Ashe frequented the race tracks for the fact her horses often ran in them. It's at one of these tracks where she comes in contact with the boy obsessed with betting on horse races and always carries a cigar in his mouth.
[ the e in ashe is silent ]
...
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Smoke bellowed from Racetracks mouth as he passed the cigar over to Ashe. She gratefully took it and placed it into her own mouth, inhaling as much as she could before blowing it out again. Their backs were resting on the gingers soft mattress, something Racetrack couldn't get enough of. That and how much the room smelt like her.
"You're fun, Race." Ashe traced circles on his bare chest.
"You are too." He grabbed her hips and placed her on top of him in a straddling motion.
Ashe leaned down and kissed Racetrack, starting to pepper down the sides of his neck. He gripped her sides harder at the feeling as he released satisfied sighs. While doing so, he turned his head to the side and realized how dark it was getting.
"I oughtta get goin'." He stopped Ashe, removing her from himself gently. "The boys'll be wonder where I is right about now."
"You don't want to stay the night?" She asked, watching as he put his shirt and trousers back on.
"Wish I could, but if I'm out any longer, they'll start a witch hunt." Racetrack joked.
Ashe stood up from her bed and walked over to the brunette, tugging at his vest to bring him closer. "Then I'll see you around."
"You know where to find me." He placed one last kiss on her lips before climbing from her window and to the sidewalk.
She bit her lip while watching him walk down the street with a pip in his step, then she noticed how it still smelt of smoke in her room. Ashe turned around and saw the still-lit cigar on her bedside table, which meant Racetrack forgot to pick it up when he left. She went over and unlit it to save it for when she saw Race again.
—— two days later
A knock sounded at Ashe's window as she was waking up, her nightgown draped down her body. She rushed over to it and pulled back the curtains, and she came face-to-face with Racetrack on the other side of the glass. A smile broke onto her face, and she quickly opened the window in order to let him in. Racetrack climbed through, and Ashe threw her body to his with a hug.
"Hey Ashe." Racetrack mumbled into her shoulder.
"Hi." She softly greeted back, happy to be back in his arms.
He pulled back from the hug and looked into her face. "I need your help with something."
"Of course, anything." She said right away.
"Us newsies need some help with givin' papes to the workin' boys and girls of New York. You in?" He asked.
"As soon as I'm dressed." Ashe nodded.
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Racetrack and Ashe ran down the streets, giving newspapers to any working kid they laid their eyes on. Ashe took most of the girls' jobs while Race took the boys', but they weren't limited to either. After they had given away all of their papers, the two met up again.
"You finished?" Racetrack asked the ginger.
"Yeah, are you?" Ashe responded.
"Mhm." He nodded his head.
"Then I suppose we should go find your friends." She said.
Racetrack glanced around quickly before looking back at Ashe, pulling her into a kiss. She melted into the embrace and savored his touch as if she would never have it again. Then they came apart.
"Okay. Come on." Racetrack nudged Ashe's shoulder, and the two made their way down the road.
The closer they got to the statue in the middle was when Ashe and Racetrack noticed how sparce the number of boys were there; only the kids from Racetracks lodging house congregated in the center. She looked around but couldn't see anyone else coming towards any of them.
"Nobody here yet?" Racetrack asked his friends, and they turned to his direction.
"There's still time." One of the boys said.
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"So when's the others comin', Kid?" Another boy asked.
"They ain't comin'." Said another, who Ashe quickly learned was Jack. "Ain't gonna be nobody but us."
The ginger leaned her head on Race's shoulder, and he put an arm around her while puffing a cigarette. The others began to encourage Jack to see the bright side and not to give up. One of the younger of the boys walked away in a frustrated huff, causing Racetrack to take immediate notice and follow after him; Ashe watched the interaction from afar.
"When the circulation bell starts ringing, will we hear it?" Asked the boy.
"Nah." Race rubbed the kids back and hit his hat after taking the cigarette from his own mouth. "What if the Delancey's come out swinging? Will we hear it?"
"No!" He defended.
Ashe smiled at how gentle Race seemed to be towards the young boy, almost as if he was like a little brother to him. She started to walk over to the pair, the rest of the group doing the same.
"Attaboy." The brunette smacked his hat.
Ashe went beside Racetrack, and he automatically pulled her closer to his side. "They'll come."
Suddenly, a crowd of working kids came down the different streets while chanting and holding up strike signs. Race excitedly looked to the ginger, and she chuckled at his enthusiasm. Hundreds of children from all over New York piled into the center, and that's when the newsies knew they had won.
