NEWSIES: The Ultimate Modern AU

How Race's Smoking Came To Be

~ From the Author! ~
Hey y'all it's me! I don't normally come in here between chapters but just a quick TW about addiction, substance abuse and shitty family situations in this chapter. It's a little more deep and kinda depressing than others so if you skip you won't miss anything. ((They don't end up seeing Spot so don't worry, you're not missing much Sprace content; the first paragraph is light hearted though so that's safe to read.)) Stay safe and thank you for reading this far xx

"What? Please no!!! It's too early! They're probably still at work!" Elmer protested at Race who stood in-front of him slightly confused.
"Ok I know you guys are scared of Brooklyn but- guys it's Spot. He literally was screaming Taylor Swift in the car with me the other day..."
Albert snickered. "He what?"
"Ok I was NOT meant to tell you that." Race tried to take back his words but it was too late. "Don't pretend that's a weird thing. Taylor Swift is great. Only thing stopping people from liking her is misogyny."

He brushed the remarks off and twiddled his cigar with his finger, sending ash out the window. Elmer covered his nose. "You know that's ought to be back for the turtle?" Elmer suggested, Race raised an eyebrow. "And you too, it does nothing but kill you quicker."
"Well if I'm lucky then it'll kick in soon." The smug Racer held the cigar out in-front of him, inspecting its shape.

His earliest memory of it was when he was around 12, so he had to have still had contact with his family. Before permanently residing at a Foster Care home for his dependent teen years, he had two brothers and a sister.

One of them had addictions of his own, probably planted by the seeds of his own parents. Addiction seemed to run in the family, with the seed planted in the genetics. His father was an abuser of alcohol, stumbling up the fire escape at unearthly hours of the morning in a drunken rage. Of corse he took it out on the people who would forgive him, his family. At first it was fine and forgiveness was an option, until the once bright and shiny golden boy by the name on Anthony Higgins saw the rotten creature and realised some things would never change.

Things didn't stop with his father, his mother was the one who got the end of most of it. She fell under and enchantress's evil spell and would spend weeks in bed, nothing but a grumble of refusal for food. Empty liquor bottles pilled up next to her bed. His sister had tried to get their mother out every day; morning, evening and night. Tears stained her hollow cheeks as she wept by her mother's side, begging for just a simple word or sign of motherly love.

One of the brothers was only a year older than Anthony. He didn't seem to take much of a liking to Anthony, even after growing up so close together. You'd assume that would have tightened their bond, but apparently he had another intention. He ran from home as their world fell apart and no one had heard a word from him since.

Now the final brother was one that young Racer took a liking to. He taught him everything and seemed to care for the family while their parents lacked responsibility. More of a father than anyone ever was, he passed on skills such as cooking, cleaning, laundry and bills. It was a lot for the gap toothed Race. After all he was only 10 or 11. The fatherly brother much have offered Race a cigar once, probably to relieve stress. He had a habit himself, using it to ease the pain and pressures of shattered glass. Race remembered seeing him out his bedroom window, dead hanging low as he sat in the fire escape, and a puff of grey smoke danced above the amber light between his fingers.

The foster system had picked up the children when Race was around 12 years old. At that point his sister was 14 and his brother 16. Soon his brother was free when he turned 18 and could take care of himself, but when he was released he never came back. The sister and him worried every day, held onto this brothers promises of return like a lifeboat.

Of corse the foster home wasn't to bad, but they wanted their own sense of home again.

His sister was fostered at 15, and when they got the news their parents had passed away from malnourishment and alcohol poisoning, he assumed she had been adopted. It was a bittersweet feeling, knowing that his only remaining family was gone; he was relieved she was safe and having a better life, but part of him envied her sense of home and comfort.

Things weren't always bad in that Foster House though, after all he met a few other of his current roommates there. Albert, Jack, Crutchie, Specs and Finch. He recalled meeting Albert vividly. He was alone on the playground and a freckled red head just ran up to him, screamed 'TAG YOU'RE IT' and then ran off in a giggling rage. That same game he met the other newsboys and were inseparable ever since.

The smell of burnt cigarettes and smokes always reminded Race of his brother. The cloud of toxins that flooded lungs and burnt the back of your throat. Perhaps he didn't even like it himself, but maybe he just liked to think that maybe, just maybe, if he held onto something his brother would return.

He snapped out of his deep thoughts he wasn't even conscious of being in, his eyes fixated on a lamp across the room blinking at return. Elmer had a hand on his shoulder, inspecting his face closely. "You ok?"
Race shook his head "yeah I'm good! You guys- you guys are my family right?"

Albert and Elmer both softened their eyebrows and Albert clenched his jaw. He knew exactly what it was about. He dropped what he was doing and hugged Racer tightly. Race shook in his arms and began to crumble. Elmer had seen it before in the other boys but never Racer, he wasn't sure what to do.

"We's a family. You're my brother." Albert said. He looked at Elmer. "And yous my brother. We have each other, and I swear on my last breath, we're gonna stick together. How about we just chill here, I think we're all a bit tired. But hey, we're here for you always, even when you're being a little ass. You got that?" Elmer let out a weak smile in agreement and awkwardly pet Race's back.

"I got it"

~ Me Again ~
Remeber kiddos, smoking is bad and you probably shouldn't do it. Here's some info and helplines if you felt like you related to this chapter and need somewhere to reach out:
worldhelplines.org
As Albert said, you're not alone. We's a family, and I care about you 🥺 ok?