savetheearth | [Text to Action. Backdated for July 26th]

[Ah, so she wasn't the only one assigned a nickname then. That was good to know and she at least gave a little sympathetic smile.]

Vanessa.

[Fortunately for Ravi, Vanessa knew what to do from this point on. As mentioned, this wasn't her first rodeo, and the best place to start was with rule number one. Get the money before anybody sees the product.]

You've got the money?

[ he'd never understand this aversion to nick names. shortened names! hell, people called him 'alex' all the time. hardly anyone used 'alexander.'

maybe he'd wake up one morning (afternoon) and refer to ravi by his full name one day, just to see if he'd notice.

BUT MORE RELEVANT TO THE TOPIC AT HAND, alex propped his elbow on the island surface, content to watch from here since this wasn't his deal. ]

Edited (TENSES) 2013-07-30 06:56 (UTC)

[excuse u his name has a perfectly serviceable shortened version, which is ravi.]

[unfortunately ravi is not aware that this is a shady underhand deal and he is going to approach this like it is...not...a shady, underhand deal.]

Three-hundred dollars, yes? I have it. [but he isn't pulling it out bc he doesn't realize that's what she's asking for]

You brought the pistol with you?

[This deal is shady as fuck.]

Yeah, I've got it.

[It's not coming out until she sees money though. Alex seems like a decent guy but she doesn't actually know either of these guys. Especially not Ravi.

She stands there for a second and has another drink from her water before raising an eyebrow.]

Let me see the money first.

[Is this getting shady yet?]

Edited (Because she's talking about the cash, not the gun.) 2013-07-30 07:32 (UTC)

[ have some raised brows of his own. he glances at ravi, though, because this exchange is his. ]

[he is waiting expectantly for her to pull the gun out during that pause, and seems a little puzzled when she does not]

[he is starting to get an inkling of suspicion, but maybe she's just paranoid? he takes the money out of his pocket and walks over to set it on the island, in plain view. that's 15 $20 bills, neatly folded and now laid flat on the counter. they're even all facing the same direction. he...he likes organization ok]

[but he is a little bit paranoid too so he wants to make sure the gun is serviceable before he lets her run off with his money]

[A lot of the tension in her actually visibly relaxes as soon as the money hits the table. That was always the worst part, waiting to see if the guy was actually going to pay up, or if he was going to try to take it. Especially when you were somebody Vanessa's size and pretty much every fight was a losing one right from the start.

She doesn't even care about all the money being in the same order, it makes it easier to count. Which she does after sliding it over to her side of the island.]

Okay.

[She leaves the money where it is for the moment and shrugs off her backpack, opening it up on the table and taking... well, a gun. The model he wanted, unloaded, and in good shape but minus any kind of packaging or paperwork.

She sets it on the island in front of Ravi for him to check out himself... and likely discover that the serial number has even been scratched off.]

... Oh.

[ that's a very poignant 'oh'. An 'oh' that suspects an oncoming shitfest. Alex glances at Vanessa. ]

And the papers?

[ please let there be papers, DON'T LET HIM DOWN, NESSA........ ]

[he picks up the gun, makes sure it's unloaded and checks that the safety's on. he is definitely someone who knows his way around an M9--or a beretta 92, in this case.]

[since he's expecting someone selling out of their private collection, it's not immediately suspicious that there are no papers. registration paperwork doesn't need to change hands or anything, you just need a bill of sale which most people write up on the spot]

[but you need to include the serial numbers in a bill of sale, and he...can't...find them...]

[maybe they're in a different place on the 92FS than on the M9? except then he double-checks where they should be and sees where they used to be...]

[oh, shit.]

[he freezes and looks at Alex without moving his head. please do not let this be what it looks like.]

[Well, Ravi seems satisfied with the gun being in working order. Vanessa reaches over and picks up the money, assuming the deal's done when Alex asks his questions.]

Why would there be papers?

[And then she catches the look on Ravi's face and freezes up as well.]

[Wait. There was no way-- did they not know what this was?

Oh, shit. They didn't.]

[She doesn't say anything though, just keeps a close eye on how things were playing out and starts mentally calculating how fast she could get to the door from here.]

[ what's this? alex is actually laughing. the disbelieving, brief kind of laugh that accompanies situations so incredulous you can't do anything but laugh. the corners of his lips twitch in a nervous smile. ]

Holy shit...

[ he brings his hand to his forehead and leans back, staring at vanessa with that same smile of disbelief. after a moment, he shakes his head. ]

Seriously?

[oh my god. it is what it looks like.]

Alex... [that tone is tense and warning while still trying to be polite in front of a stranger]

[you are in so much trouble once she leaves, buddy]

[Okay, laughing. Laughing was... good? It was better than what she'd hoped for at least. At least things hadn't blown up, and it looked like they weren't going to any time soon. She glanced over at Alex, frowning.]

Yes, seriously. [He had to be kidding! How the hell did he not get it?] I told you I knew "a guy" who could get you a gun cheap for cash and two days later I text you saying I can get it right now. What did you think I meant?

[This is bad for her too, okay? It's not like she can just take the gun back and explain that the whole thing had been a misunderstanding.]

[ he did not get it by being alex. that is how. ]

That you knew a guy who wanted to sell a gun?

[ without any reason to suspect vanessa of dirty dealings, he sure isn't going to jump to, well, dirty dealings. ]

Is this normal for you?

[meanwhile Ravi is very quietly freaking out over here. he has never done anything more illegal than smoke or drink underage. this is a felony.]

[he doesn't know what to do. he wants to just snatch his money back and run to lock himself in his room, but that is probably not the wisest solution to this problem.]

[he gingerly sets the gun on the counter, keeping his hand over it, and flashes Alex a look that subtly but clearly communicates, 'I am about to panic, help.' that meaning is probably difficult to pick up on if you aren't already familiar with Ravi's expressions, though.]

Edited 2013-07-31 17:08 (UTC)

[Especially not when Vanessa's holding it and keeping one eye on Ravi right now. She wasn't putting it away just yet but... damnit, this was a real mess, wasn't it? And all because she wanted to return a favor and help somebody out.]

This? Not really.

[She looks between them again, especially when Ravi puts the gun down like it suddenly turned into spiders.]

Look, it's not that big a deal. It'll work fine to kill whatever those guys try to throw at you next. Just... don't use it too openly.

[Cause that makes everything okay! She's helping.]

[ so he has a felon in his living room? ok, ok.

he does catch ravi's look and turns his attention to vanessa instead. ]

Sooo... Can we talk about this? Let's talk about this. [ he waves towards the couch again, obviously inviting vanessa to have a seat, and stands, intending to follow her. sadly(?), his new position is blocking vanessa from a straight dash to the door.

the couch is far enough from the island to give ravi some 'space'. ]

[whether or not it'll work is not the point! it is the fact that if he gets caught with it he will be facing several years in prison!]

[Alex how do you get into these messes?!]

[he relaxes (not much) when Alex takes charge of the situation. now he does not feel expected to fix it himself, which takes some of the pressure off, which helps with that emerging panic. he moves around to the kitchen side of the island and takes a seat, folding his arms over the counter. he wants to be able to pay attention to what's going on, but he also wants some distance between himself and the situation so he can calm himself down. having the island in between himself and them creates a sort of invisible barrier that allows him to feel like he has that distance.]

[No! No, they could not talk about this! Either they had a new gun or she was stuck with a gun and a very bad guy who was going to want three hundred dollars! It is very simple and there really is nothing to talk over!

That's what's going through her head, but instead she just sighs.]

Yeah, sure. Let's talk about the gun. Why not?

[Yeah, she's specifying about the gun because she's had enough talks with "concerned" people to know how they went. Whether intentional or not, Alex is blocking a direct run to the door, so she heads toward the couch and sits down on the furthest end available, not looking too pleased herself.

She's still holding on to the money though. She wasn't going to steal it, they both knew her name and face so that would just be stupid, but she also wasn't handing it over unless she was damn well asked to.]

[ luckily for her, talking about her 'position' is not on alex's mind. For now, he just wants to see how they can salvage the immediate problem that is the illegal sale of a firearm.

He takes a seat on the opposite end of the couch, giving Vanessa her own bubble of safe space. ]

Okay. [ he drags his hand over his clavicle. ] Ohhh-kay.

Will your 'guy' take it back?

[Alright, she can deal with that. Okay. She takes a breath.]

He might. I can tell him you guys backed out at the last minute, but he won't be happy about it. I'll have to convince him he doesn't have to worry about you guys going to the cops.

[She fixes Alex with a serious look.]

Which you're not planning to. Right?

Edited 2013-08-02 06:59 (UTC)

[ he leans back, brows lifting. ]

Ohhhh no. I'd prefer we all stay alive here.

What happens if he doesn't? Take it back.

[he is not involved in the conversation but he is certainly paying attention to it.]

[Alex's answer gets a subtly concerned/incredulous look. please do not bring up the potential consequences of this going wrong, that is exactly what he is trying not to think about.]

No. Definitely not. No cops. [that comes out quickly, eyes fixed on Vanessa. he just wants to make sure she knows where he stands on this. ie the not-dying side.]

Okay. [She nods, and sits back a little. Definitely a salvageable situation then.]

He doesn't know who you guys are, and you don't know who he is. [She turns more toward Ravi for this part as he seems to be taking the whole thing a little worse than Alex is.] He knows I don't deal with people who I think are trouble, so just don't prove me wrong and you guys are fine.

And if he doesn't want it back, [she shrugs] well, these things don't just come out of a warehouse somewhere and somebody's going to want to get paid for it. So I guess I just got myself a gun.

[Or maybe she could find a new buyer but that would take some risky work. No need to make Alex and Ravi's day any worse with than bit of info though.]

[ now it is a SINGULAR(!) brow arch. ]

With his three hundred dollars.

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