Unscripted (Jack & Crutchie)

Chapter 7 - Delancey's

Criticism :)

This chapter is far longer than my usual chapters!

Crutchie's POV

It had been a few days since Jack and I kissed. Thankfully, nothing really changed between us. I suppose we were more comfortable around each other, actually. We decided that we wanted to be together, but we wouldn't tell the fellas.

I had been awake for a bit, just laying there waiting for the sunrise to begin. I saw the first colors peer over the buildings, so I went to sit myself up. I put my arms down and began to pull myself to the railing while pushing myself with my left foot, however, I got my ankle caught on part of the floor and horrific pain shot through me.

Without hesitation, I cried out in pain and grabbed my lower thigh as though it would help the pain. Jack shot up from the floor and ran over to me.

"Crutchie are you okay?" He said, kneeling and trying to see if I was hurt.

"Mhm," I said through gritted teeth. He let me breathe for a few seconds before I continued, "I got my ankle caught on something and pulled on it."

"Do you need any help? What can I do?" Jack asked, looking me up and down. He was always so ready to help me. As I've said before, he's much softer around me than with the fellas. 

"I'm okay, I just... I just need a second." I kept my eyes closed as the pain was still searing through me, and not improving.  Even with my eyes closed, I could tell Jack felt guilty that he couldn't help me.

"Here, let me help ya get dressed." He said. I heard his footsteps go over to where I kept my clothes, and pick up some things.

"Jack I can get myself dressed-"

"Crutch, you can't even open your eyes right now. At least let me do this for ya." He insisted, still waiting for my response. Even though he was always very insistent on helping, he wouldn't if I truly didn't want any help. After a moment, I realized the pain would probably be like this for a few more minutes, so I just sighed. He knew what that meant, and began to help me. 

After he was finished, he went to get himself ready and let me breathe and wait the pain out. A few more minutes passed and it was finally bearable. Jack looked at me to see how I was doing, and as I usually do after he has to help me, I avoided his gaze.

He began to climb down without saying anything, we did my crutch exchange, and I went down right after. While the pain had lessened, it was still pretty bad. I knew that I wouldn't be able to get my shoe on my right foot today, so I just put two socks over my foot. Jack noticed as I took my crutch from him, and he was quick to point it out.

"Are you sure you don't want to rest today, Crutchie?" I could feel his gaze on me as we began to walk. When things like this happened with my ankle, it obviously hurt to drag it along. However, it was my only option. With every drag there was pain, and I tried real hard to not let it show, but Jack could see right through it.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm good." I said, half wishing I had stayed to rest. I needed money, though, so I knew I had to sell. 

We got to Newsie Square and Race greeted us brightly.

"Mornin' fellas! Hey Crutchie," He ran up to me, and was about to do a common gag I had begun with most of the fellas. "What's the leg say the weather for today is?"

One morning I shook my leg and pretended that my ankle predicted the weather, and the fellas picked it up as a regular thing. I stuck my leg out, shook it a bit, and looked back at Race and a few others. "Looks like it'll be partly cloudy," I said, smiling.