The Lostkind (38 page)

Yasi didn't try to stop him as he left the room.

After a moment, the cat came over and nuzzled her hand. She pulled him into her lap and scratched behind his ear. "I really messed that one up didn't I, Merlin?"

The cat wriggled free and went over to the bowl Dorcan left, sniffing at it for a moment, before retreating into the shadows again, looking for rats.

"Everyone's a critic." Yasi snorted.

But Dorcan's words had hit their mark, and she spent longer thinking about it than she normally would have.

After a moment she rose to her feet and left her room behind.

~oo00oo~

The rain had continued for over an hour. It wasn't a downpour, just a steady heavy rain that made gutters into rivers. Vincent was still cooking as the wind came up a moment and pounded the rain into the windows. He wondered idly how the Underside handled rainfall, and then remembered the River. It all flowed out somewhere, just as it did above.

There was a knock at the door; and he paused. Connie still had a few things here, but he was certain she still had her key. Yasi would use the window... He sent a quick glance over to the hall closet by the door. The goggles and the crossbow were there, wrapped in the coat Yasi had given him. History suggested they wouldn't be much help; but he supposed Owen or Riverfolk wouldn't knock. "It's Open!" He called from the kitchen.

The front door opened, and Connie's brother Drew, Benji and Tony came in.

Vincent poked his head out and looked; his eyes going straight to Drew. "Oh. Come to make good on what you said the day we met?"

Drew snorted. "You'd think so, wouldn't you?" He mock-growled. "But Connie has assured me that you were a gentleman, and that it was
her
choice to walk away. Something about heading in different directions."

Vincent bit his lip. "I suppose that's as good a way of putting it as anything."

Benji sniffed. "I smell lasagna." He said.

Tony elbowed him. "Could you
not
think with your stomach for just one minute?"

"I'm not. You know and I know that Vincent only cooks when he's upset." Benji argued.

"This is true." Tony considered. "I remember when he missed her birthday party, we got peach cobbler."

The wind picked up again and beat the rain against the windows.

Benji pretended to take off his hat and pose like Oliver Twist. "You wouldn't send us out into the rain, cold and hungry, would'ya Vincent?"

Vincent sighed and smirked a little, despite himself. "Well, as it happens, I made enough for three or four meals." He admitted. "But you'll have to set the table."

Benji beamed. "Oh sure."

Tony scoffed. "Please, you've never used silverware in your life."

Drew followed Vincent into the kitchen, letting them speak privately. "Connie says she was against you taking the job. She said she was worried for you."

Vincent wouldn't meet his gaze, focusing on the task of setting out plates. "Did she say why?"

"Something about the people you'd be working with, and the hours… She wasn't too specific. Said the job had a confidentiality clause, which meant you couldn't talk about it." He shrugged. "I work in a bank, I know all about keeping private information secret in everyday conversations."

Vincent nodded. "That's pretty much it, yeah. I think that Connie didn't believe I could balance my work with my relationships."

"She right?"

Vincent sighed hard. "I don't know."

"You're cooking. Benji's right, it's a nervous habit for you. Worried you did the wrong thing?"

"Yeah, a little." Vincent admitted. "But if I had to do it over again, I'd probably do the same. Wherever this leads, it's just something I have to do."

Drew nodded; but he wasn't smiling. "Connie's upset. As her big brother, that makes me furious, but she's handling this one well. Maybe because it was her choice to end it here, maybe because she understands why you're doing this. So it's a bad day, but we all move on."

Vincent nodded. "Thank you for that."

"Don't thank me." Drew said seriously. "This could be the worst mistake you ever made. So far it's cost you your girlfriend; and speaking as her brother, the best thing that's ever happened to you. Connie and me? Our parents worked two jobs
each
just to keep us in the black, and we hardly ever saw them as a result. Nobody ever lay on their deathbed, wishing they had spent more time at work." Drew said seriously. "Career is career, but love is forever."

"I smell garlic bread!" Benji hollered from the next room.

Drew headed out of the kitchen. "Something to think about."

Benji and Tony perked up as Drew came out of the kitchen. "Food?" Benji chirped hopefully.

"It's coming." Drew told him. "Guys, we're not staying. I needed to talk to him, and we'll shovel a little chow into Benji to shut him up, but don't get settled. There's always a discreet interval when one of your family goes through a breakup. We're not friends with Vincent, until that period of time is over."

"No more food?" Benji repeated the part of that which he understood.

"Not from Vincent, not for a while." Drew confirmed, breaking it to him gently. "Connie wouldn't like it."

Benji nodded. Connie had often told him that he was loyal and hungry as a pup, and that's why she had nicknamed him ‘Benji'. He was about to say something when they heard a noise from the other end of the apartment. All three of them looked out the living room door down the hall. With the doors open, they had a clear view of the hall window opening from the outside

And Yasi stepped over the windowsill, the fire escape clearly visible behind her. She closed the window, and shook the rain from her hair and clothes. The three extra people in the room were stunned. "Um... Hello."

Yasi wasn't the least bit concerned as she came into the living room. "Hi there."

"And who exactly are you?"

"Yasi." The Shinobi said easily.

"And where are you from?" Drew challenged.

"Downstairs." Yasi said, giving nothing away.

Vincent, overhearing the whole thing from the kitchen, couldn't help the slight smirk as his heart sped up a bit.
Downstairs? No kidding.

"Vincent?" Tony said, more amused than anything else. "This girl climbed in your hallway window."

"Well, that's where the fire escape is." Vincent called back, as though that explained everything, and poked his head out of the kitchen. "Yasi." He said neutrally, giving his guests a glance. "What's up?"

"I smelled lasagne, and it's raining outside." Yasi said, as thought that explained everything. Vincent came into the room and took a look at her. She was standing ramrod straight, her sword was missing, and though she held her hands behind her back casually, Vincent could see her hands shaking a bit from his angle. She was tense; not used to be surrounded by strangers.

Vincent pushed the garlic bread over, and she spoke as she took a piece. "If you're in the middle of something messy…" She started to say quietly, careful not to let anyone overhear.

"Stay. They'll only be here long enough to grab food and go." Vincent assured her. "Please."

Yasi nodded gratefully, and sat down. Drew looked Yasi over subtly and glanced toward Vincent; the question in his eyes. He didn't ask, and Vincent was grateful, though he worried about Connie. Their main circle of friends were all here, with Yasi sitting in Connie's usual seat. The thought of her being alone made him feel guilty.

~oo00oo~

Connie was staying with her brother for a while, until she found a new place. He had been happy to take her in, and stay with his girlfriend for a bit so she could have privacy. She'd spent the better part of a day convincing him that her breakup with Vincent was amicable. Drew was the definition of a Big Brother, and he wanted to punish anyone who made his little sister cry. Connie appreciated it, but even if she felt justified in doing it, leaving Vincent was her choice.

And a part of her couldn't help the fear that Yasi might be around. Her brother would be diced if he dared to lay a finger on her ex-boyfriend.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Connie spun in shock at the tapping on her window. A small shape was visible as distant lightning silently lit up the stormy sky a moment.

"Tecca?" She whispered in surprise and opened the window for him. Even twelve feet from the ground, the boy seemed at ease perching on a windowsill in the rain. "Tecca, what are you doing here?"

Tecca sniffed. "I'm cold." He admitted finally.

Connie all but pulled him in forcibly; and quickly found a blanket to wrap him in.

Tecca accepted it. "I'm supposed to keep an eye on things around here. I can do that
inside
the window too right?"

"You can for as long as it's raining." Connie returned. It was not a polite offer, it was a direct order to stay and warm up. "How long were you out there?"

"Hey, it's not like I chickened out." Tecca snarled, suddenly ferocious. "I handled the winter nights long before you came along, lady. You should have seen Wotcha; she was untouchable, no matter what was happening around her. I'm the Watcher now."

"I know, you direct the lightning." Connie responded loyally. "Would you like some hot cocoa?"

Tecca licked his lips. "Yes." He said carefully, as though it were a test.

Connie smiled and fixed it for him while he dried off. "So, what brings you by?"

Tecca took the drink and wrapped his fingers around the cup. She cleared her throat; and he swallowed. "Thank you." He said quickly; and hid it behind the mug. Connie beamed at him, and the two of them slowly sipped their hot drinks for a while. She'd spent enough time around homeless kids at the clinic. Not a one of them were willing to admit needing help. None of them were willing to admit they wanted grown-ups looking after them.

"You know Tecca…" Connie said casually. "I'm really glad you stopped by. Things with me and Vincent fell apart after… well, after. I guess I'm just not brave enough. I was still scared of Owen coming after us I guess. It was scary down there for me. I'm glad to know I've still got someone looking out for me, now that I'm here alone." He was a smart kid, and she was careful not to make it sound like she was humoring him.

Tecca studied her, picking her apart with suspicious eyes. The jaded look was a terrible thing to see in one so young, and finally he decided he trusted whatever he saw. He reached into his messenger bag, and pulled out his copy of The Secret Garden. "Well… since you need someone to sit with you a while… We might as well do something?"

Connie smiled. "Well, as long as you're sure." She picked up the book. "More cocoa?"

~oo00oo~

Connie's friends had left once the lasagna was gone. Vincent was washing the dishes when Yasi suddenly reappeared, and picked up a dishcloth.

"Gotta say, I was surprised to see you come in while they were here." Vincent offered as she took a plate off the drying rack. "I figured you'd wait till they left."

"It was raining." Yasi excused, but both of them knew that wasn't it. "I wanted to... I don't know. Look, I've never told anyone this, so I'm going to fumble it a little okay?"

"Okay." Vincent settled and let her talk.

Yasi licked her lips. "Do you remember when you bought me coffee?"

"Sure."

"Double-tall Mocha-swirl, with caramel shots and whipped cream." Yasi recited. "I know it by heart. When I was in training, a group of us would come up to the surface, spend time slipping in and out of your world, learning how to be invisible. But when we were done training, we stopped. There was no reason to be up here. But when I became Captain, I came up to the surface alone. It was what I did to relax."

"Lonely at the Top."

"Lonely when you're young." She added, setting down the plate and picking up another. "I was the youngest Shinobi ever to become the Captain." Yasi said proudly. "There were a few people who figured it was nepotism, but I proved them all wrong."

"Nepotism?" Vincent repeated, a little confused. "Why should... wait." It struck him suddenly and his eyes bulged.

Yasi smirked. "You had to find out sooner or later."

"Keeper and Archivist are your
parents
?" Vincent almost shrieked, making the water splash a bit. "Holy cats! You're gonna look like
Keeper
when you get old?!"

Yasi just looked at him. "Weighing your options? Should I go tell Connie to move her stuff back in?"

Vincent held up both hands. "Hey. You
know
that's not why we broke up."

"I do." Yasi confirmed. "But I get why she'd think it was me." She bit her lip. "All that stuff we did? Coffee at the Bridge; music at the Opera House? I've never actually done that
with
someone. It was almost like a secret life. I don't think you were conscious enough to see me fight. But if you had been... that's my real face.
That's
what I do." She sighed and scrubbed her face. "My worlds collided that night at the Bridge, Vincent. I saw you looking, and you weren't scared of me. I hated that a part of me...
wanted
you to be scared." Yasi admitted. "It comes naturally most of the time. Nobody laughs at a sword. It's who I am, and I am very good at it... Intimidation gets to be habit after a while, and... it never worked on you. It occurred to me that... I didn't know what to do when fear didn't work."