Not Much of a Markswoman
“Alright, you got the bottles?”
“I can’t believe I actually fetched ten bottles for you. I’m not your slave.”
“You say that now - but just you wait, Maxxie.”
“Is that… sexual?”
“Do you want it to be?”
Max went bright red, and Chloe grinned.
“Anywhozits - hand me five of those. I’ll set ‘em up - you put out the rest.
Max sent Chloe a confused look. She just grinned back.
“...Why?”
Max drew out the word, like she was savoring the taste of it. Chloe just grinned.
“Patience, Maxxie.”
Max huffed, but went to set up the bottles. Chloe started setting some up, too, until they were all neatly lined in a single file.
Chloe put her hands on her hips, and looked at them with something resembling pride - like a military general, looking at her graduating recruits.
“Beautiful, Max, just beautiful. Now - let’s… play a game.”
Max rolled her eyes. “Alright, Jigsaw. What’re you being so close-lipped about?”
Chloe gave her a very wide grin.
It was… odd. It wasn’t the grins she knew - the teasing, absolutely smoking hot one or the sincere, gorgeous one. Not even the tiny, conspiratorial one. No, it was just… very, very wide. It spread across her face like wildfire, and looked unnaturally thick - like someone had stretched her lips back, so she was baring her teeth just a little bit.
Max didn’t smile back. Instead, she pulled back - just a little. Chloe didn’t seem to notice.
And then Chloe pulled a revolver out of her pocket.
Max stumbled back, because what the fuck?
“Boom.” Chloe said, aiming the gun at the sky and giving her a very wide, very unsettling, very proud grin.
“Wh- where did you get that?” She said, staring at the piece of metal like it was going to kill her.
“Stole it from step-douche. Isn’t she great?” Chloe gave the gun yet another proud grin - and then, turned it on Max easily, aiming at her with a loose hand.
Max dived out of the way.
Chloe blinked - like Max had just vanished for no reason. Max stared at her from the ground with very, very wide eyes.
“Jesus, Chloe!”
“Woah - dude, calm down. She’s not even loaded.” Chloe said, letting the gun hang off her finger by the handle.
“That’s not the point! Chloe - Christ, you can go to jail just for that!”
Chloe furrowed her brow, looking very confused. Max sat up, and gave her the best glare she could.
“Put. It. Away.”
Chloe glanced at the gun - and then back at Max.
“...Uh - okay, I guess.”
Chloe put the gun back in her pocket. Instantly, some of the tension in Max’s spine unraveled - and she stood up again, brushing herself of dirt and grime.
“...I was gonna suggest we shoot these bottles, though.” Chloe said - turning to the bottles in question as Max walked back to her. Max stared at her back, with something like wariness in her eyes and brewing in her stomach.
“...We can shoot the bottles.” Max said - though she still had plenty of caution in her voice. “Just… don’t point guns at people, Chloe.”
“Wasn’t even loaded, dude.” Chloe said, sending her an unimpressed look.
Max met her look with one of her own.
“Lesson one of gun safety: there’s no such thing as an unloaded gun.”
Chloe rolled her eyes.
“You sound like my stepdad.”
“Because your stepdad actually knows how to use a gun, maybe? Chloe, you don’t point a gun at anything you don’t want a bullet in.”
“I was just messing around!”
“With a gun?”
Chloe glanced at her. “An unloaded gun, yeah. Rachel never compla-”
“I’m not Rachel.”
Maybe it was the sudden deep vitriol in Max’s voice, that made Chloe suddenly go very still. Maybe it was the way Max was looking at her - with eyes that were neither happy or sassy or even embarrassed, but rather something close to wariness. And even anger, maybe.
Maybe it was just the sight of Max, that brought her suddenly crashing back to earth.
“...Alright. I’ll… try not to do that. Okay?”
Max stared at her for another moment - and Chloe suddenly saw, very clearly, just how wary that look was.
Like Chloe might suddenly snap at any moment.
And then - very slowly - she relaxed.
“...Okay.”
There was a moment of quiet.
It wasn’t comfortable.
“...Can we still shoot the bottles, though? I mean - you went through all the trouble of getting them.”
Max smiled a little, and let out a huff of reluctant amusement.
“Yeah, we can shoot the bottles. Just… be careful.”
“Aye aye, cap’n.” Chloe said, with an easy two-finger salute. Max grinned.
“What does that make you? First mate?”
“Co-captain, duh.” Chloe said, pulling the gun out of her pocket again and aiming it at the bottles. “Now, listen up dork-”
She put the back of the barrel under her eye, and considered the shot.
“I’m gonna try and shoot these bottles. First five. Then, you go. Whoever gets more outta five, wins.”
“I’m… uh… not much of a markswoman.” Max muttered, peering at the bottles like they were very suspicious.
Chloe smiled easily.
“I’ll teach ya’. You wanna go first?”
“No… you go. I can see what I’m up against.” Max said - and she stared at the bottles in a way that was a little too intent.
Chloe grinned.
“Alrighty then.”
“Three outta five! I’ll take it.”
Chloe pulled the gun back. Max couldn’t help but notice that she actually had rather good form - considering how gung-ho she was about safety.
“Your turn, Mad Max.”
“You know,” Max muttered, as Chloe flipped the gun and offered the handle to her. She took it carefully. “The longer I hang out with you, the more I think you’re the dork.”
“Eh. Between the two of us - I dunno. You’re the hipster attending a liberal arts college.”
“It’s not really a liberal arts college.” Max muttered, considering the firearm in her hand and holding it like it was very untrustworthy. “It’s just a regular college with a few extra electives.”
“Besides,” she went on, aiming the gun at the bottles thoughtfully and still looking quite cautious, “you’re the one who constantly makes references. Star Wars, Mad Max - didn’t you make a Barney reference at one point?”
“It was Dora.” Chloe said, leaning back and planting a hand on her hip - watching Max aim the gun with something a little too close to excitement. “And The Map is my hero, I’ll have you know. He’s not afraid to say who he is - he just comes out with it. He’s happy to tell you - he sings about it!”
“He’s The Map.” Max murmured, peering at the bottles with a squinted eye.
“If there’s a place you gotta go - he’s the one you gotta know.” Chloe said.
Max paused.
“...Do you actually have the lyrics to I’m The Map memorized?”
“He’s The Map, Max! Of course I have them memorized!”
Max sighed.
“Of course you do.”
“I’m the map, I’m the map, I’m the map, I’m the map - I’m the map, I’m the map, I’m the map, I’m the map - I’M THE MAP!!!”
Cue jazz hands.
Max really tried to keep a straight face - but if somebody had put a gun to her head and told her not to laugh, it probably would’ve been a fifty-fifty chance that she’d come out of it alive.
“Bullets, Chloe. I need bullets.”
“Not yet, you don’t. Your stance is wrong.”
Max blinked.
“...What?”
“You’re leading with your non-dominant foot.”
Max glanced down - and, indeed, her left foot was slightly in front of her right.
She shifted so they were even.
“Is… that right? Or should I lead with my right?”
“Whatever’s comfortable.” Chloe said, walking up behind her and looking over her shoulder. “Yeah, that should be good - it’ll vary. I prefer to lead with my right, but shoulder-width apart works too.”
“Now, is it cocked?” Chloe hummed, leaning over to peer down her sights.
“Yeah - but not loaded.” She tried not to pay attention to how she could feel the warmth coming off of Chloe, even from here.
“Alright, we’ll do a blank first. Look down the sight - no need to squint so hard. Just focus on the sight tip. The bottle shouldn’t be your focus - just line them up. Good.”
Chloe leaned over and adjusted her grip, so the webbing between her index and thumb was lined up with her wrist.
“There we go. Recoil’ll feel worse the first time, so don’t be startled. Just keep your grip firm. Okay - not that firm, Maxxie. Looser - your knuckles shouldn’t be turning white.”
Without anything to really grip, it was harder to keep her focus on anything that wasn’t Chloe’s voice - right next to her ear.
“Better. And then just… fire away.”
Max rested her finger on the trigger.
Hesitated.
And pulled.
Click.
“Alrighty then! That should be good.”
Chloe leaned back again - and Max was finally able to think.
“Ready for the real deal?” Chloe reached a hand into her pocket, and pulled out a single bullet.
“Just one for now. See if you like it?”
She nodded slowly.
“...Okay. Yeah, I… I think I’m ready.”
Chloe handed her the bullet.
She pushed the cylinder release, and loaded it in.
Pulled the hammer back.
Aimed.
“No need to squint - a little less tight on your grip.” Chloe muttered. She adjusted.
Rested her finger on the trigger.
And pulled.
The beast let out an ear-splitting scream as the hammer slammed home - and there was a burst of light as her hand snapped back, a little. She pulled her head away instinctively - but kept her grip tight.
And - the smallest of split-seconds later - a bottle shattered.
She stared at where the bottle had been, in what was quite close to shock.
“...Woooooo!” Chloe cheered, throwing her arms up and clapping over her head. “Go Max!!! First shot, too - that was great!!”
She stared for another moment.
And then - very slowly - a smile spread across her face.
“I hit it.”
“You hit it!!!!” Chloe cheered from the side - and let out a show whistle.
She lowered the gun, and grinned - wide and helpless.
“Maxxie, that was just-”
Chloe did a chef’s kiss. “Magnifique. You did great!”
“...I just pulled a trigger.” Max muttered - but the smile on her face wouldn’t go away.
“And exploded something!! Plus, can I just say - hot as fuck, Max. I mean, I never thought hipster with a gun would be my type, but…”
She shrugged - and Max flushed to her roots.
“How do you feel?”
Max glanced down at the gun.
Then at Chloe.
She smiled.
“...Really good.”
Chloe grinned widely.
“Dope! Now - let’s see if that beginner’s luck holds out, huh?”
She missed one shot, and hit four.
Chloe asked her to choose a prize - before posing with a hand on her hip, raising an eyebrow.
Max gave her an unimpressed look - and chose a rusty hatchet. Chloe claimed she was deeply wounded, and collapsed on the ground - apparently dead from heartbreak.
Max couldn’t help but laugh.