"You're leaving? So soon?"
"We've been too much of a burden already," Ronin chuckled, motioning half-heartedly to the small holes throughout the living room's walls, proof that Toklata had taken to practicing with her thowing knives. "And it's only a matter of time before someone sees her here. Keep in mind that she's supposed to be dead."
Leigh blinked. "Oh, right. But technically, she's still just missing. They're only assuming that she's dead."
"Either way, if someone sees her, we'll both be in trouble," he sighed. Her personality was one that could get on your nerves; she was always trying to start an argument, always disagreeing. "Not to mention me—I should leave before your employees start to think things."
"Too late for that."
She began to walk away, downstairs to the shop, but Ronin snaked his arms around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder. "Would you like to prove that their suspicions are correct?"
"Let me go, Ronin," she sighed, exasperated.
"Right. Just checking that it was really you. A lesser woman would've—"
"I don't want to hear it. I've got to get to work." Ronin released her and she headed for the stairs, but she paused halfway there, turning back to him. "You can't just make off with a missing child. That's kidnapping."
Ronin smirked. "But if they think she's dead, then it's not."
"But she hasn't been declared dead—"
"Only for now, Leigh, but give it a few weeks. I have a friend who specializes in a rather dark art form. I'll get a hold of her and ask a favor."
Curious now, Leigh turned around completely. "'Dark art form?' What do you mean?"
His grin grew wider. "Let's just say, if you hear that she's dead a few weeks from now, don't believe it. Even if you see physical proof. This friend of mine…" he laughed softly, "Well, she makes dolls. And that's all I'm going to say, so get down there and run your shop or whatever."
"Dolls?"
But Ronin refused to say anything more on the subject and headed for his room, where Toklata was peacefully napping off the final (or so one could only hope) fatigues of her vampirism. He tried not to wake her while he was packing up what few possessions he had, debating whether or not to pack her things for her or make her do it herself (something Jaden would've done). Unfortunately, her senses were still adjusting, and she woke at the light metallic sound of his sword being sheathed, sitting straight up in the bed and rubbing her eyes.
"Umm…Ronin? What are you doing?"
"We're going to be leaving soon. Get your things packed." Okay. Yes, she would have to do it herself. No going easy on her.
"Oh." Her voice was slightly disappointed. "Okay."
She agreed so easily that it almost made him feel guilty. Put in the same situation at her age, he would've whined and complained and argued…and gotten his ass beaten.
Sliding off the bed, Toklata picked up her small backpack and headed out the door towards the kitchen, which was presumably where she had left her flute. Ronin sighed at her poorly disguised sadness. Of course she wouldn't want to leave, not when she was having such fun with Kam. She was actually very good with him, and lifted a huge weight off of Leigh's shoulders whenever she could baby sit the boy.
So Leigh wasn't disappointed that I was leaving, she was disappointed that the girl was leaving… Damn, that woman is so hard please. He smiled. But that's what makes her so interesting.
Toklata returned, flute pressed to her lips, several minutes later. She was pressing the keys to match some tune, but not actually blowing into it, as to prevent waking Kam from his nap.
"Do you ever put that thing down?"
"I could ask the same thing about your sword," she replied lightly.
Has she always been that slick talker, or has she learned something from me already?
Without any reply from Ronin, she looked up with a questioning expression, only to see the usual conceited smirk.
"I like Leigh's house," she sighed, plopping herself back onto the bed and stretching across it.
His grin faltered. "I know. But we have to leave soon." He sat down next to her on the green bedspread and whispered, "I think Leigh is getting a little sick of us."
She giggled at that. "I don't think so."
"Really, just go ask her. Ah, on second thought, don't. Now come on and get your things packed up. If you don't say another word about it, we'll pick you up some new clothes once we get out of town."
Not surprisingly, she looked as if she would much rather go on with a single outfit if it meant she could stay.
"I'm sorry, Wistful Eyes," Ronin sighed. The whole situation would've been so much less heartbreaking if she had kicked and screamed and argued—then, he could've easily told her that she was a selfish brat and that Leigh didn't want her in her home anyway.
But Toklata was Toklata, and she just quietly slid off of the bed and began shoving things of hers that had been scattered across the room into her backpack.
"We just…really have to go. I'm not sure if you understand why right now, but—"
He paused at the sight of the plush dog she held in her arms. It hadn't been so long ago that he had first given it to her, and yet it seemed so far away.
It was from the time when everything had been okay; when she had just been a day's pleasant, unjudging company, and he had just been the swordsman that chased off the obnoxious little boys that had taken a liking to beating her up.
"Wonderful. I saved a thief!"
He remembered saying that.
"Hey! Were they the bad guys?"
"Honestly, I don't really know anymore, girl."
And there was a question still unanswered.
There was always the chance that living her life as a half-vampire would be better than waiting it out as a miserable human. She would get some small amount of affection this way, guaranteed. The friend he had mentioned to Leigh, in fact, would probably spoil her rotten.
So, maybe everything was still okay.
"Um…Ronin?"
He snapped back to that particular time, blinking and putting a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Everything…everything will be okay."
For a few confused moments, her brow was drawn in an attempt to figure out what exactly he was talking about. But then, a huge smile broke across her face. "I know," she said cheerfully. "I trust you."
Ronin smiled back. "Good. I trust you, too. Now," he grinned, taking on a stern tone of voice and clapping his hands together, "don't make me tell you to get your things packed up again, or there will be a punishment."
"But you're the one who was talking to m—"
"Ah! Not another word, Wistful Eyes!"
She quickly began running around, sloppily throwing things into the small bag, her flute laying abandoned on the bed. She ran out of the room to find it's case, and came back panicked because she couldn't remember where she had thrown the actual instrument.
Ronin sighed and pointed it out to her, making note that organization skills were also something that needed to be taught.
After he was sure that she was done bursting in and out of their shared room, he slept, peacefully and dreamlessly for the first time in ages.
--
"Toklata, have you seen Ronin anywhere?"
"He's asleep. Um…I think we're going to leave tonight."
Leigh nodded. "He told me. But I came upstairs to wake Kam, so you can play with him until then if you'd like to."
She smiled, following Leigh into her well-lit room and waiting for her to properly wake her nephew up.
"He's all fed and everything, so you can just take him right to the den and play," she said softly, putting him down when he was awake enough to stand up straight.
Toklata took his hand and led him off to the living room, where all of his toys were scattered in a horrid mess, so they could, undoubtedly, pull out more and make the mountain of stuffed animals and toy cars even bigger.
It was an amusing thing, but Leigh only smiled for a moment, as she happened to catch sight of Kam and Toklata's intertwined hands. Compared to his, her hand seemed already sickly-pale—which could've just been because she hadn't gotten to go outside since returning to the house, but also served as an unwanted reminder of what she was now.
With a sigh, Leigh went back to her work, pushing that depressing thought to the very back of her mind.
--
"Are you sure you don't want to stay a bit longer? Kam will be sad to see you go."
"Leigh," Ronin growled warningly. Toklata already didn't want to go, and the woman was just trying to make trouble.
Leigh smiled mischievously, hoisting the sleeping Kam further onto her waist.
It was just around midnight when they all stood gathered right outside the backdoor of her home, two of them with small packs slung over their shoulders, one fast asleep, and the last trying to think of ways to make the other's companionship last longer—one who had grown quite fond of Ronin, even if she wouldn't admit it.
Toklata's eyes started tearing up. "We had lots of fun. Maybe we'll see each other again."
"Oh, Toklata, don't cry. You'll make me—ah, too late!" Leigh kneeled down and hugged her, which was rather difficult to do without waking Kam. After a few moments, the girl stopped squeezing the life out of her, and she stood up, wiping her eyes and turning to Ronin. "So…what? Do I hug you?"
Ronin smiled. "Maybe we should act a bit more impersonal. Your employees—"
"Aren't here right now," she finished, standing on her toes and planting a kiss on his cheek.
"Do you want me to hose you down at this hour, Leigh? You'll freeze."
She smacked him playfully. "Get lost! The girl can stay, but you've got to go, Ronin Takoda!"
"Women…" he muttered, before lifting up Toklata and throwing her over his shoulder. "All right, Wistful Eyes! Ready?"
She giggled and wiped her face free of tears. "Okay. Let's go. Bye, Leigh!"
"See ya. Make sure you give Ronin hell as soon as you hit thirteen."
"Thank you, Leigh," Ronin snarled, leaning down and kissing her as well. "I can honestly say that I won't be forgetting you. I'd appreciate if you'd do the same."
Without waiting for an answer, he began walking, Toklata waving from over his shoulder until the two disappeared into the trees.
--
A/N- This isn't the last chapter! I hope to get a quick epilogue up before I go to bed tonight. I'll explain everything there! I have to go now! Eep!