BFDI AND II ONESHOT BOOK!

Tennickel: Why Not? (part 4)

Takes place after BFDIA 19
Nickel confides in Tennis Ball, admitting he finds Fries attractive and wants to try flirting with him to see if something might happen. Tennis Ball clearly isn't thrilled by the idea, but avoids giving Nickel a straight answer about why. Undeterred, Nickel goes for it anyway-and to his surprise, Fries is receptive. Just as things start to heat up, Tennis Ball steps in and manages to pull Nickel away, clearly upset and unwilling to let it go any further.

Linked to Strange Specimen, Wanna Play? & He Hates You.

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Nickel and Tennis Ball sat together under a broad, shady tree, the sun casting scattered patches of light through the leaves above. The air was still, almost heavy, like it was holding its breath after the recent eliminations. Nickel and Fries had both just been voted out of BFDIA, their dreams of winning dashed for now. There were murmurs about some kind of viewer vote for the next host... Nickel wasn't sure how true it was, but the thought kept him lingering on the sidelines, half-hoping he could be the host next, that would be really cool.

Fries had been withdrawn since elimination, which wasn't unlike him, he was always withdrawn from everyone. While some of the other WTFers bickered about hosting duties, he wanted no part of it. He'd distanced himself from everyone, as perusal.

Tennis Ball, on the other hand, seemed lost. Golf Ball had completely iced him out after his recent stunt-he killed everyone who stayed in the WTF, and recovered them into his basket to try and win the challenge, and still came up just a second short. It had been a reckless move, one that went directly against Golf Ball and her rules of the game. She'd been furious-disappointed in a way that cut deep. For someone like Tennis Ball, who'd built his identity around following Golf Ball's lead, that kind of disapproval wasn't easy to stomach. Even Nickel had noticed how strange it was. Tennis Ball, defying Golf Ball? That wasn't like him.

Maybe he was finally realizing he didn't have to be her shadow. Maybe he was thinking for himself for once. Or maybe he just cracked under the pressure.

Now, Tennis Ball had no one else to sit with, and despite telling Nickel, repeatedly and bluntly, that he didn't like him and didn't want him around, Nickel hadn't left. He never really did. In fact, Nickel was annoyingly persistent, always finding his way back to Tennis Ball's side like some sad, clingy magnet. And maybe, just maybe, Tennis Ball didn't push him away as hard as he could've, because sometimes... Nickel was useful. Like now, when everyone else was too angry or disinterested to talk to him.

Nickel didn't care, or maybe pretended not to. He was too busy nursing the flickering hope that Tennis Ball did like him-deep down, somewhere. Bomby had been warning him for weeks that Tennis Ball was only using him, that he was wasting his time trying to win over someone who so clearly didn't care. But Nickel didn't believe it. He couldn't. Why would Tennis Ball still let him hang around if he truly hated him? It didn't make sense. There had to be something there... Even if it was just a shred of affection, even if Tennis Ball basically admitted to hating him, there had to be something.

So Nickel had a plan-a test. He needed to know the truth. If Tennis Ball was just using him, then fine-he could move on, try his luck elsewhere. But if there was something there... then maybe he could finally crack that cold, calculated shell.

That's where Fries came in.

Nickel figured if he talked about having a crush on Fries-or even just acted like he was interested, it might draw out some kind of reaction from Tennis Ball. Jealousy, maybe. Or protectiveness. Something that showed he cared.

Tennis Ball sat with his eyes closed, leaning back against the tree trunk. He looked exhausted, mentally and emotionally drained after the argument he just had with Golf Ball. Nickel watched him for a moment, then sighed-loudly, hoping to get a reaction. Nothing. He sighed again, more dramatically this time.