Wiskeynog and Mistletoe

Christmas had settled in the city and the blanket of excitement even stretched to the Manhattan Newsboys Lodging house. They didn't have much money, but that didn't stop them from knowing how to celebrate the holidays.

The older boys and few girls staying there had managed to get presents for the younger kids. None of them wanting the children to have to forgo the small pleasures of being young, innocent and full of hope.

They'd acquired small gifts for them, not afraid to stoop to get them, meaning they were determined to get them and begged, borrowed or stolen they'd managed it. They decorated a small tree that Snitch and Skittery had lifted from the back of a wagon that had been loaded down with trees of all shapes and sizes, deciding the one small tree would not be missed by its rightful owners.

After convincing Boots and Snipeshooter that Santa Clause could still find them even though they no longer lived with their blood families, and Tumbler that the fire in the fireplace wouldnot burn Santa, the rest of the young ones followed them up to bed and left the colorfully decorated lobby to the use of the teens.

Jack burst through the front door, a flurry of thick snowflakes swirling around him as he entered, dragging a soggy Sage behind him. Both of them with their arms full of bags and packages

Jack looked up at the assembled group before him and grinned. "Well, aincha gonna help us?"

Skittery turned and moved quickly forward, "Sorry, didn't realize you'd managed to buy out every store in 'hattan, Cowboy. What the hell is all that?"

Jack shrugged, "Presents."

Sparks scooted forward and took an armful of gifts from Sage, glancing at tags as she went. "No kidding, Jack, I thought you brought home a buncha empty boxes." She grinned and headed over to the tree to set down her load, ignoring the sarcastic look Jack sent back at her.

"Presents?" Blink echoed from the stairway, walking down slowly and observing the frantic chaos as the older newsies all began to pile down the stairs after him. "I thought we had all the presents wrapped and undah the tree already,"

Glimmer giggled and surged past him, the sight of wrapped packages making her giddy. "What'd ya get everyone Cowboy?" She too took packages out of Sage's arms to help, shaking here and there or sniffing at boxed curiously.

Sage moved out of the doorway just in time to avoid being run over by Raven and Spot, their arms too, full of various boxes and bags.

Sparks carefully arranged her load of gifts, then started snatching things from Glimmer and Jack and setting them about so that there was a wonderful pile of packages under the small tree. "No harm in a few more presents, Blink." She smiled up at Blink, then waved cheerfully at the two Brooklyn newsies.

"A few more is one thing..." Blink muttered, watching as the mountain of boxes was carefully stacked.

Spot's cheeks and nose were bright red and he unceremoniously dumped the packages down in front of the tree. "It's cold out there."

"Now that may just be the undah statement of the century." Raven blew on her nearly frozen hands once they were emptied of packages.

"Shut it, you." Spot answered with a smirk at her.

Jack guided Sage, Raven, and Spot towards the fireplace, taking the last of the gifts from Sage and setting them down before joining them to warm up. "I'm gonna go with Raven on that one, Spot."

"You would." Spot shrugged.

Skittery chuckled as he carried one of the boxes toward the tree. It was nice to see everyone in such a good mood.

"Oh, I think that's food Skitts," Sage's teeth chattered, "we have ham and rolls."

"And stuff for eggnog," Racetrack chimed in from the doorway, sporting two very large bottles of amber liquid and a cocky grin.

Sparks rolled her eyes. "Eggnog or booze, Higgins?"

"What's the difference?" Spot asked with a grin.

"We got enough for a bit of both." Jack marched over, ushered the newsie in and shut the door. "It's too cold for this door to be open all night."

Glimmer disappeared and returned a minute later with a large, chipped mixing bowl. "Let's make the eggnog ... somebody go get cups and a spoon to serve it up with."

Spot was busy unpacking the food and setting it out on the front desk. "What'd you guys do, knock over a bank?"

"Nah, just called in a few favors." Jack beamed, proud of himself.

"I got it." Skittery offered ,as he took the bowl and planted a quick kiss on Glimmer's lips. When her cheeks reddened, and she looked shocked, he nodded and looked up at the small bunch of mistletoe that had been nailed there just moments before by Mush, hoping to catch Eve beneath it.

Spot eyed the mistletoe and looked at Raven grinning, his thought process ringing clear and loud.

"You don't need mistletoe, Spot," Raven winked at him.

"Well then, get ovah here and kiss me, woman." Spot grinned at Raven triumphantly.

Sparks edged further away from the mistletoe with a look of suspicion on her features, at Jack's curious prodding, she stammered about forgetting something upstairs and dashed up to the girls' bunkroom before anybody could pull her closer to the threat of the mistletoe.

Race waited for Skitts to set the bowl down and dumped a healthy glug of whiskey into it.

Glimmer smiled a little and then ducked back to find glasses for them all, returning shortly with a handful of mismatched, cracked tea cups and tumblers and one pocket of her apron clinking with shot glasses. "Well, I cleared out the cupboards." She started setting out the cups and eyed the amount of alcohol in the bowl.

"Half the bottle, Race? Damn." Snitch chuckled and pulled Lute under the hanging leaves kissing her soundly. Lute giggled and wrapped her arms around the lanky newsie's waist and watched the going ons from the bench she and Snitch plopped down on.

Jack slipped an arm around Sage's waist and smiled at her, glancing at the mistletoe, then raising an eyebrow in question. Sage smiled and nodded to Jack. She was finally starting to get feeling back in her fingers and toes but her lips needed a bit of warming.

Spot managed to catch Raven and pulled her under the mistletoe to kiss her sweetly, then dragged her over to a chair and sat down with her on his lap, proceeding to snog her thoroughly.

Jack took the opening and pulled Sage close under the mistletoe, kissing her softly and smiling at her before proceeding to deepen the kiss.

Sparks sat down at the top of the stairs and made a face as the couples began to take turns under the mistletoe. "Why don't you just put it all in Race?"

Race peered into the bowl and nodded. "You're right, in it goes!" He upended the bottle and dumped the rest in.

Glimmer laughed as Sparks groaned, shaking her head. "I think she was kidding, but why not? We all can hold our whiskey after all!"

Swifty flopped down by the fire and stretched, "Come on guys, hurry up with that eggnog!"

Skittery poured in the jug of cream they had and the spices in the small packet in the bottom of the box. "This is gonna be the strangest eggnog ever. Thought we was s'posed to use brandy not whiskey for it? And do we even have eggs?"

Spot broke away from kissing Raven long enough to look at them. "You guys don't even know how to make eggnog?" He looked like he wanted to laugh. Raven pulled him into another kiss to shut him up.

Jack chuckled and kissed Sage again. 'Maybe we should go sit down?"

Sage giggled and blushed a little. "There's eggs in the basket, oh shit... where's the basket?"

Race laughed. "I got my part right, that's all I'm worried 'bout."

Jack looked around then nodded to the door. "Sparks put it down outta the way; Skitts, grab that for me huh?"

Blink, not really interested in the drink making, climbed the stairs and sat on a step a few below where Sparks sat. "You okay?"

"Yeah fine." Sparks shrugged and fiddled with a little box she'd retrieved from upstairs. It was small, about as thick as her finger and a few inches wide and twice as long. She turned the package over and over in her hands, as though the newsprint it was wrapped in held some deep mystery that she was trying to unravel. The tattered blue ribbon tied around the box in a scraggly bow rasped in protest as it scraped over her fingers again and again.

Skittery scooped up the small basket that held the eggs and handed it to Jack. "Please tell me you know how to make this?"

Jack blinked in surprise and looked to Sage hopefully. "I've never cooked in my life."

Sage smiled and nodded. "Just break the eggs into the... never mind, I'll do it." She kissed Jack once again and moved to the table where the bowl of very heavily spiked milk sat.

Blink watched Sparks' hands deftly spinning the box, the motion had a hypnotic effect on him.

Sparks sighed after a minute and thrust the package at Blink. "It ain't very special or nothing..." With a shrug, she looked away, trying to ignore the heat on her cheeks.

Jack leaned on the counter and watched curiously as Sage mixed the eggs into the cream. "We drink it raw?" He made a face. "Won't we get sick like that?"

Blink looked down at the box in his hands as if it would bite him if he held it to tightly or turned it to have a closer look.

Sparks watched out of the corner of her eyes, trying to pretend like she wasn't.

"No, silly. The eggs are fresh. And it tastes really good if it's mixed right." Sage returned with a knowing nod.

"Don't be such a girl, Jack." Glimmer rolled her eyes.

"I am not a girl!" Jack answered hotly, glaring at Glimmer.

Skittery, and the majority of the newsies in the room at that point, snickered at Glimmer's comment.

Spot grinned over at them. "That's right, Jacky-boy ... now bitch slap her and let's have us a cat fight." He ducked as Raven smacked him in the head and the laughter doubled.

"No, not a girl." Sage's eyebrow shot up. "Definitely not a girl..." She winked at him and kissed his cheek reassuringly even as another tittering round of laughter circled the room.

Jack relaxed a little then and poked at the bowl. "It ready yet?"

After a minute or two of Blink just eying the box, Sparks made an annoyed sound. "Well, if you don't want it fine ... suit yourself and give it to somebody else then." She stood up to march away, a little hurt that he wouldn't even accept the gift.

Blink scrambled to his feet. "Aw, c'mon Spahks... don't be like that. I want it... I do. I'm sure it's the best gift evah..."

"Uh huh," Sparks turned her back to him, crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the wall, "which is why ya won't open it or nothing."

Glimmer picked up a tea cup and dipped it into the bowl then held it out at Race. "You put the booze in, you taste it first."

Race accepted the cup and shot a look to Sage. "This better be good and not mess up the taste of the rum... that was hard to get."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Drink up Higgins. Besides, we got another bottle."

Glimmer picked up the bottle and snickered. "Besides, Race, it's not even rum ... it's whiskey."

Bumlets laughed from his place beside Swifty. "She's gotcah there, Race."

"Hey, like you got room to talk, what're you two hiding?" Spot demanded.

Swifty grinned and produced a bottle from between them. "Turpentine I think."

Race grumbled and downed the cup of overly spiked eggnog. "That ain't too bad," he said and moved to dip the cup again.

Skittery blocked his arm. "That's gross Race... leave a cup in there so it's clean."

"Now who's being a girl?" Race shot back, bringing down another round of laughter.

Glimmer rolled her eyes and started serving out cups of eggnog. "C'mon guys ... the eggnog's ready and we got food ... for now."

Jack grinned and snatched up a few rolls and some meat, then motioned for Sage to get some of the eggnog and follow him to the couch. Sage filled two cups and made her way to Jack's side.

Jack smiled and pulled a small bag out of his pocket and produced a small wedge of cheese. "Eat up."

Blink stammered for a moment, shifting from one foot to the other. "It's just... well... you wrapped it up all nice and... i didn't get you nothing that deserves wrappin' even..." His cheeks flushed hotly and he felt lower than the gum on a Delancey's shoe for not being able to get a better gift for his girl.

Sparks' glare softened and she looked sheepishly at him, "Just um ... don't get mad at me for that, okay?" She motioned to the box still in his hand as she spoke.

Skittery picked up the last tumbler. "Last one, we can share if ya want?"

Glimmer smiled and filled it the tumbler most of the way up with eggnog, then winked and splashed a dollop more whiskey into the cup. "Sounds good to me."

Spot removed Raven from his lap long enough to get them a decent handful of food and a cup of eggnog, then took his place in the chair again.

Blink shook his head. "Why would I be mad at you? I'm the one that can't take care of you or get you a good present for Christmas."

"Say that after you've opened it." Sparks shrugged and sat back down on the steps, watching the activity below. "Jeez, they're all gonna be passed out in an hour at this rate."

Blink opened the box and pulled out a slightly tarnished pocket watch. "Wow...."

Sparks chewed on the inside of her cheek and smiled impishly. "You like?"

"'Course I do." Blink had long since left any notions of being above stealing to survive behind him and this really didn't add up to much more than that. It was definitely the thought that counted, and in his book this counted. A lot.

Sparks smiled a little more, and patted the step beside her. "Ya know how Lute gets about lifting stuff," she shrugged, "I was gonna buy you something, but the case's got a dog carved in it and ... I dunno, it just seemed better to give you the watch."

Blink sat beside her and cupped her cheek, just looking into the depths of her mismatched eyes and shook his head. "Don't talk so much," he whispered as he leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. "I love it."

Sparks blushed slightly and smiled, kissing him again shyly. "I'm glad."

Blink pulled back and reached into his jacket pocket. When he removed his hand, he held a key tied to a length of ribbon.

"What's that?" Sparks watched curiously.

"Your present." Blink answered softly. "Ain't nothin' grand or expensive, but...it's the best thing I could think of to give you." He looped the ribbon over her head and settled the key on her chest dangling from her neck.

"It's pretty...but I'm not sure I understand." Sparks picked up the key and inspected it closer. It was solid brass, the kind of key she imagined they used for the doors of the large estates in the country or maybe in one of the mansions on the East Side. It was scratched and worn, even though he'd obvioulsy taken a long time polishing it so it would shine for her.

"I know this sounds lame...but," Blink bit his lip for a long momemnt. "It's the key to my heart."

Sparks blinked. First at him, then at the key. "It's wonderful!" She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, paying no attention to the tears sliding down her cheeks.

Skittery sat on the edge of the battered bench that lined one wall and pulled Glimmer down beside him. "That stuff any good?"

Lute giggled and shook her head before letting Snitch pull her into another kiss.

Glimmer, ignoring Lute and Snitch, took a sip and shrugged shrugged, "Nope... but it's Christmas and we tried, that's what counts." She laughed at herself.

"True 'nuff," Skittery smiled and took the cup from her. The strong spirits making the eggnog nearly sour and he made a face. "Gawd that is... really... bad...' He couldn't help but laugh.

Glimmer giggled at the face he made and nodded in agreement. "It really is."

The door behind Blink and Sparks creaked open and Slider poked his nose out. "Ewwwwwwwww!"

Sparks yelped and jumped up, scrambling several stairs down before catching her balance. "Jehoshaphat! Slider get back in bed!" She frowned at the boy, her cheeks burning.

"But if you're up, Santa won't come." Slider sulked.

"Well ... he won't get here until late." Sparks stammered. "Bed, now."

With a reluctant sigh, the boy shut the door behind him and Sparks groaned, flopping down at Blink's feet and resting her arm on his knees. "If, ya know, Santa existed."

Blink leaned down and kissed her nose. "Who says he don't?"

Sparks gave him a funny look. "Um, besides that I lived in enough alleys for Christmas to know better ... the Church. For all the good a nun's ever done me." She rolled her eyes, remembering all the times she'd been told she was going to hell as a child.

Spot was having no qualms with the heavily spiked eggnog and rather suddenly starting humming an off key version of 'Oh Come, All Ye Faithful' about halfway through the dinner, sending a very drunk Swifty and Bumlets into giggles by the fire. He ignored them and continued to hum insistently.

Sage sat close to Jack nibbling at the food and enjoying the warmth and craziness she'd come to love in the Lodging House. Jack wrapped an arm around Sage and set his cup of eggnog aside, subtly pushing it under the couch with his boot so he wouldn't have to drink the rank stuff just yet.

Blink frowned. "I wish i could make you believe again," he said softly.

"I'm too old for kid stories." Sparks shrugged and scooted up to sit next to him.

"Besides, he ain't real nohow."

Blink sighed heavily and slumped against the steps, leaning his shoulder against the wall. Sparks scooted closer and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him gently.

"Don't be so down, it's Christmas Eve... and besides, we'll be the only ones without a God-awful hangover in the morning." Sparks offered brightly, prompting a smile from Blink.

"You're right," he nodded, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "but we do gotta sit through Conlon singing."

"Eh," Sparks shrugged, "we'll survive."

Half an hour passed and the clock on the wall was just a few minutes short of midnight when the front door burst open and two boys dashed in, laughing. The Lodging House by this point had settled into a cozy hum of conversations that rarely consisted of more than two people. Spot and Ray were already passed out in their chair, but everyone else looked up and grinned as Twitchy shut the door again while David apologized profusely.

"Merry Christmas, Davey!" Swifty sang out happily before lapsing into giggles in Bumlet's lap.

David blushed a little and nodded. "Hi guys."

"Davey won't sing carols!" Twitchy announced with a pout. David blushed further.

"Why not?" Mush frowned, his arm looped tightly about Eve's shoulders.

"I'm Jewish," David shrugged, "I don't celebrate Christmas."

"Happy Kwanza." Mush muttered and rolled his eyes.

"Hanuka." David corrected politely.

"Whatever, Davey, say it." Twitch dragged him over to the desk and took a healthy swig out of the whiskey bottle.

"But I'm not-" David caught the bottle as it was thrust at him and took a modest sip, coughing and choking as the alcohol burned down his throat.

"Say it or I'll make you drink that entire bottle." Twitchy declared firmly.

Sage began to giggle, pointing at the two boys and within moments anyone conscious enough to follow her gaze was in the throes of laughter.

"Wha-at?" Twitchy demanded hotly after a few moments.

"Look up, guys." Sparks intoned from the stairway. Blink was snickering madly into her shoulder.

David looked up, blinked, and set the bottle down firmly. "Damn it."

The room erupted into hysterics as Twitchy's gaze was drawn to the green leaves above their heads. Without further ado, he leaned in and kissed David modestly. There were cheers and catcalls and most of the girls were, thankfully, too drunk to have any way of remembering what they'd said.

David blushed, grabbed Twitchy's neck and deepened the kiss. After a few moments, the room grew quiet save for a snicker here or there. When the two boys finally broke apart, they grinned at each other sheepishly, each took another swig of the whiskey and found a chair.

Conversation lingered and died away after a few more hours as the alcohol finally blanketed all the inhabitants of the lobby and front room in sleep. Sparks and Blink, still sitting on the stairs, hadn't partaken in the party's treats and were instead sleeping in one another's arms, snuggled together for warmth as the dying fire's heat failed to reach them.

The clock had just struck three when Sparks was awoken to the soft clanking of dishes. Roused from her peaceful sleep, she didn't move for a long time, reluctant to give up the pleasant dreams she'd been having. Again the soft clattering of dishes drew her attention to the lobby and she turned her head, cushioned on Blink's chest, and watched the figure below carefully stepping over legs and collecting dishes. Back and forth the shadow went, cleaning up the mess that had been made and then adding more presents to the already sizable stack. She smiled and shifted, seeing in the dim light of the fire a face that was more familiar than her own.

The fire was fed and urged back to life, and blankets were carefully placed over the sleeping couples. Old and worn as they were, the blankets would provide even more warmth. Sparks considered moving or speaking, but didn't want to wake Blink. A blanket landed at her feet without prelude or sound and she deftly kicked it up so she could catch it in mid-air. With one hand, she shook the blanket open and wrapped it about herself and Blink, watching the figure move back and forth a few more times. Then the warmth and quiet pulled her back into her cocoon of dreams.

The next morning, the older newsies were roused by excited shouts and the clatter of feet pounding down the stairs. Sparks and Blink, awoken with no warning, merely waited for the younger kids to pass before slowly getting up and following them down.

Racetrack, despite the obvious hangover, managed to get the noisy mass settled down and began to distribute presents. The older newsies all looked between each other in confusion as Race started handing out presents wrapped in shiny gift paper that none of them would have been able to afford.

"Why don't you guys have gifts?" Boots asked Jack who shrugged.

"We do." Race muttered in surprise, starting to hand out boxes to most of the older newsies. He turned with two boxes in hand towards Sparks and Blink but they both shook their head slightly and he recovered magnificently, handing the packages to Raven and Spot instead.

"Why didn't Santa bring you a present?" Two Pence, a little boy with big blue eyes and buck teeth asked.

"Well, that's my fault." Sparks shrugged. "See, Santa's got a rule: If ya see him, he can't give ya no presents."

"You saw Santa?" Two Pence's eyes about bugged out of his little head and Sparks smiled. "Yeah, I did, so I guess he knew that he couldn't leave me a gift and not one for Blink either, just in case."

"What's Santa look like?" The little boy pressed.

"Ah, you know the stories." Sparks smiled and turned to wrap her arms around Blink again, grinning at the figure in the corner.

Kloppman winked and held up two packages in brown paper, then set them behind the desk for Sparks to retrieve later.

"I think me an' Glimmer can tell a few Santa stories." Skitterty offered from his seat near the newly stoked fire. He squoze her shoulders lightly and waved for the kids to gather round. The pair launched into a tag team story telling session that kept all the newsies, young and old, enraptured, with tales of Santa's exploits. Even Race, with his hellacious hangover, managed to stay allert and attentive. Eventually all the older newsies joined in telling stories of Christmases past and more importantly, sharing Christmas wishes for the future.

A/N:

complete holiday fluff! Done as a gift for Glimmer. It's not angsty or anything shocked murmurs abound so not what I usually write but it's kinda fun.

Special thanks to Sparks for all her help. I luff you!

Happy Holidays Glimm! (And everyone else)