Post by newwwwusername on Nov 20, 2023 14:11:27 GMT
Full title on AO3 : Spitting Out Stomach Acid Isn't "Fine"
Requested by : Anonymous on Tumblr
Original request : If you're still taking acid reflux/GERD requests, I'd love a Newsies fic where Davey is having a GERD flare up and Jack comforts him through it. More chronic illness/disability exposure and representation in this fandom is sorely needed!
Chronology : Post-canon
Headcanon : David has GERD
It was easy to miss David's health problems. After all, he wasn't like Crutchie where he had something visibly wrong with him, or like some of the other boys who clearly had some sort of mental handicap. No, his problem was much less apparent just looking at him.
Because of this, he hardly told anyone about it for fear of them laughing at him, writing him off as just wanting attention or, worse, thinking he was just trying to get out of work.
He overexerted himself most days, delivering his own newspapers and even helping some of the other guys with theirs despite the fact that, throughout the day, he found himself throwing up more and more stomach acid.
He always swallowed it back down and went along like nothing was wrong, pushing through the pain to talk even though his throat burned and ached from being corroded by acid throughout the day.
The only people who knew about his condition were his family, but they all had more important things to worry about than some stomach acid, and Jack.
He wasn't even entirely sure what had driven him to open up about his condition to Jack Kelly in the first place. Maybe it was just because the boy was so close with Crutchie. Maybe it was because, for reasons he couldn't quite put his finger on, he felt safer with Jack than he ever had with anyone before.
Jack had been very understanding when David explained his problem, even sympathizing a bit and telling him that it 'sounded awful', which David nodded and agreed with because it was pretty awful, wasn't it?
David was having a particularly rough day with his reflux. Once or twice a minute, he'd find himself throwing up a little acid into the back of his throat. Sometimes it made it all the way to the bulk of his tongue, which was especially unfortunate.
When he spat acid up onto the sidewalk, he knew something was wrong, and he immediately ditched what he was doing to try and find Jack. Thankfully, Jack wasn't too far away and quickly turned all of his attention to David when he approached.
"Hey, Davey" the newsie greeted with a warm smile. "Wha's up?"
"I, uh, shit hold on" David breathed before spitting more acid onto the sidewalk. Jack winced. "It's really bad right now, Jack"
"Okay" Jack nodded understandingly, gesturing to a nearby crate. "Sit 'own and I's sees about gettin' you some wate', kay?"
"Oh, you don't need to do that, Jack, I-"
"It's okay, Davey" Jack dismissed. "You's sick"
"I don't have a virus, Jack" David told him. "This is a constant for me, it's not going anywhere" he went on. "It's just worse right now. No big deal"
"No big deal?" Jack repeated back, exasperated. "Davey, ya jus' chucked up acid onta the pavement" he gestured to the small, wet spot on the ground. "You's takin' a break"
"Okay" David sighed, sitting down on the crate. The sudden shift in position made more acid come up and he winced as he spat more of it onto the sidewalk. Jack patted him on the shoulder sympathetically before running off to see about getting him some water.
David smiled as the boy ran off. How did he ever get lucky enough to have someone like Jack in his life?
Requested by : Anonymous on Tumblr
Original request : If you're still taking acid reflux/GERD requests, I'd love a Newsies fic where Davey is having a GERD flare up and Jack comforts him through it. More chronic illness/disability exposure and representation in this fandom is sorely needed!
Chronology : Post-canon
Headcanon : David has GERD
It was easy to miss David's health problems. After all, he wasn't like Crutchie where he had something visibly wrong with him, or like some of the other boys who clearly had some sort of mental handicap. No, his problem was much less apparent just looking at him.
Because of this, he hardly told anyone about it for fear of them laughing at him, writing him off as just wanting attention or, worse, thinking he was just trying to get out of work.
He overexerted himself most days, delivering his own newspapers and even helping some of the other guys with theirs despite the fact that, throughout the day, he found himself throwing up more and more stomach acid.
He always swallowed it back down and went along like nothing was wrong, pushing through the pain to talk even though his throat burned and ached from being corroded by acid throughout the day.
The only people who knew about his condition were his family, but they all had more important things to worry about than some stomach acid, and Jack.
He wasn't even entirely sure what had driven him to open up about his condition to Jack Kelly in the first place. Maybe it was just because the boy was so close with Crutchie. Maybe it was because, for reasons he couldn't quite put his finger on, he felt safer with Jack than he ever had with anyone before.
Jack had been very understanding when David explained his problem, even sympathizing a bit and telling him that it 'sounded awful', which David nodded and agreed with because it was pretty awful, wasn't it?
David was having a particularly rough day with his reflux. Once or twice a minute, he'd find himself throwing up a little acid into the back of his throat. Sometimes it made it all the way to the bulk of his tongue, which was especially unfortunate.
When he spat acid up onto the sidewalk, he knew something was wrong, and he immediately ditched what he was doing to try and find Jack. Thankfully, Jack wasn't too far away and quickly turned all of his attention to David when he approached.
"Hey, Davey" the newsie greeted with a warm smile. "Wha's up?"
"I, uh, shit hold on" David breathed before spitting more acid onto the sidewalk. Jack winced. "It's really bad right now, Jack"
"Okay" Jack nodded understandingly, gesturing to a nearby crate. "Sit 'own and I's sees about gettin' you some wate', kay?"
"Oh, you don't need to do that, Jack, I-"
"It's okay, Davey" Jack dismissed. "You's sick"
"I don't have a virus, Jack" David told him. "This is a constant for me, it's not going anywhere" he went on. "It's just worse right now. No big deal"
"No big deal?" Jack repeated back, exasperated. "Davey, ya jus' chucked up acid onta the pavement" he gestured to the small, wet spot on the ground. "You's takin' a break"
"Okay" David sighed, sitting down on the crate. The sudden shift in position made more acid come up and he winced as he spat more of it onto the sidewalk. Jack patted him on the shoulder sympathetically before running off to see about getting him some water.
David smiled as the boy ran off. How did he ever get lucky enough to have someone like Jack in his life?