Newsies Preferences & Stuff

How you met (RACE, CRUTCHIE, MUSH)

Racetrack
The cold morning wind hit my face as I ran this 1000 pound animal around a track going as fast as it could run.

This horse was powerful and strong. I was confident he would win his race, but he needed a lot of warmup work from me. I jogged him around the back corner to the homestretch before finally letting him loose. The beats of his hooves hit the ground rhythmically. I gripped the reins tightly as his mane hit my face.

I brought him back down to a trot and slowed him down. His breathing was strong as he huffed clouds into the cold morning air.
I rode past a boy sitting on a bench, a cigar in his mouth. We just looked at each other as I rode past. He had deep black hair and a somewhat soft, round face. He nodded to me and I returned it.

•after the warmups•

I was in the locker room, I put up my helmet and goggles before leaving. I walked out to the track stables to the horse I ran this morning. I touched the horses soft face and fed him an apple.

"You looked good out there."

My head turned and I saw the same black haired boy who was at the track this morning for the warmups. He looked slightly Italian, with a New York accent. I smiled. "Thank you." I responded, walking over to him. He was leaning over the wall with his back to it and I did the same except on the other side of the wall.

"So yous a jockey?" He asked me, taking a puff of his cigar. I shrugged. "Nah, I'm just the warm up."

He nodded and handed me his cigar. I took it and put it in my mouth, taking in a large breath in.
"Yous awful good lookin' to be a horse rider."

I felt my face heat up as I blew the smoke out of my mouth and gave it back to him. I elbowed him softly.
"Ya should bet on that one. #7 in Race 2. He's got what it takes."

This boy turned around and looked at the horse, and then at me. "Thanks. Names Racetrack." He held out his hand.

"Interesting. Names Y/n." I responded, taking his hand in a firm handshake.

Crutchie
I worked hard in the bakery. The work wasn't hard but I worked hard and put in lots of extra hours to get what little pay I could get.

I was frosting cupcakes in the front of the bakery. Concentration laced in my face as I heard the door open and shut behind me. My boss laid the keys on the counter.
"Lock up will ya? It's my wife's birthday."

I looked up and saw him carrying a cake box. I smiled and nodded. He waved to me and left out the front door.

After a couple of hours it was almost closing time. I had finished making new frosting and frosting old cupcakes. And now, it was my favorite time of the day.

I went to the back room and took out all the "old" pastries. I put them all into a basket. Different types of breads and cakes and sweets.

I heard a knock at the back door and smile excitedly. I jogged to the back door and opened it. I was met by a familiar face.
"Hey y/n."

"Hey Jack!" He stepped up the stairs of the bakery back door and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before stepping inside. "So whatcha got for me and the boys this week?"
I looked behind him and saw a few boys behind him. I Invited them inside. One filed in after the other and finally, one small boy with curly, almost red hair came up the stairs with a thump.

I smiled at him and I saw his mouth drop when he looked at me. Hot blush covered my face at his reaction. He quickly took off his hat and then held out his hand.

"Ah, um, hi, I'm crutchie."
I giggled softly and shook his hand.

"Y/n."

Mush
I held the note written to me on a napkin in my hands. I smiled at the handwriting and what it read.

Every time you smile the world gets a little brighter

My face got red just reading it over and over again. Ruby, a waitress I worked with elbowed me. "You've got the goofy grin again y/n." She giggled.
"You have to figure out who keeps leaving you these! Then marry him!"

We both went into a giggle fit. And if by fate, the bell of the door rung and loud voices and laughter filled he restaurant.
"Looks like the newsies are here." Ruby elbowed me encouragingly before turning to get some water cups. I did the same and filled a tray full before walking out amongst the sea of boys.

Despite having no money at all, they were my favorite customers. Everything seemed to liven up when they entered the restaurant. I passed out water cups to all the boys, getting thank yous and hugs from some of them, including jack, crutchie, Skittery, and my favorite little guy, snipeshooter.

Ruby ran up to me and pulled me aside. She had a clipboard and a piece of paper in her hand.
"I have an idea! Lets create a petition to add something to the restaurant, pass it around, and then you can use that to match the handwritings!" She whispered excitedly.

"Ruby you're a genius!"

I did as Ruby had suggested and the clipboard was slowly getting passed around the newsboys as they signed their names. Every single one of them signed it. I mean, free meals to the orphans on holidays? Sounds pretty good to me.

Finally we got the clipboard back. Some of the names were just scribbles. We looked through all of them and finally found a match.
"Mush?" I questioned out loud.
"What an odd name." Ruby agreed.

I mustered up the courage to go and ask Jack who that was. He pointed to a boy with olive toned skin, curly brown hair and the absolute most attractive face you've ever seen. I smiled softly. This was better than I could have ever imagined.

I held the napkin in my hand that I had already written out.
Thank you for all the notes, Mush. We should meet up after I'm done working sometime

The boy watched me walk up to him. His smile growing larger and larger as I got closer. I set down the napkin and slid it over to him with a small wink before walking back to the counter.