Enjoy Baccano fans!

L.L.A.P

~Laces

Dimenticato

~*~*~*~*~*~1933~*~*~*~*~*~

"Oy, Cookie, what the hell are ya doin'?"

The short Asian girl quickly looked up and smiled.

"B.B, I could use your help." Cookie stated, not answering the question. She was in front of an automobile, her hands black with grease. In them was a small wrench and a hammer.

Busty Baylie (B.B) walked next to the automobile and saw Cookie tampering with the engine.

"What d'you need help with?"

"Just a little muscle." Cookie handed B.B the hammer. "Just that pipe. One good whack and we run as fast as we can to the corner of third street."

B.B smirked and grabbed the hammer. She swung it back and drove it as hard as she could down on the pipe. The two girls then proceeded to sprint away.

It seemed so natural to them. Running. They ran as if they were walking. Calm faces, easy strides, even breaths. The only difference was that they were going much faster.

"So, whose autom'bile did I just bust up?" B.B questioned when the two came to a stop.

"Some guy who's been messin' with the Gandors." Cookie answered and B.B snorted.

"Damn idiot have a death wish or somethin'?"

Cookie shrugged, which made B.B continue to laugh. She then calmed down, looking at her friend.

"Well, I'm happy t'be of help to the wonderful Gandor family." B.B smirked, giving a dramatic bow. Cookie gave the girl a look.

"You know, you wouldda made a good addition to the Gandor family. Luck respects ya. So does Burga." Cookie chuckled for a moment. "I can only guess that Keith likes ya."

"Once a Camorrista, always a Camorrista." B.B informed. "Not to say that I don't like the Gandors or anythin'."

"I understand." Cookie nodded. "Still, what do they have ya doin' there?"

B.B smirked and made a muscle.

"Heavy duty work. I get ta bust some heads, unload some cargo, I even get to do some torcherin' for information."

"I could never stomach torcherin'." Cookie informed with a shutter, and B.B shrugged.

"I didn't think I could either, but ya feel someone's bone snap under your hands, it changes ya." She noticed the unnerved look on Cookie's face and shrugged. "Forget about what I said. So, how are ya with the Gandors? They been treatin' ya right?"

"Of course." Cookie smiled. "Luck has me run errands and bust up some autom'biles. Fun work."

"Better than sittin' on your ass all day." B.B nodded.

"Hey, the Gandors are having a poker night on Saturday. Wanna come?" Cookie inquired, and B.B chuckled.

"Me? Poker? Y'know how terrible I am at Poker. 'sides, the Gandor brothers are unbeatable. I'd like ta keep my money in my pockets, if it's all the same to you."

"Just thought I'd ask." Cookie shrugged. However, she knew the look on B.B's face. She'd come.

"THAT WAS GREAT!" a man exclaimed as he and a woman sprinted pass the two, dressed as firemen, full bags under each arm.

"GREAT!" the woman nodded, and the two continue to insanely babble as they ran.

Cookie and B.B stood and watched as the two ran off. After about a minute passed, they decided to start their conversation again.

"So, I heard Isaac and Miria are back in town." B.B nodded.

"Really? Who told ya that?"

"Mmmm. I forget."

~*~*~*~*~Saturday~*~*~*~*~*~

Can't believe Cookie talked me into this. B.B thought as she looked at the pile of money she was losing on the poker table.

"We're happy to have you here, Miss Baylie." Luck informed with the same faint smile that was always plastered on his face.

'Course your happy. I'm terrible at poker. "Happy t'be invited." She smiled, eyeing Cookie, who was watching the game, across the table.

"We're surprised ya came, Busty. Seein' as how terrible ya are at poker." Burga said with a hearty laugh.

Keith spoke, but B.B didn't catch a word of it. However, Luck apparently did.

"Keith's right, Burga. You should be more polite to our lady guest." Luck informed, his smile unwavering.

"Sorry Busty." Burga grunted, and B.B shrugged.

"S'okay. I'm surprised I came here myself. Guess I felt like losin' money." She placed her cards on the table. "I fold." Luck and Burga did the same, and Keith reviled his winning hand, collecting the money.

"Wine?" Luck questioned as the cards were shuffled for the next game.

"Yes, thank you." B.B grinned as the drink was poured into their glasses. "always loved wine."

"Don't we all?" Luck questioned, and the cards were distributed once again.

B.B made a face at her cards, making Burga snicker.

"Bad hand, huh?" he questioned. B.B just shot the man a glare. Most people never dared to glare at Burga Gandor. However, B.B wasn't like most people, and she was on good terms with the Gandors. A glare wouldn't kill her. Not like guns could kill her anyway.

"We should be thanking you for your kindness a few days ago." Luck stated as they continued to play, and B.B raised an eyebrow as she raised the pot in the center of the table.

"Raise." She stated, then locked eyes with Luck. "What do you mean?"

"Cookie told us that you helped her with the pipe in the automobile." Luck informed, and B.B just shrugged.

"Alls I did was hit it with a hammer. 'S not much."

"Yeah, you hit it with a hammer, breaking it in one hit. Only other person I know who can do that is Burga." Luck informed, looking over at his burly brother. "Takes real strength."

"Thanks. 'S what happens when ya grow on a farm."

They continued to play in silence until Luck spoke up again.

"So, how is it working with the Camorra?"

"Love it." B.B nodded with a smile.

They showed their cards and, as always, Keith won.

"You should practice your Poker skills more, Miss Baylie." Luck informed as the group stood from the table.

"I got time to get better." She smirked.

Luck took a dollar bill out of his pocket and handed it to her.

"You may have the time, but you should worry about having the money."

"Thank you, sir." Baylie said with some embarrassment. Sure, her job did pay well, but she knew it was bad to keep failing at Poker games, blowing her money.

"No need to be formal, Miss Baylie."

"If there's no need to be formal, then it's B.B, Luck." She smiled, then was walking out the door.

"Dame'll kill ya, little bro." Burga warned with a slow whistle. Luck didn't say anything as he headed back to the table to drink the rest of his wine.

~*~*~*~*~*~Later~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"This would make our 90th good deed." Isaac smiled as he walked arm in arm with Miria, carrying their newfound money in cases. They had changed out of their firemen costumes and were dressed extravagantly. Isaac in a navy tux while Miria wore a green ball gown.

People looked at them, confused why actors were so far off from Broadway, but would shrug it off.

"90th. Yup." Miria smiled happily

"Now those men don't need to worry about giving out reward money. Giving money can be so tedious. Having it taken is much better."

"Much better."

"As they say in the orient it's better to take than to give." Isaac explained.

"Why, don't you two look snazzy." The two eccentric love birds looked up to see B.B walking their way.

"Busty Baylie!" Isaac exclaimed with a wide smile on his face.

"Busty Baylie we missed you!" Miria smiled happily as both of the thieves engulfed the girl in a hug.

"How are you two? It's been awhile since ya went gold mining."

"We have been glorious our busty friend!" Isaac smiled.

"Glorious!"

"Where are you headed?" Isaac questioned.

"Home. I lost a lotta dough during poker." B.B sighed.

"Aw, don't feel too bad. Money can come and go. Here, take some of this money." Isaac exclaimed as he pulled some money out of his pocket.

"Bet with it and win more money next time!" Miria exclaimed, and the two practically shoved the money into B.B's hand.

"Ummm thanks."

"Now, we must part ways."

"Part ways!" B.B looked at the two, confused.

"Why?"

"Because Miria and I are headed to a speakeasy." Isaac grinned. "And we will have a marvelous time."

"Marvelous time!"

"… well, alright. You two have fun, and thanks for the dough." Before B.B was even finished her sentence, Isaac and Miria were happily dancing down the street.

"Gotta love 'em." B.B mumbled with a small smile as she pocketed the money, then headed home.

B.B wanted to immediately go to her room the moment she entered her house and pass out in her bed. It was about two o'clock in the morning and it was a long day. She didn't even want to get into evening wear to sleep, she was planning to throw off her fedora and sleep how she was.

"You were out late."

But she had a visitor in her house. Said visitor was sitting on a chair in her dining room, munching on an apple. His feet were propped up on the table without a care in the world.

"What the hell are ya doin' here, Firo?" she questioned with a low grunt.

"Well hello to you too." He smiled at her, and B.B just rolled her eyes.

"Shouldn't you be with Ennis?"

"Just walked her home for the night. Figured I should drop by and see how you were." He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Dammit, Firo. I'm not five, I can take care of myself."

"Can't I be just a bit concerned for you? You're practically family."

"I don't need a big brother." She sighed, exasperated. "I need sleep."

"So why stay up so late?"

"Got invited to a poker night." B.B informed, taking off her jacket and throwing it onto one of the chairs, and Firo couldn't hold back his laughter.

"You play poker? How much money did ya loose?" he questioned. Some of B.B's crankiness subsided to let her regular attitude push through.

"Aw, can't you have some faith in me? Maybe I won."

"Not at Poker."

"Fine, I lost it all. But Luck gave me a bit for doin' him a favor, and Isaac and Miria shoved a few bills into my hands too."

"So, why did you go in the first place?"

"Why are you so curious?" B.B snapped, her crankiness returning.

"I dunno, I was just wonderin'." Firo shrugged innocently, but there was some mischief in his eyes.

"Well, I figured that I wanted to lose some money, so I thought, hey, why not play poker with the Gandor brothers." B.B informed.

"You're a whacky doll, ain't cha?" Firo questioned, and B.B just glared at him.

"So, besides just wantin' to check up on me, is there any other reason why you're here?"

"I guess I could remind you that we have a meeting tomorrow night." Firo shrugged.

"Thanks for the reminder. Good night. I'm going to bed." She ran a hand through her hair. "And get out of my house, Firo. You can come over when I'm not about to pass out from exhaustion and we can talk more then."

B.B actually really liked Firo. She was good friends with him, and he was the person she fought with a knife during her initiation to becoming an executive. Longest knife fight in her life. And she lost. She had to fight Pezzo after that, and then she won. She had been friends with Firo long before the initiation though. She was even invited to his initiation party.

However, no matter how good friends they were, she would kill whoever got in the way of her sleep. B.B cherished sleep. She would sleep all day if she had the chance. She did several times too.

B.B sat in the chair next to Firo, waiting for him to leave. However, once she put her head down on the table, it stayed down.

Firo cocked his head to the side and smirked when he heard her low snoring.

"Wow. You must've had one hell of a long day." He mused as he picked B.B up and slung her over his shoulder. She didn't move. When she was asleep, she could sleep through just about anything.

Firo took B.B to her room and pulled the covers aside. He laid her down, slid the shoes off her feet, then draped the covers over her.

"Night, Baylie. Hopefully you won't be so cranky t'morrow." Firo stood to his feet and made his way out of her house.