[[ milliways ]]

[almosthonorable]

whitetextiswhite

It's early -- early enough that the bar proper is more quiet than loud. Ben likes mornings like this in here, when he can sit with his coffee at one elbow and his hat by the other on the counter, and he isn't taking up more space than might be considered polite.

This particular morning, he's also got a box of ammunition in front of him, courtesy of Bar; as soon as the gray light outside bleeds to red-gold, he'll stride out back for some target practice.

Comments

[ellectrical]

That's become a much more difficult question to answer.

But after only a moment, she decides to try Kate's.

With a small shrug that doesn't at all match her words, "Right now it's not getting killed.

[almosthonorable]

"Admirable."

Ben smiles, and there's something sharp and a little cold behind his eyes.

"I'm in that line, myself."

[ellectrical]

It actually gets something of a half-smile from Elle. But she pulls the earplugs out of her pocket again, and putting them in her ears with ease despite her earlier complaining.

Then, she twists, taking a step back, and behind him.

The unsaid question (or maybe closer to dare) is clearly, Are you going first?

[almosthonorable]

He jams the second earplug home with a slight wince. They feel strange.

With a glance at Elle, he nods to the target; ladies first, if she so chooses.

[ellectrical]

Elle's not accustomed to chivalry.

But she does give another shrug, and steps forward, though not far enough so that he's behind her. She pulls out her gun, checking over it once again (there's no particular fondness or anything other than mechanical attention in this gaze - it's not her preferred weapon) before she glances back to Ben once more, and then to the target.



They're not all perfect shots; only one hits the border of the center to her chosen target, the rest ranging from a couple to five inches off. Then again, if the target had been a person who couldn't come back from bullet wounds, they'd be unlikely to get up again. When she lowers her gun again, her expression isn't particularly readable.

[almosthonorable]

Ben squints at the target.

She's not a bad shot by any stretch; in fact, she's damn good.

When she lowers her gun, Ben gives her another nod -- it's one of respect -- and heads down the lane to switch out the paper target for a fresh one.

Returning, he spreads out the bullet-riddled poster on a nearby hay bale for Elle's inspection.

Unholstering his Colt, he checks the chambers.

Satisfied, he pulls back the hammer, double-checks to make sure Elle is a safe distance away, and fires.

Six shots later, he surveys his target; five shots punched the kill zone, one strayed just left of the center ring.

He holsters his gun and removes one earplug.

"Do you shoot with both eyes open?"

[ellectrical]

She takes out her own once Ben has finished, still not much in her expression.

At the question -

"It's how I do most things."

(Maybe she means it's how she aims with her usual weapon.)

[almosthonorable]

"Some people, they shoot with just one eye open. That's awful for depth perception."

He glances at her target.

"But, hell, even if you're shootin' with just one and doin' that? You're better'n most of the people I hire."

[ellectrical]

Her head tilts.

"You hire people to help you not get killed?"

She won't mention for the moment that she's also sort of done that by now.

[almosthonorable]

"I do."

(Though he hasn't in far too long; Christ, he hasn't put together a gang since Dan was shot down outside the 3:10 to Yuma.)

"I hire for labor and protection."

[ellectrical]

With a glance at his target, "Someone must really want to kill you."

[almosthonorable]

A pause.

And Ben laughs, low and full and rich.

"Yes, Miss Elle. A lot of people do, on my side of the door."

[ellectrical]

Beat.

"They all just have guns, right?"

She's fairly certain they covered this. (But it's better to be sure.)

[almosthonorable]

"Most of 'em, yeah -- the smart ones always do."

A beat.

"No magic, though, nothin' like what you can do."

[ellectrical]

She glances to his Colt.

"Are they better than the people you hire?"

[almosthonorable]

A half-smirk tugs up one corner of his mouth.

"I tend to hire the best."

And the best, Ben has found, are the kind who don't let scruples get in the way of hard decisions.

[ellectrical]

Elle nods, faintly.

Then, with the same sort of smile and movement that doesn't seem to match her question at all -

"Want to do it again?"

[almosthonorable]

"I surely do."

With a smile and a wink, he crosses the middle distance to take down his target and tack up a new one for Elle.

As he makes his way back to the firing line, he puts in his earplug with his free hand.

[ellectrical]

Elle, in the meantime, loads her clip with blanks once more.

When he returns, she replaces her own earplugs, but also lowers her gun, and takes a more insistent step back, making it clear she'll wait for him to go this time.

[almosthonorable]

Half-surprised by the gesture, he chuckles to himself and reloads, movements as sure as they are practiced.

He lines up the target, aims, and fires; six shots, and he's surveying his handiwork.

It's a near-perfect set -- two rounds hit the center X, and four ring it within the center circle, marking north, south, east and west.

Holstering the Colt once more, he makes for the target to replace it.

[ellectrical]

She waits, her expression dimming once more. There's no nod, as she doesn't do much in returning gestures, but she also doesn't move until he's returned, and the target is safely in her view.

Her shots this time are not so uneven, but while they all stay mostly gathered around the center, none hits it straight on.

It's not quite out of exasperation, but this still may be why once she lowers her gun, it's in her left hand - with her right, she throws out a bright arc of electricity that streaks through the air toward the target.

That does hit the center X.

[almosthonorable]

"Well."

Ben glances at the charred and smoking target. It's an impressive (and chilling) sight.

His eyes flick back to Elle.

"That's one way to do it, Goliath."

[ellectrical]

"It's easier."

That's something like an admission for Elle.

"For me."

[almosthonorable]

Curiously, "How often do you have to practice like that? Or does it come more ... natural?"

[ellectrical]

She shrugs one shoulder.

"Like for anything else." The only thing that comes naturally are the sparks.

"But I've been doing it longer."