ブッ殺してやるッ！

artist and writer | diego brando enthusiast

[scary-monsters]

✦ 𝐤𝐚𝐭 · 𝟑𝟎+ · 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲/𝐬𝐡𝐞 · 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐏 · 𝟒𝐰𝟑 🦖

 ⎯𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐜/𝐚𝐫𝐭: diegotober collection (nsfw) / art ➛

artist, writer, diego brando enthusiast. this is my main blog which doubles as a diego-centered space to archive fanart (i affectionately call it a 'diego brando museum') and a space for me to talk about and post my creative projects. i'm not the fastest when it comes to answering messages, but feel free to share any diego-related thoughts with me via an ask! some things to note: this blog runs on a 3-posts-a-day queue, one of which will usually be something i created myself. i have a full-time job and juggle chronic fatigue alongside that, which means sometimes i will have periods of inactivity. do not let this deter you from interacting, i promise i'm nice! spam liking/reblogging also does not bother me, so go nuts.

✦ 𝐛𝐲𝐟❗

⋆ by default, i don't approve use of my art in any way without credit! if you'd like to use it for something, please just ask me first. ⋆ i love shipping diego with essentially everybody, including myself. i have a few 'no's, but i am not here to yuck anyone else's yum. i will always ship and let ship. ⋆ i have no patience for drama, discourse, or ship wars of any kind. i will ignore or straight up block anyone who tries to engage in discourse with me. ⋆ nsfw is not common on this blog at all, however i will always include necessary tags and content labels when it shows up.

✦ 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬/𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬 🏇

⋆ other blogs: @disco-lizard | @diegoshrine ⋆ mine: art tag | fic masterlist ⋆ character tags: diego | HP | johnny | lucy | gyro ⋆ ship tags: dinopants | diejoni | dinoballs ⋆ other (less active) socials: ao3 | bsky | insta (hiatus)

✦ 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝: 12/2/2025

[alienceratops]

Hi I drew Diego from JJBA 🤔🤔

The hat looks really big on him, just pretend it's a tad smaller! 😭

[scary-monsters]

baby's first mtn tim... i wonder which diego week prompt this could possibly be for oh my goodness....

[scary-monsters]

here's my full art for @jjbaalttimelinezine 🧡🐊 soooo fucking awesome that i got to draw my dearly beloved modern au diego for a zine, thank you to the mods for having me 🙏 for those who don't know: in my modern au diego is a herpetologist but his career starts off with him working as a zookeeper, specifically taking care of the reptiles :')) he still possesses his stand, giving him the ability to easily communicate with these animals.

the zine is completely free if you're interested! i wrote a diego-centered post-canon au for it as well, which i'll post at a later time 😋

[kamitt1]

[scary-monsters]

just remembered that this august my pretend husband diego will be turning 29.. oh my godddd

[scary-monsters]

I hate to ask bc it's so selfish but can we move Diego week back. I want to participate but it's at the worst time possible.

i don't think that's a selfish ask, i know i've had a lot going on and it's been really hard to set time aside to plan/create for diego week this summer 😵‍💫 so i don't mind extending it out!

when i run fanweeks i try to make them as chill as possible so people don't feel pressured and stressed (that's why late submissions are always acceptable even if it's months later!) the most important part really is just creating for diego in general and using the prompts as a sort of guideline to work from.

hopefully mid-august is acceptable? that gives everyone ~3 weeks of extra time, which is hopefully solid. i can update the graphics and @diegofest blog accordingly.

[scary-monsters]

i think my fear with talking in depth abt diego is that the way i look at him is a bit different from how most of fandom does and while i think it's valid i also flip between feeling like the sad creature being pelted by tomatoes OR an expert in my field with a phd in diego brando studies

i just think there's so much nuance to him and so many unexplored details that i rarely see people talk abt and, sure, some of these things are not really all that plot relevant so i understand WHY people don't hone in on them like i do. i literally live and breathe diego, that's my number one special guy out of every media i have ever consumed in my life, but sometimes i am so saddened by the way that he's ultimately seen as silly dinosaur man who eats rocks and is comic relief, a punching bag, or awkward third wheel in relation to gyjo.

i see him as so so SO much more so of course im going to be a little upset by it.. but again, i still understand why this happens. diego is a mostly neutral side character who keeps to himself for most of the race, he rarely talks to people (most of his dialogue is him talking to himself, be that out loud or in his head) because he's so focused on his own goal... so idk, i get the disinterest, but it won't stop me from really desperately wanting everyone to see all the things that i see in him LOL

[scary-monsters]

i fear today is going to be one of those days off where i make and ultimately erase about 10567 text posts about diego brando

[scary-monsters]

does he know that he is literally the most beautiful thing in the world. does he know i could write sonnets about his beauty. does he know i can viscerally imagine what he smells like. does he know i think often about how blessed he was with that set of lips. does he know i've committed his facial structure to memory including what it might feel like cradled in my hands. does he know i yearn for him with a fire that could rival the sun. does he know

[scary-monsters]

life unfolds in pools of gold | 4.8k | gen

▹characters: diego brando & mtn tim & johnny joestar ▹content: post-canon au, character analysis heavy, horsegirl diego, healing relationships and growing up ▹synopsis: years after the completion of the steel ball run, diego seeks out mountain tim and teams up with him to run a ranch. even further into the future, johnny stops by with a problem he hopes diego can fix, despite not speaking to him for years. written for @jjbaalttimelinezine, this version is lengthened by ~2k. [read on ao3 instead]

The solitary, peaceful nature of Wyoming’s countryside was perhaps its most desirable quality, though it generally depended on who you asked. For Mountain Tim, it was the sense of familiarity in settling deep within an area he considered home, but for the animals he shared his property with it was likely the abundance of golden acres to freely frolic.

Though Tim had purchased the property shortly after retiring from his life of bounty hunting, the solitude of it all had proven to be a bit too isolating for his taste. As fate would have it, his saving grace came in the form of someone he’d assumed to never lay eyes on again once the daunting Steel Ball Run had reached completion many years prior. 

Britain’s very own Diego Brando, that same race’s eventual victor, was not wordy in his reasoning for wanting to retire to America’s countryside, and Tim was not one to speculate or mull over things that weren’t his business. Diego concisely explained to him that he was leaving his successful life as a jockey, had long since abandoned his lofty dream of becoming mayor of a city he was mostly unfamiliar with, and had landed on pursuing horse training and breeding instead. 

It made sense to Tim, which was partly why he quickly agreed to share his expanse of land, even though the man was mostly a stranger. Knowing Diego Brando personally was not a requirement as far as recognizing just how much innate skill he possessed when it came to understanding and connecting with horses, and Tim believed that anything Diego set his mind to in that particular field he would likely flourish at. Certainly, there was no harm in providing a space for such opportunities, and besides: Tim was a lonely man. Even with Diego's reclusive nature, he was decent enough company. 

And so, years of the two former strangers working together to build a widely respected business piled on. After all, it wasn’t just Diego who had been a household name during the Steel Ball Run. Tim had a hold on much of America’s heart from the get-go, and with both of their names tied to the ranch, it wasn’t hard to maintain a steady amount of clientele. In a sick sort of way, Tim even found it a little amusing how, in search of a life away from fame and popularity, Diego had ultimately stumbled into something closer to that than he probably expected. 

But age had seemed to soften Diego’s edges. Though Tim had not interacted with him directly during the race, he recalled the man’s reputation painted him as someone quite ruthless and closed-off, focused entirely on winning and achieving fortune. These days, while he definitely had his moments, Tim found Diego’s presence to be light, much more calm, especially when he was out in the fields or in the stables tending to the horses. Perhaps he had finally found the peace he’d been looking for all those years? Tim couldn’t be sure, as he and Diego didn’t have conversations about that sort of thing. 

A true testament of Diego’s growth showed itself one brisk spring morning, and it was one that truly made Tim wish he could be a consistent fly on his business partner’s shoulder. Sipping his morning coffee and slowly eating a bowl of oats while sitting on the steps to the main cabin of their property, Tim spotted figures in the distance, steadily approaching the structure by way of a dirt path. As soon as he was able to determine two of them were horses, his trepidation melted away, and was quickly replaced with curiosity, a sense of nostalgia. 

Was that Johnny Joestar? 

Tim deposited his empty bowl to the side with a gentle clink as the very same man he’d fought alongside all those years ago finally reached a distance where waving in greeting made sense. When Tim received a wave back, he stood and gave his arms a stretch before approaching the visitors.

“Now, if I’d known we were getting a visit from Mr. Joestar, I would’ve prepared a meal and organized a welcoming committee,” Tim joked as soon as Johnny was in earshot, extending a hand out for the younger man to quickly shake. “Good to see ya’.”

Johnny nodded, a small smile taking shape on his barely-aged face as his eyes scanned the property around them before landing back on Tim. “Stories and pictures don’t do this place justice.”

Tim shrugged bashfully, waving a hand as if to dismiss the comment though, frankly, he agreed. What Diego and him had built together over the years was truly something to be proud of. However, he was more interested in why his partner’s number one rival was even here in the first place. Diego did not speak much about Johnny these days, and when he did it was rather flippantly, as if to avoid any specifics. But papers during the Steel Ball Run had reported on their apparent shared past and bitter rivalry when it came to horse racing, so Tim was not completely unaware of the tension.

“Is Dio here?” Johnny quickly asked, a small but not outright unnoticeable blush tinting his freckled cheeks. He jutted his thumb out towards the horse he was leading behind his own steed. “I’ve got a mare I’d like him to take a look at.”

Tim leaned over to get a better view of the Appaloosa in question. She was young, gray and speckled like another horse Tim could faintly fondly remember. A knowing grin tugged at his lips as he folded his arms across his chest and gave a single, firm nod.

“I reckon he wouldn’t mind. Got quite the full stable right now, but nothin’ makes that man happier than meeting a new horse.” He slowly headed for the building in question and motioned for Johnny to follow. “He oughta be up already, let’s go see him.”

Truthfully, Tim could’ve directed Johnny to go see the man on his own, but selfishly he couldn’t resist being present for a reunion like this. Not that he expected a fight or anything; Diego didn’t harbor any hatred for Johnny, not even close to how much the latter had clearly despised him all those years ago. What was intriguing was the mere concept of Johnny asking for Diego’s help. It was juicy, but Tim was too grown to verbally admit that.

Diego’s lovingly maintained stables were off to the side of the front cabin, flanked by an impressively large fenced-in space for riding and an even larger field for free running. All the doors to the building were already open, signaling to Tim that Diego was, indeed, up and going. Yet another piece of information he would never say out loud was that he knew his partner often chose to sleep here, with the horses, as opposed to utilizing the bedroom Tim had designated for him inside the cabin. It was not hard to find this out, but the most charming context clue he had ever gotten was seeing several pieces of hay still scattered amongst his hair as he’d eaten breakfast with Tim one morning. 

Diego loved the horses, and the horses loved him, which was why he’d never bring up his sleeping arrangements or question him on it. It was also why he was fully confident that, whatever ailed Johnny’s mare, Diego was just the man to fix it. Even if Diego actually hated Johnny’s guts, for real, he would stop at nothing to help any horse.

Just outside the stables, Tim halted and turned, shielding his eyes from the sun as he faced Johnny, who was still seated atop his horse.

“I’ll go grab him, you wait here.”

Johnny, a faint energy of nervousness still present in his body language, agreed and turned his eyes out to the field surrounding them. Tim headed inside, knocking three times against the open sturdy wooden door and calling out Diego’s name.

“Back here,” a voice responded, sounding slightly miffed from the very rear of the building.

Tim steeled himself as he headed towards it, hoping Diego had not woken up on the wrong side of the bed – or, hay – this morning. His partner was in the final stall, filling a wide bucket with feed as one of the fussier horses stood just beside him, staring directly at Diego as if to insist he should hurry up. 

Diego, whose attire was typical riding gear as it usually was, had his hair haphazardly tied back in a loose braid, all his layers fighting against his best efforts. His bangs still hung in his face, though he tried to toss them to the side when he glanced up to see Tim watching him from the stall’s open gate.

“Morning,” Tim greeted him, tipping his hat as he leaned against the entryway with amusement. The stallion beside Diego was grunting impatiently, making Diego return the sentiment with an annoyed side-eye. There really was something special about watching Diego interact with horses, even when they were testing his patience. “We’ve got company.”

“Tell them we’ve got a full stable, I can’t take on another.” Diego sighed, looking exasperated as he finished filling the bowl and stood back up straight. He dramatically stepped to the side, gesturing to the food with a flourish of his gloved hand, allowing his impatient friend to begin eating. 

“I reckon you’ll wanna see this,” Tim suggested, turning his head and gesturing towards the entrance.

The mostly empty feed bag was deposited to the side as soon as Diego left the stall, shutting its door behind him. Once closer, he stood firmly in front of his partner and those sharp cerulean eyes of his cut straight into his own. “Tim, I can’t –”

“It’s Johnny.” Tim muttered, finding the way Diego’s head tilted as if he didn’t hear him properly to be quite amusing. “Johnny Joestar.”

Diego stood still as a statue for a moment, his hands pausing in removing his gloves and his lips parted. Tim could not read this particular expression of his, but it didn’t seem entirely negative. This was a man who, while nearly impossible to read due to just how guarded he was, Tim had learned enough about through small cracks in his walls that he could sense when alarm bells needed to be sounded. Tim had seen Diego angry before, he had seen him genuinely happy, and he had even seen him sorrowful. None of those things appeared evident this time, which was particularly puzzling considering Johnny was just outside. 

Thankfully, it seemed bloodshed was not on the menu this morning, but clearly some sort of feeling was rolling around in Diego’s small form, and that was all Tim could tell for certain.

After a moment, Diego agreed to follow Tim outside, his energy noticeably different than initial greeting just a few moments ago. Suddenly it seemed that not even the presence of horses could soothe his soul. Diego was quiet as they moved into the early morning sun, stopping just several feet away from the visitors and neglecting to shield his eyes, Tim noticed.

“Mr. Joestar’s brought a mare for you to take a look at,” Tim explained, watching both parties for dramatic reactions and finding nothing. It was strange, how it seemed there was an abundance of tension but also… none of it, at the same time. As if Tim’s mind was fabricating it via his expectations.

Diego’s eyes didn’t linger on Johnny, but instead instantly honed in on the horse in question. It appeared that the gears in his mind were already turning, or perhaps he was trying to distract himself with anything other than the presence of Johnny so close to his personal paradise.

“Right. I’ll take it from here,” Diego ultimately stated, seeming to wave Tim off. 

Tim stayed rooted in place, but one expectant look from Diego was all it took for him to throw his hands up and oblige. “I’ll be in the cabin if y’all need anything.” A disappointed frown crossed his face only once he’d turned to walk away.

—

The last time Diego had seen Johnny was shortly after the Steel Ball Run’s conclusion. Even then, his childhood acquaintance held on to a lot of hatred for him, and he himself was man enough to admit his own shortcomings when it came to being an overall pleasant person. Which was to say, he knew he wasn’t. Maybe he didn’t find it particularly important to be.

Burying the hatchet had never been a vocalized agreement between the two of them, but time seemed to heal wounds on its own. Diego, with clear hindsight and a more developed sense of self, could see the grief within Johnny, could see the way his own grief made it difficult for the two of them to kindly interact. Did he enjoy Johnny’s presence? Not particularly, but he also had no reason to continue holding on to anything that didn’t serve him anymore.

Throughout their lives, Diego and Johnny were something akin to fire and gasoline. With distance, they were fine, able to exist on their own, but when the two got too close it was often explosive, mostly in regards to themselves. With age, perhaps Diego’s fire had calmed and Johnny’s gasoline had lost its potency. Diego sometimes wondered if the shared softening that came with getting older meant that they could actually coexist in some way, without being destructive to each other. But that was the sort of thought pattern he often shot down, as if felt useless and wasteful of his time. Besides, Johnny had a wife and children now, he’d built a life so outside of Diego’s understanding that maybe that disconnect was actually helpful in their ability to get along for once. 

Would he help Johnny’s horse? Yes. Diego would help any horse, as he felt that was his true life’s purpose, granted to him by his own mother’s words just before she’d passed all those years ago. After all, mother was always right.

Johnny’s request was simple, but not easy: figure out why his beloved mare was acting strangely all of a sudden. Lack of appetite, hiding away from the other horses, not wanting to play and frolic as she normally would. Their conversation didn’t go anywhere else; it was civil, succinct, and Johnny left knowing that his horse would be in good hands. Diego instructed him to return in the morning, promising to have an answer for him. Sure, time was limited, but Diego was nothing but confident in his ability to read horses. 

Diego already had an entire stable to tend to, but he was determined to get to the bottom of this problem in particular. Once he’d fed the rest of his clientele, he led Johnny’s mare out to the fenced-in space just off the stable itself, carefully guiding her in circles and observing her behavior. All the while he gently cooed at her and attempted to gain her trust through frequent sugar cube offerings.

It was not lost on Diego that this mare looked strikingly like Slow Dancer, who he’d come to respect years ago despite her rider being his rival. A headstrong, dutiful mare who’d warmed up to Johnny surprisingly quickly. Though, maybe it wasn’t so surprising, considering Johnny too had known his way around a horse, which was something Diego also couldn’t help but respect about him. Sometimes the quickest way Diego could measure the quality of someone’s character was to observe how horses felt about them, and that was one test Johnny had always passed. It was also why he’d sought out Tim; knowing that horses clearly respected the man was all Diego needed to know.

As Diego continued walking the mare she appeared stiff, grunting softly not quite in pain but obvious discomfort. It was a symptom that could mean a myriad of things, but Diego kept at it. After a few laps, he took her back to the stables to give her a good brush. To this, she responded positively, liking the attention but also tensing up when Diego got anywhere close to her stomach or nether regions. He tended to these spots carefully, gently talking to her and petting her mane.

Perhaps it was a medical issue? If true, Diego unfortunately wasn’t Johnny’s best option. His expertise lied in training and understanding a horse’s temperament, but certainly not in treating medical conditions that ailed them. When these problems cropped up, he would hire outside help or refer clients elsewhere. Someday, he and Tim hoped to hire a medical expert, but neither had found someone just yet that they wholly trusted. 

Amidst his hypothesizing, Diego’s brush glided across the mare’s stomach in a way she didn’t like, causing her to kick and stomp the foot closest to Diego. He stumbled, his back hitting the wall as he allowed the brush he was holding to clatter to the floor. With both hands up in defeat, he sighed, laughing softly when the mare turned her head to give him a firm stare, her tail swishing. She really did look just like Slow Dancer.

“Well… you’re certainly Johnny Joestar’s horse.” 

—

When Tim left the cabin to bring a sandwich to Diego for lunch, he noticed the man leaning speculatively against the fence, observing Johnny’s horse as she trotted lazily in the afternoon sun. 

“Any ideas?” Tim asked once he was close enough, handing Diego his food and mirroring his stance.

“Could be anything,” Diego mumbled, taking a thoughtful bite, narrowed eyes fixed on his client. “She’s very moody, but apparently that wasn’t normal until two weeks ago.”

They stood in silence, minds buzzing, trying to calculate what could be wrong with this poor mare. Tim allowed the possibilities to swim in his head, holding off on vocalizing them for now. Diego was smart enough to figure it out without his help anyway, and sometimes it was more fun to watch the man come to a correct conclusion on his own. Something about the way that success made him bristle with pride was quite charming. 

Finally, Diego broke the quiet with a thoughtful grunt mid-chew.

“Do you remember,” he paused to swallow, “several months ago, someone brought a mare who ended up being pregnant, but her owner had no idea.”

“Sure do,” Tim nodded, now facing Diego with an expectant look.

“Very similar behavior,” Diego continued, but then his eyes narrowed again and he pursed his lips, “but I struggle to believe Johnny would be oblivious to that sort of thing.”

“Y’might be on to something.” Tim shrugged, then stood up straight again and gave Diego a pat on the shoulder. “I trust you’ll get to the bottom of it.”

For the first time during their entire interaction, Diego turned to look at Tim instead of the mare, blinking his sharp eyes as his partner started to back away. “What, don’t wanna help?”

He’s like our barn cats, Tim thought fondly. One moment he’s begging to be left alone and the next he’s angry you’re not paying any attention to him!

“I got chickens to feed, and the pigs too!” Tim stated honestly, grinning with amusement as he tipped his hat. “Good luck!” 

Almost instantly, Diego’s attention was back on his new friend, forgetting his perceived abandonment, paying Tim no mind.

With that, Tim walked away, periodically turning around to observe Diego’s unbroken focus. Tim couldn’t help but smile at the whole thing; Diego’s devotion and commitment to these animals was something so beautiful, and the fact that it did not fade even when faced with working with someone who had spent so many years feeling nothing but resentment for him… well, if that wasn’t kindness, Tim wasn’t sure what was.

—

Diego’s observance of Johnny’s mare bled late into the night, his mind unable to rest until he had come up with a conclusion that made sense. Though the stables were full, he’d temporarily moved one of the younger stallions to spend the night with another of similar age, knowing that their temperaments would allow them to sleep through the night without any upset. 

Diego stayed in the freshly cleaned stable with his client, seated to the side with his knees drawn up to his chest and his back leaning against the wooden wall. From the window above, moonlight seeped into the space and lit the mare’s gray speckled coat ablaze. Throughout the course of the day, she’d developed a liking for him, and now she was curled up close to him with her head resting just next to his side. 

“You’re not making this easy, love,” Diego muttered into the quiet air, his bare hand stroking her mane in a way that he hoped would coax her into sleep, “what am I supposed to tell Johnny when he comes back?”

Of course, she gave nothing besides a soft little grunt, and Diego hated that he could still see the discomfort in her eyes even now. Whatever it was that ailed her, it had lessened more and more throughout the day, but it was still there, and that was something Diego couldn’t be satisfied with. 

Earlier, Tim had brought him a meal again, and they’d eaten dinner together while seated on a bale of hay. Tim had asked Diego if he’d figured it out yet, and the latter had said he wasn’t certain.

“Didn’t you say she might be pregnant?” Tim had followed up after a bite of stew, motioning to the mare with his spoon.

“It’s possible, but I might be incorrect,” Diego replied, mentally noting that the sun was beginning to set. Soon, Tim would be heading to bed, and he’d really and truly be on his own as far as figuring this mystery out.

“You? Nah,” Tim teased, giving Diego one of those classically warm and supportive smiles. He liked those, perhaps they were one of Tim’s best qualities, but he never admitted that out loud. “If you ask me, I think you’re onto something. And if not,” he shrugged, “clearly nothing else is standing out and ringing any alarm bells for you, so I wouldn’t be too concerned.”

“I can’t tell him something that’s incorrect,” Diego admitted, quietly, and he knew Tim wouldn’t have heard him if it hadn’t been so silent otherwise.

That was the crux of it, wasn’t it? Diego couldn't fathom being wrong when it came to giving Johnny information, detested the idea of immediately giving a horrible impression after not seeing the man for so, so long. Generally, Diego didn’t care what other people thought about him, but there was something about Johnny thinking lowly of him that bothered him, especially when it came to the way he cared for his horses. 

“You’re smart, intuitive,” Tim offered, placing his large, strong hand on Diego’s shoulder as he often did, “nobody else I’ve ever met gets horses like you do. Trust that gut, Diego. It’s gotten you this far already, hasn’t it?”

With that, Tim had collected their dishes and retreated inside, bidding Diego ‘goodnight’ and leaving him in the silence of the quickly approaching night. 

‘Trust his gut?’ Under the pale moonlight, with his back still against the wall, Diego scoffed. Currently, his gut was a little twisted up from reuniting with someone he had extremely complicated and unclear feelings about, after so many years he didn’t want to count them. How could he trust something like that?

“Are you pregnant, darling?” He openly asked the mare in front of him, who wiggled one ear and stared at him. Something in that reaction gave Diego a hint of confidence. He certainly couldn’t speak horse, but Tim was right. He had an undeniable way with that.

“You’ll be a good mother,” Diego continued the one-sided conversation, allowing a rare soft smile to take his features as he continued petting her, “I promise. Haven’t known you long, but I can tell.”

I’m a good judge of that sort of thing, after all. He thought silently, thinking fondly of his own brief moments alongside a mother who deserved much more than she’d been given.

Seemingly, his words soothed the mare. Her body language appeared to soften, and finally her eyes fully closed as she drifted off to sleep. It was only when a flicker of confidence in his conclusion washed through Diego that he allowed himself to do the same.

—

“She’s pregnant.”

Diego shared the news with Johnny early the next morning when his acquaintance returned, and was met with a blank stare.

“Pregnant?” Johnny echoed, and then realization lit up behind his eyes, “Oh… her heat cycle…”

A rush of elated success lit a fire in Diego’s bones as he stood there, hands confidently anchored on his hips. After a full day of observing, it seemed to be the most logical answer, and pulling from his previous experiences with pregnant mares made it all the more obvious.

“I assume you were not intending on this happening,” Diego said, sounding more accusatory than he meant to.

Johnny neither confirmed or denied, but the way he placed a hand over his forehead and leaned against his cane was all the answer Diego needed.

“I’ve been so busy with the kids…” Johnny explained, his eyes staring off in the distance as he appeared to pull from recent memory. “I keep the mares away from the stallions unless I’m watching closely, but the other day George fell in the barn and I had to step away to help…”

“Happens,” Diego offered, shrugging. He brushed a gloved hand across the mare’s coat and gave her a little pat. Instinctfully, he wanted to lecture Johnny on the best ways to keep this from happening, but a flicker of maturity kept his lips sealed. Johnny was perfectly familiar with horses, and this was a blip in his otherwise decent track record. Children surely made things like this much more difficult to attend to.

Johnny looked at his mare, running his palm along her forehead as he stared at her lovingly, with unhidden guilt. He felt bad, Diego could tell. After all, horses weren’t the only thing he was exceptional at reading. Though honing in on the reasoning behind feelings was not quite his forte, Diego could sense that that guilt likely had something to do with pulling from a well that was already barren. Johnny had a lot on his hands, and he didn’t need to say that out loud for Diego to be aware of it.

“I… can keep her here,” Diego ultimately offered, surprising even himself when the words came out of his mouth. Did he have the room? No, but he would find room, just as he had last night. “I wouldn’t advise making a pregnant mare trek all the way back home.” It wasn’t great that she walked here already, he thought, once again keeping his critique locked away.

No thanks left Johnny’s lips, but the way he looked at Diego said it all for him. Sure, they were rivals to some degree and probably always would be, but the great thing about their long history together was that words often didn’t need to be said. Simple glances and gestures served as a language between the two of them, a wonderful asset for two people who struggled to be vulnerable with everyone, but especially each other.

“How far along is she?” Johnny asked, a flicker of joy present on his face now that he had an answer to the mystery and was saved from Diego’s criticism.

“Not sure, but I’ll be contacting a doctor to take a look at her,” Diego promised, “and we’ll be in touch.” He paused, then gestured towards Johnny. “With you, I mean.”

Relief loosened Johnny’s body language, and he made eye contact with Diego again, yet another ‘thank you’ hanging off the tip of his tongue and being lost to the wind. Diego could hear it, anyway, and in response he silently nodded and took the mare’s reins.

“I’ll get her a stall fixed up.” He paused, searching Johnny’s face for a moment before questioning if he should go ahead with his next offer. “I’m… making lunch later if you’d like to stick around,” outright niceness expired, he tacked on a few more words, “after all, you’d be exceptionally stupid to head home without a meal. Same for the horse you rode in on.”

And in yet another sign of personal growth, Johnny did not scoff and refuse the offer simply to make Diego look bad. Instead, he allowed a small laugh to slip through his blue-tinted lips and agreed. “I’ll stick around.” His own niceness also faded, as he too included an extra jab. “As long as it’s not rocks or something.”

“Oh, fuck off,” Diego mumbled, his younger self showing in a thick British accent as the two men headed into the stables. Sometimes, the past would bleed through, but the understanding that came with the present would always soften the blow.

[dogvillages]

[scary-monsters]

life unfolds in pools of gold | 4.8k | gen

▹characters: diego brando & mtn tim & johnny joestar ▹content: post-canon au, character analysis heavy, horsegirl diego, healing relationships and growing up ▹synopsis: years after the completion of the steel ball run, diego seeks out mountain tim and teams up with him to run a ranch. even further into the future, johnny stops by with a problem he hopes diego can fix, despite not speaking to him for years. written for @jjbaalttimelinezine, this version is lengthened by ~2k. [read on ao3 instead]

The solitary, peaceful nature of Wyoming’s countryside was perhaps its most desirable quality, though it generally depended on who you asked. For Mountain Tim, it was the sense of familiarity in settling deep within an area he considered home, but for the animals he shared his property with it was likely the abundance of golden acres to freely frolic.

Though Tim had purchased the property shortly after retiring from his life of bounty hunting, the solitude of it all had proven to be a bit too isolating for his taste. As fate would have it, his saving grace came in the form of someone he’d assumed to never lay eyes on again once the daunting Steel Ball Run had reached completion many years prior. 

Britain’s very own Diego Brando, that same race’s eventual victor, was not wordy in his reasoning for wanting to retire to America’s countryside, and Tim was not one to speculate or mull over things that weren’t his business. Diego concisely explained to him that he was leaving his successful life as a jockey, had long since abandoned his lofty dream of becoming mayor of a city he was mostly unfamiliar with, and had landed on pursuing horse training and breeding instead. 

It made sense to Tim, which was partly why he quickly agreed to share his expanse of land, even though the man was mostly a stranger. Knowing Diego Brando personally was not a requirement as far as recognizing just how much innate skill he possessed when it came to understanding and connecting with horses, and Tim believed that anything Diego set his mind to in that particular field he would likely flourish at. Certainly, there was no harm in providing a space for such opportunities, and besides: Tim was a lonely man. Even with Diego's reclusive nature, he was decent enough company. 

And so, years of the two former strangers working together to build a widely respected business piled on. After all, it wasn’t just Diego who had been a household name during the Steel Ball Run. Tim had a hold on much of America’s heart from the get-go, and with both of their names tied to the ranch, it wasn’t hard to maintain a steady amount of clientele. In a sick sort of way, Tim even found it a little amusing how, in search of a life away from fame and popularity, Diego had ultimately stumbled into something closer to that than he probably expected. 

But age had seemed to soften Diego’s edges. Though Tim had not interacted with him directly during the race, he recalled the man’s reputation painted him as someone quite ruthless and closed-off, focused entirely on winning and achieving fortune. These days, while he definitely had his moments, Tim found Diego’s presence to be light, much more calm, especially when he was out in the fields or in the stables tending to the horses. Perhaps he had finally found the peace he’d been looking for all those years? Tim couldn’t be sure, as he and Diego didn’t have conversations about that sort of thing. 

A true testament of Diego’s growth showed itself one brisk spring morning, and it was one that truly made Tim wish he could be a consistent fly on his business partner’s shoulder. Sipping his morning coffee and slowly eating a bowl of oats while sitting on the steps to the main cabin of their property, Tim spotted figures in the distance, steadily approaching the structure by way of a dirt path. As soon as he was able to determine two of them were horses, his trepidation melted away, and was quickly replaced with curiosity, a sense of nostalgia. 

Was that Johnny Joestar? 

Tim deposited his empty bowl to the side with a gentle clink as the very same man he’d fought alongside all those years ago finally reached a distance where waving in greeting made sense. When Tim received a wave back, he stood and gave his arms a stretch before approaching the visitors.

“Now, if I’d known we were getting a visit from Mr. Joestar, I would’ve prepared a meal and organized a welcoming committee,” Tim joked as soon as Johnny was in earshot, extending a hand out for the younger man to quickly shake. “Good to see ya’.”

Johnny nodded, a small smile taking shape on his barely-aged face as his eyes scanned the property around them before landing back on Tim. “Stories and pictures don’t do this place justice.”

Tim shrugged bashfully, waving a hand as if to dismiss the comment though, frankly, he agreed. What Diego and him had built together over the years was truly something to be proud of. However, he was more interested in why his partner’s number one rival was even here in the first place. Diego did not speak much about Johnny these days, and when he did it was rather flippantly, as if to avoid any specifics. But papers during the Steel Ball Run had reported on their apparent shared past and bitter rivalry when it came to horse racing, so Tim was not completely unaware of the tension.

“Is Dio here?” Johnny quickly asked, a small but not outright unnoticeable blush tinting his freckled cheeks. He jutted his thumb out towards the horse he was leading behind his own steed. “I’ve got a mare I’d like him to take a look at.”

Tim leaned over to get a better view of the Appaloosa in question. She was young, gray and speckled like another horse Tim could faintly fondly remember. A knowing grin tugged at his lips as he folded his arms across his chest and gave a single, firm nod.

“I reckon he wouldn’t mind. Got quite the full stable right now, but nothin’ makes that man happier than meeting a new horse.” He slowly headed for the building in question and motioned for Johnny to follow. “He oughta be up already, let’s go see him.”

Truthfully, Tim could’ve directed Johnny to go see the man on his own, but selfishly he couldn’t resist being present for a reunion like this. Not that he expected a fight or anything; Diego didn’t harbor any hatred for Johnny, not even close to how much the latter had clearly despised him all those years ago. What was intriguing was the mere concept of Johnny asking for Diego’s help. It was juicy, but Tim was too grown to verbally admit that.

Diego’s lovingly maintained stables were off to the side of the front cabin, flanked by an impressively large fenced-in space for riding and an even larger field for free running. All the doors to the building were already open, signaling to Tim that Diego was, indeed, up and going. Yet another piece of information he would never say out loud was that he knew his partner often chose to sleep here, with the horses, as opposed to utilizing the bedroom Tim had designated for him inside the cabin. It was not hard to find this out, but the most charming context clue he had ever gotten was seeing several pieces of hay still scattered amongst his hair as he’d eaten breakfast with Tim one morning. 

Diego loved the horses, and the horses loved him, which was why he’d never bring up his sleeping arrangements or question him on it. It was also why he was fully confident that, whatever ailed Johnny’s mare, Diego was just the man to fix it. Even if Diego actually hated Johnny’s guts, for real, he would stop at nothing to help any horse.

Just outside the stables, Tim halted and turned, shielding his eyes from the sun as he faced Johnny, who was still seated atop his horse.

“I’ll go grab him, you wait here.”

Johnny, a faint energy of nervousness still present in his body language, agreed and turned his eyes out to the field surrounding them. Tim headed inside, knocking three times against the open sturdy wooden door and calling out Diego’s name.

“Back here,” a voice responded, sounding slightly miffed from the very rear of the building.

Tim steeled himself as he headed towards it, hoping Diego had not woken up on the wrong side of the bed – or, hay – this morning. His partner was in the final stall, filling a wide bucket with feed as one of the fussier horses stood just beside him, staring directly at Diego as if to insist he should hurry up. 

Diego, whose attire was typical riding gear as it usually was, had his hair haphazardly tied back in a loose braid, all his layers fighting against his best efforts. His bangs still hung in his face, though he tried to toss them to the side when he glanced up to see Tim watching him from the stall’s open gate.

“Morning,” Tim greeted him, tipping his hat as he leaned against the entryway with amusement. The stallion beside Diego was grunting impatiently, making Diego return the sentiment with an annoyed side-eye. There really was something special about watching Diego interact with horses, even when they were testing his patience. “We’ve got company.”

“Tell them we’ve got a full stable, I can’t take on another.” Diego sighed, looking exasperated as he finished filling the bowl and stood back up straight. He dramatically stepped to the side, gesturing to the food with a flourish of his gloved hand, allowing his impatient friend to begin eating. 

“I reckon you’ll wanna see this,” Tim suggested, turning his head and gesturing towards the entrance.

The mostly empty feed bag was deposited to the side as soon as Diego left the stall, shutting its door behind him. Once closer, he stood firmly in front of his partner and those sharp cerulean eyes of his cut straight into his own. “Tim, I can’t –”

“It’s Johnny.” Tim muttered, finding the way Diego’s head tilted as if he didn’t hear him properly to be quite amusing. “Johnny Joestar.”

Diego stood still as a statue for a moment, his hands pausing in removing his gloves and his lips parted. Tim could not read this particular expression of his, but it didn’t seem entirely negative. This was a man who, while nearly impossible to read due to just how guarded he was, Tim had learned enough about through small cracks in his walls that he could sense when alarm bells needed to be sounded. Tim had seen Diego angry before, he had seen him genuinely happy, and he had even seen him sorrowful. None of those things appeared evident this time, which was particularly puzzling considering Johnny was just outside. 

Thankfully, it seemed bloodshed was not on the menu this morning, but clearly some sort of feeling was rolling around in Diego’s small form, and that was all Tim could tell for certain.

After a moment, Diego agreed to follow Tim outside, his energy noticeably different than initial greeting just a few moments ago. Suddenly it seemed that not even the presence of horses could soothe his soul. Diego was quiet as they moved into the early morning sun, stopping just several feet away from the visitors and neglecting to shield his eyes, Tim noticed.

“Mr. Joestar’s brought a mare for you to take a look at,” Tim explained, watching both parties for dramatic reactions and finding nothing. It was strange, how it seemed there was an abundance of tension but also… none of it, at the same time. As if Tim’s mind was fabricating it via his expectations.

Diego’s eyes didn’t linger on Johnny, but instead instantly honed in on the horse in question. It appeared that the gears in his mind were already turning, or perhaps he was trying to distract himself with anything other than the presence of Johnny so close to his personal paradise.

“Right. I’ll take it from here,” Diego ultimately stated, seeming to wave Tim off. 

Tim stayed rooted in place, but one expectant look from Diego was all it took for him to throw his hands up and oblige. “I’ll be in the cabin if y’all need anything.” A disappointed frown crossed his face only once he’d turned to walk away.

—

The last time Diego had seen Johnny was shortly after the Steel Ball Run’s conclusion. Even then, his childhood acquaintance held on to a lot of hatred for him, and he himself was man enough to admit his own shortcomings when it came to being an overall pleasant person. Which was to say, he knew he wasn’t. Maybe he didn’t find it particularly important to be.

Burying the hatchet had never been a vocalized agreement between the two of them, but time seemed to heal wounds on its own. Diego, with clear hindsight and a more developed sense of self, could see the grief within Johnny, could see the way his own grief made it difficult for the two of them to kindly interact. Did he enjoy Johnny’s presence? Not particularly, but he also had no reason to continue holding on to anything that didn’t serve him anymore.

Throughout their lives, Diego and Johnny were something akin to fire and gasoline. With distance, they were fine, able to exist on their own, but when the two got too close it was often explosive, mostly in regards to themselves. With age, perhaps Diego’s fire had calmed and Johnny’s gasoline had lost its potency. Diego sometimes wondered if the shared softening that came with getting older meant that they could actually coexist in some way, without being destructive to each other. But that was the sort of thought pattern he often shot down, as if felt useless and wasteful of his time. Besides, Johnny had a wife and children now, he’d built a life so outside of Diego’s understanding that maybe that disconnect was actually helpful in their ability to get along for once. 

Would he help Johnny’s horse? Yes. Diego would help any horse, as he felt that was his true life’s purpose, granted to him by his own mother’s words just before she’d passed all those years ago. After all, mother was always right.

Johnny’s request was simple, but not easy: figure out why his beloved mare was acting strangely all of a sudden. Lack of appetite, hiding away from the other horses, not wanting to play and frolic as she normally would. Their conversation didn’t go anywhere else; it was civil, succinct, and Johnny left knowing that his horse would be in good hands. Diego instructed him to return in the morning, promising to have an answer for him. Sure, time was limited, but Diego was nothing but confident in his ability to read horses. 

Diego already had an entire stable to tend to, but he was determined to get to the bottom of this problem in particular. Once he’d fed the rest of his clientele, he led Johnny’s mare out to the fenced-in space just off the stable itself, carefully guiding her in circles and observing her behavior. All the while he gently cooed at her and attempted to gain her trust through frequent sugar cube offerings.

It was not lost on Diego that this mare looked strikingly like Slow Dancer, who he’d come to respect years ago despite her rider being his rival. A headstrong, dutiful mare who’d warmed up to Johnny surprisingly quickly. Though, maybe it wasn’t so surprising, considering Johnny too had known his way around a horse, which was something Diego also couldn’t help but respect about him. Sometimes the quickest way Diego could measure the quality of someone’s character was to observe how horses felt about them, and that was one test Johnny had always passed. It was also why he’d sought out Tim; knowing that horses clearly respected the man was all Diego needed to know.

As Diego continued walking the mare she appeared stiff, grunting softly not quite in pain but obvious discomfort. It was a symptom that could mean a myriad of things, but Diego kept at it. After a few laps, he took her back to the stables to give her a good brush. To this, she responded positively, liking the attention but also tensing up when Diego got anywhere close to her stomach or nether regions. He tended to these spots carefully, gently talking to her and petting her mane.

Perhaps it was a medical issue? If true, Diego unfortunately wasn’t Johnny’s best option. His expertise lied in training and understanding a horse’s temperament, but certainly not in treating medical conditions that ailed them. When these problems cropped up, he would hire outside help or refer clients elsewhere. Someday, he and Tim hoped to hire a medical expert, but neither had found someone just yet that they wholly trusted. 

Amidst his hypothesizing, Diego’s brush glided across the mare’s stomach in a way she didn’t like, causing her to kick and stomp the foot closest to Diego. He stumbled, his back hitting the wall as he allowed the brush he was holding to clatter to the floor. With both hands up in defeat, he sighed, laughing softly when the mare turned her head to give him a firm stare, her tail swishing. She really did look just like Slow Dancer.

“Well… you’re certainly Johnny Joestar’s horse.” 

—

When Tim left the cabin to bring a sandwich to Diego for lunch, he noticed the man leaning speculatively against the fence, observing Johnny’s horse as she trotted lazily in the afternoon sun. 

“Any ideas?” Tim asked once he was close enough, handing Diego his food and mirroring his stance.

“Could be anything,” Diego mumbled, taking a thoughtful bite, narrowed eyes fixed on his client. “She’s very moody, but apparently that wasn’t normal until two weeks ago.”

They stood in silence, minds buzzing, trying to calculate what could be wrong with this poor mare. Tim allowed the possibilities to swim in his head, holding off on vocalizing them for now. Diego was smart enough to figure it out without his help anyway, and sometimes it was more fun to watch the man come to a correct conclusion on his own. Something about the way that success made him bristle with pride was quite charming. 

Finally, Diego broke the quiet with a thoughtful grunt mid-chew.

“Do you remember,” he paused to swallow, “several months ago, someone brought a mare who ended up being pregnant, but her owner had no idea.”

“Sure do,” Tim nodded, now facing Diego with an expectant look.

“Very similar behavior,” Diego continued, but then his eyes narrowed again and he pursed his lips, “but I struggle to believe Johnny would be oblivious to that sort of thing.”

“Y’might be on to something.” Tim shrugged, then stood up straight again and gave Diego a pat on the shoulder. “I trust you’ll get to the bottom of it.”

For the first time during their entire interaction, Diego turned to look at Tim instead of the mare, blinking his sharp eyes as his partner started to back away. “What, don’t wanna help?”

He’s like our barn cats, Tim thought fondly. One moment he’s begging to be left alone and the next he’s angry you’re not paying any attention to him!

“I got chickens to feed, and the pigs too!” Tim stated honestly, grinning with amusement as he tipped his hat. “Good luck!” 

Almost instantly, Diego’s attention was back on his new friend, forgetting his perceived abandonment, paying Tim no mind.

With that, Tim walked away, periodically turning around to observe Diego’s unbroken focus. Tim couldn’t help but smile at the whole thing; Diego’s devotion and commitment to these animals was something so beautiful, and the fact that it did not fade even when faced with working with someone who had spent so many years feeling nothing but resentment for him… well, if that wasn’t kindness, Tim wasn’t sure what was.

—

Diego’s observance of Johnny’s mare bled late into the night, his mind unable to rest until he had come up with a conclusion that made sense. Though the stables were full, he’d temporarily moved one of the younger stallions to spend the night with another of similar age, knowing that their temperaments would allow them to sleep through the night without any upset. 

Diego stayed in the freshly cleaned stable with his client, seated to the side with his knees drawn up to his chest and his back leaning against the wooden wall. From the window above, moonlight seeped into the space and lit the mare’s gray speckled coat ablaze. Throughout the course of the day, she’d developed a liking for him, and now she was curled up close to him with her head resting just next to his side. 

“You’re not making this easy, love,” Diego muttered into the quiet air, his bare hand stroking her mane in a way that he hoped would coax her into sleep, “what am I supposed to tell Johnny when he comes back?”

Of course, she gave nothing besides a soft little grunt, and Diego hated that he could still see the discomfort in her eyes even now. Whatever it was that ailed her, it had lessened more and more throughout the day, but it was still there, and that was something Diego couldn’t be satisfied with. 

Earlier, Tim had brought him a meal again, and they’d eaten dinner together while seated on a bale of hay. Tim had asked Diego if he’d figured it out yet, and the latter had said he wasn’t certain.

“Didn’t you say she might be pregnant?” Tim had followed up after a bite of stew, motioning to the mare with his spoon.

“It’s possible, but I might be incorrect,” Diego replied, mentally noting that the sun was beginning to set. Soon, Tim would be heading to bed, and he’d really and truly be on his own as far as figuring this mystery out.

“You? Nah,” Tim teased, giving Diego one of those classically warm and supportive smiles. He liked those, perhaps they were one of Tim’s best qualities, but he never admitted that out loud. “If you ask me, I think you’re onto something. And if not,” he shrugged, “clearly nothing else is standing out and ringing any alarm bells for you, so I wouldn’t be too concerned.”

“I can’t tell him something that’s incorrect,” Diego admitted, quietly, and he knew Tim wouldn’t have heard him if it hadn’t been so silent otherwise.

That was the crux of it, wasn’t it? Diego couldn't fathom being wrong when it came to giving Johnny information, detested the idea of immediately giving a horrible impression after not seeing the man for so, so long. Generally, Diego didn’t care what other people thought about him, but there was something about Johnny thinking lowly of him that bothered him, especially when it came to the way he cared for his horses. 

“You’re smart, intuitive,” Tim offered, placing his large, strong hand on Diego’s shoulder as he often did, “nobody else I’ve ever met gets horses like you do. Trust that gut, Diego. It’s gotten you this far already, hasn’t it?”

With that, Tim had collected their dishes and retreated inside, bidding Diego ‘goodnight’ and leaving him in the silence of the quickly approaching night. 

‘Trust his gut?’ Under the pale moonlight, with his back still against the wall, Diego scoffed. Currently, his gut was a little twisted up from reuniting with someone he had extremely complicated and unclear feelings about, after so many years he didn’t want to count them. How could he trust something like that?

“Are you pregnant, darling?” He openly asked the mare in front of him, who wiggled one ear and stared at him. Something in that reaction gave Diego a hint of confidence. He certainly couldn’t speak horse, but Tim was right. He had an undeniable way with that.

“You’ll be a good mother,” Diego continued the one-sided conversation, allowing a rare soft smile to take his features as he continued petting her, “I promise. Haven’t known you long, but I can tell.”

I’m a good judge of that sort of thing, after all. He thought silently, thinking fondly of his own brief moments alongside a mother who deserved much more than she’d been given.

Seemingly, his words soothed the mare. Her body language appeared to soften, and finally her eyes fully closed as she drifted off to sleep. It was only when a flicker of confidence in his conclusion washed through Diego that he allowed himself to do the same.

—

“She’s pregnant.”

Diego shared the news with Johnny early the next morning when his acquaintance returned, and was met with a blank stare.

“Pregnant?” Johnny echoed, and then realization lit up behind his eyes, “Oh… her heat cycle…”

A rush of elated success lit a fire in Diego’s bones as he stood there, hands confidently anchored on his hips. After a full day of observing, it seemed to be the most logical answer, and pulling from his previous experiences with pregnant mares made it all the more obvious.

“I assume you were not intending on this happening,” Diego said, sounding more accusatory than he meant to.

Johnny neither confirmed or denied, but the way he placed a hand over his forehead and leaned against his cane was all the answer Diego needed.

“I’ve been so busy with the kids…” Johnny explained, his eyes staring off in the distance as he appeared to pull from recent memory. “I keep the mares away from the stallions unless I’m watching closely, but the other day George fell in the barn and I had to step away to help…”

“Happens,” Diego offered, shrugging. He brushed a gloved hand across the mare’s coat and gave her a little pat. Instinctfully, he wanted to lecture Johnny on the best ways to keep this from happening, but a flicker of maturity kept his lips sealed. Johnny was perfectly familiar with horses, and this was a blip in his otherwise decent track record. Children surely made things like this much more difficult to attend to.

Johnny looked at his mare, running his palm along her forehead as he stared at her lovingly, with unhidden guilt. He felt bad, Diego could tell. After all, horses weren’t the only thing he was exceptional at reading. Though honing in on the reasoning behind feelings was not quite his forte, Diego could sense that that guilt likely had something to do with pulling from a well that was already barren. Johnny had a lot on his hands, and he didn’t need to say that out loud for Diego to be aware of it.

“I… can keep her here,” Diego ultimately offered, surprising even himself when the words came out of his mouth. Did he have the room? No, but he would find room, just as he had last night. “I wouldn’t advise making a pregnant mare trek all the way back home.” It wasn’t great that she walked here already, he thought, once again keeping his critique locked away.

No thanks left Johnny’s lips, but the way he looked at Diego said it all for him. Sure, they were rivals to some degree and probably always would be, but the great thing about their long history together was that words often didn’t need to be said. Simple glances and gestures served as a language between the two of them, a wonderful asset for two people who struggled to be vulnerable with everyone, but especially each other.

“How far along is she?” Johnny asked, a flicker of joy present on his face now that he had an answer to the mystery and was saved from Diego’s criticism.

“Not sure, but I’ll be contacting a doctor to take a look at her,” Diego promised, “and we’ll be in touch.” He paused, then gestured towards Johnny. “With you, I mean.”

Relief loosened Johnny’s body language, and he made eye contact with Diego again, yet another ‘thank you’ hanging off the tip of his tongue and being lost to the wind. Diego could hear it, anyway, and in response he silently nodded and took the mare’s reins.

“I’ll get her a stall fixed up.” He paused, searching Johnny’s face for a moment before questioning if he should go ahead with his next offer. “I’m… making lunch later if you’d like to stick around,” outright niceness expired, he tacked on a few more words, “after all, you’d be exceptionally stupid to head home without a meal. Same for the horse you rode in on.”

And in yet another sign of personal growth, Johnny did not scoff and refuse the offer simply to make Diego look bad. Instead, he allowed a small laugh to slip through his blue-tinted lips and agreed. “I’ll stick around.” His own niceness also faded, as he too included an extra jab. “As long as it’s not rocks or something.”

“Oh, fuck off,” Diego mumbled, his younger self showing in a thick British accent as the two men headed into the stables. Sometimes, the past would bleed through, but the understanding that came with the present would always soften the blow.

[imeaae]

Lucy Steel holding a lamb

[scary-monsters]

me when i have a fic to post on ao3 after not posting any for two months 🥳🥳🥳🎉🎉🎉🎉🥰🥰🥰🕺🕺🕺

[alfazoings]

dinosaur march

[errantsquam]

i like feathered dromaeosaurs a normal amount