Being The Artful Dodger (Oliver! fanfiction)

Picking Pockets

Ever since the age of four, Dodger had been picking pockets. He was nimble fingered and quick, never getting caught. He started off by stealing handkerchiefs and learned how to pick out the stitches. Soon progressing to wallets and pocket watches it was easy to say that Fagin was fond of the young boy.

When he was six he managed to nick a top hat off an elderly gentlemen. As a reward Fagin let him keep the hat- he had given Fagin a few wallets that same day.

Dodger easily became the best pickpocket. His agile fingers and ability to slip away into the crowds helped unbelievable amounts.

He was nicking four or five wallets a day and Fagin was making him teach the other boys how to be better pickpockets. Dodger didn't mind, he was still only young.

Dodger began to take people with him providing they could run fast enough. When Charley arrived Dodger took him out and they soon became quite the team.

They developed tactics and worked seamlessly together. Charley never had quite the same agility in his fingers but it only ever proved to be a problem on a few occasions. They managed to run away on all the occasions and never told Fagin.

But when Charley wasn't there Dodger still did well on his own, very rarely getting discovered. He avoided the peelers like they were the plague and kept his head low.

It worked.

Dodger became Fagin's favourite when he was about eight, well before Charley even came into the picture. He was adorned with his blue tailcoat and trusted. Fagin would always get Dodger to teach the new uns and because of Dodger some of them became really good. Never quite as good as Dodger though.

Well that was probably a big mess because I wrote it quite quickly. Basically the chapters will be named after things Dodger did to get to where he is, the privileges he gets and the things he does and sees as a result of his position. I hope that makes sense. But anyway thanks for reading ☺️