Men called horse - Chapter 11 - ABove the bit
This story is rated explicit, for warnings, please check out chapter 1.
Here is chapter 11, which can also be found on AO3.
Once Peter has worked through his anxiety, they all sit down to see how they will prepare for Diana´s visit.
“What are your fears?” Peggy asks Peter.
Peter thinks a moment and then tries to explain.
“I guess, I always was a leader, I took charge and now, the moment a voice gets too dominant, I slip into pony headspace, and I have a feeling I can´t control it. I try to fight it, but for some reason, it just happens.”
“OK, we can work with that, I understand the sentiment and I understand your fear better. But I also have to warn you, that we can´t re-train you in such a short amount of time.”
Peter understands. It is his problem, not Peggy´s and John´s. And that is his frustration, he can´t seem to stop the reflex.
“Position.”
When Peter doesn´t instantly take the position, a shock from the shock collar sends him on his knees. He immediately struggles to get back up. Because he knows by now the second shock will be much worse.
“Get it in that thick skull of yours, you don´t think, you just do.”
“Peter?”
Peter´s head snaps up.
“Sorry, I…”
“No need to apologize. We need to discuss what we will do, when you enter pony space when your colleague is here. What do you want us to do?”
Peter hesitates, he doesn´t want anybody to know. Or does he?”
John can tell Peter is struggling so he addresses Neal. “What is your biggest fear?”
“I wouldn´t be comfortable f they found out what happened to me, but Peter seems determined to bring these guys to justice, so I guess everybody will know eventually.”
“Well, there is no reason why they should. Pony cases are always in a closed court, since ponies can´t be held accountable for a lot of things, their owners are, so that shouldn´t be a problem. I can´t prevent your colleagues to find out, but we will see what we can do.”
“When I think about it, I don´t mind family and friends knowing, it would explain a lot to them. I am not ashamed of it. This wasn´t my choice. I was forced into it.”
“You shouldn´t be ashamed, you are a gorgeous Arabian. I am proud to have you in our stable.”
Neal smiles bashfully.
“Can I ask you a personal question?”
“Sure.”
“Were you always a submissive personality?”
Peter looks a bit surprised, but Neal only nods. He gives a sweet smile towards Peter and then somehow it clicks also in Peter´s mind.
“You could tell?”
“Yes, even traumatized and Neal, you really are traumatized, you have a natural flair for it. I could tell for the first time I saw you in the trailer that Peter was more dominant and you more submissive.”
That makes sense to Neal. It also triggers memories.
Someone enters the trailer. He stays in the door of the trailer and doesn´t move for a moment. Neal can feel the anxiety built in him and he realizes Peter picks up on it. He takes a protective stance in front of him, as far as his leash allows him. It pulls uncomfortable on his bit and he groans around the pain in his mouth, but the adrenaline rushes through his system.
Neal wants to move, but his leg just hurts too much and the pain shoots through him when he puts weight on it. Neal can hear the man move and his fear gets the better of him, making him breeze nervously. He can´t see the man, but he can hear him approach.
“Hey boys. You are going to be OK. We are going to take care of you.” He shushes them.
Neal does his best to be able to predict what the man wants of them, what he is up to. When he realizes the man is walking up to them, he wants to flee, but since he can´t, he starts to step nervously around. He can feel Peter trying to protect him. The man leaves the trailer, but it doesn´t take long before he is back with someone else.
“It´s OK boy, you guys are safe here. Let us get you out and take care of you, OK?”
Neal´s fear increases when a man comes close enough to untie Peter. But there is nothing he can do and he can´t make his body responding to the panic that grips his heart. When he notices that Peter is being pulled away he lets out a distressed sound.
“Shh… I´ve got you, I will keep you both safe. Good boy.”
Neal can feel that Peter is pulled harder. Once he is pulled clear of Neal, he can hear scuffling and a pained sound, Peter must have kicked someone. As quick as Peter is pulled away, he is back again and Neal lets out a sigh of relief. He can´t see what is going on, but he can feel Peter is readying himself for another kick.
“It´s OK boy, we are not going to separate you, we want to take you indoors to a nice warm stable and take care of you. Both of you.”
He has heard this before and they were always hurt. But he can also hear the men leave again.
Neal hears a gun pop, and his heart clenches, it doesn´t take long before he can feel Peter´s unsteady gait, they must have sedated him. Neal wants to run, but since he is hobbled and restrained, all het can do is cry out to Peter, as far as his voice lets him.
The men leave the trailer, probably getting rid of Peter and return, Neal can hear them slowly approaching. They talk to him, but he doesn´t understand what they are saying, all he hears is his blood rushing through his ears. He can´t do anything when they untie his reins and pull him out of the trailer, all he can do is follow them as best as his injuries let him. Pain shoots through him every time he puts weight on his leg. Once they are outside, Neal tries a feeble attempt to escape by trying to kick the man as Peter has done. Maybe he can hit him on the old injury. It is a long shot. But the man is clever and sidesteps him. The man keeps talking and gently pulling the reins, there is no force behind it and it isn´t brute, even his voice is gentle.
But Neal knows that is just a façade, once he has him somewhere cornered the torture and abuse will start all over again. He can´t let himself being pulled indoors again, his chances of getting away will be reduced to zero. It is now or never and he puts all his strength in a last attempt to break free.
“It´s OK boy, settle down, we are going to see your buddy, OK? “
Wait, are they going to see Peter, he needs to know Peter is alright. He does his best to get his breathing under control so he can hear what the man is saying. The man guides him into what looks like a vet room. It doesn´t settle his nerves, but then he sees Peter laying on the table. He calls out to Peter and tries to get closer to him to see if he is alright.
“It´s OK, he is just sedated. He will be fine, we are going to take care of him. But I also want to take care of you. You are hurt.”
They try to pull him away from Peter, but he needs to be sure Peter is OK.
Suddenly there is a sting in his left buttock. Shit, he didn´t pay attention to the other people in the room, all his focus was on Peter. How could he have been so stupid? But it doesn´t take long before his mind starts wandering off and he looks back at the man. He wants to do something, but his legs feel like jello and he is losing his footing. But before he face plants, he is supported and he can feel himself be carried away.
Whatever they used, it didn´t knock him out completely, or maybe he is building up a tolerance to the stuff, which worries him even more.
“I had no idea it would be this bad, John. Let´s see what we are dealing with.”
Neal can feel hands pull on the buckles of his bridle. He expects pain, and it is there, but fare away. He can feel his mouth being examined and there is some discomfort when the fingers touch his mouth. He tries to look up at the man who is touching his face, but again, he is gentle and there is no real pain.
“Shh… relax, we are going to take care of you and your buddy.”
They start cleaning him up, he can feel wet sponges cleaning and someone is clipping his toe nails. With the drugs slowly leaving his system, the pain, but most of all the fear is returning, he tries to move and they must notice, because something is pulled over his face and it is suddenly completely dark.
For some reason his body responds to the dark with slowly falling asleep, despite the situation. It must be the adrenaline leaving his body. Slowly he can feel himself nod off.
* * *
Peter is anxious. He expects Diana to arrive any moment. She was thoughtful enough to call from the airport that she had arrived. John had suggested to pick her up, but she had refused and said she was getting a rental.
He walks back inside and goes to Neal, who is sitting in the kitchen, drawing. Neal has drawn notebooks full, it is his way of coping and trying to get over what happened. Some of the drawings are quite disturbing, but then again, Peter was there, he saw what they did to Neal. But somehow it is more distressing seeing it through Neal´s eyes.
They both declined Peggy´s suggestion to talk to shrink. Peter knows that he should, but for some reason he is not comfortable talking to one, not right now.
The sound of tires on the pebbles of the driveway, has Peter´s attention. Neal grabs his hand and prevents him from running out. He gently pulls Peter towards him and then bumps his head into his shoulder. Peter smiles. Leave it up to Neal to be able to calm him down without saying anything. He smiles towards Neal, and they both walk up to the car.
The moment Diana sees them, she brakes and almost leaves the car before it comes to a complete stop.
“Oh my God, Peter, Neal.”
She runs towards them and takes them in a bear hug. Peter hugs her back. Neal smiles but Diana grabs him in a hug as well.
“Jezus Peter, why didn´t you contacted us? And why was Neal in hospital, I…”
“Calm down Diana, let´s get inside and I will explain. But first let us introduce you to our hosts.”
Diana studies Peter and then Neal and immediately picks up on the tension and does her best to calm down.
“OK, let´s do that.”
* * *
Neal and Peter are at the annual Winner´s party after the Kentucky Derby. However, this is not a party where one buys tickets for. After months of undercover work, Neal or better George Moreau III received an invitation. His plus one is his trainer Preston Walker. He made sure that their suspect knows he is in the market for a stallion and that he has the money to only go for the best. The problem is that they still don´t know who the brains behind this whole operation is. So Peter had briefed the office and Neal and Peter had prepared for the happening of the year in the equine world.
Peter and Neal walked into the mansion, accepted the glass of champagne and walked out to the back where the party was being held. Outside the garden was decorated like a fairy tale world. Neal left Peter’s side and mingled with the other owners that were present. They even walked out to the stables where several gorgeous specimens were being shown.
The sight of the stallions and mares was still something Neal was not accustomed to. Rationally he knew this was a perfect legal deal between ponies and owners, but he couldn´t imagine people voluntarily submit to this. Peter was better at handling the situation, having been around horses his entire childhood, made him a natural in taking care of them and handling him. Neal was happy that Peter was with him on this assignment.
“Like what you see?” a female voice behind him says.
He answers without turning around. “Yes, I like the stallion, he seems well trained.”
“He is.”
The woman comes to stand next to him and Neal turns towards her, taking her hand and giving it a kiss.
“George Moreau the third, enchanté.”
“Margaret Kutnetsov, likewise.”
“You have an appropriate surname.”
“What do you mean?” She faints innocence.
“Kuznetsov, it is derived from Kuznets, right? Meaning Blacksmith.”
“Very perceptive, mister Moreau.”
“Oh please, call me Jordy, everybody does.”
“So Jordy, I heard you are interested in a purchase?”
“Yes, I am in the market for a stallion, but my mare is quite feisty, so I need a blue personality.”
“You know what you are looking for. A blue personality shouldn´t be a problem.”
“Great, Preston will check out the horse, he knows my mare best.”
“But I understood that you are also in the market for something that needs a bit more discipline?”
Neal feigns not to know what she is talking about.
“I was informed that you like to play.”
Neal clears his throat, making it look like he is caught in something he preferred to have kept for himself.
“You may have heard correct.” Neal doesn´t want to seem to overeagerly. His alias is not a man who is proud of the sadistic flaws in his character.
“Tell you what. Why don´t we join the party again and enjoy ourselves and we will talk business tomorrow?”
Neal extends his arm and Margaret picks in while the walk back to the party.
* * *
“Yeah, that was the evening were you de-briefed us and told us you were going back the next day.” Diana states.
Peter glances over Neal and can see he is uncomfortable and tense.
“John?” Peter calls out.
John enters the living room.
“Can I help?”
Peter makes a minute nod towards Neal and John immediately picks up on Neal´s tension.
“Hey Neal, I need some help at the Stables, care to help out?”
Neal looks a bit lost when he looks up at John. He wants to, but doesn´t want Diana to get the wrong impression.
“I mean I need help at Vesta Stables, care to join me? We will be back before dinner.”
“Yeah, that would be good. Diana, do you mind if I leave you two alone and help John out?”
Diana looks a bit worried, but forces a smile on her face and nods.
“No, please do, I will see you at dinner.”
“OK, see you guys.”
When Neal has left the room, Diana turns back to Peter.
“So, tell be the truth, how are you guys doing?”
Notes:
Above the bit : when a horse raises his head above the level of the rider´s hands, it reduces the amount of control the rider has over the horse.
Blue personality: a horse that loves to express its nature mentally, physically and emotionally. They are extremely quick learners and need creative leadership as anything repetitive will drive them mad.
Here is chapter 11, which can also be found on AO3.
Once Peter has worked through his anxiety, they all sit down to see how they will prepare for Diana´s visit.
“What are your fears?” Peggy asks Peter.
Peter thinks a moment and then tries to explain.
“I guess, I always was a leader, I took charge and now, the moment a voice gets too dominant, I slip into pony headspace, and I have a feeling I can´t control it. I try to fight it, but for some reason, it just happens.”
“OK, we can work with that, I understand the sentiment and I understand your fear better. But I also have to warn you, that we can´t re-train you in such a short amount of time.”
Peter understands. It is his problem, not Peggy´s and John´s. And that is his frustration, he can´t seem to stop the reflex.
“Position.”
When Peter doesn´t instantly take the position, a shock from the shock collar sends him on his knees. He immediately struggles to get back up. Because he knows by now the second shock will be much worse.
“Get it in that thick skull of yours, you don´t think, you just do.”
“Peter?”
Peter´s head snaps up.
“Sorry, I…”
“No need to apologize. We need to discuss what we will do, when you enter pony space when your colleague is here. What do you want us to do?”
Peter hesitates, he doesn´t want anybody to know. Or does he?”
John can tell Peter is struggling so he addresses Neal. “What is your biggest fear?”
“I wouldn´t be comfortable f they found out what happened to me, but Peter seems determined to bring these guys to justice, so I guess everybody will know eventually.”
“Well, there is no reason why they should. Pony cases are always in a closed court, since ponies can´t be held accountable for a lot of things, their owners are, so that shouldn´t be a problem. I can´t prevent your colleagues to find out, but we will see what we can do.”
“When I think about it, I don´t mind family and friends knowing, it would explain a lot to them. I am not ashamed of it. This wasn´t my choice. I was forced into it.”
“You shouldn´t be ashamed, you are a gorgeous Arabian. I am proud to have you in our stable.”
Neal smiles bashfully.
“Can I ask you a personal question?”
“Sure.”
“Were you always a submissive personality?”
Peter looks a bit surprised, but Neal only nods. He gives a sweet smile towards Peter and then somehow it clicks also in Peter´s mind.
“You could tell?”
“Yes, even traumatized and Neal, you really are traumatized, you have a natural flair for it. I could tell for the first time I saw you in the trailer that Peter was more dominant and you more submissive.”
That makes sense to Neal. It also triggers memories.
Someone enters the trailer. He stays in the door of the trailer and doesn´t move for a moment. Neal can feel the anxiety built in him and he realizes Peter picks up on it. He takes a protective stance in front of him, as far as his leash allows him. It pulls uncomfortable on his bit and he groans around the pain in his mouth, but the adrenaline rushes through his system.
Neal wants to move, but his leg just hurts too much and the pain shoots through him when he puts weight on it. Neal can hear the man move and his fear gets the better of him, making him breeze nervously. He can´t see the man, but he can hear him approach.
“Hey boys. You are going to be OK. We are going to take care of you.” He shushes them.
Neal does his best to be able to predict what the man wants of them, what he is up to. When he realizes the man is walking up to them, he wants to flee, but since he can´t, he starts to step nervously around. He can feel Peter trying to protect him. The man leaves the trailer, but it doesn´t take long before he is back with someone else.
“It´s OK boy, you guys are safe here. Let us get you out and take care of you, OK?”
Neal´s fear increases when a man comes close enough to untie Peter. But there is nothing he can do and he can´t make his body responding to the panic that grips his heart. When he notices that Peter is being pulled away he lets out a distressed sound.
“Shh… I´ve got you, I will keep you both safe. Good boy.”
Neal can feel that Peter is pulled harder. Once he is pulled clear of Neal, he can hear scuffling and a pained sound, Peter must have kicked someone. As quick as Peter is pulled away, he is back again and Neal lets out a sigh of relief. He can´t see what is going on, but he can feel Peter is readying himself for another kick.
“It´s OK boy, we are not going to separate you, we want to take you indoors to a nice warm stable and take care of you. Both of you.”
He has heard this before and they were always hurt. But he can also hear the men leave again.
Neal hears a gun pop, and his heart clenches, it doesn´t take long before he can feel Peter´s unsteady gait, they must have sedated him. Neal wants to run, but since he is hobbled and restrained, all het can do is cry out to Peter, as far as his voice lets him.
The men leave the trailer, probably getting rid of Peter and return, Neal can hear them slowly approaching. They talk to him, but he doesn´t understand what they are saying, all he hears is his blood rushing through his ears. He can´t do anything when they untie his reins and pull him out of the trailer, all he can do is follow them as best as his injuries let him. Pain shoots through him every time he puts weight on his leg. Once they are outside, Neal tries a feeble attempt to escape by trying to kick the man as Peter has done. Maybe he can hit him on the old injury. It is a long shot. But the man is clever and sidesteps him. The man keeps talking and gently pulling the reins, there is no force behind it and it isn´t brute, even his voice is gentle.
But Neal knows that is just a façade, once he has him somewhere cornered the torture and abuse will start all over again. He can´t let himself being pulled indoors again, his chances of getting away will be reduced to zero. It is now or never and he puts all his strength in a last attempt to break free.
“It´s OK boy, settle down, we are going to see your buddy, OK? “
Wait, are they going to see Peter, he needs to know Peter is alright. He does his best to get his breathing under control so he can hear what the man is saying. The man guides him into what looks like a vet room. It doesn´t settle his nerves, but then he sees Peter laying on the table. He calls out to Peter and tries to get closer to him to see if he is alright.
“It´s OK, he is just sedated. He will be fine, we are going to take care of him. But I also want to take care of you. You are hurt.”
They try to pull him away from Peter, but he needs to be sure Peter is OK.
Suddenly there is a sting in his left buttock. Shit, he didn´t pay attention to the other people in the room, all his focus was on Peter. How could he have been so stupid? But it doesn´t take long before his mind starts wandering off and he looks back at the man. He wants to do something, but his legs feel like jello and he is losing his footing. But before he face plants, he is supported and he can feel himself be carried away.
Whatever they used, it didn´t knock him out completely, or maybe he is building up a tolerance to the stuff, which worries him even more.
“I had no idea it would be this bad, John. Let´s see what we are dealing with.”
Neal can feel hands pull on the buckles of his bridle. He expects pain, and it is there, but fare away. He can feel his mouth being examined and there is some discomfort when the fingers touch his mouth. He tries to look up at the man who is touching his face, but again, he is gentle and there is no real pain.
“Shh… relax, we are going to take care of you and your buddy.”
They start cleaning him up, he can feel wet sponges cleaning and someone is clipping his toe nails. With the drugs slowly leaving his system, the pain, but most of all the fear is returning, he tries to move and they must notice, because something is pulled over his face and it is suddenly completely dark.
For some reason his body responds to the dark with slowly falling asleep, despite the situation. It must be the adrenaline leaving his body. Slowly he can feel himself nod off.
* * *
Peter is anxious. He expects Diana to arrive any moment. She was thoughtful enough to call from the airport that she had arrived. John had suggested to pick her up, but she had refused and said she was getting a rental.
He walks back inside and goes to Neal, who is sitting in the kitchen, drawing. Neal has drawn notebooks full, it is his way of coping and trying to get over what happened. Some of the drawings are quite disturbing, but then again, Peter was there, he saw what they did to Neal. But somehow it is more distressing seeing it through Neal´s eyes.
They both declined Peggy´s suggestion to talk to shrink. Peter knows that he should, but for some reason he is not comfortable talking to one, not right now.
The sound of tires on the pebbles of the driveway, has Peter´s attention. Neal grabs his hand and prevents him from running out. He gently pulls Peter towards him and then bumps his head into his shoulder. Peter smiles. Leave it up to Neal to be able to calm him down without saying anything. He smiles towards Neal, and they both walk up to the car.
The moment Diana sees them, she brakes and almost leaves the car before it comes to a complete stop.
“Oh my God, Peter, Neal.”
She runs towards them and takes them in a bear hug. Peter hugs her back. Neal smiles but Diana grabs him in a hug as well.
“Jezus Peter, why didn´t you contacted us? And why was Neal in hospital, I…”
“Calm down Diana, let´s get inside and I will explain. But first let us introduce you to our hosts.”
Diana studies Peter and then Neal and immediately picks up on the tension and does her best to calm down.
“OK, let´s do that.”
* * *
Neal and Peter are at the annual Winner´s party after the Kentucky Derby. However, this is not a party where one buys tickets for. After months of undercover work, Neal or better George Moreau III received an invitation. His plus one is his trainer Preston Walker. He made sure that their suspect knows he is in the market for a stallion and that he has the money to only go for the best. The problem is that they still don´t know who the brains behind this whole operation is. So Peter had briefed the office and Neal and Peter had prepared for the happening of the year in the equine world.
Peter and Neal walked into the mansion, accepted the glass of champagne and walked out to the back where the party was being held. Outside the garden was decorated like a fairy tale world. Neal left Peter’s side and mingled with the other owners that were present. They even walked out to the stables where several gorgeous specimens were being shown.
The sight of the stallions and mares was still something Neal was not accustomed to. Rationally he knew this was a perfect legal deal between ponies and owners, but he couldn´t imagine people voluntarily submit to this. Peter was better at handling the situation, having been around horses his entire childhood, made him a natural in taking care of them and handling him. Neal was happy that Peter was with him on this assignment.
“Like what you see?” a female voice behind him says.
He answers without turning around. “Yes, I like the stallion, he seems well trained.”
“He is.”
The woman comes to stand next to him and Neal turns towards her, taking her hand and giving it a kiss.
“George Moreau the third, enchanté.”
“Margaret Kutnetsov, likewise.”
“You have an appropriate surname.”
“What do you mean?” She faints innocence.
“Kuznetsov, it is derived from Kuznets, right? Meaning Blacksmith.”
“Very perceptive, mister Moreau.”
“Oh please, call me Jordy, everybody does.”
“So Jordy, I heard you are interested in a purchase?”
“Yes, I am in the market for a stallion, but my mare is quite feisty, so I need a blue personality.”
“You know what you are looking for. A blue personality shouldn´t be a problem.”
“Great, Preston will check out the horse, he knows my mare best.”
“But I understood that you are also in the market for something that needs a bit more discipline?”
Neal feigns not to know what she is talking about.
“I was informed that you like to play.”
Neal clears his throat, making it look like he is caught in something he preferred to have kept for himself.
“You may have heard correct.” Neal doesn´t want to seem to overeagerly. His alias is not a man who is proud of the sadistic flaws in his character.
“Tell you what. Why don´t we join the party again and enjoy ourselves and we will talk business tomorrow?”
Neal extends his arm and Margaret picks in while the walk back to the party.
* * *
“Yeah, that was the evening were you de-briefed us and told us you were going back the next day.” Diana states.
Peter glances over Neal and can see he is uncomfortable and tense.
“John?” Peter calls out.
John enters the living room.
“Can I help?”
Peter makes a minute nod towards Neal and John immediately picks up on Neal´s tension.
“Hey Neal, I need some help at the Stables, care to help out?”
Neal looks a bit lost when he looks up at John. He wants to, but doesn´t want Diana to get the wrong impression.
“I mean I need help at Vesta Stables, care to join me? We will be back before dinner.”
“Yeah, that would be good. Diana, do you mind if I leave you two alone and help John out?”
Diana looks a bit worried, but forces a smile on her face and nods.
“No, please do, I will see you at dinner.”
“OK, see you guys.”
When Neal has left the room, Diana turns back to Peter.
“So, tell be the truth, how are you guys doing?”
Notes:
Above the bit : when a horse raises his head above the level of the rider´s hands, it reduces the amount of control the rider has over the horse.
Blue personality: a horse that loves to express its nature mentally, physically and emotionally. They are extremely quick learners and need creative leadership as anything repetitive will drive them mad.