Okay so I'm still working on my other fics, I swear, but they're both being stubborn so I decided to do a Boukenger oneshot I've been thinking about.
Spoilers: None. Set before the series, when Natsuki and Masumi were in their early days as a team.
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No matter how necessary it was in order for him to continue treasure hunting, Masumi hated parting with his well-earned goods. The latest paycheque came from an ancient sword (he'd already forgotten its name) that had been a two-hour hike and a twenty-minute mountain climb, not counting the time he and Natsuki had spent getting lost in the forest and nearly dying against the centuries-old traps built into the cave the sword had been hidden in. He'd sold it to a collector who didn't look like he'd so much as taken a second glance at a treadmill, let alone camped out in the wilderness.
What a waste of treasure, but the payoff made it worthwhile, even if Natsuki had dragged him to an outdoor market almost the second the sale was closed. She was off exploring a jewellery stall while he examined some ornate hunting knives (having snapped the tip off one of his in saving himself from a long fall). Choosing one with a comfortable black handle, he pulled out the money to pay for it almost the second something tapped his shoulder. "Masumi, Masumi!"
He knew who it was before he even glanced down at Natsuki, bouncing on her heels at his side. "What is it?"
"Can I borrow some money?" She had that grin on her face, the one that he suspected meant everything he was about to say was going to go right over her head. He sighed. May as well try anyway.
"Natsuki, I told you before, it's not borrowing. We're partners, so you get a cut of every pay." She'd just grabbed him by the arm before he'd counted it out before. Now he flicked through the bills, counting out 40% of the pay (he would have done an even split if he had any reason to believe she could handle the more practical expenses) to hand to her. "There. That's yours."
"Thank you!" And she was off again, leaving him to wonder how much of that she actually heard.
He shook his head and turned back to the stall owner, paying for his knife and stowing it inside his jacket. By the time he'd wandered out of the crowded area and out into the walkway, Natsuki was already there. She held out both hands to him. "Masumi, here!"
"Huh?" He looked down. Clutched in her fingers was a small, white box, and resting on a little cotton insert was a necklace charm with a black stone in the centre. "What's this?"
"It's a necklace for you!" She was beaming again. He really, really didn't know how to react to this.
"That's what you wanted the money for…?" To spend on him. This girl was so confusing.
Natsuki's gaze shifted down to the box, and she turned one wrist up to show the single possession she herself owned. "Well, it's because it looks like Natsuki's bracelet."
He blinked, moving closer to inspect the two pieces. She was right, sort of. The stone colours were different, and the bracelet enclosed its stone in an oval of metal while the black stone of the necklace was encased in a diamond, but with them side-by-side like that, there was a resemblance. "I guess it does…" He took the charm between thumb and forefinger, drawing it and its short, black cord out of the box. He couldn't deny it was quite nice, and he smiled at her, reaching out with his free hand to gently tousle her hair. "Thank you."
She grinned and put the box in her pocket. "Here, here! I'll help you put it on." Before he could reply, she'd snatched it from his hand and bounced around behind him. He flinched when her arms went over his head, but in just seconds she had the necklace clasped and was spinning him around to take a look and nod approvingly. "Perfect! It really suits you, Masumi!"
He reached up, running his fingers over the cool metal and smooth stone. If he looked down and held the charm away from his chest, he could see it. "I guess it does."
Natsuki, still grinning, turned to skip off to the next group of stalls. He followed, still fiddling with the necklace. It was strange. This was the first gift he'd ever received, and it came from the amnesiac girl he'd rescued from a cave. Masumi snorted to himself, shaking his head. "When did I start living in an anime?"
"Masumi! Look at this!" Natsuki was far ahead of him now, pointing energetically at what looked, at this distance, like a wood-carved hippo.
"Coming!" He increased his pace to catch up to her, no longer toying with the charm but still very aware of its presence around his neck. He was never going to take it off.
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Yeah okay so it's fluff. I had the idea while watching Task 14. The way the camera zoomed in on Masumi's necklace when he was telling Natsuki to transform and kill him made me think the jewellery had some connection to their relationship. The show didn't reveal, so I shall!