Falling Short (A Sprace Fanfiction)

Jack Ain't So Nimble---Esther

Hey guys! Sorry I have been inactive! Lots of crap went down. If you want the full story, check further down in my announcements. I'm too lazy to type it here and I want to get this out ASAP.. I decided before everything shitty went down, we needed some brother sister fluff and some Esther/Oscar fluff. Here you go!

Once the meeting was done, I had decided to spend some time with my boyfriend before I left. I have to tell him the news about Race. I'm going with the others to look for him and I don't know how long I'll be gone. Since he still works the circulation desk, he has to stay here. He is on our side and has been since mid-strike. If he agrees to help us, he can help get additional information from Pulitzer or get responses to us quicker than the selected Newsies. Or he can pass the information to them, who can pass it to us.

And good thing that the Refuge closed down, because we can count on him to be free almost any night of the week or weeks to come.

When I find him, he's standing outside the theater waiting for me. I stand on my tiptoes and cover his eyes with my hands. I lay my chin on his shoulder.

"Guess who?"

Oscar cocked his head and pretended to think.

"Hmmmmmm.....is it......Esther?" I smile and uncover his eyes.

He turns to face me and pulls me in for a hug.

We haven't been on a date in a while and I really needed skme one to talk to. This all happened so fast.

Oscar and I duck into the theater and I find a ladder that leads to a box seat. Little did Jack know that I discovered there are literally ladders everywhere in the theater, leading from box seats to rafters and balconies. The box seat ones were probably installed so we could fit all the Newsies at the rally and the ones to the rafters are probably for sets.

We get up there and take our seats. He loves the theater.

"Oscar?"

He turns his head towards me. "Yes?"

"I won't be here for a while. I don't know how long. Race went missing a couple days ago and we're all going to go looking for him."

I must have been tearing up because he cupped his hand around my face, wiping away a tear I couldn't even tell formed.

Being in the Refuge for a huge chunk of my life, I wasn't an easiey crier. But Race being missing has taken a large toll on all of us. I've even seen Albert shed a few tears here and there.

"Is there any way I can help?" He asked, pulling his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer. He knew how much Race meant to us.

I explained to him the plan, and he agreed to it. Soon enough, the lights dimmed and the show began.

《~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~》

After the show, I decide to spend a little time with Jack.

"Crap!" Jack almost tumbled down the fire escape for the third time.

I can't help but laugh. Jack laughs along with me. I scramble up the last few rings of the ladder and turn to face him.

"You know, for being nicknamed Jack Be Nimble, you aren't doing real well down there," I tease. "Need help getting up?"

He clears his throat. "We'll see." He pulls himself onto the roof.

A silence comes between us. Jack just looks off into the distance and I just look at him.

He finally says to me, "Remember when we would sit up here for hours talking about Santa Fe?"

"Yeah. Do you ever-?" I stop mid-sentence and sigh. "Do you ever think about going there?"

He gives a lopsided smirk. "Yeah. Yeah, I do. If I ever did go, it wouldn't be to stay though. Just for a few days to take my mind off of things. So I don't have to play leader all the time. Cause Kath is right when she said I don't have all the answers. In Santa Fe, I feel like I would. I feel like...if I ever did get the chance to, It would be like taking the world off my shoulders..." His voice trailed off.

A strangled sound came from his throat. I thought he was dying at first, only he was sobbing. Jack had always kept strong for us and was the first to comfort one of us if. I had never seen the straight face or small smile leave his face until now. I pulled him in and he scooted closer to me. I took off his cap and stroked his hair.

"We'll find him, Jack. We won't rest until we do."

In a few minutes, I heard light snoring from beside me and pretty soon, I was also plunged into darkness.

All I have to say is this:

Enjoy these moment of fluff before all the angst and torture goes down.

Thank you guys for reading!! I love seeing your comments and votes after I publish a chapter.

Thanks to you guys, this book was and still is nimber one is Oscar Delancey. It has been for about a week now. I took a screenshot cause I was so happy.

That was the full rankings last I checked.

Stay safe! I love you all! ❤❤