June Catch All for Dodger

[knowntohisfriends]

[The Artful Dodger can be found anywhere about London during the course of a full month. Anywhere there's a crowd, there's work to be done, and if you know the hat, you'll be able to spot him easily. Or if you want to be spotted... well, he's always paying attention]

Comments

[stauncherhearted]

"You're the favorite." She tells him coldly. "You got it easy. Before Bill saved me?" He remembered that night as well as she did, she was sure of it. She'd locked eyes with him, from across the room.

"And you still got family outside. I never had nothin'"

[knowntohisfriends]

"Yeah," there's a lot of bitterness in his voice. "I'm the favourite." Nancy didn't know what that meant, what it really meant. And family outside? He didn't even remember his mother. The woman had willingly gave him over. As for whoever his Dad was... well that wasn't a thing.

"It's all fun an' games when you're Fagin's favourite," he spat.

[stauncherhearted]

"Don't talk to me like that," Nancy snaps at him. "Not now- not when you could very well have gone and ruined the one good thing that's happened to me in god knows how long."

[knowntohisfriends]

"Bully for you." It's too bitter. "Not like you ain't gonna leave him the minute Bill gets out anyway."

[stauncherhearted]

A loud crack echoes across the den as Nancy slaps him as hard as she can.

"You're just jealous you've never stood a chance with me."

[knowntohisfriends]

He's really not sure what hurts more.

"Like I'd want it."

[stauncherhearted]

She rolls her eyes.

"Please. Just another way you'll always be second to Bill." She turns to go.

[knowntohisfriends]

"Exactly. Don't fancy his sloppy seconds."

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy looks around at the den.

"Looks like you already got 'em."

[knowntohisfriends]

He looks at her very deliberately.

"Nah. I don't. Thank God."

[stauncherhearted]

"Then it's a good thing I'm out of your league. Goodbye, Jack." She extends her hand in front of her as she turns, opening the door. Whatever he has left to say, she isn't listening.

[knowntohisfriends]

He can't stop himself. He grabs the nearest mug and flings it at the open door.

[stauncherhearted]

The mug hits the wall near the door and Nancy whirls around, her shoulders tucked in tight around herself. Her green eyes are wide as she looks at Jack, her mouth slack. Her eyes flash clear for a moment, the same thing that causes her to draw in on herself.

He'd tried to hit her with the mug.

Nancy takes a deep shuddering breath even as her chest screams out and turns back, fleeing out the way she came. He was just like the rest of 'em.

[knowntohisfriends]

The Dodger watches as Nancy leaves, and his hands curls into a fist, turning round and shoving everything off the table, too angry to care about what Fagin'll do to him for smashing up the place.

She'd called him Jack.

She didn't care.

He sat down and roughly rubbed his arm across red eyes, breathing in deep. Right. He wasn't a kid, not like the others. He didn't need Nancy watching out for him, never needed it. Let her call him what she liked.

He didn't care.

Really, he didn't.