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cherr-22 · 1 year ago

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TNGDH 25

“Cashew. I’m really leaving now. I’ll only be visiting the horse stables, so it won’t take too long.”

Kyle spoke dejectedly with me sitting on his palms.

―Squeak (Hurry and go.)

“Sorry for leaving you so often. Even though I should be taking care of you more before we start infusing mana into you.”

―Squeak squeak. (I’m telling you to go away.)

The first time he said he would be leaving was 10 minutes ago.

I pushed against his face with my front paws and turned my head away from him, but he failed to read the meaning behind my actions. Instead, I was kissed five more times before being let go.

‘It’s finally over.’

I’m completely beat. You damned hamster otaku.

Kyle let me down into my home and then left the study.

As I reorganized my messy fur, I turned towards the door to confirm that Kyle left and used ‘Summon’.

‘System! You know the drill. To that room.’

[o(*￣▽￣*)ブ]

My vision went white and instantly changed. It was the new room I received from Kyle the day before yesterday.

I wore my newly bought clothes and surveyed the room. A large window, a cozy fireplace, a soft bed, and a wooden wardrobe and a desk. There was even a warm rug on the floor.

It was so clean that it was almost unbelievable that the room had never been used before.

“He paid a lot of attention to it.”

I chuckled and closed the closet.

All the clothes I bought before were hung inside. Things like a small lamp, paper, and a pen were on the desk even though I never bought them. Same with the pillow and blanket on the bed. Oh, there are even slippers.

I opened the thick curtains to take a glance outside and laid down on the bed. Staring at the ceiling reminded me of the first rental house I signed.

It was a home I obtained from doing part-time jobs from early morning to late night. It was small and cramped, but I was proud of earning it myself. It was particularly difficult period of time back then since my uncle refused to help me at all.

That was why from the time I was Bae Soohyun until now, this was the first time someone actively supported me like this. I have been always alone since I was little, so it was natural to feel that I had to endure everything alone.

“……Is that why I’m having a strange feeling.”

Providing me money and a place to call home out of kindness, Kyle gave me an unfamiliar feeling. It felt as if it were obvious to request them at the time, but actually holding them in my hands felt strange.

“I will make sure to save you.”

I muttered to myself and turned around. Then I saw a table next to the bed…… huh? Wait.

“This is…….”

I bolted off the bed and clenched the bracelet on the table. It looked just like the <Shocking news! Beneficial mana energy is flowing out!> bracelet from before.

“No wonder he was talking nonsense about how I’m short and how weak I looked!”

I pounded my chest in distress and shoved the bracelet into my pocket.

I should go refund it right away. No matter how rich a person may be, he shouldn’t be ripped off of a scam. This wasn’t cheap either.

“You Grand Duke bastard!”

I opened the door and left the room. You said you were going to the horse stable? Wait just right there. I will come straight to you to make you refund it.

As if it were never warm before, the weather turned chilly. However, the anger within me was stronger than the bitter Northern winds.

I took long strides towards the stables. Kyle was there as expected. In his hands were a handful of sugar cubes to feed to the horses.

First, I took a deep breath and neatly straightened my clothes. Pretend we are meeting in a coincidence. Pretend it’s a coincidence. Act as if I never knew he would be here.

“……Cough, cough. So you are here.”

I cleared my throat and walked closer to Kyle. He turned his head upon hearing me.

“It sure is hard to see you around.”

“Yes, well……. I’m just rather busy.”

“You didn’t stay in your room either. Is it not to your liking?”

“Oh, no no. Of course not. ……but!”

It was supposed to be a short conversation, but it was difficult to hold back after he mentioned the room. I pulled the bracelet out of my pocket and shook it in front of his face.

“What is this! You really bought this from the market? Even though it was obviously a scam!?”

“Scam?”

“Some mana good for your body emitting out or whatever, do you think that’s really true? Even if it were, there’s no way they would sell it like that at a marketplace like that!”

“I didn’t buy that at the market.”

“What?”

Kyle chuckled as he held one of my wrist, took the bracelet from me, and unclasped it.

“I requested a magician yesterday to make one. It doesn’t emit any mana, but wearing it may bring you luck.”

“…….”

Saying that, Kyle put the bracelet on my wrist.

The bracelet, accented with blue gems on a silver chain, was light and beautiful. So beautiful that my wrist didn’t seem worthy of it.

And here I was about to rip it apart thinking it was just a germanium bracelet…….

“But is it alright to give me such a precious item?”

“I felt bad that you got hurt at the banquet when the chandelier fell, yet I couldn’t do anything for you. It may be late, but I hope you’d take this as an expression of apology and gratitude. Please accept it.”

He said with his eyes still on my wrist. A lucky bracelet you say? Are you saying you hope I won’t get caught up in another incident like that?

“Even though you already gave me a room.”

“That’s because you looked after Cashew for me.”

“……Anyways, this looks rather expensive. Since you gifted it to me, I won’t give it back even if you ask for it.”

This kind of situation felt unfamiliar, so I avoided his eyes nervously.

“By the way, why are you at the stables? It’s not like you need to maintain it yourself.”

“Because it seems that you’d need one for yourself.”

Kyle put down the sugar cubes and patted the brown mare. The horse nuzzled its face into his hand and neighed happily.

“Um, I don’t know how to ride one.”

“You can learn.”

“Who would teach me?”

Kyle looked at me as if it were the most obvious answer.

“Me.”

“……Are you not busy?”

“I have about an hour.”

He opened the door of the stall the brown mare was in.

I took a step back in hesitation. I’ve only seen them at the zoo when I was young and it was my first time seeing one up so close.

He saddled the horse and took the reins as if it were familiar to him.

“Come up.”

“Oh my back is still hurting a bit so…….”

“We’ll move slowly so don’t worry.”

After staring at the horse for a while, I gave in. I stepped my left foot into the stirrup and climbed onto the horse. It was a small horse, so it didn’t feel as scary as I thought it would be.

I held on tightly to the handle of the saddle and Kyle started moving forward slowly. The horse followed his lead and headed out of the stable.

‘……This feels weird.’

The ground was hard, but it felt as if it were oscillating like waves in the ocean.

“Why do you treat me so well? Is there a particular reason? Something like I resemble someone or something.”

I mumbled absentmindedly while looking up at the clear, blue sky. Kyle didn’t respond so I continued.

“On the surface, His Highness the Grand Duke may be wealthy and be called the king of the North, but I cannot take everything you give me for granted. I know that nothing in this world is free and that there would always be some sort of purpose behind your favors.

I am old enough to know better that there was no kindness without compensation.

There was something to obtain, which was why you were taking care of the other. Part of the strange feeling I felt in the room before could’ve been due to this fact. Just what exactly do you want from me?

Kyle seemed to ponder for a moment before opening his mouth.

“I suppose you wouldn’t believe me if I said I had no motives behind my actions.”

“…….”

“You looked lonely, that’s all.”

I opened my mouth, only to close it without saying anything.

‘……looked lonely.’

I frowned unconsciously and clasped the handle harder.

“I wasn’t even fifteen years old when I wandered around the North alone, not having anyone to trust. Trust could become a weakness and favors could turn into traps. For that reason, I tried to do everything on my own. But the winters of the North were harsh, and it was difficult to even stay alive. In the end, I realized I needed help from someone else.”

He sounded calm as he recollected his past. He pulled on the reigns to stop the horse and raised his head towards me.

“No human can live alone, no matter how tough and strong they may be. In fact, even dragon hatchlings are heavily guarded by their pack when they are young. And when they grow to a full-fledged adult, they often blend into the human society to overcome their loneliness. Which is why I embrace those who need help, and receive help myself when I need them. I am only doing the same to you.”

It was a very idealistic statement. Even though the world could never always go so smoothly, he spoke with confidence in his voice.

What if the person who received your help betrayed you? What if you die because of that betrayal? Would you still think the same way then?

My mouth felt bitter, especially knowing to whose hands Kyle died in the original story.

I spoke out after pressing down the heavy feeling in my chest.

“Then, please don’t die.”

I spoke a bit too bluntly, making Kyle laugh as he lowered me down from the horse.

“Alright. I promise you.”

[A new imprint was made on Kyle Jane Meinhardt’s life.]

[Hidden quest, ‘Collective Destiny’ achieved!]

[Miracle Value has increased.]

[Current Miracle Value 26.0%]

I looked past the blue system window to Kyle.

I hope you continue to live. Regardless of whether or not our fates are tied together, you are someone who deserves it.

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#tngdh

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thehardy-boys · 1 year ago

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The Platform Part 5 (Tommy Shelby x Reader)

Hey there! Thank you guys so so much for all your lovely comments!! I'm SO glad you are enjoying this little story!

Warnings: Lil bit of fluff, sorry it's kind of slow burn

Part 5

When (y/n) left her house that morning and turned around to walk down the few front steps she didn’t expect to see Thomas Shelby waiting for her, hands in his pockets, cap glinting. She jumped at his presence and clutched her bag.

“Christ!” Thomas smirked at her reaction.

“What are you doing here Mr. Shelby?”

He huffed a laugh and gestured vaguely towards the car behind him.

“I told you I would take you out to see the horses, didn’t I?”

“Oh, but I have work.”

“I already told Mr. Beavers. Anyways, this is work.” It seemed to be the end of the discussion because he turned around and opened the passenger door for her and waited. (y/n) only debated for a second the value of just ignoring him and walking to work. But he was right, this was work. She sighed and got in, pointedly ignoring the gentle, respectful touch of his hand on her back as she climbed in.

The drive was quiet. She could feel him glance over now and again, but she was busy watching the wretchedness of Small Heath disappear and turn into wild grass, soft country air, and wide-open fields. It was like another world out here. They passed by a few estates that she grew envious of. The privilege of living out here! The beauty of it! It made her shrivel inside when she compared the milk white stone of the large houses to the crumbling rental she had in Small Heath with its dark corners, damp walls, pathetic cutlery that consisted of one fork, knife, and spoon. They must have an army of cutlery in these places. A set for each season, a set for each mood and party.

“Beautiful isn’t?” The rumble of his voice broke her inwards spiral.

“Yeah,” She whispered, “Terribly.”

They pulled off the winding roads onto a dirt path and up to a well-kept stable. She could already smell the hay of the horses. Thomas opened her door for her but this time she pretended not to see the hand he held out for her in favor of taking in the view.

Thomas cleared his throat, “This way.” He led her around the stable to a large enclosure that contained a gorgeous chestnut horse.

“This is Copper.” (y/n) looked over at Thomas who was already removing his jacket leaving him in his vest. And she ignored it, the way the vest emphasized his narrow build. And she ignored it when he rolled up both his sleeves and she glanced his forearms. She was hit with the strong desire to be in his arms. The memory of the platform teased her. The heat he had carried with him as she neared him through the crowd.

But now Thomas climbed over the gate and walked up to the horse, caressing the fur, and taking the reins. He led the horse around the ring a few times. (y/n) could see, even without knowing anything, that the horse was incredibly well-trained. Thomas looked over at her and gestured for her to come over, but she shook her head. She could see him furrow his eyebrows and he walked over, followed obediently by Copper.

“What’s wrong?”

(y/n) glanced at the horse then down at the ground, “I’m scared of horses, a little.”

Thomas was silent so she looked up at him, afraid he would be angry, “I’m sorry. I can still write the article.”

But he didn’t look angry he looked thoughtful. He held out his hand, “Let me show you.”

“Mr. Shelby, you can just tell me about the horse, and I can write it.” She tried again.

But his hand remained outstretched, waiting, like he knew that she would give in and take it. And she hated that she did. His hair tousled by the wind and his cheeks slightly rosy from the brisk morning – she couldn’t argue with that.

Copper was on his left side, and she was on his right his hand still holding her own. He led them into the middle of the enclosure. He let go of her hand and guided her, so she faced the side of Copper. She watched as the creature’s fur rippled under the soft winds. Her heart thundered at the sight of the animal’s muscular shoulders and neck.

“It’s alright.” Thomas’s voice was right next to her ear. He was standing behind her. He took her hand again and with his own he raised it up to stroke the horse. Right before her hand made contact with the rich fur she hesitated, and he could feel it, but he didn’t push or force her.

“Nothing will happen to you. I won’t let it.” She nodded and they continued on. The fur was silky smooth, welcoming, and slightly warm. Copper’s head lifted slightly up at the contact but continued on with his snuffling in the grass. Her frantic heart began to slow, and a smile found its way onto her face but then Copper made a sudden movement, his legs stamping slightly, and letting out a loud noise that startled her, and she stepped back suddenly. Her back met Thomas’s chest and his hand caught her waist.

“He’s just spooked by the crows. That’s all.” Thomas reached up and patted Copper’s long nose and soon he became docile again. With a shaking hand (y/n) held onto Thomas’s hand that was resting on her waist. She clung to it and brought it further around her middle. The weight of it grounded her. It was weak of her to do it but once again the past came in to haunt her like a ghost hovering outside her bedroom door. It hung heavy around them and as Thomas took a tiny step forward to meld his firm chest against her back the bedroom door opened and the ghost swept in, inescapable.

She had pushed through all the men, all the soldiers just to catch a glimpse of her brother. He had sent her the message that he would be traveling back to Small Heath after the war. She knew he was safe, but she needed to see it for herself. The men looked at her and she looked back. No matter how they acted: rambunctious and overly happy or the sullen ones, the quiet, tired ones – they were all empty. She remembered thinking, as she moved between them, dodging their hands and their words, that nobody on this platform made it out of the war. Each one of them was changed, broken, gone.

Then it was the eyes. He was just standing there, unmoving. And she knew, she just fucking knew it was Thomas Shelby, the boy who she had played with in the fields and who had gently taken her palm to read her fortune. She walked towards him and when she stood in front of him, he had said her name like it was an answer, the end of the road, a life’s ambition fulfilled. She had moved without awareness until her arms were wrapped around his neck and his around her waist. (y/n) remembers how tightly he gripped her as if trying to meld the two of them together. How his face rested in the crook of her neck, and he took a deep breath.

He had leaned back, and they had looked at each other, “Tommy…” She had whispered to him. and she watched as something in him shattered completely, the dam opening, and he leant forward to answer her call.

“There you go. He likes you, he does.” (y/n) rather felt his chuckle through the vibrations of his chest. (y/n) exhaled in relief as she continued to delicately stroke Copper’s mane. As she became more confident, she was aware of how tightly she was holding onto Thomas’s arm.

“Sorry.” And she let go. Thomas hung on for a moment longer before stepping back completely and (y/n) hated that it felt wrong. How she felt like something was missing. The rest of the morning was spent with Thomas telling her about horses, the different breeds, each of their strengths. Then (y/n) spent the afternoon back at her desk writing the article. That morning with Thomas remained in the forefront of her mind. Even her visits to her mother were bearable when she had the feeling of Thomas’s warmth to hide away in. And soon enough the hopelessness that she had condemned herself to was forgotten. It was dangerous but what else did she have? She allowed herself to daydream, to imagine, and create but that was it. She drew the line at the formation of anything real. She would remain as an outsider but with the occasional foray into hope but with no expectation. No expectation.

Winter was here, cruel, unforgiving, and cold. The office was planning on having their annual holiday office party. Last year it was a small affair, a few desserts, and a few drinks. (y/n) dragged herself out to it just in order to not disappoint the boss. However, this year because of the agency’s new attachment to Shelby Limited the party had now been blow out of proportion. The party, usually held at the local ball room was now transferred all the way into London in order to compensate for the large number of London based clients of the Shelby company.

“Are you attending the holiday party, Mr. Shelby?” Evelyn batted her eyelashes as he waited for (y/n) to gather together the newest horse articles she had written. (y/n) couldn’t think of a good reason why Evelyn was over at her desk, but she had found herself there when Thomas had walked through the small halls of the agency.

He blew out some smoke, “Not sure.”

“Are you goin’?” He asked (y/n) as she straightened up from her desk to hand him the packet.

She shrugged, “Not sure yet.”

He raised an eyebrow, “It’s a business party, aren’t you required?”

She shrugged again, “I don’t think Mr. Beavers can force me to go. I might already have plans.”

He continued to stare at her.

“So, are you going Mr. Shelby?” Evelyn voiced up from her corner. Without breaking eye contact with (y/n), “I’ll go if she does.” He gestured at her with the packet before turning and making his way out into the blistering cold.

Part 4 --- Part 6

Tags: @black-kitten-imagines, @illuminwtesz, @slutforcoffein

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muffinlance · 2 years ago

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PEEEEEASE!!! Some Song and zuko shenanigans!!! I just love how you write them <3<3<3

The ostrich-horse comes back weeks after she was stolen. She raises one big foot and scratches at her harness, which clearly hasn’t been tightened properly, because the saddle finishes slipping sideways and dumps the thief himself into the dirt outside her stable. Song is just coming off from a shift at the clinic, so her first thought isn’t That bastard, it’s Dehydration, probable sunstroke, has he had a single meal since he left us, that bastard.

His eyes are closed. His breathing is shallow. She nudges him with a foot, then pats him down. Two swords and a knife get hidden in the shed at the bottom of a grain bin. She draws up two buckets of cool water from the well. One of them goes in the ostrich-horse’s trough. The good girl coos, and drinks greedily. The other one goes over the thief’s head.

He sits up, sputtering.

“Hello, Junior,” she says, and drops the bucket on him, too.

“What? Where? …Song?”

He doesn’t have the grace to look sheepish. But she’ll take the flash of fear in his eyes, the way his shoulders twitch under the lacking weight of his swords, the way his hands convulse around the bucket. It feels good. Probably not in a way she should like, but it’s not like she’s planning to do whatever it is he’s afraid of.

(He was afraid the last time he was here, too. But not of her.)

“The well’s in back,” she says. “Get a drink. Don’t make yourself puke. And don’t steal my bucket.”

She’s moved on to brushing the ostrich-horse’s feathers when he comes back. The ostrich-horse has moved on to pecking grain. Li is holding the bucket, and wobbling a little. His skin is still sun-flushed.

“Sit down,” she orders, pointing to the porch, with its shady overhang.

“What…?”

“Sit.”

She finishes rubbing down the ostrich-horse’s feathers. Checks her feet for scuffs and stones, and her legs for strains. Then she walks past a sitting, wide-eyed Li, goes into the house, and comes back with a basket of carrot-potatoes and a scrub brush.

“Clean these,” she orders. “You know where the water is.”

And he’s already got a bucket to do the washing in. He’s been clutching it since she handed it to him. She’s getting a little sick, of that cornered pygmy puma look of his.

“You got a meal and an ostrich-horse rental from us, last time,” she says. “This time, it’s payment up front. With interest.”

“I don’t have any money.”

“Work for it,” Song says.

Li has no idea how to clean a tuber. He’s very diligently overdoing it when her mother comes home.

“Hmm,” she says quietly, stopping next to Song. “Do I need to get someone?”

Li’s shoulders stiffen, because he’s got better hearing than either of them thought, and because he has to know that ostrich-horse theft isn’t treated lightly. Their town isn’t big enough to warrant guardsmen, but a few neighbors and a rope would get things done.

“He’s starving,” Song says, after moving this conversation farther away.

“Hmm,” says her mother.

“Our ostrich-horse isn’t.”

They both stare across the yard. At a refugee with golden eyes, who doesn’t know how to even start preparing his own meal. But whatever money he had, however he’d gotten it, he’d let their bird—his bird—eat first.

They don’t let him sleep in the stable, for obvious reasons. He doesn’t run off in the night, for less obvious ones.

#Zuko has re-named the ostrich-horse Strawberry Jamboree #it didn't fit into the ficlet but it is very important to me that you know this #Meanwhile Uncle: searching for his lost nephew #follows bison hair trail #assumes if he sticks with the Avatar he’ll eventually run across Zuko #Meanwhile Zuko: is a confused second player in Song’s Stardew Valley game #he literally doesn’t know how he got here #which is not the first time in his life that has happened #waking up on a farm with a bucket of water to the face was much nicer #than waking up on a ship with his face still feeling fire #Avatar The Last Airbender #atla #Zuko #Song #ficlet

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440mxs-wife · 9 months ago

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The Country Doctor, Chapter 1: A Fresh Start

Pairing: Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy x F!Reader (eventual). Other Characters are the usual suspects: Jim Kirk, Nyota Uhura. Spock, Montgomery Scott, Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov (to be introduced in later chapters.) OMC's Travis Myers and Miles Cooper.

Word Count: 4530

Warnings: Divorce, break-up, ruthless businessmen, mentions of infidelity, but mostly fluffy (for now)

Summary: Fresh off of his divorce, Dr. McCoy receives word that he has inherited a 5,000-acre farm and home in Logan, Montana. Finally, he has an opportunity for a clean slate and to start his own clinic out west and leave his ex-wife behind. Along the way, he'll meet a cast of unique characters, each with a place in his new small-town life. But there could be trouble ahead in the form of a powerful CEO hell-bent on acquiring Leonard's property by any means necessary.

A/N: This idea was posted by @hailbop1701, with a specific list of plot points/dialog to be included. I won't put the list here, because it'll give away too much. Not sure how many parts there'll be, but I hope you like where I take the story.

A/N 2: If you’ve been tagged here, it’s because you’ve interacted one or more times on a McCoy story of mine, or we’re moots. Whether you like or reblog, I am eternally grateful for your support. If anyone else would like to be tagged on any future Karl Urban character postings, or would rather leave the Crazy Train, please let me know. Thank you, and enjoy the show!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Court is adjourned."

That was the declaration eight weeks ago, when Dr. Leonard H. McCoy sat at a table with his attorney in the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta, Georgia. The Honorable Judge Michael Simmons had just pounded his gavel on the bench to signify an end to the McCoy v. McCoy divorce proceedings. Unfortunately, his now-ex-wife, Jocelyn, had the better attorney, which resulted in a somewhat less-than-equitable division of their assets.

At least Leonard was able to keep his vintage pickup truck and the 4-bedroom, 2 bath, ranch-style home he had lived in with Jocelyn. She basically got everything else in the settlement, though, including most of the furniture. She didn't technically need the furniture, since she was moving in with her new boyfriend. However, he had a rental property that needed furnishings, so that's where they went.

Two weeks after the divorce was finalized, Leonard received correspondence from a law firm in Montana, with a request for his presence. The letter did not specify the reason for the request, and when he called the law office, no one was authorized to divulge any information. He didn't want to find himself on the wrong side of the law and besides, he was more than a little curious. Luckily, the law firm had a satellite office in Atlanta, so that's where he attended the meeting.

An hour or so after the meeting ended, a slightly dazed Leonard walked out of the attorney's office with a file folder and a property deed in his hand. The meeting was for the reading of the will for his distant uncle, Walter McCoy. Around 5,000 acres of land in Montana along with an old craftsman-style farmhouse were bequeathed to him to do with as he pleased. There were also various outbuildings on the property, such as a machine shed, a barn with a hay loft, and horse stables.

He had options. There was an Eastern conglomerate, NorthStar Corp, that was willing to pay a more than fair price to buy it from him, lock, stock, and barrel. With what they were offering, Leonard wouldn't have to worry about money for the foreseeable future, if ever. Or, he could make the break from Georgia and his ex-wife with her boy-toy to make a go of it in Logan, Montana. Although Leonard wanted to stay near his mother, Eleanora, he had to consider that this was his chance to start over somewhere else.

When he told his best friend, James T. Kirk, about his inheritance, Jim could hardly contain his excitement. He considered it to be the start to a great adventure and was more than willing to accompany Leonard.

Jim had no family ties to speak of, preferring to live a sort of nomadic existence. He even offered to take turns driving the moving truck the 1,900 or so miles to Montana. "Good music, good snacks, and good company are all we need to get us to our destination, Bones," Kirk told him with a wide grin.

The more Leonard thought about it, the more he warmed up to the idea of starting somewhere new. A place where he wouldn't have to worry about running into someone who knew about the divorce and wouldn't hesitate to share an opinion about it. So, with Jim's help, he cleared his house out of any remaining items, put them in storage, then contacted a realtor to list it for sale.

After only a few showings, a deal was quickly closed, with a $30,000.00 profit in his bank account to show for it. Leonard and Jim loaded up his remaining possessions into the moving van, hooked up a car trailer with Leonard's pickup truck on it, and headed west to Montana. The pair made a few stops along the way, renting a hotel room to rest for the night before hitting the road again the next morning.

The more miles Leonard put behind him, the more comfortable and free he felt with his decision. He wasn't too keen on leaving his mother behind, but she assured him that she would be fine, even encouraged him to take this leap. He made a note to send her a plane ticket so she could visit once he got settled.

Nearly four days and more than 1,900 miles later, Leonard turned into the gravel driveway that led to his new home. It was a charcoal gray with white trim craftsman-style farmhouse with a tall, red brick chimney on one side. The wooden wrap-around porch was accented with white, tapered columns, set on top of the slotted railing framing the area. He appreciated the large windows, which would bring in a good amount of natural light, as well as soft breezes on lazy summer days.

"Well? Is it everything you expected?" Jim asked.

"I didn't exactly know what to expect, Jim. I don't even remember either of my parents ever mentioning an 'Uncle Walter McCoy'. He isn't someone I knew well enough for him to leave me something like this, but I'll do my best to make the most of it. From what I've seen so far, though, at least the outside looks fine," Leonard replied.

"That's the spirit, Bones! Let's go have a look at the grounds, then inside the house. After that, we can start unloading your stuff," Jim grinned as he scrambled out of the truck.

Leonard stepped down from the driver's seat and closed the door. "Sure, Jim. Why not," he muttered to himself. He fished the house keys out of his pocket on his way up the porch steps. The front door was made of solid oak with a dark finish and leaded glass panels arranged in a geometric design. He inserted the key into the lock and tilted his head back. "Here goes nothin', I guess," he murmured, pushing the door open.

***

At just after 2:00pm, you stopped by the post office to retrieve your mail that had piled up over the last couple of days. Before you left, you strolled up to the counter to chat with your best friend, Nyota Uhura. Her shift was almost over, so she suggested the two of you meet for coffee and a snack at the Java Station Café on Main Street.

While you waited for her at the café, you thought about how you met her and what brought you back to Logan, Montana. Your now-ex-boyfriend, Travis Myers, had convinced you to move with him from Logan to Bozeman. He'd landed a lucrative position as in-house counsel for a large and powerful corporation. You found work at a tech company doing data entry work for a medical office. Not too terribly taxing nor was it what you wanted for a career, but it paid well.

Around the six-month mark of living together in the big city, Travis started coming home later and later in the evening. Missed date nights and other outings were becoming more frequent, with him coming to bed late and leaving before you woke up. Whenever you tried to talk to him about it, he always chalked it up to working late on a big case or project, so you let it go.

The last straw was when the two of you were supposed to meet a few of your friends for dinner. Since he was late picking you up from home, you asked one of them to drive you to the restaurant. From the lobby, you called Travis and told him to meet you there.

Just before you said your goodbyes, you heard, "Come back to bed, baby, I'm cold" in a woman's voice. You were furious, demanding to know who the woman was and how long he had been seeing her. After first denying everything, he ultimately confessed it was his assistant and it had been going on for about six weeks. You felt your world collapsing around you at his admission. Dinner was forgotten while your friends drove you back to the apartment to pack up your belongings.

You couch-surfed for about a month before finding an apartment back in Logan, where you had previously lived with your parents. Because Travis paid for most of the expenses such as rent and utilities, you were able to save up quite a nest egg to cover your new living situation. However, you weren't sure how much longer your savings would hold out, so you decided to look for a job to make ends meet.

The bell above the door tinkled, and Nyota rushed over to your table. After a brief hug, you both sat down and waited for your server to appear and take your order. Uhura was practically vibrating with energy, which meant she had something exciting to share. A few minutes later, with your order submitted, she spilled her secret.

"You'll never guess what happened today!" she exclaimed. "Two men came in today to file a change of address card."

You snorted. "That sounds like something that happens every day around here, Nyota, not that interesting. You're nearly jumping out of your skin about this. What is so compelling about them that has you barely able to sit still long enough to tell me?"

Uhura made a face at you to show her displeasure. "If you can keep from insulting me, I'll tell you," she pouted. You held up your hands in surrender as her cue to continue. "They moved here from Georgia, and one of them has the most tantalizing Southern accent. They were both tall, one blond hair with striking blue eyes, and the other dark hair and hazel eyes. He seemed a little grumpy at first, but Blue Eyes was the more charming of the two," she explained.

"Did you get a look at their new address, the one here?" you asked.

"The one with dark hair listed his name as Dr. Leonard H. McCoy, and his address matched the one for Walter McCoy's place," she replied.

Now she had your attention. Every so often, you drove by the farm, wishing you lived there instead of your small, one-bedroom apartment. You had thoughts about what it would be like to buy the place one day so you could fix it up and return it to some of its old glory. You'd heard through the grapevine that the owner passed away a few months back. It was also mentioned that ownership would pass to his only other living relative.

"I've always thought about that place, what it looks like inside, how I would spruce it up. Wait a minute, did you say Doctor McCoy?" you squeaked.

"And her brain has finally caught up with her mouth," Uhura joked. "I was wondering when you'd catch on to that tidbit of information. That house has a separate office space, ideal for treating patients. Word travels fast in this town, and once folks get to know there's a doctor in town again, Dr. McCoy is bound to need help. You know, with paperwork or coordinating treatment of his patients. Know anyone with those kind of skills?" she grinned.

In addition to your data entry job, you had acquired some basic medical training. The town had a couple of paramedics within the Volunteer Fire Department for the more serious cases. For now, it was enough, but it would be nice for the vacancy to be filled, especially by a handsome doctor. "Hmm. Maybe I should head out that way, introduce myself, see if he needs any help." Beg him for a job, you silently added.

"That's the spirit! If you're done with your coffee, we should drive out there and check things out. You in?" she held out her hand for you to shake.

After draining the last of your cappuccino, you nodded and shook her hand. "I'm all in," you declared.

***

Leonard and Jim wandered the property, taking in the condition and contents of the outbuildings. Many of the machines and tools were left behind. They noted which items were and were not still functional, to determine what could be easily returned to service or sold for parts. The good news was, the buildings themselves were structurally sound, although at least in need of a new outer coat of paint.

As for the house itself, Leonard was pleased to find a side entrance that led to an office, set apart from the main house. It was perfect for starting his clinic, with a small area that could function as a waiting room, and enough space for a reception desk. He made a note to check in town for a secondhand store to pick up a desk, some chairs and other furnishings.

Jim joked and told him that all he needed now was a pretty receptionist who could also perform nursing duties. Leonard glared at him in response, reminding him that after the way divorce went, he wasn't at all interested in dating. "Just doctorin'," he affirmed. "Maybe fishin', if the winds are just right," he added with a smirk.

A tour of the home's interior revealed hardwood flooring in the bedrooms and living room, while ceramic tiles covered the floor in the eat-in kitchen. There was a separate dining room space between the kitchen and living room. The centerpiece of the living room was a fireplace made with gray bricks and had a dark wooden mantle above it.

Before his arrival, Leonard contacted the utilities and asked for them to be turned on and transferred into his name. That gave Leonard and Jim a chance to determine what worked and what needed repaired. For the most part, the electrical system was in good working order, except for a few outlets that may need replaced or updated.

The water situation was another story. At first, when Jim turned on the high-arching faucet in the kitchen, the white farmhouse sink reflected a light brownish tint to the water. The pedestal sink and clawfoot tub in the main bathroom, plus the sinks in the half-baths were the same shade of brown. However, the more they let the water run, the clearer it became, which helped ease their minds a bit.

Leonard walked back out to the porch to make a mental list of what he'd need to bring the old house back to life and working order. The hardwood floors were in good condition, though they could use a bit of polish applied to them. There were a few non-working electrical outlets that would need an electrician's expertise to chase down the problem. In the bedrooms, there were spots where the wallpaper was peeling away from the wall. Not exactly a fan of wallpaper, Leonard decided it would be better to tear it all down and paint instead.

Overall, the pluses outweighed the minuses, such as the updated appliances in the kitchen and quartz countertops. Leonard could definitely see himself cooking up a Sunday dinner of his mother's chicken and dumplings with a peach cobbler. As an avid reader, he also loved the built-in bookshelves to showcase his personal library of classics. And the side-door entrance to the office space provided a break between his professional life and his personal life.

Jim joined him out on the porch and gazed out over the mature trees that dotted the property. "So now that you've taken the grand tour, what do you think, Bones?"

Leonard thought for a moment before answering. "Think I'm gonna like it here. Let's start unloading the truck," he directed. "Good thing we hit those consignment shops on the way here, or you wouldn't have a bed to sleep in," he jested.

Jim was about to unlatch the door on the moving truck when he noticed a car turning into the driveway. "Welcoming Committee?" he wondered. Leonard shook his head and rolled his eyes while he walked over to stand next to Jim. They both watched as the car rolled to a stop near the front of the truck.

***

The drive to the McCoy place only took about twenty minutes, which you spent silently reviewing your qualifications. Uhura could tell you were worried about making a good impression, which she was sure you would. She told you not to worry about it, that you were the best candidate for the job, if Dr. McCoy was hiring. "What if he's not hiring, though?" you asked.

"Then we'll have to convince him that he'll need your help, being the only doc in town. There really is no way around it, he will require an assistant," she reasoned. Her response sounded logical, so you accepted it and kept driving out to meet your prospective employer.

Soon your car was pulling into the driveway, where a large moving truck was parked. Upon seeing the two men standing to one side, you had to admit that Uhura was right. They were both strikingly handsome men. The dark-aired man carried a stern look on his face and his arms were crossed over his chest. The blond seemed a little more easygoing, self-assured, bordering on cocky, as if he knew what a good-looking man he was.

As you exited your vehicle, the men had started walking in your direction. "You ladies lost or somethin'?" the dark-haired man drawled. Ohhhh, that accent was enough to make you weak in the knees, you thought. You held on to your open door for balance.

"Yeah, can we help you?" the blond man wondered with a smirk.

When your brain finally rebooted, you responded, "Actually, we were hoping to be of assistance to you, since you're new in town." At this, you introduced the two of you and learned that the blond was James T. Kirk, or "Jim" he offered with a waggle of his eyebrows. His grumpy companion with the dark hair was the Dr. Leonard H. McCoy who now owned the property.

"I think we can manage fine with just the two of us. Good day, la--" Leonard was interrupted by Jim, who pulled him aside.

"Wait a minute, Bones, let's not be too hasty. I mean, these are a couple of gorgeous women who showed up out of nowhere to see us," Jim pointed out. "It wouldn't hurt to hear what they had to say, now would it?"

Leonard pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in exasperation. He was here to be a physician, to take care of people who need help, not dip a toe in the dating pool. When he looked up, he noticed that Jim had left his side and was talking to Uhura, while you had stepped up in his place.

"Excuse me, Dr. McCoy? I understand that my friend and I just turned up unannounced on your doorstep, and you don't know anything about us. But this is a pretty small town, and I should tell you, it won't take long for people to learn that we have a new physician to replace old Doc Thomas. Therefore, I'm offering you my services. I have some basic medical training, and I used to do data entry for a medical company back in Bozeman," you explained.

"Bozeman? Why on earth would you ever leave there to live here? Not to say that what I've seen so far of Logan isn't simply charming," Leonard added with more than a hint of sarcasm.

"I'll be glad to share that little tidbit of information once we've gotten used to working together," you shot back. "By hiring me, you'll have a well-organized appointment calendar, along with accurate patient files. You'll also have someone who knows how to take and record vitals, which leaves you free to do the doctorin'. So, do we have a deal?" you asked, your hand outstretched.

Leonard took a moment to consider your offer, bold though it was. He had to concede that in a town of this size, word would get around about a new physician and spread like wildfire. He'd probably end up with a huge influx of patients. Even if it was only at first, he might become easily overwhelmed. Patient care was of the utmost importance to him, and if you could make things easier for him, who was he to reject such a proposition?

His lack of response translated to you as a decline of your offer of assistance. As you started to withdraw your hand, he quickly grabbed it and clasped it between his own. "Whoa, hold on there just a minute. All right, you have a deal, but we'll do this as a trial run. A three-month probationary period, take it or leave it," he bartered, fighting the urge to smile.

"Thank you, Dr. McCoy! Three months? That'll be more than enough time for you to decide you can't live without me! In-in the office, I mean," you clarified.

Leonard couldn't help but smile at your blunder. "All right, now that we have that settled, I hope you'll excuse me and Casanova over there with your friend. We have a lot to unload, and I'd like to sleep in my own bed tonight rather than the couch," he stated.

"We can help, if that's okay with you? With four sets of hands, we can be done in no time. Besides, I've always been kind of curious about what the inside of your house looks like," you admitted.

You are one interesting woman, Leonard thought to himself. "Okay, let's get started then. Once we get everything out of the truck, I'll take you on the nickel tour," he winked. He whistled to get Jim's and Uhura's attention, then opened up the back of the truck.

***

"There, I think that's the last of it," Leonard declared after he removed the final box from the moving truck and placed it on the lawn. He jumped up to grab the leather strap, then pulled down the rolling door until it was flush with the deck. He latched and locked the door, picked up the box, and brought it into his new home.

Jim and Uhura had taken your car into town to pick up something for dinner, which left you alone with Leonard. During the unloading, you didn't get much of a chance to stop and look around. But now that most of the heavy lifting was done, you seized the opportunity to take in your surroundings.

You were so caught up in admiring the home's features that you didn't hear Dr. McCoy slide up next to you. "If you have your nickel, I'm ready to start the tour," he grinned. You dug in your pocket, which luckily contained the right coin for the price of your ticket. "Ready when you are, Dr. McCoy," you replied, handing over the 5 cents.

***

Video Conference Call -- Bozeman, Montana

Travis checked his watch to see that he had another ten minutes before his conference call was scheduled to start. He opened the blue file folder in front of him, which was sent from his employer regarding a property they wanted to acquire in Logan, Montana. He sat back in his chair as he thought about how you'd moved there after breaking up with him. Before he could stroll any further down Memory Lane, his alarm beeped to let him know it was time to start the call.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen," Travis greeted. He could see the CEO, Miles Cooper, at the head of the table, surrounded by other members of NorthStar Corp's Board of Executives.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Myers. I see you have the file in front of you, so let's begin. We understand that the principal owner of the McCoy property has passed away. As such, we want to move forward and make the new owner an offer to purchase the parcel of land and whatever's on it. The house, barn, stables--everything, down to the last shingle," Mr. Cooper explained.

"My source tells me that the new owner drove all the way from Atlanta, Georgia to check out the property. He is also a doctor, and the town has been without one since the last one died. In my opinion, this could present a problem. He may decide to stay and 'hang out his shingle', as it were," Travis pointed out.

Mr. Cooper leaned back in his chair and rested his steepled index fingers on his chin as he contemplated his next move. As he considered this new development, conversation buzzed around him among the other executives. According to one of the scientific reports he received, there were plenty of reasons for encouraging the good doctor to sell.

The report mentioned the discovery of several veins of copper and silver running beneath the surface. The financial gains from mining those resources would more than cover the initial investment paid to acquire the property. Whether the new owner was aware of these precious metals was unknown, but Cooper needed to act fast before the doctor learned of their existence.

With a wave of his hand, silence returned to the board room as Mr. Cooper had made a decision. "Mr. Myers, I suggest you do your best to convince Dr. McCoy to sell the property to us. I will have a new purchase offer drawn up that's more than fair, and you should strongly encourage him to accept it."

Travis carefully considered Mr. Cooper's words that carried the barest hint of a threat behind them. "Sir, I will present your offer; however, we should be prepared for him to turn it down and decide to become the town's doctor."

"You worry about getting a signature on that purchase agreement, Myers, and I will worry about whether or not a contingency plan will be needed. Before the previous owner's death, this was a working farm, right? Lots of tools, machinery? Farming is considered to be one of the most dangerous professions, you know. Accidents can and do happen. It would be unfortunate if an accident should befall the good Dr. McCoy," Mr. Cooper replied darkly.

There was no mistake in Mr. Cooper's intent this time. "Absolutely, sir. I will find a way to present your offer that will make it difficult if not impossible to decline it."

Mr. Cooper's eyes brightened and a smile graced his face. "Excellent, Myers, I knew I could count on you. I'll send that new offer over to you as soon as I have it and we'll go from there," he stated. "I appreciate your cooperation, Myers, I certainly won't forget it."

"And thank you, Sir. I welcome this opportunity, and I will not let you down," Travis concluded.

"Let us hope not, Myers. I'd hate for you to experience any....negative fallout, should you be unable to close this deal," Mr. Cooper remarked ominously before disconnecting the call.

Travis relaxed in his chair and began to formulate a plan in his mind. A sly grin crept across his face as he thought of the perfect way to get an inside look into the doctor's life.

Of course, it involved a trip to Logan and should he happen to run into you, so much the better. For him, anyway. Though there was a near 100% chance that you would want nothing to do with him. If that was the case, his plan may be a bust before it even gets started.

Especially after the way things ended between you discovering his infidelity. For that reason alone, it was likely your walls of protection against him and his crap were nearly guaranteed to be sky-high. But it was a chance he was willing to take, because he did not want to disappoint his client. Something told him that with a failure of this magnitude, Mr. Cooper was capable of making his life a living hell.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tags: @marvelouslytrekking @spacedancer1701 @anna-phora @hailbop1701 @writercole @lassie-bird @never--doubt @phoenixisred @wayward-dreamer @erindiggory @strangesgirls @dumpsterhippie @genevablog26 @lokis-deares @medicatemedrmccoy @rooweighton @mamamercurymist @d-doki-doki @malmeansbad @imamotherfuckingstar-lord @ghosttrekkie @noforkingclue @bellestalesoffiction

#leonard bones mccoy x reader #leonard mccoy x reader #au leonard mccoy x reader

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samkat10423 · 2 months ago

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Then across the road from my electric plant is this very old lot I found, once again, over on MTS. It was originally called the 'Riverside Greenhouse,' so that gives you an idea of how old it is. Anyway, the original lot ended where the front sidewalk and parking area begins. I added that entire area and also placed a subway there too. Plus the bicycle rental area. I also redid all the flowerbeds, adding new plants and different lighting to fit in better with this town.

I also replaced all the deco plants and used harvestable plants instead. Then used bamboo to edge all the sidewalks, placed that chess table and made a tiny play area for the littles, and added the Asian deco I found from the old MT_Sims Cakestore. And it was done!

Then next door is the town stables where sims can go and ride horses. I have to admit, that when Pets came out and EA said there would be horses, I thought they were going to offer stables where sims could go and rent a horse for the day - like in real life. I should have known better. But it is what it is. Oh well.

#sims 3 #mayumachi

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octuscle · 1 year ago

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Headed to the airport and thought I got on to the flight to Las Vegas but ended up on the flight to South Texas International Airport, not sure how that will work out for me, any ideas?

Las Vegas! A weekend of raucous parties. Gambling. Alcohol. You even had tickets to see Celine Dion. It was supposed to be an orgy in colorful LED and neon lights. And now you are standing here at this airport. The crickets are chirping. The men are wearing cowboy hats and boots. And you are wearing pink hot pants with matching chucks. And sweetie: The glitter top is really too tight for you, you should get yourself a size bigger.

And what should you do now? Take a rental car? You don't have a driver's license! One of the cowboys looks at you questioningly. He spits out his chewing tobacco and asks you something. After a second you think you have guessed what he asked you. Whether he can take you into town. Since you have no idea what else to do, you gratefully accept.

"An? Hare fahwar thuh rodeo?"

You think the question is a joke. But anyway, you say yes.

"Ah thought so. Yawl look lahk uh man who knows how tuh handle uh horse. "

You giggle silly and hysterical. You wanted a unicorn tattoo once. But you were too scared of the needle. You pull yourself together. And say that you love animals.

"Say, Ah know yawl… Dja go tuh Sharyland Pioneer Ha Skoo?"

"Pete? Fucking… Sure, we were in the same class together."

Pete doesn't make a face, just takes his right hand off the wheel and high-fives you. You ask if you can have some of his Copenhagen.

"So? Tell may, Connor. Iz chur luggage at thuh hotel yet?"

"Saddle, chaps and vest are delivered in advance", you answer. "But thuh rest uh mah luggage iz still sumwhere between Saint Louis an hare."

"Bro, let's go pick up chur stuff at thuh hotel. An then yawl come tuh may. Thayure's plenty uh room at thuh ranch. An Ahl defnutly hav sumpn fahwar yawl tuh wear."

"Fuck, great, bro! Yawl know Ah hate thuh city. An Ah hope yawl hav sumpn tuh ride in on thuh ranch. Ah need sum trainin' before thuh rodeo."

"Hehehehe, is yawl tawkin' bout may, thuh Mexican stable boy or wunna thuh year ode stallions."

"Raht in thet order, bro!"

Fuck, you guys have never talked to each other that much. Not all junior high, not all high school. What luck you met Pete, you can't imagine better preparation for the rodeo. The hottest ass in South Texas. And the wildest stallions. I wish you the best of luck!

Thanks to @cowboyupcowboy2016 for the hot pic!

#male tf #muscle tf #reality change #male transformation #redneck tf

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illarian-rambling · 4 months ago

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Sending hugs always!

As I’m a total cat/horse person.

Have to ask what everyone’s thoughts on cats and horses are.

And going trail riding Friday.

Please and thank you.

A scene with horses hm... You know, Astra doesn't know how to ride a horse, despite how cowboy she is. And Mashal used to be a calvary knight. Idk about a scene for everyone, but I could definitely do something with that. I'll put it under the cut because it got kinda long ;)

"Well, it can't be that hard!" Astra huffed, crossing her arms. Why she was getting defensive about this, she wasn't sure. There was just something that chipped away at her farm girl pride every time she admitted she'd never ridden a horse before.

It wasn't like horses were even used in rice farming! That was just something novelists made up for their cute little descriptions of the ideal, bucolic life, and all the city folk took it as scripture. As if any of their pansy asses had ever had to muck out a pig pen....

"It's- I mean- I'm just surprised is all," Mashal admitted, clearly having read some of those kitschy novels in his unremembered past. "You just strike me as someone who can ride a horse."

"The hell is that supposed to mean?" Astra snorted a laugh. "And I've ridden an ox, thank you very much. That counts."

Her bravado fell a little flat as she peered into the stable they stood in front of. Tall, gangly animals shifted and huffed within the wooden stalls. This was specifically a courier stable - it just so happened to be attached to the inn they were staying at. Mashal had wanted to stop by to see the animals, which was what had prompted this whole discussion.

Her friend raised an eyebrow as he looked down at her. "You know, these are courier horses. We could rent one for an hour if you wanted to learn to ride."

"I-" Astra snapped her mouth shut, lowered her volume back down to a seven, then began again. "I don't know, love. I don't think I'm really cut out for somethin' like that. My legs are real short, and I wouldn't wanna inconvenience anyone. Besides-"

"It's ok to be nervous about doing something new," Mashal interjected.

Immediately, Astra gave him a look. But of course, he'd read her like a book.

"I ain't nervous!" she insisted nonetheless. "Fine, let's do it! Gimme the biggest damn animal in there!"

Mashal's eyes went wide. "O- Ok! Gods beyond, I need to be more careful about accidental reverse psychology with you...."

"What was that?" Astra called. She was already halfway to the rental desk, where a sallow teenager was sitting bored out of his mind.

"Yeah, sure, let's do it!" Mashal shook his head fondly as he jogged after her.

○○○○○

A few minutes' time found Astra snuggly saddled on the back of a shaggy horse that had already tried to eat the ribbons off her coat a total of five times. Mashal, eyes glowing an excited white, had called it a Haflinger. Apparently, not everything from his childhood as the son of a horsebreeder had been lost in the fog of amnesia. His obvious eagerness helped put a damper on Astra's anxiety, but still, now that she was on the saddle, the ground seemed an awful long way off.

"Do I just... tap it or somethin'?" Astra gave a forced laugh. "There ain't exactly any levers to pull on this thing."

"You can tap her sides with your heels if you want her to go," Mashal explained. "The clerk says she's trained in Skysheerian style, so further directions are going to be given with the reins. That's different from the Sulu'Okan style I'm used to, where you just use your feet. It keeps the hands free for a bow. But don't worry about that for now. I'll keep a handle on her halter so you can get used to the feel of her under you."

Biting her tongue against any inopportune jokes, Astra studied her friend's face for a moment. As always, his barebones expressions were a little hard to read, however, those wide eyes and slightly raised eyebrows told a tale. Mashal was really excited about this, wasn't he? Astra's heart sank as she came to the realization that he probably missed riding a lot, but was prevented from doing so by a thousand pound metal body.

For him, she decided. I might be a little, teensy bit afraid, but I know he feels 'bout the same around magic, and he let's me teach him runes all the time. If it makes 'im happy, I can do this. Who knows, maybe I'll be some horse ridin' prodigy?

Gathering her confidence like armor, Astra gave the horse a kick, expecting to start into a gentle walk. Except, right as she did, the horse jerked up from where it'd been trying to eat her coat yet again, pulling free a ribbon as it did. A runic ribbon. A runic ribbon that popped in a shower of sparks.

It was no more than a firecracker really. Not enough to do any damage. But it sure was enough to spook the poor horse into a dead gallop.

Astra shrieked as the mare bolted, tearing it's halter free from Mashal's distracted grasp. Her friend called out in alarm, however, she could hardly hear him over the sound of thundering hooves and rushing wind.

Astra's hair and coat blew like streamers behind her, and she just barely got a hand up in time to catch her hat. The world was a blur, every impact of the mare's hoof nearly jolting her off the saddle.

Break, how do I break! What was it Mashal said? Somethin' with the reins?

One hand still over her hat, Astra yanked on the reins as hard as she could. Maybe she expected a dead stop, but a horse wasn't a machine as she was more accustomed to.

For a moment, framed against the setting sun, she was the very picture of ranchhand heroism. It was a clean silhouette she cut on the back of a rearing horse, curls streaming untethered in the wind. Then, the image was promptly shattered by gravity's ungraceful hand.

Second later, Astra groaned as she found herself flat on her back. Her ribs ached from where she'd fallen, and her breath came in short gasps. The sound of footsteps transitioned into a familiar clang of bronze as Mashal slid down next to her.

"Gods beyond, are you alright!" Her friend's hands fluttered anxiously as he peered into her bleary eyes. "I should've thought about the coat, I'm so sorry. I didn't hold on and-"

"Mashal." Astra put a finger over his lips from her position flat on her back. "That... That was fuckin' incredible!"

Her friend blinked. "Wh- Really?"

A grin crept up Astra's lips as she remembered the wind's fingers combing through her hair, remembered the rush of adrenaline and pure joy. How fast had she been going there? It'd felt like she could've caught up to the horizon!

The witch sprang to her feet, staggering a little as the world spun around what might’ve been a very minor concussion. Plans for a network of gravitation runes capable of reducing a thousand pounds to two hundred bounced through her mind. Mashal seemed to catch the wild look in her eyes and sighed with relief. If she could scheme, she wasn't that injured after all.

Grinning like a child, Astra grabbed Mashal by the hand and began towing him after the runaway mare.

"Let's do that again!" she cheered.

#writing #writerscommunity #writblr #my ocs #writing ask game

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mbrainspaz · 10 months ago

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Horse property owners be like: ISO experienced stable manager capable of running my whole 20+ horse boarding business, scheduling and hiring part time help, budgeting, managing my rental houses, wrangling dangerous problem horses, groundskeeping, and teaching lessons to small children. No housing provided, you will be spat upon like a peasant, salary 40k. 🤡

#job search blues #life of a texan peasant #horse industry

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ridingancientrome · 2 months ago

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Top Activities to Experience in Rome: A Journey Through History and Culture

Rome, the Eternal City, is a treasure trove of history, art, and culture. From exploring iconic landmarks like the Colosseum, the Vatican, and the Pantheon, to strolling through charming piazzas and indulging in authentic Italian cuisine, Activities in Rome offers unforgettable experiences for every traveler. Discover the best activities in Rome, including guided tours of ancient ruins, visits to world-class museums, shopping in local markets, and hidden gems off the beaten path. Whether you're a history buff, an art lover, or a food enthusiast, Rome promises an enriching adventure. For more details visit our website www.ridingancientrome.it

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pixeldistractions · 3 months ago

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I am really so impressed with how sprawling and detailed this section of Chestnut Ridge is! The trails are fun for hiking, but I can see how fun they’d be for horseback riding, too. As intended, of course. I still don’t have many families who own horses.

For this part of the story, for story reasons, I’ve set up the middle lot as a faux campground with some other fakey campsites around their real campsite. But when they move on, I think I’ll turn this one into a visitor center and stables for horseback riding “classes” (can sims ride horses that other sims own? if they’re not part of the household?), the other two lots will be rental cabins and maybe a smaller campground. Then this whole area will be one big national park complex.

Ideas for another day.

#ts4 #sims 4 #simblr #sims 4 gameplay #ts4 gameplay #sims 4 chestnut ridge #sims 4 horse ranch

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simverses · 2 years ago

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Three Goblets

A bar, an Inn (Rental) or a Residential? Versatile lot for sims who want to drink and dance. You can also bring your (deco) horse, stables available.

A good space for the bar with bar tables and music. Second floor is an apartment for the owner.

The stables are ready for your (deco) horses, and on the upper floor you can get extra income from renting out the rooms.

Go download at Curseforge, all CC linked (mostly my own)

#sims 4 #sims 4 builds #sims 4 medieval #sims historical

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llaberration · 6 months ago

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Coyne's Chronicles: Shadow Over Yfiria - Chapter 7

Coyne walked swiftly, chewing his lip in concern as he went, only now realising the repercussions of Fez's demands. The dragon had lapsed into sleep after his sudden and expensive use of magic, leaving the mimic alone to figure out what exactly the heck he was supposed to do having kidnapped someone. What did the dragon want with the little man? Was he going to eat him like he did with the thieves and hooligans? He would feel a little bad about that now having done such a thorough job terrifying the tiny being in his pouch. Normally it was just chase-chomp-done and that was it... this seemed more drawn out than he was comfortable with.

Not to mention, someone as unusual as this had to belong to someone right? What if they looked for him? What if they followed? Travelling on foot was simply not going to work if that was the case.

Coyne slowed a little as this thought occurred to him... they had to be faster.

He looked around himself, hurrying along the streets until he found what he was looking for towards the slightly more rural side of the town... a horse rental.

“Good afternoon to you my dear sir...” said a voice as Coyne approached, seeing a stooped little man in front of the stable, eyeing him.

“Good afternoon,” he greeted, thickening his voice to a richer, posher accent than his own. “I wish to rent a horse.”

“Ah then you have come to the right place!” exclaimed the man, as though this were a revelation, gesturing to the stable doors behind him. “For we... rent horses.”

“I need to take a message out of town,” said Coyne, making eye contact, and generally doing everything possible to seem honest. “Do you have anything fast?”

“All of our horses are fast,” replied the man with an overly sweetened customer-service smile.

“I'm sure... but... which one would you say is fastest?”

“Ah you will want Bubbles.”

“Bubbles?”

“Bubbles,” the man went along to the end stable door, which looked oddly battered from the inside, and it was with some trepidation that Coyne peered over it.

Inside, in the dim light, was a looming shape. He took a step back cautiously as the hairy whatever-it-was came closer. Heavy steps vibrating through the stones at his feet.

After a moment, the light from the door revealed something that was probably a horse under about a mile of mane. Not just any horse though. This thing was one of the largest plough horses he had ever laid eyes on. “Oh. Bubbles...” he said, “Isn't he a bit... unconventional for a riding horse?”

“First of all. She. Secondly, think about it. If they can pull a plough at speed, they can carry a rider at speed... and go a lot longer than those pokey skinny lord horses. They have a better sprint but she'll go on forever.”

Coyne tilted his head left and right. The man's logic was sound, and the single, gentle brown eye peering at him from under the mane clearly said. 'Please let me out of here I am so bored.' In his experience, bored horses were better because they were just glad to be involved. “How much?” he asked.

“One silver per day, one gold for two weeks. Naturally all of our horses are fitted with magical trackers, so we'll just keep counting the days up if you don't come back in time, and the price doubles per day we don't hear from you... if an additional month goes by without contact... we send the lads after you.” He pointed down the side of the stable, where two younger men were shovelling unspeakable substances. 'Men' was an exaggeration. They were more muscle than human, one of them barely had a face, and what there was of it was concealed by the most out of proportion moustache Coyne had ever seen. “Of course,” he said, trying to stay cool and calm, sticking to his old days of being around humans a lot. “Can I contact you by courier if time runs on?”

“As long as the message contains additional payment for any days missed, yes,” said the man, whipping a contract from nowhere. “Sign here here here and on the line here,”

Coyne skim-read the contract, but it was mostly what he was used to seeing, and he couldn't smell any obvious deceit on the paperwork, so he signed, and flipped the man a gold coin. The man put away the scroll, presented Coyne a receipt, (complete with address to send additional payment to) snapped his fingers, and one of 'the boys' thudded off to get 'Bubbles' kitted out for the road.

It was strange for Coyne to be even thinking of renting a horse. He had done it before, back before the war but... since those days he had gone to low-profile, nowhere to be except surviving, which had been more favoured towards scraping around on the sides of roads and walking everywhere on foot. But right now with Fez hidden and therefore out of wing-related activities, it made sense to take another mode of transportation.

A few minutes later, a hulking figure pulled open the stable door, and was still dwarfed by Bubbles, who looked down at the man leading her with mild disinterest.

To Coyne's estimation, she was in good condition health wise. But in desperate need of having her fur and mane taken care of. She was more hair than horse, and almost looked like a cyclops with one eye peering out of the mass. “Th... thank you?” he stammered, as the huge man held out the reins to him.

The muscle mass grunted, gave him a look with one beady eye that said, in no unclear terms that he should keep up his payments.

Coyne gave what he hoped was a winning smile, and began to make his way off down the road, leading the horse.

Once he was a decent way from the place, he looked up at Bubbles, and asked, “You wanna go for a run?”

The horse observed him with unbothered calm, and he smiled, seeking out her nose under all the mane to give it a stroke, “Sure you do.” He went to the side of the horse, and with some difficulty got a foot into the stirrup, which was far too high up for someone his height. Still, the saddle was sturdy so he was able to yank himself up, flopping over it at first, until he was able to turn around, and face forwards.

He felt hugely out of place on the massive animal, and awkwardly reached forwards to part the horse's mane and pull it back behind her ears. If he was going to ride around on this walking behemoth, he wanted her to see where she was going. She shot him a grateful look, and he checked the reins wouldn't tangle before sitting back, “alright...” he said, pretty sure the rough act of getting on the horse had woken Fez and upset the man they had kidnapped, “been a while since I've done this, but here we go...” he gently gave a little kick with his heels, and Bubbles didn't need to be told twice. The road was still pretty full of life, people travelling this way and that, and all kinds of businesses still populated it. This was more rural than the area right beside the wall, but was by no means out of town. The horse did not care. Her enormous frame thundering along the cobbles, even at a mild trot, was plenty of advanced warning for people to get out of the way, and each stride was many of Coyne's. This was much better. If anyone was following, and he had to face it, they probably were... he could get a decent head start on them this way.

He knew well enough how to remove magical tagging from horses, it was an old, relatively simple trick, and one of the few magical procedures the college sanctioned as long as it was performed by one of their mages. He planned to remove it once they were out of town, just in case anyone tried to use it to follow. He doubted it, because horse renters valued the privacy of their clients in a way that made them pretty reliable at not giving out information... but... it was wise to play it safe. He would still send payments to the stable, and return Bubbles once they were done on their quest... probably... but for now, he would just take advantage of her legs.

“Coyne?” Fez's voice, still sleepy, spoke up.

“Hm?”

“Are you... on a horse? I hear a horse,”

“Got us some swifter legs than mine... just in case your little acquisition is being followed...”

“Good thinking. I can't fly us anywhere in a place this populated so having a good horse will pay off. How is our new friend?”

“Uh... still shouting,” said Coyne, touching the concealed pouch. “What are you going to do with him?”

“I'm not certain yet. Hopefully make a contract with him like I did with you...”

“Oh...” said Coyne, relieved, “I thought you were going to eat him...”

“What? Eat someone with the eyes of an ancient?”

“In all fairness... I have no idea what that means.”

“Well. Allow me to educate you with at least what I am aware of. Ancients were an ancient sect of 'mages.' I use the term mage as loosely as it can be used here. They were not naturally infused with magic, but each one was brought about by a human overdosing themselves with massive amounts of stolen magic energy. Most people are completely unable to survive such a procedure but on rare occasions it would sort of... take hold. It changed them... gave them their own source of magic, and one of the known side effects of that was developing the ability to see energy with their eyes. I assume that to be why he was staring at you like a lost puppy.”

“See energy? You can't see energy... it's intangible...”

“True, but the side effects of it are. Like heat is a by-product of movement, magic energy creates a by-product of its own... almost like steam from hot water... that they can see. You must look quite interesting.”

“So what happened to these 'ancients'?”

“Well as they had a one in about two hundred survival rate, there were so few of them they kind of... died out. But they say they were the first humans to posses magic, and their bloodlines trace back all of the magic still inside humanity to this day.”

“Oh... so they kind of... forced the transition of magic into humans?”

“In a sense, yes. Somehow... you stumbled into one. He must be some kind of modern experiment to re-create an ancient... though I doubt the college would be so foolish...” the dragon paused awkwardly. “I retract that statement. The college would absolutely be that foolish. I plan to ask him.”

Coyne nodded, “Well... at the moment, we are still in town. Once we get out of town, we can worry about him... for the time being I can't do a lot without drawing attention.”

“You could send him down here so I can talk to him.”

“I can't eat a man in plain view Fez.”

“He's quite small... I'm sure nobody would notice...”

“What if he's armed! He could do me serious harm before he even gets to you...”

“I doubt he's dangerous...”

“Did you see the man? He looks like a complete lunatic!”

There was a pause as the dragon considered this, then relaxed with some kind of movement Coyne assumed was a shrug. “Fine, but do not let him escape. I have disabled any magic he might be able to use for now, but if he has any actual weapons, you'll have to deal with that in due time.”

Alan was, in fact, trying to use magic at that precise moment. Stuck awkwardly in a small, leathery space with a few gold coins, he had found himself unable to cast even basic spells. They just kind of flickered and died when he tried to summon them. He kicked himself for always scoffing at Trevor's advice to carry at least a small knife whilst they were at the wall. He had always thought his magic could defend him... but now he was finding that was not the case...

He wasn't sure what had happened to him even... one moment he had been reaching for the amazing orange person... then someone had put hands on him, his head had exploded with tingling pain, and then he had... been here. He couldn't see a lot, as he was within an orange haze and it was dark, but from that, and the enormous gold coins he had discovered, he had deduced by now that he must have been magically shrunk, his powers somehow locked from him. Sadly they had not been thorough enough to lock his adjusted eyes, and therefore his vision was still dominated by the orange energy of his captor. He had done a fair bit of shouting to try and draw attention but it seemed whoever had done this was far more interested in the outside world than in him. Probably trying to make an escape of some kind.

He sighed, hugging his knees against himself nervously. Why had he been taken? Was it simply for pursuing the orange person? Had he just been following someone who didn't want to be followed? He knew he should really have just yelled for the guards to arrest the figure but... he had been too stunned by the colour and nature of it... he had just wanted to find out what it was... and in so-doing, he had foolishly gotten himself captured. He looked at his college ring, which was now emitting a pale green glow from the stone. He knew from that that Trevor was tracking him through it. He just had to try and hide that he had it so his captor didn't realise. No doubt an angry bear would quickly convince them to hand him over, if Trevor didn't just maim them outright... he wasn't sure what the druid would do. It would be somewhere along the lines of either 'track him but not bother to follow unless the College sent him explicit strict instructions to do so,' or 'follow just for the change of scenery and calmly ask for him back' or 'show up and start eating people as a bear' and honestly... on a sliding scale that extreme... Alan didn't know quite what to expect.

He had already tried to open his prison, but it seemed to be closed securely, and without magic, and his vision clouded by perpetual orange... he was finding it pretty hard to come up with any alternatives. The fact he had not simply been immediately killed was somewhat encouraging, but in no way made him feel as though it wasn't still potentially on the cards for later. He just had to hope that Trevor would get there first.

“Can we go now?” asked Trevor, bouncing impatiently on his feet as Belfus stuffed a last package into his overly large backpack.

“But we have to be prepared,” replied Belfus urgently, “You said yourself that you don't know what is out there waiting for us.”

“Well, that doesn't mean you need to pack an entire camp!”

“You can never. Be. Too. Prepared,” replied the soldier firmly, as he shoved a wrapped loaf of bread into the top of his pack.

Trevor scowled, his eyes flicking to the window. He was so close to actually getting to do something that was exciting. Something other than study or practice or stand and stare at people coming through the gate. He felt like he had new purpose. Alan was in trouble, taken by some sinister 'orange' force, and he had the chance to go and hunt it down. The only thing currently standing in the way was Belfus and his inexplicable desire to bring half the kingdom's worth of gear with him.

“Alright... there we go,” said the soldier at last, hefting the pack onto his shoulder, staggering slightly, causing a noisy clatter.

Trevor rolled his eyes. That was going to be nice and stealthy then. “Alright good come on.” He was not going to encourage the soldier to stop and further economise his gear. They had already allowed more than enough time to pass. He rushed out of the soldier's shared living quarters where he had been waiting, and Belfus followed with a clatter.

Once they reached the ground, they both began to run in different directions. Trevor heading in the direction that the seal was indicating, and Belfus the opposite way. Trevor stopped. “What are you doing?”

“Horses?” said the man, pointing down the road where the military kept their steeds.

“We don't need horses, I'm the horse,” said Trevor.

“What?”

Trevor scoffed impatiently, marched to the soldier and put the seal in his hand. “Hold this, and navigate,” he said, before taking a step back.

Belfus watched the druid, puzzled as he took a slow breath, cracked his neck, and began to change.

Just as before, when the mage had changed into a dog, his shape seemed to twist and reform, green, smoky magic swirling around it as though re-working a lump of clay into a new shape. When it faded, what stood before the soldier was no longer a man, but an extremely impatient looking horse.

He was a pale tan-brown, with a darker face and legs, and a long, unkept black-brown mane. He was of what Belfus would considered 'no specific breed' but medium build would have made a pretty typical riding horse, not particularly slender or powerful. The eyes, though they had reshaped to be those of a horse, absolutely still contained every ounce of contempt that Trevor's normally did.

The horse stamped impatiently, gave Belfus a pointed look, then turned to stare at its back before looking at him again.

“Uh... goodness... I don't know... I wasn't aware I was going to be riding you...” the soldier stammered, awkwardly. “Could we not at least get a saddle?”

Trevor shot the man a look that said, in no uncertain terms, exactly what he would do to the soldier if he so much as came near him with a saddle.

“But... what do I...” Belfus began to ask another question, but Trevor let out an impatient sound and came to stand with his side facing the soldier, making it clear he was to get on.

“But I...”

Trevor let out a loud snort and bared his teeth at the man, who recoiled slightly, and then complied, awkwardly leaning on the druid's back to haul himself up, making an undignified 'oof' as he had to do so without the normal help of stirrups.

Trevor let out a sound that was a little like a laugh at his struggle, but turned his head to help shove the heavy soldier up into place.

Almost before Belfus had managed to get himself properly positioned, Trevor was starting to walk, apparently unbothered by the weight of the large man and even larger pack of assorted camping equipment. The soldier had to admit he was somewhat impressed, he knew Trevor was what the college classed as a 'druid' and that meant, among other things, he could turn into animals, but he had never seen him do it before today. It had been unsettling to watch him turn into a dog but... now the soldier was not only seeing the horse, but feeling how real it was... he was pretty awed about the whole thing.

Getting his head together a bit, he lifted the seal and examined it. “We need to head more west,”

Trevor made a sound of acknowledgement, and turned along the next west bound street, forcing Belfus to grab his neck to hold on. “Couldn't we at least get some reigns or...” he went silent when Trevor shot him another look and sat quietly. Taken captive by a magical horse to chase after some unknown magical kidnapper... he was certain he had read fictional books with slightly less preposterous plots than this.

Coyne continued to ride as swiftly as he felt was fair on Bubbles. The huge horse was well into her stride, and showing absolutely no intention of slowing. The mimic seemed to be in agreement with the mare that a gallop was unwise, and they had somehow agreed on a swift canter. A 'canter' felt insufficient as a term to describe the thundering of the creature, but speed-wise it was ideal, and if the stable had been right about her stamina, they would make good time.

As the world passed by around them, Coyne had to admit he found himself shocked by how built up this side of the wall was. The towns he was used to could be passed through in about ten minutes from end to end, but they had been cantering for over an hour and there were still no shortage of houses lining the road. They had gotten smaller, and slightly less maintained, but they were still plentiful and he was starting to wonder if he would ever have the privacy to address the situation of the tiny, angry little man still hidden in his money pouch.

At least Fez seemed content, snuggled warmly in place, either sleeping off his magic use, or just taking the time to relax. Periodically, Coyne would lightly run a hand over his stomach, checking that the dragon was still responsive to pressure, and Fez would always wake up enough to respond with a light little kick or headbutt. Wordlessly confirming all was still well. Coyne had to admit, it felt nice to be communicating like this with his new friend. He was still adjusting to the sensation of something heavy and alive settled inside him, but it really wasn't all that bad. He had more concerns for their other passenger, but he certainly wasn't about to tackle that issue while they were still travelling through populated space. He was actually starting to get kind of anxious to be back out in the wilds.

There was a time when he had thrived being around humans, but he had truly seen the worst of people since then. He knew how truly bad they could be.

Then again, when he thought back to what Fez had shown him out there in the wilds... how the plague was building itself, spreading, he began to wonder how long his home would have been safe for.

Those afflicted had never really made any effort to come after him, or even the small towns, too drawn towards the wall and the huge concentration of life and people it presented. But how long would it have been before it wanted to gather more strength from the land around it. Then the border towns would have started to fall, and eventually, even those like him would have been in danger.

He shook himself back to reality and focused himself on the task currently at hand. They still had a tiny, angry man to deal with.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

<<First || Previous || Masterlist || Next >>

And so we meet Bubbles. My personal favourite character. Because I never have to write any dialogue for her. She says everything she needs to with nary a word.

And yes if you're wondering I am uploading these quickly to try and catch up with the main upload schedule that's running everywhere else. Not my fault it took me eight months to work up the courage to start posting here.

#safe vore #soft vore #extreme cuddling #nonfatal vore #sfw vore

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polijakefim · 1 year ago

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Outside Magazine, November 2016 | Travis fimmel, Vikings actors, Happy play

Travis Fimmel’s Minimalist Broasis

Vikings star Travis Fimmel has exactly three possessions: his trailer, his pickup truck, and his horse

I’d been told to meet the Australian actor Travis Fimmel, best known for his role as Norse warrior Ragnar Lothbrok in the History channel’s Vikings series, at his ranch outside Los Angeles. Given the popularity of the show—four seasons, an Amazon Prime release, and season five in the works—I had assumed that Fimmel’s pad would be some secluded midcentury hideout with a well-stocked kitchen and a gym worthy of a broadsword slinger who’d also recently anchored a Warcraft film adaptation that made nearly half a billion dollars worldwide

But the address led to a dusty outdoor riding arena just off the highway, where Fimmel, barefoot in a pair of camo cargo shorts and a surf tee, greeted me from the back of his 15-year-old chestnut quarter horse, Wanker.

“I’m just getting him warmed up so he doesn’t buck you off,” says Fimmel, who is 37 and was raised on a dairy farm in Echuca, Australia. He grew up working in his family’s cherry orchards, camping and fishing with his two older brothers, and surfing behind dirt bikes in irrigation canals. He came to L.A. when he was 21, after being scouted by a modeling agency and dropping out of architecture school. Almost immediately, he was stopping traffic on billboards modeling Calvin Klein underwear

"Among a generation who’ve shunned material possessions, Fimmel has achieved an advanced state of stoic minimalism."

Still mounted, Fimmel led me in my rental car up to his broasis, which, it quickly became clear, was actually a dilapidated 18-foot beige and white Nomad travel trailer parked permanently in the shade of a pepper tree between a water tank and the tack shed.

“Got it real cheap, over in Phelan,” says Fimmel. “Towing it back, the side panels were flapping, and the back door fell off.” The ranch belongs to longtime stunt coordinator Walter Scott. Fimmel showed up in 2010 looking for riding lessons ahead of a big-screen remake of the 1960s TV show Big Valley. Most of the work around his family’s farm was performed on ATVs, so he was a novice horseman.

“Just ask me about when I first met him,” says Scott. “He says he knew about horses—everything he learned right here, on that horse. Roping and everything. Him and another guy came. He never left.”

The film went down in flames after the director was convicted of committing tax-credit fraud on a previous project, but Fimmel stuck around the stable and now squats there when he’s not traveling. “Out here it’s just good people. No industry,” Fimmel explains. “Just the stunt boys.”

Among a generation who’ve shunned material possessions as barriers to life experience, Fimmel has achieved an advanced state of stoic minimalism. According to him, his only worldly possessions are Wanker, the Craigslist trailer (which now has air-conditioning), and a red 1982 GMC stepside pickup with a ’73 bed (which does not). Before the trailer, he lived in an old Ford Econoline with a pop-up bed.

“It got taken off me,” he says. “It wasn’t road worthy.” Unlike the cool kids who gussy up Sprinter vans and Westfalias, Fimmel only recently upgraded from a flip phone to an iPhone 4, does no social media, and rarely checks his e-mail. “I’m always getting texts asking why I’m not responding on Instagram or Facebook, and I’m like, ‘It’s not me. You’re writing to some stranger.’ ”

Fimmel helped me into the saddle, and we headed out for a hack on a trail behind the property, him riding Scott’s horse Josey. It was hot, and Wanker wanted to stop in the shade. Fimmel’s ultimate goal is to save as much money as he can and end up back in Australia on a nice spread—“with three or four wives,” he jokes, though at the moment he says of the opposite sex, “They all hate me, although it’s not for lack of trying. When you do a lot of traveling, it’s hard.”

He eats what he wants, works out only when he’s forced to, and does his drinking at the local VFW hall. But for a guy who regrets his modeling days and says he wasn’t looking to get into acting—“Still not looking to, mate”—he’s stripped away everything else. If he could, he’d spend three months studying for each of his parts. “You get sucked into it, trying to be good at it,” he says. “I wish you could make money and people never saw what you did. Then you could relax and not care about how bad you are.”

It’s the proper amount of self-hatred for an action hero who’s actually good at his craft—more Viggo Mortensen than Chris Hemsworth. He starts shooting a blockbuster bank-heist film, Finding Steve McQueen, in September, starring alongside Kate Bosworth and Forest Whitaker.

Fimmel is extraordinarily soft-spoken—introverted, even—for a guy at risk of being typecast as a barbarian. At an interview with three of his Vikings castmates at Comic-Con in July, Fimmel managed to get through the entire Q&A saying exactly zero words. But he’s only now being tested in parts with more range, like his supporting role as a bearded-hipster pickle entrepreneur in the 2016 romantic comedy Maggie’s Plan and a loving, alcoholic father in an adaptation of the horse-racing novel Lean on Pete that was shot in Oregon and wrapped this summer. On that project, he ducked out for a few days to reel in his first steelhead with a friend at the mouth of the Chehalis River.

It was nearly 100 degrees on the trail. The Blue Cut Fire had just broken out in San Bernardino, and disaster-relief crews were a constant presence on the highway. Each of the past three summers, Fimmel has escaped this kind of heat, shooting Vikings in the cold mists of Ireland. The Ragnar role even landed him an endorsement deal as the face of high-end down-jacket company Canada Goose, which photographed him earlier this year among the icebergs of Newfoundland.

Here, though, it was just really hot. We put the horses up, Fimmel hosed Wanker down, and we went for a Bud Light at the VFW. If any of the vets and bikers recognized him, they didn’t show it. This time next year, it may not be so easy.

Lead Photo: Jeff Lipsky

#polijake_fim #travis fimmel #ragnarlothbrok #ragnar lothbrok

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mint-moon25 · 2 years ago

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ASHVILLE - NORTH CAROLINA - BILTMORE - ESTATE -

NEAR - VANDERBILT ESTATE - STILL - THEIRS TODAY -

RECORD - $9.6 MILLION - GETTING - ESTATE - WITH -

HORSE - STABLES - WITH - PANORAMA - TOWER -

85 FLOORS - BISCAYNE BAY - SOLAR - BUILDING -

CONDO - 2 SWIMMING - POOLS - BUT - 4 ESTATE -

BUYING - AT - ASHVILLE - SAME - TEMPERATURE -

AS - MIAMI - LOW - OF - 27 DEGREES - BUT SNOW -

AND - MOUNTAINOUS - WHO - WAS - IMPRESSED -

WITH - GERMAN - SANDRA BULLOCK - (NUDITY) -

'THE - PROPOSAL' - ALL - THE - TREES - SHE -

WATCHES - WHEN - INDOOR - CYCLING AND -

THE - INDIAN - FAMILY - OF - REYNOLDS HER -

LEAD - SHE - CANADIAN - WELL - MAYBE THE -

BACKGROUND - WAS - NORTH CAROLINA -

THERE's - ASHVILLE - AND - RALEIGH BUT -

ASHVILLE - TOPS - BEST FOODS - LOTS OF -

CHOICES - ASHVILLE - SMALLER - POP -

THAN - MIAMI - OVER - 400,000 - BUT -

ASHVILLE - ONLY - + 84,000 - AND HAS -

HOT - BALLOON - REMEMBER - HALLMARK -

FILM - CINDY BUSBY NORTHERN CALIFORNIA -

LAKE - TAHOO - ASHVILLE - HAS - HOT - TRUE -

BALLOON - DEPENDING - ON - SEASON - AND -

PILOT - DEPOSIT - REQUIRED - FOR - PERSON -

COST - $260 - $360 - I - WANT - 2 - MOVE - TO -

ASHVILLE - ALSO - 2 - END - THESE - PRICES -

FREE - RENTAL - MILITARY - BOOTS - FLIES -

US - VESTS - ALSO - FLIES - US - ADJUSTS 2 -

WEATHER - KEEP - WARMER - COLDER YES -

FREE - RENTAL - OF - VESTS - MILITARY -

HATS - RENTAL - FLIES - US - I - WOULD -

LIKE - 2 - DO - HOT - BALLOONS - DAY & -

NIGHT - 24/7 - MY - OWN - ZIPLINES TOO -

$16 - $113 - EACH PERSON - MINE - FREE -

OFFERING - FREE - ZIPLINES - ALL AGES -

ASHVILLE - HORSE BACK - I WOULD YES -

LIKE - 2 - HAVE - HORSES - THOROUGH -

BREDS - 2 - RIDE - ALL - AGES - MALES -

ONLY - CAFES - FREE - SO - PEOPLE -

WILL - LOVE - HORSES - CAROUSEL -

RIDE - ALSO - WHILE - WAITING - OR -

CONSIDERING - I - WOULD - LIKE XO -

2 - HAVE - NICE - PLACE - LIKE THIS -

24/7 - HOLIDAYS - LEGAL PERMISSION -

HELLO KITTY - SANRIO - AND - PIXAR & -

DISNEY - 'TURNING - RED' - COMBINING -

BOTH - RED - PANDAS - 4 - KIDS - THEY -

WILL - LOVE - THEM - MERCHANDISE 4 -

SALE - INCLUDING - HELLO - KITTY - 4 -

KIDS - ADULTS - KITCHEN - FURNITURE -

I - WOULD - LIKE - 2 - HAVE CAROUSEL -

RIDE - BED & BREAKFAST - AND - INNS -

HORSES - PART - OF - THE - CHARM AS -

RIDES - OF - PAST - LIKE - BRITISH YES -

BRINGING - SMALL - HATS - WORN XO -

AGAIN - BRITISH - STYLE - PARKS YES -

OUR - OWN - LONDON - BUT - IN - THE -

MOUNTAINS - WHERE - FAMILY - CAN -

HAVE - FUN - I - WOULD - LIKE - 2 YES -

START - IN - ASHVILLE - NORTH CAROLINA -

INTERNATIONAL SPIES PRIVATE SCHOOLS -

BOYS - AND - GIRLS SEPARATE - IN - CLASS -

UNIFORMS - FREE - SPORTS - EVERYTHING -

CHEERLEADERS - BUT - EMPHASIS HORSE -

AUTO - FLYING - SMALL - PRIVATE PLANES -

COLLEGE - INTERNATIONAL - SPIES -

PRIVATE - COLLEGE - UNIFORMED 2 -

FREE - SUPPLIES - SUITES - FREE XO -

I - WOULD - LOVE - THIS - FINE ARTS -

IMPRESSIONIST - ART - TEACHING XO -

KIDS - FRENCH - BAKING - COOKING 2 -

ITALIAN - FOODS - INTERNATIONAL & -

ASIAN - ALSO - I'M - EUROPEAN - YES -

CHEROKEE - RESERVATION - INDIAN -

AND OVER - 14,000 YEARS - AMERICAN -

CHEROKEE - INDIAN - LIVED - IN - TRUE -

ASHVILLE - NORTH CAROLINA - BUT XO -

GOLD FOUND - IN - THEIR - HOMELAND -

THEY - WERE - REMOVED - THEY - FLED -

2 - OKLAHOMA - OVER - 4,000 - DIED - I -

THINK - THIS - WALKING - 2 OKLAHOMA -

BUT - IT - WASN'T - USA - STATE - YET - 2 -

NOW - CHEROKEE - NC - ABOUT - 1 HR & -

10 MIN - FR - ASHVILLE - KNOWING THE -

CHEROKEE INDIAN - EXCELLENT WITH -

THOROUBRED - MALE - HORSES - AND -

BRINGING - INDIAN - TEEPEES - 2 - YES -

ENTERTAIN - KIDS - FAMILIES - WITH AS -

SHINY - BRIGHT OUTSIDE - AND - NICE -

LIGHTS - INSIDE - AND WARM - ALSO -

I - WOULD - LIKE - MY - OWN - TRUE -

FAMILY - AMUSEMENT - PARK - BUT -

24/7 - HOLIDAYS - 4 - THEM - 2 - GO -

BACK - AND FORTH - IN - TIME - THERE -

IS - LOTS - OF - LAND - IN - MOUNTAINS -

OF - ASHVILLE - NORTH CAROLINA - ME -

NEEDS - PANORAMA - TOWERS - AND -

SOLAR - CONDO - BUT - NOT - LOTS OF -

HISPANICS - THERE - MOSTLY - WHITE -

AMERICANS - BASICALLY - USA AGAIN -

13 ORIGINAL - STATES - MAJORITY ARE -

WHITES - FR - ENGLAND - MY - ROOTS -

ALSO - 82.64% - ASHVILLE - 'SMALL -

BIG TOWN' - WELCOMING - FRIENDLY -

ASHVILLE - NORTH CAROLINA - SNOW - IS - THE -

HAPPIEST - CITY - ON - THE - EAST COAST - YES -

SELF - MAGAZINE - CALLS - ASHVILLE -

'HAPPY - CITY - FOR - WOMEN' - IN 2016 -

TOP - 100 - BEST PLACES - 2 - LIVE USA -

HISPANICS - IN - ASHVILLE - UNDER - 2.98% -

2 - OR - MORE - RACES - ASIANS - IS - LESS -

HERE - 1.52% - IN - MIAMI - 2% - LIKE ALSO -

IN - INDIANA - BLKS - AFRICANS - 11.11% YES -

ONLY - LESS - OF THEM - MAJOR - LIKE -

HOW - 13 ORIGINAL - STATES - STARTED -

ALL - WHITE - FR - ENGLAND - WHO YES -

FLEED - FR - RELIGIOUS - PERSECUTION -

POVERTY - STARVATION - HARSH - LAWS -

MORE - I'M - BUYING - MY - ESTATE - YES -

HOUSE IN ASHVILLE - NORTH CAROLINA -

BEAUTIFUL - MOUNTAINS - FR - GEORGIA -

ART - MUSEUMS - HORSES - ASHVILLE IS -

THE - FIRST - SHOPPING - MALL - OF USA -

STILL - THERE - AND - VERY - BEAUTIFUL

MEILIN MEI LEE - THERE's - ONLY - ONE -

IU - 5'4 FT - ACTRESS - SINGER - MODEL -

SOUTH KOREA - KR - LOVE - U - GIRL XO -

HELLO KITTY - TURNING RED - 24/7 -

HOLIDAYS - FREE - ENTRY - ALWAYS -

OPEN - NO - SOUND - FIREWORKS EA -

NIGHT - LOTS - OF - RED PANDA - BIG -

2 - ENTERTAIN - KIDS - ALSO - HUGE -

MEILIN MEI LEE - HELLO - KITTY - 2 -

BIG - SANRIO - HUGE - CHARACTERS -

2 - DELIGHT - FAMILIES - KIDS - FREE -

ALL - CAFES - PUSH - CARTS - FREE -

FOOD - DRINKS - NO - TIP - NO - TIP -

TURNING - RED - HELLO - KITTY -

WATCHES - RESERVE - RIDES - 2 -

APP - FREE - WHAT - ALL PLACES -

LOOK - INSIDE - INCLUDING RIDES -

RESERVE - YOUR - RIDES - NOS - & -

LETTERS - YOUR - WATCHES - WILL -

GIVE - U - FASTEST - WAY - 2 - GET -

THERE - OUTDOOR - WALK - ON 2 -

WALK - U - AUTO - RIDES - FREE -

IN - THERE - 2 C - OVERVIEW SO -

U - GET - SOPHISTICATED - AND - FREE -

WALT DISNEY WORLD - LOTS OF SHOPS -

BUT - LIKE - 'JOLLY - ENGLAND' - WE'RE -

WEARING - SMALL - HATS - MINIATURE -

HORSES - THOROUGHBRED - HORSES -

LANES - RIDE - HORSES - 2 - GET - TO -

MANY - PLACES - FREE - HELLO KITTY -

TURNING - RED - BED & BREAKFASTS -

HK - AND - TURNING - RED - INNS YES -

$0.25 - PER - DAY - BOOK - 1 MONTH -

IN - ADVANCE - ALL - PAYMENTS - U -

PAY - OUTDOOR - INDOOR - COINS 2 -

WASHER - DRYER - STEAMER - AND -

DRY CLEANING - PER - ROOM - YES -

FULL - KITCHEN - HIGH - TECH ALSO -

BAKERIES - FREE - FOOD - DRINKS 2 -

ROOM - SERVICE - FOOD - DRINKS -

FREE - FREE - PLACE - WHERE WE -

CAN - ALL - GET - TOGETHER HAVE -

FUN - SNOW - WARMER - HERE - 2 -

I - WANT - TREES - WATERFALLS -

MOUNTAINS - ZIPLINES - WE YES -

CAN - CALL - HOME - ZIPLINES -

HERE - HOT - BALLOONS - HERE -

I - WANT - 'HOME' - BUT - THIS 2 -

13 ORIGINAL - STATES - WHITES -

AND - FR - ENGLAND - I'M - YES -

BRINGING - US - ALSO - BACK IN -

TIME - HATS - AS - LADIES - AND -

GENTLEMEN - KIDS - AND OLDER -

ASHVILLE - NORTH CAROLINA

HOME - AGAIN - AND BRINGING

CHEROKEE - INDIAN - ALSO - 2

US - BEST - OF - ALL - WORLDS

MANY - INTERNET - INFO - IS - SO - WRONG

CORRECTION - CA - CALIFORNIA - NOT - AN

ORIGINAL - US STATE - IN - FACT - FLORIDA -

27TH - TEXAS - 28TH - CAME - FIRST - ALSO -

CALIFORNIA - BECAME - NON-SLAVE STATE -

2 - ENTER - US STATEHOOD - 19TH CENTURY -

WELCOME - CALIFORNIA - 31ST - STATE - FOR -

I - WAS - RAPED - THERE - NEW -

SAN FERNANDO - VALLEY OVER -

25 MALES - 6'2 FT - WHITES AND -

BROWN - HAIR - KIDNAPPED - 2X -

CANOGA PARK - THEN ANOTHER -

LOST - MEMORY - 2ND - TIME BUT -

UNDER AGE 21 - UCLA - HUGE - & -

BIG MEN - ALUMNIS - ATTACKED -

ME - WHEN - I - WAS - WAITRESS -

WERE - GOING - 2 - HIT - ME YES -

LIVE - IN - A - JAPANESE - SUSHI -

SMALL - PLACE - MY - 1ST - JOB -

AS - WAITRESS - WESTWOOD CA -

OVER - 8 MILLION - LOS ANGELES -

NATURALIZED - THERE - WAS YES -

ALMOST - RAPED - BY MY - PHILS -

ADOPTED - MOM - ALUMNIS AND -

HER - WERE - GOING - 2 - HANDCUFF -

ME - IN - SAN FRANCISCO - THEN XO -

HER - SPOUSE - WAS - GOING - 2 GET -

ME - PREGNANT - SENIOR - YEAR AND -

SELL - MY - BABIES - UP - OTHER YES -

CHRISTIAN - COUPLES - 2 - GET - ME -

PREGNANT - SELL - BABIES - AS - A -

NON-HIGH SCHOOL - GRAD AND ME -

ALREADY PAID - 4 - USC - LOS ANGELES -

BUT - MARTIAL ARTS - AND - I - WAS OUT -

OF - THERE - FOUND - THOUSANDS - OF -

DOLLARS - FAKE - ID - AND - I - WAS YES -

ABLE - AS - 18 AND OLDER - 2 - GET TRUE -

BACK - I - WAS - AGE 15 - OR - ALREADY 16 -

FAKE - ID - $10 - SAVED - ME - AN - ASIAN -

GOT - 2 - GO - 2 - USC - FULLY - PAID - BY -

GRANTS - TALKING ABOUT - CALIFORNIA -

HEAVEN HELL - BECAUSE NOT ORIGINAL -

US - STATE NEW YORK - ORIGINAL - TRUE -

ANOTHER KIND - OF - INDIANS - THERE -

SICK - ATTACKS - BY - BLK - MEN - AND -

WOMEN - HERE - ATTACKS - BY - THEM -

AND - HISPANICS - BUT - THEY'RE - NOT -

ENGLAND - WHITES - SO - BACK - 2 THE -

ORIGINAL - 13 STATES - ASHVILLE - NC -

2016 - 'THE - HAPPIEST - CITY 4 WOMEN' -

BY - SELF - MAGAZINE - ONE - OF - THE -

BEST - TOP 10 - CITIES - 2 - LIVE IN AND -

LOTS - OF - FOODS - AND - OVER - 82% -

WHITES - WELCOMING - AND FRIENDLY -

LIKE - MANY - SMALL - EUROPEAN -

COUNTRIES - LOTS - OF - WHITES I -

AM - HALF - ORIGINAL - WHITE - AS -

EUROPEAN - AND - ASIANS - ARE -

EXTREMELY - WHITE - CAN'T TAN -

ESTATE - WILL - B - ASHVILLE - NC -

NORTH CAROLINA - EAST - COAST -

BLUE - RIDGE - MOUNTAINS - AND -

STATE PARKS - HIKING MOUNTAIN -

BIKES - HORSE BACK - RIDING - SO -

COOL BACK - 2 - THOROUGHBREDS

CHEROKEE - INDIANS OVER - 14,000 YEARS

LIVING - IN - ASHVILLE - NORTH CAROLINA

OCT - 1838 - ALMOST - 14,000 - CHEROKEES - BEGAN -

TREK - WESTWARD - 19TH - CENTURY - MORE - THAN -

4,000 - DIED - FR - COLD - HUNGER - DISEASE - TIRED -

FR - WALKING - 6 MONTHS - 2 - OKLAHOMA - NOT - A -

STATE - YET - OF - THE - UNITED STATES -

CREATING - A - RULING - CALLED - THE -

CHEROKEE REMOVAL - AND REMOVED -

THEM - BECAUSE - GOLD - FOUND - IN -

THEIR - HOMELAND - PAYMENT - FOR -

AWHILE - WAS - BY - GOLD - IN KOREA -

THEY - PAID - WITH - SILVER - ALSO XO -

CHINA - 2 - CALIFORNIA - GOLD - RUSH -

BLK - COUNTRY - GHANA - ALSO - TRUE -

FORMER - GOLD - RUSH - TODAY - GOLD -

OVER - $1.00 - 14 CARAT - BECAUSE - OF -

ALL - THE - PEOPLE - THEY - KILLED FOR -

IT - DIAMONDS - HARDEST - SUBSTANCE -

ON - EARTH - NO 1 - STOPS - MIGRAINE -

HEADACHES - GOLD - STOPS DIARHEA -

STOMACH - ACHES - ASSOCIATED WITH -

POOP - THE - EASTERN - BAND - OF -

CHEROKEE - INDIANS - LOCATED IN -

WESTERN - NORTH CAROLINA - YES -

ADJACENT - 2 - GREAT - SMOKY -

MOUNTAINS - RESERVATION - IS -

COMPOSED - OF - 57,000 ACRES -

CHEROKEES - TODAY - OKLAHOMA -

AND CHEROKEE - NORTH CAROLINA -

FOR - THOUSANDS - OF - YEARS THE -

CHEROKEE - INDIAN - THRIVED - IN -

'THE - PLACE - WHERE - THEY -

RACE' - WITH - HORSES - TRUE -

'THE - PLACE WHERE - THEY -

RACE' - MEANS - ASHEVILLE -

CITY - STILL - CALLED - THAT

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