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 flavours were full as they hit his taste buds and he let out an involuntary noise of satisfaction - probably not far off the noises from last night. "It's delicious, are you sure you're not a chef?" He asked, raising a brow at Cal. Eli could cook fairly enough, he'd had to improve with the kids because of how fussy they could be - especially about eating healthy. He had never been great about breakfast, usually in a bit of a hurry, the options had been toast or cereal the majority of the mornings - perhaps pancakes on a special day and sometimes they fell apart. Still tasted good though, at least he had that going for him.
“It won’t be the last if you’ll allow it.” Eli paused for a moment, knowing the implication behind the words before nodding. "I'd like that," he agreed, answering not just the question of breakfast in bed, but the underlying question of staying the night, and the idea of there being more mornings together. He hadn't known and still didn't quite know what to expect from this or from Cal, but it was nice to just take it one step at a time and see. “Cheers,” Eli held up his own mug and gave it a tap, careful not to slosh hot liquid everywhere. "Cheers," He mimiked, taking a swig. "So, what are your plans for the day?"
Eli felt guilty, and he hated feeling guilty. He was a responsible kind of guy who didn't drop his shit, he had things together now, he had it all under control. His son would say too much - too much control, too tight a lease, never letting himself take a break or even a second breath, but that was how Eli liked it. Things had felt a little upside down recently, with his recent feelings for Cal developing into a surprise romance that had really swept him off his feet, and then Cal being in a ship wreck and the amount of emotion that had come from it. It had taken Eli some time to process - not only that his feelings had been so strong for this man but also that fear that came with them, the fear that he had lost another loved one. He couldn't go through it again, and it had almost made him retreat, run away from it all. He'd held strong against the tide that told him to back off, to go back to being on his own, because he didn't really want that.
Those thoughts however had led him to Shaun. He hadn't been by in a week or so, hadn't checked in other than a few texts. It wasn't good enough. He knew Shaun was not in a good way, could feel it through their brief interactions, and he'd known it when he'd last seen him. He made a vow to be a better friend, grabbed a load of groceries, and got in the car. Maybe it was presumptuous, to bring food, it wasn't like he was a chef or anything but he could cook, and he'd even packed up a few boxes of pre-made dinners that Shaun could just stick in the microwave or oven. Much easier. Eli remembered how it felt, to not be hungry, to not want to eat, even when it sat there and was steaming and ready to go. It was hard to put the food in your mouth, especially when you were so full of grief it just tasted like ash. It was something though, the meals that people had brought Eli had kept him going, that and helped him feed his kid, got him eating too because if he didn't, his son would question it.
"Shaun?" He called out, parking the car and hopping out a little too quickly. Something seemed off about the figure slumped on the sofa out the front of the house, but Eli didn't want to make assumptions. He grabbed the bag of food and containers, figuring he could drop them inside at some point, but for now, he dumped them by the front door as he took a seat next to his mate. "Hey, bud..?" He didn't want to startle Shaun, and saying 'you okay' was too stupid. Something was wrong though, and he wanted to help in anyway he could.
“Ah, Eli? I’m Christian. I don’t think it’s safe for anyone to go out on the water right now. We will just have to wait for the storm to pass and then go out and look for him.” Eli shook his head, "not an option, I'm going out there now, before the storm worsens and we know nothing for days." If they waited any longer, anything could happen - it could be days or weeks until Cal... washed up. Eli swallowed. “I know he means a lot to all of us, but it would be foolish if we did.” He didn't think Christian was going to understand, perhaps he'd be on his own after all. "I know how to sail, I've got good sea legs, just let me borrow a boat." He insisted. “We could try reaching him again?” A frustrated sigh, "he's not going to answer." Either something had broken or something was wrong, trying over and over with no change to the result was dumb.
Eli was too busy trying to figure out a plan to grab a boat and do a runner when he heard Perry. “The boat is 8 kilometers away. C’mon, We can beat the tide if we run out now.” Eli was out the door before the words were even out of his mouth properly. He didn't waste time speaking - he was already dressed for the occasion and soaking wet anyway, and the rain seemed to have eased since he'd been outside in what felt like a moment ago. "Cal hold on, I'm coming." He promised - to who, he didn't know, but he put everything into that 8 kilometre run. The sand dragged at his feet, trying to hold him back, but with adrenaline on his side, he couldn't help but push on through it all. As he approached the wreckage, he tried not to look too hard at the state of it, half worried of what he'd see, he just wanted to know Cal was okay.
It was an arm he saw first, just peeking out from a large dislodged plank of wood. "Cal? Cal!" The first was a question, because he couldn't be sure his eyes weren't playing tricks, and then it was an exclamation as he realised - yes, it really was him. He went to rush forward and then paused a moment, looking at the state of the boat. "Watch it, this thing's a mess!" He called back to whoever was behind him. One wrong step and there could be another injury, or make things worse for Cal. He stepped carefully, one foot testing out the footing beneath him as he almost crawled to Cal. One he finally could touch him, he knelt at his side and put a hand to his neck. The warm beat of a pulse sent a shock of relief through Eli that nearly made him cry. "Oh thank God." His voice cracked, he couldn't do it again, he couldn't go through death again. "He's alive."
“Well, I will happily serve you again.” Well didn't that make Eli feel like a teenage boy all over again, somewhat less assured than his adult self, a faint blush to his cheeks, all hormones rushing at once. He didn't quite know what to make of it. It didn't help that his adult self had been so terrible at dating since the death of his wife. He was rusty, out of practice, and now a little out of his depth. But he didn't feel worried or confused. Nothing like that, just unsure exactly of his next step. He knew logically he just had to see how things went, it was one night, he was getting ahead of himself, but it was that whole situation of this being unknown to him that made his brain work overdrive. It wasn't even the kind of things that some people would think - like wondering what friends or family might say to suddenly 'come out'. Eli didn't even know if this was coming out exactly, he'd never been attracted to another man before and perhaps he never would be. Was it just Cal? Hard to know when he'd not looked at other women either for a very long time.
He caught the strong scent of good greasy food before he saw the arrival of Cal and the tray carrying the goods. His eyes following the line of Cal's muscular back, lingering in certain areas on display as the boxers were once again removed. He shifted slightly at the thought of why Cal may have chosen to remove them again. To distract himself he got comfortable, sorting out the pillows a little and sitting up straight. “It’s not full English, but it will suffice. At least, I hope you like it,” Eli gave a slight chuckle, "If it tastes as good as it smells, we'll have no trouble at all." He commented, sure that the food would be perfect. It looked good enough to eat at any rate. "I can't remember the last time I was made breakfast in bed." He admitted, perhaps his son had for a father's day once upon a time, but otherwise it had usually been him doing it for his wife as opposed to the other way round. He settled the tray with care and picked up the utensils to take a bite.
Visibility was shit. It didn't put Eli off. With his background, he was used to shit, and he'd had worse. He hadn't survived all those years in the Navy for absolutely nothing - he had firm sea legs, he'd handled boats in a crisis, ships in the thick of a horrendous storm. Granted, it had been some years, and he recoiled a little to return to those kinds of days after several years of a much more cushy life, but he knew how to handle Mother Nature. Cal was surely in some kind of trouble or needed help, what was all his years of training for if he couldn't go out there and help the man he was falling for? He shielded his eyes against the pouring rain, looking for the shop where he knew someone would at least be waiting. He couldn't just go ahead and take a boat, he had to go through some kind of procedure, he knew that. He regretted not grabbing a cap though as he ducked his head and opened the door - a background thought that perhaps someone would have a spare he could borrow.
“Oh, uhm, hello..?” Eli spared the man a glance, taking in the scope of the room and it's two occupants in a moment. Vaguely, he recognised the voice as the person he'd just spoken to. “Can we help you?” That was the aim of the game. "I need a boat. Now." He said firmly, offering no room for argument as he approached the front desk. "Doesn't matter what kind of boat, as long as it floats." He could figure it out quick enough if it wasn't one he was familiar with. “Are you Eli?!” He sighed, glancing at the window to see the storm somehow, impossibly, picking up all the more. "That would be me. How long until the boat is ready?" He prompted. Rude maybe not to mention the other man's name but he felt the urgency in his blood. Something was wrong, he could feel it, he needed to get out there now.
“The staff here will do our best to reach out to him.” Eli frowned, it sounded like some silly placating kind of waffle - the type they were trained to spit out when they didn't have an answer or were unwilling to find them. Not that he thought so badly about the stranger at the end of the line, but this was a man's life he was querying, not whether he could have a refund on a pair of worn out trainers. "You need to do better than your best," He warned carefully, his tone was even, he wasn't cross, but he didn't like the way this was heading right now. “If you could please hold, I will get someone to try and radio. And we will attempt to use the telescope to spot him. He should be visible by now.” Before he could answer, hold music filled his ear and he sighed, releasing a slight growl at the end of it.
As he waited, his eyes watched the weather, the clouds gathering thick and fast, the gloom of the sky as the sun fast began to disappear. It made him wary, and he was in land. God knew what was happening out on the ocean. The longer he waited, the more anxious he got, until he should his head and made to grab his coat. One more minute. The kid on the line had one final minute before he was hanging up and going out there himself. His gaze alternated between the clock on the wall and the outside, before he finally gave up. Hitting the end call button with another noise of frustration, Eli caught sight of the flash of lightning. "Fuck this," He muttered. He wasn't going to sit in like a worried housewife and wait for bad news. He'd handled shit weather before, he'd handled worse circumstances before. Donning his coat and grabbing his phone and keys, he scribbled a quick note to Cal just incase he returned and left - hurrying for the docks as quick as he could. Within seconds, he was almost soaked through, despite the thickness of his jacket.
Some people didn't believe in gut feelings, but Eli felt that those that didn't were people that had never had their life in their hands. There were times when you had nothing else to rely on but yourself, the people at your back, and your instincts - they were what told you if someone was round the corner, if something didn't feel right. It went right back to basics, to your human nature, when you were fighting for your life. Eli had relied on his instincts for years and they had seen him through, he trusted them now. Even when it felt like everything should be fine - like now - something itched in the back of his mind, a feeling of unease in his gut as he stared out the window, searching without thinking for something to show of Cal's return.
The ringing of the phone brought his attention elsewhere and he frowned, hesitant to pick it up at first until he thought perhaps it would be Cal ringing in himself. He answered with a quick, "hello?" but couldn't help the disappointment thrum through him when it wasn't who he'd hoped was ringing. "HI, This is Perry from the Marina. I have a message for Eli Acres from Caleb Dorsey. He had to do a supply run to Perkin. He should be back by-" Eli frowned, he had heard of Perry in passing from Cal but had yet to meet him. Eli glanced at his watch. "Roughly 13:00 hours (1 pm)." Eli's frown deepened and he glanced back to the approaching storm, the gathering of dark clouds above. "I don't like the look of the weather. It'll be worse out to sea, shouldn't he have come back by now?" He asked, concern growing. Cal was smart and knew the sea, more than Eli did, but even he knew enough about the way the world worked to know that the sea was the worst place to be when the weather turned rough. "Can you make contact with him to check on his return? Or is there any way of spotting him off shore?" He might be doing overkill, but damn if he didn't worry.
“Good, No, no – you rest. It would be rude to have you have to wake up and work right away.” Eli gave a small chuckle and then a languid stretch, feeling his muscles begin to wake and warm up with the pull and release. "Well I won't argue with you on that," He rarely got the chance to lay in, and he rarely enjoyed it when he did - it felt lazy to stay in bed when there were things to do; if not work, then seeing to his son or his grandson in some way or another. Joe might be old enough and ugly enough to feed himself and his kid, but Eli still liked to help out with breakfast to make life easier. He returned the kiss without thinking twice about it, surprising himself with how natural it felt.
“I’ll serve you in bed,” Eli's eyes darkened at the insinuation and he felt a quick flash of heat. "You already did, but I wouldn't mind again..." He muttered and then chuckled again, "I don't remember the last time I got breakfast in bed." He admitted, unable to help but take a good look at Cal's ass before he pulled on a pair of pants and took away the view. He shifted as he waited for Cal to return, sitting up a little more and rearranging the pillows so that they would be able to set their backs against something comfy as they ate. He could hear tinkering in the kitchen and it took a surprising effort to stay seated and not go in to help regardless. He was not good at sitting down and letting others do things for him.
Eli stirred slightly at the kiss on his forehead but it wasn't quite enough to rouse him. He woke later, roughly by half an hour, naturally opening his eyes to the slow rise of the sun. He rarely slept in, when he did it had to be a miracle or he was exhausted; after a child and grandchild, and having been in the Navy - none of those things were inducive to sleeping in. He had to admit that he felt more rested and relaxed than he had in a long time, without even realising it. This was not the first time he'd spent an evening with Cal and then spent the night. It felt surprisingly natural to be with him, not something he had expected - in every way. His son was thrilled, he had not qualms about it being a man his father had found comfort and solace in, he was just happy his dad was happy.
He rose not long after he woke; having turned over sleepily to an empty bed, he'd been curious as to where Cal had disappeared off to so early. The clock told him it was before 7am, not as early as he often got up but not late by most people's standards. Pulling on a pair of joggers and a fresh t-shirt, he padded through the place. "Cal?" He called out as he wandered through to the kitchen. The coffee pot war barely warm, but the fact that it held some warmth gave him an indication that Cal had grabbed a mug. Guessing he must have gone out as he was unable to find a note or a text on his phone, Eli pondered what to do with his morning. He guessed he could go for a run, and ring his son to check in with him and make sure everything was okay at home - and then by that Cal might return. He could have just left, but there was a part of him that wanted to stay there until he got back, just to make sure.
It was a few hours later when he returned to the home to find it still empty. A slight frown adorned his features as he took the liberty of showering and donning clean clothes, feeling good after his run. The weather had just begun to turn as he was close to being back, and in the time between him showering and going back to the kitchen, a storm had rolled in. Eli found himself hovering in the kitchen, looking up at the moody sky through the window as he clutched a mug of coffee. It hadn't been that long since he'd seen Cal but something felt off to him about this - he had left earlier than Eli had woken, which meant it had to be a good three or four hours he'd been out without any contact. Eli checked his phone for the 100th time just in case he'd missed something, but as the last time he'd looked, radio silence.
‘Good morning,” Eli felt the sleepy smile break across his face automatically. He hadn't even thought about it, but his lips split into a grin. It wasn't just the sex, though there was an element of that for why he was grinning. “I slept very well. And you?” He was glad to hear it, though he only knew so much about Cal so far, he got the impression that this wasn't normally what Cal did - the sex part perhaps but from what he'd said in the past, he didn't think Cal was normally into relationships, whereas on the flip side, Eli didn't really do flings, and honestly he hadn't been with anyone since his wife had passed years ago. This was certainly one way of breaking the dry spell.
"Yeah, so did I thanks." He'd been out pretty quickly, which was unusual for him. Often he found it hard to switch off, mostly from his army days and then from missing his wife and helping to handle his grandson. It felt a little different in the light of day but as Eli's mind woke properly, he didn't feel like he regretted it. It had been different, absolutely, but he'd enjoyed himself and he was certainly curious for more. He knew they would have to talk about it, if only because Eli would need to talk about it, but for now he wanted to just relax and enjoy the moment, to let what happened, happen.
The touch of Cal's thumb on his back stirred further curious feelings and he shifted a little - it was soothing in a way, and at the same time also enticing, alluring. “I can get the kettle or the coffee maker started in a moment. Whatever you prefer.” Eli gave a nod, he would need something before the caffeine head ache hit. "A coffee would be great - do you want a hand?"
Eli hadn't expected to fall asleep so easily, but it had happened naturally - slipping off into sleep, satiated and satisfied - both emotionally and physically. His sleep was dreamless and deep, something that didn't always happen for him given his previous occupation. The bed was like a blissful cloud, and after his fun with Cal, he couldn't imagine trying to leave. He hadn't planned to stay, in all honesty he hadn't planned on this at all, but knowing his son was fine and not expecting him home had helped to ease his worry.
He hadn't known what to expect, though the couple of drinks and his increased curiosity had been too intense to ignore, wanting to explore his feelings for this man and what might happen. He knew the in's and out's and technicalities but it was still different being with a guy instead of a girl - not knowing who took charge, how it was decided who took or gave but everything had just felt naturally, like breathing. He woke up slowly, a slight smile developing before he even realised to feel the warmth and strength of the body at his back. An arm appeared, a comforting wait over his side, and though it was different, he felt that he liked it. He shifted, going to roll over and face the guy who's bed he shared. Still odd, to be face to face with a man instead of his wife, but also right in a way. "Morning," He voice rough and gravelly from sleep, he stretched slightly. "How did you sleep?"
He felt Cal's fingers at his shirt, but rather than worry him, or send him running, it enticed him. His blood rose, along with other parts of his anatomy, and he found himself wanting the clothes off quicker. He shrugged out of his shirt with surprising impatience, shuddering at the touch of Caleb's rough fingers as they explored. It felt nice, and he felt that he shouldn't be surprised by that too - but he was. When Cal pulled away he tried to follow, not done kissing him despite the feeling of his swollen lips. He felt almost naked under Cal's gaze, but the look on his face only gave Eli confidence.
“Mmm...I do very much like what I see,” Eli's grin was almost wicked in return, though he felt that odd touch of nerves again as they took that break. He reached for Cal once again, hearing the sound of a belt buckle and realising he should probably do the same - it was easier, right? His hands were a little clumsier as he removed his belt and put it to the side, his lips never leaving Cal's, and then he got brave again and took a moment to catch his breath. "Should we move this to the bedroom?" He asked, thinking that whilst there was nothing wrong with the sofa, the bed would be better.. for a first time and all. He reluctantly pulled away from Cal and made to stand, reaching out a hand for him.
He didn't feel worried, per-say, about being honest. He always felt that if you didn't think you could be honest, it was the time or person to be intimate with. He had always been open and clear with his son about sex; which had resulted in a teenage pregnancy all the same, but still. He didn't want there to be any assumptions about this, he may be a bumbling fool for all he knew, with his inexperience and how long it had been. Naturally, a part of him wondered - given that he knew, himself, what he liked, would it be easier to please a man? Or more challenging, given that it was so new. “Eli, I understand, I do. I promise.” He couldn't lie that the lowering of his tone send a shudder through him, the squeeze on his thigh made him feel like a young hot headed teen all over again - such a simple touch and he already felt the need to re-arrange himself. It was the promise of it to, the thought and the build up or what was coming.
“I don’t want to rush you, and I’m not expecting everything to happen at once. I just like the idea of you being here. I like...being around you. But if you want to experience something, I’ll happily lead you.” He nodded, the words were sweeter than he had been expecting. "I enjoy your company, you've awoken feelings I very much thought were dead." Which might sound dramatic, but it was true. He hoped that didn't sound like he just wanted this experience and then he'd be off - that wasn't his intention at all. The loss his hand on Eli's leg was a disappointment, until he was drawn in toward Cal's lips. Instinct took over as he returned the kiss - but it was too soft and teasing to satisfy and a low rumble sounded in his chest of it's own accord.
“Tell me. How far would you like to try to go tonight? What do you want to try and explore first?” Eli hadn't been sure what he wanted to begin with, but now he was. "All of it." He said, his gaze locking on to Cal's. "I want all of it." He don't know what possessed him, what guided him, perhaps the teasing was enough to bring out that cave man side of him, that commanding side of him that didn't beat around the bush. His hand went to curl around the back of Cal's neck and bring him in for another kiss; less soft whisper this time.
“Oh, thank you. My gramps built this all by hand with my gram when they first moved here. It’s had a few renovations over time, but the charm of it is still there.” His eyebrows rose in surprise, taking another look with that in mind. "It certainly has character," And he was sure that kind of history gave the place more meaning and importance than your average run of the mill house. He made himself comfortable for the moment as he waited for Cal to return, looking up when he heard the sound of footsteps.
A quick smile as he took his glass. "Thank you," He noticed the slight space left between them, but was aware that Cal seemed to be making subtle hints to him, whilst allowing him time to figure it out. “Cheers!” Eli clinked his glass to Cal's with a nod, "cheers," and then he took a sip, letting the burn of alcohol settle warmly in his stomach. The touch of Cal's hand on his thigh sent a surprising shot of heat though him, and he knew he was interested in more than that. He didn't know how to initiate this though, did not know how guys went about this.
“You want to borrow some stretch pants?” Eli took another sip of his drink and half smiled, feeling that this was his opening to be honest and upfront. He felt it was the best approach, so that this didn't go wrong. "I want to be open with you." He admitted, going to place his glass on a coaster on the near-by table. "I have already said that this is new to me, so I know that you are aware of that." He gave a slight grin, knowing the nerves were obvious. "I think we both know that I'll be needing to borrow some other trousers at some point, I didn't prepare for this but I am interested. I just, don't know what I'm doing. This is new territory for me." He felt his cheeks flush but he met Cal's gaze head on, shifting slightly. "You'll have to take the lead, and bare with me on the inexperience."
He fell into thought as he followed Cal to his, taking the offered spot on the paving. He'd put on some quiet music in the background, trying to stay calm and relaxed as the nervous energy hummed beneath the surface of his skin. He didn't do this very often, in fact he didn't do this at all. Not even with women. The last person he had been with was his wife, and he couldn't lie to himself that that was exactly where this night was going. That had been years ago, he'd not had the inclination ever since, and even more than that was the fact that this was a guy. It sounded stupid, he knew how things worked, but there was plenty he did not know - like about how to be with a man. He knew he wanted to, or at least he thought he did in that moment, and he wanted to see where it went. He knew Cal would have to take the lead on this, and hope his inexperience was not a turn off.
Working up his courage he climbed out and locked the car. He had sent his son a text to let him know where he was, rolling his eyes at his son's slight lewd response but smiling a little all the same to know that his son was so supportive. “I promise I keep a clean house,” Eli chuckled and gave a small shrug, "It wouldn't matter to me if you didn't," He did not judge others for how they kept their home. "It's a lovely location," He admired, taking in what he could see in the gloom before following Cal into the house; he copied his example and toed off his shoes, neatly lining them up beside Cal's.
“I know it’s a bit of an odd design. Still trying to figure out what I want to keep. Please, have a seat. I have a few beers, but also some harder stuff. Get as comfortable as you’d like.” He nodded and wandered further into the place, admiring the decor. "Thanks, a whiskey would be great." He hadn't drunk too much at the restaurant, enough to feel some confidence and less nerves, but he would need a little more of the hard stuff to knock the rest of the worries on it's head. He wandered around the lounge and then decided on taking a seat on the sofa, allowing space for Cal to join him, it felt like the most natural way for things to be able to progress.