A Street Rat Versus Solo
By APs
A/N – Thank you for reading. Please enjoy! Reviews are nice, too!
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It seems that fighting is a game where everybody is the loser.
---Zora Neale Hurston
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"Com' on, then," the blonde boy called Solo taunted, jerking his head to the side. The bone thin child opposite him just blinked violet eyes too big for its head at him like he'd sprouted antennae. Solo barked a harsh laugh, "Ya stupid, kid? You wanna learn ta fight, right."
"I ain't stupid," the kid growled out, surprisingly low and gruff. From the mass of filthy chestnut hair and large eyes, most people generally mistook him for a little girl. It had gotten him out of more trouble than he liked to admit.
"Sure," Solo chuckled, thumbing his nose. "Well, take a swing."
The urchin just blinked at him again, as though the mere idea were horrifying, couldn't possibly be what the older boy was actually suggesting. Solo had taken a liking to him, mostly because he was good at getting himself out of trouble, one less thing for the gang leader to have to worry about. No one challenged Solo.
"Com' on. Swing," the blonde repeated, quickly losing his humor, shifting dangerously. The boy felt his hackles rise, breath coming quicker as he weighed his options. Running seemed pretty good just then. He wagged his head, making his chestnut rat's nest swing behind him. He barely saw the fist that plowed into his cheek. He rolled with the world, feet finding ground before he found up, iron in his mouth. He tried to dash away, too late, another fist found his stomach, bouncing him off the rough alley wall.
"Can't run all the time," Solo's voice taunted. The kid growled, still doubled over against the wall, tears starting to trail silently down a rapidly bruising cheek. Solo laughed again, "Boys don't cry, kid. Yer a boy, right?"
With a feral cry, the kid sprang from the wall. Dug a sharp elbow into Solo's stomach and they went down in a cloud of fists and dirt and curses. Blows fell like rain, poorly aimed, but in droves. They rolled, gouging and tearing and biting. Finally, Solo got a handful of the kid's hair and yanked hard as a knife flashed to the kid's neck. The smaller kid instantly went limp.
"'Nuff," the gang leader growled thickly around his smashed nose. The kid glared at him, one eye already swelling. Solo gave the whelp a good shake of the scruff.
"Le' go," he boy rasped.
"Say I win," Solo prompted.
"You gotta knife," the kid protested.
Solo grinned at him, a gruesome sight considering the blood on his face, "Fight ta win, or die, small fry."
The smaller boy ground his teeth, "Ya win."
"Wha's dat?" Solo grinned, yanking the kid's head back and laying the cold flat of the knife against the side of his neck.
"Ya win! Ya win, dammit" the kid bleated faster.
"Dat's right," Solo nodded, shoving the kid back a few feet. They eyed each other for a long minute before the kid looked away, spitting blood to the side. Only then did Solo put away his little knife and fix his nose with a sick pop. The kid shrank back against the alley wall, glance flitting about, ready to bolt. He jumped at the sound of Solo's voice, "Did good for a first go, kid."
Violet eyes blinked at him again, "I didn't do nothing."
"Swung back," Solo shrugged.
"You gotta knife," the street rat accused.
"So, get a knife," Solo scowled back, "Ain't nobody gonna go easy on us, kid."
A sharp smile crawled across the smaller boy's face, equal parts fearless and crazy, "S'pose not, Solo."
"S'pose not," the blonde echoed, grinning back. "Let's get back."
The kid nodded, hissing as he started to move. Solo walked stiffly beside him, wiping at blood with the back of his hand. The kid pulled out a tooth, "Fighting sucks."
Solo's laughter rang loud and clear through the alleys of L2.
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Hugglesbunny – Thank you! Hope you enjoy the rest of the series.