fandomhighdorms | The Stables: Late Friday night

The Stables: Late Friday night

Trenor was in his stall, which wasn't a surprise, because that was where a horse belonged. He didn't seem too happy about it, though, as he lipped half-heartedly at the clip Karal had put on the catch so he couldn't get out.

Then he sighed and started nosing at his feed bucket, catching it in his teeth and rattling it. And then he started digging careful holes in his shavings and blowing at the floor. He was bored, and he missed his person.

Sighing again, he hung his head over the stall door, ears drooping as he looked forlornly at the outside door.

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Evey hadn't talked to much of anyone since they'd gotten back. She was aware that she needed to, at some point, but right now, she didn't feel like talking at all, much less trying to explain a thing.

She didn't even know what she did feel like doing. Sleep seemed like an idea, but as much as she was exhausted, she knew her mind would keep working for days at this rate. Relaxation at all wasn't going to happen. And so a restlessness and loneliness which reached all the way through her found Evey wandering down to the stables to visit Trenor. "'lo, you."

Trenor's ears went forward and he snorted softly, stretching his nose towards her. It might not be his person, but she was with his person a lot, and she could give him treats.

She reached a hand out to gently stroke his nose. "He's not with me," she said softly. "Not for a long time."

Ears flicking back and forth, he nudged her hand, looking worried. Not that he could understand the words, but she sounded sad. He knew what sad was.

"He had to stay there," she said quietly, pretty sure he didn't really know what she was saying, and carefully moved into his stall. "He won't be coming back for a long time. Maybe not ever."

And god, it hurt to say it out loud. Some of the numbness was chipped away, hearing the words, and replaced by a sharp ache.

Trenor carefully sidestepped as she came inside, watching where he put his feet, then lipped gently at her hair, snorting softly again.

"And you'll miss him, it's only natural," she continued, stroking along his neck. She thought it was odd, how it almost sounded like her voice wavered there for a moment. "But you've got to understand, he's needed there. It's selfish to wish he was here. His duty's there, and we can hope, and worry, and miss him. But they need him more than we do, so we've got to be strong, all right?"

One ear curved back, one forward, and he pawed the floor very delicately with one hoof, bobbing his head. Something was wrong, he could tell.

"It's okay to miss him, you know. If you do," she added, smoothing her hands over his neck. "Only natural. We might not ever see him again. And maybe you're a little tired of this sort of thing. Perfectly understandable."

Trenor sighed and dropped his head to nose her shoes, then lifted it up high, looking at her, ears straight forward. With a soft huff of breath, he took a tiny step forward and nuzzled her shoulder.

She bit her lip, ignoring the tightness in her chest. "Maybe you're a little sick of every bloody time you actually care about someone, they're snatched away, and it's always because of some goddamn noble, wonderful, dutiful thing so you can't even get mad about it. Maybe you feel petty and awful and selfish, but maybe you don't need to."

His ears flicked back and forth, back and forth, and he nuzzled her hands for a moment before hanging his head over her shoulder. He would never understand the words, but he could feel she was upset.

See, the horse needed hug. Not Evey. So she was just going to slip her arms around his neck to comfort poor Trenor. "We need to be stronger than this," she mumbled, her voice wavering a little.

Trenor was big and warm and solid, and it wasn't the first time an unhappy person had hugged him. Karal, when he'd first received Trenor, had been desperately unhappy, so Trenor knew what to do. He curved his neck over her shoulder and whuffled her hair.

And here in the stables, where no one could see and no one could judge, Evey finally let herself cry.

She'd needed to. And she wouldn't again, not over this. But she couldn't move past it without grieving for what might happen, and to let go after the stress of what had happened.

After a moment, she pulled back, swiping at her eyes. "You deserve a treat, Trenor. Let me go get something, hang on a tic."

His ears shot forward, his eyes brightened, at the word 'treat' and he whickered hopefully.

She went out to sift through the bin near his stall, and returned with an apple, which she held out like Karal had shown her.

Making happy, whuffling, whickering noises, he delicately bit it in half, ears going floppy as he blissfully crunched it up.

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The Stables: Late Friday night

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