Fruit Cart

[Administrator]

Shiny red apples just sitting out there to be taken! ... and paid for!

[hawkeye]

It had been a while since Hawkeye had walked the streets of Manhattan. With a bad case of wanderlust, she abruptly left the lodging house without a word to anyone. She knew she’d be back, though. She almost always came back in the end.

Hawkeye snuck into the lodging house earlier that day, her hat pulled low, so that she might not be recognized by any of her friends that were still around. She managed to get in and out unnoticed. As quickly as she re-claimed her bunk, Hawkeye bolted out of the lodging house. It wasn’t the first time she took off without notice and she wasn’t looking forward to the awkward confrontations that would, inevitably, follow her return. Or maybe not.

She kicked a stone along the street as she walked and wondered if any of her old friends were still around. Was Jack still in charge of the lodging house? Had Mabel’s family regained their lost fortunes? What about Rose and Racetrack? Or Mush and Blink? Was Prince still operating behind a male façade? Were Spot and Dodger still in charge of their respective boroughs?

Hawkeye’s heartbeat quickened as she thought about the prospect of running into any of them again, partially with excitement, partially with sheer anxiety. People always seemed to take it personally when someone they knew did something without telling them. Hawkeye anxiously wrung her hands. Her bottom lip was clenched between her teeth and her eyes stayed glued to the street as she continued to kick the stone.

As she trudged through Midtown, she caught sight of a cart full of fresh apples. Her stomach grumbled and she stared hungrily at the apples. She hadn’t eaten since returning to Manhattan. She reached into the pockets of her skirt and pulled out a single coin. Ah, the luxurious life. Hawkeye’s eyes darted from the coin to the cart. She was just under the amount of money she needed for an apple. Her lips slid into a pout; if she couldn’t even afford an apple, she certainly wasn’t in for a meal at Tibby’s. She wondered for a moment if Tibby’s was still there, but her stomach growled and her attention quickly returned to the apples.

She approached the vendor and smiled broadly, extending her open palm to him, the single coin in the middle of her hand. The vendor shook his head and pointed to the sign stating the price. Hawkeye frowned and tried bartering. When her attempts failed, she turned away from the vendor and continued kicking the stone down the street. Slipping the coin into her pocket, she slumped her shoulders and kicked the stone in irritation. The stone flew forward and collided with someone’s leg. Hawkeye’s eyes widened and she hastily turned toward her left and headed toward the curb, hoping no one had seen her unintentionally send a rock flying at an innocent passerby.

Hawkeye plopped down on the curb across from the fruit cart and glared at the vendor. He noticed and glared back. Hawkeye reached into her pocket and held up the coin for him to see. He tapped the sign with the price and shook his head. Hawkeye frowned and stuck her tongue out at the vendor, before putting the coin back in her pocket, grumbling under her breath.

[Daniel Cardoni]

It had been nearly as long for Danny, and he was smiling as he walked down the streets, hands shoved in his pockets. Both he and Collin had to upgrade their wardrobe due to their new professions, but they both tended to dress down when they weren't in the restaurant or the pub, and he was comfortable as he strolled the streets, keeping an eye out for anyone he might know. He thought he saw a few familiar faces, on the corners selling what was left of their papes, or rushing to get in a meal, but he didn't bother them and they generally didn't look his way. It wasn't insulting, in fact he was almost happy for it. Life moved on without him, the world kept on turning, and he was glad for it.

It was easier for him to slide back in on something that had never stopped.

It didn't take him long to see her, though, and his lips curled into a wide smile, slowing to a crawl almost to watch her interaction with the vendor. A good try, but a stubborn man, and he couldn't help but laugh when she sent the rock flying and headed towards the curb. Same old Hawk, and he was still grinning when he stopped at the vendors, snatching up two apples and paying the price without a care in the world. He thanked the vendor, his easy manner and Boston accent enough to keep him distracted for a moment as he easily palmed a third apple and pocketed it. He wasn't anywhere near as good or as quick as Collin, but it worked well enough and he turned towards Hawk with a grin on his face.

"Why I ever expected you to change is beyond me." He greeted her easily, tossing the apple in her direction before settling down on the curb next to her, taking his in hand and biting into it, as easy as if they'd been discussing the weather and had seen each other just that morning. Which, of course, they hadn't. And he grinned over at her after the first juicy bite. "How ya doin, Hawk?"

[hawkeye]

HI, I MISSED YOU. :D

"Why I ever expected you to change is beyond me."

Hawkeye jumped at the sound of the familiar voice. She immediately looked up. She expected to see one former Bronx leader; instead, she saw an apple flying toward her head.

“Agh!” She put her hands in front of her face and, after a moment’s fumble, managed to catch the apple in her cupped hands. She looked down at the fruit, then up to the source of the voice and grinned.

“I could say the same about you, Cardoni.” She eyed him as he took a seat next to her. For a brief moment, she worried this was going to be an interrogation. She’d been anxiously thinking about running into old friends ever since she returned, but hadn’t actually given much thought to what she’d say to them.

Her worry disappeared when she remembered that Ace, too, had gone off and, evidently, returned. Surely he would understand. Hawkeye remembered when he left the Bronx; it had been around the same time Red Russiani left Brooklyn. Some of the newsies had been upset. Hawkeye didn’t blame them, but she didn’t blame Ace or Red either. She understood wanderlust. She had wanderlust. But, for now, she was just glad to be home. Mostly.

As Ace bit into his apple, Hawkeye tapped hers against it lightly. “Cheers.” It translated to “Thank you, I'm starving.” Biting into her apple, she cocked her head to the side and raised her eyebrows as Ace spoke.

"How ya doin, Hawk?"

Ah, it was an interrogation, just not the kind she’d expected.

She shrugged in response. “Can’t complain yet.” She grinned slightly. “What about you, Ace?” Accustomed to using nicknames, she didn’t break the trend as she spoke to Ace. “When’d you get back in town?” She wanted to ask more questions, but held back, not wanting to overwhelm Ace with “Where’s Jack? Who’s still here? Is Spot still smacking people around with his cane?”

She had it in her head that Ace returned long before she did, but she had no evidence to support her theory. He could be just as clueless as she about what changed and what didn’t. That didn’t cross her thoughts, though. The only things on her mind were who was still in the city and the apple she munched.

[Daniel Cardoni]

Danny grinned right back before settling next to her. She didn't need to worry about an interrogation from him, he was getting enough of them from everyone else. He wouldn't willingly do it to her too. People left, some came back, others didn't. It was pretty common for the newsies. But when it was someone you cared about... well, reactions varied. That was all he had to say about that one.

"You could." He agreed, turning his arm a bit so she could see the bit of the third apple peeking from his pocket. "But when will we ever really change?" Not anytime soon he reckoned. Or at all. "Salute." He grinned, answering the cheers with the Italian equivalent, enjoying the fruit more than he'd thought he might. It was cold out, enough that the fruit was a bit smaller than normal, but it had been a while since he'd just sat on a corner with a friend.

"Eh. I've come back with a bang, I guess you could say." He sighed, giving her a smile just the same for the use of his nickname. He didn't hear it too often nowadays, people used his real name once they realized he was a restaurant owner and no longer a newsie. "I own Il Capriccio, over in Brooklyn. You should come in sometime. I give great discounts to my old friends." In truth he pretty much gave them great meals for the price Tibby's charged, if not a little less. "Oh, not too long ago. I haven't really made the rounds just yet. Been a bit busy." Beating himself up over Lucky and managing the restaurant without causing anymore trouble for her in the meantime. "So if you're looking for news, I don't have it."

[hawkeye]

"Eh. I've come back with a bang, I guess you could say."

Ah, so Hawkeye wasn’t the only one to recently come back into town. Ace had been gone longer than she’d thought. She smiled slightly, finding comfort in knowing that they were in the same boat. She relaxed at the realization and took another bite of her apple.

"I own Il Capriccio, over in Brooklyn. You should come in sometime. I give great discounts to my old friends."

Hawkeye leaned forward, practically choking on the apple chunk she’d just bitten. Managing to force it down her throat, she coughed and pounded her fist against her chest twice, before turning back to Ace.

“You own WHAT?” It wasn’t a particularly polite reaction, but Hawkeye couldn’t imagine a mere newsie growing up to own a restaurant. But, apparently, Ace had done it. Leave it to Ace, of all people.

“How…how do you…what?” Unable to wrap her head around what he’d just told her, Hawkeye tried to articulate her thoughts. It wasn’t working very well. “You…I…but…” Finally, she heaved a sigh and simply asked, “How in hell’s name do you own Il Capriccio?” Maybe Ace hadn’t been out of town for as long as Hawkeye thought. He had clearly been back longer than she; he’d had time to start running a restaurant!

"So if you're looking for news, I don't have it."

Hawkeye’s lips slid into a pout and she slumped her shoulders. In all fairness, the fact that Ace now owned Il Capriccio should have been enough news to keep her head spinning for quite some time, but she was eager to know what everyone else was up to as well. Ace was a successful (she hoped) business man; what had become of the others? She worried that perhaps she was the only one left in the lodging house, that all her friends had moved on with their lives and she was stuck selling newspapers, making nothing of her life.

She shook her head, as if clearing her mind of the thought and bit into her apple. As she swallowed, she rolled her eyes, exaggerating the motion. “What good are you, Cardoni?” She glanced at Ace out of the corner of her eye and smirked, before continuing her irritated front. “All I want is a little information on what’s been going on around here and you can’t even give me that. Useless.” She shook her head, tossing her hair back. She raised her eye brows and pursed her lips. Tilting her head to the side, she stared at Ace, as if expecting an apology.

[Daniel Cardoni]

They were almost dead even except Danny had been back for a few weeks now and he figured Hawkeye, unless she'd been hiding in the woodwork, had just recently returned. Probably incredibly recently, if she couldn't afford to get herself an apple. No problem, he had more than enough for an apple or two. The third had been something fun, and to get back at the vendor. You'd think being a business man himself, or at the very least a man who owned a business, Danny would have more respect for hardworking individuals in the marketplace. But nope. He still sided with the newsies on that one. Probably always would.

He couldn't even help laughing at her reaction, nearly dropping his own apple as his shoulders shook in amusement. She had no idea how long he'd been waiting to shock someone that much. Most of the people who knew so far had taken it well in stride, or just glossed over it completely. Lucky had been more surprised he was back than the fact he'd owned a restaurant. "I didn't stutter." He chuckled, getting his laughter under control as he grinned sideways at her, raising a finger to his lips with a wink. "It's a secret." It was and it wasn't, in a way. There were a few people who knew his past, and a few who had guessed but the majority were left in the dark. The fact he'd gone and broken into his own childhood home, on the other hand, was an even closer guarded secret than the fact he was from a rich family.

How successful could he be when he gave food to the newsies for practically nothing? But then again he was only joking when he said it. He made enough, and it wouldn't have mattered even if he wasn't. He had a way to help those that had helped him, had sheltered him, had given him a family and a good life. Giving them food for almost free was nothing in comparison, and most of the time the newsies that remembered who he was overpaid him on purpose. His prices were a little lower than Tibby's on occasion, depending on what it was, so they'd leave the difference on the table for him. It was a very nice thing to do. Not everyone did it, and Danny would have demanded they take it back if he saw them do it, but it was still nice to find it every once and a while.

"Not good at all, ma'am." He let his accent deepen a bit, and he gave her an over exaggerated bow, as much as he was able, bringing her hand to his lips with a wink. "I will aim to fix that immediately. Dinner, your choice, your night, my place, my treat. We can gossip all night long." Or until Lucky kicked them out so she could go home, but that was another story altogether.

[hawkeye]

"I didn't stutter."

Hawkeye rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out playfully before biting into her apple again. She leaned forward, resting her elbow on her knee. Her chin was cradled in her palm and she watched Ace, eager to find out how he’d managed to get into the restaurant business.

"It's a secret."

Hawkeye’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped in disbelief. “Tell me!” She demanded. Hitting his arm repeated, she snapped, “It’s a secret my ass! Tell me right now, you little weasel!” She ceased smacking Ace’s arm and recoiled, allowing her expression become that of a sad puppy. “Please?” It was probably an attempt in vain to get information; she had just hit him repeatedly. If someone had done the same to her, Hawkeye would be more than disinclined to even give them a handkerchief. If she had a handkerchief. Which she didn’t. But that wasn’t the point.

She inched closer to him and tugged on his arm. “Come on, Acey,” she begged. “I’d tell you how I opened a restaurant!” She paused, then added, “If I had the means to open up a restaurant.” The truth behind that was debatable. Hawkeye usually knew what horse would win the races, but refused to release any information regarding how exactly she came by her handy tips.

She smiled and said in a sing-song voice, “I won’t tell anyone!” She held up her right hand, as if taking an oath. “I swear on my life. I’m trustworthy!” That was half true. Hawkeye was trustworthy when she chose to be. This happened to be an instance where she chose to be. Unless it was a really juicy secret. Which it might be.

“Pretty please, Ace?” She hugged his arm and gave him her best pout. Hawkeye could never resist a secret. She had a sinking feeling that he’d deny her request to know, but she wasn’t going to give up until it was quite blatant that she was out of luck.

"I will aim to fix that immediately. Dinner, your choice, your night, my place, my treat. We can gossip all night long."

Hawkeye stuck her tongue out as his lips brush her hand. “Oh, save it for your girl, you big sap!” She grinned, pulling her hand back. “But I’m never one to say no to free food.” She took another bite of her apple and thought, Or gossip. Speaking of which…

“What place? You have a place now?” She almost forgot about the free food at the mention of Ace having a place of his own. Or, at least, implying he did. “Where? And no more secrets, buster!” She arched an eyebrow and fixed him with a look, as if that would pry the truth from his lips.

[Daniel Cardoni]

The slaps didn't really hurt, in fact they made him laugh, which probably wasn't her intention at all. "I'm serious. It's a secret!" He'd never told her about his past, had never needed to, and he hummed a bit under his breath, watching her practically pout at him. "I know you, Hawk, secretive when you feel like it. But this is something you're not allowed to run around blabbing about." It was a warning, which meant he might just tell her. He was thinking about it anyway. As long as the news didn't get back to Boston and his brother, he was fine with people knowing. At least those that wouldn't look at him differently.

He really didn't think she was like that. Wouldn't shun him for lying because what were they all if not liars? Bending the truth on a daily basis to survive. Whether it was their names, their headlines, or even their pasts, the newsies were a mostly secretive bunch. He could have told her no, and she would have pouted some more, but eventually given in. "And if I do tell you, it won't be here. Not now. Maybe when you come in for dinner I'll let you know." He smiled when she took her hand back, though he didn't let on how much that comment actually stung. It shouldn't, it was harmless, but at the present moment his girl troubles were rather large.

And even though he never forgot about it, he couldn't help but laugh, hard, nearly choking on her apple at her little explosion. The second of many, he was sure. "It's just the apartment above the restaurant. Relax." He grinned. "You can either order something and we'll sit downstairs, or I'll make you whatever you want up in my kitchen."

[hawkeye]

"I know you, Hawk, secretive when you feel like it."

Hawkeye rolled her eyes as he addressed her occasional ability to keep quiet. Ace had made a valid point, but not a point that was in her favor at the moment. She started to reply, in attempt to defend herself. “Hey, I—”

"But this is something you're not allowed to run around blabbing about."

Hawkeye’s mouth snapped shut and she stared intently at Ace. Her eyes were wide and bright with anticipation. She held up her hand again and nodded. “I promise, promise, promise I won’t say a word!” Now she really had to keep her promise. Ace acknowledged the fact that she didn’t always keep secrets to herself and then offered to let her in on his anyway. She definitely couldn’t tell anyone.

It was a complicated emotion for Hawkeye. On one hand, she was elated that she was about to hear how Ace came to own his own restaurant. On the other, she definitely couldn’t tell anyone.

"And if I do tell you, it won't be here. Not now. Maybe when you come in for dinner I'll let you know."

Hawkeye only heard one word in that sentence: if.

“If? What do you mean if?” She was probably pushing her luck, but she couldn’t help herself. Hawkeye frowned, trying to think of a secret of her own she could barter with. She could tell him about her recent adventures, but those seemed to pale in comparison to Ace running Il Capriccio.

She shook her head and said, “OK. OK. How about this: I’ll go to your place for dinner and maybe you can tell me there!” It was a compromise that didn’t have to be proposed, but Hawkeye was completely unaware of that. “It’s not in public, so you don’t have to worry about anyone overhearing or anything.” She raised her eyebrows and bit into her apple. “Hmm?”

"You can either order something and we'll sit downstairs, or I'll make you whatever you want up in my kitchen."

Hawkeye nodded enthusiastically, glad that Ace had taken her up on her plan. “Alright.” She paused and then added, “Should I really trust your cooking, though?” Hawkeye tilted her head to the side and squinted, as if analyzing Ace. “What if you tell me about this whole Il Capriccio thing and then you poison me?” She teased. “I think I’ll stick with ordering something downstairs,” she said playfully.

Then a terrible thought dawn on her: what if Ace didn’t tell her because there were too many people around? She immediately back-pedaled. “I guess you’re relatively trustworthy, though. Your kitchen it is!” It wasn’t exactly a smooth change of thought, but Hawkeye wasn’t particularly concerned with that at the moment.