Inked and Stained

[Mimi]

Mimi looked down at her stained hands, it was a very hot day, and it made the ink from the papers come off onto her hands. She scowled, she didn't like having her hands messy. She sighed as she wiped the sweat off of her forehead with the back of her hand, trying not to get any of the ink onto her pale face.

She looked back at her hands, not liking that they were covered in ink. She guessed it'd be one of the few things she'd have to get used to if she was going to be a newsie. At least it brought money in, and she got to sleep on a bed instead of in a crate with what seemed like a million cats.
She was too busy scrutinizing her hands that she didn't notice someone was in front of her. She looked up as she ran into the person.
"I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed. "Are you alright?"

[Nick]

Nick stopped where he was and looked around. He was in the bronx, that much he knew, not that he was lost because he wasnt. In fact he was looking for someone. Hed been selling his papes and then some kid came up and stole the last of his change. Nick had chased him through long island all the way here, the kid was fast.

Once he found him he was going to throttle him. Licking his lips he had a slight scowl on his face as he placed his hands on his hips, turning this way and that, but not seeing him.

Then someone ran into him and he turned, expecting it to be that kid trying to get the better of him twice.

"Gotcha you little punk"He growled grabbing onto Mimi, his dark eyes practically black pools of anger by now. When his eyes focused on the girl he was holding his brow furrowed and he let go of her. "What the hell"He said, "you're not him"He scowled further."Watch where yer goin" he retorted.

Nick usually got this way, blowing things out of proportion. He was irritated by the boy that had stole from him and it was just getting worse as he couldnt find him. Unfortunately this girl happened to be the receiver. Nick generally wasnt a bad guy outside of his irritated state, just as long as you could get him back to being calm.

[Mimi]

"Watch where yer goin"

Mimi glared at him, "Excuse me?" She said. "I said I was sorry. You're the one that grabbed me!" She then noticed that he seemed irritated, and decided to lay off slightly. "What's the matter with you?" She asked, her green eyes looking him up and down. She could tell that he was angry at something, or someone.

She sighed, "Sorry. I guess I should've been watching were I was going." Her eyes sparkled with concern, "Are you okay?" She asked softly.

((Sorry its so short. ))

[Nick]

Nicks brows rose. "Excuse me?"He said. "Dont excuse me to me"He growled. "You're the one that bumped into me, or have you forgotten"he shook his head. 'Christ, dont have no manners round here no more, what is wrong with you?"

Nick barely even heard her ask the next question his mouth was going off again. It was a huge thing that got him in trouble, once he started it was hard for him to stop. "NOthing"He muttered crossing his arms and having a cross between pout and a scowl on his face.

"You seen some little kid runnin' around?"He asked. 'Bout yay high... and really fast?" it wasnt very descriptive, but he didnt get a good look at the kid enough to describe him. He could point him out maybe, but only if he was running.

When she appologized his anger lightened a bit. That kid wasnt around and she wasnt yelling at him anymore so there wasnt much there to feed his anger. "Do I look okay?"He scowled a bit. "Some little rat stole my money" he fumed

[Mimi]

Mimi furrowed her brow, "Yes, but at least I apologized instead of yelling and running off my mouth. At least I have manners, I said I was sorry!" She exclaimed, as she glared at him.

She stifled a laugh, he looked really funny with his arms crossed and the pout on his face.

She shook her head, her brown curls bouncing, "No. I haven't seen any little kids in a while." Which was true, she's only seen some of the younger boys from the Bronx walking around and selling their papers.

Mimi's eyes still sparkled with concern, "Oh...sorry 'bout your money." She honestly didn't know what to say or do. When she got stolen from it was usually during the night and she wasn't aware of it until the next morning.
"Do you need any help?" She asked kindly, the least she could do is help him look for the kid.

[Nick]

Nick waved his hand. "Whatever..'He said, then frowned a bit. "ive got manners"he muttered under his breath.

He sighed when she said she hadnt seen any little kids lately. "H m..'He looked around and then back at her. "just my luck"He shook his head. "I dont got any luck... ever"he muttered and ran a hand through his hair, rubbing the back of his neck.

"yeah whatever, don' matter. Ill find that little...."He let the rest of that sentance die on his lips. "He'll be sorry, thats for sure"his face had gone back to scowling again though his eyes were now a dark brown instead of what seemed like black.

"no"He snapped. "Im fine"He nodded to her papes "Just start or what?"he asked looking back up at her."dont got too many sold"

[Mimi]

Mimi cocked an eyebrow, "I'm sure you do." She replied sarcastically.

She watched him complain about his luck, and even though she'd never admit it, she did feel bad for him. She understood the feeling of getting robbed very well. Her bright eyes scanned over him, still feeling sorry. She smirked, "Most likely you will find him. He can't be too fast if he's a little kid." She was trying to help him feel better, although she was pretty sure it wasn't working.

She scowled, "Well then fine." She huffed. "Just trying to be friendly, and no I did not just start. I'm halfway done, I'm an overachiever." She lied. She did just start, but her pride wouldn't let her admit that. "And my selling is none of your buisness. At least I didn't get stolen from." She shot back.

[Nick]

He furrowed his brows at her now. 'Oh what do you know"He asked throwing his hand up in frustration. "Sides I dont need your approval, I dont care cause I dont know you" he nodded firmly. Nick could be quite the child at times, specially when he was throwing his little tantrums of irritation.

Both of nicks brows rose in a are you kidding look. "Little kids are far faster then older kids."he nodded "specially this one. Stupid.. speedy"He said, thats what he was going to call him from now on since he didnt know the kids name, but he did know this kid was really fast. Faster then anyone he knew. "Hes got wheels on him or something" he muttered

NIck smirked as she went off on him now, though that slowly changed to a frown as she brought up the fact hed been stolen from. That was a hit at his ego. Nick didnt like being made fun of, he had enough trying to make himself seem like this big tough kid and he did not take rejection or critisim well.

"Oh shut up"He spat, "What are you miss perfect nothing ever happens to you or what?"he crossed his arms again 'Miss over acheiver..'He grunted. "I bet you spend all day selling those papes and only get where you are now"

[Mimi]

Mimi crossed her arms, "I'd like to know why you're acting like a two year old!" She exclaimed as she glared at him. "You're throwing a fit for no reason."

She snorted, "Oh really? Because where I'm from, little kids can't run as fast. The older kids can run faster than they can because their legs are longer, and the younger kids tire easily." She rolled her eyes, she stopped caring a while ago about this little kid that was supposidly fast.

She squinted her eyes and scowled. "No I'm not, I've had too many things happen to me, but at least I don't run around screaming at every person that breathes!" She yelled. She glared at him again, but then she got an idea and smirked. "I bet I could sell all of my papers before you could find that dumb kid."

[Nick]

Nick straightened up a bit instead of his slouching crossed arms look and let his arms fall to his side. "am not'he said, "Why are you so mean?"he asked with a frown. "I didnt do anything to you"

"well maybe not all little kids are fast, I dont care"He threw his hand up again. 'all I know is this kid was fast"He shook his head, then again Nick wasnt very fast himself. In fact he wasnt too good with physical stuff except maybe fighting, but most of it was with his mouth.

"Im not yelling at everyone!, Just you!"he humphed. "and Im not taking this stupid bet, I dont know where that kid is, I dont even know what he looks like so thats not a fair bet'He tilted his head."but i was going to suggest that Id help ya sell some of yer papes"

[Mimi]

Mimi shifted her weight to her other foot. "I'm not mean, you yelled at me after I ran into you," She paused for a moment, "And even then I said I was sorry." She added softly, as she stared at the ground.

She raised one eyebrow as she stared at him, she decided to lay off again. He clearly didn't need her yelling at him more.

"Well, even then..." She trailed off, for once she couldn't think of something to say. It was probably the first argument in a long time that she couldn't think of something to say. Mimi could and would argue with a brick wall if she had to.

She smirked, Mimi knew it wasn't close to a fair bet. But her smirk turned into a smile when he said he'd help her sell some of her papes. She bit her lip, "Well, I'd like that. I'm not halfway done, I um, actually did just start." She confessed, as her pale face turn slight pink from embarrassment.

[Nick]

Alright alright, I get it, you appolgized"he sighed, "im sorry for yellin' atcha'He rubbed the back of his neck. 'ya caught me at a bad time"he sighed and shook his head running his hand up the back of his head and tugging at his hair a bit before dropping his hand to his side.

He just shrugged at her words and then fell silent. He was losing steam, there really was nothing for him to be angry about and she obviously was not persuing this argument.

Nicks brow rose and he smirked. "oh really?"he said. 'So you lied to me?"He tilted his head to the other side and he shook his head, "and you were trying to bet me... well give me some papes and Ill help, but for a knickle"

[Mimi]

Mimi smiled, "Its alright. I'm Mimi by the way." She shifted her papers to her other arm and stuck out her left hand.

She stared to the ground, "Yes. I lied to you." She tried to hide the smile on her face, she was a good liar, until she either confessed or got caught, than she was horrible. She tucked a few loose curls behind her ear, as her smile quickly faded. "A nickel? I don't have a nickel now." She stated, "Could I give it to you later, after we finish selling?" She said as she handed some of her papers over to him.

[Nick]

"hmm."he held his hand out shaking hers. "Nick"he replied. He shook her hand and the let go crossing his arms casually over his chest again.

He grunted. 'well its nothing new, so ya dont gotta get all... shy about it"He said to her as she looked down and then looked around before looking back at her, his brows raising. "Uh yeah.. sure after sellin'He said, "or you can buy me a drink" Nick thought over again." that might be better"

Bringing a hand up to rub his chin he nodded again. 'yeah... a drink"he took the papers she offred. "awright... lets see what youve got"he looked down, 'hm... Headlines are worse here then long island"he smirked. "Itll deal"

[Mimi]

Mimi frowned, "I'm not getting all shy about it." She said defensively as she crossed her arms. She was, Mimi hated saying she was lying. She looked back up at him and nodded in response to his wanting a drink. She could use one herself, she made a mental note to save some money for drinks.

"Yeah, the headlines are pretty bad." She agreed, and they were, they could've been a lot better. "You're from Long Island?" She asked. Normally everyone she met was from the Bronx or Manhatten.