Title: When Midnight Comes
Author: Stage
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Specs/Skittery
Status: Finished
Feedback: Sure, why not.
Archive: Hopefully STN and eventually Slashyways
Summary: A companion fic to Wisecracks' loverly slashtastic ficlet "Resolutions to Keep"…Jack and David aren't the only ones who find romance on the eve of 1900…
Disclaimer: I don't own newsies, not even the situation I have this in.  That belongs to Wisecracks whilst the boys belong to Disney.  Heh.  Also 'Good things happen slowly, great things happen all at once' is from Rat Race…I was watching it while I wrote this.
Notes:  What is there to say?  Y'all probably are getting the idea that my fics are either in a clump together or scattered like mad all over the place.  ^^;;;  This ~*~ indicates POV switches.  POV's will not have the accent in them because I'm lazy.  So there.

****

So there he is.  Sitting on the other side of the room as me, back facing.  I barely hear Racetrack as he counts out the cards he's dealing for five-card stud.  I pick up my cards and look at them; it's a good hand.

My thoughts are elsewhere tonight, its New Year's Eve and about eleven o'clock.  It's a tradition that you kiss the one you love as the new year comes in…just as you hit 'one'.  This has been on my mind continuously throughout the past few days.  He doesn't know how I feel about him.

For a day or so, I thought there was something between him and Dutchy.  But then Dutchy started up his skirt chasing again and I knew that Dutchy hadn't felt that way, but he had.  I had seen the way he looked at the blonde, always happy when he was around.  Sure, I wanted to comfort him, but how?  I don't know anything about cheering anyone up…I cant even cheer myself up.

~*~

I wish Skittery wouldn't be so grumpy all the time.  Its like he hates the world and it hates him right back.  Skittery showed up at the Lodging House without a story…or at least, not willing to tell it.  All I know about him is that he was in the Refugee for years before the Cowboy broke him out.

For a long time, I had a bit of a flame towards Dutchy.  Of course, the lovable idiot was completely oblivious to it.  After a few hard weeks, I got through it and promised myself to never feel that way about anyone ever again.

And that's when I noticed Skittery.  I noticed everything about him that I hadn't noticed ever before…the way that he walks like he hasn't a care in the world, the way he speaks, even the way that his hair refuses to stay in one spot.  But the things that I noticed most were his eyes.

His eyes are incredible.  They're so dark and enigmatic.  They look as thought they're hiding secrets of days long past…of things that no one should experience or even hear about.  I wish I knew what made him adapt such a view on life.

And I wish I could change it.

~*~

Skittery sat backwards in a chair at a table, elbows resting on the back and he peered at his hand of cards.  He threw in his bet as the others went on, raising everyone.  Skittery was trying hard to concentrate, wondering what to do with his ace, jack, king, queen, and two tens.  Of course it would be a lot easier if…

"Snipes!  If ya don't stop blowin' dat t'ing in my ear, I's gonna choke ya wit it!" Skittery yelled at Snipeshooter who frowned and stuffed the noisemaker in his pocket.  He gave Skittery one last sulky look before ambling away.  Skittery glared at the back of the younger newsie, before turning back to his cards.

"Yeah, I thought so.  Damn, I hate holidays!" He muttered grumpily, frowning at his hand.  Skittery swore when he traded one of his tens, ending up with a two.  He threw his cards down.  Specs looked up from where he was seated, fighting against the smile threatening to creep up to his lips.  Skittery was incorrigible with his sullen attitude.

"Oh, shut up!  We's da ones dat had ta put up wit youse at Christmas!" He exclaimed.  Skittery turned to face Specs who lost control of his face and his comment that was supposed to be ennuyé came out amused as his face broke into a broad grin.  "At least try and be pleasant!  Jus' until midnight?"

Skittery surveyed his four-eyed friend for a brief moment and then crossed his arms, pouting sulkily.  "Foine, foine.  Bettah pass da liquor."

Specs grinned again and ignored Skittery's request for the alcohol.  He turned away and went back to what he was doing.  Skittery opened his mouth to say something else to his coffee-haired friend.

"Happy New Year!"

Skittery winced visibly as did most of the others as a very peppy and annoying Les Jacobs skipped in through the door.  A few seconds later, David came in gasping for breath.  They exchanged a few words with Jack and there was a brief pause.

"Les, why don't you go grab a noisemaker?" David asked his little brother, breaking the silence. 

"Yeah, den go sit on Skittery's lap.  He loves 'em!" Specs spoke up, malicious mischief glinting in his large eyes. 

I'd rathah have you sit in me lap… Skittery thought.  He bit his tongue before the comment slipped out, surprised at his lack of defense.  Skittery quickly masked his lust with a glare in Specs' direction.  All this happened in less than a second.

"Aftah midnight, Four Eyes, you're dead." He growled.  Specs was about to say something when Boots burst through the door next.  He raved on about New Years in Brooklyn and warned the others about paying their debts to Spot.

****

Throughout the announcement of resolutions, Skittery's found his mind wandering back to the phrase that had almost popped out of his mouth earlier.  He shifted in his position, trying to get into a more comfortable arrangement on the hard floor.  Skittery's knee fell against Specs' who was sitting next to him.  He left his knee there, suppressing a blush and casting his eyes elsewhere.

Specs felt the warm pressure and looked over at his leg.  He raised his eyebrows ever so slightly at the lack of Skittery's attention.  Or the fact that he was trying not to notice.  Specs reached for the paper noisemaker on the far side of Skittery, making sure his hand brushed across Skittery's leg.  Specs bit his tongue to keep from chuckling at the red color that swept up to tint Skittery's cheeks.

Oh he's so dead aftah midnight. Skittery thought begrudgingly, glaring at his innocent-face friend.  Specs regarded him out of the corner of his eyes as he took a drink of punch. I'd jump 'im right heah and now if da oddahs weren't 'round…and he knows it too.

"Specs, how 'bout youse?" Jack asked.  Specs thought for a moment before smiling ever so slightly.

"Ta stop settlin' and go for what I want." He replied.  Specs casted a brief glance over to Skittery who looked back, a little surprised.

"Attah boy, Specsie." Dutchy grinned, whacking his friend on the back.  Despite the fact that Specs had had feelings for Dutchy, he had not let it ruin their friendship.  Specs batted away Dutchy's hands.

"Call me dat again and I's gonna soak ya." Specs glared at Dutchy who laughed. Specs took another drink and placed his glass back down on the wooden floor.  He reached for a napkin in front of Skittery, his fingertips grazing over Skittery's knee this time. Skittery glared at Specs who again acted as if he hadn't noticed anything.

"Oh, you only have a few minutes.  Bettah get to yer posts boys." Kloppman spoke up, bringing Skittery and Specs back to the real world and the events going on around them.  Blink leapt to his feet and literally hauled Mush out the door.  Jack, Les, and David headed up towards the roof and the others dispersed to their favorite spot to watch the fireworks.  Kloppman headed out into the streets.

Skittery turned to look at Specs through narrowed eyes.  Specs looked right back, putting on an ignorant look.  "Youse want ta tell me what dat was all 'bout?"

"FIVE!" People's voices from outside drifted into the almost deserted main room of the Newsboy's Lodging House where Skittery and Specs hadn't moved.

"Whadd'ya talkin' 'bout?"

"FOUR!"

"Youse knows poifectly well." Skittery's lips quirked up into a knowing smirk but Specs showed no sign of knowing what he was smirking about. 

"THREE!"

"I t'ink Snipes' noisemakah rattled ya brains." Specs replied, simply.  "And ta t'ink, da way you hoirt Les' feelin's by not lettin' him sit in ya lap wit his noisemakah."

"TWO!"

Skittery laced his fingers behind Specs' neck and moved forward.  "I'd raddah have you sit in me lap." He growled, using the phrase that had come to mind before.  Skittery could feel the breath escaping from Specs' lips and he closed his eyes in anticipation.

"ONE!"

Blaaaat!

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Skittery had his eyes closed tightly and winced.  Specs took the noisemaker from his lips and snickered mischievously at Skittery who was now rubbing his temples.  Specs grinned, hopped up, and turned towards the door.

"Happy New Year, Skitt." He said, heading out.  "Hope it's a prosperous one."  Skittery glared at Specs' back before jumping up, seizing him by the shoulders, twisting him around, and planting a kiss on Specs' lips.  Specs immediately melted into him, his arms winding around Skittery's neck.  Skittery pulled back and smirked.

"Ehy, youse nevah knows." He said, tweaking Specs' nose.  Skittery draped an arm around Specs.  "Bunkroom?  Dere ain't nobody up dere."

"I don't know, Skit." Specs replied, looking around.  "Aint dis happenin' a liddle too fast?"

"Youse know what dey say: 'Good things happen slowly, great things happen all at once'." Skittery murmured, nuzzling his face in Specs' baby-soft brown hair.  Specs leaned against him and sighed contentedly.  Skittery played with a few locks and felt a genuine smile creep up to his lips. "Well, maybe dis resolution of mine'll be easiah ta keep den I t'ought."

"What resolution?" Specs asked, sounding weary and as though he was going to fall asleep on his feet.

"Ta smile more."

Specs chuckled before wrapping his arms around Skittery and resting his cheek on his shoulder. "I t'ink we can arrange dat."
--
end