Newsies Imagines

Doctor (Race)

You stare at your best friend suspiciously. "You want me to do what?"

You had known Katherine for a long time. You can barely remember how the two of you met, probably some boring luncheon or other that both of your fathers happened to attend. Your father was a wealthy banker, hers the publisher of the New York World. The two of you bonded over tiresome social assemblies and harshly biased fathers, and had quickly become good friends.

The two of you also helped each other by supporting your careers. With a strong bank behind you, you had been able to sway the editors of the New York Sun into allowing Katherine to work as a writer. In turn, she had used her father's influence to help you into your dream job: becoming a doctor. You and Katherine were equal halves of a strong friendship, and so you suppose it doesn't surprise you that she would be turning to you now.

"Look, it's just the one time, okay? All I need you to do is walk with me to wherever the newsies are so I can ask them for some quotes. It'll barely be ten minutes!" You squint at her. "If it'll take such a short amount of time, why don't you just go yourself? You know I have a lot of work to do- medical school isn't exactly easy."

Katherine sighs. "I want you there for emotional support. I already spoke with one or two of the newsies today and they're impossible boys. I can do anything if I know I've got at least one other person who wants me there." You raise an eyebrow. "They're that bad?" Katherine looks at you pleadingly. "Please, Y/N?" You groan and look away from her. "Fine, but you owe me." Katherine squeals happily and pulls you into a quick hug before dashing away to grab her notebook and pen. "You're the best friend ever."

It takes a little while to find the newsboys- they're not in the refuge, and by now it's late in the afternoon and so most of them have stopped selling their newspapers and retreated indoors. Finally, you spot them crowded inside a deli and so the two of you take a moment to prepare yourselves before heading inside.

The second the two of you walk in the deli, all eyes turn to you. The newsboys of Manhattan are a motley bunch, most of them scruffy or scrawny or both. They all stare as you walk in, although that may have more to do with the fact that Katherine just called them out for being afraid to go to Brooklyn instead of the two of you by yourselves.

One of the newsboys, who appears to be the leader of the group, calls out a response to Katherine. It's amazing- you can already sense the cocky attitude oozing from his every word. Now you can see why Katherine wanted you here for moral support. If there's one thing you know about Katherine Pulitzer, though, it's that she will never, ever, back down from an argument. You can't help but grin as you watch the two of them banter, exchanging witty retorts back and forth just as quickly as a pair of trained debaters.

You're distracted from your friend when a voice comes from behind you. "I get why she's here, but what about you? You don't seem to be much of a reporter." You turn around to see a blond boy facing you, arms folded questioningly across his chest. The other thing that you see is that he is very good-looking, almost too good-looking for a cocky newsboy.

"I, uh, am Katherine's friend. She wanted me here and so I came." The boy grins. "You got a name, sweetheart?" You force yourself to answer normally, praying that no one can hear the slight skip of your heart. "Y/N. What about you?" "Race."

Race fixes you with a teasing smirk. "You know, I think it's nice that you came out all this way to see us. We must have a pretty good reputation if you wanted to come with your friend." You glare at him. "I'm not here for you, I'm here for her. Trust me, if Katherine hadn't asked I wouldn't be here at all. I'd rather be at home, finishing my work, rather than having to spend time with a bunch of newsboys who think they're the coolest things on the planet."