JackCrutchie Oneshots

Always Will

A/N: I've been having writers block so maybe short stories will help! Please comment suggestions for any Oneshots you want to see with these two! I'd love some request. Thank you!

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Jack Kelly was truly going to hate Crutchie forever.

At least it had really felt like that, anyways.

This fear of Jack hating him came with the intense anxiety Crutchie felt when he had decided he was going to tell Jack how he felt. Crutchie was sure Jack definitely wasn't going to like him once he told him about the feelings he felt. The romantic, completely not platonic, I love you more-than-a-friend sort of way feelings.

The day had been quite slow. The papers weren't selling all too quickly and the Crutchie felt the night sky begin to weigh in on his shoulders. The light sky weighed down into the dark and Crutchie yawned, signaling to himself that he might need to head to the rooftop.

He had spent the day staring at a certain charismatic boy, with an eager grin that told all his customers that his papers were the best. Jack Kelly was everything and anything Crutchie could've asked for in a best friend. Although, a tugging at his heartstrings told him it wasn't enough, a best friend.

Not that Jack wasn't good enough as a best friend, no, but more there was a certain lackluster Crutchie felt, a force left alone, a stone perhaps left unturned. Crutchie wanted more than the goofy smile and almost too tight hugs. He wanted all that and more from the boy in front of him.

"Crutchie!"

His heart jumped when he saw Jack running towards him, an award winning smile and a sun-kissed tan of a boy.

"Sold all my papes for the day!" Jack spoke matter-of-factly, a well-deserved cockiness in his tone. "Even scored myself an extra-" He searched in his bag for a moment, "quarter! Can you believe it!" He held out the coin in front of him for Crutchie to see.

Crutchie' face was already scarlet with something he wasn't sure to call embarrassment or passion. "Wow, Jack!" He bit his lip, almost scared to reach out for the coin like his fingertips would make it disappear. "You're so close to Santa Fe now, right?" He asked, sounding as excited as he could, although hated this idea that Jack would leave.

Jack chuckled softly, the same scarlet that held Crutchie's face taking place on his own. "Yeah. All I needs a few more dollars. A few more months of savin', give and take some for food and necessities but..." Jack stumbled off, suddenly feeling quite sheepish.

"That'll be nice, Jack." Crutchie took a step away from Jack. Jack nodded and tilted his head in the direction of the lodge.

"Let's get going, kid. It'll get too cold out here if we don't hurry." He smiled and placed a hand on Crutchie's shoulder, pulling him gently.

Crutchie nodded and followed, letting Jack keep his hand on him a bit longer.

The wind blew as they walked, causing the two to shake slightly and stand just a bit closer together.

"What's goin' on with you?" Jack asked suddenly, a worry wavering in his voice, hidden by a playful nudge.

Crutchie giggled and nudged him back. "What do you mean?" Although, he knew what Jack meant. He was usually an endless void of words when they walked home.

Jack almost laughed. "You know what I mean."

He did.

Crutchie thought for a moment, the words on the tip of his tongue. "Jack, I need to talk to you about something." He stopped at the door of the lodge, leaned on his crutch in a way that told Jack this would take a while to say.