A bullet for you

~Third person POV~

Alexie grunted, summoning a final surge of energy. The moment of reckoning had arrived, and he knew that regardless of the outcome, these hours will transform him irrevocably. Nariya's nimble steps danced in amazement, her doe-like eyes absorbing every detail offered by the man-made model nestled within nature's embrace. Rows of cabins, or as her escort referred to them, "private shooting ranges," stood in disciplined formation, each maintaining a respectful distance from its neighbor. They passed them by, Nariya's interest piqued, until they reached the last cabin in the row. Husuan motioned for Nariya to approach it. Though she felt bewildered and out of place, an undercurrent of anticipation stirred within her. Recalling Alexie's expressed desire to teach her to shoot, she wrestled with another emotion, one that shouldn't have held significance in her current circumstances. Nonetheless, a flutter of apprehension tugged at her heart, causing her to swallow hard.

"Well, then," Husan bowed slightly. "I will leave the miss to Mr. Ivanov. He's waiting for you inside."

Unsure of what was expected of her, Nariya simply nodded. Taking this as his cue, Husan gracefully turned and began to make his way back along the path they had just traversed. As Nariya watched his retreating figure, a wave of nausea once again washed over her. Unconsciously, her gaze shifted to the imposing structure before her, taking in its wide beige walls and brown tiles, which lent the range an exotic air. Then her eyes fell upon herself. Clad in plain clothing, albeit expensive, she couldn't shake the feeling of being an imposter. A sudden surge of emotion threatened to bring tears to her eyes as she realized the significance of her empty bedside. She sniffed back such thoughts, mustering her courage to approach the large, heavy wooden double doors.

As Nariya stood outside, Alexie observed her movements from behind the one-way glass. Instantly, he understood the source of her insecurities, realizing that his erratic behavior earlier that morning had only exacerbated them. Yet, he recognized the necessity of his forthcoming actions—not only due to his role as her guardian but also for the girl's future and honor. It was something he should have done long ago. Until now, he had hoped to wait until the matters with the council and the underworld were resolved before addressing these issues with her, fearing that such revelations might distract or burden her. However, he had failed to consider how a girl as tender in age as Nariya might actually welcome such guidance.

With a heavy sigh, the door creaked open, and Nariya stepped inside, her eyes immediately locking onto the figure standing beside the window. She took in his features in one sweeping glance, noting the distress etched upon his face since their last encounter. Guilt seized her heart, self-blame creeping in, evident in the way her blossoming expression withered. Alexie, however, had no intention of allowing her to descend into a spiral of self-loathing. He approached her with a sense of practiced familiarity.

"Hello," Alexie said, startled by the sound of his own voice, which seemed meek in the echoing emptiness of the room.

She gaped at him, uncertainty clouding her expression. This was awkward, he thought, stumbling at the very beginning of his planned procedure to put her at ease.

"Hi," her voice, lower in octave than his, echoed softly in response.

He swallowed hard, noticing her biting her lip, a gesture that sent a surge of desire coursing through him. But no, he couldn't allow himself to be swayed from the procedure. Alexie reminded himself sternly, reasserting his air of commanding superiority. He knew that the key to amending his behavior from this morning was to reassure Nariya that everything between them was as usual, to guide her back to her usual mindset of aloofness and carefreeness.

He coughed, once, twice, drawing her attention away from his tired eyes. Despite the fresh set of clothes adorning him, she couldn't overlook the subtle signs of weariness in his body language. His clean-shaven face bore the remnants of a hasty trim, tiny blood-stained bumps marring his usually pristine complexion. Though his skin appeared plump with moisturizer, she saw through the facade, discerning the underlying sag and strain etched upon his features.

"I thought," he began, his voice measured, "that we would leave for St. Elmos next week. During this time, it would be beneficial for you to acquire some basic knowledge of shooting guns." He paused, noting the shift in Nariya's expression as she focused on the main topic at hand, the dullness of her previous tension easing.

"Now, I'm not suggesting that you'll necessarily need to use a firearm," he continued, carefully choosing his words. "However, I won't deny that there's a certain degree of danger involved, and it's prudent for us to take necessary precautions."

Then, uncertain whether the next topic would further burden the girl, he forged ahead, deeming it necessary for her to be informed. "Follow me. There are some things I need to show you."

With that, Alexie led Nariya to the end of the range, where a corner furnished for comfort awaited them. Reclining sofas offered seating, accompanied by a projector screen allowing patrons to observe ongoing activities in the range or whatever else they pleased. Connecting a USB to his laptop, Alexie typed vigorously before clicking to display the screen onto the projector. Gesturing for Nariya to sit wherever she preferred, she chose a small single-seater in the corner.

"Well," he began, projecting a screen filled with topics he intended to discuss, "I've been researching your parents, particularly your mother."

Nariya took a deep breath, bracing herself for what was to come. Ever since she began to suspect that her memories of her mother might not align with reality, she had steeled herself for the worst.

"So, I delved into her past. Before starting a company with your father, she briefly had another venture during college with some of her classmates. However, I couldn't trace them," he pointed to a registration certificate, zooming in on the partners' details. "Your mother and two others initiated a company, but after a year, they shut it down before she embarked on the venture with your father."

Automatically, Nariya whispered, "Eve might have been one of those partners!"

"Correct!" Alexie nodded, flipping the presentation to the next slide. "However, both of these partners, Isabella Santos and Adezae Chinyere Okafor, seem to have vanished from the face of the earth, almost entirely."

Nariya furrowed her brows, confusion evident. "What do you mean by that?"

"Isabella passed away in an accident, and Adezae dropped out of college before leaving the country," Alexie explained. "Since then, there's been no trace of her whereabouts. But I suspect it's Adezae who might be posing as Eve, attempting to lure us, or more precisely, you, into some sort of trap to gain control of Enigma."

Nariya's confusion and curiosity peaked, her eagerness evident as she leaned forward on the edge of her seat, urging Alexie to continue. A laugh escaped his lips at her childlike demeanor as he proceeded with his presentation, shifting to a financial report of the company that existed for just a year.

"Before closing, they declared themselves insolvent, which required them to present their financial statements," he pointed at the slide. "Through this, we can see that the major shareholder, or rather the sole capital, was invested by Adezae. Despite the equal shares held by the other two partners, according to this balance sheet, the initial investment was completely depleted by the end of the year when the company had to shut down. However, the true reason for its closure could be anything. Normally, regulatory authorities don't scrutinize small companies to this extent, but I believe this financial situation might be the motive driving Adezae's pursuit of you."

"But what will she gain once she gets her hands on this Enigma? We don't even know what it does," Nariya muttered.

"Let's say, Nari, you went to an auction and were presented with a mystery box. You have no idea of the value of its contents, if any, but as others start bidding on it, your anticipation grows. The higher the bids go, the stronger the urge becomes not to miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You may not know what the future holds, but you see that all those people bidding see something in that box worth taking a gamble on. It's the same with Enigma. In the current black market, the value of this mythical object is significant," Alexie explained, checking something on his screen before continuing, "Five hundred thousand dollars."

"What!" Nariya shot up from her seat, her eyes widening as she processed the enormous sum of money people were willing to pay for her. Slowly, realization dawned on her, and she sat back down, biting her lip.

"People know that this 'Enigma' is something Professor Patel, a computer science and crypto genius, developed. That alone has been enough to drive them crazy. Like the gambler's fallacy, they hope it will yield high returns," Alexie elaborated.

For a while, Nariya sat in silence, absorbing the value placed on this mystical object, understanding the value placed on her life. Any other thoughts faded from her mind as she declared, with determination, "Alexie, teach me to shoot."

An encouraging smirk appeared on Alexie's lips as he silently followed Nariya to the stands where they would begin their lessons. First, the basics of handling a gun, its parts, safety procedures, and then onto practical training. Perhaps, Alexie thought, if circumstances allowed, even the part that had kept him on edge the whole day.

In a well-lit and spacious room within a shooting range, Alexie stood at a table, with his student eager on the front. On the table in front of him lies a disassembled handgun, its various parts laid out meticulously.

"Alright,Nari, before we proceed to handling the firearm, let's go over the different parts and safety features of the handgun," the he begins, his voice commanding attention.

Alexie begans his lesson and picks up the frame of the handgun and holds it up for her to see. "This is the frame," he says, pointing to the sturdy metal structure that forms the foundation of the firearm. "It houses all the essential components and provides the grip for your hands."

Next, he picks up the slide, the uppermost part of the handgun. "This is the slide," he continues, demonstrating how it moves back and forth along the frame. "It contains the barrel and the firing mechanism, and it's responsible for chambering and ejecting cartridges."

Moving on, he points to the trigger guard, the curved piece of metal surrounding the trigger. "The trigger guard serves to protect the trigger and prevent accidental discharge," he explains, emphasizing the importance of trigger discipline.

He then points to the sights, small metal components mounted on top of the slide. "These are the sights," he says, showing how they help align the firearm with the target for accurate shooting.

As he goes through each part, Alexie ensures to emphasizes the importance of safety. "Now, let's talk about safety features," he says, picking up a loaded magazine from the table. "Always treat every firearm as if it's loaded. Never point it at anything you're not willing to harm."

He demonstrates how to properly load and unload the magazine, stressing the need to keep fingers away from the trigger until ready to shoot. "Additionally," he adds, picking up a cable lock from the table, "when not in use, firearms should be stored securely to prevent unauthorized access."

Finally, he completes the demonstration by reassembling the handgun and performing a safety check to ensure it's clear of ammunition.

"Remember," Alexie begins solemnly, "this is a weapon designed to harm. Now, I know the kind of person you are, but I need you to realize that not everyone is as kind-hearted as you. In the hands of an enemy, this weapon, this gun," he emphasizes its significance, "is lethal. They won't hesitate to shoot a teenager if it means getting a step closer to their goals. Do you understand?"

Nari nodded in understanding, and Alexie proceeded to disassemble the weapon once again, urging her to try her hand at reassembly. At first, she struggled, but with the plethora of knowledge gleaned from watching too many action films and Alexie's constant encouragement, she began to learn quickly. After practicing the reassembly a couple of times, Alexie asked if she would like a break or to continue on to the next lesson. Full of vigor, Nari insisted on continuing, but with Alexie's persistent insistence, she settled in for a short snack break.

As they sat down, a spread of brunch-appropriate snacks lay before them. It was then that Nari realized the growing hunger within her, having skipped breakfast. Any sense of shame had long left her, and she began to grab snacks at random, munching them down. Alexie joined her, filling his plate to the brim as he, too, felt the urgent tug of hunger. In this moment, both of them felt content to their hearts' content. The normalcy that months of time together had fostered seemed to return, and indeed, a meal together had become their connecting thread. No words needed to be spoken as they resumed their meal, the follies of the previous night forgotten. They felt thankful for this, especially in Alexie's mind, as it was essential for Nari to be at ease for what he was about to propose to her.

Once they were done they moved on to the shooting stands, "Alright, Nariya, let's start with the basics," Alexie says, his voice firm but encouraging as he hands Nariya a pair of safety glasses and earmuffs. "Safety first."

Nariya nods, slipping on the protective gear, her heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. She carefully follows Alexie's lead as they step into a designated shooting stall.

"First, we'll go over your grip," Alexie explains, demonstrating how to hold the handgun with a firm yet comfortable grip. "Remember to keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to shoot."

Nariya mimics the grip, her hands trembling slightly with anticipation.

"Good," Alexie nods approvingly. "Now, focus on your stance. Feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and lean forward slightly to absorb the recoil."

Nariya adjusts her stance, trying to mimic Alexie's posture as closely as possible.

"Perfect," Alexie smiles. "Now, let's load the magazine and chamber a round."

With practiced ease, Alexie demonstrates how to load the magazine and insert it into the handgun. He then shows Nariya how to rack the slide, chambering a round with a satisfying click.

"Now, take a deep breath, exhale, and focus on the target," Alexie instructs, guiding Nariya's aim toward the distant target downrange. "Slowly squeeze the trigger."

Nariya takes a deep breath, steadying her nerves as she lines up her shot. With a determined expression, she squeezes the trigger gently.

The bang of the shoot resonates through the room, echoing in broken intervals as Nariya takes in a deep breath, filled with nervousness and gun powerder she glances at her instroctor for his approval. Her eyes widen in surprise and delight as she sees her shot hit the center of the target.

"You did it!" Alexie exclaims, a proud smile spreading across his face. "Great shot, moonpie!"

Flushed with excitement, Nariya couldn't help but grin from ear to ear as she realized she was capable of hitting her mark.

As she took more and more shots, her confidence soared, and Alexie beamed with pride not only at the pace of Nari's learning but also at her constant exercise to maintain her composure. When handling a deadly weapon, more than the aim, the shooter's composure mattered. They were in a controlled environment now, but in real life, it would only take someone mere seconds to decide whether to pull the trigger or not. In such a case, if Nari were to become hasty, she could make choices that she might regret for the rest of her life.

It was already mid-afternoon when Nari finished her first round of shots. Not all were perfect, but they were great considering it was her first time. Alexie knew this was just the beginning, and truth be told, this was a far cry from shooting at actual moving targets. But his aim was not to turn the girl into a master sniper; rather, it was to instill a habit of concentration that would hopefully someday save her life.

By that time, Nari was huffing. The weather wasn't particularly hot, but all the mental focus and physical stillness had begun to take a toll, causing her to feel slight fatigue. The brunch she had just eaten seemed to have already digested, and she felt the urge to refuel her body. Lowering her weapon, she turned on the safety and gingerly placed the gun back on the stand. A sly smile spread across her lips as she said, "Can we have some snacks?"

Alexie, who had been observing her for a while with his arms folded, glanced at his watch and smiled at the girl. "Sure," he said, and he briskly paced towards the seating area. Alexie pulled out his phone and handed Nariya a menu. "Tell me what you want, and we can order that. They have a fresh dairy and vegetable farm, so I suggest you get something akin to that."

The day's worth of hard work was beginning to take its toll on the young girl's body, and a full belly added to her dizziness. Without even realizing it, Nariya started dozing off into a short and sober nap, only to wake up on her own accord after an hour. As she stretched her body, she felt the familiar ease that her body had grown accustomed to whenever she was with Alexie. With his presence here, she felt all the tension slowly melt away.

Her lashes fluttered, her eyes visualizing every bit of her surroundings, and she found the source of the pleasant warmth right under her head. As if reality snapped into her head, she forced herself to look at the source itself, her eyes widening with horror—horror at what she had managed to do once again.

With a jerk of movement, Alexie felt the girl sprint right off his lap to a corner of darkness. His gaze fell on her sullen self, self-reproach clear in her eyes.

"Moonpie," he softly called to her, beckoning her closer. Yet she refused, for she was scared—not of him, but of herself. Nariya had begun to loathe her own feelings toward Alexie and the damage it had caused to the platonic relationship they had built over the course of a few months. And now, this approach of hers seemed pathetic and desperate to her. It felt like she was pushing herself on a man who clearly didn't want her, who was clearly trying to maintain his boundaries around her to ease her discomfort—a duty dumped on him by her father.

"Nari," he called again, extending his hands toward the girl who had started shivering, tears streaming down her cheeks. She shook her head, "I'm sorry..." her feeble voice trailed off.

Alexie knew that this was the moment he had to act, or he risked losing someone who had become so precious to him over the time they had spent together. In an instant, he hurried out of the seating area, his steps sharp and precise as he went to the shooting stand and grabbed something, retracing his steps in the same manner. Before Nari had time to decipher his movements, he was back again, placing something in the startled girl's palms. Then, he moved in front of her and got down on one knee, pulling out something from his pocket.

It was all done in such quick movements that it took her a while to feel the cold metal touch clasped between her palms. Slowly, she uncurled her own grip, noticing a familiar coldness that she had held throughout the entirety of her practice today. The weapon of destruction that Alexie had given multiple lectures about during the course of the practice now lay casually in her hands, its safety off. Confused, her eyes glanced at the man who was on one knee, holding an open box. Inside, she noticed a band of gold, clearly visible.

She was reeling from what all this meant when, in his sudden manner, Alexie seized her hand that held the gun, pointing the nozzle right at his forehead. His words came out in a rush:

"Nariya Patel, I am ashamed to admit it, for you were under my care and my responsibility, but I have breached that trust your father had in me. I feel like I have taken advantage of not only your situation but also abused my authority to satisfy my own greed. However, what I am not ashamed to admit is that my greed held no ill intent. I acted only because I have fallen deeply in love with you. And if you, as you admitted almost a month ago, are still in love with me, please accept this promise of future marriage in the form of this ring."

Baffled, Nariya tried to move, but Alexie's grip was firm and unwavering. It was clear he had more to add, and after a pause to gauge her feelings, he continued:

"But in case, because of my own foolishness, those feelings have dwindled or wavered in any way, I urge you to take this gun and shoot a bullet straight through my head. I can live with the guilt of betrayal towards you and my benefactor, but I can't bear to live without you."

Once he had finished speaking, Nariya looked intently at the man before her. Here was a man whom she had always thought of as well-handled and mature, yet now he appeared so perplexed that she couldn't help but giggle. Alexie's eyes widened in confusion, and in that moment of distraction, Nari seized the opportunity to toss away the gun that had been forced upon her. A glance at the discarded weapon in the corner, and Alexie felt the warmth of Nari's arms envelop him as she hugged his torso.

"Moonpie," he whispered.

Sniffling back a tear, unsure if it was from laughter or the joy of his proposal, Nari kissed his cheeks and said, "Of course I accept you, dummy."

With that, Alexie's rigid body relaxed, and he sat beside her on the floor. To any onlooker, they might have appeared quite ridiculous, but there was no one there but them. Seizing the moment, Alexie's lips met Nari's in a short, brief kiss, followed by him helping her slip on the ring he had brought.