Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers
A/N: Eh... hi!
Leaf's New Word
Leaf like to run...in circles...around me...as we walked... I got dizzy trying to watch out for her most of the time so I gave up and just kept walking as she kept running in circles around me until she managed to get off track and ran into the back of my legs, knocking herself backwards.
"Are you alright?" I asked, turning around. Leaf began to laugh and I helped her get up and she hugged my legs.
"Daddy!" she exclaimed and wouldn't let go. I didn't think she was scared or anything, but she just held onto one leg and so I was forced to walk with her hanging onto my leg for a bit before she jumped off and began to run in circles again. I sighed, she was really tough or she was just uncaring about any injury.
"Leaf, come here!" I ordered and she stopped running and came up to me, "I just want to make sure you're not injured!"
"Leaf, leaf!" she said and tried to run again but I held her close as I looked her over to make sure she hadn't injured herself and she let out a cry, "DADDY!" I let her go. She backed up a few steps and choked back a few tears that I saw forming.
"I'm sorry," I said suddenly, "I just wanted to make sure you weren't hurt... I'm sorry Leaf!" She looked at me uncertainly and I knelt down on the dirt road and extended my arms. She came unsteadily forward.
"Leaf," she murmured and ran into my arms. I sighed with relief...she had just been surprised when I didn't let her go... I guess she wouldn't know what to do. I didn't know what to do. Was that the right thing to do?
"I'm sorry Leaf, I just wanted..." I said and she giggled against my clothes. I stood and picked her up, holding her close in my arms. She snuggled against me, which amazed me as I had rock hard skin and yawned.
"Daddy..." she murmured.
"Shall I carry you for a while now?" I asked and she nodded into my shoulder and I continued to walk and heard a little snore emit from her every so often. I don't think I had ever acted like this in my life... I was acting kind, caring, I was trying to act like a father...well, I was a father technically and so I can't really 'act' like one... what was wrong with me... anything could be I guess...but nothing seemed wrong with me, I really didn't feel different...
...
Leaf when she woke up and I set her down walked beside me, trying to imitate the way I walked, but she had to run to catch up with me sometimes because my stride was longer than hers and she'd fall behind. I found it funny the way she tried to follow every footstep I had, following at my side. Leaf even began to sing, of course, her song consisted of the words 'leaf' and 'daddy' and it had no particular tune but it actually was melodic. I wondered when she grew up if she'd be a bard... oh god, here I was wondering what she'd be when she grew up. I let out a sigh, and listened to Leaf try to imitate it. She was adorable in her own way... I think Lina and the others would like her...
...
It was starting to get late and we still hadn't reached the next town, so it looked like I'd have to be extra careful in picking the spot where we would stay for the night because I had sworn to not let anyone harm Leaf ever again or take her away from me, which was why I wanted to get to the next town by nightfall, but some towns were a longer ways away. I found a nearby cave and we settled into it for the night. I caught fish and then built up a fire. When we had finished eating Leaf curled up into my arms and went to sleep. I kept watch until sleep overcame me.
...
Leaf wasn't in my arms when I awoke. Where was she? I looked around nervously and stood up and went outside the cave.
"Leaf," I called, "Where are you Leaf?" I head the brushes nearby me move and Leaf came tumbling out, her hands full of something.
"Daddy!" she cried, obviously proud of herself.
"What did you find?" I asked, kneeling down to where she was now sitting. Her face seemed to be covered in berry juice, what had she found. She extended her hand and in it were raspberries! She had found a raspberry bush somewhere nearby, and obviously had eaten a fair few...
"Leaf!" she said and offered them to me. I let an amused smile show and took one of the berries, popping it in my mouth. It was actually quite sweet.
"You can have the rest," I said reassuringly, "We have some fish from last night that hasn't been eaten so I'll have that for breakfast, and then we'd better get you washed up."
"Leaf!" she exclaimed and stuffed the berries in her mouth, the juice getting all over her. She stood up and looked at me funny and then laughed.
"You are a messy eater," I said with a sigh and stood.
...
Cleaning Leaf up was easier said than done. She wanted to splash in the water and she insisted on splashing me and by the time I finally was able to clean her face off we were both thoroughly wet. She shivered slightly and I looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, you did get yourself wet, water is cold," I said and she giggled. I smiled; nothing seemed to faze her at all. She might be overly cheerful.
"Leaf, daddy, daddy," she said and I sighed, "Daddy..."
"We should get going again..." I said and she stood up, straight as a tree and smiled. I stood as well.
"Daddy!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah, we're going," I said. I paused for a minute. What kind of a life was this for Leaf? I mean, I was a traveler and that would be most of what I would do for the rest of my life. Was that the kind of life Leaf deserved, to not be able to grow up in a village and make friends? Was this what was best for her?
"Leaf!" she exclaimed and I looked into her eyes. She'd follow me anywhere, I knew it, she didn't care if she didn't have what most would consider a normal life... she was too young to understand the consequences of that, wasn't she? Something tugged in the back of my mind that she did understand and she didn't care... I shouldn't go thinking like this... It made my head hurt.
"Let's go," I said and she slipped her hand into mine and dragged me along. She was very strong for such a little kid!
...
She loved to run... I sighed again. She'd maybe be an athlete... How was I to know what she'd be?
"Leaf!" she shouted out and pointed. I looked in the direction of where she was pointed.
"..." I couldn't say anything... How dare that Mazoku be up ahead of me!
"Daddy?" Leaf asked worriedly, "Daddy?"
"Ignore him," I said and tried to usher us around the Mazoku I knew to be Xellos. He had seen us, of course he had seen us, probably heard us too, Leaf yelled loud.
"Why hello there my friend!" Xellos said, running towards us.
"Why are you here?" I asked, "Is it not enough that you led me on a wild goose chase? But now you're here to torment me on that fact?"
"What wild goose chase?" Xellos asked innocently, "Why, who do we have here?" Xellos kneeled down in front of Leaf who nervously went behind my legs.
"Leaf," she said and held onto me.
"I don't think she likes you," I said with a small look of triumph on my face. Xellos stood up and smiled at me.
"She should...what's there not to like about me?" he asked.
"Because you're a damn Mazoku, go away!" I said and Xellos waggled a finger in my face.
"Aren't you interested in why I'm here?" Xellos asked.
"To be a pain in my posterior?" I asked.
"I was just coming to tell you that you were a few villages away and here you are insulting me!" Xellos said, trying to look wounded.
"How in the world do you expect me to trust you?" I asked, "You and your damn tricks!"
"Believe me or don't believe me... but if I hadn't sent you on this quest... would you have found that cute kid?" Xellos asked.
"...What did you have to do with me finding her...?" I said cautiously.
"Nothing...but it was a bonus to watch you care for someone other than yourself...I mean, do you want me to take her off your hands?" Xellos asked and tried to look innocent.
"No," I said and I felt Leaf slip her hand into mine, "She needs me..."
"And you need her..." Xellos said, "Happy hunting!" And with that Xellos faded from my sight. I trembled a bit and sat down under a tree. I let Leaf come and sit in my lap. What did Xellos mean when he said I needed her? I ignored everything else for a moment. I hate Xellos...
"Daddy?" Leaf asked, looking up into my eyes and she blinked. I smiled down at her. Maybe I did need her in a way... I don't know how... I didn't think I was being a good father, I was trying though.
"Damn him, Damn Xellos, Damn him and his overly cheerful way of making fun..." I muttered and Leaf giggled, "What do you find so funny?" I hadn't meant it to be so mean sounding but I was peeved right now. Xellos shows up when you don't want him!
"Daddy!" she exclaimed.
"What?" I asked.
"Daddy!" she exclaimed, "Damn!" Oh crap...
TBC
A/N: Anyhow, thanks for all the reviews I have in this one! I totally had to do this chapter, so let me know what you think... I mean children do learn from their parents!