Newsies Prompts

Albert x Romeo Prompt 16

A/N Requested by @halfbloodacademyforfangirls on Insta

This is number 16 - "You just give off the impression that you want to murder everyone you look at." Enjoy!

"Well, might I say that you look very handsome today, sir. Care to buy a pape?" He said.

"Well, yes. Here you go." The gentleman said, giving Romeo a nickel. Romeo doffed his cap and the man strolled off, newspaper in hand. As the man was walking away, Romeo looked down and counted his papes. He had 7 left. Pretty good for midday.

He was just thinking about which selling tactic to use next when a scruffy girl about his age, wearing a dusty brown dress, ran up to him and asked for all of his papes! Needless to say he was shocked. She looked a bit familiar...like...never mind.

"Are sure miss?" He asked her.

"Yeah, I'm sure." She replied, with a mischievous smirk on her face.

"Well then, it's a pe-" He began, before she handed him 4 quarters and ran off with the papes, her skirt waving in the wind behind her. He started to call after her to tell her that she didn't have to give him that much; but then he decided against it because he needed the money.

Then, in a cruel twist of fate, the Delancey Brothers appeared in the street in front of him.

"Hello Romeo." Oscar said with a malicious tone of voice. Romeo knew they were not up to anything good. But then again, they never were.

"What do you want?" He asked flatly, hiding his nervousness reasonably well, but not well enough.

"Your money. Give it 'ere." Morris said, while Oscar made his hand into a menacing fist. By that time, Romeo was full-on panicking and started to run away from them; his few experiences with them, especially with Oscar, hadn't been all that good. He ran down the street and into a small alleyway, then into another, then another. There was no one who knew the side streets like him.

At least he thought. The Delancey Brothers were hot on his heels and after a few minutes of racing around the city, they had him cornered. But luckily for him, they ended up quite near the Lodging House and he could hear a few people walking on the street.

"What's wrong Romie? Are you's scared?" Morris said, laughing evilly. He punched Romeo into the wall hard and winded him slightly. He fell onto one knee and coughed a bit.

"Oscar, get him up and get his money."

"No, get offa me!" Romeo protested, but all that got him was a punch in the jaw. He felt a hand rooting around his pockets and his pape bag; then he felt the hand grab onto something.

"Why are you's scared Romeo? Huh?" Oscar said while counting his money. "You's made a fair bit today. I bet that girl helped quite a bit. Yes we know about her, we sent her." He said, reading Romeo's mind and answering the question he was asking himself. That's why that girl looked familiar. She's their little sister!

"You just give off the impression that you want to murder everyone you look at. And at the moment, that's me." He said, half nervously and half sarcastically; that was a very bad idea because the Delancey Brothers just looked at each other, nodded and gave Romeo the worst soaking he had ever had.

He cried out in pain as he felt a fist hit his stomach, then his face. Then a foot came into contact with his stomach as he curled up into a ball on the floor, trying to protect himself.

The soaking was relentless until he heard footsteps running towards them, then the Delancey's yelling as they were dragged off him and each punched in the stomach. They eventually ran away after making sure they had the money.

"Hey Romeo! Oh my god! Are you OK?" He heard a familiar voice say. He lifted his bloody and bruised face to see his best friend Albert looking into his eyes. Staring right back into Albert's, Romeo had never realised how utterly stunning his eyes were. He also hadn't realised until then, how much he had a crush on Albert.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He said, quietly.

"No you're not." Albert replied, very matter-of-factly.

"You's right. I'se not fine. Them Delanceys soaked me an' took all me money. I'se really scared, cause I has to look after two of tha younger kids and how are we all gonna eat t'night. And I-I-I like you and I don't know how to tell you without making a complete ass of myself." The words flooded out of him and he only realised what he said, after it was too late.

"Shhhh. It's OK. I'll share wid you. And..." There was a long pause before he said, "I like you too..."

"There we are, I'm so stupid! How could you possibly like m-" Romeo started before he was cut off by Albert gently pressing his lips to his. Neither of them pulled away.

"Come on. Let's get you cleaned up, back at the Lodging House." Albert said, after a while.

"Wait, why did you...?" Romeo whispered. Albert could tell what he was talking about.

"Because I love you too. That's why."

"Really?" Romeo replied, looking into Albert's stunning eyes.

"Really." Albert replied, looking into Romeo's equally beautiful eyes.

They walk away, back to the Lodging House.

Side by side, hand in hand.