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writetomyheart2025-10-12 09:29 pm
elindar.livejournal.com) wrote in writetomyheart2025-10-12 09:29 pm
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[team two] untitled
A snippet from the next chapter of my Downton Abbey AU.
Shintaro & Hokuto | G | 800 words
Grinning, Shintaro urged his horse to gallop and followed Mr. Hokuto by the field. He leaned forward, reins tight and enjoyed the speed and the feel of a horse between his legs. He had missed it. Once the car had come to Downton and Shintaro had become the chauffeur, he hadn’t had that much time to spend in the stables anymore, while before he’d practically lived there. That was why he had been glad when Mr. Hokuto had shyly asked him along for a ride.
It was a perfect day for it, really, the weather clear and crisp. Shintaro wanted to show Mr. Hokuto the trails in the forest, so that was where they were headed. The terrain could be a bit challenging, but the lordling had assured that he could handle it. And looking at his riding now, he had most likely been truthful.
Mr. Hokuto led his chestnut horse along the path and towards the forest, glancing around his shoulder a couple of times, a smile on his face. Shintaro felt a pleasant jump in his stomach, and it had nothing to do with the ride.
He was walking on thin ice, he knew.
And yet.
Shintaro couldn’t and wouldn’t say no to Mr. Hokuto. He had been teaching the young lord to drive the car for the past month and he’d had such a good time that it felt almost wrong to get paid for it. He enjoyed their lessons together, they were often the highlight of his week, and it was great to see Mr. Hokuto’s progress.
And despite them already spending so much time together, the lord still wanted to invite him to ride. It should’ve been baffling, but it wasn’t. Not really.
Thin ice.
When they reached the edge of the forest they slowed their horses to a walk. Shintaro loosened the reins and let his horse fall into pace with Hokuto’s. The lordling was still smiling as he looked at Shintaro, his cheeks red from the cold air.
“Well, master?” he asked jokingly. “How am I doing?”
“Perfectly fine, sir,” Shintaro smiled. “You and Copper seem to work well together.”
“I know! We’re a good team, aren’t we?” Mr. Hokuto said to the mare, petting its neck.
They rode on in comfortable silence for a moment before Mr. Hokuto spoke up again.
”Are you looking forward to Christmas?”
”I am,” Shintaro said. ”I like the atmosphere and it’s the one time a year we get to relax downstairs, too.”
“Ah, of course. And you get presents from the family?”
“We do. I’m looking forward to that, as well. How about you, sir? Is it a lot different in the Highlands?”
”A bit,” Mr. Hokuto answered after some thought. ”But I feel like I prefer the mood here in Downton. It’s more communal and welcoming. And I’m afraid my parents aren’t as lenient with the servants, even on Christmas.”
Shintaro chuckled. ”We’re lucky to be here, then.”
”Indeed we are.”
Mr. Hokuto looked like he wanted to say something more, but in the end he just smiled at Shintaro. Then, he nodded his head, gesturing ahead.
“Let’s race to that hill?”
As soon as he'd said, grinning, Mr. Hokuto kicked with his heels to prod the horse to gallop again. Shintaro had no time to object so he raised a gallop too, hurrying after the lordling.
Everything happened so fast after that.
Suddenly, Shintaro noticed Copper sidestepping a bit and then stopping completely. He saw a pair of pheasants taking off and the horse rearing abruptly, heard Mr. Hokuto’s yell as he fell down.
“Hokuto!”
Shintaro stopped his horse and leaped down from the saddle. Heart in his throat, he hurried to the young lord, who lay as a bundle on the ground, groaning.
“A-are you alright, sir?” Shintaro asked, kneeling beside Mr. Hokuto. He helped the lord sit up, brushing dry leaves off his jacket.
“My ankle,” Mr. Hokuto said with a tight voice. “I think I sprained it when I fell.”
Bloody hell Shintaro thought but said aloud as calmly as he could: “Alright. We should get you back to the house as soon as possible, do you think you can stand up?”
“I think so,” Mr. Hokuto said, “but I’m afraid Copper’s gone. Those birds really gave her a fright.”
That was true. Shintaro had been so focused on Mr. Hokuto that he hadn’t even noticed Copper running away. He glanced around them but couldn’t see the horse anywhere. And he couldn’t go looking for it and leave Mr. Hokuto on his own, either…
“Oh God, oh God,” Shintaro muttered. “I’ve lost the family’s horse and you’ve hurt yourself... It was nice knowing you, sir. Lord Kyomoto’s going to kill me, but only if Mr. Inohara doesn’t get me first.”
What a bloody disaster.
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rin_aokuro your turn!
Shintaro & Hokuto | G | 800 words
Grinning, Shintaro urged his horse to gallop and followed Mr. Hokuto by the field. He leaned forward, reins tight and enjoyed the speed and the feel of a horse between his legs. He had missed it. Once the car had come to Downton and Shintaro had become the chauffeur, he hadn’t had that much time to spend in the stables anymore, while before he’d practically lived there. That was why he had been glad when Mr. Hokuto had shyly asked him along for a ride.
It was a perfect day for it, really, the weather clear and crisp. Shintaro wanted to show Mr. Hokuto the trails in the forest, so that was where they were headed. The terrain could be a bit challenging, but the lordling had assured that he could handle it. And looking at his riding now, he had most likely been truthful.
Mr. Hokuto led his chestnut horse along the path and towards the forest, glancing around his shoulder a couple of times, a smile on his face. Shintaro felt a pleasant jump in his stomach, and it had nothing to do with the ride.
He was walking on thin ice, he knew.
And yet.
Shintaro couldn’t and wouldn’t say no to Mr. Hokuto. He had been teaching the young lord to drive the car for the past month and he’d had such a good time that it felt almost wrong to get paid for it. He enjoyed their lessons together, they were often the highlight of his week, and it was great to see Mr. Hokuto’s progress.
And despite them already spending so much time together, the lord still wanted to invite him to ride. It should’ve been baffling, but it wasn’t. Not really.
Thin ice.
When they reached the edge of the forest they slowed their horses to a walk. Shintaro loosened the reins and let his horse fall into pace with Hokuto’s. The lordling was still smiling as he looked at Shintaro, his cheeks red from the cold air.
“Well, master?” he asked jokingly. “How am I doing?”
“Perfectly fine, sir,” Shintaro smiled. “You and Copper seem to work well together.”
“I know! We’re a good team, aren’t we?” Mr. Hokuto said to the mare, petting its neck.
They rode on in comfortable silence for a moment before Mr. Hokuto spoke up again.
”Are you looking forward to Christmas?”
”I am,” Shintaro said. ”I like the atmosphere and it’s the one time a year we get to relax downstairs, too.”
“Ah, of course. And you get presents from the family?”
“We do. I’m looking forward to that, as well. How about you, sir? Is it a lot different in the Highlands?”
”A bit,” Mr. Hokuto answered after some thought. ”But I feel like I prefer the mood here in Downton. It’s more communal and welcoming. And I’m afraid my parents aren’t as lenient with the servants, even on Christmas.”
Shintaro chuckled. ”We’re lucky to be here, then.”
”Indeed we are.”
Mr. Hokuto looked like he wanted to say something more, but in the end he just smiled at Shintaro. Then, he nodded his head, gesturing ahead.
“Let’s race to that hill?”
As soon as he'd said, grinning, Mr. Hokuto kicked with his heels to prod the horse to gallop again. Shintaro had no time to object so he raised a gallop too, hurrying after the lordling.
Everything happened so fast after that.
Suddenly, Shintaro noticed Copper sidestepping a bit and then stopping completely. He saw a pair of pheasants taking off and the horse rearing abruptly, heard Mr. Hokuto’s yell as he fell down.
“Hokuto!”
Shintaro stopped his horse and leaped down from the saddle. Heart in his throat, he hurried to the young lord, who lay as a bundle on the ground, groaning.
“A-are you alright, sir?” Shintaro asked, kneeling beside Mr. Hokuto. He helped the lord sit up, brushing dry leaves off his jacket.
“My ankle,” Mr. Hokuto said with a tight voice. “I think I sprained it when I fell.”
Bloody hell Shintaro thought but said aloud as calmly as he could: “Alright. We should get you back to the house as soon as possible, do you think you can stand up?”
“I think so,” Mr. Hokuto said, “but I’m afraid Copper’s gone. Those birds really gave her a fright.”
That was true. Shintaro had been so focused on Mr. Hokuto that he hadn’t even noticed Copper running away. He glanced around them but couldn’t see the horse anywhere. And he couldn’t go looking for it and leave Mr. Hokuto on his own, either…
“Oh God, oh God,” Shintaro muttered. “I’ve lost the family’s horse and you’ve hurt yourself... It was nice knowing you, sir. Lord Kyomoto’s going to kill me, but only if Mr. Inohara doesn’t get me first.”
What a bloody disaster.
rin_aokuro your turn!
no subject
THIN ICE :::D!!! Yes, it is one! I like that Shintaro isn’t that clueless (unlike others…) about his feelings but it’s also super realistic that he’s unsure and insecure when it comes to them since the situation is what it is. I wonder if Hokuto senses anything or if he’s just ALL daijutaneli about it?? XD
Their riding (pun intended lmaooo) was written nicely and I can feel their connection there — well done! I bet Juri would feel/see it too… XD POOR HIM. And then the accident omgggg I wonder how they’ll get home (and WHAT JURI SAYS AFTER THAT XD)! I also hope the horse is fine🥲🥲🥲
Christmas mentioned btw!!! CAN’T WAITTTTTT🤭🤭🤭😂😂😂🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 aaahhhhhhh!!!
This is still the best fic ever and I can’t wait for more!!!!