DISCLAIMER: Newsies is owned by Disney. Not us. *sigh* All OCs are ours, though.

Chapter Two: Music Theory or the Movies?

The next day was Sunday, which meant that Faye was working the morning shift. She had been working since five in the morning, and it was now... Five fifty seven. Eight hours and three minutes left, she thought miserably. At least Race and Bumlets were there this early, too. Though they weren't much company, because they were probably spending their shifts making out in the kitchen. And Snoddy was there, too, but she didn't really know him that well. He was currently waiting on the only table, so Faye was free to do whatever she wanted.

The morning crowd usually didn't arrive until six thirty, so Faye still had a little time to kill. She made her way into the kitchen as quietly as she possibly could. As she suspected, Race had Bumlets pressed up against the wall, his lips locked on his boyfriend's. Neither one was paying attention as Faye snuck up behind them and squeezed Bumlets's side. Bumlets squealed, causing Race to jump back with surprise. He and Faye started laughing as Bumlets glared at them both.

"As much as I enjoy watching you two torture Bumlets, the morning rush is starting," Snoddy yelled at them. "Come on! Move it!"

Race kissed Faye's cheek, squeezed Bumlets's hand, and ushered them out of his kitchen.

The rest of the morning was a blur of tables, customers, and checks. At eleven, the next shift began, and Abby, Spot, Dutchy, Itey, and Mush showed up. Before she knew it, her shift was over. "Crazy morning, huh, Bumlets?" Faye asked him.

"Hellish is more like it!" he replied.

They each went into the changing rooms, and Snoddy followed Bumlets. When they came back out, the restaurant was more crowded than ever. Faye found Abby and gave her a quick hug, then found an empty table to study. She popped in her iPod headphones and put on The Lion King.

Abby was glad that Tibby's was doing so well. Really, she was. In fact she was thrilled, and not just because it meant her paycheck continued to creep higher and higher as the sucess continued to grow.

It just so happened, however, that she tended to feel especially happy about Tibby's success when it wasn't her shift. When she'd started at 11 it had been crowded. By noon it was jam-packed, and around one it reached an all time high. Then at two the numbers slowly crept down a little, and at four-thirty, when her shift finally ended, it was only just beginning to shoot up again, as the older people, and the young families tried to beat the crowds by going to dinner a little early.

Thank God I don't have to deal with that, Abby thought to herself, as she and Faye squeezed through the crowds to get out the door. "We survived!" she practically sang as she pushed past the last person and danced into the sunlight.

Faye started laughing, "You look ridiculous."

Abby stopped her dancing for a second, "I don't look ridiculous," she pouted, then laughed a little, "Well, not too ridiculous, anyway." Abby grinned, but refrained from dancing again. "What do you want to do first? Shopping? Manicures?"

"Study for my big music theory test on Tuesday?" Faye added excitedly. Abby blinked. "How about the movies?" Faye sighed.

"Good girl," Abby grinned, patting Faye on the head, making the younger girl scowl at her.

"I'm not a dog!" Faye told her.

"Yeah, yeah," Abby waved her off. "What movie?"

Faye didn't really care what movie they saw, and since Abby didn't have much of an opinion of it either way, they figured they'd just head to the theater and see what would be playing when they got there. The only two movies that were playing at the time they got there were The Help and Cowboys and Aliens. When she saw the choices, Faye made her mind up pretty fast.

"Pleaaaaaase Faye," Abby begged, "Pretty please with some extra buttery popcorn on top!"

"I am NOT going to see Cowboys and Aliens!" Faye exclaimed.

"But... it's got Cowboys!" Abby said miserably, "And Aliens! We have to see it!"

"No," Faye said firmly, and decided which movie they would see without further argument by stepping up to the ticket booth and buying her ticket for The Help.

"I hate you," Abby mumbled resentfully as she bought her own ticket.

"You know you love me," Faye told her.

"Maybe," Abby stuck her tongue out, and the girls both laughed, neither of them really paying attention to their surroundings. Actually, Abby supposed that Faye might have been, since she hadn't been the one to bump into the two boys.

"Scuse me, sweetface," said the shorter of the two.

Abby didn't recognize the two right away. It wasn't until Faye hissed, "The Delancey brothers," hatefully in her ear that she realized who they were.

Abby, personally, didn't have much of a problem with the boys. They had both already graduated by the time she had started college, so all she really had heard were second hand horror stories. This was her first time face to face with them. "Sorry 'bout that," she said nervously. From what Jack had told her about them, they'd be about ready to smash her face in. She really wished that Jack, or really any of the other boys, were with them. Both of the brothers had muscles. Really big obvious muscles.

The shorter Delancey looked her up and down in a very obvious way, making Abby blush, and said, "I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting yet," with a smirk.

Despite all the stories she'd heard about them, Abby couldn't help but blush. And notice that he was actually kind of cute. "H-hey," she said a little shyly, holding out her hand, "I'm Abby. Abigail Richards, but you can call me Abby."

"Now why would I do that when you have such a pretty name... Abigail?" The shorter one said. He was still smirking. The smirk reminded her of Spot, which made the butterflies in Abby's stomach increase tenfold. "I'm Oscar. Oscar Delancey. That's my big brother Morris," Oscar jerked his head towards the taller brother who was saying something to Faye. Abby thought she heard something about Racetrack, and thought it was odd that Morris had brought him up since she was pretty sure the only person who hated the Delancey brothers more than Jack was Race, and could only imagine the feeling was mutual. Her heart sank a little as she remembered. All of her friends hated both the Delancey brothers (although she couldn't really see why at the moment. Oscar was being perfectly nice).

"Come on Abby, let's go, we're going to miss our movie," Faye said, shooting the Delancey brothers, particularly Morris, a nasty look.

"Sorry, she's right," Abby said to Oscar shyly. "We should go... Don't want to miss the movie!" She was still blushing.

"Yeah?" Oscar said, "That would be too bad, wouldn't it."

Morris as beginning to look impatient, and Faye, Abby noticed, looked a little anxious.

Oscar seemed to notice this as well. He took Abby's hand and lightly kissed it, making her blush harder than ever, "I'll see you around sweetheart."

"Bye," Abby called after him as he walked away.

"I hate those guys!" Faye said as soon as they were out of ear shot, "I really, really do!" She was clearly extremely upset.

"I don't know," Abby said, glancing back over her shoulder, and somewhat disappointed Oscar was gone, "Oscar was kind of... charming..." she murmured in a way that suggested Faye hadn't been meant to hear it, and somehow managed to miss the incredulous look Faye shot at her.

Blink, Race, and Songbird's apartment looked extremely lived in. The couch was comfortable, despite its worn appearance. Three beds were pushed up against a wall. Two of them were perfectly made, but the third... Clothes were thrown over it and were strewn about the floor. The other side of the room served as the kitchen. One gigantic desk was up against the window, and three laptops sat on top.

Two boys, a gorgeous Latino and a short, sweet-looking Italian, were currently making out against the wall by the door. Dominic, or Bumlets to his friends, was pinned up against it, leaning down slightly, while the shorter boy, Tony, was... well, enjoying his position against his boyfriend.

"Ow!" Bumlets pushed Race away from him, clutching his lip. "That really hurt, I hope you know that."

The other boy laughed and pushed him roughly against the wall again. He brought his lips to his boyfriend's and bit his lower lip again. Bumlets's hands slid underneath his boyfriend's shirt and pulled it off. Together they moved over to the first bed-Songbird's bed. Race straddled his boyfriend and kissed him fiercely. Bumlets struggled out of his own shirt, and then rolled over so that Race was beneath him. Race ran his fingers through Bumlets's shiny brown hair and kissed him gently, then deepened the kiss, brushing his ear lightly with his fingers. Bumlets moaned as Race pulled him closer.

Bumlets was having a great day.

Until the door slammed.

"God, you two. I really didn't need to see that! My day has been bad enough as it is." Songbird said, disgusted. She threw their discarded shirts at them. "Just get dressed. We need to talk."

She was angry. Extremely angry. In fact, Bumlets couldn't remember the last time she looked like that; like she wanted to straggle someone.

Race, still shirtless- and extremely hot- walked over to his roommate, and put his hand on her shoulder. "Songbird, what's the matter?"

She slapped his hand away and glared. "Besides the fact that you two were going at it on MY bed, the fucking Delancey brothers," she replied.

Race looked appalled. "Language!"

"Shut the hell up, you hypocrite! And please put a shirt on!" Songbird screamed.

Whoa. This was serious. For as long as he'd known her, Songbird had never asked a guy to put a shirt back on. Ever. Bumlets and Race exchanged a look as they did as she asked. Bumlets looked at his best friend, and saw angry tears form in her eyes.

"It's just so damn stupid!" she said as she looked at them.

Bumlets approached her and pulled her into a hug.

She froze.

"Songbird, tell us what happened," he whispered. She relaxed in his arms and he smiled, stroking her back soothingly as she took deep, calming breaths. Another arm snaked its way around Bumlets's waist, and it startled him. He looked over his shoulder and saw that Race had joined the hug. Songbird pulled away and stared at her friends. Then she walked over to her brother's bed and flopped down.

"Well?" asked Race expectantly, with his arm still around Bumlets.

She wiped her eyes. "Oscar... He was... flirting with Abby at the movies," she began, "and Morris, he comes up to me and... Well, he... he said that at least Oscar had the balls to talk to a girl like a real man, unlike my brother and his friends. And some other stuff that I just can't repeat. About u- What happened... The whole thing just really pissed me off! 'Cause, you know, Blink isn't exactly..."

"Discreet? Oh, querida, no te preocupes." He often spoke in Spanish to her. She was still learning, so it really helped her. "Los dos son hijos de puta y-"

Race smirked slightly. "That Spanish is fucking sexy," he said to himself.

Bumlets smiled at his boyfriend. "Damn straight, that's why I do it, but that's not the point." He turned back to Songbird and took her hand. "No nos importa que los dos dicen sobre nosotros. No te los molesten."

"No me importa!"

"Hey! Ah... Inglés por favor!" Race laughed.

"Fine! What bothers me is how Abby is so stupid that she can be charmed by fucking Oscar Delancey, of all people! What's wrong with her? Did she get dropped on her head as a baby?" She stood up and began to pace. "'Cause no one in their right mind would find one of those asses," she practically spit out her next word, "charming!"

Bumlets and Race looked at each other. Sometimes Songbird could overreact, but when it came to the Delancey brothers, one could never be too careful, especially when you considered what they did to her and Blink.

Bumlets and Race stood up and each one grabbed one of her shoulders. "Songbi-" Bumlets stopped himself, "Faye. Calm down. She may not be the smartest, but she'll be okay, and she most definitely won't let either Delancey near her again."

Songbird actually smiled at them. "I- you're right," she said, surprised. "Thanks, you guys." She pulled them in for another group hug. "Gracias," she backed out of the hug and squeezed Bumlets's hand. "I love you guys. Go back to your hot make out session. I'm going to go look for Abby." She grabbed her keys and headed out the door. "Oh, but NOT ON MY BED!"

The two boys hesitated for a moment, then grinned. "But her bed is so perfect!" declared Bumlets.

"And mine is so messy. And Blink, well, he'd never forgive us," added Race.

Bumlets laughed. "And she would?"

Race shrugged as the boys made their way over to Songbird's bed and continued with their wonderful, hot make out session.

Bumlets continued to have a great day.

Blink paced nervously in front of the door of the apartment his boyfriend shared with Specs and Dutchy when he arrived to pick him up for their date. He stopped several times, and raised his fist, as if to knock, then let it drop when his nerves overtook him once again.

Normally he wouldn't be so nervous. After all, Blink had been on a million dates with Mush in the nine months they'd be dating, and as far as Mush knew this would be just another date, but Blink had something special he wanted to ask him.

Finally, taking a deep breath, Blink knocked. Mush answered immediately. "Blink," he said happily, wrapping his arms around him. Blink returned the hug, and smiled softly at the younger boy.

"How has your day been?" Mush asked as he pulled away and gave Blink a kiss on the cheek. "I thought you had work! I was going to go to Tibby's to surprise you."

"Itey said he'd cover for me from five to nine," Blink said, "I wanted to take you out tonight."

Mush beamed, "You're so sweet."

Blink smiled fondly at his boyfriend, and checked his watch. "We'd better go. We've got reservations at six."

"Where are we going?" Mush asked excitedly as he followed Blink out of the room.

"You'll see," Blink said.

"But I want to know," Mush pouted.

Blink casually planted a kiss on Mush's pout, which made him pout even more, and smiled, "You'll see," he repeated.

The first part of the date went perfectly, just as Blink had known it would. He took Mush to their second favorite restaurant, Chili's (Tibby's would always be first, but Blink hadn't thought that eating at their shared work while being waited on by their friends, who'd no doubt spend just as much time teasing them as they did serving them, would make for the best date). Afterwards, he and Mush had stopped at a random ice cream place, where they'd gotten two soft serve ice creams, once chocolate, and one vanilla, that they had shared as they walked towards the destination of the second part of the date.

"Please tell me where we're going," Mush begged, "Please!"

"Mush..."

"Pretty please?"

"Well..."

"Pretty, pretty please?"

"I would but..."

"Blink," Mush whined.

"Mushee, we're here."

Blink nervously waited for Mush's reaction, but he had a feeling he knew what it was going to be.

"You're taking me to a roller rink!" Mush looked nervous.

"Yeah," Blink smiled nervously, "If that's alright?"

"Y-yeah," Mush said.

"Are you sure?" Blink asked worriedly, "You don't seem very excited..."

"Well," Mush hesitated, "I'm not exactly... coordinated. I mean, I just never really got the hang of things like... roller skating..."

"It's not too hard," Blink tried to reassure him.

"Last time I tried to, I spent more time on the ground than actually skating," Mush said, "I just don't... do well."

"It will be different this time," Blink promised him.

"How?" Mush asked.

"Because," Blink said, taking Mush's hand firmly in his own, "This time I'll be there to hold you up." And apparently that was all the reassurance Mush had needed, because he went along without another word of protest.

And Blink was right, of course, because Mush's clumsiness on skates gave him the perfect excuse to spend the entire time touching Mush. Holding his hand, holding him close, hugging him, stealing a kiss. And, they did spend an unusually large amount of time on the ground, more due to Mush than anything, but Blink found he didn't really mind, and he hoped Mush didn't either.

Finally Blink checked the clock, "It's 8:30," he sighed, "We should go."

Mush looked a little disappointed, and wrapped himself around Blink's arm as they left the rink, and walked down the street towards Mush's apartment. "Do you have to go?" Mush asked unhappily when they finally reached his apartment.

"Yeah," Blink sighed, "Itey has a big test tomorrow, so I promised I'd be back by nine."

Mush unwrapped himself from Blink, and pulled out his key, "Do you want to come in for a few minutes?"

"Yeah," Blink nodded. He followed Mush into the apartment. It was much nicer than the one he lived in, mainly because Specs's rich parents covered half the rent and all their bills as a favor to him, which made Blink feel suddenly nervous about what he was about to ask. "I love you, you know," he said, looking away.

Mush's cheeks flushed brilliant scarlet. Although the words were implied with just about everything they did, neither Mush or Blink actually voiced their love very often. "I love you too," Mush said.

"Good," Blink felt relieved. "Mush," he paused, and shook his head, "No, Micheal," Mush looked startled at the use of his actual name, "I was wondering if you would..."

"Mushee!"

Blink groaned when Lucky bounced into the room. She would interrupt him. Lucky glowered at him, then bounced over to Mush and started jabbering away to him. Blink sighed. There was no point in asking Mush now. The mood was ruined. He glanced at his watch. "I should get to work..."

Mush looked away from Lucky, and gave Blink a hug and kiss, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah," Blink nodded, smiling slightly.

"What were you going to ask me?"

"It was nothing," Blink said, and left Lucky and Mush to gossip, or what ever Lucky had come over to do. He ran a hand through his hair.

Mush and I probably aren't really ready to move in together anyways...

AUTHOR'S NOTE

S: So, yeah. Our first smutty scene...

C: I felt awkward and I wasn't even the one writing it... =P

S: Yeah... I mean, it was my idea, and I wrote it, so you don't have the right to be awkward!

C: Mmmmm, I suppose so. Thank GOD Mush and Blink are much more innocent... for now...

S: Well, I, for one, can't wait for that!

C: Good. Cause you're probably the one who'll be writing that scene.

S: Ugh. Maybe. Anyway, I'm so proud of us! We finished this chapter in, what, three or four days?

C: That is pretty impressive. YAY US!

S: And it probably won't happen again (knowing us)! :P I'll be too distracted by Roundhouse. :D

C: And I'll get sucked back into Harry Potter fanfiction... Oh well.

S: We'll try to write quickly if... you review! Please!