A.N. Today's prompt comes from mrspencil (you know I admire you) and Ennui Enigma (better known as Muse): A morning in the life of an Irregular. I am going back to an OMC of mine of a year ago. Probably still twisting the prompts, but I can't help my wayward inspiration. Sorry, my lovelies!
Spencer wakes up, and quickly slips out of the place. So maybe he didn't have permission to sleep there, but it was warm, and if nobody noticed it means that he didn't hurt a soul, right? That's always been his one rule. He'll sneak a bite somewhere later, now he has to get ready.
Before he started working for Mr. Holmes, things looked grim indeed. He's never known his father (but if you ask him, his dad is the bastard out of the two of them). His mum (the best mum in the world, really) had taken care of him – even taught him to read, because she was unfortunate, not stupid – but then she got ill, and he'd been lost. He'd pickpocketed a lot (always people who could afford it), and it was clear that he was bound to continue like that, if not worsen, until he got caught. And then repeat the cycle.
Until Wiggins noticed him, ad offered him a place in Holmes' Irregulars (he's never inquired why there was a position open). It had tided him over, more than once. Then a day he went to report. Not a success, sadly, but Holmes wanted to their progress nonetheless, and he was closer than their unofficial captain. He must have looked really miserable that day, and in need of money, because the Doctor asked him to do a quick errand, even if he wouldn't usually require such menial tasks. No matter that the weather was horrible and Watson had to be hurting. So he brought a manuscript to the Strand (there was a deadline coming, apparently) and found himself near heaven as he could be. He noticed an error in a copy lying around and got roped into helping, and now had a job – well, an apprenticeship. Which meant that he should not need to sneak into places to stay warm, but he was saving for mum's medicines, and her Christmas gift. And a gift for the Doctor, if he could spare enough.
He's still one of the Irregulars, though. Later, when Tom's sister comes to tell him Holmes needs them all, he excuses himself, calls his substitute (yeah, he got a stand-in) and runs. Good think the Strand's workers are all eager for spoilers. That wouldn't be possible otherwise.