Rooftops are for Lovers (Newsies)

Snittery

"Hey, Skitts?" Avery Russo turned to his boyfriend. The two were currently huddled on the couch, watching an old western on TV.

"Huh?" Drew grunted, keeping his eyes on the showdown that was unfolding on the screen.

"When did you, uh, realize that you liked me?" he asked, smirking slightly.

"Seventh grade," Skittery replied, still fixed on the LED screen.

Snitch grabbed the remote and turned the television off, forcing the other boy to look at him."You've liked me since the seventh grade?" he asked, feeling stupid. They had known each other since they were toddlers and he didn't figure it out until sophomore year, last year.

"Sure, you can ask Pie about it." Skittery readjusted himself on the couch.

"Why would I ask Pie if you're right here?" Snitch buried his head in the crook of his boyfriend's neck, inhaling deeply. Skitts always smelled like coffee and vanilla.

"'Cause I wanna watch the movie, Snitch," Drew made a grab for the remote, but Avery got it first and shoved it between the couch cushions.

"Tell me, Skitts!"

"Give it, dude!"

"Tell me how found out you had fallen madly in love with me!"

"No, give me the remote back!"

Tell me, Prude," Snitch demanded using the dreaded nickname.

"Alright Av, if it will shut you up," Skittery looked slightly amused.

**  **  **

"You sure do stare at Snitch a lot these days," Bruno 'Pie Eater' Fallaci observed taking a bite out of his licorice. They were at lunch and Skittery had been staring across the room at Snitch, and it has been going on for about a week or two.

"Be quiet Pie, I saw you sharing your Cosmic Brownie with Swifty yesterday." Pie Eater turned bright red. He always had enough junk food to fill a convenience store, yet he never shared any of it with anyone, ever. "At least I talk to him."

"I talk to Snitch," Skittery said, just a little too quickly.

"Talked, dude, you haven't so much as made eye contact with Snitch since like, fourth grade when we did that stupid musical about Ohio."

"Yeah, well..." Honestly, Andrew had no idea why he was staring at Snitch. Pie was right, he hadn't talked to Avery since they were in elementary school. Back when they were best friends. Back when Skittery wasn't that weirdo who'll jump five feet in the air at the drop of a dime. Snitch was very popular. Hanging around Jack Kelly, Louis Ballatt, Nick Meyers, and the likes. "He's dating Angela Vickers."

"That doesn't make him straight, dude," Pie had moved on to the marshmallows by now.

"What do you mean?" Skittery asked, giving his friend a quizzical look.

"Remember when Jack Kelly and Sarah Jacobs were dating, everyone thought they were going to last until high school, then they broke up. Now Jack's all over David and Sarah's been spending time with the principal's daughter."

How is it that you know all of this?" Bruno was a friendly guy, he just wasn't that popular. Skitts guessed it was because he didn't say much.

"People watching." Pie went back to enjoying his sweets. How he stayed in shape, Skittery could never guess.

"We're talking about Snitch, girls have been swarming around him since kindergarten," Skittery said, ever the optimist. He glanced at the designated popular table. Apparently someone had said something really funny because they were all falling over with laughter. He sighed and put his head on the table.

"Andrew Prudden, you my friend have a crush on are neighborhood tattle-tale," Pie Eater shoved a spoonful of chocolate pudding in his mouth.

**  **  **

"That's it!?"

"Yup."

It wasn't, like a life changing moment or anything?"

Nope, can I have the remote back?"

"Not until you make up a better story!"

Avery, give me the remote."

"No!"

"I should've let Angela Vickers have you."

"You don't really mean that!"

"I do right now."

"I can't believe you!"