* CROSS MY HEART [nem/brooke]

[landon]

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[/style][style=font-family: georgia; font-size: 40px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: -5px; color: 232D54; text-shadow: #000000 1px 1px 0px; line-height: 25px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left:1px; text-align: left;]tonight i wanna turn my head off

AND LET THE MADNESS OUT CAN I GET THE GATES UP I FEEL IT COMING ROUND I'M IN A COLD WAR WITH MYSELF AND MY NERVES OH HURRY LIKE A HOUND DOG I'LL COCK MY HEAD JUST RIGHT AND COME OFF DYSFUNCTIONALLY IN LOVE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Landon tried to keep his gelding on a fairly regular workout scheduled. It was important to keep him in tip to shape. After all, he was a star roping horse and a pretty good up and coming reining horse. Landon didn't think he would ever be as good of a reiner as he made a roper, as he was bred to rope. He loved to run and he was learning to keep his headset level and slow as opposed to running after cows all the time. He was a smart, fairly level headed horse though, so Landon hadn't worried. When his finances improved, he did hope to get a more competitive reining prospect - since he was starting to really enjoy the sport.

However, after saddling up the palomino gelding, he was ready to go. He was literally chomping on the bit which was new for the horse. He was usually so calm and mellow, but it had been a while since he let him do much running. He snorted and pranced in place as they walked out to the outdoor arena. It was early afternoon, and the air was only slightly chilly. There was no snow on the ground which made a perfect day to go for an outdoor ride. He didn't like riding in the indoor arena much, as he wasn't much of an english rider. In fact, he hadn't ever even set foot in an english stirrup. He chose not to, either. He grew up in a rodeo setting, why was he going to change that now? It looked rather uncomfortable.

"Calm yourself down, Gunner. Jesus." Landon said, shooting the gelding a glare as he snorted and pawed the ground as they entered the arena. "You're actin' more like a can chaser than a reinin' horse." He added. Yeah, he talked to his horse and he didn't really see a problem with it. Gunner was his buddy. He had the gelding since he was born, so they had a close bond. He used to have other horses but when he moved he sold them all except for Gunner. He just couldn't ever bare to part with the palomino.

Once inside the arena, Landon tightened his cinch and mounted up on the horse. The gelding knew better than to move once Landon was on without asking, so even though he was nearly quaking with energy he stood still, snorting and chomping on his bit. Landon clicked softly to him to ask him to walk, and he took off at a jog. " Oh, no no no. You know better." He scolded, slowing the horse back down to a walk. In a bit of a sigh of defeat, Gunner dropped his head and walked nicely. Landon was getting the idea he should have lounged him, but had decided not to. The arena was big enough to let him run out a bit.

After warming the horse up about ten minutes, Landon decided to practice a reining pattern he performed at his last show. It was a novice show, but it was good for a practice pattern. He walked Gunner into the center of the arena and made him stand quietly, losening his reins so he didn't have any pressure on them. One of Gunner's ears was pointed forward, the other out to the side as he listened for cues. Landon squeezed his sides and the gelding took off at a quick lope in a circle to the right. He completed three large circles at a dead gallop, passing the center each time, before slowing down and completing three smaller circles near the center, and sliding to a stop up center.

Gunner was getting much better with his cues and it took him hardly any pressure on the side before the palomino started spinning quickly to the right in a golden flurry, his back foot staying perfectly in place. After five full circles he stopped, and Landon took a minute to blink the dizziness out of his eyes before completing the same pattern again but to the left, stopping in the center again and completing spins. After the spins where complete, Landon asked Gunner to run to the left again to do a circle, complete with a flying lead change before turning and running down center to complete a figure eight. Once he turned at the other end of the arena, he pushed Gunner into a dead run, just past center before sitting back and cueing for a stop. The horse slammed on the breaks, sliding a good six or seven feet, before backing up quickly. "Whoa, boy." Landon cooed as the horse dropped his head, relaxing. Landon stroked his neck as the horse started chewing and licking, a sign that he was relaxed. "That was good. Why can't you perform like that at shows?"

[/style][style= width: 200px; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; padding: 5px; color: 6a6a6a;]thereisalieinperfection @ CAUTION 2.0

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[Brooke Loralei Alvarez]

YOU CAN FEEL THE POUNDING WRAPPED AROUND YOUR CHEST
BROOKEALVAREZ

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NOTHING'S TOO EXCESSIVE WHEN YOU'VE GOT NOTHING LEFT
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Brooke tended to be one of those people who was either exceptionally lucky, or exceptionally unlucky. Right now, thank the heavens, she was enjoying an extended period of the former. She figured it was probably about time, thinking of the scars she was covered in. Arthritis excepted, the Spaniard preferred winter because it made the marks of her abuse easier to cover without looking out of place. Moving stiffly as she got out of her car, her husky in swift pursuit, she made her way unhurriedly up towards the barn. Once there, five unfamiliar heads turned her way, their thick manes and Lusitano/Peruvian Paso breeding giving them away as her new rides, courtesy of her senior cousin. With his current three horses, he had no time to ride these new ones and he knew how much Brooke loved to ride these kinds of horses…not only that, but it would be helpful if she ever needed a horse or two to put one of her students on.

She knew their names and she knew their descriptions, so it didn’t take her long to work out who was who – although the engraved leather halters hanging by each of their stables helped a tad. Brooke grinned to herself; Jax never did anything in halves, did he? No doubt they would all already have complete sets of tack waiting for her, and not cheap ones either. Ah, to still have an aristocrat’s money available! Having fetched Kismet’s tack, the twenty-three year old slipped into his stable and studied him for a moment. None of these horses were particularly big, but they were all fairly stocky. The stallion in front of her stared back calmly, just standing and watching. That was good; it usually meant they weren’t too mental if they didn’t try anything too drastic to start with.

The grey stood stock still while his new half-owner tacked him up, not so much as quivering a muscle the entire time – which surprised Brooke, because often Jax had a bit of a taste for horses with the crazy eye. His own stallion Indie was a testament to that, she knew. Once done, she led him outside and swung into the saddle, if with a little less grace than she might have done a few years ago. A gentle squeeze, and Kismet went clattering off at a high-speed trot towards the arena. Brooke yelped despite herself, pulling him up again. She eyed the horse underneath her warily, shortening her reins some; maybe not so calm and placid after all? ”Well, this should be a fun first ride,” the Spaniard muttered under her breath, still scowling at the stallion.

She’d never ridden anything but English in her life – many different disciplines perhaps, but she’d never had a chance to try Western riding. It looked fun, but she got the feeling it was a lot more difficult than it looked…kind of like getting Kismet to behave, she thought as he shot forward once more, giving a sharp yank on the reins. Despite the pain it caused her not to let the reins slip through her fingers – she could feel the muscles in her shoulders complaining because they were far from warm and still tight – she kept holding them. He couldn’t be allowed to get away with things just because of what Brooke’s nutcase brother had done to her over the past nine years or so.

There was already someone in the outdoor arena when they finally managed to get there, a few minor explosions added in along the way. She wondered if this was perhaps the wisest idea, given Kismet’s current mood, but the indoor arena didn’t have jumps in it at the moment and she couldn’t be bothered to walk all the way there when clearly, this horse was determined to go at a higher speed than that. The guy was a Western rider, his tack so obviously different from the close cut jumping saddle she was riding in, but presumably they could work around each other? She’d still ask, of course, because it was common courtesy to do so, which was how she found herself standing idly by the gate as she waited for him to finish…whatever he was doing. Brooke had no idea what was going on, but that, she supposed, was the beauty of living in America and not Spain. Funny country really, but Tyler loved it and they’d hardly be going to reside in Spain anytime soon so the dark haired girl didn’t have much choice. Not that she didn’t like it, she just didn’t understand Americans at times. Lex had better luck with that, being part-American herself, but most of the time this place was entirely beyond Brooke.

Kismet watched the pair interestedly, his Lusitano ears pricking forward as he stood. Even though he was preoccupied though, he still felt like a tightly wound spring underneath her. Brooke rolled her eyes, but she supposed it was to be expected given the fact he had been here for several weeks already and hadn’t been worked before now. She watched as the pair in the arena came to an eventual stop, punctuated by Kismet’s steel shoe clanging against the concrete as he struck out impatiently. He could see the jumps on the other side of the arena and he was just dying to have at them. His rider shifted as he did so, her jacket moving a little – not much, but enough to accidentally put that long, white scar that stretched from her collarbone all the way over her shoulder before disappearing back down beneath her clothes once more. Unaware, Brooke pushed the stallion forward until he was in the arena, within earshot of the other rider.

“Do you mind if we share?”

WE'RE ALL HERE CAUSE WE LOST CONTROL WE'RE ALL HERE CAUSE[/font][/size]
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•tags• Landon/Vesper
•status• Finished!
•comments• She loves to ramble rather xD
•word count• 900 and something
•lyrics• DIE TONIGHT, LIVE FOREVER by InnerPartySystem
•credit• AMANDA THE PIRATE * @ CAUTION !

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[landon]

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[/style][style=font-family: georgia; font-size: 40px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: -5px; color: 232D54; text-shadow: #000000 1px 1px 0px; line-height: 25px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left:1px; text-align: left;]tonight i wanna turn my head off

AND LET THE MADNESS OUT CAN I GET THE GATES UP I FEEL IT COMING ROUND I'M IN A COLD WAR WITH MYSELF AND MY NERVES OH HURRY LIKE A HOUND DOG I'LL COCK MY HEAD JUST RIGHT AND COME OFF DYSFUNCTIONALLY IN LOVE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Landon considered himself a trainer - even if he really only trained his own horses. He hadn't ever purchased a horse that was previously trained by anybody other than his family. That was just how he worked. He would prefer to train a horse on his own and prevent problems then buy a horse with problems already installed and try to fix them. Not to say he hadn't worked with problem horses already, but if you started them from a baby then there was nothing to worry about. His family had always had horses, even though they hadn't owned a ranch or anything. A small one maybe, but it could hardly be considered impressive. Gunner was the first horse that was all his own, so the gelding was very special to him. He wouldn't trade the palomino for the world, even if he did get irritating sometimes.

He was a roping machine, though. A loud and proud roping machine. He knew how to track a cow and he wouldn't ever let the little beast out of his site. His only bad habit was sometimes he tried to rush the box and break too quickly out of the gate. But he loved to run. He was calm, but in the show arena he could get a bit hot. Landon had started him on Barrels, even though he wasn't really finished. He hit the occasional barrel race with him just for fun, and at times he did pretty well. He knew how to sit and spin, and that was what he needed for going around the barrels. He certainly had the speed and the tenacity, it was just a matter of keeping his mind under control. Landon wouldn't ever let him turn into a full blown barrel horse, because he needed to keep a cool head. That was why he thought reining was the perfect sport for him. The pair loved the rush, and reining gave them that. They had to keep their heads and memorize a pattern while also running their hearts out.

When he finished up the pattern, he heard a voice. His heart was pounding in his ears and he was sure his face was slightly red from holding his breath. He always did when he made a run. Whether he was roping, racing, or reining, he always held his breath. Probably not a very good habit but he had always done it. It was just his way of being single minded. He couldn't focus on breathing and riding at the same time. He wasn't dumb, but sometimes he had to remind his brain that he needed to breathe.

"No, no. Not at all." He said, offering her a bright smile as he turned Gunner around to face the pair. She was on a rather regal looking horse. Certainly not a quarter horse, and he looked kind of excited. That horse was most definitely not built for reining. "That horse a beaute. What breed is he, if you don't mind me asking?" Landon had grown up with quarter horses, paints, and appaloosa's. The occasional appendix was thrown in there, but he didn't know much about other breeds. He hadn't even stepped foot in an english stirrup before and wasn't sure he ever would. She was pretty too, the rider. But Landon was enough of a gentlemen not to comment on how hot somebody was upon first meeting. He turned and started walking Gunner, his breathing slightly heavy from the hard work out. He wanted to let him cool off a bit.

[/style][style= width: 200px; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; padding: 5px; color: 6a6a6a;]thereisalieinperfection @ CAUTION 2.0

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[Brooke Loralei Alvarez]

YOU CAN FEEL THE POUNDING WRAPPED AROUND YOUR CHEST
BROOKEALVAREZ

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NOTHING'S TOO EXCESSIVE WHEN YOU'VE GOT NOTHING LEFT
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These days, Brooke tended to regulate everything she did very carefully. Her breathing, her movements, what she said and did – all because one small slip and every single one of her dirty little secrets would come spilling out into the light. Having Tyler know what her brother had done was hard enough, knowing that every time he saw her scars it made him unspeakably angry. She also knew that it was partly her fault, because he’d never asked her to let Morgan do the things he had. Those days were gone now though, and with it the chance to change her decision…the scars and the pain were things she would have for life, regardless of how much regret or guilt she and Ty might feel. Did she regret it though? No, not really. Not now that she had Ty back, and back for good. There was no way she could regret anything that had led to them actually getting a chance to give a relationship a shot.

All things considered though, she was holding up well this winter. As well as she could, anyway…no broken bones or snapped ligaments just yet, and hopefully that was something that would continue into the near future. She probably would have been safer not riding at all, given how easily her ribs snapped, but it wasn’t something she had ever considered giving up, nor would she. Letting Kismet step into an active walk, although still keeping a safe distance from the other horse given the fact that she had no idea what he would be like around the gelding, Brooke cocked her head at the other rider. He was American, unsurprisingly. Even now, their accents rang unfamiliar to her ear, so used to hearing Spanish accents even though she had been here nearly a year now. “Thank you. He’s a Lusitano,”

[/b] she replied, dark eyes studying his palomino in return. His horse too, was pretty – perhaps not in Kismet’s regal sense, but in a more rugged and practical way if that logic even worked outside her head. “My cousin has a bit of an obsession with them.”[/b] Brooke shrugged, making it clear that she didn’t understand it either. The muscles complained at the sharp movement, making her wince a little, but she didn’t make a fuss. That would lead to awkward questions that she didn’t know how to answer, and all she wanted was to be normal; not that poor abuse victim who ran away from Spain.

Kismet snorted underneath her, twisting himself into a none-too-shabby version of a pirouette despite not even being asked. More specifically – what show jumping horse knew how to do dressage pirouettes? Brooke stared at the stallion underneath her as though he’d grown another head, trying to work this weird animal out. He was unlike anything she’d ever ridden, and Brooke had ridden many a horse in the fifteen years she’d owned such. ”I’m not sure,”[/b] she started uncertainly, talking to the horse rather than to her new companion, “that you’re actually a horse. More like demon spawn cross camel in disguise.”[/b] Kismet halted, grey-black coat shimmering slightly in the winter sunlight. He struck out once, blowing out in that stressy manner that Brooke knew from experience meant he was planning something evil. “Oh, no you don’t! Cheeky little bugger,”[/b] the girl muttered distractedly as she pushed the Lusitano forward once more. The guy on the palomino was good looking, she guessed, but then again, it wasn’t really something girls with boyfriends noticed, was it? Or maybe it was. Tyler being the only real boyfriend that counted, Brooke didn’t really have much of a clue about these things. God, the real world was different to the aristocracy sometimes…

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WE'RE ALL HERE CAUSE WE LOST CONTROL WE'RE ALL HERE CAUSE[/font][/size]
WELOSTCONTROL[/size]
WE'RE ALL HERE CAUSE WE LOST CONTROL WE'RE ALL HERE CAUSE[/center]

•tags• Landon/Vesper
•status• Finished!
•comments• It's a great deal shorter than the last? XD
•word count• 600 - 700
•lyrics• DIE TONIGHT, LIVE FOREVER by InnerPartySystem
•credit• AMANDA THE PIRATE * @ CAUTION !

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