Seize The Day [Roceit/Newsies AU]

Chapter 4 - The Commander

Janus had been pacing around his office for the past half hour, typewriter untouched. He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Come on," he muttered to himself, stopping and staring at the blank page before walking out of the room.

He went down to the library and archives, biting his lip as titles flashed by his eyes. Something he'd said to the boys earlier had stuck with him. And seeing as he had no other inspiration - there.

He grabbed a bible from the shelf, scanning through it until he found what he was looking for. David and Goliath. "It's a lovely day for a metaphor," he said to himself with a smile before replacing the book and going back to his office.

In the loosest sense of the word. It was really just a moderately large closet, big enough for him to stand in with a desk and typewriter in one corner, and a blackboard nailed to the other.

He started making notes on the board, chalk scraping against the wall as he tried to move his hand as fast as his mind was going. Stepping back to admire his work - which was really more of a lean due to the space issue - he sat down and began typing, working well into the night.

~

Roman squinted against the sun, frowning at the board. It still announced the price shift,having the audacity to tease them with it for another day.

He heard some footsteps running up to him and turned just in time to catch Patton, swinging him around and setting him on a nearby crate so they were the same height. "Good morning, Sir Pat."

He giggled and bowed as Virgil strolled up, hands in his pockets. "Prince Roman."

"Any news yet?" Virgil asked, raising his eyebrows.

Roman shook his head. "Nope. Soon, though."

"I'm sure the other newsies will support us, right?" Patton said eagerly.

"Sure," Remus said. Roman didn't answer, too nervous and unwilling to lie to the poor kid.

"Roman!" someone yelled, sprinting up to them. He glanced around. "Are we the first back?"

He nodded. "What'd they say?"

"Woodside's in," they said, and Virgil breathed a sigh of relief. "...As long as Brooklynn is, too."

The other groups of boys returned, giving the same verdict. It all depended on Remy Conlon. 

Finally, Thomas returned, a troubled look on his face. No one needed to ask what had happened.

The newsboys of Lower Manhattan were alone.

The boys started talking, their usual excitement and upbeat attitude gone. "What are we gonna do, Ro?" Thomas asked.

Roman shrugged, silent for once.

Virgil pulled him off to the side. "We- We can't just give up, Roman," he tried, but his friend just shook his head. 

"Remy's the big guy," he said. "If he said no..."

"He said he's in, but only once we prove we're not gonna just pull out at the first sign of trouble," Thomas clarified.

Roman pointed to him and turned away.

"Aren't we?" someone called from the crowd.

"Maybe we could just deal with it," another said.

Virgil hesitated for a while before Patton grabbed his hand. "Come on, Virgil," he pleaded, pulling him onto the box. He looked out at the sea of dejected faces, Roman among them. "We can't just give up."

Virgil opened his mouth, unsure of what to say for a second or two.

He locked eyes with Roman.

Then, tentatively, began to speak.

"Uh..." He swallowed. "Guys, I..."

Patton squeezed his hand as he continued.

"Look, I get that Remy's a key player. And I know that you all feel like you're alone right now," he muttered. "But look around you. We've got each other." 

He paused, trying to find Roman again. He found him after a second, a small smile on his face.

Encouraged, he kept going. "Do you know what they want you to think?" he said, voice rising. "They think you're nothing. They- they want you to think that you have no power. That you're lesser. Because of- of what," he said, laughing incredulously that he was actually standing here, making a speech about the power of friendship. But that's just what we was doing. "Because you all had the misfortune of not being handed life on a silver platter?"

A few select boys gave him a cheer or two, but the rest stayed silent. Until Roan walked through the crowd, joining him on the box.

"It's not a crime to be poor," he echoed. "So are you going to let him rub it in our faces?" he shouted. "Or are we going to stand together and fight, because we know we can win?"

No one said anything.

Then, slowly, they all erupted into cheers.

Virgil, slightly embarrassed but completely reeling at what he'd just done, jumped off the box. Roman clasped his shoulder, having leaped after him, and the two shared a look as the others became their normal, cheery selves.

"I knew you had it in you, Virge," Roman smirked.

He shook his head. "Never make me do that again."

"Aw, come on, you did great," Patton said.

Virgil crossed his arms. "Lower your expectations. Now."

Roman just laughed, tousling his hair as the boys went inside the gate, ready to fight.