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!.
Leo had missed his cousin, though they had seen each other a handful of times over the years, in his opinion it hadn't really been often enough. He'd practically grown up with his cousins until further family arguments had seemingly pushed them permanently apart... until the cousins had trickled down to the South of England to come and find the rest of them. He was glad for it, despite his parents shortcomings and what atrocious people they were, he was a family orientated kind of guy. He had welcomed the arrival of James and Ash into their ranks, and now there was Chris, things felt complete. He did not consider Amber, he rarely did if he could help it - good luck to his cousin for working with her.
He hadn't seen much of his old partner in crime since the guy had arrived, and he thought it was time to remedy that. Maybe he should have sought him out earlier, but he wanted to give Chris time to settle in. Actually, Lily had demanded it of him, as Leo had been childlike (as usual) and had wanted to bound over there the moment Chris got in. He resented the childlike comments and would act accordingly to play up to them. Tonight though, nobody was going to stop him spending some quality time with his cuz - not even the guy's job that he'd be working. They couldn't help it if the shifts didn't work for them, or well.. didn't work for Leo. He wasted no time in heading over to the bar once it was open, earlier than he usually would. The bouncers knew him well and waved him straight in with a small nod of hello - moody bastards but they did the job alright. How ironic that Chris had chosen to work in one of Leo's favourite haunts. He almost bounced up to the bar and leaned his forearms on to top of the surface, a grin in his face as he caught sight of his cousin's head from behind. "Yo, Cuz!" He called out about the noise of the music. "You call this service? I've been here all of two seconds and don't seem to have a drink in my hand, what's it take for that to happen?!"
Christopher was stuck with the opening shift, which he didn't mind. He had only been in Hickstead for a few weeks now but it was already started to feel like home. It felt nice for him having more family members around him after his years abroad.
He started cleaning his area of the bar, also making sure that his beverage area was well stocked. Moses had given them all a warning that it would be busy with the holiday season approaching. A palate of clean glasses was placed in front of him by the dishwasher and he quickly started putting them away. He was in a groove with it all, when he heard a familiar voice. "Well look what the cat dragged in, I didn't expect you to be here!" He set the glass that was currently in his hand and walked over to his cousin. "Did you have to bribe the bouncers to let you in, or are you some sort of special customer?" He joked, grabbing a glass from the cupboard above his head.
"If you want that kind of service, I think you'll need to find another cousin to do it for you. What can I get you? Did you want something to eat?"
He couldn't be sure at first that Chris had heard him - though how anyone could ignore Leo's obnoxious voice he didn't have any idea himself. Then his cousin looked up, putting down the glass in his hand and heading over. "Well look what the cat dragged in, I didn't expect you to be here!" Leo gave a snort and a roll of his eyes, "Please, it's like a second home for me." He joked, though really it was probably about 5th on his list - following his actual home, the stables, James' place and then the local feedstore. Lily liked to send him on down there to heft about the sacks of feed to occupy him. It was like she didn't think he knew she sent him off to do busy work because he was being annoying. He found it amusing though. "Did you have to bribe the bouncers to let you in, or are you some sort of special customer?"
Leo put a hand to his chest as if he'd been shot, "You wound me with your accusations!" He joked and then gave a shrug and a smug look. "I'm number one on their VIP guest list. One look at me at my handsome face and they open the doors." Not quite true, but close enough in his big ass head, the modest bastard. "If you want that kind of service, I think you'll need to find another cousin to do it for you. What can I get you? Did you want something to eat?" He wrinkled his nose as his mind went to the other cousin that did indeed work there. "No thanks, she'd sooner tear my arms off and make me drink my own blood." He wasn't afraid of much, and it wasn't that he was afraid of Amber, but he did his best to avoid her as much as he could. He wasn't stupid, and she made him wary, so whenever she was working he ignored her side of the bar like it didn't exist. "I'll take a beer though thanks, I'm not looking for food though." Not right now anyway, but his stomach would probably argue differently soon enough.
"So, are you saying you drink enough so that Moses can pay all the employees?" Chris was sure he didn't, but between his cousin and the rest of the regulars he was still getting to know - he was sure it had to be at least partially true. The red head set the beer glass down in front of him, while he continued to dry more glasses to put away in the cupboard above him. "I'm not accusing you of anything! I just know how prickly they can be sometimes and by the way you just waltzed in here like some royal prince, I had to assume."
He didn't know his coworkers very well yet, but they all assured him that the bouncers knew what they were doing - and that everyone was on the same team when it came to evicting someone from the Lounge. 'Are you sure it's your handsome face? I thought most people saw you and ran the other way." He wiggled his eyebrows jokingly as he put another clean glass away.
"She would! Glad to know you are still terrified of her. I haven't run into her yet, but with me working here that could all change." When he had first applied for the bartending job, he was worried that Amber would be the one training him, but he was pleasantly surprised it was someone else. "One beer coming up. How have you been? Getting ready to spoil those kids of your for Christmas?" Chris picked up the glass he had set aside for Leo and placed it under the tap, pulling the lever to release the amber liquid into the beer glass.
"So, are you saying you drink enough so that Moses can pay all the employees?" Leo grinned and tipped an imaginary hat to his cousin. "Consider me your pay check, cuz." though if it really were true he might have to consider some form of Alcoholics Anonymous, Moses paid pretty fair from what he knew and it'd mean a considerable amount of alcohol drunk. He didn't think Bella would be best pleased to see those kinds of bills either. Not with their mini hoard of children to feed and clothe. "I'm not accusing you of anything! I just know how prickly they can be sometimes and by the way you just waltzed in here like some royal prince, I had to assume." Leo playfully narrowed his eyes and gave him a suspicious once over. "Mmmmmm... I'll let you off this once," in truth, Leo didn't tend to have beef with his family, just the odd rubbing from time to time when tensions arose. He didn't count Amber.
'Are you sure it's your handsome face? I thought most people saw you and ran the other way." Leo put on an expression of mock hurt, consoling himself with another look at the display of alcohol. "There's no need to be jealous, I'm sure I could use my charm to find you someone if you're struggling." he joked in return, and also a dip into the question of whether his cousin had anything going on romantically. He liked to match make where he could, he was a romantic at heart. "She would! Glad to know you are still terrified of her. I haven't run into her yet, but with me working here that could all change." Leo pulled a face at that and shrugged. "Best of luck to you." he didn't think it best to comment further, it was best he didn't. They had an unspoken agreement to keep out of each others, perhaps his cousin would do better given he had to share the bar with her.
"One beer coming up. How have you been? Getting ready to spoil those kids of your for Christmas?" Leo smiled gratefully, accepting the drink once it was ready and taking a long, healthy sip, tapping his card to pay once Chris had it all set up and ready. "My bank account has taken quite the nosedive in preparation but don't tell them. The be good for Santa excuse is doing wonders for keeping them out of trouble." He grinned and flashed his cousin a conspiratorial wink, swinging around on his chair like the big kid that be was before returning to the bar counter. "Was that a hint that you also want a toy train set? Or a super soaker?" He joked, raising an eyebrow. Though he had to admit that the kids toys were hella entertaining and he tried not to be too jealous when they sat down to play. He loved the excuse of them being so small so he got to sit down next to them and join in.
Chris stopped the tap, setting the beer glass in front of his cousin making sure there was a coaster underneath. “Well, I guess that’s true. You do pay to drink here and pay me for working at the barn.” It felt odd for him to say that he was so independent when he was away in America. “You will say when you’ve had enough of me right?” Chris chuckled, he was enjoying being closer to his family. Hickstead had felt like home as soon as he moved in - his mare even enjoying the different scenery.
He got a bowl from a cupboard close by and pulled down a small snack bowl, filling it with trail mix before setting it in front of his cousin in case he wanted a snack. Chris mockingly wiped his forehead with his hand in relief. “No, honestly I’m sure they know you are a good customer by now. How long have you been coming here anyway?” He felt slightly silly for not asking Harper during his training about how long Moses had run the place, but there were more important things to discuss.
“I just moved here! Dating someone right now does sound nice, but I’d like to settle in first.” Chris wasn’t dating anyone, having briefly had a relationship while he was away from family, but it didn’t work out. “Did you have anyone in mind though?” He was always curious to hear what his cousin was thinking. Chris picked up his cloth and started wiping down the area around the beer tap. “Thanks.” He knew Amber was a touchy subject and decided to end the topic there. Chris got the debit machine ready, letting Leo tap his card before the receipt was printed and he set it back off to the side.
He nodded, having children meant the Holidays felt different than as an adult. “Oh really, is there this year's most popular toy under the tree?” Chris couldn’t wait to buy gifts for them. It would be nice to give them in person rather than having to mail them off. “I mean, I wouldn’t say no. Those Nerf guns always seemed fun.” He knew he was still a child at heart and enjoyed playing with toys from time to time.
"Thanks," He might be an annoying twerp at times, but he was always a polite one at the very least - most of the time anyway. The beer had only just been place down before he picked it up and took a long, healthy swig, grinning when he returned it to the mat with a happy noise. “Well, I guess that’s true. You do pay to drink here and pay me for working at the barn.” Leo tilted his head, "I guess I do.. so you'd better make sure to really kiss my ass little cuz." He joked, he didn't really need any ass kissing from Chris... or well, maybe a little would be nice. Just to keep the ego afloat and all that. Leo didn't want to turn down a compliment. “You will say when you’ve had enough of me right?” Leo rolled his eyes, swigging from his beer again - damn it just went down way too smooth. "Oh yeah, I'll be sure to tell you, though I think it'll be obvious by then." If that ever even happened, and he couldn't see it - Leo was a family man, through and through.
His eyebrows raised at the appearance of the bowl, though his ears had already picked up on the noise and he'd be trying to inconspicuously see what Chris was offering before it had even made it to the bar. His hand dipped into the mix without conscious thought, always thinking of his stomach, he just couldn't help himself. “No, honestly I’m sure they know you are a good customer by now. How long have you been coming here anyway?” Leo shrugged, another handful of mix shoved in his face. "Uhhh since it opened probably." He laughed, he'd been coming here ever since he'd moved to this part of the country, it was pretty much the first thing he'd sought out - a decent place to drink, and now they were stuck with him.
“I just moved here! Dating someone right now does sound nice, but I’d like to settle in first.” Leo laughed and rolled his eyes, "Oh come on, get in there before people get to know you and start running the other way." He joked, shaking his head, "In all seriousness, you have the best opportunity, being a new and fresh handsome face for the girls to fawn over - a mysterious dark stranger from out of town.. they should be batting their pretty eyelashes at you every night, especially working here." He swigged his beer, disturbed to see it half empty already. “Did you have anyone in mind though?” Leo shook his head, "Not immediately, but I can easily set you up if that's what you're thinking.. or wingman you?" He brightened up, "We should do that! I'll take you out for a night on the town, and wingman!" He grinned, already sold on the idea and wondering if he could drag James and Logan out to join them.
More trail mix, the bowl didn't seem nearly big enough. “Oh really, is there this year's most popular toy under the tree?” He wrinkled his nose in thought. "The super soaker is quite a big one, but there's also an electronic car thing that is going to go down an absolute treat for sure." Leo thought about the presents wrapped under the tree. Sometimes he really wished he could be a kid again - well, a kid with parents that had actually brought proper Christmas presents' like he and Bella did. “I mean, I wouldn’t say no. Those Nerf guns always seemed fun.” Leo grinned, "you'll be coming round at Christmas right? We'll get the guns out and have a go," He wiggled his eyebrows above the rim of his beer.
Chris chuckled at his ass kissing joke as he threw the bottle cap in the closest garbage can. "Ah, I thought that was Bella's job and not mine. I promise to give you the royal treatment." He hadn't ever been someone who sucked up to other people - deciding that he should prove himself by his actions. "So, you won't admit that you missed me then?" His eyebrow raised as he busied himself in his area of the bar - the evening rush seemed to have settled down a bit for now.
"And how many bartenders have to scared off since then?" He knew from Harper and Tristan that there had been quite a few changes in staff since the Lounge opened - though that was something that tended to happen everywhere. Bartending wasn't a career people tended to keep their whole working lives. When the topic switched to his dating life, he scoffed. "Do you think women think I'm scary?" He tended to get enough dates, though no one who was happy being in a relationship with someone who was a bit of a goof ball. "You'd do that for me? I'm in. Do you know anywhere hip and cool we could go?" Chris knew he spent a bit too much time at work, but he also didn't control his own schedule. Duchess took up most of his free time as he rode the mare practically every day.
He noticed that the trail mix bowl was starting to get empty, picking up the bag and pouring another bowl full for his cousin. "They are lucky to have parents for you. Anything on the wish list left for me to get for them?" It would be nice to be able to spoil his cousin's children in person for once rather than having gifts sent over from America. "You bet! I'm in. What are the usual traditions anyway? Anything I need to be worried about?"
"Ah, I thought that was Bella's job and not mine. I promise to give you the royal treatment." Leo let out a quick laugh at that, raising a brow, "If anything, I'm always kissing hers," he winked, let the kid make what he wanted out of that joke. In all seriousness though, Bella 100% wore the pants in their relationship, and Leo didn't even bother trying to deny it. He never understood why guys were always trying to insist it was them - what was wrong with a strong, confident woman in charge? He thought it was sexy, and hey, at least she kept the family in line and made sure everyone got where they needed to be, when they needed to be there by. "So, you won't admit that you missed me then?" Leo wrinkled his nose and then gave in. "Alright, yeah I suppose I've missed you a little bit." Nobody came close to him and his cousin's ability to pull good pranks together.
"And how many bartenders have to scared off since then?" Leo rolled his eyes, "what kind of ruffian do you think I am?" He pretended to look insulted, "Only one, anyway. Should it have been more?" Well, in his defence, Amber hadn't been scared off as she did still work here, but she, without a doubt, hated him. "Do you think women think I'm scary?" Leo rolled his eyes and gave Chris a look as if he was stupid, "why would you think that? Course not, you Oaf." As if anyone could find Chris scary. He had a quick grin and a warm heart, he was a genuine nice guy and it was easy to see. "You'd do that for me? I'm in. Do you know anywhere hip and cool we could go?" Leo laughed again, "Hip? Oh man, yeah you need to sort out your lingo before you meet the ladies, but of course I would. You'd be doing me a favour - an excuse to get out the house for a night," Even though he loved his family, it was still good to go and let his hair down... frequently. James would probably come, Logan might need some blackmail.
He dipped his hand into the snacks as Chris replenished them, taking a generous handful and happily munching away. "They are lucky to have parents for you. Anything on the wish list left for me to get for them?" Leo shook his head, "They've got a shit tonne of toys so probably better not or Bella might go spare. Just turn up on the day and save your money, they'll be happy to see you. Your present can be playing horsie or hide or seek or something. We'll put you to use." It was only half a joke. "You bet! I'm in. What are the usual traditions anyway? Anything I need to be worried about?" Swigging his beer, he gave another shake of his head and put down the bottle. "No... nothing outside the usual things to be worried about. We'll need to think of a good prank to pull though, naturally. They'd expect nothing less at a Christmas family gathering and we can't disappoint!"
