Alex spent the next twenty minutes enjoying the fresh air. As he drew closer to the horse ranch he could smell the distinct scent of horses and manure. It was a smell he'd grown accustomed to over the last couple of years that he'd spent working for Daryl and his wife. They were both wonderful people, and their two daughters were just as enjoyable to be around. When around them Alex felt as though he were breathing fresh air. He still, of course, was hiding a great many things from them, just as he was his friends and family, but they felt a lot easier to talk to than his parents and even a few of his friends. The relaxed atmosphere was one of the reasons that he'd not only asked to work here but had remained here over the years.

`

As he headed down the driveway his blue gaze moved toward the pasture where the Curtis' four horses were. He felt a smile pull at the corners of his lips as he looked at the large creatures. They were beautiful, as they always had been. Fighting the urge to go and greet the four animals, Alex moved to find Daryl. It didn't take him long to spot the man. Almost as soon as his eyes landed on him, Daryl had noticed him. "Alex!" He hollered before moving towards him. "Right on time." He said as he slowed in front of him. Alex smiled and gave a nod. "Where do you want me?" Alex asked then. Normally he would have headed straight for the stables after greeting Daryl, but today was the first day he'd been assigned to work alongside someone else. He hadn't any idea who it was he'd be working with. He had known that there was someone else working at the stables on the days he wasn't in, but he'd never actually met the guy. "We got a new load of feed in. I'll have you head over and start putting it away," Daryl said after only a moment of thought.

`

Alex offered the man a smile before he gave a nod. "Alright." He said. Turning from him then he made his way towards the truck that was parked to the side of the barn. On it, he could see several bales of hay as well as bags of grains. It wouldn't take him long to put it all away, once he'd done so he figured then he'd head to the stables and check the stalls and the tack room to see if things had all been taken care of there.

Double post. >.>

Skylar pet the mare for a bit before leaving to head back to the barn. He made his way to the tack room and looked for Angel's stuff, but before even saddling her up he needed to get her in the barn. Skylar grabbed Angel's bridle and lead and then made his way back out to the pasture. He then went up to Angel and put the bridle on her before clipping the lead on. He walked her out and brought her to the barn and closer to the tack room. He then quickly clipped her to a hook on the wall before going to grab her saddle pad. He brought the saddle pad to her and placed it gently on her back. After the saddle pad, he grabbed the saddle. He then thoroughly made sure the saddle was on properly before leaving. He unclipped her and led her out of the barn by her reins. Skylar was in fact done with most of his work, so he thought he would just take her out for a quick ride around the arena, nowhere far. Even if he had more stuff to do, he would do it after riding her, he didn't mind staying late. Skylar didn't even want to be paid for the work, he would do it for free since they let him ride one of their horses, but they insisted on paying him. However, there were days when he didn't get paid, which was when he first started working there and needed his community hours for school. Once he did get his hours done they did start paying him when he came in. Skylar led the mare down to the arena, which was right beside the pasture, and he hopped on her. He walked a couple of laps with her before doing anything faster. After a bit of riding, he looked around as he made the horse stop and his eyes spotted the same boy again, he was making his way into the barn. He kind of looked like that same boy from his first two classes, but he was too far to see if it was. That's when he decided to bring Angel back, he was done riding since he probably had to get back to work. Skylar got off of Angel gently and they made their way back to the barn. Skylar spotted the boy near the tack room and his heart nearly stopped. His nerves kicked in and he realized that he wouldn't know what to say, but maybe he would talk to him first. Skylar then slowly made his way to the tack room with the mare beside him.

The afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the sprawling horse ranch, illuminating the rustic beauty of the weathered barn. Alex ambled towards the idling truck loaded with bales of hay and bags of feed. The familiar scent of the countryside surrounded him as he began the task of unloading the much-needed provisions for their equine companions. With a strong, practiced motion, Alex hoisted a bale of hay up off the bed of the truck, feeling the coarse texture against his hands. He moved efficiently, the rhythmic thud of each bale hitting the ground echoing in the serene countryside. The truck's bed gradually emptied, revealing neatly stacked rows of golden hay.

`

Next came the bags of feed, each one carrying the promise of nourishment for the ranch's horses. Alex hefted them one by one, their weight a testament to the responsibility he bore for the well-being of the animals under his care. His movements were deliberate, born from a deep understanding of the routine that kept the ranch running smoothly. The barn doors creaked open, revealing the dim interior that smelled of wood, hay, and the essence of horses. Stepping inside, Alex carefully placed the bales and bags in their designated spots. He stacked the hay in the loft, creating a fragrant, golden tower that would sustain the horses through the coming weeks. The bags of feed found their place on sturdy shelves, organized with meticulous care.

`

As the last bag was placed, Alex took a moment to survey his work. The barn, once again filled with the essential supplies, emanated a comforting ambiance. He wiped the sweat from his brow, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. The tangible connection between man and nature, as embodied by the hay and feed neatly stored in the barn, spoke of a timeless relationship between caretaker and creature, a bond that Alex cherished with every task he undertook on the ranch.

`

With the task of putting the hay and bags of feed away now completed, the task of cleaning the tack awaited him. He looked forward to the therapeutic rhythm of scrubbing away the day's grime from the bridles and saddles. However, his attention was diverted as he noticed the male he'd seen in both his art and music class entering the barn with Angel in tow. The horse's hooves echoed softly against the stable floor, creating a rhythmic melody that resonated with the calming atmosphere of the barn.

`

Curiosity piqued, Alex observed his classmate and the horse as they walked. The two seemed to share a comfortable companionship. "Hey." He greeted as he slowed to a stop in front of the tack room. "You must be the other guy working here." He said offering the guy a friendly smile as he spoke.

(oh lord here's where my replies get short, Im sorry haha.)

As Skylar got closer to the other male, he spoke out to him. Skylar was hesitant to reply but knew that would be offly rude. "Hey, Yeah I am," Skylar said as he clipped Angel onto the hook. Skylar began to take the horse's saddle off. He walked into the tack room putting it away, keeping his ears open in case the boy had spoken. He then walked back out, shooting the boy a soft smile before tending to the mare again. He then took off her saddle pad and put it away, then he took off and put away her bridle. Skylar then closed the tack room door and leaned against one of the barn walls. "You're in 2 of my classes right?" Skylar then asked, wanting to know if it was the same dude. He was pretty sure it was though. Skylar then made some eye contact before quickly looking away, he then awaited the boy's reply.

((It's alright. lol. My posts likely won't be all that long either. At least not for the time being.))

Alex had always been someone who was quick to pick up on certain things about the way others felt. It had helped him navigate both junior high and high school safely. This skill of his had also made it a great deal easier to keep his tightly kept secret from being found out by anyone, including those close to him. He could sense when others, mostly his parents, seemed worried or suspicious about him. He'd take a girlfriend or at least show some interest in women at those times. It was this skill though, that allowed Alex to swiftly pick up on the stranger's hesitation to reply and his nervousness when he finally did. Coming to realize that he clearly wasn't very sociable aided Alex in piecing together why the guy hadn't interacted with anyone in art class, and how during both art and music his gaze had been locked on the screen.

`

Knowing such a thing didn't change Alex's attitude or demeanor. He remained as friendly as he had been when he'd first greeted him. Watching as the male began to untack Angel he stepped away from the door of the tack room, allowing him to easily enter and place the tack inside. He was prepared to deal with no further communication with the guy, so was surprised when he'd spoken up and asked him a question. Lifting his gaze to him he smiled and gave a nod. "Yeah. Art and Music, right?" He responded. So he'd noticed him as well? "I'm Alex." He said extending a hand towards the stranger as he introduced himself.

Skylar simply nodded, which was followed by a quiet "Yeah". Skylar then looked down at the boy's hand as he held it out. Very formal huh? Skylar quickly shook his hand before letting go, he then went back to petting Angel. "I'm Skylar or Sky," he said, keeping his reply short. He then slowly took a deep breath and faced towards the horse. Since he thought there was not much more he could say he unclipped the mare. He turned back to look at the boy, and he couldn't help but notice how stunning he looked. He didn't stare for too long, he tried to think of anything to say but nothing came to mind. Maybe that was good though, seeing that Sky was so nervous. Skylar just gave him a quick smile before turning back around slightly to look at the mare. He then clicked his tongue and started to walk, the mare quickly started following him. He knew she wouldn't run away from him and that she would listen. He then made his way past the boy, keeping his eyes mostly on the horse.

Remaining mindful of the fact that the guy before him seemed nervous, Alex kept a smile fixed on his lips. He kept his air of calm friendliness about him as well, hoping that doing so would at least ease some of the nervousness that the guy was feeling. When he heard the male introduce himself in return, his smile widened and he gave a nod. "Skylar." He let the name play across his tongue as he spoke it. "Nice to meet you." He said. Alex's blue eyes drifted down to his hand as Skylar took it, and upon its release he let it fall back to his side. Lifting his gaze back to the male he watched as the guy turned toward the mare. "You and Angel seem to get along well," Alex said, attempting to make light conversation as he heard Skylar click his tongue and begin moving and saw the mare swiftly move to follow after him.

`

For a brief moment, Alex considered turning away from Skylar and heading into the tack room. There was work to be done there, and he quite enjoyed cleaning the riding equipment kept inside the room. Ultimately though, he found himself deciding against that thought and moving to follow after Skylar. The two of them were in two classes together and now were likely to be working together on a regular basis. It seemed like a good idea to try and get to know Skylar better and perhaps they could become friends.

Skylar took a bit to answer Alex, being too fixated on Angel. "Yeah, I guess when I met her we just clicked, and since Daryl and Anne let me ride her that helps." Skylar then said, getting a little less nervous. He was still extremely nervous but he knew they should probably get to know each other since they would be working together every day almost. Skylar then looked back at the boy again as the cool breeze hit him. The sun was still shining, but it looked to be starting to go down a bit, Sky didn't realize its been that long. Sunsets, Skylar loves them, he knew there was going to be a pretty one today. Skylar and Angel then continued on their way. He definitely wanted to stay a bit later for the sunset, of course, to get pictures, especially ones with Angel in them.

Alex slowed his pace once he fell into step with Skylar and Angel. His blue hues rested in the male as he waited for an answer from him. When it came he looked forward and gave a nod. "Cool." He said. "How long have you been riding?" He asked, glancing toward Skylar once more. As they stepped out of the barn Alex took in a breath of the fresh air and turned his gaze up and toward the sky. It was then that he noticed just how late it was getting. The sun was hovering above the horizon, getting ready to descend and create a magnificent sunset. Already the skyline was painted in beautiful golds and oranges. "Do you ride for leisure or professionally?" He asked.

`

Alex personally enjoyed doing both. He often rode for the fun of it, the relaxing atmosphere and the sense of freedom he got while on horseback was too surreal and perfect. There were times though when he rode professionally, often enjoying jumping or cross-country courses. In his room hanging above his desk were the different medals and awards he'd won since he'd been nine and first started riding competitively.