Professional - Jack Kelly x GN!Reader
You turned to see a newsie in a blue shirt, dark brown vest, slacks, and newsboy hat running up to you. “Can I help you?” you asked politely.
“Yeah, ya, eh, dropped your paints,” he held out your small portable box of oil paints, and your eyes widened, “Oh my god. That was so silly of me, thank you.” The boy handed you the art supplies, and stuck out his hand for a handshake, “Name’s Jack Kelly. Pleasure to be meeting you.”
“Pleasure’s all mine, Mr. Kelly. I’m Y/N L/N,” you shook, firm but polite
“Aw, please. It’s Jack, Mx. L/N.”
“Then, Jack,” you smiled, “I must ask you to call me Y/N.”
“Alright then, Y/N. Uh, ya do art or somethin’?” Jack fidgeted with the straps of his newspaper bag, making small talk.
“I do, I’m in my second semester of art school,” you indulged. It wasn’t like you were on a schedule after all. The plan had been a relaxing afternoon painting in the park, but that was flexible. “Wow, so youse a professional.”
“Well, not quite yet,” you laughed, “I’m still a student. Turned seventeen a couple months ago. How about you?”
“If you’re talkin’ ‘bout age, then I turned seventeen as of two months ago. If it’s about art, then as a hobby here an’ there. I’m a dabbler, ya know?” grinned Jack.
“Say, Jack. I was planning on going to the park to do some painting, care to join me?” you offered. Good company was scarce in the city, and you’d be damned if you passed up an opportunity to make a friend. Might as well escape the void of eternal loneliness.
“I, for one, would love to,” Jack leaned against a nearby streetlamp, patting his newspaper bag, “But these papes ain’t gonna sell themselves. Hey, maybe another time? How’s about later in the evenin’? Ya still in the park then?”
“I’ll be there until seven, will you be free?”
“I should be. Ever since the strike, papes have been selling like we’s givin’ them away.”
“The children’s crusade last month!” you recalled the moving protests led by kids, some your age, many much younger, “I was out there, you know. On strike. I paint advertisements and walls for a few shops downtown. I also do makeup for a couple local theatres most nights. Before the crusade, I barely scraped together enough to pay the tuition my scholarship didn’t cover, but after?” You laughed happily, smiling, “I can actually afford to eat daily, and I haven’t been late on my rent lately.”
“Well, that’s what we’s was hopin’ for. No kid should have to work like hell just to be given the same opportunities as the rich.” Jack pronounced “opportunities” adorably, popping the p’s. You nodded in agreement, “It was nice talking with you, Jack Kelly. See you at seven. I expect you to be there.”
“Oh, trust me, I will be.”
You checked your rusty old pocket watch, a hand-me-down. It was exactly seven in the evening, and you sat cross legged in the grass, nearly finished painting of a bush of flowers in front of you along with your paints. “L/N! Hey, L/N!” you snapped your head up at Jack’s voice, greeting him with a warm smile. “Would you look at that?” holding up your watch, you flipped the face so Jack could see, “Not a minute late.”
“What can you say?” he grinned, dimpling in the most charming way, “I’m a real gentleman.”
“Thos are getting rarer these days. Good to see chivalry isn’t quite dead yet.”
Jack gave a deep mock bow, drawing an amused snicker from you. “So, ready to paint?” you gestured to your art supplies.
“Oh, oh, I’m more than happy to learn from a professional.”
