Yours insanely

67.Lentinula edodes

"I suppose it's not as easy as it looks in the movies," you said halfway through Shubman explaining.

"With practice, it is," he said while removing the magazine from the gun. "And to clear a loaded chamber," he moved to stand behind you. "Pull the slide back."

"Is back-hugging me part of the demonstration too?" You asked as his hands were placed in front of you.

"It could be," he said as a matter of fact, the rounds in the chamber fell out on the table.

"And if the magazine is not removed?" You questioned, being handed the gun.

It felt like holding any other metal, except you were more conscious about where it was pointing.

"You're only loading up another round when the slide is pulled back with a full magazine," Shubman answered before loading the bullets again.

"And to the fun part," Ishan said loudly a few feet away from you. He decided to accompany you to the basement for practice, along with Shahneel.

It's the one in his headquarters, the fifteen storied building. A skyscraper, and the testament of his power and wealth.

"I don't see how that's fun," she remarked, holding a gun of her own before removing the headphones and other ear protection tools she'd been wearing.

Sure, it's a good skill to learn as self-defense or competition.

"First rule, treat every gun like it's loaded," Shubman started again. "Don't place your finger on the trigger unless you're going to shoot."

He held your arms, stretching them out in front of you so that you held the gun straight.

"And every time you pick up a gun or hold it, keep your finger straight and not on the trigger," he placed a hand on your back as he continued. "Don't keep your body too stiff. Relax, but keep your posture straight."

He placed his foot in between your feet, slightly parting them.

"Don't get your legs together," Shubman added. "Have them a bit away from each other and maintain perfect sight alignment."

You felt his arms wrap around you, and his hands over yours.

"Turn the safety off before you shoot," he demonstrated. "Look beyond your target before shooting."

And while your bodies are practically glued together, never mind the non-existent space between you both.

"Try to keep your finger relaxed," he said as you held on to the Desert Eagle tightly. "You should be able to press the trigger without anything happening to your other fingers or your grip."

You stared at a distance across the shooting range, trying to keep your sight aligned.

"Don't close your eyes when you fire," Shubman reminded. "And squeeze the trigger, not pull. It'll help keep your hold on the gun steady throughout the firing process."

"Just like that?" You asked, heart slightly racing as you kept your eyes on the target.

"It's okay to breathe, sweetie," he bumped his head slightly with yours.

And you let out the breath you didn't even know you were holding.

"You've to take a deep breath when you're ready to shoot, but not for too long," he said to answer your previous question. "Three seconds, give or take."

"And if I don't make the shot in time?" You asked as Shubman kept his face near yours.

"Repeat the breathing," he mumbled and placed a kiss on your cheek. "And then take the shot."

Your arms lowered along with his, and you gave the gun a quick one-over.

"Wanna practice target shooting?" He asked, finally moving to stand beside you.

"I could try," you replied, looking at him and then back to the target.

Shubman took a few steps back, grabbing the safety equipment and making sure you had them on, though the gun had a sound suppressor, as explained earlier.

Pointing the barrel away from you both, you removed the magazine cautiously and then the additional rounds from the chamber.

Holding the magazine slightly upward with your non-dominant hand, you inserted one bullet.

You pushed the magazine up into the gun until you heard a click.

Holding your hand up straight again, you held the gun with your finger straight, and not on the trigger.

Fingers relaxed, eyes open and on your target within the concentric circles, you took a deep breath, for approximately two seconds.

Then you squeezed the trigger, not pull, watching the bullet hit the circle close to the target. Very close.

"Shiitake mushrooms," you muttered, sighing while Shubman only smiled.

"Lentinula edodes," he said to himself before taking the safety equipment off.

"So why the headphones?" You asked as he leaned forward, kissing your cheek again.

"Basic gun safety precautions. Even the most suppressed firearms can damage your hearing, despite not being painful," he briefed. "You're a quick learner, honey,"

"I believe so," you said as he wrapped an arm around you.

"You and Shubman don't use any safety equipment on missions, do you?" Shahneel asked in the meantime.

"We don't," Ishan shrugged, leaning back on the table like she was.

"Yeah, you'll also look stupid wearing headphones while killing people," she made a mental picture of that and wished she had not.

Headphones are okay, but why did she randomly imagine them running around in a half-constructed building, firing at people while wearing knitted beanies with fur pom poms on top?

"So you'll go deaf before I do?" She asked again, a slight smile growing on her lips.

"You first, babe," he said as she turned just slightly towards him. "With the volume you always listen to music at."

The highest sound level has been given for a reason. So why shouldn't we?

(A/n: My daily justification to my mother)

"F-ck you," Shahneel replied without thinking.

"Gladly," Ishan grinned at her.

"Pervert," she said before punching his arm vaguely and letting it wrap around her shoulder.

"Says the one."