A newly arrived stallion arrives and Thena watches how Gil and that said stallion forming a bond
Something wholesome and cute? For the dressage AU
It was huge. Stallions were fairly large breeds, of course--well muscled and meant to be strong. But even with all that being said, there was no denying the horse was massive. It was all black, with quite a mean expression. Its long mane had yet to be trimmed or groomed because the beast wouldn't let anyone near it, let alone with shears.
Only one had been brave enough to even try.
Thena watched from around Olympia's shoulder. She had only seen the new arrival a few times, now. He had been purchased by the club for what an asset he could be, but first they needed someone willing to tame him. From what she had heard, Ikaris had tried, maybe even Eros - only the most egotistical riders, of course - but to no avail.
"Easy, boy, eyes on me."
Gil had a tight hold on the rope in his leather gloved hand. He let the horse trot in circles around him. The line was taut, the horse maintaining a distance from Gil but at his own pace. Gil walked in circles as he was led by his companion.
"That's right, it's okay," he spoke softly to the monstrous horse, keeping his eyes on it. He was the only one strong enough to compete with the horse's pull on the reins, of course. "No one's here to hurt you, pal. Just try to take it easy."
The horse glared at him, pulling back and trying to get up on his back legs.
"Ah--hey!" Gil tugged again, pulling him forward. "None of that!"
Thena watched, astonished as the stallion seemed to listen. She knew Gil had a way with the creatures, but she had never quite seen it to this degree. Maybe a way with a stubborn or fickle horse, but never taming an actual wild stallion. It was like something out of a romance novel.
Olympia bumped her shoulder.
"Hey!" Thena hissed at her impetuous horse, who flicked her ears at her. Olympia wanted to know more about the new horse as well, obviously. "Stop it!"
"Thena?"
Thena froze, nearly blushing at being caught spying on him (again). She pulled her hands behind her back to disguise her fingers fidgeting with the sleeves of her white buttoned shirt. "I-I see the new recruit is in good hands."
Gil looked at the stallion, who eyed Thena with a new level of wariness. Gil snapped the rope faintly, just enough to remind the horse of the bridle in its mouth. "Be nice."
His tail flicked, but the horse didn't exactly stomp or kick up his feet at her.
"I heard he was unworkable," she murmured, eyeing the creature keeping its distance from them.
Gil also kept his eyes on the young steed, like a coach eyeing a stubborn athlete. "No horse is unworkable, some are just more stubborn than others. But I think we're coming to understand each other."
The stallion attempted to rear up again, voicing his disagreement with that.
"Hey!" Gil barked at him, moving in front of Thena to keep the horse's eyes on him. "Don't make trouble for her!"
The young horse snorted but planted his hooves down again.
Gil wound the rope around his forearm to shorten the leash, walking forward again. "Listen, buddy, I get it, okay? You don't wanna be here?--tough. But it'll be fine if you give it a chance."
Thena watched as, once again, Gil the horse whisperer approached the unsocialised steed and spoke with him on even ground. She could imagine that if they dealt with canines that the unruly new creature would be seating itself before him.
"You think I got into this business because you smell great?" Gil snorted right back at the horse, who turned its face away from the joke about horse smell in general. "I used to just make horseshoes. But I met one horse, just like you, that was way too full of itself."
The horse whinnied again, complaining about its lecture.
"Shut up and listen," Gil sighed, loosening his grip on the rope. "I had to get some horseshoes on this thing, so I spent a whole month winning it over. And do you know what happened?"
The stallion just stared at him.
Thena felt the familiar and uncomfortably moist breath of a horse leaning over her shoulder. She nudged her nose away from her ear, "sh, just listen."
"I finally got the horse shoes on," Gil put his hands on his hips (the rope almost totally slack in his hand). "And he took a dump on me as soon as I did."
The stallion didn't even attempt to hide how much it enjoyed hearing that.
"Olympia," Thena whispered again, nudging her horse, who was also chortling behind her shoulder.
"But his hooves were in good condition for the rest of the season," Gil finished with a huff. He crossed his arms, "because he didn't have to like me, but we did have to work together."
The stallion turned its head somewhat, not wanting to concede.
"So," Gil held his hands up, dropping the rope tethering the horse to him, "I'm gonna let you think about what you want to do."
"Gil?" Thena frowned, watching the rope fall between him and the horse. She moved closer to Olympia subconsciously, and Gil took a few steps back from the horse and closer to her.
Gil stayed still in front of her, watching as the hose kicked and bucked and neighed at the top of his lungs. "He just has to get it out of his system."
Thena wasn't sure if there would be an end in sight to that. But Gil knew what he was doing, maybe more than any equestrian club member in the building. Although she had to admit that the sheer size and display put her on edge.
Gil didn't say anything - very kindly - about her clutching at his sleeve.
The stallion glared at him, panting from its display of protest. It stalked over to him slowly.
"Gil," Thena repeated, tugging at him more. The horse truly was huge, standing much, much taller than Olympia. She moved somewhat more behind him, "Gil!"
"It's okay," he said calmly, whether to her or the horse staring them down. He raised his hands openly, "you ready to give this another try?"
Thena held her breath, nearly hiding her eyes as Gil reached out to the stallion's nose. But she let it go as he actually let Gil pet him. It was slight, and after just a few pats he was sick of it, turning away and flicking his tail again. But Gil had done it, in a sense.
"It's okay," he chuckled, watching his stubborn new stablemate stomp around petulantly. "I think he's done with his temper tantrum, at least for now."
"Hm," Thena mused, unable to match his level of surety. But she did her best to pretend she hadn't been clinging to him. "I'm sure the riders will be eager to think that they can have a go at him, now."
"Well, I think he'll be reluctant to let anyone that close to him yet," Gil ruffled his hair, letting out a tense breath. He turned back to her properly, "sorry you had to get caught up in that."
She tilted her head at him, "was it true?--about you and taming that horse?"
"It is true," he rolled his eyes, "not that it's a nice story or anything. But that is how I started caring for horses and not just making horse shoes. So I guess I know how to deal with colts like him."
The stallion bellowed at him from across the pen, just to complain about being called a young colt.
"Save it, buddy," Gil chuckled back at the horse.
"You make an interesting pair, that is certain," Thena smiled, gravitating back to the side of her own lovely mare. "Should I look forward to watching you mount in the future?"
"Hm?" Gil blinked at her. "Oh, I'm no rider, I'll leave that to you guys."
Gil laughed it off, but Thena watched as he smacked the outside of his thigh, clad in blue jeans to emphasize that he wasn't a rider. But she wasn't sure about that, because he was definitely strong enough to ride if he wanted to.
Not that she had noticed such things.
"Come on," Thena murmured to Olympia as Gil went back to the steed, the boys bonding over whatever males bonded over. She tickled the nose of her prim white horse, "let's leave the men to their work."
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