Newsies oneshots

Tombarn // Why are goodbyes so hard?

The newsies come home from the train station. Tommy held onto Barney's gift as he tried his best not to cry. He already missed him so much and he didn't know how he was going to accept the fact he was never going to see him again.
"Now that's one bed free," Henry said. Jack nodded and got Barney's pillow and blanket to store them away. Tommy sat on his bed, already hurting from seeing them take down Barney's bed. He held the bear close to his chest. Jojo noticed he looked upset and sat beside him, "How are you feeling?"
Tommy looked at him, "Awful."
Jojo placed a hand on his shoulder, "It's a little upsetting that they are already putting his stuff away, isn't it?"
Tommy teared up and nodded, "It just feels so strange."
"I know." Jojo hugged him and Tommy finally allowed himself to break down and cry.
"Maybe I'll see him later..." Tommy hiccupped, "He might come back..."
Jojo sighed sympathetically, "Tommy, he's gone, you're going to have to accept that he isn't coming back."
Tommy clung onto the bear tighter, "It can't be over... not just yet..."
"I'm sorry..." Jojo just looked at him. But Tommy refused to accept it was over. But that was the last time Tommy spoke to anyone for a while.

Tommy would not talk for the next week and he shut everyone out. He was hurt and frustrated. For once he's had a good thing in his life and it was taken away and lost. He's never had parents or a home and he's never asked for any of it, but for once he dares to open up and show love it's ripped away from him like his heart from his chest. He missed Barney so much. "Tommy, you wanna play a card game with us?" Blink offered kindly, noticing he looked alone as Tommy was the only one not joining in, he was just laying on his bed facing the wall.
"Go away, please," Tommy mumbled.
Blink frowned, "You know, the please was polite, but the rest wasn't, want to tell me that again?"
"I don't want to play a fucking card game."
Blink crossed his arms, "'No thank you, Blink.' Is all you need to say."
Tommy sat up and stared at him angrily, but Blink can stare back at him, equally as intimidating. "Leave. Me. Alone." Tommy said, out of character.
"Not until you stop being so fucking rude. Acting like this I think Barney dodged a bullet."
Jojo and Henry overheard and were a little worried.
Tommy teared up and loudly stated, "No he didn't, he loved me!"
"Yeh, only because you were acting all cute and shy, now that he's gone, you're nothing but a baby who can't handle his feelings."
Tommy had enough, he stood up and pushed Blink as a warning, "I told you to leave me alone!" Instantly, Mush ran to Blink's defence, "Woah- Tommy calm down."
Jojo and Henry looked at each other before standing up to break it up, Jojo pulled Tommy away to comfort him and Henry stayed to ground the other two, "Blink, there was no reason to provoke him, especially bringing up Barney."
Blink frowned, "I was trying to be kind and he crossed me."
Mush shrugged, "All I saw was him pushing Blink."
Henry sighed, "Blink, keep diva mode on a mild next time." And left to check on Tommy.
"Are you OK?" Henry asked softly.
Tommy was hyperventilating, and Jojo was trying desperately to calm him down, "Hey, its OK- Tommy, no need to get upset-"
"He's right- Barney dodged a bullet- I'm hopeless."
"You're just going through a rough patch right now, it's ok." Henry helped Jojo sit him down on the floor. "I just wish he was here."

2 Weeks later, Barney is in his parent's trailer, laying in bed reading the news. "Barney, come here, we have something for you." His mom called out.
"Coming." He smiled and went to the common space area near the kitchen, where his mom was making soup. "Mom, did you finally get me my own make-up set?"
His mom looked at him and sarcastically said, "Hi, Barney."
Barney realised he was being a bit rude and said, "Oh sorry, hi mom... Did you finally get me my own make-up set?"
His mom laughed, "No, pumpkin, and you know we can't get you some because the paint irritates your skin. It's a gift from your auntie."
"No, thank you." Barney turned back around.
"Hey- not so fast, it's a newspaper from New York, the Sun? And I think you're buddies made it onto the news."
Barney did a 360 and got the newspaper from the counter, and saw on the front page: "Newsies Stop The World" and squealed in excitement to see his friends.
"Oh my gosh-" he read a little more and gasped, "The big men raised the prices! They are going on strike!"
"Oh wow, you should be proud of your friends, pumpkin."
Barney nodded as he looked at his friends in the picture and then his eyes landed on Tommy instantly, he was awed at his cute face, "Mom, mom, mom-"
"What?"
"Look-" He pointed at Tommy, "You see him."
"Yes."
"You see him, Mom?"
"Yes, Barney, I see him."
"That's my sweetheart, Tommy."
"That's lovely, pumpkin."
"He's cute, isn't he?" Barney grinned, "Mom, mom, mom-"
"What?"
"Do we have scissors?"
"Uh-" His mom looked in cabinets and found a pair and gave it to Barney.
"Thanks, Mom," Barney started cutting out Tommy from the picture, "Mom, are you shocked I like boys?"
"Oh, yes, Barney, such a shock." His mom said sarcastically.
Barney looked at her and smiled, he then left for his room. There he took Tommy's picture and stuck it in his journal, and started scribbling little messages around it. He was so happy to see Tommy's face, but, deep down was very scared for him.