Close Your Eyes, Come With Me

II

The other boys took Crutchie as one of their own from day one, and he fit right in. Didn't get much work done for a week or so as he healed up from the attack Jack had found him after, but once they managed to get him a crutch that leg didn't hold him back a bit. He worked just as hard as all the other guys, walking for hours and miles. In spite of the sarcasm, Jack truly was impressed with his strength and resilience. Sure he seemed to match pace with everyone else, but he had to work twice as hard to get there. To Jack, that's what made him superior. And he did it all without a word of complaint, contagious smile always plastered on his face.

"Hey, Jack!" Crutchie called from the ground. "Catch!"

Jack crawled over the edge of the ladder and reached down. Crutchie tossed his crutch up. It almost slipped out of Jack's hands and he lurched forward to catch it. Crutchie began the struggle up. Once he was within Jack's reach, he reached up his hand. Jack took it firmly and helped pull him up the last bit.

"How's business?" Crutchie asked,  slightly out of breath.

"Tsh, whattaya think?" Jack answered. He stood and walked to lean over the railing.

Crutchie hummed in reply. He sat on the edge of the ladder, feet dangling over, and counted his day's pay.  Jack looked over and watched him, frowning in concern when Crutchie frowned in frustration.  Crutchie looked into his bag and sighed. Jack could see he hadn't sold much, so he glanced back to the coins in Crutchie's hands and tried counting them from a distance. Jack was always fighting down urges to jump in and help. From the moment they'd met Jack knew Crutchie was determined to be independent. But Jack just couldn't help himself. That damn heart of his.

Jack let out a heavy sigh, taking out his own pay and pacing as he counted it. Each time he had his back to Crutchie, he hid a coin or two in a weird place in his clothes. Once he only had a little left in his hands, he made his way back to his spot from before, feigning stress by blowing out a breath slowly and running a hand through his hair.

"Somethin' wrong, Jack?" Crutchie asked.

"Didn't do so well today is all. And I was gettin' hungry," Jack looked down. "Guess I'll make it till tomorrow."

Crutchie pulled himself to his feet. "Here, take some a mine."

"Ah, no way. I couldn't do that."

"C'mon, Jack. No big deal. A guy's gotta eat," Crutchie offered his handful of coins with a smile.

"Here... Why don't we put yours an mine together and share somethin'. Feels like I'm robbin' you," Jack offered.

Crutchie was visibly relieved. "Yeah, sure! I got an appetite too anyways."

Jack took the coins from Crutchie's hands and counted up their total.  He started for the ladder and climbed down the first few feet. Crutchie scooted back towards the edge, crutch in hand. He lowered it to Jack, who took it and lowered it as far as he could before letting it fall. He then turned back to Crutchie. Crutchie pushed himself to the edge of the ladder and began climbing down backwards. Jack stayed a few steps below him, spotting him the whole time. Once they reached the bottom, Jack kicked his crutch over to him.

The two boys made their way down the street in search of some place to get something to eat. They talked and laughed loudly all the way, recounting the day's events and complaining about their hardships. Most all of the guys had good, strong bonds, like a group of misfit brothers, but these two had quickly become a unit. Something had just clicked. Jack was proud to claim Crutchie as his best friend, but he tried not to take no compliment from it. It was probably only because Jack was the first he'd talked to. Sooner or later, Crutchie would go on to stay with someone else. Happened all the time with every new guy Jack dragged in. But that was alright. Jack saw himself as a recruiter. His job was to get kids off the streets. He was lucky enough to have gotten out of that situation, so he wanted to help other guys out of it. Work was tough, but it was work. He looked at Crutchie as he recounted a story about a crazy old man who stopped him to talk for an hour. Everyone deserved some kind of chance, some kind of way to make his own life, bum leg or not.

"..I'm just tryin' ta get on with my day here! This guy didn't seem ta have nowhere ta be!" Crutchie ranted, gesturing in the air with his free hand  as he spoke.

Yeah. It happened with every new guy Jack dragged in. They all clung to Jack for a while 'till they got a feel of it. Then they made friends and started staying inside the lodge and left Jack up in his little penthouse alone. He'd never minded. But then again, he'd never seemed to connect so well with someone like he had with Crutchie.

"...Anways. Just think I coulda sold more had I not gotten so caught up. Sorry 'bout that," Crutchie's rambling came to an end.

"Whatcha sorry ta me for? It don't affect me none."

Crutchie rolled his eyes. "You was too busy daydreamin' again, huh? Guess ya didn't hear me."

Jack grinned. "Hey if some place I ain't ever seen keeps me more interested than the guy talkin' next ta me all I'm sayin' is maybe I ain't the problem."

Crutchie bumped him. "Aw, damn you. But what I said was I oughta be payin' ya back for all ya done for me so I gotta work harder so that when ya need things like this I gotta a little more to contribute."

"Crutchie, Crutchie, Crutchie. How many times do I gotta tell ya you don't owe me nothin'. I woulda helped just any old guy. It's nothin' to me. Just kinda what I do," Jack assured him. "Don'tcha worry 'bout it."

No reply came. The two boys walked a bit more in silence. It was a bit of a sudden change.  Just a second ago Crutchie had been full volume and now he was real concentrated on the ground. Jack looked away from him and shrugged to himself. That leg was probably hurting him again. He wasn't much for conversation when it started making itself known.

-

A painfully long and quiet evening passed.

Jack had made a good number of attempts for conversation, but to no avail. Crutchie just didn't seem much for talking. An energy buzzed in Jack as he craved the interaction, but he tried being considerate. Once they got close to home, he broke the silence.

"Hey. Ya alright?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, 'M just fine," Crutchie replied.

"For sure? Ya went awfully quiet on me today. Pain botherin' ya?" Jack pressed.

Crutchie hesitated. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, just a flare-up."

Suddenly Jack was unconvinced of his own previous assumption. Still, he hated to pry, so he let it go. Instead, he approached the ladder and started climbing up. He turned around once he'd reached the top. Crutchie tossed up his crutch and dragged himself up a few rungs. He stopped in the middle though, breathing heavy. Jack held his own breath, willing Crutchie with his mind. They made eye contact and Jack gave and encouraging smile. Crutchie smiled back through his wince and maintained the eye contact the rest of the way up. Once he was within arm's reach, Jack reached out both hands and practically dragged him up the rest of the way.

Crutchie was still smiling genuinely. "Hey, thanks, Jackie," he paused and blinked, and a blank expression fell over his face. "Guess I got no business thankin' you."

Jack's brow knitted. "Eh?"

Crutchie dragged his crutch over and scooted to his normal resting spot. "Ya know. It's just ya thing. It don't matter at all or nothing."

Jack was entirely confused. "'Course it matters.  What are ya talkin' about?"

Crutchie laid with his back to Jack. "Awh, no it don't. Ya said so earlier."

Knowing he was prone to saying stupid things, Jack thought back over the day. Realization hit him. "Ya mean when I was tellin' ya-- the money thing? Oh, c'mon. Ya gotta be kiddin'."

No response.

"That ain't what I meant."

More silence.

Jack scoffed. "Right, well. Good night, Crutchie." He made his way to his own corner, trying to stay annoyed and not acknowledge that he cared too much about what Crutchie thought.

Just as Jack was almost asleep, an almost inaudible reply came, "Good night, Jack."