“Ummm… can you not read?”

“Thank you,” Crutchie says stiffly, haltingly taking the basket. He doesn’t look inside just yet, instead looking up at her cautiously. “Is… Mr. Thawne really my father? Miss Contessa?”

Crutchie’s eyes turn as big as plates. “Sir… you can’t possibly give this to me. This is more than I’d make in a year!”

Crutchie blinks at the fifty dollar bill, then immediately hands it back with disdain in his eyes. To a kid from 1899… “Sir, this is fake. Just because I got a limp don’t mean I’m dumb. This pape costs real money, and I’ll take real money for it. Please.”

@eyes-for-disguise.bsky.social “Mr Oscuro?!” He stands in Rose’s doorstep, knocking on the door as hard as possible.

“Oh — thank you, Miss,” Crutchie smiles bashfully. He’s not used to all these compliments from adults. “I - I should get goin’,” he says, starting to maneuver his legs and crutch out of the bar stool. “I don’t want anybody to wonder where I am.”

He looks at her in fear at first, because why would a kid from 1899 trust a magic swirling portal that appeared out of nowhere? He nods as she asks him to trust him. Getting out of this place is better than anything right now, and if he has to go through a creepy portal to do it, then so be it.

Crutchie raises an eyebrow as Lestat mocks his accent. But he accepts the shake as the vampire’s word. “You get turned into a swarm of bees,” he threatens.

Crutchie regards him warily, but can’t help but trust Anti because of the “spell” he “cast” on him when they first met. He decides to smile, standing up. “Thank you… I deal with these kinda folks all the time, though.”

Crutchie stiffens. He starts to think back as hard as he can, furrowing his brows. “NO HE’S REALLY REALLY FAST. HE RUNS AND APPEARS IN FRONT OF YOU IN A FLASH OF LIGHT, LIKE A UFO FROM OUTER SPACE!” He stares at Thawne as his ‘father’ leaves, shaking involuntarily. Crutchie looks back up at the +

“Uhhh… the news?”

“Nope!” He says cheerfully. “This is the newsie handshake! Its word is LAW.”

“What — what’s wrong.” His question comes out as a whisper, fear shooting through him. “Why’re you talkin’ like that.”

Crutchie’s eyes go wide. “Did — did you kill ‘im?”

“A — a whole room!” Crutchie frowns, then spits on his hand. He extends it to shake Lestat’s. “Mr. Lioncourt, I’d like your word that you ain’t gonna hurt me or kidnap me or nothin’.”

“You’re tellin’ me,” Crutchie says, but does as Anti wants. Crutchie throws himself to the ground, crutch clattering as he’s done so many times before with drunks or cops.

“What was that?” Crutchie flinches at the noise. He eyes Anti suspiciously. “I don’t wanna go anywhere. I wanna stay right here.”

“I — I don’t want to leave, not again,” Crutchie says, sniffing. “Please don’t take me anywhere. I just — I don’t know what I want! Can’t everybody just leave me alone?!”

13) Jack Kelly Crutchie's gotta have his brother!!!

“Why does everyone want to h-hurt me?” Crutchie stammers. “I’m not THAT important, am I? Why does Mr. Thawne want me as his son so bad? I — I ain’t going anywhere until I get some answers! Please!”

// plssss

“Thank you,” Crutchie just sighs in relief. “This fella’s a real creep. He can show up outta nowhere! I don’t know what to do!” His fear makes him more trusting than usual. After all, he went to Thawne’s willingly for food… Who’s to say this man wasn’t any different?

“Who’s Barry? Rose mentioned him too. I — I don’t wanna go anywhere that I don’t know!” Crutchie looks at the hand with terror in his eyes. Unconditional trust he might have, but his fear is jumping out first. “Where do you want to take me?”

Crutchie flinches as he hears Anti’s voice. He scoots backwards against the crates, clutching his crutch protectively. “I ain’t goin’ back there.”

@notyourglitchbitch.bsky.social // Midnight. Crutchie’s gone missing from Thawne’s. He took off as soon as night fell, hiding out in an abandoned building just like what he’s used to in his city. He curls up in the corner, hiding under a tarp.

“Then can you hide me?” Crutchie asks, suddenly looking behind his shoulder. “There’s this man… a man in a yellow suit. He says I’m his son, but I know I ain’t. Sir, you gotta believe me. I wouldn’t ask if I weren’t desperate!”

「 ✦ 𝐊𝐚𝐢 ✦ 」 Crutchie being offended that Anti doesn't know how advanced technology was is sending me. xD

“Illinois?” Crutchie asks, fascinated. “What brings you to New York City, then, Miss?”

“I made a rope outta the bedsheets and I was gonna climb outta the window,” Crutchie whispers back, struggling to keep his voice low and evade detection from Thawne. “But it’s a lot higher than I thought.”

Crutchie blinks hard, realizing his mistake in calling her a sir. He blushes hard, and takes off his hat. “Um. Just two cents, Miss. I’m sorry.”

“Two cents, but I’ll take ten!” Crutchie says cheekily. “Say, you don’t mind if I sell here for a while, do you sir? Try and make some extra dough from your customers?”

“You could read about the circus comin’ to the city soon on page 12, sir!” Crutchie says eagerly, holding out a newspaper.

“Yeah, but ain’t toasts just for kings and rich folks?” It’s not that Crutchie doesn’t think or know he’s special! It’s just that where he’s from, nobody toasts to guys like him.

The boy steels himself and politely shakes her hand. Crutchie glances down at Thawne again, growing wary, but then leans in to whisper. “Please help me. This man ain’t my father. He /stole/ me.”

// following as many cowboys as possible because the time period actually makes SENSE WOOO

Crutchie tugs at his scratchy shirt collar, new clothes courtesy of Thawne. He clears his throat, and remains standing where he is. Hes nothing if not stubborn. “I ain’t no charity case, ma’am. If you don’t mind.”

….. Please? :)

Buy a newspaper from him or else.

Crutchie reluctantly stands next to Thawne, dressed in a black Edwardian suit. He fidgets, gripping his crutch — the one thing he fought to keep.

WILL ANYONE BUY A NEWSPAPER?!

currently attempting to climb out of a window.

“Oh — huh. I’ve actually never even seen a cave in real life.”

Crutchie howls in pain, his ability to be quiet completely gone. He ends on a whimper, his pleas falling to whispers instead.

“Can anyone help me find my shoe?”

“You… you have?” Crutchie asks worriedly, brows furrowed. He didn’t want to keep anyone waiting — but then reminds himself he didn’t KNOW to keep anyone waiting. He remains in the doorway, skeptical of the woman in front of him. “Are you with Mr. Thawne?”

“Huh…. Do you usually explore caves, miss?”

“Woah, woah, hey!” Crutchie ducks back and forth to avoid the darts as he approaches the man disapprovingly. “That’s real dangerous, sir! You need help finding a dart board or somethin’?”

“I don’t know,” Crutchie says worriedly. “I really don’t, sir. I just wanna go back!”

I don’t really like this future…

“NO NO NO NO!!” He starts to scream in terror, immediately struggling in the monster’s grasp. “PLEASE — please let me go! DON’T HURT ME! I’ll do anything, I swear! Please let me go!!”