Writer in the Dark - J. HALE

81 - ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴇʀ

"Blindfold? Really?"

"No, just my hand," she smiled jokingly, slipping her hand over his eyes as he sighed. "Okay just walk forward, I'll steer," she laughed, the sound echoing in his ears as the picture of her laughing flooded his mind. It was a greatly approached difference to the darkness that her hand had caused.

They walked for a few minutes along what felt like a dirt path to him. "Keep them closed," she warned before slipping her hand away, checking that he did have his eyes closed before she fully moved away. She then slid the door to the stable open, going to greet the horse that she was already well acquainted with. The horse greeted her in the most friendly way and the sound of it had Jasper's eyes snapping open, a grin already forming on his face.

"So, I talked to this lovely couple and they happened to be the closest people with this beauty- which I convinced them to let you borrow for a few hours," she smiled, pausing as she watched the horse be just as friendly to Jasper. He looked to be in his absolute element and a surge of joy flooded through her veins, knowing it was a good surprise. "So you can live out one of your happy places for a few hours," she continued and he chuckled, looking at her with such adoration. "I take it I did well?"

He fought a smile, muffling it away with a kiss planted on her forehead. "This is perfect, thank you darlin'," he smiled gratefully then turned back to the horse. She, instead of saying anything else, walked behind a hidden part in the stable and pulled out what she had hidden there a mere few hours ago.

"Wait..." she trailed off, placing the cowboy hat on his head with a soft smirk. "There, it's perfect now."

He had been more than keen and raring to get onto the horse, half speeding off into the distance. Athena smiled happily, leaning against the side of a fence while just watching. She did not find focus drifting to the surrounding trees or the sun setting in the sky, he had her full and undivided attention during the full forty-five minutes that he spent somewhere in the distance.

"Ma'am," he tipped his hat and offered her his hand up with a rather cocky grin.

"This was not what I had planned," she frowned, shaking her head at the very idea.

"I promise I won't let you fall," he teased, the grin only growing.

She chuckled and gestured to her skirt, something that Alice had said she should try and found herself rather liking it, "That wasn't what I was concerned about."

"It's not like anyone but me will see, and-"

"But it is not ladylike," she interrupted with a hoke before he could continue on what would certainly be an improper thing to say - though it did make her fight the urge to laugh. It seemed Jasper succumbed to that urge, laughing as she swung against the fence. "Alright fine," she laughed and took the hand he reextended, using the fence as a little hop up that was not really necessary as he just pulled her up anyway.

"Ready?"

"I don't know, am I?" she laughed softly, wrapping her arms around his middle holding tightly. Nerves flooded through her system, has not been on a horse for hundreds of years. It hadn't even been a thought for her back when it was expectable, given the society and what a scandal a woman on a horse would bring. She had done it in secret a few times but never really took a liking to it. This prospect seemed a little more exciting than those times, given that it was something that he loved to do - or had loved.

They went a fraction slower than he went before, due to the horse getting slightly tired out but the effect was all the same. The quickness, the sound of the air flooding past her ears. The rhythmic clattering of the horse's hooves and the slight click up of dirt from the grassless field, creating nowhere near the cloud of dust but something awfully similar. She understood then, why he loved it so much. For the same reason that she l yearned to be able to fly for more than the minute she would get from jumping off a cliff. The adrenaline rush and such freedom that always left her wanting even more, wanting to experience it all over again. She hardly could fathom going without that for so long and felt even more proud that she could give bring that to him. Even for just a few hours. She could just tell that he was ecstatic, so much so that it started to affect her.

"This is beautiful," she grinned, resting her chin on his shoulder as he slowed the horseback down.

"I love you," he whispered just above mortal hearing level, placing his hat on her head with a slight smirk.

She kissed his lips briefly, smiling into it as he was, "Definitely love you more."

"Not possible," he muttered, gaze flickering between her eyes and lips.

She grinned, the type of grin that would have hurt a mortal's cheeks, "That was straight out of a rom-com that you would hate."

He chuckled, feeling such joy surround the two of them in a bubble that wouldn't be broken for days to come. "Yeah, yeah it was."