NEWSIES: The Ultimate Modern AU

How The Boys Got A New Family Member

The boys spread themselves around the apartment, some sprawled over the outdated sofa and others in the mould stained kitchen, sitting on the bench chatting. Crutchie perched at the table in a comfortable silence, staring at the turtle that Albert had snuck in around half an hour previous. It was swimming round and round in a glass pasta tray that belonged to Race's boyfriend Spot Collin. Crutchie watched its little feet claw at the sides before turning back. It wasn't any larger than his pinky finger, and he has placed a few things like rocks and sticks in the tray so it had a nice little habitat. He grew concerned about its wellbeing and wondered how on the world Albert found it. "Hey Albert?"
"Mmm?" Albert groaned from the couch, indicating his attention.
"How did you find this? It's the middle of autumn and last time I checked we don't have any lakes or ponds within a three mile radius- how did you manage to find a turtle?"
"I was walking back here and it was on the pathway." He shrugged off, Crutchie gave a long silence that asked to be filled with more information. "You know that mad woman down the street with the bathtub filled with plants out front? Yeah it was near her house. She would never notice so I took it."

Crutchie let out a distorted exhale and gaped his mouth open. "You- you just took the turtle?"
"She won't notice, Crutchie."

Crutchie considered it for a second and then settled for the reason, she was crazy, and she wouldn't even notice. From behind him he smelt stale smoke and Race smirked at the creature.
"Nice one Albert! Now what the fu-" he saw Crutchie give him the 'language warning glare' and cleared his throat "...flop are we going to do with this thing?"
Albert got off the sofa and slumped on over, waving his hand at it, he snorted "Name it?"

The house erupted with name suggestions.
"BOB!" From Romeo.
"TIMOTHEE!" - Race.
"PENGUIN!?" - Elmer.
"JIMMY!" - Finch.
"SUZAN!" - Jojo.
Jumping up and down, the boys hadn't been this lively since their last pay day, where they instantly blew all their earnings on a few pizzas and a pack of Pepsi's. It was quite childlike, watching the grown ass boys screech names at a turtle, undecided on what to call the new house member. They all chatted over each other, trying to protest who had the best name. The door opened from behind them and after a quick glance at the door and realising it was Davey, they went back to their antics.

"What on the- excuse me?" There was no difference in the racket, Davey rolled his eyes and inhaled, caught eye contact with Crutchie, and the defenceless boy at the table covered his ears before Davey inhaled deeply and yelled over them "SOMEONE WANT TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING HERE!?"
They all turned around from the turtle and stared at Davey in the doorway who looked genuinely concerned for them. Crutchie hit Albert in the shin with his crutch and pointed his eyes at Davey, egging him on to explain the situation. Albert looked at the floor and inspected his hole filled socks. A few other boys whistled among themselves until Davey waked on over to the table. He kept giving them confused looks, until he looked down at the glass pasta dish.

"What on the- is that a terrapin?" Davey quizzed, the boys gave confused looks, he inhaled deeply not being phased at all, "A turtle?" a few oohs and ahs of realisation echoed through the room. "Ok so what is it's name then?" All the noise built again until Romeo spoke up.
"Well we can't decide! I guess it's between Timothee and Jimmy?"
Elmer hit him on the back of the head with his cap, "What's wrong with Penguin!?"
"What do you think?"
"Yeah ok that's fair" Elmer shrugged after a blank expression of consideration, adjusting his cap back on his head. "Still a cool name though."
"Sure... anyway, we can't decide between them and obviously only one name can be right."

Davey rolled his eyes and waved his arms at his side, "Oh yeah just combine the two name then if it's such a difficult choice then." The boys looked at him and then smiled giggled to themselves.
Crutchie tilted his head like a confused puppy, and after making odd noises with his mouth he muttered "Jimothy?"

With the one mistake of a mumble and the boys lack of sarcastic awareness, Jimothee the turtle joined the boys family.