just wanted to take pictures of horses

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe listened intently as Mr. Konrad explained. Survivor's guilt, or at least guilt over decisions made in the past, decisions that sounded like wartime decisions to the admittedly inexperienced Zoe. She listened, really listened, as he continued, sliding some life advice in there as well. He was one worth listening to, as far as Zoe was concerned. Some people were. "If that's true, then we've all got a lot of apologizing to do," she said, speaking softly. It wasn't quite her shy softness there, but more brought on by the severity and seriousness of her words. She let her words drift, her mind going to something else...

something brighter, something that actually made her giggle when Mr. Konrad asked her. She looked over at him, those expressive brown eyes of hers twinkling. "I was just thinking about galloping for a bit," she admitted. "I didn't want to leave you by yourself though," and that wasn't just her saying that out of kindness either: She clearly didn't want to leave him. She genuinely cared about and worried about Mr. Konrad's feelings. She did, however, bring her phone up to take a quick shot of his expression after she said that though, feeling that would be another worth saving.

[Slade Konrad]

When Slade had gotten out of bed this morning he knew he'd volunteered his time for extra duty (at least that what they called it in the Army). He was well aware that his day would be taken up following, or leading around a girl who may or may not be considered a target for outside forces. He'd fully expected standing around while she painted her nails or got her hair done or... whatever it was teenage girls did these days. Never in his wildest dreams did Slade imagine he'd bit sharing a deep, contemplative conversation while sitting atop a horse named 'Mr. Tickles McPherson'. Life had a habit of throwing curve balls like that though.

"I think Mister Tickles can handle it." The big man grinned, patting the horse's neck. "He's been lugging me around like a champ." And with that he'd spur the horse on. With a little effort the horse got up to a brisk pace. "Come on!" He called. It was a rare moment for Slade when he was able to fully embrace something as liberating as horse riding on a beautiful spring day.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

If asked, Zoe probably would've suggested that it was less Life throwing curveballs and more Fate, who seemed to enjoy tormenting her. However, she didn't have the ability to read Mr. Konrad's mind, which meant that she was taken completely by surprise when he insisted that his horse could handle charge. There were a few stunned seconds while Zoe's mind processed this, her thoughts pointing out that if a horse could handle bearing a charging knight, then one could clearly handle Mr. Konrad in normal clothing.

And he was off, galloping away. Zoe giggled at the sight, taking a quick pictures before securing her phone in the pocket of her skirt again. As soon as that was tucked away, Zoe gave the horse a light kick and flicked her reins. Roanoak again seemed to know exactly what to do, taking off and galloping. It was entirely likely that they'd catch Mr. Tickles soon enough: Zoe was, after all, at least a third the weight of Mr. Konrad, and the horse was probably a little younger. She was too busy laughing to get too wrapped up in the idea of a race, smiling as she felt the wind whipping her clothing back, running through her short hair. Zoe rolled naturally with the horse, feeling the animal reacting well to her. You'd almost think that the two had spent time together, but maybe it was just that Zoe needed a few things to go her way.

So this time, Fate had thrown a softball, giving Zoe a nice animal that enjoyed galloping with her kindhearted rider on her back.

[Slade Konrad]

Mr. Tickles could get his older bones up and moving when he wanted. Slade hadn't intended on pushing the horse as he did but the animal seemed to relish the chance to take off through the enclosure. A wide grin spread across Slade's face as he barely controlled the horse. He wasn't afraid of falling but it was faster than the big man had gone in a while.

Eventually, though, they reached the end of the fenced area. Slade pulled the reins, slowing his steed to a halt before turning to face Zoe who'd caught up with them part of the way. "Holy shit." Slade breathed, allowing the rare curse to escape. He couldn't contain the rush of being on a horse going full speed. "That was crazy but I think Mister Tickles here's had enough."

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe was still grinning as she reined her horse in next to Mr. Konrad and Mr. Tickles. Both looked winded, with the last definitely looking worse than the former. The curse just made her giggle a little, looking down at her own horse. Zoe gave Roanoak a little pat on the neck. The mare was slightly winded too, but not nearly as bad as her fellow steed.

"Yes, we should probably get them back to the stable," agreed Zoe, nodding. She turned her horse, again moving with the animal. "Thanks for racing with me," she said, looking over at Mr. Konrad. She then lightly kicked Roanoak, encouraging the animal to move forward at a much slower pace. Zoe had gotten a few feet away when she decided she wanted another picture. This meant twisting to get her phone out again, but this time, it slid from between her gloved fingers. It landed on the dirt floor of the stable, and Zoe let out a little yelp. She jerked the reins of her horse, and moved to try and get down, but apparently got tangled up in something, since she couldn't quite seem to get her leg down. This meant that Zoe was awkwardly caught somewhere between horse and ground, and still a few feet away from her dropped phone.

"Um,' she managed, flushing and looking up at Mr. Konrad, "I think I'm stuck, and my phone..."

[Slade Konrad]

Say what you will about the large, muscle bound teacher. But do not call him slow. In a smooth, singular motion Slade was off his horse at the first sign of trouble and closed in on Zoe with alarming speed. "Here." He said quickly, moving to support Zoe's weight so she could untangle herself. "Let's get you free and I'll get your phone."

It was night and day. The moment Zoe began to slip the switch flipped in Slade's mind. It was go time. He was on the clock. Sure, it was hardly a life or death situation but Zoe was in trouble. Even mild distress from the girl was enough to send the big man back into the same mode he'd been in when they first met. "Careful." He said, lifting Zoe to better free her from the rigging of the horse with ease.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

The swiftness of the hulking man actually startled Zoe, nearly causing her to fall out of her saddle. She got a little more tangled, but that only lasted a few moments as Mr. Konrad supported her weight, helping her get free. Zoe hurried as best she could, not wanting to show that being touched by the hulking man was nearly as uncomfortable as being tangled. She didn't want to seem rude or anything; it was just that being touched by anyone made her uncomfortable anymore. She managed to get free, moving to the side and rearranging herself. She mumbled a "sorry" that she hoped Mr. Konrad didn't hear, moving over a little more to the side.

"I'm okay," she managed, shuffling her feet awkwardly. She pointed over to where the phone lay. "The phone is, um, over there. I sort of, dropped it," she licked her lips, shuffling her feet. He'd said that he'd get it... so did that mean that she should be getting back on the horse? Or should she just lead the horse back to the stable? This whole thing left Zoe feeling a little confused, so she opted to more or less stay rooted where she was, fidgeting awkwardly.

[Slade Konrad]

"I heard that." Slade's deep voice rumbled inside his chest as he held her long enough for her to liberate herself from her bindings. He had set her onto the ground gently. The ease with which he handled her weight would have been terrifying if she hadn't already seen his much softer side. He looked her over closely, ensuring nothing was visibly damaged, but turned away out of respect once she had started straightening herself out.

"I know. I gotcha." He said, stepping over to pluck the phone from the mud. "There, I don't think it's too bad. A damp rag and it'll be fine." Thankfully the phone hadn't gotten coated in mud. A little was stuck into a nook or cranny and the screen was smudged but the device was none the worse for wear. "Come on." He said, handing over the phone. "Let's get these two back in their stalls."

Slade grabbed a rein with each hand and began leading the horses back to the stable himself in order to give Zoe a chance to check out her phone or compose herself as needed. "You don't need to worry about anything around me." He said after a moment of trudging across the enclosure, his arms spread apart to keep the horses a safe distance from each other. "You're not going to upset me, or bother me." His bright blue eyes peered at Zoe as he walked. "Just be yourself. That's good enough for me." He smiled a little, wondering how in the hell he'd ended up like this when all he was supposed to do was babysit.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

"Sorry," was the immediate response to Mr. Konrad's rumble. Zoe wasn't actually trying to be cute or anything; that was literally her gut response to the grumbled comment. And she wasn't concerned about how easily he dealt with her in the slightest; Zoe was one of those who trusted fully, and Mr. Konrad had already done quite a bit to show that he was fully trustworthy.

Including going over to her phone. Zoe sighed as Mr. Konrad said it was fine, relief flooding through her. Zoe could certainly not afford a new phone, not with her meager funds. She barely managed to keep herself in film, and the amount of clothing she owned was outright sad. The phone was one of the main things that Zoe still had from her home: her phone, her camera, a battered satchel, and a few of her clothes. So hearing it was fine nearly made her collapse. She did follow Mr. Konrad's order though, reaching with a shaky hand to take Roanoak's reins and guide the horse back toward the stalls.

And as she did, she saw that Mr. Konrad had already grabbed. This meant a few seconds of Zoe awkwardly holding the reins before another quick sorry, her hands darting down to fold and rest over her lap or whatever you call the lap area when someone was standing. Don't worry, wouldn't upset, wouldn't bother, Zoe flushed at that, looking down at the ground. At the be herself comment, she smiled. "I am," she said, looking up at Mr. Konrad from the corner of her eye. "This is, well, how I am, pretty much," though she was at least a little more forward around her girlfriend, that relationship was the exception, not the rule. Zoe looked back at the stable, again feeling happy at how this had turned out. She'd gotten her photos, and she'd gotten to ride, and maybe she'd even gotten someone like a friend, a protector, maybe?

[Slade Konrad]

A soft chuckle rumbled from the big man's chest as he took control of Roanoak. "I got it." He said with a warm smile. "You almost took a spill, take five." He moved forward, the horses well in hand. He wouldn't press Zoe to be less timid, after all, that's simply how some people were. He had known soldiers of every race, creed, and personality in his time and there was no common denominator to what made a warrior. You either it or you didn't.

"Alright." He said, nodding. "How about this, then? Don't apologize for who you are?" His ice blue eyes shifted to the girl as he led the horses through the open doors and back into the stable. "You're a good person with a kind heart." Were words that rarely came from the jaded soldier. Especially after spending just a few short hours(?)with someone.

Zoe was different. That thought had touched his mind on more than once occasion during the day because it amazed Slade at how true they were. There are many instances in a man's life when decisions must be made. When a side must be taken. A cause adopted. The big man paused as the horses shuffled into their respective stalls and looked to the young girl he'd been with throughout the morning. Slade never knew what path the choices he didn't make would set him on and he didn't care. At that moment Slade made a decision, chose a side, and adopted a cause in a single breath.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe nodded, accepting Mr. Konrad's words fully. it did make sense, after all: he didn't want her to end up falling worse or dropping something else from atop the horse. She worked at rubbing her fingers against her hands, feeling the gloves sliding against one another. Zoe listened as Mr. Konrad continued as well, setting terms. Don't apologize for who you are; just accept it, and then a compliment that had Zoe blushing and looking down harder than ever.

Words failed Zoe for quite a while longer, at least until they got the animals back to the stables. She helped direct the horses into their stables, still remaining quiet. It wasn't an abashed quiet though; she wasn't really embarrassed or humiliated in that sense. It was more contemplative, as Zoe worked to figure things out. Thank you just felt like a repetition at this point, as did calling him a knight or a soldier. She considered a few words as she moved to begin removing the gear from the horse, and after several minutes, she thought she had something:

"Could I request you to accompany me again?" she asked, looking up at him. "Would that, um, be okay with you?"

[Slade Konrad]

Slade fell quiet as well. The satisfaction of seemingly getting through to Zoe about needlessly apologizing coupled with being a small apart of what had looked like unadulterated happiness at times throughout the day made this a mission that was successful beyond his wildest imaginations. It filled the big man with a warmth he hadn't experienced in years. Long dead synapses fired within his brain and tugged at dusty strings tied to his heart. Zoe Wallerstein Smyth had resurrected a long dead man by simply being herself.

There was no time to focus on such emotions, though. There was a job to do. Much like Slade approached every task, big or small, he went about freeing the horses from their leather and metal buckled confines with studious efficiency. He let Zoe take care of her own horse, save for the saddle. Once she'd unhooked the heavy piece of equipment he would quietly swoop in and heft it onto a broad shoulder, offering the girl a short nod and a bit of a smile.

Once the gear had been stowed Slade brushed his hands against each other, exhaling contentedly now that the job had been done. His attention turned to Zoe when she spoke, regarding her with eyes that had changed so much since they first focused upon her. "Zoe..." He said, looking down at her. "You can call on me anytime, day or night. You don't need to request me through the school."

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe worked efficiently at dressing down her horse. She fumbled here and there, accidentally bumping into the horse and having some difficulty removing the bridle. Roanoak proved to be quite tolerant of such things, which is what one would probably expect from a general use horse at a school like this. Just as Zoe moved to get her saddle, Mr. Konrad swooped in. Yet again Zoe was surprised at the large man's agility, though she quickly got out of his way, rightly figuring that he was doing it to prevent the same awkwardness they'd experienced earlier from creeping up again.

It was then that Zoe managed her request, looking up at the large man. His attention focused on her, and Zoe thought she saw something like warmth in those eyes. He might not have considered himself a knight until her eyes saw him as such, but somehow, Zoe had the feeling that he now regained his armor. Sometimes all a knight really needed was a lady worth fighting for.

"Um, you don't have to--if you don't want to, that is--I just thought, well, I have to be watched, and you're nicer than a lot of them, and even if you really weren't, I don't think anyone would do anything to me when you were around..." Zoe trailed off. She felt safe with Mr. Konrad, and it wasn't just because he was easily the most imposing human she'd ever met. Zoe felt like this was someone who fought for what he believed in, and used his training for what he thought was right, whatever the rest of the world thought. She could be wrong, of course, or romanticizing someone again, but Zoe didn't care. She thought more with her heart than her head anyway.

[Slade Konrad]

"Zoe." Slade lifted a hand, cutting Zoe off as she spoke. "If I didn't want to I wouldn't have offered." There was a stern determination to his voice that left no question to his response's validity. He wouldn't take any arguing, protesting, or further analysis of his answer. "As I said." Slade hefted the saddle up, placing it back in its proper spot where they had originally pulled it down. "Take this." Reaching into his back pocket he withdrew his wallet, a slim, worn leather piece, and plucked a business card from it. "It's got my contact info. I stay in the staff dorms so if you need anything, day or night, don't hesitate to call, alright?" He handed the card over.

Slade went about finishing the clean up of the area. He made sure all the riding equipment was replaced in its exact spot and closed the supply room behind him, taking care to retrieve Zoe's camera beforehand. From there he went to the stalls and did a quick inspection over the horses themselves, making sure they were showing any signs of injury or illness before finally closing them in. Satisfied everything was as it was before he and Zoe had got there. "Come on." He said, pulling the large stable door closed. "Let's go get something to eat. I'm starving."

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe nodded, taking Mr. Konrad at his word. He certainly didn't have any reason to lie to her, or at least, not to lie to her about that particular thing. For now, she watched him move the saddle about, again admiring his great strength, or at least the strength that was far greater than her own. Then again, even Devyn had far greater strength than Zoe's own, well, physically. Thus Zoe's eyes were on Mr. Konrad as he pulled out his wallet, and she blinked, soon reaching out a gloved hand to take a card.

Zoe couldn't help but smile at getting someone's business card. She looked it over, quickly reading the number and the information. She nodded, showing that she took it and understood what the gesture meant, at least on some level. "I won't," she replied, even though she knew it to be something of a lie. Zoe would definitely hesitate to call, even someone like Mr. Konrad who could definitely help and would probably be an excellent person to do so. She would, however, seriously consider contacting him the next time she needed an escort, particularly if she needed to get away from the school for a while. They really didn't let her wander far but surely with Mr. Konrad, she could get some distance between her and the place that seemed to represent most of her trouble.

For now, Zoe focused on making sure everything was okay with the horses. She knew enough to rub them down and get everything situated before following Mr. Konrad on the way out. "Something to eat sounds nice. I think it's pizza day," she said, smiling a little. She probably would've been more excited about the day they had salad bars, but something felt right about heading for a pizza, felt... normal after all this, felt... good.