To belong || modern Newsies || Spralmer

Chapter 5

"Morning. Why was I asleep on the couch?" Race came walking into the bedroom. He had a headache, but didn't care. Elmer tensed against Spot's side. He gripped Albert's hand and squeezed it, hard.
"Race why don't you go downstairs. I'll join you there." Spot said while sitting up.
"Why don't I just go lay down with you?" He still hadn't noticed Elmer being that tense.
"I said go down stairs. Now." Spot said firmly. Race looked shocked to the boys. He stopped his when he looked at Elmer. He was turned away from him and he was really tense. Without saying anything else he stepped out the room and headed to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. He turned around when he heard Spot enter.
"Is he alright?" Was the first question that came out of his mouth.
"I want to say yes, but no he isn't." Spot sighed.
"What happened?"
"You were drunk and went to far." Spot said softly while placing a hand on Race's shoulder. The blood left Race's face and he leaned on the counter.
"This is all my fault." He muttered. He didn't want to hurt his boyfriend.
"You were drunk. He will be alright, but it will take a while. Just be careful when you're near him." Race nodded, but he was looking at his shoes. Spot put his hands under Race's chin and gently lifted his head so their eyes could meet.
"It's all going to be fine. Just give it a while, yeah?"
"Yeah." Spot kissed his brow and took his hand. They walked over to the table and just sat there for a while.

-

Spot had just left and Elmer was curled in a ball against Albert.
"It's okay." Albert whispered in Elmer's ear.
"I don't- I don't want to be like this." Elmer said softly in Albert's shirt.
"Don't be like what, honey?"
"Like a burden. Like I don't belong." Elmer didn't have a filter. It was just his mind. He didn't even know he was talking. Albert was shocked and couldn't find the right words to say.
You know you don't belong. Why don't just leave them be in peace.
"Shut up."
"I didn't say anything." Albert looked worried at the boy that was now moving away from him. Elmer rolled over and turned his back to Albert.
"I'm gonna check on Spot and Race. How about you go dress yourself so we can take a walk. You need some fresh air." He rolled out of bed without waiting for an answer. He saw his other two boyfriends sitting at the table when he came downstairs. They were holding hands and Race was leaning against Spot.
"How is he?" Race asked when Albert put a hand on his shoulder.
"There is something you two need to know." Albert started. "He just told me that he feels like he doesn't belong and that he's a burden. I don't think that I was meant to hear it."
"He said what now?" Spot looked shocked at Albert.
"It has always been his struggle to feel like he belongs. At school, work and even in his family. He has so many brothers and sisters, but he was never truly one of them. He always took care of them, but most of the time wasn't really their brother. More like an adoptive mother." Race explained. He had known Elmer the longest and had even met most of the family.
"How are we-" Spot stopped mid-sentence when they heard someone approach. Elmer walked down the hallway fully dressed. He stopped in front of the kitchen door. He made quick eye contact, but when he met Race's eyes he looked at his shoes.
"I- I'm going to Jack's." He mumbled.
"Do you want someone to take you?" Spot asked him.
"No." Was all that came out of his mouth. He walked out of the house without giving them the chance to say something else.
"Al, I need you to call Jack. See if Jack knows about what's happening and fill him in on everything. Ask him if Elmer could stay there for a while, so we have the time to figure it all out." Spot ordered. Albert nodded and walked out of the room to call Jack.
"Why don't you go pack a small suitcase for him?" Spot whispered softly to Race. The boy was frozen in his seat with tears stinging in his eyes. Spot placed another kiss on his brow and then stood up.
"What are you going to do?" Race asked him.
"I'm gonna call his parents and see if anything like this has happened before." He left with that.

When the three boys got back together in the kitchen it was just silent. Race carried a suitcase with him. His knuckles were white and his eyes were red and puffy.
"Katherine is coming by to get Elmer's stuff. They said that they have a spare room where he can stay for a while." Albert broke the silence. They were all happy that they had Jack, he was like their big brother, but they were sad that they couldn't solve this problem on their own.
"Elmer's mother told me that this has happened in the past and that it takes him some time to get back on his feet. She said that it was a good thing that he went to Jack's, but that they have to keep him eating. He tends to stop eating if he's 'to far gone'." Spot told them. Race stayed silent. They didn't blame him though. They would feel guilty too if it had been them who was drunken. They were snapped out of their thoughts by a knock on the door. Spot raced over to the door and opened it. It was Katherine. She was wearing a beautiful purple dress.
"Hey guys." She said softly. She felt guilty for the fact that Elmer came to them instead of his own boyfriends. She was wrapped in a group hug before she could say anything else.
"Thank you." Albert whispered.
"No problem." She said with a small smile. "Elmer told me that he doesn't have his phone with him, because it broke a while ago, so if there's anything: just call us. And Jack and I take turns on who's home and Crutchie and Davey are coming over a few days to stay with him." The boys nodded and Race gave her the suitcase.
"Can you make sure that he eats and talks?" Spot asked her. She simply nodded.
"I'll go back now. Elmer doesn't know that I'm here, because we don't want to push him away. Bye guys. Hang in there." She said before turning around and walking back to her own house. Albert closed the door and they went to the living room.
"What are we going to do?" Race asked.
"Give him some space. If he isn't back by next week... we'll go to him."