A Day In September - BTS Zombie au

42: Lost in the Game

"First things first: the safety latch," he pointed Mara in the direction of hers, then gestured to the others for theirs. Her fingers were slow, and he glanced at Mara every so often to confirm her placement. Mara latched then unlatched the safety. Namjoon nodded when Mara looked at him for approval.

"Good. Become acquainted with your weapon before you shoot it. Not every gun is the same, so the faster you memorize these, the safer you'll feel around your weapons," Namjoon said, glancing down and doing a double take at Mara's finger.

"When you're not shooting but have the gun drawn, finger always goes on the trigger guard," Namjoon gently took Mara's finger from the trigger, "You don't want to accidentally shoot yourself or anyone around you didn't want to shoot," Namjoon rolled his eyes, "I remember when I was teaching Jimin. He almost shot his toes off because he had his finger on the trigger and not the trigger guard." The was a hint of a smile on Namjoon's face as he muttered, "What an idiot."

"He didn't hold a gun for a while, I remember," Jin chuckled.

Namjoon returned to his poker-faced expression, sternly saying, "This is why we're using airsoft. Don't be an idiot like him." Namjoon stared at Mara for a second, her attention intently set on him as he spoke. He blinked, nodding to himself before continuing.

"Next: kickback. These guns are heavy and powerful, so when you shoot, don't expect for the gun to still be in your hand if you're not holding it tight enough," Namjoon reached into his holster, revealing his own pistol and stepping in front of everyone, aiming his gun off to the side, veins protruding as he held it tightly.

"Slightly bend your arms and then lock them up. Your feet have to be ready for that kickback," Namjoon placed himself in a steady stance, everyone following suit. Mara looking through her sights, unnerved by how real it felt.

Namjoon smirked, "Now that you've got good hand placement, you gotta know how to aim."

"Not bad. But it's your first day and so far you're all on track," Namjoon took the guns from everyone.

"Next time, which is hopefully tomorrow, we're doing this again. We'll repeat how to reload and how to react if and when your gun suddenly jams, and then we'll start shooting. That is, if you're up for it," Namjoon narrowed his eyes at Mara, testing her determination. Everyone nodded in return, which seemed to satisfy the stoic leader.

"When you hold a gun," Namjoon looked her dead in the eyes, "You cannot let your emotions get in the way. You do what has to be done," he spoke, voice strong and confident like a leader's should be. And in that moment, Namjoon finally looked like a leader. There were so many doubts she still had about him, and her confrontation with him the day prior would not be brushed off like every other one. She wouldn't forgive so easily just because he was finally teaching her how to use a gun. His willingness to do so was a start, a weak one but a start at that. Regardless of the motives for the lessons, Mara gave him her undivided attention. She could tip-toe around the idea of having to use a gun, but she understood the significance of having a backup, a sure fire way to stop or prevent other dangerous forces. If she refused, Namjoon would argue that she was a liability, as proficient as she was with knives.

"The more you hesitate, the more vulnerable you are," Namjoon asserted, beginning to walk back to the lodge.

"Everyone back to work. I'll go put these back," Namjoon called out. Everyone looked amongst themselves before shrugging and heading back to work. The distraction seemed to work only for a while, but the disappointment of betrayal grew worse over the passing hours. By the time she was done with her chores, Mara was back to cursing under her breath and angrily kicking rocks everywhere she went. She tried visiting the horses for some emotional, moral support but upon reaching the stables, there was Jungkook. He leaned on the stable doors with his brows knit together and lips in a thin line. Jungkook's resting face wasn't always inviting but even she could tell he was upset. She turned on her heels and sped walked away, her heart breaking just a little more. She'd been avoiding him all day, either walking in the opposite direction if he was heading towards her or simply avoiding being in the same vicinity. She avoided Jimin too, along with everyone else. It hurt to not speak to the people she loved, but it hurt worse to be betrayed by them.