Jack and Racetrack were the only ones still awake when Pocket and Spot entered the lodging house. All the other boys had made their way upstairs, except for Mush, who was sprawled out on the sofa clutching an empty bottle. Pocket kicked his foot, causing him to jolt awake. He cringed when the bottle hit the floor. Rubbing his face tiredly, he stumbled up the stairs.
Racetrack stood, patting his pockets to make sure he had all his poker winnings.
"I see you have decided to make use of our fine establishment this evening," he drawled, doffing his cap at Spot. "We hopes that sir will find everything to his liking," he teased with a pointed look at Pocket.
She snorted and cuffed him on the back of the head. "Quit yappin' and get yer ass upstairs," she told him. "Ya need your beauty rest." Grinning drunkenly, the two draped their arms each other and wobbled up the stairs.
Spot and Jack chuckled as they watched Pocket slide a hand into Race's vest and come out with a cigar. She winked over her shoulder and tossed the cigar to Jack, who caught it deftly with one hand. This was a prank they played often. Jack would return the cigar in the morning when Race looked for it, saying he had found it in the common room. Race never caught on, always muttering about "misplacing" his belongings, and the pranksters never got tired of the joke.
The two leaders relaxed together on the sofa. A muffled thud and smothered laughter drifted down from upstairs as Race and Pocket shoved each other around. When all was quiet, Spot turned expectantly to Jack.
"Okay, Cowboy," he said. "What's on ya mind?"
Pocket lay in her bunk listening to the snores of her friends all around her. Unable to sleep, her mind replayed the day's events over and over. Pictures of Spot stood out sharpest in her thoughts. Spot, aiming his slingshot. Spot leading his men through the gates- hat off, light brown hair hanging in his eyes. She remembered the way his shirt had clung to his sweaty frame, outlining the lean muscles of his chest and arms. Most of the Brooklyn newsies were big, strong, and she was used to seeing them lounging shirtless around the docks. None of them made her breathless like the sight of Spot's small, wiry build. Maybe because she had felt his strength when he held her, maybe because she had seen him outfight men much bigger than him, maybe because she knew that his strength was more than just physical.
She rolled over and buried her hot face in the pillow, overwhelmed by the feelings those images aroused. She closed her eyes, sighing with the rush of emotions that was getting harder to ignore. She struggled to stay awake, wanting to wait up for him, but sleep soon claimed her.
Spot and Jack didn't talk for long. Jack asked again how Spot had known about the trap, and Spot briefly explained what Slips had overheard, how the little spy had finally run back to Brooklyn after being unable to warn Jack and Pocket. Cowboy tried to bring up the strike, but his Brooklynite friend only repeated what he had said earlier, that he would go back across the bridge to discuss things with his boys.
Frustrated, but knowing that he wouldn't get much further tonight, Jack said goodnight, heading outside for a walk. Fully aware of exactly where that "walk" would take his friend, Spot considered teasing, but was too eager to get back to Pocket to bother.
There was just enough moonlight shining through the windows for him to make his way to her bunk. She lay curled on her side; he took a quiet moment to simply admire her beauty. Minutes passed, punctuated by the snuffles and snores of the sleeping newsies, as he watched the steady rise and fall of her breathing. Across the room, Blink muttered in his sleep, pulling Spot out of his daze.
Eyes still on Pocket, he slipped his shirt off and laid it on the end of the bunk, slipping his key into the pocket. He leaned his cane against the wall in easy reach and sat down on the bed to take off his boots. The shift of the mattress woke Pocket, and she rolled onto her back.
"Hey," she mumbled sleepily.
"Hey," he whispered back. "Sorry I woke ya. Go back to sleep."
He leaned over to put his money in his boot for safekeeping, shivering when she laid a hand on his bare back. He shuffled barefoot into the washroom. She was waiting when he returned, green eyes dark and gleaming as she watched him. He laid down gently beside her, she moved to snuggle up to him, his arm automatically going around her, cradling her against his chest the way they had lain together countless times. His free hand drifted down her back to rest on her thigh where it draped across his legs. Chuckling softly, he plucked at the rough fabric of her pants.
"Whatcha still got all yer clothes on for?" he asked, curious because she normally slept in just a shirt.
Poking him lightly in the side, she teased, "Ya want I should take my pants off in here?"
He smiled into the darkness with a surge of pure male jealously. "Better not," he told her cockily, reaching down to tickle the bottoms of her bare feet.
Jerking away, she buried her face into his chest to smother her giggles. A wave of tenderness washed over him as he gathered her close. She propped her chin against her hand so she could look at him.
"Thanks for comin' today," she said.
He reached up to tuck her dark hair behind her ear. "You knew I would," he answered in the soft tone he only used with her.
She nodded, her eyes not leaving his. He pulled her face down to his, watching her eyes close as he found her mouth. The day before their kiss had been intense, shocking them both with its heat. Tonight, the passion took a backseat to comfort, affection, and something deeper that he wasn't ready to name. With his lips and tongue he told her of his worry when he'd learned she was in danger, and she told him without words of her relief when he'd arrived to save the day.
This kiss was brief, lasting mere seconds, but neither of them needed more. She released his mouth to drop quick kisses on his nose and cheeks before once again nuzzling into his neck. She rested a hand on his chest, he stroked her cheek and their eyes fluttered shut as their breathing slowed in time to each other's and they drifted into sleep.