A fond look settled on Poppy’s features at her companion’s question. It was obvious he was suspicious and she shook her head gently to reassure him. “I trust you endlessly,” she promised. "It’s this monster I don’t trust,” Poppy laughed as she raised a hand to ruffle Charles’ forelock. Almost as if to prove a point, the gelding jerked his head up and snorted. “He’s a little bit touchy,” she admitted. “If you’re not gentle he’ll balk a bit and I’ve had him rear a few times. Nothing dramatic, he’s too lazy for that, but still. I wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt this weekend.” Poppy gave him a meaningful look at that. At her following suggestion to go for a ride however, Kristoffer seemed amenable. Poppy grinned and watched as he smirked in her direction before going back over the fence. She followed, unable to shake the stupid look from her face. It was so easy being with Kristoffer. Easier even than being with most of her other friends. Poppy wondered at this thought as she grabbed a lead hanging on the fence post and tossed it carelessly around Charles’ neck. She didn’t bother to fasten the halter as was appropriate; he could be trusted not to stray on the way down. The rope was merely a pretense at this stage anyway. There wasn’t anywhere the gelding cared to wander off to when Poppy was around. They’d bonded early on, and while he was fussy with most, Charles tended to be fairly well behaved when it came to the diminutive brunette.
She was just reaching to open the gate, nodding at Kristoffer’s assertion about appetites, when something gently brushed her cheek. Poppy looked up quickly, not realizing how close they still were despite the fence between them. His eyes were so, so blue in the early morning light. “I’m… I’m alright,” she managed to respond, heart thundering away in her chest. (Rude, traitorous thing.) Her cheeks flushed nonetheless and Poppy could still feel the brush of Kristoffer’s thumb as he pulled away. “We can always have tea when we’re back,” she added with a gentle tilt of her head and a reassuring smile.
Deciding then it would be rude to her guest to ride the horse down over his blanket, Poppy let Charles out through the gate. She fell into step beside the Slytherin as they made their way back towards the barn. “I’m… sorry, too, for barging in on you unannounced this morning,” she admitted, sheepishly, cheeks warm all over again. "I should have mentioned my intentions last night."
© Fox