The Beach, Friday Evening (11/02)

[comelyhonour]

Beauty hadn't given A.J. a chance to rethink his offer to go riding with her this evening. Instead, she'd nearly dragged him through the dorms -- making a very brief stop at her room to grab her boots -- and off to the stables. Greatheart had picked up on some of her excitement, and it had taken a few minutes to get him to settle down, so Beauty

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[by137]

Boy, A.J....sure didn't remember the walk to the beach from the dorms being this...short before. He pressed his lips together a little nervously, glad that it wasn't so dark that things couldn't be seen but still dark enough that Beauty wouldn't have to read his expression. "Uh, you sure it's not too late?" he offered as one last finally resort. He'd been alright with just walking with Greatheart, especially now that he wasn't being all.....jumpy, but the idea of actually riding. "He, uh, looks tired. Wouldn't want to wear him out or anything..."

[comelyhonour]

"I promise, there's enough light to just walk, and if Greatheart gets tired, he'll let me know." Beauty smiled at A.J., and reached out to give his hand a squeeze. "And if you really don't like it, we'll go back."

She'd have suggested they not do it at all, with him still being so nervous, but decided that giving up at the this point wouldn't make A.J. feel better at all. Instead, she leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek, and said, "Here's the place. I'll show you, and then I'll give you a hand."

Greatheart stood obediently still by the rock Beauty had chosen, his head turned toward A.J. as if to ask him what the problem was.

[by137]

A.J. wasn't even sure if the pout would work on equines, but Greatheart was getting it now, this time with a slight touch of please don't, like, throw me off your back and trample me to death or whatever it is that big animals can do to smaller, probably less intelligent animals added to it. But he had to admit that the kiss on the cheek from Beauty was a little encouraging. If anything, he now knew that he was going to try really, really hard not to make an ass out of himself. He nodded. "Let's do this."

And get it over with.

[comelyhonour]

Either the pout worked on horses, or Greatheart wasn't planning on trampling A.J. anyway, because he turned his head forward and remained perfectly still while Beauty handwavily lalala demonstrated how to mount up. She carefully pointed out the way A.J. should stand, where to put his hands and his feet, and warned him that Greatheart would probably move a little.

"It's just shifting his balance, he's not going to move away from you," she promised. Then she gave A.J. another reassuring smile, and swung herself easily up into the saddle. "Now, I'm here for you to grab on to, and I'm not going to fall off, all right? I promise."