rocknload: (♬ right between the eyes)
[personal profile] rocknload
Title: Words Can’t Never Hurt Me
Author: Brittany
Fandom: Newsies
Rating: G
Words: 700
Summary: [one shot] David asks Jack to tell the truth, for once.
Author’s Notes: What, me? Writing vaguely slashy fanfiction totally family friendly fanfiction for a fifteen-year-old Disney musical? WHY WOULD YOU THINK THAT. >___> Does, uh, anyone have the soundtrack? I can't find it to download... ;___;

*

“Hey, Jack?”

David’s walking behind him when he says it, which means he won’t see the way Jack cringes. It’s because of his tone, the hesitant way he’s asking, when it’s David, who’s not afraid to say nothing to nobody, not anymore.

Jack stops walking, he licks his lips and runs a hand through his hair and turns around. “Yeah, Dave?”

“Is your name really Francis?”

Jack sighs.

The streets of New York are loud, just like every other day, and what with the two of them just standing around and shooting the breeze, the rest of the city moves around them. The crowd jostles them as it passes but Davey, he’s still waiting for an answer, looking up at if like they both don’t know it already.

Jack shrugs. “So what if it is?”

“Francis Sullivan?”

“Don’t act like you ain’t heard it already.”

David glances out toward the street, awkward-like. “I’d like to hear it from you.”

“Oh, so you wanna hear it from me.” Jack waves him off, turns on his heel and starts walking again, but not quick enough to avoid hearing the sputtering behind him. Not even the passing carriages can drown it out.

“Jack, wait.”

Jack can’t hear David’s footsteps, but he knows he’s right behind him.

“I didn’t want to upset you, I just—”

He jerks around so fast David runs right into him. They both stumble, David’s feet get tangled up and Jack’s got him by the arm without even thinking about it. He sets his friend right and then he lets him go, taking a step back.

“Jack…”

“You keep on callin’ me that,” Jack says. “So what’s it you wanna hear from me, Davey? That I’m a liar?”

“I didn’t—”

“Extra, extra!” He doesn't keep his voice down, he walks in a circle and gestures like he’s got a stack of papes on his shoulder. Some of the passerby pause to stare, Jack ignores them to step forward and get in David’s face. “Jack Kelly’s habit of improvin’ the truth? That ain’t a headline, and there ain’t a writer on the World’s staff could make it anythin’ but old news.”

David looks down at the ground, then back up again. “I just think it’s kind of a funny name, that’s all.” The corners of his lips are twitching.

Jack stares at him in astonishment. “Are you makin’ fun of me, now, Dave?”

“You won’t tell me. Am I?”

Jack rolls his eyes and turns away again, and this time David falls into step beside him. “I could call you Frankie.”

“Not if you wanna keep on walkin’.”

David falls silent for a long moment, long enough to make Jack look sideways at him, only to find his face all kinds of serious. When he speaks, his voice is grim. “Well, that’s new.”

“What’s new?”

“Threatening me.”

It makes Jack feel far more defensive than it ought to. “It’s a joke.”

“It’s still new.”

Jack groans out loud. “Look, Dave, call me Francis. I’ll hate it and I won’t know who you’re talkin’ to half the time, but if it means that much to ya—”

“I won’t.” He scratches the back of his head. “I’m only asking because—”

“Yeah, I know.” The silence drags out, and Jack knows it’s up to him to break it. He thinks about his words before he says them, changes his mind twice before he comes up with something. “Whatever you wanna ask, go ahead and ask. Maybe I won’t answer, but ‘least I won’t lie.”

They keep walking. Then, “Ma wants you over for dinner. Are you busy, tonight?”

The grin comes as a surprise and it crosses Jack’s face before he can stop it, not that he wants to. He claps David on the arrm, then he changes his mind and tosses his whole arm around his shoulders. “Matter of fact? I’m not.”

*
This account has disabled anonymous posting.
If you don't have an account you can create one now.
HTML doesn't work in the subject.
More info about formatting

Profile

rocknload: (Default)
Brittany

May 2011

S M T W T F S
1234567
8910111213 14
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jun. 1st, 2025 07:58 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios