Eliza Hamilton Meets Newsies || Fanfiction

Chapter 15 - Siblings Outside of the Lodge

Warnings: Stress, panic
Third Person POV

Eliza sat in the living room of the Lodge, working on a project that she and Buttons were doing together.

Buttons was out selling at the moment, so she was working a bit on it alone.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard sobs.

She looked up, finding Elmer.

Elmer banged into the doorway, sobbing hard, trying to hold himself up.

Eliza shot up.

"Elmer, Elmer." She starts, pulling him into a hug. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Elmer couldn't speak. The only sounds that came out of his mouth was sobs.

Eliza held him close. "Shh, Elmer. It's okay." She whispers, rubbing his back. "It's okay, honey. It's okay."

Elmer chokes back another sob, calming down a bit.

After a few minutes, he wasn't crying as hard.

Eliza hid the stuff for her and Buttons' project in her room, before sitting down with Elmer in the living room.

"Elmer," Eliza takes his hands in her own. "What happened? Are you alright?" She asks, worried.

Elmer sniffles a bit, wiping his nose. "Uh-" he starts. "I- I- uh-"

"Breathe, honey." Eliza comforts. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I just want to help." She tells him softly.

Elmer breathes in, deeply, before deeply breathing out.

After a few minutes, he decided to try to explain.

"I- uh- I have a lot- lot of siblings." Elmer explains. "Not just these boys- I have six younger siblings at- um- home? It's complicated. I provide for them because my parents- well- they don't have great jobs, but it's the only jobs they can- can get. I have to help- so I stay here." Elmer could feel his breathing speeding up and tears stinging his eyes.

"Breathe, honey. You're doing great." Eliza whispers, rubbing the back of Elmer's hand.

Elmer's attention was drawn away from his worries, and to Eliza's touch on his hand.

"My parents- they don't like me very much, which is partially why I stay here. That- and- and the fact that I love these boys and that my- um- house, doesn't have a lot of space." Elmer continues. "My siblings love me though."

Eliza smiles. "That's nice." She comments.

Elmer nods, smiling a tiny bit.

"So- uh- I had a rough selling day today." Elmer whispers. "I don't have enough money- to- to stay here, and- provide for- for my- my siblings. I didn't make enough today." He whispers.

Tears sting his eyes again, as he tries not to start crying again.

Eliza frowns. "Honey, I'm sure any of these boys would help you. They don't want you living on the streets." She tells him. "Besides, I'm not letting you go on the streets." She states.

Elmer looks up at her.

"You give the money that you did earn today to your family." Eliza tells him. "You guys don't have to pay to stay here anymore, who's going to collect it?" She asks. "I certainly won't."

Elmer laughs a bit. "Uh- I don't know." He answers.

Eliza smiles. "Exactly. And even if you did, we would help you." She responds. "I'll make dinner for you all again tonight, and you can stay here, okay?" She asks.

Elmer nods. "Thank you, ma." He whispers.

Eliza pulls him into a hug. "You're okay, Elmer. You're doing amazing." She whispers.

They heard people at the door.

They pulled away, finding Crutchie and Jack looking at them, a bit worried, but mainly confused.

"Uh- are you okay?" Crutchie asks.

Eliza looks to Elmer.

Elmer nods.

"Elmer had a bad selling day today." Eliza starts.

Jack and Crutchie frown.

"He was worried that he would be kicked out of the Lodge," She informs them, still rubbing Elmer's hand softly. "because he didn't have enough to provide for his family and stay here."

Jack steps into the house. "El, I told you all that you no longer have to pay to stay here." Jack states.

Elmer looks at him. "You did?" He asks.

Jack chuckles. "I did."

Elmer nods.

"Besides, even if you did, we'd help you provide for your family and stay here." Jack tells him. "We're family," he looks at Crutchie. "And- not so family." They laugh. "We help each other. We'd never let you live on the streets."

Elmer smiles, tears filling his eyes again. "Thank you." He whispers.

"Aww, buddy." Jack whispers, pulling him into a tight embrace.

Jack rubs Elmer's back. "You work so hard, El. We'd always help you, we know what you go through to try to provide for your family." Jack whispers.

Elmer nods.

They pull away.

Elmer hugs his boyfriend.

"I love you El." Crutchie whispers. "You know that, right?" He asks.

Elmer nods. "I love you too, bubby." He whispers.

Crutchie smiles.

Jack and Eliza share a small smile.

Jack hugs Eliza. "Thank you for helping him." He whispers. "If you hadn't helped him, we would've found him with his stuff on the streets." Jack informs her.

Eliza frowns. "This has happened before?" She asks.

Jack nods. "He works so hard." He answers. "Buttons works pretty hard for his family as well."

Eliza nods. "You all work very hard, Jack." She responds. "These boys may not be your family by blood, but I see your relationship with them as your brothers, Jack. I know what you go through to keep them here, safe and happy." She tells him.

Jack smiles a little.

They look back at Crutchie and Elmer, who managed to lay down on the couch together while Eliza and Jack were hugging/talking.

They both were asleep as well.

Jack and Eliza chuckle.

992 Words
I can see how we started shipping stuff like Sprace, Tinch, Javid, Jackcrutchie, and Blush and such, but how did we start shipping ships like Spromeo? Who randomly thought 'Specs and Romeo sound like a great ship together' (which it is, I'm not denying, but I'm questioning this lol.)