Forever & Always [Chicago <3]

[Semper Capone]

It had been a while since I had overdosed and nearly died. And let me tell you, my whole life changed after that experience. You never know what could happen in the blink of an eye or completely unexpectedly; you could die before you even realized what was happening. And that was what I was trying to avoid.

Ever since then, all my thoughts had been focused on Chicago. I loved her more than anything -- even life itself -- and even though I've only known her since her freshman year, I felt like I had known her forever. And because of this, I wanted to prove to her that I loved her. I wanted to do everything I could to prove that. And there was only one greater way to prove that than saying "I love you": I was going to ask her to marry me.

Sure, maybe I was jumping the gun by a lot, but that was why I was going to ask. I didn't want to force her into anything she didn't want to get into, so I was simply going to ask. I had gotten a raise at the fire department a month or so before I nearly died, so that extra money had helped me get a ring to give her. Just feeling the little circular object in my pocket was driving me absolutely mental. What would she think of me when I asked her? Maybe she'd think I was crazy.... hopefully not. This was terrifying enough; I didn't want her making fun of me for it as well.

Chicago and I had agreed to go riding on the beach tonight, and sometime I was going to pop the question once we got there. But we'll get to that later. For now, though, I was bringing Bell into the grooming area (Gatsby had adopted her as a big sister/seragent mother, even though she couldn't give him milk) and Gatsby was trailing behind her. He never left her side, which was fine with me. He was going to have to stay at the barn, though, which he didn't particularly like, but he wouldn't be able to keep up with Bell if she went at a full-blown gallop. Even though drafts certainly weren't as fast as light horses... but that's besides the point.

I groomed Bell carefully, even though I was going to ride her bareback like I usually do. She enjoyed the brushing, so I took my time in cleaning the dirt off her fur. Gatsby wandered around sniffing things, knocking a few things over, but hey, that's what curious foals so. I picked the things back up and set them in place before going over and getting Gatsby and leading him over to his stall. The moment I closed my door, he ran up to it and stood as tall as he possibly could, his eyes just above the level of the stall door and his ears straight up. I couldn't help but snicker at him. "We'll be back," I told him, returning to Bell.

After picking her hooves, I got her bridle and slipped it onto her head (as much as I hated using bits, I only used one for training purposes and Bell was still in training), taking off her halter and lead rope, taking the reins and leading her out to the lawn in front of the stable. I put the reins over her head and tied them loosely behind her ears so that she could graze without stepping all over them. I sat down on the ground beside her, waiting and trying not to show how terrified and angsty I was.

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Chicago was walking to the stables, carrot in hand for Dom, her dark brown Paso Fino horse. Her and Semp were going for a ride down to the beach tonight and she was really looking forward to it. She loved any time she got to spend with him. Chicago sung to herself quietly as she neared the stables, thinking about how a month ago she never thought she'd be able to do anything like this with Semper. He had accidentally overdosed and nearly died, which nearly killed her in the process. She couldnt face the possibility of living the rest of her life without him being around. She loved him. She really did, and she had been certain of the fact for a few months now. She had never thought she would love anyone the wy she loved Semp, as much as she had wanted to. He was her best friend, kind, gentle, caring and always had a kind word for everyone. She felt like a better person when he was around, and she genuinely enjoyed his company, loved every minute they spent together.

Chicago ducked around the back of the stable and slipped into Dom's stall, avoiding Semper sitting out the front with Bell, and gave her horse a brush down after she gave him his carrot. The girl did a quick but thorough pick job on Dom's hooves and she didn't have to worry about putting all his tack on and such, he didnt have any. She rode bareback, always had. Aphrodite had a natural affinity with horses, and Chicago had been passed that trait as well. She rode with a neck rope and that was it, and she didnt even use that much. Her horse was well behaved and she didnt like restricting the animals. Plus she liked being as close to the horse as possible and she figured that riding bareback was the way to do that.

Stepping back from the horse, she nodded and looped the neck rope around his neck, using it to guide him as she walked him out of his stall and out to the lawn at the front of the stable, where Semp and Bell were waiting, even though he probably would have followed her anyways. They walked up quietly behind the blonde haired boy and then stopped, and Chicago placed her free hand on her hip and spoke up with a cheeky glint in her blue eyes, "You ready to go Mr. Capone?"

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notes: YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYYAYAYAY!!! and sorry that was crap D:
outfit: coming soon...to a theatre near you XD *shotshotshot*[/size]

[Semper Capone]

While lost in the unremitting whirlwind of thoughts called my brain, Bell had munched her way over to where my feet were, nudging my boot to get to where the grass was underneath. "Ahk, sorry Bell...." I moved my foot so she could continue tearing up grass happily.

Gah! Bell was so at ease while I was having a complete mental breakdown right beside her! I was going to ask that one question that causes enough terror to drive any male up the wall and down the hall. And I was pretty sure I was already down the road by now. That wretched little metal ring in my pocket began to feel like it was as heavy as a Naval destroyer, just weighing me down.

Just to give myself something to do and avoid worrying like hell, I took off my boots and socks and set them aside, staring at them for a few moments. I liked not wearing any shoes anyways, and I'd frequently ride without them, so I decided to just leave them there. I didn't really care if anyone wanted to take them; they were all torn up, mud-stained, and served no purpose to anything other than for the sake of having something on your foot. Heh... poor boots.

"You ready to go, Mr. Capone?"

There really was only one person in the world that called me that, and honestly, I had been so caught up in my thoughts that I jumped slightly when I heard her voice. "'course, Miss Eastlyn." I answered, covering up my anxiety by laughing at myself. Bell was still very close by, so once I stood up, I untied her reins and pulled them up near her withers, placing one hand there and the other on the lower half of her back.

You see, this was the worst part: Bell didn't like it when I got on her, and half the time that was when she would buck me off. I hoped and prayed that she wouldn't since I was already panicky enough, and when I jumped so that I was laying across her back (she was still short enough to just jump onto even though she was huge for her age; if I swung-mounted, I'd knock the poor girl over), she was perfectly still, much to my amazement. Not wanting to push my luck, however, I quickly put my other leg across and straddled her back, giving her a good pat on the neck and not bothering to pick up the reins yet.

"After you, Miss Eastlyn." I used my arm in a sweeping gesture, looking back at her and waiting for her to lead the way.



((Speed!post <3 xDD WOOTWOOT!))

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Chicago noticed Semper jolt a little as she spoke up but didnt really think anything of it. He was probably just daydreaming or something. She grinned as he said he was ready to go but waited to mount her horse until he was on his. She smiled as Semper mounted Bell with no problems from the horse. She knew he was always worried at the moment of her bucking him off.

Chicago gave Semp a quick self concious glance as she was about to mount her horse. She didn't usually mount or ride with other people around. Not because she didn't want to, but just because she didn't/ Riding was usually something she did by herself to get some much sought after quiet time. She knew Semp knew alot about horses and she didn't want to embarass herself by getting on her horse wrong or something silly.

She stood at Dom's left shoulder, facing towards his tail so that she could just jump over him in a front mount. Chicago supposed it was good she was so light and good at jumping and stuff, because she never used a step or anything, just put a hand on his neck and jumped up to swing herself to sit astride the animal, which is what she did now.

Trying not to think about how un-elegant that mount could have looked, Chicago focused more on sitting up straight and concentrating on where she was going. She normally wouldn't worry about any of that stuff, but Semp made her mind turn to mush and she was always more self concious around him than she was with other people. What she was sure of though was that she was really looking forward to the leisurely ride to the beach, and she let Dom know she was all set and ready to go, with her soft voice giving him the gentle but firm command to walk on. He knew her voice and always did exactly as he was told, which was great. He walked forwards at a steady pace and she held the neck rope around his neck quite loosely. Looking over at Semp, she gave him a warm smile, "Come on then Mr Capone, lets go"

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notes: omg that was so crap *dies* and I said "she" so many times *double dies*
outfit: still coming D:

[Semper Capone]

Any moment now, Bell was just going to let all hell loose and throw me ten feet in the air; but as I waited for that, it never came. She stood absolutely still, neck and head level with her spine, even shifting her weight onto only one of her hind hooves. Holy guacamole and tomatoes -- spastic Bell was actually calm. I know it's not a surprise to anyone else, but it was like being on a completely different horse. Usually she'd be wanting to just plow right into the sunset and tear down everything in her path. Maybe this was her way of silently mocking me for freaking out so much. Gah, smart ass horse. As if reading my mind, Bell sighed noisily, her ears flickering back toward me. I knew she was listening to me, and I also knew that she was mocking me. Okay, maybe not literally mocking, but metaphorically. I knew this overgrown filly inside and out, and Ripred dammit, she was mocking me. Bell wasn't the one that was about to ask the most important question of her whole life, so she has no reason to be snicker-snorting.

I'm arguing with myself over a horse making fun of me. Great. I'm perfectly sane, I swear.

Anyway. I envied the way Chicago was able to get onto Dom so easily. She's as light as a feather anyways, so of course she'd have it so easy. But ah well. Chicago was a lot more skilled at doing that than I was. "You're so good at that. I couldn't do that t' save my life... well, I could, but I'd kill the poor horse..." My train of thought trailed off and I shrugged, returning the smile she was giving me. Mmm, I loved her smiles so much. If they were a food (which would be really weird), I'd live off them day in and day out, 24/7 and 365 days a year and February 29th. Her smile automatically brightened my day no matter how shitty it's been, just like the silver lining on a severe storm cloud.

"We're a-comin'."

I gently poked Bell's belly with my bare heels, getting her to redistribute her weight equally on all four hooves and automatically following after Dom. I had often seen Bell out in the pasture trailing Dom around, just as she did with Rio and biting his knees for fun. Bell, however, knew the trail we were headed for as soon as her eyes were set on it. Her ears perked forward, her head elevated slightly, and I could feel her tensing underneath me.

"Oh shit." I muttered under my breath just a split moment before Bell drove her back hooves into the ground as hard as she could, throwing herself forward and taking off like a freight train around Dom and down the trail.

Yeah, Bell was still green. Very green. Like... so insanely green it's more obnoxious than neon green, if that's even possible.

I was tempted to try to stop Bell because I was obviously being bad in not enforcing her training of not doing stunts like this, but in all honesty, going this fast was what I loved doing. Even though Bell was the largest breed of draft horse, she was still young and agile, so galloping like a maniac was in her blood. Young horses are always wanting to go faster and faster, so why not let her just wear herself out? She knew the trail by heart -- I'd taken her down it so many times -- so I hardly bothered to even hold the reins. I did use one hand to hold onto a chunk of her mane just for balancing purposes, but other than that, she was zipping down the trail freely.

Now all I had to do was hope she wouldn't buck.





(( -double revives- <333 ))

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Chicago looked over at Semp is suprise. He though she was good at mounting. Huh, well there you go. She was chuffed, to say the least. "Well thanks Semp. Im sure you wouldnt kill the horse.." she replied. It was true that he was tall, but there were some pretty beastly horses around too. She looked over at him again and he shot her a smile which nearly melted her off the horse and onto the ground. She loved his smiles so much. They were just...indescribable, and they made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Dom was walking calmly minding his own business, and then Bell went literally shooting past with Semp along for the ride (no pun intended...*shotshotshot*). Chicago could tell Dom wanted to go galloping off into the distance too, and she didnt think that Semp would stop the horse from having its fun, if he even could, so she smiled to herself, gave Dom a pat on the neck and gave him a nudge in the side with her heels and and he took off, (alot more controlled than Bell did mind you)

They trailed after Semp and Bell for a few minutes, but Chicago knew that Dom could/wanted to pop out infront of them again. "Come on then Dom, off we go." She nudged him again with her heels and the horse sped up a little, which was exactly what she wanted him to do. At the rate they were going know they would catch up and just overtake the horse and his boy and then lead the way down to the beach. As they gained on Bell and Semp, and subsequently passed them, Chicago poked her tongue out at Semp on her way past and gave him a little wave, just to rub it in a little bit in a bit of friendly competition. Dom moved infront of Bell and then moved away from them a little bit and made a little bit of a noise that sounded like a laugh or a snickersnort, which of course made Chicago laugh as well.

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When Chicago and Dom reached the beach, she slowed him down gradually, and then just walked him along the beach a little bit, then back to where Semp and Bell would step onto the beach any second now. Her hair, which she had left loose, just coz, was all windblown now but she had a content smile on her face as she waited for Semp to show up.

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notes: hope that was okay :S
outfit: still coming, sorry D:[/size]

[Semper Capone]

Even though Bell was stocky, I thought she was running pretty fast for her size, though each of her strides sounded like an elephant tipping over and hitting the ground. I could tell that she was having fun, so why stop her? Really bad horsemanship right hurr. She continued to plow onward, head bobbing back and forth, all sorts of satisfied snorts and hacks and strange noises coming from her.

It didn't take long before Dom and Chicago caught up and passed us, giving Bell a very short spurt of energy, but of course she ultimately failed to keep up.

"We're jus' gonna let you two win," I called after them, trying to hold back a laugh. "We're jus' too good for 'em, Bell, let 'em win once. We can slack for one race." Bell was hellbent on chasing them, though, because I could feel her straining underneath me to go faster and faster, but her poor stocky legs could only go so fast. It was a good effort though, so I wasn't complaining.



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Once we reached the beach, Bell slowed down to a slow extended trot, stopping once we got to where Chicago and Dom were. The overgrown filly nickered at the other horse. "We were jus' slackin'." I reasoned, smiling at my awful excuse for being so far behind. "Shouldn't've had that extra flake of hay earlier, eh, Bell?" She snorted and shook her head and neck. "S'what I thought." I patted her neck before getting her to walk after Dom again for a cool down.

That ring was getting heavier and heavier in my pocket, bearing on my mind like burning embers. Sooner or later I was going to have to ask her or I wouldn't forgive myself for missing such a perfect opportunity. Then I'd really feel bad.

Glancing downward nervously, I tried to hide the anxiety in my voice by not looking at Chicago until it was that one certain question. 'Just do it. Just ask her. Go on! You won't get another chance like this. Go for it.'

"Chicago..." I began somewhat timidly, overcoming that as quickly as possible. "When I had almost died, I thought I'd never see you again. It scared me, in all honesty. It made me realize that any day -- any moment -- could be your last, so why put off things when any day could be your last? When I die, I want t' be able t' die knowin' that I did everythin' I could t' prove t' the girl I love how much she really means t' me." I lightly pulled Bell to a stop and dismounted her, not really noticing the warm sand underneath my bare feet. My heart was racing like the beats of a racehorse as I went up to her, reaching into my pocket and taking out the ring, but keeping it hidden beneath closed fingers. Using that same hand, I took one of her hands and held it, using it to hide the ring between our palms.

And mustering up every bit of courage I had, I looked up to her atop Dom, figuring that it was now or never. "Miss Eastlyn... will you allow me t' take your hand in marriage?"

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Suddenly everything that had been running through her head, everything just stopped. She couldnt beleive it. She was sitting there astride Dom and Semp had asked her to marry him. If she could marry Semp she'd be able to die happy, her life would be complete. To marry him was a wish come true. Dismounting Dom with tears in her eyes, she managed to choke out "I'd love to marry you!" and then wrapped her arms around him as tight as she could.

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notes: ZOMFZ I HATE COMPUTERS SOMETIMES. On the other hand <333333 xx[/size]
outfit: here it is finally XDDDD <33333

[Semper Capone]

Waiting is always awful. This was just a gazillion times worse. Whatever she would answer would literally change my life -- if yes, then I don't know how the hell I got so lucky. No, well.... I'd figure that out if that happened. My heart was pounding so loud in my ears that I could swear Chicago could hear it. I still tried to at least appear calm even though I was on the verge of a complete mental breakdown. Waiting is so stressful... maybe she thought I was jumping the gun too much. People don't usually get married when they're 17 and 19, so I bet she thought I was crazy. And it's not even the end of the school year yet! I may be graduating, but she still has one year left, so that probably was a factor to consider.

Her reaction was fairly fast -- to me, at least. She said yes. Oh my damn good gravy, she said yes. Oh my Ripred. I honestly couldn't believe it at first, even as she was teary-eyed and all choked up and hugging me tightly, it took a good solid minute for it to register in my head.

I was going to marry Chicago. My best friend. The girl I had fallen so quickly for. The girl I'd do anything for.

Smiling, I hugged her back tightly. It was all just almost too surreal to believe. It then took me another minute to realize that I still had the ring in my hand. Typically, you know, you put it on her finger, but since her hand was behind me... ah, screw it. I reached back behind me and found her left hand using my bawse skillz, picking out her ring finger and sliding on the ring. Of course the ring fit perfectly; I knew her ring size. No, I'm not going to tell you how I know it.

Only problem now, I didn't actually thing I was going to ever get this far, so I didn't know what to do other than hug her tightly again. Aha, I fail at planning.

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