Newsies oneshots

Jomike // Stupid fire

Tw: phobias

"Stupid fire..." little 9 year old Ike
mumbled, hugging Mike tightly. They were living on the streets with no roof over their head. Mike was shaking and crying, unable to breathe, he was like that for a long time. Ike was scared because he didn't know what to do, it was dark and they were all alone. Mike was stuttering as he sobbed, "M-m-my chest h-h-hurts."
Ike looked at him, "Try and breath normally."
"I-I-I can't! Ike, why can't I breath?!" He sobbed as Ike tried to hush him, not knowing how to help. "I want my mom..." little Mike cries. They was a bomb fire near where they usually slept and they unfortunately passed it, Mike froze as everything came back to him. All Ike could do was hold him because there's was nothing else he could do.

Flashfoward to 12, the twins are new to the lodging house but everybody is friendly to them.
On night, Mike was getting ready for bed when he saw two older boys messing around with a box of matches, one lights one and lights a newspaper on fire. Mike screams, "STOP!" as he shuts his eyes and stops breathing normally. He covers his face as everyone stares at him as he sobs and cried.
That's when Ike walked in and tried to see what everyone was  looking at, when he saw it was his brother, he ran to him instantly. "Mike? Hey what's wrong?" He held Mike's shoulders.
"There's fire." Mike sniffled, "Someone is gonna get hurt." He said in-between breaths. Ike looks around and notices the small fire the boys have started and yells at them to put it out. Jack walks in, "The hell is going on?!"
Mike's ears are ringing, and his breathing is so heavy gets dizzy and faints. Ike catches him, "Jack- help-" Jack runs over quickly.
"What's wrong with him?" Ike asked. As Jack helped getting Mike up, "Lay him on the floor and lift his foot onto the bed, it's fine, he got alittle dizzy is all."
Ike nodded and did just that, after a few seconds, Mike woke up, Ike embraced him relieved. Jack asked him,  "You guys good?"
Ike nodded holding onto Mike as he slowly started gaining consciousness. Mike mumbled, "Stupid fire."
After that day Jack made a rule of no matches or lighters in the lodging house.

Now he's 16. It was late at night and everyone at the lodging house was asleep. Mike was in his Jojos bed, snuggling him close. He wasn't asleep just yet, he liked to stay awake alittle longer at night just to hold Jojo and kiss him as he slept. Reminded him how adorable he was. About Mike's phobia, he's told Jojo about it, alittle casually because even speaking about it can scare him, but Jojo is extremely understanding. So far, Mike hasn't lost his cool infront of Jojo, and he's happy about it. Even though it's something he can't control its something he's incredibly insecure about, he has had people use his fear against him. Like once a bully on the street threatened to set fire to his bed while he was asleep, Mike was so scared he didn't sleep for days.
But Jojo was different, when he told Jojo about his fear, he didn't tease him or laugh at him, he kindly took his hand and said, "Thank you for telling me."
And eventhough by then Mike knew he was in love, that settled it for him that he Jojo was truly the guy on his dreams. And now he was in his arms, asleep peacefully.
That night, they heard sirens echo through new York, which wasn't new. Unfortunately many, like Race and Mike, can't seem to sleep through sirens, they are loud and keep them awake. But tonight, they were particularly louder and seemed closer. Before Mike could analyse that, he heared Race call out, "The sirens are outside!" He jumped out of his top bunk and and went over to Jacks bed that's near a window. Jack woke up and looked out the window, "Holy crap."

Mike stayed in bed cause he was too tired to deal with whatever was going on. But one by one, newsies woke up and looked put the windows, mumbling to eachother, Mike couldn't hear them but the lighting in the room changed from a dark blue to a bright orange. Mike finally got up to check what all the commotion was about. When he got alittle closer he heard someone mumble ever so quietly 'fire'. And he stopped and froze before he managed to see out the window his worse terror. Flames.
The building next door had caught fire and was in flames. That was why the sirens were so loud. Instantly, Mike started to panic, he breathed heavily, he was sweaty and dizzy but couldn't get his eyes off the fire. He was so scared. Flashbacks from being 8 years old came back to him, watching as his house fall apart, being trapped in the basement as he heard his mom screaming before he never heard her voice again. Tears fell down his face as he slowly mumbled to to himself,  "No...no...no...no..." over and over again.
That's when Ike woke up and went to check on all the commotion, when he saw what it was, he grimaced at the sight because he isn't a big fan of fire either, so he just turned away but saw Mike and ran to him, "Mike-"
But it was too late, Mike started hyperventilating and crying, "It's burning! The building is burning, we're gonna die!" He yelled. Everyone turned around, and Jojo woke up.
"Hey-Hey-Hey, calm down, it's ok, no-one gonna get hurt, its just a little fire, they're putting it out." Ike comforted.
Jojo got up and went to Mike, "Hey, is everything OK?" He placed his hand on Mike's shoulders, Mike flinched but turned and when he saw who it was he cried even more, "I can't..."
"You can't what, sweetie?" Jojo asked gently, turning him to face him but not the fire.
"I can't deal with the Fire, it's too many flames-" Mike sobbed, melting into Jojo, his voice felt so comforting but he was so scared.
"You wanna sit down, I can tell you're getting alittle dizzy." Jojo offered, Ike was alittle relieved to know Jojo was taking control of the situation because he usually doesn't know how to deal with this kind of thing. Mike nodded to Jojos request and they gently took Mike to Jojos bed and sat him down, Jojo sitting infront of him holding his hand. "Mike, how do you feel darling?" Jojo asked
"My chest hurts... breathing is so hard I feel like I'm gonna faint."
Jojo and Ike were alarmed by that comment, but Jojo kept his cool, "You feel like your gonna faint?"
Mike had to think for abit, but he knew it was gonna happen so he just nodded. Jojo nodded calmly, "Ok, Ike is it OK if you get him some water?" Jojo asked Ike. Ike nodded and left to get him a glass. Jojo turned back to Mike, who's whole body went limb before he passed out, Jojo gently helping him fall down onto the bed, laying him down, "There, there..." He whispered, combing through his hair. When Ike came back, he asked, "Did he pass out?"
Jojo nodded, looking at Mike, "He needs fresh air but there's no way we can get him outside."
Ike nodded, that's when Mike woke back up, and looked at Jojo, before looking back at the windows and seeing the orange light. Instantly, his breathing quickened again as he gained consciousness and remembered everything. Jojo put his hand on his boyfriends chest and instructed, "Hey, Mike, look at me."
Mike did, terrified still. Jojo then moved his hand slowly up and down his chest, "Focus on your breathing, nothing else, follow my hand." Mike did that, and followed Jojos lead to regulate his breathing. "You're doing so good." Jojo smiled. Mike finally regulated, "When will the fire stop?"
"I'm not sure, but we can try and sleep to wait it out, its far enough so it won't reach the lodging house."
"I won't sleep... I can't..." Mike teared up,
"That's ok," Jojo comforted, "You wanna just lay down then, I'll hold you tight and not let anything hurt you, I promise."
Mike smiled and nodded. Jojo kissed his forehead and looked at Ike to signalise he was fine. Ike smiled and nodded before going back to his bed.

Before falling falling asleep, Jojo made Mike drink water, the whole cup. "I would have preferred juice." Mike mumbled jokingly.
Jojo laughed alittle, "Sorry, alittle too late to be having juice."
"Give me a break, I just had a panic attack."
"I'll get you juice tommorow."
"What kind?"
"Apple." Jojo shrugged, glad Mike was back to his jokey self.
"Hm, I prefer grape."
"Grape juice then, but right now, I want you to lay down and get some rest." Jojo said, putting the cup down, Mike nodded before they lay down. "How did you know what to do?" Mike asked, "About my phobia, I mean."
"I used to be very anxious, and have very similar attacks, especially when thinking about hell and religion and all that... but you know what helped me?"
"What?" Mike asked curious,
"You... you made all that go away... I haven't had an attack since."
Mike smiled, "Well, I think you're helping me with my fear, I've never been so close to such a big fire so relaxed, I admit, it's scary but you promised to protect me."
Jojo kissed him, "I'm glad."
They heard another war of flames and Mike pulled Jojo closer, keeping his eyes shut, "Stupid fire." Jojo said, tiredly.
"Stupid fire..." Mike repeated, alittle unsure but it was true, with his boyfriend he felt protected and no matter how big, it was just a stupid fire.