Don't Ruin It

AQHR NPC Show | July/August

Featuring:

Level: 2

Class: Showjumping Pairs

Rider and Horse 1: Christopher Burton on PS Endanlegt Sinnuleysi

Rider and Horse 2: Dave Burton on NRR The King's Gold

Bonus Prompt Included: Yes - fountain water~

Placed: First and Grand Champions

Results

GC Results

Follows a couple days after:  

(story summary below the wall of text, feel free to scroll on down for all your non-reading needs~)

“W-what the-”

“Christopher! There you are!” Dave rejoiced, spotting his boy and waving him down while turning away from the temp stalls a very interesting colored horse stood in.

Chris wasn't stunned by the greeting at all. It was the horse. Surely that wasn't- he immediately looked at the stall sign that read plain as day: Burton, Dave. “What is that?”

Dave clapped a hand on Chris's shoulder instead of the ignored handshake. He turned with Chris to look at the horse. “Ah, yes, I don't believe you've met this one. A fine stud. Didn't cut it on the track. Otherwise quite the performer on a course!”

“This is why you asked me to bring-”

“The one of yours with the splodge neck. Yes.”

Splodge neck- Chris turned to his father and took a wary step away from him. Who the fuck was this? Dave didn't keep, let alone, ride horses that looked like this. A chimera of black and chestnut- who cared what it was made of; it was a flashy chimera! Double the E's and A's! And then to specify him to bring a horse based on looks?

“Mom says it's his mid-life crisis,” Abi's small voice chimed in from behind Dave. “I think it is time to seriously consider our options of reputable long term care facilities.”

“Bah,” Dave waved the notion away. “I don't see what the fuss is about.” No, it was absolutely true. His oldest had left the nest halfway across the country and wasn't fond of long phone calls to catch up, his daughter had recently turned a frightening thirteen years old and if that wasn't enough to cripple his blood pressure, his youngest son was an absolute brilliant mind that wanted nothing to do with expressing it and was tottering down a path of… artistic expression instead. [He's seven. Chill.] In summary: Dave bought himself a shiny Lamborghini: a hot blooded Thoroughbred with a “loud” coat. Wholly unnecessary and yet totally mandatory while his soul had to cope with life's ebbs and flows.

“Yea, it's uh… fine,” Chris landed as close to ‘fucking weird’ as he could without totally deflating Dave. Dave had been waiting for a day like today for so long now. He was practically glowing. He could have probably raised him from the crypt if he offered the same opportunity to him. Chris finally caved to Dave's wishes and agreed he'd do the damn class. Showjumping as a pair. It would be the first time the father/son combo ever set foot in the same arena on the same team together. Not competing against each other but competing with each other.

“More than fine,” Dave nodded, his smile growing more and more under his mustache. He could ride a three legged mule and he'd still be absolutely twitterpated to get to ride alongside his boy. The lengths he'd go to support his son knew no limits.

Chris hauled on the reins, trying to tighten up Sin's turn but the stud couldn't pick up his shoulders as clean. He bounded and hopped, trying to go where his nose was but instead came slinging out of the line Chris tried to put him on. “Ah, shit,” Chris growled, putting a hand out to catch Dave's stallion’s neck as Sin crashed his shoulder against the other horse. Dave already started to slow Rook down before there was any real wreck. They both slowed to a jog to recover themselves. “Tsk, I told you he's really not great in an arena yet. Any of the others would have been a better choice here."

Dave waved it off, “In due time. We'll just keep you on the outside of turns. Switch sides at,” Dave turned in his saddle, looking back at the practice course to be sure, “Four, seven, nine, and eleven. Keep your foot down. Yield the turns. Take the front and I'll go behind. No problem. Shall we practice that?”

“Uh, yea, that should work." Chris shrugged. "You'll have to add a stride to seven and nine for sure. If you're taking the back.” Chris pushed Sin back to a canter as Dave followed his lead. Chris really thought he would be in a totally different headspace at this event. While he really felt he owed Dave his undivided attention, his mind couldn't help but wander back to Pemberley Park and how he saw Fang last. Why did he have to see him like that? Drunk? High? Both? Why? Why did he keep going back to all that shit? No, what really bothered Chris was that he had lost when the decision was between getting plastered or have a deeper talk with Chris than fucking. And Fang made his choice. It wasn't Chris. A “bitch with the wrong idea”. After all he said about wanting another chance. What the fuck was Chris to Fang?

“Push him out, Christopher!” Dave called as he started to overtake Chris on the inside on a turn. Chris hadn't even noticed he was pulling ahead so soon! They were just warming up but Dave was going harder than Chris had anticipated! Well, it was no problem to encourage Sin onwards. That's what the stud was good at. Long, bounding strides. Chris caught up in two blinks with a smirk. He could tell Dave was pretending to not take it as seriously as he was. It was just some friendly competition but really, he knew how much this meant to Dave. Chris had been so cold to him for so long for all the wrong reasons.

And because of that, Chris didn't have it in him to even begin to describe what was happening to his heart back at Pemberley. Dave would be devastated to know he and Fang were back in touch. He loathed him. And it wasn't like Fang didn't deserve it either after berating Kate and defacing his personal property, not to mention just how abrasive Fang's natural personality was. Then there was the drugs and yes, whatever this criminal record was. When Chris told Dave he was splitting away from RidgeRunner and going to Pemberley, the only bright spot was that he was leaving Fang behind too. Now… that had all changed. But at this rate, maybe he didn't need to say anything anyway. Didn't seem like Fang was actually serious about anything…

“Ahhhh,” Dave rejoiced as they both brought their horses down to a walk after a fairly decent practice run. “Extra at seven, nine, and eleven,” Dave confirmed. “You best keep up the pace on yours. I'm not yet retired, my boy.” He patted the mosaic neck of Rook.

“I didn't want to make you nervous out there,” Chris laughed back at his remark.

“Why, that's quite considerate of you, Christopher, thank you. But I do intend for us to come away with more than a couple good tales of teamwork. Let us do what Burtons are good for, yes?” He threw a wink his way, holding his chin up a little higher, sitting up straight a little more. What a proud man.

Too long had Chris seen him scowling and rigid in the past. As much as it bubbled in Chris's stomach, he just couldn't ask. He couldn't ask what the dirt was on Fang that he knew. He was the one that told him Fang had a protective order. No doubt with all of Dave's gossip gathering expertise, he knew more than Chris. He probably knew everything. Chris didn't have a damn clue. All he had to do was ask. But it would only ruin this moment. He could ask later but it would only ruin that moment too. He could lie and just pretend to be shit-talking about his ex, but that would raise suspicion. Dave would immediately find out Fang was at Pemberley. He wasn't stupid. He'd know what that meant. He wouldn't be wrong to assume either.

It just wasn't worth ruining what Dave was feeling now. Chris didn't feel spite or resentment towards him anymore. He never really meant to ever feel that way. It had all just been his own guilt that manifested around Dave. But they were free of that hideous, ugly cloud. What they had growing now is what Chris wanted for his dad. He didn't deserve the hell Chris put himself through for no other reason than morbid fascination. That's what it had to be, right? Why else was he still thinking about that selfish crackhead loser?

(1414 wordcount)

TLDR SUMMARY;

--Chris finally caved in and agreed to do a pairs jumping with his daddy Dave

--Dave is absolutely glowing

--Chris is weirded out why he has a "flashy" colored horse all of a sudden? A chimera? Dave? Can't be.

--Abi calls it his midlife crisis

--Aside from that...they are having a good warmup to kind of figure out a game plan

--It's kind of killing Chris that he had to leave before Fang could tell him what his protective order was - cliffhanger

--And Dave would know what it was. Dave knew of it months ago while they were actually dating

--But...Chris is trying to be nicer to Dave and doesn't want to ruin the trip by asking

--Because then Dave would know Fang was back in his life and well...unless things get better and quick, it probably wasn't going to last anyway so what's the point

--Confliction~

Previous: Late Night Desires|| Next: Abi's POV: Dave's Daughter's Big Brother Chris POV: Ruined It

Dave finally gets to jump with his son!! Dave is so delighted~ Can't you tell xD

He's battling his own demons right now lol His children are growing up too fast so he brought home this flashy horse to distract himself from his own sads. Fun new pony to play with!~ He does love a good Thoroughbred <33

Meanwhile this is the Chris we've all wanted to see for Dave -sobs- No spite, no scheming to ruin his day, no angst. Just "yes, okay, dad, let's go look dumb but get this done." And a smile <'''3 Awww! The bridge is being mended <'''3

Which is why he just doesn't want to poke the subject of Fang. It'd be so easy to get all the info he wanted from Dave but....siiigh. Just doesn't want to bring the old man down. Who knows, maybe he'll ask later. But I'd hedge my bets no. Chris has become pretty independent these days.

Been a hot second since I visited my "old" style I guess I can call it xD The tryhard side of my art styles. Probably still not totally up to par with the quality I know I could achieve but EH, not bothered. Something nice for the boys and their family outing~ Fun balancing the composition between the scenery and wildly contrasting horses xD If only I saved the doodle of the concept lolol

Chris/Sin/Dave/Rook/Abi/Fang/Kate/Art © @Drasayer

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