AN: I have no idea what this is and it's kind of all over the place, but I wanted to post something for the holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!
The newsies always hated Ragamuffin Day. Always. It took place on Thanksgiving - which seemed a bit counterproductive - and of course none of them got a day off just because it was a holiday, so they had to stand on the street corners and watch rich kids dress up like beggars and knock on people's doors.
Jack Kelly always wanted to punch every kid he saw parading around the streets in oversized clothing and rags that their folks had sewn together, asking people for candy and money and whatever else they wanted. Of course, the adults gave them anything they asked for, though they couldn't stop to give Jack more than a penny on the street.
It bothered him and it bothered his boys. Every year they hope that the horrible trend will have finally ended, but every year it comes back around, and November of 1899 was no different.
"You think those kids have any idea that it ain't right?" Race muttered from his place at a table at Jacobi's.
Every year on Thanksgiving, they always saved enough to buy turkey sandwiches at the deli, since there was no way they could afford a real turkey, and even if they could they had no way to cook it. It was something good about the day, but the boys were still a bit dejected as they watched the children walking past the windows without a care in the world.
"'Course they don't." Crutchie replied. "Their folks told 'em it's fine."
"Our dad's always said it's bad, since there are kids who actually do need that stuff but don't get it, so we shouldn't be taking it from them." Les piped up.
"Your dad's a real smart man, kid." Jack acknowledged. "Listen, Crutchie's right. It ain't the kid's fault, it's their parents. We can't do nothing about it so let's just ignore it, yeah?"
They all mumbled an agreement, but it was clearly on their minds as they continued to eat.
oOo
Later that night, when they had all finally finished selling, someone knocked on the door, and Jack groaned internally. This happened every few years or so. A straggler kid who'd stayed out late would miss the sign above their door that marked the group home as a lodging house, and would come up asking for something. It took all his strength not to yell at the kids when that happened.
Instead, Jack opened the door to see Katherine, who raised an eyebrow at the scowl that had settled on his face before he'd opened the door.
"Happy to see me, are you?"
He breathed a sigh of relief, and smiled. "Hey, Kath. Thought you was one of those kids coming by to ask us for something."
Her skeptical expression immediately melted into one of understanding. "On the contrary." She held up a brown paper bag. "It's Thanksgiving, and I thought you boys might not be doing much in terms of a feast. I couldn't bring a whole turkey dinner, but I have cookies."
At the word 'cookies', the head of every boy in the room turned into their direction, and suddenly she was being ushered through the door, bombarded by thanks and over-exaggerated praise, each one of them choosing a cookie from the bag as she set it on the table.
Katherine laughed as she watched the commotion, and watched them for a few moments until she felt Jack staring at her, and turned to look at him.
"What?"
He was grinning at her. "This is more than most of the boys have ever gotten for Thanksgiving, Ace. You didn't have to."
She shook her head. "Yes, I did. They deserve something to be grateful for today."
"They's grateful for you. So am I."
Katherine blushed slightly as she reached down to take his hand. She still wasn't used to meaning so much to someone.
"I'm grateful for you, too."
oOo
After an hour or so, the excitement of Katherine's treat had worn off slightly, but the newsies spirits were still significantly lifted compared to how they'd felt earlier in the day. Now, they were all scattered around the room playing cards, telling stories and jokes, and just being their rowdy selves. Jack and Katherine were sitting next to each other on the couch, enjoying a moment during which neither of them needed to do anything, except be with each other.
"I participated in that parade, you know." Katherine said quietly, after they'd fallen into silence. "When I was little, I mean."
Jack turned to look at her. "What, that stupid Ragamuffin Parade?"
She nodded. "Me and my siblings always did. My mother loved it. She always said how cute we looked in the oversized coats." She recounted bitterly.
Jack tried to think of something to say to that. "Did you -"
"I didn't know it was wrong. It never even crossed my mind that it hurt people like you."
He hesitated. "Watching rich kids get paid for doing nothing while you freeze on a street corner and get nothing for it ain't exactly fun."
"I know. I thought about that today. I even went up to two little girls who were walking together and tried to explain to them why it was insensitive."
Jack had to laugh at that. "And I bet they thought you were a crazy lady, and didn't understand a word you was saying."
Katherine smiled. "Pretty much." She sighed. "I just wanted you to know that it happened, and that I know now that it's not okay."
"Thanks Kath." He paused. "Y'know, it means a lot. Knowing that some like you, someone with money, knows how we feel. And cares. It means a hell of a lot, Ace."
"I will always care, Jack." She took one of his hands in hers and squeezed it gently. "Always."
He grinned. "For sure?"
"For sure."
A historical note: The Ragamuffin Parade was an actual thing that happened in New York on Thanksgiving. It started in 1870, and the last recorded Ragamuffin Parade was in 1956. It was exactly what it sounds like - children would dress up as exaggerated imitations of beggars and/or street kids and go door to door asking people for candy and money. Like Halloween, but worse.
