- Chapter 18 - Forgotten Boyfriends and The Brooklyn Forgotten Boys -
Warnings: troubles sleeping, slight worry, slight snapping
Third Person POV

David was awoken to lots of talking. He groaned softly and tried to cover his ears with his hands.

"Oh, sleeping beauty is awake now." Someone above him chuckled.

"Sorry we woke ya, Davey," a voice that sounded suspiciously like Blink said, not being very quiet. "You slept for a while."

"Sorry," David mumbled, rubbing his eyes. Man, he felt really tired.

"Oh boy." Blink shook his head. "First thing he says to us this morning is an apology," he muttered.

David opened his eyes, squinting due to the bright light shining in through the window, and looked at him.

There was a boy next to him, who waved to David when he saw his eyes open.

"Davey," Blink started, pulling the boy against him, "this is my boyfriend, Mush Meyers." He smiled and wrapped his arms around the boy's waist.

David sat up in the bed, blinking so he could actually see and get used to the light. "Nice to meet you," he mumbled, exhausted.

Mush looked him up and down. "This is the boy Jackie fell for?" He chuckled. "Who knew he was the type to go for a good boy."

Blink snickered a bit.

David looked at them, tilting his head. "Why do people keep calling me stuff like that?" he grumbled softly. His eyes widened when he realized that he didn't see his brother. "Where's Les?!" He quickly looked around.

"Davey, Davey, chill," Blink quickly told him, his eyes wide at the sudden panic. "He's eating fruit with Specs and Lucky."

David breathed out in relief. "Okay, okay, calm down, David," he mumbled to himself. "You can trust Lucky and Specs."

Blink smiled. "You definitely can."

David looked at them, before looking around the room.

In a corner of the room, Crutchie was talking with a boy in a red shirt, while Jack, Albert, and Race sat on a bunk next to them. Race was sitting crisscross, his hands in his lap, looking a bit frustrated and nervous.

Jack looked up. His eyes met David's eyes. He smiled, waving at him.

David blinked, staring back into his eyes across the room. He suddenly realized Jack was waving and quickly waved back.

Blink and Mush snickered quietly together.

Mush turned to Blink. "Oooh, he hasn't met the Brookies yet, right?" he asked excitedly.

Blink shook his head.

Mush grinned. He grabbed David's wrist and pulled him up.

David yelped. "Mush!"

Mush laughed and pulled him over to a group of boys.

Jack smiled as he watched.

Blink caught his eye, and shot him a smirk.

Jack blushed a bit, but kept smiling.

"Geez, you're whipped," Race commented, watching his brother.

Crutchie and Spot looked over at them, pausing their conversation.

Jack looked at the boy. "And so are you," he responded knowingly.

Race rolled his eyes. "Don't try to pin this back on me, Jack Kelly," he told him. "We've known about Al, Spot, and I, but now a new boy has come waltzing into our lives," he used his fingers to imitate David walking into their lives, "and you," he pointed to Jack, "have fallen for him." He pretended to have his fingers fall.

Jack watched him, his lips curling up into an amused smirk. "How many times did you practice that to get it right?" he questioned knowingly.

"Multiple times." Race nodded matter-of-factly.

Jack chuckled, along with the other three boys sitting with them.

"But that's not the point," Race said, going back to the original conversation. "You going to tell him?"

Jack pursed his lips. "Uh... no," he answered.

Race shot him a look. "Why not?"

"Why won't you sleep?" Jack responded, not wanting to answer his question.

"Okay, that was uncool and I'm ignoring that question," Race decided out loud. "Why won't you tell him?" he asked again.

"He just got here, Racer." Jack chuckled, a knowing look on his face. "He's already overwhelmed. I'll tell him when it won't stress him out more," he told him.

Race nodded approvingly. "Good."

"Back to my question," Jack started again, watching Race's shoulders sag in defeat, "why won't you sleep?"

Race fell silent. He shrugged a bit, looking down at his hands in his lap.

Jack frowned. "Racer..."

"Please don't, Jack," Race told him, slightly desperate to get off of the topic. "You don't go around questioning Crutchie why he's up anytime someone gets up, you don't ask Knobs why he's always up at 2:40, you don't worry about anyone else constantly being awake during the night," he pointed out. He was a bit frustrated, which they all knew was probably partially from his lack of sleep.

Jack's eyes softened. "Because we know those reasons," he reminded Race, gently taking his hand. "And no one else usually stays up for multiple hours of the night, most nights."

Race shook his head, deciding he was done with the conversation. He leaned back against the bed frame and looking away from the brown-haired boy.

Jack sighed softly, looking back over at David, who was with Mush, Blink, and Knobs. He was now meeting Ike, Boots, Dice, Hotshot, and Red.

Jack smiled a bit at the sight, some of the worries and tension leaving him when he saw it.

Race looked back at him. A soft smile graced his features when he saw the look on his brother's face as he watched David.

This new kid would be good for Jack. He would be good for all of them, and something in Race knew that.

940 Words