#we're makin' headlines !

[1nm806]

At any given time you could climb up to the roofs of Manhattan and find assorted newsies up there, I think.

Jack and Crutchie get up there and Jack rambles on about cowboys and seeing the big wide world and Crutchie smiles and listens and knows that his brother is all talk. Jack wouldn't really leave New York, not unless he got to take everyone with him. Jack's waxes poetic about this place he's never been too, and Crutchie joins in the daydreaming, knowing neither of them are taking it seriously. It's like make believe to them.

Davey and Les is always the former chasing down the latter, who is "too young to be somewhere this high up", but they end up chatting up there anyway sometimes. About Les' fears of going back to school without his new friends, about whether the newsies will still welcome them if they don't work with them, about whether they'll even remember them. Davey, of course, says that they're silly things to worry about. The Jacobs family made an impression on the newsies, and it'd be ridiculous to think they'd forget the pair of them. He doesn't say that he has the same fears.

Jack and Davey is mostly silent, with the occasional worry spoken softly between them, shot down by the other with words of kindness and the underlying tone of "you're being stupid to say that, course that's not true". Once Davey asked Jack if he really would leave to Santa Fe without them, and was content when he received the answer of: "Not without you. Not without any of you."

Race and Jack talk loudly into the night, bickering and playing cards and seeing if they can throw things at targets they set up back when they first became friends. Very few serious conversations have happened with them, but there were a couple of ones about relationships or worries they didn't think they could say to the others. The odd tear-filled conversation about sexuality is overshadowed by the constant talking over each other and teasing. But it doesn't go unappreciated.

The rare times that Spot is up there with anyone, it's normally Racer. Race who talks and talks and occasionally pauses to let the other add commentary. The pair of them make fun of Jack, and talk about issues going on within their boroughs. It's not a special place for them, but the lodging house is loud, and Spot always makes his way up to the roof of it whenever he visits for a while - just to get away from it all. Race follows him up there after a while, then keeps him company with chatter and hand-holding until Davey inevitably joins them and he can go back down to play more card games.

Davey and Spot exclusively end up there when they're both already too exhausted from socialisation to continue it. They sit in almost complete silence, drinking in the sounds and sights of NYC, until one of them eventually regains their voice and asks the other how things are going. They discuss important meeting topics and whether or not this next challenger will dethrone Spot (the younger boy is confident in his abilities, but checks with Davey's logical mind whenever he can). Davey asks him about Jack, and about the history of the bad blood between Manhattan and Brooklyn. And, now he thinks about it, Brooklyn and everyone. Spot nods along and explains in an incredibly biased way the reasons, and in turn asks Davey about his school - about his lessons, classmates, "anything interestin been said there lately?".

Jack and Spot used to go up there. Back when the latter liked the Manhattan leader. He still tries to spend time with Brooklyn's leader, but more often than not it ends in awkward silences, snide comments and the shorter boy announcing his leave about 2 minutes in. Then one day, Jack manages to catch the other boy when he's talking to Davey. He joins them, and Davey - after a few minutes - says something about needing to get Les home and leaves. It's completely silent, the wind's blowing, and goddamn it Jack's sure the other boy will just leave as well. But he doesn't. It's the only time Spot opens his mouth and says what he means to the Manhattan newsie - and he's still not sure why he did. He tells the other that him leaving the strike was a betrayal that cut him so deep he considered cutting all ties with the borough. He says that Jack hadn't left just the strikers, but friends and family, and that he'd left it all on Davey and him to sort out the mess as leaders. It's the only time he ever says to Jack that he thought they were family. And he makes it clear that he's unsure if they can ever be again. They're up on the roof for hours, long enough that the sun sets and rises. It ends with them both going off about their days, and if both leaders were seen and heard in tears that night, well. That's neither here nor there.

[faememes]

𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒𝐈𝐄𝐒 (𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟐) 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒

Change pronouns/titles as needed!

"When I dream on my own, I'm alone, but I ain't lonely. For a dreamer, night's the only time-a day."

"It's this brain of mine, always makin' mistakes. It's got a mind of its own!"

"So what about Brooklyn? Who wants Brooklyn? C'mon, __________'s territory. What'sa matta, you scared a Brooklyn?"

"I say that what you say...is what I say."

"Look at this. 'Baby Born With Two Heads'. Must be from Brooklyn."

"Never fear, Brooklyn is here!"

"Well, dat's da foist thing ya gotta learn - headlines don't sell papes. Newsies sell papes."

"Listen, they're not gonna be playing with my hands alright. Cuz it ain't what they say, it's what we say. And nobody ain't gonna listen to us unless we make 'em."

"Oh, you mean __________. Yeah, he was here. But he put an egg in his shoe and...beat it."

"When ya' learn from _______, ya' learn from the best."

"You got no brains! Why are we starting to fight each other? It's just what the big shots want to see that we're street trash; street rats with no brains with no respect for nothin' including ourselves! So here's how it is: if we don't act together, then we're nothin', if we don't stick together, we're nothin', and if we can't even trust each other, then we're nothin'."

"You can't let 'em beat ya, right ________? That's what you always said!"

"Extra, extra, read all about it! Ellis Island in flames big conflablataion!"

"Five bucks? We ain't got five bucks! We ain't even got five cents! Hey, your honor, how bout I roll ya for it, double or nothin'?"

"We're a union just by sayin' so."

"Five to one that _________ skunks 'em! Huh, who's bettin'?"

"We sell together, we split 70-30, plus you get the benefit of observin' me no charge!"

"What are we supposed to do to the bums, kiss 'em?"

"Nope, it's nineteen _________. It's nineteen, but don't worry about it; it's an honest mistake. See ______, he can't count to twenty with his shoes on."

"Hey, glum and dumb! What'sa matta with you? You get your picture in the papes, you're famous. You're famous, you get anything you want! That's what's so great about New York!"

"If I hate the headline, I'll make up a headline, and I'll say anything I havta!"

"You're a liar! You lied about everything. You lied about your father being out west, 'cause he's not out west! You didn't even tell me your real name!"

"Hey, we ain't scared a Brooklyn! ________ makes us a little noivous."

[honorhearted]

“ why you gotta cause me so much trouble … ?? (Abe)

@faithhearted

Benjamin's smile was bright and smug, his hands coming forward to take his winnings from across the small table. "I don't know what you mean," he replied, feigning innocence. "I believe it was your idea to bet money, and it was your idea to take me here in the first place."

Alongside him, Caleb gave a mocking gasp. "Oi, what's this then? Woody? Makin' a bad decision? Well, stop the presses, 'cause this here'll surely make the headlines!" Playfully reaching over and jostling Abraham's shoulder, he added, "If you're so beside yourself, why don'tcha deal this time, hmm?" He grinned and elbowed his friend. "The more ya cry, the less you'll piss, amirite?"

Benjamin met Abraham's gaze across the table and smiled, offering a conciliatory shrug. "We could stop," he agreed. "Heaven forbid Judge Woodhull cut off your 'wenching funds.'"

Caleb snorted. "What wenchin'? His right arm's about as buff as yours, Tallboy...if y'get my meanin'."

With a none-too-gentle jab to his arm, Benjamin felt a modicum of satisfaction once the whaler jerked back, cursing under his breath.

"C.hrist, Almighty! Well, I guess now I understand why you're enlistin'," he grumbled.

To Abraham, Benjamin added, "Are you dealing or not? Or should we play quoits or nine-pins instead?"

"I dunno," Caleb drawled. "Those require dexterity. Abe's only dexterous at--"

"We know, we know: boxing the Jesuit," Benjamin finished for him, rolling his eyes. "It's a miracle we're friends, Brewster. Your mind's about as one track as a couple of canoodling rabbits. Is this truly how we're to spend my last night in town?"

[ofsavior]

“ Thanks! ” He exclaimed, attending to the pots as they sizzled and popped. The days were quaint, spent in good company between friends and family. There was nothing quite like the satisfaction of watching one's own work lead to success. But it'd be a lie to say he didn't miss Toman and the youth that came with it. Nostalgia in the form of pictures and newspaper headlines littered the walls of the ramen shop.

“ We're doing good here. ” He answered while skillfully pouring her order into a simple circular porcelain bowl. Not a single drop splattered, which was a skill for which Nahoya often prided himself. “ Still makin' ends meet, and Angry hasn't cried since we started here. ” Then, he slid the bowl to her before removing his chef's apron and taking a seat beside her. “ How are you and Hakkai? He hasn't come by recently. Modeling gettin' to his head now? ”

@ofsavior's Nahoya has been spotted.

❝ I see, so you & Angry decided to open a ramen shop after all. Congrats. ❞ The older Shiba is claiming a seat at the bar & offering Smiley a tired smile. After spending all day setting up Hakkai's modeling appointments for the week she was ready for food. Had Hakkai mentioned the twins had opened up a ramen shop nearby she would've visited a lot sooner. 

❝ Angry's been over to see Hakkai a few times, but I don't think i've seen you since Hina's wedding. How've you been? ❞ 

[red-prince]

“Glory and gore go hand in hand

That's why we're makin' headlines

You could try and take us

But victory's contagious”

— Lorde, Glory and Gore.

[trinikins]

🎵

"Glory and gore go hand in hand That's why we're makin' headlines (Oh! Oh!) You could try and take us (Oh! Oh!) But victory's contagious"

- Glory and Gore - Lorde

[what-the--curtains]

Playlist - Chapter 1

1. Pressing Flowers - The Civil Wars (Waiting at the Beach)

I got a secret that I might tell, It'll give me away

Soak up the color of the midday sun, While the ocean sings

You and I, Well we're just pressing flowers. They're dying, but they're ours

2. Puddle - Weaves (Talking with Shri)

I traveled across my emotions to find out what's right

We sat on that bed and discover our virtues inside

3. Down by the River - Milky Chance (Walking to the Reaping)

Down by the river I was drawn by your grace. Into depths of oblivion and to the lovers' place

I was sucked in a puddle full of tears and unwise. Dark doings, now I know that we've paid unlike

4. Swinging Party - Lorde (Volunteering/walking to stage)

Here it's never ending, Can't remember when it started

Water all around, I never learned how to swim now

If being afraid is a crime, we hang side by side. At the swingin' party down the line

6. Up with the Birds - Coldplay (Seeing Shri on the gate)

Might have to go, where they don't know my name Float all over the world, just to see her again But I won't show or fear any pain Even though all my armour, might rust in the rain

5. Sloom - Of Monsters and Men (Goodbyes)

To be asked to take this plunge, to forgive and forget And be the better man, to be a better man, to be a better man

So make all your last demands for I will forsake you And I'll meet your eyes for the very first time, for the very last

So love me mother, and love me father, and love my brother as well

7. Scotland - The Lumineers (On the train)

They all need something to hold on to, they all mean well Pay your respects to society giving me hell

You could never feel my story, It's all you know

I will not fold, She's in control

8. Glory and Gore - Lorde (Ceremonies/Careers)

Now we're in the ring, and we're coming for blood

Glory and gore go hand in hand, that's why we're makin' headlines

Delicate in every way but one (the swordplay). God knows we like archaic kinds of fun (the old ways)

You could try and take us. But we're the gladiators

We'll always win at this, I don't ever think about death. It's alright if you do, it's fine

"Secretly you love this, do you even wanna go free?" Let me in the ring, I'll show you what that big word means

9. Lakehouse - Of Monsters and Men (Staring over the Capitol)

Oh, I miss the comfort of this house

[mafaldaknows]

So Liz signed the documents the day before the custody and now all these articles about the new girlfriend dated since march...mhh....how many girls there are in the list that will see the light of the sun..all these relationships should have been done before I think, even bcs some likes on random girl's post are from 2019 like paige posts but then covid happens and now here. "In the chaos there's strategy" right?

Hello, Anon:

There’s definitely food for thought there, Anon.

“But in all chaos there is calculation.”

Lorde, Glory and Gore (2013)

Thanks for your comment. 🤔

There's a hummin' in the restless summer air

And we're slippin' off the course that we prepared

But in all chaos there is calculation

Droppin' glasses just to hear them break

You've been drinkin' like the world was gonna end (it didn't)

Took a shiner from the fist of your best friend (go figure)

It's clear that someone's gotta go

We mean it, but I promise we're not mean

And the cry goes out (Oh!)

They lose their minds for us

And how it plays out (Oh!)

Now we're in the ring, and we're coming for blood

You could try and take us

(Oh! Oh!)

But we're the gladiators

(Oh! Oh!)

Everyone a rager

(Oh! Oh!)

But secretly they're saviors

Glory and gore go hand in hand

That's why we're makin' headlines

(Oh! Oh!)

You could try and take us

(Oh! Oh!)

But victory's contagious

Delicate in every way but one (the swordplay)

God knows we like archaic kinds of fun (the old ways)

Chance is the only game I play with, baby

We let our battles choose us

And the cry goes out (Oh!)

They lose their minds for us

And how it plays out (Oh!)

Now we're in the ring, and we're coming for blood

You could try and take us

(Oh! Oh!)

But we're the gladiators

(Oh! Oh!)

Everyone a rager

(Oh! Oh!)

But secretly they're saviors

Glory and gore go hand in hand

That's why we're makin' headlines

(Oh! Oh!)

You could try and take us

(Oh! Oh!)

But victory's contagious

No-one 'round here's good at keepin' their eyes closed

The sun's startin' to light up when we're walking home

Tired little laughs, gold-lie promises

We'll always win at this, I don't ever think about death

It's alright if you do, it's fine

We gladiate, but I guess we're really fighting ourselves

Roughin' up our minds, so we're ready when the kill time comes

Wide awake in bed, words in my brain

"Secretly you love this, do you even wanna go free?"

Let me in the ring, I'll show you what that big word means

You could try and take us

(Oh! Oh!)

But we're the gladiators

(Oh! Oh!)

Everyone a rager

(Oh! Oh!)

But secretly they're saviors

Glory and gore go hand in hand

That's why we're makin' headlines

(Oh! Oh!)

You could try and take us

(Oh! Oh!)

But victory's contagious

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Little Joel / Yelich O'connor Ella Marija Lani

Glory and Gore lyrics © Emi April Music Inc., Songs Of Smp, Emi Music Publishing Australia Pty Ltd.

[bubblegvmbullets]

No-one 'round here's good at keepin' their eyes closed The sun's startin' to light up when we're walking home Tired little laughs, gold-lie promises We'll always win at this, I don't ever think about death It's alright if you do, it's fine We gladiate, but I guess we're really fighting ourselves Roughin' up our minds, so we're ready when the kill time comes Wide awake in bed, words in my brain "Secretly you love this, do you even wanna go free?" Let me in the ring, I'll show you what that big word means

You could try and take us (Oh! Oh!) But we're the gladiators (Oh! Oh!) Everyone a rager (Oh! Oh!) But secretly they're saviors Glory and gore go hand in hand That's why we're makin' headlines (Oh! Oh!) You could try and take us (Oh! Oh!) But victory's contagious

[skarlatha]

Dispatcher: 911, do you have an emergency?

Me: Yes. (sniffle) I need you to arrest @dixonandgrimes-againsttheworld

Dispatcher: ...why?

Me: Because I have been singing “And the World Will Know” from Newsies for like 72 hours and it’s all her fault.

Dispatcher: IT WILL BE OKAY MA’AM. STAY ON THE LINE. WE’VE GOT OFFICERS ON THEIR WAY JUST HANG IN THERE STAY WITH ME DAMMIT

[1nm806]

Maybe Jack Kelly is someone with only one friend before Davey.

He's got people that are friendly with him, don't get him wrong. There's Medda (though she's more similar to a mother, now he thinks on it), Mush, Henry, Racetrack.. Any number of Manhattan newsies could fit the "friend" box. He's definitely their friend, but he's not sure they're his. They're good people, despite their annoying habits, but they don't know him. And isn't that what friends are all about? Aren't they supposed to know his past, his wants, his dreams, fears, likes, dislikes and more? Jack could tell you things about his friends. He could tell you any number of things. Henry doesn't like sleeping alone since moving to the lodging house, Mush runs warm and hawks the headlines with rolled up sleeves even in January, Race refuses to eat anything that hasn't been tried by someone else already. He even knows a few things about Spot Conlon. But he's not convinced that anyone but Crutchie could say the same about him. He wants to have close friends. Holding people tightly in his hold, his heart never wanting to let them go, making people notice and feel his absence with a heavy weight in their chest if he doesn't show up to get that days' papes. Having a heart that craves closeness so immensely that it's eating him up inside is colliding against his own brain that keeps instinctually deflecting away from any questions about his life, cutting people's concerns off with jokes or quips or insults. So when he's sat outside the theatre with Davey and Les Jacobs, the younger boy long since asleep on his brother, talking about his dreams of leaving New York, he falters for the first time since meeting the pair. He couldn't let Davey know everything about his goals, so he threw in a comment about his parents waiting out west for him, but as the other offers him some encouraging (if lightly teasing) words, he starts to accept that maybe, just maybe, he can say he has another friend.

[1nm806]

Race and Crutchie pranking everyone in the lodging house 👍

there was no reason behind the actions that crutchie and race were currently performing. no reason, that is, other than boredom. and where boredom was, race would soon follow, with plans and chatter at the ready to eradicate the feeling.

the current idea had involved a long trek to the beaches down near spot's area, who had only let them down there because it was them (and the added bonus that he found the motivation funny). he'd spent a few minutes watching the boys fill a couple of small bags with sand, before waving them off. after making the pair promise to update them on how it went.

race and crutchie spent the entire walk back laughing at the sorts of things their lack of entertainment lead them to do.

"it ain't a particularly good prank, is it?" crutchie laughed, as race gasped dramatically.

"all my pranks are perfect, crutch, don't know what youse talkin bout," he responded, "but if this one has a lil less thought put into it than some others then thats unimportant. davey would call it in-sig-ni-fi-cant."

"well, davey ain't here, so no needs for any big fancy words," came the retort, as crutchie stepped around some debris on the cobbled street.

the pair continued like this until they got back to the lodging house, where race handed off his bags of sand to the other, grinning uncontrollably. crutchie absently said something about needing to rest his leg when blink asked him why he was already going up to the beds already.

racer slid into one of the chairs, and loudly started discussing the recent goings on around the city. he was cheerily filling davey in on the latest news from brooklyn, and in turn he got information about richmond and the bronx from some of the others. about an hour later, crutchie came back down the stairs, grinning at his partner in crime as he joined in the chatter.

a few more hours went by as the sun set, before people slowly started turning in for the night, before a loud ruckus erupted from the bedrooms above where crutchie and race were still sitting. a loud and distinct yell of "FUCKIN' SAND?!" came from someone (definitely jack), and the pair of troublemakers immediately burst out into laughter, as a few of the other newsies discovered the tiny particles in their bedsheets with equally upset responses.

needless to say, both boys slept with one eye open for many days afterwards, but still actively insisted that a) they had done nothing wrong and b) that if they had done something wrong (which, again, the definitely hadn't) then it was still really funny.

[1nm806]

DIMES' STORY!! Part 1 because I can't be bothered to write it all in one go.

Charles Thomas Cooper woke up in the evening of the 24th of March, 1899 to the sound of someone knocking on the door. The little apartment he and his father shared was cramped, and the heavy fists hitting the old wooden planks that secured their privacy was making the few cups shake where they hung on the wall. Charles peaked out from behind the partition between his “bedroom” and the rest of the home, as his father opened the door to a pair of tall men in uniforms, a look of resignation on his tired face. The boy knew that the tie that he treasured had originally been his fathers, and he knew that his dad couldn’t have paid the price needed for such a nice accessory.

He wasn’t stupid, he could put two and two together, but as the Weehawken Police Department stood there with serious expressions on their faces, he couldn’t stop the irrational jolt of fear that bolted through him. Charles hadn’t done anything to break the law, but if his father was taken away, he would be put in some orphanage somewhere. Somewhere the conditions were terrible and the owners were worse. His dad had briefed him on what to do if the cops came a-knocking, so Charles slipped back behind the wall, grabbed his pre-packed satchel and climbed out of the window, black shoes hitting the dirty metal fire escape with a soft ‘clang’. He couldn’t allow himself to wait around to check in on his father, he knew that the man was guilty (and that he would admit to the theft), and it wasn’t worth the risk of possibly being taken away. As he climbed down the stairs, so fast and frantic that he almost slipped all the way down them, he heard someone yell loudly back in his apartment. He didn’t try to commit the words to memory. He didn’t want to have any recollection of this moment, he didn’t want to think any more than he had too about the scenario. Jumping down to the ground once it was safe enough, his bare knees slammed onto the cobbles, scraping skin off of them as his breath hitched in pain. 

His grazed legs only hurt more as he ran off into the dark streets, his small form illuminated by the occasional warm streetlamp. It was cold that month, and he’d forgotten to take any layers with him, so he just clutched his button-up shirt close to him, blue tie tight around his neck as he breathed heavily. Heart pounding in his ears, he ran straight into the rail yard, clambering into one of the open storage units and pulling the heavy door shut with his final burst of adrenaline. It was an already-stocked carriage, as he discovered when he tripped over a hay bale onto the floor. The pain of his back hitting the floor was the final straw, and he opted to just lie there, tears streaming off his face as he sobbed quietly over his uprooted life. His chest rose and fell sporadically as he curled in on himself in the darkness, clutching at his tie as he struggled to breathe, fingers desperately trying to undo the confusing item around his neck. Eventually, he pulled it off him, though it didn’t seem to help his panic as the soft material got creased in his grip. 

It felt like hours passed, before any thoughts filled his mind that were fully formed, but one appeared in his mind like a glaring red sign. “If you tell people your name, they’re going to know who you are. They’ll know your father. They’ll find you. The police know each other everywhere, and you can’t be caught, not after this.” That was fine. He would be alright, he knew what to do. Once, when his dad had taken him to Brooklyn, he’d heard some of the boys call each other names that definitely weren’t their real ones. It wouldn’t be weird to tell people in New York that he just didn’t have a surname, or that he didn’t remember it. Besides, his real name came with a nickname - one that his old school friends used to call him.

Charles Thomas Cooper may have woken up that evening, but Charlie fell asleep that night, nightmares plaguing his first night outside of his apartment’s walls.

[1nm806]

hi... @crutchie-69 ( @the-woild-is-y-erster thought u might wanna see this too.. unsure tho!)

there was never silence in the manhattan newsie lodging house, but any volume was immediately doubled the moment any games were taking place. the current players sat around the card table were loud, mostly yelling at a pair of gamblers - both of whom wore matching wide grins as their fellow players shouted about them cheating at cards.

eventually, dimes - the shorter of the two - excused himself, walking over to the door, dodging the occasional piece of cutlery thrown at his head over his (definitely 100% totally fairly won) winnings, laughing loudly as the yelling quickly turned back on racetrack.

he readjusted his brown hat as he heard the italian say: "cmon fellas, one last game, double it - all or nothin!", and quickly slipped out the front door of the house. maybe he wanted to stick around and see if racer got soaked, but if he came back home with one more bruise from his own idiocy, shoe would probably take away his pack of cards. standing on the steps, he was focused on tucking his shirt into his shorts - too focused to realise that someone was also trying to leave the building. the only thing that tipped him off that that was an exclamation of surprise from behind him, and then someone walking straight into the back of him, knocking him down onto the street with a thud.

scrabbling to stand up before anyone saw him lying on the floor, dimes turned around to see a pair of the manhattan newsies, though he only recognised one of them. crutchie was making his way down the stairs, followed by some other guy the queen's newsie hadn't met before.

as the small boy brushed himself down, mystery boy opened his mouth to speak.

"you alright? took a fall and a half there, kid," he said. dimes gaped up at him, blinking slowly like a small child that was looking at some animal for the first time.

"dimes? buddy, if you have some memory issue now i ain't sure how i's gonna tell eel bout that-" came the concerned addition from crutchie, as the black haired boy's mouth opened and closed like a fish's before he blurted out:

"youse sound funny. whys you sound like that?"

there was a beat of silence, before the stranger burst out laughing, as crutchie desperately tried to do some level of damage control after dimes' impulsive words.

"i'm irish, kid. i have the accent still," mystery-irish boy responded once he'd stopped laughing.

"oh.. then the accents funny. youse still sounds weird, either way, i thinks," dimes tilted his head, face scrunched up in confusion. "who are you anyway? i ain't ever seen you 'round here."

"you'se ain't a newsie from this borough, dimes," crutchie pointed out - damn his sense, dimes thought the guy should stop spending time with davey, "of course you ain't seen him."

"the lads call me socks, on account of mine," said the no-longer-mysterious irish guy, gesturing at his (definitely odd) pair.

"dimes," came the response from the scrawny boy, as he looked socks up and down, "you gamble?"

"not against the kid who jus sent half the lodgin house into uproar with his cheating," socks smiled. goddamn it, he had sense as well! what was with all these hattan boys learning to use their brains?

"it wasn't cheatin, it was tactical choices used to win."

"definitely cheating."

"it weren't cheatin! i ain't ever cheated in my life! there ain't no proof-"

"alright, alright," crutchie cut in, shaking his head with amused exasperation, "dimes, we all know yous a cheater. and we also all knows you gots to run back to queen's or else eel'll send outta search party."

that got the kid's attention, though it didn't stop him childishly sticking his tongue out at the older boy for cutting him off. "fine! i's'll be back soon, nd youse nd your ir'sh newbie better not be here turnin your boys against my games!"

with that final comment, dimes turned on his heel and started the walk back to queen's, the last thing he heard was crutchie and socks saying something and laughing before he turned the corner, silently wondering where exactly irish people came from and if he would be laughed at for asking. geography wasn't his strong suit.

[1nm806]

hi.