Polo and Dreameh's VERY short RP. For real this time. (Mature)

Dane closed his eyes at the touch to his cheek, clearly enjoying the contact that he'd missed over their time apart. He let out a long, exhausted sigh and sunk his head into Sloan's strong chest, making a soft murmur contentment just as the touch on his face trailed downwards to the collar of his vest, then down to the hem and onto the skin of his stomach.
He whimpered softly, then turned onto his side and leaned against the touch, shifting closer to his boyfriend until their chests nearly touched, and even then it wasn't close enough.
His hand crept to Sloan's waist and his fingers curled around the skin as he pulled himself even closer, breathing heavily on Sloan's neck. His closed eyes scrunched tighter and he rested his chin on Sloan's shoulder, then he wrapped his arms around his lover with a certain desperation that hadn't been there before, like if he didn't hold on tightly enough Sloan would disappear into thin air and never return.
"Sloan?" He asked quietly, opening his eyes for a brief moment. "Are you going to be here when I wake up?"

Sloan felt Dane shift closer at his touch, and he automatically folded his arms around his boyfriend, fingers pressing gently into his back.
After a moment, Dane's hand was at his waist, and then his boyfriend had pulled himself even closer - to the point that Sloan almost began to feel smothered.
A shudder rippled through him as he felt Dane's breath on his neck, and he felt goosebumps rising all over his skin as he bowed his head closer to Dane's, lips slightly apart to invite one last kiss.
Instead, he was met with a timid gaze, and the delicate words, "Sloan, Are you going to be here when I wake up?"
For a moment he was slightly taken aback, then he calmed his expression, and took Dane's chin gently between thumb and forefinger.
"I'll be here forever." He replied quietly, emphasizing his words with a loving kiss, which - although it lasted barely a second - clearly communicated his sheer affection.
"I'm sorry I left you alone before..." He mumbled, voice muffled as he clutched Dane closer to him, "But I'm here now, for as long as you want me."

Dane swallowed nervously at the expression that he was faced with, until he felt a thumb and finger cup under his chin and he looked up obediently. He was scared, really. Sloan had disappeared many times before and barely ever came back completely unharmed, and he didn't want to cope with the stress on his own again.
"I'll be here forever." Sloan promised, and Dane's eyes slid closed at the feeling of lips pressing against his, just for a second. The kiss hadn't been much, but it had been enough to put his mind at ease for at least one more night, and he could finally enjoy Sloan's company without worrying about which precious touch would be his last.
"I'm sorry I left you alone before... But I'm here now, for as long as you want me."
The two clutched themselves to each other for thousands of seconds, hearing nothing but their raging heart beats and soft, shaky breaths, until Dane finally whispered, "I believe you."
He relaxed in his boyfriend's arms and rested his head back on the pillow. It had been a long day and he was finally glad to be able to put all his worries behind him and focus on what he had then, and be grateful for it.
"I love you." He whispered, trailing a hand through Sloan's hair slowly, relishing the feeling of the thick hair knotting between his fingers, and waited until his eyelids began to droop. "Night." He murmured, pressing his lips into the man's neck for a brief moment, then he fell back onto the mattress and drifted off to sleep.

"I love you." Dane whispered, and Sloan smiled silently, closing his eyes in utter relaxation when he felt the pressure of Dane's fingers on his scalp. Within an instant, he had drifted into a light slumber, and could only muster a vague grunt in response when Dane said goodnight.

He woke up early the next morning, and since he was feeling rather restless, he got out of bed soon after waking up, and headed to the kitchen.
He made his boyfriend a cup of tea, and left it on his bedside table, then sat down on the couch with his laptop to search for jobs online.
He found a few that seemed almost satisfactory, but all were missing one crucial thing: His interest.
Try as he might, he just couldn't see himself in an office flipping through papers, and somehow that was what must jobs seemed to consist of in the end.

Eventually he gave up the search, slammed the laptop shut, and stomped back into the kitchen to cook some bacon and eggs for breakfast.

When Dane awoke the next morning without a Sloan under his arm, he nearly had a panic attack. In his tired, confused state he spent moments scrambling around the covers to find his boyfriend, as if he'd shrunk into a fly and Dane was afraid that he'd sat on him. But when he noticed the cup of tea on the bedside table beside him, he relaxed.
Shifting awkwardly back to his previous position and picked up his tea, sipping it sheepishly.
It was the smell of bacon that got him out of bed that morning, and he took his tea and groggily waddled into the kitchen through nothing but his basic instincts of smelling food, and followed the luscious smell until he found Sloan.
"You make good British tea for an American." He teased, placing the half empty mug on the counter and nuzzling his boyfriend lovingly, rubbing their temples together like loving cats.
"I thought for a stupid moment that you'd vanished again." He murmured, snaking his hands around Sloan's waist. "I was half asleep, obviously."

Sloan glanced up when he heard Dane's voice beside, simply chuckling at his comment, and leaned his head affectionately against Dane's. When Dane shifted away, Sloan glanced at him with a smile, and laid a hand on one of the arms that had closed around his waist.
"I thought for a stupid moment that you'd vanished again. I was half asleep, obviously."
Sloan frowned at this for a moment, slightly frustrated with himself over how much his 'running away' had affected Dane; but he kept this feeling to himself. Instead, he replied calmly, "'Course not, doofus. I told you I wasn't going anywhere, didn't I?"
He finished in an absentminded mumble, leaning forward to poke the sizzling strips of bacon.
He seemed to decide that they were done; because he turned the hot plate off then, and turned around in Dane's arms, bowing his head to meet his boyfriend's gaze.
"I love you." He said simply, pecking Dane's forehead. "Next time You think I've 'vanished', just remember that." He smiled, and flashed a charming little wink - then squirmed out of Dane's grasp, and slapped a couple of eggs onto the toast he'd laid out on a pair of plates for them.
"Eat your bloody breakfast, you worrywart." He scolded in mock grumpiness, scooping a few strips of bacon onto Dane's plate, then shoving it into his hands.

"I know." Dane mumbled, blushing as he felt Sloan's shoulder muscles roll around as he used his arms to prod the bacon, and he smiled slightly to himself. "I think silly things when I'm tired."
Excuses, excuses... Or it could just have been because he's always disappearing without telling me.
Frowning at his thoughts, Dane hugged Sloan perhaps a little tighter than before, until Sloan finally turned around and they looked right at each other, their eyes locked.
"I love you." Sloan purred, pecking Dane sweetly on his brow"Next time You think I've 'vanished', just remember that."
"I will." Dane replied, nodding obediently, just as Sloan flashed him a cheeky wink that put all his doubts at ease. There was nothing to worry about. He could tell Sloan loved him. The man wasn't going anywhere.
He took a step back to let Sloan do the cooking and watched hungrily as the food was served onto his plate, licking his lips absentmindedly. It had been a while since he'd had proper food ((yes, egg and bacon is proper food to Dane... He's a deprived child :3)) and he missed it, especially the way Sloan did it. He was always so good with timing the food.
"Eat your bloody breakfast, you worrywart." Sloan ordered, shoving the plate into Dane's hands, and he accepted it with a psychotically hungry grin, picked up his toast and shoved it ungracefully into his mouth.
"Wiff Pleasuff." He said stupidly, mouth full of food, and shot Sloan in immature grin as he scuttled to the sofa to sit down. He ate his breakfast in silence for a few moments, enjoying the glorious feeling of having food in his stomach, then a thought occurred to him.
"Say, Sloan?" He asked, swallowing some bacon. "You like cooking, right? Why don't you be the head cook at the cafe I work at?"
He realised the impression he'd given of that cafe was slightly unappealing to Sloan - unless he was being served by Dane in a pink pinny - so he carried on talking. "I mean, if you worked in the kitchen you wouldn't have to wear what I do, you'd just wear normal chef's gear... But they do American stuff there, cakes and cookies and stuff, and of course the usual cafe foods like sandwiches and salads. I know I only work there half a day of the week but, well, the pay's really good, and my boss, Margaret, she's been looking for a good head chef for a while now since she's had to do the baking herself, and she needs the customers. Plus, I'm pretty sure your pancakes would bring everyone within a twenty mile radius over just with the smell." He winked, then shoved some more eggy toast into his mouth.

Sloan followed Dane to the couch, and sat down heavily beside him, chewing mechanically at his breakfast while he half-listened to what Dane had to say.
He actually didn't even have to listen past the first sentence to know what his answer would be, but since his mouth was full, he let Dane finish.
When his boyfriend was finally finished pitching the idea to him, Sloan swallowed and replied without a moment's though, "Nope."
He scoffed down his last piece of bacon, then wiped his mouth, and set his empty plate down on the coffee table.
"I couldn't be a chef." He explained with a shrug, "It's not exactly my skill set, and besides - just 'cause I don't mind cooking the occasional simple meal, doesn't mean I want to do it on a daily basis."
He got up, dumped his bowl into the sink, then walked back to the lounge and paused beside the couch, hands resting on his hips as he considered Dane.
"It's gonna be tricky, finding something that works..." He sighed heavily, "I don't know if I could cope with getting stuck in a job I don't enjoy. You know how I get."
He flopped back down on the couch, and switched on the TV, staring aimlessly at the screen.
Overall, Sloan seemed to be mostly back to normal, but at second glance it was obvious that he felt a lingering misery over Dart's death. His expression was graver than it had been, and his smile didn't seem to come as easily as before. He was struggling, that was the truth. Still... At least he had decided to try.

At Sloan's very frank answer, Dane blushed and looked away, feeling slightly humiliated. Perhaps the idea seemed better in his head... But he couldn't help but think Sloan was seeming slightly too picky about his job choice. He only needed to do it for money, so once he had it he didn't have to work there any longer than needed.
But still, he was glad the man was trying, and he'd obviously given it some thought. Not the chef thing, but... Well, other things.
"I couldn't be a chef. It's not exactly my skill set, and besides - just 'cause I don't mind cooking the occasional simple meal, doesn't mean I want to do it on a daily basis."
Fair enough, Dane thought with a shrug, finishing off his food just as Sloan got up and put his plate in the sink. Dane watched him curiously for a moment, then, after dumping his own plate on the coffee table and bringing up his feet lazily, began to think of other ideas that his boyfriend might prefer.
"I don't know if I could cope with getting stuck in a job I don't enjoy. You know how I get."
Nodding understandingly, Dane twisted round and laid back on Sloan's lap, frowning thoughtfully up at him.
"How about a personal trainer? People pay a lot for one of those. You're good at working out, and you can shout and swear at them as much as you like..." He grinned, then considered himself, and pulled a face.
"Actually, no. Too many hot guys. And women, actually..."
He listened to the droning sound of the TV for a few more moments, when he finally squeaked. "How about an astronaut? I bet NASA's looking for loads of those!"
He grinned stupidly and poked Sloan softly in the stomach.
"You'd make one sexy astronaut, I have to say..."

(( ))

Sloan just laughed at Dane's suggestions, shaking his head. He found it endearing that his boyfriend was trying to help, but honestly, his ideas weren't very helpful.
Of course they weren't... Because the truth was, Sloan had made up his mind a while ago, and now that he had to look for other options, he simply wasn't willing to settle on second best.
When Dane poked him in the stomach, Sloan twitched slightly, and turned to face his boyfriend's grin, feeling his own lips tweak upwards automatically.
"You'd make one sexy astronaut, I have to say..."
"Sure," He chuckled, ruffling Dane's hair, "But aside from the fact that I'm not nearly enough of a brainbox for that; you know you'd miss me if I was away for, I don't know, years." He poked his tongue out teasingly at Dane, then got up to take his boyfriend's plate to the kitchen.
When he returned, he sat back down, and stroked Dane's hair absentmindedly as he stared at the TV.
"I could be a vet..." He mused thoughtfully, "I've got the training, and experience..."
Even he had to admit that that was a good idea, but somehow, he still couldn't bring himself to be excited about it.
"Well, whatever." He smiled, stood up, and offered a hand to Dane. "Get ready for work. I'll drop you off before I go out job hunting."

"I wasn't being serious." Dane said with a mocking lazy glare. "If you decided to be an astronaut I'd just turn into a stripper and send you pictures of me in a man thong with girls stuffing money into my bum crack." He grinned deviously, then realised how vile his words were, and shuddered. He had a feeling if anyone tried to put anything near his backside he'd slap them. ((Yet Sloan wants to have sex with him. Good luck with that. XD))
Dane was forced to roll off Sloan's lap onto the carpet when his boyfriend stood up, and in his lazy, braindead state, decided pulling himself back on the sofa was too much of an effort, so he sat cross-legged on the rug beneath him and started to poke the carpet experimentally.
He didn't realise until he looked at the coffee table and saw that his plate had vanished, that Sloan had got up to put it away for him. Smiling fondly, he sat back between Sloan's legs as he sat back down again and rested his head backwards onto his crotch, gazing up at the man's beautiful, upside-down face.
"I could be a vet." Sloan suggested, and Dane cocked his head in a regarding fashion. He guessed a vet would suit, but what about when it came to putting an animal down? What if he even had to put a horse down? Wouldn't that just remind him of Dart?
He was disturbed once more as Sloan stood up, and he grumbled in annoyance, sulking on the floor for a moment, before accepting the man's hand and pulled himself to his feet.
"Get ready for work. I'll drop you off before I go out job hunting."
Yawning, Dane nodded obediently and headed off towards the bedroom to get into his riding gear, when a thought occurred to him.
"You know," He said, turning on his heel to frown thoughtfully at his boyfriend. "You could just come back to work. No one's told you you have to leave." He shrugged quietly, then added, "You could be a horse trainer, like me. I'll give you the colt, if you like. He's too young to be ridden, but like you said, you're good with the boisterous ones. Right?" He said, lifting his lips upwards a tad. "Besides, I've still got plenty to learn from you."

Sloan smiled fondly at Dane's suggestion, but he just shook his head in response.
"I quit." He reminded Dane, "I want a fresh start. This whole 'instructing' thing was already just a temporary job, which admittedly got a little out of hand... Either way, it was never going to be my career." He offered a subdued smile, and walked over to Dane, clapping a hand to his shoulder.
"I know it's difficult for you to accept that things have to change." He murmured quietly, "But I need to start getting my life in order. It's time to grow up and act like a responsible adult..." He shook his head, an expression of mild disgust on his face, "I'm supposed to be a father... I can't just-" He shrugged, "Drift like this..."
He just stood there a moment, a tense expression of stressed confusion on his face, then he shook it off, and slapped Dane's shoulder again.
"Get ready." He repeated, putting on a lighthearted tone, "I want to get on the road before the traffic."

((Well... That was short. XD ))

Dane listened to what Sloan said in response, but he didn't pretend to be happy about it. Sloan wanted to ride. He had to ride. He was born to be around horses, was he seriously going to throw all that away?
But still... He was suffering from a loss, and like Dane, Sloan didn't deal with loss very well.
Selfishly, Dane suddenly wanted to be around Archie more than anything else. He didn't want to think about the things he'd do if his best friend and bigger brother was taken away from him, and with Sloan still in a slight state, Dane seriously wanted to be around his horse once more. He'd barely hung around Archie since Dart's death because having the privilege made him feel guilty.
But now he realised he needed the break, more than ever.
"Alright." He said finally, raising his hands in defeat. He seriously wanted to argue and try and persuade Sloan that he had a talent that couldn't afford to be thrown away because of his grief, and that if he just sat back on a horse again...
But Sloan had obviously already made up his mind. There was no point in arguing.
"But mate," He said as he reached the bedroom door, "You are a good father. Perhaps if you went to see Nick at some point today he could tell you that himself."
Winking, Dane strolled off to get changed.

He appeared a few minutes later in his jodhpurs and his usual body warmer and red gloves, then went to the kitchen to sort out some lunch for himself - or rather, for Archie.
Once he'd grabbed an apple he went to the lounge and leaned back on the frame of the sofa, biting a huge chunk from his apple. "Right, I'm ready." He said with a half-hearted smile.

When Dane told him that he was a good father, it was all Sloan could do to keep from scoffing. Since he and Cheryl had split up, he might have seen his son, what, three times?
It was disgusting. He had never intended to be an absentee father; regardless of the fact that Nick had come into his life well before he was ready.
Dane, of course, had a point... He needed to see his son again. Avoiding Nick because he felt guilty for avoiding him was just plain stupid. Maybe he would pay Cheryl a visit later...
Nodding vaguely to himself, Sloan wandered off to get changed for the day, and met Dane back at the sofa - where his boyfriend was munching on an apple.
"Right." Sloan grunted, linking an arm with Dane's for no apparent reason, "Let's be off, then."
He pulled the man along with him as he unlocked the front door, and stepped out into the crisp morning air. The sun was just staring to brush the edge of the horizon, gilding the distant roofs in its brilliance, but it had not quite reached them yet, and its warmth was more a memory than a reality.
Rubbing his chilly hands, Sloan let himself into the driver's side of the Jeep, and kicked open the passenger side for Dane.
Once his boyfriend was in the car, Sloan pulled out onto the road, and began the familiar drive to the stables.
He drove in solemn silence, a grave expression on his face. He hadn't been to the stables since Dart's death... And he didn't like to think about that. He was doing well just denying it.
He didn't drive into the stables, but stopped the Jeep just outside, and pulled up the handbrake.
"Have a good day." He murmured to Dane, nodding toward the stables, "If you need a ride home, you can get me on my cell."

Dane glanced down at the arm linked in his, a curious eyebrow arching upwards. The gesture was strange to him, especially coming from Sloan, and at first he wasn't all that sure how to react. But after a few moments of thought he just shrugged, and the two headed out to the Jeep in content silence.
He wasn't sure whether he was meant to be worried that Sloan wasn't going to be with him at work anymore, and he had to admit this sudden change would probably unnerve him for the rest of the day. Besides, he missed the times where they could sit in a field and watch Archie and Dart pestering each other whilst Dane and Sloan munched on sandwiches and joked happily about the small things in life. Without the horses Sloan had started to act somewhat empty, but there was nothing Dane could do about that and it scared him.

They arrived at the stables a few minutes later, and Dane grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder with a defeated look on his face. He didn't want to go to work on his own.
"Have a good day." Sloan murmured.
Don't count on it, Dane thought to himself.
Sloan then mentioned about a lift home, and Dane just nodded, pretending to take it in. "I will." He said, then opened his door and started to get out. Then he paused and sat back down again, one foot out and one foot in. "You going to be alright today?" He asked, looking slightly concerned for his boyfriend. Then, he lifted up a hand and rested it on Sloan's face, sliding his palm onto the very top of his neck, cupping it around the edge of his jawline.
"I'll have my phone on, too, if you need me."

"You worry too much." Sloan scolded, smiling, and gently removing Dane's hand from his cheek. "I'm searching for jobs, not selling a kidney. I'll be fine." He winked at Dane, then dismissed him with a wave of his hand.
"See you later." He grunted, pulling the door closed, then jerking the handbrake down.

It felt strange to drive off and leave Dane there; but though it made him feel somewhat empty and lonesome, it was also a somewhat freeing experience for Sloan. He hated to admit it, but sometimes he felt like Dane was holding him back...
The bottom line was, he was glad to have this time to himself, to try to find a suitable means of making a living.

***

After a long day of interviews, investigations, and a visit with Nick so fulfilling he'd felt near tears; Sloan returned to the stables to fetch Dane, feeling pleasantly spent. He was tired, but it had been a good day - especially seeing his son's heart-bursting joy when he showed up after such an absence. Sloan had feared the boy had forgotten him, but Nick still practically worshiped him, just like before.
Cheryl had been perhaps a little too friendly, but he'd been too busy with Nick to notice anyway - so after a while she'd given up and left him to his own devices.

Sloan pulled up outside the stables, smiling mildly to himself, and tooted the horn in two cheerful beeps to call Dane.
The truth was, his day had not been entirely unsuccessful, and he had something to show his boyfriend... He only hoped that this would be received better than his previous suggestions.

Dane busied himself for the rest of that day with the usual chores, but he realised the days went much slower when Sloan wasn't around to meet him at break times. He spent extra time training the Anglo Arab stallion in the school and tried some in-hand work with the little colt that was beginning to look more and more like his father by the day. He had his talents, too. By the spring his step and the bounce of his haunches, Dane could tell it was going to be a real eventer.
Lunchtime was boring without anyone to talk to, so Dane spent the time with Claire instead, although her lunch break didn't last as long as his, and she didn't have a real schedule, so the two only shared pleasant conversation before getting back to work again.

By the time Sloan arrived, Dane had been sweaty from overworking himself to keep busy and was giving himself a wash with the hose around the back of the stables. Swearing, he dried his shivering self with his smelly shirt and jogged around to the carpark without it on, with his loose gloves flapping in one hand and his shirt flying in the other.
He raised his glove hand in a brief wave then climbed into the jeep shivering, then turned on the heating without bothering to ask first.
"H-how w-was N-n-nick?" He asked, rubbing his damp arms and offering a shaky smile that probably would have looked a lot more sincere had he not been so cold.

When Sloan saw Dane approaching, shirt in hand, he just shook his head and laughed out loud. That was so like him.
Sloan was grinning when Dane scrambled into the car, and instantly turned the heating on. He stammered a question about Nick through chattering teeth, and Sloan had to stifle a fond chuckle before he could answer.
He probably drenched himself with the hosepipe again, as usual... So typical...
"Nick was good." He replied at last, smiling, "Little bugger actually missed me, bless him..." His smile lingered a moment longer as he stared thoughtfully ahead of him, then he flashed Dane a good natured wink, jerking out of his reverie, and revved the car's engine into life.
"I've got something I want you to see." He said, somewhat cryptically, "It's a bit of a drive..." He cast an appraising eye over Dane, then shrugged, and pulled off the thick hoodie he was wearing. He dumped it unceremoniously over Dane's head, then clicked in his seatbelt with a mutter of, "Best keep yourself warm; I'm not looking after you if you get sick."
That was an outright lie, of course. He would do anything for Dane... But he didn't need to know that.

Smirking to himself, Sloan pulled out onto the road, and sent the Jeep cruising along at a comfortable pace.
"So..." he mumbled, eyes trained on the windshield, but attention shared with Dane, "How was work? Those horses behave themselves?"

"Nick was good. Little bugger actually missed me, bless him..."
"I told you!" Dane said gleefully, ignoring the laugh he'd got when he'd come into the car. Thankfully the car's heater was strong enough to warm him up fairly quickly, so at least his teeth had stopped chattering.
He was glad Sloan was pleased to see him, and also glad he was in a good mood. Honestly, he'd been afraid Cheryl had kept him from seeing Nick or something, but it seemed everything had gone well for the man that day.
When Sloan mentioned showing him something, Dane looked up with his eyebrows raised curiously, as he absentmindedly rubbed at his goose-pimpled arms. His skin was still cold to touch and droplets still trickled down his back, but he was warming up. Gradually.
He caught the hoodie clumsily when it attacked his head and pulled it over gratefully, instantly warming up. It smelt of Sloan so much that Dane really could have sat there and smelt it all day, but that would look weird, so he pulled up the hood and smelt it secretly, smiling to himself.
"How was work? Those horses behave themselves?"
Dane thought for a moment, hugging himself. He was surprised Sloan was asking, and he became aware that he'd probably only asked to make conversation, and that he probably wasn't all that bothered. But still, Dane was grateful for the effort.
"Well... The colt's getting better with it's manners." He chuckled. "Still tried to bite me a few times, but it's stopped using it's feet and does move it's rump when it's told. The Anglo Arab's trot is still fairly flat, but I had it go over a few poles today so at least I know what it's meant to feel like. Oh, and Sasha jumped a one meter oxer today without many problems. She's really coming along now she's managing to control where her feet go." He smiled fondly, still rubbing his arms, then turned to Sloan.
"How did the job-hunting go?"

"Good, good..." Sloan murmured, nodding in a pleased fashion.
He glanced over at Dane with something like admiration, and took a hand off the steering wheel to ruffle his boyfriend's hair affectionately. "I'm proud of you, you know." He announced randomly, "You've improved a lot since I first met you, and you're doing a great job with those horses..." He trailed off, nodding thoughtfully to himself, then turned his attention back to the road as he gunned the accelerator to overtake a slow-moving truck.
"How did the job-hunting go?" Dane asked, his voice music to Sloan's ears after a few too many hours apart.
"It went okay." He replied absently, and left it at that. He wouldn't say any more... At least, not just yet.

They drove along for another twenty minutes or so, alternating between pleasant conversation and comfortable silence, until at last they reached the outskirts of the small town, and an elegant farm came into view. Thick green grass rolled over the landscape, carpeting paddocks with classy, creosote-darkened fences - complete with well conditioned horses grazing peacefully in the evening light.
It had an ornate iron gate, which Sloan pulled up in front of. He leaned out of his window to key in a code, and the gate rolled open with a series of heavy, majestic clangs - making way to a long driveway of pattered bricks.
Once they passed the paddocks, they came to a huge face brick stable block with a high, steepled roof. It had an old-style, classic elegance about it, although it was clearly newly built.
There was a tidy, spacious stableyard just outside the barn, complete with crushes for bathing horses, poles with tying rings, mounting blocks, and a tack room just out of sight.
On the opposite side was a fancy rubber-chip dressage arena with big, bright white letters that looked as though they had been bought yesterday, and an official-looking low fence of white piping. Just beside this was a huge jumping arena, at least 80m x 40m, with a base of carpet fiber and river sand, and topped with an extravagant course of jumps - currently standing at about 1,20m - with coloured poles galore, and fillers so bright they looked like a carnival.

Hills of emerald green stretched far into the distance, spotted here and there with what seemed to be some sort of cross country course. At the base of the hill, quite near to the stable block, was a beautiful cottage - a little larger than Sloan's house, but still humbly cozy in comparison to the near-mansion perched on the top of the hill, overlooking this equestrian fairytale kingdom.

Sloan parket on a specifically marked brick parking area beside the stableyard, and turned in his seat to look at Dane.
"What do you think?" He asked simply, expression unreadable.

Dane wanted to ask more about Sloan's job-hunting, but by his vague answer he decided he wasn't supposed to, so he decided to lay off the subject for a while.
The drive wasn't as long as it seemed, just because Dane was beginning to get restless with curiosity, wondering what surprise was awaiting him. However, nothing could prepare him for what he was met with.

((Not going to bother repeating your description. My brain's on holiday today. :3 ))

"Holy marshmallows..." He mumbled as they drove into the ruby-coloured car park, rolling down the window to poke his head out and admire the view of the farm. It was amazing... Certainly something new to him. Even the livery yard he worked at couldn't afford facilities as top-class as this was. And everywhere looked so clean...
He didn't realise his mouth had been open for so long until his tongue went dry, and he awkwardly cleared his throat and closed his mouth, blushing. But he couldn't help it, the place was amazing!
But why was Sloan showing it to him?
"What do you think?"
That was a stupid question.
"What do I think?" Dane echoed, grinning stupidly. "It's huge! Is the toilet as clean as the rest of it?" It was supposed to be a joke, but to be honest Dane had grown up with a toilet cubicle with dead crane flies and spiders knotted in old webs around the ceiling and mud covering a vile-coloured floor at the Livery Yard, and he'd never experienced anything different. If anything was going to amaze him more, it was going to be a clean toilet.
"Really, it's amazing. God, you could fit at least fifty eventing horses here! But wait..." He frowned, then finally dragged his eyes away from the rolling hills and perfect stables to look at his boyfriend. "Could we really afford all this? I mean, you're not planning to buy this, are you?"

Sloan chuckled at Dane's excitement, because his boyfriend looked just the way he had felt when he had first set eyes on the place earlier. Of course, he had been forced to conduct himself with more dignity; but there was no reason for Dane to do that. He smiled fondly, and shook his head in amusement at his boyfriend.
"Of course I could never afford this." He pointed out reasonably, "But I don't have to."
He unlocked the Jeep, then opened his door and climbed out. He waited for Dane to join him, then began walking slowly around the yard, giving Dane a tour and continuing his explanation at the same time.
"The owner of this place... Well, his wife, really, is a friend of mine. We used to compete against each other back in America, but since she moved here she's had some kids, and now she doesn't want to event any more..." Sloan shrugged, "I don't get it, I guess it's a woman thing. But anyway, she still has a couple of two star to three star eventers, and after she saw me ride at the event last weekend, she called me up to offer me the rides. Provided I could get them, y'know, working for me..." He trailed off, feeling the familiar spark of irritation that accosted him every time he remembered the 'handicap' that set him apart from other riders. F*cking leg...
"Anyway," He went on, clearing his throat awkwardly, "When I came here to try the horses, Sam - that's her name, Samantha White - told me that she's looking for a stable manager, too. Her husband is f*cking loaded. He had this whole place built over the last year, and they moved here just last month. Now they want to get the place productive..." He trailed off, then finally stopped walking. They had ended up inside the stable block, and Sloan stopped and leaned back against a stable door, absentmindedly stroking the chestnut muzzle that appeared curiously beside him.
He faced Dane, and a smile crept unbidden over his face.
"The hubby's going to pay well." He said, still smiling, "And Sam'll give me free rein to do whatever the Hell I want with the place, as long as I don't screw it up."
He looked over at the horse beside him, murmured something to it, and scratched its golden forehead. Then he turned back to Dane, met his gaze solemnly, and said, "I know you don't like change, but Dane, we'll never get an opportunity like this again. This... This is perfect." His eyebrows drew together in a subtle, yet intense frown, and he fixed his boyfriend with a serious gaze.
"You'll find more opportunities here than you ever could at Jane's. What d'you say, man? Are you in?"
Don't ask me to give up my dream right now, Dane... Don't you dare f*cking ask me to do that...

Dane frowned at the answer he was given, but obediently stepped out of the Jeep and followed Sloan as they wandered out of the carpark and into the huge yard.
To what Sloan told him about the place, it was pretty obvious the couple who owned the premises were extremely rich. Especially if they could afford something as high class as this. A stable and yard as one thing, but to have several arenas built along with a lunge ring, not to mention all the buildings, was something unheard of to Dane. As far as he knew there wasn't a single person in the village who could afford all of this. The owners had to be important people.
They both paused at one of the stables where a chestnut head poked out, and Dane admired it from a distance as Sloan petted it like an old friend. It, too, looked like and expensive horse. Probably had a lot of potential and talent to be on a yard like this one.
As far as Dane could tell Sloan was talking about himself, and probably something about getting a job there, so Dane just crossed his arms and nodded to whatever the Hell Sloan told him.
He felt good for his boyfriend, and he was proud of him for being able to move on from the tragedy of Dart's death, he just didn't understand why Sloan was telling him this in such great detail...
"I know you don't like change, but Dane, we'll never get an opportunity like this again. This... This is perfect. You'll find more opportunities here than you ever could at Jane's. What d'you say, man? Are you in?"
Dane's gaze flicked from the elegant chestnut head to the intense gaze that suddenly shot out from Sloan's eyes and frowned. "Am I what?" He asked, suddenly confused. When had Sloan mentioned that he wanted Dane to work with him?
"I-... I-I don't know..." He shook his head helplessly,slumping his shoulders. He knew Sloan loved to surprise him, but Dane really hated having to make huge decisions on the spot, then see the disappointment in his boyfriend's eyes when he could answer straight away.
"Y-you're asking me to quit my job?" He asked nervously. "Sloan... I-" His eyes widened suddenly, as the fear that he'd be faced with that disappointed face again, or perhaps worse, nearly pushed him all the way to panic mode. He didn't want to make such a decision straight away. Sure, he didn't like change, but for Sloan's he'd try and fight that. It wasn't the change that he was scared of, however.
He didn't want to leave the horses. Or Claire.
Mostly the horses.
He wanted somewhere he could go that was away from strange horses and people and be able to relax with the horses he'd grown up with. Not just Archie - although he presumed if he worked at the new stables he'd be allowed to keep Archie there - it was the horses he trained, the projects he wasn't ready to end yet: Sasha The dark bay stallion. Or the projects he hadn't even started yet: The colt.
"I... I really don't know. I mean- I'd be all for starting afresh. But... I don't want to quit what I started, either. I don't want to give up on the progress I've made with them. This place is amazing." He gestured around him, looking rather defeated. "But... I don't want to totally give up on what I had before. Unless, of course, the 'Work In Progresses' from that stables were brought here..." He shrugged helplessly. Sighed.
"I'll give it a think over. I promise." He said, finally looking up at Sloan with large, pleading eyes.
Please don't hate me. He begged. I haven't turned you down yet. Please give me a chance...

Sloan waited patiently for Dane to process what he had said, and he watched passively as his boyfriend stuttered half-formed doubts through his stress.
He waited, waited, waited... But the change of mind he was expecting didn't quite seem to come, and finally, Sloan began to frown slightly.
"I... I really don't know. I mean- I'd be all for starting afresh. But... I don't want to quit what I started, either. I don't want to give up on the progress I've made with them."
Sloan's lips seemed to tighten at this, showing the first sign of annoyance.
How could Dane look so naive? It was all very well to want to finish what he'd started - but it was his job! It's not like they were his own horses. Somebody else could take over, or Jane could sell them.
Didn't he understand that this was how the world worked? You found something better, and you moved on. Onward and Upward. Why couldn't Dane understand that...? He wasn't a child any more.
I don't want to totally give up on what I had before. Unless, of course, the 'Work In Progresses' from that stables were brought here..."
Sloan's eyes narrowed slightly, and his clenched teeth started a muscle twitching in his jaw, but still, he said nothing. Not outwardly, in any case...
Grow the f*ck up you naive fool!
He released a slow breath, calming his temper, and turned away from Dane again to stroke the chestnut's dainty face.
"I'll give it a think over. I promise."
He could feel Dane's pleading eyes burning into his back, but somehow, this only irritated him further.
He felt something in him - maybe his patience - snap with the force of a whiplash.
Sloan spent a moment longer stroking the chestnut, then muttered under his breath, "Yeah, that's what you always say..."
When he turned back to face Dane, however, he was smiling pleasantly. "Don't worry about it." He comforted, his tone surprisingly warm, and his expression perfectly forgiving. "It's not your thing; that's fine. You're better off at Jane's."
He offered a supportive smile, slightly too cheerful, and walked quietly down to the next stall, leaning over the door to stare in at a bay mare who was munching away quietly on a haynet.
"I'm not, though." He said at last, still watching the mare, "I need to move on; to make something of my life... And I can't afford to miss this opportunity. I've accepted." He turned back to Dane, meeting his gaze shamelessly. "Part of the job description requires that I stay here. I'm moving my stuff out on Friday."
He watched Dane carefully, studying his expression with a perfectly unreadable one shielding his own face. He had expected to be slightly torn up about this, but honestly, it didn't bother him at all. It wasn't like he was breaking up with Dane - he was just going off in his own direction, and his boyfriend had chosen not to follow him.
That was fine.
It was fine.
Just fine...
F*ck you.

Dane hadn't expected a completely warm acceptance to his answer, but Sloan's reaction to it was even more unnerving than the other times. Dane's jaw dropped open, trying to find a decent excuse or apology or something that might take the weight of what he'd done from his shoulders, but nothing came to mind.
Sloan wouldn't even look at him...
"Yeah, that's what you always say..."
Swallowing, flinching at the man's almost bitter words, Dane looked away. And it's what I always do, he thought to himself, when I'm put under situations like this.
When the man finally looked at him again, it was with the warmest of smiles that Dane almost believed. He remained on edge, waiting for the bomb to drop, but Sloan seemed as calm as a summer breeze.
"Don't worry about it. It's not your thing; that's fine. You're better off at Jane's."
"I didn't say that..." Dane whimpered pathetically, then his voice stumbled to a halt. Was Sloan mad at him? Because if he was, Dane wished he'd actually show it. At least when people showed their emotions you could trust what they were saying, and know what they were thinking. Pretending like this was asking for trouble. He felt himself slump as Sloan looked back at a mare Dane hadn't even noticed until that moment, because it was obviously far more interesting to look at that he was.
"I'm not though. I need to move on; to make something of my life... And I can't afford to miss this opportunity. I've accepted." Was that a hint of saying that Dane was on a dead end road at Jane's? He felt himself shrink away as Sloan turned to him. "Part of the job description requires that I stay here. I'm moving my stuff out on Friday."
Dane nearly choked. Moving out? Sloan was moving out?
He looked down, defeated. This was his punishment, obviously. It was Sloan pressuring him into making up his mind there and then because he couldn't be bothered to wait for Dane to make up his own mind. He'd done this ever since the beginning, when he kissed Dane to scare the crap out of him and make him decide whether he was gay or not. This was what he did. And Dane hated him for it.
"I didn't say 'no', Sloan." He murmured, sounding humiliatingly small. "I said I wanted to think about it. Why're you doing this?" His voice fell to a whisper, not really helping his case. He didn't really want to argue, especially when they weren't at home. But He was sick of this. He had the right to be able to think about something as big as this. He didn't have to decide straight away.
I'm moving my stuff out on Friday...
Was that a threat of a break-up?
His breathing quickened as panic threatened to settle in, and for some stupid reason he missed his blanket.
"Why do I have to decide right now? God... Aren't I allowed to think about things without being threatened before I give you an answer?" He shook his head and glanced around the immaculate yard, blinking perhaps more than usual.
"I'm old enough to make my own decisions, Sloan. I'm not a kid." He tried to drag his eyes up to Sloan's for the final effect, but it took all the energy he could muster. "You're not my Dad."
A lump rose to his throat but he swallowed it away. He would compose himself. He would.
"Please..." He begged. "All I ask is for a chance to think it through. Let me have a choice in this, okay?"
He sniffed a few times, forcing himself to calm down, then started walking aimlessly to another part of the yard, making forcefully bright comments about how 'even the mounting blocks look new' and 'the stable wood's been freshly polished', but he doubted Sloan was listening.