Author's Note: Hello there! Now, I know that I have prompts that I should be working on (but, believe me, I'm working on them!), but this is just a plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone. That is, if you can call it a plot. It's a bit pointless, but it's an idea that wouldn't stop pestering me, so hear you go.
Also, there's an appearance from a couple of movie Newsies, because Kid Blink and Dutchy don't want to stay in their own universe.
That's all I've got for now! I hope you enjoy this little...thing! If you do, reviews are more than welcome. Thanks for reading!
It was a well-known fact that Specs was practically blind without his glasses. The constant presence of his Specs is what earned him the nickname, after all. So, Romeo was less than prepared to see a specs-less Specs at school on Monday.
"Hey, Romeo!"
Romeo turned around to face Specs, and blinked in surprise. An awkward silence floated in the air between them briefly before Romeo chuckled, "Hey, Specs, I didn't recognize you there for a sec. You forget your glasses?"
Specs shook his head, grinning. "Nope. I got contacts."
"You what?" Romeo asked, startled.
"I got contacts," Specs repeated, confused by his friend's reaction. "Do I look alright?"
"Uh, yeah, yeah, you look fine," Romeo assured him, shaking his head. "I just, uh, wasn't expecting it, that's all."
"Are you sure?" Specs asked, suddenly self-concious.
"Yeah, you look great!" Romeo replied, putting on a grin of his own. "Trust me, Specs, it's nice."
Specs' smile returned. "Thanks." Then, he made a face and blinked. Putting a hand to his eye, he sighed, "Ugh, I'm still gettin' used to 'em." He blinked a few more times before lowering his hand. "That's better. They slip up sometimes."
Romeo was watching Specs carefully throughout all of this, still slightly confused. "Alright."
Just then, the bell rang. "Oh, I should probably head to class," Specs said, casually.
Romeo, still looking at Specs with vague confusion, nodded slowly. "Okay, then, see ya later...Specs?" He phrased the last word as a question and walked off, bemused.
"Who's this?"
Spot gave Specs a stone-cold stare as he sat down across from him at lunch, much to Specs' confusion. Of course, Spot wore this look a lot, so it shouldn't be unusual, but the glare seemed to be directed at him.
"That's Specs, ya nitwit!" Race replied, shoving Spot.
"Then, where's his specs?" Spot challenged, barely looking away from Specs to glance at Race.
"I got contacts," Specs sighed, very tired of explaining this. "Ain't you ever heard of 'em?"
"Yeah, I'se heard of 'em," Spot said, either not noticing the sarcasm in Specs' question or not caring. (Most likely the latter.) "But, you don't just know a fella for havin' glasses your whole life and have him show up without 'em one day outta nowhere." He explained, giving Specs a suspicious look.
"They're just contacts," Specs rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, I don't trust them," Spot replied.
"You don't trust my contacts?" Specs questioned flatly.
"Nope," Spot answered frankly, shoving food into his mouth. Through a full mouth, he added, "It's weird."
"I gotta agree with Spot on this one," Race shrugged. "It doesn't look right."
"I think it looks fine," Mush chimed in cheerily.
"Thank you, Mush," Specs responded, shaking his head slightly.
"Woah, what the heck?" Jack slid into his seat, raising an eyebrow at Specs.
"He got contacts," Everyone at the table sighed in unison before Jack could say anything else.
"Why?" Jack asked.
Specs groaned."I was just sick of my glasses, okay? I don't see what the big deal is!"
"The big deal?" Jack echoed, bewildered. "You're Specs...but ain't wearin' specs! You see how wrong this is?"
"That's what I was sayin'!" Spot exclaimed.
"No, I don't!" Specs frowned, ignoring Spot. "Look, it's a simple change."
"No, it ain't," Jack countered. "What are we supposed to call you?"
Now, it was Specs' turn to raise an eyebrow. "What do ya mean?"
"Well, it'd be like callin' Crutchie 'Crutchie' if he didn't have a crutch," Jack explained, gesturing dramatically as he spoke. "Or callin' Kid Blink 'Kid Blink' if he didn't have an eye patch. It don't make sense."
"Are ya sayin' you can't call me Specs anymore?" Specs almost laughed.
"I mean, it'd make more sense to call Dutchy 'Specs' at this point," Jack continued with a shrug of his shoulders.
"You ain't gonna call me 'Specs' now, are ya?" Dutchy questioned, sounding almost alarmed.
"Pfft, no," Jack replied, waving his hand at Dutchy. Then, he turned back to Specs expectantly.
Specs chuckled slightly. "Well, what are ya gonna call me, then? 'Contacts?'"
"Nah, it don't have the same ring to it," It was Crutchie who spoke this time, missing the sarcasm with a shake of his head.
All the Newsies seemed to take a moment to examine Specs, thinking up possible nicknames for him. Specs glanced around at them awkwardly as they looked him up and down, trying to decide what to call him.
Finally, Specs broke the silence by scoffing, "Guys, this is ridiculous. Just call me Specs, for goodness' sake."
"But, you. Ain't. Got. Specs." Kid Blink stated firmly. "Jack's right, it don't make sense."
"Guys, one of our friends is called Buttons," Specs sighed. "Since when did sense matter to us?"
"Excuse me," Buttons spoke up. "My name makes perfect sense. I have quite the talent for sewin' on buttons."
Specs gave Buttons a look before saying, "Alright. What about Spot? Why do we call him Spot, huh?"
"'Cause I wanna be called Spot," Spot practically growled. "You got a problem with that?"
"Well, what if I wanna be called 'Specs?'" Specs countered. "You got a problem with that?"
There was a momentary silence before Race quietly answered, "Yes."
Specs groaned and put his head in his hands. "Why?!"
"It don't make sense!" The boys responded in unison.
"We'se gone over this!" Kid Blink sighed.
Specs rolled his eyes. "Whatever. As soon as you guys come with a new name for me that ain't stupid, you let me know."
"I got it!" Race exclaimed suddenly. "Stripes! 'Cause, you know, you're wearin' stripes."
"He said one that ain't stupid," Spot replied, shoving Race like he'd done to him earlier.
"You love it, and you know it," Race grinned at Spot.
Spot rolled his eyes. "Whatever helps ya sleep at night, Race."
Specs chuckled. "Well, let me know!" He smirked as the bell rang and they went their separate ways.
A week later, Specs returned to school, with a certain accessory returning with him.
"Specs!" Romeo exclaimed. "Your specs are back!"
"What made you bring the glasses back, huh?" Mush asked. "It wasn't 'cause of the name thing, right?"
Specs shook his head. "Nah, too many people weren't recognizing me." He explained. "Smalls legitimately thought I was a new student for two days. Plus, they kept slipping around in my eye and they felt weird." With a satisfied smile, he finished, "I suppose specs are more my style."
"Oh, well, look who decided to make a come-back," Spot smirked. "Nice to see ya again, Specs."
Specs smiled. "Huh, I never thought I'd hear Spot Conlon say that's it nice to see anyone."
"And, ya never will again," Spot said, crossing his arms. "I hope you savored the moment."
Romeo chuckled. "Well, if he won't say it again, I will. It's nice to have 'em back. You know why?" Before he could answer, Romeo leaped up, snatched the glasses off of Specs' face and exclaimed, "'Cause I can do this!"
With that, the younger boy dashed down the ball, wearing his friend's glasses, as Specs blindly chased him, shouting, "Give 'em back!"
Mush shook his head as watched them and said, "Balance has been returned."