Soak 'em (Newsies X Reader) | #WATTYS2019

Building Bridges

I walked around the peaceful streets of New York. I picked up stones as I walked. In the distance, I heard hooves clopping of horses and cracking creeks of carriages. I would pass by a few people and they would give me nods. I finally had two pockets full of stones. I adjusted the thin black suspenders that held up my pants to support the newly found weight.

More weight than just rocks laid on my shoulders. Although, I don't think there are suspenders for emotional weight. My feet willingly carried me to my thinking spot. I look out to the sea, the salty taste in the air. I breathed it in, savoring the taste. I so longed to be out in the water. It was so big and wide, it would take me anywhere I wanted to go, which was anywhere but here. I make my way on to the Brooklyn Bridge and lean over the railings. A heavy sigh escapes my lips. I watch the moon reflect off of the water, images of the night spent with David's family. I pulled out a slingshot and loaded a stone into it. I aimed it into the dark abyss and fired. A light zing could be heard in the night followed by a splash. I repeated doing this until I ran out of small stones. The frustration bubbled up inside me and I couldn't take it anymore. I let out a loud scream of frustration. When I was done I heard my scream echo. 

I never even knew my parents. I was too young to remember anything when they left. I so desperately wanted to know who my parents were. Not that I didn't already know who they were, but I want to know them. As people, as parents. I was never going to get that. The closest thing I had to a family was the newsies. Really though, did I need much more than that?  I took off my hat and took my hair out of a french braid. My hair fell down to its natural length. I looked around and spotted a nearby dock. I followed a somewhat trail down to it. I dropped my hat by the dock and proceeded to take off my shirt. I stripped my clothes down to just my tank top and my underwear. I took a deep breath before gracefully diving into the river. I listened as the water filled my ears and consumed my senses. All around me was darkness. This was the closest thing I could get to complete peace. With my head and the real world. Thankfully I could hold my breath for a while. I just let myself float stagnant in the water. 

When I finally did come up for air, I still had my eyes closed. I reached around for the deck, aimlessly trying to find it. Instead of hitting wood, a hand grabbed mine. I gasped slightly in surprise and yanked my hand back. I wiped the water from my eyes and looked up to see a boy. He had a smirk plastered on his face. Man, he was handsome. His face was soft yet structured. The moonlight reflected off of his face evenly. He still held the steady smirk on his face. "Not lookin' for any help, Dollface?"

If there was one thing I hated, it was nicknames. Only one person got to call me nicknames and that was Jack. I could feel the anger boiling up inside me as I glared at him. "No," I said flatly. "I's  doin' fine. You can leave now." The boy cocked an eyebrow at me. "Why don't you gets outta there?" He asked. I continued a steady glare in his direction. He glanced down at the clothes on the dock and smirked even harder than before if that was even possible. He raised his hands in the air, one had a cane in the air. "I'll give ya some privacy,  eh?" the boy turned around, his cane thumping on the deck softly. I quickly pulled myself up onto the deck and used some random towel and quickly patted myself dry. I slipped on my pants then my dirty, white button-up shirt. I had removed my wet underclothes and now held them in my hand along with my hat. I decided to hide my hat. This kid already knew I was a girl, any suspicions about me being a newsie was out of the question. 

"'Kay, yous good now," I say flatly. He turns to face me with the same smirk plastered on his face. If I weren't so frustrated right now, that smirk would have made me melt.  "Yous an awfully pretty girl to be out her allalone." I nodded, ringing out my hair. "Aye, I came out here ta think. By myself. Yous intrudin' " The boy clicked his tongue at me. "Actually, its you whos intrudin' missy. Yous on Brooklyn turf." It was my turn to cock an eyebrow, "Yeah?" I crossed my arms over my chest, shifting my weight onto my right leg. "What of it?" 

The boy chuckled. He sat down on the edge of the dock and patted the spot beside him, gesturing for me to join. "Come tell me whats on ya mind." 

"I said I came here to think." Who did this guy think he was? Mister high and mighty that's what. "Well, I's here now, so might as well think out loud. Clearly yous from 'Hattin so's its not like we's gonna see eachotha." I thought for a moment, Studying the boy before nodding softly. I took a seat next to him on the dock. I looked at his face a little closer, and it was even more good looking up close. His light freckles and small dimple on his lower lip more noticeable.  I was not going to tell this boy a lot, but maybe this is what I need. Someone to talk to. 

"I just hung out wit one of me friends and his family today, and I'll never meet me own family. Just gets to my head a bit." The boy nodded softly. "So yous an orphan?" He asked. I simply nodded with a shrug. I glanced over at the boy. I could see the gears in his head turning. "You get to know them before they left?" He asked. I shook my head. "I was small," I replied with a shrug. This was actually pretty nice. "And me brotha is too protective of me. He thinks hes gots ta baby me all the time. I can hardly have any guy friends." I admit to the boy. He nods slowly. "So this brudda of yours, pretty restrictive, eh?" I half chuckle. "You don't got even the slightest idea."  I looked over at the boy. He was looking at me, the same smirk plastered on his face. "Yous never, ah, let's say," He thought for a moment, tapping his chin. "Kissed a fella before?" He asked. 

A hot blush covered my face. The words in my throat jumbled together, creating a lump. "Um, no?" I stammered, rubbing my upper arm. I could feel the boy get closer to me. He leaned over to my ear and whispered, "You want me to be the first?" for the first time in my life I was flustered over a boy. A boy! I thought for a second before pushing him away. "No! I mean, I don't even know ya name." He smiled at me with a sort of puppy dog smile. "Well, wouldja like to?" I got suspicious for a second. Then nodded softly. 

"The names Spot, Spot Conlon."

Shit.