Yeah! Christmas Eve! Pretty stoked myself, how about you guys? Well, while I'm not sleeping this year, I just thought "hey, my laptop is on and lonely. Why don't I write some more." So I did.

"I hope you like Italian food," Edward said, scratching the back of his head. "It's not like I asked where you wanted to go."

I shook my head. "Edward, everything tastes good to me. I don't dislike any kind of food."

Edward glanced at me, a question in his eyes, but he turned away and led me into the restaurant. It was small inside, with several people scattered about tables and booths. A server stood by a podium in the front, looking bored. The second we walked in, though, her eyes popped up and examined us.

Something about the way she eyed Edward left me with a foul taste in my mouth. I narrowed mine at her.

She led us to our table, well-lit, in the middle of the room. I frowned, and shuffled uncomfortably. I hated being in the middle of anything. The middle was never where a ninja should be. Always the outskirts.

I elbowed Edward, and tried to get him to read in my eyes that I didn't want to sit there.

He nodded at me, smiling softly, and asked the server, "Excuse me, but can we get something more… private?"

The server frowned, subtly, but led us to a nice, secluded booth in the corner of the restaurant. The closest table with people was several feet away, and they were an elderly couple. No problem with being overheard, whatever Edward decided to talk about.

"What can I get you to drink?" The server asked, her head tilted toward me, but her eyes still glued to Edward.

Drink…. Oh, man! I didn't know what they drank here! I glanced over to Edward for help.

"Coke for me," He said, smiling at me.

"Make it two." Thank you vampire-boy and your knowledge of common mainland drinks.

The server nodded and said she'd be back shortly with our drinks.

Edward chuckled at me. "I can't believe you didn't know what to order for a drink."

"Hey," I frowned indignantly. "I wasn't raised where carbonated beverages were common. No one on my island serves it."

"So, you lived on an island." Edward leaned forward, his eyes curious again. Swell. "What island?"

"You wouldn't know it." I put a little sarcasm into my face, but still tried to smile at him. Maybe, one day, I would master facial expressions. "It's not on any common day map."

"Try me. I've seen lots of maps."

I shrugged. Alright then, know-it-all. "I live on the island continent of Kugresa Opala. It's east of here, about five hundred nautical miles, takes a modern USA Marine ship about four days to reach it, if, that is, they can get through the rough seas and monsterous whirlpools."

Edward's face was blank. "You're right. I have no idea where that is."

"Told you so." I smirked.

"So, you said you liked every kind of food." He stared at my hands on the table. "What's the weirdest thing you have ever eaten?"

I thought about that one, flipping my thumbs around. "That's tough. Lots of things are pretty weird to eat. There's roasted skittlier: that stuff is really chewy and dry. Charred bark, man, that was probably the worst thing I've ever eaten. Jungle spider, plain grass with vine sap on it. When you're a ninja, nothing's really weird anymore."

He listened to me with fascination on his face. I couldn't imagine what he was fascinated with. Yeah, I mean, these were awesome stories—a ninja's stories helped define rank among peers—but he couldn't possibly find me interesting. I worked so hard to not be interesting. Interesting equals attention, which then equals enemy ninja finding out I'm spying and then they attack. It's a big mess in the end.

"What about you, huh?" I turned on him. "What would happen if vampire-boy over here were to eat human food?"

Edward grimaced at me, clearly displeased with this new thought. "It's not pretty, let me tell you. We can eat it, but it's tasteless and disgusting, and we can't digest it."

Oh. That seemed fairly reasonable. I nodded at him and fell silent. The server came with our drinks and asked for our food orders.

I glanced down at the menu, and ordered the first dish there, and Edward, being a vampire and all, passed on food. The server looked disappointed, but walked away. Which was probably healthier than stay near me right now. Her eyes were going to be gouged out painfully if she came by again.

"What are you thinking about?" Edward asked, following my glare. I didn't even realize I let it show.

"That girl," I mumbled. "She keeps eying you, and it's making me angry. I don't like where her thoughts are going."

He tilted his head, and looked at me, silently communicating his question.

"Really, Edward?" I narrowed my eyes at him now, shaking my head. "I'm a freaking ninja! Reading people is what I do! And she's a lot easier to read then most people I've had decipher before." I reached over the table and smacked him lightly on the head. "And don't give me that intrigued look. Those stories would make you sick to your stomach, even if you don't use it."

Edward chuckled and reached his hand over mine. The second his cold skin touched mine, I jerked away, reflexively. Not from the cold, but from the touch. Touching someone back home meant certain death. I knew, in my head, that here it was different, but my instincts rule most of my actions. I glanced away, studying the intricate patterns on the wall.

"Sorry." He seemed a little heartbroken. Oh, had I offended him that badly.

I closed my eyes. "You have to understand, Edward. I haven't experienced the world as you have. On the island, and in the life of a ninja, everything is very practical. We don't do much for leisure, and our bodies are something we have to keep to ourselves. The only time we touch another person is when we're fighting, or about to snap their neck or slit their throat." I opened them and looked at him. "My head knows you don't want to do that, but my instincts are usually in charge."

"Instincts? What do they tell you?" He frowned. "Like overall. How do they help you… be you?"

"Well, when you let your instincts take over in battle, reaction time is a lot faster. It tunes us into a much wilder mindset. When the instincts take over, we can see a lot further, without the usual effort and focus, run faster, react faster, think faster, and fight better. Ninjas are raised to be thinking, fighting machines. Basically, instincts could save your life."

"But why are you using them in a restaurant?"

"It's not… easy to shut them off. You probably understand that. You can't just shut off everything you are for a few moments. And you can never really let your guard down, either."

He smiled brightly at me. "You get it…" He muttered, more to himself. "That's… incredible. I never expected anyone outside my family to get it. But you…."

He seemed speechless. I looked away, uncomfortable with the bearing of my mind. I looked at where his hands rested on the table, and let myself wonder for a moment. What would it be like if he were to touch my hand with a warm, not evil, intent?

I found out a second later, when he reached for my hand again. I wrestled with myself not to pull away from him. This was something I was going to have to get used to.

His hand was cold and hard, but it felt… nice on top of mine. I was really confused at that. Nice was not usually something I used to describe feelings. I hated feelings.

I looked at Edward's face, confusion running rampant in my mind, but my face remaining flat. The usual grin he had for me was there, but he seemed almost proud with himself. Or me. Or both. I couldn't tell. Maybe vampires were touchaphobs too.

My food came, and I pulled my hand away from his, watching the frown that came over Edward's face when I did. I ate quickly, not really tasting the food. Edward watched me eat, as usual, with fascination. This guy had to get over it already. It was just food.

"Are you done?" He asked, when my plate was clear.

Obviously, I almost said. There was nothing on my plate anymore. The kitchen probably wouldn't have to scrub this plate at all it was so spotless. "Yes." I nodded at him, and watched as he paid the check. The server was very, very close to being decked.

We walked outside together, Edward just barely brushing my hand. That fuzzy warmth was back in my chest, and I tried to ignore it.

Edward went to open my door again, but the second he touched the car my feet stopped.

That ominous feeling was back. I flipped around, and darted my eyes about. I noticed Edward turned his head up, breathing deeply. Smelling something out.

The feeling was familiar. It was just like….

Wind rushed past me, and it took my body a moment to realize I had been hit in the chest. The second my feet regained their grip, I was down in a battle crouch, senses flaring and mind working.

There. A few yards away from Edward and I.

My old friend, the red eyed vampire.

Well, well. Cliffhanger. But, I'm tired now. After doodling and typing for a couple of hours, my eyes are falling. But, I wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas. Unless you don't celebrate Christmas, then I wish you an awesome ninja-filled day.

Cuz ninjas freakin' rock.