Serendipity's Shadow
Rated T
Chapter 49
AN: I couldn't resist.
Round two. Fight!
"Alright. My deal."
Nova handed the deck over with a cocky smirk. Nick returned the smile before dealing out the cards.
"Your bet." Nick stated while organizing his cards.
"Are you and the rabbit really not together?"
Nick raised his eyebrow suspiciously before answering.
"Technically we are not. It's a little grey at the moment."
A moment of silence passed between the two.
"Are you not going to raise?"
"…Nah."
"Could've told me."
"And ruin the fun of annoying you…nah."
Nova scowled before continuing the game.
"How many cards?"
"I'm good."
"Fine…I discard three and draw three."
"Ouch." Nick mumbled making Nova's fur bristle.
"Alright…Do you have any family?"
"I do. Do you?" Nick raised the bet.
"I pass."
"I figured you would. Fine then let's end this round. Seven four of a kind."
"Two pair of kings…" Nova displayed her cards with a pout.
"Now who's smoked?"
"¡Ciérralo!"
Nick stuck out his tongue like a child to match her attitude. It was a small moment, but Nick did hear the little vermin giggle.
"One point to me and the cards go to you."
Nova dealt the cards with little vigor compared to before.
"Alright, Miss Vermin… How old are you?"
"Really?"
"I'm running out of questions give me a break. What's your age kid?"
"Eight."
"Eight and already hustling the sticky fingers at your age…I don't whether to say that's sad or impressive."
"How old are you?"
"Too old for you." Nick laughed at his own joke much to Nova's annoyance. "Thirty-three."
"More like I'm too young for you."
"You're not my type. I prefer them more matured and less likely to steal my grandmother's vintage pearl necklace."
"Sigh…It true. We just weren't meant to be." Nova teased going along with Nick's joke.
"I'll send you some flowers as an apology."
"No roses. That's too cliché."
"Daises?"
"That works."
"I'll have 'em by tomorrow."
"I expect to receive them by breakfast."
"Lunch" Nick countered.
"Breakfast."
"Lunch."
"Brunch. Final offer."
"Deal."
Nick and Nova shook on it.
"And I'll take one card please."
Nova dealt him his card while he discarded the unwanted.
"I need two."
"Uh…new question…" Nick clicked his tongue in thought. "Is anyone missing you right now?"
"Probably not." Nova shrugged.
So, I don't need to worry about kidnapping charges.
"You raising?"
"Nope."
"All right. Pair of Jacks."
"Pair of tens."
"I win again." Nick smirked. "Two to me and one to you."
"Shut up and deal."
"Alright, alright, alright." Nick repeated while laughing.
"My bet…Do you have someone who would miss you?"
"A couple. Not a lot would miss me though. The majority would probably open a bottle of champagne." Nick continued to answer honestly.
Nick knew that lying would make the girl retreat into herself and become a bigger pain to deal with. Honesty was the best policy when dealing with someone who surrounds themselves with pitchforks.
"Where do you reside?" Nick raised the bet.
"Where I want."
Either an unstable home or no home.
"I need two cards."
"Here you go." Nova dealt the cards drawing three for herself.
"Favorite food?"
"Any food."
"Including broccoli?"
"Any food but broccoli…or anything that is relatively healthy."
"Why do you always wear a suit?"
"Dumb question. I fold." Nick made sure to throw his cards facing down to hide the pair of aces he had.
"More like a dumb reason to fold."
"Why are you complaining? Two points each."
"Here." Nova handed him the deck of cards.
"Much obliged." Nick gave the cards another quick shuffle before dealing.
"Are you a criminal?"
"Depends on your definition of criminal."
"What do you mean?"
"People see you as nothing more than a little thief…but I see a little girl who is trying to survive and get by in life."
"So, you… are a criminal… technically?"
"Yep."
"I request three cards please."
Nova dealt the cards aimlessly thinking about this new information.
"I'm good. Are you going to hurt me?"
"No." Nick answered firmly.
Immediately Nova's shoulders began to slouch as she grew more comfortable.
"I'm not going to raise. Full house ten over threes."
"Five of four of a kind."
"Vermin." Nick huffed with a smile while marking Nova's one-point lead.
"I still expect those flowers."
"A Wilde always keeps a promise." Nick stated proudly.
"Fair." Nova nonchalantly nodded. "Your deal."
Nick dealt the cards quickly and effectively.
"Do you have any kids?"
"Not yet. Do you have any siblings?"
"Nope."
"One card please."
"You say please a lot." Nova stated while handing over Nick's requested card.
"It's called manners. Would you like to learn some?"
"Is that your question?"
"Sure." Nick shrugged.
"No one's around to train me so… no, I guess."
That means yes.
"I'm not raising." Nova stated.
"Okie dookie… I have jack and shit."
"Why not fold?"
"You can only fold when you don't answer."
"I don't remember that rule."
"Not my fault you didn't pay attention to my words."
It was Nova's turn to stick her tongue out at Nick.
"I have a pair of ones."
"I stand by my vermin comment."
"I think you like me."
"Didn't we already establish you're not my type?"
"Cállate y trata."
"Si, si, si. Te escucho." Nick began his deal. "Three points to you and two to me."
"Did your mom tuck you in at night?"
"Every night with a glass of warm milk and a small melody to lull me to sleep. Do you sleep in a bed?"
"Not anymore." Nova mumbled. "One card…please."
"And we're learning." Nick mused, handing over a card to replace her unwanted one.
"What's… now I'm running out of questions!"
"Maybe I should have just made it to six points. Wanna do six instead of ten?"
"Make it five."
"Deal."
"What's your favorite color?" Nova asked.
"Turquoise. How long have you been waiting to ask that question?"
"…pass."
"Chicken."
"What happened to vermin."
"She grew feathers instead of courage." Nick teased making chicken noises at the girl.
"Just give me two cards."
Won't say please when annoyed.
Nick discarded three before receiving three for himself after giving Nova her cards.
"What does kinky mean?"
"Yeah… that's a hard pass."
"What? Why?"
"You'll know when you're older." Nick thought for a moment before deciding to take a shot in the dark. "Where's your family?"
"You can't repeat a question."
"I don't remember that being a rule."
Nova was in a corner. She couldn't pass and if she didn't answer then she would have to fold. Only an idiot would fold while having a royal flush. But she really didn't want to answer that question.
"Dead. Or at least dead to me. Ditched me at the hospital and it's been foster home after foster home. The last one was a crackhead zebra who didn't even know what day of the week it was. I've been gone for almost a month, and no one is looking." Nova sighed, throwing her hand down in frustration. "And what about you? Where are your parents?"
"Dead. Legitimately dead. Dad was killed and Mom died from a broken heart a year later." Nick paused, allowing the tension to settle before continuing the game. "One card please."
Nova reluctantly continued to play. She dealt Nick his card before drawing two for herself.
"Can you swim?"
"…yeah. I'm not raising."
"I have a pair of twos."
"I have a three of three of a kind."
"Four points to you. I'm getting smoked over here." Nick continued to speak lightly to relieve the tension. "My deal."
Nick dealt the cards slowly letting Nova calm down.
"Your bet vermin."
Again, it was a small moment, but Nick did see a hint of a smile grace the girl's lips.
"How rich are you?"
"Think of a number."
"…Done."
"Double it." Nick stated with a puffed chest.
"No way." Nova didn't believe it.
"Your right… making it triple would be more accurate."
And now Nova was back to smiling and laughing at Nick's antics.
"What's your last name?"
"Doe."
"Like Jane Doe?"
"Exactly."
"Ouch."
"I know." Nova groaned in agreement. "I don't need any cards. I'm good."
"So am I."
Both raised a suspicious eye at the other. Neither needed new cards which would mean they both had relatively decent hands.
"Is Wilde really your last name?"
"Yep. Do you like it?"
"It's better than Nova Doe. Is it a family name or something you made up?"
"Family. Going all the way back to my…I forget how many greats, great grandmother's name." Nick paused in thought before looking at Nova with a wild idea.
"Are you raising?" Nova asked, ignoring his intense gaze.
"Yeah, I think I am."
Nick placed his small straight on the table confusing the young fox. Nova figured that he just forgot that he said he was going to raise the bet. She placed her cards on the table too, revealing a large straight.
"Wanna become a Wilde?" Nick finally asked.