Newsies One Shots

Soaked - Spromeo

Prompt - Rainy Days
Au - None
Triggers - None
•••

Specs sighed and stifled a yawn. The sun was sinking behind the towering skyline and the light was fading fast. He was squinting as he tried to count the coins he held, although the task seemed pointless. He could do it later, and anyway he should probably be heading back to the lodgings. A chill was setting in as the suns heat, however weak it had been in the middle of November, evaporated.

He took a step forward, pushing himself of the wall and dropping the handful of coins into his pocket as he did. Specs began the short walk to the lodgings, but he ran into Romeo futilely attempting to sell his last few papes as people hurried by with lowered heads and misted breath.

"Hey Romeo,"

Romeo looked around and grinned, shoving the paper into the bag at his hip.

"Heya Specs!" He said, jogging the short distance between them with his usual adorable swagger.

Wait, adorable? Why did he think that? Funny, or ridiculous maybe, but not adorable.

"Bad sellin' day?" Specs asked, pushing the thoughts from his head and indicating the papes that Romeo still had. Usually the boy would have sold them all by this time of night.

Romeo shrugged, that grin still plastered on his face. He didn't seem to bothered, but then nothing ever seemed to bother him. Specs had always admired that about him, the way he could bounce back from almost anything.

"How bouts you? Good day as always?" Romeo asked. When Specs nodded and rolled his shoulders nonchalantly he added, "Knew it. Youse the best seller I know,"

Specs ducked his head as he shook it. "No, I aint," he said, slightly embarrassed.

Romeo chuckled. Specs couldn't help but laugh along; Romeo's laughter was infectious.

As they were talking, a drop of rain landed on Specs' head, startling him. He shook it off and quickly stepped under the awning of a nearby building. Romeo laughed again at his reaction and started up at the sky as more rain began to fall.

"Yous scared a' a little bit of water?" He asked, teasingly. His smile was good natured.

"Yes," Specs said, "Because it's cold and Ise already wet and I can'ts see when it rains,"

"Whatta you mean you can'ts see?"

"Glasses, Romeo. Ise wear glasses,"

"Oh, yeah,"

The rain was falling more heavily now, the drumming of water on windows and roofs insistent. Romeo was still standing out in it, to prove a point maybe. Specs wasn't really sure.

"Get under here, youse goin' to get soaked,"

Romeo grinned once more. "Ise know," The streets had emptied startlingly fast as the rain fell, and now it was just the two of them standing alone in the darkness, with a few flickering street lights casting shadows across the puddles.

"Why, may I ask?" Specs inquired, leaning against the cool bricks behind him and drawing his shirt tighter around his slim frame.

"I don'ts know. It's relaxing I guess. Ise always likeds the rain,"

Specs couldn't help but smile once more at that, a small, fond smile that he tried to hide. Romeo was near soaked through, his hair plastered to his forehead despite the cap he wore, tilted at an angle. His eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint that Specs should have taken as a warning. He jumped back with an indignant noise as Romeo kicked at a puddle that was forming by Specs' feet, splashing him.

Romeo laughed and Specs laughed with him, even as Romeo pulled him out from under his shelter and into the downpour with a happy "C'mon"

Soon enough he too was drenched to the bone as the rain continued, his glasses near impossible to see through. Specs' fingers were numb but he found he didn't care, standing outside, darting back and forth to avoid the splashes Romeo aimed his way in the darkness, laughter bubbling all the time. The orange glow illuminated Romeo's face in the perfect way, throwing shadows and highlights across his grin. Specs found himself just watching him, his happiness, his carelessness, until the two decided it would be best if they went back to the lodgings.

They would both wake up sick no doubt, but if he was being honest, Specs didn't really care.