A/N- for those of you who don't know who Kid tumble is, he is the littlest kid in the lodging house, who is seen mostly with Skittery. And to Skitts and me it looks like Tumble and Skittery are really good friends, they are seen together quite a lot. Anyways, enjoy! SPECS
Disclaimer- I do not own Newsies
"What did I tell ya about startin' fights?!" Skittery yelled pulling a younger boy away from a large group of boys about his age.
"I didn't start that, Skittery!" The younger boy shouted back allowing himself to be dragged away by Skittery's firm grip on his shirt.
"It looked like ya started it to me. You know ya can't handle that many boys, Tumble," Skittery narrowed his eyes as he led the boy through the crowded streets. He sighed hearing soft sobs behind him, and turned into an empty alley.
"What's da mattah, kid?" he asked bending down slightly to look at Kid Tumble face to face. He some times forgot that the kid was younger than most and had a harder time being away from his parents, and so he wasn't to be treated like all of the other boys. He was really sensitive, and always scared. That's why Skittery had sort of taken on the role of a sort of "big brother."
"Nothin'," Tumble whispered turning his head and burring his face in his sleeve.
Skittery bit his lip, he was never much good at comforting people, every time he tried, and he usually made it worse. He sighed again, "I ain't mad at ya."
"I was tryin' to be good, Skittery, honest, but they was makin' fun of me." Tumble sniffed loudly and sank down to his knees.
Skittery straightened up and rubbed his head, he looked back down at the crying six year old in front of him, "Can you sit right here real quick, I'se just got to go do somethin'."
Kid Tumble agreed, he usually always agreed with Skittery. If Skittery had told him to go steal something he would without a second thought. He watched as Skittery ran off around the corner, he had no idea where the older boy was going.
Several minutes later, Skittery walked back, dusting off his hands. His lip was split and bleeding freely, but the boy looked happy, which was a big thing for someone like Skittery.
"Where did ya go?" Tumble asked, he had stopped crying minutes prior.
"You don't have to worry about those boys anymore, Kid," he smiled, "here, let's go back and see if Kloppman made any supper."
Kid tumble crawled to his feet and wiped off the dirt on the seat of his pants. Skittery put a hand onto the boy's shoulder as they walked back out of the alley.
"Skittery?"
Skittery looked up from his paper to see Kid Tumble, with a rather large pile of papers in his arms, he looked to be struggling with such a load. "Yeah, Kid?"
"Can I sell with you and Snoddy?" His eyes got big and he looked as if he would cry at any second. Skittery hated when he did this to him.
Snoddy nudged Skittery in the ribs to make him say something, "Where's Snipe, or Boots, don't they usually sell wit' you?" he asked giving Snoddy a look while rubbing his chest.
Tumble shrugged, "Yeah, well, I wanted to sell with you t'day."
Skittery looked at Snoddy who shrugged as if to say, he's your responsibility, you make up your mind.
"Well, I, uhh…suppose ya could, just this once though." Skittery stammered. Tumble smiled and set his papers down by Snoddy.
"See anythin' good in the headline, Tumble?" Snoddy asked grinning at the little boy. He helped him up onto the brick wall he and Skittery were sitting on.
"Nope, can't read." Tumble said, though he sounded as if this was just an every day thing question he was asked, it didn't seem to bother him like it would most kids.
"Well, I think you should learn to read soon, it would be good for business." Snoddy said scanning his paper.
"Leave him alone, he don't want to read, he's only five." Skittery muttered not looking up from his paper.
"I'm six!" Tumble squeaked leaning over Snoddy to glare at Skittery, who just waved a hand to dismiss the argument.
"Hey look at this, fire in the old shoe store down on forty forth street. Ain't that the biggest shoe place here in Manhattan?" Skittery asked pointing to a rather large paragraph on the second page.
"That's a good find, Skitts, but it obviously wasn't good enough to make the front page, people won't buy that." Snoddy shook his head and flipped the page.
"What's that a picture of?" Tumble asked pointing to a black and white photograph of a tall building under construction.
"That's one of them important new sky scraper things, they think it will get the company more money if they build more big things." Skittery grumbled, he wasn't happy about the richer people who spent their money building stupid things instead of giving it to the news boys and orphans who actually needed it.
Tumble smiled at him, Skittery knew a lot about the world. He had an answer for everything, even if it was a rude answer that usually started fights. "You sure know a lot about things, Skitts." He chuckled at the thought of having called Skittery the nickname only his closest friends called him with out getting yelled at.
"He's got to know these things, Kid, how else would he get so good at sellin' papes?" Snoddy punched Skittery in the arm.
Skittery grumbled something and jumped off the wall, "let's go, we'se wastin' time."
Snoddy rolled his eyes and jumped down after him. He helped Tumble gather his large pile of newspapers and they set off after Skittery.
"Skittery."
"What is it, Tumble?" Skittery groaned rolling over in bed. It was pitch black outside meaning it was still night. Kid Tumble had crawled up onto his bed and was sitting at the foot of the small bunk staring into the darkness at the woken boy.
"I can't sleep, Bumlets keeps snorin'." Tumble whispered. He shifted a little, "Can I sleep wit' you?"
Skittery sat up, "me? What? No, I mean…my bed ain't big enough for one person, definitely not two people, and…" Skittery was at a loss of words, "just try to sleep, Bumlets don't snore that loud."
"You don't sleep by him though." Tumble sighed.
Skittery groaned and rolled off of his bed. His feet hit the floor and he stammered for a moment before gaining his balance. He walked silently over to where Bumlets slept. He heard the soft whistle coming from the sleeping boy's mouth. It was so quiet he wondered how Tumble could hear it. Nonetheless, he snatched the pillow from under the Bumlets' head and threw it over the sleeping boy's face. The boys stirred, but nothing happened. The sound was now muffled. He made his way back over to Tumble, who still sat on his bed, watching him.
"There, now you won't be bothered any more by Bumlets." Skittered grabbed onto the boy's waist and lifted him down onto the floor.
Can I still sleep here?" Tumble asked.
Skittery cracked his knuckles, like he usually did when he was searching for words that would not come, "Naw, ya don't want to sleep here, I mean, Specs he rolls and makes all kinds of noise." He indicated to the sleeping figure of Specs on the bottom bunk, who on key, rolled over and a creak was heard, "see, now, go back to your own bed."
Tumble sighed and walked slowly back to his bed. Skittery sighed and pulled himself up into his own. He pulled his small blanket over his feet and laid back. Kid Tumble was a big responsibility. He had never imagined that having a younger person to look out for was so much work. He was an only child back at home from what he could remember.
"I was thinkin' about what Snoddy said yesterday."
Skittery jumped when he heard the voice behind him, he hadn't planned for anyone to sneak up on him, especially this early in the morning when he was washing his face. "What's that?" he snapped without really meaning to.
Tumble merely smiled, "about readin'. Could ya teach me?"
Skittery cocked an eyebrow, "you want me to teach you to read?" he had never thought about teaching someone. He remembered his first and last year at school before he was orphaned; he had had a teacher that everyone hated and so Skittery did everything in his power to make the guy's life miserable. The teacher had always said he would never amount to anything.
From behind them, Blink laughed. The two boys turned to face him, "What's so funny, Blink?" Skittery narrowed his eyes.
"He wants you to teach him how to read." Blink laughed and punched Skittery in the arm before leaving the washroom. Skittery glared after him.
"I ain't too good at teachin', Kid." Skittery said turning back to the boy; "I think readin' just comes naturally to people, like sellin' papes." He ruffled Tumble's hair as he headed out of the door, "don't worry, you will be able to read in no time, just wait a bit."
Tumble huffed as he watched Skittery exit the room. He sighed and shrugged. Skittery was probably right, he was right about everything else. Reading would probably just grow on him.
Waiting in line at the distribution center was always a boring thing for Skittery, he hated just standing there, waiting for some of the other boys to get their papers before him. He wished he could be first, and then he wouldn't have to wait as long.
Weasel had just opened the window. Skittery leaned on his walking stick, too bored to do anything else. There were only five people left in front of him. He began to drift into his own thoughts while he counted the remaining boys in front of him. Four more…three more…two more…
"Hey, Skittery?" Skittery once again jumped. He grabbed his chest and glared down at Tumble, who stood there smiling.
"Ya have to stop sneakin' up on me!" Skittery growled.
"Sorry, I forgot you didn't like that." Tumble apologized.
"Next!" Weasel yelled at Skittery, who had not heard, for the fifth time.
Skittery narrowed his eyes and proceeded to the window, "seventy five papes," he grumbled.
Weasel cocked an eyebrow at the rude boy, but passed him his papers without another word. Skittery grabbed the papers, paid the man and headed down the ramp. He perched himself up onto his wall and waited for Snoddy to come.
"The kid sellin' with us today?" Snoddy asked leaning against the wall once he had received his papers.
Skittery shook his head, "Nope, I told him to sell with his real partners today."
"That kid sure does look up to you." Snoddy said quietly watching Kid Tumble on the other side of the distribution center, still waiting for some papers.
Skittery mumbled something and then, "he just needs to get up on his own feet. I'se only helpin' a bit."
"Ready to go?" Snoddy asked. Skittery nodded and then jumped off of the wall.
Skittery spread himself out on the cool grass at his favorite spot in the park. It was a secret spot where only he knew about it. He often went there after long hot days of selling. It was right underneath a large shady tree, so the grass always stayed cool.
Skittery sighed, more relieved than anything. It was nice to get away from the hot, smelly, loud lodging house. He laughed thinking about the other boys, and how they must be so miserable in that place right now, and he was living a good life right here. He did feel a little bad about leaving Snoddy there, though, but like he had told himself many times, no one could know about this place, otherwise, the boys would be hanging out here and bothering the peace.
Skittery smiled and closed his eyes. He let the air blow at his hair as he drifted slowly into a dreamless sleep, just the way he liked it.
No later than an hour passed when Skittery's eyes fluttered open to reveal a rather large head and two great brown eyes blinking down at him. Skittery let out a yell of surprise and jumped up. It took him a few seconds to realize that it was Tumble, who sat giggling by him.
Skittery grabbed his heart and let out a breath of relief. He then turned to the boy and glared at him, "why are ya here?" He asked coldly.
The boy smiled and shrugged, "'cause you're here, I guess."
"How did ya find me?" Skittery asked wondering how on earth this little boy found his secret spot, when Snoddy himself couldn't find it, and he was the biggest snoop of all!
Tumble shrugged again and leaned back against a tree, Skittery glared, his tree, "I followed ya here."
Skittery scowled and ran a hand through his hair. He hadn't even noticed the kid following him, how could he not have noticed! "Well, go back." He said simply.
Tumble looked down at the ground, "Are ya mad at me, Skittery?" he asked quietly.
Skittery growled inside his head, he wanted to yell at Tumble, maybe even scare him off, but he didn't, "Naw, I just didn't want ya to be away from da lodgin' house at this time of da day, it'll be gettin' dark soon, and you will have to walk home alone in the dark."
Tumble looked at bit more cheerful at this, "Why can't I come with you t'night, I don't want to go back with out you."
Skittery opened his mouth to protest, but he couldn't think of anything to say. He had certain plans for that evening and those plans did not involve a little kid like Tumble following him around.
Skittery sat in his favorite bar that night, in his favorite chair, at his favorite counter. He ordered his favorite drink from his least favorite bartender, who really didn't like Skittery all that much, but as long as the boy brought money, he would give him his drinks.
Skittery smiled as the man gave him the glass full of alcohol. His favorite thing to do at night was to get drunk, and then go get into a fight and beat someone up. It was his hobby. He took a long drink from his cup, and looked around the bar. Most of the drunks there he knew, some by face, others by name.
This place had its regulars, and its first timers. He could easily tell who was who by their appearance. A few drunks in the corner sprawled over on their tables told him that these people had been to a few bars in their lifetime and knew just how many drinks it took them to pass out. Others, Skittery noticed, sipped their beer while in conversations. These, and Skittery hated these guys coming into his bar, where businessmen. Rich money men with lots of power.
He turned back around and finished the last of his drink. He motioned for the bartender to come back. "One more of these," he said when the man neared him.
The man wiped his hands on his apron, "And what for the boy?" he asked.
Skittery furrowed his brow, "What?" he asked.
The man nodded behind Skittery. He turned slowly to find Tumble standing there staring at him. He sighed, "he'll have the same." He said. The bartender left.
"What are ya doin' in here? I told ya to wait outside." Skittery asked while Tumble crawled up onto the stool beside him.
"I got a little bored, plus I got thirsty." Tumble smiled and placed his hands onto the counter.
Skittery looked at him, "have ya ever drank?"
Tumble nodded, "sure tons a times!" he laughed.
Skittery highly doubted this, but when their drinks came, he held his glass up to Tumble's, "Cheers." He said. And both boys drank from their cups.
"I don't feel good, Skittery," Tumble whined.
It was close to the middle of the night. They had spent the whole night at the bar. Skittery had spent the last of his money and some of Tumble's too. He was not yet drunk, he had stopped drinking earlier than he wanted too, but he figured that Tumble would not be going home by himself, so he stayed and let the boy drink as much as he wanted to. And now Tumble was sick.
"Come on, we'se almost home." Skittery whispered leading the doubled over boy down the street.
"No, Skittery, I think I'se gonna be sick." Tumble groaned and swayed a bit.
Skittery supposed that this was his fault for not stopping the boy and allowing him to get drink after drink, but in a way he thought he was helping him out more. It taught Tumble responsibility. He should not be drinking until he was at least seventeen, Skittery's age.
"Ya want to get back to your own bed and sleep it off?" Skittery asked kneeling down in front of Tumble and grabbing his shoulders to steady him.
"I just don't want to walk anymore." Tumble closed his eyes, and fell forward onto Skittery.
Skittery sighed and hoisted the boy up into his arms, so Tumble's head rested on his shoulder. Skittery considered himself too nice for his own good. He hoped none of the boys that he got into fights with saw him like this; they would think less of what they already did of him, and the word would go around that he was a softy. He proceeded to walk down the street, Tumble fast asleep in his arms.
"You got him drunk?" Snoddy yelled.
Skittery looked up at him from his morning paper and shrugged. "He more like got himself drunk, after the first five glasses, he started askin' for the man to bring him what he wanted."
"Why did you take him in the first place?" Snoddy still looked bewildered at this. Skittery didn't see what the big deal was.
"He wouldn't leave me, what was I supposed to do?" Skittery yelled back. He wouldn't let his best friend yell at him while he stayed calm and quiet. It wasn't how it worked.
"Ya should have done the responsible thing and took him back to the lodgin' house!"
"Well, I ain't responsible; you should know that by now!" Skittery jumped off of his wall and stood in front of Snoddy to show him that he wasn't afraid of him.
"Well, it's time for you to start growin' up a bit. Ya shouldn't have taken him there and you know it." Snoddy glared down at Skittery.
"I think the kid has a right to choose what he wants to do, he's old enough." Skittery felt as though he had won the fight. Now, he would wait for Snoddy to tell him he was right, and they would go off and sell papers together. That was how it always worked, but not today.
"And how old were you when you started doin' what ya wanted to do?" Snoddy asked. Skittery cringed, he hadn't thought of this part, "You weren't too much older then him, and now look at ya."
"What about me? I'se doin' fine!" Skittery yelled defensively.
"No ya ain't, Skitts. Look at ya, you get drunk every night, get into fights, and you'se always mad about somethin'. You're miserable everyone knows it. Do ya want the kid to end up like that too? Ya have to make some rules for him." Snoddy quieted down
Skittery thought about this. He hadn't really thought about the way he acted, it was how he had always acted; he didn't know how else to act. And Snoddy was right, he was miserable. He looked over in the direction of Tumble. The kid stood there with a few other boys, he was smiling. Skittery turned back, and stared at his feet. He supposed that he didn't want the kid to end up like him.
"I don't know how to say no." Skittery whispered. He felt ashamed of admitting it.
"Well, you'se got to start learnin'." Snoddy said and picked up his papers, "I'll be out sellin' on forty-Fifth Street when you come." With that he left.
"Skittery, where ya goin'?"
Skittery turned around and saw Tumble coming towards him. It had been a long day and Skittery wanted nothing more than to go back to his bar and drink off his problems. The last thing he needed was Tumble there making it worse, and making him feel worse about what he knew he had to do. He pulled the cigarette out from his mouth, "I'se goin' out, you go back to the lodgin' house."
Tumble ran the few remaining steps to Skittery and stood by the older boy, "I want to come with you." He said sweetly.
Skittery stood silently for a moment before shaking his head, "No Tumble, you go back to the lodgin' house."
"But I want to come with you, I don't like bein' there without you." Tumble looked up at Skittery with those big brown eyes Skittery hated so much.
Skittery clenched his jaw and shook his head, "Go back." He said trying to remain as calm as was possible for him.
"Ya don't want me there?" Tumble asked looking down at his feet.
"That ain't it, Tumble." Skittery said, he sighed, "I shouldn't have brought ya to the bar last night, and I shouldn't have let ya drink. You have to start lookin' out for yourself now. I can't keep watch on ya all da time. You're a big kid now, time to start actin' like one."
"You don't want to be my friend no more?" Tumble asked. He sniffled.
"I didn't say that. I'se just tryin' to say that I ain't responsible, and if you'se around me all da time, you could end up like me."
Tumble sniffed again and hid his face, "but I want to end up like you Skittery." He said quietly.
"No ya don't, you wont have fun bein' like me. You'se a happy kid wit' a great future and ya don't need to go wastin' it doin' da things I do." Skittery smiled down at the boy who nodded, "now, go back to the lodgin' house and talk to Snipeshooter or somethin'."
The boy latched himself onto Skittery's middle in a tight embrace. The older boy stood very still and unsure of what he should do, but the boy disconnected himself from him and ran off in the direction of the lodging house.
Skittery felt relieved. He smiled happily to himself for what he did and turned back around to go to his bar. But when he turned, he saw someone standing there. Skittery jumped at first, not expecting anyone to be there, but then settled when he saw it was Snoddy, a grin plastered on his face.
"I knew you had it in ya." The boy smiled.
"Yeah, well, I'se through with bein' nice, I'se goin' back to how it used to be." Skittery smiled and clapped a hand onto his best friend's shoulder. "Ya want to come with me?" he asked.
Snoddy shrugged, "Sure, why not."
Skittery grinned even bigger and led the way down the street to his favorite bar.
A/N- Well, I hope you all enjoyed it, I kind of enjoyed writing it, don't forget to review! SPECS…1/2 of SBM