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Spot knew that in 1900 he and Race can't get married but it was sure as hell wasn't going to stop him from trying. They were both 18 this year and what harm could come from trying. He had bought a very cheap ring with his saved up money and was just waiting on the right moment. That right moment was today.
They were in the Manhattan lodging house fire escape, where they had their first kiss, sitting around while Race talked about his day. But the more he talked the more nerveous Spot got. How did people proposed without feel like they're gonna die?
"So, how was yer day?" Race asked with a smile, that sweet and warm smile that melted Spot's heart...
"Good, it was good." By now he was getting visibly frightened. It was just one question. He could do it... right?
"Ya a'right Spotty? You look a bit hot." He waited for a second. "In a sense that yer sweating. I mean you are hot but just... well you understand what I means."
Gather up your courage Spot. You're the king of Brooklyn, you can ask just one question.
He took a deep breath and slowly let go. "I've always loved you Race. And I hope that I always will. I mean I will always just I hope nothing comes between us." Why is it so hard for me to speak right now?
Race was puzzled as he did not understand where Spot was going with this. "I sure hope so too, Spot."
"And I wanna make sure that nothing will." Spot contiuned. "So, Racetrack ...Tony ... Antonio Higgins-" He pulled out the cheap ring he bought from his pocket. "-will you marry me?"
A deep silence followed as Race's mind was racing. (heh :3 wordplay) Spot was looking much more anxious by the second while Race was thinking this through.
"Spotty, how... how is we goin' to get married?" Race asked in confusion.
"Well, not legally maybe but I don't really know. I thought we'll figure it out... somehow."
"Figure it out?" Race had a confused yet sweet smile. "You really is the sweetest person Spotty."
"So, it's a yes?"
"Yes." Race had the biggest smile that anyone could ever see. "I will marry you Spot... Sean Conlon."
Spot put the ring on Race's finger, almost dropping it while he's putting it on, and kissed him gently.
"Oh!" Race excitedly shouted. "I knows a way."
"You do?" He raised an eyebrow. Even though he said they will find a way he did not expect to actually find one.
"Yes, Jojo!" Race jumped out of where he was sitting to go inside.
"And how can he marry us?" Spot followed slowly.
"He was raised by nuns. I knows that raised by nuns don't means you can marry people but it's what we got so will have to do." They were now inside the room where both Jojo and Race and bunch of other newsies were staying.
"I guess it would do." I may not look like it but inside Spot was dying by the fact that could actually get married... well, not actually but close enough!
They made their way through the beds to find Jojo and their other friends sitting on the window side.
"Jojo!" Race shouted so loudly that it could shatter a glass.
"Jeez, why is you shouting?" Jojo said with annoyance.
"Do you knows how to marry people?" Everyone who was close enough to hear had turned their head at the extremly loud boy.
"Marry people? I did seen a lot of weddings so maybe but why?" Jojo asked.
Jack's head turned to Race's finger. "Is that a ring on your finger?" Which was followed by Race happily showing off his ring.
"I wanna look at the ring!" Les said jumping to get a view of it. Race put his hand lower so the kid could see better. "I was expecting something prettier..." he then said in disappointment.
"I had to save for an entire year for that! It may not have a pretty diamond but it's pretty enough." Spot fought back.
"It doesn't matter if it's not some expensive shiny rock. It's pretty the way it is." Race agreed. "Also we're all broke."
"It is a pretty decent ring considering our job." Davey added.
"Okay but why was I not asked before this? Shouldn't he ask for my permission or something?" Jack really did look upset about the lack of consulting done with him.
"Yer not my dad." Race responded as Jack slowly took off his hat and put it over his heart with sad eyes. "Ugh, fine! Spot ask for his permission."
"Wait, what? Why am I askin' he ain't your dad." Race slapped his arm and gave little mod towards Jack who look like he was stuck under rain. "Do I have your permission to marry your-" He looked at Race, confused. "-brother... son... coworker?"
"Son." Jack said.
Spot sighed. "Your son?"
Jack got up quickly, putting his hat back on. "Well, darlin' what do you say?" He said as he looked at davey.
"Am I the mom in this scenario? Why am I the mom?"
Les patted Davey's back. "Just accept it."
"Okay. I say they have my permission." Davey said, defeated.
Jack smiled. "Then they have mine as well." Jack shook Spot's hand firmly and then pulled him in for a half hug. "Break his heart and I'll break you." He whispered.
Jojo was still sitting on the window side looking amused but bored. "Well, if all of you is done talkin' I should marry you then."
"Right now? Shouldn't we pick a date and make this place look nicer or somethin'?" Race asked.
"I do want my Brooklyn newsies also. I would be bad if they weren't invited." Spot added.
"Maybe tomorrow after work?"
"Sure, I'm not busy." Jojo said.
"I'll see what I can do with the decorations." Davey volunteered.
"I wanna help with decorations too!" Les excitedly shouted.
The next day had come and Manthattan lodging house was full with newsies. Davey and Les had done their best with the decorations and it was beautiful. They had used whatever they could find and stole a few flowers from a nursing homes garden.
Spot was his best clothes with a jacket that he borrowed from Jack that was in pretty good condition. And Race somehow looked more handsome than ever. He had a blue flower on his pocket, that was also stolen from the nursing home. (Their something new was the ring and something old was everything they had owned so they didn't bother getting those two.)
Jack and Albert was next to Race as his bestmen and Hotshot was next to Spot. Jojo was standing in the middle with a bible on his right hand, though almost all of them weren't religious. And for the first time in their life the lodging house was actually quiet for more than a miniute.
"So, you guys are ready?" They both nodded. "Okay..." Jojo cleared his throat. "Repeat after me. I, Spot Conlon, take thee, Racetrack."
"I, Sean Conlon, take thee, Antonio Higgins..."
"Uh-" Jojo looked nerveous as he had forgotton the words. "-just a sec." He opened the bible he was holding and started searching between the pages.
"Dude, you good?" Race asked in a hushed voice.
"Yeah, yeah, just give me a miniute." Jojo said as he continued looking. "Well, I forgot the words!" He shut the bible and throw it onto the empty window side.
"What do you mean you forgot the words?" Spot asked.
"Eh, don't worry it'll be fine. Not like bible let's queers get married. I'll wing it." Spot and Race shared a concered look. Jojo claped his hands together and cleared his throat once again. "Okay, do you Spot Conlon take Racetrack to be your lawfully... well, not exactly but anyway... your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do." Spot wore the biggest smile. The scary king of Brooklyn was smiling infront of everyone but he did not care 'cause he was smiling for his love and nobody else.
"Cool! Do you Racetrack take Spot Conlon to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do!" Race was practicly jumping with excitement.
"Then by the power that was given to me by noone I pronounce you man and... man-" He had never seen a man marrying a man so the regular "man and wife" thing wouldn't work, which confused him for a quick second. "-husband and husband! You may now kiss."
It was a short and sweet kiss while everyone cheered. Admitly it was a bit akward kissing while everyone was watching but in the end it didn't matter. They were with the people they loved most and they had just got married.
"Wait, wait aren't gonna toss the bouquet?" Les asked.
"I ain't got a bouquet." Race answered.
"Here!" Davey made a quick bouquet with some of the flowers they used as decorations and handed it to Race.
Race made sure that everyone was lined up and then tossed the bouquet which was cought by Jack. Mostly because he shoved everyone out of the way to get it. He smiled at Davey and handed the bouquet to him causing the boy to blush.
"Okay now everybody, don't freak out but me and Sarah have a wedding present for you." Katherine said as Sarah went outside to the fire escape.
"A wedding present? What is it?" Race asked.
Sarah returned with a chocolate cake that was enough for everyone. "It's homemade!" Everyone was cheering and gathering around the cake which made it hard for Sarah to get to the window side.
"Thank you!" Race hugged Katherine thightly.
"Woaw, don't choke me." She smiled as the boy let go.
"This is the best gift we could've asked for, thank you." Spot said with stars in his eyes. Most of the kids, including him, had never eaten something sweet like a cake and this was a dream come true.
After Sarah and Katherine had cut the cake and everyone was eating Spot hold Race's hand, looking at the boy with total feeling of safety and love. "I love you." He whispered.
"I love you too." He responded.