There's a Story Behind the Story || Newsies

Chapter 39 - If I Try, I Know it Would Feel Like Infinity

- Chapter 39 - That's the time it would take to fix my heart (thankfully, Mateo has the glue) -
Warnings: mentions of Juliet being a sparkle-dulling jerk, badly-timed fights, crying, frustration, rudeness, homophobia
A/N, if that's not me I don't know what is ^ Spotify keeps calling me out.
Third Person POV

"Hey, hey, Eli," someone sat down in front of him, sounding concerned.

Eliasz shook his head, trying to will the tears away. He felt himself shaking, but he didn't know why.

He didn't know why he/his body was reacting this way.

He'd heard rude comments before. He'd been told he'd never make it.

Eliasz gritted his teeth as tears streamed down his face.

Out of nowhere, he felt familiar arms wrap around him.

"Eliasz, it's Kennedy," a soft voice whispered to him.

Kennedy... the arms are Kennedy's, Eliasz realized.

Eliasz slowly calmed down in her arms and eventually stopped fighting her.

Ben sat in front of him, frowning. "Eli, are you okay?" he whispered, gently lifting his boyfriend's chin. "What happened?"

"If I may," Mason started slowly.

Kennedy and Ben looked up at him.

"Juliet just stomped off," Mason informed them hesitantly.

Ben frowned. "I wonder what happened," he mumbled.

Kennedy scowled, knowing Juliet's track record with saying rude things.

Ben looked at her, a bit confused by the scowl on her face.

"Don't listen to her, Eli," Kennedy whispered to him, gently rocking him back and forth.

Eliasz seemed to snap back. "I-" he opened his mouth, still clearly shaken by whatever happened, "-I need to go outside for- for like- some time," he mumbled, trying to get up.

Kennedy nodded. "Okay, let's go outside," she responded softly, staying calm for him. She helped him stand up.

Eliasz turned to start walking outside when he heard a beep in his ear, the beep that informed him that his hearing aid was going to die within the next ten minutes.

Juliet's words popped back into his mind.

"You're deaf. No real, professional theatre is going to hire you if you can't hear them."

Tears instantly welled up in Eliasz's eyes again and he started shaking again. He gritted his teeth to try and stop himself from breaking, but decided to just hug Ben instead.

Ben was slightly shocked by the hug as he wasn't expecting it. He was even more shocked and concerned when Eliasz started crying again.

Kennedy quickly opened the door and ushered Ben outside. She knew Eliasz hated people seeing him cry and being concerned about him, so some privacy and fresh air would help and then they could figure out what happened.

Ben guided Eliasz to the door, trying to comfort him and walk at the same time.

Mason watched them with a frown as they left.

Then, he heard a ding.

Thinking it was his phone, Mason looked at the place where he and Eliasz put their phones.

It wasn't his phone.

It was a notification/reminder from Eliasz's phone to change the batteries on his hearing aid.