[Gift] DAY 3 - SPOTTED DANCER

The day had been slow, with the couple staying in doors late into the afternoon knowing that it would be cold outside and that they didn't have any obligations until later that night. The event so far had been an enjoyable vacation- despite the bitter cold and Sam's growing crankiness for it. 

The two bundled up and faced the cold, Sam's jaw chattering as he looked over at his cursing husband and held onto his arm. 

“I hope it warms up.” Sam said with a shaky voice and a soft chuckle as they huddled against each other on their way to the stables to greet their stallions. Shade, as always, was happy to see them, nickering softly as he was pulled out of his stall and ready for the day of whatever was planned. 

Hafs, on the other hand, was far more impatient and looked at Sam with disdain as he knew that when he was pulled out, the blanket would be taken off and that he would be pulled out into the cold. 

Sam let out a seemingly endless string of curses, fighting the stallion briefly before he was able to lead him out and tether him. 

“Extra stubborn today.” Adam mentioned as he brushed Shade. 

“Well, I'm more surprised how well he behaved the last two days.” Sam snorted, pulling the blanket off of the spotted horse and getting a deep whinny of frustration. 

“I can second that.” 

The two geared up lightly, blankets, saddles and bridles for a leisurely ride around Fjellov Stud, returning to the garden trail the two had seemed to enjoy so much in their short stay there. With every few steps, Hafs complained with snorts and head shakes, and Sam ignored them, as he often did, while he chatted idly alongside his husband on their little ‘date’. It's always how it felt, anytime they went anywhere, to him, it was another date. They killed time as they waited for the event that was planned the night- in time for aurora borealis to light up the sky. Sam didn’t understand why they would host a liberty event, or any event, at night- having never seen the lights himself before and being more annoyed at the late hour plans. Once it got dark, it was likely going to get colder. 

Adam assured it would be nice, and that Sam should just take it easy as there was no sense in worrying about something so trivial. Sam huffed, in rhythm with Hafs under him, but decided to let it go. Or at least not talk about it anymore but he still didn't understand and he thought it was likely he wouldn't.

And he had been wrong, as much as he had hated to admit it, because as they approached the arena on the backs of their horses, the night was getting dark and green lights started to flood across the horizon and as the sky got darker, it got more vibrant and shades of purples started to mix and dance in time with the green. It was the first time Sam had seen anything like it and he was captured by the glowing lights as they painted the sky and tinted everything in their light and color around them. 

“I’ve never seen anything like it…” He muttered as Hafs let out an annoyed and impatient sigh, clearly not as impressed as Sam had been and was ready to go back to the warm stable with a blanket. Sam climbed off the stallion and started taking off his saddle and blanket. 

He caught Adam admiring them as well when he looked over, and unlike Hafs, his flame colored stallion had also shown an interest in the dancing lights of the sky with his chin held high and seeming to watch them. 

A smile slowly spread over his face and a chuckle rising in his throat, 

“What's so funny mon cher?” Adam asked, catching Sam staring at him instead of the sky. 

“It looks like Shade is looking at the lights too.” Sam pointed out. 

Adam looked at the flame stallion and started to chuckle too, patting his neck before dismounting so he could take the saddle off of him as well and hang it up next to Sam's. 

Before walking over, Adam caught his wrist and kissed him. 

As the event started, Sam found his seat on the stone wall to watch the first horse take its turn, the same red dun that had joined them in orienteering and her handler standing nearby with a proud look on his face. She was pretty, graceful and poised, she looked like a ballerina in the arena. 

Sam chewed on his nails as he worried about Hafs’ future behavior, glancing at the spotted horse who impatiently tossed his head and snorted. He hugged himself in thought, but felt a reassuring hand land on his back and it made him smile and look over. 

“It will be fine, mon cher.” Adam assured him. 

“I know.” Sam said. ‘I have you.’ He thought. 

And then it was Hafs’ turn to be let loose for his liberty run.

The stallion, confused at first, huffed and sniffed the air with swiveling ears, looked back as Sam and then started with a full sprint as he threw his head up and let out a roar from his chest as if he were calling out ‘it's about time’ before bucking a few times. He threw his tantrum, kicking as he ran until he slowed down to a canter with snorts of disapproval and huffs of complaint. 

As difficult as the spotted horse could be sometimes, Sam and Adam both had to admit that the stallion had his charm. He was impressive, as much of a pain in the ass as he could be, with his tail flagging up and waving as he paraded around the arena with his head held high as if he had owned the place and everyone else were simple peasants there to serve him. 

But now with his temper tantrum out of the way, he flaunted how behaved he could be, making a round in the arena before trotting up to the red head sitting on the ledge where he received pets and a hidden treat Sam had pulled out so that he could tether the appaloosa. 

Sam sat there petting Hafs’ nose, laughing as he tried to keep the horse from investigating his pockets while he and Adam watched Shade take his turn- leisurely and graceful in unlike the fit Hafs’ had thrown in the arena. The day that Hafs would be that behaved and well tempered would be the day that Sam would worry for the horse's well being. 

They lingered, watching a few of the other horses take their turns as they admired the variety of them in quiet conversation. The longer tails, how some had manes and some had feathers or bears. Diverse, but recognized for the same thing, those long tailbones. 

As the night grew longer, it grew colder and finally it had been time to put the horses up in their warm stalls before they made it to their warm cabin. Sam dragged his feet, more tired than he would ever admit, as he barely made it to the bed and as soon as he hit the pillow, he was asleep. 

Repacking and going home would be a future them problem.