TW: GUNS/BLOOD

The dirty, concrete floor, covered in cigarettes, now stained of crimson bloodshed.

The skinny man looked up, and though he couldn't see the hole on his head, the dripping blood partially obscuring his vision already explained the story. Moments later, a loud thud echoed as the lonely body, its clothes drenched in red, was lying in its own pool of blood.

"And that your third strike in a day. Tch.. what a waste of a bullet. Now I only have 5 left," the boss grunted, as he stuffed the same revolver back into the same pocket. "Hey, quit staring at the body and finish your work, unless you want to end up like him!" Immediately, all the other members quickly diverted their gaze off of their dead comrade and tried to distract themselves from what was happening. The boss threw his cigar onto the table and turned around to continue checking the city's cameras.

__________________________

"Shit it's getting dark already.. hey, you six!" he yelled, but not loud enough to attract anyone on the main road. The six remaining subordinates jolted and turned around to face him. "It's fucking late, so go home already." Before the man could turn around back to the cameras, another man spoke up.

"Sir.. ah, uhm, if you do not mind me asking.. do you have the pay check for this week ready.. I.. I, uh, just need it very urgently.." one short, quite senile man asked as he began to fiddle with his thumbs.

"Eh? Why?" the boss man called.

"Oh.. ah, I need it for my daughter. She needs to pay her tuition fees-"

"I didn't want to ask why you needed the money, you prick. I was going to ask why you thought someone as lowly as you had the right to talk back to me," the man groaned, furrowing his brows and pointing the same gun at the shorter man's forehead. "...Heads or tails?"

"Huh-"

BANG.

"Didn't pick one," he said.

After he said that sentence, a small rustle could be heard from the right side of the entrance to the alley way, the shrubbery nearby slightly shifting at the noise.

"Hey! Who's there?" The young man stepped out, hands up in the air, and a comforting smirk plastered on his face. The strands of ivory hanging from above began to softly shake as if they were alerting of a dangerous foe approaching.

"..Huh? Who the hell are ya? The fuck do you want?" the boss said, lowering his gun as all the other members began to run behind him and cower in fear of being the next victim.

"What do I want? Well I just wanted to make an offer with you, that's all, a non-hostile one."

"Offer? What offer are ya taking about? You sure have a lot of balls for approaching me like this. My name's quite infamous around these streets, and I can use you as an example to spread it further," he said with a sly grin as he began to crack his knuckles.

"Ah.. you sure love to take such an aggressive approach even though I was willing to be friendly with you.. and by offer, I mean you repaying your debt to the IPC after it being delayed for 4 months."

"Ohh so you're with those IPC punks, aren't you? Hah.. of course someone as scrawny and weak as you would go and run to those bastards and rely on them to try to survive. But it seems like you're finally forced out of your little comfort zone, alone and with no little goons and bitches to hide behind. I'm already in a bad mood, but you're lucky I'm feeling generous and I'll give you a chance at survival," he smirked as he raised the gun he was holding in his left hand, causing all his subordinates hiding behind him to jump in fear. "Let's make a bet, shall we?

A simple game of Russian Roulette. That's so overused though.. so let's take it up a notch.

I'll spin this revolver and aim it at your head. If ya don't get shot, we will spin it again and repeat it however many times you like, and after you get tired of it, I'll have a go and you can aim at me the exact number of times you did. Of course, if ya do get shot, then we all know how that is going to turn out. And if ya' try to cheat, I'll make sure you get paid back for it," he glared. "So then, do we have a deal?"

Aventurine didn't immediately respond. He just stood there, with a blank expression on his face, until he slightly tilted his head to the left and forced a small smile, "Sure, you have a deal."

"Great. Now pick a number; don't be a pussy and pick 1, or else you're going to bore me."

"Oh? Alright then, I'll make sure to entertain you," he smirked, as he clasped his hand around the boss' wrist, pulling it towards his chest. "13 times. Shoot me 13 times."

"Haha.. hahahaha! Oh man, you're more entertaining than I thought! 13? Are you hearing yourself correctly? You know what, for your courage, I'll give you what ya want. 13 times. I'll shoot you 13 times, and assuming you miraculously make it out alive, you can shoot me 13 times," he laughed, tightening his grip on the gun and hovering his index finger ever so slightly above the trigger.

"Haha, that's great! Do you-"

BANG!

A loud bang rang. Just like last time, except this time, there was no pool of blood, no penetrated head, and no dead body.

"You didn't even let me finish my sentence..? Oh well, not that it matters anymore," Aventurine sighed.

"Hah.. the Aeons must've blessed you.. what luck you have to not get hit," the man said, lowering the gun from Aventurine's chest.

"Well, what are you waiting for? There's still 12 more shots left you need to fire," Aventurine responded.

"Ha.. so you were serious on it? .. Sure then. How messed up in the head are ya' to agree to 13.. but that it matters to me."

A bang echoed once.

A bang echoed twice.

A bang echoed thrice.

A bang echoed 11 more times.

A gun fell on the ground.

"Hah.. what the.. what the hell..? No.. no sane person would agree to that and still somehow win.. no.." he stuttered. "You.. you didn't even know how many bullets were in the gun.. it could've been fully loaded for all you know.. yet.. yet you still somehow offered to do it..? There's only 5 bullets left.. a 1 in 6 chance to get shot.. yet you avoided it.. you avoided it 13 times in a row..?"

"Hm? Oh you must be mistaken. I was completely aware there were only 5 bullets, and of course, I requested to play, fully aware I had to win the 1 in 6 chance 13 times in a row. But regardless, I would've taken those 13 shots whether I knew how many bullets were in there or now. But.. enough of about me, I think it's your go."

"Hah..? The fuck..? You think I'll actually play your twisted game? No.. no way in hell!" he yelled, lunging towards Aventurine, his right arm outstretched.

However, Aventurine coils his palm around the man's tattooed arm like a snake, keeping it in place. "Now, now.. what happened to being so serious over the rules? You said it yourself, did you not? 'I'll make sure you get paid back for it!' Not taking your turn counts as cheating, doesn't it?"

"No.. no.." he stuttered again, eventually releasing his wrist after Aventurine lightened his grip. Stepping back slowly, the gun in his other arm dropped, lying on the floor, lonely.

"Now if I remember correctly.. you have to get shot.. 13 times, am I correct?" he asked, picking the gun up from the ground, miming the boss' footsteps, stepping towards him until his back is met with the brick wall. A drop of sweat fell as the boss turned around to see his shaken members in the corner, shivering like timid mice. "If the gun managed to coincidentally land on the same slot 13 times in a row.. I wonder if it will land on it again another 13 times. Well, let's find out, shall we?"

"No.. no.. please. I'll do anything. I'll do anything to not do it.. no.."

"Anything?" he asked. "If you're so desperate.. how about you pay the debts you owe to the IPC? Do that, and I'll leave, forgetting this whole ordeal ever happened."

"The.. debts..? The debts! Yes.. yes! Of course.. I'll definitely pay the debts! All of it in full! Just name the price.. and I'll do it! Just please.. spare my life!" he begged relentlessly, clasping onto Aventurine's right arm.

"Well I'm glad that was sorted out without much hostility." He pulled his phone out of his pocket, showing the screen to the crippling man.

"What..? That's.. that's too much!"

"Do you hear that? It's the sound of a gun that is urging to shoot again."

"No no.. I'll agree, it's.. it's okay," he said reluctantly. "How..?" he uttered under his breath

"Hm? Did you say something?"

"Just.. how does someone have such luck to not to be hit 13 times in a row..? It's.. uncanny. Shit.. with that luck, you could be living a life of luxury instead of kissing ass to those IPC scum.."

"..."
Aventurine remained silent.

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

AVENTURINE:
I completed the task, they agreed to pay the debts. They paid 60% now, and the remaining by the end of the month.

JADE:
Thank you, I informed Diamond. I knew you were the best suited for these.

__________________

Aventurine stated at his phone, but before he swiped out of his chat with Jade, he noticed another contact just below hers. He tapped into it, and hovered his thumb over the keypad, hesitating on typing. Eventually he gave in and hurriedly typed a few words and reluctantly tapped the enter key.

"Sorry for the short notice, can you come at 9:00 near the train tracks?"

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shit i'm back did you miss me