’... so I say, so are you, Reddy! You are enough, and Ash is just trying to do the best for you, but she’s kind of missing the point... but you are enough. And she knows it.

Awwww! S1 Mr Mazzara would never have. But I love this new version of him.

Ohh, the Duke talk! Ok, I don’t know how to feel about these two. I just want them to be close, always.

Is it just me, or does Sofia’s acting in this scene give off Cyrus’ coming out scene vibes?

And here we go again with the flashbacks. Nini and Ricky in the treehouse remind me how I felt during the ‘I love you’ scene last season... except this one is not the start of something new (as on-the-nose as that sounds), it’s the end of something old. It’s heartbreaking, but I think it’s necessary. And I think they both know it. If it’s meant to be, they’ll find their way back to each other -- when they’re both more mature. They need to grow separately for the time being.

Oh my, oh my! It’s the ‘If I Can’t Love Her’ scene, and it hits even harder than it might have, because this is actually the first time I’m ever hearing this song. Fan of BATB as I am, I am just not familiar with the stage version of it and so there are some songs I just have never heard. But they hit hard. 

Aww, Ashlyn with the Slices shirt! And EJ declining Duke after that was the only future he could see for himself... And Big Red being the absolute best, most supportive friend always and forever, whatever is going on in his own life... if I had a friend like him, I’d never let them go. And I’d never let them forget how amazing they are.

Ok, but I’m crying... I have been since the song started, and I think I will be for a long time after it’s ended... this episode really did break my heart. But it healed it, too. How weird is that? This was a ride. Enough to last me the week, I hope.