- Chapter 111 - Candy Cane Obsessions -
Warnings: Mentions of eating problems
Modern AU (minus Covid)
Third Person POV

A/N, I wrote this about a year ago when I only had like thirty followers and was a horrible writer (for those of you who knew me then, don't disagree. You know I'm right). Recently, I rewrote it (and changed some parts) for my friend as a Christmas present because he deserved something happy (I wrote him twelve happy stories for Christmas because all we right is sad stuff lol). That's why this story is in past tense lol. I'm added back the parts I took out and editing it, so here's the completed version.
Merry Christmas all! And happy holidays!

Race sat on his bed in the room he slept in at Medda's house. He was wrapping presents for his friends. Since he was a broke high schooler, he didn't have much money, but he tried to get stuff that would be meaningful to his friends.

"Racer!" Elmer exclaimed in a sing-song voice as he opened the door to Antonio's room.

Race's eyes widened in fear. "Close your eyes!" He exclaimed, quickly hiding the present.

Elmer's hands quickly flew over his eyes as Race chuckled.

Race finished wrapping the present. "Hi, El." He chuckled lightly.

"Morning, Race," Elmer greeted, walking in as he watched Race put a bow on the present.

"Do you need something?" Race asked, looking up at Elmer.

Elmer pouted at him. "Do you not like my company?" he asked his boyfriend.

Race quickly shook his head. "No, no, I love you and your company," he told him. "I'm just wrapping presents right now."

Elmer shot Race something between a smirk and a grin. Elmer didn't 'smirk' much. "I'm joking with you, Racer," he responded. "I love you, and I know you love me."

Race smiled. "Well, I'm glad that you know that."

Elmer smiled. "Anyway, I came here to tell you, which you could probably guess, that Spot and Al are here too. They're downstairs." He informed Antonio.

Race looked up at him,  a grin on his face. "Al's here?" he asked.

Elmer nodded excitedly.

Race put the present down, before he grabbed Elmer's hand, jumped up, and ran out of the room.

Race ran into the living room, tripping, and doing a roll so he didn't hurt himself, before he landed on his butt.

The boys looked at him, concerned, but he just grinned, hugging Albert tightly. "Hi, Al!"

"Heya, Racer." Albert chuckled, rubbing Race's back lightly.

"I feel the love," Spot grumbled sarcastically.

Race rolled his eyes. "You know I love you, but you and El were here yesterday; Al wasn't," he reminded him.

"I was joking," Spot responded.

Race shrugged, sitting down next to Albert.

Elmer sat down next to Spot.

"Want a candy cane, anyone?" Crutchie asked, holding up a pack of candy cane.

Race nodded vigorously.

Crutchie handed Race a candy cane.

Race unwrapped it. "Thanks, Crutch."

"Don't a good amount of the boys just get you candy canes as your Christmas presents?" Jack questioned.

Race took the candy cane out of his mouth and pointed it at Jack. "That and lollipops," he answered.

"He really likes candy canes." Cructhie giggled.

"They're so good," Race mumbled, sticking his candy cane in his mouth.

"When you go to dance, correct me if I'm wrong, but around the Holidays they give you candy canes, and you usually dance with one in your mouth, right?" Albert asked Race.

"They're shocked that I can and I've had most of the same teachers for five years," the blonde-haired boy stated.

The boys around him laughed.

"So, have you eaten anything today, Race?" Davey questioned, a knowing look on his tace.

Antonio pointed his candy cane at Davey. "I ate lots of candy canes," he answered.

Davey shot him a look. "Let's rephrase, anything other than candy canes?" he asked.

Race shot him a not-so-subtle glare. "I'm not answering that," he mutters.

"Racetrack!"

"In my defense, candy canes are really good and it's easy to forget to eat."

"You need to eat, Race," Davey told him sternly. "You need food to be able to do well in school and be happy," he reminded him.

Race held up his candy cane. "Happiness." He did jazz hands.

Davey rolled his eyes.

"What?" Race asked. "I ate a lot yesterday, and barely threw up," he told him.

"Okay, progress is good," Davey said, "but you need to continue to digest food so we can make sure there isn't actually a problem in your stomach," he told him.

"Did you catch that or do we have to put it in smaller words?" Jack teased Race, who elbowed him.

"You're forgetting who's in Science honors out of the two of us," Race retaliated.

Jack rolled his eyes.

"Did you understand what I said?" Davey asked Race, though he - unlike Jack - was genuinely concerned and was not trying to tease Race.

Race groaned.

Jack snickered.

"Yes!" Race exclaimed, looking exasperated. "You're not the only one who knows 'big words'," he told him.

"Sorry, sorry." Davey held his hands up as if surrendering. "I was just checking," he responded.

Race scoffed.

"Are you going to do what I say?" Davey asked him.

Race shrugged, leaning against the back of the couch. "Eh, it depends," he answered. "If I feel like it, I will, but I don't feel like it right now and I'm fine, though you don't seem to believe me," he added grumpily.

Jack, Spot, and Albert groaned.

Davey and Crutchie sighed.

Elmer was watching the TV. He hadn't been listening for a good amount of the time.

Albert stood up and picked Race up.

"Ah! Albie!" The blonde-haired boy shrieked, clinging to him for fear that he would get dropped onto the floor.

Albert shrugged. "Sorry, Racer, you're gonna have to learn to take care of yourself if you want us to leave you alone," he told him.

Race rolled his eyes, still holding onto him tightly as Albert carried him to the kitchen.

Albert set Race down on a chair in the kitchen.

For a few minutes, Davey, Jack, Albert, and Spot talked about what to make Race so he'd eat.

Race was sitting in the chair, looking bored as he drummed his fingers on the table. "I kinda want a candy cane," he mumbled, completely oblivious to what was happening.

"Didn't you just have a candy cane? Where did it go?" Spot asked him.

Antonio smiled cheekily at him. "I ate it."

"Course you did."

"It was very good. 10/10."

Spot couldn't help but let out a light laugh.

1156 Words
If there are any mistakes with the names, it's because I used their real names so my friend wouldn't question why they had names like Cructhie or Racetrack lol. He's not in the Newsies fandom, sadly, nor does he understand it lol.