A girl? It's a girl, how the hell? Is that even legal? (Spot and Dodger)

[brooklynishere]

Siobhan Conlon had run away from home at age 12 and very quickly realised that the streets were a terrible place for a girl. Especially one with a smart mouth and a violent temper. It wasn't that she couldn't handle herself - she absolutely could - but she didn't want to have to all the time.

So she'd stolen some boy's clothes from a washing line and spent her second-to-last dime on a haircut, and when she'd shown up at the circulation gate with the other newsies one cold November morning, three weeks after first leaving home, they'd accepted her with open arms.

After that, it wasn't long before she had a bed at the boarding house, a whole new family and a name - Spot.

By now she has it down to an art, as the leader of Brooklyn she had her own room at the boarding house which made it easier, but she's spent years perfecting her act, she's got the swagger and the voice and the look, and everybody thinks she's just small for a boy - Spot's certainly got more than enough personality to make up for it.

So when Dodger comes strolling into her life she doesn't think anything of it at first, he's just another cocky kid for her to take under her wing and show the ropes, and if she finds him somewhat attractive... well, it wouldn't be the first time she's thought that about someone. She'll get over it, she always does. She can't risk revealing herself, not after all this time.

There's something about him, though, something that's just kind of easy to get along with - even when they're arguing - and Spot just likes having him around. It's dangerous, really dangerous, but she can't stop herself being around him.

Comments

[brooklynishere]

"But none of them have ever actually tried before!" a stuttered confession or pining glance, sure, that she's dealt with, but nobody bold enough to actually do it. Hell, Race had been pining after her when they were both 13 and he'd never done anything about it (that had stopped, at some point, thankfully. She liked Race, but not like that).

Then she realised exactly what she'd just unintentionally admitted to him and she flushed crimson, spinning on her heel to hide her face from him.

[artfuldawkins]

That got him looking with wide eyes. Fuck. That had been her first proper kiss an' he had to do it in anger and fuck it up for her. He knew, Nancy told him, a kiss meant something. You didn't just fuck it up like that. He breathed out, and looked at her.

There was a serious tint to his expression.

"I... didn't," he stopped. And stepped closer. He looked right at her. "Let me do it right."

[brooklynishere]

"Do it right?" she feels like she's spent almost all this conversation just repeating him, but he's making so little sense.

She takes a deep breath to try and regain her composure and turns back to him, surprised to find him closer than she'd thought. Her gaze catches his and she hesitates.

Part of her wants this, it feels like an ache in her chest, she can still remember how his lips felt against hers and she wants to feel it again. He's had a response for every concern she's raised, and even though she has a million more she can't seem to think of them right in this second. She's still angry, can feel the itch of it beneath her skin. At least she thinks that's anger...

She tilts her head up to look at him and there's a set in her jaw. She doesn't want to go into this some blushing maiden, doesn't want to be just the girl, she wants this to be about her and Dodger and this... something between them, the current that's been there since they met.

So instead of agreeing to let him, she steps in and kisses him first.

[artfuldawkins]

Do it right. The offer makes sense in his head, having had years of being told how kisses were not given easily, and they had to mean something. That the person you gave them to had to mean something, they weren't just a mark that you could make coin from.

He's not surprised that Spot took the initiative and kissed him first, that's who she was. He liked that she did things like that, after all. Pushed back when people pushed her. But he's careful this time. He doesn't grab her arms, and force it in anger.

No, his hands come up to cover her cheeks, kissing her carefully, with thought put into it.

[brooklynishere]

There's a very large part of her that's still lost and uncertain, but the longer they kiss the more she's not sure she cares. There's a lot of reasons this is a bad idea, and things they should probably talk about, but she thinks maybe they just don't have to. Maybe she can just let herself have this and not overthink it.

The kids don't need to know, and if they do... so what? So they think her and Dodger are like Jack and Davey? There are worse things, and none of her kids would have a problem with it, there's no reason that anything has to change. Except the kissing, that she kind of wants more of.

Eventually, she breaks away, feeling a little dazed. She doesn't pull away from him though, and somewhere along the way she's ended up pressed against him with her hand on his waist.

"So... that's doin' it right, then?"

[artfuldawkins]

If they think they're like Jack Soddin' Kelly and Davey Boy... Well, Dodger can handle that. He's got a bit more in common with the Face of the union than he'd like, and that didn't just include their first names. He's got more style though, or so he'd like to think. Better looking too, so his ego would prefer.

He does linger close when she pulls away and her question causes a soft laugh.

"Well, one way, yeah."

[brooklynishere]

"Don't laugh, asshole, I ain' never done it before," she hits his chest with a scowl, though she can definitely hit harder than she does so it's clear she's not properly angry at him. It's kind of hard to be angry when she's still a little flushed and breathless and actually that was really, really nice.

She doesn't like not knowing things, having to rely on him having the experience that she lacked. The only saving grace is that there's nobody here to watch.

Well, apart from the kids probably gathering at the door but they're deep enough in the room and talking quietly enough that they probably can't actually hear what's going on.

[artfuldawkins]

"Trust me, you wouldn't know."

It's a compliment, albeit it an odd one. He's trying to let her know that her inexperience does not show, and he's still close enough that it feels like another step and he could be kissing her again. He really shouldn't have started that - the thought won't leave him know.

But they both know people will be at the door, waiting to hear what's happened, what has Spot said to Dodger about hwat he pulled.

"So, now what?"

[brooklynishere]

Well, okay, that makes her a little smug, and she almost leans in to kiss him again - but then he speaks and she's brought back to reality with a bump. For a second she doesn't understand the question, what now? Now they just get on with things, only with kissing because there's no way in hell she's not doing that again, simple as that.

Then she remembers that this conversation wasn't about kissing in the first place. This conversation was derailed by the kissing, in fact.

That's when she remembers she's still mad at him for worrying her nearly getting arrested.

"Now... now you start showin' a little sense and stop bein' so fuckin' risky an' nearly gettin' yourself thrown in the refuge, right?"

[artfuldawkins]

He would very much like to go back to the kissing and he's tempted to just take that step forward and put them back there. But he knows, and she knows, that they can't. But now the thought in his head and it's going to be hard to stop it. He needed to, though, needed to keep it together to keep her cover. He gave his word, after all.

"Fine, fine," he rolled his eyes. "As you say, boss."