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!.
It was pretty hard not to get emotional as the song carried its melody across the burial ground. The music was getting to Link just like it was to Nash while neither boy seemed to want to admit that. It was hard to sit here and Nash couldn’t imagine it ever getting any easier but it was also one of the places he wanted to be at all the time. Just to be close to her. Which apparently he wasn’t alone in.
Nash nodded, Link had a point, maybe music at a cemetery wasn’t a standard thing or something people supported but he had been respectful about it. It wasn’t even about the volume anyways. The backpack came off and Link smiled at him. Oh, how he had missed that goofy smile. Nash returned it as he saw the takeaway boxes but when his gaze met his brother’s the grin faded. ”Right here?” he wondered for a moment as he looked around only to shrug it off. Okay yea, why not. ”Sorry mum,” he said softly as he took out a slice of pizza, almost looking at the headstone for a confirmation whether he was allowed to eat here or not.
He took a big bite out of the greasy hump, ”Ohh, this is good stuff, he said with his mouthful and the hint of another grin towards his brother, thankful for small blessings. ”Not as good as mum’s food though, sorry dude” Though the pizza was absolutely amazing, it didn’t come close to mum’s cooking. Dad’s certainly left room for improvement so this was definitely a taste of heaven since the left overs he got from the fridge at night were just bits to satisfy his hunger. ”just to warn you,” the words barely audible in between the chews as Nash ripped another piece of the pizza with his teeth, ”don’t eat the leftover pasta in the fridge. God knows what dad put in there but it’s dodgy as hell” Shit. Maybe ‘hell’ wasn’t the best choice of words right here.
”Wow, too busy to eat?” Was being always hungry really a guy thing then? Nash couldn’t remember ever getting sick because of eating too much food. Oh wait, he could, but it had been on candy floss at some local fair he attended with his family. Him and Crev had eaten so much of the sugary stuff that they had both been sick to their stomachs for the rest of the evening. Good times. Man, he missed those days with his younger brother. ”Maybe I really need to start working out more too?”
As smart as Stephen Hawking? Damn, sounds interesting! My smartest brother is just Stephen Breckah” he replied, the irony in it all making it funny, even though Stephen really was the smartest of them all when it came to academics. ”But yea, I get what you mean. I’ll definitely be in the play, just hoping for the lead this time around.” He had a very important supporting role in the Christmas production but now it was time to shine again in hopefully the title role. ”Ich heisse Nash” he tried and grinned, knowing he sounded nowhere near a native speaker. ”Thanks, Emma. Now all I have to do is fly to Germany and try it out.”
”You come from a big family too?” There was enough attention alright, if it wasn’t from his father or oldest brother who was terrorizing their family, it was from teachers and school counselors. ”Yea, no worries, there are a lot of us” he said, it was easier than explaining what had happened to his mother last year. ”I’ll definitely come to cheer you on then” the promise was a good way to not have to continue the conversation about families. ”Yea, Mr. Gallager is cool as long as he doesn’t start to pry or make you stay after class to rehearse lines for the audition”
”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.
’Mum didn’t think so’. Nope, she didn’t and Nash knew it. Both brothers knew it but it was hard to take the words back without completely falling apart. Even if that was probably what they both needed to let out their emotions and grief. Oh, he knew it hadn’t been fair. There was no way he should be allowed to make his younger brother feel bad just because Creven was holding on to things so tightly that Nash wished he could do. Things hat would make him still feel close to her. As if she was right there in that bed, holding the both of them without a care in the world.
Shit. Shit. Shit. He had been so naive. The world was a cruel and ugly place that could take anyone away from you whenever you least expected it. Fuck that. ’don’t pretend to care.’ the clipped words from the other boy made him cringe. Asking about the game had merely been an apology wrapped up in avoidance. ”I do care…” the soft words were nothing like the passionate ones that fit the fifteen year old better. ”I do…it’s just….forget it”. No he wasn’t ready for any of that. Nash could hear the motions in the bed next to him, knowing Crev had sat up, ”It’s the middle of the night, get some sleep”
A quippy person was a good thing, right? Nash honestly had no idea what half of the things Eva was saying, or implying, even meant but he could roll with it. He was having too good of a time to give that up. None of his friends at school were going to believe he had been hanging out with ‘hot new girl’ though, so he needed to not fuck this up so that Eva would still say hi to him in the hallways of Hickstead Secondary. It certainly wouldn’t hurt his reputation, not that status was something Nash Breckah cared about because he really didn’t care if someone talked shit about him but this, yea this was different. ”Well I get that watching me from the audience is entertaining enough,” he smirked ”but we could always use people with good looks skills? Besides, it would be fun for you to get to work with me.”
Somebody’s catch. Ha. Most days Nash wasn’t even thinking about how to even get a girl to like him since he was too busy being his obnoxiously funny and awesome self that girls were pretty much intrigued by him anyways. But those were girls from his year, girls his own age. This was an older girl. ”Yea, yea, whatever” Nash managed to beam a little at just the thought of being bragged about. ”And I’m totally on top of my flirting game” he informed her, even though that was pretty much non-existent but she didn’t need to be aware of that. Yea, sure” the playful roll of his eyes made it clear he was not going to tell his friends he had told the new girl about their opinions of her.
”I’m tougher than you think but thanks?” He had no idea why he sounded pretty much defensive with every word that left his mouth but he really didn’t want to go and explain his family history to her either nor did he want to admit to probably being one of the least tough Breckahs. Nash wasn’t sure how to react as Eva’s jaw set, shit, this was going downhill fast. Thank goodness for slushies. He barely had the drinks in his hand when the girl took her cup and took a hold of the now empty hand. The smile on her face was way better than the tougher look she had given him just now.
”The best seats? Here?” Nash was whisked off before he even knew what was going on and led through the back and an area he definitely knew wasn’t where they shouldn’t be. Awesome.”I can be anyone you want me to be,” he said as he matched her tone, ”Our slushies will end up shaken, not stirred.”
”Always take on a dare!” Nash grinned and he didn’t know what it was but for some reason any challenge or dare was something he would take on. Why say no to something like that? Things like that usually turned out pretty fun and if they didn’t, it was a good learning experience. ”And dumb isn’t even a word that anyone would ever call you, man. Just look at what you are doing, it’s like higher mathematics wrapped up in sheet music. I’m rooting for ya.”
The teen rolled his eyes playfully at his friend, ”Mate, my sword fighting skills are nothing. Sure, I could pretend to excel at it on stage but nope, no talent here, that’s Mr. Gallagher’s expertise. Ninja style!” The Christmas play had been messed up as it was even if the people in the audience hadn’t had a clue. Some of his brothers had shown up to see him, dad certainly hadn’t. December had been rough on them all since the festive month had only brought on more grief and sorrow. Nash had done his best in the production only for the sole purpose of it being one of his mum’s favorites. Okay and maybe to feel a sense of accomplishment again?
”The past is always better isn’t it?” he said, pushing away the thoughts and feelings that came with it, he had been able to bluff his way through the play but he would’ve loved a peek into his own past these days. ”Next year I’ll try and get the lead” he smirked, thinking maybe there was a reason he hadn’t gotten that this past Christmas with his entire life taking a tumble. ”Any big concerts coming up for you?”
Nash tilted his head slightly to the side at the words about how learning to lose and accept that was much more difficult. ”Hmm, exactly, that’s why winning is the easy route to take” he grinned, thinking he was pretty smart to figure that out. Losing was for babies. ”Yea, the dude” he countered, the feeling of triumph still lingered, ”You aren’t old, you’re like, what, ten years older than me?” Yea, Mr. Stonehouse could definitely still pass for a university student if he wanted.
”Yea, I would hate it even more if my first name was Mister too” he joked, referring back to their earlier conclusion that Mr. Stonehouse was a better way to refer to the man than ‘Sir’ was. ’Your parents call you that when you are trouble, don't they?’ Shit. ”Yea..my dad, my mum…” his voice trailed, ”...but she’s gone as you know.” The man was right that his nickname was a unique one and while he loaded his given name at certain points in time, he always loved when people commented in favor of his nickname.
He hadn’t even considered starring in movies to be honest. Sometimes you heard about stage actors taking on supporting roles in TV shows or things but the big leagues was something Nash never figured was possible. ”Oh, I honestly hadn’t thought about big movies yet? I was aiming for West End, maybe Broadway someday but yea, movies could work? Like, you only have to perform once and wait for the money to come in!” It sounded ideal in a way but then again, where would the feeling of accompaniment be without an actual audience?
”I always win” he grinned, trying to remember he was talking to a teacher instead of one of his fellow students or brothers. The smile he gave the man should be one Aaron had seen before because Nash wasn’t one to hide his impishness in class either. Cocky in a likable way, that’s what he was and he knew exactly how to use it to his advantage too. ”’The dude’ could be cool though but I guess the majority of teachers here are too old and wouldn’t have a clue how awesome a nickname like that would be”
’Nicholas James sounds nice’. Oh, Nash was sure it sounded nice, it really did have a ring to it. It was just way too formal for him, he was fifteen after all, not Besides, the times it did get used were formal occasions or telling offs anyways. ”It’s not a bad name or anything but it’s way too proper and official for me. I’ll stick with Nash.”
Nash made a face, the word university made him shiver just at the thought of having to sit through more classes after he finished secondary school. Sucking things up and chugging through the material didn’t sound like a good perspective for the next couple of years. ”I’ll try and rely on my acting stills to get me through then” he said, his statement ambiguous to the core. ”It only takes one breakthrough to get famous after all”
Link’s wave was a cool one, one he didn’t used to know from the slightly older boy and even his smile was a sad one these days. Before all of this Nash would’ve usually gotten a bump to his shoulder or something similar that would hold a hell of a lot more power than the younger teen always let on. It was brotherly love at its finest but it was gone at the moment and he sure as hell hoped it would return one day because he was completely over this shitfest at home.
His brother sat down next to him and it felt easy, like days of the past, even if they were at the most unthinkable place for anyone to be comfortable. The hand on his shoulder was one he hadn’t expected though and it took every bit of self restraint for him not to burst into tears. Nash wiped at his eyes and took a deep breath. He cleared his throat to make sure his voice wouldn’t break and nodded, not able to express the same words as Link without bawling even though he felt the exact same way.
”It’s not like illegal to play music here, ya think? Did you work? Do you have any leftover pizzas?”
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.”
He wasn’t sure how but dad had managed to get to Jace before Nash did while the fifteen year old was sure he was the one coming down the stairs first. It was all a blur though because this, this couldn’t be happening. Not after everything they had gone through with mum. It was like bad luck was following the family suddenly.
Dad held on to his older brother, another glimpse of the father he had seen during the days when they had said goodbye to mum. A softer spoken man, one in pain, in grief. Broken. Jace seemed to be gasping for air and Nash looked up at the roof and broken window, it was probably a good thing the boy was still able to breathe but it was freaking him the hell out.
The teen just stood there, motionless as his breathing started to get heavier. He didn’t want to come too close as he knew his dad didn’t need him to interfere right now ’You stay put you stupid boy. My stupid boy. Doing something so dangerous…’ This was definitely more between dad and Jace than the original argument that had sparked all this. Shit. He should’ve just kept his smart mouth shut.
’Nash, can you grab my phone off the kitchen counter for me please? I need to call an ambulance’. Of course. Fuck. Jesus, Breckah! You could’ve thought about that one yourself instead of standing about like a complete idiot. Nash ran back in, grabbed the phone and dialed 999 as he sprinted back outside and handed it to his father, ”It's dialing, do I need to get anything for Jace?” The quick cast towards his older brother was one of guilt and regret.
Nash snorted as he mentally rolled his eyes, ”I didn’t say that, dad” he replied. Sure,lately part of it had been related to that but most of it was still just banter. The years they had before had luckily provided enough bonding for Nash not to completely cast off his father during all this turmoil. Shaun Breckah was only human after all too.
’ I need you to know Nash, that even when you think I'm too busy or mad or just seem like the world's biggest asshole, I am here for you when you need me, when you want to hear me tell you its a bad idea or that everythings ok. I'm here.’. The teen nodded, ”Hmm, i know”| he spoke softly as he leaned into his dad’s chest as the tight squeeze embraced him. The comfortness he had missed so much over the last couple of months making a rare appearance. He knew he could tell his father anything and in a serious situation the man would be the first he would call okay, maybe after he had contacted Stephen but right now things were still too wonky to go into his schooling situation and class attendance record.
Dad was right. ’We are the Breckahs, we look out for each other.’ Nash almost felt bad for even suggesting it but homelife had been so damn messed up that it wasn’t easy to think straight anymore when it came to Jace and his crap. ”I just want things to get better again”
As if the morning had not been fucked up enough, this family meeting his father had insisted on having was happening. Dinner with the family had been something from the past for pretty much all of them because who needed to be around dad and jace’s bullshit anyways though Nash wasn’t sure if wished back those chaotic nights right now. He wasn’t even hungry but anything was better than the tension that had whirled through the house earlier and that was still lingering in pretty much every room. HIs brothers arriving and firing questions didn’t help much either. Yea, this was going to be so much fun….not.
He had spoken and texted with a few of his brothers as the afternoon went on but it had seriously cut into this time with Eva. He had tried to keep the state of affairs at home on the downlow as much as he could because there was no way he was going to let her know how royally fucked up the Breckahs really were if she wasn’t aware just yet. It was a miracle people were still talking to him.
Nash slouched down into one of the chairs, waiting for act two to start when Creven ran in sounding and looking completely dazed and disorientated. Shit. Was he okay? At any other moment he would’ve probably asked the other boy about it but things had been strained between them lately after their falling out.
”Mate, you’re bleeding..” he almost mumbled under this breath. Pretty sure his younger brother was fully aware of that. It was hard to keep his mouth shut when Link, Mav and Crev started their inquisitions. ”Fucking Keith apparently made himself Master and Commander of this family when he’s not even in charge of the damn ship.” Oh, there was so much more. Elise. Mum. The bombshell and revelations of Keith’s words and emotions about his perception of his upbringing in their family was something he wasn’t even going to touch until dad would.
This had not turned out to be the morning Nash had hoped for. Just when he figured it was the end of things, things he hadn’t even begun to process or understand yet, another fleet of revelations came crashing down on them. Granddad had actually laid his hands on Keith? Made others fight him to let him see every corner of the boxing ring when he hadn’t even deserved it? Fuck that. Nash swallowed as tears started to form in his eyes. Why hadn’t anyone noticed? Why hadn’t Keith said anything? Why throw all of this out right now when things were hard enough anyways?
The tension in the room had suddenly taken a drastic turn and it almost felt like that afternoon they had laid mum to rest. Heartache along with pain, regrets and grief. A feeling Nash had hoped never to feel again. Dad started mumbling and whispering words in his native language that made no sense to the fifteen year old, all he knew were the Irish words from the nursery rhymes mum used to sing to them. All he knew right now though was that when the Irish vocabulary came out, it meant it had affected the man deeply, very deeply.
Hollow Brooke. Nash had never heard of it before but that’s where his oldest brother had apparently locked Jace up, even if he made it sound like it was some sort of damn vacation resort. No calls for the first month, supervised visits. Sounded like a fucking prison.
’Family meeting at six’. Fine. Was he allowed to leave now? He had plans for fucks sake even if he wasn’t sure he was in the mood anymore after all this, then again, he could certainly use the distraction. Dad was defeated and done for, that was for sure but Shaun Breckah wasn’t going to show that to his sons anyways, he was just going to be his stupid stubborn self something which Nash thought had finally changed some over the past couple of weeks. Nope, it was clear they were back at square one so why should he be lingering about the house all day for nothing. Fuck that. And Keith. All he really needed right now was his mum. Someone to tell him it was all going to be okay .
Nash watched Keith go through the doorway and just sat there for a few moments, not sure what would happen if he spoke up earlier than he did. Getting up he twisted his mouth and swallowed, needing to get out of there. ”Guess I'll be home for dinner for a change” he said and turned to make his way upstairs to grab his things to leave. “Can’t wait ....” the clipped words were laced with sarcasm but it was only to hide the real emotions as there was no way he was going to break down right now. Heck, this wasn’t even his fight to fight, was it? So why did it hurt so freakin' much?
