I Found a Hobby (PG13)

[Chance]

(Ask?)

Sweat lined his brow and drenched his clothing. The sun was treacherous. It didn't care about the young men and women that worked on the streets. It simply bore down upon them like it there was no tomorrow. Chance removed his had and ran his sleeve along his forehead. It didn't give him the kind of relief he craved, but at least it helped somewhat. He turned his head to the heavens and cursed the hot sun. Why did it have to be so hot? No one was out and Chance wasn't selling anything. He still had more than half of his papers under his arms. This was not how selling was supposed to be. When he first joined, selling looked like heaven.

But then again, anything looked like heaven compared to what he'd been through. He grew up were men were allowed to have many wives and were women were simply trophies on their mantel. It wasn't right, Chance and Shadow knew that, but they didn't know how to get out of there. Many times they were threatened. They knew to much. The authorities were looking to charge the 'community' for child abuse. The children were being married off at ages that some would considered young teens. They weren't adults, yet they were treated like that. It was a cult. It was a controlling place. No one was happy, except maybe the male leaders.

Yes, anything looked like heaven compared to the life they had left. But today was just so awful. Chance wished he was anywhere but here. He yelled out the headline, changing it so much that he didn't even call it improving the truth. He was flat out lying. Not a glance. Chance sighed and tried a different approach. He walked to the corner of the street and kneeled down. His hands scooped up some dry dirt and dust from the street. Closing his eyes, Chance rubbed it all over himself, giving himself a very ragged appearance. He pinched his cheeks and slapped them a few times. He hoped it looked like he had been slapped around. Chance knew he looked like a reck, but that is what he wanted.

He turned around and put on his best puppy dog face. "Please! Buy me papes! Me fadder beats me! I'se need da money!" He waved the papers around frantically, even going as far as letting tears prick at the corners of his eyes. A few glances, but nothing more. Chance growled. This was not working. He decided upon a new approach. He slouched down and approached an older man, trying to look as young as possible. "Buy a pape?" Chance's voice dripped with the newsie accent. It was something he had to learn, but Chance loved how it rolled off his tongue. He hoped it sounded genuine.

The man scoffed and walked off. That was it. "Ya think this is easy?!" Chance screamed, throwing his arms out to his sides. "Does it look easy?! Oh, yeah, I'm sure it does.... WELL IT AIN'T!" Several people turned to look at him. Oh, so now they look? "Why don't you try it? Here, try it!" He shoved a paper at a young man that was passing by. The man coward away, looking at the paper like it was alive. "Oh, just take the thing! It ain't gonna bite you!" Mothers escorted their children to the other side of the street. The children protested, claiming they wanted to see "the crazy man selling papers". Chance knew he was creating a scene, but didn't care. He knew some had gone to get a copper by now, but again, he didn't care. "Here, why don't I just do this?!?" Chance threw his papers down on the ground and jumped up and down on them. He started to scream and screech. 'I need to get out of the heat... Chance thought as he bounced up and down on his papers. "Does it matter?" He continued, flaring his arms around widely. "Your just gonna throw the papers away anyway! Why don't I just save you the trouble?" He jumped on the papers once more, just for good measure. "Ahh! But you know what? You need to pay for these! So, pennies people! Beautiful, shiny pennies!" Chance approached each person individually. "Tuppence for the poor?" He asked, with his best puppy dog look. When they gave him a look and then turned and walked away, Chance screamed. He tore his hat off his head and threw it at their backs. They continued to walk. Chance growled and stormed off in the opposite direction, leaving his papers and hat lying on the ground.

A curious young man reached down to touch the 'crazy man's' hat. Without turning, Chance screamed, "Don't touch that!" He jabbed a finger in the air and then turned to glare at him. "That's my hat...." He growled once more and stormed to his hat. He snatched it off the ground, glaring at the people passing by him. He placed it on his head. He grimaced at how hard he had done that. "Ouch..." He shook it off and turned and walked away again. Well... that was fun! Chance thought with a smirk. A waste of papers, but they were going to be thrown away anyway. Chance's mood changed and he began to skip down the street. This was Chance, the crazy one.

From behind him, Chance could hear whistles. He glanced behind him and saw three police officers running towards. He was surprised they weren't holding a net... Chance took off into the other direction, laughing all the way. Now this is what he called fun! He wove through the crowds, enjoying the protests from each person he pushed aside. The cool air running through his hair and passing through his clothes. Chance sighed in content and continued to run down the street. Suddenly, Chance ran into a wall. He knew it was a wall because he was expecting that. Walls and Chance came in contact a lot. They didn't get along. They fought a lot. The wall usually won...

Chance lay on his back groaning. This wasn't very fun. He still heard whistled behind him. He panicked and pushed himself to a sitting position. But he world began to spin and he grabbed his head. It really hurt. Suddenly, Chance felt strong arms around his waist. He was being dragged into an alley. Chance groaned and let himself be dragged. He heard a chuckle and a 'shh-ing' sound. Chance just scrunched his nose up in disgust. This was not very fun.

[Chloe Hawkins]

How much more heat could the damn sun blast upon a filthy newsgirl who worked all day and then some?! Chloe Huffed and spat at the dirty cobblestones, as if spitting on them would dampen the suns spirits. It didn't. How stupid. Chloe dodged into an alley and sent a forceful kick at a brick wall and yelped when it made contact with her foot. She glared at the wall as if it had been the one who kicked her. Stupid wall. Stupid sun. Stupid road. Stupid dirt. Stupid people. STUPID BLOODY SUN!

Something wet that was not sweat trickled down the side of her cheek. It smelled like...Oh Lord NO! She leaped to the side, but not fast enough. She felt the full blast of the waste hit her atop the head. It was not human waste, thankfully, but kitchen waste. Old food peelings, dirty water, moldy bread, and some foul smelling substance that could only be sour milk mixed in with many other un-pleasantries were now soaking into her once very dry clothes caked with sweat from the Bloody sun. This was not her day. What was next? Would she be plowed over by a crazy naked man?

Chloe stepped out of the alley that she had just been dumped upon, and out into the retched sunlight again.

"YOU STUPID BLOODY SUN!!" she screamed, throwing her cap at the sun. The came back down with a sickening 'splat' onto the road at her feet. She stooped down to pick it up, noticing the fowl little wet spot it had left on the dusty street. Eew. As she stood back up, she spun on her heel and...WHAM!

Chloe was thrown backwards back into the putrid smelling brick wall that she had just come from. A Crazy Man had just run into her.

Was she psychic? No. The man was not naked. Oh well. She heard the whistles coming from behind the young man. The bulls? Dammit! Squinting her eyes from the sun and the strain, she wrapped her thin arms around the clothed crazy man and dragged him back into her alley, chuckling. "Sshhh..." she said as she clamped her hand over his mouth.

After the bulls had passed by stupidly, she let go.

"Now what's a fully clothed, crazy man doing barreling into me after all Ive been through today?" she asked, her hands no her hips and her lips pursed into a smirk. "I thought you'd be naked." she added chuckling. If he had been confused before, he would DEFINITELY be confused now.

[Chance]

"Sshhh..."

Chance groaned once more. The person clamped their hand around his mouth, limiting his noise making. Now, this did not make Chance very happy. He didn't mind the fact that he was being dragged into an alley or the fact that the person dragging him smelled awful. But he did mind the limitations of his noise making. Chance liked to make noise. And he was insulted when someone stopped him from making noise. He was about to bite the hand that covered his mouth (Childish, I know), but stopped himself when he noticed the bulls running by. Ohh, he got it now. This person was protecting... Oh okay. Chance didn't mind the hand around his mouth anymore.

Chance suddenly realized how little the hand around his mouth was. Crossing his eyes, Chance focused on the hand. It was a girl's! Chance almost gasped out loud, but contained himself. Well, that was a twist he wasn't expecting. But it wasn't like he minded...

She pushed Chance off of her and stood up. Chance turned around and looked at the girl. Even though she was covered in... what was that? A banana peel? Whatever it was, Chance saw through it. She was a beautiful girl who wasn't afraid to take chances. Chance smirked. He might just be jumping to conclusions, but one could dream, right?

"Now what's a fully clothed, crazy man doing barreling into me after all Ive been through today?"

Chance realized he had been staring, or more gawking. He shook his head and cleared his throat. "Well, I was running from the other crazy man..." Chance turned around and pointed out of the alley. He shrugged and turned back to the girl, grinning jokingly.

"I thought you'd be naked."

Shrugging, Chance made a face. "Sorry to disappoint you." He pulled himself to his feet and stood up to his full height. "I'm Chance." He gave her a mock bow. When he came up, he as smirking at her. This was Chance, always trying to get on people's nerves.

[Chloe Hawkins]

"Well, I was running from the other crazy man..."

Both eyebrows now arched up her forehead, Chloe kept her smirk stuck onto her face. So maybe she had been psychic after all? The other man could have been naked? Or maybe it was all just wishful thinking... But then, as she glanced over the young man in front of her, she wouldn't have minded him being the naked man who rammed into her. He was pretty good looking for a newsie. A newsie... Yes, he was definitely a newsie.

"Sorry to disappoint you." "I'm Chance."

Disappointed? Yes, she was actually. "Yes, its too bad. I really wouldn't have minded if you were the naked crazy man, but unfortunately you were only crazy and a man." she said heartily, grinning as she playfully punched his arm. Had she said too much? No. Of course not. Joker never says too much. Always the right amount.

Chance, huh? was it really Chance that they had met? He had that wild look in his eye that matched hers. If it really was Chance, her chance, then her day had just gotten dimmer. Dimmer, because brighter would make her quite unhappy. She cursed the bloody sun right now. So, yes, dimmer would be better. A dim, romantic lighting. She was getting ahead of herself.

"Joker." she said shoving him to the side as she began to walk out of the alley. She picked up her still very soggy and foul smelling hat. Grimacing she turned back to him.

"Wanna go swimming? I could use a wash right now." she stated with no sign of emotion. She needed a bath. What kind of emotion could you put into that?

"Theres a fountain around the corner." she said as she began to walk, not implying that she wanted him to follow. She did, but why on Earth would she tell him that?

[Chance]

"Yes, its too bad. I really wouldn't have minded if you were the naked crazy man, but unfortunately you were only crazy and a man."

Chance yawned and stretched. The sun always made him tried. Speaking of sun, Chance looked up and glared at it. Which in turn made him blind for a few moments. He cursed quietly and turned back to the girl, spots in his eyes. "Well, maybe we'll get to that sometime," he replied, nonchalant.

"Joker." Chance cocked his head to the side and pursed his lips. Joker? How cute... Chance and Joker. He smiled. Yes, wishful thinking, but who cares? Not Chance.

She shoved past him. Chance smacked his lips and said, "Okay then.." He spun around and followed her out of the alleyway. A small bounce was in his step and he began to bob his head to the beat in his mind. Several people stared at the two crazy people. One was covered in some unidentified crap and the other was dancing around the streets. Chance smirked. Now he wasn't the only crazy person.

"Wanna go swimming? I could use a wash right now."

Chance licked his lips and jogged to catch up with her. They were walking side by side now and Chance decided to stop dancing. Carefully, Chance leaned over and sniffed her shoulder. He gagged and pulled away immediately. "What in the world happened to you?!" Chance wasn't worried about how abrupt he sounded. He already knew she wouldn't mind.

"Theres a fountain around the corner."

Chance smiled and nodded. A fountain? Impressive. Chance already liked this girl. He wasn't one of those guys who denied their feelings, refusing to look weak. He was more of the... well, 'let em come!' type. He really didn't care what others think... obviously! And a fountain, what a perfect place to pull a prank! Chance looked over at the girl next to him and smirked evilly. "But of course..."

[Chloe Hawkins]

"Well, maybe we'll get to that sometime,"

Chloe snorted, "You wish." she said laughing. She wished, was more like it. But if he was so eager, then hell, why not?

"What in the world happened to you?!"

"What in the world possessed you to sniff me?" Chloe exclaimed. "I know I smell like a sewer, and for good reason, but guess what?" she said grinning playfully, "You do too!" she laughed as she whirled around and gave him a full on hug. They hardly knew each other, but Chloe felt like she had known him for years. That was just how she was. Everyone was her friend or lover until proven otherwise. First impressions were always a biggie with her. Small talk was stupid. No, she doesn't tolerate small talk.

As they rounded the corner, the fountain came into view. It was in a secluded area of a deserted courtyard - and looked as if no one had lived around it in years. Perfect. Chloe could already feel the clean(er) water rushing over her foul smelling body. She started throwing off her shoes and socks on the way, along with her top shirt. No, she did not just strip in front of her new best friend, she had a lighter shirt on under it.

She grabbed Her Chance's hand and began to pull him in a run towards the fountain. She leaped into it, letting the water rush over her. Now that felt good. The sun still beat down on them, but at least they were in cold water.

[Chance]

"You wish."

Chance grinned. "I think someone is in denial..." he mumbled. He was loving this girl. She was just like him. Joker and Chance. Chance grinned wider. Joker and Chance. Chance and Joker. The two names kept ringing through his head. Then, he suddenly heard bells. Chance's eyes widened and he looked around frantically. Well, it was just the clock going off. 2:00. Thanks, great timing, Chance thought. But it was a little coincidental.

"What in the world possessed you to sniff me?"

Chance threw his hands up. "Hey! This is a free country! I can sniff whoever I want!" Chance exclaimed, drawing stares toward him. He turned to them and made a face. "That means you too! Sniff someone! Be free!" Chance whirled around in a circle with his hands up. He looked rather foolish.

I know I smell like a sewer, and for good reason, but guess what?" Chance looked at her strangely. "Wha-" before he could finish, he was interrupted by a very smelly and sticky person hugging him. "You do too!" Chance grunted. "Ew! Cooties!" He pushed her off of him and held his hands out in front of him. "Ahh! I'm like infected now!" His whole body shook and he gagged. "Ek.." Several people had stopped and stared, but by now they were walking away quickly.

Joker started to strip and Chance felt his eyes widened. He tried not to stare as she took off her shirt. But unfortunately, she had an undershirt on. He smirked and pulled off his shoes and shocks. Then came his shirt. BUT, he didn't have an undershirt.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him along. Chance laughed and jumped in right after her. They both emerged at the same time. Chance grinned evilly at her and jumped her. They both went under.

[Chloe Hawkins]

As soon as Chloe's head came out of the water, she was jumped on by her new friend, and was soon submerged again. Oh no, no, no. That won't do. As much as she enjoyed the feeling of him holding her, he was holding her down, and quite frankly, she couldn't breath under water.

So she did the most natural thing that came to her; She kicked. She didn't know what she had kicked, but she had kicked something - and it had felt like flesh. His chest? His bare chest? His beautiful bare chest that she couldn't keep her eyes off of? Oh why did she kick that? She resurfaced, giving him a nice little angry glower.

If he thought he was going to get away with that, he had another thing coming. She flipped back her heavy (and full of water) muddy brown hair, and swam closer to him. Once she was only a few centimeters away, she locked her eyes into his. A good distraction, if she did say so herself. What she did next, was all apart of the plan. She leaned her face in closer, as if she was going to kiss him, but then wrapped her leg around his and yanked backwards.

If it didn't knock him off his feet, it would certainly throw him off balance.

"Don't underestimate the Joker, Chance." she said seductively. As if to prove her point, she flipped back her hair again. It wasn't until after that she noticed her shirt. Her white shirt. Her wet white shirt. Damn. That wasn't part of the plan.

[Chance]

Once they were underwater, she began to kick. Chance swan out of the way of one kick that would have been very painful if he hadn't missed it. She got one good kick in on his chest. He groaned and emerged from the water. "Ouch.." He mumbled as he rubbed his bare chest.

Suddenly, he looked up and his eyes locked with hers. Her beautiful eyes that he felt he could melt in. She got closer and closer, making Chance think that she was going to kiss him. His gaze flicked down to her shirt, her white shirt. The water had made it very see through. Chance blinked and looked back at her eyes. Chance may be a flirt, but he wasn't a pervert. He still had his grounds. He tried not to look down, but kept his eyes on her.

She was tempting him, he knew. And as if on cue, her leg wrapped around his and she pulled. Chance, who hadn't been expecting that, flew back wards and into the fountain. He groaned and turned around in the water. He grabbed her ankle and pulled her down as well. If he was going down, she was going to with him.

"Don't underestimate the Joker, Chance."

They both reemerged. Instead of retorting back, Chance said, "Want to go get some food?" He asked, looking somewhat like a little boy asking for some candy. Again, Chance tried not to look down. She was making this very difficult for him. His eyes switched to their shirts lying just a few feet away. He pulled himself out of the fountain and grabbed hers.

[Chloe Hawkins]

"Want to go get some food?"

Spitting out some of the now grimy water that had placed itself in her mouth after being dragged mercilessly down into the water again, Chloe responded, "I'll buy...If you give me my shirt." she said, quieter than normal. She knew what was going on inside his head, and it was going on inside hers as well.

What would he do? She noticed he was averting his eyes. How sweet. But would he give her the shirt he was now holding? It was a moment of awkward silence, as each seemed lost in each others thoughts. It was like a stand off on who would have the upper hand here.

Wrapping her arms safely around herself, mainly around her chest, Chloe climbed out of the fountain and turned her back to him. Then, in a giggling fit, she turned around and grabbed his hand, pulling him back into the fountain. Along with her shirt. Oops. Oh well. Chloe wasn't shy.

"So, how about we get some food?" she asked.

((Eew. Major. Brain. De-function. Oober short.))

[Chance]

"I'll buy...If you give me my shirt."

Chance looked from her to her shirt, at least twice. She thought he wasn't going to give her her shirt? He licked his lips and looked at her. "How about this? I give you your shirt. I pay for lunch today. And in return, you go out with me tomorrow night." Wow, that sounded a lot better than he had planned. He was very proud of that line he just used, if you could call it a line. But whatever, hopefully it worked.

She pulled herself out of the fountain, looking strangely embarrassed. Chance narrowed his eyes. She was up to something. In the short period they had known each other, Chance could already tell she wasn't the kind of girl to get embarrassed. She was up to something.

Yep, she was. She grabbed his hand and pulled him in the fountain with her. Chance wasn't to sure what exactly this was going to profit her. Her shirt was now wet. But what ever, her choice. Now time to get her back. Chance emerged and starting screaming at the top of his lungs. "I'm DROWNING! SOMEONE SAVE ME! AHHH! I CANNOT SWIM! MY LIFE IS PASSING BEFORE MY EYES!" Some people stopped and stared at the to street orphans in the fountain, but none decided to help. Meany butts, Chance thought as he continued to thrash around in the water. Someone had to do something!

"So, how about we get some food?"

Chance was grumbling something, but suddenly perked up. "Yum! What kind of food?" He asked, pulling himself out of the fountain along with Joker. His eyes immediately went down to the wet shirt in his hands and then to her. "Uhh... Take mine!" he said, grabbing his shirt and throwing it at her. She needed it more than him.

[Chloe Hawkins]

"How about this? I give you your shirt. I pay for lunch today. And in return, you go out with me tomorrow night."

"How about this," Chloe began, shaking her head, "I take my shirt from you, You pay for lunch, and we go out tonight." she finished, smirking.

"Yum! What kind of food?"

"I dunno. What do you like?" she asked, her mind wandering to her stomach which had begun to growl menacingly. As her mind wandered, so did her eyes. Back to his still very bare chest. She liked his chest. She liked it allot. Her eyes then move down to her own. Crud. She had forgotten about that.

"Uhh... Take mine!"

She took his shirt, smiling genuinely to him. "Thanks." she said grinning, as she proceeded to turn around and strip the wet one from her. It was like peeling skin off after being badly sunburned. Only it came off in one peel. Her back was to him, so she didn't mind so much stripping. She pulled his on over. It felt so warm after laying in the sun. Oh lord, if she hadn't hugged him earlier, it would have smelled like him too. She would have liked that. Oh yes she would have.

"Your pretty alright Chance." she said turning back to him. "I like you."

[Chance]

"How about this. I take my shirt from you, You pay for lunch, and we go out tonight."

Chance rubbed his chin. "Hmm, I'm not sure how I feel about that..." He continued to rub his chin, looking like he was deep in thought. "Well, I'm done thinking about this." He shrugged and looked at her, smirking. "I would like that." He smiled and offered her his arm.

They both looked awful. Soaking wet, but grinning like idiots. Chance smiled, truly loving how she felt next to him. Wait a minute... she just asked a girl out! Well, sorta. She pretty much asked him out, but still. He was going out with a girl! Chance had an extra bounce in his step as he walked with this girl.

"I dunno. What do you like?"

Chance placed his hands behind his back and swayed back and forth. "I dunno. What do you like?" He grinned. Yes, this was fun. He was having fun acting like an idiot. And the best part about this was that she was acting just as stupid. They were to stupid people, acting stupid together.

"Thanks."

Chane licked his lips and tried to hide the smirk that was creeping onto his face. He covered his mouth was his hand and coughed. She was stripping, in front of him. Well, sorta. But Chance could still see her bare back. Once she was finished, Chance raised his eyebrows. "Feel, better?"

"Your pretty alright Chance. I like you."

They were walking arm in arm, strolling down the street to a restaurant. Chance looked down at her and grinned. "You're pretty cool yourself.." He mused. Out of the blue, he thought of a wicked plan. He bent down and scooped her up, hugging her against his chest. He started to walk, cradling her like a baby, albeit grinning like a fool.

{Hmm, not even sure if this made sense.}

[Chloe Hawkins]

"Hmm, I'm not sure how I feel about that..." "Well, I'm done thinking about this." "I would like that."

Even on the first few syllables, Chloe knew he would accept. After all, she had merely restated his question and changed the date. Plus, she just knew. She knew him. She couldn't explain it, but she felt like she had known him all her life.

"I dunno. What do you like?"

"I like whatever you like." she replied curtly.

"Feel, better?"

After she had been fully clothed, and still marveling at the warmth and coziness of his shirt, she nodded, feeling gleeful. Her day had gone from worse, to bad, to Ok and to excellent, all in as little time as an hour. Luck had been on her side that day.

"You're pretty cool yourself.."

Chloe shrieked as she was lifted up by him, like a baby. People stared, some aghast at the physical attention in public, and some "...Aawing..." at the sweetness and delicateness of it. He was cradling her in his arms. Against his chest...His still bare chest...She laid her head against it, listening to his hear beat as he carried her. It was pure bliss. She was happy to find how sensitive he was, yet still how fun he was. He was...Perfect...

When they came to the little side shop cafe, Chloe pushed the door open with her foot, so he wouldn't have to put her down. She liked the feeling of being in his arms. It was something she could get used to.

[Chance]

"I like whatever you like."

Chance pouted his lip and crossed his arms over his chest. "You're no fun. You're supposed to say "I dunno. What do you like?" That is how it is supposed to go!" Chance continued to pout, trying not to laugh at how silly he was acting. But he just felt the sudden longing to be silly around this girl. Racetrack always said to Chance, "Ya need yourself a goil. A goil that will tame you." Chance never agreed to that. He wanted a girl that made him crazy. Well, more crazy. And here, standing in front of him, was that girl.

She nestled her head into his chest and Chance found himself breathless. How she felt in his arms amazed him. It just felt so right. She was very light and easy to hold. Chance looked down at the girl in his arms. How long had he known her? Eh, that didn't matter. What mattered was that they knew each other. He didn't care about anything else.

She kicked the door open to the little cafe. Chance nodded to the owner and went to sit in a booth in the back. It was very private. Carefully, Chance lowered Joker down in the seat across from his. Immediately, Chance felt the absence of her warmth. But, he smiled at her and then went to sit in his own. "So," he began, while placing his hands on the table. "Tell me about yourself." They knew nothing about each other. Chance was very curious as to what her name was, how old she was, and all that jazz.