InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "PLEASE DON'T HURT HIM!!!!"

Fitzwilliam Darcy (mrdarcy_) wrote in spinningcompass,
@ 2018-08-17 20:37:00

Entry tags:

fitzwilliam darcy, ~ash sully

Who? Darcy & Ashley
Where? The park on wheel 3
When? Friday afternoon
What? A riding lesson
Open? No
Rating? Ummm plenty of sexual tension? And excessive touching? TBC.

Darcy really was looking forward to seeing Ashley again. After the strange onesies and ice cream event, he had quite deliberately given her a little bit of space to be with her family and grieve. He was always just a call away, and he had checked in with her every evening, just to let her know that she wasn't alone. He would have dropped everything and anything in a heartbeat if she had suddenly needed him.

As it was, she was stronger than she gave herself credit for. He was happy to provide something of a merry distraction for the afternoon. From his own experiences with grief, he knew that there was only so much time one could spend locked away indoors before the sorrow threatened to drown you.

He had headed down a little early to kit Annie out for the lesson, make sure she was well and happy, and let her have a wander about the park with minimal supervision to get that need for independence out her system a little. As for himself, he was also kitted out for riding, complete with a top hat that had successfully dried out and retained its shape after his dunk in the lake a month earlier.

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ashleysully
2018-08-17 08:15 pm UTC (link)

Ashley was very much looking forward to the distraction of a riding lesson. She wore a dark rust off the shoulder peasant top with a brown riding skirt and riding boots. She even had a straw sunhat on. It wasn't needed but it completed the look.

She packed them a lunch of sliced meat sandwiches and lemonade. There was also a container of sliced apples for Annie. Today was going to be spent concentrating on not falling off a horse and she needed that.

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mrdarcy_
2018-08-17 08:29 pm UTC (link)

Darcy could see her approaching from a little way off, and he did honestly try not to stare, but she did make it very bloody difficult. There was absolutely no point in disguising his smiles around her anymore, so he just allowed one to naturally shine through. Rather than make her walk the whole distance, he did eventually decide to move towards her to meet her sort of halfway.

"Hello, my beautiful fiance," he said softly as he reached her, giving her a gentle embrace so as not to squash her picnic, and pressing a light kiss to her cheek. "How are you today?"

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ashleysully
2018-08-17 08:34 pm UTC (link)

The smile on his face caused one on her own and she blushed a little when he greeted her.

"Better now." She gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "It's actually been a pretty good morning." Things had gone smoothly at home and she was feeling a little less emotional. Ashley opened the picnic basket and pulled out the container of apples.

"Thought I should bribe her before we get started." She chuckled.

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mrdarcy_
2018-08-17 08:48 pm UTC (link)

"Good, I'm very pleased to hear it," he told her sincerely. Oh, how he loved that little blush on her cheeks. He rather hoped that he always had the ability to get a little blush out of her.

"Oh, you really did bring her a treat. Yes, that will certainly warm her to you," he nodded, before turning to call for the horse, who was lost in her own world a couple of metres away. Although she was an independent sort, she did have a genuine bond with her owner and sauntered on over curiously when he called.

"Miss Sully has a present for you," he told the horse, as if it was going to understand a single word he'd said.

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	ashleysully 2018-08-17 08:52 pm UTC (link)
	"Hello, Annie." She set the picnic basket down and took one of the slices, placing it in the palm of her hand and holding her hand out flat. "Do you like red apples?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mrdarcy_ 2018-08-17 08:58 pm UTC (link)
	Annie gave the offered hand a couple of sniffs, as if trying to determine if this was a person she was meant to like or not. But then she smelled apple and decided it definitely was someone she liked, and took her present happily. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	ashleysully 2018-08-17 09:05 pm UTC (link)
	Ashley laughed a little when Annie took the apple. "That felt weird." She grinned and offered a few more slices, Annie happily eating them. Ashleu then put the container back in the picnic basket. "We'll save the rest for later?" She very carefully reached up to pet Annie's nose, wanting to make sure it was okay. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mrdarcy_
2018-08-17 09:23 pm UTC (link)

Darcy smiled right back at her, finding the whole encounter absolutely adorable. "Mm, it tickles," he agreed, just staying near but letting the two of them become acquainted. He did watch Annie closely; he knew horses very well, having been around them all of his life, and he was particularly familiar with Annie's quirks. He knew what to look out for, to know if she was at all unhappy or uncertain. As far as it was, the horse seemed perfectly pleased with her new friend.

"She likes you very well," he assured her softly.

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	ashleysully 2018-08-17 09:28 pm UTC (link)
	Ashley smiled and rubbed Annie's nose a bit. "She's a sweetheart." And Ashley was now much less nervous about the riding lesson. "So, where do we start?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mrdarcy_ 2018-08-17 09:31 pm UTC (link)
	"Well, my dear, you're going to have to get on the horse," he said with a teasing smile. "Have you ever been on a horse at all?" he asked. He knew that it could be a little intimidating the first time, and particularly more so with adults. Children knew less fear. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	ashleysully 2018-08-17 09:49 pm UTC (link)
	Ashley sighed dramatically. "I was afraid you'd say that." She laughed softly. She had to think back and then shook her head. "Not unless a carousel counts." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mrdarcy_
2018-08-17 10:07 pm UTC (link)

Darcy laughed a little with her; he was suddenly remembering a million lessons of how to simply get on the damn horse, but of course he'd been a lot shorter. "It really does not, they do not have minds of their own for one thing," he told her, and then realised that wasn't reassuring at all. "It will be fine," he added.

"Unless they have been trained for perhaps a left-handed rider, most horses you will always mount from their right," he told her, guiding her round to Annie's right side and giving the horse a reassuring pat as they moved. "I was kicked as a child trying the wrong side, I would not recommend it," he added. It was a longer story than just being a silly child, but he didn't go into it at that exact moment.

"You put your right foot into the stirrup," he told her, moving to hold said stirrup still for her first attempt.

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ashleysully
2018-08-17 10:28 pm UTC (link)

"Don't get kicked. Got it." She nodded. She'd let him guide her around the horse, happy just to have him touching her and feeling a little ridiculous for it.

She put one hand on his shoulder as she put her foot in the stirrup. She could figure out the rest, right? Ashley put her other hand on the saddle and made an attempt at a mount but her left leg didn't quite make it over abd she started to fall back.

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mrdarcy_
2018-08-17 10:36 pm UTC (link)

Darcy was quite proud of her for just boldly going for it and not trying to be dainty about it. He caught her as she tumbled, and then reached out a hand to tug Annie's rein gently to keep her where she was.

"Are you alright?" he asked of her firstly. "I will give you a little push on three. Reach as far over with this hand as you can, then just as you tried before, 1 - 2 - 3 -" with his hands on her hips he gave her a little extra lift.

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ashleysully
2018-08-17 10:43 pm UTC (link)

"I'm okay." She nodded. She did as she was told and pulled herself up with his little extra bit if help. She leaned forward a little when Annie shifted just a bit, afraid she might fall again.

"Well....okay....now I'm on the horse." She chuckled softly. Her skirt was settled in a way that the saddle was completely hidden.

"I am going to get to a point that I can do that by myself, right? Or will I need a stool?" She wasn't as short as her aunts but she was still on the shorter side.

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mrdarcy_
2018-08-17 10:53 pm UTC (link)

"You are definitely on the horse," he agreed with a smile. "Can you can your foot into the other stirrup?" he asked, and then realised his mistake.

"Yes, you will, because this is my silly fault," he told her. Now that she was sitting on the horse he could see that her feet barely grazed the stirrups. "See, I should have shortened it," he explained softly, before pulling at straps until her foot could rest in it with a slight bend in the knee.

He walked around in front of Annie, making sure to show her what he was doing before attempting to mess around on the left side.

"If you hold onto the front of the saddle for now, I can lead her for a little walk to get you used to the feeling without you having to do anything."

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ashleysully
2018-08-17 10:58 pm UTC (link)

Ashley watched him for a second. "Yes, Mr Darcy, my legs are shorter than yours." She chuckled. When he had the stirrups adjusted it was much more comfortable. "We might have to get me my own saddle." She smiled.

Ashley did as she was told and held onto the front of the saddle. She needed to get used to the feel, she agreed with that.

"You still doing okay, Annie?" She lightly patted the horse's side.

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mrdarcy_
2018-08-17 11:04 pm UTC (link)

"Don't speak too soon, you might absolutely despise it and vow never to get on a horse again," he teased lightly.

Annie gave a short exhale, her front legs walking on the spot for a moment. "She's fine, a little excited. Someone new."

Darcy gathered her reins in his own hands. "To get her to start walking, squeeze your knees together once," he told her. He could of course just get her to move by himself, but it made sense to teach her these things as they went.

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	ashleysully 2018-08-17 11:11 pm UTC (link)
	Ashley chuckled. "As long as she doesn't throw me I think I'll be okay." She nodded. Ashley kept her hands on the saddle and cleared her throat. "Okay. One time." She nodded and squeezed her knees together gently. She didn't want to accidentally hurt the horse. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mrdarcy_ 2018-08-17 11:15 pm UTC (link)
	“She won’t, I’ve got a close eye on her,” he assured her. If he saw the slightest sign that Annie was stressed then they’d stop before anyone got hurt. Ashley did as she was told, and nothing happened. “Harder than that, you won’t hurt her, she’d got awfully thick skin,” he assured her. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	ashleysully 2018-08-17 11:17 pm UTC (link)
	So far she was batting 0 on successful first attempts. She chuckled and blushed a little. "I wasn't sure." She tried again, this time squeezing a little harder. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mrdarcy_ 2018-08-17 11:23 pm UTC (link)
	“That’s alright, better than sending her off into a gallop,” he smiled. She was on the horse and she wasn’t freaking out, she was doing better than a lot of people. This time, Annie took the hint and started off on a casual stroll. “There we go, well done,” he told her sincerely. He kept a good hold on the reins. “Okay up there?” (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	ashleysully 2018-08-17 11:28 pm UTC (link)
	Ashley wobbled a little when Annie started moving but kept herself upright. She could do this. No big deal. "Yeah, I'm good." She smiled down at him. "It's not so bad." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mrdarcy_ 2018-08-17 11:31 pm UTC (link)
	“There we go, you are doing it,” he smiled fondly. “We shall go a little way like this, just let yourself relax. They are very sensitive creatures, they understand how we are feeling. If you are calm and relaxed, she will be too.” (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	ashleysully 2018-08-17 11:38 pm UTC (link)
	Ashley nodded. "Relax, I can do that." She smiled, then took a couple of deep breaths. It was easy to relax with him so close. "Is this how you started?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)