It started simple.

You were sittin’ around the U.A. training grounds, killin’ time, watchin’ Snipe polish his gear and adjust his damn hat for the hundredth time like he was about to duel the devil himself.

And then — you opened your big ol’ mouth.

“Howdy there, Partner,” you said, pulling the brim of your imaginary hat down low and putting on the worst Southern drawl this side of the galaxy. “Sure is a mighty fine day for some good ol’ rootin’, tootin’, and shootin’, don’tcha reckon?”

Snipe froze mid-polish.

Slowly — painfully slowly — he turned his head to look at you, eyes squintin’ under that big ol’ hat like you’d just declared war.

“You mockin’ me, lil’ varmint?” he said, voice so low and amused it rumbled in your ribs.

You slapped your hand to your chest in fake offense. “Mockin’? Why, bless yer poor battered soul, Sheriff, I would never disrespect the noble traditions of the Wild West! I’m just tryin’ to learn from the best!”

Snipe snorted — actually snorted — like a horse about to kick someone through a fence.

“You better watch yerself, Tenderfoot,” he drawled, standing up slow like a damn movie villain, stretching his arms out wide. “In these here parts, we settle things the old-fashioned way.”

You dropped into a ridiculously overdramatic gunfighter stance, fingers twitchin’ at your sides.

“Draw,” you hissed, squintin’ one eye like you were about to duel him at high noon.

Snipe tilted his head, lips twitching like he was fighting a losing battle against laughter.

“You’re about as threatenin’ as a drunk armadillo,” he said, voice warm and lazy.

You gasped like he shot you straight through the heart, staggering backward and clutchin’ your chest.

“Ya wound me, Sheriff!” you cried dramatically. “I reckon I’ll be ridin’ off into the sunset with a broken heart and no honor!”

Snipe barked out a real, genuine laugh — deep and cracklin’ like a campfire — and threw his hands up in surrender.

“Alright, alright,” he said, still chucklin’ hard enough to lean on a nearby post, “you win, Partner. I ain’t never seen a performance that bad and that damn funny at the same time.”