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THREE. VERA IS ALWAYS RIGHT new monsters , -lantsov "dirtyhands and his serpent" ˖⁺ 🪶⋆ ୭ ⚔️ .⋆｡⋆༶⋆˙⊹
VERA NEVER LIKED ultimatums. She supposed no one was ever really fond of ultimatums, but being presented her choices in a situation like Pekka Rollins had put her in was ranked especially high on her list of hated things. Her past had been riddled full of ultimatums (some of those choices costing her dearly) so having been plucked from her reality and placed back in the mindset she had had only a few years ago had been debilitating.
Unfortunately, Jesper was not aware of Vera's past trauma, so Vera couldn't quite get across the suffocating feeling in her chest to the gunslinger beside her.
"Is Kaz going to lay off the job?" Jesper asked, watching Vera carefully as she traced her finger over the ridges of the shot glass in her hand.
"Your guess is as good as mine."
Jesper nodded his head in understanding, knowing full well just how unpredictable Kaz could be. Vera passed her shot glass back to Roeder for a refill and turned to face Jesper entirely.
"I need you to teach me how to use a gun up close," she demanded. "I don't want to be caught off guard like that again."
"Of course, love," Jesper replied. His eyes caught onto the bruising on Vera's wrists. "I can do that. Whenever you want to learn, just ask."
Vera gave him a grimace of a smile. "Thanks."
Roeder placed the refilled glass onto the bar, both Jesper and Vera's hands darting out to grab it. A third hand snatched the glass before they could, bringing it up to his lips and tipping it back furiously.
"You alright, boss?" Jesper asked.
Kaz set the glass back down onto the bar top, eyes grim. "No. I've been warned off the job."
"So I've heard," Jesper commented. "By who?"
"Who do you think?" He turned around and leaned back against the counter as he pulled out his pocket watch to check the time.
Jesper and Vera turned around as well, the former asking, "did he remember you?"
"If he had, I'd be dead," Kaz stated. He shut his pocket watch. "Sunrise is in five hours."
"Yeah, but we're off the job now, right?" Jesper questioned.
Kaz walked forward, going to survey the club in front of him. "Never make decisions out of fear, Jesper. Only out of spite."
"Well, greed always worked for me," Jesper joked.
"I can attest to that. Greed works wonders," Vera chimed in finally.
