#newises uk

[jack-kellys]

redraw of an instagram story cuz i keep my promises asf

click for glorious detail!! didn’t want to shrink it down!!

[baura-bear]

Give me Tommy boy head canons I wanna write a fic that centers him so I wanna hear what the fandom has to say

[jackmkelly]

brooklyn being girls IS such a good choice it adds so many layers to Everythinggggg spot does. she Does need to say no to the strike at first because as strong as they are her girls DO need more protection then the boys do. its 1899 new york women were just . Not respected ESPECIALLY news girls. it was dangerous for them to simply exist let alone join a strike. spot had to say no because she needed to know the boys wouldn’t quit and leave her girls in a more dangerous situation

[bearsinpotatosacks]

Blood Dripping Down the Alley Walls - Whumptober2023

He was past the point where he was truly aware of his own actions. If he had to put words to it, it was almost like he was watching himself from behind. Or someone from the windows above the dark little alley they were in. Not that they should be. This wasn’t anyone’s business apart from their own.

For a second, he stepped back. The blood dripping off his knuckles smeared across his face as he wiped the sweat off his brow. His breath was burning from exertion. Somewhere in the chaos, his hat sat in a pool of blood, the dark fabric slowly dyed red as it lay discarded on the ground.

The Delancey Brothers find their dad in the Trolley Worker strikes. They're pissed.

For day 28 of @whumptober . Also on AO3. Inspired by this art by @crystallizedtwilight

Words: 687

He was past the point where he was truly aware of his own actions. If he had to put words to it, it was almost like he was watching himself from behind. Or someone from the windows above the dark little alley they were in. Not that they should be. This wasn’t anyone’s business apart from their own. 

For a second, he stepped back. The blood dripping off his knuckles smeared across his face as he wiped the sweat off his brow. His breath was burning from exertion. Somewhere in the chaos, his hat sat in a pool of blood, the dark fabric slowly dyed red as it lay discarded on the ground. 

The man below him was unrecognisable. He bore no resemblance to either of the sons he abandoned. Except, in some ways, they did. He’d been a cold and heartless man, who’d abandoned his sons, who in turn became cold and heartless men. 

Weisel had told them that their father would be among the trolley workers, he told them that if they went off course, if they got distracted, just this once, he wouldn’t be counting. They hadn’t shown anything at the time, but when they saw him among the crowds, something within him, something he’d hidden and pushed down, unlocked. 

He’d noticed first, then Oscar. After looking at each other, it hadn’t been a question of if, more just a question of how. Morris had pulled his back by his collar, throwing him on the harsh ground and watching him skid backwards until he hit the trash cans at the end. 

It was satisfying to see the confusion on his face. The crunch of his ribs against his boots as he’d kicked him, the loss of concentration and the way he disconnected, let his body take over as he stamped on his chest. Secured the knuckle dusters on his hand as he threw his hand down onto his face. Kicking his legs and picking him up just to hit him against the ground. Again. Again. Again. Until a crack rings against the tall buildings of an alleyway. 

His hands were glossy with blood. Drips fell off his knuckles as he waited to catch his breath. Oscar kept on going. There was a fire within both of them that had been steadily growing for years and here was the gunpowder. Here was the alcohol to their molotov cocktail, ready to blow in their faces yet they didn’t care if they died. Who was going to miss them? They all died in the end anyway.

There was a pipe glinting near the start of the alleyway. His ankle hurt as he wavered to get it. Their dad wasn’t weak, he’d fought back to the best of his ability until they’d swamped him until the point that he lay back and took the beating. 

The rust scratched his hand as he turned it. Turning his head, he saw his dad’s face whiten, in the parts that he could see from the blood dribbling down his face from where they’d cracked his skull. Oscar took his knuckle dusters off him as he lifted it above his head, both hands on the bottom as he harnessed all his strength to rain it down on him. 

Something crunched as it hit. His breath was in his ears, blood pumping as his eyes widened and a grin grew on his face. Oscar pushed the brass knuckles onto his hands as he reached back and joined the fight.

He disconnected. His brain shut off, like he wasn’t in control, like he couldn’t remember what he was doing as he was doing it. The only thing he remembered, later on, as they walked away to clean themselves up, was the still body of their father in the alley. His blood pooling into the drain, his likeness to themselves destroyed by the very heirs he’d made. 

God, he fucking wished he didn’t get up again. If he died in that alley, stayed there unidentified until some resident kicked up a fuss about a stink, he’d die a happy man. A very, very happy man.

----

I am so intrigued by the Delanceys, something I wouldn't have been brave enough to say when I first got into newsies in 2017 because the fandom, at least on Tumblr, was a bit black and white, the kind that says "if you like a character you condone their actions". I don't, I just like their characters.

Also context and story really change how the audience sees characters. For this I went Peaky Blinders, violence, blood everywhere, revenge. In a Peaky Blinders context, they wouldn't be evil scum, just milder characters who hold some bad opinions but in terms of their actions? Nothing compared to that show.

Anyway, enough analysis. I love how I wrote this, all the blood imagery, it was cathartic to write someone full of rage.

I also saw the UK newsies and that is my favourite version now. The set! The characters! It felt so much more lived in, I also found it funny that the poster made them look like Peaky Blinders.

Thanks for reading!

[brooklynbadboys]

A History of Girlsies

After a rise popularity of the 'girlsies' after Newises UK introduced Brooklyn as an all-female group of Newises, I decided to look deeper into the history of newsgirls at the time.

This is only for fun and a way for me to acknowledge the women at the time who until Newsies UK, were rarely given a spotlight in Newsies media.

Late 1800s

In 1868, there were roughly 300 newgirls and 2000 newsboys living in New York, but exact numbers were hard to state as newsies were 'at all hours in all public places’

Prior to mid 1800s, many newsgirls had to dress as boys in order to bypass social prohibitions

There were newsgirls of different backgrounds, education, class and age, but most were age 8-20

Many newsgirls were expert sellers, making names for themselves, having their own territories and gaining devoted customers

Multiple sources state the intelligence of the newsgirls being higher than that of the newsboys, likely having to work more than the newsboys to make the same wage

The media at the time presented newsgirls as pretty, witty and resourceful, whilst the newsgirls described themselves as real people in unfortunate situations

People within society had opposing reports on newsgirls, as some stated them to be stylish, respectable and intelligent, whilst others stated their crudeness, and raggedness and coarseness

There are many more mixed accounts, as others report newsgirls as heroic, behaving far better than the newsboys, respecting the city more and going out of their way to help civilians

The newsgirls were widely disliked as the idea of girls working on the streets was seen as evil and it was believed that the girls would put the newsboys out of business

It was also believed that the girls would be corrupted and lose their innocence and therefore should leave the work to the boys

This led many newgirls to work in less seen areas of the city, as the newsboys ran the city, making their presence known

What was most loved about the newsboys, such as their camaraderie and hardwork, was hated about the newsgirls

The girls often faced injustices and dangers far greater than the boys. Newsgirls as young as eleven were often harassed, robbed by male street workers, abducted and assaulted. This was used in the defence of banning all newsgirls under sixteen

The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

In the late 1880s, the community disliked the newsgirls so deeply that they wanted to get the girls off the street for good. It was passed that girls under 16 were no longer allowed to sell papers

They disguised this cruelty as an act of kindness to protect the girls and guide them to a life of motherhood and domesticity

The girls listened before one day fighting back, all swarming to the streets

A few years later, another attack on the newsgirls occured due to complaints from newsboys, publishers and patrons

Newsgirls were given warnings, and if they were to return to selling papers, then and their parents would be arrested and punished severely

By the end of the 19th century as few as 12 newsgirls under 16 were left in New York City

This ban extended to the newsboys in 1899, but little consequence was given and enforcement was low, unlike the ban on newsgirls

Newsgirls in New York:

Notable New York Newsgirls

Winnie and Sadie Horn (‘the soubrette newsgirls’)

In the late 1800s, they were two of the most famous newsgirls, working from 3pm to 3am everyday

Winnie was blind in one eye and dressed eccentrically, reporting to have spoken in Shakespearean English. She would scribble quotes from literature, such as the bible and Shakespeare, on her newspapers

Winnies loyal customers ranged from the New York City mayor to Theodore Roosevelt

Winnie was known as ‘winsome Winnie’ and ‘queen of the newsies’

They stated that them and their sisters were ‘born newsgirls’

Winnie was notable and had many mentions in the papers up until her death:

Mary Welter

Marywent to school until she was 13 and wanted to continue, but she had to support her family

She sold papers at twenty-third street ferry and upwards of 10 dollars a week ($328)

She would stay focused on business when and the competing newsboys inevitably began to act up throughout the day, she would take their customers

Newsies the musical

Before Newsies UK, there were no newsgirl characters. Despite claims of characters such as Smalls being women, they were dressed as newsboys and the Smalls Broadway actress, Laurie Veldheer, stated that Smalls is a boy.

Smalls in Newsies OBC:

With characters as old as 17 (Jack Kelly), and newsgirls of over 16 being allowed to work at this time, along with evidence of newsgirls taking part in the strike, there is no reason for newsgirls to have been left out of the story. There are arguments that may be made about Brooklyn being all women and the inaccuracies of this, but I pose to that how accurate is it for the newsies to be singing, dancing, and flying.

Brooklyn in Newsies UK:

A final note: This may seem redundant after titling this post ‘the history of girlsies’, but I feel the need to point it out: ‘Newsies’ isn’t a gendered term. Newsgirls throughout history have referred to themselves as ‘newsies’. There is no need to other newsgirls and separate them from the term. They are newsies and their gender doesn’t change that.

I hope this can shed some light on newsgirls and their history, and why their stories should be heard alongside the retellings of the newsboys.

Sources:

Extra: The history of America’s girl newsies

Backstage at “newsies” with Ben fankhauser and Tommy bracco

“The newsgirl question”: competing frames of progressive era girl newsies

Newsies vs. The World

[toastyblackcat]

I need someone to make a list of every single detail to do with the Delancey Brothers in newises UK, like how they interact with the newsies, with eachother and especially how they interact with Wiesel/Snyder.

(My only excuse is I have far too little time to do it myself)

[daveandgoliath]

i very rarely wish i lived in america but newsies 92 being shown in cinemas over there is making me wish i did rn :(

[misskawaiigirl1000]

Little throw back to newsies in the cinema! Thank @elishaprice97 for drunkenly agreeing to come and put up with my obsession!#newises #Musical #newsiesforever #UK #Cinema

[jack-kellys]

West endsies sprace😇

@we-are-inevitable @sparkedblaze @anotherdaveyjacobs tagging y’all too but there is a reason i haven’t answered ur asks. Yet.

send me a pair that is NOT: spot+race, davey+les, and specs+romeo bc i did those go look at my blog smh.

THEY ARE BARBIE AND KEN BI4BI!!! barbie has a cringefail bf and so does spot. he’s not even holding it right…

[jack-kellys]

“once and for all we won’t carry no banners that don’t spell freedom”

the only sort of interesting thing about finally not having a bootleg for newsies is that i can interpret and recreate it for myself (and for all of you!). anyway this solidarity sign jack & race do center stage behind the printing press changed my life lololol.

[jack-kellys]

i said i’d post more notes so here are some MORE uk notes, organized enough for u to skip to whichever part u wanna read first. main hits in order are:

1. delanceys as a whole actually

2. jack and physicality (bodily and visually)

3. davey and leaders

4. ensemble notes at the end. here we go!

also all my other analyses so far r linked at the bottom <3 go look

~the delancey brothers!~

so help me i love these guys. i hate them so much and i rly don’t think they’ve been this evil before, like i think. they were more of a cartoonish school bully kind of threat.. but like. nah dude. these are strikebreakers. and they act like it.

they are both taller than essentially all of the newsies except davey. which idt has been true in the past but is significant based on the fact that jack kelly is usually cast always under 5’10 i THINK.. to show he’s still a kid. these delanceys just look bigger, and are older. they don’t interact as much with anyone wearing knickers instead of full-length pants. except.

when each newsie goes up to grab their papers, oscar does a different mean thing to LITERALLY EACH ONE OF THEM. he’ll drop them, or fake a kid out (his fake out w/ buttons has made me jump each time i’ve sat close enough in woodside LMAO he nearly hits him!!), or hold the papers away from them, or push them into their chest. or just give them a sneer. like he is just awful LMFAO

another thing is that they smile very easily when they are doing horrible things. it’s so fucking cool HAHAH but ok lemme go chronologically i’ll speak on dis later

when jack is writing up on the chalkboard, he’s not fighting some guy- it’s oscar, dude. jack and oscar literally go at it, and jack is so physical in this show so when he’s fighting his whole body is fighting. jack shoves oscar down onto the stairs, oscar gets up and tries to grab him but jack SHOVES HIS ENTIRE FOOT into oscar’s stomach and literally pushes him with everything he’s got and oscar tumbles into the stairs, knocking more wind out of him, and is coughing and shit all while “strike!” goes up on the board. god. it rly is the way jack has to put his whole body into making sure oscar can’t get up… it must be an even fight normally

when -5 newsies show up to the gate and they have the “ahh oscar we got bum information” it’s like… they don’t have to intimidate to intimidate. “my skull bustin’ arm” isn’t cartoonish, bro, it’s a fucking fact. and then oscar just laughs, and it’s not evil it’s like bc this is genuinely fun and amusing to him that they are going to kick some kid ass. man!

and then they do i mean i think it’s brass knuckles to the face that take crutchie out… they might kick him too. idr i’m watching all the kids run for their lives during the fight tbh.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY SHOW UP WITH BATS. and it’s not like. a little stage combat bop to the face via a wrist motion— morris at least is swinging with two hands at these kids like he’s tryna hit a home run. it’s choreographed well obv, so he doesn’t even have to slow his swing it’s literally a straight up… if a kid got hit with that they’d be down for the rest of the strike. period bro. it’s kinda fuckin terrifying.

act 2 baby! pulitzer’s office. when pulitzer is extorting jack, when he says “oh, but it’s not right to condemn that little cr*ppled boy to conditions like those…” oscar. fucking. looks over to his brother. and smiles. no it was not a one night thing either. it is every. time. pulitzer mentions crutchie. and it’s chilling, it’s slow and knowing and BAD ASF !! then they haul jack off.

he’s taken upstage behind the scaffolding towers while pulitzer sings the rest of the reprise, but there’s enough light to see what’s going on between the three of them. and what’s going on is that jack is held to the wall while the delanceys take turns punching him. like. whole-shoulder-into-it hits. in the ribs so no one can visually see. oh. my. god. they wrench him downstage and toss him to the ground, jack actually falling and sliding (unlike….proshot where jerjor stumbles to the ground ig) onto his stomach during “we’ve been given discretion..” (discretion only, which is why they rough jacks up privately as he technically hasn’t given the brothers a reason to smack him around..) jack looks like he’s about to get up when my perhaps my favorite detail in the show happens. everyone listen closely:

oscar puts his foot down, on jack’s shoulder. his right shoulder. the shoulder of which fic writers and headcanoners for years have been including as some place where jack has chronic pain after an injury. and michael does a few shoulder moments through the show if you’re really looking (not as obv as jerjor but more natural maybe) and like. and oscar stands on it and pushes jacks back to the ground. holy FUCKING SHIT! ITS!!!! ITS THERE!!! our fucking!! the Thing!!!!! the fucking lore bro like does oscar know it’s sensitive for jack… duuuude. evil delanceys best delanceys

anyway they literally rock. pay attention to them onstage if u can! also the actors r quite funny together and they often do a bull-and-cape bows choreo thing w/ george running thru alex’s mimed cape <3

speaking of jack though, …jack!!

im not making this up jack does tilt davey’s chin up at some point i just don’t remember when… it has to be sometime on seize the day. it’s.. i don’t think i’m making this up.

he does make a point of tilting… might’ve been romeo’s chin up during the seize the day speech during “ain’t no crime to being poor,” and jack makes a movement for the kid to hold his head up. ugh. jack’s pride through this show is a wild wild journey because all it really is.. is within other people. god. god…

another big jack thing as i like to yell abt is his physicality.. when he’s impressed he’s soft and when he needs to get something out of someone or get them away from him he’s distinctly rougher. his physical action is also quite purposeful and feels less reactive than it does like… thought through. even when he’s tugging himself away from les even it’s like an “oh, get off of me already”. it’s a slow, sort of just sick-of-it motion, it’s a wind-up into pulling his arm away (oh this could. be because it’s his bad shoulder and oscar had dug his heel into it the night before. hold tf on WOAH WOAH!!!! rizz ghost-directed this production fr) before of course he realizes it’s les. like it’s very clear he’d be the type to hide an injury really well and then when he lets himself feel it he feels it.

continuing the end of the rally though oh my god. he basically stands upstage center as everyone passes him. everyone he’s ever known passes him and insults him and shoves him but what’s interesting is like. the money is still in his hand. and no one takes it. idk it’s just cool. but literally everyone has words to say to him (well, some spit at him), because honestly, jack said words to them.

significantly, and i can’t stress this enough, jack is an extremely good observer and because of this he does think before he speaks.. in a way. he bases it around a person for sure though, specifically: during the seize the day speech, he goes up to race (he makes his rounds through the whole stage during this part, getting to speak to every newsie on stage. it’s really.. ah, moving, tbh) when he says “they are slaving to support themselves, and their folks” BECAUSE he’d been seeing race and davey not get along (hello to my post about that) through most of the show.. because of davey’s privilege of having a home. inversely, during the rally ‘speech’ jack says “how long can you go without making money” to fucking tommy boy, WHO HAD BEEN A SCAB. tommy literally stands up from the ladder he’s sitting on too bc literally how dare jack… like that is SO. specific.

^but, it also shows that jack definitely knows the methodology of trying to win people over. he knows how to be persuasive, he just obviously isn’t at the rally bc he’d been even more persuasive during seize the day.

• caveat. race is literally so fun to watch during the rally. because he quite literally is only here for the cause because of jack, like if jack wasn’t leading it… idt he’d be in support of it. (especially based on his dislike of davey). he does this “oh my god” of disbelief when jack says to vote no, shaking his head and laughing a little. it’s just. horrified. and it’s gradual too, like he slowly realizes what is going on, that jack is selling out vs. being genuine. ugh. love this racetrack so much but anyway

davey’s shove to jack when he goes to get les is like so small and light in the way of like. not wanting to touch him. because WWH reprise had been filled to the brim of davey touching jack and now davey can barely even fathom it. god they are so going out. also i think it’s interesting that dave and les are the ones to take on and off jack’s newsie square mural, since they’re the only two who have been in the know of jack’s talent since towards the start of the show (meddas)… cool choice.

santa fe for this jack feels the least tangible, like it’s very much in his mind. from it being ingrained in the set, and certainly the moon expanding and practically consuming him from behind, it’s very… dreamlike and visual. when davey walks in on jack painting he’s like “ohhhh is that santa fe. lmao.” LIKE?? it’s very not real in this which is interesting. because jack is very very good at running in this. so it’s cool that this rly is the one time he can’t (when he wants to).

also it rly is the way that the mics caught the ripping noises when jack is taking off the portraits from his penthouse’s overhang… the slow one at the end of “ you stole for those boys, didn’t you?” whew. and he looks at it. and then hides it. god

also, and i’m realizing this hasn’t been canon before: jack is packing a bag to literally leave. he has the money, he kept the jacobs out of jail, he has to go. because his pride does reside in others, and when there seems to be no one left, he has to leave. of course he does. god…

davey time.

the holding of davey’s head is after world will know while the tables are being set up. finally nailed down when tf this happens lmao

“oh, wow… well. you’re really good.” davey covers up when he’s impressed in favor of a statement of fact. he doesn’t like giving away his position, even when it’s not about the strike (/this foreshadows his hesitancy in the next scene, and his statements of facts about how strikes work accidentally backfiring as a stalling tactic and turn into actual reasons to strike).

davey laughs when he’s nervous, which makes when he’s smiling and when he’s not.. quite stark. his resting face is a little inquisitive frown, like he’s always kind of listening. but yeah for his spotlight at the rally he literally is like “oh haha! um- umm, haha— NEWSIESOFNEWYORK. haha! ummm, we got kids from- from every neighborhood!!” i love him. just the concept of meaning what you say so much that it needs to come out of you no matter what form it takes. @we-are-inevitable and i have talked abt poet!davey before and yeah it was uk davey who it stemmed from for a reason.

the role call moment in seize the day is cringe but genuinely davey’s will never not make me laugh bc like HE THINKS it’s cringe too. but what he also does is not call himself david. he says davey. during a role call. names. and it’s davey. do y’all understand

i actually will probably never shut up about crutchie’s open arms to davey after the refuge and davey rly just falling into it my god.. it makes me so emotional. and they talk for so long…

• to this point, i think it’s rly interesting how leaders, specifically, gravitate towards davey. charlie is talking to the guy upon impact- after world will know the two of them are borderline speaking over jack.. the blocking has charlie turned inward towards davey while sitting on the table, which blocks jack off. race argues with davey partway thru the pre-seize the day scene enough so for jack to push race back. and spot LOVES davey. he’ll try to look toward jack and she will bring him right back down to her level and get him looking at her again and they RUN OFF WITHOUT HIM even though they’re all headed to the same place. like lmao. davey is built to lead and engage, there is just something within his nature that is desperate to come out that all the other leaders tease out in different ways. tbh katherine too. DEFINITELY katherine too, since they’re attached at the hip.

we end the davey section with a javid moment idr if i’ve mentioned or not: when jack sets the deal to buy back papers with pulitzer, the transition back to newsie square is davey running. running to jack, katherine a ways behind, and grabbing jack’s shoulders with his eyes widened. well? and jack kinda shrugs, he’s playing it cool before he just grins, and davey rattles jack’s arms before they like. their hug is so close and intimate and rough and davey shoves jack into him, it’s the kind of hug that rocks them side to side a bit. my god. it’s unbelievable. can’t believe they got away w that level of homo onstage <3

speaking of homos im gonna go thru some ensemble quick stuff

albert and crutchie are close friends in this which is so cool. albert is also like consistently the one to pick anyone up off the ground, be it crutchie or les or another kid. it’s just what he does and it helps to not single out crutchie as well. he’s just so helpful and unhinged. like what a weird fucking paring he’s so crazy LMAO

finch is the one who starts the boos during the rally, loud and abrasive and angry. he and race are standing at manhattan with… ooh. idk. it might be splasher but literally do not quote me. finch is just so abrasive through this whole show i fucking love him. loud weirdo

mike is the angriest newsie in town. he is always yelling before a dance break

every time jojo and jack interact it’s like he’s picking up his baby brother or he’s hugging him etc and it like literally makes me emotional lololol. wow

jack bromage was fully back as tommy boy for my show (he’d been out for a bit/doing partial things bc of an injury!!) and THANK GOD because he is. and i’ve been over this but he is literally so cool LMAO he is For The Cause.

buttons is literally so cool in this despite his name. he steals from a vendor before getting the other newsie he’s with to toss their fruit to a sitting-alone splasher, his bit with the delanceys gets him pissed, he’s just consistently ready to actually throw hands and appreciate him for it. kind of serves uhhh livesies tommy boy energy which is fantastic

henry just has a lot more lines in this which surprises me every time. either that or he talks a lot just when he’s onstage LMAO

specs kind of always either literally leads or encourages the movement when newsies are in the aisles/city alleyways, which makes sense— of course the lookout would know the city back and forth!! god! i love him. i do wish we had a black actor again but sam is very sweet <3

that’s all! i say, having done another multiple thousand-word analysis post. thanks for joining me once again gents.

my past analyses have been about:

the show at large +principal characters,

davey,

something to believe in’s new perspective,

other general notes/characterizations,

and racetrack!

[jack-kellys]

vacation doodles

[jack-kellys]

ONLY SO FAR. a newsies robin hood au with a modern and magic twist.

Below the skyscrapers and through the subway tunnels are enchanted doors spread beneath the city. With a retina scan and an aura reading, one is permitted entry, and before them lies the base of operations for an international group of professional thieves. Welcome to the world of the Underground, where Jack Kelly resides while his desires begin to drift elsewhere.

read the world guide here, and the first chapter here.

[jack-kellys]

ONLY SO FAR: our protagonist, at last.

the world, the underground, who's who, and above ground have all been posted.

While many work Underground, there is one who manages to do it with concerning skill, little fear of consequence, deadly dedication, and a disarming grin.

Jack Kelly: 22. Primarily Mexican, with West African heritage. Healing Inclined. Chaotic Good, with his exact placement below.

Born and raised in Manhattan’s Lower East Side to absent parents, grew up taking care of himself and not hinting to anyone that he was doing so. 

Dated Katherine Pulitzer through high school, which drove her father absolutely mad. Admittedly, Jack had not been a fantastic influence on her, keeping her out late at night, introducing her to the fun and colorful world of fake IDs, weed, and nicked alcohol. But she had glowed when with him, he knew, standing up more against her father and allowing her fire to become warm instead of scalding. 

He’d been close with David Jacobs as well through school, nearly spending as much time with him as he did with Katherine. They could talk for hours, give each other sound advice, while also arguing endlessly. They didn’t work well, but they strived to, and through their time spent together they’d become an unstoppable pair of best friends. 

And occasionally, he’d see Charlie, whom he knew from Manhattan’s street scene. It was easy to be friends with the boy, however secretive he often was about his life. 

One night, when Katherine had snuck Jack home with her, she dared him to steal something from the house by the time the night was over. Jack was eerily spectacular at it, and it’d be a test to get anything by Kath. He accepted, stealing a book late in the evening before he left. 

Walking back from the subway to his apartment, he heard footsteps following him. Heavy, distinct, and steady even when he cut down different streets. Easy decision- he ran, hiking up fire escapes and weaving across rooftops until they were gone. 

Katherine and Davey wouldn’t see him again after that. Jack wouldn’t be at classes the next day, and certainly not at their high school graduation. 

The book he’d stolen had been filled to the brim with spells of all sorts, neatly organized by common Inclinations, and if he hadn’t run into Charlie that night, Jack was quite aware that he would not have lived to see the sun rise that morning. But Charlie had taken him down to the subway, through a locked door Jack had thought was only for transit personnel, before he gawked at his friend looking upwards at a retina scanner of all things. Ever since, Jack has been Underground, and the book has been in their Weapons Wing. 

Within the Underground, he sharpened his skills as a thief alongside a combat class that consisted of Racetrack, Charlie, Finch, and Albert primarily. One of their earliest missions, unfortunately, had gone south, resulting in Charlie’s paralyzing curse. Dishearteningly, this had been when Jack realized his Inclination: his magic had recognized one much stronger than his own had been used on Charlie, and the cold sinking feeling in his chest had informed Jack that he couldn’t heal Charlie at the time. It’s a consistent wonder of Jack’s about what could have happened if he’d known his Inclination, if he’d been stronger, if he could’ve reversed his friend’s curse, but he’ll never know. 

But now he’s 22, on a solo mission in London, off to steal a) a sword that belongs to a family somewhere in Morocco, and b) as much cash as he sees fit. To distribute to those in need, of course. 

What he doesn’t plan on is seeing David Jacobs again for the first time since Jack had disappeared five years ago.

poll #1: 20 hrs.

[jack-kellys]

guys this is a big rebranding moment for me but. it must be done.

[jack-kellys]

tumblr pls do your screen recording god’s work todayy lots of insta content