Manhattan Newsies

Romeo's 21st

Yes, I have too many ongoing stories already. Yes, I'm starting a new one. You got a problem with that?

If you're a normal person, you've probably watched a comedy show. Whether it be Parks & Recreation, The Office, or as this story is inspired by, Modern Family, you've probably watched a comedy show at least once in your life. While watching the last few episodes of Modern Family, I got the idea of:
"What if I did something like this, but with the newsies in their early 20s, living together in apartments, and figuring out their lives?"

And here's the result of that.

As most of my stories, this is set in my modern AU time line (strike happens in 2005), and it's canonical with TNE.

So now I, Vil Potter from Newsies Square, present to you:

Manhattan Newsies.

Saturday, November 10th, 2012, 6:45 AM

Specs carefully picked the cake off the kitchen counter. The cake itself matched the counter in terms of fanciness. Both were seriously lacking it. Specs and Albert had made the cake themselves. It felt more genuine that way. The only store-bought things on it were the two candles. One '2' and one '1', both big, white, and covered in glitter. A minute before lifting the tray off the table, Specs had carefully lit them. He would have had Albert, Mike or Ike do it, but he didn't trust any of them to not burn the house down in the process. Neither did he trust them to carry the cake without dropping it, so the situation had to be what it was. Instead he had the other three boys carry the bread, butter, cheese and sliced cucumber. Romeo was very particular about having a sandwich every morning. Specs couldn't have his 21st birthday be the day where he didn't get one.

"R'ya ready?" he whispered to Albert, Mike and Ike once they were outside the door to one of the small apartment's bedrooms.

"Aye aye, captain," Albert whispered back, prepping himself for the surprise they were about to perform.

It might've been a bit childish, but waking Romeo up with singing and a cake on his birthday felt right. Turning 21 was a big deal. It was basically letting go of the last childhood innocence. Today, the last person in the Manhattan newsie gang (minus Les) was turning the magical two one. That was even bigger deal.

Specs gave the slightly open door a little push with his hip, and it slowly opened. The four boys outside walked in.

"Happy birthday to you," Specs started carefully singing. The twins, who weren't morning people, were pretty much just mouthing the words. Albert though, was making this the biggest, most dramatic singing of happy birthday imaginable.

"Happy birthday to you!" he belted.

Romeo, who had obviously woken up by then, slowly sat up in his bed, chuckling lightly at the sight.

"Happy birthday, dear Romeo!" Specs sang louder.

"Happy birthday to you!" they finished it off.

"Happy 21st, Ro!" Albert shouted.

"Yeah, happy day!" one of the twins said. Specs still had trouble telling them apart, especially when they were both wrapped into their morning robes.

"Aaaah!" Romeo squealed a bit, taking the cake from Specs. "Thank you!"

With an exuberant smile, he began inspecting the cake.

"Officially an adult," Specs declared, sitting down at the end of his best friend's bed.