Unscripted (Jack & Crutchie)

Chapter 13 - Fighting Back

Criticism spot :) Note - I'm going to start just writing longer chapters now rather than shorter ones that barely make 1,000 words. I feel like it makes things more organized, and I've enjoyed doing it for the last few chapters. <3

(TW: the lgbt f slur is used once)

Crutchie's POV

I woke up right as the sun started to rise, barely sleeping at all. I wasn't able to stay asleep for long, and would wake up every twenty minutes or so. I was so, so tired, but I couldn't sleep because of how bad I was hurting. I laid there waiting for Jack to get up, not moving. After a few minutes, Jack moved a bit and stretched.

"Good morning, did you sleep at all?" He said, yawning when he finished speaking. 

"Not really," my voice sounded real scratchy from all my screaming the day before, and it hurt to talk.

"I'm sorry, Crutchie," he said, running his fingers through my hair. "Does it feel any better?" 

"I mean, it feels better than it did when everything happened, but it still hurts real bad." I looked up at him and saw how upset he was about it all, sighing deeply.

"What does it feel like? I just wanna understand best I can, so can ya describe it?" He continued brushing his fingers through my hair, smiling a bit to show sympathy.

"Well... The only way I can think of describin' it is that it feels like someone is trying to cut my foot off. Like they're sawing at my ankle." I looked away from Jack as I talked, facing him again when I finished. 

"Shit, I'm sorry," Jack said again, shaking his head.

"Why? It's not like you did anything," I continued looking at him and brushed his hair out of his eyes for him.

"Well that's what I'm upset about. That I didn't do anything. I just, I wanna be there to protect you, ya know?" 

"Believe it or not, I actually fought him off a lot," I said, smiling at him. 

"Really?" Jack said, smiling real big, clearly happy that I was learning how to fight for myself even with my crutch. "What did you do?"

"I'll just explain the whole fight," I said, Jack nodding for me to continue. "So, he came up to me while I was waitin' for you and asked to talk to me alone. I felt real bad about judging him from one bad night, so I said okay and followed. Then, he asked what I had been saying about him to the other fellas." Jack furrowed his brows, confused. "I know, I told him that the only guy I talked about him to was you, and then he said he didn't care about my 'servant.'" Jack rolled his eyes, and I laughed. "It gets better. I actually stood up for myself pretty well, and he told me that my 'damaged look' didn't work on him."

"The fuck does that mean?" Jack said, clearly getting pissed 

"Well that's what I asked, and he said I act like a baby but it doesn't work on him and that he 'sees right through it,'" I continued, remembering how ridiculous he was being.

"I swear to god when I see that kid-" Jack was getting angrier as I kept sayin' what Tommy had done, and then took a deep breath. "Sorry, he just pisses me the fuck off. Keep going." I smiled at him, kind of appreciating how protective he was.

"Well, he swung at me and hit me in the face, but I didn't fall down, even keeping weight off my ankle. He kept punching me after that, but I wouldn't fall. He said twice that he wanted to 'teach me a lesson,' and then swept my feet out from under me which made me fall, but I still didn't put weight on my ankle. Tommy saw that though so he kicked me in the stomach and knocked the wind outta me. But here comes the part where I felt real cool." I said, smiling at Jack.