Disclaimer and Opening Comments: Here is it, the first chapter! ::dances:: It's longer than I intended, but what can I say, I had fun typing it. Different chapters are written from different people's POV. Um, warnings. Mild swearing, smoking, and slash!! Lots and lots of slash. And yes, I realize that the odds of all these newsies being gay is next to none (more's the pity ::grins::), but it's my fic and I can twist what I want to. Flame me if you feel the need. I'm really one too many happy pills to care. And sadly, I don't own newsies. The movie would have been very different if I did.

Blink-Just Another Morning

"Blink, Blink. Come on, Kid, wake up, ya bum."

I rolled over, resolutely ignoring the voice.

"Listen, if youse don't get up, I'll push ya out."

"Screw you, Race," I mumbled into my pillow. "You wouldn't dare."

Suddenly, a hard shove sent me tumbling out of bed, pillow and all. My elbow smacked the floor with a crack, sending a bolt of pain up my arm. Damn, I knew there'd be a bad side to having the top bunk. Pulling the sheet off my head, I saw him running away, laughing. Ooo, Race was gonna get it now.

I stood up and started to chase the idiot down, but the sheet got tangled in my feet. I tripped before I could manage three steps.

Damn blanket.

"Racetrack!" I yelled, yanking the sheet off my body. "You'd bettah hope Ise don't find ya! Cause when I do, you're dead!"

I sprinted after the shorter boy, dodging newsies left and right. They shouted encouragement as I ran past, egging me on.

"Ehy, you get 'im, Blink!"

"Ooo, the Kid's mad now!"

"Has anyone seen my shirt?"

Well, at least some of it was encouragment.

I caught up to Race fairly quickly. Ahh, the advantages when your prey is four inches shorter that you. A flying tackle brought him to the ground. Flinging him over my shoulder, I dumped him in the nearest bucket of water I could find. Ha ha, Race. And you thought you could escape.

He came up spluttering and shaking his head, spewing water everywhere.

"Ehy, watch it!"

"Ise clean aready, I don't need anudda bath!"

"Serves ya right!" I yelled, walking back to my bunk. I could practically feel the glare he was sending me. I returned to my bunk, grinning. I have to admit, I adore these mock fights with Racetrack. He reminds me of my brother, actually; my real brother. Not that I can remember Billy all that well, but I remember the games we used to play-the pillow fights in our tiny bedroom were some of the best times of my life. Until I ran away, that is. I shook my head, surprised at myself. What am I doing thinking about that? It doesn't matter what happened before I got out of that house. I left my past behind me, and that's where it's gonna stay.

I grabbed my pants, jerking myself back to reality. I had them half way on when someone clapped me on the back.

"G'mornin' Blink."

I looked up into Mush's smiling face. Now here was a perfectly good reason not to live in the past. Why think about what happened back then when you could think about him? My best friend with the gorgeous eyes and the sweet face, the good sense of humor and the adorable expressions. Okay, so I liked him. A lot. And as more than a friend. But I know I'd never have him, even if he was...like me. Abnormal. Strange. Even if he looked at other boys the way I look at other boys. Mush was too good for me, for a scarred street rat with no future. I didn't deserve him.

"Hey, how ya doin' Mush?" I asked, a little too loudly. I didn't want him knowing how pensive I was getting. Then he'd only want to cheer me up, and I'd end up telling him how I felt. So I forced the morning cheer and the big silly smile, and tried not to think about it.

He wrinkled his nose.

"Eh, pretty good. Prayin' we don't get rained on."

I laughed and mussed his hair. Yesterday afternoon we had a huge thunderstorm, and Mush and I came back to the Lodging House soaked to the bone. "Yeah, you and me both."

He walked over to the bathroom, calling out good mornings to anyone he passed. He was so nice it hurt. I watched him go, trying not to be too obvious about it. He had the most distracting habit of walking around shirtless in the morning. Not that I was complaining.

"Blink? Blink! You fall asleep on your feet, Kid?"

I jumped as a hand waved in front of my face, snapping me back to reality.

"Oh, uh, heya Race."

Race gave me an odd look from under his dripping hair. "I've been tawkin' to youse for da past minute. S'mattah wit' you?"

"Mattah? Not'ing's da matter," I covered, finishing pulling up my pants. I shoved him playfully. "Maybe if youse hadn't pushed my outta bed this mornin', I'd pay more attention to ya."

He didn't look convinced, but I walked away before he could ask any questions. The last thing I need is Racetrack in my love life.

And speaking of pesky matchmakers...

"So, Dutchy, how ya doin' today?" I asked cheerfully, throwing my arm around his shoulder.

He jumped about five feet.

"Whoa, Kid, youse scared me dere. You shouldn't sneak up on people like that." he berated me.

I smiled. Let the games begin. "C'mon now, Dutch. I know dere must be someone you wouldn't mind coming up behind ya."

The blond gave me a confused look. "Whaddya mean?"

"Oh, don' play dat game wit' me," I punched him lightly in the arm. "Are youse tryin' ta tell me dat if, oh, I dunno...Specs grabbed ya from behind, you'd get upset?"

Dutchy blushed bright pink. "I-I mean, uh, that is-me and Specs, we just friends-what're you tawking 'bout, Blink?"

I grinned. Honestly, he's so adorable when he's flustered. I can see why Specs likes him. I mean, what's not to like? Dutchy's sweet, sensitive, and has hair to kill for. Now, if Specs actually looked in Dutchy's pretty, blue eyes, he'd know how much Dutchy liked him. And if Dutchy ever payed enough attention, he'd notice Specs staring at him constantly. But both of them were clueless, totally, completely clueless. So, I feel that it's my job to set them up. Hey, if I couldn't be happy with Mush, then at least I could make my friends happy with each other.

"Ehy, Blink, are you torturing Dutchy again?" I heard Bumlets from across the room.

"Oi, Bumlets, how could ya! Dat hoits, ya know? I would never torture Dutchy!" I yelled back, mock offended.

Bumlets ran over, presumably cause he didn't believe me.

"Leave da poor kid alone, would ya? And for god's sake, put on your own pair o' pants."

I looked down. Hey, he was right! These were definately not mine. They dragged on the ground by a few inches.

"Oh, well in dat case, I gotta go. See ya later, fellas."

I released Dutchy (with the promise that I'd come back later), and yelled out to the rest of the newsies,

"Has anyone seen my pants?!"

Skittery's head popped up from behind his bed, and yelled back, "I think I might have 'em! These are too short to be mine!"

I trotted back to him, taking off my current pair of pants. I tossed them at Skittery, who caught them with ease. He threw me the reject pants, and I put them on. Ahhh, much better.

"T'anks, Blink. For a minute dere I thought I'd hit another growth spurt," he said .

"Aww, c'mon dere, Skitts. You know I just wanna get inta your pants," I joked.

He smiled. "Tempting, but I'm taken."

"Damn straight," Snoddy said from behind Skittery, wrapping his arms around Skittery's waist. "But youse can play wit' us if ya really want to."

I laughed outright. Coming from Snoddy, this was a definate improvement. Skittery and Snoddy had helped each other so much. Snoddy helped bring out Skittery's lighter side, convincing him to laugh and smile more. And Skittery eased Snoddy out of his constant, almost painful shyness. They were so cute together, you just had to smile.

"Boys! Are you ready yet?!?!" Kloppman yelled up the stairs.

Shit, we were late. I ran back to my bunk and grabbed my clothes, putting them on as I thumped down the stairs. I ran a hand through my hair, untangling it as best I could without a brush. I always tried to look as clean as I could before I went off selling. I've learned that nobody wants to buy the news from a dirty, ragged kid, and the eyepatch threw some people off already. I sighed. Hopefully, the unwashed hair and face wouldn't be too repulsive today.

The chill in the air hit me as soon as we got outside. The last days of Indian Summer were gone; autumn was here to stay.

***********

Closing Comments: Indian Summer, for those who don't know, is a period of warm weather right before it starts to get really cold for winter. Where I live, it usually happens around the end of October, beginning of November.