Teru's embarrassing nesting period ended not even a day later. He was glad because constantly feeling like he wanted to rip off Kieran's head while wanting to get nailed from behind at the same time was draining. The itching was insufferable, too.

Now, he was offering the wristwatch to Kieran, who sat at the table with new chairs to replace the ones he had taken for his nest. The alpha looked up from his paperwork with a raised eyebrow. "What's this?"

"I'm giving it back to you."

Kieran took the watch. Teru was surprised when he grabbed his arm and fastened it snugly around his wrist.

"I said it's yours. Take care of it. Let me know when the battery dies."

Teru studied the simple round design, touched by the gesture. It appeared to be old. "How long have you had this?"

"Hmm, a long time," Kieran reminisced. "It belonged to a human who served with me during the second World War. You remember that from the books and movies, right?"

He nodded, certainly remembering the lessons about some of the biggest wars in history. It upset him when he learned how humans were capable of such terrible things. Not even Teru's father knew about most of the gruesome details, since his tiny library was very limited and no one in the pack could read; they basically went by the photographs and their storyteller.

"Speaking of films, do you wish to watch another one?" Kieran asked. "It's been a while. If you prefer, we could practice writing or go through a catalog of things you want for your nest."

The omega was good at reading Kieran – although it seemed like he was expressionless, Teru could tell he was concerned. It was understandable, though. Ever since Teru woke up this morning of sound mind once the nesting passed, there was an increasing emptiness in his belly. The hollowness was familiar, if not the same, to what he felt when Kieran left him alone for over a week when he first arrived here.

History's most vile sin was to make him happy.

Teru glimpsed at the blue sky through the glass balcony doors, feeling a sense of longing.

I want to go outside.

He didn't tell him that. Bloodsuckers and humans were probably still gossiping about Pride's disgraceful punishment at Times Square. Although he'd feel better about getting some fresh air, he didn't want Kieran to feel bad when hearing such toxic whispers. Plus, Kieran would probably get mad at him if he asked if Lucas was fine. With his track record of taking off somewhere else when he became angry, Teru didn't want to risk it.

I don't want to be alone, either.

Faking a small smile, he went over to the small storage closet next to the TV that held an assortment of movies, drama series, and some board games on the top shelf. He took his time studying each cover, attempting to read them. At the bottom was a dusty DVD case with a colorful but old picture compared to the others.

W-I-N-C-H-E-S-T-E-R, he spelled out the bold, red letters in his head. I know this name.

It was the same as his favorite rifle brand, Winchester.

Teru emerged and gave it to him. "This one."

Kieran was amused when taking the DVD. "You always choose the most peculiar movies. I don't remember the last time I watched it. Perhaps when it was in theaters during the 1950s? This actor has other decent films, too."

They sat on the couch with only an arm's length between them. Compared to him not even wanting to be in the same room as Kieran months ago when they began watching TV together, this was a vast improvement.

The grainy video was in black and white. He wondered what the story would be about, considering the title. And as he thought, the story centered on a Winchester rifle along with rough-talking, horse-riding men called cowboys. Once the interesting stuff started, Teru sat up straight with folded hands over his mouth. He scrutinized every detail of how they handled their guns. He mumbled these criticisms to himself:

"No, that's not how you hold it."

"Where's the recoil? Are there no bullets in them?"

"One of his eyes is closed. He should keep both open to reduce eyestrain."

"He'd aim better if he held in his breath while squeezing the trigger."

"It's wrong. All wrong. They should try the B.R.A.S.S. technique – breathe, relax, aim, squeeze the trigger, squeeze more–"

The screen stopped during a battle scene. Kieran had paused the movie, gawking at him as if he was a stranger.

"What?" Teru asked, literally innocent.

"You talk as if you know how to shoot a gun."

Teru wanted to laugh. Silly man. "Because I do know how to shoot a gun."

"What do you mean?"

Were his words not clear? "What...do you mean?"

It was refreshing to see Kieran clueless instead of the other way around. "That," he emphasized, pointing at the television screenshot of the cowboy carrying a gun. "Are you saying you can use one safely? Without hurting yourself?"

Well, that's a little offensive how his talents were questioned. "Er, yes, I like to think I'm good at it. My pack considers me to be the best at hunting."

Without a word, Kieran got up and went upstairs to the master bedroom. Teru could distantly hear him shuffle things around. When he came back down, he carried a long, black case. His sensitive nose detected gunpowder inside.

When the heavy case was placed on the table, his eyes widened when Kieran opened it. Before he could explain what model it was, Teru already knew. "That's an 1886 Winchester, serial number 1. It was a gift to a military captain who was successful in capturing his enemy. How did you get it? Isn't it the most expensive gun ever sold?"

Teru was relishing Kieran's bewildered face, speechless. He wished he had a camera.

"My dad liked history," he clarified as if that explained everything.

Kieran coughed and composed himself. "Um, you're correct. It seems you know most of it. I was the buyer when this showed up at auction around 200 years ago. I was glad to see it appear after so long. I haven't seen it since the day I handed it over to Winchester after I made it from his designs."

"You....made this?" Teru asked incredulously.

"Just one of my many trades to make a living." Kieran took the vintage rifle from its foam enclosure, speedily prepping it to be shoot-ready. It was amazing to see how fast he could do it, no doubt having done the procedure countless times.

I'm faster, though.

Kieran held out the rifle. "Shoot."

"Shoot?"

"That's what I just said. Shoot anything that could be used as a target."

Teru took it with uncertainty. "But it's your house–"

"Aim for my coffee cup next to the kitchen sink."

That was across the living room. Far away, but easy enough. Was it really okay to just...damage things? "I–"

"Can you not do it?"

Annoyed with being interrupted once more, Teru immediately lifted the rifle, aimed, and shot the ceramic cup. It shattered into pieces. It all happened within two seconds. Now, it was his turn to raise an eyebrow, meaning 'Well? What next?'

Kieran's lips curled into a menacing grin, setting up the black powder and bullet shells in front of him. This was a challenge - not an aggressive one made by an alpha, but an 'Are you better than me?' challenge. Teru's fingers twitched, ready.

"The clock," Kieran said.

Quicker than how the thousand-year-old vampire loaded the Winchester by two seconds, Teru aimed at the ticking circle.

BANG!

"Vase."

BANG!

"Lamp."

BANG!

They abandoned the movie. Kieran retrieved other handguns and new semi-automatic rifles he had secretly possessed. Teru had no issue with those, either, bull's eyeing the target perfectly without missing. The only place they didn't dare touch was the nesting fort. By the end, the rest of the apartment was littered with broken items. The people who lived above and below were likely wondering what the heck was going on.

"You're...really full of surprises," Kieran praised after putting away the guns. "I'm glad to know you're not totally defenseless. If you were around in the past, I would've fought tooth and nail to make sure they placed you in my unit."

Teru blushed at the compliments, scratching at his birthmark with modesty. The back of his neck tingled. Oddly enough, Kieran was also rubbing his scarred nape. They were quiet, watching the other.

He surprised himself when he noticed his body was giving off a steady stream of cinnamon-laced pheromones. That and the sensual purr coming from his chest were practically beckoning for the dominant alpha to come to him. A sixth sense nagged at Teru to get closer, but he disregarded the feeling.

He quickly switched everything off before Kieran got the wrong idea and exclaimed, "I'm-I'm gonna go wash up." Teru speed-walked to his own bathroom and turned on the shower. As he waited for the water to get warm in front of the frosted glass door, he noted how quick his heart was beating. It almost hurt from the way it thumped strongly under his skin.

Be still my heart. Be still my heart, Teru tried to reason with it.

He took off his clothes. Once his underwear was discarded on the floor, he jumped when a hand zoomed by his head from behind, slamming hard on the foggy door with a bang. The omega froze when smelling alpha pheromones. He looked at the tall person's blurry reflection in the glass.

The nape tingles turned into electric zaps.

"Are you still scared of doing that without your heat?" Kieran growled, his breath brushing the back of Teru's nape.