A/N: Hello! I'm JennieRyan (AKA Historical Fangirl on AO3) and this is one of my stories. I already posted it on AO3 several months ago, and now I've decided to post it here as well. I hope everyone enjoys it!
February 1900
"'Ey, Crutchie! Hurry up, all the papes are gonna be gone!"
"I'm comin', Race! Just forgot my scarf!" Crutchie called back, ignoring Race's grumbling as he slipped back inside the now vacant lodging house and headed towards his bunk.
As Crutchie had predicted, his scarf was hanging on the end of his bed. Grabbing it and quickly tying it securely around his neck, Crutchie turned around and bumped straight into a young woman, causing her to drop the bucket she had been carrying and spill soapy water all over the floor.
"Oh! Shoot, I'm so sorry!" Crutchie cried in dismay, trying to bend down and pick up the bucket for her.
"I can get it," the girl replied hurriedly, carefully righting the bucket and smiling softly at Crutchie.
Crutchie swallowed hard, finding himself unexpectedly tongue-tied as he took in the sight of the girl. She was petite, with hair so dark brown it was almost black. She regarded Crutchie with a bemused expression, tilting her head slightly as she spoke with a light Irish brogue. "Are you alright?"
Crutchie snapped out of his daze and cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine. Sorry about your bucket."
The girl smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. The water was supposed to go on the floor anyway."
Crutchie chuckled, then glanced at the door. "I'd, uh, I'd better get goin'."
"Yes, you'd better," the girl said, still smiling. "You don't want them to run out of newspapers."
Crutchie smiled back at the girl, tipping his cap in goodbye. As he hurried out of the front door of the lodging house and started towards the newspaper distribution center a large grin painted itself on his face, although he wasn't entirely sure why.
-Break-
"Race?"
"Hmm?" Race hummed in acknowledgment, not looking up from the deck of cards he was shuffling as he lounged on his bunk across from Crutchie's.
"D'ya know the name of the new girl who works here? She's short with dark hair?"
"Jennie, I think," Race replied, looking up at Crutchie with his brow furrowed in confusion. "Why?"
Crutchie shrugged. "Just wonderin' was all."
Race studied Crutchie's face for a minute longer, then grinned mischievously. "I get what this is about. You like her, don't ya?"
Crutchie turned bright red and began sputtering in protest. "No! No, that ain't it. I- I don't got any interest in her."
Race laughed. "Whatever you say, pal. Whatever you say."
-Break-
Oh! Hello," Jennie exclaimed as she entered the bunkroom the next morning to see Crutchie standing by his bed. "I thought everyone had left already."
"They have," Crutchie said. "I stayed behind ta see you."
"Oh?"
"I wanted ta apologize properly for yesterday," Crutchie said. "I felt bad for addin' to your workload."
"I told you, it's perfectly alright," Jennie replied. "No harm done."
Crutchie shrugged. "I still felt bad. So I, um, I got ya somethin' ta make up for it." He held out a small object wrapped in a sheet of newspaper.
Jennie raised her eyebrows in surprise, gently taking the package from Crutchie an unwrapping it. She grinned happily as she pulled out a small piece of candy in the shape of a smiley face. "I love it. Thank you…"
"Crutchie," Crutchie said.
"Your name is Crutchie?" Jennie asked doubtfully.
"I mean, it ain't my real name but it's what everyone calls me."
"Well, I'm not everyone. What's your real name?"
Crutchie smiled softly. "Charlie. Charlie Morris."
Jennie smiled back. "Nice to meet you, Charlie Morris. I'm Jennie Ryan."
"Nice ta meet you too, Jennie Ryan," Crutchie responded.
They lapsed into a comfortable silence for a minute, until Jennie pointed over Crutchie's shoulder at the clock on the wall behind him. "You'd better get going. The morning bell rang ten minutes ago."
"Shoot, yeah." Crutchie turned and hurried toward the door. "Bye!" he called over his shoulder.
"Goodbye!" Jennie called back with a smile. "Goodbye, Charlie."