The Merchant Granny

by Kezzikun

"It was late into the evening... when my world was changed. There, right in front of my shop, stood a tall and thin boy in a white jacket splattered with blood." This is a story of Kaname's early days after Rido attacked the Kuran Mansion. This is NOT an OCxKaname. YuMe. One-shot. 'PART III - TVK/TVQ Bonus'

A/N: Hey there everyone. This is a story told by the POV of an older woman who is a merchant in town where the VK cast lives. It's her experience with Kaname after Rido attacks the Kuran mansion when he and Yuuki are still children. It is by no means a sort of OC x Kaname, so never fear.

Note to my existing readers: This is Granny from TVQ! Since so many people liked her, I decided to give her a one-shot. :D If you have NOT read the last chapter of TVQ (titled "Epilogue") then I highly recommend reading that first. Otherwise, spoilers. If you don't care about spoilers, then read on.

Note to new readers: It's helpful to know the world that I created in my stories that are TVK and TVQ, but it's not required. Some of the scenes may or may not make sense, but you can definitely consider this as a stand-alone story.

Disclaimer: Vampire Knight is owned by Matsuri Hino.

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I thought it'd be like any other winter. Nothing but the usual merchandise I sell laid out for display; people walking around—some looking to buy things, others just out for a stroll, a few on dates and holding hands. I thought it'd be the same old bickering I'd hear between two of the other merchants who always fought over each of them crossing over their line and impeding onto the other's 'spot'.

Boy, was I wrong.

What started off like a typical day didn't end that way. Yeah, I had my goods out and was happy enough to have sold some of it. Yeah, I had my heavy winter coat on with the hood up, enjoying the feel of the faux fur tickling my old and wrinkled face. Yeah, I still blew out hot breath just to see it against the cool air. And yeah, my joints hurt like a bitch in heat from the dry weather.

But that's where the routine ended.

It was late into the evening and I was packing my products back into their respective boxes when my world was changed. There, right in front of my shop, stood a tall and thin boy in a white jacket splattered with blood. The sleeves of his jacket were completely red, all the way up to the elbows. He stood motionless as he stared at the colorful objects sitting on deep blue velvet.

He had an aura about him that screamed royalty. His back straight, shoulders squared, chin up, calm, quiet, an angelic face. An inner glow seemed to want to shine out from him, but it seemed like something had happened that made the light dim until it was almost snuffed out entirely.

And unlike other royals I'd encountered in my long life, he was different. He didn't seem snobby or entitled, nor did he come off as arrogant. Never mind all the blood he was covered in...

His face, though beautiful even for what seemed like his young age, gave me the impression that there were hundreds of secrets that he was keeping that he dared not speak of. It wasn't like he openly frowned, but there were minuscule impressions that I knew all too well. His brows were slightly too tense, his lips slightly too thin, his eyes slightly too aware of his surroundings.

What stood out the most to me were his eyes, though. Minus the rare wine-like color they were that seemed to suck you in—something I'd never seen before—there was an undeniable and overwhelming sadness to them. Like he had lost everything that was dear to him in a tragedy that was unfair to happen to anyone, let alone a child. It was a sadness that I had thought would be impossible for a young boy to express; though it was obvious to me that he was trying to hide it.

I dropped the hair pins and grabbed my cane, leaning into it as I looked around to see if anyone else had noticed him. The streets were thinned because of the time and those who were left were busy packing up their own things. Many people didn't brave the streets anymore when the sun went down and darkness kissed the land. There were rumors, you see... Rumors of night crawlers, as I like to call them.

It happened from time to time. The population and land would be at peace and things would go well, then suddenly there would be a burst of incidents that drove fear into the people's hearts. Although things were good for the last ten years, recent deaths matched the same methods used previously: torn necks, bodies drained dry of blood.

Night crawlers.

Did this boy standing in front of me, transfixed on the vibrant jewels, get attacked by those creatures? Was he hurt? Where did he come from and where did he belong?

"Boy," I called out, trying to grab his attention.

He didn't respond. I took a step closer, holding onto my cane and grabbing the edge of the table for more support. I'm old, you know! The snow makes the ground slick! I tried different approaches to make him snap out of his stupor before anyone else noticed his attire.

"Sir? Your Royal Highness? Lord?" Nothing had an effect on him.

"Hey Granny! Whatchya got there?"

Taichi, one of my best merchant friends, approached my rented space at the market. He had a bundle of cloth under one large arm. Some thought he was fat, but really he was just large. In his early fifties with thinning hair, his overbearing height, round belly and meaty fingers hindered anyone from messing with him. His bushy brows made it seem like he naturally always wore a scowl, but he was actually quite happy most of the time.

I would have accepted his company any day but I felt the need to protect the boy in front of my table of goods from all eyes. He seemed... vulnerable.

"Oh, brother..." I sighed under breath, not really knowing what to do to stop Taichi from coming over without making it obvious.

The boy's head jerked up to look at me. To say I was surprised was an understatement, but the desperation that flashed over his face for a fraction of a second before disappearing into an emotionless mask after he realized he was standing in front of me, an old and hunched over woman, was heart breaking.

Was he a brother to someone? Was the blood on his clothes and cheek from someone that he cared about that he lost? This boy was surrounded in a shroud of mystery. I fell into his never-ending gaze, falling deeper and deeper into the tunnel of darkness as I stared into his eyes, getting swallowed by his depression in the process. Something inside of me ignited. A protective urge overwhelmed me.

I raised my cane up and pointed it at my friend.

"Taichi!" I shouted. The poor man stopped in the middle of the street and waited with a surprised look on his face. "Get back to work and finish packing up your wares! Hurry and get home before it gets too dark and your family worries about you."

"Uh, o-okay." He turned, looking confused and frowning, but turned back. "Is that boy giving you trouble? Are you okay?"

I stomped my cane onto the ground, packing the snow underneath it. With a raised fist, I shook it at him as menacingly as possible.

"Are you talking back to me right now?! Go on, get! Shoo! How dare you disrespect an elder!"

"No, no, I'm sorry! I'm going! Call me if you need anything!"

I watched until he went back to his stand and continued packing his things. I'd have to apologize to him later, but for now, I needed to sit down. The trepidation of yelling at someone made my heart pitter-patter and made me light headed.

The boy was still staring at me, watching silently without an ounce of emotion showing on his face. I sat down on the small stool behind me and rested my cane in between my legs, leaning into it as I smacked my lips together in thought.

"Show me your hands, boy."

He did without question, raising them palm up. They were covered in a layer of dried blood. I waived a dismissive hand at him and closed my eyes as I shook my head.

"No, no. That won't do. Go there and wipe them clean. You can't touch my products when you're covered in blood."

I pointed at a pile of snow. Without question, he followed my orders and crouched down, cupping snow and wiping his hands against it. He repeated the process until his hands were relatively clean and returned, standing in front of the table again.

"Let me see them now." He showed me and I nodded my approval. "Very well. Good, good. Go ahead and start packing stuff."

I waved my cane above the remaining products sitting on the table and watched as he listened, picking up a small box and removing the cover for it from underneath itself, closing it and setting it aside. He repeated the process until everything was boxed, then walked around the table and started packing it into a crate.

His movements were almost mechanical in nature, like he was an empty doll or robot executing the command that his program had initiated. Sometimes words meant nothing and silence was better. I'd ask him, eventually, what was wrong but for the time being, the more appropriate course of action was to keep him preoccupied with work so his thoughts wouldn't wander back to the darkness that seemed to call him.

When he was done packing, he stood next to the crate and looked at the ground in silence. I shook my head and stood, leaving the market place and going in the direction of home. I walked with the assistance of my cane, taking careful steps so as not to fall in the snow because let me tell you, I've done that before and it hurts.

After going only a short distance, I stopped and looked over my shoulder. The boy stood in his original spot in the daze that seemed to keep pulling him back in.

"Well, come on then, boy! I don't have all night. Grab the handles to the cart and bring my stuff!"

Again, he did as ordered. He remained two steps behind me as he followed me home. My house is small and cozy, nestled at the end of a street. The insides were simple in nature. There weren't many things to create clutter; only a few pieces of furniture and things like that. After all, I live alone with no family, so what's the point of having too much stuff? You think I have all day to sit and dust it all?

The boy unpacked the crate from the stroller after I gave him some more directions. I went into the kitchen and warmed two bowls of soup, then placed them on the small, wooden dining table with spoons and cups of water. I sat, sighing in relief now that I was finally home, and started to eat. After my third spoonful of potatoes and carrots, I stopped and looked at him.

"Are you going to stand there by the door the whole night? Don't worry, I won't hurt you. Come then, come and eat." He listened and sat down across from me, staring at the bowl of soup and watching the steam from it rise. "Well, go ahead, eat. Aren't you hungry?"

If he really was royalty, then perhaps the meal itself was below him. Or perhaps he dealt with assassination attempts often.

"It's not poisoned or anything. I have bread if you'd like." He didn't reply or move, so I grabbed my cane from against the wall and used it to stand. "Alright, alright, I'll get you a piece of bread to go with it."

"No," a quiet and monotone voice said. "This is fine."

I sat back on the bench and looked him over, watching as he slowly picked up the spoon and started to eat carefully, not opening his mouth much. For such a young child, he already had dark circles around his eyes. The rims of his eyes looked red, like he'd cried for all his life. His hair was barely touching his shoulders, but it was a mess with small chunks of... something... in it. Did I want to ask what? Probably not.

What should have normally been an all white coat and white scarf was instead tinted mostly pink and almost black where most of the blood had saturated it and dried.

"Just what in the world happened to you, boy?" I asked without realizing, feeling the weight of his pull.

Even silent and eating, the protective strings in my heart were tugged. I wanted to reach out and hug him, to comfort him and tell him that whatever was bothering him would be okay. But I dared not. Not when I didn't know anything about him. And certainly not when the aura around him told me it wouldn't be okay.

He stilled before putting the spoon back down. He raised his head and looked at me. His dead gaze made my chest hurt.

"Everyone I care about has been ripped away from me in one night."

My nose stung as I tried not to cry at his words. Even though he remained monotone, the pain behind those words were still portrayed and imprinted onto me.

"You don't have anyone to go home to?" I asked him, hopeful that perhaps he still had some sort of family left somewhere.

He shook his head. "I am alone now."

"Aright, then." I waived my hand at his bowl, wanting him to continue eating and needing to change the subject somehow. The more he spoke about it, the more it seemed that a cloud of gloom surrounded him. "Eat, eat, before it gets cold."

When he had finished his bowl, I pushed mine toward him. My appetite had left me. Besides, it seemed he needed it more than I. I waited until he was almost done with the second serving before speaking again.

"Well, what shall I call you then? I can keep calling you 'boy' if you'd like." I looked him over once more, feeling the sense of his background. "Although I don't think that seems appropriate. Up to you though."

He paused and took on a contemplative look, as if he were weighing the pros and cons of telling me his real name.

"My name is Kaname," he finally answered.

Strange. I hadn't heard of the name before. Maybe he was a royal from a far away place in Japan.

"Kaname, great. And how old are you?" He pursed his lips and looked at me. I waived my hand dismissively again. "Never mind then, if you wish not to answer."

With a little bit of hesitation, he replied. "Ten."

My heart sank. The poor boy was only ten?! Yet everything about him shouted that he was much older; as if he had experienced thousands of years worth of pain and loneliness.

"Ten, you say? I see."

I looked up at the ceiling and thought. How could the fates be so cruel to someone so young? Was the world truly that vicious?

"How old are you?" he asked.

I laughed. "Much older than you, don't worry."

A small yet sad smile barely touched his lips as he looked away. "I highly doubt that," he whispered.

"Well, I'm certainly older than ten!" I laughed again, smacking my lips together. "Alright, come now. Let's get you cleaned up. You can wash yourself, can't you?"

I showed him the way into the bathroom, handing him some towels and closing the door. Entering my room, I searched through the closet for some of my late husband's clothes. They'd be much too large for Kaname, but they were better than wearing what he currently had. Tomorrow, I'd have to ask Taichi for some of his son's clothing. At least until I could go and buy him some new things.

The rest of that evening went without a hitch. Neither he nor I spoke. We sat in the living room by the fireplace in silence as we both stared into the flames. My thoughts kept going around in circles, wondering what to do with him and wondering about his wounded heart. As the night progressed, I became more and more tired, but every time I glanced at the poor boy, he seemed just as awake as before.

"Looks like you have more energy than I. Or maybe it's because I'm old." I stood, leaning on my cane again, and stopped in front of him. "I've showed you where the blankets are already, so sleep and get some rest. I'll be there if you need me." I pointed toward my bedroom with my cane, then left him.

The next morning, I woke before the sun rose. It was a side effect of my age, always waking up right before or at dawn. I checked on Kaname before leaving. I didn't know how long he'd been asleep for, but it didn't seem like a restful sleep. His face was anything but calm. Brows were scrunched and his hands were making fists.

"Mother, Father, please," he seemed to beg. "Yuuki..."

Mind you, I debated on waking him. Be it this night or the next, your demons will always come chasing you and it appeared that Kaname had many. If I woke him now, he'd only dream about it again the next time he slept.

But when he whispered the female's name, and as I watched a tear run down his temple, there didn't seem to be any room for any options other than forcing him to wake. It seemed he needed a reprieve, no matter how temporary, from the nightmare he was drowning in. The one word was drenched with such fear and longing that it scared me.

How? How could a mere boy have such powerful emotions that seemed to move me at every turn? The rawness behind him seemed like he was way beyond his years.

"Kaname, wake up."

I nudged his shoulder. It was a mistake that I quickly learned to never repeat. It must have startled him because his eyes snapped open. They were filled with deadly hatred. I didn't know how it was possible, but his hand shot out with speed that I'd never seen before and grabbed mine forcefully.

It hurt, of course. Never mind that my hands are wrinkled and bony; I'm sure even Taichi would have been in pain. That alone surprised me.

If there's one thing I've learned through my long life, it was to never startle a wounded animal.

Kaname was every bit the wounded animal right then. Instead of trying to pull my hand away or shouting in pain, or instead of hitting him so it'd force him to release me, I simply stood there and waited, trying to bear the pain and prevent myself from making all the ouchie noises I wanted to.

"It's alright now, Kaname," I told him calmly. "You're safe now."

His lip twitched before it seemed like he realized he was no longer dreaming. The brows that were in an angry 'V' shape trembled before smoothing, his eyes gained a sort of consciousness only those fully awake could have, and his mouth opened slightly. He immediately released my hand, jerking his back to his side.

He sat up, pulling himself into the corner of the couch as he stared at his hands in fear.

"Don't worry, I'm alright. There's no need to be scared of yourself."

I sat in my rocking chair on the opposite side of the room, separating myself from him and giving him room to breathe. I stared at the wooden floor as I tried to remain calm and massage away the pain in my hand and wrist.

This boy, this seemingly broken boy who was scared of himself, was a night crawler.

When he had opened his mouth, I saw them. I was standing right above him, after all, so how could I not see those pristine white and sharp fangs?

"You know," I started, still staring at the ground and twisting my cane back and forth, "there's this legend, you see." I could see from the corner of my eye that he placed his hands down and looked in my direction.

"The legend speaks of angels and demons and eternal damnation. That one of God's greatest warriors had fallen from grace, but that his sin was too great for him to be merely stripped of his golden wings and exiled into Hell.

"No; instead, God would curse his beloved angel and cast him down to Earth to live all of eternity with his burden. That angel had turned to darkness and betrayed God in a way that couldn't be forgiven. The extent of the angel's betrayal is unknown, but one of the last things he did was spill an endless amount of human blood because he thought they were below him.

"God could have forced him on Earth without the curse, but then I suppose he'd never learn anything that way. His curse would force him to become dependent on the very creatures he hated and saw as insignificant.

"And so the first vampire was born.

"You see, don't you? He was forced to rely on humans and their blood to survive. The very thing he hated most. He wasn't alone, that angel. There was a sort of rebellion, and all those that followed that angel rather than God were given the same fate; all cursed and cast down to Earth. Or so the legend says."

I waived a hand and shrugged. "If you choose to believe the legend, that's up to you. Me, yes, I believe. I've seen them before, you see."

Kaname said nothing. I finally looked at him, leaning into my cane, and stared directly into his now emotionless face.

"Vampires, Kaname. Night crawlers. Have you heard of this legend?" I waited, but he didn't reply. "When you weren't even born, I was happily married to a sweet man. We'd been married a long time and we lived in another village then. I couldn't bare him any children, but he didn't seem to care or fault me for that. He still loved me and stayed by my side instead of leaving me and finding another woman to continue his family line.

"Then one night, night crawlers stumbled upon us. They attacked and I was badly hurt." I lifted my cane for emphasis. "It's why I have a hard time walking now and use this cane. Masato, my husband, was killed. He died protecting me. I don't know how he managed it, but he killed those two night crawlers... only to end up dying in my arms a few minutes later.

"I woke up several weeks later at a healer's home. When I tried to tell people about what happened, they didn't believe me, you see. Creatures that crawl the night? Drinking human blood? Why would they believe that? It sounds crazy, doesn't it?

"It was a stigma from that point on. Everyone called me crazy and turned their backs on me. So, I packed up my things and left. I moved to this town and started new, never telling anyone my name so it couldn't be connected to my old village. It's why everyone here calls me Granny. Every once in a while when someone is killed and it's blamed on an animal, I know. I know what really happened. But I say nothing."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Kaname finally asked.

Of course he'd wonder why. The thing is, if this boy was truly a night crawler like the two that attacked Masato and I, then I should hate and fear him. That's what I had thought would happen if I ever saw one again. But this poor, innocent boy who seemed consumed by sorrow and confused as to what he should be doing, was nothing like the two that had attacked us.

If my guesses were correct, then this boy who gave off a commanding aura of power that seemed to not be fully developed yet, would rise to be truly great. If there was such a thing as a night crawler race and society, then I had no doubt in my mind that he'd lead them with a just fist.

His bearing screamed royalty. Was there such a thing as kings and queens within vampires, or was that only a thing humans came up with and had? But either way, he'd first have to heal over what happened to him and continue growing into a young man.

The scariest thing after going through a trauma was turning your fear and hatred into a weapon to keep the rest of the world at bay and ultimately dying alone.

"Because like all humans who are different, I see now that night crawlers are too. I don't know what happened to you or who you lost, my dear boy, but don't lose faith. In the future, while some may shun you and call you crazy like they did to me, and while others may try to use and control you, don't ever forget that there are still good people out there.

"Even if there is only one person on this planet that you can truly trust and confide in, then that is enough."

I stared at the boy who still remained at the corner of the couch. He seemed like he knew what I meant, but that he would never have that feeling. As if everything in his life had truly been lost forever.

"How long have you been away from home, wandering around?"

"Days."

With my cane, I pointed at his old clothes that were sitting by the fireplace, freshly washed. Some of the blood stains would not come out and left muted imprints of itself on the white of his jacket.

"And the blood on them. What's that all about?"

Kaname stared at me silently with pursed lips. I still couldn't believe that such a young boy could make those types of facial expressions. There was no innocence or joy left in him.

"You've seen and been attacked by vampires?" he asked. I nodded my confirmation, placing both my hands on the top of my cane as I watched him. "Then you know they're real. My family was attacked by them. Everyone died."

"My goodness..." I whispered in shock. I looked at his old clothes, remembering what they looked like last night. "You were there?"

"Yes. With the help of my father, I killed them all. The blood earlier was a combination of my family's, the vampires I killed, and the servants in my home. I was the only one left standing, so of course I was left with cleaning the aftermath."

He seemed dead again. Like he was simply reading the statistics of the town's weather patterns over the past thirty years. While I heard him, I couldn't believe his words. It seemed too horrific of a thing to go through at any age, let alone his. What he spoke of was like an act of war; as if he were a general in an army who had to defend his country's people from a tyrant.

For a child of ten to be forced to kill... I just couldn't believe how cruel the world was for him.

I stood and walked to him. Being sure to make my movements slow, I pulled him into a hug and started to cry. It wasn't something I was planning on doing, but I just couldn't hold it in anymore. I wanted to turn back time for this boy and change the outcome of the day these horrible things happened to him, but I couldn't.

Instead, I cried and patted his back, not caring that he remained motionless and awkward. Wiping the snot from my nose on the back of my sleeve, I pushed away from him and cleared my throat.

"Well, alright then, my boy. You can stay here as long as you like. The things you've been through and have witnessed, unless you want to, I'll not speak of it again."

I wobbled over to the front door and started repacking the crates onto the stroller. He probably needed some time alone; or perhaps this was the worst time for him to be left alone. I truly didn't know what to do for him.

"Are you leaving?" he asked.

When I turned to look at him, I caught the vulnerable expression he had on his face before it quickly fell into an empty one devoid of all life. Did he not want to be alone?

"Well, yes. I need to pick some things up for you and then pay my rent for my spot at the market. I'll be back in a few hours to grab my things and set up shop for the day. Do you want to come with me?"

He stood without answering and started lacing his shoes. When he was ready, he opened the door, but before he could go out, I threw my cane in front of him and blocked his path. He turned to look at me, raising a brow. It reminded me, yet again, that he seemed to come from some sort of noble-like background. Which only made me doubt if I should be acting so 'peasant-ly' with him.

"Before we leave, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you a few questions."

"Like?"

"If you're a night crawler, what of the sun?" I pointed to the sky with my cane. Though the sun wasn't out quite yet, it would be.

"I dislike it, but I'll be fine."

"And blood?"

His face took on a far away look filled with sorrow. "If it's not from her, I'll never have it."

Again, my heart ached for the boy. "Her? Who is that?"

"Yuuki," he whispered her name fervently, staring at the ground with unfocused eyes. "But she's lost to me now."

The way he spoke earlier made it sound like he'd lost all his family. If Yuuki was his family, then did that mean she was dead as well? But how he spoke now made me wonder. What if she wasn't dead, but merely gone? Was there a chance he could someday be reunited with her?

Although I had promised to not speak of the events that transpired in his short life, the curiosity ate away at me. Being old means I have little patience, you see, so I just had to know. Besides, if she was still alive, then there was hope of finding her. Maybe then he could have some sort of beacon of light in his life.

"Did she also pass away?" I asked as tenderly as possible.

He shook his head as he looked out the open door, searching the horizon.

"She's alive to me, but dead to the world."

I couldn't ask anything else because he walked forward, moving my cane aside and going outside. What did his words mean? It was cryptic and confusing, but I let it go. It was none of my business.

"I'm sorry, Kaname. Let's go then, shall we?"

Our first stop was to Taichi's home. He was like me and always woke up early, so I knew he'd already be awake. He greeted me with a wide smile and welcomed us into his home where his wife had already started making breakfast.

"Would you like some too, Granny?"

"If it's free, I won't say no!" I laughed to myself, feeling things starting to fall back into their normal routine even with Kaname at my side.

"Who's the boy?" he asked.

"He's a relative, come to visit for now."

I knew what it was like to have a tragedy in life and then have the people you thought care about you turn their backs on you. I went through that at my old town. I didn't want Kaname to needlessly go through that now.

"Oh, how nice. I didn't know you had family! Welcome! What's your name? I'm Taichi."

"Kaname."

"Nice to meet you, boy! Have a seat. Food will be ready shortly."

"Say, Taichi," I spoke as I watched Kaname sit at my side. "Do you have some clothes I can borrow for him? He lost his luggage on his way here. Bandits! Can you believe that? They'll steal anything nowadays!"

"Oh, no! That's terrible." He turned to Kaname. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm alive," he answered in his monotone voice again.

It wasn't funny, but I couldn't help but laugh. I knew his situation, but the way the words were being danced around seemed amusing to me.

"I'll go get you some clothes. My boy has outgrown some things. He's growing so fast now."

He left and brought back a bag filled with clothes, placing them by the door. We ate and talked for a while, going back and forth and keeping the conversation light. Kaname sat silently, sometimes listening and sometimes zoning out and staring at the table with unfocused eyes. If it wasn't so early then maybe Taichi's son would have been awake and Kaname could have played with him, but the more I thought of that, the more strange it seemed to see Kaname play like a normal child.

We parted ways with Taichi and his wife, set to run a few more errands before my day started at the market. Kaname followed along silently without any objections. I paid my rent and checked on a few materials to see if I'd be interested in purchasing them, then we made it back home to grab all my merchandise.

Kaname helped again, rolling the cart for me and helping me to unpack the items and set the table up. It was afternoon by the time everything was set and the sun was high up into the sky, warming everyone as much as possible with the winter's snow everywhere.

I noticed that Kaname started to seem a little lethargic and pained, wincing every now and again when the sun reflected in his eyes too strongly off a piece of metal.

"Wait here and act like you work here in case someone comes by. I'll be back."

I left him for a short while, walking down a block to another merchant's table.

"Hey, Granny! How you doin' today?!"

"Achy, but what else is new, eh? How's the family?"

"Oh, they're good. The usual, ya know."

"'Usual' is better than having a surprise," I said quietly, thinking about Kaname's situation. "Which one here is your biggest?" I waived across the table with my cane.

"Hmm, I'd say..." he moved some aside and grabbed one, weighing it in his hands and turning it side to side. "This one here."

"I'll take it then."

After purchasing it, I went back to my stand and saw that several females were standing in front of my shop. I would have been angry and shooed them all away with my cane if Kaname seemed upset or bothered, but he just stood there silently, waiting. The women cooed and giggled, obviously delighted by his handsome appearance.

"What a cute boo~y!"

"He's so adorable!"

"How well behaved!"

"How old are you?"

"I have a daughter. Would you like to meet her?"

On second thought, even if they didn't bother Kaname, they bothered me. My protective heart strings started to get tugged again and I wanted to help him. He didn't need people to ask those questions, not when he had just lost his family.

"If you're not buyin' nothing then leave! You're blocking the view of my products from everyone else!" I shouted, making my way to them. They turned to look at me and bowed apologetically, some offering to buy a few things as a show of good nature.

"I'm fine," Kaname supplied when the women had left.

"Don't care, I'm not. Here," I shoved the large umbrella I had purchased for him into his hands. "Use it and quit giving me that 'ow, it hurts' look."

"Thank you."

The same routine I normally have returned even with Kaname by my side. He fell into it with me and everything went without a hitch for several days. To be honest, it seemed like my sales went up while Kaname was with me. Never mind how he looked physically for just a boy, he had an alluring aura about him that seemed to pull people in.

It was on an especially quiet and slow evening the following week that things started to change. What I thought would end up being how the rest of my life would be was thrown upside down again. A thin man with glasses approached my stand, wearing an expensive looking business suit and carrying a journal in his hand.

While he seemed like an annoying prick to me, I wouldn't have given him much thought outside of that if it hadn't been for Kaname's reaction. He stood taller and dropped the umbrella he'd been using every day, stiffening at the presence of the man.

"Lord Kuran," the man spoke. "It's been brought to our attention what transpired at the Kuran mansion. We're sorry to hear about your parents passing. I'm here on orders from the Council to bring you in."

Lord? Mansion? So he was someone from a royal family. That much was obvious to me, but having it confirmed still felt a little weird.

"No," Kaname answered.

Apparently, the man wasn't prepared for any answer other than 'yes' because he seemed startled by it. He opened his journal and skimmed through some pages as if searching for an entry, and upon not finding it, closed the book and repositioned his glasses on his nose.

"Um, I'm sorry, Lord Kuran. What do you mean?"

"Are you daft?" he asked.

I laughed, smacking my lips together and pointing at the man. He was just called stupid by a ten year old and he seemed so flustered! How funny!

When the stranger gave me a disapproving look, I cleared my throat and stopped. Maybe it wasn't exactly appropriate, but you have to understand that you don't get to see that sort of thing every day!

"But Lord Kuran, the orders specifically said that you are to come in so you can be placed into a home until you are an adult."

"I don't care, nor do I need the false pretense of looking out for my well being that the Council pretends to have."

This was a fierce side of Kaname that I hadn't seen before in the week that we'd been together. With me, he was usually docile—silent, impassive and nonchalant, while sometimes portraying the pain of everything he went through while he thought I wasn't looking. With this man, he had some sort of inner fire ignited; a commanding and authoritative presence that had no room for any shenanigans.

"B-But..."

"Oy! Is that man giving you guys a hard time?" Taichi yelled from across the street, putting down a roll of silk and moving to the side of his table. His large arms looked even bigger with his winter coat on.

"No," Kaname replied, still looking at the man.

"Actually, he is," I corrected.

Taichi needed no more. He briskly walked over to us and grabbed the man's shoulder with one hand and the man's arm with the other, twisting it behind his back.

"Ah-ow! What do you think you're doing?!" the man shouted.

"Don't mess with Granny! Get out!" He shoved the man aside and pointed a finger down the street. "Go!"

The man rubbed at his shoulder, narrowing his eyes at Taichi—who had positioned himself in front of my table with his arms crossed—before glaring at me. He finally turned back to Kaname.

"I'll let Lord Ichijo know about this!" he shouted before leaving.

"Ha! Who was that idiot?" Taichi asked before turning to look at me.

"I told him we didn't sell knock-offs and he started crying." I shrugged. "Don't know."

"Knock-offs? I guess that suit is just for show. Let me know if you need help again." He shook his head as he looked down the street the man went down before returning to his stand.

I looked at Kaname, trying to gauge how he was doing. He stood frozen, hands taught at his sides with his hands fisted, staring straight ahead as if he were in the military and was standing at attention.

"You alright?" I asked, nervous that this would upset his already fragile state of mind.

"I'm fine," he replied.

If I had learned anything while he was with me, it was that he lied all the time to cover how he really felt. So, I knew that he really wasn't, but what could I do? Nothing, really. I sighed and nodded, patting his back and adjusting some of the boxes on display.

I had so many questions for Kaname about who that man was, what exactly his position was in the vampire world, who Lord Ichijo was, and who the 'Council' was, but I kept silent.

The next few days were uneventful and if anything, sales had actually gone down. Worse than before Kaname had showed up. In fact, most people who walked down the street who would normally give a cursory glance to all the tables completely ignored mine. It was strange, but I couldn't figure out what had happened to cause the change.

Then one day Taichi rushed over, cheeks red with irritation.

"What's wrong?" I asked, looking over at Kaname to make sure he was comfortable with his umbrella.

"I heard something! There's a rumor going on that you deal with the black market and that anyone caught purchasing anything from you will be arrested and fined heavily!"

I stood from my stool and leaned into my cane at the news. What in the world was he talking about?!

"What?! That's ridiculous!"

Is that why people seemed to stay away from my table? Is that why sales had gone down? But why would someone say something like that?

"Is it?" Kaname asked, stepping forward and looking at me. "I'd like to speak privately."

"A-Alright, I'll be over there," Taichi said, moving back to his stand and rubbing the back of his neck.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Don't you think it's strange that this happened right after that man came to take me away and I said no?"

It couldn't be. Could it? Would that man spread false rumors like that? But for what purpose?

"Why would he do that?"

"Because I'm here by your side instead of at theirs. It's a warning; a threat. 'Come look at what we can do if you don't listen.' Get it?"

I slammed my cane down at the ground. "This is absurd! Who was that man? Where is he? I'll go find him and beat him senseless!"

"He's just the messenger. The man who ordered it is more than likely Lord Ichijo, head of the Vampire Council. You're no match for him." Kaname looked at himself. "And in this state, neither am I. Not yet anyway. I'm afraid I'll have to leave you now."

My heart sank. Although Kaname was by no means healed by his ordeal, he wasn't as painfully raw. But I still felt like he needed much more time to overcome the things that he had gone through. Here, living a peaceful and quiet life without any expectations or pressures seemed like the perfect way for him to do that. What he had in store for him, if it was anything like a human noble's life, would be too harsh; too taxing and too demanding.

Yet I knew that it was inevitable that he'd one day have to leave and go back to his own world. I just didn't expect it to be so soon or for it to bother me so much.

It wasn't fair.

"Are you sure? Can't you stay longer?"

To be completely honest, I was quite smitten with the child. I enjoyed his company and as crazy as it sounded, I really did feel some sort of maternal instinct when with him.

"If I continue to stay any longer, the situation for you will only worsen. I can't have that happen."

"Do you have to leave now? Can't you wait until the end of the week, at least?"

Kaname's lip twitched in thought before he finally nodded his agreement. "I'll send word that I'll return by the end of the week and for them to leave you alone. I'll be back."

He collapsed the umbrella and handed it to me, holding it with both hands as if it were a sword that he was bestowing upon me. I could tell that he was lying. It was easy enough for me to pick up, but I went ahead and grabbed the umbrella from him and nodded anyway.

"I'll be here then, waiting."

He walked a short distance away before turning back to look at me.

"Thank you," he said with a sad, sad smile, bowing his head to me.

I gripped my cane tightly in one hand and the black umbrella in the other, watching with tears in my eyes as he turned and walked away.

He never returned.

I waited for him like I said I would. The rumors about my dealings with the black market disappeared just as quickly as they had appeared, and yet I didn't care. Day after day, same routine repeated over and over again; I waited, knowing that he wouldn't come back.

Several years passed and my thoughts always wandered back to those two weeks I had spent with Kaname. I had taken care of him, something I hadn't had a chance in doing since Masato had passed away. I cooked for two instead of just myself, I patted his back every time he had a sad look on his face, washed his clothes and talked with him during the night, I comforted him every time he had a nightmare and he called out Yuuki's name. He was like the child Masato and I could never have.

My thoughts would always revolve around how he was doing. Was he healed? Was he safe? Was he happy? Did he still have a depressed and lost look in his eyes? Did he grow up to be a good person? What kind of work did he do now? Did he ever find what was lost to him? Did he have a new family? Those questions would never be answered.

Then, before I even knew it, eleven years had passed since the day he left.

The seasons were changing and the weather was getting cooler when there seemed to be an influx of night crawlers attacking. There was another boy—a man, really, but then I'm so old everyone seems like a boy to me—who seemed to start visiting the streets that comprised of the market.

This new person had silver hair and lilac eyes, and while there was a reminiscent feeling I got from looking at him, he was nothing like Kaname. This man always had a scowl on his face, always seemed angry; yet I could easily tell that he was hurt. His hatred was a mask for that pain that he tried to keep hidden.

It reminded me of Kaname's mask—a mask of emptiness. The lifeless doll that Kaname would take on when trying to hide himself from the world. It only fueled my curiosity of how he was doing.

But this new man with silver hair seemed to be a hunter of some sort. Where there were reports of incidents involving 'animal attacks', the man was always there. The people in the market quickly put the two together, realizing that he was, in his own way, helping with keeping the streets and market safe. Even if that wasn't his intent, us merchants still appreciated it. Some merchants would even occasionally give him free pieces of food or samples of products when he walked by.

I mention him now because it was a few months after I first saw him, when the winter weather had hit us hard and snow was everywhere, that something I had been longing for for eleven years finally happened.

A young man with golden blonde hair and electric blue eyes walked to my stand, examining the pieces of jewelry that I had for sale. His eyes beamed at the merchandise. He also gave me a feeling that reminded me of Kaname, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Maybe I was thinking about that poor boy from so long ago too much that everyone who was handsome reminded me of him.

"Hello, there!" I stood from my stool, getting closer to the table. "See anything that catches your fancy or need help with anything, let me know!" I smiled and smacked my lips together, a habit that I had for decades from the lack of having all my teeth.

"Wow, the things you have here are great!"

"Thank you, thank you."

"Hmm, I'm looking for a hair pin. There's a special someone I want to buy it for." His eyes shined at the mention of the person and he smiled as he looked up into the sky, almost losing himself as he spoke. "She has really long hair that she's not used to having, so she doesn't really know what to do with it. It gets in her way all the time while we're studying."

"How can she have long hair that she's not used to?" I asked, curious.

"Uh, well um..." he gave me a hesitant chuckle, rubbing the back of his head and shrugging.

It only piqued my interest and curiosity further, but I let it go. I scanned the table quickly, then picked up a long, thin box. I handed him a beautifully crafted traditional Kanzashi hair pin. The long stick was adorned with a branch at the end with flowers blooming from it.

"How's this?"

He beamed as he held the box the pin rested in. "This is perfect! I'll take it! Can you wrap it for me too? Is that possible?"

"Sure, sure! Of course! Give me a minute." I put the money away as I got some wrapping paper out. "So, this 'special someone', is she your girlfriend? Eh?"

"Oh, n-no way!"

His cheeks reddened by my comment and he looked from side to side as if he were looking for someone. The response only made made me think that if she wasn't his girlfriend, then it was someone he was interested in.

"Ah, ha... Well, here you go, dear!"

I handed him the box and we bowed to each other. He seemed different, just like Kaname, so I couldn't help but watch as he left with a little jovial bounce in his step. He was almost at the end of the block before he stopped and turned his head to the side before going down an alley.

I didn't think much of it, but a short time later people started to murmur. I looked up and saw the silver haired hunter carrying the blonde man I had just sold the hair pin to, except the blonde was unconscious and appeared to be injured.

Taichi ran to my stand while looking down the street like other people, watching the diminishing silhouette of the two young men.

"What do you think that's about?" he asked.

"Don't know."

"You think that hunter got himself another one of those... things?"

I looked at Taichi and examined his bushy brows. Though most people still didn't believe in night crawlers, they didn't think the 'animals' that killed the humans were normal. So instead of them being simply animals, they were things. Weird things. Some sort of mutated animal.

"It's possible. Who knows?"

The ordeal had shaken me up a bit, simply because the two seemed too different when compared to normal people. They reminded me too much of Kaname, and it only upset me to think about it. Eleven years was a long time to wait for someone you knew wasn't coming back.

It wasn't that I needed him back in my life for me to look after him. I really just needed some sort of confirmation that he was okay. I needed closure before I used up all my time and finally died.

The next day, I put up my fares like I normally would, thinking over and over again if there was a way I could find anything out about Kaname. What was his last name again? What did that man call him? Lord Ku-something.

Damn my old and forgetful mind. If I could at least remember his last name, I could try searching for him somehow. Besides, how many noble Kaname Ku-somethings were there?

I was twisting my cane back and forth into the snow, creating little holes to pass the time, when a young woman bounced over to my table. I looked up and my heart stopped. I almost had a heart attack.

There, right there before me, stood a beautiful young woman, but more importantly, stood a man that resembled Kaname all too much. Even if it had been forty years, I would have recognized him no matter how much he'd aged.

To say I was happy would be an understatement. I couldn't believe my eyes! There he was, in the flesh, standing before me with a woman. He had grown into such a handsome man! Tall, broad shoulders, deep brown hair with hints of red when the sun reflected off of it. His eyes, though still that amazingly rare wine shade, still had the faintest traces of sadness, but more importantly, they had something I'd never seen there before: Happiness.

He had found his happiness!

Could it be from the woman with him now? I looked her up and down and sure enough, I could see the resemblances. Same rare colored eyes, same chestnut hair. Was she Yuuki? Was this the woman that Kaname yearned for; the one that he thought he lost forever?

She had to be, judging by the way he looked at her with tender and loving eyes.

"Hello, dear!" I quickly greeted, trying to compose myself and contain my excitement. "Is there something that strikes your fancy?" I smiled as I leaned forward in my chair, resting my weight on my cane.

"The things you have here are very beautiful, but I'm actually not here to buy anything."

"Ah, I see. Just looking around then?"

"I'm actually looking for someone rather than something," she replied.

"Yes, well, I don't sell people, you see!" I laughed at my own joke, all too happy and not caring if I seemed or sounded crazy. Kaname was alive and well! I couldn't contain myself!

Kaname raised a brow but said nothing. It was so like him! I'm sure he's changed over the years, but it seemed as though some things were still the same as they were eleven years ago. Yuuki, if she really was Yuuki, giggled.

"Have you seen a blonde man, about two inches shorter than him?" She pointed at Kaname.

"Mmm, yes, yes, he was quite handsome." I leaned closer as I held my cane with both hands, thinking to myself about the only blonde person I'd seen in several years. I smacked my lips a few times. "Though, I'd say not as handsome as this young man here."

I wiggled my eyebrows at Kaname and then laughed, leaning back into my chair and stomping my cane on the ground. Did he remember me? Truthfully, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't. From everything he went through at that young and fragile age, I'd be more surprised if those memories weren't blocked.

Yuuki leaned in, placing her hand to the side of her mouth and whispered to me.

"I think he's quite handsome as well! Though he can be grumpy sometimes." She looked over her shoulder at Kaname, noticing him raise a brow at her before turning back to me.

I thought back on the two weeks that I spent with Kaname. I thought about all those times I caught him staring off into nothing or fighting back tears; I thought of the nightmares he had, desperately calling out her name.

Then I looked at Kaname and noticed his softened features as he stared at her. It released a knot in my heart that I carried with me ever since the first day he stood in front of my cart covered in blood and completely dazed. I felt lighter knowing that he was okay, like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders.

"You probably make him grumpy, dear!" I laughed.

Yuuki stood back, pouting. "That's not true!"

Kaname mimicked Yuuki's actions, leaning in and placing a hand at the side of his mouth as he whispered to me as well. It made me so happy to see him be playful. That he cared enough to make jokes with the person he loved. It made a lump form in my throat.

"It's true that she does. She can be quite the handful sometimes." He looked over his shoulder at her and she pouted again, placing her hands on her hips and trying to deny his accusations. He winked at her and turned back to me. "Do you know where the young man from yesterday went?"

I stopped laughing and stomped my cane onto the ground once more, creating another little hole in the snow.

"Yes, yes. He did buy something from me. He said it was for a special someone." I peered at Yuuki, noticing her long hair. Could it be for her? "Hmm, maybe you, maybe not you. Don't know."

"What?" Yuuki asked.

I didn't want to talk about it just in case I was wrong. The blonde would be heartbroken to know that Yuuki had Kaname. Instead, I pointed down the street with my cane.

"He went that way afterward with a grin on his face, then turned down the alley down there to the left."

Yuuki brightened as she made a fist. "Alright! Thank you, ma'am! You've been very helpful. C'mon, Kaname, let's go." She started marching down the street.

"But dear," I called out. "He didn't stay there. He left with someone after a short while."

"Left with someone? Do you know who?"

"Who? No. Another handsome man, but not as handsome as the blonde or this man here." I pointed again at Kaname with my cane, all too happy to talk him up as if he were my own son. "Though he could be, but he's much too grouchy all the time."

Kaname and Yuuki stepped closer. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Is he a regular here? Another vendor?"

"No, no, not a vendor. Though he does come around these parts often enough, suppose he can be considered a regular."

The two looked at each other before Yuuki turned back to me.

"Why hasn't anyone else told us this? You're the first to mention this. Is it possible that only you saw?"

"Oh, no, dear. You don't understand the rumors." I leaned forward and motioned for Kaname and Yuuki to get closer. When they did, I continued. "Rumor has it that creatures of the night crawl the streets, and that man hunts them. People here are scared, you see, dear. They wouldn't speak of the man who hunts the creatures."

It was obvious that Yuuki became nervous as she glanced at Kaname, but Kaname's face was expressionless. Ah, so he still had that empty doll-like mask, it seemed. Some things truly never changed. I already knew that Kaname was a vampire, so it only made sense that Yuuki was one too, but by her reaction I could tell that she wanted to keep it a secret.

"W-What? C-Creatures of the night? That's nonsense. They don't exist," she said.

"Oh, ho ho. Skeptic? I've seen them before, dear! Bloodthirsty things, they are, with red eyes and large canines. Well, whether you believe or not is your choice, I suppose." I stomped my cane on the ground again. "But, that's what happened. That hunter man went there and carried the blonde out on his shoulders."

I spoke of the night crawlers because I hoped that it would jog Kaname's memory. Although I didn't need it, I still wanted to see if he would recognize me. He seemed to be in thought as I continued to speak, but I couldn't tell if that was from the information I was giving them about their friend or if it was because he was remembering.

"T-The hunter took the blonde man?" she asked me.

"Mm," I grunted with a nod, still watching Kaname's thoughts pass over his face.

"Why do you not fear speaking of these things such as the others?" Kaname asked.

"Ah, I'm old, dear. What do I have to fear?" I laughed and shook my head, knowing that I really did have nothing to fear anymore now that I knew Kaname was alive and well. "These other vendors, most are young or have families they still take care of. I'm alone. I have no one. If those night crawlers or that hunter should come for me for talkin', so be it. I've already outlived my husband by twenty years."

Did he remember my story about Masato and the night crawlers?

"I see," he replied.

"Besides, seems this missy here is plenty worried for that man. Be a shame if he has a family and isn't returned to them."

"Ma'am, thank you so much!" Yuuki exclaimed.

"Yes, yes," I nodded, eyes closed as I smacked my lips together again, extremely happy.

"Let's go," she tugged at Kaname's arm and he turned with her, though I noticed he kept his contemplative gaze on me for a little longer. "What's wrong?" she asked him as they walked away.

Their conversation became quieter as they moved away, so I couldn't hear the rest, but it didn't matter. I was truly happy. I watched them go down the street and turn the corner, all the while trying to examine his back and his demeanor with Yuuki.

He truly did grow up well, or so it seemed. While there could have been different routes his life went down, it seemed like the one he chose and walked down on wasn't too bad. He could have looked damaged and torn, but instead he looked healthy and... happy.

I stared at the empty street they had gone down as I started to cry. The relief I felt, the joy at being able to see him again after so long, was just too much. I never realized how much it had bothered me all these years, because I truly felt lighter now.

"Granny? Hey, Granny, what's wrong?" Taichi called out to me from across the street.

I raised my hands up and shouted a nonsensical sound as I burst with a fit of laughter. Now that I didn't have to pretend in front of Kaname, I could let my joy froth and pour over. I laughed and stomped my feet on the ground, packing the snow down further, as I made little circles.

"Taichiii~!" I shouted, still laughing. "Taichi!" I tried to briskly walk over to him, but he met me halfway anyway.

"What? What's wrong? What's gotten into you?"

I grabbed his forearms for support so I wouldn't fall over and beamed up at him. My excitement slowly bled into him and he started to smile, even if he didn't know why he was doing it.

"I'm alive!" I shouted, too happy to care what he thought, but also careful enough not to mention Kaname's return. I didn't know what his situation was yet, so I didn't want potentially wrong ears to hear about him.

"Ye-yes, you are, Granny!" Taichi laughed, looking relieved.

"What do I do now?"

"What do you mean?"

I wanted to tell Kaname about me. I wanted to remind him of our time together. I wanted to sit down with him and catch up with everything that happened to him over the years. I wanted to hear about his education, his hobbies, his love life, what he'd been up to. I wanted it all. But I couldn't tell Taichi any of that.

I let go of his arms and took a step back, pointing my cane at him and scowling.

"Don't be rude to your elders!" I shouted.

"Wh-what did I do now?!" he asked with a frown, obviously confused and looking like he was trying to remember if he said or did something he wasn't supposed to.

"Nothing!" I laughed, then walked back to my stand. "I'm going out, will you watch my stuff?"

"Yeah, sure, no problem."

I waited a while, wanting to give Kaname and Yuuki some time to settle whatever it was they were doing in the alley. I walked half way down the street and stopped, wanting a good position to see them and to be seen when they exited.

A flash caught my attention and I looked up at the tall building next to me. I saw some men jumping down from the roof top only to disappear into the alley. I raised my cane and pointed at them, then turned around to see if anyone else noticed.

Everyone continued on with their daily activities as if nothing was amiss, but surely people scaling down buildings was note-worthy. A small sound escaped my lips but before I could grab the attention of anyone, I stopped myself. For all I knew, they were also night crawlers.

A thought occurred to me. Perhaps I should stop calling them night crawlers if they're all out during the day. Day crawlers? Afternoon crawlers? All-day crawlers? I guess I'll have to stick with vampires.

If they were vampires, then humans were no match for them. I looked down at my cane and felt the pain in my back, hip and left leg from when I was attacked all those years ago. Yes, humans really were no match against them. I really didn't know anything about Kaname's strength to know if he would be able to handle the amount of men and women I saw jumping down.

I walked the short distance left until I was at the alley opening and peeked around the corner, watching what transpired and ready to create a distraction if it was needed. At the very least, I could throw myself into the fray so it would give Kaname and Yuuki some time to run away.

But I guess that really wasn't needed as I watched. The things I saw left me breathless and scared, but also in awe. Somehow, Kaname had raised tree roots up from the ground and had caged Yuuki in. It created a protective barrier for her so she wouldn't get hurt by the other vampires.

I didn't even know what was possible. All I knew was the speed and strength vampires had. The ones that attacked Masato and I were nothing compared to what I saw Kaname display. He dealt with the vampires quickly and efficiently and quite honestly, brutally.

Kaname really had grown up. It made me think of when he thought he wasn't enough to go up against that one lord who took him away from me. That fire he had even as a child stayed with him and grew stronger and stronger until it turned into an inferno that burned everyone that crossed him.

Yuuki shouted at him and cried, but he ignored her. He concentrated on killing instead, which sadly seemed to come all too naturally to him. What had he gone through all his life? Was it not as good as I thought after he disappeared? Was what was happening now the same as when he was attacked eleven years ago? Trying to protect Yuuki as she cried, covering himself in the blood of others while having no care for himself?

My heart went out to him. For the first time in my life, I wanted to actually hurt those people. Even when Masato and I were attacked, the only thing I could think of then was trying to survive. I was fueled by fear. Now, as I watched Kaname twirl around them and slam one into the wall, I wished my cane had a hidden sword so I could go in and poke them to death.

When one vampire shoved his arm through Kaname's chest, my heart stilled as I gasped and covered my mouth. There was no way anyone could survive that, vampire or not! But Kaname's lips twitched as if he were fighting a smile as he stared at the hand sticking out of him. How was that possible?

A shiver ran down my spine as I watched, and it wasn't from the cold weather. Kaname turned his head to stare at the vampire before he ripped the man's arm off. I felt faint as I continued to watch and my legs shook. The man's screams echoed off the enclosed alley and pierced my ears. I'd probably never ever forget that sound.

Kaname spit out a mouthful of blood and wiped any remnants away from his lips before he turned to face the vampire.

"Well, it looks like you're the last one," he told the one-armed man.

He held the man's head with his hands and then all of a sudden the man... just... blew up. This was it, this is what Kaname was. This was the true power of a vampire. A creature, a descendant from angels, from God, that you should never be entangled with.

Even though I knew this about him now, I surprised myself by not caring. He was like a son to me, and no matter what happened or what he did, I felt like I understood him even if I really didn't. What he did felt... necessary. And truth be told, if those vampires were out and ready to kill, then Kaname did the world a favor by getting rid of them first!

Yuuki's shouts fell silent as I watched her breathe heavily. Kaname removed the roots that held her in place and stood in front of her, tall and dark and brooding.

"W-What was all that, Kaname? W-What did you do? How could you?" she stuttered as she looked down.

"You need to realize the lengths I will go to protect you. Don't you know, Yuuki? I'm a monster."

Monster? No son of mine was a monster! The foolish boy! It made me upset that he'd think of himself that way and I was ready to throttle him and hit him over the head, but before I could make it down the alley, Yuuki spoke first.

"No..." Tears fell down her cheeks before her face contorted in anger. "You're not a monster, Kaname."

Right she was! But just standing and watching... I couldn't take it anymore; I had to speak up. He had to understand that he was nothing like those other night crawlers, vampires, whatever they were called! He didn't go looking for a fight. He didn't go hurting innocent people for no good reason.

Kaname still carried a burden, even after so long. Did he blame himself for what happened eleven years ago?

"You're an angel!" I shouted. Yuuki jumped in surprise and looked in my direction. Her expression was priceless and I couldn't help but chuckle. "Ha ha!"

Kaname whispered to himself, but I couldn't make out the words. Instead, Yuuki stood and rushed over to me.

"Ma'am, what-what're you doing here? You shouldn't be here."

"Well, ha ha. I was wondering what was taking you two kids so long. It's an alley with no exit, after all!" I smacked my lips together a few times as I tried to gauge Kaname's wound. Would he be okay? How quickly did vampires heal? "I came to check on you."

Yuuki looked around, clearly surprised and alarmed. I kept on smiling as I looked both of them up and down, trying to see if there was anything I could do to help them somehow. Glancing around, I saw that the vampires Kaname had killed were turned to dust. What a strange thing to do. What made them do that?

I wasn't sure, but I guess it didn't matter. I was happy that Yuuki thought the same way as I did about Kaname not being a monster. I patted her arm with appreciation, but I could tell that she was getting rather nervous about me being there, so I tried to keep up a conversation.

"So, I knew those night crawlers were real! Ha! Calling me a crazy old fool. Who's the crazy one now, eh?"

I thought back on all the townspeople in my old village and wondered what they would have done and thought had they seen what just happened. I laughed as I thought about the looks on their faces. After pounding my cane down into the snow, I leaned into it and continued.

"So, those night crawlers are demons. That must mean that you there," I pointed my cane at Kaname before resting it back on the ground, "must be a hunter. An angel. Angels and demons fighting. Oh, I've seen it all now."

It'd been so long since I thought about the legend that I told Kaname, but it came to me while watching him fight the vampires. I thought it'd be a perfect way to throw that in there to see if it'd spark a memory within him. I watched his face, but he seemed more concerned over Yuuki.

The blood covering him really did make him seem... otherworldly.

"N-No, well... that's not re—"

It was obvious to me that Kaname was trying to stop her from saying anything when he cleared his throat to interrupt her. Perhaps he really didn't remember and didn't want her to say anything about their existence to an 'outsider'. It was a bit disappointing, but it was fine. I understood.

He turned and looked at me. It made me happy and I gave him an encouraging smile in the hopes that it'd make him comfortable.

"What's your name?" he asked me.

I almost choked as the urge to cry hit me. Although I knew that he probably didn't remember me, it still hurt my feelings. Not that it was his fault. I was the foolish one to be hopeful all these years that we'd be able to reunite and talk about our lives.

"Granny," I answered him.

"What?" Yuuki asked. "Your name can't possibly be Granny."

"Sure it is. That's what everyone calls me. Go ahead, give it a try."

"Um," she hesitated with a smile before looking to Kaname. He simply shrugged.

"I wonder then if that blonde boy from yesterday is an angel too. You all look so pretty."

"He's the same as us," Yuuki agreed.

"The other hunter who took him away is one too then. Ah, it all makes sense now." I shook my head and smiled at nothing in particular, turning away from them and heading out of the alley.

"W-Wait!" Yuuki called out. "The hunter who took the blonde looked like us?"

I agreed, waiving my hand nonchalantly and instead concentrating on not slipping on the snow. My nerves were shot after watching everything that transpired. Truthfully, I needed to sit down.

"We need to head home," Kaname stated.

"What? Why home? We need to go and find Aidou!" Yuuki shouted.

"Yuuki, it's not wise to run into a situation without any information. It could be dangerous for Aidou. There are things we need confirmed and clarified first, so let us go home and go from there."

Kids. Arguing and bickering. How cute!

Footsteps echoed and came closer and closer until an amber haired man turned into the alleyway. He stopped in his tracks as he first looked at me, then looked behind me to see the evidence of Kaname's fight.

"Lord Kuran! Lady Kuran! Are you okay?! I ran as fast as I could as soon as I started to smell blood, especially both of yours."

Kuran! That was it! I repeated his last name over and over again to ensure I'd never forget it again. If Yuuki was Lady Kuran, then did that make them a married couple? My eyes widened as I smiled to myself, getting all excited again over nothing. When I glanced at Yuuki, she reminded me too much of Kaname though. Could they be... siblings, perhaps?

"We're fine," Kaname replied.

"Ooh! Another handsome one! You must also be an angel." I laughed, trying to distract myself from my thoughts. "Aren't you all special? It must be a gene or requirement." Seriously, why did they all look so angelic?

"What? Huh? Who? Angel?" the new boy stuttered.

Kaname simply shrugged as Yuuki explained the situation to him. He bowed to me.

"Well, nice to meet you, Granny."

I opened my mouth to answer, but Kaname interrupted.

"We need to leave. Now. You take Yuuki back. I'll go separately."

"What? Why?" he asked.

He looked at the back of Yuuki's head who was still several feet in front him. She didn't turn to look at him. Were the younglings fighting? There must have been something I missed or wasn't aware of.

"I think Yuuki needs some time away from me. Besides, it would cause a problem if I walked around like this. I'll transform and meet you there."

Transform what? What did that mean?

He lifted his arms up to encompass the mess he had made. The blood on his face and in his hair was starting to dry from the cold weather. Well, that was true. It's not like he could walk around the streets covered in blood with a hole in his chest that was knitting itself back together. Which, mind you, is one of the weirdest things I've seen.

The new boy and Yuuki walked on each side of me, helping me get back to my stand without slipping or falling. They said nothing on our way back. Yuuki seemed consumed by her thoughts and the young man seemed preoccupied with scanning the area. Maybe he thought more vampires would attack.

When we got back to my stand, I wholeheartedly welcomed and accepted my stool. I sat down and rested my cane in between my legs, watching the hesitation in Yuuki's movements. It seemed like she wanted to go back down the alley to be with Kaname, but at the same time, it seemed like she wanted to run away.

"It'll be okay, child," I told her. She looked up at me and gave me a weak smile; one that had no conviction behind it. "Trust me, I'm old. I know things. It's obvious how much Kaname loves you. He's a good man who will do the right thing."

It was only then that her smile seemed genuine. She nodded her agreement and sighed.

"Oh, I believe that. The problem is, he doesn't. Always trying to be the martyr and carry his burden alone. I'm here, I'm capable—so why can't he trust me?" Her cheeks reddened and she covered them with her hands. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry. I... I didn't mean to say that. You just seem so... comfortable. I feel like I can tell you anything."

Her words made me happy. She truly did seem like a sweet girl. It only made me happier to know that Kaname had found her again.

"Don't worry, dear," I advised, smacking my lips together and smiling. "You're more than welcome to come by and talk to me about anything you'd like. And believe me when I say this: anyone with half a brain can see that he's been through some terrible things in his life. It's probably not that he doesn't trust you, but that he doesn't wish for you to have to go through what he has. Perhaps he thinks that as long as you're happy and shielded from the ugly truth of the world, everything is fine; he has no problem bearing it alone."

She listened quietly and I watched as she contemplated my words. She bit her lower lip and then finally looked directly into my eyes. The depths seemed to want to swallow me up. How did she have the same effect as Kaname?

"I believe what you say, Granny. But I also believe that because he's been through such terrible things alone, that he shouldn't have to be alone anymore. I won't let him dirty himself in my name and think of himself as a monster. No, not anymore. Come on, Kain, let's go."

She bowed down to me and the two left. Just as quickly as they'd come into my life, they were gone. Was this going to be a reoccurring theme? They'd come and turn my world upside down then disappear for what felt like eons?

I was ecstatic that Kaname had chosen her. Although after seeing her display of authority and conviction, perhaps it was she who chose him?

I laughed. Only because I didn't know what else to do. There was too much going on for me to process. They were young and were fast paced; I'm old and need to take things slow. Everything was happening too fast.

So I sat there with my eyes closed, leaning against my cane and thinking about everything that just happened. I pictured Kaname as a boy and then as a man; then I pictured him huddled in the corner of my couch, scared and uncertain, then punching a vampire's face repeatedly before being stabbed through the chest; followed by his empty eyes when he would eat sometimes at my wooden dining table, then how they glowed with love when staring at Yuuki.

So much had changed.

I sat there thinking for a short while when I felt the sun dim through my closed eyes. When I opened them, I saw black clothes blocking my view. I looked up and saw Kaname standing in front of me. It surprised me. Not because he was looking like a mess and that people may see him if they bothered to glance by, but because he actually came back. Did that mean he...

"I remember you," he said quietly.

Tears sprang to my eyes as I stood, pushing my stool back.

"Y-You do? Oh Kaname! I'm so happy to see you alive and well."

"I'm sorry for never being in contact with you over all these years. Please understand that someone in my position with the enemies I have... I can't have people watching me know about my weaknesses."

I nodded enthusiastically, grabing the lapels of his jacket and trying to close them to cover his wound. I glanced around, making sure we went unnoticed.

"I, I understand, Kaname. I'm happy, boy. I am." I patted his cheek and instantly regretted it as it was covered with blood.

"I must leave now. Things will be getting worse in the upcoming months, so please be careful. For the time being, you won't see me again. But I will return and introduce Yuuki to you properly when everything is settled."

"What's happening? Is there a war coming or something? Will you be alright?"

"Don't worry about me. Take care of yourself so that we can meet again."

"I, I understand," I nodded again. There was a mix of joy at being able to converse with him and worry at the warning he gave. It seemed like the demons would always chase after him, the poor and innocent boy.

"Thank you," he told me with a bow.

I smiled at him, but he suddenly disappeared into a trial of smoke. I looked up into the sky and saw a colony of bats flying away. Is that what he meant by 'transform'? Holy shit, just what all could Kaname do?

I sat down on my stool as I let out a deep breath. Exhaustion crept up even though I felt rejuvenated. Maybe I needed to take the day off...

And so it happened again. I waited and waited for Kaname to return with Yuuki. Several days passed, then weeks, then months; seasons changed. Things did get worse like he predicted it would. Vampires came out in droves and attacked everyone and everything in their site. They seemed more crazy than normal. I lost a few of my merchant friends to them. People were scared to go out, thinking that the vampires were some sort of new and opposing gang that came in from a neighboring town.

Sales went down and most people stopped setting up their tables with their goods. Although I was old and didn't fear vampires, I did have some sort of self-preservation. Besides, Kaname made me a promise.

When things seemed to come to a peak, when I thought the town couldn't get any worse, it all suddenly just... stopped. There must have been some sort of climax in the vampire world, but for us humans, for those who knew nothing of vampires or what was happening there, it was a relief.

Taichi came to me one day, his bushy brows looking like they were absorbing all the hair on his balding head.

"Granny, are you alright?" he asked.

Truthfully, I wasn't. Once I finally saw Kaname, I guess my body was finally at peace. I don't know if I've mentioned this or not, but I'm old. My time is bound to come up. I felt bad because I wanted to stay alive as long as possible in order to meet Kaname and Yuuki again.

The strain of the attacks, the worry, the old age, it all caught up to me. I felt weaker, I hardly ate, my body ached constantly.

"Afraid not, dear. I'm going home."

I struggled with my cane and started walking toward home.

"W-Wait!" Taichi called out. He took the few steps to stand next to me. What a show off, thinking he's all fast because he's younger than me. "What about your stuff?"

Oh, right. I forgot about that. I turned to look at them, then turned and gazed at my old friend.

"You can have it."

"What? You're not going to go home and die on me, are you?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Don't know."

I started walking down the road again, watching the petals from the cherry blossom trees flutter around. When I got home, I crawled into bed and slept for days. Taichi visited a few times, bringing soup that his wife made, but I had no appetite to eat.

I fought death as much as possible, for some reason still thinking that Kaname would one day return like he said he would. Except, I didn't have another eleven years to give him. It wouldn't happen.

"Hello?" a familiar voice called out.

My heart swelled at the voice and I tried to open my eyes, but I was just too damn tired. Shortly later, I felt the bed dip and warm, petite hands grab my hand.

"Oh no, you don't think she's... dying, do you?" Yuuki whispered to Kaname.

"Of course I'm dyin', child!" I shouted after mustering all my strength.

I opened one eye and stared at the two, Yuuki sitting on the bed and Kaname standing behind her. She jumped back in surprise and grabbed her chest while Kaname shook his head. I would have laughed at her reaction if I had the energy to do so.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Kaname said.

"Yeah, well, least you kept your promise." I gave him a weak smile.

"I'd like to formally introduce you to my wife, Yuuki Kuran."

I looked at Yuuki. Worry etched into her face as she stared at me.

"Come closer, dear. I'm old, you know! I can't see so well anymore!"

"It's an honor to meet you, Granny. Kaname has spoken highly about you. I'm sorry we couldn't meet earlier."

"I'm afraid it's too late," Kaname said. "I knew you were old, but I ignored the fact that your time was limited."

"Don't be flippant with me, Kaname. I've always seen you as a son, but I'll still get up and smack you with my cane if I have to!" This boy... I swear.

Though his words did calm my heart and settle some of my worries and fears. If he could joke after returning from whatever war he fought, then he'd be okay.

"It's true that I don't have much time left," I continued, coughing a bit. "Anyway, I'm glad I was able to see you two before I die. I've been holding on just long enough to make sure you keep your promise. We can't have the long talk I once wished for, but to see you again is enough. Tell me, are you happy?"

Kaname looked at the back of Yuuki's head and smiled.

"Yes," he said, still staring at Yuuki. "I am."

"Then that's all I needed to know." I closed my eyes and let out a sigh of relief.

"W-Wait!" Yuuki begged. "Please, you did so much for Kaname when he needed it most. At such a young and vulnerable age, you really helped him. We'd like to honor you in some way."

"There's no need for that. Just let me die in peace. My late husband is waiting for me."

"Please, can you at least tell us your real name?" she insisted.

"My real name, eh? I haven't spoken that name out loud in such a long time... probably longer than you've been alive!"

"If Kaname and I ever have a daughter, we'd like to name her after you. Back then... you were the only person who never tried to take advantage of Kaname."

"N-Name your daughter after me, you say?" My eyes widened in surprise. I looked to Kaname for confirmation. Was she just saying that to appease a dying old woman or were they serious? "Kaname, is this true?"

He nodded. "When have I ever lied to you?"

"Wow." I tried to whistle but it just ended up with me spitting. Loss of teeth and all. "My name..."

Did I even remember my name? It had been so long since I even thought of it... What was it again? Memories of growing up, being courted by Masato, our marriage and life together in the village; it all came glittering into focus as I thought back on them. I remembered Masato whispering my name tenderly, telling me he loved me. What name did he whisper to me so intimately?

I closed my eyes and sighed. With a smile and my last breath, I answered.

"My name is Ai."

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A/N: Any criticism, positive or negative, is welcome.

Thank you for reading.