Author's Note: I'm getting much better at keeping these short and sweet. As my initial aim was to create brief vignettes based on challenges, I always wanted to keep these short. I'm finally getting there :) I also want to add that if anyone here is interested in writing drabbles of their own based on a theme challenge, please check out my author profile for information on a new site.

This next drabble was written for one of my favorite people, the infamous Rae Kelly. She wanted a drabble featuring her OC, Rae, and Spot Conlon. Because she is such a darling, Rae gave me a lot of room for exploring her chosen theme: the love/hate relationship that exists between Rae and Spot. Because I wanted to interpret it as such, I created a piece based on the old "I love you, I hate you" type cliché, where it's not him she hates really, but herself for loving him. Let's see how it turned out.

Enjoy.

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Title: Pretenses

Featuring: Spot Conlon/Rae Kelly

Challenge: a theme challenge: love/hate relationship

Word Count: 676

Written For: my Rae-zin

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PRETENSES

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"I can't love you, Spot," she said simply and then she was gone. Her long flaxen braid trailed behind in her haste to create distance between herself and the confused Brooklyn newsie. She left him behind on the bridge he held so much stock on; she raced across as fast as she could go. He didn't follow. He just placed his hands inside his trademark red suspenders and began to walk back to the docks.

- - -

It was two weeks before Rae Kelly dared to even set foot back into Brooklyn. She knew exactly where she would find Spot and purposely avoided the old docks at first. But she also knew she couldn't hide from him forever; he would surely have heard word of her return from any one of the "birds" he kept scattered throughout the area. If there was one thing she could say in favor of Spot Conlon, he was efficient.

It was just about that time of day when many of the boys were finishing up their evening selling when she finally found herself facing the docks. And there he was. A single speck at the end, overlooking the waves of the East River. She took a deep breath and walked forward.

Without even turning around to see her coming towards him, Spot knew she was there. "What are you doing here, Rae?" he asked, trying to sound indifferent. In truth, he just sounded annoyed. But that was alright; it was just the two of them standing there.

How can I explain why I came back? I don't even know why I'm here. Rae shrugged and looked up. In that instance, unguarded and unplanned, her blue eyes met his cyan ones. She was the first to turn away. Yes, I do.

She heard Spot sigh and turn his gaze back to the water.

"Spot, I—" she began but found she had no words to follow. After the stunt she pulled two weeks ago, what right did she have to announce that she just needed to be near Spot? The young leader would have her chased out of the borough before she blinked just for playing him. That wasn't the tough Rae Kelly that anyone – including herself – knew. She shook her head and sat down at the edge of the dock, swinging her legs over so that she was gazing down at the waves. This was the exact reason why she had to leave Brooklyn for Manhattan. It's not that she didn't love Spot – it's that she couldn't love him.

Spot tensed and she knew that he had been waiting for her to finish her sentence. When she didn't, his tension made him annoyed. He moved his feet so that he was facing her, arms crossed, looking down at where she sat. "Listen, Kelly," he began roughly, speaking in that way that made you either throttle him or run for fear, "if you think you can just come and go

Rae was not intimidated and all of her doubts fled at the accusing tone Spot assumed. How could I even think that I love such an arrogant jerk? She quickly drew herself to her feet and faced off against him. "Who are you to tell me what to do, Conlon?"

The pair stood facing off, neither desiring to admit defeat. That is, until Spot's face cracked into a smirk. "Now, that is the Rae Kelly I want with me," he said. "I was getting worried with that whole lovey-dovey spiel you gave me on the Bridge."

Rae opened her mouth to speak and closed it. Her fair cheeks seemed to color a faint pink. "Well… I mean…You…" she stuttered, finding it hard to believe that Spot had just been baiting her. After spending the two long weeks away, frequently debating whether she loved or hated Spot Conlon more, she returns to see that all he wanted was her to just be herself.

Spot smirked again and Rae found a tiny smile coming to her face.

No other pretenses were necessary.