FAKE Ficlet: Making A Deal
Title: Making A Deal
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Bikky, Dee, mentions Ryo.
Rating: PG
Setting: Early in the manga.
Summary: Bikky has a problem, and turns to an unlikely person for help.
Word Count: 400
Written For: The tw100 prompt ‘Copper’.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.
Bikky dug in his pocket and pulled out his money; all he had left to his name was a handful of copper pennies and a couple of quarters. That wouldn’t go far.
He got a regular allowance from Ryo, so he could buy the things he wanted, but it had seemed cheap to use that for what he needed to get now, so he’d used it to make wagers with some of the other kids, hoping to score a big win. Instead, his luck had deserted him and he’d lost every one. They had to have been cheating!
Gloomily he sank down on the front stoop. This sucked big time.
“Hey, squirt, what’s up? Funds runnin’ low?”
Bikky looked up as his nemesis sauntered over, and came to a quick decision; any port in a storm.
“It’s Ryo’s birthday next week.”
“Is it now?” Dee looked suddenly interested.
“Yep, November 25th, an’ I don’t have enough money for a card, never mind a present. Somehow it doesn’t seem right to ask for an advance so I can buy him something with his own money.”
“Tricky situation,” Dee agreed, smirking, and for a moment Bikky wanted to kick the perv in the shins just to wipe the smug look off his face, but he restrained himself. Ryo had taken him in just a few months ago; buying him something nice for his birthday would show how much Bikky appreciated everything he’d done, and Dee was the only potential source of cash currently available. Making him mad would ruin any chance Bikky had off getting some money out of him.
Dee waited and watched, smile widening. “This is really killin’ ya, isn’t it?”
“You have no idea,” Bikky groaned.
“Why don’t I make it easy for ya? Wash my car and you get twenty bucks. Think that’ll do?”
“Do I get extra if I clean the inside too?” Bikky asked shrewdly.
That got a laugh from Dee. “Okay, sure, why not? Another ten for the inside, payment when it’s done.” After all, he owed the kid something for the info on Ryo’s birthdate; now he could do something for his partner’s birthday too.
“Deal,” Bikky declared, sticking out his hand to shake, sealing the bargain.
Dee tossed the kid his keys before going inside. Perfect. Now his car would look great when he took Ryo out somewhere nice for a birthday dinner!
The End