#what'sa girl to do

[mouseymilkovich]

Speechless | Carmy x Reader | Chapter Five

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Chapter Summary: A party with a night of fun, a thoughtful gift — some missed texts. Tears, cookies, and nightmares. It's all been leading up to this. It's all about to come undone. | Carmy Berzatto x fem/afab reader (using they/them pronouns)

Content Tags: Mentions of birth control again, drinking, kinda public sex, fingering, m receiving oral, mentions of vomit, mentions of periods

Important Info: when texting pink = reader, green = Sydney, blue = Carmy, purple = Marcus! All party goers are over 21

Chapter Five: Come Undone

Word Count: 3k

BONUS PLAYLIST — experience syd's birthday party along with everybody by listening along <3 **disclaimer i know joyride wouldn't technically be out yet when this is set but i do not care, it is serving cunt

inspo/sleepover req for the beginning of this chapter

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Something you'd decided on was going back on birth control. Carmy nailing you without a condom felt like pure heaven, but you didn't wanna get a plan B pill every freaking morning after. It was a little bit of an adjustment, but you knew it'd be better in the long run.

It was Sydney's birthday, and of course you were going. There was also The Beef staff — including Carmy. Some more of your friends from high school and college all came too, all of you wanting to celebrate Sydney on her day. The club was... really not usually Carmy's scene, it would appear.

As Sydney danced with Tina, you sidled up next to Carmy, sitting awkwardly at the bar.

"You, uh, feeling a little... out of place, Carm?" You laughed softly.

"I don't think I've ever been to a club in my life other than catering a bachelor party with Richie." He muttered in response.

"Let's get a little liquid courage into you then, yeah?" You giggled before ordering a round of drinks.

"I-I dunno, 'm not much of a drinker..." Carmy muttered softly.

"I won't force you, but it is a party, Carm." You said softly with a little smile.

You glanced over your shoulder as Marcus called you to dance, then smiled at Carmy as you pranced away with your drink. Thankfully, Sydney and most of your high school and college friends were all fairly smashed by now so the flirting between you and Carmy went fairly unnoticed.

Carmy relented and downed his shot, then came to join you on the dancefloor. He was dancing like an awkward college boy — which was a mixture of hilarious and a bit embarrassing, but mostly hilarious.

"Do you even know how to dance?" You asked him as Marcus got swept away by one of your drunk friends.

"Not a damn clue." He confessed with an embarrassed laugh.

You laughed loudly, then set down your empty glass. You grabbed Carmy's shoulders, pressing yourself close to him and starting to dance. "Just feel the music!"

Carmy's breath hitched with you so close to him and everybody so nearby, the short length of your skirt was not helping.

"Relax. They're all fucking drunk— even Ebra!" You told him, motioning to Ebra surrounded by various girls... he looked like he was having a great time, at least.

Of course, that's when some good ol' Y2K club vibes began, Shake That blaring over the speakers. Something about the song coming on got you going— in more ways than one.

"Who the fuck requested this?!" You laughed loudly, then earned a cheer from Richie who was also dancing with some of your friends.

You were so unsurprised and unphased by your friends being all over both Ebra and Richie.

Carmy couldn't help chuckling at how excited you got over the song coming on. Then, got a little excited himself by the way you were dancing on him to the song.

"Jesus." He muttered. Thank god the club was dark, and your ass pressed against him could hide how turned on he was.

"What'sa matter, Carm?" You muttered, tipsy and teasing.

"N-Nothing, nothing..." Carmy insisted, clearing his throat.

You smirked a little bit at him, a fun little idea coming to your head. "Hey, you ever done body shots?"

"Wha— no? What in the hell even is a body shot?" He asked, which made you burst into a fit of giggles.

Then, you motioned to the bar, where... Richie had gone, and was doing a body shot off of one of your friends. Huh.

"That, chef, is a body shot." You grinned, nudging Carmy while Richie was cheering.

You weren't sure how you actually roped Carmy into doing it, but he did a body shot off you. And it was fucking electrifying. His face was red, a mixture from the alcohol and embarrassment from having actually doing it.

"Holy shit!" You heard Sydney yell drunkenly with a loud laugh. Thank god she was beyond hammered.

Of course, Carmy doing a body shot off you had your panties drenched. So, the second everybody's backs were turned and you were sure nobody would notice you, you dragged Carmy to whatever bathroom was closest— you really didn't give a shit which one it was, nobody was in there, that's all that mattered.

You pressed Carmy against the locked door, kissing him hungrily.

"What's gotten into you all'a the sudden?" He asked breathlessly between kisses.

"I really don't care that we're in public." You muttered against his lips. "I fucking need you now."

Carmy had you sitting awkwardly on one of the sinks, one hand spreading your thighs and the other finding its way into your underwear.

"Fuck, y're such a slut, huh? All wet f'me." He groaned.

He wasn't easing you in, two fingers were already deep inside you and you were moaning like a damn banshee.

"F-Fuck, Carm!" You cried out.

You had to hand it to the guy, he was an expert with his hands.

A third digit entered your cunt, and you started clenching around him. The smirk on Carmy's face made you blush.

"Gonna cum already? C'mon, make a mess." He purred.

He dragged you through your high, fucking you and teasing you to make it all the more enjoyable. After he pulled his fingers from you, he held them to your lips with an expectant look.

"Clean my fingers. This is your mess."

You, unable to find words, simply parted your lips and let Carmy shove his fingers into your mouth. Once his fingers were clean, he pulled them from your mouth and pulled you in for another deep kiss, wanting to taste your own slick from your mouth.

"At least let me take care of you before we leave the bathroom. You look... sore." You teased, palming his tented bulge which made him hiss.

"Y-Yeah, okay— please." His whine was a total shift from a moment ago, but fuck it sounded good.

You sank to your knees as he undid and lowered the jeans he had on. Your hand gently wrapped around his shaft, and you gave a little kitten lick to his leaking slit.

"Please don't tease me—" Carmy whimpered, one hand gripping at his own curls in desperation.

You giggled a little at the way he sounded — it was oddly adorable. It was a sound you liked, for sure. But, you decided not to tease him— too much more.

Your lips wrapped around his tip, suckling and teasing him for just a moment longer to draw out those whimpers before you took him all the way in— or, rather, as far as you could, given his size.

The dim lights and the angle you were at made it hard to see the obscene look on Carmy's face, but hearing his noises was pure bliss. Before long, you were swallowing his load and wiping drool from your chin.

"Fuck..." Carmy breathed out.

Once you cleaned yourselves up, you inconspicuously left the bathroom one at a time. Just in time for Sydney's cake to come out— thank god you hadn't missed it.

Thankfully, everybody had a little water with only small pieces of cake so nobody would be puking their guts out to follow.

Everything was winding down in the early hours of the morning, you were gonna take Sydney back to your place to both not wake her father, and keep an eye on her in her drunken state. You'd stayed a bit more sober near the end of the night for that reason.

You felt a little bad for not spending the night with Carmy, but you'd already committed to Sydney this time, plus, you owed it to her for her birthday. You also had her gift waiting at your place for the morning.

When she woke up, you'd been awake for an hour— water and Aspirin at the ready for her.

"I feel like I got hit by a bus." Syd groaned as she sat on your couch.

You stifled a laugh, giving her the water and painkillers. "Yeah, you went pretty hard last night. I'm almost impressed."

"Almost?" She asked with mock offense.

You rolled your eyes with a smile, then finally handed her a small giftbox.

"I told you not to get me anything." Syd muttered.

"Well, that's bullshit, cus you're my best friend, so I'm getting you a damn birthday gift." You replied firmly. "Open it!"

Once she opened it, she saw matching friendship bracelets that you'd gotten. Similar to ones you'd made each other at a middle school sleepover— except these were handcrafted from a small jewelery business, not just some plastic beads on a string.

"This is... these are..." She whispered, then hugged you tightly. "Thank you."

"I love you, Syd." You said softly.

"I love you too. So much."

Now, a few days later and Carmy was spending another night at your place, he was making you dinner. Almost the entire time he was complaining about what a disaster your kitchen was. It made you laugh, but man was it ever stressing him out. Finally, you two sat down to dinner and unsurprisingly, it was delicious.

Everything was going well, but unbeknownst to you, your phone had been blowing up all night. You'd had it on silent, you had no idea.

hey!! my dad wanted to take us out for dinner, you in?

...

hello?

...

this isn't like you not to answer, you're freaking me out dude

...

okay, c'mon this isn't funny

...

i'm coming over.

As you settled onto the couch with Carmy, you had no idea that Sydney was basically right outside your building. She came up the stairs, and...

"What the fuck?" Was all you heard as you turned pale. Sydney had a spare key to your place, you had a spare key to hers — you hadn't even heard the door open.

You whipped around, looking at Sydney with pleading eyes. "Syd, I... I can explain."

"This is why you've been so busy, huh?!" She sounded hurt — of course she did, that shouldn't have surprised you.

Ever since that breakfast, other than her birthday, you'd been blowing her off constantly; not on purpose, and not every single time, but most plans just happened to coincide. You didn't want to hurt your best friend, you'd never dream of hurting her. Yet here she was, in the doorway of your apartment, looking as if you'd just driven a knife through her heart.

"Sydney, please, you have to let me explain—"

"Fuck you." She scowled at you, then looked at Carmy and silently shook her head. She whipped around to leave your apartment, and you chased her out, down the hall of your building.

"Syd! C'mon, I didn't mean for you to find out like this!" You pleaded.

"You mean you didn't mean for me to find out at all. We used to tell each other fucking everything!" Sydney snapped back, her voice cracking. It was true, you did tell each other everything...

Your eyes welled with tears, words caught in your throat like a huge lump.

"Do you love him?" She asked quietly.

You looked at her in shock. "What—? Syd, what kind of fucking question is that?! It hasn't been that long—"

"When did it start?" She frowned.

"The... day I was really hungover..." You whispered, looking at the ground. "I didn't mean for it to happen, Syd, you have to understand. I tried to do anything to get him out of my head, but it just happened..."

"I don't even care that you're seeing him! I care that you didn't fucking tell me." Sydney hissed.

"I didn't want you to think he was giving you special treatment cus of me or anything!" You defended, but sounded sort of weak, thinking about it now.

"Fuck you." She spat again. The last thing she did before she turned to leave your building, was shove the bracelet from her birthday back into your hands, then just left you in the hall.

You went back to your apartment after a moment. You'd hoped maybe she would turn around and come back, but no. So, you re-entered your apartment, looking pitiful and sad.

"Is everything okay?" Carmy asked you quietly.

"Of course it's not okay! She's pissed at me!" You whimpered as you crashed down onto the couch, covering your face.

Carmy frowned. "Maybe... she just needs some time to cool down? Maybe try talking to her tomorrow?"

You sighed a little, and nodded. "Yeah... yeah, that's a good idea. Thanks Carm..."

Still, you couldn't fight the tears that came to your eyes. The thought that you might be losing your best friend made you feel absolutely sick to your stomach. You and Syd had gone through just about everything together — first days of school, first crushes, first periods, first serious relationships — every first, every second, everything that followed, you were together. Even when you were apart for college, you spoke every day. You were there when Sheridan Road started, you were there when it failed and fell apart.

This truly was the first time you'd kept anything serious from her... and now, you were paying the price.

That night, while Carmy slept next to you, you laid awake. Wide awake. Replaying everything in your head—

"This is why you've been so busy, huh?!"

"We used to tell each other fucking everything!"

"Do you love him?"

"I don't even care that you're seeing him! I care that you didn't fucking tell me!"

Tears came to your eyes again, hearing the words ringing in your ears, remembering the look on Sydney's face. You were sure you hadn't seen her that upset since Sheridan Road — maybe that's part of what made this hurt so badly.

Before Carmy had to leave for work the next morning, he insisted on making you some breakfast. You repeated how you weren't hungry, but he made you something anyhow.

"Please eat. Please." He pleaded before he had to leave. He gave you a gentle, parting kiss on the forehead, then slipped out the door.

You didn't even wanna know what would be happening at The Beef today.

All day, you'd been staring at your phone. Unsure if you should text Sydney, wanting her to text you, and you ignored every other message that came your way — even Carmy's.

hey, missing you. text me when you can please.

is everything okay? syd seems really upset, she just told me to ask you when i asked.

Tears pricked your eyes again when you read the text from Marcus. Of course, you weren't sure how to respond... how could you even explain everything over text?

Later on, there was a knock at your door. You were expecting it to be Carmy, hoping maybe it was Sydney — instead though, you were surprised to see Marcus, with a plate of fresh baked cookies.

"You can't hide in here forever, yknow." Marcus said as he made his way inside, not really waiting for an invitation.

"I really want to." You muttered softly, shutting the door once Marcus was inside.

You made some hot drinks for both of you to go with the cookies, then sat together on the couch. He looked sympathetic, he knew something was wrong, otherwise he wouldn't be here.

"So, are you gonna tell me what happened?" He asked softly.

You took a deep breath, and started to talk — and once you started, you couldn't stop. It was like word vomit. You'd explained that the moment you met Carmy, he wouldn't leave your brain. You told him how you'd tried so hard to ignore this little school girl crush, for the sake of your sanity, for the sake of your friendship with Sydney. Then when the incident in the office happened, there was no going back. You and Carmy had this secret fling going on under everybody's noses. Then, you had to tell Marcus why exactly that made Sydney so upset. That you'd told each other everything, you had been through all of these ups and downs of your lives together, and this whole secret thing with Carmy broke something there. She wasn't upset that it happened, she was upset that you kept it from her.

After you spilled your guts, you leaned back against the couch and took a deep breath. Everything was out in the open — it felt like a bit of a weight off your chest, despite still being upset.

"That sounds... intense." Marcus commented before taking a sip of his drink. "Um, I'm kinda surprised you're holding up at all."

You sighed, clutching one of the throw pillows on your couch. "Am I a bad person?"

Marcus sort of looked at you funny, but shook his head. "Of course not. You're human. Humans... have feelings, and they rationalize things weirdly. Everybody does it... even if they don't admit it, they do."

You smiled weakly. "Thanks, Marcus. I really appreciate you being here for me... I know how much you like Syd."

"Hey, I'm not gonna pick sides in something I'm not technically involved in—"

"Yeah, that's not what I meant... I mean I've seen the way you look at Syd." You interrupted with a little giggle.

That made Marcus blush. "I-I don't know what you're talking about—"

"Bullshit. I see right through you, dude." You laughed.

"Okay, okay, just... don't tell her. Please." He pleaded.

"Of course not. Secret's safe with me." You smiled softly, holding out your pinky to him.

Marcus eventually had to leave, but he did leave you the cookies, which was nice. You definitely appreciate the kindness he showed you, he really was a sweetheart.

So, you spent the rest of the night indulging in those and watching stupid movies, anything to get your mind off of this. In fact, you ended up just falling asleep on the couch— but that was probably a good thing, if you'd gone to bed, you probably would've opened the floodgates of your thoughts all over again.

At least you were getting some sleep.

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tags ; @maggiesarchives @carmenberzattosgf @buendiabebeta

wanna be tagged in any future speechless trilogy updates? leave 🫢 + an @ to tag in my askbox !

[jolteon-rph]

SONIC HEROES / SENTENCE STARTERS.

Quotes & sentences taken from the video game, Sonic Heroes. Feel free to change the sentences as you see fit.

Some sentences have been altered to fit in more general contexts.

TW: No trigger warnings.

“But that was the past! Now you're nothing but a speck of dust to me.”

“I've heard good things about you, and require your services! And I can pay handsomely!”

“Hmm, sounds like an invitation to party!”

“Let me go! Let me go! I wanna play!“

“You knew it was me all along, didn't you?”

“Yeah! Beach time! Sea, sea, sea, sea~“

“I’ll take you on, but I promise you'll regret this.“

“It's no use. But why can't I defeat you...?”

“Beaten by fruits, how weak they must be.“

“Hey, hold on, it's no trick! And besides, I plan on paying you! You will be rewarded handsomely for helping me!”

“Well, if I can't convince them, then I'll just let my fists do the talking!“

“WHADDYA DOIN'?! BE QUIET!!”

“Enough of this! _____! Time to meet your maker!”

“I was created for the sole purpose of destroying you, but I can never seem to defeat you.”

“Insulting. Your training has been a waste of time.”

“Be on guard. Focus and prepare yourself.“

“Forgive me, but this is my duty.”

“You should thank me for letting you live.”

“Darn, I forgot to pay the electric bill for the office.“

“Strangely enough, I had the same weird feeling about our client's real identity. It could be you-know-who...”

“You're either a genius or a madman. Either way, you'll be sorry for getting in my way!”

“Are you playing with that girl's heart again?”

“There's gotta be a major misunderstanding here, but we can't back down now.“

“Primary target is _____! Don't forget it!“

“You know about cloning... the original must exist somewhere.“

“What'sa matter? Got nothing left?”

“So they are in production. I'll destroy them all.”

“This weather... could be an omen...”

“No doubt about it, my heart is never wrong.“

“You don't fool me! I know what you're after! Better stay outta my way!“

“Heh... You sure haven't changed much!”

“_____... Why does that name bother me so much?”

“_____, this time, there's no way out of marrying me!”

“If you want a fight, you got one! Let's go get that bloated buffoon!“

“Hey, cheer up! You know we'll find them. No time to waste just standing here-- come on, let's get going!“

“As long as we stay together, we can do anything!“

“_____, you should really stop causing so much trouble...”

“Not a very bright move for a genius!“

“You sure this is the right way? But it's so spooky here...”

“Knock it off! There's no time to play!“

“Heh, talk about being stubborn and full of surprises!“

“Why not have some fun while you can. After all, you only have one day and we know who's going to win!“

“Long time no see! Too bad you had to come all this way for nothing! I'll take it from here.“

“Is that so... well then, it'll be a date to die for.”

“Come on, tell me you weren't scared. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't of had a chance!”

[shinwhoohoo]

ok~ since I don't really have anything to add to your contract post (as always, I agree 100% with what you said) and I don't really like talking about serious stuff (i'm always emo, but for some reason when i say it out loud my sarcastic ass always make it sound like idk about anything even though i'm LEGIT crying when I'm alone in my room or in the bathroom at work god) I was just thinking I could name a couple of random things I just thought about, just to share the love and lift the mood(1/5)

since the break up I couldn’t really listen to their songs without feeling sad so I just didn’t (that was like, what?, 6 months without hearing b1a4), but yesterday I finally had the courage and I’m so happy that I did. before I knew it “because of you” came on and man do I love that song like shinwoo rapping and voice is so on point and everyone sounds so lovely and urghh I was singing along and smiling, and since we are talking about great songs can we talk about the best EP to ever exist(2/5)I’m talking about what’s happening of course, I was going to mention starlight song, but who am I kidding I could talk hours about good love too???? it’s such a good song??? gongchan singing the first lines is pure art. Also I was reading your cnu megapost and you said that you didn’t fall for him right away, and it’s funny cause that’s the mv that did it for me lmao the absurdity of that video, how freaking CUTE they looked, gongchan little curls so adorable, baro and deul being extremely (3/5)funny, jinyoung being awkward ofc and, probably what started my love/want to punch you story with him, that freaking scene with him smiling in prison, like dude seriously? I’M WEAK his perfect little face drives me mad. and lastly, but not least, the long hair styled like that (I really liked those braids i’m sorry lol), the glasses, those playful winks and lip bites.. his beautiful smile idk more than anything else I just found his face really attractive? and while I’ll forever treasure (4/5)and miss those times, I’m ready for new and better things. I guess at the end of the day, I just want shinchandeul to be happy, to remember the past with love like we do but also know that sometimes things don’t go how we plan them and that’s life, we can get mad and cry, but we need to get up again. they will always have our support, i believe in them (that’s it, play road, suddenly i’m an emotional mess again) god this ended up being extra long im so sorry i just got so excited (5/5)

me reading your asks:

the biggest YES ever to all of this, bless you for spreading some much needed positivity and good vibes~

And I literally agree with everything you say here like I’m not even kidding ‘Because of You’ for the longest time was one of my favorite b-sides (I mean it still is one of my faves) and CNU’s rap is so cute and charming in it. Totally underrated everyone should experience how sweet that song is.

And ‘What’s Happening?’ EP?? Literally the best, most cohesive EP they have. It’s always been in my top three albums, sometimes trading places with ‘Good Timing’ album for 2nd place. AND DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON ‘GOOD LOVE’ OH SHIT THOSE TRUMPETS AND SYNTHS GET ME EVERY TIME. Admittedly, I’m partial to ‘How Many Times’ though myself, I think that’s my fave b-side on the EP. I mean ‘Starlight’s Song’ speaks for itself though, literally one of their prettiest tracks. That shit’s just fukin gorgeous and luckily (and unlike ‘Good Love’ and ‘How Many Times’) I feel like ‘Starlight’s Song’ is at least more known and appreciated. Damn that mini was just… gold. I mean ‘What’s Happening’ is and will always be my favorite era so I cannot say a single bad thing about it. There was just so much… good energy and good vibes. So much growth. Ah I gotta stop or I’m going to get emotional now ;;;;

Yeah like while ‘Beautiful Target’ made me fall for them as a group (largely cause of the reasons you listed and lmaoo totally agree about Jinyoung even then with that swarmy smile that was both so handsome yet infuriatingggg) CNU def didn’t grab my attention initially with that MV…. it’s so strange cause you’d think I’d remember the exact moment where it finally clicked and I was like ok I love him he’s my bias but I don’t really… all I know is that it didn’t take too much longer lol by the time 2012 rolled around I was already pretty smitten… *sighs*

Same as far as A3 too… in a perfect world, I just want them to be able to look back fondly on their days as five, as rookies and trainees up until their 7th year anniversary as wonderful times of growth and development, along with friendships that they formed that will never be replaced or forgotten– but in the same vain, I want them to be able to cleanly move forward with no regrets as three, and follow the new paths that they want, knowing that us fans will always be there supporting them~ 

Thanks so much for reading my contract megapost, and for sharing your thoughts here! I’m glad you’re back (and able to listen to Bipo again~), I missed talking to you!! ♡ ♡

[blindedbymagic]

I wish I could get some fuck, damn.

[ddejavvu]

🌟 that’s me up there - dbf! Sirius

come celebrate 1.5K with me! today is sirius black day :)

🌟 that’s me up there - send me an au, and I’ll write about what it would be like with sirius! (ex. doctor!au)

so i've done stuff for dbf!sirius before and usually i'd just link them here and leave it bUt i'm a fucking mess for dbf!sirius so i'm just gonna write more 😋

think about dbf!sirius sitting with james (your father) at the dinner table and james is pestering him about this new girl he's picked up but sirius is just smirking and telling james that it's none of his business when, in fact, it is entirely his business

--

"'M just sayin, pads," James spoke through a mouthful of meat, "I already know she exists, I might as well know who she is!"

"Maybe one day she'll join us for dinner," Lily smiled jovially at Sirius, trying to calm her husband down, "Then we could all meet her whenever she's ready."

You couldn't help yourself. You choked slightly on your rice, covering your mouth quickly with your napkin so they couldn't see the smirk on your face when they turned to you in concern.

"Y'okay, Y/N?" James patted your shoulder briefly, unaware of the soft kick Sirius had sent to you under the table, pinning your leg against the chair.

"Yeah, Y/N," Sirius raised an eyebrow, doing absolutely nothing to conceal the smirk on his face, "What'sa matter?"

"Nothing," You sent your father a kind smile, taking a sip of your water to rehydrate your mouth that had gone completely dry, "I'd love to meet your new girlfriend, Sirius."

"You'd really like her," Sirius grinned, a diabolical twinge to his words despite the kind look on his face, "She's just your type."

[kingdaddydaichi]

Lessons Learned (pt. 2) || HardDom!Katsuki Bakugou x sub!fem!Reader || NSFW

Word Count: 1.2k

Warnings: Hard Dom/sub themes, Daddy/baby girl power play, spanking/belting, mention of rape, slight dubcon (rape fantasy scene with prior consent and mutually agreed upon safe word). MINORS DNI!

Cont'd from Part 1

Katsuki unzipped his pants and pulled his dick out, stroking it to full attention before reaching back in for his large balls. “You’ve been acting like a little brat and I’ve had about enough”.

💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥

“Katsuki, don’t!” You knew the word and he knew to keep going unless you said it.

“Don’t what, hah? Don’t remind you of who you’re fucking with? You need to be put in your place, woman”, he said, teasing the full spectrum of your weeping slit with two of his rough fingers.

“Fuck you”.

“Fuck me? No, princess, fuck you”. With that, he pushed his cock into your cute little pussy, barely allowing you time to adjust to his size before he proceeded to pound away mercilessly.

“What the fuck, Katsuki?! Are you fucking raping me?”

“No, I’m giving you exactly what you want. I know you and you’ve been asking for it all night, you dirty little slut”.

You cried out as he continued to drive his thick cock into you, coated so heavily with your slick that it was starting to run down his swinging balls.

“Yeah, that’s right, take my cock just like that, shitty girl”, he growled. He was fucking the breath out of you. All you could manage were broken moans with every snap of his hips against your thighs. “Now…let’s get one thing straight. If I catch you with another man feeling you up, I’ll blow his fucking hands off, understand me?”

Katsuki hooked his hands around your hips, using them as leverage to pull you back into his thrusts as he fucked you harder. You felt the pleasure pooling deep in your belly as you clenched around him and whimpered, eyes watering.

His heavy balls were clapping hard against your wet clit. He grabbed a fistful of your hair, pulling your head back. He pressed his mouth right up against your ear, his hot breath threatening to set your delicate skin alight as he hunched over you. “Answer me!”, he growled.

You jumped at his demand and whimpered, nodding as best as you could with the side of your face pressed against the mascara-streaked sheets.

Your eyes widened at the sound of his leather belt snapping through the belt loops as he pulled it from his pants, folding it in half. Before you could react, he brought it down hard against your bottom with a loud crack, causing you to cry out.

“Hah? Use your words baby! I said do you understand me?”

“Yes”.

He spanked you with his belt again. “Yes what?”

You whined, but didn’t answer him right away.

“I said yes what?” he yelled as another crack of his belt made contact with your stinging skin. You clenched down on him, making his cock twitch, but he didn't miss a beat as he continued fucking your mess of a cunt.

You squeezed your eyes shut and whimpered, “Yes, daddy”.

He spanked you again. “What?”

“I said yes, daddy”.

“Louder!”

“Yes, daddy, please!”, you cried.

“That’s right, princess…”

With his belt still in his fist, he wrapped his arm across your chest, pulling you back nearly upright against him as he continued to pump his hips into you. In addition to being 2” thick, his cock was long enough to stay inside you in this difficult position.

“Oh god Katsu-!"

“Yeah? You gonna cum for me, baby girl?”

“Nnngahhh fuck!”

He quickly pulled out of you, leaving your aching walls clenching desperately around nothing at all.

“Kastukiiiiii???!”

He chuckled. “What'sa matter, baby girl?”

“Mmmm…I need to cum for you!”

“Is that right? You wanna cum on daddy’s fat cock?”

“Yes, daddy”.

“Then let me hear you beg me to let you cum”.

“Oh, fuck baby, please!”

“You want the belt again?”

You shook your head furiously.

“Then stop whining and tell me what I need to hear. Please what?” He snapped the belt together on the last word, the crack echoing throughout the room.

“Please let me cum on your fat cock, daddy!”

“Atta girl”.

He flipped you over, looking down on you with a crooked grin and fiery eyes, his weighty cock bouncing above you as he shrugged his blazer off. He unbuttoned his shirt, his broad chest puffing out with every deep breath.

He reached down and pulled you up by your ankles to put you on his shoulders. You gasped at the fierceness of his movements. He slipped his cock back into your glistening pussy, leaning forward slightly, having memorized how to angle himself such that the prominent ridge of his cock head hits that spongy spot only a couple of inches inside you.

As soon as he started pumping his hips, your orgasm began to creep back into your bones again. He nearly had you on your shoulders as he drilled down into you.

It wouldn’t be long now.

With every thrust he brought you closer and closer to the edge and you started to lose control. You pawed at his arms and called out his name in broken syllables in time with his powerful thrusts as he finally pushed you over the edge.

You felt weightless, suspended in pure ecstasy before gravity took hold, plunging you into the depths of your own fiery abyss, pussy clenching impossibly hard around his cock.

He allowed you to ride your orgasm to its end before pulling out of you quickly. He pulled you up by your wrists to get you into position before wrapping his fingers around his cock.

“Ah fuck, open wide, princess-“

Katsuki jacked himself off while lining up with your face. He groaned loudly as he shot his first rope of cum, so powerful that most of it hit the mattress behind you after grazing your forehead.

"Shit!", he cursed when the next spurt of his hot seed hit your open mouth and chin, dripping down onto your bare breast. "So fuckin' hot, baby".

His eyes rolled back when you wrapped your lips around the head of his twitching cock to drink the rest of him down to the last drop. “Fuck baby, so sensitive hhnnnn…”, he moaned.

Aftercare is 13/10. He cleans you up, kisses you, taking care to use light touches as he smooths a cool numbing salve over the belt marks. He holds you close to him, your head tucked neatly under his chin while he gives you comfort. His fingers brushing long strokes through your hair as he swears his undying love for you.

You know that he loves you endlessly and that you have nothing to worry about in terms of him giving into the lures of another woman. Katsuki is loyal as fuck and he protects and fights for what he sees is his, and that includes you. He makes sure that you know under no uncertain terms that you are a goddess to him and he would do anything - ANYTHING - to keep you by his side.

“I didn’t realize how much calling you ‘dumbass’ hurt you. I’m sorry baby. I’ll stop doing it, just-" He lowered his voice to barely above a whisper. "Just don’t leave me, okay?”

You sniffed and nodded softly, “-kay”.

“Can I still call you my shitty girl?”

You smacked a playful hand against his chest, but truth be told, you'd always considered it a term of endearment, which is exactly what he intended it to be.

It was the nickname that insulted your intelligence that you couldn't stand anymore, particularly when he called you that in front of other people.

“As long as I can still call you my grumpy asshole”.

“You can call me whatever you want, baby…”. He growled right next to your ear, “…but the next time you call me ‘bitch’ you’re getting belted while I fuck your brains out again, got that?”

Your lips curled into a mischievous grin as you mentally filed that for future reference into your repertoire of ways to rile him up. “Yes, daddy”, you said in a seductive tone.

He squeezed his arms around you. You could hear the smile in his tired, gravelly voice, “God I love you, shitty girl”.

“I love you too, grumpy asshole”, you said nuzzling and kissing his chest.

Your grins slowly faded as you drifted off to sleep together.

← part 1

[servetolive]

for “I wish you would write a fic where...” :

something involving your renokura children ocs! their family dynamic sounds so fun to explore 🥺 but in case that leans too heavily towards the fluff side… maybe something with cloud as a turk! like he’s a new recruit and passes everything with ease in record time and reno’s totally not jealous…. or however you would see it working out! 💕

:O You wanna read something with my cleno babies?? Omg! I'm so flattered! There are so damn many of them, lol. Let me see what I can whip up real quick!

"Six weeks," Cloud whispers as he inches away from Reno's crotch. "Six?" Reno picks himself up on an arm and looks down at his wife in disbelief. "Are you--" The baby turns in her bed. Reno goes still, instinctively clutching Cloud close to him, like he's playing dead in front of a predator. He doesn't move an inch, or breathe. She sighs. Then silence. "Are you sure?" Reno has his mouth right up against Cloud's ear. His fingers trace the thin, smooth line of a new stretchmark on his thigh, following it over to his front. "Doc didn't like, say six and mean--" "He said six," Cloud repeats, adjusting his arm under his pillow. He shifts again to put distance between them. "And I mean six." Reno groans and flops over on his back with his arm over his head. Cloud turns over to face him, if for no other reason than to keep his voice from carrying. His husband's wedding band shines from the light filtered through the blinds. "You'll live," he says, sliding his head up onto Reno's bicep, closing his eyes again. "No I won't, I'll fuckin' die," Reno whines. "From backed up nu--"

The baby makes a shuddering series of "eh" noises. Cloud sighs, then pulls the covers off of his naked body just as the shuddering turns into a full on cry. "Good job." "I'll get her," Reno says quickly. He pulls on his pair of boxers, discarded from his unsuccessful attempt with Cloud, and half-runs over to the crib, shushing all the way.

"Ay, ay, ay, mama," he coos at her once he gets to the crib. She's kicked herself completely out of her swaddling blanket, and her feet and fists are curled. Her tongue quivers inside her mouth as she prepares to scream. "What'sa matter with you, huh?" He lifts her in the air to smell her diaper. "You pissed? No?"

Cloud turns on the lamp next to him, and watches Reno place their daughter on his shoulder and rub her back, talking to her as if she were one of their good friends. His hair is short now; the back ends just barely creeping between his shoulder blades, and he's stopped coloring it.

He still has a hard time recognizing him sometimes; that he's the same Reno that wore a black suit and smirked at his targets before dispatching them.

The baby lifts her fist to her mouth and sucks on it. "Give her to me," Cloud says, sitting all the way up in bed. "She's hungry." Reno turns around just as the sheets slip off of Cloud's swollen breasts. His hair is also crawling down the nape of his neck, his eyes are puffy, and the red tinge in his cheeks brings out the blue hue in his eyes. Reno stares dumbly for a minute.

"Give her to me!" Cloud snaps.

Reno shakes his head free of his lewd admiration of Cloud's new body--something he helped create--and moves forward to place Charisma into his arms.

After taking one of Cloud's breasts in his hand and assisting with latching on, Reno slides back into bed and props himself up to watch his daughter nurse. Charisma's blue eyes follow him while she feeds.

"Damn, you gonna look just like your mama," Reno says, toying with one of her feet. "Gonna be crazy like him, too."

"Or annoying," Cloud says with a yawn, "like you. Turn off the light."

Reno doesn't do much lately besides obey. It's a transition that happened so naturally and seamlessly that everyone seemed to notice but himself. He does what his wife asks and eases down into the pillows in the darkness, holding his daughter's tiny foot between his index and middle fingers.

Cloud had spent his entire pregnancy hiding from the world, but for what, Reno doesn't know. He's even more irresistible now than he ever was.

Before, Reno's strange admiration of Cloud in motherhood had made him uncomfortable. Once, when he had tried to cover himself, Reno's hand had stopped him, as did the unanswerable question of 'why.'

You're my wife, he said. That's my kid.

He resists the urge to shield himself in the intimate act and instead maneuvers the baby onto his right breast and slides down to his side, facing Reno. He makes sure the baby is comfortably nursing on her side before rubbing a toe against Reno's shin, inviting him closer. Reno slides in and places an arm around both the baby and Cloud.

"I'mma give you another one," he whispers against Cloud's forehead after some time. "A son. You hear me?"

Cloud thinks he hears something dark in Reno's words. "That sounds like a threat," he says.

"No, doll." Reno's mouth forms into a circle, pressing against Cloud's head in a soft, lingering kiss. "Ain't no threat."

Cloud looks up at him curiously and finds his green eyes in the dark, framed by the old tattoos, swirling with something animalistic. Possession. Greed. It pulls a slow, burning tingle out of the deadened nerves down inside of him that rises in his belly.

He likes that feeling, he realizes. Being kept. Secure. Protected.

Reno slides a hand across the back of Cloud's neck, through the long hair there. He presses his mouth into Cloud's, and begins the process of unfolding his tongue into it, beckoning Cloud to follow. "A fuckin' promise," he breathes, holding Cloud close, with their baby snug and comfortable between them. Cloud closes his eyes, and welcomes Reno into his mouth. -- Cloud is pregnant again, three months later. It would have been sooner, had his body been capable of hosting another child. Enduring nausea again, Cloud tries to remember when it might have happened. In the closet, maybe, when Reno had cornered him in there while the baby was napping, pressed him up against the clothes and rubbed his cock right up against his clit. "C'mon, baby," Reno half-panted into his ear. He was already dropping his pants, and working on Cloud's. "Just a quickie. While Baby Girl's asleep." He couldn't resist it. Openly, he rejects Reno's insistence on a boy, noting his adoration and spoiling of their daughter, but inside, the old-world dominance excites him.

"Really want that son, don't you?" Cloud lifted his leg into Reno's hand and reached up for the bar that the clothes hang from.

--

Reno's assumption about Charisma had been entirely wrong. She had inherited Cloud's feminine beauty and petite figure, but Reno's impish character and mischievousness.

When she doesn't want her father to leave, she hides the keys. When an inquiry is made, she smirks like him, but says nothing. Reno's face, screwed up with annoyance, unfolds into a matching smirk. And he gets down on one knee and pulls her into a tickling-hug, then carries her off into a game of seek-and-find in the house.

"Is it... here?" He points to the toilet.

"No, dada!"

"Here?" He points to a fake potted plant in the corner. She giggles.

"No!"

They do this until Reno works his way into the correct hiding place. Cloud is both in awe and jealous by how naturally Reno behaves with their children, but forgets it as soon as their son crawls up onto the couch with him, asking to be held, wanting shelter from the noise his sister and father make.

Cloud looks down at him, and feels like he's looking at a school photograph of Reno. He manages the barest hint of a smile, and King snuggles right up next to Cloud's round belly, sticks his thumb in his mouth, and watches Rizzy and Reno play.

A mama's boy. Just like he was.

--

[mikkomacko]

Sweet As Honey 8

Harry can feel the drum thumping in his bones as the bar vibrates with the music from the DJ. He pushes a sweaty strand of hair out of his face, tilting his chin down as he does so. Y/n, plastered to his chest, presses a sloppy kiss to his lips that has him chuckling into her mouth and cupping her warm face in his equally warm hands.

Behind him, the lads from the gym and their friends all holler, someone smacking Harry on the shoulder in congratulations. It makes him chuckle again, this time a bit bashfully, and his ears prickle with heat. His lips detach from y/n's and she blinks her eyes open, looking at him with buzzed eyes and pink cheeks, and he doesn't care about the group of people watching them. He wraps his right arm around her, pulling her even closer to his chest and swaying them back and forth softly. The rhythm is far too slow to match the song but it doesn't matter.

A voice he can't place hollers over the music, "Is that the same girl from last week, Styles?"

Even with his back to the group and his nose in y/n's hair, he can feel the beat of silence as they all await his answer. Y/n fists the silk material of his dress shirt in her hands, looking up at him with curious eyes. Her chin digs into his chest but he enjoys the little pinch of discomfort.

"Course it is." Harry says, loud enough to be heard over the music. A tiny smile twitches at her lips, so cute it has Harry biting back a grin. She goes shy under his gaze, hiding her face in his chest again. He chuckles softly, petting at the back of her head and she pinches his side softly.

"How long is that gonna last?" A voice he recognizes to be Marx calls out. He says it teasingly but Harry knows he's genuinely curious. Him and a couple other boxers always pick up Harry's old one night stands. But he's not getting y/n. The thought of them anywhere near y/n has his stomach twisting.

"As long as I want it to last." Harry replies, affectionately squeezing her shoulder. Y/n presses into his chest even closer.

He knows the next voice immediately. "So I can have her tomorrow, aye?" It's Issleberg, another one of the fuckers that gets his sloppy seconds. Harry doesn't bother answering. He knows y/n isn't sloppy seconds or someone he'll just toss out when he's tired of her. It's been a month and Harry doesn't think he'll ever get tired of her. Issleberg's comment is so unbelievably untrue it doesn't deserve a comment from Harry.

After a moment the guys all resume chatting and trying to hit on the girls around them. Harry ducks down, lowering his lips next to y/n's ear. "Let's go get a drink darling."

She doesn't respond but she lets Harry spin her around, his right arm staying locked around her torso. He keeps his front flush to her back as they push through the crowd. They make it to the bar, Harry keeping his arm slung around y/n as he waits for the bartender. He looks down at her, expecting to find her happily watching him or snuggling into his side. Instead she's typing something into her phone, the device lighting up her glossy eyes.

"Hey," Harry questions gently. She locks her phone, looking up at him with sad eyes. "what's going on?"

"I think I want to go home." Her words shock Harry because just five minutes ago they were having a blast. Before he can even respond, she's shaking off his arm and marching towards the exit. The sight of her practically running away from him chases all traces of his previous drinks away.

Harry's quick to follow her, grabbing her wrist to keep her from walking away from him. "What'sa matter darling?"

She turns to face him and he doesn't like the look he receives. "Nothing," y/n says with a forced smile and a shrug. "just want to go home I guess." Her tone stays casual but Harry notices the growing glossiness in her eyes and he knows it's not the drinks doing anymore. It's his own.

"I'll go with ya," He offers but it's a weak attempt. He can tell by the way she's already angling herself away from him. She's going home alone tonight and so is he.

"No, stay with your friends," -she pulls her wrist from his hand-"I already got a cab."

His heart thumps painfully and his fingers tingle as he panics. Did he really fucking mess this up? "Let me pay f-"

"Stop it Harry." Y/n says firmly, fingers wrapping around the wrist that was already heading towards his pocket to dig out his wallet. "I'm sure you've paid for a lot of girls' rides so just save that for the next one, yeah?"

Her words aren't malicious or spiteful. They're soft and certain. Like she's 100% sure she won't be the only girl Harry's giving rides to for the rest of his life. And it really fucking hurts because he did this. He let her believe he wouldn't fight for her when that's all he wants to do. Screw Marx and Issleberg and every other boxer at the gym. He doesn't want to fight them, he wants to fight whatever demons are trying to push y/n away.

"Can I walk ya out then?" He please, desperate for a sign that he's still got her. Her nod is small, but it's there, and Harry's quick to link their hands together. She leads the way, tugging Harry by his hand as he drags his feet to try and extend their time together. Unfortunately, they reach the exit of the bar far too soon and the cold air that blows his hair back is biting.

A cab is waiting at the curb, flashers blinking in the dark and y/n marches over to it. Harry panics, pressing the heels of his boots into the sidewalk. Y/n is pulled back with a jerk, spinning around to glare at Harry. He doesn't like her looking at him like that.

"I don't want you to go," Harry mumbles, eyes flickering to the cab and his nose scrunches in offense. He doesn't want her riding home in a car without him.

"No?" Y/n shrugs. "You just want me to wait until you want me to go?"

"Tha's not what I meant baby."

She huffs, looking down at his feet. His chest aches. Since when does she not look at him? "It doesn't matter what you meant Harry because it sure as hell sounded like I was just another fling."

"You weren't-you aren't!" Harry swears, tugging her closer by their hands that are still locked together. "You know tha' I care about you."

Harry cups her face in his free hand, urging her to just look at him. Her eyes seem to look everywhere but him, flickering to the floor and the building behind him. "What do ya want me to do? You want me to go back in there and tell 'em?"

"What would you tell them? We're not dating Harry." Ouch.

He squeezes her hand. "I'll tell 'em that I'm gonna be with ya for as long as you want me around. Have a feeling you're gonna want me gone before I want to leave."

He meant it as a joke. Well half joke because of course he's not enough for her. He should've known that he was going to mess it up, that's just what he does. But that doesn't mean that he's not going to try and be with her for as long as she'll have him.

Finally, her eyes meet his and they knock the wind out of him. "Why would you say that Harry?" Just like her gaze, her tone is sad and vulnerable. Harry can't believe that just this morning he was sat in the bath with her, kissing every inch of her skin within reach just to make her giggle. Not even ten hours later he's on the cusp of losing everything that he's ever wanted.

"What do you want me to say?" Harry whispers and he hates the way his words tremble. "You were the one that just threw it in my face that you're not mine."

"I thought I was yours until you decided to tell the whole bar that I'm just temporary."

"Baby," Harry gasps, releasing her hand to slip his arm around her waist. She doesn't push him back but she doesn't melt into him like she usually does. "you're not temporary. You're my girl, you're my-I l-please don't leave like this."

"I don't want to do this now Harry. " Y/n says, her hands coming up to hold his jaw. Harry leans into her, eyes desperately searching for some kind of comfort. "I want to go home and I want to shower and go to bed."

"A-and what about tomorrow?" Harry whimpers. "Can I see you tomorrow?"

"You can come see me when you've figured out what you're doing Harry. I'm not going to push you into dating me, I'm not going to force you to label this, but you need to figure out what you want."

He can't stop himself. He presses his forehead to hers, lips slotting with hers in a last resort attempt to show her that all he wants is her. Y/n kisses him back briefly, offering him that bit of hope he was looking for but she still pulls back with a sad smile.

"I'm going to go," She brushes her thumb over his bottom lip and he presses a tender kiss to the pad of it. He knows he can't keep her any longer. She's made up her mind and who is he to demand that she stay with him. He gives her a nod, releasing his hold on her waist and face. Like a kicked puppy he follows her to the cab, pulling open the back door for her. She stops before getting in, turning to Harry and leaving one last kiss to his cheek.

"Bye Harry." Her words crack his chest and he's a bit embarrassed about the tears welling in his eyes. For how long is this goodbye? Forever? Until tomorrow? A few days? The unknown makes him nauseous.

Y/n gets in the cab, Harry closing the door behind her. She doesn't look at him as she buckles up. He walks to the front passenger window, softly knocking. The driver, an older man dressed in a thick winter coat, rolls it down and gives Harry a sympathetic smile.

"What can I do for you son?"

Harry rests his elbows on the window. "Can ya take extra care of this one for me? Make sure she gets home safe?"

"Of course,"

"And uh don't drive away until you see her go inside? She hates walking to the building by herself at night." He hears y/n sniffle in the back and he knows she's crying too.

The man glances in his rearview mirror and his smile grows. "Don't you worry. I'll get her home in one piece and I'll make sure no one messes with her."

"Thank you sir." Harry reaches forward to shake the man's hand. He pulls himself away from the car, shoulders slumping as it drives away from the curb, leaving Harry more lost then he's ever felt before.

~

"We've got tea for mumma, nice warm tea just for mumma." Harry sings quietly, holding y/n's cup of green tea in his right hand and Arlo on his left hip. She giggles at them, endeared by the dimpley smile on Harry's face and sits up, leaning against the headboard of their bed.

Harry hands her the mug, her sweater pawed hands wrapping around it. "And we've got kisses for mumma, extra sweet kisses just for mumma." She giggles again and Harry presses his lips to each cheek and then her lips.

"And now it's bub's turn." Harry holds Arlo out to y/n, fingers wrapped around his little torso and tilting him down. Arlo smushes his lips to y/n's, drooling more than he is kissing and it makes her laugh, reaching up to wipe her mouth with the back of her hand.

Harry chuckles, plopping Arlo down on the bed next to y/n. She sips her tea, placing it on the night stand as Harry crawls over her to his side of the bed. She brings Arlo up to her torso, smiling when he lays on his tummy on her chest. She strokes her fingers through his thin blond hair and Arlo let's out a little coo. Harry lays on his side, his hand laying on her tummy that's housing the baby that had caused a fuss of morning sickness earlier.

"Sure ya still want to go trick or treating tonight darling?" Harry mururms, stroking his thumb over her stomach. "We can stay here and hand out candy if ya want?"

Y/n's fingers comb through his hair, similar to the way she's carding through Arlo's hair. "Of course I still want to go. We already got costumes and I know how much you want to show Arlo off in his."

Harry presses his lips to her side. "S'not a big deal if you're not feeling good darling. Don't want you an' the baby getting a cold."

He knows her answer before she even says it. She's selfless, she knows that the last thing Harry wants to do is hand out candy with Anne and Gemma but he'll do it for her. However, he doesn't have to because y/n is the saint he could never be.

"I really really want to go trick or treating."

"Yeah?" Harry asks, lifting his head to look up at her. His chest goes warm at the sight of Arlo tucked into her breast, eyes shut as he sucks on the loose collar of the shirt she took from Harry.

Y/n nods at him, smiling gently. "Yeah. Plus mom and dad can't wait to see him for his first Halloween."

Harry presses another kiss to her stomach. He can't wait to show the whole neighborhood his little family.

~

It's days before Harry works up the nerve to go see her. He knows it's his fault. She told him to come see her when he was ready. She left everything in his hands and the only person he can blame this period of silence on is himself.

It's not like he didn't want to see her. That night at the bar he wanted to go to her apartment and fall asleep with her. But she had asked for answers and he hadn't had them. What was he supposed to say? That's he twenty years old and he's never had anything close to a relationship? She knows that he's been with a lot of girls, it's not like it's a huge secret after the scene everyone made when she went to his first fight as his girl, but she doesn't know that those girls were nothing. They never stepped foot in his place. He never took them on dates. He never offered his clothes to them. He didn't cuddle them. He can't even remember half of them.

That doesn't seem like something you tell a girl you're trying to commit to. How could he say he wants to one day call her his girlfriend after explaining that he's never even had a girlfriend?

He thought he was going to be sick as he stood outside her apartment, knuckles stinging from knocking on her door in the cold. The few seconds it takes her to open the door feel like the longest seconds of his life and he's stuttering on his own breath when she meets his gaze.

It's her day off, just like he knew it would be, and she's dressed in a pair of worn grey sweatpants and a tee-shirt he'd left there. The sight of her in his clothes knocks the wind back into him and he's able to find his voice.

"Hi," He mumbles, still caught up on the shirt. She missed him then, right? Why else would she be wearing it? Because it reminded her of him?

"Hi Harry." She gives him a small smile, albeit a little awkward. A gust of cold wind blows through the entrance and she immediately shivers. "God that's cold. Come in before we freeze."

She steps off to the side and Harry happily enters, kicking off his shoes as she closes the door behind him. In the warmth of her home, Harry pulls off his coat and hangs it next to her. It feels weird setting his shoes by hers and hanging his coat on the empty hook after a week of being away.

"Are you ok?" Harry asks, nervously raking his fingers through his hair. He looks up at her, frowning at the way she's defensively crossed her arms over her chest.

She nods. "Are you ok?"

Harry shrugs. He doesn't feel very ok. He's felt like hell all week without her and now that he's standing with her, knowing he'll have to tell her why he couldn't stand up for her, he feels sick. Overall, that's not even close to being ok.

"I really missed you," He admits. Y/n opens her mouth, probably to tell him that's it's his fault but he beats her to it. "S'on me. I know tha' darling. But I couldn't show up here without an answer."

Y/n nods again, shuffling her sock clad feet. "D-do you have an answer then?"

Harry swallows the lump in his throat. "I want to be with you." He takes a step closer to her, his stomach twisting uncomfortably. "I-I've never done this before, obviously-" Harry chuckles, "and I'll admit I'm a little lost but I know that I'll be ok with you."

"W-what does that mean Harry?"

His palms have become so sweaty he has to wipe them on his jeans. He wishes he could just hold her, that he could physically transfer everything he wants to say to her through just a hug.

"I'm not ready to label this, you know I have a hard time with that, but I want us to one day reach that point. I know that I can love you, that I can give you everything you could ever want but I need time." He notices that he arms have fallen to her sides. "C-can we do that?"

"I'd love that Harry." Y/n nods and before he can react, she's tackling him into a hug that knocks the wind out of him. He wraps her up, shoulders relaxing as he realizes that he opened up to her, not very well, but he still did. And she's still here. She's still holding him, she still wants to be with him.

"Really?" Harry breathes in disbelief, burying his nose in her hair. She nods into his chest.

"Just next time those assholes ask about me-"

"I'll tell 'em." Harry swears. "I'll tell 'em that you're my girl and that they'll never get a chance with you because you're all mine."

Y/n tilts her head up, resting her chin on his chest much like she did that night. He presses his lips to her forehead, his whole being feeling so much lighter now that he knows she's sticking with him, that she's his.

~

"Harry, you got his mittens too big!"

Harry finishes laces up his boot, tucking in the pants leg of his white jumpsuit. "Just put them under the sleeves!" He calls to y/n, standing up from the edge of the bed and brushing his costume off. Y/n comes into the room, a scowl on her face and Arlo craddled in her arms, pacifier bobbing between his lips.

Harry can't help but grin at the pout on her face. She tosses the pair of black mittens at Harry, hitting him square in the chest. He manages to catch them before they fall to the floor. "Wha'?"

"You can get him ready yourself," she states, already handing Arlo over to Harry before disappearing into the bathroom. Harry chuckles quietly at her, patting Arlo's stomach through his bumble bee costume.

"Mumma's grouchy, huh bug?" He mururms, laying him on his back on the bed. Arlo just stares at him, the antenna clad hood falling over his eyes. Harry pulls it back, fully revealing the green eyes that match his own.

"Look at ya," Harry breathes, adjusting the little black booties on Arlo's feet so the bottom of his pants tuck into them. "all cute in ya little costume, just like daddy."

Arlo kicks his legs up, hips jutting up quickly, and he giggles around his pacifier. Harry manages to catch one of Arlo's waving hands, slipping a mitten over it to protect his hands from the cold. Harry does the same with the other, pressing a delicate kiss to Arlo's nose once he's finished.

"There we are bug." Harry grunts as he lifts Arlo up. Arlo relaxes into Harry's chest, soft suckling noises leaving his mouth. "Shall we go check on mumma?"

They find her in the bathroom, dressed head to toe in all black as leans over the sink, staring intently into the mirror. Her tongue pokes out of her pretty lips, eyebrows pinched together as she focuses on pining her hair back into a classic beehive style. Harry smiles, heart fluttering giddily.

"There she is!" He gasps quietly, knowing she can hear him but wanting to make it seem like he's conversing with Arlo. "Isn't she pretty bub? Loveliest honey I've ever seen."

Arlo, with his eyes big and soft as they look up at Harry, coos something unintelligible but he takes it as an agreement. Harry flicks his eyes up, a shit-eating grin on his face when he catches her rolling her eyes in the mirror. His grin grows when he notices her pink cheeks. All these years and he can still make her blush.

"Stop flattering me and help me get my hive on." Y/n orders, nodding towards the stuffed beehive she'll be wearing tonight. Harry chuckles, pressing a sweet kiss to her cheek.

"Hold ma baby and I'll help ya darling."

Harry lays Arlo's in her arms, grabbing the beehive by the two shoulder straps. It's light so it it's easy to lift over her head. He just has to be careful of her hair.

"I'm holding both of your babies, thank you very much."

Harry laughs at her grumbling, maneuvering the costume down her body without disturbing Arlo or causing any fly away hairs.

"An' I love ya so much for it." He pecks her cheek. "Now give me my son 'fore ya squish him."

Y/n giggles, lifting her arms up so that Harry can grab Arlo. Once Harry's gotten him back against his chest, y/n slips her arms under the straps of the hive. As a unit, they turn to the mirror. Harry can't help but smile. A beekeeper, his beehive, and their little bee.

~

They left Anne and Gemma at the door, three huge bowls of candy and extra bags stacked next to them, and the gate programmed to stay open until 1 a.m. for all the trick or treaters. Harry felt good climbing into the car with his wife and babies. His family. It's refreshing to not have to think or worry about Gemma and Anne for a night because tonight is all about Arlo's first Halloween.

As a trio (or secret quartet) they roamed the neighborhood, Arlo held tightly in Harry's arms and y/n stuck to his side like honey. Y/n carried the little reusable pumpkin pail they'd be using to collect candy and Harry had on the backpack holding warmer clothes for Arlo and the bjorn in case they needed it. It clashed with his beekeeper costume a bit but he didn't care. This is all for his little bug.

They approach the first house, the home of the Risner family, and y/n presses her thumb to the doorbell. Harry bounces Arlo just once to gain his attention and the door swings open to reveal Ms. Risner in a witch's hat with a cauldron of candy.

"Trick or treat!" Harry and y/n cheer in unison and Harry tickles Arlo's thigh to get him giggling, a bubbly and light little noise that has their neighbor cooing.

"Oh my," she gasps, looking at the little family. "aren't you all just adorable! Do I get to be little Arlo's first house of the night?"

"Yes ma'am." Harry grins and she fishes out a few pieces of candy, dropping them in the pail y/n holds out.

"Well I'm honored!" She smiles, bringing a hand up to her chest as she oggles Arlo. "Oh I remember when mine were that little." She mururms longingly. "You two remember, if you ever need a sitter I'm right here."

Harry nods appreciatively as y/n responds, "Of course Mrs. Risner and if you ever need anything you can call us."

"Oh you're such sweethearts." Mrs. Risner coos and if weren't for the sound of another group of kids approaching the door, Harry thinks she might have roped them back into another conversation about her kids.

"See ya around love," Harry smiles, making his way off the porch. He lifts his hand in a wave. "Happy Halloween!" Ms. Risner repeats the wish and Harry drops his hand, linking fingers with y/n.

They travel house to house, Arlo beaming every single time Harry and y/n cheer "trick or treat", and Harry can't help but swell with gratefulness each time. His family is adored, not only by him, but the people around them. Call him too philosophical, but Harry can't help but think he was given such an incredible home because he'd survived his bad one. He tries not to think of the bad family that is currently watching over his house, instead focusing on the feeling of y/n holding his hand and Arlo snuggling into his chest.

~

Harry can't stop checking his phone. It's a bit pathetic considering he'd stayed at her place all week, smothering her in cuddles and unhealthy treats as they rewatched Hocus Pocus daily and carved pumpkins. Maybe it's the cold weather that's making him clingy (it's not, he's always clingy) or it's because they're nearing a year of being together, and Harry's so grateful for her he can't stand to not be holding her every minute of every day.

He's got a text from her. His heart jumps up into his throat at the message.

Wow, there's a really handsome vampire in one of the back booths

He chuckles, his false fangs digging into his lip as he looks up and glances around the jamming club. Every time he spots someone with her hair color or in a costume he thinks might be her he freezes, but seconds later he realizes they're not her. What could she possibly be dressed at that he can't find her.

Maybe he'll buy you a drink. If you give him a kiss

He glances up excitedly, looking to see who's grabbing their phone. It's useless, everyone is on their phone.

"What are you pouting for? Kate told me their here."

Harry tries to quirk up his lips but he knows he fails when Scott chuckles at him. Next to him, Lionel slumps into Nick, sloshing the drink he was sipping down his Han Solo costume. Harry does smile at that.

"She's hiding from me."

Scott chuckles again and Harry can tell by the look on his face that he knows where they are. How could he not, he knows what they're dressed as.

Maybe he should come find me if he wants a kiss

Harry huffs, rolling his eyes at her teasing. All day today she'd been boasting about her costume, claiming it was "far superior" to Harry's. Laughing he had told her it wasn't hard to beat his costume considering he was just a plain old vampire.

Stop being mean to me :(

Three dots pop up, signaling her typing. Harry simpers eagerly, hoping she'll give in and tell him where she is.

Boo...

His smile falls, brow furrowing. Boo? Before Harry can ask her what she means, two arms are slipping around his shoulders and draping down his chest. He recognizes the smell of her and instinctively reaches up for her hands. He frowns when instead of being met with warm skin, his fingers find the squishy padding of a pair of boxing gloves. A pair of very familiar yellow boxing gloves.

"Hi," Y/n mururms into his ear, pressing a sweet kiss to his temple.

Harry grips the elbow that's closest to the edge of the booth, tugging her around the back until he can see her. He can't help but gawk.

Her usually wild hair is pulled into two braids, falling down her shoulders. She's wearing a silk robe, one that's far too big on her considering it's made for Harry's broad frame. She's left the robe open, revealing a plain black sports bra he's seen her wear at the gym with him, and then a pair of slick black shorts that look like the smaller version of Harry's pair at the gym. She's wearing long yellow socks that reach a little past her mid-calf and match the yellow boxing gloves she's taken from him, and her feet are tucked into a pair of white Converse. It's obvious she's a boxer but it's the carefully copied tattoos on her skin that let him know she's him.

She's got his intricate butterfly on her stomach as well as the beautiful laurels on her hips. Two swallows peak out of her sports bra, placed in the same area on her collarbones that Harry's are located. The sleeves of his robe cover her arms so he doesn't know if she's copied a few of the designs on his arm and the boxing gloves hide her hands so he's sure she didn't recreate the cross on his thumb. And, while he'd love to see his tiger tattoo inked into her plushy thigh, he's almost positive she hasn't got it considering the shorts cover her thighs.

His eyes trail back up her body, meeting her bashful gaze and bitten smile. She sways softly, awaiting his reaction. He means to coo over to her, to murmur how precious she is, but all that manages to leave his lips is a throaty "fuck."

The lads behind him snicker and Harry's face suddenly burns with warmth but he's positive it's not embarrassment. By the stir of his stomach, he knows it's Y/n. It's always Y/n.

"That good huh?"

Harry chuckles at her smug response, knowing exactly what she's thinking. I told you so. And she did tell him. She told him all day.

"Come 'ere," Harry murmurs, swinging his legs off the side and gesturing for her to step between his parted knees. She settles herself between his thighs, arms draping around his neck, and he's so fucking glad the booth is on a platform because her lips are perfectly lined up with his. And much like he requested of her earlier, he slots their mouths together. Too overwhelmed by the sight of her to keep the kids PG, Harry parts her lips with his tongue. Y/n shakes with soft giggles, arms tightening around his neck.

"Does he really turn himself on that much?"

Nick,Scott, and who he assumes is Katey all chuckle at Lionel's words, pulling Harry away from y/n's sweet mouth.

"So you like it?" Y/n murmurs, twinkling eyes flickering from his mouth to his eyes.

"Love it," Harry says hotly, pecking her shiny lips once more. Y/n smiles proudly once again and it adds to heat in his veins. "want a drink baby?"

She hums, nodding. He grins again, patting her hip so she can give him room to stand up. They walk to the bar in the front, Harry's hips attached to Y/n's from behind. He didn't even ask the rest of the table if they wanted a drink.

He can't help himself, pushing against her as she leans into the bar. His arms grip the edge of the dark wood, caging her in. She giggles, dropping her head back on his shoulder to look at him.

The bartender greets them, smiling politely at Harry. He orders him and y/n a Coke and rum, not even waiting for the man to move away before tilting his head down to y/n.

"It's awfully dangerous to expose a neck that pretty to a vampire." Harry breathes, lips brushing her jaw. She shivers against him and smiles sweetly.

"Well someone promised me the kiss of a vampire."

He chuckles, pressing his crotch further into her bum and ghosting his lips over the skin of her throat. He brings a hand up to her neck, fingers gently splaying over the column of it. He dots a few pecks up and down her soft skin, lightly scraping his fangs just to tease her. Their drinks are placed in front of them, Harry not bothering to thank the bartender.

"The Harry Styles being rude to a bartender?" She gasps dramatically, but Harry can hear the tremble in her breath. He smirks against her skin. "Scandalous."

"Think it'll be all over the newspapers tomorrow?" He murmurs, offering a few more gentle pecks.

"Obviously, a stuck up professional athlete? They'll eat you right up."

Harry lifts his head. "That's a shame," he pecks her cheek. "I was planning on doing the same thing to you tonight."

He leans over her for their drinks, smiling a wicked grin at the wideness of her dark eyes. "Come on darling. Got a party to show you off to."

He nods towards their booth, holding his elbow out for her. She slips her hand through it, laying her head on his shoulder. The whole walk back is spent with burning gazes following them and Harry's ego swelling with every step.

~

The door is thrown open before Harry's even lifted Arlo out of his car seat. Y/n, holding their overnight bag and Arlo's little backpack on either shoulder, laughs softly and waves towards the house.

"Hello mother!"

Arlo stirs, whining low in his chest as Harry cradles him to his chest. He shushes him, patting his back gently to keep him asleep. Arlo fidgets just once before relaxing into the fabric of Harry's jumpsuit, releasing a little puff of air.

"Oh I missed you so much!" Marie calls out to them. Harry chuckles. She saw them just last week.

He grabs Arlo's diaper bag, throwing it over his free shoulder. Y/n close the car door for him. Marie stands on the porch, already dressed in her robe and pajamas. Peeking out from behind her legs is a familiar pair of blue eyes that has Harry smiling.

"I sure hope Charlie's here." Harry says, directing the comment to y/n but saying it loud enough for Charlie to hear. A little giggle breaks out from behind Marie.

"Charlie is my faaaavorite!"

Before he's even finished the sentence a mop of blonde curls and piercing eyes is barreling into his legs, almost knocking him back down the steps.

"I am here Uncle Harry!" Charlie practically screams, nuzzling his cheek to Harry's thigh. "I'm here! And you're my favorite too!"

Harry chuckles, ruffling Charlie's hair with the hand not holding Arlo. Y/n pouts beside him.

"Am I chopped liver or what?"

Charlie laughs when she scoops him up off the floor, carrying him bridal style to the door. She pauses to kiss her mom's cheek before disappearing into the house with a squealing 6 year old in her arms.

"Those two," Marie tells him, rolling her eyes humorously. Harry kisses her cheek.

"Gonna reek havoc on your house."

Marie closes and locks the door behind them, chuckling. "This place survived her and Louis. It can survive her and Charlie."

Harry drops Arlo's baby bag on the floor next to the two bags y/n has already left there. Arlo snuggles deeper into his chest.

"Where is everyone?" He asks, taking in the blankets sprawled out on the couches and the TV that's stuck on the play menu of Paranorman. A squeal of laughter from the kitchen answers his question.

The high pitch giggles and dramatic groans coming from the kitchen continue, the bubbly laugh of y/n making his stomach swirl.

The dark wood table made to sit 8 is only preoccupied in two chairs. One holds Y/n's sister in law, Chloe, with Layla perched on her laugh. Layla's stiffling giggles into her palms but majority of the noise is coming from the chair holding four. Steve is sat first, y/n laughing hearty giggles on her father's lap. Charlie is giggling away on her lap, squirming under the weight of his father.

"Louis Tomlinson, get off of your child!" Marie scolds, flicking his forehead as she walks by them. Harry chuckles, ruffling Layla's hair as the others pile off the chair.

"Hi pretty girl."

"Uncle Harry!"

Layla launches herself up from her mom's lap, directly into Harry's side. Harry's quick to catch her on his hip, wincing slightly when Arlo grumbles.

"Did you miss me Uncle Harry?"

Harry pecks her cheek. "Course I missed ya. How could I not miss my squinklett?"

Layla giggles bashfully at his words, laying her head on his shoulder. Her eyes fall on Arlo, immediately cooing at him.

"Why's Arlo always sleepy?"

"He gets it from his mumma." Harry whispers, flashing his eyes up to y/n. She's locked in a bone crushing hug with her brother.

"Will he ever wake up?"

Harry snorts. "Of course he'll wake up. Just had a long night."

"Really?"

"S'tough being a bee sweetheart."

"Oh," Layla hums thoughtfully. "I've never been a bee."

"Maybe one day." Harry tells her.

Chloe chuckles at them, climbing up and holding her hands out for her daughter. Layla reluctantly pulls back from Harry, flopping into her mom's chest.

"Hello Chlo," Harry greets.

"Hi babe," Chloe pecks Harry's cheek. "oh what a doll." She coos, stroking a finger over Arlo's cheek, careful to not wake him.

"Trick or treating was a bit exciting. Wore the bub right out."

Chloe nods in understanding. After two babies of her own, she knows how the first holidays go.

Y/n and Louis have separated themselves long enough for Harry to greet him and Steve. As usual they coo over Arlo, informing Harry that he's grown so much.

"Why don't you two go change and put the little one to bed?" Marie offers, already urging y/n and Harry out of the dining room. "We'll pick a movie to watch together and get snacks together."

Y/n links her hand with Harry's, leading him back to their bags and then through the hallway. Louis and Chloe have taken over his old room and set up Charlie and Layla in the spare, so Harry and Y/n take her old bedroom.

Harry lays Arlo in the middle of the bed, watching him carefully as he strips out of his boots and jumpsuit. He tosses the costume to the side, tugging down his boxers a bit because they've ridden too high. Y/n digs through Arlo's bag for a nappie and onesie while Harry begins to strip him out of his bee costume. By the time Harry's got a new nappie on him, Y/n has changed from her costume into shorts and a big tee-shirt, and pulled her messy hair into a bun. Her arms slip around Harry's waist as he fastens the buttons on Arlo's onesie.

"Feeling okay darling?"

She hums, nuzzling her cheek into his bare back.

"Did you have fun tonight?"

"Yes,"

"Glad we went?"

"Absolutely,"

Harry manages to turn, cupping her cheeks in his hands. "Good." He pecks her lips. "Now let me some clothes on yeah?"

Y/n pouts and whines just to tease him but releases him. She stacks pillows around Arlo to keep him from rolling to the ends of the bed, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. Once Harry's slipped on clothes he too gives Arlo a kiss goodnight.

"Movie time?" Harry asks.

Y/n nods, kissing Harry's lips just once. Harry grins, pulling her to his chest and leading them out of the room. Charlie's laugh is ringing out from the living room and it makes Harry chuckle. Glancing down at Y/n, her eyes tired but lips smiling as she rubs her fingers over her stomach, much like she did when Arlo was still living in there, his stomach flutters. He loves being with his real family and he wouldn't give it up for anything.

[love-pyramus]

I

RACETRACK: In 1899, the street of New York City echoed with the voices of newsies, peddeling the newspapers of Joseph Pulitzer, William Randolph Hearst and other giants of the newspaper world. On every street corner you saw 'em, carrying the banner, bringing you the news for a penny a pape. Poor orphans and run-aways, the newsies were a ragged army, without a leader, until one day when all that changed.

(The movie title appears. We see the outside of the Newsboys Lodging House. Inside, Kloppman, the owner, enters the bunkroom, finding the boys still in bed.)

KLOPPMAN: Boots! Skittery! Skittery! Skittery!

SKITTERY: Wha..I didn't do it!

KLOPPMAN: What do you mean you didn't do it? Will you get up? When you get up, it's time to get up! Snitch! Get up! Get up! Everybody's sleeping. They sleep their lives away these kids! The presses are rolling! Sell the papers, sell the papers! Come on, come on. You dreaming about selling papers?

JACK: Mmmmmm? What's the matta with you?

KLOPPMAN: What's the matter with me?

JACK: What's the matta with you? Wanna..go..back..to..

KLOPPMAN: Come on! (gives him a shove)

JACK: Get away from me, you're mad!

KLOPPMAN:  Haha. Get up boy! Come on. Alright! Carry the banner! Sell the papers!

(Racetrack looks around for his cigar, noticing that Snipeshooter has it)

*Start Song*

RACETRACK: That's my cigar!

SNIPESHOOTER: You'll steal anudder!

KID BLINK: Hey bummers, we got work tah do!

KID: Since when did you become me mudder?

CRUTCHY: Aww, stop your bawling!

NEWSIES: Hey, who asked you?

MUSH: So, how'd you sleep Jack?

JACK: On me back Mush.

MUSH: Ha ha. Hear that fellas? Hear what Jack said? I asked Jack how he slept and he said 'On me back Mush'

CRUTCHY: Jack, when I walk, does it look like I'm faking it?

JACK: No. Who says you're faking it?

CRUTCHY: I dunno. It's just there's so many fake crips on the street today, a real crip ain't got a chance. I gotta find me a new selling spot where they ain't used to seeing me.

MUSH: Try Bottle Alley or the harbour

RACETRACK: Try Central Park, it's guaranteed

JACK: Try any baker, bum, or barber

SKITTERY: They almost all knows how to read

KID BLINK: I smell money

CRUTCHY: You smell foul!

MUSH: Met this girl last night

CRUTCHY: Move your elbow!

RACETRACK: Pass the towel!

SKITTERY: For a buck I might!

NEWSIES: Ain't it a fine life Carrying the banner through it all? A mighty fine life Carrying the banner tough and tall Every morning, we goes where we wishes We's as free as fished Sure beats washin' dishes What a fine life Carrying the banner home-free all!

(The newsies leave the Lodging House and head towards Newsies Square)

Summer stinks and winter's waiting Welcome to New York Boy, ain't nature fascinating When you'se gotta walk? Still, it's a fine life Carrying the banner with me chums A mighty fine life Blowing every nickel as it comes

CRUTCHY: I'm no snoozer Sitting makes me antsy I likes living chancy

NEWSIES: Harlem tah Delancey What a fine life Carrying the banner through the slums

NUNS: Blessed children thought you wonder lost and depraved Jesus loves you, you shall be saved!

PATRICK'S MOTHER: Patrick, darling Since you left me, I am undone Mother loves you God save my son!

(Sung in counterpoint)

RACETRACK: Just give me half a cup

KID BLINK: Something to wake me up

MUSH: I gotta find an angle

CRUTCHY: I gotta sell more papes

VARIOUS NEWSIES: Papers is all I got Wish I could catch a breeze Sure hope the headline's hot All I can catch is fleas God help me if it's not Somebody help me, please..

(End counterpoint)

NEWSIES: If I hate the headline, I'll make up the headline And I'll say anything I hafta 'Cause it's two for a penny, if I take too many Weasel just makes me eat 'em afta

(Sung in counterpoint)

1. Look! They're putting up the headline They call that a headline? I get better stories from the copper on the beat I was gunna start with twenty but a dozen'll be plenty Tell me, how'm I gonna make ends meet?

2. What's it say? That won't pay! So where's your spot? God, it's hot! Will ya tell me how'm I gonna make ends meet?

(End counterpoint)

NEWSIES: We need a good assassination! We need an earthquake or a war!

SNIPESHOOTER: How 'bout a crooked politician?

NEWSIES: Hey, stupid, that ain't news no more! Uptown to Grand Central Station Down to City Hall We improves our circulation Walkin' til we fall!

(Sung in counterpoint)

1. Still we'll be out there Carrying the banner man to man! Yes, we'll be out there Soaking every sucker that we can! See the headline Newsies on a mission Kill the competition Sell the next edition While we're out there Carrying the banner is the...

2.Look, they're putting up the headline They call that a headlin The idiot who wrote it must be working for the Sun Didja hear about the fire?

3.Heard it killed old man Maguire!

2.Heard the toll was ever higher

3.Why do I miss all the fun?

2.Hitched it on a Trolly

3.Meetcha Forty-Fourth and Second

2.Little Italy's a secret

3.Bleecker's further than I reckoned

2.At the courthouse

3.Near the stables

2.On the corner someone beckoned and I....

(The Delancey brothers, Oscar and Morris, enter.)

RACETRACK: Dear me! What is that unpleasant aroma? I fear the sewer may have backed up during the night

BOOTS: Nah, too rotten to be the sewers.

CRUTCHY: It must be the Delancey brudders.

RACETRACK:  Hiya boys!

OSCAR:(to Snipeshooter) In the back, you lousy little shrimp. (Oscar throws Snipeshooter to the ground. Jack goes to help him up)

RACETRACK: It's not good to do that. Not healthy

JACK: You shouldn't call people lously little shrimps, Oscar, unless you're refering to the family resemblance in your brudda here.

RACETRACK: 5-1 that Cowboys skunks 'em. Who's betting?

JACK: That's right. It's an insult. So's this

(Jack knocks Morris' hat off his head. The Delancey's chase Jack around the Square. David and Les enter and watch until Jack bumps into them.)

DAVID: What do you think you're doing?

JACK: Runnin'!

NEWSIES:  (Sung in counterpoint)

1.It's a fine life Carrying the banner through it all A mighty fine life Carrying the banner tough and tall See the headline Newsies on a mission Kill the competition Sell the next edition What a fine life Carrying the banner!

2.Would you look at the headline You call that a headline? I get better stories from the copper on the beat I was gonna start with twenty but a dozen'll be plenty Would you tell me how'm I ever gonna make ends meet Hitched it on a Trolly Meetcha Forty-Fourth and Second Little Italy's a secret Bleecker's further than I reckoned By the courthouse, near the stables On the corner someone beckoned! Go get 'em Cowboy! You've got 'em now boy!

(End counterpoint)

NEWSIES: Go!

WORLD EMPLOYEE: These is for the newsies!

(The newsies line up for their papes, congratulating Jack on beating the Delancey's)

MORRIS: See you tomorrow, Cowboy

OSCAR: You're as good as dead, Cowboy

JACK: Oh Mr. Weasel.

WEASEL: Alright, alright! Hold your horses! I'm coming, I'm coming.

JACK: So, didja miss me Weasel? Huh, did you miss me?

WEASEL: I told ya a million times, the name's Wisel. Mr. Wisel to you. How many?

JACK: Don't rush me, I'm perusing the merchandise Mr. Weasel. The usual.

WEASEL: 100 papes for the wise guy. Next!

RACETRACK: Morning your honor! Listen, do me a favor, spot me 50 papes? I got a hot tip int the fourth, you won't waste your money.

WEASEL: It's a sure thing?

RACETRACK: Yeah. Not like last time.

WEASEL: 50 papes! Next!

CRUTCHY: Heya Mr. Wisel.

RACETRACK: See anything good this morning?

WEASEL: 30 papes for Crutchy! Next!

JACK:(to Les) You wanna sit down?

DAVID: 20 papers please. Thanks.

RACETRACK: Look at this, 'Baby Born With Two Heads'. Must be from Brooklyn.

WEASEL: Hey, you got your lously papes, now beat it!

DAVID: I paid for twenty. I only got nineteen.

WEASEL: Are you accusing me of lying kid?

DAVID: No. I just want my paper.

MORRIS: He said beat it!

JACK: No, it's nineteen. It's nineteen, but don't worry about it. It's an honest mistake. I mean, Morris here can't count to twenty with his

shoes on. Hey Race, will ya spot me 2 bits? Another 50 for my friend.

DAVID: I don't want another 50.

JACK: Sure you do. Every newsie wants more papes.

DAVID: I don't. I don't want your papes. I don't take charity from anyone. I don't know you. I don't care to. Here are your papes.

LES: Cowboy. They called him Cowboy.

JACK: Yeah, I'm called that and a lot of other things, including Jack Kelly, which is what me mudder called me.what do they call you kid?

LES: Les, and this is my brother David. He's older.

JACK: No kidding. So how old are you Les?

LES: Me? Near 10.

JACK: Near 10. Well, that's no good. if anyone asks, you're 7. You see, younger sells more papes and if we're gonna be partners, we wanna

be the best.

DAVID: Wait. Who said anything about being partners?

JACK: Well, you owe me 2 bits right? Well, I'll consider that an investment. We sell together, we split 70-30, plus you get the benefit of observing me, no charge.

DAVID: Ah-ha.

JACK: (mocking) Ah-ha.

CRUTCHY: You're getting the chance of a lifetime here, Davey. You learn from Jack, you learn from the best.

DAVID: Well, if he's the best, then how come he needs me?

JACK: Listen,I don't need you, pal,but I ain't got a cute little brudder like Les here to front for me. With this kid's puss and my God-given talent, we could move a thousand papes a week. So what do you say Les? You wanna sell papes with me?

LES: Yeah!

JACK: So we got a deal?

DAVID: Wait. It's got to be at least 50-50.

JACK: 60-40, I forget the whole thing.

(David holds out his hand. Jack spits on his hand and reaches for David, who pulls his arm away.)

JACK: What'sa matta?

DAVID: That's disgusting!

(By this time, the rest of the newsies have gotten their papers and are moving out into the street.)

JACK: The name of the game is volume, Dave. You only took twenty papes. Why?

DAVID: Bad headline.

JACK: That's the first thing you gotta learn. Headlines don't sell papes, newsies sell papes. You know, we're what holds this town together.

Without newsies, nobody knows nothing.

(A girl hurries past and the newsies take off their hats and make a few comments)

SPECS: Baby born with three heads!

(The newsies begin to yell out various headlines as the spread out over the streets. We go into Pulitzer's office where Pulitzer is reading the headline. Also in the room is Jonathan, Seitz and another World employee.)

PULITZER: 'Trolly Strike Drags On For Third Week' and this so called headline drags on for infinity.

EMPLOYEE: News is slow, Mr. Pulitzer. The trolly strike's all we've got.

PULITZER: Well, that's all Mr. William Randolph Hearst has too, but look how he covers the strike. Look! Look!

EMPLOYEE: We'll get a new headline writer, sir.

PULITZER: Steal Hearst's man. Offer him double.

SEITZ:  That's how he stole him from us. It's not the headlines, Chief. The circulation wars are cutting into our profits because you spend as much as you make trying to beat Hearst.

PULITZER: Then we need to make more money. You do not penny-pinch when you're in a war, Seitz. Victory means everything. Now, when I created the world... what is that deafening noise?

JONATHAN: Just the newsies, sir. I'll go have them quieted.

PULITZER: Never mind the newsies. Where was I?

SEITZ: Creating the world, Chief.

PULITZER: There's lots of money down there, gentlemen. I want to know how I can get more of it...by tonight.

(We are now in the streets of New York. Jack and David roam through the crowds.)

DAVID: Extra! Extra! Trolly strike drags on!

JACK: Extra! Extra! Ellis Island in flames!

DAVID: Wait, where's that story?

JACK: Thank you sir. Page 9. Thousands flee in panic. Thank you. Much obliged to you ladies.

DAVID 'Trash Fire Next To Immigration Building Terrifies Seagulls'??

JACK: Terrified flight of inferno!! Thousands of lives at stake!  Extra! Extra! Thank you sir. Extra! Extra!

(Les enters)

JACK: Hey, you start in the back like I told you? Ok, show me again.

LES:  (coughs) Buy me last pape, mista?

JACK: It's heartbreaking kid. Go get 'em.

DAVID: My father taught us not to lie.

JACK: Well, mine told me not to starve, so we both got an education.

DAVID: You're just making up things. All these headlines.

JACK: I don't do nothing the guys who write it don't do. Anyway, it's not lying, it's just improving the truth little.

(Warden Snyder enters and see Jack. Les re-enters)

LES: The guy gave me a quarter. Quick, give me some more last papers.

DAVID: Wait, wait. You smell like beer.

LES: Well, that's how I made the quarter. The guy bet me I wouldn't drink some.

JACK: Hey, no drinking on the job. It's bad for business. And what if somebody called the cop on you?

DAVID:  (pointing to Snyder) Is he a friend of your's?

JACK: Beat it! It's the bulls!

LES: All this over one sip of beer?

(Snyder chases Jack, David and Les through the streets, and into a building. They run up the stairs and get to the roof. Without stopping for a second, Jack jumps off the roof, leaving David and Les alone. Jack's head pops up and David and Les join him on a ledge just as Snyder enters.)

SNYDER: Sullivan! Wait til I get you back to the Refuge!

(Jack leads David and Les a little more, when David pulls him to a halt outside Irving Hall)

DAVID: I'm not running any further.

(Jack leads the two brothers inside.)

DAVID: I want some answers.

JACK: Shhh!

DAVID: Who was he and why was he chasing you? And what is this Refuge?

JACK: The Refuge is a jail for kids. That guy chasing me was Snyder, the warden.

LES: You were in jail?

JACK: Yeah.

LES: Why?

JACK: Well, I was starving, so I stole some food.

DAVID: Food?

JACK: Yeah, food.

DAVID: He called you Sullivan.

JACK: Well, my name's Kelly. Jack Kelly. You think I'm lying?

DAVID: Well, you have a way of improving the truth. Why was he chasing you?

JACK: 'Cause I escaped.

LES: Oh boy! How?

JACK: Well, this big shot gave me a ride out in his carriage.

DAVID: I bet it was the mayor.

JACK: No, Teddy Roosevelt. You ever heard of him?

MEDDA: What's going on there? Out! Out! Out!

JACK: You wouldn't kick me out without a kiss goodbye, wouldja Medda?

MEDDA: Oh Kelly. Where ya been, kid? Oh, I miss seeing you up in the balcony.

JACK: Hanging on your every word. So Medda.

MEDDA: Yes.

JACK: This is David and Les.

MEDDA: Hello.

JACK: And this is the greatest star of the vaudeville stage today, Miss Medda Larkson, the Swedish Meadowlark.

MEDDA: Welcome, gentlemen.

JACK: Medda also owns the joint.

MEDDA: Oh, what do we have here? Oh, aren't you the cutest little thing that ever was? Yes you are.

LES:  (cough) Buy me last pape, lady?

MEDDA: Oh, you are good. Oh yes, this kid is really good. Speaking as one professional to another, I'd say you have a great future.

JACK: So, is it alright if we stay here for a little while, Medda? Just until a little problem outside goes away.

MEDDA: Sure,stay as long as you like. Toby, just give my guests whatever they want.

ANNOUNCER: And now gents, the moment you've all been waiting for. The sensational songbird. The Swedish Meadowlark, Miss Medda Larkson.

(Medda goes on stage. Jack, David and Les watch from backstage.)

MEDDA: My lovey dovey baby I boo-hoo-hoo for you I used to be your tootsie-wootsie Then you said 'tooldle-dedoo' I miss the hanky-panky Each nighty-night til three Come back my lovey dovey baby And coochie-coo with me!

(After the show, the boys go outside)

JACK: So, you like that?

DAVID: Oh,I loved that. I loved it. It was great. She is beautiful. How do you know her?

JACK: She was a friend of me fadder's. Come on, Les, you wanna shine me shoes for me?

DAVID: Oh, it's getting late. My parents are going to be worried. What about your's?

JACK: Nah, they're out west looking for a place to live, like this. (Pulls out a Santa Fe brochure) See, that's Santa Fe, New Mexico. As soon as they find the right ranch, they're gonna send for me.

LES: Then you'll be a real cowboy.

JACK: Yup.

(Fire and loud crashes are heard. The boys run and see a riot breaking out. A group of men are beating up another man.)

DAVID: Jack! Why don't we go to my place and divi up. You can meet my folks.

JACK: It's the trolly strike, Dave. These couple of dumb-asses must not have joined or something.

DAVID: Jack, let's get out of here.

JACK: So, maybe we'll get a good headline tomorrow, Dave.  Look at this, he slept the whole way threw it.

(Jack picks up Les from the bench where he fell asleep. They enter David's house.)

ESTER: My God. What happened?

DAVID: Nothing, mama. He's just sleeping.

MAYER: We've been waiting dinner for you. Where have you been? (David puts a pile of coins on the table.)

MAYER: You made all this selling newspapers?

DAVID: Well, half of it's Jack's. This is our selling partner, and our friend. Jack Kelly, my parents. And that's my sister, Sarah.

MAYER: Ester, maybe David's partner would like to join us for dinner. Why don't you add a little more water to the soup?

(He kisses her. She shoves him away playfully)

ESTER: Mayer!

(After dinner, they talk as Sarah clears the table.)

JACK: So, from wat I saw today, you're boys are a couple of born newsies. Can I have some more?

SARAH: Yes.

JACK: So with their hard work and my experience,I figure we can peddle a thousand papes a week and not even break a sweat.

MAYER: That many?

JACK: More when the headline's good.

SARAH: So what makes the headline good?

JACK: Oh, you know. Catchy words like maniac, or corpse, umm..lovenest, or nude. Excuse me. Maybe I'm talkin' too much.

MAYER:  Sarah? Go get the cake your mother's hiding in the cabinet.

ESTER: That's for your birthday tomorrow!

MAYOR: Well, I've had enough birthdays. This is a celebration.

DAVID: I'll get the knife.

SARAH: I got the plates.

DAVID: This is only the beginning, papa. The longer I work, the more money I'll make.

MAYER: You'll only work until I go back to the factory, and then you are going back to school, like you promised.

SARAH:  Happy birthday, papa.

MAYER: This is going to heal, and they'll give me my job back. We'll make them

(Les stirs, but doesn't wake up in bed.)

LES: Come back my lovey dovey baby And coochie-coo with me!

(David and Jack start laughing)

ESTER: And what is this David?

(The boys try to stop laughing, but can't. Scene:  LATER THAT NIGHT, on David's fire escape)

JACK: So, how'd your pop get hurt?

DAVID: At the factory. It was an accident. He's no good to them anymore, so they just fired him.

(Mayer appears at the window.)

MAYER: David, it's time to come in now.

DAVID: Alright. Jack, why don't you stay here tonight?

JACK: Ah, no, thanks. I got a place of my own. But you're family's real nice, like mine.

DAVID: See you tomorrow.

JACK: Alright.

DAVID: Carrying the banner.

JACK: Carrying the banner.

(David goes inside, leaving Jack alone on the fire escape. He looks in the window and see the family together.)

JACK: So that's what they call a family Mudder, fadder, daughter, son Guess everything you heard about it's true. So you ain't got any family Well, who said you needed one? Ain'tcha glad nobody's waiting up for you? When I dream on my own I'm alone, but I ain't lonely For a dreamer, night's the only time of day When the city's finally sleeping When my thoughts begin to stray And I'm on the train that bound for Santa Fe And I'm free Like the wind Like I'm gonna live forever. It's a feeling time can never take away All I need's a few more dollars And I'm outta here to stay Dreams come true Yes they do In Santa Fe Where does it say you've gotta live and die here? Where does it say a guy can't catch a break? Why should you only take what you're given? Why should you spend your whole life livin' Trapped where there ain't no future Even at seventeen Breaking your back for someone else's sake If the life don't seem to suit ya How bout a change of scene? Far from the lously headlines And the deadlines in between Santa Fe Are you there? Do you swear you won't forget me? If I found you would you let me come and stay? I ain't getting any younger And before my dying day I want space Not just air Let 'em laugh in my face, I don't care Save a place I'll be there So that's what they call a family? Ain'tcha glad you ain't that way? Ain'tcha glad you got a dream called Santa Fe?

(Jack ends up outside the Lodging House. As he enters, he meets up with Racetrack)

JACK: Heya Race.

RACETRACK: Hey Jack.

JACK: How was your day at the track?

RACETRACK: Remember that hot tip I told you about? Nobody told the horse.

(Pulitzer, Seitz and Jonathan are sitting it Pulitzer's office.)

PULITZER: I know we need to make more money. That's why we're here, to find out how to make more money.

JONATHAN: I have several proposals. First, to increase the paper's price.

PULITZER: Then Hearst outsells me and I'm in the poorhouse. Brilliant, Jonathan, brilliant.

JONATHAN: Not the customer's price. The price to the distribution apparatus.

SEITZ: Charge the newsies more for their papers? Bad idea, Chief.

JONATHAN: Very well. My next proposal, salary cuts. Particularly those at the top.

SEITZ:  Very bad idea, Chief.

PULITZER: Wait. What do the newsies pay now? 50 cents for 100 papers? If you raise it to 60 cents..

JONATHAN: A mere tenth of a cent per paper.

PULITZER: Multiply by 40, 000 papers a day?  7 days a week?.

JONATHAN: It definitely adds up, sir.

SEITZ:  If you do this, every newsie we've got will head straight for Hearst.

PULITZER: You don't know Hearst like I do, Seitz. As newspapermen, he and I would cut each other's throats to get an advantage. But as gentlemen, as businessmen, if also see eye to eye on certain things. Now, if we do it, Hearst and I, if we do it, then the other papers will do it.

SEITZ: It's going to be awfully tough on those children.

PULITZER: Nonsense, nonsense. It'll be good for them. Incentive, make them work harder, sell more papers. They'll look on it as an advantage.

(Outside the World building, the newsies have gathered. Jack joins them)

KID BLINK: They jacked up the price! You hear that Jack? Ten cents a hundred! You know, it's bad enough that we gotta eat what we don't sell, now they jack up the price! Can you believe that?

SKITTERY: This'll bust me, I'm barely making a living right now.

BOOT: I'll be back sleeping on the streets.

MUSH: It don't make no sense. I mean, all the money Pulitzer's making, why would he gouge us?

RACETRACK: Because he's a tight wad, that's why!

JACK: Pipe down, it's just a gag. So, why the jack up Weasel?

WEASEL: Why not? It's a nice day. Why don'tcha ask Mr. Pulitzer?

KID BLINK: They can't to this to me Jack.

RACETRACK: They can do whatever they want. It's their stinkin' paper.

BOOTS: It ain't fair. We got no rights at all.

RACETRACK: Come on, it's a rigged deck. They got all the marbles.

MUSH: Jack, we got no choice, so why don't we get our lousy papes while they still got some, huh?

JACK: No! Nobody's going anywhere. They can't get away with this!

LES: Give him some room, give him some room. Let him think.

RACETRACK: Jack, you done thinkin' yet?

WEASEL: Hey! Hey! Hey! World employees only on this side of the gate!

JACK: Well, listen. One thing for sure, if we don't sell papes, then nobody sells papes. Nobody comes through those gates until they put the price back to where it was.

DAVID: You mean like a strike?

JACK: Yeah, like a strike!

RACETRACK: Are you out of your mind?

JACK: It's a good idea!

DAVID: Jack, I was only joking. We can't go on strike, we don't have a union.

JACK: But, if we go on strike, then we are a union, right?

DAVID: No, we're just a bunch of angry kids with no money. Maybe if we got every newsie in New York, but...

JACK: Yeah, well we organize. Crutchy, you take up for collection. We get all the newsies of New York together.

DAVID: Jack, this isn't a joke. You saw what happened to those trolley workers.

JACK: Yeah, well that's another good idea. Any newsie don't join with us, then we bust their heads like the trolley workers.

DAVID: Stop and think about this Jack. You can't just rush everybody into this

JACK: Alright. Let me think about it. Listen. Dave's right. Pulitzer and Hearst and all them other rich fellas, I mean, they own this city, so do they really think a bunch of street kids like us can make any difference? The choice has got to be yours. Are we just gonna take what they give us, or are we gonna strike?

LES: Strike!

BOOTS: Keep talking Jack, tell us what to do!

JACK: Well, you tell us what to do Davey.

DAVID: Pulitzer and Hearst have to respect our rights.

JACK: Hey listen! Pulitzer and Hearst have to respect the rights of the working boys of New York! Well, that worked pretty good, so what else?

DAVID: Tell them that they can't treat us like we don't exist.

(Begin Song)

JACK: Pulitzer and Hearst, they think we're nothing. Are we nothing?

NEWSIES: No!

DAVID: If we stick together like the trolley workers then they can't break us up.

JACK: Pulitzer and Hearst, they think they got us. Do they got us?

NEWSIES: No!

DAVID: We're a union now, the Newsboys Union. We have to start acting like a union.

JACK: Even though we ain’t got hats or badges We’re a union just by saying so And the World will know!

BOOTS: What’s to start somebody else from selling our papes?

JACK: Well, what’s wrong with them?

RACETRACK: Some of them don’t hear so good!

JACK: Well then we’ll soak ‘em!

DAVID: No! We can’t beat up kids in the streets. It’ll give us a bad name.

CRUTCHY: Can’t get any worse.

JACK: What’s it gonna take to stop the wagons? Are we ready?

NEWSIES: Yeah!

DAVID: No!

JACK: What’s it gonna take to stop the scabber? Can we do it?

NEWSIES: Yeah!

JACK: We’ll do what we gotta do until we Break the will of mighty Bill and Joe!

NEWSIES: And the World will know And the Journal too! Mr. Hearst and Pulitzer Have we got news for you! Now the World will hear What we’ve got to say We’ve been hawking headlines But we’re making ‘em today. And our ranks will grow!

CRUTCHY: And we’ll kick their rear!

NEWSIES: And the World will know that we been here!

JACK: When the circulation bell starts ringing Will we hear it?

NEWSIES: No!

JACK: What if the Delancey’s come out swinging’ Will we hear it?

NEWSIES: No! When you’ve got a hundred voices singing Who can hear a lousy whistle blow? And the World will know That this ain’t no game That we got a ton of rotten fruit and perfect aim So they gave their word But it ain’t worth beans! Now they’re gonna see what ‘stop the presses’ really mean And the day has come And the time is now And the fear is gone

BOOTS: And their name is mud!

NEWSIES:  And the strike is on

BOOTS: And I can't stand blood!

NEWSIES: And the World will..

JACK: Pulitzer may crack the whip but he won’t whip us!

NEWSIES: Pulitzer may crack the whip but he won’t whip us! And the World will know And the World will learn And the World will wonder how We made the tables turn And the World will see That we had to choose That the things we do today Will be tomorrow’s news And the old will fall And the young stand tall And the time is now And the winds will blow And our ranks will grow And grow and grow and so The World will feel the fire And finally know!

NEWSIES: Strike! Strike! Strike! (etc.)

JACK: We gotta get word out to all the newsies of New York. I need some of those….what’dja call ‘em?

DAVID: Ambassadors?

JACK: Yeah, right. Okay, you guys, you gotta be ambastards and go tell the other that we’re on strike.

KID BLINK: Say, Jack, I’ll take Harlem

RACETRACK: Yeah, I got Midtown.

MUSH: I got the Battery, Jack.

CRUTCHY: Hey, I’ll take the Bronx.

JACK: Alright. And Bumlets, and Specs and Skittery, you take Queens.  Pie Eater! Snoddy! East Side! Snipeshooter, you go with ‘em. So, what about Brooklyn? Come on, Spot Conlon’s territory. What’sa matta? You scared of Brooklyn?

BOOTS: Hey, we ain’t scared of Brooklyn. Spot Conlon makes us a little nervous.

JACK: Well, he don’t make me nervous. So you and me, Boots, we’ll go to Brooklyn. And Dave here can keep us company.

DAVID: Sure, just as soon as you delivery our demands to Pulitzer.

JACK: Me? To Pulitzer?

DAVID: You’re the leader, Jack.

JACK: Well, maybe the kid’ll soften him up.

(Jack and Les enter the World Building. The newsies cheer)

NEWSIES: Strike! Strike! Strike! (etc.)

(The newsies go off in different directions. Denton enters and approaches David.)

DENTON: Hey, what is the strike? What’s going on?

DAVID: We’re bringing out demands to Pulitzer.

DENTON: What demands?

DAVID: The newsies demands. We’re on strike.

DENTON: I’m with the New York Sun. Bryan Denton. You seem like the kid in charge. What’s your name?

DAVID: David

DENTON: David. David as in David and Goliath? You really think old man Pulitzer’s going to listen to your demands?

DAVID: He has to. (Jack and Let thrown out the door.)

JACK: Well, so’s your old lady! You tell Pulitzer he needs an appointment with me!

LES: Yeah!

(Jack, David, Les and Denton are sitting in a booth in Tibby’s Restaurant.)

JACK: So this snooty mug says to me, ‘You can’t see Mr. Pulitzer. No one sees Mr. Pulitzer.’ Real hoity-toity, you know the type?

LES: Real hoity-toity.

JACK: So that’s when I says to him, ‘Listen, I ain’t in the habit of transacting no business with office boys. Just tell him Jack Kelly’s here to see him now!’

LES: That’s when he threw us out.

DENTON: Does he scare you? You’re going up against the most powerful man in New York City.

JACK: Oh yeah, look at me. I’m trembling.

DENTON: Alright, keep me informed. I want to know everything that’s going on.

DAVID: Are we really an important story?

DENTON: Well, what’s important? Last year I covered the war in Cuba. Charged up San Juan Hill with Col. Teddy Roosevelt. That was an important story. So, is the newsie’s strike important? That all depends on you.

JACK: So my name’s really gonna be in the papers?

DENTON: Any objections?

JACK: Not as long as you get it right. It’s Kelly, Jack Kelly. Oh, and Denton? No pictures.

DENTON: Sure Jack. (Jack, David and Boots start across the Brooklyn Bridge.)

DAVID: I’ve never been to Brooklyn, have you?

BOOTS: I spent a month there on night.

(Jack and Boots lean over the side and scream at the top of their lungs.)

DAVID: So, is this Spot Conlon really dangerous?

(The boys get to Brooklyn. There are a lot of tough looking boys.)

BROOKLYN NEWSIE: Going somewhere, Kelly?

(Jack pushes past him. David and Boots follow.)

SPOT: Well, if it ain’t Jack be nimble, Jack be quick.

JACK: I see you moved up in the world, Spot. Got a river view and everything.

(The two boys spit-shake.)

SPOT: Heya Boots. How’s it rollin’?

BOOTS: I got a couple of real good shooters.

(Spot takes the marbles and takes out his sling shot.)

SPOT: Yeah. So, Jacky-boy. I’ve been hearing things from little birds. Things from Harlem, Queens, all over. They been chirpin’ in my ear.  Jacky-boy’s newsies is playing like they’re going on strike.

JACK: Yeah, well we are.

DAVID: We’re not playing. We are going on strike.

SPOT: Oh yeah? Yeah? What is this, Jacky-boy? Some kind of walking mouth?

JACK: Yeah, it’s a mouth. A mouth with a brain, and if you got half a one, you’ll listen to what he’s got to say.

DAVID: Well, we started the strike, but we can’t do it alone. So, we’re talking to newsies all around the city.

SPOT: Yeah, so they told me. But what’d they tell you?

DAVID: They’re waiting to see what Spot Conlon is doing, you’re the key. That Spot Conlon is the most respected and famous newsie in all of New York, and probably everywhere else. And if Spot Conlon joins the strike, then they join and we’ll be unstoppable. So you gotta join, I mean... well, you gotta!

SPOT: You’re right Jacky-boy, brains. But I got brains too, and more than just half a one. How do I know you punks won’t run the first time some goon comes at ya with a club? How do I know you got what it takes to win?

JACK: Because I’m telling you, Spot.

SPOT: That ain’t good enough Jacky-boy. You gotta show me.

(The boys go back to Newsies Square, where the rest of the newsies wait.)

RACETRACK: Jack. So, where’s Spot?

JACK: He was concerned about us being serious. You imagine that?

RACETRACK: Well, Jack, maybe we ought to ease off a little. Without Spot and the others, there ain’t enough of us, Jack.

MUSH: Maybe we’re moving too soon. Maybe we ain’t ready, you know?

SKITTERY: I definitely think we should forget about it for a little while.

JACK: Oh, do ya?

SKITTERY: Yeah.

RACETRACK: Yeah, I mean, without Brooklyn… you know?

JACK: Spot was right, is this just a game to you guys?

(Begin Song)

DAVID: Open the gates and seize the day Don’t be afraid and don’t delay Nothing can break us No one can make us Give our rights away Arise and seize the day!

DAVID AND NEWSIES: Now is the time to seize the day Send out the call and join the fray

DAVID: Wrongs will be righted if we’re united

DAVID AND NEWSIES: Let us seize the day! Friends of the friendless seize the day Raise up the torch and light the way Proud and defiant We’ll slay the giant Let us seize the day

Neighbor to neighbor Father to son One for all and all for one! Open the gates and seize the day Don’t be afraid and don’t delay Nothing can break us No one can make us Give our rights away Neighbor to neighbor Father to son! One for all and all for one!

(The circulation bell begins to ring)

JACK Anybody hear that?

NEWSIES No!

JACK: So what are we gonna do about it?

NEWSIES: Soak ‘em!

(The newsies and the scabbers have a stand off. 3 scabs join with the newsies, but then a bug scab comes up against Jack. He tries to get by, but can’t. The newsies start soaking the scabs, who eventually run away. They tear up the newspapers. Jack starts making faces and blowing raspberries at Weasel, Oscar and Morris through the distribution window.)

MORRIS: I’m gonna crack your dome!

(The tearing of newspapers continue. A delivery cart is pushed onto it’s side. Weasel calls for the cops, who enter blowing whistles.)

JACK: Cheese it! Cheese it, it’s the bulls!

(All the newsies run, except Crutchy, who doesn’t notice)

RACETRACK: Crutchy! Scram! Scram!

(Crutchy starts to leave, but is blocked in by cops. He turns to find the Delancey brothers behind him. They knock his crutch aside and drag him away. Denton has been watching all of this. THAT NIGHT- Jack and David walk to the Refuge. Jack has a rope in his hands)

JACK: So here it is. The Refuge. My home, sweet home.

DAVID: How can you be sure they sent him here?

JACK: How can I be sure the Delancey’s stink? It’s just how things work, you know? An orphan gets arrested, Snyder makes sure he gets sent straight here, so he can rehabilitate him. The more kids in the Refuge, the more money the city sends to take care of them, the more Snyder sticks it in his pocket. He’s here.

DAVID: So how come you brought the rope?

(A carriage exits the Refuge. Jack and David hind in the shadows. As the guard talks with the nuns, the two boys sneak by. On the roof, David lowers Jack, who has the rope tied around his waist. Jack gets level with the window.)

JACK: Steady. Steady, Dave. That’s good.

(Jack knocks on the window. A boy around Les’s age opens it.)

TEN PIN: Hey. Cowboy. You miss the joint?

JACK: What do ya say, Ten Pin. You got a new guy in here. Crutchy.

TEN PIN: The gimp? I’ll get him for ya.

JACK: Hey Crutchy.

(With the help of a boy, Crutchy limps to the window.)

CRUTCHY: I don’t believe it. What are you hanging around here for?

JACK: What do you mean what am I hangin’ around here for? You know who’s on the roof?

CRUTCHY: Who?

JACK: Dave.

CRUTCHY: Is that Dave? Heya Dave! How ya doin’?

DAVID:: Shhh.

JACK: Listen, Crutchy, go get your stuff. We’re gonna get you outta here.

CRUTCHY: Well, actually, I ain’t walking so good. Oscar and Morris kindda worked me over a little bit, you know?

JACK: They hurt you? Don’t worry about it. Me and Dave, we can carry you outta here.

CRUTCHY: I don’t want nobody carrying me, you hear? Hey, Dave! You know, they still talk about how Jack rode outta here on that coach.

DAVID: Oh, yeah. Teddy Roosevelt’s, right?

CRUTCHY: You already heard the story.

DAVID: You mean it’s true?

CRUTCHY: Of course. Hey! Cheese it!

(Snyder enters and inspects the room. Jack swings to the side, out of site. As Snyder is about to look out the window, Crutchy grabs his arm.)

CRUTCHY: Mr. Warden Snyder, sir. You know, I was thinking. I’d just like you to know that when you were taking a nap this afternoon…

(Crutchy leads Snyder away from the window and Jack leaves. THE NEXT MORNING- Pulitzer, Weasel and Seitz are inside Pulitzer’s office.)

SEITZ: I don’t think they’re just going to go away, Chief.

WEASEL: Mr. Pulitzer, sir, just give me the means and I’ll take care of them for ya.

PULITZER: I’ll give you whatever means you require. I want this nonsense down with once and for all.

SEITZ: Chief…

PULITZER: Shut you mouth, Seitz

(Weasel and Seitz leave. Snyder looks out the window to the square where the newsies have gathered.)

NEWSIES: Open the gates and seize the day Don’t be afraid and don’t delay Nothing can break us No one can make us Give our rights away Arise and seize the day

(The boys dance in the square and block the entrance to the World building. A delivery cart rushes through. The newsies and scabs have another stand off.)

DAVID: Alright. Everyone remain calm.

JACK: Let’s soak ‘em for Crutchy!

(The newsies charge towards the scabs, who retreat. A large door opens and big men with clubs and chains come out)

RACETRACK: Jack! Jack!, the Crib!

(the men form a circle around Jack so none of the newsies can help him. The gates shut and Denton can’t get in to help.)

OSCAR: Heya Jacky-boy (Jack faces a man with a chain. Outside, Denton tried to get in.)

DENTON: Aren’t you going to stop them, sir?

POLICEMAN: Move along, mister.

(Just as all hope seems lost for Jack, a bunch of newsies appear on the rooftops, including Spot.)

SPOT: Never fear, Brooklyn is here.

MUSH: It’s Brooklyn!

(The newsies start to soak the Crib, the Brooklyn boys using their sling shots. Racetrack throws his hands in the air and sit on a ledge….)

RACETRACK: Hey, I give up. Alright, alright. I give up.

(…then kicks the guy *you know where*)

JACK: Hey, Spot!

(Shots of Newsies punching the scabs. First Racetrack, then Jack, Kid Blink and another. Skittery get hits and falls back. Newsies catch him)

DAVID: Are you alright?

(Before he can answer, the newsies push him back up and he punches the man back. Spot opens the gates and the Brooklyn gang join. They force the Crib back. The newsies cheer and tear some more papers. Denton enters with him camera.)

DENTON: Jack! Boys! Freeze! Freeze!

JACK: Alright guys

(Denton takes the picture. Jack is the only one ready for it. The others all have weird expressions on their faces. The picture turns black and white and appears on the cover of the New York Sun under the headline ‘The Children’s Crusade; Newsies Stop the World’. NEXT DAY- The newsies are in Tibby’s. Denton enters with the paper.)

DENTON: Hey fellas. Hey, hey! Big time.

BOOTS: What you got there Jack?

SPOT: Where’s me picture? Where’s me picture?

BOOTS: What’s that? That all about us?

MUSH: Look at that Jack. You look like a gentlemen

JACK: Will you get your fingers off me face?

SPOT: Where does it say my name? Where’s my name?

JACK: Will you quit thinking about yourself?

DAVID: You got us on the front page!

DENTON: You got yourselves on the front page. I just got to make sure you stay there.

SKITTERY: So what. You get your picture in the papes, so what’s that get you, huh?

MUSH: What are you talkin’ about?

JACK: Shut up, boy. You been in a bad mood all day!

SKITTERY: I’m not in a bad mood!

RACETRACK: Glum and dumb. What’s the matta with you?  You get your picture in the papes, your famous. Your famous, you get anything you want. That’s what so great about New York!

(Begin Song)

MUSH: A pair of new shoes with matching laces

RACETRACK: A permanent box at Sheepshed Races.

SPOT: A porcelain tub with boiling water

KID BLINK: A Saturday night with the mayor’s daughter!

RACETRACK: Look at me I’m the King of New York! Suddenly I’m respectable Staring right atcha Lousy with stature

JACK: Nubbin’ with all the muckety-mucks I’m blowin’ my dough and goin’ deluxe!

RACETRACK: And there I’ll be Ain’t I pretty?

RACETRACK & JACK: It’s my city I’m the king of New York!

BOOTS: A corduroy suit with fitted knickers

LES: A mezzanine seat to see the flickers

SNIPESHOOTER: Havana cigars that cost a quarter

DAVID: An editor’s desk for our star reporter!

NEWSIES: Tip your hat He’s the King of New York!

DENTON: How ‘bout that? I’m the King of New York!

NEWSIES: In nothing flat He’ll be covering Brooklyn to Trenton Our man Denton

KID BLINK: Making a headline out of a hunch

DENTON: Protecting the weak

RACETRACK: And paying for lunch

DENTON: When I’m at bat Strong men crumble

RACETRACK: Proud yet humble

DENTON & RACETRACK: I’m/He’s the King of New York

NEWSIES: I gotta be either dead or dreaming ’Cuz look at that pape with my face beaming Tomorrow they may wrap fishes in it But I was a star for one whole minute! Starting now I’m the King of New York!

DENTON: Ain’t you hear? I’m the King of New York!

NEWSIES: Holy cow! It’s a miracle Pulitzer’s crying Weasel? He’s dying! Flashpots are shooting bright as the sun I’m one hifalutin’ sonuva gun! Don’t ask me how Fortune found me Fate just crowned me Now I’m King of New York! Look and see Once a piker Now a striker I’m the Kin of New York! Victory! Front page story Guts and glory I’m the King of New York!

(The newsies cheer and gather around a table)

JACK: So, let’s have some ideas.

DAVID: Well, we gotta show people where we stand

JACK: Yeah, so we gotta stay in the papes.

DENTON: My paper’s the only one printing any strike news so far

JACK: So, we should do something that’s so big the other papers’ll feel stupid if they try to ignore us. Like a rally. A newsie rally with all the kids from all over New York. It’ll be the biggest, loudest, noisiest blow-out this town’s ever seen!

DAVID: We’ll send a message to the big boys

RACETRACK: Geesh, I’ll give ‘em a message.

(A waiter brings a tray of cokes. Each newsie grabs a glass.)

JACK: There’s a lot of us, and we ain’t going away. We’ll fight until damn Doomsday if it means we get a fair shake.

DAVID: Hey, guys. To out man Denton.

NEWSIES: Our man Denton!

(The newsies lift their glasses in a toast. IN THE REFUGE- Crutchy knocks on Snyder’s door and enters.)

CRUTCHY: Heya Mr. Snyder. How was your supper?

(As he begins to put the plates on a tray, Crutchy notices Snyder looking at the paper, particularly at Jack’s picture.)

CRUTCHY: Hey! That’s Jack. He looks just like himself.

SNYDER: You know this boy?

CRUTCHY: No.

SNYDER: You have a very famous friend, this Jack. Do you know where he lives?

CRUTCHY: I never heard of him, honest! It’s this brain of mine, it’s always making mistakes. It’s got a mind of it’s own. Can I get you anything else, Mr. Snyder? Good bye Mr. Snyder.

(Crutchy leaves, realizing his mistake. THAT NIGHT- The newsies are making signs for the rally. Dutchy’s sign says ‘STRIKE’)

DUTCHY: So, did I spell it right, Kloppman?

KLOPPMAN: Very good, very good.

(Snyder enters and starts going through Kloppman’s book)

KLOPPMAN: Excuse me. Can I help you?

SNYDER: You have a boy who calls himself Jack Kelly? I wish to see him

KLOPPMAN: Jack Kelly? Never heard of him. Never heard of him. Any of you boys ever hear of a Jack Kelly?

SPECS: That’s an unusual name for these parts.

(Jack enters, but Swifty stops him and points Snyder out to him)

RACETRACK: Oh, you mean Jack Kelly. Yeah, he was here, but he put an egg in his shoe and beat it.

SNYDER: I have reason to believe he’s an escaped prisoner, possibly dangerous.

KLOPPMAN: Oh, dangerous? I better look in my files. This way please.

(Kloppman distracts Snyder and Jack exits. The boys hold up signs to hide him)

RACETRACK: Give to the Newsies Strike fund, Mister?

(Snyder hands Racetrack a coin. THE NEXT MORNING- Sarah wakes up and looks out the window. She sees Jack on the fire escape)

SARAH: Did you sleep out there all night?

JACK: Yeah

SARAH: Why didn’t you wake us up?

JACK: Well, I didn’t want to disturb nobody. Besides, it’s like the Waldorph out here. Great view. Cool air

SARAH: Go up on the roof.

(Jack leaves so Sarah can get dressed. While he waits, he boxes with some stockings and steals a tomato off a plant. Sarah enters with a basket.)

SARAH: Are you hungry?

JACK: Yeah

SARAH: Good. I made you breakfast

(She lays down a clothe and gets the food and milk.)

SARAH: Papa’s so proud of you and David. You should hear him talking about Jack Kelly, strike leader, who occasionally takes his meal with us.

JACK: Well, this is one strike leader who’s gonna be very happy when it’s all over and I can get outta here and go to Santa Fe. I mean, there’s nothing for me to stay for, is there? You know, you should se Santa Fe, everything’s different there. It’s all bigger. The desert, the sky, the sun

SARAH: It’s the same sun as here

JACK: Yeah, it just looks different

SARAH: I should get ready for work

JACK: Sarah? I’m just not used to having whether I stay or whether I go matta to anybody. I’m not saying it should matta to you. I’m just saying, well, does it? Matta?

(Pulitzer is in his office with the Mayor, the Police Chief, Snyder and Seitz. He is looking at the paper and has Jack’s face circled.)

MAYOR: Of course, the city is very concerned that this event doesn’t get out of hand. But…Chief?

CHIEF: We can’t just charge in there and break it up, Mr. Pulitzer. We’ve got no legal cause.

MAYOR: Legal cause.

PULITZER: Would the fact that this rally is organized by an escaped criminal be cause enough, mayor?

MAYOR: Escaped criminal?

PULITZER: A fugitive from one of your prisons, mayor. A convicted thief. Been living at large for some time under the allis of Jack Kelly. What’s his real name?

SNYDER: Sullivan. Francis Sullivan. Your honor. I would have caught him before now, but..

PULITZER: You know Warder Snyder, don’t you mayor? I believe you know him because you appointed him.

MAYOR: Yes. Well, if this boy’s a fugitive then the chief can quietly arrest him.

PULITZER: No, no, no, no! Not quietly! Not quietly! I want an example made. I want this rabble he’s roused to see what happens to those who would dare to lead. They should see justice and action.

MAYOR: Arrest him at the rally?

PULITZER: By the way, mayor, a few friends for cards tonight. Newspaper friends. Billy Hearst, Gordon Bennett. Perhaps you’ll join us.  Talk about the coming election.

MAYOR: I’d be honored.

(Newsies are gathering outside Irving Hall. Inside, Jack, David and Spot are on stage. Jack quiets everyone)

JACK: Carryin’ the banner!

(The newsies stand up and cheer.

MEANWHILE- In Pulitzer’s study, men are sitting at a table, playing cards. Pulitzer leads the mayor around the table)

PULITZER: You know Gordon, mayor. Mr. Bennett of the Tribune. Mr. Taylor of the Times. Of course, you know Mr. Hearst. This is a new member of our little group, Mr. Gammon. He just came back from Europe. Mr. Gammon owns the New York Sun.

(Back in the theater, Jack is giving a speech.)

JACK: So, we’ve come a long way, but we ain’t there yet and maybe it’s only gonna get tougher from now on. But that’s fine, we’ll just get tougher with it. But also, we gotta get smart and start listening to my pal David, who says ‘stop soakin’ the scabs’.

RACETRACK: What are we supposed to do to the bums? Kiss ‘em?

SPOT: Any scab I see I soak ‘em. Period.

DAVID: No, no. That’s what they want us to do. If we get violent, it’s just playing into their hands.

SPOT: Hey, look. They’re 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.

(Newsies in the crowd take different sides and start to argue.)

JACK: You got no brains. Why we starting to fight each other? It’s just what the big shot’s wanna see. That we’re street rats! Street rats with no brain’s. No respect for nothing, including ourselves! So, here’s how it’s gonna be. If we don’t act together, then we’re nothing. If we don’t stick together, then we’re nothing. And if we can’t even trust each other, then we’re nothing.

KID BLINK: Tell ‘em Jack!

JACK: So, what’s it gonna be?

RACETRACK: We’re with you Jack.

JACK: So, what about you, Spot?

SPOT: I say that what you say is what I say.

(The spit-shake. All the newsies cheer. The curtains open and Medda enters. The cheering gets louder.)

MEDDA & NEWSIES: High times, hard times Sometimes the living is sweet And sometimes there’s nothing to eat But I always land on my feet So when there’s dry times I wait for high times and then I put on my best And I stick out my chest And I’m off to the race’s again!

MEDDA: Hello, newsies. What’s new?

(Outside, the Crib and police are gathering. Snyder enters)

MEDDA: So your old lady don’t love you no more So you’re afraid there’s a wolf at your door So you’ve got street rats that scream in your ear

MEDDA & NEWSIES: You win some, you lose some my dear, Oh… High times, hard times Sometimes the living is sweet And sometimes there’s nothing to eat But I always land on my feet So when there’s dry times I wait for high times and then I put on my best And I stick out my chest And I’m off to the races again

MEDDA: I put on my best!

NEWSIES: I put on my best!

MEDDA: And I stick out my chest

NEWSIES: And I sticks out my chest

MEDDA: And I’m off

NEWSIES: And I’m off

MEDDA: And I’m off

NEWSIES: And I’m off

MEDDA: And I’m off

ALL: To the races again!

(The police block off the entrance to the theater. Denton sees Snyder and tries to keep him busy)

DENTON: Excuse me. Aren’t you Warden Snyder? Bryan Denton of the Sun. How do you do, sir?

(David sees Snyder and tells Spot)

DENTON: I heard about your wonderful work with the children and I wondered if I might get an interview with you

(David rushes through the crowd to Jack)

DAVID: Jack! Jack! It’s Snyder!

JACK: What?

DAVID: It’s Snyder. Right there!

(Denton tries to distract Snyder one more time. This time with his camera)

DENTON: Let me get that correct. That’s Snyder, as in snide? Smile sir!

(The flash blinds him for a minute, then he blows his whistle.)

JACK: Medda, thanks. I gotta run.

(Cops come in and the newsies scatter. Jack take’s Sarah’s hand and pulls her through the crowd. Racetrack gets Medda to safety and start to leave)

MEDDA: No! Stay with me!

(A huge man kicks Racetrack in the stomach and punches him out. Medda breaks away from her maid and slaps the man)

MEDDA: No! No! For God’s sake! He’s just a child! Can’t you see that? Racetrack!

(Medda is pulled back and Racetrack is dragged away. Jack and David get Sarah and Les to safety. Then turn back to fight. Everywhere they go, they are surrounded by cops or the crib. By Medda’s swing, they meet up with Snyder. David sits on the swing.)

DAVID: Push me!

(Jack shoves David, who hits Snyder in the face.)

DAVID: Get out of here! Go!

(Jack runs as David and some other newsies hold Snyder off. Jack and Kid Blink run outside and find they are surrounded by cops. One of them grabs for Jack, but Kid Blink shoves him away.)

KID BLINK: Beat it!

(Jack runs back inside. Kid Blink gets hit with a club and is dragged away. Jack starts to run up the stairs, but a man meets him at the top and punches him in the chin. Jack falls back and is caught by cops. THE NEXT DAY- the newsies are in court.)

BAILIFF: All rise. All rise. Court is now in session. Judge E.A. Monahan presiding. MONAHAN: Are any of you boys represented by council? No? Good, that will move things along considerably.

SPOT: Hey, yer honor, I object!

MONAHAN: On what grounds?

SPOT: On the grounds of Brooklyn, yer honor.

(The newsies crack up laughing. Monahan bangs on his desk.)

MONAHAN: I fine each of you five dollars, or two weeks confinement in the House of Refuge.

RACETRACK: Whoa. We ain’t got five bucks. We don’t even got five cents. Hey, yer honor, how ‘bout I roll you for it. Double or nothing?

MONAHAN: Alright. Move along, move along.

(Denton, David and Les enter)

DENTON: Your honor, I’ll pay the fines. All of them.

DAVID: Hey, you fellas alright? Where’s Jack?

DENTON: Look, we’ve got to meet at the restaurant. Everybody. We have to talk.

MONAHAN: Pay the clerk. Move it along.

(Jack is lead in, handcuffed)

JACK: Hey fellas!

RACETRACK: Hey, Cowboy! Nice shiner!

JACK: Hey, Denton. I guess we made all the papes this time. So, how’s my picture look?

DENTON: None of the papers covered the rally. Not even the Sun.

BAILIFF: Case of Jack Kelly. Inciting a riot. Assault. Resisting arrest.

SNYDER: Judge Monahan, I’ll speak for this young man.

JACK: You two know each other. Ain’t that nice.

MONAHAN: Just move it along, Warden Snyder.

SNYDER: This boy’s real name is Francis Sullivan. His mother’s deceased. His father’s a convict in the state penitentiary. He’s an escapee from the House of Refuge where his original sentence for three months was extended to six moths for disruptive behavior.

JACK: Like demanding we eat the food you steal from us.

SNYDER: Followed by an additional six months for attempted escape.

JACK: Attempted? Last time it wasn’t an attempted escape. Remember Snyder? Remember me and Teddy Roosevelt? Remember Roosevelt and the carriage?

SNYDER: Therefore, I ask that he be returned to the House of Refuge.

JACK: What? For my own good, right? Move it along? For my own good and for what he kicks back to you!

SNYDER: I ask that the court order his incarceration until the age of twenty-one, in the hope that we may yet guide him to a useful and productive life.

MONAHAN: So ordered.

LES: No!

(Jack is led away. Snyder follows, then turns and smiles at the judge. LATER- The newsies sit in Tibby’s. Denton enters. They greet him)

DAVID: Why didn’t the Sun print the story?

DENTON: Because it never happened

RACETRACK: What do you mean it never happened? You were there!

KID BLINK: You wrote it!

DENTON: It’s not in the papers, it never happened. The owners decreed it not be in the papers, therefore… I came to tell you fellas good bye.

DAVID: What happened? Did you get fired or something?

DENTON: No, I got reassigned back to my old job as the Sun’s ace war correspondent. They want me to leave right away. The owner thinks I should only cover the really important stories. Wish me luck fellas. At least half of what I wish for you. They don’t always fire. I would be black balled from every paper in the country. I’m a newspaper man. I have to have a paper to write for. This is the story I wrote about the rally. I want you to read it at least. This should cover it

(Denton pays the waiter and leaves. David crumples the story up and throws it on a table)

DAVID: We get Jack out of the Refuge tonight. From now on, we trust no one but the newsies.

(The newsies get up and leave. Les uses Denton’s article to wrap his unfinished hot dog in. THAT NIGHT- David, Les, Mush, Kid Blink, Racetrack and Boots sneak into the Refuge’s gates. Kid Blink had a rope.)

DAVID: That’s the window where we saw Crutchy

(They are about to move when they see Snyder leading Jack into a carriage.)

LES: It’s Jack!

MUSH: Where they takin’ him Dave?

DAVID: Only one way to find out. I’ll meet you guys at the square. Racetrack, watch him.

(David hides in the back of the carriage, which goes to Pulitzer’s house. Seitz is waiting outside for them.)

SEITZ: Get him inside

(Snyder takes Jack’s arm and leads him in. David pulls out the pin that attaches the horses to the carriage. INSIDE- Seitz leaves Jack in Pulitzer’s study. Pulitzer enters.)

PULITZER: Sit. Know what I was doing at your age, boy? I was in a war. The Civil War.

JACK: Yeah, I heard of it. So, didja win?

PULITZER: People think war is about right or wrong and not power.

JACK: Yeah, I heard of that too. I don’t just sell your papes, Joe. Sometime I read ‘em.

PULITZER: Power of the press is the greatest power of them all. I tell this city how to think. I tell this city how to vote. I shape it’s future.

JACK: Yeah? Well, right now I’m only thinking about one future, and that’s mine.

PULITZER: So am I boy. I have the power to see you stay locked in the Refuge

JACK: And I have the power to break out again.

PULITZER: Or, I can see you released tomorrow, free and clear, with more money in your pockets than you can earn in three lifetimes.

JACK: Are you bribin’ me, Joe?

PULITZER: No

JACK: Well, it’s been real nice chattin’ with ya, Joe. But I got to be goin’ now.

PULITZER: You listen to me, boy. You just shut your mouth and listen to me! You shut up and listen to me for once! No game I’m playing.  You work for me til the strike’s over, and it will end, boy, make no mistake, with or without you. Then you go where ever you want to buy a ticket for. Away from the Refuge, these foul streets. Free. With money to spend and nobody chasing you.

JACK: We must have you scared pretty bad, old man

PULITZER: I offer you freedom and money just to work for me again. To your friends, I won’t be so kind. Now, you’re partner, what’s his name? David. I understand he has a family. What do you think the Refuge will do to him? And it will be you who put him there. And all the others, after all, you’re their leader. Go back to the Refuge tonight, think about it. Give me your answer in the morning.

(Jack leaves. As he is being taken outside, Snyder lets go of him for one second)

DAVID: Jack! Come on! Come on!

(Jack slides down the railing and jumps over it. He and David take off)

SNYDER: After him!

(The driver whips the horses, who take off without the carriage.)

SEITZ: Don’t worry. He’s got no place to go

(David and Jack run into an alley. Jack slows down)

DAVID: Come on! Keep running!

JACK: You shouldn’t have done this, Dave. They could put you in jail

DAVID: I don’t care

JACK: Come here. What about your family? What happened to them if you go in jail. You don’t know nothing about jail. Now, thanks for what you done, but you get out of here

DAVID: I don’t understand

JACK: I don’t understand either, but just get outta here!

DAVID: No!

JACK: Go!

(David turns slowly and walks away. Jack leans against a wall.  Suddenly, he’s leaning against a wall in the Refuge.)

JACK: Santa Fe My old friend I can’t spend my whole life hidin’ You’re the only light that’s guidin’ me today

(Crutchy opens a little slot in the door. He has a potato)

CRUTCHY: Psst! Jack! Look! I snitched it off Snyder’s plate while I was serving him. It’s the biggest one. Oh, Mr. Snyder was eating good tonight. You know the stuff that we don’t ever get? He got potatoes, olives, liver, bacon, sauerkraut. And guess what I done to his sauerkraut, huh?

JACK: So, what’d it get ya?

CRUTCHY: Oh, anudder three months, probably, but you can’t let ‘em get you, right Jack? That’s what you always said...

JACK: We was beat when we was born

(Crutchy frowns and closes the slot)

JACK: Will you keep a candle burnin’ Will you help me find my way? You’re my chance to break free And who knows when my next one will be Santa Fe, Wait for me

(The newsies are picketing outside the World building.)

NEWSIES: Stop the World! No more papes! Stop the World! No more papes! (etc.)

(The police form a barricade. Some of the newsies start to fight amongst themselves.)

DAVID: Race! Help me! I need some help!

RACETRACK: Alright! I ain’t deaf!

SPOT: Hey, hey, hey! Break it up. Hey, Race, come here.

(Weasel leads Jack out. He’s in a new suit)

RACETRACK: What?

SPOT: Just tell me I’m seeing things. Just tell me I’m seeing things.

RACETRACK: No, you ain’t seeing things. That’s Jack. What’s he doing?

SPOT: He’s dressed like a scabber!

MUSH: Jack? Jack, look at me, will ya? Come on, it’s me, Mush. Look at me. What are you doin’, Jack?

KID BLINK: This ain’t happening. This can’t be happening. What are you doin’ Jack? Come on, what are you doin’?

BOOTS: Come on. What is this? Where’d you get them clothes?

WEASEL: Mr. Pulitzer picked them out himself. A special gift to a special new employee.

SPOT: He sold us out!

RACETRACK: I’ll give you a new suit! You bum! I’ll soak ya!

SPOT: Hey, hey, hey! Let me get my hands dirty. Come here you dirty rotten scabber! Traitor!

(Some newsies pull Spot away. David stares at Jack)

WEASEL: Aww. You wanna talk to him? Come on, come on. Sure. Got right ahead.

(David walks up to Jack)

DAVID: So, this is why you didn’t escape last night. 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!

JACK: So? What you wanna do about it Dave?

DAVID: I don’t understand you.

JACK: Oh, so let me spell it out for ya. You see, I ain’t got nobody tucking me in at night, like you. It’s just me, I gotta look out for myself.

DAVID: You had the newsies..

JACK: Oh, what’d being a newsies ever give me but a dime a day and a few black eyes? You know, I can’t afford to be a kid no more, Dave.  For the first time in my life, I got money in my pockets. Real money. Money, you understand? I got more on the way and as soon as I collect, I’m gone, I’m away. Alright?

DAVID: Well, that’s good. That’s good because we don’t need you! We don’t need you! All those words you said, those were mine.

JACK: Yeah, but you never had the guts to put them across yourself, didja?

DAVID: I do now

(Dave starts to go back to the newsies, then turns to look at Jack again.)

JACK: What’sa matta? Got a problem?

(David rushes towards Jack, but Weasel and a few policemen pull him away.)

WEASEL: Maybe you’d like a new suit of your own, huh?

DAVID: Never! Never!

WEASEL: Get outta here! Get outta here!

DAVID: I’m not like you!

(The cops surround Jack so the newsies can’t get him. The newsies watch him go.)

SPOT: Traitor!

KID BLINK: You make me sick!

BOOTS: I trusted you!

RACETRACK: Seize the day, huh Jack?

LES: He’s foolin’ ‘em, so he can spy on ‘em or something. Yeah, yeah, that’s it. He’s foolin’ ‘em!

RACETRACK: Yeah, he’s spying on then, kid.

(Sarah is going through a pile of lace. She finds Les’s old hot dog)

SARAH: Les. What is this?

LES: Savin’ it

(He takes the hot dog and leaves the article in Sarah’s hands. She looks at it.)

SARAH: David. It’s Denton’s article. ‘The Dark Truth; Why Our City Really Fears The Newsies Strike’ by Bryan Denton. ‘Last night I saw naked force exercised against mere boys, the newsies, who were…’

(David climes out the window, slams it, then storms off the fire escape. THAT NIGHT-Weasel leads Jack to his new bedroom, the basement of the World building.)

WEASEL: One trick, Cowboy, and it’s right back to the Refuge. Please.

(He throws a dust covered sheet to Jack.)

WEASEL: Ah. You gonna be requiring anything this evening?  Huh? No? Aww..tick tick. Well then, I ought to be saying good night.  Remember, on trick and I go straight to Mr. Pulitzer.

(He exits, leaving Jack alone. MORNING- Jack goes to collect his papers. Oscar and Morris come up behind him.)

WEASEL: Sleep well Cowboy?

OSCAR: Come with us Cowboy. We’re gonna go fix you’re pal, Davey. Fix him so he can’t walk.

MORRIS: Shut up

(Jack starts to go after them.)

WEASEL: Ah! Lift one finger and it’s right back to the Refuge. Next!

(Jack picks up his papers and leaves. LATER THAT MORNING- Sarah is walking to work with Les. She has a basket full of lace.)

SARAH: Morning LADY: Good mornin’, dear.

(Oscar ‘bumps’ into her)

OSCAR: ’Cuse me, Sweetface.

(She continues to walk with Oscar behind her. Morris steps out in front of her.)

MORRIS: Where’s your little brother, Tootsie? Where’s little Davey?

(Sarah tries to get by, but the brothers push her around.)

LES: Leave my sister alone!

(He shoves Oscar. Morris holds onto Sarah while Oscar pushed Les into a puddle.)

SARAH: Stop it! Leave him alone!

(Oscar shoves Les into a pile of baskets. Sarah shoves Morris away.)

SARAH: You stupid ape.

(She punches him, but it doesn’t hurt him. She runs into the alley. The brothers catch her. David sees Les and helps him up.)

DAVID: What’s the matter? Are you alright?

LES: I’m alright, I’m alright. Help Sarah!

SARAH: Run Davey!

OSCAR: Yeah, run Davey. We got the best part of your family right here.

(David tackles Oscar.)

SARAH: Let go of me!

(Morris throws her to the ground. Oscar punches David)

SARAH: Stop it! Les! Stop, you’re hurting him! No!

(Morris pulls out a pair of brass knuckles and puts them on.)

SARAH: Leave him alone!

(Oscar continues to punch David. Les runs to Sarah. Jack is walking down the street near the alley.)

SARAH: Stop it! Leave him alone!

(Jack hears her cries and runs, dropping his papers as he goes. Oscar holds David as Morris gets ready to hit him with the knuckles.  Jack comes up behind Morris and punches him. David gives Oscar an elbow in the stomach. Jack throws Morris into a box)

JACK: Get over here.

(Jack grabs Oscar)

JACK: Remember Crutchy?

(Jack head-butts him and he falls near Morris. Jack goes to help Sarah up)

JACK: You alright?

SARAH: Yeah.

(The hug briefly)

SARAH: David!

(Jack goes to David and checks him out before helping him up. Oscar and Morris finally get up.)

MORRIS: You’d better run, Cowboy. We’re gonna tell uncle Weas. You’ll be back in the Refuge before suppertime!

OSCAR: Run, you lousy coward, run!

(Jack starts to go after them, but Sarah stops him. Les runs to the end of the alley.)

LES: Go one! Get outta here! Don’t come back! You hear me?

DAVID: What? You couldn’t stay away?

JACK: Well, I guess I can’t be something I ain’t.

DAVID: A scab?

JACK: No, smart.

(The four of them go to Denton’s apartment. Jack knocks on the door. Denton opens it.)

JACK: Did you mean what you wrote here? ‘Bout all these sweat shop kids listening to me?

DENTON: I don’t write anything I don’t mean. Come on in. I’m just packing a few things.

(They enter. David closes the door.)

DENTON: So, yes, I mean it. The city thrives on child labour. A lot of people make money that way. They’re terrified that the newsies strike will spread.

JACK: Well, there’ really not much chance of that as long as they got the power

DENTON: Sometimes, all it takes is a voice, one voice. Then a thousand. Unless it’s silenced.

JACK: Why can’t we spread the strike? Have another big rally and get the word out to all the sweat shop kids? Why not?

DAVID: What are we going to do? Print an ad in the newspaper?

JACK: No! We’ll do better than that. We’ll make our own paper. We tell ‘em they gotta join us. Isn’t that a good idea?

DAVID: Yeah, it is. But what do we know about printing a newspaper?

JACK: Nothing, but our man Denton…

DAVID: Yeah, but our man Denton has something more important to do. He’s going to be an ace war correspondent, right Denton?

DENTON: Alright. Where do we start?

(They sit at a table)

JACK: Alright, we gotta move fast. Now, we’ll need the newsies to circulate.

DENTON: There’s something else that we need. We need a printing press.

JACK: Just so happens I know a guy with a printing press.

(Jack, Sarah, David and Denton enter the basement of the World building.)

SARAH: You’ve been living here?

JACK: Shh. They’re right above us. Weasel catches us here, we’re all in the slammer.

(Jack uncovers a press)

DENTON: Alright! A Platen press. Looks like old man Pulitzer never threw anything away.

DAVID: Is it going to work?

DENTON: It better. We have a deadline.

(They start printing their papers.)

DENTON: This is the story you wanted to write, well tonight is the night that you can

JACK: Just get this done and by dawn’t early light you can finish the fight you began

DAVID: This time we’re in it to stay

SARAH: Think about seizing the day

JACK: Think of that train as she rolls into old Santa Fe   Tell her I’m on my way

NEWSIES: See old man Pulitzer snug in his bed He don’t care if we’re dead or alive Three satin pillows are under his head While we’re begging for bread to survive Joe, if you’re still counting sheep Wake up and read ‘em and weep You’ve got your thugs With their sticks and their slugs Yeah, but we got a promise to keep Once and for all Something tells me the tide will be turning Once and for all There’s a fire inside me that wont stop burning Now that the choices are clear Now that tomorrow is here Watch how the mighty will fall For once and for all!

(Jack hands bundles of papers to the newsies. Denton and Jack crawl out the window.)

DENTON: It’s awfully nice of Mr. Pulitzer to let us use his press

JACK: Yeah, I just hope I get to thank him for it someday.

(The newsies spread out and hand the papers to various work kids.)

NEWSIES: This is for kids shining shoes on the streets With no shoes on their feet everyday This is for guys sweating blood in the shops While their bosses and cops look away This is to even the score We ain’t just newsies no more This ain’t just kids with some pie in the sky This is do it or die This is war! Once and for all We’ll be there to defend one another Once and for all Every kid is a friend Every friend a brother Five thousand fists in the sky Five thousand reasons to try We’re going over the wall Better to die than to crawl Either we stand or we fall For once Once and for all!

(Denton is with Teddy Roosevelt, who has just read the Newsies Banner)

ROOSEVELT: Disgraceful, Denty. Those poor boys.

DENTON: I thought you’d feel this way, Governor.

ROOSEVELT: And I did nothing, until now

DENTON: Good.

(They shake hands and Roosevelt is handed his hat and walking stick. LATER THAT DAY- The newsies have gathered around the Horace Greeley statue None of the work kids have showed up.)

MUSH: So, when's the others coming, kid?

JACK: They ain’t coming. Ain’t gonna be nobody but us.

SNITCH: Come on, Jack.

SPECS: Have hope, Jack.

(Les walks away from the group.)

LES: When the circulation bell starts ringing, will we hear it?

RACETRACK: Nah. What if the Delancey’s come out swinging, will we hear it?

LES: No!

RACETRACK: That a boy!

WORK KIDS: When you’ve got a million voices singing Who can hear a lousy whistle blow? And the World will know!

(Work kids come in from all directions. The newsies cheer. Spot enters, leading in all of the Brooklyn kids.)

SPOT: Brooklyn!

NEWSIES & WORK KIDS: The World will feel the fire and finally know!

(Everyone cheers. The newsies and Sarah make their way threw the crowd.)

WORK KIDS: Strike! Strike! Strike! (etc.)

(The newsies make their way to the front of the World Building.)

RACETRACK: Dear me. What have we here?

(Seitz and a group of policemen are by the entrance, looking out into the crowd. INSIDE- Pulitzer is at his desk. Seitz brings in Jack and David. Jonathan grabs his arm and whispers.)

JONATHAN: It’s awful. Everyone’s calling. Mr. Hearst, and Mr. Bennett, and the mayor in such awful language. The city’s at a stand still and they all blame the chief. It’s like the end of the World, only I didn’t say that.

(Jack and David go to Pulitzer’s desk, where Jack pulls out a copy of the newspaper.)

JACK: Extry, extry, Joe. Read all about it.

PULITZER: I promised that if you defied me, I’d break you. I’ll keep that promise, boy. Now, I gave you a chance to be free. I don’t understand. Anyone who doesn’t act in their own self interest is a fool.

DAVID: Then what does that make you?

PULITZER: What?

JACK: Oh, this is my pal, Davey. The Walkin’ mouth

DAVID: You talk about self interest, but since the strike, your circulation’s been down 70%. Everyday you’re losing thousands of dollars just to beat us out of one lousy tenth of a cent. Why?

JACK: You see, it ain’t about the money, Dave. It Joe gives in to nobodies like us, it means we got the power. And he can’t do that, no matter what it costs. Am I right, Joe?

PULITZER: I sent for the police. They must be here by now. Send them in, Seitz

JACK: I’m not going back to jail, Joe. Look out here. Right out here is where the power is.

(Jack opens the window. All the kids are still yelling Pulitzer covers his ears)

PULITZER: Close the window! Close the window! Go home! Go home! Go home!

JACK: I can’t hear you , Joe!

PULITZER: Go home! Go home to your mothers and fathers! Go home!

JACK: I don’t hear ya!

PULITZER: Now you listen to me!

JACK: Maybe you should listen!

PULITZER: No, no! You listen to me!

JACK: No! You listen!

PULITZER: Close the window and shut up!

JACK: There’s a lot of people out there and they ain’t just gonna go away. They got voices now and they’re goin’ be listen to. Putting them in jail is not going to stop them! That’s the power of the press, Joe.

(He closes the window. Pulitzer takes his hands away from his ears)

JACK: So thanks for teaching me about it.

SEITZ: Those kids put out a pretty good paper there Chief.

(Pulitzer picks up the paper and reads it.)

PULITZER: I ordered a printing ban on all strike matters. Now, who defied me? Who’s press did you use to print this on? Who’s?

JACK: Well, we only use the best, Joe. So, I just want to say, thanks again.

(Outside, Seitz’s opens the gates. David starts to come out, Jack is behind him.)

SPOT: Hey, fellas, they’re over here!

(The newsies gather around and start asking questions.   Jack bends over and whispers in Les’s ear.)

JACK: The strike’s over. We beat ‘em.

(Jack lifts Les onto his shoulders and look out towards all the children.)

JACK: We beat ‘em!

(The crowd cheers. All the newsies hug and pat each other on the back Weasel, Oscar and Morris put on their hats and leave. A paddy wagon pulls up. Snyder is sitting in the front seat with two cops.)

LES: Jack! Jack, it’s the bulls. It’s the bulls. Let me down!

SWIFTY: Down Jack. Get down!

KID BLINK: Hide Jack

DENTON: Jack, it’s over. No, no. You don’t have to run. Not anymore. Not from the likes of him. Come on, Come on.

(A cop opens the paddy wagon and the kids from the Refuge come out. The last one is Crutchy. A cop leads Snyder into the paddy wagon. Crutchy taps him on the back.)

CRUTCHY: Ah, remember what I told ya, Mr. Snyder. The first thing ya do in jail, make friends with the rats. Share what you got in common.

(Snyder climes in. A police officer is about to close the door.)

CRUTCHY: Officer, may I please?

POLICE OFFICER: Sure kid.

(Crutchy hands his crutch to a kid. He slams the door and locks it. He gets his crutch back and goes over to Jack and the others.)

JACK: Heya Crutchy.

DENTON: You won’t be seeing much of him anymore. Say goodbye Warden.

NEWSIES: Goodbye Warden!

(The paddy wagon pulls away)

CRUTCHY: Oh, Jack, you ought tah seen it! He comes stormin’ into the Refuge waving his walking stick like a sword and he’s leading in this army of lawyers and cops.

JACK: Who comes stormin’ in?

CRUTCHY: You know, your friend. Him! Teddy Roosevelt

(the newsies are amazed)

DENTON: The Governor’s very grateful that you brought this problem to his attention. I said you might need a lift somewhere. He’d be happy to oblige. Anywhere you want. And this time, you ride inside.

JACK: So, can he drop me at the train-yards?

DENTON: Yeah, if that’s what you want.

(They make their way to Roosevelt’s carriage. Jack shakes his hand and climes in. Boots throws Jack a bag. David, Les and Sarah watch sadly. The work kids follow the carriage as it leaves, leaving the newsies alone. The circulation bell begins to ring.)

MUSH: Try Bottle Alley or the harbor

RACETRACK: Try Central Park, it’s guaranteed

CRUTCHY: Try any banker, bum or barber

KID BLINK: They almost all knows how tah read

BOOTS: Summer stinks

SKITTERY: And winter’s waiting

SPECS, BUMLETS & SNIPESHOOTER: Welcome to New York

SNODDY, PIE EATER, SWIFTY, ITEY & JAKE: Boy ain’t nature fascinating

NEWSIES: When youse gotta walk

(The newsies line up for their papers. David is first in line. He slaps down a coin.)

DAVID: Hundred papes.

MUSH: Alright Davey.

(The newsies hear cheers and turn to see the carriage returning. All the work kids are following.)

MUSH: Dave, he’s back!

JACK: Thanks for the advice, Governor. Like you said, I still got things to do. Besides, I got family here.

(He gets out of the carriage and gives Les his cowboy hat. All the newsies yell and talk at the same time.)

JACK: So, how’s the headline today?

DAVID: Headlines don’t sell papes, newsies sell papes.

JACK: Come here, Davey.

(Jack holds out his hand. David spits in his and shakes it. Sarah makes her way through the crowd. Her and Jack kiss. All the newsies cheer and yell. The carriage pulls away, with Roosevelt and Spot in it. Spot tips his hat and waves as he leaves.)

SARAH: Bye Spot!

JACK: Go back to Brooklyn ya hear!

(David, Jack, Sarah, Les and Crutchy follow the carriage. Denton shakes David’s hand, then goes to the side and starts writing. The newsies, with their papers, dance as they leave.)

GROUP 1: It’s a fine life Carryin’ the banner It’s a fine life Carryin’ the banner It’s a fine life Carryin’ the banner It’s a fine life Carryin’the banner

GROUP 2: You got ‘em, Cowboy You showed ‘em how boy! You got ‘em Cowboy You showed ‘em how boy!

[picassho-18]

30, 41 with Tom Holland or Steve rogers

Drabbles for my Valentine (The Big Sick + All Shook Up + Steve Rogers)

Drabbles for my Valentine Prompt List is in my bio!!“

For someone so big, someone who commanded such respect and held so much poise, he was completely and utterly broken. He was holding her hand, the woman asleep, in a hospital bed. He was hunched over, rubbing fingers over the cold skinny hand hanging off the small bed.

His blond head was hanging low, and if anyone looked close enough they could see the tears falling from his face. Though words of pure happiness were being sung from his lips.

“A well'a bless my soul

What'sa wrong with me?

I’m itchin’ like a man in a fuzzy tree

My friends say I’m actin’ wild as a bug

I’m in love

I’m all shook up”

He smiled at her, humming, and nodding along to the little song he was singing. This was her favorite song, something she would never be able to not dance or sing along to. If she heard these words, they was nothing stopping her.

“Well, my hands are shaky and my knees are weak

I can’t seem to stand on my own two feet

Who do you think of when you have such luck?

I’m in love

I’m all shook up”

He poured everything he felt into those words, his voice breaking, but holding steady as he felt such a strong need, a desire to sing for her. Hope flooding his system that maybe, just maybe she would be able to hear him. Be able to come back to him.

“Well, please don’t ask me what'sa on my mind

I’m a little mixed up, but I’m feelin’ fine

When I’m near that girl that I love best

My heart beats so it scares me to death!

Well she touched my hand what a chill I got

Her lips are like a volcano when it’s hot

I’m proud to say that she’s my buttercup

I’m in love

I’m all shook up”

His voice was growing quieter, as if he was realizing she might not wake up. That he might never see those eye flutter open, to see her lips smile at one of his jokes, to hear her voice again. But this song carried the hope for him. It had to.“She touched my hand what a chill I got

Her lips are like a volcano that’s hot

I’m proud to say that she’s my buttercup

I’m in love

I’m all shook up”

PERMANENT TAG LIST:

@delicatecapnerd

@super-complicated

@fitzsimmons-is-forever

@gingerwritess

@feistybaby

@spidermanswifi

@twentyonewinchesters

@drakesfiance

[fanficmoi]

First Ask Answered

@jorjharison  I hope u like this little thingy

“Oi, Macca. Look at this!” Yelled John across the record shop, holding up a beat up Little Richard record.

Paul blushed under the stares of unamused patrons as he walked towards his friend. “Do you mind not yelling? We’re gonna get kicked out.” He said when he reached John.

The older lad hit him with the record, “Now, don’t be like that. We’re fine.”

Paul was about to answer when a familiar song got on the stereo, ears perking up. “Hey, is that-?”

But John was gone, spinning around the shop. “A well'a bless my soul

What'sa wrong with me? I'm itchin' like a man in a fuzzy tree” He sang, trying to swing his hips like Elvis.

Paul slapped a hand to his face and groaned, honestly there had to be something wrong with John.

Two girls giggled as John sang up close to them, “Well, my hands are shaky and my knees are weak, I can't seem to stand on my own two feet.”

Then the Teddy turned to Paul and pointed at him s he sang, drawing attention to the younger boy.

Paul looked around, it appeared like the manager was coming out of his office. “Johnny, stop. People are staring.”

But John didn’t listen, he just climbed on top of a chair and thrusted his hips around. He really couldn’t dance. He was still looking straight at Paul, smiling as he sang, “I'm all shook up, Mm mm mm, mm, yay, yay, yay.”

Paul couldn’t help but offer a smile in return, but if fell as the manger got closer.

“Sir.” The man started, “I’m afraid you have-Sir! Boy, stop that!”

John was on the counter now, kicking his legs, and he’d brought a bird up with him.

Paul laughed as the manager tried to grab John’s legs only to get kicked on the face.

John jumped off the counter, “Well she touched my hand what a chill I got

Her lips are like a volcano when it's hot.” He went towards Paul and winked. The manager chased him and so he had to move away.

Paul moved out of the manager’s way with a laugh and waved at John to where the other boy was hiding behind a stack of vinyls.

Finally, the manager and his assistant grabbed John by the arms and started to drag him out out the shop.

John mock struggled against them and screeched out the final words, Elvis as his backup singer. “I'm in love, I'm all shook up, Mm mm mm, mm,-Paulie, help me!-, Mm mm mm, mm, yay, yay, I'm all shook up.”

The doors were closed behind him, Paul could see John flipping the manager off from behind the glass. With a sheepish look, he walked past the fuming manager and out the shop. He looked around for John, heading down the street. He yelped as he was grabbed and dragged into an alley. He struggled momentarily, but relaxed when he saw it was only John.

His boyfriend smiled goofily at him, “Hello, Paul.”

Paul poked his nose harshly, “Don’t scare me like that, you bastard.”

John poked his stomach in return. After a few more seconds of poking (jeje) John grabbed Paul’s hands and held him in his own, “So,” He said, “Did you like my rendition?”

Paul smiled at him with great affection, “You make an excellent Elvis, Johnny.” He caressed the back of John’s hand with his finger, “I loved it.”

John smiled at him, genuinely this time. After a brief look around them, he moved closer and pressed a chaste kiss against Paul’s lips.

The younger man smiled into it, “You still got us kicked out though.”

John shrugged, “But I got your smile, better than those lousy records.”

Paul shoved him lightly, “Don’t be soft.”

His boyfriend shoved him back and then rested a hand on Paul’s neck, “I love you. You know that, yeah?”

Paul caressed the other’s side, “Yeah, Johnny. I love you too.”

They headed back into the street, smiling at each other.

[vegalocity]

23, 44, and 47. (Maybe not BABY baby, but a little kid) If 44 is too weird, then 10.

-stretches- okay let’s do this.

I used Stiro as the ship in question because you weren’t specific.

The name on his wrist didn't soundlike a real name, but Hiro had heard stories of people whose nameswere the name their partner called themselves instead of whatwas on their birth certificate, so 'Star Butterfly' was more likely aname whoever it was had chosen for themselves.

But the semantics didn't quite matterto him, because honestly? The concept of Heartnames didn't reallymatter to him either for the longest time. All that Soulmates softjazz and pueberty stuff was just kinda... well... dumb, for the firstfourteen years of his life. It wasn't something he concerned himselfover when there was science to be done and machines to be built.

He paid the name no mind for thelongest time, it wasn't until after Tadashi was gone that he began towonder; maybe as a coping mechanism, a promise that he still wasn'talone. Somewhere out there, a 'Star Butterfly' was wandering aroundwith 'Hiro Hamada' on their wrist, someone who would get him,but who could never replace Tadashi and would never try to.

And then Baymax reactivated and thename he snugly hid beneath a purple wristband was purged from hismind once again.

He supposed that it was his own faultthen, when, a couple of months later, just as Big Hero 6 began toestablish themselves as permanent fixtures in San Fransokyo that ablonde girl with hearts on her cheeks, horns on her head, and a wandthat defied several laws of reality came bounding into his life, andhe had zero coping mechanisms for when Fred gave a wide flourish andannounced her as 'a foreign exchange student his dad was taking in asa favor to the Royal Family of another dimension, Princess StarButterfly of the Kingdom of Mewni'

She wore no bands on her wrists, nocovers for her name. Because she didn't have a name on her wrist.

He didn't need any romantic stuffanyway, it was just a distraction. Why he had her name but she didn'thave his was a question he was completely uninterested in.

No matter how determined she was whenshe insisted on joining the fight alongside Big Hero 6, asking him tomake her a helmet she could wear with her own set of battle armorthat could show that she was on their side. No matter how many timesshe leaned over his shoulder to keep an eye on his work as he triedto make sense of her wand.

No matter how pretty she looked on thenight of the Blood Moon when, after coming home early due to astomach ache, asked him if he wanted to learn how to dance the Mewniway.

So that was how he ended up where hewas now. Helping her with one of her spells and analyzing it at thesame time, her grimoire propped up against his chest as he held histablet aimed at her wand, ready to analyze the magic output and seejust what these 'time based spells' could do.

“So you read this one's wholechapter right?”

“Yeah. Great-Grandma Skywynne was abadass!”

Famous last words.

You know, he'd expected it to beharder, to be in Fred's house ten years ago. After all Mr.Fredrickson was here far more often when Fred was young. But hesupposed that was just what happened when your tech is ten years moreadvanced than anything that even existed at the time. He was able toslip in and out of the shadows pretty easily as he contemplated justhow deadStar was when this spell faded and he returned to his time.

Asit was he was camped out in Star's room in the past, at this time aGuest Room that Fred himself had claimed nobody had ever used in hislife and was only kept dustless by the duties of Heathcliff andwhatever maids were employed that they never saw.

Everyso often he heard voices approaching but paid them no mind as hetried to do something productive with his time and analyze the datahe'd gotten from Star's stupid Temporary Time Reversal Spell.

Therewasn't much for him to work with, but there were some interesting ionreadings and gamma radiation that came from the wand during thespell, so he focused on those.

Fora bit of time he was just focused on that, sitting on the far side ofthe room and hidden from the doorway, when, one last time, voicesapproached the hallway. This time growing louder. Hiro only freakedout a little bit when the door opened for a moment and closed.

“Stardarling, just stay in here for a spell and we'll come retreive youwhen Lord Fredrickson's problems have been eased.”

“ButMammmaaaaaaaaaa”

“No'mama's here dear, it's just to keep you safe!”

Ohyou have got to be kidding.

Alittle girl, blonde pigtails bouncing with her movements began toneurotically pace the length of the room, if Hiro wasn't stillcovered by the bed she'd have likely seen him, and more likelyyelled.

Therewere hearts on her cheeks.

Dammit.

“IfMama's gonna be mean then i'm gonna have some fun in here!” LittleStar stopped her pacing abruptly and pointedly ran over to flop ontothe bed.

Hirostiffened, mentally prepping himself to force the child to be quiet,but to his surprise, after Little Star saw him she didn't scream, orshout, or really do anything but sit up on her knees and look at him.

“Areyou a ghost?”

Heblinked, her little brows were furrowed and she flopped down on herhands so she was closer to his eye level.

“Huh?”

“MisterFredriiiiiickkksnnn,” she sounded out the name “said nobody evercomes into the guest room, but you're here. So you're a nobody” itsounded so obvious when she spoke, if she wasn't literally four yearsold and by extension an idiot he would have questioned his ownobservational skills for a moment.

“Andeveryone knows nobody's are ghosts. So are you a ghost?”

Ohwell...

“Yeah,Uh... I'm a ghost.” Ghost is probably better than Intruder.

Agrin lit up her face as she sat back upright and crossed her legs onthe bed, patting a spot beside her.

“It'snice to meet you Mister Ghost!” He opted instead to sit at the edgeof the bed.

“Uh...yeah. Nice to meet you too, Star.”

Shegasped.

“Howdid you know my name?!”

“Iheard your Mama call it.” the awed look on her face faded.

“Oh.Well what's your name? Do you remember?”

“Whywouldn't I remember?”

“Lotsaghosts can't remember their names after they died!” Again, spokenso confidently granted she was a four year old and thus an idiot.

“WellI do. It's-” A thought occurred to him.

Butterflyeffect and all that nonsense, what if by telling Star his name in thepast she recognized him in the less-distant past? What if shesuddenly remembered this by his name? Could he chance it? Was thisall a closed time loop and he was supposedto tell her his real name? Did it matter? Could he change the futureso irrevocably by one action?

“Tadashi.My name is Tadashi.”

Hersmile widened. “That's a pretty name!”

“Thanks.”

Andfor the next hour that was all that was to it. She spoke of Mewni inher silly childish stories, and he'd tell her of Earth 'before hedied' and tried not to be too weirded out at the irony.

Orthe knowledge that halfway across town Tadashi was still around. Thesting of their parents' death still sharp as he and a four year oldHiro still adjusted to living with Aunt Cass.

Herglaringly bare wrists, even at a young age still grated on him.

“What'sthat?” She finally pointed at the purple band, just barelyuncovered by his sleeve.

Well...okay it wasn't like it was taboo or anything to talk aboutHeartnames, but... it was kinda... just something that wasn't done.It especially wasn't something you drew attention to. And... what didStar's parents just never give her the talk because she came outwithout a name?

“It's...uh... it's a Wristband. It covers my Name.”

“Youhave your name written on your wrist? Why d'ya gotta cover it?”Holy crap her parents never gave her the talk because she came outwithout a name.

Unless...

“Star...Do people have Heartnames on Mewni?” She tilted her head to theside and scrunched her nose up.

“What'saHeartname? Is it like a Heartsong? We’re not ‘sposed to talk ‘bout heartsongs” She leaned in “it’s gotta be a seeecret”

Andsuddenly everything made sense.

Ofcourse that had to be the time the spell finally wore off and Hirowas returned to his time, a shocked Star, fourteen years old andholding her wand aloft, stared at him.

“OhmygoshHiro I'm so sorry I thought it was gonna send ME back not you!” Asshe continued to babble in that annoyingly endearing way the solutionto a problem he'd been soundly ignoring existed buzzed around hishead.

Theyhad a different system. Star didn't have his name because Star'sspecies didn't use names, they used voices.

“HeyStar?” She stopped her yammering to help him back to his feet.

“I'mso gonnamake it up to you Hiro I promisce!”

“It's...it's okay. Just....” He rolled up his sleeve, making sure Star waswatching, before he slipped his wristband off.

“Ithink a misunderstanding was just cleared up. You guys have acompletely different system than us.”

Star'seyes widened when the mark, a light brown, like a strange birthmark,was revealed to her.

“Apparentlyyou guys aren't born with names?”

[takadasaiko]

Breathe Again Beneath the Flames: Chapter Twenty-Three

FFN II AO3

Summary: Agnes receives her own mini op, Scottie approaches Katarina, and the Keens meet with the Task Force to discuss options.

Chapter Twenty-Three

The morning had not gone as planned. They were supposed to be up at the break of dawn, ready to get Agnes up with them and out, but the home video marathon had gone longer than either Tom or Liz had anticipated. Once they had finally gotten to bed, Agnes had come into their room and landed right in the middle of them as they were dozing off. She hadn't just curled up with them and fallen asleep though. Instead she had turned and flailed and wallowed all over them so that no one slept until the earliest hours of the morning. The alarm had gone off twice by the time Tom had finally roused the girls out of bed and breakfast had to be in the go.

"Has your coffee kicked in before mine or did I miss something?" Liz groused as she pulled Agnes out of her car seat in the back of their borrowed vehicle.

"What do you mean?" Tom asked and instantly took the squirming, cranky child when she reached for him. Agnes melted against his shoulder, her little arms right around his neck.

"You've been in a mood the last two days, but you actually look happy to be up at this hour. What am I missing?"

"Just enjoying this," he said, motioning the best he could between them. "We're close, Liz. Not there, but soon."

He didn't miss the hesitant look she shot him as she turned to grab Agnes' bag and shut the car door. "I hope you're right."

He offered her a lopsided smile. "Grab my wallet with the keycard for me? I've got my hands full."

Agnes shifted against him and he kissed the side of her head. Liz went for his wallet as he had asked and, even expecting it, he barely felt her pull it from his jeans pocket. Half asleep she still made a talented pickpocket. "You know, we would have caused a lot of trouble if we'd known each other as kids," he teased, and that finally pulled a smile from his exhausted wife.

She tipped up on her toes and kissed his scruffy cheek. "Trouble would have been an understatement," she promised and pulled the ID card that Scottie had given him to enter the building out, pressing it against the card reader and they received a satisfying beep before the door clicked open for them.

Halcyon's headquarters in New York City housed a little bit of everything. They stretched from the top floor executive offices down to the operations facilities below ground level. Between that lay entire floors dedicated to research, technology, and Halcyon Aegis' own private medical wing. Howard had been transferred despite a grumbling physician at Bellevue, and seeing him was the Keens' goal before leaving to meet with their teams.

The elevator ride up made Agnes squirm, but she didn't fully wake up until the doors opened to release them out into the small lobby. She straightened a little more in her daddy's arms, turning to take in the sights.

The nurse at the front desk let them in without missing a beat and led them back through a set of locked doors to a secured room. Halcyon operatives stood guard at the door, but they gave Tom and his family a sharp nod as they allowed them through.

Howard was already awake and sitting up in the bed. The cast on his left wrist reached halfway up to his arm and his opposite leg was elevated. He looked good though. Certainly better than he had been when they had first seen him after the rescue. He was going over something on a tablet with Dumont DeSoto at his bedside. Dumont looked up and his entire expression lit. "Is that who I think it is?"

Tom echoed the expression. "Hey, baby girl. You get a two for one today. Who's that?"

"Mont!" Agnes cheered, suddenly wide awake and squirming.

Howard chuckled from the bed as the little girl launched herself at the tech expert. "Thanks a lot, princess."

"She only likes me for the toys," Dumont said lightly.

"Do I get a present?" Agnes asked, crossing her arms over her chest and looking straight up at him expectedly.

"I'm workin' on something extra special for you," he promised.

Tom leaned over to Liz. "Dumont designed Agnes' tablet and a couple of other toys while she was with me at the bunker. Pretty sure she's claimed him as a lifelong friend."

He watched his wife's expression shift to the a strange mix of amusement and sadness that it always did when he spoke about Agnes coming to stay with him when she had left for Alaska.

"Have you had any luck with the film?"

"Heard back from the labs this morning when I got here. Some of it was damaged, so they're still trying to clear some of the images up."

"Do we know what the photos are, though?" Liz asked.

Dumont shrugged. "Looked like family photos, from what I saw. Hard to tell. I gotta get over to the site. Get everything swept and ready for our visitors."

Liz looked towards the hallway. "Are we sure it's not safer to meet here?"

"We keep a collection of safe sites around the city that are better for what you need," Howard explained. "Out of the way of prying eyes and ears."

"Got a new car for you to take. Everything'll be set up and ready when you get there," Dumont promised, handing over an envelope. "See you two in a bit."

Tom took what was offered and turned back to Howard. Agnes was already crawling up on the bed with him, asking if his leg and arm hurt and if they were still going to the park. "Soon," her grandfather promised before turning his gaze up towards Tom and Liz. "How was the house?"

"Kinda unnerving," Tom laughed and shrugged. "If you and Scottie were hoping to jar any memories by having us stay there it hasn't worked yet."

"She did point us in the direction of some photos last night," Liz said, a little mischief making its way into her eyes.

Tom rolled his eyes playfully. "Yeah, yeah. The VHS's too."

His wife's expression turned a little more devious and Howard huffed a laugh. "We bought the video recorder not long before you were born and got our money's worth," he explained. There certainly hadn't been any shortage of photos in the library, and while Tom and Liz had plenty of photos and videos of Agnes, it was strange to see his own childhood like that. Up until he had met Scottie and seen the photo of the three of them at the beach, Tom hadn't seen a photo of himself that young. If any of his foster parents had taken photos, they hadn't traveled with him, and the Phelps' sure hadn't been the type to care enough. Scottie, though, had apparently enjoyed documenting the first nearly four years of his life if her collection had been anything to go by.

"Daddy, what'sa VS?" Agnes asked from the bed.

He choked on a laugh. "VHS. It's what people used to record on before you could just save it on your phone."

"Like a million years ago?"

"Now you're just being mean," he teased her and she giggled as he hauled her up in the air and kissed one of her round cheeks.

"I take it your mother's already left?" Howard prompted.

"Yeah. She was out before we got up this morning." A small frown tugged at him. "I don't like that she's going without backup."

"Backup would give her away. Trust her. She knows what she's doing."

"Who are you and what have you done with Howard?"

His father chuckled at that, inching down against the pillows a little. He looked tired, but that was to be expected after everything. After a moment he cracked an eye open. "Candy's just getting some coffee. Agnes and I'll be just fine if you need to head out."

That sparked the little girl off and she turned towards her parents, tears building in her blue eyes and a high pitched whine starting in her throat as she reached for her daddy. Tom felt guilt tug at him as he scooped her up and she reached to pull her mom closer too.

"Don't go," Agnes singled and Tom kissed her dark hair.

"Hey?" He waited until she leaned back to look him in the eye. "Here's the thing, kiddo," Tom whispered a little conspiratorially and his daughter perked up at the secretive tone. "Your grandpa's gonna need to stay in bed for a few days, but he's stubborn. He needs someone to make sure he's safe, so it's not so much that he's taking care of you as you're taking care of him. Can you do that for me?"

She thought about that for a second, her little nose scrunching up and she looked back at Howard for a moment, not entirely convinced.

"I need you to be really brave to do this," Tom told her.

"I'm brave," she said firmly.

"I know you are, baby girl. You're so brave." He kissed her forehead. "We love you so much."

"And we'll be back soon," Liz promised and Agnes nodded.

"Okay."

She let him set her down again on the bed and they said their goodbyes, promising that they wouldn't be gone long this time. It was hurting Liz as much as it was him, and he knew it as her hand dropped into his and squeezed hard as they walked down the hall. "You're amazing with her," she said softly.

"She's smart. She may not understand everything that's going on, but she knows it's dangerous. She's scared." He nudged her a little, trying to lighten the heavy conversation just a little. "I think she may like us."

That pulled a smile from Liz. "Are we… do you think we're doing the right thing with her? Do you think-?"

Tom stopped in the empty hall and turned to his wife, locking eyes with her and holding her gaze. "I think we're doing the best we can in an impossible situation. We're trying to keep our family safe."

Liz nodded and he tightened his hold on her hand. "Love you." She tipped up on her toes and the kiss eased his raw nerves. He could feel the desperation and the fear, but he could also feel the hope and trust. They had each other's backs, and they would do whatever they had to to keep their family safe.

Scottie had made contact with Katarina and set up the meet for that morning. She had heard the brief pause of surprise when she had, their last conversation leaving the other woman with no reason to think Scottie would reach out so soon. It had peaked her curiosity, just as Scottie had known it would. That didn't mean that she was fool enough to think Katarina would let her curiosity get the better of her.

The dark haired woman checked her watch, frowning. She had expected Kat to be late, but this was ridiculous. She was an hour past the meet time, which was quickly moving from establishing dominance to wasting Scottie's time.

She was halfway to standing from her place on the park bench when Katarina appeared from behind and took a seat next to her. "They say patience is a virtue."

"They have more time to waste than I do," Scottie half growled.

Katarina hummed, but there would be no explanation- much less an apology - any time soon. "I heard you went in personally after Howard. How did it feel to be in the field again after so long?"

Scottie's dark eyes shifted to look at Katarina without turning her head. A small smirk played on her lips. "Invigorating."

"You're welcome."

"For what, exactly?

The redhead shrugged. "Giving you the chance to experience that again. I take it your gratitude isn't the reason for your visit."

Scottie's lips thinned. "Did you tell Reddington that Christopher is alive?" The question hung in the air for a long moment before Scottie turned to look fully at Kat. "I refuse to stop them from pursuing the Oleander lead and suddenly Reddington knows. The timing is suspicious if nothing else."

"We need Raymond," Katarina answered after a long moment. "He would have found out eventually."

"And now he's leveraging my son's health."

The former KGB operative rolled her eyes. "Don't be so dramatic. He's applying pressure where it's needed to keep this running as smoothly as it can." She glanced over and she lost the levity in her voice. "We're moving towards the endgame, Scottie. We've been fighting this war for years, even if it's been quietly. The children are impulsive and only know a fraction of what the Cabal is capable of and we needRaymond as much as we need you and your husband. He won't hurt the boy. You know he won't."

There it was. The opening that Scottie had hoped would present itself. "You can guarantee that?"

"I can, and I will. I just need to know that you're on my side as much as I'm on yours.

Scottie remained silent for a long moment, letting Katarina believe she was weighing her options. "I am," she said softly, "and that's one reason that I wanted to meet today."

Katarina straightened a little. "What do you mean?"

"Elizabeth knows you're alive."

"Did you tell her?"

"No." She waited, hoping that the partial lie would have enough truth in it that it would pass by her old friend. Liz had already known Katarina was alive, Scottie had only confirmed it.

"Her partner," Katarina murmured distractedly before meeting my her gaze again. "How did she react?"

"I thought you didn't care what your daughter thought of you," Scottie said slyly.

Kat shot her a glare. "I need to know how to approach the situation. Ignoring it won't help anyone." She pulled in a deep breath and her gaze was sharp. "I'll need you to set a meet."

The warehouse was locked down tight, though no one on the outside would ever know. It reminded Liz of the times that they had used one of Reddington's locations that he had set up. Personal phones were left at the door, the windows were darkened so that passerbyers couldn't see in, and there was a sense of secrecy that blanketed the space from the moment they walked in. She was a little surprised that no one took their weapons at the door, but they were supposed to be able to trust each other there. Despite everything that had happened between the Task Force and Halcyon's Grey Matters division, they needed to be able to trust each other.

They weren't the first to arrive. Her team was already there and Aram was picking Dumont's brain on some piece of tech, the other man grinning like crazy at the chance to talk to someone who could follow how he put it together. Cooper was standing to the side with Samar and Ressler, the latter peeling off when he saw the Keens enter.

Tom gave Ressler a quick nod of greeting before giving them the moment that her partner seemed to be looking for. "Everything okay?" Liz prompted.

"Your mother paid me a visit," Ressler said roughly.

Well that hadn't been what she expected to hear. "Why?"

"She knew I was looking into her," he said in hushed tones.

"You never actually said why you were."

"Tom didn't tell you?"

"We've been a little busy." She glanced over to where her husband was speaking with the Task Force and Dumont. "It'll be a few minutes before the rest of Tom's team gets here. Why don't you fill me in?"

She watched his expression shift to something like guilt, his gaze dropping. "It's….I assumed he told you."

"Why don't you tell me now?" she pressed again, leaning back against a table to ease her posture. Whatever this was was making him more nervous than she had seen him in years. Maybe since his struggle against drug addiction. Her jaw tightened a little at the thought and she reached out, startling him a little as she touched his hand. "Ress, whatever this is, you know we have your back, right? I have your back."

He swallowed hard and she listened as he spoke in low, halted tones about something he had been struggling with even before Garvey's attack and her time away from her team. This had been going on for well over a year, starting with Laurel Hitchin's death. He had called a fixer and he had covered it up and he had been in the man's pocket since then. Looking back Liz could fill in the gaps in what had happened and things made more sense.

"Rostova killed Prescott," Ressler said softly.

"But why did she go to you?"

"To let me know exactly what she knew about me. She wanted… information."

It felt her temper boil. "About me."

"And what you and Tom have planned." His clear, pained gaze flickered to meet hers. "I told her to go to hell."

Liz tried for a reassuring smile. "We'll figure this out, Ressler. We won't let her ruin your career."

He shook his head. "I don't care. I'm done, Liz. I'm here to help you one last time, but I have my resignation drafted. It's going to Cooper as soon as this is done. I can't live like this anymore."

"This is not your fault. We can fix this."

"No, Liz. It is my fault, and the longer that I wait, the more of myself I'm losing. I've been lying to the team and I'm-"

"Ress, stop. Stop." She waited until he met her gaze. "You remember what you told me when I wanted to turn myself in for the harbour master?"

He winced. "Yeah."

"You told me to remember all the good we do, and you were right. Our team puts the bad ones away. We make sure that this works is just a little safer. We're working to take down a dirty fed with ties to the Cabal and the Nash Syndicate, Ressler."

"I'm not bailing on this, Liz. I know what it means, but I can't live with myself knowing that I'vebecome the dirty cop."

"Hey." She reached out and he looked at her. "You are nota dirty cop. You made a tough call and it went bad. It happens. You can't set that right from prison." The doors to the warehouse opened and drew both of their attention as Matias Solomon strode in with a woman that Liz had to assume was Nez Rowan. She had just missed her over the last couple of days, but now she had a chance to meet her.

"Everyone has their limit on what they can give to this," Ressler murmured. "C'mon. I'm not going to leave you a man down for this."

Liz nodded. There would be time to convince him. There had to be.

"You must be Liz."

The woman in questioned turned, catching the wink Solomon shot her way as he sauntered by and it took everything she had in her not to take a swing then and there. It was the woman he had entered with that had spoken. "And you must be Nez. I hear you kept my husband in line the last year or so."

Nez Rowan flashed a grin. "It ranked as one of the more difficult jobs I've ever had to do."

"I'm not that bad," Tom called from across the room.

"No, you're impossible when you're recovering," Liz answered with a smile and Nez snorted a laugh.

"I knew I was gonna like you."

Liz echoed the grin as they moved to join the others.

Detective Norman Singleton was inbound to arrive at the location, and by the time they received that call tensions were already running high. Tom had called Solomon off his playful harassment of anyone he thought that he could get away with and Liz looked ready to shoot him. Her husband didn't blame her. He was about ready to shoot him. Solomon was on the mend as far as he could tell, but being cooped up in recovery had made him more obnoxious than usual.

"A couple things before Detective Singleton gets here, just that we're clear," he said, drawing all eyes to him as he reposition himself at the front of the crowd. "This op is off-books. Halcyon's board doesn't know about it and no one in the FBI can know. Until further notice, the people in this room are the only ones read in."

"That includes the Hargraves and Reddington," Liz specified. "If you're uncomfortable with that, now's the time to bow out."

"What exactly happened with Reddington?" Samar prompted. "You still haven't told us what's changed to make him less trustworthy than usual."

"Elizabeth, if you're asking for trust, it's time to show a little," Cooper said and Tom saw the conflict in his wife's expression. It was dangerous. Reddington had already shown what lengths he was willing to go to to keep them from delving any deeper into his past and his precious secret, and they really couldn't be sure what he would do to the Task Force if they knew what the Keens knew. Nothing, possibly, or one by one they could find themselves meeting the same fate that Sam and Kate Kaplan did to hold that secret in place. Reddington that claimed to care a great deal about both of them, yet he had smothered Sam and shot Kaplan in the head with every intention to kill her. This secret of his, this truth was something he wanted to keep desperately, and a desperate Reddington was a dangerous one.

Liz drew in a deep breath, her gaze turning sharp and determined. "This whole thing is… complicated, but part of the problem is that Reddington has kept asking for us to trust him without honesty to back it up. I'm not going to do that to you." She clenched her jaw a little and Tom saw the struggle there. He reached over, his fingers brushing hers.

"It started about the time I left Halcyon. Late Kaplan reached out to me and said she needed me to pick something up for Liz. It was suitcase with human remains. Long story short, and with a lot of people after these bones, the DNA extracted confirmed that they belong to Raymond Reddington."

Neither of them said anything for a moment, letting the news sink in.

"That's impossible," Ressler chimed in. "I hunted the guy for years. That's him."

"Not according to the DNA report," Liz said softly.

"Who had these bones now?" Cooper asked.

"Ian Garvey," Tom answered immediately. "That's what he was after when he broke into Liz's and my place."

Liz pulled in a steadying breath in next to him. "He killed Nik Korpal for them, nearly killed Tom, and put me into a coma for ten months. He knows the truth, and Reddington is willing to do anything to keep that. He gained control of Richard Whitehall who-."

"Reddington has Whitehall?" Nez demanded, and Tom could almost feel the judgement coming his way that he hadn't filled her in yet, the fact that he hadn't seen her in days not withstanding.

"Yes, and he's using him and the fact that he's the one that has the formula for the meds that Tom needs as leverage against us and the Hargraves to stop the investigation," Liz explained.

A hush followed for just a moment before Ressler took a seat in one of the chairs, his gaze fixed on Tom. "What does that mean for you?"

Tom tried for a reassuring smile, but he knew it fell short. "I'm good for now. I've got some in reserve and Scottie and Howard are looking for an alternative."

"It just means we have to tread carefully. Until we have something to balance the scales, Reddington has the upper hand," Liz warned.

"Keeping him out of the loop is going to help us do what we have to," Tom added. "He wants to get to Garvey, but we think we can get to him first."

A knock at the door drew their attention and Nez unfolded herself from her chair to walk towards it the moment Dumont gave the all-clear. She opened the door to a startled looking Norman Singleton and Tom motioned him in.

"For those of you that don't know," Liz said, "this is Detective Singleton with Metro PD. He was in charge of Tom's case-"

"Still am, technically," the detective said as he joined in. "I've kept your secret like you asked. Not that anybody'd believe me if I told them."

"Appreciate that," Tom said with a lopsided grin. "And in turn we've made sure that your family is safe and out of Garvey's reach."

"Detective Singleton is also part of Ian Garvey's task force," Liz added and there was a quiet murmur amongst the crowd. "And that gives him a unique perspective and access to information."

"So you're the one," Solomon said lightly and Singleton looked uneasy.

Tom didn't blame him with the shark-like grin that Solomon wore.

"You have a lead to get to Garvey?" Cooper prompted.

Tom nodded towards Solomon who stood. His expression tighten into a subtle grimace as his hand went to what must have been the injury Garvey had left him with. "We do. I've been following a couple different trails, and while one ended… in a less than desirable manner -"

"Garvey shot him," Tom offered with a quirked eyebrow.

"You're just sorry it wasn't you."

He grinned. "There's something about shooting you that's cathartic."

"Boys," Nez snapped and Solomon offered a lazy shrug.

He motioned and Dumont pulled a set of photos up on his screens he had set up. "The other lead I was on has merit, though. Meet Lillian May Roth. Thirty-six years old, no known family, but she's something to Garvey. He drives an hour both ways on his lunch to go see her."

"Lilly," Singleton volunteered. "He doesn't really talk about her, but I've heard the name come up on phone calls."

Tom glanced over. "Mistress?"

"Not his wife, but my gut says no on the mistress. Not that Garvey's squeaky clean in that department."

Solomon snorted, his voice bringing them back to the reason he was there. "The plan's simple enough. We snag Roth-"

"By snag you mean abduct her?" Ressler demanded.

"Call it what you will," Solomon drawled.

Cooper straightened where he was seated. "Why not go after Garvey directly? Why involve a civilian?"

Solomon ducked his head at that one and Nez answered for him. "We found out that Garvey has ties to the Cabal because he recognized Solomon and had intel about an op that he ran while working for them."

"When he was trying to kill Liz when the Cabal framed her, perhaps?" Samar deadpanned.

"Before that," Solomon answered lightly.

Tom saw his wife rolled her eyes at the statement. "Garvey is on high alert because he knows Solomon has ties to Halcyon," he explained. "He's difficult to grab right now. It would be easier to lure him out. We're not going to hurt her, Ressler. All we need to do is have her make the call." Tom knew that team wouldn't blink at the tactic, but he also knew what they were asking the Task Force to do. It wasn't the first time they had bent the rules, not by a long shot, but he and Liz needed their help. They needed them to agree to this.

"Alright. We'll bring the girl in for questioning," Cooper agreed. "Where is she?"

"Currently in Maryland," Solomon offered.

"Then we'll bring her into the Post Office. Halcyon will have more leeway when we get Garvey, but until then, while there's an innocent civilian involved, the Task Force is running point on this. Is that clear?"

Cooper's question was directed at the Keens. Tom had hoped to bring her to New York and keep the op under Grey Matter's control to keep Reddington as far away as possible, but that wasn't going to pan out. They were going to have to give to get on this, and more than just the truth.

"Clear," Liz answered, startling her husband from his thoughts.

He turned to Cooper. "We need to tie up a couple of things and we'll meet you at the airport. We can take one of Halcyon's planes." He looked over at Nez and she nodded.

"I'll make sure the jet's fueled and ready."

"We'll call when we're in our way there." He motioned to Singleton. "You ready to go see your girls?"

The detective moved towards them. "This isn't over yet. Garvey-"

"You've done enough," Liz said firmly and the detective looked over to her. "We're not going to risk you getting caught."

Tom saw the hesitation. He was a good guy. An honest guy, and he may not have caught the dangerous side of Ian Garvey yet, but he felt betrayed by the man he was supposed to be able to trust. "We promised you protection. Let us make good on it."

There was a long moment where he wasn't sure Singleton was going to give, but then he saw it. The other man sighed, his shoulder falling just a little. "You'll let me know how it all goes?"

"We will," Liz swore.

He nodded then, and without another word he started for the door. They would get him to the relocation team from Halcyon and then the Keens would be on their way to getting Garvey.

Notes: Agnes may not know what all is going on, but she wants to help. I love that kid so freakin' much. She's too cute.

Next Time: Katarina pushes for a meet, the Keens and their teams find out that Lilly Roth is more than they thought, and a plan is put into motion to bring Garvey in.

[better-not-said]

For the writing prompts, could you please do #30 or #91 with Niall? Thanks! :D

Sorry it took so long.  I was deciding between a couple ideas! Hope you like it xx

91.“Can I hold your hand?” 

Niall’sPOV 

Mysteps are quick as I make my way down the street to the bakery that mycousin-in-law told me was my cousin’s favorite in all of the UK.  My cousin Poppy has just had a baby and I’vebeen sent to retrieve some highly demanded cupcakes.  If I return without them, I might as well bebanished from the family.

Icome up upon the shop, just blocks from the hospital.  I see some lights on but when I step closer,a ‘closed’ sign on the door makes my stomach drop.  I spot a girl inside, though, so I knock onthe door.  She startles and looks upbefore shaking her head.

“Please!”I find myself saying.  The girl looksaround before stepping out from behind the counter and coming to unlock thedoor.

“We’reclosed,” she tells me, propping the door open.  I barely hear her speak, though, because myheart is pounding in my ears.  I findmyself immediately wanting to know everything about her.  How long has she worked here?  Does she bake the cakes?  Did she pick out the apron with peachesprinted all over it or is she borrowing it from a co-worker?  Whose ring is hanging from her necklace?  I need to know.

Hereyes, though I’m lost in them, widen as she expectantly waits for me to speak.

“Please,it’s really important,” I beg.  Sheputs a hand on her hip. “My cousin’s just had a baby.”

Hereyes light up, just for a brief moment and I find myself sputtering through abreath, captivated by this girl.  I coughto cover it up.

“Fine,”she steps aside.

“Thankyou so much,” I say gratefullyas I walk into the shop.  She locks thedoor behind her.

“Whatdo you need?”

“Adozen cupcakes,” I chew on the inside of my cheek.

“Consideryourself lucky, Niall.”

Whenshe says my name, my heart skips a beat.

“Oh,believe me, I do.”

That’show we met.  She had some cupcakesfreshly made and she frosted and decorated them while we chatted.  After a month of dates, I officially askedher to be my girlfriend.  3 weeks later,I asked if she’d like to leave a toothbrush at my place.  She said she’d think about it and I returnedto 6-dozen cookies cooling in my kitchen.

Shebakes when she’s stressed.

“Ijust…I don’t know.  This is alot,” she had stuttered.

“Itis a lot,” I chuckled, looking around.

“Notthe cookies, Niall.  This…us,” shegestured between us.

“Hey,hey,” I tucked some hair behind her ear. “It was justasuggestion.  I like waking up withyou.  Want ya here with me whenever youfeel like it.  Just wanna make it easy onya.”

Shesmiled, kissed me, and said ‘okay.’

2weeks after that, I asked if she wanted to come to Dublin to see the first showof my tour.

Shebaked not one but two triple layercakes even after she already agreed to come.

“What'samatter?” I asked her.

Shejust shrugged, her soft bottom lip sticking out a bit.

“Darlin’,the cakes are fuckin’ amazin’.  Somethin’sobviously up.  What’s on your mind?”I pressed.

“I’venever been out of the country,” she admitted quietly, lashes brushing hercheeks.

“Really?”I had to suppress a gasp and she shook her head, staring at her fingers.  I grabbed her hand, smoothing my thumb overher knuckles. “You’ll love it.  I’llshow ya all around.”

“Niall…”she still didn’t meet my eyes. “I’ve never been on a plane.”

“Oh,darlin’, that’s nothing to worry about,” I had assured her.

Theday has come and she has yet to step foot onto the staircase leading up to theprivate jet.

“C'mon,pet, you’ll be just fine.  ’ve done thisa thousand times,” I place my hands on her shoulders, squeezing themgently.  Slowly, she makes her way up thestairs and onto the plane.  I point out acouple seats for us and I let her take the window.

Oncethe plane is loaded with my band and crew, we taxi on the runway.

“CanI hold your hand?” she asks so quietly I barely hear her.

“O’course you can, darlin’,” I hold my hand out and she slips her fingersbetween mine.  I bring our palmstogether, giving her hand a brief squeeze before bringing it up to press mylips to the back of her hand.

Aswe take off, I rub her skin with my thumb and she grips my hand.  Only when we’re level does she begin torelax.

“Notthat bad, right?” I check.

“Iguess it was okay,” she mumbles, glancing out the window quickly beforelooking at me. “London is tiny!” she squeaks and I can’t help but laugh. “Niall!  Look at the Eye!  It looks like a toy!”

Igrab her chin, turning her to face me once again.  I press our lips together before whispering, “Youare so cute.”

Send me a boy and a prompt! 

[panterashadow]

ÄLL SHÖÖK ÜP 1957

45 RPM (S)

£LVÏS PR£SL£¥

P∆ÑT£R∆'SH∆DØ￦

STŪDÏÖ VERSĪÖN

https://youtu.be/23zLefwiii4

L¥RIK

All Shook Up

A well'a bless my soul

What'sa wrong with me?

I'm itchin' like a man in a fuzzy tree

My friends say I'm actin' wild as a bug

I'm in love

I'm all shook up

Mm mm mm, mm, yay, yay, yay

Well, my hands are shaky and my knees are weak

I can't seem to stand on my own two feet

Who do you think of when you have such luck?

I'm in love

I'm all shook up

Mm mm mm, mm, yay, yay, yay

Well, please don't ask me what'sa on my mind

I'm a little mixed up, but I'm feelin' fine

When I'm near that girl that I love best

My heart beats so it scares me to death!

Well she touched my hand what a chill I got

Her lips are like a volcano when it's hot

I'm proud to say that she's my buttercup

I'm in love

I'm all shook up

Mm mm mm, mm, yay, yay, yay

My tongue gets tied when I try to speak

My insides shake like a leaf on a tree

There's only one cure for this body of mine

That's to have that girl that I love so fine!

She touched my hand what a chill I got

Her lips are like a volcano that's hot

I'm proud to say that she's my buttercup

I'm in love

I'm all shook up

Mm mm mm, mm, yay, yay, yay

Mm mm mm, mm, yay, yay

I'm all shook up

[foulfurywombat-blog]

van insurance quotes for over 50s

"van insurance quotes for over 50s

van insurance quotes for over 50s

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van insurance quotes for over 50s

van insurance quotes for over 50s

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""Can i drive on indian driving licence,and how much the cost for first car insurance?""

i am a international student,i have two years visa.i am 23 years old""

I want to by a nissan s-cargo does anyone know anything about them or what the insurance cost is?

http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=131516&Nissan-quote Nissan s-cargo this is the site for my car and I love it just curious what the insurance will before I make a offer and would like to hear opinions and stories about them.

""What is the lowest, best Liability auto Insurance in Dallas?""

btw anyone tried Geico and are they really cheap? I know that billionaire guy owns the company, but is it any good?""

Do I need auto insurance if I don't have a car or plan on driving?

I want to get my license because it is something that I need to get out of the way now. I don't have a car or plan on driving until I can even afford auto insurance but this summer is the only time I have free to get my license. I'm 20 and in college.

I want to go to school to learn about car insurance.?

How do I find courses or schooling that can teach me about car insurance

How much jail time for no insurance in georgia?

My friend had an unpaid ticket that turned into a warrant. If he were to turn hisself in how long would he serve.

Is the affordable health act actually making healthcare affordable for everyone?

Is the affordable health act actually making healthcare affordable for everyone?

How much would car insurance be on a Mini Cooper (approx) for a 1st time driver?

I'm a 20 year old female in London. Hoping to take my test soon and just curious about insurance on a Mini Cooper! (I know it's expensive!) thanks x

What is a reasonable cost estimate of business insurance for a cafe?

I'm working up some numbers to determine the financial feasibility of opening a small (1000-1200 sq ft) cafe. Starting out with myself and no more than 2 part time employees, what should I estimate for combined liability, equipment, workers comp insurance?""

Car insurance?

im trying to look for a cheap car insurance company any ideas??

What car insurance is cheapest for teens in NC to get if theyre on their own?

I get my lisence in april and it looks like my mother isnt going to help with the car or the insurance so i need the CHEAPEST possible insurance available. I live in western NC. Any suggestions?

What is the cheapest legal way to insure 2 cars - 1 with just me with full ncb the other with me and my son?

My son is 22 and wants to insure a vehicle, but finds it very expensive. What is the cheapest LEGAL way for me to help him. I have full ncb on my own car.""

Driving parent's car without insurance?

*I'm 16 with a license *My mom has insurance under Liberty Mutual *I am not on her insurance but the car is insured *I live in Georgia (GA has weird laws so any laws specific to GA would be great)

Insurance on a Audi tt?

I passed my test September 2013, I am 18 and for the car I currently have my car insurance is 1,250 or so. If I got an Audi tt that was a 2000 plate would the insurance be sky high?""

Is there an insurance company that will insure you after you've not had any for almost a year?

A friend of my gf's couldn't afford it before but can now since she's gotten a better job and cannot find it anywhere. I'd appreciate it if you'd keep the smart *** answers to yourself. Serious replies only

How can i get cheap insurance on my moms car because I'm only 17 and she has a 2l?

well I've just past my test and I had a look on gocompair just lookin how much it would be for me on my oun 1l and it comes up as like 3500 and thats silly money because i would have to buy a car then that will be like a grand :/ so i had a look on for me to go on my moms car and that comes out as 4000 and she has a 2l is there any way i can get t cheaper? thanks

van insurance quotes for over 50s

van insurance quotes for over 50s

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/can-you-inform-give-me-idea-difference-insurance-costs-ronald-hall/"