The Stables

[bunky]

Piper nodded with him as she looked out of the stables and heard the commotion of the spectators betting on horses. It was a big race today it seemed from all of the noises and the jockeys.

[steve]

Steve turned to her, "So why you come here in the first place? For the race? or to sneak a glance at the horses, or a big strong stable hand like me?" Steve smirked slightly, a small bit of his slight humor coming out. He knew he certainly wasn't handsome, and he had nothing on Brooklyn boys like Joe who could smooth talk anything. He wasn't particularily smart, or talented, or handsome. He was...well, he was Steve.

[buckshot]

((...Another day, another story...))

It was raining...Again. Rain was beautiful, and lord knows that New York certainly needed it, but rain usually meant more work for Bronco. When it rained, races were called off and the thoroughbreds stabled, because, god forbid they should get a little wet out in the pasture - which meant they dirtied their stalls more frequently, got restless and had to be walked through the isles, and were all around a pain in the butt to keep happy.

Bronco sighed, and wondered why they couldn't just let the beasts of beauty roam in the field like any other horse. It was where they were meant to be. Out in the open. Free. Bronco snatched up the broom and began to sweep the dirt and hay that the horses had dragged in, out of the isle. He stood at the entrance to the stable, and just watched for a moment as the rain came down in sheets, and the people scurried around like little cockroaches trying to get away from stamping feet.

He grunted as small shots of pain prickled there way through his leg. Yet another reason why rain was inconvenient; it made his leg ache. Remembering his duties, he began to turn away from the scene, but stopped as someone came running towards the entrance in the hopes of getting out of the rain.

"Sorry, but you can't come in here." he said apologetically to the figure.

((the beginning of an argument, yeah? ))

[gemmahightower]

"Damn rain," Gemma grumbled, scowling up at the clouds as if that would make it stop. Rain used to be so nice... before it soaked her only pair of clothes to the bone and left her shivering for even the slightest warmth. Through her tangled wet hair, which was plastered on stubbornly on her face, she spotted a stable a little ways up ahead. She weighed the pros and cons mentally. Warmth and shelter. Good. Horses. Bad. She was afraid of horses, and no matter how hard she tried, the thought of being on top of one of those giant beasts terrified her. Still, with the rain drenching her to her very core, the warmth was too much to resist.

"Sorry, but you can't come in here."

She jumped; she hadn't noticed the person standing in the entrance. It was difficult to see him, but he was obviously a man, and a tall one at that. She hesitated, but again the need to get out of the rain won out. "Please, jus' foah a minute!" she pleaded, calling over the noise of the rain. "I won't be any bothah."

((Not exactly an argument, per say, so sorry if you were expecting different, but it could become one. I just wanted to be the first to welcome yah aboard NY1899, if this is your first account. ))

[buckshot]

"Please, jus' foah a minute!" "I won't be any bothah."

Great, it was a girl. Bronco kicked himself mentally for having not noticed that small detail, and for having been so rude to not offer her the shelter in the first place. Well, having a girl in the barn with him while he worked could prove to be distracting, after all, he was an eighteen year old boy, but he couldn't just leave her out there in the rain. What could it hurt?

He dropped his shoulders in defeat, "Alright - but don't go messin' with the horses." he warned. "You'll get me fired."

Angry or annoyed thoroughbreds could prove to be disastrous, and if any of them were to injure themselves or get to distressed - he would be kicked out onto the street. Bronco pulled off one of his dirty gloves and extended his hand to the girl.

"Bronco." he said easily. Introductions were polite, even if they were unnecessary.

((Thanks for the welcome. ))

[gemmahightower]

Gemma sighed in relief and ran in to the shelter, smiling gratefully the boy as she rung out her hair. She nervously glanced at the horses, but figured they were far enough away to be no threat.

"Alright - but don't go messin' with the horses. You'll get me fired."

Gemma chuckled, "You won't hafta worry 'bout that. I wouldn't touch one a' them foah a million bucks." Glancing past him and the horses, she noted there didn't seem to be anyone else around. Definitely not a good thing, but he seemed nice enough.

"Bronco."

"Gemma. Yah can call me Gem if ya want though," she said casually, giving his hand a strong, friendly shake. She always believed a handshake could tell a lot about a person.

((No prob!))

[buckshot]

"You won't hafta worry 'bout that. I wouldn't touch one a' them foah a million bucks."

Bronco cocked an eyebrow, "Scared of horses, huh?" he asked, chuckling ever so slightly. "Where i come from, its considered a crime to be afraid of horses."

"Gemma. Yah can call me Gem if ya want though,"

Bronco was surprised at how strong of a handshake she presented. She had appeared to be the dainty type, though, now that he looked closer, she seemed dirty and a little rugged. Bronco had only encountered a few females while he had been in New York, and most all of them had been in the upper class society, and much older than himself.

Now that he thought about it, she looked around his age. He didn't want to pry, but he was curious...

"Whats a young lady like yourself doing, running around a rough place like this, all alone?" he asked.

[gemmahightower]

"Scared of horses, huh? Where i come from, its considered a crime to be afraid of horses."

Gemma chuckled. "Then drag me off ta jail, 'cause there's still nuthin' you can do tah make me touch one a' those horses."

"Whats a young lady like yourself doing, running around a rough place like this, all alone?

Gemma ran a hand through her hair in a slightly embarrassed fashion. She felt like the title 'young lady' didn't fit her anymore, not since she moved to Brooklyn, but she smiled anyway. It was kind of nice, in a way. "What, ya don't think I can take care of myself?" Really, she was looking for a way around saying she didn't have anyone left to take care of her.

[buckshot]

"What, ya don't think I can take care of myself?"

Bronco chuckled lightly, "No - I'm sure your quite capable of taking care of yourself, ma'am." he smiled.

"Gets awful lonely though, don't it?" he asked after a moment, "Taking care of yourself - not having anyone to care for you..?" maybe he was prying to deep, but maybe he wasn't. One could never tell.

[gemmahightower]

"No - I'm sure your quite capable of taking care of yourself, ma'am."

Gemma smiled gratefully at this comment, because people back "home" at the Brooklyn Lodging House didn't agree with that statement most of the time. She was always told the same thing: "if you can last a few more weeks in one piece, then I'll actually bother to know your name". It was refreshing, having someone think she was capable of herself, even if it was out of courtesy.

"Gets awful lonely though, don't it? Taking care of yourself - not having anyone to care for you..?"

Gemma blushed a little awkwardly, looking at her toes. "You got me there," she shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. "It gets kinda lonely, 'specially at times like this--" she gestured outside at the rain, "--when there's nothin' ta do an' nowhere ta go..." She looked up, as if catching herself, and smiled apologetically. "You's gonna hafta excuse me, I let my mouth run. It was this or the refuge, so I should be countin' my blessings."