Future Rewritten

Ronin's Past

After waking up and divulging her fears to Ronin, it seems as if they had gotten closer. Ronin now understood why she lied and he forgave her. Even going so far as to stroke her hair at night when she begins to stir from her nightmares again.

It had been several days since then. Every practice, Nicole would make different baked goods and the woman would eat them up. Which made her happy that she might be on the right track for her future.

Tomorrow was the big match, but today the both of them went shopping on main street. They got some of the things they were running out of, but Nicole wanted to go to the craft store to get extra things for baking and maybe a new hobby. Once she found something she was interest in they went home.

After dinner Nicole made chocolate covered peanut butter balls. Bringing a plate of them out into the living room, she sits down in front of the fireplace to try her hand at her new interest. Ronin was on the couch watching some sports game, which was fine with her. It was nice and calm in the house.

"What are you doing?" Ronin asked during a commercial break.

"Knitting..." Nicole had a book open to a page that could help her start. "I figured it would be something easy to do while waiting for my things to bake. Plus, I can make cute things for display in my bakery. That is, if and when I get it."

"I remember my mother used to knit when I was younger. It didn't look that hard." Ronin watched as Nicole tried and tried to start a chain. "Are you sure you're reading the instructions correctly?"

Nicole scoffs. "Well mister I-know-everything. Why don't you get your furry butt down here and give it a shot?"

Ronin laughed at her. "Furry butt?"

"Yeah, you know your wolf has a furry butt..." Nicole teased.

Ronin slide onto the floor in front of Nicole. "It's been a while since you saw my wolf, are you sure you're remembering it correctly?"

"Then maybe I should see him again to point it out." Nicole passed an extra pair of knitting needles to Ronin and turned the book so he could read it. "Now, give it a shot, big guy."

"Let me show you how it's done." Ronin read a little before beginning his chain.

In the glow of the fire, Nicole and Ronin attempted to show the other who could learn knitting better. The game was still on, but it had become forgotten. Nicole laughed as Ronin had to restart his chain for a third time.

"Oh... wow... I can't believe you're so good at this." Nicole laughed and stated sarcastically.

"Oh, shut it." Ronin placed the needles down. "So, it's a lot more complicated than I originally thought."

Nicole continued to laugh. "So maybe I'm not bad at it, just new?"

"Yeah... yeah..." Ronin leaned back against the front of the couch. 

"So..." Nicole kept her gaze on her knitting. "Your mother used to knit?"

"Yeah... It's one of the reasons I love to sit in front of the fireplace with a fire going. At night, after dinner, I would watch t.v., my mother would knit, and my father would read. Every night it was our ritual and I loved it." Ronin kept his eyes on the flicker of the flames.

"That sounds like heaven. I would love to have a ritual like that every night." Nicole smiled, but it wasn't a happy one. "I just don't think someone would want to have a family with me."

"Hey..." Ronin barked causing Nicole to look at him. "You need to stop saying that."

"Then tell me about your family..." Nicole changed the subject.

Ronin looked away towards the window. "They're dead."

"Oh... Ronin..." Nicole scooted closer to him. "I'm so sorry... Do you want to talk about it? With me? I mean... you don't have to, but you know I'm here for you if you need someone. Like you were for me..."

Ronin smiled at her rambling. "It's okay. I understand what you mean. It's just... I've never talked about it with anyone."

"That's okay." Nicole went back to her knitting. "I know all too well about dealing with a traumatic past."

Ronin watched Nicole for a moment. She didn't push or pry him for more. Nor did she get angry that he wouldn't share. It was nice and he liked it. Normally, women get crazy when you don't share or keep things. As if you have to tell them everything, all the time, with a drop of the hat. It's not like he's lying, which he would never do to someone he's with, but this was different. This was the reason he couldn't trust people. Well, before her.

"I was young when they died." Ronin began.

Nicole looked up and saw Ronin staring at the fire. "Ronin... you don't have to force yourself if you don't want to."

"I know, but I want to. You'll understand why when I'm done." Ronin looked at Nicole for a moment.

Nicole saw in his eyes something that she couldn't put a finger on. "Then I'm all yours."

Ronin smiled at her words before beginning his story, again. "Like I said, I was young when they died. Older than you were, but still young. Before this pack, I was born and raised in one up north. It was a quiet little town where nothing ever happened. One day a family came, looking for a place to stay."

"Were they bad?" Nicole worried.

"Even at a young age, I knew that they weren't bad, but troubled." Ronin sighed. "I don't remember much about the family. What I do remember is that they were hiding. I think it might have been from family, I'm not sure. Then one day some men showed up. Hell bent on locating them and they killed everyone in their path to find them."

"They were killed?" Nicole put down her needles and moved to comfort Ronin.

"Yes." Ronin grabbed Nicole's hand, that was stroking his arm, and started rubbing it with his thumb. "When the men began their attack, our pack went into action. They fought as honorably as they could, but it wasn't enough. My parents and many other were killed."

"I'm so sorry." Nicole felt awful. "What happened with the family?"

"They got away with a few of our remaining pack. Including myself, but those men eventually found them. I believe they killed them too. Made it look like an accident. It's what Hunters do." Ronin rubbed the back of his neck.

"That's awful." Nicole rubbed Ronin's hand that was holding hers. "Do you blame them?"

"What?" Ronin asked.

"Do you blame the family for bringing the Hunters that killed your parents?" Nicole repeated.

"I did. For a very long time." Ronin was honest. "I hated outsiders. I believed all outsiders had a connection to Hunters and that it was only in time that they would call in the Calvary.  In truth, it wasn't until I met you that I began to not blame them, anymore."

"How did I help?" Nicole was confused.

"How can I blame them for my family's death, just because of their circumstance? When all they wanted to do was live in peace." Ronin brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Like you."

"You're worried that I'll bring that kind of destruction here like they did there?" Nicole didn't like that.

"I did, but how would that be your fault? You're just trying to find a place to live your life, in peace. Which you have every right to. If Hunters or someone else comes for you, then we'll be ready. This time we'll be prepared." Ronin glared.

"Thanks... Let's just hope it won't have to come to that." Nicole smiled, squeezing Ronin's hand for appreciation, before getting up. "I'm exhausted. I'm heading to bed. Of course, the invitation to snuggle is always open."

"Yeah... I'll be there in a minute." Ronin decided to try to finish watching the game and maybe try his hand at knitting again.

Nicole left and Ronin felt lighter. Telling her about his past felt nice. She might not have wanted to divulge her past to him, but he was happy that she did. It was only natural for him to confide in her. The thing is, he didn't have to. He wanted to. Now, he'll try to relax his racing heart before crawling into bed with the woman who's breaking down his defenses.