Scoffs at the headlines he’s reading. “This don’t even make sense!”

I'm not just some tragic victim.

Um….. hello? Can anyone help me down?

// like for a small starter :)

The boy frowns at the detective’s description — how could he possibly feel something like that? But at his next question, Crutchie stubbornly gathers his courage. He nods, pointing his chin up at an impossible angle, and follows. “Right behind ya, sir!”

“That’s alright,” he says, just as sleepily. Crutchie yawns widely, then sinks down. “Even I oughta take a break sometimes…”

// like for a small starter :)

“Oh! I — I wasn’t REALLY tryin’ to rob ya, sir,” Crutchie says in surprise, but pockets the change anyways. “… Thank you.”

Crutchie exhales shakily as Nyx disappears, or goes back into the shadows he supposes. He blinks. Was all that just a fever dream? Wishful thinking? The cries of other kids, most even younger than him, pull him from his thoughts for a second. The city, this place, Snyder… they were all horrible. +

“You… want that? To live like Pulitzer? I guess it wouldn’t be all that bad…”

Crutchie turns around to face JD and Heather, smiling nervously as he slides out of the way of the paint bucket. His smile grows as they’re fully drenched without even knowing what hit them. “Ha ha, look at your faces!! W-wait, I didn’t mean —“ He backs up as JD gears up for a punch.

“N-no, you need it more than I do,” Crutchie tries to smile back, putting up his hands in defense. “Please. You keep it. I’ll be alright.”

“I — I just wanted someplace to stay, miss,” Crutchie confesses, swallowing hard. He attempts to flatten himself away even further, too worried to answer properly. “I — I was lookin’ for the Newsboys Lodgin’ House, that’s all, miss.”

Crutchie smiles softly down at her, blushing a little as she settles down. He wriggles down next to her in the seat, scrunching up his legs to be smaller so Claudia has more room. Maybe he could take a short nap too. Just a small one…

“Hi!” Crutchie smiles back, glad the other took to the spit shake so well. “But you still gotta look the part. Folks is still gonna think youse too fancy to be a newsie.”

“Ehhh —“ Crutchie pauses to look up at the other, painfully conscious of how he’s standing out in these city streets that definitely aren’t New York. “I — I’m tryin’ to find a train. Sir.”

“N-no I do! If it’s free, I’ll take it!”

Crutchie gently places his orange vest across her shoulders, thinking she might like to take a nap.

// been overwhelmed with work this week but also I had an audition and a callback for a show wooo!!! Replies will likely come this weekend ✌️

“Wait. You’d really get me some food…?”

// local Edwardian boy introduced to McDonald’s food 👁️👄👁️

EXTRA, EXTRA!! … NEW SOCIALITE RIDES BICYCLE AROUND TOWN!

As they head towards the fancy part of town, Crutchie can’t help but whistle in admiration. This man really stays here? He starts to slow down nervously. “Uh… they won’t kick me out or nothin’ ‘cause I don’t got the right clothes, right sir?” A flash of panic shoots through him. Could he really +

“Um… I mean I’m kinda workin’ right now and I don’t know you…”

“What’s… fast food? A clown…?” Crutchie frowns immensely. He’s never heard of either.

“…Five cents, sir.” He blushes as he gives the real price for once.

“Ohhh, youse talkin’ bout that Irish pub down in the Bowery, aintcha?”

“Maybe a change of pace, sir? With today’s headlines?”

“Wait!” Crutchie exclaims, pulling out of THE READER’s grasp. “It w-wasn’t me! Please let me go — I’m just’ tryin’ to sell my papes!”

“Wow…” Enraptured by the sights, Crutchie stands there turning slowly in a circle. He smiles brightly, like he can’t believe where he really is. He’s always dismissed magic as an impossibility, something tricky to fool others. But this? This has to be the real deal. Is that all that’s needed to +

Minutes later, Crutchie runs back to her, whisper-shouting in his hurry. “They’re comin’! They’re on their way!”

The more Nyx explains, the paler Crutchie turns. He blinks as she talks of shadows, of a Dr. Gideon and experiments. But he won’t call her a monster. How could he? The nuns say this kind of stuff about him all the time. He slowly reaches out for her hand, trying to show his acceptance. “Can — +

“Oh… no, that’s alright,” he says awkwardly, now feeling bad about telling her off so abruptly. “It’s gonna be a real hot night tonight, I won’t need it. Um. But we could share this spot if you want…?”

Crutchie looks up at Jack admiringly, always liking his attitude when it comes to stuff like this. But here, when folks are giving him looks? He still doesn’t like it. “Yeah, what Jack said,” he mutters, eyeing the others.

“Y-Yes,” Crutchie says, a little worried now. “If — if it’s not allowed, I can move somewhere else.” Is she a cop? That’s what he’s worried about now, with the flashlight and her mannerism. Crutchie shrinks down, trying to make himself look small and unassuming.

“Pfft, if you think so, you should tell Pulitzer yourself. Too bad he’s already made that decision up in that fancy office of his…”

Bumps into {the reader} with a big yawn. “Oh, sorry…”

Dreaming…

// stolen hehe

…Yawns widely as he slumps against the wall to sleep. “This is my spot….”

…Yawns widely as he slumps against the wall to sleep. “This is my spot….”

“huh… yeah, look at this! says people wanna storm the banks.”

"Hi. You're in my sleepin' spot for the night," Crutchie says quite bluntly, looking down at her. "I was 'ere yesterday. If ya don't mind."

"Huh...." Crutchie considers the name, then brightens up. "I think I heard Miss Plumber mention that name! Somethin' like Edward Vance. Scoop's just a nickname! I'm pretty sure he works here. You should go in!"

"no, mine are perfect! i've had these for a whole year and they haven't worn through. wait, why'd ya ask about stocks? is that today's headline?"

"pfft, stocks? you should be carin' more about your socks, emma! look at 'em, they're even more holley than mine!"

"Ah, okay... what does um. What does fec-cool-ent mean?"

// deep into baldur's gate 3 for the first time woot woot

// stolen hehe

McDonald’s…? Like…. The street?