Whovian3135-Here you go dearest! Sorry it took me so long! Enjoy!

You hung back from the group as the boys celebrated their seemingly small but life-changing victory over their new wages and Newsies rights. You had some help in the matter. You had been the scout to go and make sure Crutchie was alright when he got taken away. No one gave you that job, you just didn't like sitting around and feeling useless when it was Crutchie you were with nearly twenty-four/seven and it was him who helped to connect with the others.

Thankfully, now he was free. But he wasn't looking so good. After doing the honors of locking up the man that took him away, you watched as Crutchie found himself a secluded part of the street where he was left alone to tend to his wounds. You wrung your hands as all the other newsies left to reap the spoils of war. But your eyes drifted to Crutchie, despite the others calling out for you to join them.

Once they all were gone off happier than a fat man with a hot dog, you soon found yourself gravitating toward the limping boy. Crutchie had gotten to his feet at this point but just as he tried to take a step, his knees buckled and he nearly crashed to the street ground. But you were quick on your feet, coming up underneath his arm to hold him steady as you helped him sit down.

"Holy Zeus, Scout, woin a guy next time you wanna get all up cloise and poisinal."

You afforded him a little smile as you detached yourself from his side now that he was settled. You watched as he winced while straightening out his legs. With a gingerly touch, you reached out and placed a hand on his leg.

"Where did you get hurt?"

Crutchie scoffed, shaking his head as he threw down his crutch with a small bit of attitude you rarely ever see in the boy. You recoiled a bit, tucking your hand in the pocket of your tattered cardigan as the newsie spoke.

"Where ain't I hurtin', that's the question."

His face was pinched in a mixture of anger and pain. But when he turned to look at you, it was like magic; his scrunched face relaxed and was quickly replaced with a lazy half smile. Reaching out, Crutchie grabbed his crutch and tapped the end of it against his lame foot.

"But what does it matta? I'll heal in time. Not like I haven't been beaten within an inch of my life befoire"

He tried to stand again but you stopped him. Without looking up from staring at your knees, you reached out with a hand and grabbed the back of his trousers, yanking him down beside you again. You didn't let go of him as you spoke through gritted teeth.

"Where did you get hurt?"

With a dramatic sigh, Crutchie layed his crutch on the sidewalk and nodded to his other side. Silently, you scurried over, your frame nearly perfectly against his as he pulled you close. Taking one of your hands in his as he lifted his shirt with the other, he placed your hand on his back near his hip joint. There you felt a lump as well as see a nasty bruise forming.

You looked up at him, your eyes catching him staring at you. His hazel eyes sparkled in the morning sun that bounced off the slightly damp pavement. His hair was everywhere just like the bruises and cuts that littered his face. But he still had a small smile on his lips. He read your eyes and answered the question in them.

"Them pinheads thought themselves cleavoi to beat up the limpin' one. And seein' as how I couldn't use this one," he pointed to his lame leg, "they decided it was about time I had a matching pair."

You shook your head as you started to pull out what medical things you had in your pockets. Seeing as how the boys were always getting hurt, you took it upon yourself to use what little money you had to slowly build your cash of medical supplies. Thankfully you decided to pack the good stuff for aches and pains.

You motioned for him to lean forward and keep his shirt up as you looked over and applied the oil ointment over his growing wound. You busied yourself from wanting to stare at his fine chest by talking.

"I should have just stayed with you instead of sneaking in and out." You sighed shaking your head. "I could have stopped this," you whispered as you added more ointment.

The two of you stayed quiet as you gently applied the last little bit of the ointment on the rest of the bruises you could see that scattered all over his back and arms. But a question continued to pop in your mind. Making sure he couldn't see your face as you worked on his back, asked him with a quiet voice.

"Why do you call me Scout?"

Crutchie's body shook with a silent laugh before he answered. "Cuz it was yous who ended up commin' to see me while I was all locked up. Bein' all small and sneaky like, scaren' the life outta me a couple a times, commin' to tell me how the other guys were....yous...I started seein' ya as my on poisinal scout."

You couldn't help but blush as your insides warmed, a small smile pulling at your lips. You were working on his arms now, his sleeves pulled up to show off his muscles, so you busied yourself with just focusing on his injuries. The two of you fell into a comfortable quiet again.

You moved to kneel in front of him, doing your best to look anywhere but at his well-formed abs as he lifted the front of his shirt. But you couldn't help yourself. His wounds were worse there than on his back. He probably had a broken rib or two despite him acting like he had just stubbed his toe.

Tentatively, you started on his chest. He hissed a few times, even flinched making you whisper an apology. But he'd just flash you his half smile and you'd move on to the next cut. You were on the last bruise when you watched his hand come up and cover yours that just so happened to be over his heart. You tried to shyly pull away but he held on a bit tighter, making your arms dance with goosebumps and your heart beat wildly. You kept your eyes plastered to your joined hands, not trusting yourself to look him in the face.

"I didn't want yous to get hoit," Crutchie whispered as his thumb traced your knuckles.

You continued to stare at your hands, your mind trying to figure out what he meant exactly. But it seemed he wasn't done.

"That's why I didn't want you to stay with me. Those no good brothers would have made a quick meal of you. Maybe even..." Crutchie shivered as he sat up, "Having you come to see me every day, your (e/c) curious eyes like little beacons of hope poppin' up in the dark. Your smile makin' me foiget the pain, just for a second."

Genly, he moved his free hand up to tilt your chin up so he could look into your eyes. He was smiling sweetly, his black eye making him look a little silly but didn't take away from his attraction. You gave him a small smile in return, your eyes welling up with happy tears. Crutchie stroked your cheek and leaned in, whispering harshly with a wide smile.

"Yous my goil, Scout. Through and through." He chucked his head int he direction the other guys had gone. "Don't tell the other boys but Jack can't be the only one with a goil. But it might be a little unfair that mine is the prettiest one around." Then he winked making you laugh lightly, looking away shyly.

You suddenly felt brave and without a second thought you leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to his forehead. Pulling back, you set his shirt right, picked up his crutch and helped him stand.

"You need to lay down," you said as he hobbled alongside you, leaning on you for support.

Crutchie laughed. "As long as yous are the one with me."

You let out a light scoff, laughing as you hit him lightly on the chest with his crutch in your hand. The newsie laughed harder, his arm around your waist pulling you closer to him.

"Jokes, jokes," but he didn't' stop smiling for the rest of the day, just like you didn't leave his side.