[closed] summer days are gone too soon

[unfollowing]

Who: Emily and Chris
What: Shooting lessons
Where: Starts at UD house and moves to the armory
When: July 6
Warnings: Guns. Emily with a gun. Chris with a gun. Stupid teenagers being responsible with guns. Emily. Possible talk of a lot of the horrible things that have happened in these two kids' lives.


[It's been long enough since Sorrow's bullshit ended that Emily feels confident that it really has ended. In another few days, the Door will vomit out new people and new monsters, and in the interest of not looking like prey to both, learning to shoot a gun is a good idea.

Yeah, it still weird her out a little, makes her nervous. But Mike isn't here, and she's going to be the one pulling the trigger, and she's not going to hurt anyone.]

Hey nerdbrain! [She knocks on his bedroom door, already impatient with him after her oh so arduous walk down the hall and down the stairs.] Time for shooting class. You promised.

[He made no such promise, but she's collecting anyway.]

Comments

[thechoiceisyours]

[Chris is, fortunately, at least awake, though he's still in the whole waking up process; he's sitting on his bed with a coffee in one hand and phone in the other, reading stalking conversations as to be expected from a nosy nerd.

He's totally not expecting a knock on his door and looks up, startled, but Emily's voice soon follows and oh yeah, the whole shooting thing. He's actually already gathered the supplies needed for it and found a suitable area, so... Sure. Why not.]

Yeah, yeah, just a sec Em.

[He has to close out of stalking the network and actually get up, but he opens the door a few seconds later as promised and gives Emily a grin.]

I feel like I should ask if there's a specific reason you're so hype to shoot things.

[unfollowing]

[That gets met with an arched eyebrow and half a smirk.] I want to be able to back up all those threats I make to people.

[That's part true. She has told at least two people to leave her and her friends alone, but she hasn't threatened them.]

Should I bring anything, or...?

[thechoiceisyours]

[Well, that's a good reason for sure, especially after the conversation they'd had and some of the 'discussions' he's seen of Emily's on the network.]

Nah, unless you want to bring coffee or something; we're gonna set up near the armoury, so it's kind of a walk.

[But it'll be safest there; they're really unlikely to accidentally hit someone on the outskirts of the city.]

[unfollowing]

[Listen. Somebody has to watch out for this house of nerds plus Emily.]

No, I'm fine. Come on.

[Flashing him a full smirk, she heads off to lead the way.]

Are we going to practice on targets painted with the face of someone we hate?

[A few people come to mind.]

[thechoiceisyours]

Oh my god Em, I don't have my shoes yet.

[He says it in a far more exasperated tone than he actually means, trying to pull his shoes on with one hand and hold his coffee with the other, and it's a wonder that he doesn't break either his face or the mug. But soon he's following after her, grinning.]

Well I was thinking cans, but you're totally welcome to draw on them first.

[unfollowing]

You snooze, you lose, nerdbrain.

[She does slow down until he catches up to her, which lucky for him means they leave the house together.]

Mmm, I guess cans are all right. My drawing skills are limited to cute emojis.

[And outfits, she's finding as she sketches more during her downtime. She can't draw a work of art, but she can sketch out an outfit to try and make someday.]

[thechoiceisyours]

I think I deserve my snoozing.

[He's still a college student okay let him have this one thing.]

You can always imagine faces anyway. Might be therapeutic and whatever.

[It's some distance to the armoury so they have a little while before they get there. Chris is totally bringing his coffee.]

So, we can't waste too many bullets, but I figure I'll demonstrate once and then you can try a few shots?

[That'd still leave two or three bullets, which should--provided things don't go even more horrible than usual--still be enough for awhile.]

[unfollowing]

[Oh come the fuck on, nerdbrain, so is she and she's always up early.]

I sure as hell have a few.

[That's not a good joke. Not ever, not after her Rage dream, especially not after facing the business end of a gun herself.]

Fine, whatever. As long as we do this. Where'd you learn how to shoot, anyway?

[thechoiceisyours]

[Hey her bad life choices don't have to affect his.]

Um, on the mountain?

[He offers a small grin.]

Or Counterstrike. But uh, a few months ago the guy I met when I first arrived gave me some more lessons. You know, how to actually stand right and hold the gun not like an idiot.

[unfollowing]

[Listen nerdbrain don't start.

But oh my god. Where does she start with that?]

Must've taken him forever to teach you that.

[thechoiceisyours]

Oh, yeah.

[Chris affects an exaggerated tone of agreement.]

It took, geez, like a whole nine or ten minutes.

[unfollowing]

[She scoffs.] Guess it pays to be a smartypants nerdbrain. You learn quick. Why isn't he giving everyone else lessons?

[thechoiceisyours]

[That makes him smile genuinely, though he goes a little more serious pretty quickly.]

I think uh, I think he went home.

[unfollowing]

Oh.

[Truth told, Emily doesn't really know how to feel about that.]

That's... good, I guess. [She looks up at Chris, keeping pace with him as they walk down the road.] Right?

[thechoiceisyours]

Yeah. I think his home is um, pretty normal? So it'd be better for him and his dog there.

[It sucks having a friend leave, but it's definitely for the best for Bob to have gone home.]

[unfollowing]

Good for him.

[It's neutral, like a factual assessment. It's good that he got to go back, especially if he has a dog. Sam would especially agree about the dog.]

Hey, do you... [ever think about maybe never going back home at all like it's a good thing?] ...think about taking Ash on a date?

[thechoiceisyours]

[He glances over at her at that, not entirely sure that's what she was actually intending to ask about originally, but then shoves his free hand in his pocket and takes a sip of coffee before he answers.]

Yeah, but I mean... I'm still trying to think of something that wouldn't totally lame.

[Especially since he's pretty sure he really owes her for the whole dying stunt.]

[unfollowing]

[Real smooth there, Em. Oh well. At least Chris won't pry.]

You could take her dancing at Delight's bar. You know, for a given value of dancing.

[She totally means you can't dance.]

[thechoiceisyours]

Um, I'd like her to, you know. Stay my girlfriend, which I don't think will happen if I break her toes.

[But it's a joke, and he is thinking about the idea. Even if they don't go dancing or something, they could always actually just... Have a coffee date. They actually have everything they need for that, and he feels kind of ridiculous for not thinking of it earlier.]

That does give me an idea, though.

[unfollowing]

Oh my god. You could literally just hold her and sway a little and call it dancing.

[And since she's looking out for these two dweebs...]

Okay, so, share with the class.

[thechoiceisyours]

I'm pretty sure that's half-assing it.

[And Ashley deserves better than that, geez.]

Well, I mean, we um... Have coffee, and sure it's in a bar and not a coffeeshop, but we could always like, take it to the library even.

[Then it'd be like a ridiculous bookstore coffee date, only most of the books are totally unreadable. Like a ridiculous bookstore coffee date in the memoir section of a bookstore, then.]

[unfollowing]

I promise you even half-assing it will probably look super cute to her.

[But whatever, right? Nobody listens to Emily. What does Emily know.]

Fine, have some boring, obnoxiously cute library and coffee date. At least the coffee will keep her awake.

[thechoiceisyours]

Yeah?

[Okay, maybe he's thinking about it. It's not like Ashley would actually expect much out of him when it came to dancing anyway, right? Right?]

Hey, I don't know about you but I am totally ready for 'boring' and 'obnoxiously cute' as adjectives used to describe what I'm doing.

[Their lives have been way too much of the opposite lately, after all. And alright, crossing the bridge, still heading toward the armoury. Hadriel needs a bus system.]

[unfollowing]

Yes. Jesus. All of you keep forgetting the rules. [There are two. This shouldn't be so hard.]

Hell yeah. [She gives a wry smile.] But I mean, you teaching me how to shoot a gun will probably be boring for you, and I of course will look cute, like always, which you might find obnoxious.

[thechoiceisyours]

Your rules keep conflicting with mine.

[This really stupid running joke will never die. And he gives an exaggerated, long-suffering sigh at her next comment.]

If only I ever found you cute, then that might work.

[He's so ready to hop out of the way if she swats or kicks at him, though if she does he'll just doubtlessly trip over his own feet and fall on his face.]