In the dim light of the street lamps, the snow flakes landed on the shoulders and hats of the newsies as they trudged home, back to the lodging house after a long day of selling papers. It was harder to sell papers in the winter. Few people were out in the street and those that were usually didn't have time to stop and buy a paper from a freezing newsboy.

"Heya Jack."

"Hey Mush. How'd you do today?"

"Could've been worse. I made enough for my bed and a little extra, though." Mush grinned, stopping outside the lodging house to stamp the snow from his boots. "How about you?"

"Pretty good. I can pay for my bunk and I've got almost a dollar to put away." Jack brushed the snow off his coat and glanced out into the dark streets. "You coming in?"

"In a minute. I'll wait for Blink, he ain't back yet."

"Sure. See you inside." Jack smiled and clapped Mush on the shoulder.

"See you." Mush hunched his shoulders and leaned against the wall as Jack ducked inside. Blink hadn't been having a good winter. He sold in a rougher part of Manhattan, where people didn't often have enough spare change for a paper. He was too proud to find a new spot or start selling with a partner. But he was barely making enough to pay for his bunk. Mush worried about Blink. He wanted to ask Blink to start selling with him by the harbor, but he knew Blink would never accept. Him and his stupid pride.

"You ain't waiting in the cold for me, are you?"

Mush had to laugh as Blink came up to the lodging house, smirking even as he shivered. "Nah, not for you. Met a girl last night, said she wanted to see me again."

Blink's face fell momentarily, but he quickly went back to smirking. "Sure she did. Where'd you meet her, a street corner?" He ducked Mush throwing his hat at him and playfully punched Mush's shoulder as the boy scrambled after his hat.

"Shut up, Blink." Mush rolled his eyes and shook the snow off his hat, jamming it back on his head as he returned to the steps of the lodging house. "How'd you do today?"

"Oh , you know…" Blink shrugged, shoving his hands in his coat pockets and looking down. He scuffed his foot along the snowy ground as he waited for Mush to put the pieces together.

"You didn't make enough for your bunk?" Mush guessed, gently touching Blink's back.

"No! I mean… Forget about it. I'm fine. I'll sleep in the alley, it's fine." Blink shrugged off Mush's hand.

"You can't sleep in the alley. It's freezing out." Mush grabbed Blink's arm, his brow furrowed in concern. "I'll spot you the difference, I've got some put away."

"I don't need your help, okay? I'm fine, I can take care of myself!" Blink wrenched his arm out of Mush's grip and stalked down the street. Mush ran after him, catching his hand and pulling the other boy around to face him.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Why am I doing what?" Blink looked away, not wanting to see the concern in Mush's earnest face.

"This. Being defensive, not wanting help." Mush grabbed Blink's other hand, trying to get Blink to look at him. "I let you help me when I don't make enough." He avoided adding that it had happened exactly once in all the time Mush had been selling papers, whereas Blink had spent at least thirty nights in the alley after refusing help. "Jack helps out the younger kids when they have an off day. Why won't you let me help you?"

"I don't like charity." Blink looked at his feet, still not willing to look Mush in the face. "I have my pride."

"Well, swallow your damn pride and let me help you!"

That made Blink look up. Mush never raised his voice or got angry. He was surprised to see the angry tears in Mush's eyes. "Mush, I… uh…"

Mush choked out a laugh and let go of Blink's hands to drag a sleeve across his eyes. He fumbled in his pocket for a moment and pulled out a handful of coins. He counted out a certain number and pressed the rest into Blink's hands. "Just take it."

"Mush, I…"

"Why can't you take it? What stupid excuse are you going to come up with now?" Mush shoved the rest of the coins back in his pocket and crossed his arms.

"I was…. I was just going to say, uh…" Uncertainty flashed across his face as he looked down and bit his lip, but Blink quickly set his jaw and leaned forward to press his lips against Mush's. His cheeks reddened and he pulled back, looking down and muttered, "Thanks."

Mush's hands tentatively gripped Blink's shoulders to pull him closer. He hesitantly kissed his friend and when Blink didn't pull back, Mush deepened the kiss.

When Mush was the one to pull back, his eyes searched Blink's face. Blink bit his lip but didn't look down, even though his red cheeks betrayed his nervousness.

Mush grinned and softly pressed his lips against Blink's cheek, whispering "Merry Christmas, Blink."

Blink allowed himself a small smile and murmured back, "Merry Christmas, Mush."

"Up, up, up! Presses are rolling! Carry the banner, sell the papes! Get up, get up, get up!" Kloppmann's voice, usually quiet and almost shaking, was at its finest in the morning, shouting at the boys to get out of bed. Hell, his shouting in the morning was probably the reason it was so shaky during the day.

None of this mattered to the boys snug in their bunks, though. It was December and no one wanted to leave the warmth and comfort of their bunks.

"Get up!"

"I don' wanna…." Blink muttered sleepily, nestling his head into the crook of Mush's neck. Mush chuckled drowsily, wrapping his arms tighter around the sleeping blond.

"I like it just fine here…"

"Blink! Have you seen my cigar?" Racetrack's head popped over the edge of the bunk, shaking Blink's shoulder.

"Wha?" Blink turned and rubbed his good eye, glaring at Racetrack. "What are ya askin' me for? I'm sleepin'."

"Besides…" Mush sat up, running his hands through his hair, "Doesn't Snipe usually have it?"

"Oh, damn it…. Snipe! Snipe! Gimme my cigar back or I'll soak ya!" As Racetrack turned away from the bunk to find Snipeshooter, he tossed a grin over his shoulder. "Nice, guys. We were wonderin' when you two would get together."

"Aww, shuddup Race, who asked you?" Blick reached out to smack Racetrack's head, missing by about a foot. Mush laughed, which make Blink glare up at him.

"Come on, sleepyhead. We have papers to sell. You're selling with me today, right?"

"Yeah, right…" Blink groaned, flipping over to bury his head in the pillow. "I wanna sleep…"

"Come on. I know, it's cold and this bunk is really warm right now, but you need to get up!" Mush shook Blink's shoulder then swung his legs over the edge of the bunk to drop to the floor. Well, he was awake and going to get up, even if Blink wanted to sleep for the rest of the day.

"Come back…." Blink whined, stretching his arms out to Mush. "You're warm. Come back?"

"No. You get up." With that, Mush walked to the bathroom, passing Jack at the entrance. "How'd you sleep, Jack?"

"Not as well as you did, that's for sure." Jack grinned at Mush and punched his shoulder, actually cheerful in the morning for a change. "You an' Blink have the right idea, sharing a bed with the cold."

"Aww, lay off. You'd like to share a bunk with Davey."

"Mush?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

"Sure, Jacky." Mush beamed and reached up to ruffle Jack's hair before heading off to the sinks to wash up. Blink, by this point, had reached the bathroom and vanished into one of the stalls, still not smiling but at least not scowling at the world.

"Hey Mush. Where are you sellin' today?" Crutchy smiled at Mush from across the bay of sinks, splashing his face with water.

Mush shrugged, working some soap into a lather before rubbing it over his face and upper body. "Dunno. I'm selling with Blink today… Probably down by the harbor. Or near Central Park. It's always good there."

"Ah. Okay." Crutchy nodded, drying his face with a towel before tossing it to Mush, who had rinsed off the soap suds. He caught it and quickly dried off his torso and face. He tossed the towel over to Jack, who had just finished shaving. All three of them grinned, clearly endeavoring to keep the towel away from Racetrack, who blindly groped for the towel.

"Come on, guys, pass the towel!"

"For a buck, I might!" Skittery crowed, having caught the towel from Jack and dangled it over Racetrack's head. He finally managed to snatch it away from the distracted Skittery, scowling at the rest of the boys.

Blink emerged from the stall, quickly rinsing off his hands and splashing his face to help him wake up. He grinned over at Mush, who beamed and pulled the towel from Racetrack's hands to toss it at Blink.

"Hey, Mush!"

"Hey what, Race?"

"You're an asshole."

"Good to know." Mush beamed at Racetrack, who just scowled back. Mush was a morning person, much to the irritation of the other boys, who couldn't usually tolerate his sunny attitude before breakfast. Shrugging, he moved back to the bunkroom to get dressed, used to dealing with the other boys. Suffice to say, they were not morning people.

Fifteen minutes later, the boys were clattering down the stairs to head out to work, to carry the banner and sell the papes, as Kloppmann so kindly reminded them every morning. Mush linked his arm with Blink's, grinning as they made their way to the World Office to pick up the papers.

Blink grinned back, then glanced around before pulling Mush into an alley.

"Hey."

"Hey." Blink smirked and pushed Mush against the wall, urgently kissing him. Mush wrapped his arms around Blink's waist, pulling him closer to deepen the kiss.

"God…" Mush murmured between kisses. "I just… God."

"What?" Blink trailed kisses down Mush's neck, curious as to what Mush meant to say.

Mush arched his back, moaning softly as Blink found a particularly sensitive spot on his neck. "I just… I love you?" he hesitantly whispered.

Blink pulled back to stare up at Mush, to process what he had just said. After a moment, he broke into a grin. "Really?"

"Really."

"I love you too." Blink beamed and moved in to kiss Mush again.

"Blink…."

"What?"

"We're going to be late…."

"So what?"

"So, we won't get breakfast from the nuns and all the papes will be gone."

"God, why do you have to be so fucking practical?"

Mush grinned. "Well, one of us has to be." He pressed one final kiss to Blink's lips before pulling him out of the alley, to run and catch up with the others at the nun's wagon.

Blink looked over at Mush out of the corner of his eye, smiling when he saw Mush was looking at him too. Well, having a selling partner was certainly going to be better than he expected. Much, much better.