The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. The seller's rough, calloused hands gripped the large, rusted gun with a firm steadiness that showed he wasn't bluffing. His dark, weathered eyes were locked onto Liam, his finger hovering just over the trigger, ready to fire at a moment's notice.
Yet, despite the very real threat, Liam remained perfectly still, not even a flicker of fear in his expression. His stance was relaxed, his gaze unwavering as if the barrel of the weapon pointed at his face was nothing more than an inconvenience. The others, however, weren't as calm.
Especially Marcus.
From behind Liam, Marcus clutched his shoulders like a lifeline, peering out cautiously with wide, alarmed eyes. He kept shifting on his feet, his body tense and ready to bolt at any moment.
Eleanor, who had been quietly observing the whole exchange, suddenly let out a small smirk. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her gray eyes filled with nothing but amusement as she glanced at Marcus's pathetic display of cowardice.
"Wow. You really are a pussy, Marcus," she muttered, her voice dripping with amusement.
Marcus, still safely tucked behind Liam, scoffed, though he made no effort to move from his position.
"Pussy my ass!" he shot back indignantly. "I just don't want my damn brains getting blown out, alright? You think I'm gonna stand there like a dumbass when that guy's got a whole-ass gun pointed at my head?"
Sophia let out an exhausted sigh, shaking her head as if she could feel secondhand embarrassment just from standing near him. Jason, standing beside her, didn't even try to hide his disapproval.
The seller, meanwhile, wasn't interested in their antics. His grip on the weapon didn't loosen as he narrowed his eyes at the group. "Enough talking. You're wasting my time," he grumbled. "Get lost before I put a hole in one of you."
Liam, still unshaken, exhaled quietly through his nose before speaking. "Sixty-five bronze. Let's close the deal."
The seller's eyes flickered with interest, though his expression remained unreadable. He tapped the side of the gun absentmindedly, considering the offer.
"Seventy," he countered flatly.
Liam didn't even hesitate. "Deal."
That was enough to finally make Marcus step out from behind Liam, throwing his arms up in exasperation.
"Are you fucking kidding me? I had that guy down to fifty-five! We almost got it for dirt cheap!"
Eleanor simply shrugged. "Honestly? Seventy's not bad. It's still a decent price."
Marcus opened his mouth to argue but quickly shut it when he realized that no one else seemed to care about his complaints. Even Jason, who usually had plenty to say, just remained silent.
The seller, finally satisfied, lowered his gun and slung it back over his shoulder. He stepped forward and stretched out his hand toward Liam, ready to finalize the agreement.
Liam, without hesitation, reached out his own right hand to shake.
Then, right before their hands met, the seller brought his other hand to his mouth and spat directly into his palm, rubbing it in before finally clasping Liam's hand in a firm, tight grip.
Liam's entire body tensed.
For the first time since the encounter started, his face betrayed genuine discomfort. His fingers twitched, every fiber of his being screaming at him to pull away, but he forced himself to endure it, his lips pressing into a thin, displeased line.
Marcus, however, had no such restraint.
As soon as he saw what had just happened, he burst into laughter, clutching his stomach like it was the funniest thing he had ever seen.
"Holy shit—holy shit, that's disgusting!" Marcus wheezed, practically doubling over from laughter.
Liam didn't even spare him a glance. He simply released the seller's hand as soon as possible, subtly wiping his palm against his pants in an attempt to rid himself of the sensation.
Jason, meanwhile, shot Marcus an unimpressed look. "Could you stop swearing for a damn minute?" he snapped.
Marcus barely missed a beat. "Fuck you."
Jason rolled his eyes. "Unbelievable."
Sophia, watching all of this unfold, let out a long, tired sigh. She didn't even try to hide the disappointment on her face as she pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Marcus… you are an absolute embarrassment," she muttered.
Marcus, still laughing under his breath, just smirked. "And yet, you all keep me around."
The seller wasted no time once the deal was finalized. With a greedy glint in his eye, he extended a rough, calloused hand toward them and grunted, "Alright, money. Hand it over."
Eleanor, who had been holding the pouch containing their hard-earned bronze coins, stepped forward. Unlike Marcus, who was still fuming at the thought of parting with their funds, she remained composed. With a practiced ease, she tossed the bag into the seller's outstretched palm, the weight of it making a soft clinking sound as the coins shifted inside.
The seller caught it effortlessly, his fingers immediately working to untie the knot keeping it shut. As soon as the pouch opened, his face practically lit up. His eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he dug his hands into the pile of coins, letting the cold metal slip through his fingers like water.
Marcus, standing to the side with crossed arms, watched the entire process with deep discontent. His lips curled in irritation, and every time the seller let out a pleased grunt while counting, Marcus's scowl deepened.
"This is fucking robbery," Marcus muttered, just loud enough for the others to hear. "I swear, we got cheated. That slimy bastard scammed us."
Jason, who had been leaning against a wooden post nearby, scoffed. "It's not a scam if we agreed to the price, dumbass."
Marcus shot him a glare. "That doesn't mean we weren't cheated."
Sophia chuckled softly beside Eleanor, shaking her head in amusement. "You're acting like we just handed over our life savings," she said.
Marcus huffed, clearly unconvinced.
The seller, completely ignoring Marcus's complaints, continued his methodical counting. He turned each coin over in his hands, biting a few to test their authenticity before finally nodding in approval. "Good. It's all here."
Marcus rolled his eyes. "Gee, glad we could meet your high standards," he grumbled under his breath.
The seller suddenly tucked the money away and held up a single finger. "Hold on a minute." Without giving them a chance to respond, he turned on his heel and walked off toward a small shack just down the road.
Marcus blinked. "The hell does he mean by hold on a minute?" he asked, watching the man disappear into the run-down building. "We already paid. Where the fuck is he going?"
Jason shrugged. "Maybe he needs to get something."
But Marcus wasn't satisfied with that answer. His face twisted in irritation as he threw his hands up. "Un-fucking-believable. First, he robs us blind, now he's making us wait? What's next? A fucking tax for standing here?"
Sophia let out a soft laugh at his frustration, while Eleanor simply smirked. "You talk a lot of shit, Marcus," Eleanor mused, "but you're the first one to shut up the moment things get real."
Sophia nodded in agreement. "Like earlier, when he pulled a gun on you?" she added. "You were hiding behind Liam so fast I almost thought you teleported."
Marcus scoffed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Let's see if either of you would still be smiling with a gun in your face."
Just as he finished his sentence, the seller returned, his footsteps heavy against the dirt road. Marcus turned, fully prepared to continue his rant—
Then he saw what the man was carrying.
His mouth instantly snapped shut.
Sophia and Eleanor exchanged amused glances before chuckling softly to themselves.
The seller, now back in front of them, had a set of large, rusted keys dangling from one hand. He let them jingle slightly before extending them toward Liam. "Here. Your keys."
Marcus, immediately snapping out of his silence, reached out without hesitation. "I'll take those—"
The seller yanked the keys back before Marcus's fingers could even graze them. His expression hardened as he gave Marcus a pointed look. "No, you won't. Fuck off."
Marcus reeled back, glaring. "Well, damn. No need to be a dick about it." He shoved his hands back into his pockets and muttered something under his breath, clearly offended.
Liam, however, didn't hesitate. He reached out, grasping the set of keys firmly in his palm.
The seller smirked slightly as he gestured toward the house with his free hand. "This baby is yours now."
Marcus scoffed. "Baby?" He turned to look at the house, eyes scanning its weathered exterior. The walls were old, the paint was chipped, and the windows had thick layers of dust. It wasn't exactly a disaster, but it sure as hell wasn't what he'd call a baby. "That thing's no baby—it's a grumpy old woman."
The seller only shrugged. "Call it whatever you want, as long as you don't complain to me about it later." He turned back to Liam. "I'll be back later with the agreement sheet. Until then, enjoy."
And with that, he left, walking away with the same slow, confident stride as before.
Liam turned to the others, twirling the keys between his fingers before pocketing them. He then gestured toward the house.
"Alright, guys. Let's check it out."
And with that, they made their way inside, eager to see what their new home had in store for them.