Time Truly Divides || Newsies Time Travel AU

Chapter 15

TW: Mentions of injuries

Race typed quickly below the table in the cafeteria he and everyone else was sitting at eating their lunches. Conversations loudly took place around him but he couldn't bring himself to take part.

Jack woke up for a few minutes before falling back asleep. Crutchie had borrowed Medda's phone to text Race. His phone was in his locker so Race promised he'd grab Crutchie's phone on his way out of school in the afternoon.

"Racer." Spot shoved Race in the shoulder. Lovingly. "Put your phone away, Weasel's coming this way."

Race quickly dropped his phone into his bag and pulled out a pen.

"A pen? Seriously?" Race looked over at Spot and raised an eyebrow. "There's better things to make it seem like you weren't on your phone."

Race grabbed Spot's chin and kissed him, wrapping his arms around Spot's neck. Spot placed a hand on Race's chest and gently pushed him off.

Spot spluttered for a moment, and would forever deny the blush on his cheeks. "Is something wrong?" he asked. "We never kiss in school."

"Yeah, I know, you just look so hot today and I want to kiss you." Race went in to kiss Spot again but was stopped.

"Racer, not in school. I don't feel comfortable with so many people around," Spot said, moving his hands to his lap. "Is something going on?"

"Nothing's going on, Spot."

"Talk to me, Racer. Something's wrong."

Race stayed silent for a moment, his hand resting on Spot's cheek as he just stared into Spot's eyes. "Jack's in hospital," he explained. "Someone hurt him."

"I'm so sorry. When did it happen?"

"Today. It happened between classes. He got hurt and I couldn't help him."

Spot wrapped an arm around Race and pulled him in close.

"Are you going to see him after school?"

"Yeah, I'm going to walk there. Crutchie says it's only a few blocks away."

"I'll walk you," Spot decided.

"What? You don't have to do that, Spot. I can walk there myself."

"I know you can. But you're also upset and I want to make sure you get there safe."

"Sure. You don't have to if you don't want to," Race said quickly.

Spot cupped the back of Race's neck and touched their foreheads together. "I want to, Racer, I promise."

"Thank you."

"Of course."

~~~

Race tracked Davey down in the second last class before the school day finished.

"David." He cornered him in the English classroom. "I need to talk to you."

"Race." Davey sounded almost relieved to see Race. "Is Jack okay? Did he get to the hospital?"

"You already know? I was going to tell you Jack was hurt."

"I found him," Davey stated, not looking at Race. "I was late to gym and figured my class was out on the field so I went that way and found him."

"Was he- Did it look bad?"

"He was covered in blood but he was talking. That's good, isn't it?"

Race sighed and shrugged. "I don't know, David. Crutchie said he woke up earlier and was talking but fell back asleep."