Chapter 10: A Date in Akashi Style

"You´ve got to be kidding me," Nijimura mumbled in disbelief, his gaze fixed on the huge animal in front of him. Sure, he was taller than the brown stallion, though not by much. Since he was over six feet tall, the horse´s height was more than a little bit intimidating.

"You have got to be kidding me," he repeated, fisted his hands and backed away from the big animal.

Akashi, from his spot on top of his own mount, felt a tiny smile curve his lips. "Are you alright, Nijimura-san?" he asked.

Steel grey eyes glared at him. "I am not getting on top of this thing, Seijuurou. I´ve never learned how to mount a horse, much less ride it."

"Which is why Kobayashi-san is there to help you." The redheaded nodded to the man standing by Nijimura. Said man was in truth the stableman at one of the Akashis´ northwest country properties. This estate in particular was kept for its vast green land and the horses the family raised. This was where Akashi always kept Yukimaru. It was also the place he had chosen for their second date.

A week and a few days had gone by since their innocent and enjoyable movie night. Due to the fact Akashi had his first exams looming up and Nijimura was doing extra tutoring to other first years, they hadn't had much time to meet outside of basketball practice. In one week, however, Akashi had received and sent more text messages than in his whole life. Nijimura had started of course, and Akashi didn't have the heart nor the will to stop it. It was a new and amusing experience. Plus, they weren't acting like high school freshmen in a light novel. Akashi hadn't spent every single waking moment glued to his phone; just a few moments before going to bed.

Friday afternoon at basketball practice Akashi had made a comment about how the two of then needed to have another date. Nijimura had never looked so happy before, and he asked what Akashi had in mind. The redhead had said he wanted to visit one of his family´s estate, have a quiet day out in the country, a picnic and Nijimura could even try to go horse riding.

And Akashi Seijuurou had kept his word.

Now, Nijimura was stuck with a huge brown horse and an attentive stableman willing to help him get on the damn animal while the redhead stared at him from his own huge and white pet. Because Akashi had said Yukimaru wasn't a mere horse but his dearest darling pet.

"Nijimura-kun?" Kobayashi inquired in his polite voice.

"I´m going, I´m going," the blackhead snapped, then flinched at his own words. He rubbed a hand over his face. "Oh, I´m sorry, Kobayashi-san. I didn't mean to snap at your or anything, but…"

"Your nervousness is understandable, Nijimura-kun. Most people aren't comfortable the first time they try to ride a horse. However, I do suggest you calm down. The horse will perceive your anxiety and he won´t be as docile as he is now."

"He´ll go nuts if I try to get on him. He´s a stallion for heaven´s sake."

"As is Yukimaru. Yet I mounted him with no problem at all," Akashi said.

"That animal is as old as you, Seijuurou, and you´ve ridden him since you were a kid. It´s different."

"Kuma is very friendly even with strangers, Nijimura-san. He will not give you any trouble at all."

"… Kuma?"

"It was a name Father chose." Akashi tilted his chin forward. "Now stop being a coward and get on the horse."

"Oh, I make you talk about your father and you tell me I´m a coward. Damn it." Nijimura stared at the horse –Kuma, the animal was named Kuma– and took a deep breath.

"What am I supposed to do?" he asked the stableman.

Kobayashi gave him an almost proud smile. "Take the reins, first of all," he said, handed Nijimura the leather straps and a hand on the young man´s shoulder.

Three minutes, ten curses and two failed attempts later, Nijimura was finally seated on top of Kuma. He was holding the reins tight between his hands. His posture screamed tension. Contrary to what the other two men could believe, he wasn't afraid… not of riding the horse anyway.

"If I fall off this guy I am going to die," he warned Akashi and Kobayashi.

The redhead rolled his eyes. He nodded to the peon, who walked forward and patted Kuma´s snout.

"If you don't want to die then calm down, Nijimura-kun. Kuma is very reliable. Masaomi-sama has done a good job taming him. He obeys the most basic orders."

"Meaning?"

"If you want him to move, say 'ha'. If you want him to stop, say 'ho'. Like I said, very simple."

"What if I want him to run?"

"He understands 'run'."

"Okay." Nijimura threw Akashi a glance. "I´m on top of this thing. Now what?"

The youngster let out a light chuckle. "Now let´s take a tour around the estate. Follow me, Nijimura-san." He pulled on Yukimaru´s reins. The white stallion went off at a slow and docile trot.

Kobayashi called, "Do you want me to go with him, Seijuurou-sama?"

"No. I am sure Nijimura-san will do fine on his own. Thank you for your help, Kobayashi-san."

The stableman looked at the blackhead, who pursed his lips, then nodded. "I just pull these straps and use those words, right?"

"Those are your survival tools. Any other question, I am sure Seijuurou-sama will help you."

"Thank you, Kobayashi-san."

Nijimura gulped, pulled the reins and muttered, "Ha."

Kuma started moving.

The blackhead felt himself dying as the horse took long and slow steps. True, this wasn't dangerous as of now, but he suspected any moment Kuma would start…

"We will take the long way," Akashi informed him when Kuma had caught up to Yukimaru.

Nijimura didn't tear his eyes away from the land in front of him much like he wouldn't take his eyes off the road if he were driving a car. "How long is this hellish trip going to take?"

"Why, Nijimura-san, I thought you had been enjoying our day together."

Despite the fact Akashi had made him get up a bit after five o´clock so they could make the two-hour ride to the country house, Nijimura had been having fun. They´d ridden there in one of the Akashi family´s limos –Nijimura would never let Akashi live it down–, had had a rather fancy and delicious breakfast and Akashi had given him a tour of the house while the two talked about nothing in particular. It was an elite-type of date, but Nijimura hadn't minded at all… until Akashi told him it was time they went horse riding.

"This day would have been perfect if you hadn't insisted we do this," he grumbled.

"You are doing very well since this is your first time doing this. I assure you the ride will be peaceful and enjoyable. Unless, of course, Kuma starts running."

Nijimura gave him a sidelong glance. "Please tell me you´re not going to yell that damn word and make this horse crazy."

Akashi´s dark red eyes shone with an evil gleam. "Let´s begin our ride," he said, and Yukimaru trotted a bit faster.

..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..

Nijimura began feeling carsick… er, horse sick halfway through this so called ride. Kuma hadn't run off once and it wasn't like the horse moved in a violent matter. Still, he was getting dizzier as the minutes t.

Akashi was unaware of this because he and the white stallion were riding about three feet in front of Nijimura. Since neither of them had felt the need to talk and now the elder was feeling a bit too queasy to speak, he hadn't voiced his problem yet.

He would do it soon if Kuma kept moving.

"Ho," Nijimura called so softly he almost didn't hear himself. Kuma didn't stop.

"Ho," he repeated. Nothing changed.

"Ho, damn it."

Kuma kept trotting.

Nijimura got mad.

"Oh come on, Kuma. I tell you to stop and you don't stop. Now, if I say 'run!' you´ll…"

Kuma snorted… and then he ran.

"For heaven´s sake!" the blackhead cried while he hung on for dear life as the stupid horse ran.

"Ho, ho, ho," he repeated over and over again. Panic was beginning to settle on the bottom of his stomach, and the dizziness was now overwhelming.

"Ho, Kuma. Ho!"

The horse kept on running while nickering like crazy. Even if it was a horse, Nijimura could tell Kuma was happy he was running instead of keeping the slow pace from before. However, Nijimura didn't feel like granting the dumb animal happiness.

"Ho, Kuma! Ho, damn it! HO!" he screamed.

Kuma didn't obey. The blackhead´s hands loosened on the reins, the jerky movements made him slide off the chair and he was sure he would hit the ground anytime…

He was airborne for a split second, this his body hit the grass underneath. His head bounced off the ground once before he ended up staring at the clear blue sky, stunned.

"Nijimura-san!"

The elder had never heard Akashi sound so scared.

'I´m fine' he wanted to say, but the words wouldn't come out. The truth was he didn't remember where his mouth was.

He felt a little bit numb.

Akashi´s worried face –he needed to photograph that expression– appeared above him.

"Uh…" he stuttered.

A hand landed over his mouth. "Do not speak, Nijimura-san. Your injuries are unknown at the moment, but since you did not lose consciousness I suppose there is no need to call an ambulance."

"I…"

"Please keep silent. Kobayashi-san will be here soon."

When had Akashi sent for the stableman?

Again, Nijimura would have spoken had he recalled where his lips were located. As it was, he blinked up at the blue sky and Akashi´s face. His head was beginning to throb, and his back… he was beginning to feel some pain even through the numbness.

He hoped he wasn't very hurt.

He´d been staring up at nothing for thirty-four seconds –he counted them in his head– when he heard quick footsteps.

"Seijuurou-sama, are you okay?!" Kobayashi and another male voice cried. Two more faces appeared above him.

"Kobayashi-san, Tsuburaya-san, I am fine, but I need someone to go find Kuma and someone else to help me get Nijimura-san back to the main house."

"What happened?"

"Kuma did not obey the orders he was given." God bless Akashi and his little understatement of things. Nijimura was sure the redhead knew he´d fallen off the freaking horse like the rookie he was, but at least he didn't make the blackhead look like an idiot in front of the two workmen even if the cause of his fall was obvious.

"… He ran off?" Kobayashi said.

"Yes."

"Uh-oh. Tsuburaya, go get him. I´ll help Seijuurou-sama and his friend."

More footsteps, then Kobayashi kneeling at his side.

"Nijimura-kun, do you think you can sit up?"

Nijimura blinked, managed one nod. He did an inner inspection on his own body until he could feel his hands. He laid them palm down on the grass, gulped and shoved himself upward. The throbbing in his head got worse, his arms were shaking by the time he was done, but he managed to sit up on his own.

"Nijimura-san?" Akashi said, tone soft.

Grey eyes fell upon him. The elder finally found his mouth. "What´s with the glum expression, Seijuurou? I´m fine."

"You are pale."

Oh. "It isn't a big deal. I was a bit shocked, nothing else. Look, I´m alright." To prove his point, he rolled onto all fours and tried to get his feet underneath him. His arms were shaking, his legs didn't feel like they could hold him. The throbbing in his head was getting worse…

Nijimura´s heartbeat sped up when Akashi slid under his arm and placed one of his own around the blackhead´s waist.

"You do not look good," the redhead commented, clasped Nijimura´s wrist with his free hand and pushed them both up. He managed to get Nijimura standing, but since he was holding a considerable amount of weight, he suspected if he let go Nijimura would fall to the ground.

That plus his squinted eyes and pale skin just made him suspicions worsen.

"Who would have thought falling off a horse straight to the grass would hurt so much? Isn´t grass supposed to cushion falls or something?" Nijimura muttered.

"Kuma is big even for a stallion, Nijimura-san, and he was running very fast. Yukimaru and I had a hard time catching up to you both. One moment, I could hear Kuma´s hooves behind me. The next, the two of you had left behind a trail of dust."

"Why didn't the horse stop? I kept yelling 'ho'."

"Did you pull the reins and nudge his side as well?"

The blackhead kept quiet, then: "How on Earth was I supposed to know I also had to do that?"

Akashi chuckled. "It is my fault for not giving you the more than necessary information." He turned to look over his shoulder. "Kobayashi-san, take Yukimaru back to the stables. I will drive Nijimura-san back to the house."

"Yes, Seijuurou-sama."

Drive? "Kobayashi brought a car?" he whispered as Akashi led him away from the stableman.

"Mmm, not a car per se."

Nijimura gave him a narrowed eyed glance. The redhead kept his gaze forward and began walking. The elder managed to get his feet moving by counting each step.

"Nijimura-san, my apologies," Akashi said while they walked.

"Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault."

"You did seem reluctant to ride a horse, yet I…"

"Stop right there, kid. You know what you´re doing?"

"I am… apologizing."

"Exactly. The Seijuurou I know doesn't have 'apology' in his vocabulary."

"As a matter of fact, I do know the definition of the word to…" Akashi began.

"You know what I mean," Nijimura cut off.

Silence, a few more steps, then, "I am trying to become a new man, remember, Nijimura-san."

"Don't overdo it."

The redhead stopped walking. Nijimura did the same and raised his head. He squinted at what he had in front. When his brain registered what it was, his mouth dropped to the floor.

"A golf cart? Just what is this place, Seijuurou? A freaking country club?!"

..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..

Akashi stood in the living room´s doorway with his arms crossed loosely over his chest. He waited while the elderly maid finished putting a bandage around Nijimura´s head. When she was done, she handed him a tiny bottle of pills and picked up the first aid kid she´d used.

"Is he very hurt?" the redhead asked her.

Nijimura rolled his eyes and snorted. She said, "He did bleed and he has a bump on his head, but nothing worse. Also, he may have a lot of back pain for the next few days."

"But he will be fine."

"I am fine," the blackhead called.

Akashi and the maid ignored him. "He will be soon enough, Seijuurou-sama. All he needs is to rest and not do any heavy work."

He nodded. "I will see to it."

Nijimura gave another snort.

"I have no doubt you will." The maid bowed in his direction. "I´ll take my leave now, Seijuurou-sama."

"Thank you for your help."

The maid gave another bow and left the room. Akashi walked over to Nijimura and sat next to him on the soft plush couch.

"You have a maid who´s a doctor?" were the first words out of the elder´s mouth.

"She was a nurse during her youth. When she had her third child she gave up her job. Her husband has administrated this estate since before my father took over the Akashi corporation, and she decided she would work for us as well. She could raise her children while being active even if it wasn't her first choice of work," he explained.

"Huh. I wouldn't have pegged you for someone who knew something about his underlings other than their names."

"My mother used to bring me here every weekend when I was a child. She spoke to everyone she could, asked many questions." A sad and small smile curved Akashi´s lips. "I listened to the questions and answers she was given as if spellbound."

Nijimura kept quiet for a couple of minutes before saying, "How long has she been gone?"

Akashi diverted his eyes. "Far too long," he replied.

The elder nodded at the clipped and somewhat hostile answer. He would have said the same thing if Akashi had asked him.

His grey eyes went down to the latter´s hands, which were resting on his lap.

A thought crossed Nijimura´s mind. He fought an inner battle before reaching out a hand of his own and laying it on top of Akashi, who didn't react at all.

Feeling suicidal, embarrassed and like a fifteen-year-old girl, he turned over the redhead´s hand and entwined their fingers. He gave a soft squeeze.

Akashi´s eyes widened. He turned to look at Nijimura, who was facing the other way trying to look nonchalant. He then stared at their linked hands. He couldn't help but smile.

"Is this where you are supposed to tell me everything is going to be alright?" he asked.

"I don't believe in such pointless reassuring words."

The youngster´s smile widened. He squeezed back, raised his free hand. "Nijimura-san?" he said.

The blackhead turned his head. Akashi laid his hand on his cheek and tilted his head upward.

Nijimura´s eyes went as wide as saucers when their lips met, but he didn't pull back. Instead, he kissed back.

Akashi´s lips were soft and closed under his own, much like very first kiss weeks ago. He moved his lips in a rather innocent matter, then the redhead´s parted.

Smiling to himself, Nijimura hugged Akashi to him and kissed him deeper. He hadn't done much until he felt Akashi fight back.

Of course he would want to win even this.

He figured it didn't really matter if Akashi wanted to lead in this… which is how he ended with his head against the back of the couch and Akashi´s face above his, a strong hand on his shoulder, and the kiss never broken.

When they did pull apart, Akashi stared down at him, his hand tightening on the elder´s shoulder.

"Does your back or your head hurt?" he asked.

Nijimura trailed the unattached hand over the youngster´s pale cheek. He rubbed his thumb over the somewhat swollen and royal lips.

"How many times to I have to tell you I´m fine?" he mumbled, then added, "No, no pain at all."

"Good." And then Akashi kissed him again.

..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..-'¨'-..

Due to Nijimura´s small accident, they couldn't go back to Tokyo that night. When Akashi went to ask the maid-nurse if she considered it wise to travel all the way back home in the smooth limo they´d taken there, she said it would be better if the wounded stayed put until at least tomorrow morning.

Needless to say, Akashi had called the trip off, had asked the other housemaids to prepare both of them their rooms for the night and had asked for a light dinner to be served.

Nijimura was both amused and highly embarrassed because of Akashi´s actions.

"You don't have to take care of me, you know. I´m a big boy and all that," Nijimura said when dinner was over, he was lying in his new bed and Akashi was sitting on the edge of the mattress.

"Why not, Nijimura-san? You always take care of others, myself included."

"Well, maybe, but it´s not the same."

"Why is it not?"

The elder rolled his eyes. "Taking care of you means keeping you from killing anyone. What you´re doing with me is different."

"I beg to differ."

"Of course you disagree." Nijimura closed his eyes for a moment. It wasn't like he was tired, and the pills the maid had given him had taken the pain away. Still, resting a moment couldn't be a bad…

"I´ll leave you now, Nijimura-san, so you can rest and we can go home tomorrow," he heard Akashi say, then he felt as long fingers smoothed his black hair away from his face.

He smiled without opening his eyes. "You don't have to leave."

Akashi hummed. "I think I do." Again, those fingers settled on the black strands and combed them carefully one last time before Akashi got to his feet and walked to the door.

"Seijuurou."

"Yes?"

"Good night, and thanks for such a unique date."

He looked over his shoulder at Nijimura, then faced forward again.

"You are most welcome, Shuuzou-san," he replied with slight amusement, then walked out and went to his own room.

To be continued…

Ah! Hi there! Not much to say about this chapter except… gosh, I can´t write anything but sickening fluff. :P I hope you liked it as aloof as it was. See, I just don't see these two going to the movies for a date or something like that. What with Akashi being Akashi… well, I´m sure you get the point. And contrary to what this chapter may reflect… Nijimura is one of my favorite characters hahaha. Thanks so much for reading!