|
Post by Mush on Jul 6, 2016 22:16:40 GMT -5
It was quite easy for Mush to tell that the girl was nervous, and the fact that her cheeks were a bright red color wasn't helping to hide it very much, either. However, he found it to be one of the sweetest, most adorable things that he had ever seen before in his sixteen years of life.
"You really think so?"
Mush chuckled, "If I didn't think so, I wouldn't have told ya that I did." He shrugged. While Mush was naive, he also knew better than to bend the truth for people. It led to bad things a lot of the time, and he just wanted to see people happy, no matter what it meant telling them, and no matter how mad they would get at him at the time. Eventually, it would have been for their own good. "C'mon. Let's get to the selling place." He smiled a bit, beginning to walk, the newspapers sitting securely on his shoulder.
|
|
|
Post by Mousey on Jul 6, 2016 22:28:22 GMT -5
"If I didn't think so, I wouldn't have told ya that I did."Mousey blushed a little in embarrassment and nodded. Mush didn't seem the type to lie. If he said something, he would mean it. She would trust him whole heartedly. He just felt like someone who would never hurt her in any way. "C'mon. Let's get to the seeking place."She nodded eagerly, curious to know if maybe Mush has some tips on selling spots. She had noticed that some girls and boys seemed to sell better in different places, but she really wasn't sure where to go. It was really nice knowing that she could ask Mush for some much needed tips now. It made her rather happy. She felt as light as a feather despite being weighed down by more papers than usual. She had to shift them around constantly for fear of dropping them. ((Well, I gotta log off. It's getting late over here! It was fun roleplaying with you! I hope you've enjoyed it as well and have fun with the others on the forum good night!))
|
|
|
Post by Mush on Jul 6, 2016 22:37:54 GMT -5
[Goodnight! It's been great roleplaying with you as well! ] Mush smiled crookedly, glancing over at her from time to time as they walked. "Ya want me ta help ya hold some of 'em?" He asked, gesturing to the papers that she was carrying and quite obviously having a bit of trouble with. He knew that she would eventually have to do it on her own, but it was the first day, and she hadn't had time to work up her muscles to that point yet. The position that worked best for her would also be something that she would just have to experiment with. "I usually sell in a few different places, although there's this one area just a few blocks down. It's right near the harbor, and there's a factory for ship manufacturing right next ta it, so it's a good spot. We're both gonna sell there taday." He beamed brightly.
|
|
|
Post by Mousey on Jul 7, 2016 8:50:28 GMT -5
"Ya want me ta help ya hold some of 'em?"
Mousey looked up at him bashfully as she once again shifted the papers in her arms. "If you don't mind... they're kinda heavy today."
"I usually sell in a few different places, although there's this one area just a few blocks down."
She nodded some. So he sold in different places. That probably meant that she should start trying to sell in different areas in the future.
"It's right near the harbor, and there's a factory for ship manufacturing right next ta it, so it's a good spot. We're both gonna sell there taday."
Mousey's eyes widened slightly. She hadn't been that far from the distribution center before so she was a bit nervous. But, she had always wanted to see the harbor. It would be nice to see the gulls and maybe catch sight of other sea creatures. She looked over at Mush shyly. "Do... do you um ever see anything at the harbor?" She blushed and quickly added, "Like um animals?"
|
|
|
Post by Mush on Jul 7, 2016 9:35:09 GMT -5
"If you don't mind... they're kinda heavy today."
Mush chuckled, "No problem. I get that." He took most of the papers from her, leaving her one or two so that she could begin to sell whenever she wanted to if she saw a regular buyer or anything like that. It was all up to her.
"Do... do you um ever see anything at the harbor?"
Mush frowned. Did he ever see anything? Well, there were ships, of course, and birds, people, fish... All of that stuff. Sometimes it smelled really bad, although it was just because of the fish and other things like that.
"Like um animals?"
Mush grinned, "Why do ya ask? Do ya like animals? Yeah, there are animals down there. This one dog comes over sometimes 'n' and I sell his owner a pape and pet the dog for a few minutes. Then there are seagulls and fish and sometimes ya can seen dolphins in the distance." He shrugged a bit.
|
|
|
Post by Mousey on Jul 7, 2016 9:48:53 GMT -5
"No problem. I get that."
Mousey gave him a grateful smile. It was much easier to handle a smaller number of papers. "They aren't heavy?" she asked him curiously. After all, he had alot more papers to carry now.
"Why do ya ask?"
She found herself blushing again. "Ah well..."
"Do ya like animals? Yeah, there are animals down there."
She nodded shyly. She loved animals, but she was afraid of the big scary ones. This was probably why she preferred going to the aquarium than the zoo. Somehow sea creatures were less frightening than the lions and tigers at the zoo.
"This one dog comes over sometimes 'n' and I sell his owner a pape and pet the dog for a few minutes."
Her eyes widened slightly. "Is... is the dog big?" she asked timidly. She liked dogs... but big ones were terrifying!
"Then there are seagulls and fish and sometimes ya can seen dolphins in the distance."
Her eyes were practically sparkling. "Dolphins?" she asked almost breathlessly.
Dolphins were one of the most beautiful creatures in the world to Mousey. They were so graceful and brave. They didn't let sharks scare them. She wished she could be more like them and Mush.
|
|
|
Post by Mush on Jul 7, 2016 10:08:07 GMT -5
"They aren't heavy?"
Mush laughed, "I carry Jack's sometimes with my own. I've learned how ta deal with things bein' heavy pretty well. Plus, I'm stronger than I look. Just because I'm younger doesn't mean I ain't strong." He smiled a bit.
"Is... is the dog big?"
Mush shrugged. It depends on the standards of what was big or not. It was a golden retriever, from what the owner had told him, so he supposed that it was a fairly big dog. But it was the friendliest thing on the face of the planet.
"I guess. He's real nice, though. His name's Jake." He grinned slightly. When he had told his friend Jake that there was a dog at the harbor named after him, Jake had been slightly less thrilled about it than Mush was.
"Dolphins?"
Mush grinned slightly, nodding. "Sometimes. If we don't see any taday, I guess I'll just have ta keep bringin' ya back 'til ya see some of 'em jumpin' around out there." He laughed.
|
|
|
Post by Mousey on Jul 7, 2016 10:22:57 GMT -5
"I carry Jack's sometimes with my own. I've learned how ta deal with things bein' heavy pretty well. Plus, I'm stronger than I look. Just because I'm younger doesn't mean I ain't strong."
Mousey blushed some and nodded. Mush looked very strong to her, but she didn't want to take advantage of his strength.
"I guess. He's real nice, though. His name's Jake."
She paled slightly at Mush's implying that it was a big dog. Though, she relaxed a little as he mentioned that the dog was nice. And well, since Mush was with her, she didn't have to be afraid. She'd stick real close and hopefully he wouldn't mind.
"Sometimes. If we don't see any taday, I guess I'll just have ta keep bringin' ya back 'til ya see some of 'em jumpin' around out there."
She was blushing again. She really liked his laugh and well everything about him he was so considerate and sweet. "Y-yeah." She smiled shyly. "I hope we can see some... but it'll be nice to come back here wit' you."
|
|
|
Post by Mush on Jul 7, 2016 10:29:06 GMT -5
"Y-yeah."
Another blush worked its way onto Mush's cheeks at her words, once again catching a hint of the true bashfulness behind her actions. She was adorable, and sweet, although she didn't seem too sure of herself, and that would be one of the things that he knew that he would have to work with her on in order to help her sell papes more easily.
"I hope we can see some... but it'll be nice to come back here wit' you."
Mush smiled, "Even if we see some taday, ya can always come back with me. I ain't gonna stop ya from comin' back and sellin' with me at the harbor. Sometimes it gets lonely ta sell all alone, so it'd be nice ta have someone with me. Plus, I'm thinkin' that ya could pull off the weak and vulnerable type of look ta sell some of your papes." He pointed out. It was a genuinely effective way, too.
|
|
|
Post by Mousey on Jul 7, 2016 10:44:35 GMT -5
"Even if we see some taday, ya can always come back with me."
Mousey brightened at the thought. "Really?" she asked a little more eagerly than she intended sending another blush to her cheeks. She really shouldn't be so eager, but this was her first almost friendship. She couldn't help but be excited at the prospect of coming back here with Mush.
"I ain't gonna stop ya from comin' back and sellin' with me at the harbor. Sometimes it gets lonely ta sell all alone, so it'd be nice ta have someone with me."
She nodded in understanding. No one knew loneliness like she did. She had often wished that she had a selling partner, but she has been too shy to ask and well, no one had ever offered to sell with her either.
"Plus, I'm thinkin' that ya could pull off the weak and vulnerable type of look ta sell some of your papes."
She cocked her head to the side. She hadn't thought of using that to sell papes. "You think... you think that could work? I've... I've never really done anythin' like that before," she admitted hesitantly.
She was willing to try, though, if Mush thought she could do it.
|
|
|
Post by Mush on Jul 7, 2016 10:48:44 GMT -5
"Really?"
Mush nodded, smiling a bit. "Of course. It's hard sellin' alone sometimes with no one ta talk to and hang around with. It'd be nice ta have someone that I know would be willin' ta come back with me." He smiled a bit.
"You think... you think that could work? I've... I've never really done anythin' like that before."
It was quite interesting to Mush to learn that she hadn't tried something like that out before, considering it seemed to be quite a popular way for some of the younger newsies to do things. However, she was a girl, which would help to begin with... And on top of that, she was shy and adorable. He figured that it would work really well.
"Yeah, I think it could work for ya. We'll have ta try and see."
|
|
|
Post by Mousey on Jul 7, 2016 11:00:41 GMT -5
"Of course. It's hard sellin' alone sometimes with no one ta talk to and hang around with. It'd be nice ta have someone that I know would be willin' ta come back with me."
Mousey had never blushed more in her life, but somehow she didn't mind so much. "Y-yeah," she answered softly. "It'll be nice sellin' with you an' not sellin' alone."
"Yeah, I think it could work for ya. We'll have ta try and see."
She smiled and nodded, eager to start and see what she could do. "So ummm what do I do?" she asked, surprising herself at how easily she asked the question. She had spoken alot today already. Much more than normal, and she hadn't even started selling yet!
|
|
|
Post by Mush on Jul 7, 2016 11:04:47 GMT -5
"It'll be nice sellin' with you an' not sellin' alone."
Mush smiled softly, nodding in agreement as they began coming up on the harbor. The smell of the ocean filled his senses, washing over him and giving him almost as much of an at-home feeling as being in the lodging house with the boys that had become his family did.
"So ummm what do I do?"
Mush chuckled, "Well, I ain't exactly a master at it, but I know a lot o' people pretend ta be sick. That's what Les does, from what Jack tells me. He coughs 'n' stuff, and then people feel bad for 'im and buy his papes. For you, ya could do that, or ya could find somethin' like limpin' or fake cryin' or somethin'. Although if you're sellin' with me, fake cryin' might not be a good idea. I see tears on a girl's face and I start freakin' out an' comfortin' 'em."
|
|
|
Post by Mousey on Jul 7, 2016 11:17:11 GMT -5
Mousey found herself taking in the salty sea air. It was a nice feeling. She hadn't really explored the harbors before so she never got to really take in this wonderful ocean scent. She had always wanted a closer look at the water, but she had always been too scared. With Mush... it wasn't so scary.
"Well, I ain't exactly a master at it, but I know a lot o' people pretend ta be sick."
She gave him a confused look. She wasn't sure if she heard him right. "Pretend to be sick?"
"That's what Les does, from what Jack tells me. He coughs 'n' stuff, and then people feel bad for 'im and buy his papes."
Mousey wasn't sure how she felt about that. She hadn't really lied before or acted for that matter. She wasn't sure if she could pull off pretending to be sick, but on the other hand, she was feeling a little queasy from not eating breakfast and the building up of nervousness.
"For you, ya could do that, or ya could find somethin' like limpin' or fake cryin' or somethin'."
She felt a little bit better hearing that. Crying, she could probably manage somehow. Same with limping.
"Although if you're sellin' with me, fake cryin' might not be a good idea. I see tears on a girl's face and I start freakin' out an' comfortin' 'em."
Mousey felt her cheeks turn pink. "Ah well... then I'll try not ta cry around you," she teased lightly, feeling strangely comfortable bantering friendly with Mush. It was almost as if she had known him all her life and that they had always been friends.
|
|
|
Post by Mush on Jul 7, 2016 11:20:52 GMT -5
"Pretend to be sick?"
Mush knew that it could probably be quite a hard thing to grasp. He understood. That's why he had never really gotten into things like that. However, Mousey didn't really seem like the kind of person to him who would do very well with flirting to sell her papes, either, so he had to cross out the idea of teaching her to sell like him. "Yeah, it works like a charm... Most o' the time. From what I've heard."
"Ah well... then I'll try not ta cry around you."
Mush smiled, "That's good. I'm willin' ta comfort ya if ya do, but y'know... I ain't always the best at comfortin' goils." He smiled crookedly, shrugging ever so slightly.
|
|
|
Post by Mousey on Jul 7, 2016 11:35:24 GMT -5
"Yeah, it works like a charm... Most o' the time. From what I've heard."
Mousey nodded slowly. Well, she supposed she could give it a shot. If it didn't work, it just didn't work. She had to at least try.
"That's good. I'm willin' ta comfort ya if ya do, but y'know... I ain't always the best at comfortin' goils."
She looked up at him in surprise. "You ain't?" She shook her head. "I don't think so..." She immediately blushed at her forwardness. "You... you've been a comfort of sorts for me," she added quietly.
He really had. It was nice knowing he was there for her and could protect her from scary guys like the Delancy brothers or from big scary dogs. He had given her a strange sense of comfort and belonging. Something she couldn't remember ever feeling.
|
|
|
Post by Mush on Jul 7, 2016 11:39:18 GMT -5
"You ain't?"
Mush shook his head. Most people didn't believe him when he said that because of how flirty he could be while he was out selling, but he wasn't always the genius and miracle worker with girls that people made him out to be. He could be an awkward teenage boy, too.
"I don't think so... You... you've been a comfort of sorts for me."
Mush blushed slightly, laughing softly. "Well, thanks for that. You make it easy to comfort ya. You're different than other goils... Most of 'em won't believe me no matter how many times I try complimentin' them, and so I have to keep goin', and goin', and goin'... It drives me crazy after a while." He laughed a bit.
|
|
|
Post by Mousey on Jul 7, 2016 11:49:24 GMT -5
"Well, thanks for that. \"
Mousey blushed at his thanks ad glanced over him form the corner of her eye. "You're... you're very welcome."
"You make it easy to comfort ya. You're different than other goils..."
She felt herself blushing as she ducked her head some. Alot of people had called her different and it hurt, but when Mush said it? It wasn't the same. It made her feel special.
"Most of 'em won't believe me no matter how many times I try complimentin' them, and so I have to keep goin', and goin', and goin'... It drives me crazy after a while."
She found herself laughing alongside him. She couldn't see how anyone wouldn't believe Mush. he was so genuine, so honest. "I believe you," she whispered.
|
|
|
Post by Mush on Jul 7, 2016 11:55:02 GMT -5
"You're... you're very welcome."
Mush smiled slightly. There was no denying that this girl was sweet, and he actually really liked being around Mousey. That wasn't something that he could say for a ton of girls.
"I believe you."
Mush didn't know what it was, but her words sent a deep blush shooting up to his face, flushing his skin a pale pink color rather than the usual brown-ish color. Again... Like mush.
"S-so... Ya wanna try gettin' some sales in? Let's try stickin' tagether for a while. I could help play up whatever injury or sickness you're gonna put on. I could give ya tips and stuff, too, if you ever need 'em. I'm gonna trust that ya know how ta sell, though. You've survived this long, so you're obviously doin' somethin' right." He smiled a bit, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and shifting the large stack of papers slightly high up onto his other shoulder.
|
|
|
Post by Mousey on Jul 7, 2016 12:36:03 GMT -5
"S-so... Ya wanna try gettin' some sales in?"
Mousey nodded, ducking her face so Mush couldn't see her red cheeks. She had noticed his own blush and felt a little shy for causing him to feel embarrassed.
"Let's try stickin' tagether for a while. I could help play up whatever injury or sickness you're gonna put on. I could give ya tips and stuff, too, if you ever need 'em."
She brightened up. "That sounds good to me. I mean, stickin' together."
Mousey didn't think she was quite ready to stick out on her own despite having done it in the past.
"I could give ya tips and stuff, too, if you ever need 'em. I'm gonna trust that ya know how ta sell, though. You've survived this long, so you're obviously doin' somethin' right."
Mousey was blushing for probably the hundredth or more time as he wrapped an arm around her. She wasn't sure if she had been selling very well, but Mush did have a point. She had survived this long so there must be at least something no matter how small that she was doing right.
"Th-thanks..." she murmured, getting a paper ready to sell. She had spotted a gentleman waiting to cross the street. He didn't have a paper so maybe he'd like to buy one?
|
|
|
Post by Mush on Jul 7, 2016 12:42:28 GMT -5
"That sounds good to me. I mean, stickin' together."
Mush laughed, "Sounds good ta me, too. 'M glad I seem at least a little bit respectable ta ya." He shot her a playful wink.
"Th-thanks..."
Mush nodded briefly, following her gaze to a man standing at one edge of the street, waiting there and glancing both ways. He shot Mousey an excited grin before it quickly vanished and Mush put on a worried and desperate look, his brown eyes shining as he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Play it up. Look at me if ya need ta, you'll be great." He grinned a bit at her, once again going back to the saddened look from before and walking with her over to the man, his arm still wrapped around her and holding her close to his body.
"Buy a paper, sir? She's real sick. We can't afford a hospital." He shot the man puppy dog eyes, managing to even fake a few tears with his eyes remaining wide and open, making them water slightly. He just hoped that Mousey would be willing to go along with it as well.
|
|
|
Post by Mousey on Jul 7, 2016 13:00:01 GMT -5
"Sounds good ta me, too. 'M glad I seem at least a little bit respectable ta ya."
Mousey smiled shyly and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "You're very respectable..." She then added shyly, "I, I saw you help wit' the strike last year."
"Play it up. Look at me if ya need ta, you'll be great."
She looked at Mush about to point out the man she was thinking of selling to, but it seemed as if Mush had picked up on that already. She bit her lip a little nervously and nodded. She wasn't too sure about doing this, but with Mush there, it couldn't go too bad. She took a deep breath and hid her blush as she limped a little beside Mush.
"Buy a paper, sir? She's real sick. We can't afford a hospital."
Mousey took this as her cue to ask sick. She managed a squeaky cough and held her stomach. "I-it hurts..." she managed to whimper.
The gentleman took pity on the two young people. And well, he did need a paper. He gave Mush the money and insisted he keep the change. The two would need it if they wanted to get to the hospital.
|
|
|
Post by Mush on Jul 7, 2016 13:05:30 GMT -5
"You're very respectable..."
Mush chuckled, flattered by her words, although he forced himself not to blush. His cheeks were already bright red from having blushed so much before.
"I, I saw you help wit' the strike last year."
Mush parted his lips, nodding slowly. "Yeah, I wasn't a huge part in it, but I helped however I could. We newsies've gotta stick tagether." He smiled brightly.
"I-it hurts..."
Mush was a bit surprised by how good Mousey's acting really was, her voice sounding heartbreaking, meek, and... Well, sick. He took the money from the man and flashed him a weak and grateful smile. "Thank you, sir." He tipped his hat slightly, watching as the man crossed the street and disappeared from view. He then beamed, handing her the money that she had made selling the paper. "You made that." He smiled brightly. "You're a natural."
|
|
|
Post by Mousey on Jul 7, 2016 13:39:20 GMT -5
"Yeah, I wasn't a huge part in it, but I helped however I could. We newsies've gotta stick tagether."
Mousey nodded shyly. "I thought you were great... you an' all the boys were so brave to go against Mr. Pullitzer."
She was quite surprised herself at how well it worked out with the gentleman. She had never had anyone let her keep the change! She'd have to think about using the sick tip n the future.
"You made that. You're a natural."
Mousey felt her heart flutter at his praise. "Th-thank you... but, but we should split it," she insisted, carefully counting out how she could divide it evenly. "It, it's the least I can do wit' you helpin' me and all." She looked up at him pleadingly. "Please."
|
|
|
Post by Mush on Jul 7, 2016 13:43:48 GMT -5
"I thought you were great... you an' all the boys were so brave to go against Mr. Pulitzer."
Mush chuckled, "It wasn't our idea in the beginnin'. We all thought that it was a terrible idea... Which it was, ta begin with. I didn't really like the whole idea until we got Brooklyn behind us, too." He shrugged a bit.
"Th-thank you... but, but we should split it."
Mush shook his head quickly, closing her hand once again around the coins. "That's yours. Your acting got that. Once we're done sellin' your papes and we move on to mine, then we can start splittin' things. Then I can take ya out ta Tibby's for somethin' ta eat and we can be done for the day." He beamed brightly. If she kept acting as well as she had been just then, they would have no problem selling all of her papes and earning her even more money than it actually cost.
"It, it's the least I can do wit' you helpin' me and all. Please."
"I ain't gonna take money that ya made with your own talent. It's yours. Please. Think of the part that ya would be givin' ta me as a gift ta you." He smiled a bit, not willing to allow her to give up the money that she had made.
|
|