Beth Cassidy wants to dance with the devil. (above_all) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-09-22 02:47:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, beth cassidy, commander tyra shepard |
Who: Beth and Shepard.
What: Firing range!
When: 9/16.
Where: Firing range!
Rating: PG-13 for language.
Status: Complete!
Shepard had a special surprise for Beth at the gun range. In addition to a couple of rifles and some pistols, she had her N7 Avenger, mounted and ready to lay waste to a large target.
Beth had enjoyed hanging out with Shepard. It was always flattering when the older woman ogled her, but with Bran in mind, she’d worn something vaguely modest - skinny jeans and a tank top with a cropped jacket. She followed Shepard, beaming and excited to be there.
She was only mildly disappointed. The girl’s crush was obvious, and Shepard cursed getting sick right when she’d come back. Maybe that was for the best. Still, she had every intention of getting her motor running. She hugged her. “How’s it going?”
“Good, good. How’re you?” Beth hugged Shepard tightly, grinning broadly. “You look much better.”
“Thanks. Free of sickness and other things.” She rubbed Beth’s back and stepped aside. “I never want to be sick again. Too much time in my life being in bed.”
“I’m sure your girlfriend disagrees,” Beth winked. “She’s cute, who is she?”
“Her name is Dani Moonstar, and she’s not my girlfriend,” Shepard replied, rolling her eyes. “I’m not going to jump into anything that’s not sex this soon after my divorce.”
“Like I said, you have to tell her that. Not me.” Beth leaned against a wall, grinning at Shepard. “It’s why I lay it all out before the first fuck. Everything. Total honesty. ... well. Unless I’m going to use them and leave them crying. Then I don’t care.”
“We did. Just some fucking.” Shepard wasn’t entirely convinced of that, but she thought that Dani knew. Dani better know. “Haven’t done the use and cry thing since I was your age.”
“You haven’t told her yet, have you.” Beth shook her head. “When it comes to bite you in the ass, do I get to say I told you so?”
“No.” Shepard picked up the assault rifle to show Beth how to work it. It was different than modern weapons in some key ways, mostly in reloading. “We’re friends with benefits, I’m pretty sure you understand that sort of thing.”
“I do. Can’t speak for everyone.” Beth watched keenly as Shepard showed her how the assault rifle worked, nodding when she understood.
She held it out. "Respect the weapon and what she can do, always. Not a toy."
“It can kill people. Never point it at something I don’t want to shoot.” Beth nodded, finger on the trigger guard, not the trigger itself. “Yes, sir.” It wasn’t even teasing; in this capacity, Shepard was superior.
“Okay. One heatsink, one target, lets see what you can do.” She nodded her head toward the hunk of metal she’d set up, and stepped to the side. “Mind the recoil. It’s a bitch.”
Beth nodded, looking at the target for a while to analyze the easiest way to blow it up. She fired off a couple of test rounds, whooping at the pain in her shoulder from the recoil. Pain was brilliant in her mind; it let her know she was still alive.
Then she let all hell break loose.
Shepard grinned, watching her fire. Few things made her as hot as a pretty girl unleashing a great deal of firepower. She had to take Dani to do this. She doubted the woman would fire three shots before she ripped her clothing off. The only thing saving Beth was the distinct impression the blonde wasn’t going to be an option.
When the clip was empty, Beth grinned as she removed it. “I’m going to have bruises tomorrow, this is awesome.” She grinned lopsidedly up at Shepard. “Thanks, I needed this.”
“Second best kinda bruises.” She picked up a pistol, and unloaded it down the range. Shepard didn’t even flinch at the gunshots.
Beth admired the other woman’s grouping, sighing a little to herself. “I want to shoot like that,” she smiled.
She reloaded, then held the gun out to her. “here, try it. Only way to get better is to practice.”
Nodding, she shot it carefully, focusing her groupings around the heart. God, she loved recoil; it felt just like the jarring of her arms when she was doing flips. She emptied the clip smoothly, glad that she got all of her shots in the grid of the target. Hey, that was a good start.
“Not bad, but still got a long way to go.” Shepard grinned at her and then offered another clip. “Reload, try again.”
Beth nodded again, taking the clip, reloading quickly, and then summoning another target to come up. She resumed shooting, practicing again. And she was ready to keep practicing over and over and over again. It was like cheer drills.
And Shepard turned from flirting to full out drill instructor, barking orders and straightening her form.
Honestly, this was hotter anyway. Beth responded perfectly, never hesitating, trusting inherently in Shepard’s instructions.
“Little more to the left,” she said, running a hand down Beth’s arm to adjust it. “Compensate for the recoil. Every gun is different, learn it’s quirks like a lover until you know them by rote. There, try again.”
That made sense to Beth, and she followed Shepard’s instructions, grinning when she saw immediate results. Huh.
“Don’t squeeze the trigger quite so hard, either. It’s not like a man, it needs a delicate caress.”
“Are you flirting with me, Shepard?” But the advice was taken, and Beth squeezed more gently.
“Only if you want me to, Cassidy.” She grinned.
“Can’t hear you,” Beth teased.
Shepard pressed against Beth’s back lightly, grinning as she murmured into the girl’s ear. “A woman like you ought to learn how to shoot someone right and proper.”
That made Beth laugh. “Yeah, I can shoot anyone who’s hitting on me.” She resumed shooting the target, amused at the whole day in general.
“Not a bad idea, just make sure you do it in a way that won’t get your cute ass sued.” She raised her eyebrows as she picked up a shotgun.
Setting down the handgun, Beth’s eyes lit up at the shotgun. She was somehow just better with one of them.
Shepard keyed up a target, then tossed the shotgun at Beth as though they’d suddenly entered a combat situation. “Big mother fucker take it down!”
Priming the gun, Beth leveled it and hit it square in the chest once. She pumped it again, aiming for the head and blowing it off the target. The target fell to the floor, and Beth grinned.
“Not bad, you just saved the crew,” Shepard commended, clapping Beth on the back.
“Go team me,” Beth quipped. “Would you be happy with me as a recruit?”
“You’re off to a good start,” Shepard promised, smiling at her. “Not sure I’m ready to throw you into combat yet, but you’d be good to go for basic.”
“Well, too bad, I’m going to cure cancer.” Beth handed Shepard her shotgun.
“Somehow I think that’ll be a much more lasting impact than anything I’ll do,” Shepard said, and she sounded like she was happy about that.
“I do like knowing how to use these, though. Just in case something happens.” Beth wanted to buy a gun, just in case of zombies or something.
“It’s handy, and you know how dangerous they are. So that’s a bonus.” She looked at Beth. “Why don’t we pick you out one.”
“Really?” Beth’s eyes went wide. “You mean it?”
“I mean it. You’re 18, so it’s legal, among other things.” She couldn’t help but flirt a little bit. “Doubt a background check’ll find anything.”
“Except all those people I killed,” Beth deadpanned. She was good at that.
“That’s mental health issues, they ignore that crap,” Shepard said, just as deadpan.
“God bless ‘Murica,” Beth drawled.
“Home of the free.” She put a hand over her heart. “Unless you’re gay, brown, female, trans or god forbid all of the above. Sometimes I wonder how I lasted in the Marines as long as I did.”
“You probably didn’t say anything. Which is smart of you.” Beth sighed. “Sometimes I feel bad for having a crush on a guy, like I’m turning my back on being what I am.” She was a lesbian, would die one, but dammit, she liked who she liked.
“I’ve had crushes on guys, but they don’t turn me on. If a guy turns you on, it means he turns you on.” Shepard shrugged her shoulder. “Up to you to decide what that means. And if it’s just a crush or not. Last thing you want is to be a year into something and realize it’s not you, and you break his heart. Because a crush, and love, are two completely different things.”
“Well, I’d have to be around him more to figure that out,” Beth said wryly. “And I don’t know if we’re going to do it as friends or if we’re going to see what happens. Plus, his family hates me. Yay.” Beth sighed, doing a backflip lazily. It was what she did when she was stressed.
Shepard watched her, appreciatively. “You’re still young. Fuck, I’m still figuring all that shit out and I’m thirty-two.”
“You’re still young too, you dumbass.” Beth chuckled, doing another backbend. “How’s the lady friend?”
“She’s...good.” At least as far as the general public was aware.
“I mean Dani.” Beth felt the need to clarify just in case Shepard was playing dumb.
“So did I,” Shepard replied, raising her eyebrows.
“I didn’t know if you and I meant the same person. I don’t know how many girls you’re sleeping with.” Beth was walking on her hands, smirking.
“One friends with benefits, several other random women,” Shepard replied, rolling her eyes.
“Does the friend know about the others?” Beth resumed standing up like a normal person.
“I think so.” Shepard tilted her head. “Pretty sure.”
“So that answer is no. You should tell her.” Beth crossed her arms. “Secrets kill relationships. Friendships are included there too.”
“It’s not a secret,” Shepard replied, stubbornly.
“It’s not that you’re hiding it,” Beth replied. “But you’re not being up front either. And your friend might be in willful denial. I’m trying to help you, Commander.”
“I hate when you’re right. But you might need to bribe me,” Shepard replied, giving Beth an evil little smirk.
“I think I have a candy bar in my backpack,” Beth teased. She didn’t really - she stayed away from sweets - but she could joke.
“I’d rather have something a little more salty,” Tyra returned, expression dead pan.
“Pretzels?” Beth folded her arms. “I’m not getting involved with you, Shepard. You just got a divorce. I just dumped Alma, and I’m trying to get a boyfriend. This is a shitty time and you know it.”
“It might be the only time,” Shepard pointed out. “And forgive a girl for wanting to keep you on the team.” She laughed, picking up the weapons to start making them safe for travel.
“I am. He’s the exception.” Beth’s cheeks went pink just thinking about him.
“Another one bites the dust of bisexuality,” Shepard joked. She put the weapons away. “Lets get lunch and a beer and you can tease me more.”