It was early morning. Sunbeams began to sneak into the bedroom with the sun having risen, even with the curtains drawn. The sounds of birds could be heard from outside the window. Together, they stirred Viktor awake. He slowly shifted on the bed, blearily turning over to his side. He inhaled slowly, letting it out with a sigh. Viktor reached over, searching with his hand for a moment, and to his surprise, he found no one there. He rubbed the sleep out of his good eye and sat up, glancing across the room. It was empty. He groaned and pulled his legs over the edge of the bed. He stretched before sitting there for a moment. Then, Viktor shuffled out of the bedroom with a yawn.

Viktor lumbered down the hall, wanting a good cup of coffee. Or perhaps a well-prepared breakfast. He scratched the back of his neck as he walked, careful to lift his feet over the one nail that wasn't completely hammered in. And it was mere moments before he found who he was looking for. Mordecai sat by the window, drinking tea and eating some toast. Mordecai noticed Viktor and finished taking his sip of tea, putting it back down on a saucer on the table under the window. He cleared his throat before speaking, "Good morning, Viktor."

"Should haff expected you to get up so early. We haff the day off, yet you must stick to schedule like life depends on it," Viktor said, continuing over towards Mordecai. He seated himself on another chair on the other side of the window.

"There's nothing wrong with sticking to a schedule." He grabbed his plate from the table and took a bite of his toast, holding the plate beneath it.

"No reason to. Better to sleep in, at least today."

"I enjoy being productive, even on these days off we get."

"But ve don't need to. Vaste of time."

"We can just agree to disagree." Viktor sighed breathily. Mordecai's eyes narrowed a moment later. "Ugh, don't do that; your breath smells awful."

"Just voke up, vhat do you vant from me?"

"Smell better."

Viktor began to stand up. "Vell, if you haff nothing to say that m—"

"Actually, regarding work, there's something I need we need to talk about, Viktor." Mordecai crossed his legs.

Viktor sat back down. "Ya?"

"Well," Mordecai took a sip of his tea, readying himself for whatever would ensue, "since Atlas's death, things have changed at work, clearly. Atlas often managed things surprisingly well. But now things are different; Atlas no longer manages things, naturally. And I have respect for Mitzi's effort so far, but—"

"Vhat do you mean vith that?"

"...And, I have respect for Mitzi's effort so far, but it's clear that it's not enough in place of Atlas. She's been trying her best, certainly, and it's definitely commendable, but businesses all across the city have been taking advantage of Atlas's death, especially the Marigolds. And as a result, things are starting to fall apart. You surely must have noticed this, Viktor."

"No."

Mordecai sighed. "You haven't noticed the effects of everything that's been happening?"

"No."

"The others' departures? The irregularity in which we get our paychecks now? The rumors of bankruptcy which have been spreading about? Even just the look in Mitzi's eyes when you talk to her? None of that?"

"No."

"Well, regardless of whether you have or haven't noticed, it's true. We get paid at odd times, with a pattern that's been absolutely butchered from its original schedule. Many of our co-workers keep leaving left and right. Customers keep shifting over to the Maribel, causing profits to go down dramatically— I've seen it in the records, the employee payments, too. And when we get sent out for alcohol, we've been put in increasingly dangerous positions. Yet still—"

"Over-exaggerating, I think."

"I'm doing anything of the sort. These things are actually happening, Viktor, you might just have not noticed."

"Not noticed cause it's not real."

Mordecai adjusted his glasses, lowering his voice, which had been getting louder as the two argued. "Regardless, I believe it's time we do the same as some of the others and depart from Lackadaisy." He spoke slowly and with impact.

"You vant to quit?" Viktor's eyebrows raised as he leaned forward in his seat.

"Well, yes. Things are at the point where, in almost every way, staying with it isn't the smart move, so—"

"Vhere's loyalty? Just cause you think it's vorse, you quit?"

"It's a bit more than that, Viktor. This is a clear—"

"Business has up and downs. This is just down."

"It's more than just business or profit fluctuations; I've worked here almost as long as you have, and this is a clear down—"

"Just cause Atlas dies, you run off?"

"No, Viktor, it's not like that."

"Vhat is it like?"

"I know Atlas has done a lot for you, Viktor, that much is obvious; he'd done a lot for me, too. I certainly don't want to discredit him or be disrespectful, but this is an issue of our own well-beings and our own futures now. We need to keep ourselves from being backed into any sort of corner or from being killed, especially as we keep taking more of the brunt of the work that needs to be done. Not to mention, it would be better to let the business cease operations rather than slowly fade away. And staying would accomplish the latter, simply delaying the inevitable."

"...Is this all some joke?"

"No, Viktor, this all completely genuine. It's my informed opinion, looking at the numbers and the overall trends, that we ought to leave. And ignoring both the money and safety arguments for leaving—"

"You are se—"

"Damn it, Viktor, let me finish one thought." Mordecai rubbed his forehead for a moment. "Ignoring those, work's been causing stress on both of us. Just now, you could tell, couldn't you?"

"That's just you. Moody."

"It's not— See? We both have been stressed from work, the assignments that have been nearly resulting in our deaths, the issues we had last week paying for water because of that paycheck that came late, the less time we've been able to spend together; it's been putting a strain on us and our relationship. I don't want there to be some sort of problem with us just because work has been taxing."

"You could stay in bed vith me in mornings. Not leave to drink tea and eat toast."

"That's not remotely the point. There have been issues beyond me waking up early. Remember that argument we had the other day? That happened after we got home from work, and it was about where the keys were, yet it still managed to cause you to nearly yell yourself hoarse."

"That's cause you left keys behind."

"It's— You're really bringing this back up? Are you not over it?"

"I am. You brought it up again."

Mordecai paused, adjusting his glasses. His hands were a little shaky, he noticed, as he pushed the frames back up the bridge of his nose. "We're done with that. The point of this is that work has been made harder for us, and it's been having a clear effect on us that could be resolved by leaving work."

"Still don't see how that solves anything."

"I've just explained. It can clearly benefit us by—"

"Okay. Fine. Vhat after that?"

"Well, we can find work somewhere else. There are plenty of other shady operations in St. Louis for us to join in on."

"Marigolds?"

"I've considered it, yes. If you feel the same about it as I do, then we can—"

"You vant to vork for Marigolds? Leave Lackadaisy for Marigolds?"

"It's a possibility for us after we leave." Mordecai narrowed his gaze on Viktor. "Which you will be doing, right?"

"No."

"No? But Viktor, there's no shortage of reason how—"

"No. Von't do it."

Mordecai sighed. He'd been readying himself the whole morning for this exact verdict, yet it still struck him by surprise. It was an absolutely disappointing development, which would easily ruin Mordecai's plans and his hopes. Viktor wasn't as easy to sway as Mordecai had wanted or hoped it would be. He was just like that. Viktor had always been rather stubborn and grouchy. And he'd almost certainly developed some sort of hubris or complex after all of the times that Viktor had emerged on top in things. He definitely had a bit of a firm grasp on Mordecai at times, and it wasn't hard to argue that it had gone to his head.

"Well, then. That's a shame to hear."

"So none of that then."

"Not quite." Viktor cocked his head to the side. "I've already made up my mind and have made my arrangements; I'm going to be leaving today."

"Vhat do you mean? You just going to leave?"

"Yes, I'm afraid. I was truly hoping that you'd be swayed to my side, but I suppose you're stuck in your position. That's fine, I suppose, but I'm going to keep on with my plans. At this time tomorrow, I will no longer be working for Mitzi."

"Vell, tomorrow I still vork there."

"I know. And I won't be."

"...You're too sudden about this."

"I've been planning this out for a month, Viktor. This isn't sudden at all. It's all rather calculated, really."

"First time I hear about it, today."

"That's just because I've been waiting for a good time, for my plans to come together, for confirmation that I was right. Not to mention, I've been mentioning this for a couple weeks now."

"No, you haven't."

"I have, Viktor. I've been mentioning how things have been going downhill for the business for at least a week or two now. I've been asking about getting other jobs in the future."

"That's not 'mentioning'. That's nothing."

"Well, I didn't want to be too brash about it before I was sure about it. And if I'd mentioned it before you would have acted like you are now: insufferable and indistinctly angry."

"You're not sure now!"

"I am sure about it! And I've made my mind up about it, so no amount of shouting at me will solve that.

"You are doing this too fast. Need to think about it."

"I have thought. I've thought plenty more than you have about this issue— you don't even seem to notice any of the problems that have arisen."

"Vell, there von't be Marigolds in this place." Viktor gestured broadly at the space around him, "You should think about it more. Not just yourself."

"I already had your input, and you seem entirely dead set on being an opponent to everything I say, so I think all of the thinking about it has been done by now."

"Then vhat? You leave vork, join Marigolds?"

"Perhaps."

"Vell, then you should think more, cause I von't have Marigolds here."

"Fine then. If that's how you want it to be, then I can leave; I'm already all set to do so." Mordecai stood up from his chair.

"Mordecai," Viktor stood up suddenly, "stop."

"I already made up my mind, and it would seem that you have, too. That's fine then. I'll be on my way, out of your Marigold-free space, Viktor."

"Hold on." Viktor grabbed Mordecai by the shoulders.

Mordecai's eyes suddenly felt like they would bulge out of his head, and he reached into his coat and pulled out his pistol, pushing Viktor away with the same motion. He held it in front of him, like he was trying to block something. "Don't grab me, Viktor. I will shoot you. I'll shoot you in the leg, I swear. I don't want it to come to that, but you can't stop me from doing what I want to do here."

Viktor crossed his arms, continuing to stand where he was before Mordecai pulled out a gun. "Not afraid of you, little one. Ve can do this without guns."

"Indeed. And that involves you moving out of the way so that I can leave and be on my way."

"Can't."

"Yes, you can." Mordecai clenched his teeth together. This was as infuriating as it was devastating and terrifying.

"Von't. You need to think about this."

"Goddamnit, Viktor, I've thought enough, let me past."

Mordecai took a step towards the door. Viktor slammed his hand down on Mordecai's shoulder as he began to move past him. "You—"

Mordecai immediately swung around and, after hastily aiming, shot Viktor in his left leg, right in the knee. Mordecai's pupils contracted to tiny dots in his eyes as he turned, completing his shot in less than a second. Viktor's hand was thrown off from his shoulder before Viktor grunted from the pain, stumbling back a pace or two.

Viktor looked down, seeing the wound and the blood on his leg. He looked up, not looking particularly happy. He shifted the weight onto the still healthy leg as he scowled at Mordecai, full of rage.

"I gave you fair warning, Viktor. Now—"

Viktor screamed as sprinted forward, ducking down, ready to tackle Mordecai to the ground. "You rotten son of a—"

Mordecai fired again. He took a step back, quickly reacting to the danger at hand. The bullet left the chamber with a loud bang, landing in Viktor's other leg. The pain and sudden damage of it had him no longer running right, and he fell to the ground, crashing into Mordecai's legs. He fell to the ground, his glasses flying off of his face.

Mordecai quickly stood up, which couldn't be said for Viktor, who was now bleeding from both legs. He glanced around the floor, unable to find his glasses, before hearing a crunch as Viktor shifted on the floor. He wasn't going to get those back, then. Fine.

Viktor groaned as he bled out onto the floor, the pain of his now busted legs taking a toll on him of the likes Mordecai hadn't quite seen from him, in the years he'd worked with him. It was certainly unsettling to see. Not to mention, it was completely saddening; that was almost certainly the end of their relationship.

"I warned you Viktor. I said I would do it."

"Choď do pekla!" Viktor leaned off the ground some, enough to see Mordecai and curse him. He let his head fall back to the ground and he continued to be unable to do anything about both the bleeding and the pain.

Mordecai noticed all of the blood as he looked down, only seeing a lot of blurry red. "You ought to call Quackenbush for that; you're bleeding a lot here."

Viktor only grunted and tried to grab Mordecai's tea saucer and throw it at him, but failed. "Alright then, I'm off. Best of luck to you, Viktor," Mordecai said with a tip of his hat. He opened the door and exited, leaving Viktor bleeding on the floor. He'd gotten what he was after, but without the agreement of Viktor. Not to mention, without any of his living space or relationship, either. It would basically be time to start anew.

That all could have gone better, then, he decided.