I’m glad that every person in the newsie fandom who likes jackspot (which is like three people) agrees that spot would NOT leave Brooklyn and go to Santa Fe with Jack. It’s angsty and DELICIOUS
hcs of whatever ship you’re feeling rn for the cyber au please?
WAHOO this is SUCH a fun ask
if you’re planning to read my cyber fic this post contains major plot spoilers under the read more!
we are gathered here today to celebrate the life of rayray narvaeztrash after her devotion to jackspot ended her life prematurely. welcome to cyber jackspot hell
jack really hasn’t been keen on the palace for a while. doesn’t like what he’s starting to discover about their shady practises, the way they treat the lower classes, and he’s really had enough
at this time, the rebellion is in its infancy. they still have no clear structure, nobody to lead the cause, and it just so happens a certain jack kelly is the one to do it
he’s one of the earliest people to defect, becoming a member of the black class and the eventual leader of the rebellion
and of course...his hatred for the palace only grows
he’s caught infiltrating the palace for information reasons, and he’s found by none other than the crown prince himself, spot conlon
now jack isn’t stupid - he kept all of his old light blue clothes for disguises, and unless spot recognised his face he can maybe play it off as being lost while reporting
spot’s definitely intrigued, because a light blue in this part of the palace? that doesn’t make much sense. so he’ll entertain jack until he slips up
and jack is flawless, pulls out that usual charismatic personality and winning grin, and dear lord is spot taken with him
spot has never really been keen on the system where his parents pick his future partner for him, not when people like jack stumble into his life who are a million times interesting than every potential suitor he’s met so far
and honestly? he’d like to see this guy again
jack can’t help himself. it’s the perfect opportunity, and he can keep up this facade in the hopes of getting intel much easier
gives spot a fake name, tells him he’ll be back tomorrow night, and leaves him
these meetings go on for a while - a lot longer than jack planned, because he didn’t expect to like spot so much
spot doesn’t have the same heartless attitude of his father - there’s more to him. he seems to sympathise with jack’s made up life story and the struggles the lower class face
maybe there’s hope in spot when he takes over
spot started falling for jack pretty much when they met, but jack didn’t expect to slowly begin to form feelings for the boy in return
that all comes crashing down, however, when jack is brought into the palace after a rebel base is raided
clad in black, the figurehead of the rebellion, held up by two guards and staring directly into the eyes of spot conlon
spot really doesn’t know what to think. he’s angry he didn’t recognise the boy sooner, even though jack did everything in his power to conceal his appearance - covered up the scars he was easily distinguished by, changed his hairstyle, wore different class colours
and yet he can’t just hate this boy. there’s sympathy in his gaze, and jack can quickly tell he’s not hated
now he’s a prisoner, they’re in the same building anyway, but jack can’t deny he’s more than a little surprised when spot shows up to see him
they talk, and jack explains himself a little better. spot is still angry - he feels betrayed, and his first assumption is that jack was using him. jack admits that yes, that was his original intention, but there’s much more to it now, and it’s more than he ever bargained for
spot can’t bring himself to hate this boy, not that easily
the next day, jack is missing, and spot wakes up with the knowledge that he’s got a relationship to keep away from his parents and a rebel leader to protect in any way he can
Okay for a second there, when the notification popped up on my screen I forgot this was your account and had a slight, confused panic…….. also we’ve barely had the chance to talk newsies but you know me so well. 🧐
• [When or if i started shipping it.]honestly I don’t remember?? I got sucked back into Newsies hell and just went with it because A) the 1992 “evidence” is a pretty cute idea if you think of it character wise B) it reminds me alot of the friendship dynamic of my crush and I which sucks in a way and hurts me but gives me the cute “what if” thoughts and C) EYDW happened and while that was a messed up book, i feel like that’s where everyone in the fandom got it from.
• [My thoughts.]Vague prompt?? I kind of put my thoughts throughout but I will say, while I think it’s a good ship, it’s a little weird it was started because of a 15 year old and a 25 year old having a few scenes together in a movie but we’ll just pretend that didn’t happen.
• [What makes me happy about them.]I kind of mentioned it briefly but, the way people headcanon their interactions really resonates with me in the sense that it’s pretty close to how my crush and I are. They’re my best friend and our whole relationship started with us hating each other, I was the closed off one everyone in school was scared of and she spoke her mind alot and kind of came off as an asshole. We hated each other at first but when our friend group broke off we stayed in contact and opened up to each other more. We’ll go out and every interaction is insulting each other and saying gross things, cursing at each other pretending we’re fighting in public when we’re not, but when we’re alone it feels really domestic and sweet. I can have a really bad mental day and she’s on the other end of the country calling me during work to tell me it’ll be okay and just….. I like the ship okay?!#i’llregretthistomorrow
• [What makes me sad about them.]Same thing really. What makes me happy makes me sad because that’s something i can’t have. Also i get sad when i think about how they most likely wouldn’t have gotten a happy ending in their time…
• [Things done in art/fic that annoy me.] I’m honestly done with the hyper-sexualization of this ship??? It honestly could be worse *you can’t see the catholic cross i just did* but it’s still bad. They’re kids. 15-17 year old kids. Minors. In a time when that stuff would get them arrested or killed. Let’s not please. No more sex under the docks it makes me feel like i can’t walk to the Brooklyn pier without cringing.
• [Things i look for in art/fic.] Um, I mean I don’t know if there’s really anything I specifically look for? Spotsies, murr-ma-ing, and (what was violentboots i don’t know if they are anymore) were my top three for sprace art. Any art really. Fic wise i’ll read anything well written that doesn’t go into NSFW.
• [Who i’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other.]Okay see here’s the issue, while I am a sprace shipper I’m also one of the few who loves SPJ (spack? JackSpot? whatever you want to call it) because if you’ve ever read Leaving You Behind, that hurt me. And for some reason (because i write alot i just don’t post it) I’ve always had this headcanon that when Spot started selling, it was Race who was there to help him out but Jack (still francis at the time) always sold on the manhattan side of the brooklyn bridge, where Spot liked selling, and would give him advice almost like a mentor and started calling him Brooklyn because he had a feeling Spot would take over Brooklyn one day and he ended up being that first crush feeling for Spot because he’s Francis Sullivan he’s just so damn cool and is always talking Spot up. (Also if you’ve ever seen Peaky Blinders, the first time I watched it my mind went to that Tommy Shelby is basically Jack and Spot combined. Strong headed, (hard headed as well), confident, good at getting what he wants, could kill you in an instant but would also be there to smile and ruffle a little kid’s hair who looked up at him as he walked down the street. I had this crossover headcanon of spot and jack teaching this little irish kid the ropes of surviving and being a leader with Race as the uncle who teaches him how to gamble before he finds a way back to ireland)
• [My happily ever after for them.]Alright, I could 100% see Spot and Race renting an apartment together and opening their own speakeasy in Brooklyn. • [Favorite non-sexual activity.]Depends, they could be on the Brooklyn pier skipping stones while the boys are out selling, one stone for everything they want to forget about….. or they could be at sheepshead pickpocketing and outrunning cops because the adrenaline rush is amazing.
Growing up in Manhattan, he had always dreamed of getting away from the bustling city life. He dreamed of living in the desert, like all of the old Western movies he loved as a kid. He wanted to be a cowboy so bad that he didn't think of what he had around him.
Two years after he moved to Santa Fe with his adopted mom, Medda, he wished it hadn't happened. He missed his old life, surprisingly enough. He loved Medda, but he missed the family he had with the other kids at the orphanage he had spent a good chunk of his life in.
He also desperately missed Spot Conlon, his best friend and crush. Someone who hadn't spoken to him besides the occasional letter since he moved.
Honestly, it crushed Jack to not be able to talk to Spot much anymore, but what could he do? He tried everything. Spot just didn't want to talk to him anymore.
Jack, in a last ditch effort, sent a simple note to Spot.
Spot-
Look. I know you're mad at me, and I guess you have every right to be, but I can't keep doing this. I can't keep receiving these short, half assed letters that only hurt me more than anything.
I love you. Like, real life, I'm-in-love-with-you kind of thing. And I know this is sudden and complete bullshit, honestly, but it looks like I'm gonna lose you no matter what, so fuck it, right?
So yeah. Stop bothering if you don't want to put effort in it, okay? I'm tired and cant keep holding onto hope.
Sorry.
Jack K.
He sealed and sent the letter off and never expected to ever get anything back in return.
Then, a few weeks later, he got a letter in the mail.
Jack
You're an asshole, but unfortunately, I seem to like that about you.
Sunday, 9:45am, Santa Fe Airport. Be there. Ill need a ride to your house after all.
