Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy // Reddie

four

Eddie found his way to the stables easily. He had never been this close to the animals on Mike's farm yet— and he's pretty sure that he has never been this close to a farm animal, period. Maybe once, at the annual festival in Derry as a child, but his mother made him leave after he stroked the mane of a horse. She had him believing he caught a disease for three weeks after that.

The student blew out a breath and made an effort to convince himself that riding these horses will not give him Brucellosis or Ringworm.

His converse stopped in the dirt before Stanley and Mike outside of the stable, and the two smiled at him with warm eyes. "Good morning, Eds, " greeted Stanley.

"Good morning, " Eddie's active fingers gripped the cuffs of his shorts and tried to yank them down over his thighs. "They aren't going to budge, " confirmed Stanley, pulling at his own shorts that were similar to Eddie's to prove a point, "see?"

A sigh of defeat fled from the brunette's lips, and the curly-haired adult giggled, "at least you shaved."

"Alrighty, ladies and gents, y'all ready to saddle up some horses?"

A familiar southern accent boomed from inside the stables. Eddie peaked behind Stanley and Mike's figures to see Richie pulling his head out of a stall door. Eddie thought he looked ridiculous with his blue jeans tucked into his boots— but he quickly realized that he had no room to talk when feeling denim graze against his inner thigh.

"Why is he here?" Eddie hissed at the two in front of him. His eyes steered behind them again, and he scoffed when they met Richie's. The stableman smiled, winked, and went back to unhinging a saddle from a hook on the wooden wall.

"Because he's the stableman. Takes care of the horses, remember?" Mike reminds Eddie as politely as possible and has to refrain from smiling and rolling his eyes at the frustrated college student. "He's going to help us ride today."

Eddie was quick to ask, "is he coming with us?"

Mike joined Eddie by his side, and Stanley followed to his other side. "Of course, " Mike answers, arms folded against his muscular shirt-clad chest.

Eddie sends one more look to the lanky adult in cowboy boots and then trails behind Mike and Stanley to the horses while thinking, at least he doesn't have a mullet.

He's stopped in front of a deep brown horse with white patches on its stomach and nose. The creases on his forehead reach the nose of the horse in height.

"Need help?" Richie offers, coming up behind Eddie and hooking his dirty hands around the brunette's waist after noticing his delay. The student is quick to flap the southern boy's hands away. "No! No... I can do it myself..."

Richie throws his hands up in surrender and backs away. "If yuh say so, " he nods and waits for Eddie to mount the horse. But Eddie just stands there. He gapes blankly at the stirrup pad, and he feels his neck heat up and his hands drip with sweat because now he's embarrassed.

This day is equally as hot as the ones before, but there is a gentle breeze that coasts through Eddie's hair. When Eddie veers around in defeat, he watches the curls that flip up under Richie's hat wave in the wind.

Richie grins at him knowingly, "need help?" he repeats. Eddie nods, staring at Richie dully.

Richie is tall. Stands high at six feet and intimidates Eddie's five-foot, four body. He's strutting next to Eddie now, and he threads his long fingers through the mane of the horse, which makes Eddie think about his first experience with horses in Derry.

"This is Penny, " he states, still combing the horse's long, brown hair. He gazes at her lovingly as his fingers rub down her long nose. Eddie watches and realizes that Richie takes his job on the farm seriously. He's passionate about the horses. Eddie supposes that's too sweet, and shakes the thought from his head, kicking his sass back into gear. When he winds up a mean sentence to pitch at Richie, the boy is already babbling again.

"She's the youngest. And shortest, which is why I'm saddling you with her."

Dark eyebrows knit together, and Eddie splutters, "what do I have to do with her being short?"

The tip of Richie's pointer finger taps Eddie's flushed nose. "Because you're short yourself, darlin'."

If Eddie could, he'd lunge his hand down this guy's throat and rip out his country twang. Instead, he clamps his hand around his hip and glares.

Since Richie stands tall— way taller than Eddie, it is easy for his arms to swivel around Eddie's waist and under his armpits and hoist him onto the horse, ignoring the noises of protest fleeing with his antagonistic word vomit.

When he's finally propped on the saddle, he swings his hands around to shoo Richie's away from his hips. Richie backs off, dusts his hands on his jeans, and then Eddie asks, "if you only have three horses, then how are you coming with us?"

Richie's thumb directs Eddie to look behind him at another horse. Mike has his legs on either side, and he's gripping the saddle. Stanley's arms are tightly secured around Mike's middle. "Mike and Stan ride together, " says Richie.

Eddie sneers. Stan and Mike's horse is way bigger than his. When he looks at the horse that Richie will be riding, he noticed that his horse is taller as well. "Your horses are bigger than mine."

"Like I said, " Richie trails off as he reaches up to pet at the creature adoringly once more, "I put you on the smallest one." He strokes the mane and his fingers accidentally graze against Eddie's bare thigh. A shiver rushes down his legs, so he dramatically scoots back on the animal.

"Go get on your horse, " Eddie instructs firmly, not wanting any more accidental touches with this guy.

Richie chuckles like he always does, and Eddie thinks it's silly. But he appreciates when Richie is respectful and says, "alright, I'll get outta your hair."

The college student takes his eyes on a journey as they follow the stableman to his horse. He mounts it with ease. Forces his foot in the stirrup pad and swings his leg over the saddle with a little bounce. The muscles on his back make his sweat-stained shirt fold when he twists his back to look at Eddie, Stan, and Mike.

He hollers, "I'm gonna lead, " then nods at Eddie, who appears to be very confused with how to make the horse move. "Just give 'er a little kick in 'er side, and she'll follow me, " he flashes a smile.

For a second, Eddie thinks it's a charming smile. But he still dislikes this guy. For whatever reason.

a/n- the inspiration for this story actually came from my own life. i live on a farm- we have chickens, rabbits, ducks, turkens, goats, and even a snake. we're getting cows soon 👀
does NOT mean i am a yee-haw girl tho lmfao cowgirl boots are not my damn thing

stay safe
- me <3