The Three-Month Deal

***Ronin***

The boy grins up at me. His tiny body holds no judgment. His mismatched eyes—one bright blue, the other deep brown—sparkle with raw excitement. He waits patiently for my response, treating me like a fascinating new friend rather than a scarred beast hiding in the dirt.

I have been asked for my name many times in my life. The reasons were never kind. Growing up, my father demanded my