To Lead a Union

Council Meeting

Spot's POV

"I'm fine" she says. "I'm not mad at you" she says. And yet here we are, walkin together (seconds laggin behind us) to a newsie council together in silence. I can't take it!

"Is youse still upset dat I kissed ya in front of all da odda newsies?" She looks ova at me confused.

"Why would you ask that? I told you we're fine." The silence presses on for a few more moments.

"We're not fine." I put bluntly. "Just say what's botherin ya." She inhales, and keepin her eyes forward, admits,

"Yeah I'm mad at you. You humiliated most of Staton without warning them, or me, and now we're on our way to a war council!"

"What do ya mean 'war council'?" I ask. "Day's a pretty important detail don't ya think?" She turns ta me.

"Isn't it obvious? You've hurt Staton, so Staton hurts you."

"I'd hardly call cheatin on Socks' sister hurtin all of Staton." I scoff. She looks at me as though I'm missin somethin, like I'm bein naive.

Spot Conlons ain't naive

"And so quick afta the strike? It just don't make sense for any rational person." She just shrugs and replies,

"Kissing in front of your girlfriend isn't rational. A lot of wars aren't rational. Pride isn't rational. It's why it drives people to do some irrational things." I just shake my head.

"There's gotta be somethin we're missin..."

"It doesn't matter." She snaps.

"Everythin alright up there?" I hear tomcat ask from behind.

"Just peachy." Bullets snaps sarcastically. Sos we all walk the rest of the way in silence.

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Spades' POV

Foist council! I'm partially representin Manhattan!

Eva since I had hoid dat I was goin ta a newsie council Ise've been bouncin round like a, well Racer. Ise is sittin wit Jack and Davey in dis small circular room, waitin for Spot and Bullets ta show up and Ise've been fidgetin eva since we had started the hike ova here. I don't like feelin like a kid but I can't help it!

"When's da meetin gonna start?" I ask Jack. He clenches his fists in attempts ta regain control of himself, and replies,

"For da last time. Wes is waitin it up for Spot and Bullets and askin 'when's it gonna start' ain't gonna start ain't gonna make it start any soona!"

Fair enough.

It was my 32end time askin in the span of 11 minutes.

"Do ya at least no what it's about?" I ask hopefully. At dis point, he throws his head back exasperatedly and groans. "Fine if wes is gettin all upset." Wit dat, I turn ta Davey. "Do youse have any idea when da meetins gonna start?" He pulls a book out from his news paper bag, and starts passive aggressively readin. "So it's like dat is it?" I ask taken a back. Curiosity's gnawin at me, I can't resist but look ova. "Whatcha readin?" He slams the thing a little louder than I (assume) he attends ta. The people in the room snap their heads ova in surprise, and he looks around sheepishly, and everyone goes back ta very busily doin nothin.

"What'd ya do that for?" He whisper/asks angrily.

"Dis is a free country and ise can ask questions wheneva I feel like it! Specially since youse, vaudeville, and lova boy in a mood ova there keep more secrets dan US government." I reply cheekily. He looks at me with an 'as though you would understand it' look, before relentin.

"Les Miserables" I scoff. "I doubt you're literate." He snaps.

"I woik for a news paper Davey. Readin is my job." I remind him dryly.

"You can barely say the word 'oyster'"

"Ask any of da newsies. When I joined I spoke da queen's English." He looks at me, half surprised, half skeptical. "What you don't believe me bozo? Then we'll settle this with fisticuffs the way real people do outside." I say wit a (very aggressive but otherwise flawless) New England accent. his gaze shifts to partially fear and partially surprise. He looks like he's about ta say somethin else, when Spot and Bullets finally come in.

"Sorry we're late." Tomcat apologizes. While most of the leaders and seconds wave or nod, I see Socks just look at them stiffly, before getting up to address the group of us.

"As youse may know, Ise've summoned all da borough leadas and their seconds here." He starts off, scanning the room to make sure everyone's here and accounted for, when his eyes fall on Jack, Davey, and I. "I asked for leadas and seconds. Ya can't have two seconds Jack; dats not how math woiks."

"Ise lead Manhattan howeva I see fit." Jack waves off. Before addin in a very firm tone, "Even if dat means halftin ya do traditional math." After seein it's hopeless wit airheads like us Manhattan kids, he leaves it be, and starts ta say something before Bullets raises her hand.

"Yes?" He asks annoyedly. As though it were all a waste of time till we started discussin why wes is here.

"If you only planned on summoning the main boroughs, why am I here?"

"To discuss the, uh, dynamic between the three of us here." Ise has ta hold back like ya wouldn't believe possible ta not 'respectfully point out' how Socks called a borough meetin cause his boyfriend cheated on him. Spot sighs, and responds,

"Look I'm real sorry for cheatin on your sista. It wasn't right an-"

"Why did you start dating my sista in da first place?" The rooms paralyzed wit awkwardness, feelin like wes shouldn't be here. Like dis should be a private conversation between dem and maybe a counselor. "Ya don't remember do ya? If I recall, it was cause Staton and Brooklyn was on da verge of war weren't we?" He asks.

Oh no. Oh no no-

"Somethin like dat." Spot answers, lookin Socks dead in the eye. Darin him ta say what we all knows is comin next.

"Youse got it." Socks grins, and the room then descends into madness.

"So soon afta da Union?" Jack tries in vain ta soothe the chaos. Sides is bein taken. So what can I do but clarify

"Manhattan is wit Brooklyn and Midtown"

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ooooooo we're getting into the war already. I'm sorry about this chapter, I just really need to set up the war already. To anyone who feels uncomfortable about fighting, and guns being exerted in children, and a gay dating the opposite sex cover up relationship, this is your warning. Thank you for reading ily guys sm! ❤️❤️❤️