"You are late..." Kid folded his arms over his chest, eyeing me with a stolid expression. When I came closer, I couldn't help but to gawk at him, scanning his attire from head to toes. He was casually wearing black pants, motorcycle boots, a too revealing red suit and on top of it a leather jacket, while I just threw some simple jeans and white T-shirt on me, pulling my hair into a pony tail.

"And still alive..." he added, carelessly yawning.

"Don't sound so disappointed, I might think you don't like me." I retorted, trying to kill him with my gaze.

It had been two weeks since I started with the training and finding out that I was located on the other side of the country. Which was, by the way, totally insane!

Heat and Wire alternately changed their roles as trainers and motivated me in the gym, aka being failure in there, just to get a bit into shape. Meanwhile I rarely saw Kid and when I did, things went south. Really south...

So, I was utterly surprised to see the redhead analyzing me with a wrinkled expression, instead of those two complaining about my laziness.

"Watcha looking at, Y/n?" he seductively asked after a minute.

I blushed. "Nothing." I replied, nervously fidgeting in my place.

"Well if it's nothing, try to explain that to your face." He made a step closer. "You thought of something dirty, didn't you?"

"I-I-don't have dirty thoughts!" I exclaimed; a little bit too fast. And a little bit too eager.

"Sure, you just have unapologetically thoughts that happen to be intensely erotic." he smirked.

"Oh my god, did you say that out loud?"

The redhead released a twisted scowl before continuing: "So what if I did? Just shut up. I don't have all day listening to your mumbling."

He roughly tugged with his head, his hands folded on his chest, to the silver table in the corner of the room.

"Killer prepared some basic stuff for you to remember. Follow me."

When I stepped behind him, I gulped a bit. I didn't know what kind of training waited me.

Should I mention to him that I had already possessed knowledge in self-defense?

What I saw next sent my jaw flying to the floor.

Guns.

All sort of them.

He scanned me before he sighed in irritation: "I'm only going to explain this once, so you better stop day dreaming."

He swiftly threw the object at me, causing me to squeal in surprise. The metal thing bounced off my hands several times, before I, far from ease, caught it.

"This is a handgun. To be exact a pistol. Fired with one hand. The barrel length is under 16 inches." He took the silver one and waved it in front of my face: "The second one is a r-e-v-o-l-v-e-r." Kid explained dryly as if he was conversing with a three-year old child.

I nodded, silently hoping I would be able to remember everything. And trying not to oppose him while we were occupied with loaded machinery. I could sense his stare on my frame.

When I glanced up his eyes were narrowed in my direction. "Then there is the rifle and lastly a shot-gun." My fingers started to ache for trying the heavy looking weapon but the redhead immediately, as if he was reading my mind, stopped me from doing such a thing.

"Move, I'll take you to the indoor range." Kid led me to the basement, for which I wasn't really fond to, but his scary glare immediately shut me up.

He reached for the steal doorknob and opened the training room. The space was enormous. It was a dull standalone structure consisting of firing lines, targets and a "backstop". Whatever that was.

"Let's get started, shall we?"

_________________________________

"Why are you teaching me? And not Wire and Heat?"

"Because I can see your poor progress, so it would be for the best to provide you the best possible teacher to make a step from your incompetence..."

"And that would be ...who? Killer?" I said mockingly, just to see him pissed off. But that was sadly a bad move from my side cause he groaned under his breath: "I see...You being locked up would mean quieting you for a brief period."

My smile faded, and his mischievously grew.

"First" he harshly pushed the...revolver? in my hands. It felt strange between my fingers. Unfamiliar to be exact.

"It's a Ruger SP101.22LR. It's built on the compact with a 4.2-inch barrel, with a rear sight and a fiber optic front sight. Ditto it holds 8 rounds."

I just looked at him, dumbfounded. I gulped. "And what if I don't agree with undergoing this "training" of yours?"

He stayed silent and then I sensed he adjusted his approach a bit differently. "That might be a problem." Kid leaned. "I would then be forced to do...Other things."

"Revolver it is." I murmured.

"Good. I'm happy we're both agreeing."

"Isn't this illegal."

"Sinning is winning. And if you didn't notice...You are currently being held hostage by the mafia."

"Just watch." he slyly purred, while he charged the revolver. Kid placed his hand parallel to the floor, right in the line with his eyes and pulled the trigger multiple times. And all the bullets hit the target.

Right in the center.

Every time he hit the target his grin widened, as if shooting was his passion.

Maybe it was...

"How did you do that?"

"Maybe if you did a little less talking and a little more watching, you'd figure out." he stretched his hand in which the metal object rested and nudged it at me: "Take it."

I shook my head, to which he laughed heartlessly, looking down at me.

I stepped back: "I-I-I can't ... I'm...afraid..." I honestly answered, sheepishly looking down at the floor, instead of lifting my head.

"You're such a drag." He breathed. I still remained in my place, when Kid stepped behind me. My eyes widened when he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer, accidentally gently rubbing my arm. The sight of our intertwined hands, that rested on the steely object, made me...confused... I couldn't help but to breath in his scent due to the proximity. It had a hint of smoke lingering around. It was so much more exotic-I couldn't recognize the cologne.

And his hands. They were soft and rough at the same time. Gentle.

What the hell?!

Tingles rushed through my body. My heart raced so fast it felt like it wasn't moving. My breathing felt like it stopped. Maybe it did. Despite the pressure behind me, I fluttered at the feeling of my body pressed against his.

What?! Are you insane???

"I'll help you." he breathed into my neck, making my hair stand up.

"O-o-ok." I stuttered and tried to regain my composure.

He firmly led my hand to the bottom half of the gun. "Your dominant hand should grip the revolver on the back strap. That will help you control recoil when you decide to fire."

His fingers trailed a bit higher, now supporting my hand. "Press your other hand against the exposed portion of the grip. All your fingers..." his hot breath was now invading my ear area, making me shudder. "Should be under the trigger guard with the index finger."

I did as he said, without any complains. He seemed pleased. "Good. Now stand with your feet and hips shoulder width apart." I blushed even harder. I was ecstatic to know that he can't see my face. "It allows you to fire the weapon with stability and mobility." Kid explained in a hoarse voice.

"Raise the weapon toward your target."

I rose the heavy weapon and tried making it calm in my hands. "Use your dominant eye. Align your sight. Set your sight picture."

"You know...you are quite a good teacher...When you are not out to kill someone..." I stated, while nervously laughing so the silence wouldn't occupy the atmosphere.

"Whatever..." I could detect his shifting.

"Just concentrate. Press, don't pull the trigger and then take the slack out of it."

Combined, we pushed the trigger. "Nice. Now squeeze it to the point you start feeling resistance. And then..."

Bang.

The bullet went right in the center of the target.

"Release it." he whispered in a croaky voice.

I turned, meanwhile escaping from his grip, consequently the cozy warmth leaving the back of my skin. I grinned. "Did you see that!"

His satisfaction was expressed by the slightest curve at the mouth's corner.

What's going on with me? Why did Kid's minuscule smile make the butterflies in my stomach flutter?