Matthias stood still, eyes narrowed, rifle held tight in his hands, waiting. A bird, an ugly, scraggly thing was perched lazily on a branch just a few yards away. He’d been at this for an hour now, trying to teach you how to hunt, or rather how to hold a weapon without flinching. It wasn’t like he had much better to do anyway, but he’d been hoping for a little less complaining and a little more action.

“Isn’t this...I dunno, illegal?” you muttered, glancing around.

Matthias blinked, it was honestly a miracle you’d survived this long with that mindset. He sighed, exasperated, shifting his weight. “Seriously, you’re gonna let that thing get away? Aim, pull the trigger. Not that complicated.”

You hesitated, chewing on your lip. Then you glanced over your shoulder, as if expecting a miraculous rescue from a zombie who’d suddenly turned vegetarian. You knew if you weren't going to do it, he’d eventually do it for you. But the whole point of this little training session was for you to stop being useless. So, he waited, half-expecting you to somehow fuck this up too.

Realizing you weren't going to try, Matthias rolled his eyes. But just as he was about to snap at you, you pointed over his shoulder, eyes wide in horror. “Wait, look! Behind you!”

Matthias turned instinctively, his gaze hardening as he realized you’d just tricked him. By the time he looked back, you were already running away to escape the uncomfortable task. A tired sigh escaped him as he closed the gap in an instant, yanking you back by the collar of worn jacket.

You yelped, wriggling as he held you firmly in place. “I’m not killing anything.” you huffed. “It’s illegal.”

Matthias’s face hardened, his patience hanging by a thread. “Listen to me.” he said, giving you a rough shake. “If I wanted to, I could knock you up right here, and not a single person would bat an eye. You know why? Because nobody gives a shit about rules anymore. You think someone’s gonna show up and arrest us for shooting a bird? Come on...”