A Newsies Fanfiction Collection

New Year's Promise

Prompt: A Newsies fanfiction: December 31st, 1899. As usual during a big milestone new year, everyone is going crazy worrying about the world ending. While Jack doesn't believe in any of that, he decides to treat this night like it's his last and tell his best friend how he feels.

The year was 1899; the place was New York City. While this might have seemed like an average day in the bustling city for anyone who was not used to the way the way the city functioned, this was not exactly true. Everyone had spent the entire day running around like chickens with their heads cut off, wondering if the world was truly going to end on this New Year’s Eve. While Jack Kelly was never really one to buy into these superstitions, there was a part of him that was worried that the words held some truth within them.

Jack was almost relieved when David asked if he would come welcome in the New Year with his family. Although, there was that other part of him that began to wonder why he was so pleased with the way things were turning out. The truth in the matter was the fact that over the seasons, his feelings towards the other boy had blossomed like the flowers in Central Park. Of course, this was nothing he would ever admit aloud to the other newsboy. Yet, there Jack stood on the fire escape—battling the two parts of himself.

‘It might be your last night on this crummy earth and you’re not even going to bother telling him?’

‘Stop being such a sap! This is not your last night. You’re just gonna make yourself look like a fool.’

“Are you enjoying the night?”

His mental conflict was interrupted as he heard a male voice from behind, his cheeks automatically flushing. This was a normal occurrence whenever he heard the other boy utter a single word, but usually he was better at hiding it.

The boy finally managed to the courage to speak up, turning his head to the side. “Yeah, it’s real nice. Thanks for letting me come over t’night.”

“I can’t believe how much has changed over this time.” Davey mused, slowly crossing the metal platform to lean over the side beside Jack.

In this moment, Jack didn’t even have the strength to make a reply—he wanted to just enjoy the moment in the silence next to Davey. He stared down at his rough hands that were clasped together, the scent of ink permanently lingering upon them.

“It’s almost midnight,”

This realization captured Jack’s attention once more, his gaze flittering back towards the other boy. He freed his hands and in an instant he took the other boy’s hand into his, smiling softly as he stared down at them. While Jack expected the boy to quickly retract his hand in disgust, Davey simply flashed him a bright smile. He slowly began to trace shapes onto the boy’s palm, gathering his thoughts together.

“Davey, I just wanna let you know ‘m glad that I showed you the ropes. You’re a first rate kid. I also wanted to let you know that I really care about you, okay?”

While Davey usually knew exactly what to say in every situation, his mouth fell open at this point—his lips were forming the words and yet he didn’t dare make a sound at this point. There was a look of confusion plastered upon his face, trying to comprehend exactly what Jack was trying to get at in this moment.

Jack took note of the other boy’s confusion, taking in a deep breath. “Seize the day, right?” With these words, he found himself leaning in and gently taking the other boy’s face into his hands. This was the first time the boy had ever been careful with anything in his entire life. In a moment, their lips were touching. It took a few moments of just touching before their lips to both start moving rhythmically against each other’s. This moment ended just as quickly as it began, Davey pulling away and shooting Jack a hardened glare of pure skepticism. Before the boy could even open his mouth to speak, Jack lowered his hands and grabbed the boy’s suspenders—pulling him close once more. Their lips met once again and yet this time the kiss was more passionate and desperate than the first.

It isn’t long before their hands both start to wander and their tongues are entangled together. Both of the boys were so caught up in the heat of the moment that they didn’t even hear the echo of celebration through the streets. As the clock chimed loudly, it signaled that the world had not ended on this New Year’s Eve. The year was now 1900 and the King of the Newsies was stuck with the consequences of his choices this night.

Jack slowly pulled away, his chest heaving up and down in an effort to catch his breath. As he lowered his eyes down to the street below, he noticed the groups of people running around and celebrating. There was a silence that fell between the two with a tension that cut like a knife.

“W-Well, uh, I should be goin’.” Jack stammered, slowly turning towards the door.

“You could stay the night if you wanted.”

Jack quickly shook his head, biting his lower lip in a sheepish manner. “Nah, going home is fine by me.”

While the two boys would usually share a handshake or a mutual nod of their heads, this did not seem to be the right moment for such gestures.

“Is that it?” Davey questioned, feeling as if this all had been some form of a joke.

“It’s our secret, think of it that way.”

There was another pause that sent Jack’s heart racing against his chest, making him feel as if he was going to throw up right then and there just from the nerves. In fact, there wasn’t a moment in his life where he had ever been this nervous. Fucking Davey was the only one who could ever make him feel this way. It was that damn cliché of the butterflies in his stomach, churning over and over.

“I’ll see you at the circulation tomorrow, bright and early.”

This was the last words uttered from Jack as he made his exit, mentally scolding himself. It was a new year and he had already managed to fuck something up. He closed his eyes for a moment as he reached the street, taking in a deep breath. There was a part of him that wanted to turn back around and go back up to explain everything to Davey, but he figured that in case—things were better left unsaid. His actions had managed to express how he truly felt and that was enough for him.

It was their secret now.