It's been so long since I posted anything, wow! Sorry! But I'm updating this now, and I'm working on a high school AU that I'll hopefully be able to publish soon.
Requested by Sasukeandciel (Wattpad won't let me tag you for some reason, sorry!)
Jack frowned as he looked up from his drawing and over at Crutchie, who was sitting a little way away from him on the roof, just staring straight ahead. They had gotten him out of the refuge the day before, and he hadn't really been acting like himself. The other boys were busy celebrating their strike win and didn't notice their friend's behavior, but Jack did. He had barely said two words all day, and his seemingly permanent smile had disappeared.
"Crutchie? You okay?" Jack called softly over to his friend, whose only response was to shake his head so slightly that Jack would've missed it if he hadn't been watching closely. "What's wrong?" He asked, getting up and walking over to sit closer to the other boy. Crutchie just shook his head again, and Jack sighed. "C'mon, Crutch, tell me."
"The refuge." Crutchie began softly, and Jack looked at him. "It was... it was awful, Jack. Most of the kids in there were younger than me, but they'd already seen and felt more hurt than I ever had." He finally met Jack's gaze. "I just... I didn't know how bad the stuff going on in there was. "Snyder..." Jack flinched slightly at the name of that man. "He would beat almost all those boys every day, for even the smallest mistakes. Including me."
"Yeah but Crutchie, that place is closed now, and Snyder's behind bars." Jack said, gently putting an arm around the younger boy's shoulders.
"He ain't gonna stay there though." Crutchie said, his voice growing softer again. "He ain't gonna be in there for the rest of his life, and who's to say he won't open the refuge up again, start throwing kids back in there?"
"I'm not gonna let you or any of the other boys go back in there if that happens." Jack tried to reassure him, but Crutchie shook his head.
"But what about you, Jack? Or any of the other kids on the street in this city? Nobody should have to be in there." Jack was a little surprised at everything Crutchie was telling him. He had always been the most optimistic of all the boys, and now here he was thinking about the worst things that could possibly happen. Well, if Crutchie was going to be a pessimist, then Jack would just have to be an optimist.
"That stuff might happen, Crutchie, but we don't know if it will or not. Chances are it won't." Jack looked at Crutchie. "And you know what'll happen if the Refuge opens back up?" Crutchie shook his head.
"No." He mumbled. "What'll happen?"
"We're gonna shut it down all over again." Jack answered him, grinning. Crutchie offered him a small smile.
"Yeah. Yeah, I guess you're right."
"Of course I am." The two sat in silence for a while, before the younger boy spoke up again, looking up.
"Hey, Jack?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry for acting so... weird. The Refuge just really got to me."
"It's fine. I get it." Jack shook his head. "When I got outta that place the first time, I didn't talk to anyone for almost a month." He assured him, and Crutchie let out a breath.
"Thanks, Jack."
"You're welcome, Crutchie."
