Modern AU 

"I still can't believe you all dragged me to this," Feister grumbled as she got her ice skates on.

"It's easy once ya get used to it," Mush replied with a small shrug.

"Easy my butt," Feister spat. She looked up and saw that some of the boys were already on the ice, and the rest were getting their skates on. "Which I will be fallin' on." It was a beautiful Winter day. It was cold, but not too cold, with clouds in the sky The newsies decided to spend the day ice skating in Central Park.

"Ya got that right," Kid Blink said with a smile. "Race has a little bettin' pool goin' on who's gonna fall the most. So far you've got seven people bettin' on you."

"An' you're one of those seven, aren't ya?" Mush asked as he stood up, but he already knew the answer to that. He just wanted to double check so he can make sure that Blink and who ever the other six are to feel stupid by the end of the day. In other words he was going to make sure Feister wouldn't fall once.

"Well, you might as well get your money now cause I know I'm gonna be fallin' every other second," Feister replied. When she tried to undo her skates, Mush pulled her up in swift move and said, "I'll be right there next to ya the entire time." Feister sighed as Mush dragged her to the ice rink. When they walked up to the entrance of the skate rink, Mush was the first to step onto the ice and Feister waited right where she stood.

"A little ice never killed anybody," Mush said, trying to get Feister to step onto the ice.

"Tell that to the people on the Titanic," Feister replied deadpanned. Usually she wouldn't back down from a challenge, but this was different. There were a million things that could go wrong. One being that the ice could crack and eat her alive.

"I'll be right here next to you," Mush said while holding out his hand. After a few moments Feister grumbled as she took his hand and carefully stepped onto the ice.

"Don't they make a cute couple?" Elmer asked while nudging Henry, who smiled and nodded.

"Just don't tell Chloe," Elmer said with a laugh. Everyone knew that three months after Lacey left, along came goody good Chloe, who's just one big fake. Need I say more? Anyways, while some of the boys were busy skating, others were sweet talking girls. Romeo was no exception to this, but so far none of the girls he had flirted with were very impressed. "How's a guy supposed to sweet talk a girl if she's bein' a ice queen," he grumbled while crossing his arms with a huff.

"Girls like playin' hard to get," Race replied. "Ya gotta bring out the show wininnin' smile, an' bring out the ole charm." just then a pretty brunette skated past the two boys, to an open space where she started to do figure eights, then a bunch of spins. The two boys watched in aw as the girl finished flawlessly. "Watch an' learn Rome," Race said with a smirk before going to the pretty brunette. "Hello gorgeous," he said with his best smile.

"You talking to me blondie locks?" the girl asked while placing her hands on her hips. A quick wind blew past that made the girl's brown locks fall perfectly around her face, while her blue eyes sparkled like the Winter snow.

"Seein' as you're the only pretty girl here, then yes," Race replied. "The name's Racetrack. But you can call me Race. And what might they call a pretty doll like you?"

"Taken," she replied in a sweet tone. "See ya blondie." with that being said Bella skated away as Race stood there dumbfounded.

"I think I'm just goin' ask Albert for girl advice," Romeo said to himself before skating away to find Albert. But not before slipping and falling on his back.

"Having a little trouble there?" a pretty voice asked. Romeo opened his eyes to see that a pretty girl with dirty blonde hair and green eyes was hovering over him with a concerned look on her face. "Here, let me give you a hand." Romeo took the girl's hand and soon enough he was back on his feet. "I'm Juliet."

"The name's Romeo," he replied with a big smile. "So I guess you can say we're meant to be." Juliet giggled as a smile spread across her face, and needless to say the two of them skated around the rink hand in hand.

"Would ya look at that," Albert said with a smirk as he and Race watched little Romeo skate around with some girl. "A eleven year old is better at flirtin' than you are." needless to say the redhead wouldn't stop laughing like a crazy person.

Back with Feister she still hadn't gotten the hang of skating yet, so Mush brought her over to the edge of the rink for a quick break. They each had a hand rested on the barrier, with Feister being closer to the inside, and Mush was on the outside. Leaving a small gap in between them. "You're getting a lot better," Mush said with a smile.

"I'm also gettin' tired," Feister replied as she pulled her scarf closer to her face. Just as she was doing that a small boy who was way younger than her, skated right in between her and Mush. Literally, right in between the small gap, when there was plenty of space around them. But no, that little show off just had to skate right in between the small space. Since it was such a small gap Feister ended up falling right on her butt and yelled, "Watch where you're goin' ya nitwit!" the kid however, ignored Feister and skated away as if nothing happened.

"A few bruises never hurt anyone," Mush said as he helped Feister back on her feet. But the small girl ended up slipping forward and stumbled into Mush's chest. When he tried to catch her they both ended up falling on the ice, with Mush on his back and Feister laying across his stomach.

"That's two falls for me, an' one for you," Feister said as she pushed herself up and sat down with her legs sprawled to the side. "We keep this up you know at least half of the boys will go home happy." after that was said they both got up and continued to skate hand in hand, while trying not to fall.

"I spy with my little eye two lovebirds," Jojo said quietly while nudging Finch.

"Good to see you took up bird watching," Finch replied with a smile before turning his head back to a big tree where two little birds were sitting in their nest.

"Not those lovebirds." Jojo turned Finch around and pointed to Mush and Feister, "Those lovebirds!"

"I thought Mush has a girlfriend," Finch replied confusion.

"You know the sayin', when the cat's away the mice will play," Jojo said. "I think it's time we give 'em a little nudge in the right direction." Before anything was said Jojo skated over to Mush and Feister, and gave a small nudge, which caused Feister to slip forward and stumble a little into Mush. On the bright side they didn't fall down like the first time. "You're one of the dummies that's betting I'd fall, aren't you?" Feister asked in a deadpanned tone.

"I have a much bigger plan," Jojo replied with a smirk before skating away.

"Look out!" Sniper yelled while trying to somehow stop. But it didn't work, so that's how Jojo, Mush, Feister and Sniper all ended up in a pile of tangled libs on ice. "Sorry," Sniper said with a awkward smile

───── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─────

It was late afternoon by the time the newsies got back to the Lodging House, and after quickly changing into some dry clothes,  popping the last of the popcorn bags, the boys, and Feister were all settled in the couch one way or another. They all had squished into the couch since none of them wanted to sit on the floor.

"That movie is lame!"

"You're lame too, but ya don't hear me complaining!"

"Race, Albert shut it!" Jack snapped making said boys stop fighting. He then turned on the tv and put in a random three digit number. "We're watching whatever this is!" Jack announced as the channel changed to the - "Hallmark movies?" Race and Albert asked.

"I'd rather watch the lame movie," Race said under his breath.

"It's a Christmas Classic!" the redhead exclaimed.

"We're watching Hallmark and that's final!" Jack yelled before stuffing the remote in between the couch cushions, he was in a pretty bad mood since he fell on his butt the most. Some of the boys all started to complain about watching the sap channel, others didn't really care, and then there was Crutchie, who didn't mind at all.

"What's the point in even watching these movies?" Feister asked before taking a hand full of popcorn. At the moment her head was on Mush's lap and her legs rested on Jojo. since the couch wasn't big enough for everyone this was a position that happened a lot for her. "The whole plot line is completely pointless!" the small girl exclaimed. "It's the same line over and over and over again. A sweet an' bubbly small town girl meets a big city guy. They met, hate each other, or don't agree on everything, but in the end they fall in love and it's happily ever after the end. And the movie always ends with the couple kissing as the camera zooms out. Or big city girls meets stubborn small town boy. They meet, hate or don't agree on everythin'. But still fall in love at the end as the camera zooms out end scene that's a wrap I'm done we can all go home."

"Aren't girls are spouses to love this sentimental sap."

"Says the person who's literally named Mush," Feister replied while looking up at said boy with a smirk.

"Why are we watching this again?" Sniper asked with a mouth full of popcorn as a movie called "A Crown for Christmas" started. The first thing that popped onto the screen was the Brooklyn Bridge, then the Statue of Liberty, before quickly changing to the New York snowy skyline.

"Did I mention half the time it takes place right in our backyard?" Feister asked.

"This is the greatest city in the world," Specs pointed out. The other newsies nodded in agreement before turning their attention back to the sap fest. The intro was rather long, like every other movie in the world. Sappy music was playing in the background as the leading lady was introduced.

"I found Cowboy's long lost sister!" Henry joked while pointing at the screen, as the nameless leading lady was painting.

"Shut up!" Jack yelled while chucking a pillow at Henry.