Newsies - Racexreader

Them Brooklyn boys is big - 6

The next morning, I woke up to Race nudging my arm gently, "Mornin' beautiful." he smiled at me.

I turned to face him and smiled, "Mornin'"

I sat up in bed and hopped down next to him, strapping up my suspenders and fixing my news cap to my head. I turned to Race as we heard the morning bell ring around the area and we quickly left, Race grabbed my hand, lacing his fingers between mine and we walked to the circulation gate.

Davey, Jack and Less were already their along with Mush and Finch who had just got their. I walked up to them and put my spare hand on the bars, "Is anyone else coming?" Davey asked.

"Don't got no clue." Jack shrugged, his face in between the bars of the locked gate.

"Youse seen Spot Conlon, right? What'd he say?" Race asked, squeezing my hand.

"Sure we seen him." Jack sighed.

"Him and about 20 and his gang." I shook my hand that was intertwined with his.

"And them Brooklyn boys is big." Les said from the corner.

"And I gotta say, Spot was very impressed. Wasn't he?" Jack turned to Davey as he brought his hands away from the bars.

"I'd say."

"So they're with us?" Race watched Jack's expressions in worry.

"That all depends on how you look at it. You see Brooklyn, then they're with us." Davey rubbed his face with his palms.

"They wanted proof we weren't going to fold at the first sign of trouble." Jack patted Davey's shoulder.

"Are we?" Finch piped.

"We are not! There's us and Harlem-" jack was cut off by Mush wandering in.

"Not so fast boss. Harlem wants to know what Brooklyn's gunna do." he said sadly.

"How about Queens?" Jack asked again.

Specs walked up to the gates and placed his arms around Jack and my shoulders, "Queens is going to be right here backing us up! AS soon as we get the nod from Brooklyn..." he sighed.

"I got the same fish-eye in Mid Town." Race slumped down against the gate and I lent my head onto his shoulder.

As we spoke, Tweedle dumb and Tweedle dumber strutted up to the gates and unlocked them, whilst glaring at me with a smile, "Say, Oscar, looks like we got bum information about a strike happenin' here  today. Not that I'm complainin'. My skull bustin' arm could use a day of rest." Morris punched his hand and stared right at me as he did so.

They quickly moved on to find Wiesel when Les stepped out and followed them, "Are we doing the right thing?" he asked in his squeaky voice.

"Sure we are." Davey grabbed his brother and led him back to the gates.

"Maybe we should put this off a few days." Race started to speak and I looked back at his wide eyes.

"No. We can't...." Davey walked to Jack desperately, "Say something. Tell them if we back off now they will never listen to us again." he patted jack's shoulder.

"We can't back down now. No matter who does or doesn't show." Jack stepped forwards and pressed his hand to my shoulder.

We all agreed after a bit of talking and we walked to newsies square. The Delancey's and Weasel were stood smirking at the stand.

"The sun is up, the birds is singin'. It's a beautiful day to crack some head, ain't it. Step up and get ya papes." the three running the stand laughed and we watched as they smirked at us.

I stiffened, three newsies shoved me aside and walked to the stand and picked up 100 papes each without even paying. My eyes widened and I stepped forwards, "Scabs." I spat.

"We can handle them!" Crutchie yelled out and all the newsies stepped towards them.

"Let's soak 'em boys!" they erupted at Romeo's words when Davey ran out in front and held up his arms.

"NO! We all stand together... or we don't have a chance." Davey looked at Jack for help.

Jack moved out in front and so did I, "Listen, fellas... I know somebody put youse up to this. Probably paid ya some extra money too. Yeah? Well, it ain't right. Pulitzer thinks we're gutter rats with no respect for nothin', includin' each other. Is that who we are? Well, we stab each other in the back and, yeah, that's who we are. But if we stand together, we change the whole game. And  it ain't just about us. All across this city there are boys and girls who ought to be out playin' or going to school. Instead they're slavin' to support themselves and their folks. Ain't no crime to bein' poor, and not a one of us complains if the work we do is hard. All we ask is a square deal. Fellas... for the sake of all the kids in every sweatshop, factory and slaughterhouse in this town, I beg you... throw down your papers and join the strike."

"Please?" Les squeaked.

The scab ran up to Jack and I felt someone grab my arm and tug me back from them, I looked up at Race who watched the Scabs as they nodded at each other. "I'm with ya!" The first one threw his papes to the ground and ran into our group.

Everyone cheered. The second newsie walked up to us again and stared at us, he threw down his papers when the last newsie stepped up to him, "Your kidding right?"

"At the end of the day, who are you going to trust, them? or them?" The second newsie asked as he threw his bag at Weasel and ran with us.

Jack grabbed the last newsie and stared at him, "Oh... who cares? My fodda's gunna kill me anyway." he slapped his papes to the ground and everyone started to cheer.

As we celebrated, the Delancey's ran over and grabbed Les, I went to get him but Jack and Davey got punched as Les struggled in their grip. Finch and Romeo ran in a took Les from their grip as I gripped onto Morris's collar and dragged him to the ground before they ran off.

We all ran to the stand when Kathrine appeared with a camera and she faced it to us as we stood cheering at the stand. There was a loud flash and the photo was taken, the photographer handed Kathrine something and we all started to rip up papers.

I ran to Race and we hugged for a moment before running around and jumping with torn up papers in out hands.