Welcome to Hickstead, home to both Seven Oak Stables, and Blue Acre - two rival stables. Both offer opportunities for their clients to reach the highest level of excellence. Each stable differs from the other, so choose wisely and never forget, loyalty is everything... Meanwhile as the stables battle it out, there's trouble brewing at the university. Be careful, if you don't pick a side you may get caught in the cross-fire...
This is an chilled out rpg with a super friendly and relaxed atmosphere! Remember to sign up with your characters full name in all caps and don't forget to do your claims! Thank you and Welcome, we've been established since 10th March 2009 but unfortunately have had to close guest view of our boards due to multiple sites ripping off our hard work, such a shame! Come chat to us in Discord before joining if you like!.
After the massive party, that was with his family and a few friends – Ky was looking forward to just a chill time. There was nothing like just playing some video games and having grilled food. He had asked, well…more of forced Charlie to come over. At the larger party, he understood his friend was not quite like him. Ky’s family was…a lot. They were nice, and super laid back – but their energy could suck the life out of people.
Ky had gotten some steaks and some asparagus and potatoes. The summer weather was too good not to enjoy the outdoors a little bit. He had no idea if the talk of schoolwork would be avoided, but Ky had learned that it was okay. Maybe it was because of his museum background. The intellectual talk was common and he enjoyed it.
As he was prepping the meat, Ky heard Nat’s voice come through. “Unicorn boy is here!” Ky couldn’t help but roll his eyes. If there was one person that knew how to push Charlie, it was Nat. Maybe it was because she liked seeing his reaction.
Ky washed his hands and met his friend in the foyer. “Charlie! Glad you could make it. I’m prepping the food. Mind cutting up some potatoes?” he asked, bringing his friend into a bear hug.
if it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.
Jet lag was a bitch. One would have thought that Charlie Braun had flown between the United Kingdom and the United States enough to have gotten used to it, but no, he hadn't. The truth of the matter, or at least Charlie was convinced of, was that anybody who claimed they never suffered from jetlag was a liar. Not all was a loss though for the young man, given that he had come home with a shit ton of bagels with the intention of freezing them and hoarding them like some little hob goblin for the days that he couldn't handle the British Bagels anymore - which, probably wouldn't be very long. That was the problem with growing up in NYC, it made you a pizza and bagel snob.
Still, he had set some aside for the upcoming party, that he should probably leave for in the next five minutes as he finished off his nesspresso and put the cup in the sink. Speaking of his sink, brown eyes stared at it for a little bit longer, realizing just how littered it was with expresso mugs and saucers, "I'll get to that later," he told himself. Grabbing his bag of bagels, Charlie headed out to the door to snag himself an Uber to Oakerdale - home of the St. Croix's. This was a family gathering that the young man had been invited to, probably partially out of pity since he was a transplant but mostly because of his best friend Kyler was part of the family. There was also someone else who likely would be at that party, but she simply annoyed him. There wasn't anything there, and as far as he could tell, that certain someone was hung up on her dumb ass best friend.
Arriving at the house, he got out of the uber and stared at it. Charlie had been here countless times, it was a nice house to gawk at. Yes, he too had a nice upbringing, but living in New York City had left his family with elegant brownstones and modern flats, with the vacation house being in Maine. It was weird to see a nice big house that was well, just a home. Rang the doorbell, only to have it opened by she-who-must-not-be-named in his mind, "Natalie," he greeted. But she didn't even say hi to him, instead the young woman called out to his friend instead: "Unicorn boy is here!” It made him bristle, how he loathed that nickname and that stupid grumpy unicorn that seemed to be his spirit animal. Charlie rolled his eyes, "How original of you," he commented briskly, "At least I don't need a box to stand on to see over counters."
With that, he left her, knowing if he stood around Natalie St. Croix, he'd get too riled up. Besides, if Teddy Beauchamp was around, he rather not endure the two of them together. Charlie knew why the two of them annoyed him, very much so, but he was allowed to be in denial of such things he decided. He was too busy at the Law Firm, too busy studying, the young man didn't have time to humor courtship of a girl who was otherwise distracted by someone who would likely never see her as more than just his bestfriend. Entering the kitchen now, he was greeted by the real reason that he had come to the house. Immediately, his high strung and stiff frame relaxed, "Ky! Thanks for having me," Charlie greeted, embracing for impact and returning the hug, "Yeah, I can help. Put me to work. I brought bagels by the way...to compliment the burgers," he joked now, "Summer going well? I'm surprised Professor Hot-er, Professor Kensington didn't drag you off on some Summer Dig adventure after you two figured out the case of the stolen necklace or whatever."
We'll never know our full potential unless we push ourselves to find it
Ky rolled his eyes at the exchange that was had between Natalie and Charlie. His sister really knew how to piss his friend off. “Bagels will be great buns!” Ky gave his friend an apron in case he wanted it, before returning to the ground beef in front of him. Okay well, a mix of beef and venison because Christian got it as a gift from a boat client.
“Summer has been going great! Work has been keeping me busy, so I’m looking for a slower season. I know, right? I thought about it, but I think Kenzie might’ve found a way to hide in my luggage.” While it could be a joke to a few, Ky would’ve been surprised if she didn’t find a way to sneak away with him. “What about you? Found any places to work under yet?”
“So you got the hots for the professor?” Ky teased, waggling his eyebrows. He reached for the seasonings he needed before adding them at eyeballed measurements. Something he knew bothered people, but that’s how he grew up cooking. “To be fair, you wouldn’t be the only one,” he laughed. He wouldn’t be lying if he thought that she was a beautiful woman. But Ky wasn’t going to simp over her, that just felt…weird.
if it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.
Charlie just smiled at his friend's comment about the bagels. Maybe it was just the New Yorker in him, but he was always confident that bagels went with just about everything - the most versatile of breads. Plus, who could ever hate a bagel? He took the apron from Kyler now, placing it over his head and tying it behind his back before making his way to the potatoes. Placing a few on his own cutting board, Charlie went to work like he was in his own home, "Cubed, yeah?" Better to ask than assume after all.
He listened to Kyler's description to the beginning of summer, it sounded like fairly standard fair. A smile cracked on his lips when at the joke about his girlfriend, "You know, you say that like a joke, but I wouldn't put it past her to actually find a way into your suitcase or illegally onto that airplane." Charlie always thought Kenzie was...different. He could never decide how he felt about her as a person, her way of life tended to rub him the wrong way, however, he could not deny that she was an amazing and loyal girlfriend to Kyler. Due to that, he was willing to let her antics slide, but he often needed a shot of something to put up with her in a group situation. As for himself, "Yeah. I found a firm willing to take me on as a paralegal until I take the bar which I still have a solid year of school left before that." Charlie wasn't even sure where he'd practice law yet, but figured he'd cross that bridge when he got to it.
As the teasing came, Charlie just laughed, "Oh I know I am not the only one," he commented now, "My class with her was like a gender bended scene from Indiana Jones when he was teaching his class." All the guys staring dreamily at her while all of the girl simply looked bored out of their minds or were actually paying attention to what Professor Kensington was saying. Cutting up the potatoes now, he pushed them off into a bowl, "You're only immune because of Kenzie." Brown eyes glanced over at Kyler now, "Unrelated to hot women in our lives, how come we are the only two working in the kitchen? Natalie and Tyler get a pass because of child labor laws?"
We'll never know our full potential unless we push ourselves to find it
“Gosh, a year already? I feel like we just started…” Kyler forgot how old he was sometimes. Not that it was an issue or anything, but he was getting closer and closer to thirty it felt. Granted, he didn’t have all the schooling that Charles had to do. There were times Kyler considered a doctorate, but he didn’t think he would want to remain a professional student. Even if his boss suggested it since Kyler had the brain for it.
“Trust me, the museum staff is quite similar. Granted, we have a lot of attractive staff there too. I don’t know what it is about history…since we’re kind of known for looking nerdy,” Kyler laughed, as he began making the burger patties.
“Ah, Tyler is still in rehab…has been for a while now. But he’s been improving quite a bit! Nat’s been busy with clinicals, and I think Baby Cakes has surgery coming up. I’m not sure. But I know she’s been a bit stressed.” He held his tongue for a moment, but it was Charlie. “I think she was rejected by Teddy too…or something happened between them.”
if it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.
Kyler's comment about the year made a laugh escape the young man now, "Tell me about it," Charlie replied now, "Guess adulting makes it go fast though." That and endless school work. If he were to go back in time, Charlie might have rethought the idea of being a paralegal and juggling his law degree for the Bar, but it was too late now. Besides, he liked working with Emmett Armstrong and Pierce, so even on challenging days, the young man always knew at the end of the day, that he was happy.
He made steady work of the potatoes during their conversation, talk often helped even the most mundane of tasks go by it seemed. Not that Charlie minded, after all, if Kyler hadn't invited him over, he'd probably still be at home studying, "Ha! Well, I'd ask how you could concentrate on getting work done if all the history nerds are so attractive, but I guess Kenzie keeps you humble." It wouldn't surprise him if his best friend was one of those guys who claims no one else in the world was more attractive than their girlfriend. One more potato to go and then he could probably help with something else.
Charlie cringed inwardly a little bit when the other young man admitted that his brother was still in rehab. That was information that he probably should have known, but at least it was going well. Then the conversation seemed to take a turn towards Natalie, and he wasn't sure how to take it, "She never seems stressed to me." But maybe the young woman didn't like him enough to see her in a vulnerable state unlike her brother - her aggressive teasing made it seem that way. He thought that would be it about Natalie, his best friend offered up another seemingly private observation about his sister: “I think she was rejected by Teddy too…or something happened between them.”
His chopping motions briefly stopped, brown eyes staring at the board, "Oh?" Charlie wasn't sure on how to unpack that information. He liked Natalie (even if he was loathed to admit it). He didn't like Teddy. He considered Natalie widely unavailable given that everyone could tell how smitten she had been with her best friend. Plus, Charlie never knew how to take her attitude towards him, "Well. Teddy Beauchamp is a dolt if that's the case." Knowing the other young man, he probably had been oblivious, "As much as I don't care for Teddy, he probably didn't even realize what was going on. I'm sure Natalie will bounce back," and then, his brown eyes looked to Kyler expectantly, "Right?"
We'll never know our full potential unless we push ourselves to find it
Kyler couldn’t help but pick up on the words that Charlie was releasing. There was something defensive. Not in a bad way, but in a way that Kyler wasn’t expecting out of him. Was it possible? No, probably not. Right? The two seemed to always butt heads. Kyler didn’t believe he ever heard them have a conversation without a jab at something. Maybe it was the old school thing, of he’s picking because he likes you.
He didn’t know that there was a playful smirk running across his face, as the idea ran through Ky’s brain space. What was he to do now? Ky finished his preparations – and grabbed some utensils to begin cooking outside. “Yeah, Teddy is a dolt. I mean – I don’t know how much easier Nat could’ve done the hints. Oh, probably. School is a good distraction and she’s been avoiding the art department too. Rumour mill is that he allegedly likes someone else. His loss, don’t you agree?”
Was that question a bit too obvious? Kyler didn’t know, but the shovel had pierced the ground now. There was no going back. “Talking about crushes..anyone you’ve been eyeballing? I’m sure there are some people at your law firm, at least?” Ky pried, grabbing everything he needed for the grill and making his way to the patio.
if it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.
It wasn't often that Charlie felt uncomfortable around his best friend, but damn, that smirk that was playing across his features certainly had him worried. He could practically see the gears turning behind his eyes, and with that, Charlie's own brown eyes suddenly found the last of his assigned duty fairly interesting. The young man's lawyer senses were tingling in the sense that he knew a question was coming, and while studies showed that eye contact was the best for lying, Charlie wasn't sure how well he could play it. Granted, he was jumping to conclusions here. While he didn't know what may come out of Kyler's mouth - he had a good hunch about it.
Words came out of the other young man's mouth now - agreeing with him on Teddy, Natalie's distractions at school, and then came the probing question: "Rumour mill is that he allegedly likes someone else. His loss, don’t you agree?" So he knew that it wasn't a rumor, it was true. But University gossip wasn't what Kyler was interested in, no, it was Charlie's feelings. He looked up from his work, mainly because it was done and he couldn't just keep chopping nothing. Brown eyes locked with Kyler's and finally nonchalantly said with a shoulder shrug, "Yeah, I guess." He knew his best friend knew him well enough to probably see right through him, but Charlie was in a neither confirm nor deny mood. It was awkward territory for him - liking his best friend's baby sister, and he wasn't sure if he wanted Kyler meddling.
He thought that would be it, but perhaps he should have known better. Kyler was sneakier this time around, if only because he was grabbing stuff to go out and grill. Charlie couldn't help but to roll his eyes after the other had his back turned to him, grabbing the trey of buns and following after him, "I don't have time to date, only sleep around." That, truthfully, was not a lie. He was also certain that he spent more time cramming at the library or firm than he did in his own apartment, "But no, no girls. One or two interns at the firm I wouldn't mind having like...a fling with, but I don't think I'd want to date them. Like to argue...and I don't think I want to date someone in the same career as me. Better to date outside of it." Like Natalie. Well fuck, that didn't go well. Desperate to change the subject, he soon asked, "What have you and Kenzie been up to?"
We'll never know our full potential unless we push ourselves to find it
“Ah you’re a bit of a dog then? Or a rake, depending on who you ask,” Ky laughed, as he placed the burgers onto the grill. He washed his hands before adjusting the flame as the meat began to sizzle. “Well, wouldn’t that be considered a power play of some sort anyway?” Maybe that was getting too into the legalities of everything. If anything Ky, didn’t know if Charlie was considered an intern anymore due to the paralegal title. But he would allow his friend some slack, as Ky was already pressing a bit too close to home.
“Not much at the moment,” he smiled. “She’s been busy with work and some family stuff.” Ky didn’t want to delve into details of what he considered family stuff. As Kenzie’s secondary life was well…different. “There’s a new waffle place in the city that I’m hoping to take her to.” He gently tried to flip a burger, but opted not to as the crust was still forming,
if it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.
