<<Idea by @remusbutfemale>>
Davey curses and ppl get physically burned whoops
***
Jack looked on quietly from where he stood outside the lodging house, he hadn't gone in yet, he wasn't ready. He wanted to brood just a bit longer before going.
Part of him hoped that Davey would pass by, ask him what's wrong- but then he remembered that couldn't really tell him. No, he wouldn't.
No matter how much he longed for Davey's attention, it was just the thing that he didn't need.
His heart ached every time he saw the boy and it just wasn't healthy.
Every time he thought he could talk to about it, his fears got the best of him.
What if Davey shut him out? What if he told the others? What if they shut him out?
So, he figured that his best option was to cut Davey off before Davey could do that to him first.

It had been going fairly well, he was able to avoid the other most of the time...but the troubled looks that Davey gave him whenever he caught Jack's eye almost made him cave in right then and there.

Crutchie knew about this whole ordeal- of course he did, he was practically Jack's brother, how could he not? He'd told the boy to just talk it over with Davey, as Davey was a rational person who would come up with a rational solution for the situation.

But Jack wasn't much for talking.
Any words he might have probably came from Davey at one point or another. He'd become so accused to being around the other that being alone again seemed foreign. He longed just to see the other's Dark hair and concerned looks, specifically structured for Jack's actions.
He longed for it so much that he forgot how terrifying it would be to see it when he finally walked through the lodging house doors and there stood Davey, among Crutchie and a few other guys, talking.

At Jack's entrance, they all looked over and Jack made the mistake of catching Davey's eye.
He could see the shape of his name escape the lips of Davey Jacobs in a silent plea and he began to back up towards the door, before running into Race and Mush who fixed him with glares.

"What is this?" Jack sneered, turning on the group of boys who stood by a self-conscious looking Davey.

"I told them not to, Jack-" Davey began before Race interrupted him.

"We sees you been ignoring Davey over here." Race growler, "Why's that?"

"I'm not ignoring Davey, what're you, nuts?" Jack scoffed, lying through his teeth.

"Jack..." Crutchie's plea came out quiet and Jack genuinely glared at him. Only for a second before they both looked at their feet.

"Wanna let us in on it or are you just going to keep dancin' around him like he's a bad headline?" Race sniffed.

"I'm not- forget it! Y'all are crazy, I can find somewhere less crittersizin' to sleep tonight." Jack began to push through Race and Mush before they grabbed him by his arms and began dragging him towards the back of the house.

"Hey! Hey! Let up! Get your hands offa me!" Jack thrashed about but couldn't get their arms to break away as they neared the water heater room.
Jack was gently throw in there before he felt a weight land on top of him and the door slam.

"And it ain't getting unlocked until yous two talk this out!" Race yelled from the other side of the door.

"Two...?" Jack began to blush profoundly as he felt the weight on top of him move. The sliver of light below the door was just enough for him to recognize the outline of Davey and he scrambled backwards, "Dave! What are you-"

"I- this wasn't my plan, Jack, I swear- I was just- I was just asking Crutchie.."

"Asking Crutchie what?" Jack growled.

Davey rolled his eyes in the darkness, "You know what!"

"Sure I do." Jack began looking around for a light, "It's black as night in here, where's the light switch?" He began feeling around the walls.

"Jack! You haven't spoken to me in a week!" Davey argued.

"Well, what a coincidence. I don't see you speakin' to me either." Jack grumbled.

"That's because every time we meet eyes you go running around another corner!" Davey fumed.

Jack felt guilt pool in his stomach as he heard the genuine anger in Davey's voice, "Y-Yeah, and why do you care so much, eh? Les not enough company now?"

"I'm allowed to care about more than one person, Jack! And I can- I can want your company even if I has Les." Davey balled his fists up.

Jack felt three switches along the wall, "One of these ought to be it..."

"Jack, listen to me!" Davey demanded.

Jack fell silent for a moment before mumbling something quietly to himself.

"Care to share with the class?" Davey growled.

"You shouldn't be spending so much time and energy on me, Dave. You can make more friends just as easy-"

"No, I can't!" Davey's voice rose, "Maybe it's easy for you but-"

"Then guys out there seems pretty concerned about your feelings." Jack snorted.

"But they're not you!" Davey's blood boiled.

Jack felt his heart do a little flip, like it always did when he saw Davey, but this time it was stronger, and continued more longing than he'd ever felt.

"Jack!"

Jack snapped back into reality and the intense longing turned to intense loathing, "Just shut up!" He flipped all three switches on- the light did turn on, but so did the boiler.
The boiler.
Something never used for the Newsies, for hot water was a luxury they couldn't afford. So, naturally, things had been stored in this room- flammable things.
And with the heating regulation not working on the boiler after not being used for several years, the intense heat blasted from it.
"Davey!" Jack shouted as he caught sight of water spewing from it. He lunged for the other boy and shielded him up against the wall with his own body, the boiling water scorching his vest and soaking through to burn the skin.
"J-Jack-" Davey's voice cracked as he moved his hands to the boy's hips, steadying him as he shook in pain, "Y-You- why did-"

"We have- have to get outta here Dave-" Jack wheezed.
Dave nodded and helped him to the door, pounding on it, "Hey! Let us out!" He cried.

Race looked at Mush from where they currently played a card game on the floor, "They sounds pretty angry to me- you suppose they need another minute?"

"Or two!" Mush chuckled, earning laughs from the other boys surrounding them.

"They're not answering." Davey panicked.

"D-Davy-" Jack pointed a shaky finger to where a fire had lit old records aflame that were pressed against the heat of the metal boiler, which was nearly growing red with the heat.

Jack continued to shake, looking up at Davey, "I'm sorry..." He murmured as the walls began to light up, the old wood burning fast as it neared them.

"You're okay- it's okay- w-we'll be fine- they'll see the smoke if it-" Davey coughed, "Comes out-"

"Davey-"

"Jack, don't say anything, we're going to be fine-"

"Davey, really-"

"It's okay, you're forgiven, I'm sure whatever you're going through is-"

"Dave...I think I love you." Jack whispered out, just above the crackling of the flames inside.

Davey stared down at Jack with wide eyes before he caressed his cheek and look at him, seeing tears of sadness and guilt prickle at the corner of his eyes, "We're going to be okay, Jacky, I swear- just- sit down here-" Davey set jack in the floor, away from the flames that threatened to burn them. The smoke was getting thicker and closer.

Davy began to kick at the door, "Let us out!" He yelled. Only to hear small snickers.

"You think this is a joke?" Davey screamed, continuing to pound on the door, "There's a fire!"

"Sure there is, Davey!" Race laughed.

"Oh for god's-" Davey felt Jack slump against his leg as the pain and smoke became too much for him. He began coughing as smoke neared his face and fell into his lungs. "J-Jacky-" He whispered, bending down to hold the boy in his arms, squeezing him tightly, "Hang tight, I-" He coughed before pounding on the door again.
He took in a deep breath, holding back a cough before he let out one last scream, "GET US THE FUCK OUTTA HERE!"

"Did Davey just-"

"Davey just swore-"

"Do you think-"

"Fuck there must be a fire." Race cursed and scrambled to his feet, running to the door and grabbing the metal handle to open it, the door successfully opening but not without a screech from Race as it burned his hand.

Davey and Jack came tumbling out along with a wave of smoke and walk of fire that fueled higher with the new oxygen.

"Guys help!" Race called and nearly every one of the present newsies rushed forward to pull Jack and Davey out of the fire while others began to pump water into the tub which they carried over to the boiler room, tossing into it until the fire was successfully burned out. It went fairly fast with near to forty boys helping get the fire out.

Davey's eyesight began to grow clearer as the fresh air hit him and he blinked dust from his eyes. He immediately looked around the bustle of boys for Jack, "Where..? Where's-?"

"He's over heres." Crutchie hobbled over to Davey, helping him up and ironically helping him walk over to the mass that was Jack, on his side while the other boys poured water on his arms.

"He's burned- on his back-" Davey wheezed out, falling to his knees weakly beside the boy who groaned out in pain.

"You heard the man, take his vest off! Move!" Race ordered.

"Wait, no-!" Davey sputtered, halting four boys who'd already reached to help Jack, "The clothes c-could have stuck to his body, we need to be careful."

Mush nodded from where he stood as he began delicately unbuttoning Jack's vest with the help of speaks before they carefully took it off his back.

Davey winced as he saw blood soaked through Jack's flannel, "L-Let me help me with this one, it's going to be," He coughed out, "Tricky."

"Are you sure you're up for it Davey?" Crutchie fretted.

"I'm better off than he is." Davey cleared his throat and reached for Jack's flannel, carefully unbuttoning it before taking it off his arms. With it shifting against his back, Jack hissed out in pain, slowly gaining consciousness.

"This is going to hurt, Jacky." Davey frowned, "Can you handle this?"

"What? ...You undressing me, Dave? I think I'll-" Jack couched hardily, "-Rather enjoy it." He joked with a small grin.

The other boys looked in slight confusion about what had been said in the room but Davey just smiled with a nod, moving his hands to gently begin to strip the blood soaked cloth from Jack's back.

Jack let our a shriek and threw his body away from Davey, "Christ, Dave!"

"I told you, it's going to hurt." Davey frowned.

"Just- just be careful, I-" Jack screamed again as Davey gently began to remove the fabric, causing Jack to back away once more.

Davey sighed sharply and turned to Mush and Specs, "Hold him down, would ya?"

Jack protested for only a moment before being restrained by the other boys.

"Keep a firm grip, he's going to move a lot-"

"Just tell me when-" Jack shrieked as half the fabric was swiftly ripped from his back. He tugged away from the other boys to no avail.

"Just one more tug-"

"Dave please..." Jack cried out, "Dave this-" He was silenced as Davey planted a kiss to his cheek.

"Just focus on me." Davey whispered.

"Foc- focus on-" Jack practically melted as Davey began to pepper the side of his head with kisses, making him grin stupid and get caught completely off guard when Davey ripped the rest of the fabric from his back.

"MOTHER OF GOD-" Jack yelled in a shrill voice.

"Now we have to bandage it and put some ice on." Davey sighed.

"You mean put cloth back on to the wound?" Jack groaned.

"Well we'll clean it first." Davey shifted in front of Jack as the other boys left to go get bandages and ice along with clean rags and soap.
Davey reached forward and caressed Jack's cheek. He cocked an apologetic eyebrow as if to prompt Jack to speak.

Jack paused before sighing, "I just didn't..." He coughed, "I wasn't sure how to express...how I felt- or- or if it was right at all...and I didn't want you hatin' me for it.."

"Hate you?" Davey's eyes softened and he gently stroked Jack's cheek, "Jack that's crazy."

"Well, I didn't know that." Jack grumbled.

Davey leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss to Jack's lips, making the boy smile, "Well," He pulled back with as equally smitten of a smile, "You do now."