- Chapter 8 - Soulmates Part 2 -
Modern AU
Third Person POV

"So," Race starts, dragging the syllables along. Albert and Spot chuckle. "What do we do?"

Albert thinks for a minute, before answering.
"There's a cafe not too far from here. We could go there?" He suggests. Spot and Race nod.

"We could get drinks from there, and then come back to the park and sit down, and learn about each other" Spot suggests, adding onto what Albert said. Albert and Race nod.

Race remembers something, and smirks to himself. Albert and Spot notice, and look at each other, confused.

"What?" Spot asks Race, who smiles.

"It's nothing" Race responds, an innocent smirk still on his face. Albert and Spot look at each again, before shrugging and letting it go.

Slowly, as they walk to the cafe, Race starts getting more and more excited, to the point where he starts skipping along. Albert and Spot think it's adorable.

When they get there, Race opens the door, holding it for Albert and Spot, before going in himself.

"Specs! El! Jo!" Race exclaims, grinning, as the three people in the cafe, since there's no one else in the cafe (it had just opened for the day), look up at Race.

"Hey Race!" JoJo greets, waving, as Elmer and Specs do the same. Albert and Spot stand there, confused.

"Spot, Al, these are my friends/brothers, Elmer, Specs, and JoJo. Guys, these are my soulmates, Albert and Spot" Race introduces, pointing to each boy. They all wave at each other.

"Wait- you have two soulmates?" Elmer asks, turning to Race.

"Yeah. Sorry." Race mumbles, rubbing his arm as he looks at the floor. "But, I think you know how I feel about soulmates."

"It's good Racer, we're not mad. We know your past, trust us, you have every right to feel the way you do" Specs assures Race, who looks up, and smiles at them.

"Besides, we think it's cool" JoJo tells Race, who nods.

"This why you were excited to come here?" Albert asks Race, who excitedly nods. JoJo, Elmer, and Specs laugh at Race.

"How cute, little Racer's excited to see us" Specs teases him, and Race rolls his eyes, mumbling something like "I'm not little". Specs just laughs.

"You look familiar." Elmer starts, squinting his eyes and pointing to Spot. His eyes widen as he realizes something. "Oh my gosh. You're Spot Conlon! Race is your soulmate?!" Spot and Albert smile, as Specs and JoJo's eyes widen as well.

"I'm pretty sure that what mine and Jack's reaction to that as well" Race points out, laughing.

"Jack knows?" Elmer asks. Race takes a deep breath.

"Yeah, um, let me tell you what happened" Race starts, and explains the morning's events leading up to this.

"Oh Racer," Specs starts, sighing. Race weakly smiles at him. "If I could I would make your world peaceful. I really would."

"Thanks Specsie" Race responds, and Specs smiles.

"Also, you wear glasses? You know what, we'll talk about this later, you're going on a date with your soulmates!" JoJo exclaims, and Race blushes, causing Albert and Spot to smirk.

"Anyways, what can we get you?" Specs asks, mainly towards Albert and Spot, since they already knew what Race wanted.

Back at the park

Albert, Spot, and Race sat under the tree that Race had been sitting under earlier that day, drinking. Race had gotten hot chocolate, Spot and Albert had gotten coffee.

"So, tell us about yourself, Race" Spot tells Race, who puts his drink down.

"Um, I live with my foster brothers, Jack and Crutchie. I met them when I was 8, and the Newsies have slowly become my family, even if I don't tell them certain things. Like Jack said, I had a rough past, that I'm still struggling to get over." Race starts, shivering at the thought. "I do track and dance. The boys say I have an obsession with candy canes and lollipops, but it's a good obsession." Albert and Spot chuckle. "I use my cigar as a fidget tool, and I like photography and music."

"I also like music and lollipops" Albert states, and Race's eyes light up.

"Want one? I always keep some in my bag with my book and glasses, plus glasses cleaner stuff" Race questions, and Albert nods. Race takes one out and hands it to Albert, who puts it in his pocket for later.

"What's your real name, Race?" Spot questions, sipping his coffee.

"Anthony Higgins. The boys call me Anth, or Tony. My nicknames, most of which you've probably heard, are Racetrack, Racer, Race, and Racecar. The last one is a joke" Race explains, as Spot and Albert chuckle.

"I have a nickname, we just don't use it. It's Red, which is really creative" Albert mumbles, sarcastically. Spot and Race laugh.

"Tell anyone this and I will soak you, but my real name is Sean" Spot informs Race, who nods.

"Hey Race," Albert starts, and Race turns to him. "What does your soulmate mark mean?"

"I told you that I fiddle/fidget with my cigar, so that explains the cigar. The whirl of wind has snowflakes, because Winter is my favorite season, and the dime is because I bet a lot. I actually got my nickname because of how often I go to Sheepshead Race's" Race explains, as Albert and Spot look at him in shock.

"We always thought that was a whisk of smoke" Spot admits, and Race laughs.

"I can see that. A lot of people have thought it was a whisk of smoke" Race responds. Albert and Spot smile.

The three boys continue talking, until it was dark. By then, two out of the three of them (Albert and Race) we're tired, and about to fall asleep on Spot. One of them already had.

"Should we call Jack?" Albert asks, and Spot nods, grabbing Race's phone. Spot opens it, and calls Jack.

"Hey Race" Jack greets from the other side.

"Hey Jack. This is Spot" Spot tells Jack, who nods.

"Hey Spot, everything okay?" Jack asks, and Spot nods this time.

"Yeah, yeah. Everything's fine. Race fell asleep on me, so we're gonna take him to the apartment we share if that's okay with you" Spot asks, and Jack smiles.

"Sure. Just keep him safe" Jack responds, and Spot and Albert high-five.

"Thanks Jacky-boy. He'll be back by 3pm tomorrow" Spot informs Jack, who nods before hanging up.

"He doesn't have any clothes. What would he wear?" Albert asks Spot, who smirks.

"He can wear our clothes" Spot responds. Albert smiles, before remembering something.

"You realize that he is like, a good bit smaller than us?" Albert questions, and Spot shrugs.

"That'll just make it more cute" Spot responds, and Albert rolls his eyes, smiling.

"Thank God we found him and he's smaller than us, cause now, we can have him wear our clothes, and not me" Albert mumbles. Spot laughs, he liked when Albert wore his clothes cause Albert looked 'cute' to him, to which Albert didn't agree. However, they both agreed that Race was cute.

Spot picks Race up, and they start walking to their apartment. When they get there, they put Race in Albert's sweatpants and Spot's hoodie, which were way to big for him.

When he woke up the next morning

Race woke up to being held by two people. For a minute he was too tired to do anything, other than snuggle against them, until he realized.

"What in my world?" Race mumbles. Albert and Spot chuckle.

"Morning Racer" Spot greets, as Race turns pink.

"At least you're aren't murderers" Race mumbles, snuggling closer to Spot and trying to go back to sleep.

Albert and Spot chuckle again, before starting to get up.
"Come on Racer. We gotta get up."

"Fine." Race mumbles, getting up. "What am I wearing? I was not wearing this yesterday, and it's too big for me."

"Our clothes, you look good" Spot tells him, winking. Race turns pink.

"You know what? I don't care. I'm too tired for your flirting right now" Race states, rubbing his eyes. Albert and Spot laugh.

"Who's making breakfast?" Albert asks, sitting down at the table.

"I love making food! I'll do it!" Race exclaims. Albert's and Spot chuckle, nodding.
"You have pancake batter!" Race points out.

"Thanks Race" Spot thanks him, and he nods, grabbing ingredients.

Race made breakfast, and they exchanged phone numbers, before Race left.

When he got back to where he lives with Jack, Crutchie, and Medda, he told them everything, before calling Specs, Elmer, and JoJo, and telling them like he promised.

For the first time in a long time, he felt happy and not stressed about soulmate stuff.

1458 Words