Thank you for your reviews.
Been a very long time, I didn't actually realise how long it had been. I will be finishing this fic. I've got to wrap up Breathe for me first then I'll power through the end of this. In the mean time...
Ste POV
He watches idly as the fences are altered for the second round. The army of course builders descending on the fences raising them a couple of inches, altering the fillers, adding in poles. He wonders slowly back outside to the pouring rain which has been going like it's never going to stop for the last two days with a bitter wind that kicked up and had been running straight through him all morning while he helped out getting the horses ready for their classes with Thea while Brendan and Ann were jumping their rounds.
He had volunteered to do the coffee run for all of them just for a little rest bite. He got to the counter and ordered the drinks changing his to a hot chocolate, he'd drank so much coffee in the morning that he found he couldn't face another one. Besides there was something about being freezing cold and soaking wet that made a big cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream and a flake in it that instantly brightened his mood just looking at it.
The warm up arena outside thankfully had more rubber than sand and was managing to drain out the excess water unlike the concrete paths from the stables which were practically one giant puddle.
Brendan was standing to the side, huge long riding coat and his hat still on watching Thea cool down Des and Ann warm up Minnie. Joanne and Nick, Brendan's latest students were on the far side working their own horses with Chris keeping an eye on them.
"Where're your gloves?" Brendan asks taking the coffee cups from him and looking pointedly at his shaking hands.
"In the lorry they're soaking." They were meant to be waterproof but they had fallen short of that description sometime around the third hour outside.
Brendan digs into his pocket and hands him a rolled up pair of black gloves wordlessly. They're too big and they must have been in his pocket for a while given the amount of hay that is clung to them. They aren't waterproof but they instantly make his hands feel warmer.
"Ann's finished her classes for the day. Go back inside and warm up…"
"I'm fine. Want to watch Minnie anyway."
"You can watch her inside when she does her round." He doesn't even bother arguing. He doesn't even want to stay outside.
He tries to find a decent front row seat so he put his feet up on the rails, if it happens to be a fair way from the main crowd well he's not in the mood for gossiping for the sake of it. He'd already done his fair share the previous day.
"Can I sit here?" He looks up at the young brunette that he had seen hanging around with Charlie's staff trying not to be in the way, failing but still making the effort. "I'm Kim." She smiles kindly.
"Ste." He nods to the seat next to him.
"This is so exciting. Charlie was saying that he has a great chance in this class. He's got two in this class and he thinks that he has it in the bag." She talks at a mile a minute. "He wins this class and he says he's a shoe in for the winter championship in Birmingham." She beams.
He rolls his eyes upwards. Charlie Mason isn't even in the running for the finals and he needs to get through Brendan, Alice, Gemma, Pete, Mark, Vic and Sam to win this class all of whom have horses that are quicker than Charlie's in the jump off. For Charlie to win everyone would have to have a shocker, it wasn't impossible but it was bloody unlikely. Kim is obviously Charlie's latest one night stand that had drawn out into a weekend, maybe more and Charlie had obviously been spinning her a fantasy. She wasn't the first and she wouldn't be the last.
"Are you a groom?" She doesn't give him time to answer before pushing on. "Must be amazing all these places you get to go."
He looks around at the indoor arena full of cobwebs listens to the crowd murmuring and rain being forced against the roof by the wind, knowing he's the Irish Sea and one hundred and seventy miles from home. His soaking jeans, muddy boots, hair plastered to his head still dripping at the ends. This is not an amazing place to be, it's a place they have to be.
"Yeah, brilliant."
"Charlie's going to take me to Rotterdam next week." She doesn't catch his sarcasm.
"Nice."
"I've never been anywhere like that. Been stuck in Britain all my life. Can't wait to travel the world."
"Ste." He nearly jumps out of his skin as Pete grips his shoulders. Thankfully he had made his way through three quarters of the way down his cup or he'd be wearing it. "Got a minuet?"
Kim looks at him expectantly.
"Pete this is Kim she's with Charlie he's taking her to Rotterdam next week."
"Of course he is." Pete replies with a condescending tone that makes him wince. "Sorry Kim was it? Just need to steal Ste away for a bit."
"Oh." Her smile falters.
"It was nice to meet you." He gives her a smile and follows Pete out of the seating area and along the side dodging people who are either watching the course builders or talking. He nods and smiles to a few people that he knew vaguely from somewhere.
"Thought you had a ride in this class." He says as Pete stops and leans against the railing that lines the arena looking down onto the sand of the ring.
"That was the last class. All running into one today?" It had been a bit like that. All the classes were in the same ring and the majority of the fences stayed in the same place.
"Something like that." He only paid attention to riders and horses he knew. "So?"
"Brendan told me you two are thinking about moving."
"Yeah?" He shrugged a little. He didn't think they were at the stage of telling other people at least not until Cheryl and Nate had made up their minds on what they wanted to do although Brendan had mentioned asking around the circuit about available yards.
"Don't make him move unless you're sure." Pete states.
"I'm not making him do anything." He snaps. He doesn't know whether it was Brendan or Ann who told Pete about his bout of "cold feet", nothing stays a secret on the circuit so it was only a matter of time before everyone knew, not that he cared. It happened, he's not denying it. Pete, though had been off with him ever since he had found out, more serious, colder. It was putting him on the defensive, everyone had noticed but nothing was being said about it.
"What's it to you anyway?"
"You're messing with his head. You want to get married but you wouldn't set a date, now you're still not setting a date and asking Brendan to move his entire life for you…"
"Hang on…"
"Don't toy with him."
"Did it ever cross your mind that we haven't set a date because we've been too busy?"
Pete snorts a nasty laugh.
"You think Ann's the only one Brendan talks to?" Pete raises his eyebrows. "You're not too busy you've been stalling. Brendan would marry you today no questions, no excuses. Can you say the same?" Before he gets a chance to answer Pete continues. "Now Lynn's making some food for everyone in my lorry and she wanted me to find you, better hurry if you want anything." Pete stalks away before he can reply.
He doesn't go to Pete's lorry even though he could eat instead he picks up the result sheets from the morning and early afternoon classes and goes to the hire lorry they had brought over because they had so many horses and it was cheaper than the alternative of only using Brendan's lorry and making two trips which would have turned into four in total. Chris, Joanne and Nick are all still out and about as he knew they would be. They've all picked up the bad habit of leaving the lorries unlocked, only it doesn't really matter because Brendan's lorry is right behind this one so it can't be moved, all the undercarriage's are padlocked and there's nothing worth stealing in the cab barring clothes.
He steadily goes through sending all their owners the results and making sure to tag on any useful information about the rounds or classes he can remember which isn't much but they'll call him later on or email Brendan in a few days if they want a more in-depth report on progress.
"The groom's are throwing a party." He nearly jumps out of his skin when Chris enters. "We could do with doing an off-licence run."
"There's still six bottles of vodka and two pints of orange in the back of the lorry."
"Jo's out of Archers and Nick hasn't got any cigarette's left."
"Tell Jo she's going to have to learn to drink anything going and ask Nick how he managed to smoke underwater."
"I'll ring for the taxi. You want to come?" Chris continues as if he hasn't said anything.
"Is there a Chinese?"
"Apparently it's not very good but everyone's raving about one of the Indian take away's off the main street."
"Indian it is. I'll grab me wallet."
He orders the usual dishes as well as a few to try, four different types of rice, Naan breads, Poppadum's, the guy behind the counter gives him free salads, spare cartons and dips since the bill is over a hundred quid while Chris gets the taxi to take him to a shop.
By the time they get back everyone is already changed and in Brendan's lorry talking about the day. He barely gets the food out of the plastic bags before hands are reaching for cartons, ripping open bags, folks by the time he's got everything open and the rubbish in the bin everyone is already eating. He sighs and rolls his eyes as he starts looking for the butter chicken, he knows that the one plain rice he ordered is already gone.
Brendan leans into his back, hooking his chin onto his collar bone and brings a carton around which has all of his favourites in it. "Couldn't let you go hungry now could I?"
He turns slightly, pecks Brendan on the lips.
"Thanks."
"Room for three more?" He sighs when he hears Pete's voice followed by Gemma and Carl giggling about something.
"Plenty to go around." Ann states. "Might have to use actual plates though." There goes no washing up. With nine people in the lorry it's far too cramped to be comfortable.
"I'm going to ring Jackie make sure everything's alright at home." He says to Brendan who tightens his grip a moment before letting him go.
He has to run to the arena as the rain continues to lash down. He ducks under the tarp that's been put up for the party and dodges the early starters. He knew it would be quieter in the indoor arena than in the stables where some of the grooms wouldn't be finished yet.
He rings Jackie who tells him exactly what he thought already, the horses are fine, the few guests they've got are being looked after, she's managing and there's nothing for him to be worried about. He scrolls through his phone replying to a few emails.
"This is where you're hiding." Brendan says striding over towards him.
"Trying to give me a heart attack?" He asks taking a deep breath to calm himself down. "Anyway I'm not hiding... Jackie says everything's fine. I was on my way back."
Brendan hums not looking convinced by his half-truth. He was going to go back to the lorry in a while.
"You left this." Brendan hands him his carton of food and a folk.
"Forgot. Thanks."
The music that had been playing so low in the background he could barely hear more than the bass suddenly goes up in volume until he can hear every lyric.
"Party's started." Brendan comments. It feels like an offer.
"Not in the mood." Brendan raises an eyebrow at him, he shrugs a little. "It's been a long day."
"Long, cold, miserable."
"You won a couple of classes." From the result sheets he had read Brendan had achieved what he had come to the show to achieve. Won the classes he had targeted and gotten a few bonus places that they weren't really expecting with Cracker and Minnie.
He picks at the food in his hands, he's had nothing since the bacon sandwich he had for breakfast from the van. He's past hungry now.
"Want to go out?" Brendan asks.
"You've still got some Whiskey left and the booze will be flowing out there."
"Not what I asked." Brendan replies placing an arm around his shoulders. "Do you want to go to out… with me?"
He can't be bothered to get changed but given the choice of sitting in the lorry with the music thumping or getting away from everyone for a while. He'll force himself to get changed.
The lorry's empty by the time they get back, he expected that the food would still be sitting out to be put away. It's clean though, even the dishes are done. He digs in the draws to find something to wear and while Brendan calls for a taxi he takes a quick shower.
"Will I do?" He asks drying off his hair a little more.
"As always." Brendan smiles and opens the door for him.
The taxi driver recommends a little pub on the outskirts of town and agrees to pick them back up later. It's very quiet when they go in. There are a few cars in the car park but in the bar area there are only a couple of people.
"Pool?" He asks as soon as he sees a sign for the pool table around the side from the bar. It's been ages since he's played.
Brendan asks for change while he gets the drinks in and a couple of packets of crisps. It's not a very big room but it's deserted giving them free rein. Brendan racks up the balls and offers first break.
He's rusty, almost embarrassingly so until Brendan corrects his stance by standing behind him and plastering himself across his back and grinding slightly into his arse as he whispers instructions into his ear.
"This is such a cliché." Brendan smiles and kisses his neck, smacking his arse as he steps back.
"Can't blame a bloke for trying."
"Don't need to do much trying to touch me up. Don't even need to ask." He takes the shot and instantly feels better about playing as the ball drops into the pocket. "Anything else you want to teach me?"
"Plenty but we'll stick to pool for now."
"Kill joy."
"Public house Steven."
Brendan wins three games on the bounce even if the rust is gone from his long shot he still can't get the balls to cut with accuracy.
"Is there anything you're not good at?" He sighs as he watches the black yet again sail into the designated pocket.
"I'm a man of many, many talents." He rolls his eyes and shakes his head as Brendan adds a wink even though he's can feel the beaming smile he has on his face.
The novelty of playing pool wears off and he lies back on then two seater sofa in the corner while Brendan goes for another round of drinks. He doesn't realise that he's close to dozing off until Brendan sits next to him. The dip in the sofa enough to jolt him. He wipes at his face.
"Sorry." He offers.
"Taxi's coming in half an hour." Brendan says reaching around and pulling him closer. No one can see them unless they come around the corner which is enough that he can relax a little more. He doesn't like the idea of being seen sleeping in a pub like some idiot that can't hold his beer.
He wishes they were at home, wrapped up on their settee watching TV a staircase away from their bed. He sighs as Brendan's fingers stroke the back of his head to the nape of his neck. They can't have that all the time but they can have it some of the time and it's all that he wants.
"I love you, you know that don't you?" He asks quietly. He couldn't get what Pete said about toying with Brendan out of his head. He hasn't been. He wouldn't. They've been on such unstable ground as they got back to 'normal', their normal that maybe he hasn't been saying things that Brendan could do with hearing so there's no doubt that he isn't playing at this, at them. "You know that there's nowhere I'd rather be than with you?"
"What's brought all this on?"
"I know I got dead excited about moving but I don't think I said that I don't mind where we live as long as we're together, everything else we can work round."
"Peter's been talking to you…" Brendan sighs.
"What? I never said… No." He jerks away.
"He told you about the yard. I told him not to say anything until I talked to you."
"What yard?"
"He didn't say anything?"
"Not about a yard."
"It's in Yorkshire, a racehorse trainer whose friendly with Peter's uncle is giving up the game. It needs some work but if we went for it the price would be fair, Peter's put in a word… It's the wrong side of Leeds." The wrong side of Leeds meant that it wouldn't be a quick journey to see his kids. It was the opposite side of the country of where they'd been looking.
"What do you mean Pete's put a word in? This afternoon he…." He cuts himself off.
"He what?"
"Doesn't matter." Brendan frowns at him but decides not to push.
"I've got the estate agents print out in the lorry. I haven't looked through it yet. Thought we could do that together?"
"Nate hasn't agreed anything yet." He doesn't think that he needs to remind Brendan but he does anyway partly to keep his own hope in check.
"Cheryl wants the yard… What Cheryl wants, she'll get. She won't even need to bend his ear. She'll just make her bottom lip go and suddenly he'll do anything she wants."