Nickels (Spot Conlon x reader) {Completed}

Brooklyn Bets

So, I originally posted this on my Tumblr after someone requested it, but I wanted to share it with you guys cause you seem to like this story.... so.... yeah! This is a one-shot and not at all connected to Nickels. Here you go!

For the first time that day, Y/n locked the door behind her and breathed a sigh of relief. She was only in a small closet, but for her, it was her haven. Y/n took a look around. A broom that was gathering dust, a couple of boxes that could only hold spiders, and an upside-down pail was all that occupied the room. Y/n exhaled and took a seat on the bucket, letting her head drop.

Being the only girl newsie in Brooklyn took a toll on oneself. Although she loved all the boys-except for one glaring exception- they sure got tiring. Every day, after she was done selling her hundred papes, she was expected to look after the littler newsies. All they ever wanted was a bit more food, help bandaging a cut or scrap, or someone to play with. Y/n did her best to provide for all of them, but it became harder and harder ever since Spot Conlon came to power.

Y/n had been a newsie ever since she was very little. She had seen other newsies come and go. She had even seen Spot Conlon first arrive at the Brooklyn lodging house. After all, she was the one to greet him.

Sure, she was seven and he was eight at the time, but something didn't sit right with her when they first met. Y/n had gotten Brick- the leader at the time- to come and investigate. After Brick put Spot to the test (a soaking to see if he was tough enough) Spot was officially welcome into the Brooklyn ranks.

And Spot quickly climbed them.

And Y/n hated him for it.

Spot always got on her nerves. He would deliberately make her job harder. He would try to rile up the littler kids, he would slowly creep more and more into her selling spot, and he would flirt with her every chance he got.

It was terrible!

So that's how Y/n found herself in a storage closet one night, only wanting a little peace and quiet.

The peace and quiet was short lived, however, when soft taps could be heard from the other side of the door.

"What?!" Y/n groaned.

"Y/n/n?" Came a small squeak, "Yous in dere?"

Despite herself, Y/n smiled. She was able to pick this newsie out just by his voice. Squeaks- nicknamed after his high-pitched voice- was her favorite boy. He was five or six and had only recently come to the lodging house. He was very shy and clingy and immediately latched onto Y/n.

"Yeah, I'm in 'ere." Y/n slowly got up and unlocked the door, "Whaddaya need?" She scooped Squeaks up and set him on her hip, slowly making her way back downstairs to where the rest of the newsies were.

"Spotty's looking for ya." Squeaks said, using the nickname that Spot would only let the littles use.

Y/n groaned and stopped right where she was, "What does 'e need dis time?"

Squeaks shrugged, "All 'e said was dat I should go an' get you cause I'm da only one that can get ya out of a locked room."

Y/n barked a laugh, having to give props to the "king of Brooklyn". He was a smart one, after all.

"Aight." Y/n sat Squeaks down, "Why don't yous go an' tell Spot dat if 'e wants ta talk to me, 'e'll have ta do it 'imself."

Squeaks nodded and ran down the steps, leaving Y/n behind. Once Squeaks was out of sight, Y/n let the mask drop.

Her smile dropped and her eyes lost the playful light in them. The bags under her eyes seemed to become more prominent. Although she would never say it, Y/n sometimes wondered if she worked harder than Spot.