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!.
Flynn pursed her lips as she stared at the box. "Right... time to meet your maker." She bit her tongue gently in concentration as she picked up the scissors from the side table and carefully knelt down. Liam was at school, and she had a day off work. Bruce was due home any minute and she'd figured now was the perfect time to start preparing the baby's room. It was still a little early, she knew that.. but they were close to three months now, and she was feeling confident to tell people - so the idea of getting a few things on the go to avoid feeling rushed appealed to her. Bruce had typically not let her take the package upstairs, he had become almost unbearably protective, which she understood.. but at the same time she hadn't been able to help the eye rolls and occasional tuts. She'd survived pregnancy the first time round, she knew what she could and couldn't push.
She had figured scissors were okay to bring upstairs without her man's help, and she started attacking the packaging, slicing it open to reveal the new cot they had ordered. She didn't have anything from Liam's younger years left, having not had the space, she'd ended up selling or passing it on in the way. It was kind of exciting in a way, it meant that Bruce got to experience the excitement of buying new baby stuff too, which was sweet and something she was going to enjoy - the cot buying had been sweet enough. She began to pull out the pieces with care, putting the packages with the screws and such to one side, and the bigger wooden parts onto another. She had just unfolded the instructions when she heard the door. "I'm up here!" She called out, knowing he would be looking.
Bruce knew that he was going a little overboard with trying to keep Flynn safe, so he kept his routine the same and went to check on his horses every morning - mostly to give her a breather and space from him.
He had stopped at the bakery on the way home and carried a box of cinnamon bun and two hot chocolates as he walked through the door. "I'm up here!" He smiled as her voice greeted him and he headed up the stairs to where he knew she would be. "I hope you used safety scissors." He teased with a grin as he gave her a kiss. "I bought sustenance...." He placed the box and drinks on the ground beside her. "Okay, I bought straight sugar, but it's the same thing." He looked at the parts of the cot that had come out of the box, and bit his lip to stop any mention of the fact she probably shouldn't be lifting those by herself. He picked up the instructions and read through it, things looked simple enough. "Shall I start putting it together?"
She heard the sound of his feet coming up the stairs and she smiled automatically; damn did this man have her heart. "I hope you used safety scissors." She rolled her eyes and gave him a look as he appeared in the doorway, "I ran around with them, holding the pointy end out first," She teased right back, returning his kiss. It might sound ridiculous, but she wouldn't actually do that anyway, but especially not now - she wasn't a complete idiot. "I bought sustenance...." She sat up a little straighter, immediately interested in what gifts he'd brought her - which seemed to be a thing at the moment, but she wasn't going to be upset about it.
"Okay, I bought straight sugar, but it's the same thing." She laughed softly at that and went to investigate, taking a sip of the hot chocolate straight away and making a hum of appreciation for the taste, and then she peered into the box. "Oh, you shouldn't have.. but thank you." She grinned, delving straight in for a bun. Her appetite had already picked up, and she'd found she had a sweeter tooth than ever thanks to her pregnancy. She knew it wouldn't be long before her brain started picking out odd things to eat too. She saw his look and she raised a brow, "Don't even..." She warned. She could move pieces of wood around without causing injury. Not only being a nurse, but having been through all this before made things easier on her - she knew her limits, she knew what was safe and what wasn't. She was careful enough. "Shall I start putting it together?" Her eyebrows shot up as he picked up the information sheet. "A man.. using instructions? Are you feeling okay?" She teased and then nodded, "We shall start putting it together..." She said pointedly. Fine, she'd let him do the damn lifting and manly things, but this was a together thing. Not a 'you can supervise' situation.
"I ran around with them, holding the pointy end out first," Bruce nodded with a grin. "I wouldn't expect anything else." He said with a chuckle.
"Oh, you shouldn't have.. but thank you." He bowed low as he picked up his own hot chocolate and took a sip. "I did it for me as much as for you." He confessed. "Did you have any crazy cravings last time that I should know about?" He knew that each pregnancy was different, but some cravings carried through. "Don't even..." He raised his brows in mock innocence. "I didn't say a word." He protested and then narrowed his eyes. "Maybe there is some truth in women being able to read minds. I might need to find my tin-foil hat." He gave her a cheeky grin. "A man.. using instructions? Are you feeling okay?" He scoffed. "I...I can't believe you said that!" He gasped. "I read the instructions all the time, then I put them aside and see if I can do it better.""We shall start putting it together..." He bowed again, this time in apology. "Of course my dear, it was a slip of the tongue, I meant both of us putting it together. I thought I could start while you finish emptying the box." He hadn't meant it to come out as though he was going to do it all himself.
"I wouldn't expect anything else." She grinned in response but let it go, taking another sip of her hot chocolate instead. "I did it for me as much as for you." At that she smiled, she was glad he was still thinking of himself too - she didn't want the next several months to be all about her, as sweet as Bruce was, he still needed to think of himself and make sure that he was "Good, you should always do things for you," She reminded him, tucking into the bun and sitting back a little, straightening up. Her back ached a little from her position but she was comfortable enough. "Did you have any crazy cravings last time that I should know about?" She tilted her head as she thought back, imagining the cucumbers in peanut butter, the pickled onions by the jar full, the chocolate coated salty pretzels. She grinned slightly, "not necessarily crazy but a bit odd. I think I'll wait and surprise you with them." She teased, wondering if they would be the same this time around.
When he raised his hands in surrender she relaxed. "I didn't say a word." She nodded and made a noise of ascent, deciding to leave it as it was. "Maybe there is some truth in women being able to read minds. I might need to find my tin-foil hat." Flynn pretended to look shrewd. "Oh we can absolutely reads minds - but it's mostly because of how easy you are to read." She teased, his one look at the cot being out the bag had given it away a little. "I...I can't believe you said that! I read the instructions all the time, then I put them aside and see if I can do it better." She snorted at that, "So the baby's going to have a rocking cot? because it'll likely have unbalanced legs." She shook her head, finishing off her bun as he bowed. "Of course my dear, it was a slip of the tongue, I meant both of us putting it together. I thought I could start while you finish emptying the box." "it's fine," she promised, knowing he hadn't meant it in that way really. "I'm ready to help, I'll let you do the heavy lifting, but at least I can help pass the correct bits and do some screwing."
"Good, you should always do things for you," Bruce grinned. "Everything I do is for me, I just make you think that it's for you so that to think I keep my ego in check." Yeah, he'd never been a good liar. He grabbed a bun from the box and broke a bit off to pop into his mouth. "not necessarily crazy but a bit odd. I think I'll wait and surprise you with them." His brows rose. "But, if you tell me now, I could have the cupboards stocked up, just in case..?" He was imagining late night runs to the market to pick up a jar of something that she just had to have right then and there.
"Oh we can absolutely reads minds - but it's mostly because of how easy you are to read." He chuckled and nodded, as she could indeed read him like a book. "I shall have to work on my poker face." He gave a bright grin, as they both knew that she would always know what he was thinking before he'd even finished the thought. "So the baby's going to have a rocking cot? because it'll likely have unbalanced legs." He looked at the instructions again. "Note to self, the cot needs to be plumb." It was a cot, they probably only needed the instructions to make sure they used the right bolts in the right spot. "it's fine," He raised his brows in question, making sure she had forgiven him for the very chauvinistic comment. "I'm ready to help, I'll let you do the heavy lifting, but at least I can help pass the correct bits and do some screwing." He pressed his lips together, though didn't quite hold back the laugh. "Well, I can assure you that you do the last part well." He placed the instruction sheet on the middle of the floor and began to move the cot pieces around. "Right, we need the longer screws first." He gave her a wicked grin. "And we all know that the length is what it's all about."
"Everything I do is for me, I just make you think that it's for you so that to think I keep my ego in check." She raised an eyebrow at that and glanced over at him, chewing on her last mouthful on bun in contemplation. "Is that so.." She mused. "I don't think it's working," She teased, though she was serious about him doing things for himself - pleasing yourself was a good way to help relationships to work, so that one person didn't feel taken advantage of, or like things were one-sided. She loved him, and his sweet gestures, but she liked to do some for him too, and wanted him to feel he could just do things he wanted to do. "But, if you tell me now, I could have the cupboards stocked up, just in case..?" She thought on it for a second, and then pulled a face, "I don't think I want pickled onions in the fridge though, right now the thought of them makes me feel ill. It's a lose-lose situation for you, my friend." She admitted with a sad smile. He made a good point, perhaps the chocolate pretzels could be possible - the peanut butter they already had but anything fresh might go to waste if she ended up not wanting it.
"I shall have to work on my poker face." Flynn laughed at the idea of it, "We both know that is never going to happen - and thank God for it too." She joked, but she did like how open he was and how easy it was for them to communicate. "Note to self, the cot needs to be plumb." She rolled her eyes but took another sip of her drink to avoid making a comment on this occasion. His laugh alerted her to her accidental innuendo and she flushed faintly with a quick grin. "Well, I can assure you that you do the last part well." She tilted her head, "What, screwing?" She teased this time, then tried to look serious. "What a crass term, and here I was thinking we were making love..." She just couldn't help herself, and she rested a hand on her stomach gently. "I guess that's what got us into this in the first place." Though she was not going to complain about the compliment. She put her drink aside and shifted closer so she could help pass him things. "Right, we need the longer screws first." Flynn raised a brow, preparing herself for whatever was about to come out of his pretty mouth. "And we all know that the length is what it's all about." She snorted, and her eyebrows rose as she met his gaze. "Actually, that's not quite correct. Girth factors into it plenty. You'll need both to be considered... impressive." She pressed her lips together to hold in a laugh as she located the screws he wanted and offered them over to him.
"Is that so.." Bruce quirked a brow. "I don't think it's working," The other brow raised to join the first and his lifted his hands to his head, as though checking the size. "Nope, doesn't feel over inflated. I think I'm all good." He chuckled. "Call me a hopeless romantic, but doing things for you makes me happy." He shrugged with a grin, as stupid as it sounded, it was the truth. "I don't think I want pickled onions in the fridge though, right now the thought of them makes me feel ill. It's a lose-lose situation for you, my friend." He shuddered at the mention of pickled onions. "Tiana likes eating those dipped in sherbet, and she can't blame crazy pregnancy cravings on that." He shuddered again, his oldest sister was just weird. He sighed. "I guess we will just have to battle the cravings as they hit. I shall make sure the pantry is stocked up on chocolate though, lots of bags of those treat-sized ones." A few dozen boxes of Cadbury Favourites should sort that out.
"We both know that is never going to happen - and thank God for it too." He gave a boyish grin. "I could surprise you one of these days." Though they both knew that was never going to happen too, as far as her not being able to read him that is. "What, screwing?" He gave a quick nod with a grin. "What a crass term, and here I was thinking we were making love..." His brows arched teasingly as he gestured at himself. "I'm a farmer's son. What part of me did you think wouldn't be crass?" He wigged his eyebrows. "I guess that's what got us into this in the first place." He grinned. "And I wouldn't change that for anything!" He tried his best to keep a straight face as he waited after her reaction. "Actually, that's not quite correct. Girth factors into it plenty. You'll need both to be considered... impressive." He pursed his lips and nodded. "Good to know." He said as he took the proffered items and began to put the cot together. "Can you please help balance this while I try and find the hole, you know, we have to find that right spot to put it in."
"Nope, doesn't feel over inflated. I think I'm all good." Flynn raised her brows and paused to watch him, snorting quietly. "Who's to say that's the head it's gone to." She pressed her lips together to avoid letting out the laugh. "Call me a hopeless romantic, but doing things for you makes me happy." Well she couldn't make a joke out of that, and her expression softened. "Well, call me a hopeless romantic, because I love you for it." She had always been that dreamy, soul-mate believing kind of girl growing up, and though she'd had the huge hiccup of a marriage before, she still wanted to believe it was out there, and a part of her believed that Bruce was it.
She saw his shudder and laughed, but that shudder said he felt the same as her. "Tiana likes eating those dipped in sherbet, and she can't blame crazy pregnancy cravings on that." Flynn pulled a face of disgust, "Okay ew, that's just gross." and she wouldn't normally say she was one to talk, but at least she could blame hers on the pregnancy. "I guess we will just have to battle the cravings as they hit. I shall make sure the pantry is stocked up on chocolate though, lots of bags of those treat-sized ones." Flynn smiled slightly, looking a little hopeful as she suggested, "maybe... those chocolate covered pretzels, please? I love salty and sweet combined." She admitted; even without the cravings.
"I could surprise you one of these days." Flynn laughed as she looked up at him and then she shook her head, "Please don't, I very much love you just the way you are." She said with complete honesty. She hoped he never changed. He never made her have to guess what he was thinking or feeling, he was funny and sweet but sensible when she needed him to be, and he looked out for her and Liam, so good with her son she had no worries about him being a wonderful father. "I'm a farmer's son. What part of me did you think wouldn't be crass?" Which she should have guessed, but she pretended to be offended, "I just thought you'd think of our time together as something sweeter than that.." She was laying it on a little thick, sure he would see right through it.
"And I wouldn't change that for anything!" Flynn smiled and rested a hand briefly on her stomach, "good, or this would make for a very awkward afternoon." She teased. "Good to know." She watched him again for a moment, unable to help herself yet again, "don't worry babe, you are perfectly average." Which was a lie, he was better than in every aspect. She counted her lucky stars every morning for him being by her side. She pushed herself to a stand as he began to assemble the cot. "Can you please help balance this while I try and find the hole, you know, we have to find that right spot to put it in." She nodded as she went to take hold of the piece to keep it steady, glancing over at Bruce. "Well, there's only one hole, that's the correct hole..."
"Who's to say that's the head it's gone to." Bruce's eyebrows shot up, feigning affrontment, though he couldn't act insulted for too long, as the grin broke his serious look and he wiggled his eyebrows. "Well, call me a hopeless romantic, because I love you for it." If there were more hopeless romantics in the world, it would be a much better place... or he'd be really lonely.
"Okay ew, that's just gross." He laughed and nodded. "I tell her that all the time, but she says I can't knock it till I've tried it, and I have no intention of every trying it." He shuddered again. "maybe... those chocolate covered pretzels, please? I love salty and sweet combined." He grinned and nodded, making a mental note to grab some the next time he went shopping.
"Please don't, I very much love you just the way you are." He grinned, pleased that she liked him the way he was. "Don't worry, I have no intentions of being anyone other than me." Though there were times when he second-guessed his own choices. "I just thought you'd think of our time together as something sweeter than that.." He chuckled. "Oh, don't worry sweetheart. Our time together has been so much sweeter than that."
"good, or this would make for a very awkward afternoon." He chuckled and paused as he tried to think about the mood of the room if he wasn't happy about the pregnancy, but quickly shook his head. "It probably would." He agreed. "don't worry babe, you are perfectly average." He grinned and puffed his chest out, and then quirked a brow as he wondered if average should be taken as an insult. "And you're perfectly, perfect." He told her with a shrug.
He made sure that that the base of the cot was flush with the side that he was attaching, as the last thing he wanted was to not be able to fit the sides on. "Well, there's only one hole, that's the correct hole..." He looked at her with an innocent expression. "Of course, this one on the side of the cot. What did you think I was talking about?"
"I tell her that all the time, but she says I can't knock it till I've tried it, and I have no intention of every trying it." Flynn laughed softly, "Okay, I have to admit I have been there - telling people the same, but that was absolutely the cravings and un-pregnant me did not have the same taste buds." She shook her head, "I'll try anything once, but I may have to draw the line at the one," Flynn joked. She made a point of trying things in front of Liam, as she hadn't wanted him to grow up fussy - it worked most of the time, but he definitely tried to put his foot down about some things.
She smiled in response to his grin; she didn't understand people that said they loved each other but then tried to get them to change. She'd tried to change her ex, and all it had done was end up getting her hurt. That was different, as he'd changed who he was after they were married, or perhaps he'd always been that way and hidden it well to begin with. "Don't worry, I have no intentions of being anyone other than me." Flynn gave a firm nod at that to agree, she didn't want him to be anyone else. "Oh, don't worry sweetheart. Our time together has been so much sweeter than that." Flynn blew him a kiss for that, "glad to hear it," she teased, though she wasn't generally offended in that kind of way.
Flynn couldn't help laughing as he puffed out his chest, she found that to be one of her favourite things he did - feeling proud of himself, even if he was playing a little. "And you're perfectly, perfect." She flushed a little and wrinkled her nose, "I am certainly no Mary Poppins, but thank you." because he was always so sweet and giving with the compliments. She held the piece of wood steady as she watched him working on it, not wanting to be the reason things were messed up and the cot was wonky or something didn't fit. She raised a brow as he looked up at her, with that innocent expression he used so often. "Of course, this one on the side of the cot. What did you think I was talking about?" She looked back at him with a slight raise of her own brows. "Suuuure you don't.."
"Okay, I have to admit I have been there - telling people the same, but that was absolutely the cravings and un-pregnant me did not have the same taste buds." Bruce chuckled, he hadn't spent enough time around pregnant humans to be able to comment. "I'll try anything once, but I may have to draw the line at the one," He smiled and nodded. "Ditto." As they ate what they grew and raised at the farm, there was no excuse for being fussy. Even as an adult, he still gave things a try before rejecting them.
"glad to hear it," His eyes twinkled with mischief. "How about referring to out time together as a romp in the hay?" He couldn't help the laugh that escaped him, as that term made it seem even less personal.
"I am certainly no Mary Poppins, but thank you." He shrugged with a grin. "Nope, you're better. She was only practically perfect in every way." Yes, he'd been forced to sit through that movie way too many times during his childhood, and was horribly disappointed that he couldn't jump into a chalk drawing he had done - even more so when he got in trouble for drawing on the kitchen floor with chalk. "Suuuure you don't.." He raised his brows at her innocently as he secured the base to the end of the cot. "Would I lie to you?" He grinned as he wiggled his eyebrows. "At least not if I thought I could get away with it."
"Ditto." She had anticipated him to be of the same cloth, she didn't mind people that were firm 'no''s on things but she did feel it was a little short sighted not to try something you had never had. Her argument was always, how can you tell you won't like it - though she could understand a little more when it was a combination of odd things than just saying no to a food you'd never tried. She made an effort to say yes to things infront of her son to prove a point that it was always good to have a go, rather than make an assumption. It worked in other parts of life aside from just food then too; being open minded about life and opportunities it might offer.
She narrowed her gaze on him at the look in his eyes, knowing that look all too well. "How about referring to out time together as a romp in the hay?" Flynn snorted and raised a brow, "Oh yes that sounds much more personal," She joked, tilting her head and pausing for a moment, "will you tattoo my name on your arm afterwards as a declaration of your love?" She snorted, as that was what all those movies seem to enjoy doing. Whatever happened to flowers, chocolates and a good old fashioned promise seen through?
"Nope, you're better. She was only practically perfect in every way." Flynn gave him an impressed look for his memory. "Sucking up to me now after insulting me? I'm not sure how I feel about this," She teased, though she'd accept him showering her with comments at any time of day. Particularly now when her hormones were already beginning to send her emotions ping ponging all over the place. She fell quiet for a moment as she watched him fix the cot, not taken in by his attempt to look innocent still. "Would I lie to you? At least not if I thought I could get away with it." Her answering look was pointed, "exactly," She half grinned, "and you won't get away with it - your face gives you away every time." She warned.
Bruce pulled a face. "I will however draw the line at offal." He shuddered. "Dad used to have lambs fry and bacon for breakfast every other Sunday." One would think that growing up on a farm, eating animal innards would come as second nature, but he couldn't stand the smell of the stuff cooking, let alone letting it get close enough to try and eat it.
"Oh yes that sounds much more personal," He grinned and nodded, "will you tattoo my name on your arm afterwards as a declaration of your love?" He smirked and pursed his lips in thought. "I don't know about tattooing your name on my arm though. I was thinking more across my heart." He gave her a soft smile and shrugged.
"Sucking up to me now after insulting me? I'm not sure how I feel about this," He grinned and blew her a kiss. "I feel that if I compliment and insult you at the same time, the compliment will outweigh the insults, and you know that I'm always honest when I compliment you." He moved around to fix the other end onto the cot, part of him tempted to set the base on the bottom holes so that when they turned it the right way up the base would be on a slope. "exactly, and you won't get away with it - your face gives you away every time." He chuckled as he held his hand out for the next bolt. "I'm pleased that my lack of a poker-face keeps me in on the straight and narrow." And he was no intention of trying to change things, as he was happy with her knowing if he was being honest or not.
"I will however draw the line at offal. Dad used to have lambs fry and bacon for breakfast every other Sunday." Flynn shuddered at the thought and shook her head, her stomach curling at the thought, "No thank you, there are other things that are on my complete 'no' list - as small as it is." She shrugged, never having been one to eat things like black pudding or whatever it was where they stuffed things in places that they shouldn't. Those kinds of things she could accept her son turning his nose up at, but simple vegetables or general meats she wasn't quite so tolerant with.
She watched him consider her question, "I don't know about tattooing your name on my arm though. I was thinking more across my heart." Ah damn him and his sweetness, her own heart melted just a little and her eyes softened as she returned his look, "Trust you to be able to turn a silly joke into something romantic." She grinned, though he could do it at any time, she'd always welcome it. "Sounds like yours might match the one I have of you already on my heart," she returned with a widening of her grin. It wasn't quite true - she didn't even own her heart anymore, it was firmly in the hands of the handsome man currently opposite her.
Flynn made a show of catching his kiss and then, after a moment's hesitation, pressed it to her heart. "I feel that if I compliment and insult you at the same time, the compliment will outweigh the insults, and you know that I'm always honest when I compliment you." She tilted her head, watching him move and making sure to hold her piece steady for him to fix it at the right angle. "I think the compliments need to be bigger, to make sure they really outweigh all these insults." She decided. As he opened his hand, she bent down to pick up the bolt and placed it gently in his palm. "I'm pleased that my lack of a poker-face keeps me in on the straight and narrow." Flynn laughed softly and she reached out to touch his shoulder gently - considering there wasn't much in reach of her in that moment. "So am I."
