Toffee Romance (part 1) Trust

~Chapter 11~

After the training session, I collapsed on the couch in the house. Toffee had beaten me up pretty bad, but he didn't mean to. Normally with a focused mind I'm able to properly dodge his attacks. This time, my own worry took over and caused me to seem as though I had forgotten everything he taught me. I sighed on the couch and felt a weight sink down next to me. I then felt a soft touch on my back. "Ariel, is there something wrong? You didn't seem yourself just now? Was I being too rough on you??? Did I hurt you?!?!" Toffee started to panic a bit. I smiled a little at this and rolled over to face him. "No Toffee, I'm just fine. It's just..." I hesitated. Should I really bring this up to me? He's got no obligation to me. Why should he care that I feel this way about him? He didn't have to take me with him at all, but he did. I'm already pushing my luck ad his patience by complaining. "It's nothing Toffee. I'm fine." I lied to him. He seemed a little concerned at first, but he gave up shortly afterwards. "Well, I'm going to go rest...The bed is always open." He looked away from me and blushed a bit. The he wished me a good night and retired to his bedroom. He had been saying to me that I could come sleep in the bed with him, or I could come sleep in the bed ad he'd come sleep on the couch for a long time now. However, I never took the offer because he was already doing so much for me now. Taking me in, teaching me to fight, feeding me, and caring for me...The list was endless! Suddenly the feeling came back up. In a few more days...no more Toffee for 20 years. No more...

I grabbed a pillow and groaned into it. My eyes started to water and I was angry at myself. Of course I'd be feeling this was about him again and still not know the reason why. I stared at the door to his room and sighed. If I wasn't going to be with him for such a long time, I could at least tell him how I feel and get the closure I need. 

I nodded to myself and stood up bravely. Then I trudged towards his room. When I made it to the door, I hesitated before opening it up. After a minute or so of standing there, I slowly opened the door and walked inside. The moonlight shone through the window and lit the room for us to see each other. "Ariel?" Toffee sat up in the bed and looked at me with a worried face. I took a deep breath and tried to keep myself composed. However, that didn't end up working very well. I took two steps before I broke down and ran sobbing into his arms. He sighed and held me close to him. "You see! I knew something was wrong with you earlier today. What is it?" He asked me calmly. I pulled away and wiped my eyes. "Toffee, do you feel a connection to me? Any kind at all?" I asked while keeping my vision on my feet hanging off the edge of the bed. "Connection?" Toffee paused before continuing to speak. "At first, I can't say so. In the start, you were just some annoying little rebel Mewman that I couldn't seem to get away from. But afterwards...Ariel I'd be lying if I said I didn't care for you now. I truly do, even if I can't explain right now." Toffee reached over to me and pulled one of my curls. I looked up at him with wet cheeks from the crying. "You're just saying that so you won't feel bad about hurting my feelings." I pouted at him. Toffee shook his head and granted me a kind smile. "Of course not, I'm saying all this because it's the truth, Ariel." For a moment, the moon seemed to shine of his eyes in a way that made them sparkle a golden yellow rather than their normal dull yellow color. I was nearly hypnotized so I shook my head to break the trance. "Yeah well...20 years is a long time Toffee. What if I don't see you again afterwards." I pouted at him again. He simply pulled me closely and sighed. "Trust me Ariel...all I ask is that you trust me please. I can give you my solemn swear that I will come back for you no matter what." Toffee pushed me back to look me in the eyes. He seemed to be very serious about it, so I took his advice and trusted him. I nodded my head and pulled him into another hug. He held me back closely and before I knew it, I was out cold. When I woke again, Toffee was standing at the door with the morning light glinting off his metal parts of his armor. I was once again mesmerized. "I think you've got a few days left, but you truly aren't trained well enough for me to not worry about you yet when I send you away. Therefore, we need to push it pretty hard. In other words...no breakfast until you finish training for the day." Toffee dropped the ball. I groaned and pulled my hair down. "UUUUUUGHHHHHH, YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!!!" Toffee simply chuckled and walked away. "I'll meet you out back when you out on you armor." He shouted over his shoulder. 

I groaned again and slammed my hands onto the mattress in frustration. Eventually I gave up and went to join him. His training seemed to be more gruesome than usual this time. I somehow managed to survive it, and as promised Toffee gave me breakfast. When I had finished eating, he ushered for me to sit next to him on the couch. He explained to me the protocol for the next few days. He would train me harder and rougher up until the last day. Then he'd be shipping me off to a planet named Earth in a rather boring dimension if you ask me. Afterwards, I wouldn't see him for a while. So I continued to cry about it, and he continued to reassure me. I continued to train and get stronger and Toffee continued to push me harder. That was all up until the day came...

The day to leave him.