A little bit of chaos
Evan Rosier adjusted his grip on the reins as he rode alongside the group, his gaze shifting between the winding path ahead and the diverse personalities surrounding him. It was a crisp morning, the sunlight filtering through the canopy of trees, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. The rhythmic clip-clop of hooves echoed through the calm woods as their horses trotted along the trail.
Beside him, Alexi was leading the group, she didn't seem all too entertained by it all and Evan found himself wondering why she worked this job if she looked so bored. Evan couldn't help but admire her, even if he knew he'd never admit to being impressed by her.
"So, Alexi," Evan began, flashing her a cocky grin. "How does it feel to have me by your side, guiding the way?"
"I didn't realize I needed a self-proclaimed expert equestrian to show me the ropes." Came her response as she stopped staring at the ears of her paint horse and looked at him.
Ignoring her playful jab, Evan leaned closer, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "You know you love having me here, keeping things interesting."
Alexi rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of amusement in her expression. "Oh, absolutely. Because what could possibly be more interesting than Evan Rosier's ego? Not to mention the blunt you were smoking with Barty while you were supposed to be at the campfire, hm? Oh, you're so interesting."
Before Evan could retort, Barty, riding just behind them, interjected with a smirk. "Oh, come on, Alexi, you know you're loving every minute of Evan's charming company."
Evan shot Barty a playful glare, but the teasing only fueled his determination to win Alexi's attention. He nudged his horse closer to hers, their mounts trotting side by side.
Meanwhile, Marlene and Sirius rode a little further down the line of riders, engaged in animated conversation. Evan couldn't help but overhear snippets of their banter as they reminisced about their shared experiences growing up with horses.
"You remember the time I fell off Buttercup trying to impress that girl from the neighboring stables?" Sirius chuckled, casting a sideways glance at Marlene.
Marlene laughed, her voice carrying through the crisp morning air. "Oh, how could I forget? You were such a sight, Black. It's a wonder you ever convinced anyone to let you near a horse again."
Remus rode alongside them, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to Sirius' boisterous energy. Evan observed the subtle interactions between Sirius and Remus, noting the way their gazes lingered a moment longer than necessary, the playful glances exchanged between them.
Lost in his thoughts, Evan failed to notice the subtle shift in his surroundings until it was too late. The distant sound of rustling leaves grew louder, and before he could react, a startled deer darted across the path, startling their horses.
In the chaos that ensued, Evan's horse bolted away, its hooves skidding on the forest floor. Evan struggled to maintain his balance, but the sudden movement sent him tumbling to the ground with a thud.
For a moment, everything seemed to stand still. Pain radiated from his shoulder where he'd landed, but Evan pushed through it, pushing himself up onto his feet with a grunt.
"Nice dismount, Rosier," Barty called out, a smirk playing on his lips as he reined in his own horse.
Evan shot him a scowl. “Fuck you.”
“Oh, you wish, Ev.” It was honestly annoying how smug Barty seemed about Evan falling off.
“You good?” Alexi asked him when Evan stared off into the distance his horse ran in.
Evan nodded, trying to mask the discomfort throbbing through his body. "I'm fine, just a little bruised ego, that's all."
Alexi offered him a hand, and Evan accepted it gratefully, allowing her to help him back onto his feet. As he dusted himself off, he couldn't help but notice the warmth of her touch, the way her fingers lingered against his own for a fleeting moment longer than necessary.
"Thanks," he muttered, his gaze meeting hers for a brief moment before she turned her attention to the horse that was now disappearing into the trees.
As the realization of their predicament sank in, Evan could feel the tension mounting among the group. Alexi's muttered "oops" only served to underscore the severity of the situation.
"I think we're beyond an 'oops,' Alexi," Remus interjected, his tone tinged with concern. "How are we ever going to find Scar again? What do we do with him?"
Evan felt a twinge of offense at Remus referring to him as 'him' instead of by name, but he pushed the feeling aside, focusing on the task at hand.
"He can ride with m-" Barty began, but Alexi cut him off with a stern rebuke.
"Absolutely not," she declared firmly. "In no way would that be allowed. That's too heavy."
"Yeah, you're too fat for that," Sirius quipped, earning a sharp retort from Remus.
"Shut the fuck up, Sirius," Remus snapped, his frustration palpable. "This is a seri- I mean, a real problem."
"Where is Marlene, by the way?" Barty interjected once again, his tone laced with amusement.
"The fuck you mean with that? She's right.. bollocks," Alexi muttered, turning to Remus for assistance.
"We can call James," Remus suggested tentatively.
"And give him a heart attack? Absolutely not," Alexi dismissed the idea outright.
The conversation devolved into chaos, but Evan found himself tuning out as Barty launched into a round of gloating.
"And they said my horse was difficult, but look who's sitting with his ass in the dust now," Barty taunted, eliciting a roll of Evan's eyes.
"Honestly, shut the fuck up," Evan muttered under his breath, jabbing Barty in the side with his finger in frustration.
Before the tension could escalate further, the sound of approaching hooves drew their attention. Relief flooded through the group as Marlene rode into view, leading Scar by his reins.
"I could kiss you right now," Alexi laughed, her gratitude evident as Marlene rode up to them.
"Go get your girl, Rosier. Or me. I don't mind," Barty teased, a mischievous grin playing on his lips.
"I really hate you," Evan muttered, but Barty was already moving on to his next jest, thoroughly entertained by the chaos.
"Thank you," Evan said earnestly as he took Scar's reins from Marlene, a sense of relief washing over him.
"If anyone else is planning on falling off, do it now," Remus quipped, his tone tinged with annoyance, though there was a hint of relief in his voice as well.
"Would you like to get back up in the saddle?" Alexi asked Evan, her tone gentle as she offered her assistance. Evan nodded gratefully, allowing Alexi to help him back into the saddle, feeling a rush of gratitude for her support.
As Evan settled back into the saddle with Alexi's assistance, he couldn't help but feel a sense of embarrassment wash over him. Falling off his horse in front of the group was not exactly how he had envisioned the ride going. Barty's annoyingly smug comments didn't help either.
"Thanks," he muttered again, this time directing his gratitude towards Alexi, who gave him a reassuring smile.
"Just try not to fall off again, okay?" She replied casually, her demeanor already unfazed again by the recent chaos.
Evan couldn't help but chuckle at her remark, despite the lingering embarrassment. "I'll do my best," he promised, giving Scar's reins a reassuring tug.
With everyone back in order and Scar safely reunited with the group, Alexi took the lead once more, urging her horse forward and setting the pace for the ride. Sirius and Remus fell into step behind her, their conversation shifting seamlessly to lighter topics as they resumed their banter.
Meanwhile, Marlene and Barty rode alongside each other, their playful banter serving as a welcome distraction from the earlier mishap. Marlene regaled him with tales of her own clumsy escapades with horses back home, while Barty chimed in with his own humorous anecdotes, their laughter mingling with the sounds of hoofbeats and rustling leaves.
As they rode on, Evan found himself growing more at ease in the saddle again, the rhythmic motion of the horse beneath him soothing his frayed nerves. He stole glances at Alexi whenever he thought she wasn't looking, admiring the way she effortlessly guided her horse with a confidence that bordered on arrogance.
"Watch it," Alexi chided him with a playful smirk, catching him in the act. "You're going to fall on your ass again if you keep staring like that."
Evan felt a flush rise to his cheeks at being caught, but he couldn't suppress the grin that tugged at his lips. "Can't help it," he replied with a shrug, his tone teasing. "You're just too distracting."
Alexi laughed, a sound that filled the air with warmth and lightness, and Evan found himself drawn to her even more. Despite the earlier mishap, he couldn't deny the thrill of excitement that coursed through him as they rode on, the anticipation of what the rest of the day might bring hanging in the air like a promise of adventure.