Newsies one-shots

Memory || Spralmer

So this is basically a one-shot written on the song Memory from Cats. (I don't want to start a discussion so just assume it's the 1998 version, which is my favorite, or just like any other one you want.)

~ F

Midnight not a sound from the pavement
Has the moon lost her memory?

Elmer sat on the fire escape that was connected to the side of their apartment. It was a cold December night, but he didn't care. He wasn't even wearing a coat or shoes. The sky was clear and there was a full moon, but he couldn't see the stars, because the city was to bright. He loved watching the sky and the moon normally, but it felt different this night. The moon usually held all these stories, yet tonight there were non. There was no time-traveling alien or little prince on a meteor with a flower. It was just a big yellow dot in the sky. Elmer's face, stomach and arms hurt, but he didn't care.

She is smiling alone
In the lamplight

Elmer could only think about what had happened that night.

*Begin flashback*
He'd gotten home to panicked boyfriends after being two hours late.
"What happened?!" Spot had practically yelled at him. Elmer was walking with a small limp, he had a black eye and cuts and bruises covering his arms and stomach.
"Nothing." He replied softly.
"This ain't nothing." Albert had said just as rough as Spot, just softer.
"I don't want to talk about it." Elmer had responded before limping towards the bathroom, but he was stopped by Race.
"Elmer. We want to help you. Please just let us help you." Race's voice had been soft and caring in contrary to Spot's and Albert's. Elmer had looked at his other two boyfriends, but they looked so angry that Elmer was scared to say another word to them. Race had seen the look on his face and turned to look at the red heads of his other boyfriends.
"Come on. I'll clean you up." Race had taken Elmer by the arm and took him into the bathroom. He had sent both Spot and Albert a glare to tell them they shouldn't follow them or try to listen.
*end first part of the flashback*

The withered leaves collect at my feet
And the wind begins to moan

Race stood against the wall next to the window. He went outside to talk to Elmer since Spot and Albert had messed up (again). He was wearing a thick coat and carried a blanket knowing that Elmer wouldn't be wearing anything warm. He looked down at said boy. Elmer hadn't responded to his presence, because he was to deep in thoughts and it made Race think back at it too.

*Begin flashback*
Elmer had told Race the whole story. From when the Delanceys had begun beating him months ago to the incident that had happened that day. They had left him in a damn alleyway. God knows that Race was angry, but he couldn't show it. He didn't want to scare Elmer away. The youngest of the four of them had finally trusted him in this and he wasn't going to mes it up by scaring him away.
"You've got to tell Spot and Albert." Race had said while wiping a few tears from Elmer's face. Elmer shook is head. The poor boy had been too afraid to say anything. They would get angry and yell at him again. They had fights often, but most of them had been about little things like who should set the table and that Albert was always late for breakfast.
"How about..." Race thought for a second. "You go to bed and I'll talk to them and explain everything." Elmer had nodded. He knew that all three of them had the right to know and not just one of them. Race had helped Elmer up before he made his way to the bedroom and laid in bed.
Race had explained the whole situation to Albert and Spot. To say that they were angry would be an understatement. They had stormed off to the bedroom before Race could stop them.
"Why the hell didn't you tell us!" Albert had yelled at Elmer.
"We could have helped you!" Spot had added just as loud. Elmer began crying again. He couldn't handle the two boys shouting at him and so he ran.
"Look what you two have done!" Race had yelled at his two boyfriends. Both of the boys paled as they thought about what they had just done. Not fully out of anger, but mostly out of fear of losing Elmer one day. Race had grabbed one of the blankets from their bed and followed Elmer.
*End flashback*

Memory all alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days

Elmer was still staring at the moon. It was so big and yellow that you could almost believe it was day. The moonlight made his tear streaked cheeks as clear as day. All of them were for the lost memories of the days that they had been happy. The four of them laughing, smiling, cuddling and kissing like the world didn't even exist. Everything had changed since they had started to live together last year. There were fights and yelling. Elmer wasn't sure how long he could put up with it and then the Delanceys came into view. Oscar would hold him pinned against the wall as Morris began hitting. It had been months since they started and it became more frequent. It started with once a week with just a few bruises he could cover to almost every day with wounds he couldn't cover and he had to lie to his boyfriends about them.

I was beautiful then
I remember
The time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again

Race noticed that Elmer was shaking and walked over to him quickly. He wrapped the blanket around his shoulders and sat down beside him. Elmer didn't react however. Race wrapped Elmer in a hug, but he didn't hug back. Race rested Elmer's head on his chest. He knew that listening to his heartbeat and his breathing had often calmed Elmer down in the past. Race was right. More tears come streaming down Elmer's face, but this was a good thing since that meant that he was back in reality and not stuck in whatever memory he was in.

Every street lamp
Seems to beat a fatalistic warning
Someone mutters at the street lamp gutters
And soon it will be morning

Elmer didn't pull away as he started to cry less and less. Race however lifted Elmer's head and made him look him in the eyes.
"You know they love you, right? They just want to protect you?" Race asked. Elmer nodded. He was to tired to actually answer.

Daylight I must wait for the sunrise
I must think of a new life
And I mustn't give in
When the dawn comes
Tonight will be a memory too
And a new day will begin

Elmer laid his head on Race's shoulder and stared at the street. His mind kept thinking about how he had imagined his life. He wanted to be famous and have a kid. He loved dancing, but he had skipped a few rehearsals, because he had bruises and cuts all over his body.
'Why can't I just have that life? It's my Santa Fe.' Elmer thought. Elmer didn't want to give up on his dream. He couldn't, because he knew that what has happened will be just another bad memory on the big pile of memories and that tomorrow will come and swoop it all away.

Burnt out ends of smoky days
The stale cold smell of morning
The street lamp dies, another night is over
Another day is dawning

"I promise you, Elmer, that everything is going to be alright. We'll handle the Delanceys and you'll be safe." Race said as he played with Elmer's hair.
"Thanks." Elmer said. Race found it pretty unconvincing, which made him notice that there was something more. Things he didn't see.
"What wrong, El?" He asked softly.

Touch me it's so easy to leave me

Elmer couldn't keep his bottled up feelings inside anymore. It had been the first time in a year since one of them had asked him something like that. He buried his face in Race's neck, which made Race react by wrapping the crying boy in another hug.
"Do- do you still want me around?" Elmer asked between the sobs.
"What do you mean?" Race asked shocked. He hadn't thought about the fact that Elmer might feel unwanted.
"I- I mean... We f- fight a lot. And most of them are either a- about me or wi- with me." Race paled. It was true that they fought a lot since they had moved in together, but he didn't know that it could have such a big effect on any of them. It was probably because Albert, Spot and himself were used to the continuing yelling of people, but Elmer wasn't. He tightened his grip on Elmer and Elmer did the same. He didn't want to lose Race.

All alone with my memory
Of my days in the sun
If you touch me
You'll understand what happiness is

"We didn't mean to upset you. I think we fight a lot about all these small things, because we are used to it. And I know that it isn't an excuse. We will work on it."
"Promise?" Elmer's soft voice was barely audible.
"Promise."

Look a new day has begun

I found out that I write these stories (and with this theme) when I'm either stressed, upset, frustrated, angry or something like that and that Elmer always seems to be the victim...

~ F