Gratsu Week: Day 2 – Animals

This is set in a Stables AU where the boys (and Chelia) are horses being boarded there (yeh) and the girl's are riders so yeahaha. I'm a horse loving geek so if there are some terms you don't know, google.

Actually this kinda turned into a self-indulgent Stable AU because I'm a horse loving nerd.

"Mo!" Lucy huffed and glared at the chestnut stallion that was puffing out his stomach to stop her from tightening the girth of her saddle. "Natsu! For goodness sake! We've done this every day since the day I bought you; it's not going to work!"

"Lucy? Do you need some help?" Came the timid ask of the blue headed girl from across the stable. The bright steel coloured stallion in the stall with her nickered an almost laugh, causing Lucy's own stallion to flatten his ears angrily.

"It's alright, Juvia! Just let me-" Lucy cut herself off when her horse let out his breath after holding it in for so long, allowing her to properly tighten the girth. "Got it!"

There was a clip clop and a pigtailed bluenette peered over the door. "Is your horse playing up again, Lucy-san?" Wendy asked, gently stroking the mane of the stable's latest boarder, Chelia.

Lucy laughed and played with the stallion's mane. "Ah, same old Natsu. How's Chelia doing?"

Wendy positively beamed at the pretty skewbald pony. "She's fantastic! Lamia Farm did really well with training her!" She broke out into bell like giggles when the young pony playful nudged her.

They were interrupted as the guild's most prominent riders walked their horses past them. Mirajane, white hair tied up in a beautiful bun gave a little laugh, "Adada, we'll all be late for our ride at this rate!" Her haughty palomino, Laxus, behind her snorted almost aggressively and Chelia quickly shied out of the big stallion's way.

Erza, red locks plaited into a braid, gave them a stern look as she led her own majestic black competition mount known as Jellal. "You three really need to tack up or we'll leave without you."

"Not like you won't run off once we start anyway." Lucy muttered under her breath as she led out Natsu.

Juvia fell into step beside her, beginning to chat while leading her own horse, Gray (who she deeply adored).

Natsu tugged against his reins slightly to sniff at the other stallion and whinnied in recognition, tail flicking excitedly. The steel grey puffed in response and nudged the other's stomach, a quick hello.

Wendy watched, a slight smile on her face at how the two stallions interacted. She had not been with the stables for very long, but she knew that the two stallions used to fight a lot, as stallions tend to do. But as of late, the two had suddenly become friendly towards each other, flirty even. "What do you think, Chelia?" she whispered jokingly to the little red and white pony.

"Think they're in love?"

(later)

In the paddock, all the horses grazed in one big herd, tails flicking lazily. Their owners were off to properly celebrate their recent win in a competition, leaving the stables quiet and peaceful. The two stallions, Gray and Natsu, touched noses in greeting and began grazing together, side by side.

Chelia watched the two and if a horse could smirk, she would be. Oh yeah, they were in love.

A/N: And now I want to write a full blown Shizaya Stable AU for Duarara... but I already got Gratsu week, my REALLY long-term project of Demon Baby Daddy for Blue Exorcist and a Blue Exorcist ReaderX Amaimon/Rin that I'm still planning to write. Plus life.

God damnit.

Oh well, it's added to the list.