Shooting Range, Friday

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean entered with Dawn and immediately went over to the locker where his guns were kept. "I'm still not used to not having these where I can get at them easily, but at least I can visit," he said, pulling out his things and grinning up at Dawn.



[ooc: open for all your shooting needs]

Comments

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Dawn was a bit uncertain as she followed him into the weapons locker. "They don't talk, right?"

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean chuckled. "No, they don't talk." He picked up his oldest pistol and still his favourite. "This is the first one my Dad gave me. For my ninth birthday."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"He gave you a gun for your ninth birthday?" Even for Dawn, this was pretty horrifying. "Were they out of train sets?"

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"I didn't want a train set." Dean grinned. "And it wasn't like he gave me a gun and said, 'Knock yourself out' or anything. He'd been teaching me all about them for a few years at that point. Wanted to make sure I could protect myself and Sammy when he wasn't able to be there." He checked the pistol then held it out to her. "Wanna hold it? It's okay, it's not loaded."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Dawn took the gun carefully and held it in her right hand. "It's heavy. And cold."

"Did you resent it? Having to look after and protect Sam all the time?"

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"Nah," Dean said, then admitted, "Well, sometimes. When he pouted until I gave him the last of the Lucky Charms or something. But not really. Sammy's... Sammy. Everything would've been different without him."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Dawn sighed and wished she could get that kind of confirmation from Buffy. "He's lucky to have you, you know."

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"We're lucky to have each other. And god, can I sound any more like a Hallmark commericial?"

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Well, you could," Dawn smiled and handed the gun back, butt first, "but I think you need to be somewhere else and have swelling violin music in the background."

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean shuddered. "A fate worse than death," he teased, taking the gun back from her, putting it down and picking up a shotgun. "This is what we use most of the special rounds in."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Impressively masculine," she nodded, finally realizing when she'd last seen a gun, and turning a little greenish.

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"It's what we use against ghosts. A little rock salt it the cartridges and it'll send any spirit running." He looked at Dawn and frowned. "You okay?"

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"I'll be okay," she said quietly. "Just...a very good friend of mine died after being shot. Buffy did too, almost. She was the target; T...Tara was just a bystander." She sat down on one of the benches. "I'm sorry, I didn't think it would hit me like this. It's been over a year."

She smiled, but it was an effort. "I suck. Sorry for ruining things."

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"What? No," Dean said, putting the shotgun down and moving to kneel in front of her. "You're not ruining anything. It's just me showing off my..." He shook his head and reached for her hands. "It's not important." He paused and said more softer, "I'm sorry about your friend."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Thank you," Dawn said sadly, squeezing Dean's hands and looking into his eyes. "You'd have liked her, I think. She was a witch, but she was also this amazing giving, huge-hearted woman."

She sighed and stood up. "It is important, though. I need to get over this--the gun isn't Warren, and I'm putting myself at a disadvantage if I can't use a weapon because I'm afraid of it. Show me what to do?"

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"You sure?"

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

She nodded and took a deep breath. "Yeah."

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean took a deep breath. "All right then." He stood up and pulled Dawn to her feet. "We'll start you on my first gun, if you're okay with that?"

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Okay." Inhale, exhale. She could do this. She was stronger than Warren. "One thing, first?"

She hugged him, laying her head on his shoulder and feeling his solid warmth against her.

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean automatically wrapped his arms around her in return. He wondered if he should say something but everything he came up with sounded hopelessly trite and cheesy so just stayed silent.

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Dawn stayed there for a few more minutes, listening to his hearbeat. Then, as if she'd finally come to a decision, she stretched up to kiss him and pulled away. "Right. Show me how to handle your gun."

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean's lips twitched. "The things I could say to that..."

But he moved back over and picked up the gun, automatically checking it over as he got it ready.

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Dawn blushed. "I didn't mean it like that, obviously."

"So what do I do?" She said as she stood in front of the target and looked back over her shoulder at him.

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean moved behind her and handed the gun to her. "Hold it in your right hand and brace it with your other," he said, guiding her hands into the right position. "Then you aim it at the target, sighting along the top, and gently squeeze the trigger."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Dawn accepted the gun, breathing deeply, and stood as she'd been instructed. "I can't get over how heavy it is."

She sighted, but couldn't pull the trigger yet.