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!.
The time on the microwave flickered slightly. It was a few minutes past midnight which meant it was late enough to finally have the room to himself and early enough to still get at least five or six hours of sleep once he got himself back into his bed. It probably wasn’t enough for a fifteen year old but sleep was definitely not a priority anymore these days, not at night at least. Sleeping in was still the way to go, nighttime only brought back memories and those memories only resulted in tears. It wasn’t worth it.
Nash sat at the kitchen table with one hand raked into his hair as he stirred his cereal around the swirls of milk in his bowl. The bran, now soggy, with its snap crackle and pop had silenced. His mind was back in the familiar chaos of the kitchen that used to be the heart of their home. It was always so crowded and homey, the scene of so much bustle and voices, screams and laughter was now all together deserted. Things felt depressing lately, forced even, and it was really hard to pretend everything that had come about wasn’t of significance in the destruction of the bond between the Breckah men.
He had purposely come home after dinner as he didn’t feel like looking at any of their faces today. The past couple of days had been pretty intense again with Jace's fits and outbursts and sitting through any of that was just plain torture. The plan was to grab a few sandwiches or something as he had come home but the kitchen had been occupied and he really didn’t feel like talking to anyone or answering questions. Grabbing a shower and going to bed had been the only option to avoid any interaction. His grumbling stomach had woken him up, maybe not eating had been a lapse in judgment. The teen couldn’t specifically remember when he had gone to bed without dinner before tonight but it probably had been one of those times when he had mouthed off to either one of his parents. Mum usually made sure any of her brood had something in their stomachs before they’d fall asleep but dad would always be on the ‘well, that’s how they’ll learn to keep their big mouths shut’ -team. . A sudden noise behind him was an indication someone was coming. Nash stopped stirring his spoon in the bowl in front of him but didn’t look up, ”Whoever it is, yes I've finished all the milk and no, I really don’t care if anyone needs it for breakfast tomorrow morning.
Stephen woke with a start and an angry back when he realized that he had somehow managed to doze off in his desk chair. Green eyes blinked rapidly, trying to wake himself up before glancing at his phone, the blue light almost making him wanting to hiss and retreat. His gaze began to focus as he read the time, "Midnight?" he asked himself stupidly. Fuck waking up then, he better just shrug off his jacket and crash into bed. At least he had managed to change into longue wear before dosing off while reading. Coming home was really making him feel utterly old at the age of twenty - probably because Stephen felt like his family exhausted him more than hanging out with people at Oxford. There was never a break when it came to the Breckahs.
People say blood is thicker than water, and that may be the case when it came to family, but there was a lot on that plate. Between their mother dying, Mav's horse accident, and then their dad going off the deep end, and now with Jace acting out, it felt like there was a never an end to the drama unlike their finances - which was another story all together. But now Stephen had a plan to take the money issue at least, and while their father still drank, it almost seemed like he was willing to go back to the boxing gym now to coach. Or maybe that was wishful thinking. He got up now, and was about to flop on his bed when a sound caught his attention. The young man paused now, craning his head just slightly, listening.
Someone was in the house. Logically, it was probably one of his brothers. Illogically, it was some dumbass who broke into the house. Bristling at the thought, Stephen grabbed a bat by his door, a relic of the past, and quietly creeped down the stairs to the main floor. He gave pause at the bottom, listening again for the sounds. It sounded like it was coming from the kitchen. Immediately, Stephen's mind wandered to Gremlins and how you weren't suppose to feed Mogwai after midnight. Fuck. What if it was gremlins? He shook his head, clearly the grogginess was still affecting him. Tightening his hands on the bat, the young man raised it now and bolted into the kitchen ready to defend the house and the food.
And then he came face to face with none other than his fifteen year old brother, Nash, who was already mouthing off without a clue in the world with who was behind him, "Whoever it is, yes I've finished all the milk and no, I really don’t care if anyone needs it for breakfast tomorrow morning." Stephen stared at him for a moment before stupidly saying, "You're not a gremlin," below lowering his bat, sighing. Shit, he really did get himself riled up. Guess a lack of sleep really does have an affect on the mind. More importantly though, "So, you skip out on dinner so that you can have a bowl of cereal at midnight? Geez, I sense the brotherly love. If anyone brings up the mysterious lack of milk in six hours, I'm not defending you."
Save your lovin' arms for a rainy day and i'll find comfort in my pain
thanks aofie!
TWENTY ONE . JOURNALISM STUDENT . CRUSHING ON VIOLET YIEL OLSON CLAN BRECKAH ☠︎
Nash always needed that bustle, needed to be entertained in ways. It didn’t necessarily have to be something that had social value, even though that was a bonus, but he just needed to keep busy otherwise he would get bored and things would go south. He wasn’t really a person who loved peace and quietness, that stuff was way too nerve wracking for him, especially these days because it gave him time to think about mum never coming back and that realization made him both mad and desperate. Mad at fate for dealing their family such a shitty hand in life, mad at himself for being afraid and desperate because he didn't know what to do with those feelings.
While he never really did appreciate the stillness, it had been nice to enjoy the space in the kitchen again without arguments or people snapping at each other. It gave the boring plain cornflakes more flavor somehow, or maybe that was just his hunger finally stilling now that it was given something to eat. Either way, it was pleasant and pleasant hadn’t been a sentiment he connected to being home lately. Before he was even done speaking up the person in question bursted into the kitchen and it made Nash snap his head up quicker than he wanted to.
Stephen. With a bat. Of course. He rolled his eyes before looking back at his now almost empty bowl of cereal. ”What were you going to do with that?” he wondered lazily and nodded over at the bat. He hadn’t taken Stephen for one to be scared at night, but things were different these days, perceptions had altered. ”Whack the gremlins with it?” Boy, he was funny, even at midnight. Nash sat back as he dropped the spoon in the bowl and snorted at the comment about brotherly love, ”I happen to like cereal at night,” lamest excuse in the book, ”and eating by myself” he added as he mumbled.
”I don’t need you to defend me!" he snapped before even having thought about it. Shit. If anyone didn’t deserve it, it was Stephen. ”We can just blame the gremlins?” They could’ve taken the milk, right? It was only water those creatures couldn’t handle. Nash threw a slight hint of an apologetic smile his brother’s way, that was all he was getting. He really did not want to smile at all but, God, he was glad it was Stephen down here instead of anyone else. ”I bet gremlins are nicer than the rest of the lot that lives here”
Stephen didn't know why but he was almost annoyed that his younger brother seemed completely unperturbed by the fact that he had just walked into the kitchen with a bat to beat the crap out of someone, "What were you going to do with that?” Nash wondered lazily, nodding at the bat, "Whack the gremlins with it?” Green eyes narrowed at his second youngest baby brother, 'Little shit,' he thought to himself, allowing the bat to drop now and relax by his side, "I was actually," Stephen replied now, hardly missing a beat, "Is this why you don't eat with us now? Prefer to eat at midnight?" Truth be told, the young man wouldn't be surprised if his brother informed him that he didn't want to sit at the table with their motley crew.
It was strange how different dinner had came to be, and Stephen had only just walked back into it. But there was no Mom, no Derek, and, well, their Dad and Jace were a hit or miss on whether they decided to attend, nad if they did, well, it was 50/50 on behavior with Stephen, Linc, and Creven all just sitting there awkwardly deciding on what to do. Maybe Nash Breckah really was the smartest one out of them all - deciding that dinner time was when everyone else was dead asleep to the world.
It wasn't long before a faint grumble under his brother's breath confirmed as such. He wanted to eat alone, although Stephen was figuring that had to be something new. A post dead mother thing. Granted, Stephen had been gone for two years while at Oxford, and he had never bothered to come home, deciding to stay in London and do his own thing - barista through the summer before returning to school. Living that starving journalism student life. His thoughts were interrupted by Nash's outburst though: "I don’t need you to defend me!" Stephen arched an eyebrow at that one, and his look must have said it all as Nash hastily added on, "We can just blame the gremlins? I bet gremlins are nicer than the rest of the lot that lives here.”
Green eyes stared at him now, "I mean, I have always wanted a mogwai." The young man made his way over to the kitchen island now, sliding into a seat next to Nash and discarding the bat against it, "Yeah, we can blame the gremlins." He confirmed. Stephen thought for a moment before continuing on, "What do you mean that gremlins are nicer than the lot that lives here? You can't possibly mean all of us." Knowing Nash and how dramatic he could be - theater kid after all, and people say Stephen was the 'artsy' one - he was probably referring to everyone in this house, but Stephen found it rather ridiculous to lump Crev and Linc into that grouping. Still, he knew he had to hear Nash's reasoning, he was the older brother after all, what good did it to be to an older brother and just ignore his younger brother's feelings without getting to the bottom of it?
Save your lovin' arms for a rainy day and i'll find comfort in my pain
thanks aofie!
TWENTY ONE . JOURNALISM STUDENT . CRUSHING ON VIOLET YIEL OLSON CLAN BRECKAH ☠︎
The look in his brother's eyes had the tiniest of smiles tug at the corner of his mouth for the first time since he had left his friends at school earlier that day. Nash had seen those green eyes narrow at him plenty before. Good, he was still able to annoy the older boy as he always had, even if most of it had been in jest over the years. The fifteen year old also knew he was never, ever, going to be able to win an argument with any of the older crew but that hadn’t kept him from trying.
”We have Jace,” he deadpanned when his brother put the bat down and shared he always wanted to have a mogwai. ”It’s pretty much the same thing as a gremlin, just replace water with human interaction and ta-da.” Nash rolled his eyes and snorted but thought it was a pretty clever comparison on his part. ”I come away scot free at least,” he piped up as he pointed at the clock, ”it’s after midnight and I just ate and am still a normal boy.” Okay, yea, sure, that was debatable but that wasn't the point right now. ”Lucky number seven, that’s me….” the slightly uttered words were laced with sarcasm.
He had missed Stephen when he had been away at university and while he really wanted him to have a good education and go places in life he had also hated it when the boy had left and hadn’t returned for the summers that followed. Though now that he was back, Nash found it hard to revert to the way they had been before. Nothing was like it had been prior to all the mess anymore anyways. What if he got used to Stephen being home again? He would depend on his brother like when he was younger only for him to leave once more? It would break his heart all over again.
”Well, no… not all of you... I guess?” he answered when his brother wondered if Nash was talking about all of them. ”Mostly the usual suspects who have been able to fuck up family life even more than we all thought was possibly,”Dad. Jace. Nash shrugged, feeling defeated mostly. Feeling alone. ”Not you, though. Well, some days you too?” it was just honesty and it was more of a question than an actual statement anyways but he didn’t have the courage to look at his older brother. His mind, and feelings, more confused than ever. Did he really hate dislike his family? No. No, he didn’t. He just didn’t like them very much at certain moments lately.
”I mean, come on, bruh. You can’t possibly tell me you’ve been enjoying being back here?” Nash sighed and looked at the empty bowl in front of him, ”Shit, now I want more cornflakes and we’re out of milk. Bloody gremlins.”
Stephen was beginning to think that his younger brother took great pride in annoying him, for as his eyes narrowed, he was certain that he saw the faintest crack of a smile tug at Nash's lips. Figures. Guess it was hard to be annoyed for having such a trait though, the young man welcomed that sort of playful attitude over whatever what was going on with Jace. Granted, it was hard to think ill of his other brother even if he was a wrecking ball. Speaking of him though, Nash just compared him to a gremlin with the best deadpan expression and delivery known to man.
Truth be told, he wasn't sure if it was the description or the delivery that had gotten to him, but either way, Stephen laughed. He laughed so hard that he bent over and needed to support himself. The young man couldn't even remember the last time he laughed like that. Probably back at Oxford, back when he was still attending and everything at home was normal, "I hate to admit it," he finally managed, "But I think you may be on to something there with that theory about Jace secretly being a gremlin." The followed up sarcasm did not go unnoticed either, "You're not unlucky. As you just pointed out, you could have been living with a gremlin curse and not known it. Thanks to me, we can officially check that mystery off of the list."
He was more awake then ever now, despite it being a little past midnight. Green eyes watched Nash as he mulled over his thoughts provoked by Stephen's question. And then, he got his answer: "Well, no… not all of you... I guess? Mostly the usual suspects who have been able to fuck up family life even more than we all thought was possibly....Not you, though. Well, some days you too?” Stephen supposed that he shouldn't be surprised by any of that, even the inclusion of him. Although, it was still a little mind boggling considering their mom had still been alive during the summer vacations he didn't come home, "I deserve that I suppose," Stephen mulled now, "Sorry." He suspected the other two as much, "As for Dad and Jace...well, maybe Derek and I will figure something out. You and the others shouldn't have to worry about that." Stephen knew that was easier said then done though.
Shit hit the fan. And it kept on hitting the fan, particularly with Jace. He could tell that his dad was trying sometimes, but life and emotions just seemed to get the best of him. And while Stephen could sympathize, the truth of the matter was that they all lost Tracey Breckah, and their dad's time for mourning endlessly was beginning to run out. At Nash's slight outburst, his brain raced back to his younger brother. It was a valid point, "It was rough coming back." He admitted now, "But after seeing Dad, I wasn't going to just ignore it. Plus, you, Mav, Linc, Crev, Jace even, you're all too young to be dealing with this shit." Maybe it really wasn't Stephen or Derek's job either to be dealing with this shit either, but to heck was he going to let this family get bad to the point where hte house gets taken or social services get invovled, "And it hasn't all been bad." For him at least.
A wry smile tugged at his lips as his younger brother looked at his empty bowl, "Shit, now I want more cornflakes and we’re out of milk. Bloody gremlins.” His hand came out to mess Nash's hair as a joke before pulling it back, "That's what you get for leaving it out for them, Nash."
Save your lovin' arms for a rainy day and i'll find comfort in my pain
thanks aofie!
TWENTY ONE . JOURNALISM STUDENT . CRUSHING ON VIOLET YIEL OLSON CLAN BRECKAH ☠︎
The laugh that broke from Stephen’s throat was unexpected but it was more than welcome since the somewhat heavy loaded conversation in the dim light of the kitchen had been exactly what Nash had wanted to avoid by coming down at midnight. Being disturbed while eating his cereal in peace and quiet had initially made him roll his eyes but now that the older boy was even doubled over from laughing his ass off it sparked some more appreciation for the company present. Having brothers wasn’t always easy and while he complained about them at times, there was no way he could do without them. Not even Jace. Imagine if it had just been him and their father after mum passed away? No thank you.
It was fun to rile up his brothers, even when karma came back to bite him in the ass after the face. It was worth it every single time. There was some sort of a victory feel in it when he got one of them to narrow their eyes or snap back some comment at him. It meant he had gotten to the core of their frustration and that felt good. It was always good natured though, from his point of view, never in spite. Okay, maybe with Jace lately but he couldn’t help himself there, his mouth was always faster than his brain.
”I’m always on to something,” he smirked, trying to push his own sarcastic comment and emotions that came with that away, ”yea, you’re right, thank goodness you and that crazy bat of yours came down here to scare off potential ’gremlins’.” The dig at this brother’s choice of weapon as protection as he heard a noise in the house was a subtle one but one Nash still wanted to make. ”What you saying sorry for?” the teen sat back in the chair as he raked a hand through his messy bedhead. ”I do get it. You’ve been proper busy, I just didn’t like it but I’d have probably done the same?” he admitted as he gave his older brother a sympathetic smile.
Nash snorted as his face lit up, ”What? You and Derek like some Batman and Robin to come in and save the day?” Yea, it was so much easier to talk about things while joking around, being serious was not something he was made for. ”You do know you’d be Robin, right?” His older brothers really didn’t need to figure anything out, it was up to dad to do so according to the fifteen year old. Stephen being honest about how hard it had been to come back made him settle his impish mood again, ”Anyone is too young to be dealing with this shit, Steve. Even dad” Maybe it didn’t make sense but that’s how it felt. People were not made to deal with this kind of grief, it only made parts of themself die along with it.
A soft smile reappeared on his face, ”Watch the hair, will ya” he said as he tried to move out of his brother’s way even though the affection was something he had needed. Nash got up and opened the fridge once more, ”You want anything? I think there even is leftover pasta? Gremlins don’t like pasta.”
It would seem by the end of his laughing fit that Nash actually appreciated what happened, neverminded that Stephen had initially been interrupting this 'peace' at midnight. He supposed that was the joys of having a brood of boys to call his brothers, no matter how snippy they got at each other, the biting comments broke down into love in the end. He knew it, Nash knew it, they all knew it. For better or worse, although some like Keith and probably Jace, weren't about to admit it. Speaking of biting and sarcastic comments, Stephen made a face, "Hey, my bat is some serious stuff, just like gremlins. No need for sarcasm or implied air quotes." Actually, the situation called for a shit ton of that, but the young man wasn't about to let Nash win, willingly at least.
His baby brother caught him off guard though when he promptly asked what Stephen had been sorry for. Green eyes blinked, taken aback and caught off guard. Mainly because it felt so obvious as to why he felt like he needed to apologize, and yet this fifteen year old was making him, perhaps not on purpose, feel stupid for even voicing such an opinion, "Yeah, I mean Oxfordshire is nice, and then taking the train to live in London was wild. But that doesn't excuse me from not coming home when Mom was still alive. It's not like I meant to be Keith and walked out on purpose." And really, he meant those words. Stephen had gotten caught up in the freedom and coming out of his shell without his family around that he had sort of forgotten about going back home to his family and roots, "If I ever go back out, you should come visit. You'd like London. I think that city is big enough to fit that big theatre ego of yours."
Nash's snort made him roll his eyes, espeacially at the batman and robin comment, "Hey. Derek and I make a great dynamic duo. We're both sullen and look grumpy all the time." They were defilingly not Adam West and Burt Ward. This time was Stephen's turn to snort though, "I would not be Robin." Who though? He wasn't sure. It didn't matter as the conversation went back to a topic of seriousness, and Stephen merely twisted his lips in thought, "I don't know...I think Dad is old enough to realize he wasn't the only one who lost Mom. That doesn't give him a right to check out." He was also certain that his dad needed to go to therapy, but Stephen was certain that such a suggestion would earn him a sucker punch to the face. Breckah men don't do therapy. They don't do feelings, not that sort of feeling at least.
Gentle laughter escaped Stephen as Nash protested the idea of him messing up his hair, "What? It's midnight. Nobody cares about the state of your hair. Besides, who do you have to impress anyways? You're single." Either way, his younger brother skillfully got out of the way, and was up before he could do it again. Back to the fridge now, and Stephen couldn't get over how much Nash wanted to eat. Granted, people could say the same thing about him, "Carbs and meat? Sure, that's my favorite. Even better if I'm clearing it out before the Gremlins can claim it." He got up out of his chair now, "Although I am an adult. I can probably fix it up myself verses making one of my baby brothers do it for me."
Save your lovin' arms for a rainy day and i'll find comfort in my pain
thanks aofie!
TWENTY ONE . JOURNALISM STUDENT . CRUSHING ON VIOLET YIEL OLSON CLAN BRECKAH ☠︎
Maybe being home with his family wasn’t all that bad as he was making it out to be lately. Okay, sometimes it was but it did depend on who he was hanging out with, that was for sure. Nash had missed Stephen more than he had let on and more than he had admitted to himself. He hadn’t realized it before but it felt so good to just sit here in the dimly lit kitchen together, a room that had become the heart of the home after the actual one had passed away. The banter with the underlying love, pain and support was seeping through the more serious topics they tried to avoid but Nash knew that this was exactly what made them family. Brothers.
”Fine, I’ll save my air quotes for Jace, not like he actually gets any sarcasm without going on one of his rampages” It was a low blow, Nash knew that but it wasn’t like they all just merrily went on with their lives while the tension between their father and the seventeen year old increased by the day. ”Maybe you need to find yourself a better date than that bat” the spark in the teen’s eye ignited again as he immaturely changed the subject. It wasn’t harmful, it was exactly what he would’ve told the lads at school during one of their daily brag fests, but it guaranteed a break in any heavier heart-to-heart.
The younger of the two had only been thirteen when his older brother left for Oxford two years ago. It hadn’t struck him as weird that Stephen had not come back for the summers or anything because Keith had left home as well years before that and never returned either. It pretty much seemed to be what moving out meant in their family? That thought had obviously changed in the days and weeks after mum’s funeral. ’It's not like I meant to be Keith and walked out on purpose.’ Yea, he had definitely missed that memo until now. Nash didn’t comment on any of it, too scared he would get emotional thinking about the times they could have had together when mum was still with them.
London being mentioned was another way of making this conversation a little more lighthearted, ”London was made for me” he smirked, ”West End has no idea what’s coming and I don’t mean you and Derek as Batman and Robin either. Just look at that silly bat of yours, definitely not up to standards.” Nash kicked against the wooden club near his feet for emphasis as he got up, ”Bat,…ya get it?” Oh, he was being a little prick and he was enjoying every second of it.
”I have plenty of girls to impress, ya know,” he said although he wasn’t all too sure if this is where he wanted their talk to go to, ”you never know where they might pop up.” Nash rolled his eyes as Stephen got up too, called him his baby brother and talked about how he was an adult now, ”I know how to work a bloody microwave. Besides, who said I’m making it just for you? I’m still hungry too.”
Even though Jace wasn't around to hear that insult, Stephen couldn't help but to grimace at his little brother's blow. The ugly reality about Nash's statement was it was the truth to a degree, and while the young man found his seventeen year old brother difficult and, quite frankly, a ticking timebomb, he didn't think that Jace was entirely to blame. The words seem to hang in the air for a moment, even the fifteen year old seemed to have known that he might have gone too far, "You know, with Jace...I think he's scared of himself too. I think he needs to talk to someone." Someone that was not a Breckah. Getting him to said individual though was another complication entirely, something that their father didn't want anyone else's help from yet as far as getting Jace from point A to point B. But he also knew that Nash didn't want to discuss something serious like that, so when he lapsed to a different topic, Stephen didn't blink an eye.
A snort escaped him, "What's wrong with my bat? And for the record, I can get a date just fine. I just don't want to rush anybody's feelings." Stephen couldn't even sort out his own feelings anyways, he was sorta just cruising along, bouncing between Dublin de Brun and Maelle Orchidaeceae, and yet, he also had some nagging feelings about Vi Olson also. Why? He wasn't sure, she was just some sort of rough and tumble friend. Nothing more than what Gwyn Knight was to him as well. And yet, it was Vi he kept on buying stupid three wicked candles for, not Gwyn. He shrugged it off though, his dating life and feelings outside of his family could still be on hold, and none of those people in his life were saying anything differently.
While the topic went a little defensive on Stephen's end as to why he had been gone, at least he had been able to make up to Nash by bringing up London. That smirk said it all, "Will West End be able to handle you? Or will they send you across the pond to Broadway?" He joked, not even being able to imagine his kid brother over in the United States. London seemed big enough for the kid, both his height and his ego. The young man frowned at the pun, and just rolled his green eyes, "You're never going to let me live down this bat incident, are you?" It wouldn't surprise Stephen if the jokes didn't spread like wildfire by the morning, or maybe early afternoon depending on how late Nash decided to sleep in after this midnight feast.
Even though Nash was being a little defensive about the girls, Stephen couldn't help but to shrug and say, "How am I suppose to know? For all I know, you could be hiding a girl from us." Now he was just being a dick on pushing the matter, but he had given Nash plenty of time to be a prick, now it was his turn. Granted, if he was hiding a girl from the Breckahs, Stephen could hardly blame the kid. If Stephen himself ever ended up with a significant other - no matter the gender - he wouldn't be bringing them around his family either. A grin pulled at his lips as Nash bit back about him over the microwave, ah, he still had it in his power to annoy his baby brother. He held up his hands in mild defeat, "Fine. Fine. You prove your a grown boy to me and work that microwave."
Save your lovin' arms for a rainy day and i'll find comfort in my pain
thanks aofie!
TWENTY ONE . JOURNALISM STUDENT . CRUSHING ON VIOLET YIEL OLSON CLAN BRECKAH ☠︎
”I know, okay?” Nash was quick to counter when Stephen told him that their brother just needed someone to talk to and that Jace himself was probably afraid too. Nash was well aware of all that but that didn’t make it any easier to deal with. Sometimes it was just so much better to blame the seventeen year old for everything that was happening even though maybe none of it was his fault either. They all had been dealt a shitty hand in life over the past couple of months but dealing with it on an emotional level was something that had barely started. And he was sure as heck not going to start that right here in this kitchen after midnight.
Nash sat back in his chair and raised an eyebrow at his older brother as Stephen snorted, ”Hmm, who you fooling there?” he asked, knowing he wasn’t even aware of actual romantic relationships and dating since he was only fifteen but he could bluff his way through it, right? Might even give him some answers regarding what Stephen had been up to all these years. ”Yea? So who was your last date then?” Oh, he was definitely pushing it but this was Stephen and Nash knew that even if the twenty year old wasn’t going to share any details he wouldn’t get pissed off at him for trying either.
He understood why Stephen had been out of town, he really did. Heck, if Nash got the opportunity tomorrow morning he probably would do the same and not look back like Stephen had. No, his brother was one of the good guys, even if he didn’t see that himself. ”West End is waiting for me” he laughed as a slight blush crept onto his cheeks. He was overlyconfident and witty but he also knew that it took a lot of work to ever get to where he wanted to be. If he would ever make it that far. Who knew, at this rate he would end up working at the local supermarket or something for the rest of his fucking life. ”Nah, Broadway sounds idyllic? I’m not idyllic, you know that.” He was a Breckah. That should’ve said enough.
”You and your bat” he smirked, ”Maybe you should write a book about it..” He was just plain teasing now. Man, he had missed Stephen and he hadn’t even realized it. ”And I’m not hiding a girl” he added. Okay, if there was he girl he probably would hide her from the chaos that was their homelife but then again, his mouth was too big and too fast to keep a secret like that. Nope, no girl yet even though there was some interest in one that was way out of his league. ”Because being an adult is all about working a microwave?” Nash rolled his eyes as he pulled the container with the creamy mushroom chicken pasta out of his fridge. ”Who knew? No Oxford smarts needed for this one” he grinned as he removed the lid and put the food into the oven. Damn that smelled good, way better than the cereal he was having before.
It did not go unnoticed how quick Nash was to counter him, and he certainly had delivered it with some attitude. But Stephen let it go, after all, the kid was fifteen. The attitude was expected, and given it was approaching 12:30 am now, his need to argue was slowly drying up. Stephen also didn't care for where this conversation was going - his own dating life. He supposed he had been asking for it though given that he had been prodding his younger brother about his own, "Since moving back? I met a guy at Maverick's barn. It was just a date or two though. Didn't go anywhere." Probably just as well, the young man knew that he was too distracted by his family life and Dublin Bruin appeared to have his own life distractions, "Didn't know my dating life was important to you." He added on in a teasing tone.
A snort of laughter escaped him when Nash proclaimed that West End was simply waiting for him, like this shiny beacon of hope, "Yeah. I'm sure they are." At least theater didn't seem to judge about university degrees given that there were children in theater productions. Green eyes did roll though when his younger brother informed him that Broadway was too idyllic for him, and that he was not that, "I know you're not idyllic. Creven and I are probably the closest ones. Although I'm not sure how you can consider Broadway idyllic. It's New York City. I feel like it rivals London in toughness."
Stephen couldn't help but to sigh at the tease but a grin remained plastered on his face, "Write a book about it? Come on, Nash. I thought you had better digs than that. Something with more quip." No doubt that would certainly rile up the fifteen year old. While Stephen had felt his need to tease and argue wain earlier, perhaps it was simply the topic at hand that had muted him. But brotherly antics always got the best of him in the end. He did hold up his hands in defeat when Nash informed him he was hiding no girl, and while Stephen didn't believe him because teenage hormones, there was no point in beating a dead horse. Green eyes watched as the teenager pulled out a container now with pasta, and when the lid popped open, Stephen it smelled heavenly, even when cold. He couldn't help but to wonder who made it, "It really is. I would know as an adult," the young man joked, "And clearly, you pass with flying colors."
This really was nice, despite being past midnight, just talking with Nash like everything was normal. Stephen could only hope that it would last beyond the morning.
Save your lovin' arms for a rainy day and i'll find comfort in my pain
thanks aofie!
TWENTY ONE . JOURNALISM STUDENT . CRUSHING ON VIOLET YIEL OLSON CLAN BRECKAH ☠︎
