newsies!! o/o (closed)

"Like a brother t' me." Riff said, eyes on the street below them. He's around here somewhere, always is. "An' he never shuts up, too." The last part was said fondly, with a chuckle.

“Really?” Sprints gave her an incredulous look. Like a brother to her, eh? “He’s always quiet around me and the other ‘attan boys,” He fell into step with Riff, eyes scanning the streets, looking for the Bulls. You can never be too careful in New York.

"Consider yourself lucky." Riff joked, glancing back at Sprints with a grin. The guy wasn't too bad, so she was relaxing a bit. She looked back down at the ground, and waved, getting the attention of a few newsies who were chatting. "Here, we can ask."

“Spottie can’t be that bad,” Sprints laughed before it awkwardly trailed off when he heard Riff’s words. More newsies? He strayed towards the back of the building, hopefully so the others couldn’t see him.

"He ain't. Love the guy, but he talks a helluva lot." Riff said, turning so that her back was to the edge of the roof. And then she jumped.

Sprints opened his mouth to reply when Eiff jumped off the roof. What is she doing?! He rushed to the edge of the building, poking his head over. “Riff!”

Riff caught the gutter, and used it to inch her way over to the drain pipe. "Yeah?" She raised an eyebrow as she looked up at Sprints, sliding down the drainpipe and landing easily on the ground.

Sprints visibly relaxed as he saw she didn't crash into the ground. "I's thought you'se were jumping, doll," he said, somehow pulling off the same trick Riff did. It was a miracle he didn't crash; he was the clumsiest person he knew. Landing beside Riff, Sprints gave her a charming smile, playfully bumping her in the shoulder. "Not too bad, eh?"

Riff laughed, bumping him back. "Eh, maybe a seven. If you's is lucky." She let out an 'oof' as an arm was suddenly thrown around her shoulder, with enough force to pull her down a bit.

"Aye, three cheers for the Riff-Raff, amiright?" Kit grinned down at her, but his attention was suddenly drawn to Sprints, the grin turning a bit more menacing. "And who're you?"

Sprints laughed, but it trailed off awkwardly when the second Brooklyn newsie appeared. He definitely did not like the look he was giving him, and it made Sprints take a few small steps backward. "Names Sprints. I's from 'attan." he said, spitting in and sticking out his hand, an offer of solitary.

Riff shoved the arm off, taking a step back as Kit stared at Sprint's hand for a few moments. He took it, finally, and his grip might of been a bit too hard. "And what's you got planned with my girl here?"

Riff rolled her eyes, elbowing him. "Ignore him. Any o' you fellas seen Spot? Some big news is goin' around or somethin'."

Sprints hid his wince at the tight handshake, retracting his hand to his side. It seemed like Riff and Kit were close, with him calling her his girl, and it didn't look like he liked him. "It ain't that big of news, doll," he said, crossing his arms.

"Pretty big if ya came down here." Riff pointed out, grinning, before turning to Kit with an eyebrow raised. "Well?"

"Frenchie saw 'im down by the docks, talkin' t' some gal." Kit shrugged, shooting a wary look at Sprints. Riff nodded, slapping his shoulder in thanks and gesturing for Sprints to follow as she started off down the street.

"Touche," Sprints said, walking in step with Riff. After a moment of silence, he spoke. 'I's gets the vibe that Kit doesn't like me very much." He saw the wary look Kit shot at him, but he didn't blame him. Manhattan was wary of strangers too.

"He don' like anyone he ain't known a while." Riff shrugged, shooting Sprints an apologetic look. "He's had a few…bad experiences with strangers. Honestly, if ya spent a bit more time 'round 'im, he'd start to warm up t' ya."

Sprints sighed. “I’s get that. I’s a little…uncomfortable ‘round strangers too.” He has a bad experience a few months back with a Bronx newsie; it didn’t turn out too well for him, so he’s been cautious around strangers ever since.

Riff bumped his shoulder in a show of comfort, and patted her bat. She had started keeping it on her after a bad run in with a group of prep school boys. Being a newsie was dangerous, but it was even worse as a female. "Need me t' beat the shit outta someone?"

Sprints grinned. “Ah, no, but thanks for the offer,” He bumped his shoulder back to hers. “Race n Albert took care of ‘im.” He clearly remembered the day that the two boys came back with black eyes and bloody noses, just for the sake of Sprints. After scolding them for being so stupid, he thanked them a thousand times over.

"You gotcha some good pals there." Riff nodded appreciatively, grinning. She hadn't told anyone, knowing that pretty much every newsie who heard would have gone after them. "What are they like, 'attan newsies?"

“They’se the most loyal people I’s ever met,” Sprint’s eyes glazed over slightly, memories and little flashbacks coming to him. “They’se will do anything for anyone.”

He recalled the time when Jack gave up his extra dime just so a littler one could eat. Giving up your own money was crazy; everyone knew that a dime could last you two days, but Jack still did it. It was one of the things that made him such a good leader.

Riff didn't say anything else, watching Sprints reminisce curiously. She couldn't help but notice his fondness, and attachment, to his newsies, and it made her smile. Family was important to her, blood or otherwise, and seeing other people close to theirs was something she never got tired of.

Sprints didn't notice her staring, and continued to talk. "I's remember when I's was starving, spending all my money buying papes so I could sell. Jack helped me out, gave me a dime so I's could eat. I's will never forget that." he said, eyes glassy. It was one of the few things that Sprints would remember for the rest of his days, however long that may be.

Riff shoved her hands in her pockets, nodding along as he talked. "Like I said before, you's got good friends." A whole dime, that was a pretty big deal. Closer than I thought, I guess.

Sprints blinked, coming out of his flashback. "Yeah, they'se are. Sorry for rambling so much," he said, ears red as he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. Shouldn't of talked so much.

"Nah, you're good." Riff grinned, bumping his shoulder. "It's kinda cute, how close you fellas are." She teased, pulling her hands from her pocket to cross her arms over her chest.

"We ain't cute, we're jus' brothers," Sprints turned red even more, not used to the little compliment, and stuffed his hands into his pockets. He was used to being the one to give the compliments, not the other way around.

"Uh huh." Riff smirked, noting his reaction to being complimented. "It's cute. Nuthin' you say'll change that." The salty smell of the ocean hit them as they neared the wharf, along with the cold wind coming off the water.

Sprints opened his mouth to argue, but closed it, grinning and shaking his head. "Whateva you'se say, doll." He noticed that they were near Brooklyn's lodge, since the smell of salt slightly burned his nose. "We near to Brooklyn?" he asked, crossing his arms to conserve warmth.

"Pal, anywhere's Brooklyn when you's born an' raised there." Riff quipped, looking over at him. "But yeah, we's is. You cold or somethin'?" She raised an eyebrow, obviously unaffected by the sudden temperature change.

“I’s live in ‘attan, we’s don’t exactly live by a body of water,” Sprints grumbled, rubbing his arms. He never knew it could be so cold in Brooklyn; Manhattan never really got cool until the fall and winter.

(btw i know brooklyn’s not that cold, but sprints just likes being a baby about it)