The Experiment || Newsies AU

Chapter 77

TW: Mentions of abuse.

"Did you know about Snyder already?" Jack asked with a look of worry on his face.

He lead Race over to one of the couches and sat him down on Jack's left.

Race nodded look at his hands in his lap. He hadn't even realised he'd fidgeting with his fingers.

"My, um, my father knew him and when he didn't want me he'd send me to him," Race explained, not wanting to meet Jack's eyes.

Jack pulled his hands apart and held the his right hand.

"How often did this happen?" Jack noticed tears starting to appear in Race's eyes. "You don't have talk about it if you don't want to but I'll always be here for you."

Race nodded and turned to Jack. "Can we just sit here?"

Jack smiled and pulled Race into side hug. "We can sit here for as long as you'd like."

Race leaned into the hug and laid his head on Jack's shoulder.

They stayed like that for the next hour before Race broke the silence.

"He's one of my father's friends and when my Dad got sick of me he would send me to him for however long he wanted some peace. He'd tell him to do whatever he wanted with me just as long as it wasn't too visible."

Jack pulls him into a full hug and rubs circles on to his back.

"Is that why you got so many detentions the first term?" Jack asked.

"My dad only sent me since he knew Snyder would be here and he told me that I'd have to go to him at least once a week so he could 'sort me out'," he explained.

Jack felt his heart break into a million pieces, he had thought that Race was just prone to getting detention but now it all made sense.

"I'm so sorry," he started. "I should have figured out what he was doing and I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you."

Race shrugged. "It's okay. You couldn't have done anything anyways."

"I know but if he ever goes near you again tell me, okay?" Race nodded into his shoulder. "Just remember that I'll always be here for you."

Race nodded and the pair stayed like that in each other's arms for the next while before Race pulled away, he wouldn't have if it weren't for the fact that he had pins and needles in his foot.

They went back to the half-hug position they were in earlier.

"Have you told Ms. Medda about it? There's only a few weeks left until the spring holidays so it might be a good idea," Jack suggested.

"I don't know how I could tell her and what if she sees how pathetic I am and decided she doesn't want me anymore?"

"You're not pathetic, and she'd never decide that. She knows you haven't had the best of pasts but you are so strong and even if you don't realise it we all love you so much," Race smiled and blushed.

No matter how hard he tried not to he always blushed when someone complimented him.

They stayed like that for a while before Jack felt Race's head grow heavier on his shoulder. When he looked at him he saw Race asleep with his mouth open slightly letting out small snores.

Jack smiled and picked him up bridal style and carried him to his dorm.

He was met with Spot pacing in the area between the beds, who panicked momentarily when he saw Race in Jack's arms but calmed down when he heard his snores.

Jack lay Race in his bed before heading back to his own dorm to go face Davey.

~~~
618 words