- Chapter 13 - A Fight -
Warning: Fighting
Canon Era
Third Person POV

Disclaimer: This is based off of a One-Shot I made in my 'Musical Newsies' book. The One-Shot is when Jack was telling Race he was leaving.

Spot had been talking to Hotshot and Red, inside the Brooklyn Lodging House, when Ace came running to him, looking really worried.

"Spot." Ace starts, making Spot, Red, and Hotshot turn to him. "You need to come outside, now."

"Why?" Spot questions, as Ace stops trying to drag him outside. Ace sighs, turning around to face him.

"Albert is outside, crying. We don't know what happened. His knees and arms are a big bloody, it looks like he tripped a few time" Ace informs Spot, who gets worried fast.

"Take me to him, now" Spot instructs Ace, who nods.

The two rush outside, Red and Hotshot following them.

When they get outside, they see Smokes, Waves, and Cloth kneeling down, trying to comfort Albert, who was on the ground, sobbing.

"Al!" Spot exclaims, rushing over to him. Albert doesn't look up. "Hey, hey, breathe with me, Al. It's okay, I'm right here."

Spot bends down to Albert's level, as the other boys back away. They knew Race, Spot, and Albert's relationship.

"Spotty- Race- we had a- a fight" Albert whispers to Spot, who mentally curses.

They had been together for about a year. They had a few fights, but nothing serious. Albert usually stayed out of the fights, since he hated fighting the most out of the three of them, but none of them liked fights.

"Come here Al, do you think we can go to my room?" Spot questions. Albert weakly nods.

Spot helps Albert up, and together they slowly walk up to Spot's room, making it after a few minutes.

The other Brooklyn boys, although worried, stayed downstairs. They knew it was better to leave it until Spot or Albert needed them.

When they made it upstairs to Spot's room, Spot set Albert down on the bed, while he grabbed bandages.

"Can you explain what happened?" Spot asks Albert, who nods.

"I was trying to help Race- he's definitely stressed, but you know how he does with help when he's stressed. He's stubborn." Albert and Spot laugh a bit. It was true. "Since he's only been the leader for a month, and Ro just got- just got jumped, Mush, Lucky, and Sniper are sick, and Crutchie's leg is acting up. Plus, he's selling twice as many papes as before since he needs to get food for some of the others, and he won't let us help him. He doesn't want to rely on us, since he's the leader, but he forgets that we're older than him, and we're- we'll always be there for him. He was panicking, and something happened that set him off. I tried to- to help him, but he exploded on me. We had a fight, and both said things we shouldn't have, so I came here."

By the time Albert had finished explaining, Spot had finished bandaging his injuries.

"Sounds like him. I'm sorry Al, but I get it. I've accidentally exploded on people when stressed, especially when I first became the leader; ask Ace." Spot and Albert laugh. "I don't blame him-"

"Neither do I. I get that he's stressed, but I want to help, and- and it still hurts a bit" Albert responds. Spot nods.

"That's a completely normal way to feel, and you have every right to feel that way." Spot tells Albert. "Here, let's lay down, because you should try to get some sleep. When you wake up, we can fix this."

Albert nods, laying down next to Spot. Spot plays with his hair for a few minutes, before falling asleep. Spot chuckles, he could tell that Albert had been exhausted.

Spot slowly and carefully gets up, leaving the room, and being sure not to wake up.

He walks outside, where Ace, Smokes, Red, Hotshot, Waves, and Cloth are, still a bit worried.

"What happened?" Smoke asks when he sees Spot.

"Race is stressed about stuff. Apparently Romeo got jumped, Crutchie's leg is acting up, and three others are sick, so he's been stressed, plus he's selling twice as many papes as usual. He won't let anyone help, and Albert tried, but he blew up. They had a fight, and this is what's left" Spot explains. The boys nods, they understood. It happened to most of them before.

"Is be okay?" Cloth asks. Spot nods.

"I'm heading to Manhattan to check on Race, I'll be back soon. If anyone wakes him up, I'm throwing them off of the Brooklyn Bridge. Got it?" Spot questions. The boys gulp, nodding. "Good."

"Be careful!" Ace shouts to Spot, who nods, heading to Manhattan.

When Spot got to Manhattan

"I'm such an idiot guys! I blew up on him, and now I don't know where he is!" Spot hears Race exclaim, as he walks into Newsie Square.

Sure enough, Race was pacing in front of Blink and Crutchie. He was pulling his hair a bit, so much that Spot was worried it would fall out, and he looked like he was about to cry.

"He's okay" Spot assures Race, who turns to face him, shocked.

"Spot" Race breathes. Spot engulfs Race in a hug.

"He came to Brooklyn, sobbing and bloody, since he tripped multiple times while he ran there" Spot informs Race, who starts to feel more guilty.

"This is all my fault, I'm just so stressed. He was just trying to help" Race rambles. Spot shhes him.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. He doesn't blame you, no one does. You're new to being a leader, and you have a lot of pressure on yourself. It'll get easier, you just have to let us help you" Spot comforts. Race nods.

"He doesn't hate me?" Race whispers, wiping the tears off of his face.

"No, he would never hate you. He understands" Spot assures Race. Race sighs in relief, at least Albert is okay and doesn't hate me.

"Can I see him, please?" Race asks Spot, who nods. "Blink!"

"I got it!" Blink exclaims. Race smiles.

"The latest we'll be back is before selling tomorrow morning" Race informs Blink, who nods.

"I got it, now go get one of your mans!" Blink shouts. Race and Spot laugh, leaving Newsie Square.

When they got to Brooklyn

"I swear I hate running back and forth from Brooklyn to Manhattan and back, but I'll do it for you two" Spot whispers. Race smiles, kissing his cheek.

The two boys run into the Lodge, and upstairs to Spot's room, where Albert is, hand in hand.

When they get there, they see Albert, still peacefully asleep on Spot's bed.

He was curled up into a ball, holding a smaller blanket that Spot kept with him. All three of the boys had a blanket from their mother that they kept with them, so while Albert's was in Manhattan, Spot gave Albert his.

Race sits down next to the bed, gently shaking Albert awake, as he starts apologizing.
"I'm so sorry, Albie. I was stressed, and I'm stubborn, and I know that's a terrible excuse, but I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, and I love you so so so so so much."

"Racer, you're killing me cause you aren't cuddled next to me" Albert mumbles, waving his arms around in a very dramatic way.

Race and Spot chuckle.
"I'm sorry again, Al."

"Racer. Stop apologizing or I'll smack you. I get it, you're stubborn and you were stressed, you just need to work on accepting help. You may be the leader now, but we're still your brothers, never mind older than you" Albert respond. Race nods, holding back an eye roll.

"I know, I'll try" Race assures Albert, who nods in approval.

"Now cuddle me." Albert mumbles, reaching out for Race's hand like Race was about to fall off a cliff. Race and Spot chuckle again. "Oh, hey Spotty, you're here too. It's very difficult to see when my eyes are closed."

"Half asleep Albert is great" Race whispers to Spot, who nods, chuckling.

"You're in Brooklyn, of course I'm here, plus, I'm your boyfriend too" Spot tells Albert, who makes a grabby motion for Spot.

"I'm tired, and in need of cuddles; cuddle me" Albert mumbles. Race and Spot chuckle again, laying on each side of Albert.

Spot was on the inside of the bed, his arms wrapped around Albert's waist, and his head above Albert's, with his chin touching the top of Albert's head.

Albert was in the middle, his back to Spot, and Race in his arms, cause his arms were wrapped around Race.

They fell asleep like this a few minutes later.

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