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!.
Tobias couldn't help himself as he strolled into the bar; the same time as he usually did. It had become somewhat of an accidental habit he had formed. Sliding on his leather jacket and heading off the R&R's in the evening for a drink. It had become even more of a habit to look out for that guy. The one that sat in the corner, soaking up the atmosphere from his usual booth. He didn't meant to look, and it irritated him all the more every evening that he did. Even more irritating was that he then went over to him; without fail every fucking time. He'd get his drink, he'd pretend for a minute that he was going to ignore him, and then he'd go over there and slide into the seat, and get sucked into whatever fucked up conversation they had that time.
His eyes sliced across the floor to that booth, but for once it sat empty. His brow furrowed, and he tried not to notice the flash of disappointment he felt not to see Eyrz sitting there, expecting him, nursing a drink. Toby sidled up to the bar and ordered his usual, paying with a tap of his card and then mulling over his options. He used to enjoy coming here on his own, for his own space and company, and now it felt off. He didn't know what to do with himself; he could stay at the bar and drown his sorrows - not that they were sorrows exactly - but he also didn't want to get drunk. He rarely got drunk, it wasn't his scene and he had too much control over himself to let go of it. He took a swig from his whiskey, sighed internally, and headed over to the empty booth. He may as well take it before someone else did; though he couldn't recall ever seeing anyone in it. Placing his drink on the table, he slid into the familiar leather embrace and tried to relax.
His meetings ran later than he'd wanted them to, having grown used to having the same routine for weeks now. The same space at the club, the same curious conversations that he'd have with that ever curious boy. He wasn't even sure what was it was that allowed him to continue to entertain the young man, but was it was an enigma in itself and he prided himself on unraveling oddities like that. What he might find, what truths he might uncover were relatively meaningless in the end, for he knew it couldn't be that bad - not compared to himself. Not compared to the bad he knew existed, the things he saw and did.
Walking into the club, he immediately looked to the bar, frowning when he noticed that his case was not there at the bar looking like someone had insulted him. His expression went back to neutral just as quick, signalling the bar before he began to move over to his booth. His brow rose a little bit as he noticed someone sitting there before he registered the form. Oh. He was here. How interesting.
Moving over, he leaned on the edge of the booth, arms folded over his chest, the faintest hint of a smirk on his face.
"So, did you miss me?" he asked, the smirk becoming more pronounced as he moved to his usual space to sit down, "Or is this just some coincidence that you are sitting here?"
He entertained himself by people watching for a while, considering his options of returning home without having spent any time with the person he had come for in the first place - unknowingly apparently. Or perhaps just in denial. He didn't understand why he had wanted to come, not on a surface level at least. Deep down there was a whisper of a reason. There was a tiny nudge; he could admit to liking the guy, weirdly enough, despite their differences. But he didn't know to what extent, or quite get why. They were so different - polar opposite ends of the spectrum, and sometimes he was frustrating as hell, especially the way he challenged Toby on values he didn't think required challenging.
There were a few people he knew from sight in the bar, but not by name - in all fairness, he didn't know many by name at all. He didn't branch out to make friends or meet new people, Eryx was the first in a long time, and he still wasn't sure what to make of that. It was odd, coming home from the army to all the quiet. You had your squad, your troop, whether you were friends or not friends, and that was your family - love them or hate them. He had gotten along with most of them, but not all. Still, he'd had a job to do and he'd done it perfectly, to the letter, as he was meant to. He was nursing the whiskey and he knew it, when the door opened again. He didn't look up immediately, assuming that the moment had passed for him to see the man he had intended to 'bump into'.
"So, did you miss me?" He started Toby, if only a slight amount that would go unnoticed by most. It unsettled him immediately, to have been startled - so aware of his surroundings on the day to day it was a rare moment someone could catch him off guard in that manner. He immediately frowned, brow furrowing as he looked up from the depths of his amber liquid and took the smirk head on. Despite the glare, his eyes still followed the guy's movements as he took his place in the usual seat, and a tiny part of him was glad for it. "Or is this just some coincidence that you are sitting here?" Toby took a swig of his drink to avoid an answer for a minute, fast to gather himself back together. "It's a coincidence, you're of no importance to me, for me to miss." It felt clunky, the words, but he didn't like the insinuation. "Where have you been?" It sounded almost accusatory, and he hated that too, his frown deepening, lips pressing into a tight line.
"It's a coincidence, you're of no importance to me, for me to miss."
"Uh-huh, right," he smiled and signalled the bar for his usual order.
"Where have you been?"
Eryx tilted his head slightly to the side and watched Tobias, eyes roving over every square inch of his face, "Do I need to account myself to you, on the basis that I am of no importance to you?"
He nodded politely as the Vodka and shot glass arrived in front of him, and he made a measured show of taking his time, pouring the liquid into the glass before throwing it back and set the glass down.
"But to humor you," he chuckled, "A couple of meetings ran later than expected, and as a result, things got pushed back further and further. Rather unavoidable, nothing could wait until morning."
"Uh-huh, right," Tobias frowned, the usual expression his face accomodated, ranging from a slight furrow to full on scowl. Call it a default expression of his. "Why the tone?" He accused, feeling that Eryx was on the verge of laughing at him. Not something he appreciated from anyone, least of all a person who was all but a stranger to him. His eyes followed the movement Eryx made, the frown deepening, verging on scowl, as the barkeep starting getting their usual together. That was annoying, had Toby really been here that frequently? He'd have to remedy that in some way, but the thought of changing his routine didn't appeal.
He also didn't like the way Eryx looked him over like that. It made him feel naked, not something Tobias was very used to feeling. He was not a fan. "Do I need to account myself to you, on the basis that I am of no importance to you?" Tobias rolled his eyes, rolling the bottle around in his hand to mull on his answer for a moment. After a moment of considering his options, he shrugged. "It was just a question." It wasn't like he'd told the guy he owed him an answer, even if it had been a somewhat more demanding tone than he intended.
"But to humor you," Tobias looked up in mild surprise, trying not to seem it. He hasn't expected an answer after Eryx'a response. "A couple of meetings ran later than expected, and as a result, things got pushed back further and further. Rather unavoidable, nothing could wait until morning." He filled the time once again with a swig, taking his time to roll the liquid around his mouth before he swallowed. It was a habit of his, allowing him a few moments reprieve before having to respond. In the end his response wasn't all that interesting, unable to come up with anything better than, "I see, not one to procrastinate then." he noted, not that it made any difference to Toby. He also didn't like to leave things, either until last minute or a different day. It wasn't even about being proactive, but more for the fact that it itched at him, like someone nagging you, until the task was done.
At that, he raised a brow, amused, "Why the defense?"
"It was just a question."
"Right, just a question. So, since you are on tone - why so abrupt?"
He poured his shot and downed it in one smooth, well practiced movement. And just like that, he was partially staring and observing the younger man's face, trying to get a clearer read on him. What was up his nose this evening?
"I see, not one to procrastinate then."
"Never," Eryx replied, his tone genuine, "But then again, serving time in the army does tend to lend that sort of quality. I've always remained on top of my game, always doing what needs to be done - bigger picture and all that. And if I was to have a guess, you're likely of similiar mind."
He smiled, almost a smirk really - dropping a little bit of bait to see if he would take at it this time.
"Why the defense?" Toby's scowl deepened at Eryx's words, "I'm not," and he despised the way his response sounded even more defensive, scowl impossibly deepening further. How did this man always seem to bring out the petulance in him - something his father would never have tolerated, a behaviour that Tobias hadn't had since he was a kid, and perhaps not even then under his father's roof. It didn't pay to be petulant. He didn't bother to try to say anything more, knowing it would only make it worse.
"Right, just a question. So, since you are on tone - why so abrupt?" Toby swigged his beer, picking at the label in an agitated manner. Why did Eryx have to upset him all the time, he'd come here for a drink right? That was it. Not the company, not the weird way the guy made him feel, not all the questions it raised. His brain hurt and he swigged again, letting the bitter taste of the beer settle him. "I've always been direct, I didn't think you had a problem with it." Not true, he was a little out of sorts today but he didn't think he could put it to words.
"Never, But then again, serving time in the army does tend to lend that sort of quality. I've always remained on top of my game, always doing what needs to be done - bigger picture and all that. And if I was to have a guess, you're likely of similiar mind." Tobias tilted his head, unsure he'd know that about the man before. With all their conversations, he hadn't honestly gleaned that much from the man, he had to admit. "You served? When was that?"
