John slowly opened his eyes and stretched. He released a soft sigh and reached up so he could grab the hand-hold above the door, only to fall most of the way out of the car when someone whipped the door open.

“Whoa! Hey, you okay?”

He tilted his head back and blinked up at Nero. The tall teen smiled down at him and gently pulled him the rest of the way out of the car and righted him.

“Never were much of a morning person, were you?” he asked with a bit of laughter in his voice.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, uh, no. No, I’m not. What was that sound?”

“I was setting up cans,” Nero said as he guided the shorter brunette away from the car and towards a make-shift table.

“Why were you setting up cans?”

“So I can teach you to shoot.”

“You said what?!”

“Calm down, little love, and stand right here.”

Wait a sec, ‘little love’? John’s mind raced, tumbling over other thoughts as he was man-handled where Nero wanted him. A sudden weight in his hand told him he was holding the taller brunette's gun. It felt cold and solid.

"Look down the sight and line it up with your target. Use the soda can first," Nero murmured. He wrapped his hand over John's and flipped the safety off, his left hand coming up to rest on the little brunette's shoulder to keep him falling from the kick back.

John did as he was instructed and without warning Nero made him pull the trigger. He couldn't keep from yelping when he heard the bang, ten times louder than he'd ever heard it, and he would've dropped the gun had Nero not been holding his hand tightly on the butt of the gun. He panted hard, his ears ringing and heart pounding against his chest.

"Exhilarating, isn't it?" the tall brunette said into his ear. He had to admit that Nero, even if he was crazy, was right.

"That was incredible," John breathed. He looked up at Nero and received a pat on his head. "Can I try again?"

"You got three more shots up there before I reload. Do it," he squeezed John's arm and backed away.

John squinted at the rusty cans, deciding which one to shoot first, and picked them off one by one. "I used to own a sling shot," he said as he looked over his shoulder. "So I have pretty good aim."

"I'm impressed. Very well done," Nero said as he walked towards the little table and set the cans back up. "Would you like a second go?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, give me the gun and I'll load it for you." Nero took the gun and the little brunette leaned on him so he could watch him load the weapon. He handed the gun back to the little brunette and caught his arm before he could leave. "Don't hurt yourself, love," he murmured and kissed John's cheek softly.

"Why did you call me that?"

He shrugged and pulled John's necklace from under the blue shirt the little brunette was wearing. "Don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't," John said and slipped from Nero's reach. "I promise I won't shoot myself."

Nero smiled and leaned on the trunk of the car to watch John shoot. "I'll hold you to that promise, little love," he whispered to the wind.