Shooting Range: Tuesday Afternoon [after workshops]

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

The first thing Jack did upon entering the Range was post the Safety Rules:

SAFETY RULES:

· TREAT ALL GUNS AS IF THEY WERE LOADED

· KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL READY TO FIRE

· BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND WHAT’S BEYOND

· ALWAYS WEAR HEARING AND EYE PROTECTION

· NEVER USE ALCOHOL OR DRUGS BEFORE OR WHILE SHOOTING.

· CHECK IN ALL WEAPONS BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE RANGE.

He might have posted them with a little more care than he usually did. And, for once, he didn't immediately grab his guns. Instead, he spread his arms wide and said, "Welcome to the Shooting Range. What do you think?"

[ooc: Gun Range is open, thread with Cedric and Jack locked to them, please.]

Comments

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"All right," he said, repeating those words silently to himself. "Even if it's you."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Even if it's me," he said again. "Okay. Ear protection, eye protection. You do not want to get hurt doing this." Jack walked away and came back with safety glasses and ear protectors and held them out. "Never shoot without these on. Here, try them, see how they feel."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

He slid the glasses on first and tested the material by tapping his fingers on the fronts. And then he slid the ear protectors on.

And then yelled, "Can you hear me?"

He wasn't used to this stuff yet.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack winced and rubbed his ears dramatically. "Yeah!" He pitched his voice nice and loud. "Can you hear me?"

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Yes," he said, lowering his voice and blushing. "Sorry about that. I thought they'd completely muffle all noise for some reason."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Anywhere else, and Jack would be pouncing - blushes were near impossible to resist - but not here. "Perfectly normal reaction," he chuckled. "Do they feel okay? Comfortable? Shake your head, make sure they're not going to come off."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

He shook his head and the ear protectors didn't budge. "Benefits of a large head. They feel fine. Not too loose or too tight. Anything else?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Not as far as safety gear goes," he said, looking thoughtfully around the range. "You can take them off for the moment."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"All right," he said and slid the ear protectors around his neck before taking off the safety glasses. "Those seem beneficial."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Not just beneficial, Cedric. Essential." Jack smiled at him, then led the way over to one of the benches. "Come sit down. Relax," he teased. "There's a couple of things I want to tell you, and a couple of ways we can move forward."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

He took the offered seat, careful not to break the protective equipment and said, "All right."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"You're being very obedient. If I didn't know better, I'd be suspicious," he said lightly. "First, a gun is a weapon, but it's also a tool. Learning to shoot in no way means you are ever going to use it seriously. Second, and probably most important, you're a wizard. That is always going to be your primary offensive weapon. I suspect this is more for my peace of mind than yours."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"But that makes me feel better too," Cedric admitted. "I don't plan on carrying a gun. Ever. I'd like to learn to shoot to prepare for all possible situations but it won't be my first line of offense or defense. Ever."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Good." Jack nodded, looking pleased. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Couple of things can happen now. We can go through how to stand, how to shoot, all those things, without a gun. Or you can hold one, mine, actually, and just get a feel for it."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Let me see yours," Cedric decided.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack smirked, but didn't say anything even vaguely innuendoish. "On it," he said and went to retrieve it. Even though he knew it was unloaded, he still checked it before walking over to Cedric, carrying it pointed at the ground. "When I give it to you, what's the first thing you're going to check?"

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"To see if it's loaded," he said. "Show me how to do that first so I don't break your weapon."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack smiled approvingly at him. "I was going to. Here, watch." He held out the gun, demonstrating, slowly and carefully, how to pull back the slide, to ensure the chamber didn't hold a round, and popped the clip, pulling it free and holding it out to show it was empty, befor sliding it back. "Think you can do that?"

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"I don't know," he said. "Do it once more, please."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack nodded and did it again, slower this time, making sure Cedric could see everything clearly. And then, just to be on the safe side, did it again. "Okay?"

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Yes," he said. "I'll try it now."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

He held it out, grip first, watching Cedric intently. "Keep it pointed at the ground. Second rule after 'the gun is always loaded' is never point it at anything you don't want to destroy."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

He took the gun, held it tightly, almost white knuckled. First time holding a gun wasn't something he wanted to bugger up.

After taking a deep breath, he managed to mimic Jack's instruction albeit much more slowly.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack settled his hand gently on Cedric's shoulder. "You're doing great, Cedric."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"It's not loaded," he said before looking back up at Jack. "Thank you."