The Crutch's Sister

Christmas Special

(Hey y'all! Sorry I haven't been very active recently. A lot of stuff has been going on with the holidays and such. I know it's a bit late, but I'm making this a Christmas/New Year special. Hope you all have are having a wonderful holiday and winter break! - Too-Many-Fandoms_Gal 💕)

Kicks POV

I sat on my bed, cross legged. I was making my Christmas present for Crutchie. It was a drawing of the two of us. I was never good at drawing, but it's the thought that counts. I finished coloring the last bit of the picture and held it out in front of me. It was an image of Crutchie and I, smiling with our arms around each other. I smiled at it, and then frowned.
"It looks like something a baby would draw." I thought. I heard a knock at the door and I placed the picture under my pillow.
"Come in!" I called. Crutchie and Jack peeked in and smiled.
"Hey kid." Jack smiled. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas." I replied with a grin.
"We're all going up to the penthouse." Crutchie said.
"What for?" I wondered.
"We have this tradition here at the house where on Christmas Eve, we head upstairs with a bunch of blankets and pillows and any food we could get and watch the sunrise. Then, we come back inside, exchange any gifts anyone has, and spend the day inside." Jack explained. 

I jumped up and grabbed my thin blanket. We walked up the ladder to the penthouse and found everyone up there. They all turned and greeted us as we sat down in the group. I sat down next to Crutchie and Race in the middle of our little huddle. I looked over at Romeo, who was tuning a guitar in his lap. (Guitars were around in the 1890's, if anyone was curious. Thank you @dear_chill_heathers for helping me with this research.) 

"Romeo." I started. "I didn't know you play the guitar!" He looked over at me.

"Yeah. I just started picking it up a while back, and it's real easy to learn." He played a few notes and everyone clapped. I saw a smile grow on his face and he started playing a tune. Race reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of spoons. He started playing along with Romeo and got everyone's attention. Crutchie tapped on my shoulder and when I looked over at him, he ushered me to lean into him. 

"You should sing something, sis." he whispered. I shook my head. 

"No. I'm kinda retired. I haven't sung in a while." I replied. Crutchie leaned in again and started whispering,

"Do it. Do it. Do it. Do it. Do it. Do it-" I cut him off with a shove to the shoulder. I straightened my shoulders and took a breath. (This song is from the movie A Monster In Paris. It DOES NOT belong to me. Play song if ya want.)

"She's resplendent, so confident

La Seine, La Seine, La Seine
I realize, I'm hypnotized
La Seine, La Seine, La Seine
I hear the moon singing a tune
La Seine, La Seine, La Seine
Is she divine, Is it the wine
La Seine, La Seine, La Seine

I don't know, don't know, so don't ask me why
That's how we are, La Seine and I
I don't know, don't know, so don't ask me why
That's how we are, La Seine and I

I feel alive when I'm beside
La Seine, La Seine, La Seine
From this angle like an angel
La Seine, La Seine, La Seine

I don't know, don't know, so don't ask me why
That's how we are, La Seine and I
I don't know, don't know, so don't ask me why
That's how we are, La Seine and I

Upon the bridge
My heart does beat
Between the waves
We will be saved
The air we breathe
Can you believe?
Learn to forgive upon the bridge

That's how we are, the Seine and I
That's how we are, the Seine and I
That's how we are, the Seine and I
That's how we are, the Seine and I" 

I smiled at Race and Romeo, who both gave me a smile and a thumbs up. I looked over my shoulder at Crutchie, who was smiling his ridiculous, adorably huge smile. He gave me a tight hug and said,

"I missed your singing voice." I shoved him and laughed. 

"You've heard it a million times!" 

"Yeah! It never gets old! Can't a guy support his favorite little sis?" he joked.

"I'm you're only little sis." I said, rolling my eyes.

"More reason for you to be my favorite." He said. I hugged him and Jack leaned over to us.

"The sun's gonna rise now!" he exclaimed. I saw him take out a few pieces of paper and a pencil. He saw me and said, "I always try to sketch the sunrise on Christmas. A little personal tradition." I looked forward towards the city.

For a minute, everything was still. Even the rowdy newsboys that were my family. Everything was silent. Then, I saw the sun stretch out over the buildings. It exploded with reds, pinks, yellows, and oranges. I watched as it climbed more into view. All of the newsies began to clap as they saw the sun.

"It's like their hope." I thought. "They all have hope for something better. A better tomorrow. The sun is their hope. Always rising, though sometimes it falls. But it always finds it's way back up." 

"Kicks!" Jack called. I looked around and everyone had left. "C'mon kid. We're all going downstairs." I walked over to Jack and once we got there, I climbed in through my window. I took my gift out of its hiding place and started walking downstairs. I saw Crutchie sitting at the bottom of the stairs. I placed the picture behind my back and walked halfway down the stairs.

"Crutchie." I called. He looked up at me and I finished the walk down to him. "I have a Christmas gift for you." I saw his hands behind his back, like he was hiding something.

"Same here. Though, it might not be any good." he said a bit sadly.

"I'd love anything you'd give me." I reassured. He took a deep breath.

"On three, let's show each other our gifts." he offered. I nodded. "One....two....three!" We both moved our hands from out behind us. I looked at his gift and smiled.

It was a picture of us together. "Looks like we got each other the same thing!" Cructhie laughed. "Jack helped with some of it. Something he called shading." he explained. I hugged him tightly and he hugged me back.

"I love it. And I love you, big brother." I said.

"Love you too, little sis." he replied.

(Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year everyone! Love you all! - Too-Many-Fandoms_Gal)