Chapter Text
Jack remembered the first time he saw the magic Nanny Mary Poppins. He was just a little boy, about seven or eight. He met her through Bert, who'd been like a father to him. He taught him everything he knew, including lamplighting. Even back then, he was fascinated with bringing light to the streets when the sun had set. It was magical. He enjoyed going through every street, lighting the lamps, though there was one street he enjoyed the most: Cherry Tree Lane. There was this one house, with a lantern right in front of it. When he lighted it or even just passed by the house, he saw some children in the window, a girl and a boy, Jane and Michael Banks. He mostly remembered Jane. Everytime he saw her, he waved, wearing the dorkiest smile, which only got bigger when she giggled and waved back. He loved her giggle. He loved her golden hair that framed her face so perfectly.
It was safe to say that she was his first real crush. Sadly, he didn't see her that much over the years. He saw her brother Michael and later his wife and kids numerous times, but Jane...She probably moved out. It was plausible, but he had to admit that it made him a little bit sad. He was curious what she was up to now, if she still looked as cute as she did back then.
Little did he know that no other than Mary Poppins, the woman he met all those years ago as she took care of the Banks children, would make them, literally, bump into each other as she was doing the same thing again. He couldn't believe it when he saw her. She had shorter hair, but apart from that, everything was as lovely as he remembered. If not even more lovely.He recognized her giggle, in which he saw a mirror of her younger self. And the shine of her green eyes... There was just something that drew him towards her and he was more than happy to let it happen. Just like that, they were talking for what seemed like hours, but were just a couple of minutes. And from that, he knew he wanted to spend more time with her.
Jane didn't know what was happening when she was bumping into this man. Mary Poppins introduced him as Jack. She recognized him, he was a lamplighter. He smiled brightly at her. “I used to wave through the window everytime I passed“, he said and his cheeks grew a bit red, as if he was embarrassed about this situation. Realization struck her. “Of course, Jack! I remember you. Well I must say, your smile hasn't changed at all.“ That was true. Now that she thought back, she saw the little boy clear as day before her, his face dirty and his clothes worn out, but his smile as bright as the lamps he lit. He looked at her with the same smile right now and she had to admit, she liked it. Together with his kind brown eyes that were looking so curious into hers, he made her forget everything wrong that happened right now. She felt lost in their conversation, something she hadn't felt in a long time. In fact, she was so caught up in it, that she almost forgot where she wanted to go, why she was hoding all those flyers and signs in the first place. It popped back into her mind when Jack pointed at her SPRUCE-button.
“Spruce, huh? We leeries really appreciate what you're doin' for us“, he said and tried to not sound too excited, which was hard since he really was. Some might say that girls like her shouldn't spend their time wearing trousers and/or working for an organization like SPRUCE and going on protests, but it was the thing he admired most about her. She was the daughter of a banker, she grew up in a big house and they got a housekeeper who did the cooking and other things for them. She didn't have to do this, but she wanted to. She wanted to help people who weren't as privileged as her. People like him.
Her eyes widened. “Oh! Sorry, but I've got to go. I have so much to prepare for SPRUCE, you know? There is a rally and I have to give out those flyers...I'm sorry but it was great talking to you Jack“, she said and was about to turn around and leave. “Wait“, Jack spoke up, making her stop and turn around again. He didn't expect her to actually stop, so he was a bit nervous about what to say. “Will I see you again?“, he asked, scratching his neck and trying not to blush too hard. She giggled again. “Of course, you can see me at every march we do. There is one tomorrow night. This is why I have still so much to do...“
“I'll come to that march!“, he blurted, a little bit too quickly. “And maybe...could you take a walk with me underneath the lovely London sky afterwards? After I lit the lamps 'course.“ He let out a sigh of relief when she smiled and nodded. “I would love that.“
“Oy, Jack! You comin' to the pub tonight?“, Angus, Jack's best friend and fellow leerie asked, but he wasn't listening. He found himself thinking about yesterday again. Had he really asked her out last night? Did she really say yes? Jane Banks said yes and they would go out later tonight, after her march and after he finished his rounds. He still couldn't believe that a woman like her would like to go out with a man like him. She could have anyone. The richest banker, the most successful lawyer or the best doctor in town. But like Mary Poppins told him: The cover is not the book. When she was more interested in the good of the workers than her own privilege, she probably didn't care about stuff like that. The same with him. To ignorant people, he was just another leerie, with dirty and wornout clothes, not enough money to buy food or education. Well, he really didn't have that much money from lighting and putting out the lamps everyday. But he loved his work. Bringing light to the city was the best thing he could imagine. And although he never had the opportunity to go to school, he wasn't stupid. He was actually quite smart. Yes, he had to work his whole life, but in his freetime, he learned how to write and read. Due to that, he also knew books weren't everything. Life was the best and hardest teacher there was. So was Bert, without whom he maybe wouldn't even have survived.
Angus snapped his fingers in front of Jack, bringing him back to reality. “Huh?“, he twitched, looking startled at his friend. “What'd you say?“ Angus snickered. “I asked if you're comin' to the pub tonight“, he repeated couldn't ignore his friend's cheeks growing red. “I..uh...actually, I have somethin' to do.“ He didn't want to say what exactly he was doing. Not because he was ashamed of her, never. He just wasn't sure what this would lead to. Maybe this would be their first and last evening together? Maybe she decided she didn't like him after all. You could never know what tomorrow may bring...