[right][code]Home > Pilgrim’s Rod and Gun[/code][/right]
Sunday rolled around, and it started unusually with Trisha ‘sneaking’ out relatively early in the morning. It wasn’t so much sneaking, since she told Casey she had [i]something[/i] to go sort out, but she was very vague about what. Just that she wouldn’t take long, and their date started in an hour or two.

She’d tried her best to keep everything under wraps. A ‘surprise.’ She wasn’t sure how well it had worked. She’d texted Cass to get her to ask Leon what shooting range Casey used before he got access to the magical one, hoping that by not directly texting Leon it might somehow avoid the Temple security scrutiny. But he’d definitely know that she’d stolen a whole bunch of his special rolls while he was working the night before. 

But in the end, it didn’t [i]really[/i] matter. What mattered most was that he enjoyed himself… Well, that they did. 

To try to keep the element of surprise, she’d given him pretty minimal instructions. No need to dress [i]super[/i] nicely, but at least don’t wear sweats. No work allowed. No trying to get her to say what they were doing. 

Trisha was pretty excited… It felt nice to be doing something for him. Assuming he ended up enjoying it… 

She ended up out a little bit longer than she expected, so she’d just texted him to meet her in the parking lot. It wasn’t like there was much point in her going up and then down again, since she’d gotten completely ready before going out. 

As soon as Casey appeared at the building entrance, Trisha enthusiastically waved him over and pushed herself away from her car. She gestured towards it with a playful grin. 
[color=d1b300]“Your ride awaits… We’re taking my car, cause I want where we’re going to be a secret for as long as possible. If that’s alright with you?”[/color] More importantly, there was a bunch of food in the trunk, and saying that would give away the surprise for part two.

Casey, who had been told of her desire for a date a few days prior, had been getting pestered by Theo in the control room since about little movements and updates. Texts coming through the wire and Junior’s magical messaging equipment running back hits for certain places. He’d been [i]extremely[/i] diligent in regards to remaining unspoiled, and as such, felt no sense of guilt or shame allowing Trisha to take the reins completely. She’d trusted him, and he trusted her in turn. Plus, after the last few days, it’d be good to decompress before the final push for Thursday. 

So he dressed himself, and defaulted to something typical. Though he’d grown fond of the pair of grey jeans that he’d bought, there was little occasion to wear them besides actually looking nice due mostly to their cut. He wanted a darker color, but something more relaxed… As such, he’d made a trip [i]back[/i] to the store during a break and found a pair of near-black relaxed fits that he then hemmed up himself to the perfect boot cut. 
He found that he preferred playing color off of a darker base, having talked to Trisha more about this type of thing after coming back with clothes totally unprompted.

He had this bright blue shirt tucked into his jeans, belt cinching them tight to his waist, with his leather jacket that Leon had gotten him after his first tour of duty. It was dark, roughly the same shade as the pants to create a solid silhouette. He felt comfortable, which is what was most important to him. Looking good was nice, but it was so much more his older Brother’s gig to actually [i]look[/i] good. 
Still, being driven or not, being told what to wear or not, Casey wouldn’t miss out on a chance to endear himself in Trisha’s eyes just a little more. Approaching her closer, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

[color=577d06]”Look at you… My [i]Fiance…[/i]”[/color] he cooed, craning his neck down to kiss her.
Before she could do much, he was already bringing her around to the driver’s side and opening it for her… Even if he was the passenger, [i]her door was still getting opened.[/i]

Trisha smiled sweetly at him, pausing beside the open door to look at him fully. Sure, she’d watched him walk over, but not up close… 
[color=d1b300]“Hey, [i]Fiance[/i]... You look really nice.”[/color] She grinned, completely meaning it. While his outfit was relatively simple, it fit him… though, he’d look nice to her dressed in almost anything. It was just nice for it to be something other than sweats. 

She’d dressed fairly simply herself- at least by her standard for a date. Straight cut lighter blue jeans that stopped just above her ankles, with a white, lower cut v-neck top. As she bent to get in the car, it shifted to show just a sliver of her waist. The thick navy cardigan and normal wool jacket kept her warm, while being left open. 

[color=d1b300]“Thankfully I haven’t forgotten how to drive after weeks of you taking me everywhere,”[/color] she joked with a bright smile as she slipped into the driver’s seat, letting him close the door for her. She waited for him to move round and get in before talking more, starting up the car at the same time. 
[color=d1b300]“Do you have any idea what we’re doing? I understand if you found out something, because of your job… Just make sure to act surprised.”[/color]

Casey laughed at her expectation. Of course she’d be ready for him to know… It wasn’t avoidable right now. Maybe one day when he didn’t have a network of hundreds of people and magical technology to source. But he had all that infrastructure now, and it only made sense to utilize it while he could.

[color=577d06]”Would you believe Theo knows more than I do? Y’know what he said? ‘Oh, Boss. Took the liberty of prepping a package for your date.’ Like… A package? I have no idea of what.”[/color]

But he had a vague idea. There were signs that things had been touched in the Black Room that morning. He couldn’t miss something like that when he saw it all so often. The excitement was enough to keep him from reading too far into it as he fiddled about with the seat’s position before finally climbing in.

[color=577d06]”But he told me to tell you that he ‘Set the last part up’? I’m glad you’re getting as much use out of my people as I am…”[/color] he smiled, getting comfortable and closing the door to the car.

Trisha laughed at that, looking over at him with a grin. The look didn't last long before she turned her head back to the front, pulling out of the parking space she was in.
[color=d1b300]“[I]He[/I] approached me. I wasn't planning to get any help… since I assumed they'd just go right to you. It's good to know who can keep their mouth shut for things like this."[/color]

Not that Trisha felt comfortable with utilising Casey's people. It was fine in this case, because Theo had come to her and offered his help. Thankfully, because there was no way she'd be able to get Casey's guns to the range without him knowing otherwise… She couldn't even access most of them. 

[color=d1b300]“It was really nice, actually. He helped me with a few things… You have good people. And if you don't know anything, that's great! That means it'll actually be a surprise… Well, you'll probably figure out part one before we get there, but hopefully not the rest. I've planned a few things, all tailored to you…"[/color] Trisha rambled excitedly. 
[color=d1b300]“Well, maybe more to us after location one. But I think you'll enjoy it."[/color]

Her excitement was echoed by a low buzzing, enough to drown out the rumble of the engine. If Casey looked behind, or used his magic, he'd notice that there was a pretty large amount of bees in the back seats. At least two hundred… maybe more, with Princess comfortably sitting on one of the seats. Not that she was very visible below the mound of bees relaxing on her. They were mostly stationary, chilling in various spots. More of a precaution Trisha had been taking when going out alone than anything else…

Unable to mistake the telltale buzzing of a bee ball behind him, Casey couldn’t help but turn and look.

[color=577d06]”Holy smokes… If someone looks in the back seat in traffic they’re going to shit a brick!”[/color] he laughed, reaching into his coat pocket.

[color=577d06]”I only expected you to have a handful. Now I’m unprepared!”[/color]
From the pocket, he produced a plastic baggy of mashed fruit. Biting the end off of one corner, he spun slightly in his seat to spread it out on an accessible surface that they’d be able to get to and land on comfortably.

[color=577d06]”I assume you’re just bringing them along like this because it makes them feel better?”[/color] he questioned, looking back at her, staring as she stared at the road ahead of them. 

For once, he was the only one making googly eyes, though he imagined catching her eye trailing back to his a few times. Maybe he did. She looked wonderful as usual, smart and comfortable at the same time. Like he hoped she would since the day he was a child and imagined what love would look like. Nothing like what had been his example. He loved his mother, but he wasn’t one of those Freudian cases; there were far too many “mommy issues” for him to idolize that kind of behavior at this point. 

[color=d1b300]“Mhm, though I think half of them just couldn't be bothered to get up. They get quite comfortable in my car,"[/color] Trisha explained with a bright smile. A good group of the bees buzzed away from their various resting positions towards the alluring smell of the fruit, immediately starting to devour it. But at least half didn't move… a couple were even cuddling each other as much as honey bees could, seemingly sleeping. 

It meant that Trisha was surrounded by happy, content pheromones both from relaxed and munching bees alike. It was a positive feedback loop for once. A blanket of warmth across them all. 

[color=d1b300]“Some of them'll probably go back after they've napped. They're acting like I worked them to the bone instead of just sitting on me for a morning."[/color] She took the opportunity of stopping at a red light to look over at Casey with a warm gaze, eyes creasing cutely. 
[color=d1b300]“They’ve gotten more protective since the assassin incident- but I think they also recognise you as someone that'll keep me safe. Maybe they think you're a massive, super strong bee or something."[/color]

Casey grinned a particularly contented smile. 
[color=577d06]”Big fuckin’ Tarantula Hawk. I hunt and kill the other wasps who fuck with the bees.”[/color] he giggled.

Spreading another line of fruit mash onto his hand, he held it out for more of the bees to come and enjoy. As long as they didn't get too antsy with one another, he'd learned how to calm down enough that Trisha said he didn't change their signals at all. A far cry from a month ago when they first met.

Fruit was always a good bridgegap. Made the most sense for him to keep it around as necessary. For that, he’d taken to freezing mashed fruit that was getting stale, and then freezing it into these pouches. Going somewhere near the bees? Take one out in the morning, it’d thaw by the time he needed it. Instant bee offerings.

Certain the Queen would love that, he made sure they got the highest quality fruit they could. Even some outer-world fruits, though he didn’t tell Trisha in case she wound up having a problem with it. She seemed to like what she had agreed to eat, but never asked for any more…

[color=577d06]”So! My girlfriend, bringing me on a [i]date[/i]! How lucky can one girl be?”[/color] he asked with a goofy expression on his face.
[color=577d06]”It’s like my high school fantasy come to life.”[/color]

Trisha giggled at that. 
[color=d1b300]“That’s good! Cause then you won’t be disappointed when we spend the whole day hanging out at the mall, and end the date with a really awkward kiss,”[/color] she joked.

There was a chance that the route they were taking would already be familiar to Casey- it certainly wasn’t to the mall. Trisha had just gone for whatever a maps app recommended: thankfully familiar enough with St Portwell to not need it open while driving. They were heading more out of the city, at least. 

[color=d1b300]“I’m glad that you’re excited…”[/color] She couldn’t look at him, thankfully, though her cheeks did turn a bit red. Awkwardly gnawing her bottom lip, her fingers tapping the steering wheel. Building herself up to say [i]something[/i]. 
[color=d1b300]“I wanted to do something nice for you… especially after the last week. You’ve had to deal with a lot from work and… me. I wanted to do this anyway! Because I love you and want to do things for you too, and I want you to know I will. It’s not all on you or anything…”[/color]

He knew she’d been feeling continuously self conscious over how things had been going the past week. He wished she didn’t, but obviously she wasn’t going to stop feeling guilty about it saying things like that. His only wish was that they could get things done and not worry about burdens like they had been. It wasn’t just stressful for one of them, after all. One felt what the other did, joined at the hip as they were. 

[color=577d06]”Well, you know I don’t feel like you have anything to make up, right? Just, y’know, getting that out of the way and all… But I do appreciate getting a bit of a pampering, even if I’m not actually sure that’s what we’re doing. I could do with a warm salt float though, have you ever had one?”[/color] he asked, knowing full well the only “warm salt float” treatment he’d gotten was off the deck of a destroyer.

[color=d1b300]“I know you don’t, but I still want to,”[/color] Trisha said softly, about making it up to him. He didn’t feel like there was anything, and she did. At the end of the day, it didn’t really matter… Because she wanted to treat him to a nice day either way. Sure, it helped alleviate her anxieties a bit, but she wanted to show her appreciation for him either way. 

[color=d1b300]“I haven’t… Is it like one of those things where you just float in a tank of water? Wouldn’t it get quite claustrophobic?”[/color] She asked genuinely, taking a mental note of it for next time. Was there even anywhere that did that in the city? Maybe they could just go float in the sea when it was warmer… Though the water around these parts was never that warm.
[color=d1b300]“I guess it’s just like a salty spa… I didn’t know you’d enjoy something like that. I’ll keep that in mind for next time… Even if I just have to load up a bath with warm water and bath salts!”[/color]

He laughed at the thought of trying to float in their little bathtub. She was the only one soaking in it. He preferred the standing shower anyway.
[color=577d06]”Tanks are pretty claustrophobic. But also a useful platform for Orange Lux bullshittery.”[/color] he smiled, thinking about his old work.

Italy became very close quarters, but out in the deserts against the Fox, Casey felt like he had the best times of the war. It was still that “old war” vibe that the brass used to talk about. Or his Grandfather even… Gentleman’s wars of the past, where prisoners gave their guns up and came in knowing full well they’d be treated with respect and dignity. Not like other fronts. He was thankful to have been there, as sick as it sounded in his head.

[color=577d06]”But, I do love swimming in that warm Mediterranean ocean water. Oh, Babe, we should take a trip to Utah. Salt Lake? There’s actually a coven up there who runs a set of hot springs, we’d probably have a [i]very[/i] nice time.”[/color] he offered the idea to her, shrugging his shoulders in question.

[color=d1b300]“That sounds really nice… I’ve never been to Salt Lake. I haven’t really been to many places,”[/color] Trisha replied, not letting herself think too much about it. Sure, she wasn’t too fond of covens in general, but if Casey thought it’d be nice she was sure it would be. She trusted him. 
[color=d1b300]“Maybe we can go when things have calmed down a little bit? If you’re allowed to take holidays?”[/color]

They were getting close now, and Casey would [i]definitely[/i] recognise where they were. It wasn’t exactly a booming date location area… Not that a shooting range was a typical date location, at least to Trisha. But it was something Casey loved, and she loved watching him enjoy himself. And it’d been fun when he’d shown her how to use a gun the last time… Lots of touching. Maybe it’d be like that again. 

Casey hadn’t said anything when she turned from West Willow Parkway onto Dinkerton. Nor did he make a peep when she’d hung left and followed it onto the expressway to travel down two exits before getting off again and winging right. He wasn’t going to [i]ruin[/i] the chance for her to see his excitement when they pulled up to that big concrete building with the white and green stripes on the outside, or that small parking lot covered in brass casings from careless civilian shooters.

So he kept the topic.

[color=577d06]”Oh, Babe… When things quiet down? There’s no more job. The facade will be over at that point. We’ll be able to go wherever and do whatever we want, permitting we don’t get shafted by the entire ordeal.”[/color] he explained calmly, thinking about the many possibilities of the future.

Trisha hoped that wouldn’t be the case. That they’d make it out the other end unscathed, maybe stronger. But she didn’t want to dwell on that right now. 

[color=d1b300]“You’re telling me you’re gonna be [i]unemployed?[/i] I’ll really have to work hard for our family then,”[/color] she joked, knowing full well they both had access to enough money to last them a while. Trisha had enough to support her from the rest of her life from the family trust. James had left so much that it didn’t matter that it was split between so many children… and the family businesses were still booming under Ezra’s reign. Sure, he got the majority of it, but enough went to the rest that she really didn’t have to worry. 

Thankfully there was no sexist clause about losing it when she got married either. 

But she was pulling into the parking lot, glad that her car was dependable rather than flashy when she had to roll across multiple casings just to get into the spot. She turned everything off before looking at Casey with bated breath. One hand shot out to gesture to the large building, while the other fell to her lap to grip the fabric of her jeans. 

[color=d1b300]“Surprise!”[/color] She exclaimed, staring at him with the hope that he’d held back a little excitement for her to see… assuming he was excited. 
[color=d1b300]“I, uh, maybe should’ve blindfolded you. No, that would’ve been weird- but yeah! Here we are. I’m sure I don’t need to explain…”[/color]

By the time she had the chance to actually look at him, Casey was beaming from ear to ear. No, there was no reason to explain why they were here… Casey got the message perfectly well. 
[color=577d06]”Dude… Really? You [i]really[/i] wanna go hurt your wrist? I mean, there’s other things to hurt it doing, but you’re choosing [i]my[/i] passtime?”[/color]

He threw up his hands, letting them fall back down into his lap with a face of total surprise.
[color=577d06]”I’m gobsmacked, honestly. Definitely not what I was expecting, even with Theo prodding me and trying to give me vague hints. The only thing I couldn’t help but notice was uh…”[/color]

He held up his hands like he was carrying something. Like a bag of some kind.

[color=577d06]”Well, my guns were gone this morning.”[/color] he grinned, almost immediately leaning forward and into her arms to hug her tightly.

[color=577d06]”This is an awesome thing to do, and way more thoughtful than I have any right to you being. Thank you Trisha Bee…”[/color] he grinned up at her like a kid in the store trying to get a new toy.

[color=d1b300]“You’re welcome. This is just part one of three, so…”[/color] Trisha trailed off, smiling brightly back at him. She was [i]so[/i] glad that he was happy about it. There was a little giddy feeling in her chest, like there were sparklers in there. This was what love was, wasn’t it? Sharing happiness. 
[color=d1b300]“You deserve it, Casey.”[/color]

She leaned her head forward to gently rub their noses together, smile incredibly soft. 
[color=d1b300]“You know I like seeing you happy, right? But…”[/color] Her grin turned playful for a moment. 
[color=d1b300]“Who said anything about me shooting? Maybe I’m just going to enjoy watching you the whole time.”[/color]

She let that hang in the air for a moment, before pulling back a bit and laughing lightly. 
[color=d1b300]“I was hoping to learn a bit more with an actual gun… You can just massage my wrist later if it hurts. But really, it’s up to you what you want to do. All your guns are already there- at least, I think it’s all of them? I let Theo sort that out. I wouldn’t have even thought to bring them…”[/color]

[color=577d06]”Well, they’re not gonna let me take my shirt off in there, so… As long as you don’t mind that, you can stare as much as you want!”[/color] he laughed, getting his face close and kissing her before pulling back.

[color=577d06]”Come on… We’ll have fun.”[/color]

The green and white sign simply read “Range”, but Casey knew the place as the Pilgrim’s Rod and Gun. All their in-house merchandise had a little cartoon pilgrim lighting a cigarette off of the flaming barrel of a gun, which Casey thought was kind of funny though it didn’t make a great deal of sense at the end of the day. Regardless, they had the best range in St. Portwell with no magic necessary. Just good old fashioned space and desire.

While its front and the little parking lot they spared was visible from the road, the actual size of the facility was ill-perceivable from anywhere except from directly overhead. There, one could see the massive L-shaped concrete swath it cut into the woods, as well as the accompanying outdoor range. Casey never saw anyone using it, but assumed it was for something like parties or events…

He didn’t understand why people would have events at a gun club until today. Until his girlfriend decided that she wanted to take him on a date there. 
[color=577d06][i]Fiance.[/i][/color]
He’d only told his Grandmother because she needed to know. Lynette probably knew, but that was by virtue of being everywhere. Even his thoughts. He never had the heart to tell Trisha that sometimes the woman just [i]popped up[/i] in places she didn’t need to be. Like his office at all strange hours. Coincidentally, usually when Trisha [i]wasn’t[/i] around.

He wished there were moments he could go without thinking about the [i]other woman in his life,[/i] but that didn’t seem plausible. Maybe someday. For now, he tried to deal with it in a very simple way. Give his active attention to something else. 
As they walked into the main front of the store, Trisha’s eyes would be filled with a familiar aura of a retail shop. Racks with clothes, shelves with products, boxes in colors and designs that wound up being totally unfamiliar despite their uncanny presence in that familiar format.

And then there were [i]guns[/i]. The shop they’d visited on Misty Island had maybe nine or ten hip-level glass displays, pistols of varying calibers mostly. Knives. The trophy pieces that were actually fuckups being resold on the open market. There were probably twenty rifles behind those counters, and the amount of clothes and surplus equipment they had for sale all paled in comparison to the size of the shop here.

The glass-clad shelving units looked more like library compendiums of ammunition, and the racks of clothing had the same volume as the racks at the department stores she’d grown up shopping in. There wasn’t just one section of cases holding wonderfully mean looking little implements of death, there were three that stretched across the varying corners of the store. The fourth was a much longer counter, serving both as the main sale counter as well as a gatestop for the Range itself.

Casey looked at Trisha with a big smile as he slowly rotated them to see the full size of the place.

[color=577d06]”Whaddya think? Pretty nice, huh?”[/color] he asked, looking over to the main counter and locking eyes with the person there. It was immediate recognition, and the man gave up a friendly wave which Casey returned in kind.

[color=577d06]”You uh… You wanna take the lead?”[/color] he asked her gently, wondering if she wanted to wear the pants [i]and[/i] the suspenders today.

[color=d1b300]“It’s [i]massive[/I]... Oh, yeah, I should since I pre-booked it,"[/color] Trisha nodded. She was a bit overwhelmed by the whole place. Sure, she should've expected it to be filled with guns… But she'd assumed that it would just be the gun range, not also a shop. And it was [I]massive[/I]. Wide eyes looked up at Casey. 

[color=d1b300]“Is it silly I didn't expect there to be so many guns on display?"[/color] She whispered, before shaking her head as if shaking away the question. Her expression shifted from the shocked wonder back to something more neutral as she approached the main counter. 
[color=d1b300]“Hi, I have a booking under Trisha Vanburen."[/color] 

The man behind the counter smiled and nodded, quickly typing it into the little computer behind the counter. 
“You’re firing line three.” He then looked over at Casey with a nod. 
“I’ll just go get your bags!” 

It didn't take much time for the man to disappear into the back before returning with the ‘package’ that Theo had delivered for them. It was enough time for Trisha to think about how easy it all was… maybe because they already knew Casey. She'd expected to at least have to hand over her own ID as a first time customer… 

“Wow, this is really light! What kinda metal are they made outta?” The man came back with the pre delivered, bagged guns, carefully sliding them across the counter towards Casey with a laugh. 
“What about you, Miss Vanburen? Yours in there too, or you just observing?”

Oh. [I]Oh[/I]. Trisha hadn't even thought about that. She didn't actually own a gun… she'd assumed she'd be able to rent something? Was that what she should do? But she didn't even remember what she needed… she vaguely remembered what Casey had said at the shop on Misty. She bit her lip, looking up at him. Best to just be honest.
[color=d1b300]“I, uh, didn't really think about that- what do I need, Casey? I assume I can rent something?"[/color]

Casey was all smiles as he watched Trisha take care of their reservation. It was a bit silly to him that she didn't expect so many guns, but he chalked it up to her never having been in one of these places before. After all, if there was something a store needed to do successfully, it was to sell their products. Hard to do when customers can't see them to know it's for sale in the first place.

[color=577d06]”Oh, Babe… We're all set. If we're looking through and I forgot eyes or ears for you, we'll come back for a set.”[/color] he explained, shifting one bag to its side and unzipping a pocket.

Pulling out the set of chunky ear mufflers, Casey placed a quick kiss on Trisha's head, then slid them onto her. Leaving one ear open, he spoke again.

[color=577d06]”These work better… I'm already a little deaf, so I'll just use a set of plugs.”[/color]

He slid a little plastic package out, palming them while he pulled a set of thin safety glasses out.

[color=577d06]”These catch brass and shrapnel. They don't make your eyes bulletproof, so remember what we talked about. About never pointing the gun anywhere but downrange, always making sure to treat it like there's a bullet in it… Yadda yadda…”[/color] he trailed off, clearly starting to hunt around for something else.

Eventually, he seemed satisfied enough to slide both bags off the counter in order to head into the specialist. The attendant let them through, and immediately Trisha's world would’ve been filled with soft explosive concussion muffled thoroughly by the ear protection on her head. Men and women occupied their lanes with stacks of boxes and weapons of various makes.

Some were using hunting weapons, and others on the short ranges were using pistols. Others had military-style weapons, bedecked in all manner of gadgets, more like what she'd seen Casey carry. One man had a gun that looked like a toy painted all sorts of bright colors, only to taper off into the gunmetal and onyx of a naturally finished muzzle break.

They finally settled into line 3, which was on the total opposite end of the place near the very back wall. It was perfect for a date, and was actually a little bigger to apparently accommodate multiple shooters. He'd never bothered coming this far down to find out they had party lanes…

Looking at Trisha, he smiled as he put the bags down and motioned for Trisha to listen. Far down the range, there were dozens of different targets spread across a massive catcher wall. The wall itself was full of things normal walls weren't, and came in multiple replaceable sections in case one became too damaged. 

[color=577d06][i]”You can hear me okay? Signal clear?”[/i][/color] his voice echoed like a crystal clear bell in her mind.

The whole way in, Trisha had been looking around with wide eyed awe. She wasn't really sure what she was expecting… something simpler. Way simpler. Especially their range, with all the different targets and different sections. Sure, she should've expected such a big place to be more than just a target at a distance but… she'd really never been to a shooting range before. So it was all new to her. 

[color=d1b300]“Mhm, all clear- wait?"[/color] Trisha's voice dropped to a muffled whisper. 
[color=d1b300]“Should I just speak in my mind? Otherwise won't I look weird?"[/color]

As she spoke, she awkwardly shifted the ear mufflers, trying to get her hair out from under them without taking them off. She really should've tied it back before… but eventually she succeeded in pulling the front sections of her long hair back behind them. Then she pulled it back into a tight ponytail, proceeding to deftly braid the pulled back hair so it was properly out of the way. 

She turned to look at Casey with a playful smile, trying to push a joking thought to the surface so he could pick it up. 
[color=d1b300][I]You sure you can't take your shirt off? No one will see all the way down here.[/I][/color]

[color=577d06][i]”If you like shooting enough, that sounds like more of a Black Box activity. We can get naked and shoot guns if thats what you really want… Kinky Perv!”[/i][/color]

Casey grinned widely at Trisha, sliding his jacket off and resting it on the bench behind them. To tease her, his hands began to untuck his shirt, lifting it just enough for her to see his abs before dropping it again. Laughing still, he pulled her close and gave her a cheek peck.

[color=577d06][i]”Now… All my guns, you'll be able to shoot. If we're having fun, you should be allowed to do whatever, right?”[/i][/color]

He started to unload the equipment then. Three, four, five pistols of varying sizes. Two rifles, a third that seemed to be more for hunting or [i]something[/i]. Stocks and barrels just kept sliding out from the infinite bag of gun holding until the counter in front of them was chock full of steel and polymer. As he was pulling out enchanted magazines, he gave a nod to all the equipment.

[color=577d06][i]”So, I guess… Pick what looks cool!”[/i][/color]

Trisha was a bit overwhelmed by the selection, and still a little flustered by his teasing. She smiled up at him before looking at the full counter. She knew immediately that she didn't want to use a rifle, so… pick what looks cool? They all looked like pistols to her! She guessed some looked more plain than the others. 

[color=d1b300]“[I]Uh… that one?[/I]"[/color] She smiled shyly, pointing to one of the pistols. 

It looked ‘cool’ to her… at least, it wasn't just a pistol she was used to with a simple barrel and all. There was something else underneath that, and even the barrel itself wasn't what she was used to seeing. She had no idea what all the additions did… or if her hand would even fit around it. But it made it look [I]cool[/I] as far as guns went, right? The more there was on it the more interesting it was? But she really didn't know. They all looked like [I]guns[/I] to her.

Casey laughed as she pointed at the most dolled up pistol he had. Having purchased it as part of a stupid contest a few years ago, he rarely used the thing. Fluted threadless barrel and matching slide to cut down on weight, all that effort was then done away with by the addition of gaudy poly furniture like an overmolded grip and laser combo. Additionally, both iron sights had been replaced with trijicon glowing sights and an additional red dot sight strapped directly to the slide. 

Feeling the grip in his hand, he instantly looked down at her hands and smiled. He had no plans to shrink it; having to do that with the gun and then the magazines would be a nightmare. Especially with the fact that they, like just about all his magazines, were Bottomless enchanted. Any adjustment to the width of the magazine or the feed mechanism could cause catastrophic malfunction, sending not just him and her up in smoke, but the entire building and probably a good chunk of the surrounding forest.

[color=577d06][i]”Let me see your hand.”[/i][/color]

He was aware it probably felt awkward for her to have a conversation entirely in her head, and hoped that The Queen having been there would at least help slightly. He was concerned mostly that she wouldn’t actually be able to hold onto the gun properly. The grip was so thick, meant to be grabbed by hands so much larger than hers, that it would certainly wind up uncomfortable if he didn’t do anything.

So as she put her hand out, she’d be able to watch him rack the slide back and forth maybe six times… Enough to make sure there wasn’t anything funny in it that she could hurt herself with.
[color=577d06][i]”See if you can hold it comfortably.”[/i][/color]

Trisha took the gun from him with the slight frown, shifting it carefully remembering what he'd said before. Finger on the trigger guard, other hand underneath to support it. Casey was definitely right to worry… it was very difficult for her to get her hand around the grip and her finger into the trigger guard… nevermind the trigger. Her fingers were visibly straining from the stretch. She pouted, looking up at Casey a little like a kitten that was refused a second bowl of food. 

[color=d1b300][I]"You said I'd be able to use any of your guns…"[/I][/color] There was a put on whine in her mental voice. She wasn't [I]actually[/I] upset. More than anything she was trying to act cute. 
[color=d1b300][I]"Which one do you think coolest that I could actually use?"[/I][/color]

Casey didn’t speak in her mind, as opposed to using the White Lux special. It was full conveyance of action and intention, leaving Trisha with no question as to what Casey was up to. It was like being shown the very near future, or like a movie she’d seen a thousand times and had perfectly memorized. With him communicating like this, it was the most intimate kind of communication he could muster. And all so she wouldn’t feel another moment of anxiety or questioning… [i]Even though[/i] he could read she was joking…

Because she was right, after all. He did say [i]any[/i]. And telling her the truth was important in his mind; enough so that he wanted to take her as seriously as possible when she said things. No room for interpretation.
So she got to see what was going to happen before it happened. He showed her that he’d take the grip off, fuss about with one of the other guns on the table, then hand it back to her with a smug smile.

He meant [i]any.[/i] And then the movie itself played out. He took a screwdriver, pulled the chunky handgrip off the pistol, and quickly replaced it with another before handing it back to her with a [i]smug smile.[/i]
[color=577d06][i]”I think the one you picked. With a better grip for you.”[/i][/color]

Trisha stared down at the pistol, then up at Casey with wide eyes. Then they narrowed contentedly, a sweet, soft smile pulling up her lips. She hadn't really been attached to her choice of gun, or bothered if she had to change… But it was nice that he'd put in the effort to accommodate her. Really nice. It made her feel safe. 

Before she actually took the pistol from it, she leaned up to gently kiss his cheek. It was cute how smug he was about it as well…

[color=d1b300][I]"Thank you, babe. Do you change grips and stuff around a lot for your guns?"[/I][/color] She asked out of curiosity. She held the adjusted gun in her hand, carefully changing her grip until it felt comfortable. Her head tilted back up at him, as if silently asking him if she was holding it right. It was from memory, so she'd probably forgotten something.

Not wanting to miss the opportunity to touch her, he didn’t livestream detailed instructions through her brain, nor did he try to implant the knowledge. Some things were worth [i]doing.[/i] So, he moved close to her and began to adjust her just like he had before.

[color=577d06][i]”I can, is the more important part. But, your question directly: No. I usually have no reason to. Swapping around parts is generally for people who are chronically breaking things, and thanks to magic I don’t really have that problem. If I dress something up, then unless I don’t like the way it feels, it stays. The only thing is… I’d say legacy parts. Things enchanted with spells that I couldn’t remember until recently.”[/i][/color]

An image of one of the rifles on the table flashed in her mind to focus her attention on it specifically, so he didn’t have to break her stance or point… She didn’t even really have to look which was for the best. Multitasking conversations: About the only pure White Lux spell he ever had a use for overseas.

[color=577d06][i]”That one used to be my main rifle. I had a lot of parts with very powerful spells attached to it. But that was my main service rifle, so when I got home and started getting better ones, or making my own, parts started to come off her. Now she’s uh…-”[/i][/color]

[i]Regal.[/i] All the biting aggression of the cut-down automatic rifle without any of the tactical polymer going on. It was [i]wooden.[/i] Like a hunting rifle, but so much more as Casey focused the image of it onto the incredibly intricate carving details in the handguard and stock. With a family full of Orange Lux artisans, it was easy to have something like that commissioned despite his lack of personal artistic sense.

[color=577d06][i]”-She’s retired. So, I put her in her Sunday’s Best, and she’s been taking it easy ever since. Just about bone stock… That’s probably the only gun I don’t have time to mess with enough that you’d be able to shoot it honestly, so I guess I’ll have to detract my promise…”[/i][/color]
Frankly he hadn’t expected Theo to bring it, but he kept looking down at it and remembering it was there… It was only then that he realized it really wasn’t enchanted at all at this point…

[color=577d06][i]”Now, just like this, right? You feel comfortable? Remember, this shit is all about muscle memory: You don’t get repetitions, it’s never going to feel one hundred percent natural.”[/i][/color] he instructed, as he’d done with hundreds of people thousands of times before. 

Trisha nodded along as Casey talked,  struggling a little with the mental images. Just having movies played in her head… but it was Casey. She was fine when it was him because she knew he'd stop if he told her to. It wasn't intruding. It made communicating easier, but he wasn't using it so much that it replaced actually talking. And it was nice to see and hear about an object that clearly meant so much to him.

[color=d1b300][I]”Luckily I don't really want to try any of your rifles… maybe the next time, if I'm more comfortable with shooting."[/I][/color] She tilted her head up towards Casey with a smile. Though, she wasn't actually sure if she'd want to even then. Maybe she'd find it fun enough that she wanted to try a bigger gun… but for now it was small steps. Learning.

[color=d1b300][I]"I think I feel comfortable. It feels more familiar this time than it did last time,"[/I][/color] she continued, looking away from Casey and towards the targets down the range. She didn't want to move too much now that Casey had put her into the right stance. Though, he was saying it was all about repetitions… so maybe she should move in and out of it.

[color=d1b300][I]”Where do I actually need to stand? Should I just try shoot any target? Is there an easier one?"[/I][/color]


Casey let his hands slide up to the counter with all the weapons on it. In the middle, there was a target controller. As this lane actually took up three lines, there were three different targets that they had access to. The controller, which Casey just showed her how to use visually rather than through his connection, shifted the targets in the distance on the fore and rear axis, as well as controlling the height of them. Because Trisha was using a pistol, he brought her target into fifteen meters. 


[color=577d06][i]”Go ahead and drop your stance.”[/i][/color] he intoned, stepping away enough to let her relax.

[color=577d06][i]”Now if you look down at the counter, you’ll see there’s a notch? Then on the floor, they’ve got that mat? Standing in that square on that mat activates a pressure pad. It’s the only way these targets move. It also-”[/i][/color]
Casey turned and pointed upward at a red glowing light at the top of their lane’s enclosure.
[color=577d06][i]”-tells other people down the line that you’re active. Or, at least that our lane’s active. Which means that the only people who should be bothering you while that light is on is me, or someone who works here. Got it?”[/i][/color]

[color=d1b300][I]"I think so. What happens if someone bothers me while the light’s on?"[/I][/color] Trisha asked, with continued curiosity.

She moved her arms down out of the stance, still holding the pistol incredibly carefully with both hands. Her feet shuffled forward towards the mat, stopping right in front of it. Her body twisted towards Casey, gesturing towards the target with her head. 
[color=d1b300][I]"How did you decide where the target should be?"[/I][/color]

Even if she was perhaps putting off actually getting back into the right stance and shooting, she was full of questions. It was easy to not worry about looking stupid when they both knew she didn't know much about shooting.

Loving her questions, he couldn’t help but get into both of them for her so she was well informed.


[color=577d06][i]”Damn I love when you ask me shit. So, if someone bothers you? You’re gonna flick your safety on and place it down on the counter, then step off your mat and remove your ear gear to listen to them. Now, as far as the target; this is about the maximum engagement distance you should wind up in with something like a handgun. Too much further, the slug gets squirrely. Not [b]my[/b] ammo, but normal stuff.”[/i][/color]

His hands swept across the counter and snagged a handgun of his own, along with a magazine.
[color=577d06][i]”You wanna watch what I do before you do it? To be sure?”[/i][/color] he asked, stepping onto a pad and moving the target up range to the same spot Trisha’s was.

[color=d1b300][I]"Yes please."[/I][/color] She nodded earnestly, taking a step away from the mat and twisting herself around to look at him fully. It all seemed simple but that didn't make her any less nervous about it. It was still using a [I]gun[/I]. Sure, she'd used the machine at the shop in Misty, but she was yet to use a real one. So she wanted to make sure she didn't mess something like this up… 

At least he was happy to answer all of her questions. She'd been a little worried she was asking too many. Even if it was something he enjoyed, this was a date, not a gun tutoring session. But he seemed happy, so she was.

[color=d1b300][I]”Watching you is what I came for, remember? I'm doing it cause it's only fair you get to watch me too."[/I][/color] Her mental voice projected with light giggles- she was getting better at getting some kind of tone in it, unable to hold back a little bit of teasing. She was watching him very intensely… to make sure she saw everything, rather than what she was joking about.

He only grinned, using the hand with the magazine in it to make sure she knew where to watch. First, Casey slipped the magazine into the well of the pistol, then turned to stand fully on his mat. Like a machine, he never let the muzzle of the gun wander anywhere, keeping it directly where he wanted it to be even while he was fussing about with it. Then he racked it back, pulling the slide and releasing it to send it flying forward. Now, he took his actual stance; bringing the gun up and into position with both hands, he took a deep breath. His finger still hadn’t left the trigger guard.

[color=577d06][i]”The most important thing to remember is your safety. It’s the primary thing that guards the evil within the weapon: You don’t turn it off until you’re ready to shoot, and the moment you’re done, you turn it back on. Roger?”[/i][/color]

Waggling his thumb so she’d notice it, he used it to flick the safety off. Making a little kicking motion on the pad at his feet, the red light above them began to gently strobe. Then he was firing… Slow, rhythmically, the gun caused the meat of his arms to gently ripple up the limb until it disappeared behind the shirt. As far as the gun, it was much simpler than the one Trisha had picked out. Nothing incredibly fancy or flashy. A piece of polymer…

But it was well unchanged in comparison to the more exotic pieces. Casey always started like this, to never lose the feeling of actual recoil coming from an actual gun, no matter how easily he turned them into toys. Sixteen shots, not in rapid succession, but rather skilled and precise aim with [i]just enough speed[/i] that it was effective fire. He knew that one would be a more nuanced conversation one day; but for now, he assumed she’d just shoot at a rate she was comfortable…

Not fast.

Flicking the safety back on, Casey removed the magazine and racked the gun to release the bullet still in the chamber. Having bottomless mags, he never really ran out. It was easy to space out and forget that he hadn’t “reloaded” in quite some time. 

[color=577d06][i]”You think you got all that, Babe?”[/i][/color] he asked her, stepping off the pad and turning the light back to a calm green.

Trisha had watched intently, so much so she almost managed to stop herself blinking. She did it rapidly now to remoisten her eyes, while nodding. She had… or at least, she thought she did. As much as she could without getting him to walk her through it all verbally while she took notes to study from. It was impressive to watch him do it so smoothly… Almost intimidating to follow. 

But the best way to learn was by doing, right? She knew it wouldn't be as smooth as Casey. But she had the basics. Move onto the mat, put the magazine in, pulling that slide thing back… not turning off the safety until she was ready to shoot. Which she'd have to be eventually. 

[color=d1b300][I]"I think so. I definitely have the safety bit… I guess I just have to try?"[/I][/color]
She moved over towards him and the counter, awkwardly shifting the gun to one hand and holding out another. 
[color=d1b300][I]"I assume I need a magazine?"[/I][/color]

Her head twisted towards the target he'd bit, then back to Casey. 
[color=d1b300][I]"Last question, I promise… if I miss, it'll just hit the wall behind, right? It isn't a problem?"[/I][/color]

Casey reached out for a magazine he knew would fit and feed, and handed it to Trisha with a smile.
[color=577d06][i]”That wall back there is probably the best thing you could ever shoot at in terms of safety. I’d hit that shit with a missile, it may not come down honestly, that’s how well the folks who own this place built that rangeback. If they let me stand behind it while they shot at it, I would; that’s my confidence that it’ll be okay.”[/i][/color] he decided to overemphasize a little bit. 

By doing so with excitement and enthusiasm, he hoped she’d take it like that and easily accept what he was saying as true. Mostly because it actually [i]was[/i] true.

[color=d1b300][I]"Alright,"[/I][/color] Trisha let out a little sigh of relief, smiling back at him. It must be safe if he'd do that… and it was just a pistol. Not exactly the greatest weapon for wall destruction. She felt a bit less nervous about it. 
[color=d1b300][I]"Good, cause I'll definitely miss…"[/I][/color]

One shoulder shrugged up nonchalantly. She found herself unbothered for once about not being good at something. Maybe it was easy when it was something she hadn't practiced much yet… but in a few months if she could still barely hit anything she'd have a problem. Or maybe it was something she didn't feel the need to be good at. 

Managing to steel herself up for it, pushed on by Casey's general enthusiasm, she finally went back over to her mat. Slipping the magazine in took her a few moments- up till taking it she'd been generally holding the pistol with two hands, so holding it in one [I]and[/I] putting something in was difficult. At least she kept it pointed forward, if a bit down. Once that was done, she racked it back just like Casey had. 

Then, the stance. Thankfully he'd adjusted her stance today, and after the few times at Misty she was beginning to remember it. It was easier to fall back into it. She took her time, careful to make sure everything seemed right. And that she felt stable. 

Aiming it towards the target wasn't so hard- at least where she thought it would go. She knew the difficulty came when actually pulling the trigger. What was it Casey had said before? Hold it firmly but don't squeeze it. 

Trisha took a deep breath in, foot moving slightly to press into the pad like Casey had. Then she flicked the safety off. Finger slipping from the guard to the trigger. One shot, a wince as it pushed against her wrist. At least she expected the recoil this time. 

She didn't even see were the bullet went - certainly not on the target it. She did her best to ignore it, taking another deep breath. Lining up again, trying to keep her arms steady. Another shot. Another miss, another wince. 

Three, four, five… 

Trisha managed to shoot five times, with the last one hitting the very edge of the target. Concentration lined her face, and she wasn't able to hide her little grimace as she flicked the safety back on and lowered the gun. Then she took a step back, turning towards Casey.

[color=d1b300][I]"Do you have one with a lower recoil, Babe?"[/I][/color] She asked, quite glad she didn't have to speak verbally. She hadn't even moved before her breathing was a bit heavy in reaction to the exertion. But it had felt quite… nice. Satisfying, almost, feeling the bullet leaving the barrel. Even if she'd missed horribly and her wrist already hurt. 

Having watched her with a wide, satisfied grin, Casey nodded and shifted himself to look over the stack. 
[color=577d06][i]”Do you want something magical? Or something more realistic for you?”[/i][/color] he asked the very simple question, fingers gently tapping on the counter next to them. He knew what he wanted to hand her, but she’d said she wasn’t exactly interested… If she answered magic, he decided he’d do it.

Trisha furrowed her brow thoughtfully, moving back over to the counter and putting down the pistol she'd been using. Normally she'd say realistic, because it was better to practice that way, right? But he'd said that she should have fun… 

She came right over to him, braided ponytail swaying with the movement. She leaned her upper body against his arm and looked up at him with a soft, playful smile. [color=d1b300][I]”I'll let you decide… whatever you think I'll enjoy more. Or that you’ll enjoy watching me use. Not that I expect you to just watch."[/I][/color] 

Casey's hand instantly went for the more nasty looking military-style rifle. With all of the black accessories and hard-angled doodads, it looked like the most science fiction thing he could hold. Rather than handing it to her, he decided to show her exactly what was going on with the machine. His hand slipped up, flicking the nearly weightless frame up his fingers until the whole two-foot long rifle dangled from a single finger tip.

[color=577d06][i]”Magic is where it gets fun. It takes what you said earlier and throws it out. You're gonna shoot this thing, and you're probably going to enjoy it.”[/i][/color]
Casey grinned, still holding the rifle aloft with a single finger.

[color=577d06][i]”Watch.”[/i][/color]

His hand flicked again, and he was holding it by the pistol grip like a normal person. Reaching down, he picked up a magazine and slid it into the well with a chunky “thock”, then approached the pad and took his stance. Only, not a rifle stance. He held it just like he held his pistol, and turned slightly to smile at Trisha. Then he grabbed the back of it, yanking some sort of metal t-shape until the gun made another weighty metallic clacking noise.

And then he started shooting… Miraculously, unlike what Trisha may have seen in movies and TV, the gun didn't seem to have any kind of reaction. Just the blast noise of the gun firing… He fired maybe ten shots, each one looking like it was less recoil than what she'd been shooting the whole time.
Then as fast as he started, he was finished. His finger flicked the safety, he unloaded the magazine, and then pulled the T-shaped handle again to cause a bullet to fly out, then evaporate before their very eyes.

[color=577d06][i]”See? I can shoot it like it's nothing. It automatically adjusts to the shooter's comfort, and just like the pool cue I showed you when we first met, it'll fight you if you're not in the right stance. Will you try it?”[/i][/color]
With his question, he flashed something like a “pretty please” in her head.

Trisha watched the whole time with wide eyes. It was like the gun weighed [I]nothing[/I] - it obviously didn't if he could balance it on one finger. And there barely seemed to be any effort behind shooting it. It did seem fun… almost scarily. 

She was still nervous about shooting with a rifle. What if something went wrong? What if she fucked up, or dropped it and accidentally shot Casey somehow? Sure, it was super unlikely… but he wanted her to. Seemed to think she could. And he [I]was[/I] the gun expert between them. If he thought it was fine, it must be. 

And how could she say no to that face? He shouldn't be so cute, holding such an insane military rifle. But he was like an adorable dog with his favourite toy…

[color=d1b300][I]"I'll try it… I can't say no when you're looking at me like that. You're too cute, Babe."[/I][/color] Her lips pulled up into a sappy little smile. 

[color=d1b300][I]”But can you show me where I should put my hands and stuff first? And where the safety is again…"[/I][/color] Sure, she'd watched him pretty closely, and maybe it was obvious where she put one hand… but it looked nothing like a pistol! What if there was some magic button to turn it into a flamethrower she accidentally hit? 
[color=d1b300][I]"Just to be safe."[/I][/color]

Despite having a teasing joke queued up in his head, Casey only smiled and stepped forward to help her. It wasn't terribly complex to change, since the gun felt more like a pillow in her arms than an actual rifle. Holding it was easy, and Casey gently manipulated Trisha's form again to get her into a position. 

The most difficult part was getting her front hand in the right place since the gun was a tad too long. So he showed her another trick, taking the sling it was attached to and wrapping it up in her hand. The stability it offered as a fix was enough that Casey was confident. 
All the while, the gun was also trying to help Trisha. This was the more bizarre thing to deal with of course, as this weightless object would suddenly and without warning jerk against her hands. 

It was almost like a dog tugging at the leash. But, once he managed to get her fully into it, the gun almost stared ahead for her. Like it knew it's job.
[color=577d06][i]”There… Now, just like the pistol, remember this stance with your whooooole body.”[/i][/color]

[color=d1b300][I]"You're making me use my brain a lot more than I expected to,"[/I][/color] Trisha jokingly complained. But she was doing just what he said, trying to remember exactly how her body was placed and the feeling of it in her hands. It was incredibly strange holding something so large that basically felt like it wasn't there. She could feel it underneath her fingers but there was very little weight to it. Like she could just fling it around as much as she wanted to. 

Not that she would. She was incredibly careful with how she held it, even as she lowered it a bit and looked at Casey. 
[color=d1b300][I]"I think I remember… at least the rifle will tell me if I don't! I assume the rest is like with the pistol? No safety off till I'm ready to shoot… Need to put a magazine in, obviously."[/I][/color]

She was taking the whole super light, magical rifle in her hands thing pretty well. If anything there was a spark of excitement in her eyes. Maybe she'd actually be able to hit the target more than once this time! And it wouldn't hurt her wrist as much. 
[color=d1b300][I]"It doesn't really target for me, right? Just… makes sure my stance is right? Keeps things more stable?"[/I][/color]

Casey grinned.
[color=577d06][i]”It’ll aim if you ask it to… Essentially, just like the pool cue, it’s reading your mind. It knows the target you’re intending to aim at, and if you ask it to, it will absolutely hone in on your target. I used to patrol our FOB with automatic walking guns… Automated the entire process.”[/i][/color] 

As he was explaining this, he was pulling away from her to insert the magazine.
[color=577d06][i]”Now… The safety on this isn’t a safety exactly, it’s a fire select switch. Feel it at your thumb? Pull it down just one click. Not two, because two is the super fun button. Don’t ever use the super fun button unless we’re in a private place where its just us. Or, somewhere that I’ve told you its safe… Or, God forbid, if you’re in danger. It makes the gun automatic, so you don’t need to pull the trigger over and over, you can just squeeze and it’ll keep firing.”[/i][/color]

He slid the magazine in, then tapped her right hand.
[color=577d06][i]”Now, bring this up here-”[/i][/color] he said, moving his hand to tap the t-shaped handle.
[color=577d06][i]”-to the charging handle. This is how you cock it, just like the pistol. You’ve got this little notch, press the little handle? See? Aaaand pull.”[/i][/color]

As she did, the particularly delicate feeling little metal piece snapped back and unlatched something, causing that weighty metal thunking noise despite a lack of feedback.
[color=577d06][i]”Now you’re ready! Do what you’ve gotta do, and you’re good to fire! Up to fifty shots, I’d say, before people start wondering what kind of magazine I have and peeking over here.”[/i][/color] he explained.

[color=d1b300][I]"I'm glad the super fun button is just automatic, rather than turning it into a flamethrower or something…"[/I][/color] Trisha lightly laughed, voicing the thought she'd had earlier. At least he'd pointed it out so she could avoid hitting it. She definitely didn't want to use something that just [I]kept shooting[/I]. 

With a smile, she moved back over to her mat. She still took her time to get properly back into the right stance, even when it was much easier since she'd barely moved her arms. The rifle guided her… or protested when she got it wrong, more like. She took in a deep breath as she carefully aimed it. She didn't want to ask it to like Casey had said she could… not in a busier place like this. When she'd channeled to get the pool cue to really aim she'd let out pheromones everywhere. 

Even if the indoor area was large, it'd still waft over to other lines. It wasn't worth the risk. Plus, it'd be more fun to have to do [I]something[/I]. 

Once she was sure she was stable, foot moving to turn on the active light, she pulled the fire select switch with one click. Then she pulled the trigger and fired. 

[color=d1b300][I]"Holy shit!"[/I][/color] She actually hit the [I]target[/I]. Sure, it wasn't exactly the centre because she was aiming herself, but she hit it! And her wrist barely felt it. 

She adjusted herself slightly, before taking another shot. Then another, and another. She didn't quite take the fifty he said she could, but she took near thirty before stopping. She flicked the safety back on, lowering the gun and turning to Casey with a wide grin. 

[color=d1b300][I]"You were right, I did enjoy that. It's… wow. Does shooting accurately always feel like that? I guess most non magic guns will have some kinda recoil… I'm a bit worried I'm gonna become too confident and then use a normal gun again and go back to missing."[/I][/color]

As Trisha blasted away at the target, Casey could only smile and nod as he watched where each bullet whizzed through the paper downrange.
[color=577d06][i]”That’s why consistency is the most important part of your practicing. Having fun for one day isn’t going to ruin your practice: What will ruin it is taking big breaks. Just like working out, it’s all muscle Babe.”[/i][/color] he grinned, reaching out to fully take the gun and set it back down. 

Pointing at a few other guns, he was mentally marking down which ones had that kind of capability for her by causing them to glow slightly through her perception. He was really just highlighting the Lux within the weapons, letting her mind discern that it was in fact magic that she was seeing.

[color=577d06][i]”These are all like that for the most part. Safe to shoot, pretty fun, not going to do a lot of damage to your limbs and ligaments. Everything else, treat it like a normal gun if you’re going to shoot it…”[/i][/color]
He was still grinning, looking down at her with a big smile plastered on his face. He leaned down, pulling one of her earmuffs just off her head so she could hear his real voice.

[color=577d06]”I love you… This is a ton of fun.”[/color]

And then he rested the ear cup back on her head, waving his hand at the counter for her to choose the next implement.

Trisha smiled sweetly at him. 
[color=d1b300][I]"I'm glad… love you too."[/I][/color]

After a few more tries, Trisha finally felt comfortable enough with shooting that Casey didn't have to keep watching and reassuring her. Things got quieter when he started shooting too, aside from the muffled sounds of each shot. Trisha didn't particularly mind… she enjoyed shooting with the magical guns enough to be fine with the comfortable silence. 

She only lasted about half an hour before she was done, moving to the bench to just watch. It was nice to watch him do something he was so good at, and see him so relaxed after all the stress of the last few days… but eventually she began to get a bit bored. She didn't want to distract Casey… 

Thankfully, she had a good enough excuse to drag them away that wouldn't make Casey feel bad that she'd stopped enjoying herself after a while. Because the date was for [I]him[/I] so she could handle it. But they had a ‘reservation’ to get to. 

A little white lie he'd easily notice with his magic, to try to keep up the surprise of the next part. 

The drive took them further out of the city, towards the north where more large houses were massively spaced out, and the forest really started to take over. Trees lined the sides of the roads, with intermittent mansions. It was the edge of town where rich people would live, far away from the bustle of the city while having easy access to the city via main roads. 

Trisha slowed down slightly as they passed one especially large, historic looking manor. There were no cars in the large drive, even though it was clearly well maintained with its short carefully trimmed hedges lining the long path up to the large front door. It cut a large swath in the forest with its massive size and elaborate gardens. Low walls and closed wrought iron fences and gates kept away trees and people alike. It was a beautiful building… but there was no sign of life.

One hand came off the steering wheel to gesture towards it, Trisha breaking the mostly comfortable silence they'd been in. 
[color=d1b300]“That’s where I grew up. [I]The[/i] Vanburen manor. It's just as fancy on the inside. Pretty sure Ezra wants to turn it into a museum now he's got most of us out."[/color]

Casey stared out his window at the massive house and thought at first about his Grandparents. Similar setting, similar size, it almost felt like he’d been there before. Maybe he had? No, he couldn’t remember any sort of time that they’d been out here. It was probably something that got pulled from Trisha’s mind accidentally, and he was just reliving some memories he’d leached from her. 

Letting a wave of White Lux wash across the distance to roll up and over the house, Casey waited for any responses. Any sort of black spot in his perception that would indicate an artifact, or disturb any potentially hidden Apparitions within. Getting no actual response, he nodded.

[color=577d06]”Most?”[/color] he asked, head turning to face her.
[color=577d06]”Whose left?”[/color]

[color=d1b300]“Tansy, technically. It's still her ‘primary residence' even though she stays maybe one night a month. Just enough to piss Ezra off and stop him from getting his way. She's one of the few actually attached to the place."[/color] Trisha rolled her eyes at that. She didn’t really care about it. After all, she had very few good memories of the place. 

[color=d1b300]“There’s a couple other siblings who're similar- live in other cities but come back for summer. Uh… my brother Oscar, and sister Sophia… Technically we all have a share in the house. Well, I sold mine to Ezra."[/color]

Casey nodded very openly to himself, narrowing his eyes back out at the property before chuckling aloud.
[color=577d06]”So… So [i]are we[/i] breaking in? Like, that’s part two of the date, breaking into your childhood home?”[/color] he asked, starting to laugh much more enthusiastically.

Trisha laughed in response, already pulling away from the mansion. 
[color=d1b300]“[I]No.[/I] Can you imagine? Hey, babe, let's go shooting then commit some crimes?"[/color] She shook her head, still giggling. 
[color=d1b300]“I’m taking you somewhere I [I]actually[/I] like."[/color]

Which didn't seem too far away. Another five minutes down the road and Trisha pulled over onto what was… almost a place to park. A more gravelly bit at the side of the road before it became earth and trees. There seemed to be at least one walking path going from it. 

[color=d1b300]“You alright with a bit of a walk?"[/color]

Pulling over at a place like this made Casey happy and tense all at once. Forests were magical places, rarely so curated as the land on which the Temple’s property sat. There were so many cross vectors of security, surveillance and thorough usage that the woods were basically just an extension of the underground facility beneath them. At any point, one of a hundred Adepts could’ve been conducting any number of different paranormal and mundane tests on the area and its denizens. The mole holes that led to the different branches of Project Eden’s vast subterranean research facility gave plenty of emergency exits and quick routes in and out.

It was just another room to him. He was there in comfort because at least he knew everything that was going on. 

Normal forests? Unexplored, deep green places? Well… No matter how much therapy he went through, there was just something [i]evil[/i] about the woodlands. But, it was fall at least. Most of the green had fallen from the recent winds, so he was only left to deal with pine trees. Those reminded him of Northern Italy, but by then he was being redirected over to France by boat from the east coast. He’d only spent a few months on the foot of the Alps being led by the nose by the local Paranormal special forces.

Resistance Fighters… They were hardly more than mobsters with skis. 

Still, he turned to face her with a brave smile.
[color=577d06]”With you? How could I miss it?”[/color] he asked, leaning over and kissing her on the forehead.

[color=577d06]”You mind if I do some quick magic on your trunk? I don’t want anyone getting into the back with my guns in there…”[/color] he asked, hoping she’d opt to wait for him where she was going rather than stand right next to him and watch as he armed himself for potential threats.

[color=d1b300]“Sure, but I need to get a few things out from there first.”[/color] She smiled, not sensing anything was off. 

A few things turned out to be a bit of an understatement, as she went round to the back of her car and popped open the trunk. Casey would’ve already seen there were a fair few bags in there when he put his guns in, but it seemed half were from now. A large rucksack she pulled out, and a big square thermal bag like the kind delivery drivers used. 

Sure, she could’ve asked Theo for one of those magically sized bags after he started helping but… she still didn’t like the idea of getting too reliant on magic. 

Trisha grabbed them without giving Casey much of an opportunity to slide in, slinging the strap of the thermal bag over her shoulder while putting the rucksack over the other. Then she grabbed a folded up, warm looking blanket and put it under her arm. After all… she’d organised the date, she’d decided on a picnic. She should carry it all, right? He was getting pampered today… as much as she could. 

She looked pretty ridiculous, more bag than human, as she stepped back and gestured to the trunk. The small amount of bees still left in the car, with the rest having left while they were at the range, flew out the back and onto her. Most of them burrowed into her hair.
[color=d1b300]“Go ahead- I can just wait over there by the path? We follow it for a bit, but we’ll go off track pretty quickly!”[/color]

Slick as he could, Casey had his glove on before she finished wrestling with all her stuff. It was impressive, but there was no way she was going to be carrying all that weight while he walked with a free back. He hadn’t spent all that time carrying a heavy backpack to [i]not[/i] carry the heavy backpack.
But rather than open his fat mouth, the gloved hand slipped across the rucksack’s surface, the touch extending to the straps as he wrapped his hand up and around her.

[color=577d06]”Damn… You are [i]crazy[/i] strong. Is that you using your magic?”[/color]
He was looking down at her with a warm face as he fully channeled the spell. When it was ready for casting, he moved his hand behind her, brushing her butt playfully before wrapping it around the bottom of the bag.

[color=577d06]”Here… Just readjust it a little bit, and it’ll feel better. Marching trick we learned. Tug on the straps and I’ll hold it.”[/color]

[color=d1b300]“It’s not [i]that[/i] heavy,”[/color] Trisha jokingly pouted, but she pulled the straps just like he suggested. She [i]assumed[/i] he was going to use some kind of magic… which was fine. He wanted to be helpful without taking the bags off her. For once, she could see things pretty clearly. 

She’d just play along with it. She looked up at him with a warm smile. 
[color=d1b300]“You planning to hold it the whole way? That the trick- oh! You just want an excuse to have your hand near my ass, don’t you?”[/color]

[color=577d06]”Oh, you [i]caught me[/i]!”[/color] he laughed, spanking her playfully as to urge her on.

[color=577d06]”Go, just stay within a distance where we can sprint and touch. Like… Y’know within thirty feet? For me?”[/color] he asked gently, starting to turn back to the trunk. 

Trisha laughed lightly, still smiling as she stepped away. Her feet began to take her around the car towards the small path into the forest. 
[color=d1b300]“Of course- I wasn’t planning to go far. I’ll just wait a bit down that path, otherwise you’ll get lost.”[/color]

Catching himself before he turned, Casey spun on one ankle and nearly tumbled over, staggering backward and catching himself on the rear of the car.
[color=577d06]”Oh, f-fuck! J-jesus! Sorry, Babe! Fuck I didn’t-”[/color]

Spinning, he turned to check the taillight and the quarter panel he’d smacked against. Seeing no signs of damage, he spun back.
[color=577d06]”-Thank God! Nothing broken, we’re all good. Sorry, sorry, go ahead! I’ll be [i]right[/i] there.”[/color] he finished, keeping himself turned toward her until she made her move down the path.  

He never had that kind of staggered footing… Even doing strange things, he always seemed [i]extremely[/i] stable. Or maybe he was just aware of his own nerves…

[color=d1b300]“Are [I]you[/I] alright?"[/color] Trisha had turned back around hearing the thud, along with Casey's apologies and swearing. Her brow furrowed in concern, and she couldn't bring herself to just go ahead like he'd said to.

She'd never seen Casey stumble like that. Not unless he was pretending just to mess with her when carrying her around. Maybe he'd just turned the wrong way and gone over his ankle… or maybe not. Trisha wasn't the most emotionally intelligent person around, but she could tell when her partner was slightly off. Stumbling, urging her to go ahead when normally he wanted her to stay in his sight… 

[color=d1b300]“[I]Honestly.[/I] Like, uh, is something hurt, or… wrong?"[/color]

He had an answer. It wasn’t the real one, but he hoped she’d buy.

[color=577d06]”Nope! Absolutely not, Babe. I uh… I just… Well, y’know… How you mentioned you hate the idea of me leaving? Turning my back and stuff. I’ve been trying to make it a habit that we don’t leave off without me watching you, so when I catch myself I just autocorrect. This time-”[/color] he trailed off, hand gesticulating to the gravel on the ground at their feet.

[color=577d06]”-tripped me up! I’m good, it’s all… Good.”[/color]
He threw an adorable thumbs up at her, coyly tipping his head toward her.

Trisha couldn't hold back a little giggle at how he acted. She was a bit overwhelmed by what he said. That he was actively trying to not turn his back on her… not dismissing her insecurities, instead trying to reduce them. Inconveniencing himself for [i]her[/i]. Her smile towards him was incredibly soft and loving.
[color=d1b300]“That's really sweet, Casey. It’s- really nice you’re doing that… even if the ground’s not helping."[/color] 

But she hadn’t kept going yet, staring at him the way she often did when trying to figure something out. Was that really the only reason? She had no magic, no truth telling… She wasn't even that good at reading emotions mundanely. But she wasn't completely convinced. There was a little niggling feeling he was acting off that hadn’t gone away with his explanation. But he wasn’t acting that different from normal? She didn’t want to be pushy when it was probably nothing. Just her own anxiety, maybe? But… 

[color=d1b300]“You’re sure? It’s really just that? Not- not that I'm questioning you. I just want to make sure that you're really alright…"[/color] Her smile flattened a little bit, brow furrowing again.
[color=d1b300]“I guess it’ll be easier if I stop worrying and let you finish with the trunk?”[/color]

[color=577d06][i]You don't need to burden her. She doesn't need to know because ultimately it won't affect her. She'll never have to worry ab-[/i][/color]

His mind seized like an engine without oil. Two words shot through his mind: Hypocrite, and honesty. He could do what he chastised her for, or he could be a man and lead by example.

[color=577d06]”You remember when you fought Lila? In those woods?”[/color] he asked her, taking a deep breath and pushing off the car to make way back to the trunk.

[color=577d06]”Do you remember how things went down as I got there?”[/color] his voice asked in a gentle way.

Trisha tried to remember. It was all a bit vague. At that point she’d lost a lot of bees and wasn’t exactly in the right state of mind. Lila had blocked a lot too when trying to protect her.
[color=d1b300]“A lot of shooting and shouting? A lot of the trees were hit too?”[/color]

[color=577d06]”Right! That last part… Lila [i]flies[/i] right? Why… Do you think I’d ask someone to shoot down all the trees, giving the bird person a clear place to fly away?”[/color] he asked another question, slowly taking her along through her own logic and hoping she didn’t feel upset over it.

[color=d1b300]“So there was nowhere for her to hide?”[/color] Trisha responded, still looking confused. How did that relate to him feeling off? There was a visible cog turning in her head. At the time she hadn’t really thought about it, because she was too busy panicking and feeling like her brain was about to explode. Her head tilted as she thought it through. It was one of the few times it was actually difficult to tell how she was feeling- her whole expression was neutrally [i]thoughtful.[/i]
[color=d1b300]“Are you… worried there’s something in the forest?”[/color]

Casey’s face flattened, then took an almost sad expression. 
[color=577d06]”It's… Always easier to see what doesn’t have a place to hide. Kinda why I liked the desert: Where we were was rocky. Barren, like the surface of the moon. I know it’s dumb to be uh… Worried… But seeing how far back it goes, and the angle… Just makes me think of China.”[/color] he admitted, harkening back to his first deployment. The first time things were really [i]scary.[/i]

[color=577d06]”It’s fine… I just… Didn’t want you to see me take something to carry. It felt embarrassing, and I should just be honest with you instead of trying to hide things because I’m worried about how you’ll react.”[/color] he frowned, looking back at the trunk, then back at her.

Trisha’s expression fell, and her head drooped a little with it.
[color=d1b300]“I’m sorry,”[/color] she whispered, hands clasping together in front of her. 

For both things. She should’ve thought about it. He’d told her about his time in China… She just hadn’t really put two and two together. And then he hadn’t wanted to bring it up because he was worried about her reacting? Normally, hearing something like that would make her react, but after reflecting just a few days ago… It just made her feel sad. 

He was right. She was reactive. And because of it, he didn’t feel comfortable telling her something like this. Like she’d be upset [i]at[/i] him. She really couldn’t blame him. 

Her head creaked back up as she tried to put on a brave smile, like she’d just taken a moment to process it. Today was about him, and she didn’t want him worrying about upsetting [i]her[/i]. 
[color=d1b300]“It’s alright if you want to go somewhere else? The food’s all in these bags… I thought it’d be nice to go somewhere quiet that I used to go a lot, cause I know you’re not so fond of busy places, but I didn’t think about the visibility. I’m sorry. It’s really alright, we can find a park or- or eat in the car?”[/color]

Casey looked back one last time, then turned his body completely and made way toward Trisha. By the time he made it to her, arms wrapping up under her bags and hoisting her into the air, he was smiling again. The kind of smile that hopefully reminded her that he loved her. Having gotten her so used to using his White Lux connection, Trisha would be able to feel him cycling his emotions through a very shallow point in her Emotional Field. Love, care, tender needs to be comforted and desire to be that person. He wanted her to know [i]exactly[/i] how much he loved her.

[color=577d06]”You can be sorry all you want. I accept that. But honestly and truthfully, you don’t need to be. Because you’ve done nothing wrong. It’d be like me taking you to a random cafe in the city, just to have you tell me that you fought the Stygian Snake on that street, and that you watched someone die. It’s not gatherable information until context exists.”[/color] he explained calmly, trying to convey himself fully to her.

Trisha didn’t really feel it was the same. That’d been ten years ago… And she watched people die to the Stygian Snake in a fair amount of the city. Maybe it was that first time, or… with him. That had been a forest too. 

She could understand a little bit, thinking of it like that. And she should take his word for it…
[color=d1b300]“I understand. I guess I couldn’t have known… But I don’t want you to feel nervous the whole time.”[/color] Her arms wrapped around his neck, expression still a bit… sad. Even as he explained and she felt all those undeniable feelings through her Emotional Field. She couldn’t deny his love, but… 

[color=d1b300]“I don’t want you feeling like you can’t talk to me because I’m… y’know… reactive. I’m more sorry for that.”[/color] Her head listed forward slightly, hovering just a bit in front of his. 
[color=d1b300]“I want you to be able to rely on me too.”[/color]

Casey shook his head, slowly withdrawing the connection as he felt her examine it over with her field. The only thing that was left was to move forward. Granted, he still felt he had plenty of reasons to keep a weapon on hand, especially after Misty Island.

[color=577d06]”I can rely on you. I try and keep things out of your face so you don’t get sad… But something inside me reminded me about how hypocritical that is of me. I can’t let that slide if I’m gonna be the man I want to be, y’know?”[/color] he smiled again, nodding and tucking his head in to kiss her.

[color=577d06]”But, to answer your first question… We’re absolutely having our lunch where you planned. It’s your date, after all.”[/color] he smiled, then slowly let her down.
[color=577d06]”Just let me get something. After Misty, it’ll be a lot easier if I stay vigilant. Y’know, amorphous PTSD aside. Real life shit [i]can[/i] happen.”[/color]

[color=d1b300]“Alright, as long as you’re sure.”[/color] Trisha smiled back, not arguing any further. It was up to him at the end of the day if he thought it’d be alright. 
[color=d1b300]“But… I kinda assumed you were always armed? So don’t worry about it next time.”[/color]