TITLE: His Eyes
AUTHOR: Tumbler Marshall
RATING: PG-13
FEEDBACK: tumblersnewsies@yahoo.com Flames will keep me warm in the winter.
DISCLAIMER: If they were mine, do you really think I wouldn't be making money off them?
SUMMARY: One of the newsie girls contemplates her fiancé, then takes action.
NOTES: When I first started thinking of this story, the guy in my mind was Blink, but it could really be any of them. It's very angsty.
ARCHIVING: FF.Net

His Eyes

Their relationship was far from perfect. More often than not, his eye would fall on a girl prettier than she was. And she would go back to the lodging house to wait while he had his fun, and when he returned, she would pretend to know nothing about his affairs. It was just easier that way. And though to the rest of the world she seemed obliviously happy, she really wasn't. Her only hope was that, after their wedding - because somewhere within him he cared enough for her to propose - he would be different. But she knew deep within that a metal ring wouldn't change anything.

His face showed every emotion that he wanted it to. But his eyes, forever they remained blank, emotionless.

And it hurt so much when he turned that blank gaze on her. But she didn't show it. Showing weakness on the streets of New York was just asking for trouble.

Besides, she was tough. She was one of three girl newsies in Manhattan. The only one that lived in the Duane Street Lodging House.

And once again she was sitting in the lodging house.

But this would be the last time she would turn a blind eye to the situation.

Now she was just waiting for him to get back.

It wasn't much later that he entered the lodging house. He walked right past her, without so much as a glance in her direction.

"I know I am many things, but invisible isn't one of them," she said to his back.

"What're ya tawking 'bout?" he asked, turning around.

"You asked me to marry you. The least you could do is say hello when you see me."

"Why're ya babblin' 'bout stupid stuff?"

"It's not 'stupid stuff', it's being respectful."

"Give me a reason to respect you and I will."

"Ya know what? Even since I met you, you've always told me that I wasn't smart enough, that I wasn't pretty enough, that I was lucky that anyone would care for me! I'm not gonna take that anymore. Not from you, not from anyone! I'm sick of you thinking you're better than me just because you're a man. You aren't better than me. You're below me."

"Now see here-" he took a step forward.

"Don't you dare raise a hand to me! You said I was lucky to have you but you were wrong. You were lucky to have me. Why did you even ask me to marry you?"

He opened his mouth to answer but she cut in.

"No, I don't want to know. It was probably some stupid answer that I'm better off not knowing. Did you honestly think I didn't know what was going on? I'm leaving you and this city. I'm going somewhere where I can be happy and appreciated. You are pathetic. I pity the woman that actually married you."

She grabbed the bundle she had packed earlier and and stared at him.

And his eyes, his damn eyes. They stared back at her, completely blank of emotion.

She turned swiftly on her heal and left the lodging house behind.

His face showed every emotion that he wanted it to. But his eyes, forever they remained blank, emotionless. And so too did he remain blank.