- Chapter 84 - Good Memories Filter Out the Bad Ones -
Warnings: Slight abuse, slight sadness, crying, rain, yelling, bad parents, and then fluff (:
Canon Era
Third Person POV

A/N, this was requested by the wonderful Bubbles070506 so thank you and hopefully this has cured my writers block and I can finish all of the requests I have lol.

Elmer walks down the streets of Manhattan.

He had finished selling today and was now just walking around Manhattan aimlessly.

It was a nice day in Manhattan, the sun shining and it was only about 63 degrees Fahrenheit.

(15.556 degrees Celsius.)

Sure, people were looking at Elmer like he was crazy, but it was only because of the slight skip in his step and occasional twirl.

Elmer held onto his pape bag, grinning.

He passes by an older lady, when she fell.

Immediately, Elmer got concerned and helped her up.

The lady looks up at him, a small smile appearing on her lips. "You're such a- a good boy." She tells him, her voice trembling slightly.

Elmer looks at her. "I'm just doing what's right, Ma'am." He responds.

"Oh, you're so polite." The lady waves her hand dismissively. "Calling me 'Ma'am'. It makes me feel old."

Elmer purses his lips, deciding it would be best to not respond to that.

After a few more minutes of the lady droning on about him being so kind and why others couldn't be that polite, Elmer excused himself, saying he had to get somewhere.

The lady waved to him as he left, and Elmer was back skipping his way to the Lodge.

Elmer looks around, just admiring the buildings when he heard some commotion.

His stance tensed slightly, knowing full well that any second he could have to run.

Elmer listens closely.

"You brat!" He heard a woman shouting. "You should've never been born! Leave my house at once!" She yells.

Elmer backs up slowly, his eyes wide.

"You should've never been born."

"Leave my house at once!"

Elmer's heart rate sped up, but not in a good way like when Spot would flirt at him, Albert would hold his hands, or Race would wink at him.

No.

This was because of memories that Elmer honestly didn't want to relive.

Elmer turns on the ball of his heel, pushing off of it as he starts running back to the Lodge.

He didn't want to hear anymore.

It was only a few minutes later when Elmer got back to the Lodge, but it felt like it had been hours.

His mind was trapped in another time.

A time he'd rather forget.

Elmer places a hand on his heart, trying to calm his breathing.

He knew if he was panicking and hugged his boyfriends, which was inevitable, they could feel his labored breathing and racing heart.

After a moment of calming himself down, Elmer plastered a fake smile on his face and opened the door to the Lodge.

"Hey, El!" Was the first thing he heard when he stepped into the Lodge.

Elmer looks up, smiling slightly. "Hey, Al." He greets, shutting the door behind him.

Albert pulls him into a hug, before gently pulling away and cupping Elmer's cheeks.

Albert stares into his eyes.

Elmer nods slightly.

Albert gently pulls him into a kiss.

Elmer smiles, wrapping his arms around his tallest boyfriend's neck.

Albert pulls away slightly, smiling at him. "How was selling?" He asks, pulling one of his hands away from Elmer's cheek and entwining their fingers.

Elmer shrugs. "It was fine." He answers.

Elmer was quickly reminded that he needed to work harder to get more money for his siblings.

Albert looks at him, his eyes showing his growing concern.

Elmer notices this. "Where's Race?" He asks, looking around for said blonde boy.

"Still at Sheepshead." Albert answers.

Elmer nods. "I hate to be annoying-" he starts.

Albert presses his pointer finger to Elmer's lips, shushing him. "You're never annoying." He responds.

Elmer smiles, gently pushing his finger away. "I am a bit tired, so I'm gonna sleep." He tells him.

Albert looks at him, his eyebrows furrowing slightly in concern and confusion. "Without dinner?" He asks. "It's only 4pm." He informs him.

Elmer looks at the clock, sighing silently to himself, before looking back at Albert. "Yeah," he responds softly. "It was a long day."

The worry in Albert's features only became more present. "Do you want me to lay with you?" He asks. "I can hold you." He suggests.

Elmer shakes his head. "No, no. I'll be okay," he tells him. "Wait for Race, he might've had a worse day and might need you."

Albert goes to speak.

Elmer stops him. "I'm alright, Al." He tells him. "I-" Elmer hesitates.

Albert knew Elmer couldn't lie.

Elmer never promised something he couldn't keep, he always tried his hardest to keep his promises.

Albert sighs, knowing not to push him. "Okay." He responds.

Maybe El just had a bad day, like he said, and wants time alone?

Elmer presses a soft kiss to Albert's cheek, before hanging his pape bag on the hangers Kloppman had hung for all of them.

He also had Jack paint the hangers with something to represent each Newsie, mainly so they knew who's was who's.

Elmer walks upstairs.

He didn't bother to take his shoes off, just laying down on the bed.

Thoughts clouded his mind and he blocked everything else out, closing his eyes.

A few hours later

When Elmer woke up again, it was dark outside.

He was shaken awake by memories.

His father shoves him onto the front steps. "You're no longer our son." He states, glaring down at Elmer.

Elmer stares at him, his mouth gaping and his eyes watering. "Tata-" he starts.

"Don't." Elmer's dad almost growls. "I am not your father anymore." He tells him.

Elmer looks over at his mother. "Leave our house at once." She tells him, looking unimpressed as he looks at him.

Elmer quickly shuffles to get up. "Please!" He exclaims, tears streaming down his face.

"You brat!" His mother smacks him across the face. "Learn when you need to shut your mouth!" She snaps.

Elmer falls back onto the steps again, holding his cheek. He stares at his 'parents'. "Just- just let me see- my- my siblings." He pleads with them.

His parents slam the door in his face.

Sobs shake Elmer's body slightly, his hands covering his mouth to try to stay silent.

Elmer looks around the room, his eyes seeing just as well as anytime, even though it was night.

Elmer, unlike two of his boyfriends, could see very well in the dark.

Spot was semi-good at it.

Race and Albert were terrible at it, but Race the slightest bit better than Albert.

There was no one other than Elmer in the bunk room.

Or- so he thought.

He knew most of them were probably sleeping with their boyfriends.

His eyes, however, caught on two bodies.

Upon further inspection, he found that they were his boyfriends, both asleep.

They moved rooms so Elmer wasn't alone for the night.

A sob escapes Elmer's lips.

Elmer's brown eyes widen as he quickly covers his mouth.

He stays like that for a moment, making sure no one woke up.

All he heard was his shaky breathing, Race's quiet breathes from across the room, and Albert's semi-quiet snores.

Elmer lays back down on his bunk, facing the wall.

Tears stream down his face as he covers his mouth with his blanket and hands.

He cried himself back to sleep.

The next morning

Elmer walks downstairs.

Multiple boys look over at him, flashes of worry crossing their face when they see him.

Jack walks over to him, looking at him warily. "El," he starts softly.

Elmer looks up at him. "Hm?"

Jack stares at the Polish boy.

His eyes were red and glossy, his hair was a mess, but that part could've been from anything, there were bags under his eyes, and he looked more tired than usual.

"Are you- uh... okay?" Jack asks slowly. "Did you sleep well?" He questions.

Elmer didn't have the energy to lie or even fake a smile, so he just stepped past Jack, walking to grab his pape bag.

Jack watches him, his mind trying to figure out what could've happened and how to help him.

That's when something dawned on him.

He knew who could help.

Later that day

"Al!" Elmer exclaims. "Race!" He whines a bit.

"Come on," Albert grips his arm gently, continuing to pull him along.

Race was just looking at Elmer as they ran along.

"We're getting soaked!" Elmer complains. "Why are we doing this?" He asks.

Albert doesn't answer, pulling his flannel off and wrapping it around Elmer.

Elmer looks at him, confused.

They start running again.

Rain (I typed rain at first... oh boy, that's how you know it's 11pm here and I've had a long day) was coming down on them hard, but Race and Albert were too focused to care.

Elmer stops in his tracks when he recognizes the street they were on.

The street he had been on the day before.

The woman's screams filled his head, his parents' screams joining her's.

Tears sting Elmer's eyes as he looks over at the house where he had heard the woman before.

Race and Albert share a concerned look.

Elmer breaks down in sobs, collapsing to the ground.

Race and Albert were at his side within a second.

Albert picks him up, wrapping Elmer's arms around his neck and legs around his waist.

Albert grabs Race's left hand, the one that was closest to him, and starts running again.

Race runs with them, Albert making sure that he didn't slip and Race still looking at Elmer every few seconds.

The second youngest boy just sobbed into his redheaded boyfriend's shoulder.

After about an hour

An hour later, they had finally made it.

The three boys were drenched though.

Race knocks on the Brooklyn Lodge's door.

Chris opens the door, his expression quickly changing from confusion to worry when he saw them. "Ace," he starts. "Go get Spot." He tells him.

Ace runs upstairs.

Chris quickly lets the boys into the house.

All of the Brooklyn boys in the room look at them.

Cloth and Smokes run off to grab towels and dry clothes for them.

Albert rocks Elmer slightly, the boy still in his arms. "It's alright," he whispers.

Elmer doesn't respond.

Race looks around at the confused and worried boys in the room. "It's a really long story, but we kinda need dry clothes and Spot." He tells them.

"Race?" Spot's confused voice comes from the doorway.

Race and Albert look at the doorway as Spot and Ace walk into the room.

Spot's eyes widen. "Oh my God, what happened?!" He exclaims, running over to them.

Elmer's grip on Albert tightens slightly.

Spot lifts his head slightly, looking at him over Albert's shoulder. "Hey, hey, El." He whispers. "El, it's me. It's okay, baby." He assures him.

Smokes and Cloth walk back into the room.

"We grabbed clothes." Cloth informs them, holding up the clothes.

Race thanks them, taking the clothes.

After changing

Elmer sat on his oldest boyfriend's bed, Spot's blanket wrapped around him as he stares at his hands that laid in his lap.

Race sat on the floor.

Albert sat on the bunk next to Elmer and Spot was on the other side of him.

"What happened, baby?" Albert whispers.

Elmer stays silent.

Albert's eyes flick to Elmer's hands. "Can I hold your hand?" He whispers to Elmer. "And Spot the other?"

Elmer nods slightly, still not looking at him.

Albert gently slides his hand into Elmer's, their hands fitting together like they were pieces in a puzzle that went next to each other.

The ghost of a smile appeared on Elmer's face when he watched Albert slip his fingers in between his own.

Race looks at him from where he sat in front of him on the floor. "Can you talk to us, El?" He asks softly.

Elmer sighs softly, tracing circles on Spot's hand that had also been placed in his lap. "Just saw... something, and it brought up some... memories." He answers quietly.

"Do you want to explain it?" Race asks, his eyes soft. "If not, that's perfectly okay and we can do something else." He adds quickly.

Elmer purses his lips, his silence only lasting a moment. "I watched a boy get kicked out of his home..." he whispers. "His mom yelled something that mine had said, so I ran, not wanting to hear anything else." He explains quietly.

"Aww, Ellie." Albert whispers, gently pulling him into his lap.

Albert wraps his arms around the darker haired boy, hugging him close.

Elmer was grateful for his hugs.

He was grateful that his boyfriends even cared.

And truth be told- though he'd never admit this to them- Elmer was grateful, sometimes, that his boyfriends were touchy and liked affection.

He couldn't say he liked affection any less, it was just what made them so well paired with each other.

It was like Blink and Mush.

Elmer's eyebrows furrow. "I don't think I've seen Blink and Mush separate, unless they're changing or something." He mutters.

His other three boyfriends chuckle at his randomness.

Race stands up, brushing the dirt off of his pants. "I sometimes wonder how their cuteness doesn't get sickening." He comments, sitting down on the bed in between Spot and Albert and Elmer (these two are together lol, if you couldn't tell).

Elmer nods.

Spot pulls Race into his lap, propping their legs up and leaning back against the wall.

Race just goes with it, secretly liking his hold.

Race and Elmer were also wearing two (one per boy) of Spot's flannels.

Albert wore one of Spot's larger undershirts.

Albert lays back slightly with Elmer, his back now also against the wall.

Elmer yawns, his face immediately reddening when he realized it.

"Aww," Race pokes his cheek. "That was so cute." He coos.

Albert and Spot chuckle as Elmer's face reddens further.

A moment later, Race yawns.

His face turns bright red.

Elmer smirks, putting his hand towards Race.

Race pushes his hand away. "Touch me and I'll kiss you." He threatens half heartedly.

"Oh, please do." Elmer responds expectantly.

Albert and Spot share a look, chuckling.

Race rolls his eyes, placing a soft kiss on Elmer's cheek.

Elmer pouts, looking at him. "I've been scammed..." he mutters sadly.

Race stares at him. "You sound like Spot." He points out.

Spot chuckles. "I'm shook." He responds sarcastically.

Race rolls his eyes again.

Albert turns Elmer's head to look at Race. "Give the poor, adorable boy what he wants, Race." He dramatizes.

Elmer's cheeks flush.

Race blushes slightly, but complies, leaning forward and softly kissing Elmer on the lips.

Elmer pulls away after a moment, grinning.

Albert and Spot chuckle again.

"Tired." Elmer flops half off of Albert, laying half on the bed, the other half of his body still in Albert's lap.

"I'm not-" a yawn interrupts Race.

Spot presses a soft kiss to his forehead. "Yes, you are." He responds, his lips lingering on Race's forehead.

Race rolls his eyes, blush dusting hair cheeks.

The four boys lay down together, their limps entangled and each one with at least one body part touching every one of their boyfriends.

A few minutes later, they fell asleep, content.

I love them, Elmer smiles slightly as he drifts to sleep.

2614 Words
Can't decide if I think this is good or bad lol. I mean, parts are good and some parts are bad.