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

[artfuldawkins]

"He didn't," it's said as plainly as he can make it. "He ain't gettin' that close and he ain't here," he added, in a softer voice. "We'll get you cleaned up, and back to Brooklyn when the light is up." He wouldn't risk it at night, you couldn't trust who might be lurking in the alleys. He turned back to the first aid kit.

"Come on, shirt off, and we'll get it finished."

Jack stared at Davey. "She's a girl!" How did he explain to Davey about this. "Dodger's been seen ... round people. It ain't right that he's alone in a room with her."

[brooklynishere]

"Don't fuckin' take that tone with me Dodger, I'm not some poor delicate flower about to fall into your arms." she snarled, and while she knew full well it wasn't him she was angry at she couldn't stop herself.

"Jack...I... I think he's probably been alone in a room with her before..." Davey says slowly. He's heard the rumours about something going on between those two, and even if he hadn't it was clear they were close enough that they'd almost certainly patched one another up after fights in the past.

[artfuldawkins]

"Trust me, I fuckin' know that," Dodger snapped back. There's a pause, and he looks at her, and shrugs. "The fuck is the fun in some delicate little flower?" There's a smirk there, a spark in his eyes, then he shrugs again. "But I'm serious. We got to get you patched up."

"That's worse!" Jack said. "Davey, just go... see to it!"

[brooklynishere]

Any other time, that look in his eyes might have triggered something - admittedly that something was probably more yelling, but it would have lead to kissing at some point. Right now she's not in the mood, instead she looks away with a deep scowl, removing her shirt again.

"Fine. Get on with it."

"Jack," Davey says gently "If you'd had the kind of night Spot seems to have had, would you want anybody but me patching you up?"

[artfuldawkins]

Dodger just nodded, picking up the kit again and trying to find that dressing he had. "There's a clean bandage here, for after." He doesn't know if she'll want to do that, now Davey and Jack know. But he had be better saying now when he sees it. He gets the dressing and moves her arm, leaning in to carefully press it down over the cut.

"Well no," Jack said, "but that's cause me an' you..." He trailed off and glanced at the door. "You think?"

[brooklynishere]

She just nods, lifting her arm and letting him get on with it. Does she want to re-bind? A part of her does, it's like armour almost, but given that it's only a matter of time before the rest of New York knows, and it's only going to make her injuries feel worse right now, she doesn't know if there's any point.

"I've heard it said," Davey admits "And... well, she clearly trusts him or he wouldn't be in there."

[artfuldawkins]

He presses the dressing down, looking at it to make sure it won't roll up. "Reckon that's in place alright," he says. He picks up the bandage, and glances at Spot. "Do you want...?" He doesn't know what her reaction will be. Keeping it off - at least for the night - would help that injury heal a bit. But she might not want that.

"Could just be desperate," Jack says, but his shoulders slump. "You're right." It's an acceptance. "But we watch him. He do anything funny and..." Well, he'd work that out later.

[brooklynishere]

She looks at it silently for a moment before sighing and shaking her head. What's the point? Everything's gone to hell anyway, she might as well be comfortable for it.

"And Spot will be the first one to soak him," Davey points out. "Jack, she might be a girl but she's still Spot."

[artfuldawkins]

Dodger just nodded, and put it down. He picked up the antiseptic again. "Need to sort your hands out," he said, sitting down beside her. He would wait, she needed a moment or two.

"I know," Jack said, because he did. "But... something ain't right here? How they were comin' in... something's spooked 'em good."

[brooklynishere]

"Dodge.." she said slowly, staring down at her bloodied knuckles "What the fuck am I gonna do?"

"You're right," Davey agreed "There's definitely something going on here, she'd never have risked coming here otherwise. Once Dodger is done we'll have to talk."

[artfuldawkins]

Dodger worked slowly, focusing on the knuckles. "Same as always," he said finally. "You ain't changed who you are just 'cause the Delanceys are knowin'. Anyone with sense'll see that." Though the Delanceys knowing was a big issue in itself and he wasn't really sure what to do to sort that one out. He looked at the knuckles, covered in the antiseptic. "Right now? I reckon we have that coffee and try to rest. See what happens in the morning."

"...We gonna like what we hear?" Jack mutters, uncomfortable about it all.

[brooklynishere]

Spot pauses for a long moment, the whole thing going round in her head. His words are reassuring, and as angry as she wants to be she's mostly just tired, tired and desperate to forget all about this and chase the memory of Morris' hands from her mind, so once he's done attending to her knuckles she lifts her hand to curl round his neck and drag him in for a kiss.

"I don't think we will," Davey concedes, glancing back towards the closed door "but they'll tell us soon enough."

[artfuldawkins]

Dodger has no idea what is going on in Spot's mind. He wouldn't really want to know, on a normal day, but this wasn't a normal day and he figures a hint either way might not be too bad. But then she's kissing him and that might just be a hint into how her mind is. He kisses back, just as hard as she's kissing him. If it helps, it helps.

Jack just shot an eye towards the door. "Seems like they're taking their time about it."

[brooklynishere]

This does help. It's easy not to think about anything else when she's kissing him, easy to just lose herself in it. She shifts over, climbing into his lap. Outside the door there's Jack and Davey and questions that need to be answered, there's Morris and Oscar and her secret being shared, but in here it's just her and Dodger and she doesn't need to worry about that, she's already figured that out, she's in control of that.

"She looked pretty beaten up, it's probably taking a while." Davey shrugs "...though the coffee is getting cold, maybe I should make more..."

[artfuldawkins]

He knows he should probably stop her climbing into his lap, that there's two people outside that door who's room this is and that they wouldn't be pleased. But it's easier to just think on it being them and kissing her and pulling her closer.

Sense does regain, pulling away for some air, kissing her cheek. "...We got ears on the other side." He mutters, nodding at the door.

"... That better be all they're doing," is Jack's low muttered, keeping a close watch on the door.

[brooklynishere]

"Who cares," she murmured, tangling her uninjured hand in his hair "They can wait."

"You saw the look on Spot's face, I doubt she's got anything else on her mind." Davey reassures, heading back to the kitchen.

[artfuldawkins]

"Davey Boy made us coffee," he pointed out, his voice playful. "He'll get all upset if we let it get cold." Still, he did lean in and press another quick kiss to her lips, letting it linger a little. "Can't be upsettin' Davey Boy, can we? He gets all sad." His eyes drifted to her shirt. "...You can't wear that."

Jack just looked at Davey and then back at the door. "Hope you're right."

[brooklynishere]

"Fine." She sighs reluctantly. He's right, she just wishes he wasn't. She glances at her shirt as well, it's pretty torn up and covered in blood so he's probably got a point "I don't have anything else to wear, Dodger."

"Jack will you stop worrying, you really think they're going to do... that in our bed?"

[artfuldawkins]

Dodger glances at her shirt and tries to think. "Here," he shifts her off him, discarding his jacket. "You can wear mine. I'll get something off Jack or Davey Boy."

"Well I didn't till now!" Jack stood up and stormed to the door, he opened it. Spot was shirtless and Dodger was dragging his shirt off. "YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

[brooklynishere]

It makes more sense, Spot thinks, for her to borrow something off Jack or Davey, and yet for some reason she doesn't protest - deep down she knows that wearing Dodger's shirt will actually be kind of weirdly comforting, and comforting - weirdly or not - is what she needs right now even if she won't admit it.

Davey hears Jack start to move and goes after him, but he's still in the kitchen and there's no way he can reach Jack in time, so all he can do is sigh resignedly as Jack storms into the room.

"Jack what the fuck," Spot responds angrily, leaping to her feet.

[artfuldawkins]

Dodger won't admit that it feels easier to give her over his shirt than get one from Jack or Davey because it feels almost like a sort of apology. A sorry he hadn't been there earlier. Even if she could easily kick Morris' arse without any help. He did not expect Jack storming into the room.

"You don't do that!" Jack snapped. "Not in our room! You ain't... this ain't right! You can't share a room!"

[brooklynishere]

For a second Spot just stares at him, then all that anger and frustration that's been simmering since the second Morris strolled into that alleyway sudenly boils over and she squares up to him, not even caring that she was still shirtless, eyes burning with anger.

"What the fuck are you talkin' about Kelly? We're not doin' anything 'cept fixing up my injuries, an' Dodger was about to give me his shirt since mine is fucked, what do you mean we can't share a room? Make some fuckin' sense."

[artfuldawkins]

"I mean, it ain't right, Spot!" Jack is trying to look anywhere but right at Spot, face beaming red with her state of undress. "There's just a way of things, an' it's just..." He looked over at Davey, kind of helpess. "Davey?"

[brooklynishere]

Davey gives him a look that just says 'nope, you're on your own' and goes back to making coffee.

"Dodger give me a fuckin' shirt, since I seem to be offendin' Jackie-boy's delicate sensibilities," Spot growled, holding her hand out towards Dodger, though her gaze remained fixed on Jack "You're still not talking sense, and after the day I've had I really ain't in the mood, Kelly, so explain what the fuck you mean right now."

[artfuldawkins]

Dodger handed over his shirt, and then stretched out, a smirk on his face making one thing very clear: oh, he was going to enjoy this.

Jack swallowed. "I mean... you're a girl, an' there's certain things that you ain't meant to do to girls unless..." He swallowed again and looked awkward. "An' it ain't right, so... you need to sleep in separate rooms."