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 9:
"Dark?"
Dark gave a sheepish grin, "Hey…surprise?"
A sudden wave of fear swept over the blonde, he felt his breath get caught in his throat, "W-why are you here?"
"For a visit? Your leaving was just so sudden and…well, I just thought I'd drop by for a visit. Do you mind?"
Krad blinked, then he shook his head, "N-no, of course not!"
The cowboy paused for a moment to study the blonde, he had become skinnier, paler and looked like he hadn't slept for ages. Dark blinked, but that didn't really matter, it was Krad, it was really Krad, he smiled, "I'm glad…"
The blonde felt a familiar feeling coming back to him at the sight of the other's smile, "Will you be staying the night?"
Dark blinked and looked a Riff, "I couldn't…"
"It's okay Dark, we have guestrooms here."
"Sure, if you insist Krad." He gave a little grin, "The last time I remember, I was being the host, not you."
Krad chuckled, "Well we're not at the ranch now are we?"
"No, apparently not."
Riff gave a little smile and headed into the kitchen and returned with the blonde's dinner, "I'll go get the guestroom ready."
The blonde nodded, "Thank you."
The butler just smiled and left the room, "I see your appetite hasn't improved."
"No…it hasn't."
"You left us all worried you know…Daisuke was going frantic…"
Golden eyes cast down at his food, "Aa…I'm sorry…"
Dark gave a sigh, "Well, I know how you can make it up to him."
Krad looked up, "What do you have in mind?"
"You could call him."
He blinked, "Sure…"
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"Krad-kun? Is that you?"
"Aa…"
"Why didn't you tell us you were leaving?"
"I'm sorry, it was kind of sudden…"
"It's okay, but I never got a chance to say goodbye or thank you."
Golden eyes blinked, "Thank you for what?"
"For helping me out! If it weren't for you I would've never gotten over Harada-san."
"You're welcome then. I have no idea what you saw in her but that's your opinion not mine."
The redhead giggled over the line, "You sound like Dark-kun!"
Krad couldn't help but smile, "Do I? He's here, you want to talk to him?"
"Yea sure."
He handed the phone over to the cowboy, "Hello?" Seconds later he held the phone an arms length away from his ear and winced at the harsh tone of Emiko, when there was a pause he hastily said as much as he could, "Yea I know I'm sorry it took me longer than I thought so I was just kind of caught up-…yea I know, yea, I'll call next time, thanks, bye." He hung up and sighed, "I'm never getting her worked up again…"
The blonde smirked, "Thank god she took it out on you and not me."
"Why would she take it out on you?"
"I've caused so much trouble at the ranch."
The cowboy cupped his face and looked him in the eyes making him blush, "You did no such thing." Then he captured the blonde's lips in a light kiss, "If anyone's a trouble maker it's Daisuke."
Krad gave a soft laugh, "Why Daisuke? You're not all that innocent yourself."
Dark grinned, "No I'm not but neither is Dai."
"Can't really blame him though, he's grown up around you."
"Is that supposed to be an insult?"
"Maybe…" The cowboy gave him a peck on the cheek, Krad blinked, "What was that for?"
"I was starting to miss your insults."
"I missed you too."
"Krad…is it true you're sick?" Krad's smile faded, he gave a slow nod, "Can you tell me?"
The blonde released his breath silently, "…tomorrow."
"Alright, tomorrow then."
Riff came back into the room, "Your room is ready Master Dark."
"Thanks, I'll be going to sleep then, you won't forget tomorrow right?"
Krad gave a nod, "Goodnight."
Dark smiled, "I'll see you tomorrow."
"…what do I do, Riff?"
"Just tell him, I'm sure he'll understand."
"But…"
"Rest now Master Krad, it'll be better tomorrow."
"Yea…you're probably right. Sorry for overreacting."
"It's quite alright, goodnight Master Krad."
"Thank you Riff, goodnight." He headed upstairs to his room and crawled under the covers but that night he didn't get much sleep. He looked out at the door to the balcony listening to the rain pour, would he really understand?
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Amethyst eyes stared at the ceiling, I'm actually here…in Krad's house…I haven't seen him in so long… He felt his eyelids grow heavy, I wonder what's wrong with him, I want to help him…so…much…his thoughts drifted away at his eyes closed and sleep overcame him.
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Dark awoke to a very familiar tune, he sat up and smiled groggily momentarily thinking that he was still at the ranch, but when he looked around he remembered exactly where he was, he changed and left the room to where the music was coming from. He poked his head through the door to find the blonde sitting at the piano, he smirked and snuck behind him, the moment the song was finished he wrapped his arms around the others.
Krad gave a startled jump and turned his head, "Dark?"
"Good morning."
Golden eyes blinked, "Good morning."
Then out of nowhere he sighed, "You're so mysterious, Krad. I know next to nothing about you."
"I'm not a very interesting person…"
"That's not true."
"What do you want to know?"
Dark smiled, "Everything."
"Well my parents died in a car crash when I was little and Riff was all I had ever since. He's been the one who took care of me so he's like a father to me…and I've never really had much friends because I never spoke much and tended to…shy away as the adults worded it."
He paused, the cowboy gave a soft smile, "It's okay, you can tell me…"
"The reason I ended up at the ranch was because I wanted a vacation, probably my last…I have AIDS Dark…"
Amethyst eyes blinked as a frown marred his features, he wasn't exactly sure what AIDS was aside from the fact that it was incurable and usually came from passing of bodily fluids, "What-how…?"
Krad sighed he was going to have to answer it one time or another, "The only guess I have is that when I was around seven or so…I was walking home from school and well, I ended up in an alley that I usually took for a shortcut but there was a gang there…and they…" He couldn't finish.
Dark frowned and tightened his embrace, "Did you really think I would leave you because of that?"
"But I-"
"I came all the way here just to see you, I wouldn't have done that for anyone else! All I could do when you left was stare into space wondering how you were doing, wondering when I would get to hold you again, I must admit I was pissed off at first when I first found out that you left…then the more I thought about it the more I realized…I love you Krad."
Golden eyes widened as he stared at the ranger, "Dark…"
"I don't want to be away from you ever again." Intense amethyst eyes looked him in the eyes, "I really mean it."
"I know you do…"
Dark smiled and caught the blonde in another kiss, "I love you Krad…"
"I love you too."
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After that day, the two had become inseparable, Riff smiled as he watched the two walking around in the garden, he hadn't seen the blonde smile like that since his parents died. He turned around, heading back to the kitchen to prepare their meal, humming a light tune.
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"Krad…"
The blonde blinked, he was getting ready to go to bed, he looked over only to find Dark staring at him, "Yea?"
"You've never really experienced the pleasure of having a lover have you?"
"Dark, you know I can't-"
"I don't care about that…"
Golden eyes blinked, "What?"
He was caught in a kiss and shoved onto the bed, "Let me show you…"
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Amethyst eyes opened, to find Krad watching him, "Why'd you do it?"
"What?"
"Why? You know very well what the consequences are! Why'd you go and do it?"
Then he realized that there were tears running down the blonde's cheeks, "Krad…"
"Do you want me to die knowing that I've taken your life away from you as well?"
Dark sighed and pulled on his boxers, wrapping his arms around the blonde he whispered, kissing the tears away, "No, I don't want you to go with guilt, this was my choice and mine alone. I'd rather die than to live in a world without you Krad."
"Why…?"
"Because you're my life…"
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Golden eyes opened and watched the figure beside him then stared at the ceiling, he still felt terrible, he loved Dark, but not enough to go and kill him. That's what he felt like, he felt like a murderer, murdering his lover. Suddenly an arm was wrapped around him, "Go to sleep…"
Krad gave a small smile and closed his eyes, snuggling against his lover.
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Dark frowned, he could see that the blonde was getting weaker with each passing day and couldn't help but feel like he was being selfish, he wanted the blonde to stay around forever despite his pain, it was all because of his greed, he was greedy and couldn't deny it. He had called Daisuke the other day to do his weekly report to Emiko while the blonde rested, it pained him to hear the redhead cry over the phone.
"Dark?" Boney arms wrapped themselves around his waist, he placed his own on top of the hands and turned around, "Something's bothering you…"
"Am I being selfish Krad?"
"Why?"
"I want you to be there forever and I don't want to leave you alone, not ever…"
He felt the blonde smile, "I don't think you're selfish, by any means, stay forever if you want."
"I never want you to leave me…"
"Don't worry, I'll wait for you when I get there." He didn't need to mention exactly where he was going.
The cowboy turned around and gave the other boy a kiss, he had finally been able to accept the fact that the blonde wasn't going to be around for very long, "You better not run off with some other person while you're there."
"I won't, you're the only one for me, now and forever."
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Krad had begun to spend more time in bed, Dark didn't ever object, he stayed by the bed until the blonde had fallen asleep then was left to wander the house by himself, he often found himself staring at the artwork that his family, generations of artists had painted. He had become familiar with the house and town, after all, he had been there for several months now.
That night he retired in his room, their room, he crawled under the covers and wrapped his arms around the slender form who stirred awake, "Dark?"
"Did I wake you?"
Krad shook his head tiredly, "I woke up a bit ago."
"Oh, can't sleep?"
"Not really, I was waiting for you."
"I'm sorry…"
The blonde turned around and faced the cowboy and gave him a kiss, "You must be tired."
"Not really, just walked around most of the day, you seem more tired than me."
"Do I?"
"Yea, get some sleep."
"'Kay…"
Dark gave him a final goodnight kiss, "Goodnight, I love you." That had been what he said every night, not knowing what to expect the next day.
"I love you too…"
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Amethyst eyes opened slowly, "…Krad?" He blinked when there was no response from the figure in his arms, "Krad?" He felt his heart skip a beat as his eyes widened, Krad wasn't breathing.
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Nya
Bumbumbum! I'm sleepy >.O And it's only 1:30 in the afternoon :S how strange...now you know how Krad got AIDS o.O Sorry if this seems rushed, I thought it might to boring for you people if I dragged it out >.> And yes I lobe writing cliff hangers, and I only like reading them when the person updates soon XP Though I can't really complain now can I? XD so yea...enjoy!