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[dog_eat_dog]

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[stand_unshaken]

They're real nice for not antiques, too. [He narrows his eyes at her.]

If you care to give one up, I'd be much obliged. If you ain't- take good care of 'em.

[dog_eat_dog]

[ She meets his eyes coolly, but she’s still smiling. ]

I could give one up. I‘d wanna make a deal for it, though.

[stand_unshaken]

[He sags in his seat a little, already tired of whatever the hell is going on.]

Alright, alright. Extort me.

[dog_eat_dog]

Oh, don’t be so dramatic, we can negotiate.

[ Says an occasional drama queen. ]

I just want to keep mine after this is done. Alright?

[stand_unshaken]

[He runs his fingers through his beard, considering that. She's been a little reckless- has gotten into fights, has definitely gotten herself and likely others injured before. Things could escalate, with a firearm. Things will, he's sure of it.

But in her place, he would feel unsafe. In the face of what might be coming, he does feel unsafe.]

I'm of a mind to agree. But you know that your actions, in part, reflect on me. You shoot anyone, it's my head too. I am in your damn corner, but don't keep your finger on that trigger all day long.

[dog_eat_dog]

[ She’s tempted to make it a little difficult for him, but she knows what he means. She gets it, even if she doesn’t like having to negotiate for something she believes she should just have. Her smile fades. Fully serious now: ]

I know. I’ll keep it clean, I’m not gonna whip it out just to cause trouble.

[ She has limited ammunition, anyway, and that might be a harder sell than the gun itself. ]

[stand_unshaken]

[He nods, still frowning.]

I want you to be safe, too. Be able to defend yourself. I armed madwomen before, but I didn't regret it then.

[He hopes he won't now. But he doesn't think he will.] I can come pick it up.

[dog_eat_dog]

[ She nods, too. But she’s thinking of what Lawrence said about William, and she knows she hasn’t seen the last of that conflict. ]

You won’t. Come get it.

[stand_unshaken]

[He nods and turns the camera off- and only then realizes his journal isn't there, either.

He comes back online, and asks:]

Did the Admiral give you my item, too?

[dog_eat_dog]

Yeah, I got that, too. I won’t make you jump through hoops for that one.

[ How gracious of you, Tess. ]

[stand_unshaken]

Now I really am much obliged. [He sounds relieved, and quickly turns off his camera again. He's knocking on her door ten seconds later.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[ She opens the door for him. When she steps back to let him in, she does a silly little Vanna White reveal gesture, even if she knows Vanna White is no one to him. Look, there’s your journal on the desk, in this tiny, crummy room. ]

Have it. I’ll get your guns.

[ She doesn’t mention that she’s already done some reading, anyway. Details. ]

[stand_unshaken]

[He doesn't get the flourish, but that she's doing it at all makes him want to smile- almost does it, even. He takes the journal and quickly puts it away again, even if it will no longer open any doors.]

Yeah. Thanks.

[dog_eat_dog]

Not at all.

[ She goes to her dresser and drags open the bottom drawer — the top one is broken enough to not even sit in the tracks properly. His gun is slipped between a stack of clothes. She takes it out and gives it a look before bringing it back to him. ]

My partner likes to carry a revolver. I always made fun, they’re so damn slow to reload.

[stand_unshaken]

[He quickly slips it into his shoulder holster, keeping it close to his body. He points at the second drawer down, and asks:]

Three spare cartridges in there. This gun's only got 4 bullets left. Slow to reload or not, I could do with a couple more bullets.

[dog_eat_dog]

Sure.

[ She’d considered negotiating on that, too, but it might be a long week. She retrieves them all, and then considers something. ]

You don’t know how to use a pistol, do you? A modern one?

[ As if “modern” means anything. ]

[stand_unshaken]

[He holds his hand out and shakes his head.]

Seen one since comin' here, but never handled one.

[dog_eat_dog]

[ She hands them over. ]

I’m going to show you. If you end up wanting it off me, you should know how to handle it, just in case.

[stand_unshaken]

-wait, when are you gonna show me? [Does she already have a gun? Tesssss]

[dog_eat_dog]

[ She lifts up the hem of her loose shirt and turns slightly; there’s a 9mm pistol tucked into the back of her waistband, and she takes it out. She wonders if she should have kept it all to herself, but it’s done. ]

No time like the present. It showed up with the rest of the stuff the Admiral took off me.

[stand_unshaken]

So what do you need two old-fashioned pistols for? [Not that he's going to complain too much.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[ Firmly: ]

I don’t. I’m telling you what I already have as a gesture of good faith, Arthur, but the deal is you let me keep one when this week is over.

[stand_unshaken]

[He could get into a fight with her over this, probably- lying to him about needing his gun, when she clearly didn't. Keeping information from him. But he knows just how that goes, when you're in a gang, when you're fighting for your life surrounded by liars and crooks and thieves.

He runs both hands over his face and groans, but eventually concedes.] I won't pretend to understand why. But a deal's a deal.

[dog_eat_dog]

[ She hates that she feels the tiniest twinge of guilt, being an asshole about this to the only person who hasn't taken advantage of her or betrayed her trust in so many years, but what was she supposed to do? Tell him she had it upfront or give him his shit immediately and lose ground on bargaining for it?

It's all too easy to just slip into business. ]

Good. Anything else of yours you want, you can have it, I don't hold onto shit I didn't pay for.

[stand_unshaken]

[He is banking on trust. On feeling like there's at least one person on this Barge with her best interest in mind- even if it's part of a transaction, he knows how important it is to have someone give a damn.]

The photographs all stayed in my cabin. That's all I'll need.