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Crutchie liked sleeping on the roof with Jack.
Though there was a cool breeze that sure, was nice in the summer, but sent chills down his back during the winter. And yeah, the hard surface of the roof would never be as comfortable as a bed. And Jack would always complain, that Crutchie needed a bed for proper rest, that it’d be no good if he couldn’t use his leg and his back hurt- but quite frankly, Crutchie didn’t care.
Not after the first night that Crutchie had slept up on the roof with Jack, at least.
The night after Jack first came back from the refuge. They were both young, both fourteen years old, and Jack had obtained (stolen, Crutchie was sure, but had never bothered to ask) some candy and soft drinks to celebrate. At first, everyone celebrated downstairs- everyone asking Jack what it was like, how escaping was, praising him on what a hero he is. Then, as the younger newsies were sent to bed, and the older ones started saying goodnight, Jack smiled at Crutchie.
“’Spose you probably want to go to sleep soon.”
Crutchie couldn’t deny he was getting a bit tired. He liked to sleep early and rise early, there was no use being exhausted while selling. But he also had missed Jack.
At fourteen, Crutchie was just starting to realise that he may not have been as straight as originally thought. Of course, that had nothing to do with his best friend. Sure, he’d found himself blushing when Jack leaned on him, or checking out looking at Jack for a bit too long. But that was just because Jack was Jack, Crutchie told himself. Nevertheless, he shrugged.
“I dunno. I guess I should be sleepin’, but I don’t wanna stop talkin’ just yet.” He smiled hopefully at Jack. “Maybe I could come up an’…?”
Jack nodded quickly, to Crutchie’s surprise. He didn’t know of anyone else who Jack really let up on the roof since he’d started sleeping there, only a year or so before. Though open in his affection for the other newsies, when it came to the roof and his artworks, Jack was a private person.
So they’d gone up onto the roof, with Jack helping Crutchie climb up, and Crutchie had brought his blanket and pillow from his bed and they’d lay down, looking up at the night sky, and talked quietly. As they talked, the subject shifted back to the refuge.
“Did Snyder really treat you all like that?” Crutchie asked, slowly, sympathetically.
Jack nodded. “I didn’t include all the details, talkin’ down there with all the boys.”
“And girls,” Crutchie laughed, trying to make light of the situation. “Smalls’d kill ya if you forgot ‘bout her..”
Jack laughed, not his usual laugh, though. A sadder, more nervous one- like something was playing on his mind. “Yeah, an’ girls.”
Crutchie hesitated. Jack was so often happy, or at least seeming like it- that, or determined to sell papers. And Crutchie was sure he’d seen Jack upset before, but he had always tried to hide it. Now, Jack was just staring up at the sky with a frown, his eyes closed. Crutchie noticed his hands were shaking. He moved closer to Jack.
“You knows you okay now, right, Jack? You safe here, with me.”
Jack nodded, but he still looked, if Crutchie was being honest, terrified. He looked over to Crutchie, opening his eyes.
“Snyder’s gonna be lookin’ for me. No one gets outta the refuge without him on their heels. What if he gets me, Crutchie? An’ I go back, an’ he’ll be watchin’ me real close this time?”
Before he knew what he was doing, Crutchie had reached out and taken both of Jack’s hands in his own, running his thumb comfortingly over the backs of Jack’s hands.
“He won’t, Jack. Yous too smart for him, an’ fast- you can outrun him, hey? An’ you can run over here an’ Kloppman will hide ya, or to Medda’s theatre- and if any’a the other newsies see ya, you know we won’t sell ya out for anythin’.”
Jack was silent. He squeezed his eyes shut again, nodding, clearly trying his best to believe Crutchie. Crutchie pulled Jack in close, letting Jack bury his head in his shoulder.
“I’m here for ya, Jack. No way you gonna be stayin’ in the refuge again on my watch.” He pressed a kiss to the top of Jack’s head, and Jack became less tense, relaxing into Crutchie’s arms.
After he’d calmed Jack down, they both fell asleep like that, curled close.
To this day, Crutchie still liked falling asleep next to Jack. Lying on the roof beside each other was where they talked about all their worries, fears, dreams- everything.
And Crutchie wouldn’t mind all the back pain in the world to fall asleep cuddling Jack.