The Newsboy Strike of 1899

Santa Fe

No way, just hold on kid 'til that train meets Santa Fe...

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Manhattan was, to Crutchie, an okay city.

However, when it was early in the morning, and the city was silent, Crutchie believed that the city was beautiful.

Which is why he was awake before the sun, legs dangling off the side of the rooftop as he admired the streets and buildings that he knew so well.

"Crutchie?" Crutchie turned around, smiling at Jack, who was rubbing at his eyes, still half-asleep.

"Yeah, Jack?" Crutch replied, turning his gaze back to the slowly rising sun.

"Where ya goin'?" Jack mumbled, sitting up.

"Nowhere, just sittin'."

Crutchie listened at the hollow sounds of Jack's footsteps against the floor, and a few moments later Jack was sitting down next to him.

"Mornin'." Jack smiled, brown hair unkempt from sleep and unmasked from his normal hat. His teeth were bright and straight, something that Crutchie admired, and his smile seemed to stretch from one ear to the other.

Crutchie smiled back."Mornin'."

"So, you tryin' to beat all them other fellas to the papes?" Jack questioned, running a hand through his hair and looking out onto the city.

"Nah, just wanted to enjoy the quiet." Crutchie admitted, resting his chin on top of his hands.

Crutchie was suddenly pulled to his side, and he let out a shout of surprise. Jack laughed, ruffing up Crutchie's hair. Crutchie punched him in the chest."Don't do that again!"

Jack let out a long, deep, true laugh that had Crutchie's chest constricting. Crutchie grinned back at him, and Jack suddenly stopped laughing."You sure that's the reason?"

Crutchie shrugged."Well, I wanna get down to the streets before the other boys do. I ain't been walkin' that well, and I don't want them boys to see."

Jack chuckled, standing up and walking back to his makeshift bed."Aw, quit whinin'! Them boys won't see you and start fakin' a limp. They knows better."

"Yeah, sure they do." Crutchie grumbled."M'still leavin' early."

"Wait up!" Jack said, tugging on his shirt and tucking away his sketches from the previous night.

However, Jack wasn't fast enough, and the sound of panicked yelling met his ears within seconds. Jack turned on his heel, face dropping when he saw Crutchie. The shorter boy was danging off the ladder, arms wrapped tightly around the handle and a look of pure horror on his face.

"No!" Jack shouted, running towards his friend. He grabbed Crutchie's arms, pulling him back up.

Jack fell backwards, Crutchie sitting in his lap with Jack's arms tightly around his chest. Jack let out a sigh of relief, letting go of the boy and leaning back. Crutchie met Jack's eyes, and he gave the older boy a toothy smile. Jack glared at him.

"You wanna go and get your other leg all busted up?"

"No, I wanna go down."

"Yeah, well, don't do it again."

Crutchie just grinned, standing up and greatly accepting his crutch from Jack. The two simultaneously looked out at Manhattan, sun halfway up. Jack moved closer to the blond, wrapping an arm around him.

"Y'know, Manhattan is beautiful." Crutchie breathed out, face calm as his eyes scanned the dozens of buildings and rooftops.

Jack smiled."If you think this is beautiful, wait till you see Santa Fe!"

Crutchie smiled, shaking his head."Who says Ise ever gonna see Santa Fe?"

"Aw, c'mon! We's gonna go together."

"Since when?"

"Since I says so."

Crutchie laughed, moving towards the ladder."Sure, since you says so."

"Yeah! We's gonna go, and ride Palominos! You'll be ridin' in style."Jack pretended to be riding an invisible horse.

Crutchie giggled, making Jack's heart soar."Feature me, ridin' in style."

"Hey, I bet after a few months of clean air, you can toss that crutch for good!" Jack grinned, tossing an arm around the boy's shoulder.

Crutchie smiled, but let it fall after a moment."Are we goin' or not?"

Jack glared playfully at him, walking over to Crutchie and nudging him in the shoulder."You ready?"

Crutchie grinned."Since when am I not?"

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