Inspired by Stage's book Hit Home which is amazing and you should totally check out
Stage: broadway_crackers
Cards: meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Warning: very very aggressive and competitive Newsies
Set after strike
Sarah and Katherine wear old clothes from the Newsies

Ships:
CrutchieJackDavey
Spralmer
Spromeo
Tommy Boy x Finch
Mike x JoJo
Ike x Buttons
Katherine x Sarah
Let me know if I've missed anymore
Word count: 2290 which I'm very proud of so enjoy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"That was out!"Race yells at Gears, a sixteen year old Drifter.

"No it wasn't! Even if it was you kicked it out!"Gears snaps.

The Drifters, Newsies of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx has a friendly game of football every year. Just to keep them all close but a lot of the Newsies such as Gears, Sarah, Katherine, Blink, Smalls, Race, Albert, Spot and Cards got very competitive. A lot of arguments usually broke out between everyone as well. It was often done as borough or Drifters against borough. Sometimes boroughs would team up though. It was often Manhattan and Brooklyn being one team and The Bronx and Queens as another time. Drifters were a team of their own since there was more of them than another other borough.

The younger kids didn't really play. More of just playing catch with a baseball and bat they'd found in a bin a while ago.

Crutchie and Davey often played as Referees. Davey did anyways. Crutchie was more of a supportive friend who kept everyone hydrated. The rest of the sunshine squad (Stage, Buttons, JoJo, Romeo) usually play football but on their own pitch with those who weren't as aggressive.

"God's sake just replay the point!"Wood cries. Cat and Race had been arguing over who had kicked the ball out of the pitch for the past ten minutes.

"Toss a coin,"Blink calls.

Davey sighs. "I've had enough. I'm just flipping a coin,"he says and pulls a penny out of his back pocket.

"Gears,"he says to the frustrated girl. "Heads or tails?"

"Tails." Davey flips the coin and it lands on tails. "Brooklyn's ball side line."

The Drifters that were on pitch groan in frustration.

Race walks back to his position, grumbling under his breath. Davey whistles and Cat kicks the ball over to Spot.

Stage looks at JoJo determined to tackle to the ball from him. The pair nudge each other gently as they compete for the ball. "I don't get why they're so competitive,"the younger girl sighs.

"Because they're them and they don't do calm,"Buttons replies and slide tackles the ball from both of them. "Watch the ball next time,"he smirks.

Romeo kicks the ball out from underneath Buttons foot and towards Elmer. The ball skins over the top of Elmer's fingers, flying into the goal area they'd marked out using two t-shirts. "You were saying?"

"Shut up."

"Nice tackle, Romeo."

"Water break,"Crutchie calls and Davey blows his whistle. A few Newsies mumble under their breath as they come off pitch.

"Greetings and salutations Stagie,"Cards greets and passes a cup of water to the smaller girl. The pair weave through the crowd of Newsies and sit on a bench.

"That sounded so formal and sophisticated,"Stage comments, she was mildly shocked at how formal Cards had sounded.

"I know. I'm never saying it again,"the older girl replies and sips her water.

"So how's the game going with the Sunshine Squad?"

"Don't call is that."

"Why?"

"Because that's not what we are!"Stage replies.

"You're trying to be annoyed aren't you,"Cards laughs. Stage nods. "Sorry to say you failed miserably." Stage pouts and gives her a look.

"How's it going on your pitch anyways?"

"Decent. Gears and Race had a very heated debate which was settled with a coin toss,"Cards replies.

"Who won the toss?"

"Us,"Cards smirks victoriously. "You and the sunshine squad should play with us."

"No!"Stage says quickly.

"Yes,"Albert interrupts from behind them. Stage screams and spills her water as Cards falls off the bench. Albert, Spot and Race start to laugh hysterically.

"Never do that again!"Cards snaps and stands up again, dusting herself off. "But see Albert agreed with me. The sunshine squad are some of the best players and the Brookie Angels are thrashing us!"

Brookie Angels was what Brookie Boys (Brooklyn) and Manhattan Angels has been shortened down to. The Bronx and Queens Newsies had been shortened down to Bronxie Queens. Drifters remained as it was but a few of the younger ones decided to call them Drifties. The older Newsies found it adorable and a few of the more innocent ones had started to call the Drifters Drifties.

"Sunshine Squad!"Stage calls. Elmer, Sheet, Page, JoJo, Metal, Scraps, Wool, Romeo and Buttons look away from their conversations and look to Stage. "Team meeting." Albert and Race give Cards a confused look which Cards returns with the same look and a shrug.

Sheet was the third in command to the Drifters, Page was a thirteen-year-old Brooklyn Newsie, Metal was twin to Page, Scraps was a Queens Newsie and Wool was Scraps' boyfriend from The Bronx.

"I thought they didn't like being called the Sunshine Squad,"Albert comments.

"They don't,"Race replies as Stage comes back with a decision.

"Fine,"she says. "We'll play." Albert and Race go to high-five but Stage puts her hand up to stop them. "On one condition."

"What?"Spot asks suspiciously.

"You play friendly and don't get to rough,"Stage says, causing Spot, Cards, Albert and Race to groan.

"Deal let me talk it through with the others first,"Spot replies and kisses Race, Albert and Elmer on the forehead. He walks off mumbling something about "only for his sunshine boy" under his breath. Stage and Cards lock eyes for a few seconds that start laughing.

Albert and Race look at each other confused which only makes the girls laugh harder.

"Alright Newsies listen up!"Jack yells. The Newsies don't seem to hear him. Out of instinct, Stage covers her ears quickly and Cards whistles loudly. "Thank you,"he says. "Right. The sunshine squad is playing with us now,"a wave of excitement breaks out through the Newsies. "On one condition. No rough playing. Things like bad language, violence and things that will get people injured."

The Newsies groan and begin to yell in protest. Cards rolls her eyes and gestures for Stage to put her hands over her ears, who immediately does so. The older girl stands on a bench and whistles loudly again. "Hey!"she calls. "If any of you idiots hurt the Sunshine Squad by accident or on purpose you answer to me,"she threatens and the Newsies go quiet.

"Alright. Let's go play some football!"Jack yells and the Newsies cheer.

Cards jumps down from the bench. "Isn't that a bit harsh?"Stage asks.

"Not when it comes down to you."

"I feel so loved,"Stage says as they take their positions as central midfielder and attacking midfielder. It was rare for the Newsies to keep in their positions, except for the goalies, after the first whistle unless it was back to positions.

"As you should do you're my best friend."

Davey blows the whistle and Cards immediately passes the ball to Stage who dribbles it. The smaller girl pushes her back towards Sarah who's trying to tackle her. To most of the Newsies' surprise it was Sarah and Katherine who got most competitive out of everybody. Sarah snatches the ball of Stage and kicks it over to Albert. Cards and Albert nudge each other away using their forearms and shoulders till a Drifted boy, Knit, tackles the ball from both of them.

Knit kicks it to Sheet who kicks the ball into the top left corner of the goal that had been set up with sticks and jackets.

The Drifters high-five amongst each other.

||||time skip to 40 minutes before
the end of the second half ||||

Cards starts to tackle with Spot for the ball, both of them trying to kick it into the direction of the opposite teams goal. Both of them hurling insults at each other. (A/N I'll leave it up to you to decide). The other Newsies were stood around aimlessly waiting for the ball to be passed to someone else. A few from each team were jogging along side whoever was on their team till the ball would be passed to them.

Stage looks to Sheet who shrugs. The small girl shrugs and slide tackles them both but yelps in pain when her ankle gets caught on the ground causing her to tumble over her ankle. Cards immediately stops bickering with Spot and sprints to Stage.

"Alright what'd you do?"she asks.

"I slide tackled you both like a professional,"Stage jokes as tears drop down her cheeks in pain. Cards chuckles.

"Yeah you did,"she grins. "What'd you do to your ankle?"

"It got caught on-on the ground and I tumbled over it but my ankle got bent,"Stage replies through sobs of pain. Cards puts her left arm underneath Stage's legs and her right arm by Stage's back. She carries the smaller girl off the pitch.

"Brush and Pin you're playing in our places,"Cards calls and sets Stage a patch of soft grass. Davey glances at the girls but Cards gives him a thumbs up, gesturing for them to play on. He nods and blows his whistle again.

Cards grabs an ice pack and presses it against Stage's ankle. "Well Stagie something tells me that's going to swell."

"You think so?"

"Yeah. Probably going to have to ask Crutchie for a spare crutch."

The girls smile as they sit back together, watching the Newsies play. "I'm sorry by the way,"Stage says.

"What for?"

"Not letting you play."

"Stage don't ever apologise for that. You're my best friend and I don't need no DNA test to tell me your my sister. You always come first and you know it."

Cards slings her arm around Stage's shoulder who leans into Cards and they both lean back against the bench behind them. "Why do we have to do these in Autumn?"

"No clue but it's freezing cold and the ground is wet."

|||| time skip |||||

By the end of the tournament, The Bronxies has won by borough but the Brookie Angels won by joint borough and were tied with the Drifters. Most of the Drifters said it was because Stage and Cards weren't playing which they took as a compliment.

Cards stands up at the end but crouches back down. Stage puts her arms around her best friend's neck and wraps her legs around her waist. Cards stands up again and starts to walk. By now most of the Newsies were being carried by partners. Spot was carrying Race, Albert was carrying Elmer, Jack was giving Crutchie a piggy back as well but some Newsies held the younger ones. For example Davey was giving a sleeping Les a piggy back whilst Mike and Ike raced through the streets, occasionally doing a cartwheel or flip.

"Alright let's end this properly,"Jack says. The Newsies begin to pair up with each other.

Pairs
• Jack and Crutchie
• Davey and Les
• Sarah and Katherine
• Specs and Romeo
• Spot and Race
• Albert and Elmer
• Stage and Cards
• Mike and Ike
• Blink and Mush
• JoJo and Buttons
• Cards and Stage
• Skittery and Tumbler
• Sniper and Smalls
• Annie Kelly and Hannah
• Sheet and Lucky
• Red and Boots

(A/N the first name is the person giving the piggy back)

"Ready! Set! Go!" Wool yells. The Newsies begin to sprint down the street and towards the parting area that lead towards the section that connected the boroughs.

Cards sprints off at the start, a little behind Skittery, Sheet and Davey. She starts to pick up the pace once she hears Stage tell her that Spot and Race are close behind them. She soon comes to the finish line just in front of Spot and Race and behind Davey and Les.

1) Skittery and Tumbler
2) Sheet and Lucky
3) Davey and Les
4) Cards and Stage
5) Race and Spot
6) Jack and Crutchie
7) Annie and Hannah
8) Blink and Mush
9) Sarah and Katherine
10) JoJo and Buttons
11) Mike and Ike
12) Smalls and Sniper
13) Albert and Elmer
14) Specs and Romeo
15) Red and Boots

"How the hell did Specs and Romeo become second to last?"Cards huffs.

"In our defence Specs nearly lost his glasses,"Romeo says causing the Newsies to start laughing hysterically.

"Okay but why do all the girls seem to have a psychic power?"Mike asks.

"Yeah. Annie started sprinting faster and Hannah hadn't even moved her mouth to speak once she saw us gaining on them,"Blink says, slightly out of breath like the other Newsies who sprinted.

"It's called magic, Blink,"the Smalls, Cards, Stage, Katherine, Sarah, Annie and Hannah reply in unison.

"That's creepy don't do that,"Elmer says as they approach the Manhattan Lodging House. The Manhattan Angels and Cards and Stage wave goodbye to everyone else as they head inside. Everyone goes upstairs except for Cards and Stage who go onto the fire escape and climb onto the roof.

They both start to grin as they see their traditional den they built every morning before a football tournament. It was their tradition to spend the night up there afterwards.

The girls sit down and lean back on their elbows as the sun starts to set.

"Great way to end a great day,"Cards says.

"It's always a great way to end a great day when I'm with my partner in crime."