Newsies One Shots

Gingers & Gingerbread

Modern AU 

She had done a cute little design with the icing on the roof and was now carefully placing the colorful candles were the icing crossed paths. The island was covered with piping bags, different bowls of candies, and anything else one would need to make a gingerbread house with. While music was cheerfully played over the speaker, she hummed along to the catchy tunes as she popped a single candy into her mouth.

"The more you eat, the less you'll have for your house Sweetheart," Albert warned while working on his own gingerbread house....though his looked like a candy factory had thrown up on it compared to Brooklyn's....eh, he'd figure it out. At least it was actually staying together this time around.

With Race being out of the apartment for the day it meant that Albert could actually have Brooklyn over without any interruptions for once. He had the entire day already planned out. With the first activity being to make little gingerbread houses. And yes, he made a joke about how he was going to be a master at this. It is a ginger making a gingerbread house after all. Anyways, the next would be to watch sappy movies while cuddling and go on from there.

"If you must know, I'm going for cute and simple, not a Willy Wonker reject." she laughed, gesturing to her boyfriend's mess of a house.

Taking offence to this Albert scooped up some icing with his fingers and smudged it across Brooklyn's cheeks. To which she did the same thing back to him and thus began a mini icing war that was full of laughs and joking jabs here and there. By the end of it all they were both in a laughing fit, now covered in sticky icing.

"At least we aren't burning any cookies," Brooklyn joked. The fond memory of her first Christmas at the Lodge was definitely one to remember. She would never forget the disaster of making cookies with all the boys, which eventually led to a mini oven fire.

"The difference is that Racer ain't around to bein' in charge of anythin'." Albert chuckled. He got up from where he sat to go get some dish towels. He ran two under some lukewarm water and threw one to Brooklyn so she could clean herself up.

"Don't go patting yourself on the back love, remember that home date you just had to do?" Brooklyn asked with a raised eyebrow. "I clearly remember you burning the -"

"It wasn't burnt baby girl, it was crispy," Albert corrected. Just as he said this his gingerbread house collapsed right then and there. A few pieces broke and some candy went flying across the island top. "Apparently that kit is defective. Think I can get my money back for it?"

"If you want to sound like a Karen, then be my guest."

Albert chuckled at that response. He's noticed more and more that Brooklyn has picked up on a few of his habits. One of them being throwing out little jokes or a sarcastic comment every now and again. Yet, she was still the same innocently shy girl he met back in high school. Gosh, has it really been five years since they started - wait, no, it was actually four years since they became a couple. It's been five years since he's known her. There was a good enough gap to know the differences between the two. But in Albert's defense it was all the same. Guess that's what happens when you fall in love at first sight.

"Al!" Brooklyn's voice rang through his ears. "You ok? You zoned out for a second."

"Yeah, fine. Just admirin' the beautiful girl that's right in front of me." this caused her cheeks to flush a bright pink color. She got all embarrassed and broke eye contact. Albert found this was the cutest thing she could ever do. Besides getting all sleepy and cling to him like nothing else mattered....

"If you're done being all flirty you can help me finish decorating this house Gingerbread," Brooklyn mumbled as she glanced up for a brief moment. "It can be a his and her project thingy."

"One, I'll never be done flirtin' with you gorgeous. And two, hand me some of the smarties." Albert sat down once again and began placing the chalk like candy onto the other side of the roof while Brooklyn continued to work on her's.

As the decorating of the little gingerbread house went on, Brooklyn quietly began to sing along to the Christmas music that was playing in the background. Catching ear of this, Albert glanced up and smiled as her sweet, yet soft voice followed with the tune. He was slightly tempted to turn the speaker off so he could just hear her voice, but knew better not to because then she'd stop and get all flustered since "that just happened". However, Albert did casually lace his fingers with Brooklyn's while acting like nothing was out of the ordinary at all.

She felt her stomach flip into nothing but butterflies at the simplest touch. Even after all these years Albert still had that effect on her. Brooklyn wasn't complaining of course, she enjoyed the feeling...when she wasn't blushing so hard that she would be considered a space heater. Anyways, she started to gently rub her fingers against his, which eventually led to the playing of fingers.

Before long the gingerbread house was finished, with Brooklyn's side looking like something straight out of a fairytale book, while Albert's was very....Albert like. Of course it wasn't complete until they each used some leftover frosting to pipe the letters "b + a" in the center of the candy cane heart that was smack front and center. What? It was cute alright? And so were the little gingerbread man and woman that were standing outside the house with big smiles on their faces. Albert somehow came up with an entire backstory, which Brooklyn didn't question, and instead rummaged through the cabinet to find something to eat. Eventually she managed to find some snacks and got Albert to pause with the thrilling tale of the Gingerbreads so they could cuddle up on the couch in the warmest, fluffiest blanket there was and watch sappy Christmas movies like he promised.

Brooklyn couldn't be more comfortable all snuggled up beside Albert with some snacks in front of them. It was really just Chex Mix thrown with little chocolate bits and whatever else she could find, a bowl of freshly popped popcorn, and of course, hot chocolate. She leaned her head onto his shoulder while the steaming hot mug warmed her hands while her toes curled inwards underneath the thick blanket. She felt Albert move his arm so now it was resting around her shoulders, making her scoot closer to the redhead and nuzzle her head into his chest.

"Albie?"

"Yes gorgeous?"

"I love you," Brooklyn replied, feeling like this moment couldn't be more perfect.

Albert lightly chuckled and placed a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you too." the next thing he knew was when Brooklyn put her mug of coco down in order to cup his face with her warm hands. And before she could ask that fateful question he took her by surprise by leaning in for a kiss. The moment was short lived however, when not only Race, but Jojo as well, came barreling through the door, both wearing ridiculous Santa hats with mistletoe sticking out from it. The two boys - having caught sight of their none-bachelor friend - began with the cat calls and teasing. Causing Albert to glare at them and Brooklyn to sink underneath the blanket and hide her face under the redhead's arm. "Yeah yeah, laugh it up, at least I'm not the one parading around with mistletoe over my head," Albert stated as he tightly wrapped his arms around Brooklyn as a way to proudly show of that he's the one out of the three of them to actually have a relationship that's still going strong. He would never say this out loud of course, but all the teasing was worth it if it meant he could be with the most beautiful girl in the world.

───── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─────

Author's note

Ah yes, good ole sweet Albyn fluff. Took a long time to get the relationship just right all together, but the end results are so worth it. I know there technically hasn't been much insight on them as a couple compared to Mesiter, but I do have small ideas simmering on the creativity stove. Only time will tell what comes out of the pot though. Friendly reminder that this is also sadly the last NYC Winter draft I managed to write. Believe me I didn't want to cut it short this year, but yeah...I highly doubt anymore updates will come after this. My brain decided to take winter break early this year. Updates for Story of a News Girl are going to be on pause for a little bit. When it'll return I don't know yet. Maybe after the holidays, but I'm not making any promises. For the meantime I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and happy holidays to everyone else. Thanks for reading and I'll see you next time.