Newsies oneshots

Redfinch // Feathers

(Adhd post that focus' more on Albert and since I like to make my posts educational, this also mentions stimming, however, I don't think that term was invented yet, and adhd wasn't invented until 1902, so they are just called 'fidgets'. Finch prefers tactile stimming (using feathers in this or his slingshot) and Albert prefers mental stims, like counting, analysing, ect)

"You seriously can't be annoyed I'm selling with someone else for one day." Race laughed. Albert stared at him, why on earth was he laughing? They always sell together and now he wants to sell with Spot, he's practically rejecting his best friend. Race hates him. That's it, Race doesn't want anything to do with Albert. He's moving to Brooklyn forever and abandoning Albert forever. That's what's going to happen. "You know what? Fine, go. I'm used to you choosing your dumbass boyfriend over me..." Albert mumbled, passive-aggressively.
Race gasped, and he was going to argue but he wasn't bothered to, he just shrugged and said, "Thanks." And left. That made Albert's heart skip a beat. He hated feeling rejected. But he didn't want to cry. His mind was fuzzy and he kept thinking, Race hates him, he's losing his best friend, he's going to go around and make everyone hate him. He just froze in place staring into nothing, standing next to his bed, unable to finish making his bed like before. He counted his fingers with his thumb, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20....45 46...72 73...  He was about to count to 100 when he was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder, "Hey, baby, you ready to go?"
Albert snapped out of it, "Wait- now?"
"Yeah- it's 7:15-"
Albert's eyes widened in shock, "No it isn't... oh god... no I'm not ready to leave, I swear it was 7:00 a second ago." He sat on his bed and held his head in his hands.
"No, I swear it was 7:00 fifteen minutes ago." Finch chuckled and sat beside him, rubbing his back.
"Don't laugh at me," Albert mumbled.
"I'm not laughing at you baby, it's ok. Do you not feel ready to sell?"
"I don't feel ready to do anything."
"Is your mind racing again?"
Albert nodded, "Race said he's replacing me with his boyfriend."
Finch laughed, "I doubt he said that-"
"He did!" Albert protested.
"Those exact words?" Finch raised an eyebrow.
"Well...no but-"
"Then what did he really say?"
"...that he wanted to sell in Brooklyn for today..."
"Just for today. He's not abandoning you or replacing you, Albie, he just wants to spend some time with his boyfriend. You see me every day, but you'd understood if I lived somewhere else like Spot does."
"No, I wouldn't. You don't understand me either... who's your closest friend in the lodging house?"
"Uh..." Finch thought for a second, "You I guess-"
"What?!"
"Yeah, you're my closest friend here."
"No- Finch, I'm your boyfriend, I don't count, also that's very sad."
"Is it really sad my boyfriend is also my best friend?"
"Yes! Baby- don't ever say that ever again. Now seriously, who's your closest friend here?"
"Probably Mush 'cause I knew him the longest and we always sell together."
"Ok, what if he left you to hang out with Blink."
"I'd hang out with the twins, I guess."
"Ok, and they left too, then you would feel abandoned."
"No, 'cause I'd have you to hang out  with." Finch smiled. Albert frowned at him, though Finch was adorable, he was also very annoying. But he couldn't help but smile at his boyfriend's goofiness as he cupped Finch's face and softly kissed him, "I love you." He said. "Love you too, baby." Finch said against Albert's lips.
"I really can't deal with my mind racing today, can we take a day off selling."
Finch grinned and nodded, "Yes please, I cannot be bothered with selling today."
Albert laughed and took Finch's hand.

Later on that day, they were alone, Albert was trying to clear his mind by reading as Finch held him in his arms playing with his hair. "You feeling better?" Finch asked kindly.
"Hold on. Let me finish this page."
Albert mumbled.
Finch frowned, "Ok..."
A few seconds later Albert put his book down and sat up sto straddle Finch's legs, "What's up?"
"I just asked if you were feeling better."
"Oh, um, I'm alright, I think I'll feel better once Race comes home."
"Why did you not answer when I asked you?"
"Sorry, I just don't like getting distracted when I read... I wasn't trying to be rude or anything..."
Finch sat up and held his boyfriends waist, he teasingly cooed, "Aw, you weren't being rude, it's fine."
"Oh shut up," Albert frowned and pushed him away, "go away-"
"Why?" Finch laughed,
"I can't deal with that stupid face your making."
"I'm not making a face, baby."
"Yes you are-"
"That's just my face!"
"Get rid of it! It's stupid!"
Finch laughed so hard he fell backwards onto the bed. Albert tried his best not to laugh with him, "Shut up- don't laugh at me!" He grabbed a pillow and smacked Finch's face with it. But Finch wouldn't stop laughing. Albert just kept hitting Finch with the pillow but Finch would not budge and kept laughing. He eventually sat up and grabbed a pillow from his own bed beside them and started hitting Albert back, until they both got up and started a pillow fight.
They chased eachother around the bed, before kneeling on the bed ant continuing the attack. But Albert soon realised Finch was a little bit too hyper, he was very jittery and kept biting his bottom lip which is a habit he has when he's disassociating. As he kept laughing, Albert slowed down his attacks hoping to not overwhelm him. But Finch didn't care, Albert started this fight, he was going to finish it. Albert grabbed Finch's pillow hoping to stop him to can take a breather. But Finch pulled it away and smacked Albert so hard the pillow ripped and feathers flew everywhere. At first they both paused and gasped, they were going to be in so much trouble. But then they started laughing. "Finch!" Albert gasped, "There's feathers everywhere!"
Finch laughed so hard he fell onto the bed, Albert noted he still hasn't calmed down. But Albert smiled at his cute boyfriend and straddled his waist, and rubbed his hand on his chest, "Calm down."
But Finch kept going, feeling the soft feathers below him and falling on his face, and feeling Albert brush them off. But Albert had enough of Finch's sillyness, so he took a feather and ran it around Finch's ears and neck, knowing how ticklish Finch is. Finch's laughter slowed down a little as he laughed more softly, "Stop-" He was trying to protect himself, but Albert just tickled the other ear when Finch tried to cover the other one, and glided the feather along his neck.
"This is what you get!" Albert laughed wickedly. But honestly, these are the moments Albert loves with Finch, he's being sweet and adorable instead of teasing him, it's a change of character for both of them when Albert is usually stubborn and walk away when Finch is like this, but he felt like this was a better strategy to calm him down, to embrace his sillyness. Eventually, Finch covered both his ears with his hands, and calmed his laughing down. Albert stopped and put the feather down.
"Look what you did." Albert scolded him, playfully, throwing some feathers off the bed.
"Your the one who started it." Finch said, clearly still agitated.
"Take deep breaths," Albert said, placing his hand on Finch's chest,"I know I started it, but, you got a little carried away."
"Yeah I guess... wheres my slingshot?"
Albert looked around and grabbed Finch's slingshot from next to the bed and climbed off him. Finch took his slingshot and held onto it tightly and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself after that rush.
Albert looked at him. He found himself relating to Finch at times, the fidgeting, zoning out, losing focus, his tendency to be a little too energetic. But Albert is also emotional, sensitive, and likes to just lay still and focus on his book. If there's nothing to focus on, then he tends to be a little silly, especially with Finch matching his energy. He remembers the time Finch told him, "Sometimes, its like my brain just goes... "BZZZZ" like there's a huge rush of thought." And Albert finally felt like someone understood, but when Finch has a huge rush of though, he can't stay still, he gets all ansty, while when Albert has a huge rush of thought, he just zones out and stares off into nothing and let's his brain go wild, sometimes he does it for so long he loses track of time. Like he was doing now, just staring at Finch while he was fidgeting. But Albert quickly snapped out of it, "You want to read a little with me? Clear your mind?"
Finch looked at him, "Shouldn't we clean up all the feathers."
"I feel like if we do it now, we'll get distracted and get nothing done, let's wait a bit."
Finch smiled and nodded as Albert lay down in his arms and grabbed his book and they both started reading. Feathers covering them.

That evening, everyone arrived back to the lodging house and everyone gasped at the huge mess Albert and Finch made. The two were buried in the white feathers.
"What did you two do?" Henry asked, sternly and in shock.
Albert was scared he was in trouble but Finch just threw some feathers in the air, "ITS SNOWING!" He laughed, Albert laughing with him.
"Clean it up. Now." Jack said.
"No." Albert said, changing his demeanor, he doesn't like being told what to do by anyone.
But Finch didn't feel like arguing so he took Albert's hand, "I'll clean it up tommorow." He promised.
When everyone left, Finch kissed Albert's cheek, "You wanna play a card game or go outside for a walk?"
"No, Finch, I'm exhausted I want to sleep." Albert yawned.
Finch nodded, "Ok." He stood up headed to take a shower while Albert went to the sinks to brush his teeth.

When they came back, Finch smiled and asked, "Would you rather sleep on my bed or the big pile of feathers?"
"On your bed." Albert said instantly. Finch chuckled and went to his bed and lay down, letting Albert lay down in his arms.
"How are you feeling?" Finch asked. Albert got comfortable and answered, "Much better." And closed his eyes. Ready to go to sleep.

Around midnight, Albert was woken up by some movement. He groaned, tiredly and looked up to find Finch still awake, messing around with his slingshot. Albert sat up, "Finch, what the fuck?"
Finch looked at him and whispered, "Oh, hi, Albert. Hope I didn't wake you up-"
"You did- why aren't you asleep?"
"I can't sleep..." Finch mumbled, going back to his slingshot. Albert took it from him and put it on the floor beside him, "Why can't you sleep?"
"It's hard to fall asleep when your mind won't shut off."
Albert understood that feeling, "Can you atleast try?"
"I have, but I keep getting distracted with random things... you have 452 freckles but the way."
Albert sighed, "Lay down." He looked around to see if anybody was awake when he saw his bed covered with feathers and he got an idea. He grabbed one and instantly, Finch pushed him away, "No- don't-" He nervously laughed.
Albert laughed with him, "Lay down Finch, I'm not gonna tickle you, I want to show you something."
Finch frowned but lay down. Albie lay down with him and brought the feather to his arm, but before he could even touch him, Finch pushed him away, "I knew it!"
"Shhh-" Albert tried his best not to laugh, "I didn't even touch you."
He led sceptical Finch closer and lay him down. He then brought the feather to Finchs hand and traced circles on the palm of his hand. Finch instantly melted into the soft sensation, feeling a sense of comfort and relaxation. It wasn't ticklish at all. "My mom used to trace feathers on the palm of my hand when I felt overwhelmed, it also helped me fall asleep and clear my mind." Albert said. Finch smiled at Albert, feeling cared for as he found his eyelids getting heavy so he closed them, focusing on his breathing and the feather Albert traced up his arm, around his cheeks, and carefully around the helix of his ears, careful to not tickle him too much.
Finch pulled himself onto his boyfriends chest. Albert smiled and put the feather down and continued to trace around the helix of Finch's ear with his finger. Feeling a sense if accomplishment when he felt Finch slowly fall asleep.