All the Pretty Little Horses
There's a ranch called Golden Hope, filled with beautiful horses and lush forests…and they say…that if you ever get lost or wander off the path…a golden angel will guide you back…
Chapter 4:
Three days later, Dark was the first to be ready, Daisuke had commented on how fast he saddled his horse, he just laughed and told the redhead that it came from practice, too embarrassed to confess that he wanted to see the blonde. To Krad's surprise, Dark was riding the black stallion with ease.
He raised a brow and asked with a little smirk playing on his lips, "So you've tamed the lord of the wild horses?"
Dark grinned with pride, "Yup! Have you saddled up Shiroi yet?"
"I will in a minute." He ran a hand over the stallion's muzzle.
The black horse whinnied happily as it nuzzled the blonde, Dark slid off and landed on the ground gracefully. Pulling on the reins gently as the horse got a little upset when the blonde headed into the stables, "Whoa, don't worry, he's coming back. Don't get all jealous now, he's not yours. You possessive horse."
The horse huffed and stared at the stables until Krad came back out with the white horse, he raised a brow, "What's the matter with him? He seems upset."
"It's nothing, he's just getting impatient."
Krad's lips curved up slightly, "Where are the other two?"
"Extra chores, they said that they'll catch up later."
"Oh, alright, shall we get going?"
Dark shrugged, inside, he was grinning like a maniac, "Sure."
They rode down the trail in silence, gentle winds blowing past them, ruffling leaves as it went. Krad tucked a couple strands behind his ear, admiring the scenery while Dark was admiring him. The cowboy stared at him in awe as the wind slipped through Krad's long golden hair with ease, his horse knickered at him, "Easy…"
Krad looked back, golden eyes shining, "This is amazing…"
"Aa, it's pretty isn't it?"
"Yea, absolutely breathtaking…"
Dark smiled to himself as he watched the blonde looking around as though trying to memorize all the details, the stopped abruptly, "We're here."
Krad raised a brow, they were in the middle of a trail as far as he was concerned, "Where?"
The cowboy grinned, "Paradise," he led Krad off the path and into a large field full of hay, the sun up and shining brightly.
The blonde gawked, "Whoa…"
Dark smirked proudly, "It's me and Daisuke's paradise, so far only you and creepy boy know about it."
His lips twitched, "Creepy boy?"
"Yup, Satoshi's name from me, honestly, I don't know what Dai-chan sees in him."
Krad stretched and looked up, "Love comes in all shapes and sizes, you never know where yours will be, apparently for Daisuke, it came with Satoshi." The way Dark talked so fondly of the redhead made Krad smiled, "Daisuke's like a little brother to you isn't he?"
Seeing the blonde smile made his heart thump twice as fast, "Yea, him and his parents are my only family left. My parents died in a car accident years ago."
"Oh…" He's just like me… "I'm sorry."
"S'okay, Dai-chan should be here soon."
Right on cue, the two popped up, "Dark! Krad-kun! We're here!"
"What took you?"
"We had to give an oral report to Kaa-san about the place and the food we're bringing."
"So…what did you bring?"
"A whole basket of stuff."
"Stuff being…"
"You'll find out later when it's actually time to eat."
Krad felt out of place, such closeness, it felt like he didn't belong there. They all seemed to close and happy together, he might've been mistaken for decoration. Dark looked over and grinned, the transparent feeling started to pass, "Hey, you wanna take a walk?"
The blonde shrugged and followed Dark, Daisuke smiled and waved after them, "Have a nice time!"
Then Satoshi called out, "Knock him out if he starts hitting on you!"
Krad hid a smile, but Dark, who was staring at him saw it, "Don't worry, I won't go that crazy."
"That's reassuring…" There was a strange happy feeling that Krad couldn't describe, he shrugged it off.
"So what's a rich city boy like you doing in a place like this?"
"Why do you always insist that I'm rich?"
Dark shrugged, "It costs a lot for people to stay here, so it's only natural to assume that they're filthy rich."
Krad smirked, "Don't you know it's bad to assume? And I'm not just anyone, I'm different…" his gaze fell to is feet, I'm different, so different…I'll never be able to be normal will I?
"No…I realized that you were different when my horse didn't attack you and the fact that the amount you eat is way below average."
"And what does that imply?"
"It implies that you're not the same as anyone else who visits here."
I'm the only onethat's dying here… "Sou…" They walked around aimlessly until the sun started setting, "You can't really see sun sets in the city…"
"Another reason why the ranch is better."
"Aa…"
"Maybe we should head back and see what kind of 'stuff' they brought."
Krad gave a little smile, "Hopefully it's edible."
Dark was watching him, he said mindlessly, "You look better when you smile…"
"What?"
Amethyst eyes widened, "Nothing! It'll be edible, Emiko checked it, very thoroughly I bet."
The blonde looked at him a bit longer, "…that's good, let's head back then."
"Sure." The two turned around and started walking back, soon the blue and red were in sight. They had everything set up, there were tons of choices, Dark gawked, "How much things can you stuff in that basket!?"
"A lot."
Krad blinked, Daisuke smiled at him, "Come on Krad-kun, dinner is served."
The blonde wasn't hungry but ate most of his share for the heck of it, "Oishii…"
Daisuke smiled happily, "That's good, I made it."
Dark grinned and fell over dramatically, "Crap! Food poisoning! Help! I'm dying!"
The redhead pouted, "Hidoi…"
Krad laughed, "You ate faster than any of us too."
"Because I was hungry!"
The three just laughed as Dark pouted. When nightfall came, the four had split up again, Dark and Krad had wandered away from the other two and were staring at the starts. Krad pointed upwards, "Look, a shooting star…"
"Whatcha gonna wish for?"
"No idea, you?"
To see you laugh and smile again, "For Risa to break a bone and not come."
Krad laughed, Dark beamed, hallelujah, wish come true! Now if only the second part of it came true…he looked back, the younger two were kissing under the stars. He pointed at them smirking, "They're getting hot, I always knew Dai-chan had it in him."
"Sou…do you really think we should be watching them and their little kiss?"
"I wish I had a camera…"
Krad just laughed again, "That's nice of you."
Golden eyes flickered to meet violet ones, they stared at each other, moving closer unconsciously. Then Krad blinked and turned away blushing while Dark mentally snapped his finger, so close! All he felt like doing was kissing the blonde until all the hollowness in his eyes disappeared. Was that so much to ask for!? Even a hug would do! Something, anything! Just so the blonde would open up and tell him what the hell was making him so miserable.
Krad looked down at his feet, his face felt hot, heart thumping rapidly in his chest. Their faces were within inches, a little bump or anything and they would've…he shook his head, it was best that he not think about it. Out of all times to start thinking about relationships. When that star fell, he really did have a wish, it wasn't to be free of his cursed disease, wishful thinking wouldn't get him anywhere. He wanted the rest of his life to go along as smoothly as it could, and if possible, with Dark. There was a part of him that felt like pouring out all his problems to the cowboy…if he ever finds out you can just say goodbye to everyone forever, they'll kick you out and banish you from this place.
The blonde shook his head again and erased the very thought, that was just about the stupidest idea he'd ever thought of, he mentally scolded himself.
"Oi you two! We should be heading back now!"
Dark called back, "You two done making out?"
"U-urusai!"
The cowboy laughed and glanced over at Krad, he smiled, "Come on, let's go!"
Krad nodded dumbly and followed him.
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A couple days later, a car pulled up at the ranch early in the morning disturbing Krad and his piano playing, he looked outside. Dark yelped, Krad looked over watching the boy jump and run away. Must be the evil girl from hell, he mused. It was a girl alright, two actually, twins, he wondered which one was the hellish one. He headed outside hearing a, "Hi! Hmm…I wonder where Dark-san is."
Then a, "Mou…Risa, is that all you can say?"
Krad headed for the stables, "I thought you'd be here…"
"I'm doomed…"
The blonde rolled his eyes, he went over to his white horse, "Oh no, it's the hellish ghouls from the city! Whatever shall we do?"
"In a couple days you'll be hiding from them too."
"I heard that one before, and why would I be hiding? It's you she's after."
"Oh thanks a lot."
"You're welcome, who's the other girl?"
"Oh, Riku-chan, she's neutral, no grudge against her."
"Dark-san!"
"Ah shit…"
Krad smirked, "I wish you good luck in the upcoming battle for life and sanity."
Dark sighed, "Fun, fun, fun…"
Suddenly a girl with long brown hair stepped into the stabled, "There you are!"
The cowboy gulped, Krad just watched from the sidelines, amused. Dark forced a smile, "R-Risa-chan! Good to see you!"
Risa smiled cheerfully, "I missed you Dark-san!"
Dark gave a nervous laugh, "Sou…"
The white stallion whinnied, Krad stroked its muzzle trying to calm it down, "It's okay…"
The girl snapped her attention to the blonde making him inwardly sweat, "Who's that?"
"Oh him, that's Krad."
Krad gave a little nod and turned back to the horse letting his breath out.
"New worker?"
"No, he's here on vacation."
"Oh…"
The blonde swallowed hard sensing the girl's disapproving glare drilling through his back. He grabbed the saddle and set it up, "I'll be taking Shiroi for a hike…see you…"
Dark's eyes widened, Krad was ditching him to face Risa all alone!? He wasn't going to get away that easily, "B-but…it's so early!"
Krad heard the franticness in his voice, he turned around raising a brow, "So…is it dangerous or something?"
His mind went crazy trying to think up reasons, "You might get lost…not to mention the ferocious and...wild animals…out…there…" In his head he imagined a rabbit, a dumb looking one too.
The blonde's eyes were shining with amusement, don't laugh, don't laugh…"Well alright then…why don't you come along incase I get 'lost' or something Mr. All-might-cowboy."
"Alright then, it's settled…" Dark wanted to kiss the blonde for rescuing him, he even ignored the little insult.
"I'll come too!"
"…don't you have to unpack? Rick-chan's going to get awfully upset…"
"Upset is right! You better help unpack before you start flirting with your Dark-san!"
A short haired girl appeared and dragged Risa away, "But-"
"No buts!"
Once they were gone, Dark gave a sigh of relief, "Thank god she's gone…"
Krad gave him a funny look, "Get lost with ferocious wild animals?"
"Shut up! I couldn't think of anything else!"
The blonde smirked, "Whatever you say."
"At least she's gone…"
"For now…" Krad reminded him.
"Thanks for reminding me of my foretold doom."
"Anytime," the blonde saddled up his horse and headed out.
"And where are you going?"
"Like I said, I'm going on a possibly 'dangerous' trail." He said with a laugh.
"Mock me will you!?"
"I will mock who I please."
Dark sighed, "Wait up for me." And Krad did just that, they went into the forest going around aimlessly, "I wish there was a Risa-chan free zone to sit and do nothing…"
"What about the field?"
The cowboy shook his head, "She almost found it last time, horrifying beyond words."
Krad looked up to think for a moment, the sky was covered in clouds, "Well there is this one place…"
He led Dark a little deeper into the forest until they came across a clearing, ruins of an old church stood before them. Dark looked around in amazement, "How did you find a place like this!?"
"Stumbled across it the other day."
"Whoa…" The stone walls were entangled with wines, wooden columns invaded by moss. Krad got off his horse and tied it up to a nearby tree, Dark followed. Together, they headed into the church where only a couple benches remained standing. "It's so peaceful…"
"Aa, this is where I go to contemplate."
"Contemplate what?"
"Stuff…"
"What stuff? Damn I'm sick of that word."
"Life, death, home…stuff…"
"Life and death?"
Krad nodded, "Do you find itstrange?"
"Not really, but why contemplate it?"
He shrugged, for reasons you'll never know… "Don't know."
"You're a weird one."
"So you've told me." Krad stretched out on the field of grass outside, "I'll be sleeping now, oyasumi."
Dark watched him, there was a serene look on his face, he resisted the urge to play with his long golden hair. Sighing, he flopped down beside him and a little content smile played on his face at how close they were, "I guess I'll be joining you then."
"Hn."
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Nya
The next chapter is finally up! XD Hmm...do I have anything to say? Wait...yes I do! XD Risa's finally arrived! The horror of it all XP Yes I don't like her...why? I just don't...
I'm sorry! I don't have enough time to put comments! :( I will the next chapter! Thank you to each and every single one of you who reviewed!!!! Oh my god I'm so sorry :( I have to go! Bye!