August 17th, 1899.  

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"(Y/N)!" Lila squealed, running up to her sister (who was trying to sell her last paper) And nearly tackling her in the process. "I have good news!" She cheered, skipping in circles around the older girl. Her strawberry curls bobbed up and down with glee.

"Let me guess: you sold all your papers and found a dollar on the street?" (Y/N) joked, kneeling down to meet the ten year old's eye level. They both knew this wasn't the case - Lila would have most definitely just taken the dollar and bought as much candy as she could with it. After all, she was a kid - and kids loved candy.

"Even better!" She shrieked, startling a pristine-looking woman walking behind them.

"Well, then you should spit it out before I tickle the information outta' ya!" Race piped in suddenly as he was walking past. (Y/N) quietly flipped him off as he left.

"What's the good news?" (Y/N) asked, now curious herself.

"I got a date! With Les!" She celebrated, jumping up and down. (Y/N) chuckled to herself softly and ruffled the young girl's strawberry blonde locks. It was no secret that she and Les had crushes on eachother - he'd bring her flowers, she'd sell with him, and so forth. So, this news didn't surprise her much.

"That's great, Lila," (Y/N) said, smiling. "Now you just need to get one for me."

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"Albert, put your hat the right way," (Y/N) nagged, walking up to her ginger friend, whose hat was (per usual) the wrong way. "You look like a raggamuffin with it like that."

"Sorry to break it to you sweetheart, but we is raggamuffins!" He retorted, though he flipped it the right way as he said so.

"That may be so, but we sure as hell don't have to look like it." (Y/N) rolled her eyes and sat beside Race and Albert.

Race, being the flirty son of a bitch he is, threw an arm around her and scooted closer to her. She sighed and looked him dead in the eye, a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Need something, Race?" (Y/N) addressed him, regarding the arm. It wasn't anything romantic, no, but more of something of their friendship. The two would fake-flirt with each other constantly as a running gag.

"Gross, get a room!" Albert half-shouted, half-laughed. (Y/N) rolled her eyes for the second time in a few minutes and play shoved him.

"He wishes!" She joked, standing up. The two boys frowned, but she turned to explain herself. "I have work over in Brooklyn and I wanna clock in early to earn a few extra tips." The two on the couch nodded, and Race popped his cigar in his mouth. Almost immediately, Albert snatched it and ran.

"Hey! That's my cigar!" He shouted running after him.

"Go steal anotha'!" Albert yelled back, running out the door.

(Y/N) chuckled to herself slightly, and grabbed her jacket off the coat rack at the entrance. She buttoned it over her shirt, and set out for Brooklyn, unaware that later this evening her life will change.

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Spot was was at the brooklyn bridge, just chilling out. He liked these quiet times, but they always reminded him of how lonely he was constantly. He never had any good friends, as everyone feared him - but hey, it's one or the other, right?

But despite all this, he liked the bridge. Quiet and dimly lit - something uncommon at any lodging house in all of new york.

So, when his silence was interrupted by the heavy sound of footsteps, he was slightly aggravated. He turned around to make sure it was a civilian and not some newsie jaywalking his turf.

Turns out it was - and the Jaywalked spoke first.

"Need something?" A tired, feminine voice spoke, her shadowy figure crossing its arms. Spot recognize her immediately (he had a ridiculously good memory) - she was the girl he had nearly beat up the other night.

"Jus' an answer." He responded, squinting to get a better view of her in the dim light of the streetlamps.

"To what?" She said, her tone suddenly now uneasy. He could see her grip the bag straps, but that was about all he saw.

"Why youse comin' ova to see me in the dead of night, (Y/N)." He smirked, stepping into the light. Her figure visibly untensed, and she came in the light too.

"Thought us talking was a one time thing?" She inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"So did I'es, but take a looks at us nows." He joked, making her laugh. She then frowned, looking at the moon.

"I have to get home before sunrise, or his majesty Jack Kelly will kill me - but it was nice seeing you." She told him, Spot nodding in an understanding manner. She waved bye and then jogged off, eager to get home and get some degree of rest.

And so it began.