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!.
"I can't promise that Joe. I won't promise that." she said simply.
He could feel his leg shaking, threatening him. He needed to get out of the bathroom. He made a noise, something that was meant to be a growl but was more like a grunt. Leave me be. Let me be sick on my own for the love of God...
"I promise I'll try not to touch you but if you need help, you can make a safe bet I'm going to help you." she said as her eyes softened just a touch. "Now are you going to clean the blood off your face or do you want me to do it?"
"You ever touch me again, I'll break the hand," he barked at her, though there was not the same savage energy he'd had before.
He gave the mirror a cursory glance before leaning into the sink again and being violently sick. He didn't know what could've been left in him now as he spat into the sink, still gripping the edges for support.
"I'll do it myself," he mumbled, "I just need a shirt. I'll be done by the time you get back."
He wasn't sure if that was going to be the case, but it was a lie he had to tell himself in the hopes that he could be pitifully uncomfortable on his own. He reached out for the wash cloth he'd been using and turned on the tap a little more before cautiously washing his face in small amounts. His skin prickled more, the feeling of being unsettled amplifying, he barely registered the fact he was talking to himself despite Hayden sharing the same space as him - "Get over yourself you fool... just a bit of blood... you've seen worse..."
she hadn't meant to push this button but she had accidently and now she needed to deal with it. she fought the urge to rub her wrist where he'd been holding it and she could already feel the bruise that was threatening to come out. she'd have to come up with a reason for why it was there, in case dustin saw but that wasn't something to focus on right now. she wanted to help joe, keep him safe in the moment and hopefully help him back to the couch or up to his room depending on which one he wanted. she'd give him either option and hopefully he'd pick one of them without too much argument. "joe, scarier men than you have threatened and hurt me." she said softly but honestly. she wasn't scared of him and no matter how much he growled about it, she never would be. "you can growl all you want at me but it won't stop me from caring." those were the breaks and she wasn't about to lie to him. she'd respect his wishes and not touch him while she could avoid it, she'd keep her distance when he was okay and she wouldn't push him when he didn't need it. but this was different, he was injured, possibly concussed and vomiting. those were all signs that someone shouldn't be left alone.
she cringed a little as he was sick again and chewed her lip as she watched but couldn't comfort or to anything to help. all she could do was wait till he was finished and make sure he didn't pass out or fall over and cracking his head on the sink because he was dizzy. she nodded a little when he finally agreed to clean the blood off his nose by himself and she held her hands up just slightly in agreement. "alright, i'll get the shirt for you." she said as she turned to open the door to the bathroom and she stepped through. she was about to close the door behind her when she heard him mutter to himself and she paused. she hadn't been supposed to hear that, at least she didn't think she was but it was enough to stop her. "it doesn't matter if you've seen worse joe." she said softly as she looked back at him. "you're stressed, dealing with hard things and probably even a little scared." she said as she lifted her hand from the bathroom door as she stepped through the space fully. "you've been through a lot and your body is trying to deal. it's normal."
she crossed the hall to the table she'd left the clothes she'd gotten from upstairs for him and she took them into her hands, turning back to step back to the bathroom door. she knew there was no way he'd agree to let her help him at least change his shirt so she held them out to him. "here." she glanced down at the clothes. "i got you some of dustin's pants and one of your shirts." she waited for him to take them as she looked back at his face. "i'll be just out here if you need help, okay?" she knew that would probably earn her a sharp word but she wasn't leaving until she knew he was safe laying down somewhere.
TWENTY SIX | DANCER AT LUNA LOUNGE | DATING DUSTIN GASPARD MCCARRAN DEAN MCCARRAN | 6 PREGNANT
"Joe, scarier men than you have threatened and hurt me." she said softly but honestly. "You can growl all you want at me but it won't stop me from caring."
You don't know danger. I wouldn't have to do much to put it all to an end.
He hung his head. He hated that, it only made him feel worse. The fact that his brain immediate worked out the quickest, quietest method of dispatch made him hold the sink all the tighter, a couple knuckles popping painfully to ensure his hands stayed put. She is a civilian!
"Alright, I'll get the shirt for you."
"It doesn't matter if you've seen worse Joe." she said softly as she looked back at him. "You're stressed, dealing with hard things and probably even a little scared." she said as she lifted her hand from the bathroom door as she stepped through the space fully. "You've been through a lot and your body is trying to deal. It's normal."
He shook his head - why was she eaves-dropping? He just needed get over it. He wanted to tell her to fuck off with her thoughts and opinions and yet it got stuck somewhere between the thought and making a slightly annoyed noise.
I'm not scared. Oh yes you are~
"Here." she glanced down at the clothes. "I got you some of Dustin's pants and one of your shirts." she waited for him to take them as she looked back at his face. "I'll be just out here if you need help, okay?"
He took them from her, almost snatching them out of her hands, his patience with himself and her worn thin.
"Whatever."
His voice was flat, tired and almost pained as he put the clothes on top of the closed toilet before he turned back to the sink. As soon as she was out of the bathroom, he breathed in shakily. He became aware of the shaking in his hands - that stupid fucking trembling that came with his anxiety. Carefully he peeled the shirt off and practically threw it aside. He caught his reflection in the mirror and stopped what he was doing to stare for a moment before tearing his eyes away. He didn't recognize the face that looked back. It took him far longer than he would've liked to get changed, finally free of the blood and feeling a little less panicked. He didn't like the way Dustin's pants were more defined, but he just had to deal with that until he reached his room.
one day she might be able to tell him about the men from her past, the ones who had done things to her that had numbed her to whatever joe could think of doing to her. the things she'd had to defend herself from in the past had been scary enough that there was nothing joe could do that would scare her. she was immune to being scared when it came to herself. there were few things that truly scared her and they were to do with the family she had. losing dustin was one of the scariest. she couldn't imagine life without him by her side, without him being there to lean on and share everything with. but even that paled in comparison to her children being hurt or lost to her. it was the only reason she'd been wary of joe when he'd grabbed her wrist. because she carried a child within her and that meant what happened to her happened to the baby and that terrified her. had it just been her? there was no question he'd never scare her.
she gave him the space he wanted to get changed and cleaned up but she stuck by her promise not to leave him. she was leaning against the wall across from the bathroom door, listening carefully in case he fell down or became ill again. if it kept happening she'd go and wake dustin or avery, he seemed to respond better to his brothers than he did his sisters and certainly better to them than he did with anyone else in the family. which was understandable, they could probably all understand each other, having been through the same horrors. but she hoped he grew to realize that not all the worlds horrors happened in wars. she rubbed her hand over her neck a little, feeling the tension of still being awake at this hour start to take it's toll a little as she waited there for him to open the door to the bathroom so she could either help him to the couch or the bedroom. she wasn't going to rush him but she did hope that he came out soon or she might be asleep and slumped on the floor when he came out.
TWENTY SIX | DANCER AT LUNA LOUNGE | DATING DUSTIN GASPARD MCCARRAN DEAN MCCARRAN | 6 PREGNANT
After bundling the clothes together so he didn't have to look at the blood on them, he pushed the door open and limped out into the hall, not even thinking to look at Hayden in the process. He made his way across to the laundry room, dumping them in the sink. His skin prickled, mostly out of his own self-consciousness to the lack of covering of his arms. Sure, his t-shirt did a good job, but it was still a little too much for his mind.
He rubbed his arms slowly, looking down at the scars - there weren't many, he knew that, he'd counted, but they weren't super faded yet. They still were rosy despite their age - the doctor had said that a lack of sun exposure would do something like that because of whatever medical explanation he gave. He shook his head and headed back out to the kitchen to get some water.
He was going to take the chance to just pass out on the lounge again - fuck attempting to go up to his room tonight. It wasn't worth the effort or struggle, the mental battle or the just the strength to crawl up if he got stuck.
she ran a hand through her hair as she waited for him to come out of the bathroom, resting it on her neck as she let out a breath and tried not to think about the time he was taking and worrying about whether she should knock and check on him. though she did suspect if she did that he'd actually breath fire at her and she knew she'd already pressed enough of his buttons tonight.
but she did hope it was a good thing, that he knew they weren't going to let him just suffer in silence on his own, that they were there when he was ready, even if he didn't see them as family. she straightened a little as the door opened and he walked past her without a word. well walked was a stretch as she noticed the limp and she nodded a little to herself. he'd changed and he looked slightly better than he had a few moments ago. she wasn't upset he hadn't reacted to her, she knew it wasn't really personal.
she waited where she was for a few more moments before she moved into the kitchen and saw him getting a glass of water. "do you want help getting to your room?" she asked him softly as she leaned against the counter. "i promise once you're settled i'll leave you in peace." she assured him, letting him know that there would be an end to her hovering, it just wouldn't be until she knew he was alright and safe somewhere comfortable.
TWENTY SIX | DANCER AT LUNA LOUNGE | DATING DUSTIN GASPARD MCCARRAN DEAN MCCARRAN | 6 PREGNANT
"Do you want help getting to your room?" she asked him softly as she leaned against the counter. "I promise once you're settled I'll leave you in peace."
He glanced at her and shook his head, his tone an unsettling calm, "No. No I can't be bothered trying to get up those stairs. I'll just sleep on the couch again, it's fine."
He sipped on the water, not even sure if that was going to stay put for long, but he would endure it. Slowly he moved from the counter and over to the living room, to the very couch he'd been crashing on for a while, his movement unsteady, but he made it all the same. Plopping down with a heavy sigh, combing hair from his face.
