Mindblown

Chapter Thirty-Five

"No you know what, no, I said I wanted to, but faced with it..." Kirstie shakes her head, "Mm-mm-nope."
     Avi leads the horse closer to her and Kirstie takes the exact same amount of steps back. "Just at least pat her, she's friendly, I promise," he demonstrates.
     "What if she bites me?" Kirstie's face is scrunched up.
     "She's old, she won't do anything she shouldn't. Besides horses are far less likely to bite than dogs and yet you pet so many dogs."
     She pouts, he had her there, how often do you hear of people getting bit by horses? Dogs on the other hand. "I was thinking of getting another dog," she tells him.
     "Don't try and distract me," he warns with a smile. "I will eventually get you on this horse," he pats Dolly, the horse.
     "No, I'm serious, I kinda want another one, but I want a Pomsky which can grow to be half the size of a Siberian Husky."
     Avi is listening but he's not looking at her, "Well you can't do that with your naming theme, lest Tyrion be bigger than Drogo or something stupid like that," he laughs, paying good attention to the kind horse.
     "I was thinking Theon, since he totally redeemed himself, but you're absolutely right: Theon is bigger than Tyrion," she smirks at what she's about to say, "So I'm thinking a Hobbit name," she bites her lip as she awaits his response.
     His attention is entirely on her now.
     "Bilbo sounds like an adorable name for a dog, does it not?"
     "What are you playing at?"
     "Hobbit's are smaller than dwarfs aren't they?"
     "Yes, but you've never seen any of those movies, and I doubt you've read the books, I haven't even read the books," he points to himself with the hand that isn't occupied by Dolly's reins.
     Kirstie shrugs, "I don't have to name him after Bilbo."
     "No you don't, you can name him whatever you want. But if you stick with Game of Thrones you could make his name something totally out of proportion, like-"
     "Like Drogo," she interrupts.
     "Better, like Drogon, Viserion or Rhaegal!" His eyes are lit up.
     "I should have known you'd suggest naming him after the dragon's," she giggles.
     "Well-hey, no, we're riding horses. We can talk about you getting a new dog while we're riding," he leads Dolly forward a little more.
     "I'm thinking of a new tattoo too, birthday present to myself."
     "That's another thing we can chat about on the horses," Avi holds his free hand out for hers.
     "Move in with me."
     Avi's eyes widen, "Sorry."
     "You heard me. You talk about looking for a place, why? Why when I've got a perfectly good one with more than enough room for two."
     "Are you serious or just saying whatever you can so that you don't have to get on the horse?" He'll admit he's a little frozen in place.
     Kirstie tilts her head one way and then the other, "Bit of both."
     "Then let's talk about it on the horses," but he doesn't move.
     Kirstie smiles, "I've got you haven't I?"
     "I'm still scared that you're not being serious and that my answer will make me look like an idiot and or ruin things entirely," he barely breathes.
     Her smile fades, "So you don't want to move in with me?"
     "Is that what you got from what I said?" Avi frowns. "Like it seems a little soon, but I also don't hate the idea, it saves me finding somewhere. Kirstie if you're serious then: yes, I'd like to."
     "I am serious," she lets a smile creep onto her face.
    "And just to clarify, like I'm not just moving in so that I don't have to find a place, it's because I love you and I want to live with you."
     Kirstie's face lights up, "You love me?"
     "Yeah, I did just say that didn't I?" He laughs just a little.
     She nods, "But it's okay, I love you too," she leaps at him, no longer caring about her proximity to the horse.
     Avi's smile bursts out too. "Okay, proposition for you, I'll let you take a picture of us to post online, if you get on the horse."
     "You know it's funny that you won't let me on the back of your bike and yet you're very insistent that I get on the back of this horse," she gingerly pats Dolly's nose.
     "Yeah because you said that you wanted to ride a horse, I don't want you to change your mind because you'll regret it later. The bike is a whole other thing and I've explained that."
     "Happy moment to sad moment in zero point two seconds," she pouts.
     "Are you gonna get on the horse or not?" He is a little frustrated but doing his best to not let it show.
     "I'm really scared Avi."
     "Okay, well I'll put her away and we can come back another day. I've been insistent but I'm not going to make you do something that you don't want to do."
     "No! I want to, I'm just really scared." She grabs his arm as Dolly swings towards her, "Ah fuck."
     "Then I know you can do it. I won't let her move, I'll help you up, whatever you need," he is reassuring, his voice calm. "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you, I love you, remember?" He gives her a warm smile.
     Kirstie returns the smile, "Help me up."
     "You're sure?" He lets the reins slacken further so he can stand at the horse's side with her.
     "Yep, let's go before I change my mind."
     "Okay, put your foot in," he gently taps the foothold, the stirrup. "No-no, left foot or you'll be on backwards," he chuckles. "Hold the reins there," he points, "And the top of the saddle here," he taps it. "Okay, I'm gonna let go of the reins for a moment so I can boost you."
     "Oh god," she breathes out. "I'm not gonna go all the way over right?"
     "No you won't, I won't let you and most importantly, you won't let you." He drops the reins and crouches a little to place one hand under her foot in the stirrup. "Ready, just jump on three and swing your leg over."
     "Ready," she very quietly affirms.
     "Okay, one, two, three." Avi boosts her jump and keeps the stirrup steady for her, in his experience he's seen people struggle most with the swinging of it and unable to get their balance they can't get onto the horse. But Kirstie makes it on smoothly. Avi's smile is bright and Kirstie's matches for a second, but only a second, now she's clutching to the reins for dear life.
     "This is a lot higher than I thought," she squeaks.
    "Yeah, height isn't normally an issue for you," he jokes.
     "Ha, ha, I'd smack you but I refuse to let go of the reins."
     Chuckling, he says, "Why do you think I'm making this joke now?"
     Kirstie sticks her tongue out at him.
     "Okay, jokes aside," he picks up the reins again. "I'm gonna lead you round a bit now, just a couple of circles okay?"
     "Wait, take a picture of me on the horse first, please, lest I fall off on this reckless journey and never want to get on again. My phones in your pocket," she reminds him after being more than dramatic.
     "I remember," he smirks of the drama. "How do I take the picture?" He asks as he pulls the phone out.
     Her head snaps around, "No, no, I've seen you take pictures, I know you know how to!"
     Laughing he holds the phone up, "I'm messing with you, I know how to take pictures of things unless it's of me, then I choose not to know that. Aren't you gonna pose?" He's smirking again.
     "Avi!" She complains. "A smile is as good as it's gonna get and you know that!"
     "Then I'd like to actually see a smile please Kirstin," he demonstrates over-cheesy.
     Kirstie pulls on a big grin and once she's sure he's got the picture it drops, "Okay, get back here now."
     "Kirstie she hasn't moved at all yet, she's behaving really well, you need to relax," he pats Dolly's neck. "Deep breaths okay, we're gonna walk." He takes backwards steps, leading the horse, not taking his eyes off of Kirstie.
     She gasps as they start moving, but takes a couple of deep breaths to compose herself the best she can. "Oh god, oh god, oh god," she says under her breath.
     "See it's not so bad," Avi smiles.
     She grimaces rather than smiles back at him, with one nod, "Mmm hmm." Her eyes widen and her entire body goes rigid when the horse tries to take a step in the direction that Avi isn't leading her. "Avi-Avi-Avi!" But he's already correcting it's course before the first 'Avi' is out of her mouth.
     "Please just try and relax hon, she can sense your distress."
     Kirstie clutches the reins tighter, barely breathing, "Oh god, she's gonna kick me off! I wanna get down now!"
     "No-no-no, it's fine, you're fine, she's fine, she's not gonna kick you off. But if everyone relaxes you'll have more fun."
     Avi leads her around in slow circle after slow circle, watching with a growing smile as Kirstie relaxes with every lap.
     "I think we can go faster now, make your parents think that you're a good teacher," she nods over at where his Mom and Dad have appeared on the porch.
     "Oh, you think you're ready to go faster?" His eyebrow raises and he pays no attention to his parents.
     "Yeah," she nods then has to reach up and slide her riding helmet back into place.
     "Okay well I'm not about to start running around this paddock, so... you got this," he drops the reins and shows her jazz hands.
     "Avi!" She screeches, dropping her head so she's leant against Dolly's neck, her arms around the horse. Stuck looking to her left her face passes Avi at almost the same height as Dolly keeps walking. "Avi!" She hisses.
     "You are so lucky she didn't take off when you yelled," he informs her as she passes.
     "Avi!" She hisses again, getting further and further from him, her comfort level dropping drastically. When Avi is out of sight she musters all her courage to force herself to turn her head to catch sight of him again. Kirstie watches him untie the other horse from the fence then effortlessly get on him, if she remembers correctly that horse's name is Cash.
     Avi trots over to the slowly moving horse with his girlfriend on its back, smirking. "She's eyeing up some grass Kirst."
     "What?" She asks, but that question is quickly answered when Dolly dips her head and Kirstie is forced to sit up with alarm.
     "Pull the reins up," Avi instructs and Kirstie follows and Dolly listens. "Told you she's good."
     "I almost fell off and that was your fault not hers."
     Avi chuckles, "Cash and I will walk ahead, and all going to plan Dolly will follow. Then when you're used to that we can go faster," he urges his horse ahead and his plan is on its way.
     "Good Dolly, please don't throw me off Dolly," Kirstie speaks in hushed tones as Dolly follows Cash. "Oh, this isn't so hard," Kirstie smiles.
     Avi smiles back over his shoulder, "No it's not. You're doing so well Kirst, I'm proud."
     Kirstie's grin didn't falter, for some reason whenever she impresses Avi it's the best feeling in the world.

A/N: I've ridden a horse once in my life, so I hope that was accurate enough to pass XD

Do you think Kirstie will get that new dog? And if yes, what will she name it? Do you think she'll get a new tattoo? And will her and Avi actually move in together? Or was Kirstie totally bullshitting to distract Avi? XD XD

I hope you enjoyed the chapter, please vote and comment, it truly makes my day :)

Hannah.