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!.
Caleb brushed a handful of spent petals into his hand from the coffee table and put them in the bin as he did a final sweep of his flat to ensure it was spotless - as he liked it. Windows opened, dusting done, floors vacuumed and washed, the dogs fed. Everything was tidy and completed in the sparse rooms. He glanced at his watch - almost time for a spot of tea, and almost time for Eli to arrive.
His door was always open to his friends, no matter the day or hour, he always had room for one more. He was always there to lend a hand, shoulder or ear for anyone - even a stranger on the street. His dogs were reclined back on one of the lounges, with Louie resting his head on Gen's back. He smiled at the two border collies - his life would be incomplete without the amazing duo. He'd adopted them together, a three-legged dog and the other with a blind eye and permanent smile. They were both brilliant dogs from a shelter, and both adapted exceedingly well to the flat life.
As he watched them, he watched them perk and stare down the door.
"Ah, he's here, right on time," Caleb said gently as he went to the door and opened it, "Perfect timing Eli, come in, make yourself comfortable."
Leaving the door wide, he went into the kitchen, "Tea? Coffee? Something else?"
Eli had a rare afternoon off from babysitting - either his own teenager or his grandchild - and he felt somewhat at a loss. He had asked Caleb if he was up for a coffee or something similar, needing to get out of the house for a little bit whilst he had the freedom. He had almost messaged Memphis to see if he was available, but it had been too long since he'd seen Caleb and he could do some words of wisdom considering recent events - both that had transpired and what had been going on in Eli's mind recently. He needed someone wise to talk to who might be able to help him figure shit out.
He was running to time, if anything a little early as his son had kicked him out and told him to go have fun - whatever that entailed for an old man. Little bugger. "Perfect timing Eli, come in, make yourself comfortable." Eli smiled easily and headed inside after him, shutting the door and immediately crouching down to give the dogs some love. "Hello you two," He laughed, trying to share the head scratches out evenly so neither felt left out. He straightened up after a moment and headed further inside to the kitchen as Caleb asked, "Tea? Coffee? Something else?" Perhaps he would need a Scotch or something for this kind of conversation but instead he said, "Tea would be great, thanks." Not in the mood for coffee right now. "Want a hand with anything?"
Caleb smiled as he moved into the kitchen and began filling the kettle, "No, but thank you for the offer. Take a seat, get comfy - relax, and tell me what has been going on since we last spoke. It's been so long... I can't even remember where we left off."
He frowned slightly but let it go, he had been busy and likely Elijah had also been equally busy, if not more so. He put out the cups and readied the tea bags. Then got a plate of biscuits together, taking it out to the living room and set them on the coffee table.
"Help yourself Eli," he said gently, before looking at Gen, "And you madam, don't you try sneaking a biscuit again, you hear? I caught you stealing one when we were last out and about, I haven't forgotten."
Gen merely tilted her head and looked innocent, causing Caleb to raise a brow as he stared her down.
Eli followed Cal into his kitchen, slipping his shoes off on the way and tucking them aside to be polite - he didn't want to be rude and tread any dirt inside. "No, but thank you for the offer. Take a seat, get comfy - relax, and tell me what has been going on since we last spoke. It's been so long... I can't even remember where we left off." He nodded and headed into the lounge to get himself settled - he knew better than to ask if Caleb was sure he didn't want help. He if needed it, he would ask for it. "I know, I've been terrible." He admitted, not on purpose but he'd been doing a lot of child minding, and then he'd actually been socialising a bit - unusual for him of course.
He sat himself down on one of the sofas, peering around as he always did at the place. As his friend returned with a plate of biscuits as well as the tea, he grinned. "Help yourself Eli," He nodded, going to select one of them - he did like to dunk with his tea. "Thanks," He added. "And you madam, don't you try sneaking a biscuit again, you hear? I caught you stealing one when we were last out and about, I haven't forgotten." Eli chucked at that and watched the dog look innocent. "Oh dear, but look at that face... how could you resist?" He teased, taking hold of the tea and dunking the biscuit into his tea. "So, how have you been? We could do with some catching up."
"Think nothing of it," Caleb said, his tone light hearted, "Life can get messy and in the way."
"Thanks," He added.
"Oh dear, but look at that face... how could you resist?" He teased, taking hold of the tea and dunking the biscuit into his tea. "So, how have you been? We could do with some catching up."
Caleb watched Gen's head go back to resting on her paws as she watched Eli dunk a biscuit.
"She's a little trouble maker some days," he said, shaking his head slowly, "As for myself, I can't say much has changed. I still do all the same things, meet the same people each day for tea or coffee, lend my ear to their plights. And work has been a little slower, but it's to be expected - can't have me in a stable yard constantly, too expensive. So all in all, there is nothing to report as amiss."
He sat in the opposite lounge and drank some of his tea before setting the cup down on a coaster, "And yourself? How are you? Your son is doing well I hope? I take it you've been keeping busy?"
"Think nothing of it, Life can get messy and in the way." Eli's smile was easier as Caleb responded, "You are too kind, Caleb," The man had more patience than a lot of people Eli knew, and though the older you got, the more you understood that people were not as available as when they were kids, some friends were much less understanding than others. Caleb was one that was always there, and never seemed to mind how long it had been since they'd last spoke - though Eli did try his best not to neglect his friendships.
His eyes watched the dog who watched him right back, taking a bite of his biscuit. "She's a little trouble maker some days," Eli grinned, dogs and kids were much for muchness really - just as much trouble as each other. "As for myself, I can't say much has changed. I still do all the same things, meet the same people each day for tea or coffee, lend my ear to their plights. And work has been a little slower, but it's to be expected - can't have me in a stable yard constantly, too expensive. So all in all, there is nothing to report as amiss." He nodded, finishing his treat and taking a sip of tea as he listened. "So nothing particularly exciting? I'm glad all is well though," He nodded, he always felt guilty if things had been going on with his friends that he had missed.
"And yourself? How are you? Your son is doing well I hope? I take it you've been keeping busy?" Another nod, and another sip of his tea before he rested the mug against his thigh. "Yes, he's keeping himself busy with work, and so I've have Cole quite a bit recently, but I'm glad for him working so hard, he's trying to make something of himself and I can't deny that." He would do anything for his son, but even more so when he was really putting in the effort - he wanted things to work out for him.
"Kindness never killed a man, so I like to think," he said gently.
Caleb sipped at his tea; he was that one person who would help a stranger at a moments notice, regardless of situation or location. His parents had always told him and his brother that kindness was free and should be paid as often as one could give it, so it was never so strange as to when he let friends and strangers stay in his home when they needed a night off the street.
"So nothing particularly exciting? I'm glad all is well though," He nodded.
"No, nothing all that interesting, just the same as always," he dipped his head slightly.
"Yes, he's keeping himself busy with work, and so I've have Cole quite a bit recently, but I'm glad for him working so hard, he's trying to make something of himself and I can't deny that."
Caleb's smile was warm and full of understanding, "You've raised a good son Eli, and so you should be proud of him making a hard go of work and aiming to make something of himself. It is very good to hear, so few good stories these days reach my ears."
"Kindness never killed a man, so I like to think," Eli blinked, thinking it was a lovely thing to say and he nodded, tucking the words away to remind himself another day. He sipped his tea and took another biscuit, dunking it straight into the liquid whilst it was still hot. There was something relaxing about tea and biscuits, it was very British but he had embraced it by moving from the brutal North of Scotland.
"No, nothing all that interesting, just the same as always," he smiled and nodded slightly. "Nothing wrong with routine, nobody really wants to deal with drama." it was stressful and unnecessary. Simple and straightforward was the way to go with life.
"You've raised a good son Eli, and so you should be proud of him making a hard go of work and aiming to make something of himself. It is very good to hear, so few good stories these days reach my ears." Eli blushed faintly, unable to help the flush pink that coloured his cheeks at the compliment and praise. "Thank you, you are too kind. He really is doing his best and I am so proud of him for the way he has made his life work even with his challenges." he could have shirked his responsibilities to his son, especially being so young. But even without Eli forcing him, he had always wanted to do what was right. Eli cleared his throat and took another sip of his tea, hesitating. He had come for advice really and he was unsure how to go about it. "Speaking of challenges, I have somewhat recently come to find one of my own ..."
Eli blushed faintly, unable to help the flush pink that coloured his cheeks at the compliment and praise. "Thank you, you are too kind. He really is doing his best and I am so proud of him for the way he has made his life work even with his challenges." he could have shirked his responsibilities to his son, especially being so young. But even without Eli forcing him, he had always wanted to do what was right. Eli cleared his throat and took another sip of his tea, hesitating. He had come for advice really and he was unsure how to go about it. "Speaking of challenges, I have somewhat recently come to find one of my own ..."
"A young man with some good sense," he nodded with a soft smile, "It is not a common thing any more."
The days of being kind and polite alongside a dash of common sense were now so rare it almost felt like finding hen's teeth, though he kept the analogy to himself.
"Oh?" Caleb asked, finally reaching forward for a biscuit, "Though I don't know what this challenge is, it does seem to be troubling you - given that look on your face Eli. If I am able to help or otherwise giving my thoughts on it, speak freely - it goes no further than this room and you are still my friend regardless. And if you don't want to talk about it, well, you naturally don't have to say a word."
He looked over to where the dogs were laying down on the floor and he sighed, caving in to their puppy eyes. Setting his cup down on a plate along with the biscuit, he got up and went to the kitchen.
"Alright you two, stop guilting me to death," he said with a low chuckle, "Should've put you both outside."
He went over and gave each dog a milk-biscuit and returned to his seat.
"A young man with some good sense, It is not a common thing any more." Eli smiled and shook his head, "No, it's not, but it's been drilled into him from a young age." He had a good head on his shoulders regardless, but Eli had tried to bring him up with respect and manners. He would have been mortified if he had learned of his son being rude or inappropriate, but the handful of times in his life where Joe had been pulled up on anything, he'd known he was wrong or he'd had good reason for the anger.
"Oh? Though I don't know what this challenge is, it does seem to be troubling you - given that look on your face Eli. If I am able to help or otherwise giving my thoughts on it, speak freely - it goes no further than this room and you are still my friend regardless. And if you don't want to talk about it, well, you naturally don't have to say a word." He nodded, frowning into his mug as he mulled it over. He had come to Caleb as the guy would know how he felt, and he always had wise and nonjudgmental words.
"Alright you two, stop guilting me to death, "Should've put you both outside." He glanced up with a half smile as Caleb gave in and gave the dog a biscuit each. Eli watched the two munch with satisfaction, taking a sip of his tea before he found the words. "Well, I just..." He blew out a breath, struggling to know how to speak it. "I have been married, to a woman, and before her there were always women. Since she died, I have not been interested in anyone, it's not even been on my radar or my thoughts." Years had passed but he just hadn't felt any flame, until now. "But now I find my head turned for the first time in a long time, and it's a man? I don't understand, I have never felt attraction for men before, and I don't think it is men but rather just this one." He frowned, confusion written on his features.
"Well, I just..." He blew out a breath, struggling to know how to speak it. "I have been married, to a woman, and before her there were always women. Since she died, I have not been interested in anyone, it's not even been on my radar or my thoughts." Years had passed but he just hadn't felt any flame, until now. "But now I find my head turned for the first time in a long time, and it's a man? I don't understand, I have never felt attraction for men before, and I don't think it is men but rather just this one." He frowned, confusion written on his features.
Caleb listened to him, his features softening as Eli spoke. It was not too much unlike from his own experience with the one partner he'd had in his life. Meshing his fingers together, he smiled knowingly. He'd been confused for a time, almost lost in his confusion, but eventually there had been realization and acceptance.
"You know Eli, what you just described is not too far from my own experience," he said gently, "It's confusing and makes you question things. I did the same when I finally dated when I was younger."
His gaze was distant, the smile sad and warm at the same time as he recalled the years spent with Andrew. How easily they'd meshed as a couple, but only his own stubbornness had ruined what had been good in his life. He didn't admit to many that he'd ever had a partner, letting others believe that the life of a bachelor was one he'd been treading for as long as he'd been alive.
"Despite having married to a lady as fine as your wife, life moves forward, and she still loves you in some way and would undoubtedly want to see you happy. Sometimes asking the smaller questions can help rather than simply wondering why. Ask yourself what it is you feel towards this man - is it the personality, his ability to talk and make the world melt away, or is it surface level attraction; is it how he looks, the curve of his nose, the colour of his eyes. Ask those questions instead of wondering why a man, why now - those questions can leave you muddled, conflicted," his eyes returned to Eli with an understanding light in them, "I asked myself those questions and I realized for me, it was both surface attraction, but also a deeper attraction to his personality. When it dawned on me that that was got myself to look twice at him, I asked myself one last question - did I love him? It took me years to answer that question Eli, and there is no time limit to finding those answers."
He picked up his tea cup and drank from it, humming softly, "It's not something you can answer in a day, and no one can sway your decisions. And there is nothing wrong with liking a man and not having a full blown attraction to men outright - it doesn't always go that way. In the end of things, its your happiness Eli."
He set his tea cup down and let Eli digest what he said, not wishing to over whelm him.
He hoped he wasn't sounding nuts, or like he was losing it, and as he looked at Caleb he thought maybe he understood him. "You know Eli, what you just described is not too far from my own experience," His eyebrows went up in surprise and just a little bit of hope, that he wasn't going crazy. "It's confusing and makes you question things. I did the same when I finally dated when I was younger." It was a comfort to know that he had one through something similar and he took a sip of his drink as he listened to his friend explain things.
"Despite having married to a lady as fine as your wife, life moves forward, and she still loves you in some way and would undoubtedly want to see you happy. Sometimes asking the smaller questions can help rather than simply wondering why. Ask yourself what it is you feel towards this man - is it the personality, his ability to talk and make the world melt away, or is it surface level attraction; is it how he looks, the curve of his nose, the colour of his eyes. Ask those questions instead of wondering why a man, why now - those questions can leave you muddled, conflicted, I asked myself those questions and I realized for me, it was both surface attraction, but also a deeper attraction to his personality. When it dawned on me that that was got myself to look twice at him, I asked myself one last question - did I love him? It took me years to answer that question Eli, and there is no time limit to finding those answers." He nodded slowly, withdrawing into himself a little as he mulled over the words.
"It's not something you can answer in a day, and no one can sway your decisions. And there is nothing wrong with liking a man and not having a full blown attraction to men outright - it doesn't always go that way. In the end of things, its your happiness Eli." It was true, it shouldn't matter whether it was a guy or a girl, only what he felt for them. He was quiet for a moment, the silence stretching between them as he gathered his thoughts, directing them to Cal and what he thought of the man, detangling emotions of the heart from the one's of lust and attraction. "I guess at first it was just an interesting pull, he intrigued me, he has a similar view of the world, and then I got to know him a little more and I liked his personality, and then there just became a subtle shift that I liked not only talking to him but looking at him. I liked it when we made physical contact. It feels a mixture of attraction and feelings beyond that, and if he were female I would understand it immediately, it's just very different."
Caleb let quiet fill the room as he watched Eli begin to mull over what he’d said. It was surely a shock for the man to suddenly have feelings for a man after having married to a woman. It wasn’t something he could ever fully explain, just retell his experience and hope it gave the other some light at the end of the tunnel.
“I guess at first it was just an interesting pull, he intrigued me, he has a similar view of the world, and then I got to know him a little more and I liked his personality, and then there just became a subtle shift that I liked not only talking to him but looking at him. I liked it when we made physical contact. It feels like a mixture of attraction and feelings beyond that, and if he were female I would understand it immediately, it’s just very different.”
Caleb nodded, “It is something different to experience. It becomes a case of learning and understanding Eli. He is not a woman, and women give off very different … cues, if you will. You’ve spent a good length of time knowing and understanding women that trying to read and understand a man under this light is off putting.”
He watched Eli’s face as he spoke, “If you believe he is right for you, if he makes you happy, then talking to him about this would help too. It can make things clearer between you, but that talk doesn’t need to be today or tomorrow or by the end of the week. When you feel right about it, just discuss it. Or, look into what Demi-sexuality is - I had to look at that when I first had feelings for Andrew all those years ago. It might help to shed more light on the matter.”
He was glad Caleb didn't push him, it had been hard to come to terms with this, to know that he needed to talk to someone about what was going on. He didn't want to talk to his son, it didn't feel appropriate, and he didn't have many friends. He was struggling to make sense of things, but then perhaps he didn't need to make sense of it right now, as long as he knew in his heart what he wanted.
“It is something different to experience. It becomes a case of learning and understanding Eli. He is not a woman, and women give off very different … cues, if you will. You’ve spent a good length of time knowing and understanding women that trying to read and understand a man under this light is off putting.” Eli half laughed at that and gave a nod in agreement, "Very true - he is not like a woman, not that I am anything short of rusty when it comes to knowing when someone is flirting - gender aside." He gave a small chuckle and then sighed. "It's not like this is a set thing, it may amount to nothing but I certainly feel that there is interest from both sides, and I just wanted help to understand." Which he felt he was receiving from his friend.
“If you believe he is right for you, if he makes you happy, then talking to him about this would help too. It can make things clearer between you, but that talk doesn’t need to be today or tomorrow or by the end of the week. When you feel right about it, just discuss it. Or, look into what Demi-sexuality is - I had to look at that when I first had feelings for Andrew all those years ago. It might help to shed more light on the matter.” He half grinned and sipped at his tea, almost finishing it. "He does, this is all new still though, I don't want it to feel serious and I have mentioned to him that this is all new but I do want to see where this is going."
Eli half laughed at that and gave a nod in agreement, "Very true - he is not like a woman, not that I am anything short of rusty when it comes to knowing when someone is flirting - gender aside." He gave a small chuckle and then sighed. "It's not like this is a set thing, it may amount to nothing but I certainly feel that there is interest from both sides, and I just wanted help to understand."
"Nothing is ever set in stone, nothing is truly permanent," Caleb said gently, "But you are wise to recognize that. I do wish you to find happiness my friend, I always do. Understanding can be tricky, but I can see why you want to have a better grasp on things."
He half grinned and sipped at his tea, almost finishing it. "He does, this is all new still though, I don't want it to feel serious and I have mentioned to him that this is all new but I do want to see where this is going."
"Then there is nothing more you can do," he gently tipped his head to him, "It will make sense to you at some point, and even if it confuses you, all will work out. Time and patience are the world's levelers."
He stood up, taking his tea cup and plate to the kitchen, setting them in the sink before coughing softly.
"And should you ever have need of more advice, or have other questions you feel you need an answer to, well, you know my door is always open to you. Always."
He washed his hands in the sink before returning to the living room.
