[RIVER ARLO BLOOM]

december 2022 • outfit • SKYE BRITTANY KINGSTON

It had been a few weeks, but River found himself starting to settle into Hickstead. He found a place to live downtown, he got Raven hauled over from her stables just outside of London, and he had Parkour transferred from the sales yard to Seven Oaks. He hadn't bothered introducing the two horses yet, figuring they both needed to adjust to their new living situations before meeting each other. On the life adjustment, well, that was seemingly a rougher adjustment for River. Truthfully, it was hard to not be a dick but he was trying. Then there was ignoring the call of substance. The man kept himself busy by reducing himself to groom and stable hand work at Seven Oaks while he figured out his plan on getting back into the competitive side of things - he still needed some rehabilitation when it came to riding and his thigh still annoyed him.

To keep his mind at ease while working, he had taken to using noise canceling headphones to listen to ambient sounds. Usual forest sounds with thunderstorms, sometimes crickets, streams, and fireplaces were added to it, pretend he was out living in some fucking cabin like a hermit. As annoying as it had been that River found himself reduced listening to nature sounds to distract his mind from just about everything wrong in his life - and his lack booze. He was beginning to understand why people picked rehab over AA and going cold turkey. It was not sunshine and rainbows and unicorns. It fucking sucked and the work was harder than anything labor related. Perhaps it was his pigheaded also and the idea that discussing feelings was stupid that also made it hard. But details.

River was pushing the stupid muck wheel barrow down the aisles, making his way to the dump pile at the end of and just outside of the barn to dump into contents into the frozen air and snow. As he walked by the indoor arena to his left, a flash of white grey caught his eye and he halted in tracks. Glancing over, he saw a horse and rider utilizing the quiet arena, the jumps set up as they worked through their paces. River pulled his headphones off, letting them rest around his neck just in case one of the other stablehands walked by to tell him to get back to work. Blue eyes watched the rider. She and her horse clearly knew each other well, and she was doing well, he wouldn't deny that. But he watched closely as they came up on a double oxer jump followed by a combination. The echo-ing of hoof hitting the poles and then some drops behind them said it all, "You miscounted your strides! You should have fucking had that!" The critique came out fast and unfiltered. Damnit, River. He was stuck now. So he casually leaned against the frame, waiting for her to come over and bite his head off.

it must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

thanks aofie!

[SKYE BRITTANY KINGSTON]

Skye lifted the bridle in her hand and glided it over Ghost’s head, slipping the bit into his mouth gently before securing all of the buckles and rearranging his forelock to sit comfortably. She double checked the girth then headed out of the stable, holding onto the horse loosely by hanging an arm through the right rein while she secured her riding hat on her head. It had been a while since she had jumped her oldest companion as the dapple grey had been on rest after feeling some heat in one of his legs. She had eased him back in gently over the last week or so and she felt he was ready to get back to it.

She walked into the indoor arena, making sure to close the gate behind her to avoid any wandering barn animals or children getting in and distracting her, which had happened before. Skye lifted her foot into the stirrup and pushed off with her other, lifting it over and swinging gently into the saddle. She kept her reins loose as she nudged the horse forward, spending longer than usual warming him up, working up to a few small jumps to see if there may have been any signs of lameness. So far so good. She scratched Ghost’s neck affectionately before pushing him into a canter, directing him towards the start of the small course she had set out. He sailed over the jumps with ease, making her face break into a smile. Her boy was back on form.

They flew over the double oxer and turned towards the combination. Movement in the corner of her eye made Skye momentarily lose her concentration causing the grey to make decision to skip a stride and take the jump early. They managed to somehow avoid landing on the jump but the contact of hooves couldn’t be dodged.
She involuntarily winced as she heard the clattering of poles behind them and mentally cursed at herself for allowing herself to become distracting. She rubbed Ghost’s neck for saving their asses, a less experienced horse may have had a different outcome. "You miscounted your strides! You should have fucking had that!" She looked up, her eyes landing on the guy leaning against the arena gate. He was the cause of her distraction. ”I know, I did have until I got distracted.” She said, walking over to the gate and stopping in front of it.

[RIVER ARLO BLOOM]

december 2022 • outfit • SKYE BRITTANY KINGSTON

He had caught wince pass over the rider's frame and face, she knew very well that her horse had just saved their asses. At least she rewarded the gray gelding with a rewarding pat. For a second, despite the fact that River had yelled his critique across the arena, he thought that it might have escaped her and she would have ignored him. After all, he was just some stable hand. Instead though, her eyes found his and made contact, directing her horse over to him now. The man realized that he might be in for it now, but as she approached, she looked quite young, maybe no more than twenty three, and River had no problem throwing his weight around when it came to riding if she choose to mouth off at him. As the horse and rider came to a stop before him, blue eyes didn't hide the fact that he looked them over.

They were a good looking pair - flashy and athletics, and he thought that in a good way. It was the kind of pairing that could go places with the right type of training and raw, untapped potential. He didn't recognize the pair from his showing days, which meant that they were still at the local level, which wasn't something that River would sneer at. Everyone started somewhere, "I know, I did have until I got distracted.” Ah, so that was how it was going to be. The man didn't break his stance, he decided that he was going to be leaning her for quite a bit, and if he did move, it would be to help her in the arena. This girl wouldn't chase him off, at least, not on her accord, "Distracted?" he asked now, a grin playing across his face, "I know I'm handsome but I'm a bit old for you."

River knew he shouldn't leave it at that, if he did, she would just walk off and he could not help but to be curious about the pair. Coaching had never been his thing, he had been a competitive rider for a reason, but even he couldn't deny that he was sidelined for the time being and annoying enough, nobody in Hickstead seemed to know who he was, "You know, if you want to advance out of the local shows, you can't be letting your horse save your ass like that." He pushed off the frame now, and waltzed on by the young woman and her horse now into the arena, blue eyes taking in the jump set up before glancing back over towards them, "Do you get---er, what's your name?"

it must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

thanks aofie!

[SKYE BRITTANY KINGSTON]

She refrained from lifting a brow when the man looked her and Ghost over. He’d interrupted their session and now he was judging them. "Distracted? I know I'm handsome but I'm a bit old for you." She supressed a scoff and snorted a laugh in response. ”Yeah you’re not my type hun.” She remarked, letting her own eyes look him over as he did her. "You know, if you want to advance out of the local shows, you can't be letting your horse save your ass like that." She loosened her reins, allowing Ghost to stretch out his head, taking advantage of their unplanned break.

If she didn’t have hold of the reins, she’d have folded her arms in response to the man’s audacity. ”we're already out of local shows and Ghost only needed to save my ass because of you.” She hit back. No she shouldn’t have gotten so easily distracted but it was beside the point. She couldn’t stop her eyebrow from raising when the man walked into the arena. Who did he think he was. "Do you get---er, what's your name?" She collected her reins back up, signalling Ghost the break was over. ”Skye, and you are?”

[RIVER ARLO BLOOM]

december 2022 • outfit • SKYE BRITTANY KINGSTON

The look on the young woman's face said it all - she was holding herself back from a flurry of biting remarks, rude gestures, and exasperated sounds. River didn't care though, it was nothing he hadn't heard before from a woman or a man for that matter. Yet, he did feel like he had to give her some credit when due. The man decided to hold off on any compliments yet though, since he was curious to see how this would go. The laugh escaped her now, and he got his answer, "Yeah you’re not my type hun.” Now it was his turn to let out a snort, "I'm everyone's type." Blue eyes watched as she allowed her horse to stretch out his neck now, looks like they might be talking for a while. River didn't mind, he interrupted her after all. Maybe he'd give her a pointer or two, although riders like her probably have been on a horse since they could walk and thought they knew it all.

She certainly was trying to put him in his place it would seem, just some lowly stable hand. River supposed that was his life though, a shocking amount of people didn't seem to know him. Sometimes he was fine with that, other times it annoyed him. Perhaps that was the problem with reaching stardom, when you crashed and burned, there were reminders everywhere and then, people simply forgot who you, "Well, if you're already out on the local shows, then spectators shouldn't distract you," River replied, "This not being a show arena shouldn't change that reality, nor should the horse." And now he was in the arena, invading the space, as the rider arched her eyebrow at him. He simply ignored though as he looked over the grey gelding, powerful, conditioned, perhaps not in total form yet.

And then, he got a name. Skye and Ghost, "Ah, a name to to the owner's plate." There were a few grey horses at Seven Oaks, but now that River was up close and personal, he recognized Ghost with ease, "I guess I didn't recognize your horse without him sneezing on me." River commented wryly before looking up at her, "River, I'm one of the newer stable hands." His gaze turned from her and then surveyed over the jumps again, the double oxer, the combination, the distance between them as well as the height, "Consider me curious. What exactly were you working on improving besides not knocking over poles?" His brain had been wracking over whether someone had mentioned to him that Ghost had been on stall rest prior to River's arrival at Seven Oaks, but his brain was pulling up short and foggy.

it must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

thanks aofie!

[SKYE BRITTANY KINGSTON]

"I'm everyone's type." She held back a snort at his remark and smirked, her eyes twinkling ever so slightly in amusement. Great, another guy who had an ego the size of a football field. ”Well clearly there’s a first for everything.” She retorted. "Well, if you're already out on the local shows, then spectators shouldn't distract you," She ran her tongue over her teeth and exhaled through her nose. He was right which was annoying. At least when she was at a show her focus was always razor sharp. It was in most training sessions but this was just an assessment of how Ghost was doing after his recent lameness. ”And when I’m at a show they don’t.” She defended. "This not being a show arena shouldn't change that reality, nor should the horse.” She lifted a brow, suddenly feeling like she was back in school. ”Who are you, my mother?” She asked, suppressing the urge to fold her arms across her chest, choosing to run a hand down the grey’s neck instead.

"Ah, a name to to the owner's plate. I guess I didn't recognize your horse without him sneezing on me." She laughed and glanced down at the horse. ”He likes to do that if he isn’t given immediate attention.” The gelding was definitely a dog in a past life. He’d be anyone’s best friend if they provided him with enough scratches. "River, I'm one of the newer stable hands." She nodded, memorising the name. ”Well forewarning, Echo will try and bite you and Apollo will try to drag you to the field if he thinks he can get away with it.” She said, talking about the two other grey’s stabled on either side of Ghost. "Consider me curious. What exactly were you working on improving besides not knocking over poles?” She relaxed a little more now the interrogation seemed to be over. ”He had a little heat a couple weeks ago so I’ve been easing him back into work for the past week.”

[RIVER ARLO BLOOM]

december 2022 • outfit • SKYE BRITTANY KINGSTON

Her retort was fast and quick, River didn't know what to make of it. On the one hand, he was annoyed at Skye's attitude with him given that he had attempted to help her out by pointing out a glaring flaw during her ride. On the other hand, he found her attitude a little bit cheeky mainly because the young woman reminded him of himself back in the day. But he certainly wasn't going to tell her that. Besides, the man knew that he had secretly gotten the last laugh as Skye took a deep breath through her nose, because it was a small action that admitted that he had been right, she just refused to say. Naturally, she went back into defending herself, "Well, you two may be rusty then," he simply replied before rolling his blue eyes, "I'm not your mother. I'm like...a wise little old sage. Like that green fellow in Star Wars."

Given these past five minutes, River wasn't even sure if he was that, but hell if he was going to let her push him around like some common stablehand. They may have met a small truce though over his comment about Ghost's affinity to sneeze on him, and she replied that the grey horse needed his affection fast and if it wasn't met, clearly the boogers went flying. Skye then went on to give him other information on two other horses he knew well enough now, "Ah. Guess you have a thing for gray horses then? I didn't realize the trio belonged to you." He supposed he should have seen it coming though if she was jumping. Now that quippy snaps were out of the way, Skye appeared to relax, and therefore, so did River, "Ah...before I got here. I get it now," he mused outloud. Blue eyes looked to the grey horse again before adding, "If it helps, I wouldn't have guessed that by what I saw." It truthfully just looked like miscommunication and blunder, verses Ghost getting back into the rhythm of things. A sigh escaped him, "Sorry I was a dick earlier, I get caught up in watching jumping. Miss it...guess I was taking it out on you. If it helps, you two did look pretty good."

it must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

thanks aofie!

[SKYE BRITTANY KINGSTON]

"Well, you two may be rusty then.” She nodded, agreeing that they were indeed a little rusty. ”I'm not your mother. I'm like...a wise little old sage. Like that green fellow in Star Wars." She snorted and gave the guy a small smirk. ”Yoda? Okay if you say so.” She hadn’t watched the movies but everybody knew who yoda was, unless they lived under a rock. "Ah. Guess you have a thing for grey horses then? I didn't realize the trio belonged to you." She grinned and ran a hand over Ghost’s neck. ”I have a soft spot for them. .yep they’re mine.” Her love of grey’s had only started after getting Ghost, then she found Apollo and fell in love with him too. Echo had been a birthday present from her parents and she was still in the process of loving the little asshole. "Ah...before I got here. I get it now, if it helps, I wouldn't have guessed that by what I saw. Sorry I was a dick earlier, I get caught up in watching jumping. Miss it...guess I was taking it out on you. If it helps, you two did look pretty good." She exhaled with a smile. ”Thanks. I’m sorry too, I get defensive as a safety mechanism I guess.” She said, happy the tension was gone. ”Why don’t you jump anymore?” She asked.

[RIVER ARLO BLOOM]

december 2022 • outfit • SKYE BRITTANY KINGSTON

He was a little surprised to see her nod in agreement with him only just minutes earlier Skye had nothing to say but spew venom. River supposed that they both had gotten off on the wrong foot then. A snort escaped the younger woman now followed by a smirk, "Yoda? Okay if you say so.” A dark eyebrow arched, both at her reaction and her words, "That's his name? Yoda?" Perhaps it was just as well he had never seen those movies then, he probably wouldn't make it through without some off handed comment, "And what's the smirk for? Think I can't handle you?" He made sure to deliver that line with his own smooth smirk, just to avoid starting another war after they just made truce, but it was hard to deny that River wasn't riled up by a perceived challenge by a younger rider. God. Maybe he was gettin' old.

River merely nodded when the young woman confirmed the trio of grey horses belonged to her, as well as the stated obvious that she loved greys, "They're a good bunch, even on their off days." Not that he rode them, but as a stablehand, the man got to know each and every horse on a personal level it felt like between taking them out to the pasture and taking care of their stalls. He supposed he did much more, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it.

His attention was brought back down to earth though as he said his apologies about being a dick. River Bloom didn't like to often admit that he was a dick or that he was in the wrong, but every once in a while, his conscious got the best of his pride and attitude. Also, keeping his job would be nice. It would seem that he wasn't the only one handing out apologies though as Skye voiced her own, "Safety mechanism?" River asked now, felt like there was a story there. But he wouldn't pry. She was entitled to her own privacy. Speaking of privacy though: "Why don’t you jump anymore?” The question hung in the air like an omen that River didn't know quite how to deal with, but he just answered with the truth, "Bad riding accident. I was drunk. Happened on national tv, you can youtube it. My mare did her best to save me, but it wasn't good enough. I'm lucky I got away with what I did and Raven kept her life."

He smirked at the memory now, and the thought of how hard he had fallen, "Happened on international stage too. Lost my sponsor, coach. Everything. Now I'm here, mucking stalls," and then he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket now, before grinning, "And nitpicking young riders about their stride counts." River wasn't sure if this would be uncomfortable for her now, being near him. River Bloom. Once a star and then crashed it all a way in one night. Perhaps it was a long time coming, and he just refused to see the writing on the walls. Everyone left, and he went into exile, "I have to say, what's nice about Hickstead is somehow nobody seems to know who I am."

it must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

thanks aofie!