Akihiko woke up to the delicious smell of food the next morning. He groaned and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, watching Misaki set the food on the table.

"You made all of this?"

"Yeah," Misaki said meekly. "Help yourself, I guess." I must have made him angry, yesterday...

Akihiko eyed the food suspiciously, having never eaten commoner's food before. Upon tasting it, his eyes widened slightly. This is good...

Misaki took his seat across from Akihiko, who watched Misaki quickly gobble up his share of the food. "Don't feel the need to rush yourself," he told the prince.

"Hmm?"

"I just need to do something. I'll be back in a couple of hours, so stay put. There's plenty to do in-"

"Where are you going?"

"Out hunting."

"I'm coming with you."

Misaki turned around. "No, you're going to stay here."

I'm a prince. I'll do whatever I damn well please. "Why's that?"

"Because whether you like it or not, I'm supposed to protect you, remember? It's better if you stay put. Besides, you might scare away my prey if you're too loud."

"I'll be quiet, then," Akihiko replied surely.

"No means no, Usagi-san."

"Alright." Akihiko sighed in defeat, watching as Misaki retreated.

"It's okay, Usagi-san. I'll be back in time to make dinner."

"Don't get too worried about me now," Akihiko said with a smirk.

Misaki glared back at Akihiko from within the trees. "I won't!"

Watching the lithe figure retreat into the unfamiliar forest, Akihiko decided to follow him anyway. I might scare away his prey? Tch. I bet he won't even notice I'm here. His curiosity got the better of him and he trailed behind the younger boy from a distance, making sure to keep his footsteps silent. This forest was so much taller and more dense than his own familiar one surrounding the castle property. It fascinated him how he had always admired the depth and volume of his own, and yet this one seemed so much more vast in comparison.

He followed Misaki for some time, confident that the latter hadn't noticed his shadow stalking him. As Misaki bent down to examine some tracks on the ground, the wind blew through the trees and he admired how soft the boy's dark brown hair looked as it fluttered. Misaki looked up and continued in a more westward direction, Akihiko some distance behind. It had been around half an hour when Akihiko noticed the ground sloping down into a valley, where there was a river clearly audible down below. He heard the rush of the trickling water before he saw it, and sure enough there was a herd of deer drinking leisurely from the thick-running river.

He stood still and stepped slightly out of his hiding spot behind a tree, so he could have better sight of Misaki. He's concentrating too much to notice me. Akihiko watched in curiosity and with a bit of awe as Misaki gracefully drew a shaft from his quiver and sighted down the arrow. He's able to shoot from this distance?

Suddenly, to Akihiko's surprise, Misaki turned on his heel and within less than a second, the arrow was aimed at him. He stared at the frighteningly angry look on the boy's face and staggered back in shock at having been discovered. "T-Takahashi-kun, calm down, I can explain-"

Misaki's face hardened. "Don't move, Usagi-san!"

Akihiko stiffened in fear as he saw Misaki's hand draw back further, increasing the tension of the string. What's he doing?! Is he going to shoot? I thought he was my bodyguard! Maybe I was too mean to him? In that moment, several things ran through his mind, but last of all, those soft green eyes flashed before him. He wouldn't hurt me.

Misaki loosed the arrow, and it took all of Akihiko's self control to prevent himself from moving even an inch. His eyes widened as he felt it whiz just past his neck, and a loud grunt from behind him made him turn to look.

"Oh my god," he said breathlessly as a man staggered out from behind another tree just a couple of feet from him, clutching at the arrow buried in his neck. A dagger fell from his hand, and the man slumped to the ground.

"Usagi-san!" Akihiko stiffened again as his nickname was called, seeing Misaki run up to him. "Are you alright!?" His young bodyguard's vibrant eyes were wide with worry, and he hurriedly patted the taller man down to inspect him for injuries. "He didn't get you did he?"

Akihiko fell to his knees, shaking. I didn't even notice… he was right there… he could have… "Takahashi-kun…"

"I'm sorry for letting him get so close to you! I really am! There was never a good time for me to get rid of him, and I didn't know he was so close…"

He's apologizing for that? He just saved my life… Akihiko was too stunned to say anything and simply nodded, his arms reaching out to grasp the boy who was examining him in such a frenzy. "I… I'm fine…" he rasped out. An impulse overwhelmed him and he pulled the smaller boy into his arms, burying his face in his warm chocolate hair.

Akihiko felt the warm body he was embracing become rigid. "Umm… Usagi-san? Are you really okay?"

"I'm fine, just let me stay like this for a while… please…"

"O-okay…"

"Thank you…" he whispered softly, feeling the rapidly beating heart of the other man.