Jacob Castellane took off his shirt slowly, the wound on his shoulder still
hurt when he moved it too much. He looked at it in the mirror. The bite
mark was grotesque. It was purple and yellow, and was scabbed up with
blood. He hadn't let anyone see it to fix it because he didn't want to
admit what had happened. He figured he'd heal just fine. He was just
hoping it would go away soon, just in case that little brunette he saw at
the racetrack showed up at his party.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Mush swung at the air as he walked the streets. His heart was pumping so hard; it felt like it might throw itself right out of his chest. There were so many things he wished he had done to that bastard Castellane. So many moves he knew that would bring him to his knees.
That's not where his regrets ended though; he wished he'd come to see Sadie sooner. Now she was gone. Where could she be? Did she go back home to England? Maybe if he had just come to see her sooner, this wouldn't have happened. Maybe….
"Mushy-boy, I gots sumptin fer ya," Spot's voice broke his train of thought.
"Wha..?" The sun was almost down and long shadows stretched across the street. Mush tried to focus in on his old friend who seemed to materialize out of shadows. Suddenly, something, or someone, was thrown into him. Mush caught her, but stumbled back a few steps. Her curly red hair spilled onto his face and shoulders, he recognized the smell of her perfume. He grabbed her by the shoulders and held her at arm's length, so he could see her face. "Sadie?" She looked so scared. Her hair was tousled, her eyes were the size of saucers, and he could feel her shaking frantically. She didn't answer, she just threw her arms around his neck, and held on.
"Awww… Looky dis. Idn't dis jus a cute reunion?" Spot cocked his head to one side and smirked. "Found dis wench followin' me, said she knew you'se. Least she wasn't lyin' 'bout dat, er I'd have ta…"
Mush ignored Spot. Lately he'd only caused him more trouble; trying to set up matches, threatening to ruin Mush's career. Mush silently wished Spot would disappear right back into that shadow from which he came. He certainly didn't want to owe him anything, but now it looked like he did. Mush smoothed Sadie's hair. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"
"Who?" she asked. Her voice sounded so different, like it was just off key somehow. She no longer had that carefree and slightly arrogant attitude that she'd had when they first met. Someone had broken her. But when she answered 'who?' another thought altogether entered his mind. He turned to look at Spot, his eyes burning.
Spot caught the heated end of Mush's death-glare. One of the few times he'd ever been caught off guard, he took a step back. "Why ya lookin' at me like 'at? I ain't touched 'er! She said 'er boss done kicked 'er out on 'er ass, so's I 'elped da goirl find ya."
"Thanks fer dat. But could ya let us be now?"
"Suire."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Spot was irritated now. He hadn't gotten to rig tomorrow's fight with Mush. And normally he wouldn't have backed down and left, but all the newsies knew better than to push Mush too far. He was usually a push over, but once, and most thought it was just legend, but Spot was there that time, once he had seen that fire in Mush's eyes before. Once Mush had single-handedly almost ruined relations between Manhattan and Brooklyn newsies for good. A few years before Mush had gotten into a fight with a bunch of Brooklyn's newsies over something, they ultimately accused him or one of his friends of stealing, from what Spot could recall. But no one thought Mush had that in him, so when he sent three of Spot's boys to the hospital, broke a bunk bed with someone's head, and sent another through a plate glass window, it took Racetrack, Kid Blink, Jack, Pie Eater, and David to hold him down. Spot had to temporarily forbid Mush on his territory, and those damn peace keeping meetings between Jack and himself were absolutely draining.
In short, Spot was not going to mess with Mush tonight. He'd have to lay low until tomorrow morning, then try again. He also couldn't lose these bets for his partners. He still had a ways to go in the Mannigan family until they trusted him. Women cause so much trouble.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She had wanted this so badly, and now she was here, in his arms. They must've looked like idiots, standing in the street, just hugging one another. She was sure this sort of public display was also against social norms, but she was in too deep by now to be worried by such things. She just wanted to feel his warmth, the safety of his arms.
"You'se got somewheres ta stay tanight?" he asked her worriedly.
"I was hopin' to spend it in your arms, if that's alright," she whispered.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Mush swung at the air as he walked the streets. His heart was pumping so hard; it felt like it might throw itself right out of his chest. There were so many things he wished he had done to that bastard Castellane. So many moves he knew that would bring him to his knees.
That's not where his regrets ended though; he wished he'd come to see Sadie sooner. Now she was gone. Where could she be? Did she go back home to England? Maybe if he had just come to see her sooner, this wouldn't have happened. Maybe….
"Mushy-boy, I gots sumptin fer ya," Spot's voice broke his train of thought.
"Wha..?" The sun was almost down and long shadows stretched across the street. Mush tried to focus in on his old friend who seemed to materialize out of shadows. Suddenly, something, or someone, was thrown into him. Mush caught her, but stumbled back a few steps. Her curly red hair spilled onto his face and shoulders, he recognized the smell of her perfume. He grabbed her by the shoulders and held her at arm's length, so he could see her face. "Sadie?" She looked so scared. Her hair was tousled, her eyes were the size of saucers, and he could feel her shaking frantically. She didn't answer, she just threw her arms around his neck, and held on.
"Awww… Looky dis. Idn't dis jus a cute reunion?" Spot cocked his head to one side and smirked. "Found dis wench followin' me, said she knew you'se. Least she wasn't lyin' 'bout dat, er I'd have ta…"
Mush ignored Spot. Lately he'd only caused him more trouble; trying to set up matches, threatening to ruin Mush's career. Mush silently wished Spot would disappear right back into that shadow from which he came. He certainly didn't want to owe him anything, but now it looked like he did. Mush smoothed Sadie's hair. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"
"Who?" she asked. Her voice sounded so different, like it was just off key somehow. She no longer had that carefree and slightly arrogant attitude that she'd had when they first met. Someone had broken her. But when she answered 'who?' another thought altogether entered his mind. He turned to look at Spot, his eyes burning.
Spot caught the heated end of Mush's death-glare. One of the few times he'd ever been caught off guard, he took a step back. "Why ya lookin' at me like 'at? I ain't touched 'er! She said 'er boss done kicked 'er out on 'er ass, so's I 'elped da goirl find ya."
"Thanks fer dat. But could ya let us be now?"
"Suire."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Spot was irritated now. He hadn't gotten to rig tomorrow's fight with Mush. And normally he wouldn't have backed down and left, but all the newsies knew better than to push Mush too far. He was usually a push over, but once, and most thought it was just legend, but Spot was there that time, once he had seen that fire in Mush's eyes before. Once Mush had single-handedly almost ruined relations between Manhattan and Brooklyn newsies for good. A few years before Mush had gotten into a fight with a bunch of Brooklyn's newsies over something, they ultimately accused him or one of his friends of stealing, from what Spot could recall. But no one thought Mush had that in him, so when he sent three of Spot's boys to the hospital, broke a bunk bed with someone's head, and sent another through a plate glass window, it took Racetrack, Kid Blink, Jack, Pie Eater, and David to hold him down. Spot had to temporarily forbid Mush on his territory, and those damn peace keeping meetings between Jack and himself were absolutely draining.
In short, Spot was not going to mess with Mush tonight. He'd have to lay low until tomorrow morning, then try again. He also couldn't lose these bets for his partners. He still had a ways to go in the Mannigan family until they trusted him. Women cause so much trouble.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She had wanted this so badly, and now she was here, in his arms. They must've looked like idiots, standing in the street, just hugging one another. She was sure this sort of public display was also against social norms, but she was in too deep by now to be worried by such things. She just wanted to feel his warmth, the safety of his arms.
"You'se got somewheres ta stay tanight?" he asked her worriedly.
"I was hopin' to spend it in your arms, if that's alright," she whispered.