"His fur is like a mirror. What have you been feeding him?" You shrugged, looking at your gelding lovingly. He snorted alarmed when the smith came closer, trampling in his place when he noticed the tools the man was carrying. You laughed, guiding the animal back in place and patting his muscled neck while whispering soothing words much like you would do to a child.  

“Nothing special. I use one cup of minerals in his food though, maybe that’s causing him to shine like this." He let out a soft 'ah', nudging for your horse to give him a foot.   

"You should write the name of it down for me. I bet mine would benefit from it as well." You hummed in agreement, hearing the smith's words but a little distracted with your horse pushing his nose against your chest impatiently. The man left you alone with your thoughts for a while, having you think about what question you actually wanted to throw at him, but suddenly realized that you've never asked him for his name.   
 

"You never told me your name.”  

“My name is Hongbin. Yours?” He kept his focus on his work but still answered. 

”I’m __." He briefly looked back, shooting you a smile. His dimples showed attractively and you willed the blush away mentally, trying to cover up with asking something else. There was no doubt that the man was more than just good looking and you were well aware of it. " Is Taekwoon not coming anymore at all?” He briefly looked back and smiled.  

“What? You think he's better looking than me?” Your face transitioned into a scarlet colour now, shaking your head vigorously. Your previous smith was undeniably handsome as well, just as tall as Hongbin was but like a polar opposite from him as well. Hongbin's amused smirk made you cough nervously.  

“N-No not at all. But he had been doing Bodyguard for two years now so I was wondering why he stopped.”  Hongbin resumed his work, filing his hooves and putting one down. He walked towards his front hind, purposely getting a little into your comfort zone.  

“I know. I was just messing with you.” He flashed you another smile and retreated, leaving you flustered due to his playful attitude, one he never showed strongly.  

Hongbin swung his leg over the horse’s hoof so it could rest in between his thighs and began working on it, back towards you. And this was actually the first time you really studied the man. He was young, not far in his twenties and seemed to be in great shape. His muscles flexed with every move of his hands, carefully manicuring the animal which seemed to be much calmer now. Over the first few times, Hongbin managed to make the animal adjust to him quicker than Taekwoon had done so over the past two years. 

“I took on Taekwoon’s easier addresses. He’s been getting busier and busier these days and he needed my help. If I’m not doing as I should, please tell me so I can tell Taekwoon to keep on doing this little gem over here.” He patted Bodyguard's shoulder much like you did before, earning a curious breeze in his hair and fluffing up the already full hair. Hongbin let out something close to a giggle, scratching behind the animal's ear.  

"I think he likes you so you'll do just fine. But your still mommy's boy aren't you." Bodyguard reacted to your voice and nuzzled his nose into the crook of you neck in response, letting the weight of his head lean and having you complain and support it with your hand a little as well. "Your head's too heavy." Hongbin laughed. 

"I rarely see horses who are so attached to their owners." You smiled and nodded, adjusting your position and letting him lean a little differently so you could look at Hongbin.  

 
"His last owner wasn't treating him well and it took me a great deal to get him to get used to me. Whenever I would move just a little too fast, he immediately got scared and he still does around strangers. Now he's like a toddler around me." You scratched his nose, having him playfully move his upper lip to take your fingers without biting, making Hongbin laugh at the action. "The last time I went on a serious break, he refused to eat. I had to cut it short to a few days instead of two weeks. I'm a little overworked, but I'm perfectly fine whenever we set foot into the arena and run a successful round."  

"Well, you can't say that your efforts didn't pay off." You sighed, patting his neck once more.  

"That's true. But I still don't get why people would treat their animals badly.." You lifted yourself so you could sit on the railing of the grooming area. Your horse shifted so he could lean his head into your lap and you didn't mind, since you could hold onto him for support and make you sit easier. 

"I'm done." He patted the horse's back, having him look back at Hongbin curiously. You almost stumble off of the railing due to the sudden movement and loss of your main source of balance, but two strong hands gripping your thighs made you a little more stable. Hongbin was in between your legs while you took hold of his shoulders to prevent yourself from tumbling backwards and off of the railing.  

"H-Hongbin, w-what-" He immediately let go of your thighs, a panicked expression on his face. 

"S-Sorry, I was just trying to-" You cut him off with a startled yelp at the second time of loosing your balance, fingers digging into his shoulders to keep him in place. The force caused both your faces to be closer than they should, being close enough for you to feel his breath fanning your face. You held your own, his eyes focusing on your lips just a little too intensely. You parted them to, call out his name, but when the first syllable of his name left your lips, he drowned out the second one with his own. 

Hongbin turned out to be an exceptionally good kisser, his lips working against your demandingly, but he was never aggressive. He was more gentle, yet his touches were present as he guided your arms to wrap around his neck instead while his own found their way around your waist soon after. It caused you to arch your back, chest pressing closer against his, faces angling for an easier access. 

"..Why?" 

"Oh, where's Taekwoon?" You tilted your head cutely, making Hongbin stare just a tad too long before he awkwardly blinked and scratched the back of his head.  

 
"I'm a fill in. I hope you don't mind. He's getting busier these days so he asked me to come today." You smiled at him, shaking your head. 

"It's alright. But Bodyguard here can be a little hard to handle." It took him a few seconds to register that it was the horse's name. And that he had to answer once again. 

"O-Oh it's okay. I don't mind." 

"Hey, what do you think of Friesians?" Hongbin looked up from his position, sweat dripping from his forehead due to your horse making it very hard on him to keep him in place. 

"What?" 

"I'm curious, since I bear an unpopular opinion about them." 

"To be really honest.. I don't like them." You let out a relieved sigh, making him eye you curiously. 
 

"Thank god. I thought I was the only one." And he smiled, his expression staying the same even when he turned back to work and away from you. 

"Hey. What did you think about Rihanna's dress?" It took you a moment to realize what he had said, but you scoffed and for a moment he looked back at you with fear for being a little too weird.  

"I liked it. She was covered in Swarovski crystals, plus she has an amazing body. What's not to like?" And he let out a chuckle in relief as well as your answer. 

"Hey, what do you think of Nicki Minaj." Hongbin just stuck up his thumb without looking, making you giggle. 

"You were just really cute. At first I thought you were just a little quirky, but later on, I figured those random thoughts were ones I shared strangely enough. I could be honest with you, not answering to please others but my own pure thoughts.  

I just.. I 've never been really good in talking and subtly flirting. I bet you didn't even notice the last three times I did." You sheepishly smiled, making him laugh.  

"You could've just asked me out on a date.." 

"You would've said yes?" 

"Well, I wouldn't meet up at a four star Michelin restaurant right away, but a cup of coffee has hurt anybody before." You sighed, letting your hands slide down a little and playing with the collar of his black polo t-shirt. "What I mean to say is.. I think you're really cute. But. The next time you kiss me, it's going to be on a date, in something else than my riding kit." Hongbin laughed, shaking his head. 

"You have my word on that date." And he closed in, lips almost brushing against yours with his next words. "But I'm going to kiss you anyways." And he pressed another gentle kiss to your lips, having you both smile into it.  

--- 

It's short, but I wanted to write a VIXX fic centred about horses and this kind of happened? I still don't know what to think of it. Im so sorry.