Throughout It All

Prologue ~ Here's To Us

Oooooh here we are!!! 

This is December 25, 1899, based off of real events. So the thing is, I'm looking at two articles about a newboys' annual feast and one was printed December 1st, and one is based on Christmas Day; so I'm combining the information from both for this Christmas Day.

This is the moment when everyone is still happy and well.

This? This is going to be fluff.

Enjoy! :)

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In the Newsies' Lodging House of Duane Street, Kid Blink raises his glass in the air, smiling grandly, other hand enclosed with his lover's. "Here's a toast to all of us newsies gathered here tonight, who have made the most of this year in the best way they can, and will make the most of any!"

All the newsies raise their glasses and cheer. "YEAH!"

It was in the first days of August when the strike ended. That was four months ago, nearly five. And in that time, life has gone back to as normal as it could have been. Eventually, all the scabbers were forgiven, and now it hardly matters who was a striker and who was a scabber back then; just as long as they are a newsie now.

There have got to be at least 200 newsies in this hall right now, (never mind how many newsies are still outside), from all over the city, waiting for the feast to begin. While it's mostly Manhattan and Brooklyn newsies, there are newsies from every borough; all smiling and laughing and talking together. The boroughs haven't truly been united since the rally at Irving Hall on the 24th of July. It's nice seeing everyone getting along.

Kid Blink is just so happy that they all accepted him back. He had been worried that they wouldn't take him or David Simmons back. Luckily, they warmed up to him again. Maybe Mush had some say in it. No matter what, he's glad to be back.

Beside him at the table, Mush squeezes his hand. Blink squeezes back. They exchange glances, smiling. They think they're being subtle, but anyone looking at them can tell that they're staring at each other lovingly. And everyone just smiles.

And then, all the pies are brought out, getting the newsies to cheer. The superintendent knows that they all eat pies before the dinner; this has been a tradition for as long as each and every one of them has been a newsie. They all reach over their plates full of turkey, and each take a slice of pumpkin pie, ready to dig in.

All except Kid Blink, because his place at the table doesn't have utensils.

"We can share," Mush tells him cheerfully as he notices the absence of utensils at Blink's plate.

"Nah, it's okay," Kid Blink tells him, ready to just use his hands for his pie instead.

Suddenly, someone puts a fork beside his plate. "It's not good to do that. Not healthy."

Kid Blink looks up, but really, he doesn't have to--he would recognize the voice of Racetrack Higgins anywhere.

And it's not like they were on the best terms during the summer, so Kid Blink freezes a moment, holding his breath in anticipation for what Racetrack has to say.

Racetrack elaborates on what he said, as if to justify those words and why he felt the need to give Blink a fork. "Who knows how dirty those hands of yours are? That could be the bet of the ages."

Kid Blink relaxes a little, then chuckles. "Thanks, Race."

"'Course. There was an extra one by my plate anyway." With nothing more to say, Racetrack goes back to his seat, with Spot Conlon on his left, smiling fondly at him.