Newsies one-shots

You should have been there || Spralmer (canon era)

"Get 'em!" With those words the fighting started. The newsboys fought against Weisel's men for the right to be treated as valuable members of the organisation. Elmer looked around. Jack and Davey were tossing Les around in a barrel, trying to keep him out of harms way, while Weisel hit Race on the face. Katherine was trying to help Specs, who got hurt pretty bad. Then that god awe full sound came. The bulls.

"It's about time you showed up! They're slaughtering us!" Romeo exclaimed. He wasn't aware that it's the bulls that take the kids, the newsies, to the refuge. It's the bulls that work for Snyder the Spider and it's the bulls that had almost caught Elmer on the day he decided to become a newsboy.
"Cheese it! It's the bulls!" Jack yelled. The boys sprinted away, but something made Race, Albert and Elmer stop in their tracks. It was Crutchie's screams for help. All three of them turned around and ran as fast as the could to help him. The Delanceys were on both sides of Crutchie while Snyder hit the boy with his own crutch. Albert and Race looked at each other with determined faces and sprinted forward. Elmer was about to join them, but arms that wrapped around his waist stopped him. He struggled and tried to get away, but who ever held him was taller and stronger than himself. He watched as Race was hit on the head by Morris. He fell to the ground unconscious. Albert followed not long after, taken down by Oscar.
"NO! Race, Albert!" Elmer called out, but the person holding him quickly put his hand over his mouth and pulled him away from the scene. He struggled, trying to get to two of the boys he loved. He kept trying to run away as their bodies were tossed into a wagon. He kept resisting the grip even though the boys were long gone. He kept going until his body fell to the ground. His knees giving in and the person behind him helping him to go down gently instead of letting him hurt himself. Elmer let out an angry scream.
"Why?!" He turned around facing the person who had held him back from trying to save his loved ones. JoJo. It was JoJo who had hold him. It was JoJo who was there with him and was rubbing his back gently and it was JoJo who he hit in the face.
"I could've helped them!"
"No. All you could've done was getting your ass in the refuge too." JoJo rubbed his now red cheek.
"Well, then I would've kept them save there."
"You and I both know that that's not what they want." JoJo was calm, soft, in contrary to Elmer's anger.
"I'm not losing them to the refuge. I won't." Elmer already made his way to the refuge, but was stopped by someone stepping in front of him.
"You are no good to them in there." Specs stood with his arms crossed.
"What should I do then? Sit down and do nothing? No way." He tried to make his way past Specs, but the older boy wrapped his arms around him. He could go nowhere, stuck in a grip of steal. He pushed a little harder before his knees gave in one more time, Specs holding his whole weight. Tears trailed down his cheeks. The three of them made their way back to the lodging house. Specs and JoJo both at one of Elmer's side to comfort him, but also to make sure he wouldn't go after Albert and Race after all.

<>

"We have to come up with a plan." Davey stated. He looked around the room at the beaten newsboys. The spirit had been lifted a bit, but most of them still felt miserable.
"How about we burn tomorrows papes?" Finch suggested.
"No, no more violence." Davey rubbed the bridge of his nose with his fingers.
"Why don't we go talk with the other turfs again?" Specs suggested.
"Or we hold a rally." Davey's face lit up. "A city wide meeting. We- we could take Medda's theater!" He stood up from where he stood. "Who tells who?"
"I'll take Flushing!" Finch shot up.
"I'll go to Richmond." Romeo was the next one to stand.
"Woodside is mine." Kid Blink stood next to Finch with crossed arms.
"I'll pay a visit to the Bronx." Sniper said.
"And who takes Brooklyn? I ain't going there again. And I got to find Jack." Davey asked.
"I'll go." Everyone looked up at Elmer. He had a determined look on his face.
"You sure? Do you really want to confront him?" JoJo asked him quietly. He nodded in response.
"So, tomorrow after selling. Medda's theater. Let's spread the word." With that the boys left.