The Brooklyn Boys

"Fond memory, isn't?" Spot whispered in my right ear, causing a shiver to make it's way down my spine.

"I guess it is," I teased. "Do ya rememba when ya told me ya didn't want me in Brooklyn when we were first togetha? I hated it when ya left me…"

"Ya t'ink I liked leavin' ya theah? I couldn't do anyt'in' wit'out t'inkin' 'bout ya," Spot confessed.

"Dat's a good t'ing. Means ya missed me 'bout as much as I missed you," I admitted. He tore his gaze from the sunset and looked at me. His lips formed a grin and he let out a small chuckle while he shook his head slightly before looking out to the sun again.

"What's so funny, Conlon?" I mocked.

"I jus' realized how childish you'se are," he said. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion prior to looking up at him again considering he was about four inches taller then me.

"I'm childish? At least I don't carry a slingshot in me pants an' git all huffy when me boyfriend gits attention from some goily," I taunted, remembering when I first came to Brooklyn.

August of 1899

"Spot, what if dey don't like me or dey don't want a goil dere?" I asked as we walked to the Brooklyn Lodging House. His arm was around my shoulders in an almost protective manner and my arms were wrapped around his stomach and back. I felt to clingy but I didn't want to let go of him now.

"What dey t'ink doesn't matta. Yoah staying heah wit me an' if dey do 'ave a problem, dey can take it up wit me. Ya don't 'ave ta worry 'bout it, Rixy. Jus leave it ta me," Spot assured me. I sighed heavily and rested my head on his chest as we turned the corner to the Lodging House.

It wasn't anything special, but you could tell a bunch of teenaged guys lived there. It wasn't very appealing to the eyes but if Spot called it home, I would too.

"Home, bitta-sweet, home," Spot mumbled. I chewed on the inside of my cheek out of nervousness and replaced my bangs behind my ears. "Okay, just relax, Rixy. Don't be intimidated by 'em 'cause dey should know betta den ta mess wit me, 'kay?"

I didn't really like it when Spot acted like he was the toughest guy around, but welcomed it this time. "Yeah. Let's git dis ova wit." He readjusted my bag on his shoulder and pushed his arm against my head, so he could kiss my forehead and murmur that everything will be fine once again.

He began to walk, kind of dragging me with him because I really didn't want to meet these guys. Spot says they're not that bad but he knows them personally and intimidates most of them so of course they're nice to him. I, on the other hand, don't have that much confidence and still a little leery of any guy because of Peter. The asshole…

Spot opened the door and urged me forward as he shut the door behind us. I looked around like a little kid would and noticed three guys playing cards and another napping on the tattered sofa. They were big, more muscular then fat though. A little on the gruff-looking side and they had the typical 'Brooklyn attitude' which was 'you look at me wrong, I snap your neck". In one word, they were intimidating. But I can't see then like that, because I'm Spot's girl. Girl with an attitude. Girl that takes no shit from no one. Inside my head, I'm laughing my head off. I'm really nothing like that and Spot knows it just like I know that he's not really anything like his reputation says he is, but that's what it all comes down to. Reputations.

"Heya fellas. Dis is me goil, Rix." I nodded my head at them as an awkward hello.

"Finally..." one muttered. I raised my eyebrows at the one who looked like he was around my age, maybe around Spots age. See, Spot is about a year and a half older then me. Anyways, the kid was dressed in a blue shirt and a tattered vest. He had sandy blonde hair and caramel eyes.

"What was dat, Trigga?" Spot asked nonchalantly. Trigger looked up at Spot and looked innocently at him.

"Jus' said it was 'bout time. She's all ya eva talk 'bout," Trigger explained. I grinned at Spot and then looked at Trigger.

"T'anks foa informin' me," I said sincerely. He looked at me and smiled warmly.

"Anytime," he said. I noticed Spot looking at Trigger like he was deciding if that word was a good thing or a bad thing to say. He looked at me as if to dismiss the thought.

"Kay, Rixy. Dis is Trigga," he smiled again. "Buck," Buck looked to be around ten years old and had a dark brown hair and chocolate eyes. He nodded at me. "Red," Red had red hair and was probably around twelve or thirteen. "And da bed-head is Rev." Rev was a true bed-head with shaggy, light brown hair and he was sprawled all over the sofa.

"Huh. So are there others?" I asked Spot. He wrapped his arm around my waist and became the 'King of Brooklyn Spot'. I didn't mind. I understood that he had to maintain his superior status.

"Not right now. Dey're usually at Addie's or out sellin' papes," he explained to me while leading me upstairs. I glanced back at the guys and caught Trigger staring at me. He didn't bother to look away either. I waved awkwardly to them and raced Spot up the stairs.

"Kay, now. I 'ave me own room an' you'se are gonna be in dere wit me. I don't know if I can trust dese guys 'round ya yet," Spot said as he nervously looked around the room as if I cared about the way his our room looked at the moment. He rubbed the back of his neck and was almost about to grab a hat that was on the floor but I jumped on his back before he could get it. Luckily, he caught us both from falling to the floor.

"Spot, I don't care if dis place is doity so jus stop cleanin'. Jus relax," I mocked him as he carried me over to the bed and sat me down before kneeling on the floor on his knees and putting his hands on my knees.

"Rix…Rixy, I'm really glad yoah heah." He said sheepishly. I gave him a small smile before he leaned down to kiss my nose.

"Me too."